FLASH MEN AND FIREPLACES.

Flashman had died. Or rather the wonderful actor Richard Morant who played the character of Flashman in Tom Brown School Days has tragically died. I never met him, but I had recently met his stunning wife Valerie, who is the kindest person you could ever wish to meet. My heart goes out to her and her family.

Morant also played a handsome character in Poldark although I was never a Poldark groupie like my teenage peers at the time. But I remember at the age of seven, while other girls were role playing as nurses and dancers, I was role playing as Tom Brown being tied up to a fireplace by Flashman. It may have been broadcast at four pm on a Sunday afternoon but that series was definitely pseudo erotic. I didn't care if I ever met Tom Brown, its Flashman I wanted to meet. And that was at seven. The character of Flashman was the bully, the attractive bounder, the dark side of Jane Austen's Darcey - an author who never got why women are so attracted to wankers. Forty years later the idea still has it's appeal. Although knowing the flash men I've met over the years, they are nothing like the Flashman of those school days. Today, these men invariably have insurmountable self esteem issues, and are invariably the ones who would prefer to be tied to the fireplace.

sanity in her madness...

Recently visited Petersham Nurseries, the beautiful, imaginative, over priced and slightly pretentious garden centre and restaurant where they charge £4 for a slice of beetroot cake.

First for a Halloween event where there were lots of actors wafting around Petersham House, draped in smoke and mirrors, pretending to be mad and deranged, and guests had to guess who done it, how it was done, and why it was done. I am still not sure who did it but think it was to do with money being gained dishonestly by the master of the house, and payback. Everyone was scared, laughing nervously, feeling slightly unsafe but impressed by the performance. Hoping it wasn't real.

And last night, I visited the same house, to watch Ruby Wax and Judith Watson in their funny and poignant two woman show 'Losing it' sitting amidst actors, models and psychoanalysts who were there to watch a play about...madness and suicidal thoughts and how the usual middle class response to people having breakdowns is to either ignore them hoping it or they will go away or tell them to 'perk up, have a cup of tea and if your insurance allows head for a 'spa break' in the Priory. It was slightly unnerving as at the Halloween event in the same room, on the same stage, an actress had hung from the rafters, a noose round her neck exactly where Ruby talked about her 'voices' and suicidal thoughts. Everyone was scared, laughing nervously, feeling slightly unsafe but impressed by the performance. Hoping it wasn't real.

Spooky huh?

THE DOUBTING THOMAS COLLECTIONS and POETRY IN EMOTION

Please check out my latest two publications! The Doubting Thomas collection which is a series of stories for three to six year olds. There will be more out just before Christmas. And the other is a collection of poems, some of which are rather naughty.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/THE-DOUBTING-THOMAS-STORIES-ebook/dp/B005Z4A088

http://www.amazon.co.uk/POETRY-IN-EMOTION-ebook

THE MAN WHO SHOULDN'T BE KING

So a law that was passed three hundred years ago is to be changed. Law of succession can go to the first daughter as well as to the first born son. I think that is a good idea. The women have done a far better job of ruling our country than the men have. I wish more out moded laws that make no sense a part from the collection of revenue and wasting of time could be changed. But hey, times (sort of) change and what was relevant to the sexism of then isn't relevant to the sexism of today. Queen Elizabeth has made a far better, stronger monarch, than her father or her uncle ever could - both weak pathetic selfish little men. Just a pity that this law starts with William and not with the present monarch. Anne would make a far better Queen than Charles would a king. And, oh, by the way, another law that is changing will allow would be Kings and Queens to marry Roman Catholics, of which the devout Camilla so happens to be. What with Tony Blair turning Catholic we'll have Prince Charles at it next. Bless their little sanctimonious hypocritical hearts. I have only met Prince Charles a few times. He is a very small man. Diana made him look smaller in every way but even without her, he remain a very small man. In 'that' interview she said Charles would never be king. I do hope she's right.

AND ME! birds have more fun. x

http://youtu.be/l12K0gs2fJ8

PARAGIDING IN ITALY THIS SUMMER. SARAH & TOM TUCKER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=9CCp0LwbHEs

WOMAN'S HOUR IN MARRAKESH

So there I am - waiting for my moment to be on BBC Radio Four's Woman's Hour and talk about playground politics and I was in Morocco. The producer called. I couldn't get a line. Then when I eventually got through they interviewed me on my mobile in a carpet shop somewhere in the Medina sitting on a carpet. Initially they wanted to do it while I was interviewing someone making a metal lamp but with all the banging I suggested we go somewhere else. Here is the link for those who are interested http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b015zrrn#p00l8lxp.