H2418

Female 60 London Library Assistant Single with grown up child Started this early as I start to notice all the Jubilee advertising. The first words and notions about the coming jubilee made a beginning in the library I work in on Thursday 24rth of May when a teacher from a nursery class was looking for books on Queen Elizabeth 11 and couldn’t find anything. Everything but though, Medieval Monarchy, Barak and Michelle Obama, the history of Monarchy until the war. A colleague suggested that as one of the other libraries is doing a display to mark the Jubilee they will have appropriated any we may have. We ordered a few from other boroughs for her. My friend L. asked me what I will do at Jubilee time and said she’d send me a list of events she saw in a national newspaper in case we can get together to do something. May 27th 2012 I went into Central London and passed a lovely display in Fortnum and Masons window of goods with a beautiful Lion and the Unicorn symbol. Champagne and boxes of products whose contents I took no notice of but the design and the colours were wonderful, totally modern and appropriately new. I hope I get to see that again, it’s enchanting, with the crown being tossed between them in a really charming way. I saw stands having been erected outside Buckingham and lots and lots of Union Jacks curling and unflattering in the wind. I daresay that’s as close as I’ll get to Jubilee action in preparation. The angelic symbol closer to the palace looked to be newly gilded. I heard a woman say, “is that Eros?” We chatted, she knew she was wrong and neither of us could say who it is, I was thinking Britannia but obviously not as she is speared and helmeted. In fact google tells me it’s the Angel of Victory. I walked through St. James Park, surrounded by barricades, perhaps for the celebrations and perhaps always so. Beautiful shrubberies. Then on to Whitehall gardens where I saw the most marvellous statue called Fleet Arm Air statue, which I find out from google is by James Butler RA and is called Daedalus. Secret London lists it as the most beautiful statue in London and though I have not seen them all I must agree that it is very striking and very beautiful. I met a gentleman there who lives 20 minutes by train out of London and came out on his day off from driving into London every day. We discussed how difficult travelling will be during the Olympics. Then I went to the Poetry Library at a closed to the public Festival Hall which I thought was closed for Jubilee preparations but in fact was closed as they were showing the BAFTA awards last night. Yesterday in Tesco there was a free copy of a Jubilee CD given out with the Daily Mail. The girl at check out said I could take one and because I’m writing this and did some writing stimulated by music in a group yesterday I will. The Daily Mail is not my cup of newspaper and neither Nationalistic music nor royalty in truth although I quite like the Queen as a human being. So I will listen to some Nationalistic music. Hearing Nimrod on Memorial day was a revelation so maybe some of the rest of it will be too. I don’t like the National anthem, now why is that? May 29th I was in a pound shop when over their sing song tannoy came a song in rhyme which was based on you don’t have to spend like a king to enjoy the jubilee. So here comes the advertising train and I realise that this is funny but it won’t last long. Met a friend for lunch in Central London who is singing in a local church on this coming Jubilee Sunday with a woman’s choir in the village she lives in Hampshire. They will be singing a song called Military Wives and another called something like I will follow him, which is featured in a Whoopie Goldberg film. These she tells me are well known. I’m glad she’s part of something that she’s really enjoying and positive. I’ll listen to the songs on Utube because she’s going to be singing them. On the way home tonight at 10.45 I turned a corner into my London street and there were rows of bunting strung between the trees from the pub at the top of the street. I don’t like this much. I remember the 25 year one and just coming upon a street party but I don’t remember the hype. I don’t like hype so I’m not enjoying this now, perhaps it will change. The picture of the queen on the bunting is quite nice though. Then I come in the house and hear on the news how marvellous a job the Metropolitan Police will doing over the weekend. No pressure there! Well let’s hope there are no bombs then. May 30th. My manager printed out some info. for a customer and we discovered that in order to get a proper viewing place of the pageant by the river you have to be nominated! Very inclusive! May 31st A jingle on the TV from Tesco now, cashing, kerching, in on the act. I was in my hairdressers shop today when he said, “People seem to be getting excited about the Jubilee”. I daresay more people are excited about the prospect of having a holiday and some of them getting paid too. I’ll get one day paid hols as I work part time and am not due to work on Monday. I noticed that the Queen with Helen Mirren and Martin Sheen is on TV on one channel, it was quite compelling. On another channel the story of the coronation. I wouldn’t be taking much notice if I wasn’t writing this. Not much excitement will be filtering through but glad that the nation is getting a holiday and some a rest. I had an email from Southbank to say that as they expected to be very busy we, the patrons were advised to find somewhere else to view the festivities and they would also be periodically closing various areas. Now why was, is this so different from the last royal event, the wedding? I really, really hope there is no violence. June 1st. More and more Queen on TV. The programme tonight was about her personal life with her grandchildren and children speaking of their relationships with her. It was warm and touching, though I only really watched it because something is awry with my TV aerial and I spent a long time trying to get Have I got News for you, unsuccessfully. TV prog. about the queen and the achievement of reigning for 60 years and Queen Victoria’s likewise long innings, which, and I mean neither of them any disrespect but I cannot see as an achievement. Life fills us for a time and does what it does through us. We do not achieve time. Still they didn’t abdicate. One of my work colleagues today was explaining monarchy from the point of view of a republican and European. Quite refreshing, not contrary, but very different in Italy than what is happening here at the moment. Monarchy is understood but this system of ours is quite unique viewed from the outside. June 2nd 2012 ‘What does it mean to be British? the reporter asks of refugees this morning on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4. My answer without thought intervening is that my first language is English. This in itself interesting as the language we learn to speak from early in life influences our development. I love the richness of the English Language and