Family events!
Granddaughter Number Four, severn years old, has been trying her hand at pottery. She’s already quite a good little graphic artist, drawing cartoon-like figures full of movement and expression. Some sixth months ago she had her first go at messing about with air-drying clay. We had tried unsuccessfully to resurrect some old Fimo model.ing clay which dated back to her mother’s childhood and which I had found in a box of old craft materials. Unfortunately even when kept in an airtight box Fimo doesn’t retain its malleability forever. So I acquired a small pack of air-drying clay and we had a go with rather mixed results.
Then she put clay on her Christmas list and the Southern Adamses (aka my son and his wife) came up with the goods. As they visited before Christmas we had an early exchange of presents, explaining to the smallest in the family that Santa is aware of early family visits and brings those presents before Christmas Eve - clever Santa! So with a bit of help from her talented Auntie Emma, Granddaughter Number Four proceeded to make a sort of mini plant-pot and a model cat which we managed to air-dry and then paint in suitable colours so that she could present this to her mother on Christmas Day.
Santa also put a collection of new Fimo in the small girl’s stocking. When the family came to dinner yesterday she brought her new Fimo with her and generously let her small brother, four years old, and her big brother, eighteen years old, use some of it to do some model-making alongside her, using her materials. She made another cat, this one her rather more realistic than her first attempt. Her big brother made a kind of cartoon footballer. And her small brother made a lump of black clay, which he said was a hedgehog, and went on to turn it into a fish, possibly Nemo from the film “Finding Nemo”, by wrapping thick swathes of yellow clay around it.
Now all these things need baking but the instructions had been left at home. Searching the internet only gave me sources of more Fimo. Besides it was bit late to start baking them by the time the models were ready. So they remained on the little craft table at the back of the kitchen. This morning I have located the old instructions for baking Fimo - 30 minutes in a domestic oven at 130° - and I shall bake them before the small people next visit.
The left-over clay, carefully placed in resealable airtight bags, remains at my house. As does the pebble-painting kit another aunt and uncle gave Granddaughter Number Four for Christmas. As do the threading beads and a collection of assorted craft materials. We also have the easel which has been used by all the grandchildren, a supply of paper and various sets of paints. It seems that Grandma’s kitchen is the place to do arts and crafts. I can live with that.
State events!!
Attracted by a headline about rehearsals, or indeed, the only rehearsal, for the state funeral of the late queen, I glanced briefly at this article about how the whole thing almost became a fiasco. As a rule, I try to avoid articles about the doings of the royal family but I was intrigued as to just when and how they rehearsed this event - before or after her death? Would it be too callous to rehearse it while the old dear was still alive? The answer: they rehearsed the great procession after her death but four days before the big state event, and they did it in the dark in the middle of the night. No wonder they found themselves out of step.
Now, in Denmark it seems they don’t go in for big state royal events. Queen Margrethe announced her abdication in her New Year’s Eve speech to the nation and has just quietly stepped aside. According to protocol, there is no coronation ceremony: Denmark has not had one since the introduction of the constitution in 1849. Instead the succession officially took place at Christiansborg Palace, when the queen signed a declaration of her abdication. The new king seems to have worn a few medals but when they all appeared in the balcony there didn’t seem to be a host of royal people all sporting uniforms and medals. It was just the family, with the teenage children waving awkwardly.
Denmark sounds like quite a sensible country. I wonder if they create Lords and Ladies in the ridiculous numbers we seem to have in the UK.
And finally, here’s another bit of Michael Rosen and his own “king”:
'There are wicked people in our midst who do great damage to our cause,' said the King's tutor.
'Of course,' said the King.
'We must vilify them and, where necessary, do what we can to prevent their words from being heard.'
'Of course,' said the King.
'When they attack our cause, they attack us as people,' said the tutor.
'Yes, yes,' said the King, 'but one thing does concern me.'
'What's that?' said the tutor.
'What if we damage our cause more even than those who try to damage us?' said the King.
'I don't follow you,' said the tutor.
'What if our cause becomes so unpopular that it's not those wicked people damaging us but it's us ourselves?' said the King.
'I think you're having one of your stupid days today,' said the King, 'I can't believe you're saying this,’
Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!
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