I meant to get so much done while LT was away and yesterday it didn’t happen at all. I had slept fitfully and, after he left, I slouched around for an hour and then went back to bed. Only to be woken a few minutes later by a recorded cold call on the phone. I left it off the hook after that, finally slept again and so at least was in better shape during the afternoon and evening. And this morning I made a fruit cake and another batch of marmalade so, whilst I could hardly be described as a domestic goddess, one of the minor nymphs might fit the bill.
I received the programme for the Aldeburgh Festival on Monday. Last year, we said we’d go and then nothing was chosen to go to. Since the perk of my Friendship is early booking, we might as well take advantage of it. The opera this year is Britten’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, which I have never seen and, I realised, I don’t know the music at all. So two and a half hours were spent listening to it – good old Spotify, how did we do without it? I will say that I still do buy music if it’s something I’m going to listen to regularly: I know the royalty is very small per play – in fact, sometimes I listen on Spotify if I own the album too, so the musicians win twice. There are several concerts this year that I’d happily listen to. We don’t get out enough.
The other thing we must do is order any seeds we want. Seed catalogues are always a pleasure.
I find catalogues in general a fascinating read. Things neatly sorted and categorised, things I never knew existed – and are useful for some people, imagine ! Be it seeds, tin toys, garden tools, artificial stones … Once existed a large series of books called “Wa(a)renkunde” – i think it could be translated as merchant’s knowledge. In this all kinds of goods were described, really all kinds. It is a remarkable source because in the volumes for the pharmacist (“Apotheker”) one can find things like “Drachenblut” (blood of dragons) etcetcpp : In what forms does it come, how to handle, what to look out for. The “Kolonialwa(a)ren” describe e.g. oranges and other fruits – how are they delivered, what is a sign for a fruit that is not ripe etcetc. – a giant catalogue of “the world of things”. Catalogues are great.
Oh yes, me too. And put me in a stationery shop. Or a hardware store. So many things I didn’t know I neeeeeeeeded. And looking online is another world!
Me too to all of those!