Confrontation

After a couple of weeks of mail still arriving for the Belle Mere I texted to asking if I may have a forwarding address:

‘With pleasure.’ came the reply. ‘When can I see Erbie?’

So, no address and a request to see her grandson even though she had still had no communication with her own son. Having spent half of the year on awkward visitations in order to rest our flat from her, and having now got it, I no longer had to play the game. So I texted a reply:

‘When you and The GR (obviously I used The GR’s real name) sort yourselves out’.

To which I got an immediate phone call in a pleading voice saying: ‘What have I done now?’

‘You haven’t done anything Belle Mere.’ I said. (obviously not saying, Belle Mere I used her christian name). ‘You haven’t spoken to The GR for over a year. Talk to him.’

And, I’m not proud to admit it, I put the phone down on the woman.

I felt guilty for doing so and after a while texted an apology and urged her to get in touch with her son saying I couldn’t be in the middle any longer.

I got a rather curt reply saying, in her defence she was rather expecting a thank you.

I rest my case m’lord.

The GR is still in an apocalyptic rage with her for choosing investment over family but hopefully it will subside over time. He encountered her in the local super market the other day, just catching sight of her as she scuttled away in the opposite direction - not the actions of someone who believes they are in the right.

They say time is a great healer. I know this to be true, but the Belle Mere doesn’t have that much time – she is in her 70’s already.

Hello deer

Thanks for all your lovely comments on my last post, and yes, we are still in London - North London, Muswell Hill to be precise or Highgate as one likes to say!

Nothing opens before 8am.

Erbie is an early riser, so we have been exploring. This is the disused Railway Track nearby, lined with brambles - hurrah. It leads to...

Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally to the locals)

The birthplace of television

“Alexandra Palace is situated in North London and known around the world as the birthplace of television.

In fact it was never owned by the BBC, but in 1935 the Corporation leased the eastern part of the building from which the first public television transmissions were made. In 1936 it hosted trials between the EMI-Marconi and Baird television system to decide who would carry the television standard for the future.

Studio A was equipped with the Marconi-EMI Emitron system, while Baird installed his mechanical systems in Studio B. The Emitron camera proved far superior to Baird's cumbersome film technique, which never developed beyond an experimental stage.

These early transmissions were famously introduced by one of the very first presenters, Elizabeth Cowell, with the words "This is direct television from Alexandra Palace…"”

I know that darling man Richard Attenbourgh did some early transmissions from here.

Anyway it also has deer.

Lovely early morning deer, dear.