Wallpaper Strip Part 7

Gosh, I totally forgot about the Wallpaper strip! But do not fear, it's back.  This is the one where we go into the bedroom.  Oh prepare yourself, it's another corker.  It's also been so long since I blogged about the wallpaper, that some things have had to change, like the wallpaper.  That's another post waiting to be posted.

So here it is, the bedroom wallpaper, as papered by Jam's grandad many moons ago. If you have been keenly following these wallpaper posts, you'll note that the border here is the same as the border in the living room.

It's odd how there seems to be a snail trail all across the wallpaper, we haven't seen any snails, unless they're a certain kind that can't be seen by the human eye, but that would just be weird.

Settling in and Peace Night

Just as I thought I would be spending more time writing, I seemed to stop and find myself totally immersed in the whole country - baby - new friends and new business thing.  Quite frankly I've been too exhausted to bring you along on the journey so far and I sincerely apologise, but hope I can make up for it. I'm sure the new wallpaper strips will amuse you and the strange customs will enlighten you, at the very least...intrigued? Well...
It all started when I decided to go along to a 'Peace night' at what has become my favourite and indeed almost only shop I frequent in Wellington - Nurtured by Nature.  An ethical and organic shop, with an acoustic cafe and complementary therapies and really lovely staff! 

People were invited to come along and read a poem about what peace meant to them.  Not a great number of people turned up, but we all sat around a table and shared our poems and thoughts.  It was a magical evening.  A real mix of people and interesting ideas.  I did something for myself that evening, breaking away from the world of caring for my little family, I found my voice again and used it.

This is the poem I wrote - it needs to be read out aloud. It's all my own work, please contact me if you want me to come and perform it along with some other gems I've written, that can even be sung.  We sang this at the gig, but that's another post...

Peace of my Land

Agro! Agro! Agro!
I grow vegetables in my garden
Peace Peace Peace
Peas, broccoli - purple sprouting, courgettes and marrow
War! War! War!
Watering my garden every day brings such
Peace Peace Peace
Sweet peas, marigolds, forget me nots

Army
Ah me cabbages have been eaten by slugs
Sudan
Sit down and let me tell you all about it
Israel
It's really a bad year for runner beans
Iran
I ran after the rabbit that nibbled my salad leaves
Nazi
Now see the way the artichoke leans
Afghan
I've gone and re-potted all the house-plants
Religion
Really gently opened out the roots
Soldier
Sold you some of my best tomatoes
Jew
Do you remember your first fruit?

Peace Peace
Piecing together a potted history
Rioting! Rioting!
Writing about what peace means to me
War! War!
Walked across the neighbour's field
Peace Peace
Piss off my land, said he.

W9 Writers' Workshops

How excited was I to have an afternoon to indulge myself in writing.  Jam was busy finishing off other projects whilst I was trying to get lunch sorted and then I checked the start time and it was half an hour earlier than I had thought, so we stepped up a gear and drove as fast as we safely could arriving just about on the dot, give or take a couple of minutes!  Off they drove to have a father son bonding session up a pointy hill somewhere nearby and I skipped inside with glee. 

Suse used to run these workshops up in London W9, and now she runs them from her place in Somerset.  I went on one of her London workshops two years ago, almost to the day, and it was such a breathe of fresh air I'm suprised that it was two years ago.  It was an exhilarating experience then and even more so now.  As Suse put it 'like having a brain massage compared to what I normally do with my days (running round headlessly, being interrupted every 5 minutes... you know the sort of thing.)'

She cooked the most delicious apple pie for a tea break and I'm just making it now, so shall see if it turns out as good as hers! It was called No Pastry Apple Pie. And oh my word it's the best pie ever! Oh, just one more slice...
the recipe