THERE was so much talk about Angela Rippon (mostly from herself) and Strictly Come Dancing that I went into ‘catchup’ to watch her on the opening night. No doubt this 78 year old is a physical wonder but I find her absolutely irritating, always have, even last night, the judges are way over the top with her performance which was tooth grating – my opinion! She obviously agrees that she is a physical wonder and doesn’t mind telling you she Rips up the dance floor but it would be more acceptable to me if she kept her mouth closed when dancing and showed a little less me me me. Last week her leg only went up that far because her partner held it up! On the other hand, I wish I could be more like her.
There is always room for perfection in life and despite a very busy week I was able to watch 12 episodes, almost one hour each, of the amazing and compelling I Claudius. Stellar cast, Sian Phillips, Brian Blessed, Patrick Stewart and a brief appearance as Nero of Christopher Biggins. And of course the wonderful Derek Jacob, what an actor transitioning from young teenager to decrepid old man. What a treat this first and best soap opera is, what acting, what a story. Recommended these evenings where television is so awful and well produced history is so tremendous.
AND SO TO SLEEPER PERFECTION
If you’re lucky enough to have a gardener who keeps the place shipshape as we have, there is still much to be done coming into the winder months. Hedges have a last cut, grass mowed and bushes shaped. But still the weeds appear. They are a bind, they just keep coming and I was given advice which I find to be excellent and that is to blast them with a flame thrower. A long tube and a gas cylinder and bingo they shrivel up and die. You have to be careful not to roast little beasts who seem to feel the heat before it hits them and there’s a hasty exodus from this weapon of mess destruction.
I have two flower beds surrounded by pine sleepers, at least they were before they began to rot away and ended up in a heap of dust. So during the summer I began pricing replacements and ended up with John O’Connell in Portglenone who offers reclaimed solid oak, originally treated with traditional coal tar creosote and with years of history.
“What railway track?” I asked. “Co. Antrim, Carrickfergus to York street,” was the reply. And thereby hangs a tale.
When I was about 12 I walked every morning from my granny’s home at Silverstream on the Shore Road; up the lane and along the railway path to Whiteabbey Station en route to York Street and school, By the way, there’s also a story about Silverstream, beside the High School near Whiteabbey on the way to Carrick.
I used to play in Mr. Haydock’s garden where there was a fairy house beside the stream and a huge pond encircled by bamboo. In those days when I lay watching the fish in the pool the bats zoomed in and out of the bamboo and their squeeking filled the air. The history behind the stream goes back to King William and his landing at Carrickfergus. He and his entourage rode up the sandy shore road, between the green fields, himself on his white horse! There were children playing by the stream and as he crossed he threw down silver coins for them to gather before he moved on into history. Hence Silverstream, Greenland, Co Antrim.
Anyway, back to the plot. Why the need to walk to the railway station when there was an old concrete bus stop at the door? I was in love! Eddie played rugby for the school, he was in 6th form, he was tall and handsome and didn’t know this insignificant first former existed. My aim was to get in the same carriage and so sit and gaze upon his person. Only occasionally did I catch sight of him and that set me up for the day.
So memories of Eddie come flooding back as I look at the long magnificent sleepers now with plants cascading over them, the beautiful dark wood framing the beds,
According to John there is still an abundance of oak railway sleepers available. More information at Railway Sleepers NI 07968624766
THE LADY WHO SANG SUMMERTIME
Another Love Story Remembered
Last Thursday a tribute night was held for a lady who made her mark on Belfast when she arrived here in 1962. Betty Scott was born in London to Cockney parents, her father managed Mr. Teesey Weesey’s hairdressing salon for the rich and famous. She was a talented singer who turned her back on a BBC contract for her own television show, travelling the world and appearing the West End stage, all because she fell in love with entrepreneur Alf Scott. He was in the audience when she was performing in Blackpool, he made his way backstage, took her to dinner and that night she decided to give up everything to come to work with him in Belfast. They were Mr. and Mrs. Showbiz bringing all the greats of the day to entertain, Bill Haley and the Comets, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Rolling Stones, Englebert Humperdinck, Cliff Richard, Cilla Black and Roy Orbinson amongst them. Little Richard rocked the famous Boom Boom Room and Jerry Lee Lewis brought his Great Balls of Fire to an ecstatic audience and PJ Proby remembered for ripping his trousers on stage! She raised £200,000 for the cancer therapy unit at Belvoir Park Hospital, she was awarded for her work with RoSPA Tufty Clubs road safety for children, was a toy lady at Royal Victoria Hospital and chaired the Lady Taverners charity.
Betty held the most warm and happy parties, it was open house with only one certainty – she would sing Summertime in the late evening and the eclectic guests were delighted. No matter where she was in the world, if there was a piano she’d entertain with her special song and even a few years ago before she died, her voice was a good as ever and the top notes no problem.
The Scott love affair was total and the partnership memorable. She told me at the time: “I was sitting with Alf at the end. It was our anniversary that very afternoon, thirty years. In a lucid moment he just smiled at me, took my hand and whispered, “It’s been good hasn’t it?” A special lady who gave so much and is remembered by many.
It was a pleasure to be asked to speak about Betty during the evening at the Reform Club and so good to know at the same time Donna Traynor was delighting her audience at a major event across town in Culloden Hotel. Welcome back Donna.
FLIPPING HECK
Two irritations yesterday afternoon. Put a wash on and then retired to listen to the terrific golf commentary on BBC 5Live and when I went back to unload, alongside the clothes out came the remains of several paper tissues. Horror. The next hour was spent trying to hoover up all the tiny white spots all over the floor. That was fine. Thought I’d have a wee cup of tea still listening to the golf and playing my sudoko at the same time. Getting on well, brought the tea over to the table, hand shook and the paper was saturated with Punjana. Soggy paper no good to record pen marks.
I don’t play golf but after finishing I Claudius, I was glued to the wireless and the 5 Live coverage of the Ryder Cup. I’ve never heard commentary like it, it is marvellous. So many commentators and the action whizzes backwards and forwards following the European team as they took on America. Rory McIlroy has had two days of brilliance and a row in the carpark, just today to go and let’s hope the Europeans keep up the pressure. I roared with laughter when on commentator was rabbiting on about the view, the trees, the beauty of the Rome golf club, the exceptional colours and then he says to his colleague, “You are coming to us on 13 now.” The reply was, “Yes and you certainly have a lovely hole.” A spluttering silence, a gulp and an immediate hand over – “Lets go over to you Alistair.”
A Brian Johnston moment! Looking forward to todays final.