would love as a British person to have been informed of the Scottish and Irish and Welsh and even the Cornish Language when I was in school. The languages are still spoken, are beautiful to listen to and yet remote from most people. I learned some Latin in school and have an interest in the source of words because it is very enriching. I am working today and will ask colleagues this question today. The weather for the anniversary of day of the coronation just as it was then, typically British weather, grey dull, drizzling. Alas. And alas no TV for me as neither outdoor nor indoor aerials are working on my TV so a minor revolution here in this London house. The Queen will be watching Epsom on TV, well, good for her to be indulging her passion on this, her day of days, if indeed that is what it is to her. I asked these similar questions of 3 colleagues and here are their responses; Are you British? J. “That’s an interesting question. Genetically I’m English. Some ancestors left because they were republicans so at a time when monarchy had more power than they deserved actually, one part were loyalist and another part from Ireland, and they left because of the famine, around the 1840s. England actually lost a lot of good and bad people too. I’m not British” (this colleague was born in another continent) How is it to be living in Britain now? “It’s a mixed experience, a conversation rather than a question” Are you British? M. Yes How is it for you to be British today? “A difficult question. I was born and brought up here so, normal, whatever that is. I’ve never thought of it. I’m part and parcel of society, community in general.” R Are you British? No How is it to be living in Britain today? “I think at the moment it could be better. I don’t like the weather and I don’t like London much. I’m sure if I lived by the sea life would be better.” So, I went to work at the library, which was good. I forgot my lunch so went to a café nearby which was empty apart from me. There was building work going on outside and it was very noisy for the first few minutes until a skip was taken away. There was a Heart FM Jubilee jingle on the radio. I had beans on toast and a lovely milky instant coffee. I read the review in the Guardian, mainly Andrew Motion and Sean O’Brien (contemporary poets) both of whom were very young at the time of the coronation and writing about their childhood and how it is to be in Britain now. Such different people but really enjoyable reading their interesting views.. The front of the papers were full of the Jubilee. Lots of customers said Happy Holiday etc. And we to them. I really enjoyed being with my colleagues and had lots of conversations with the public. We left together and I walked down the road with one then walked on through a local cemetery and then up to ** where I went to an event in the ** Literary Festival run by another colleague, which was very humorous. Met some other colleagues there after buying chips and then walked home through the park, picking up a free TV guide from the newsagent at the station en route. I talked with a friend on the phone, got an indoor TV aerial to work and watched the second part of Sebastian Bergman, a TV Noir from Sweden, which was totally brilliant though very gory. Good job I asked those questions and looked at the covers of the papers as apart from a jingle on the café’s radio and BBC Radio 4 this morning I’d have missed Jubilee mania completely. And now to watch Have I got News for you on iPlayer – there will be an irreverent joke or two there no doubt. June 3rd 2011 "This certainly is a Canaletto moment" says John Sargeant. Sadly the BBC commentators are ruining it for me and I wish I had got close to the river to experience more of the day with the public. Alas, perhaps I’ll watch it now with the sound turned down as they really do get on my nerves from Clair Balding asking questions that she’s not listening to the answers to and the broadcasters interviewing the public in their very daft costumes. It’s not the public or the rowers but the interviewers who make nonsense of it all. Very poor. Having said this a while later a woman in a red jacket is interviewing old war veterans on the HMS Belfast and they are very interesting in their stories and she is inviting their sharing of stories engagingly. I break away as the very irritating Sandie Toksvig and the celebrities are being interviewed!!!!!!!!! I went into town this morning after a few comments on Radio 4 about the day, which I can’t recall. The tube, the Victoria line was jam packed with people, more so than its usual sardine-Sunday appearance. I passed a few shops between Oxford Circus bearing Jubilee slogans, Oasis’s window said, “Our Collection is Jubilant” Happy Jubilee Ma’am said Mills in Great Marlborough Street where a corgi was centre stage in their poster and further along a Vintage Clothing store said Extreme Jubilee across an A board. The highlight of my morning/afternoon was a non-duality meeting that I really, really, really enjoyed and I can’t and won’t describe. After that I headed towards Green Park to see if that display at Fortnum and Mason’s was still in the window but the bus took a diversion so I got off and saw St. James’s Palace for the first time. A policeman had been told only this morning that there is a balcony on which the death of the monarch is announced and where the abdication’s took place. The window beside it was afterward called the Wallis window as that is where Wallis Simpson watched him make the speech. Someone came to ask him something so after we had a few words about that I moved on. I went into the ICA to use the loo, passing very many port a loos, all locked apart from one disabled toilet with no loo paper. The art there did not engage me at all. I worked there many years ago and found nothing there that interested me much. After I left the meeting earlier I walked down the road with a friend and when I left her I walked past Ronnie Scotts jazz club where I worked in 1970 so I had a look in there is well. The bar had changed its position and it was full for lunch. A long time past, that lifetime. After the ICA I called into the Mall Galleries and saw a retrospective exhibition of Peter Blake. As it is, some of the collage prints I liked. What I particularly noted were some pieces relating to the day. One named Faith, Hope and Charity which mirrored the title of the marvelous sculpture I saw outside St. James’S Palace near the Queens chapel, of Faith, Hope and Love, a tribute to Queen Alexandra. Love being totally open and naked in its vulnerability. There was a print of a Union Jack, tattered, a found object, converted by Peter Blake and called Flag, (Found Object). 19th of 25, a digital Print with silkscreen and costing £3,500.00 and £3,900.00 framed. Simple frame, £400 which made me laugh on top of the unframed price of the print. In fact it made laugh very loud, here we are again in the land of celebrity and the value placed by society. The whole exhibition made me chuckle in this respect. ‘Britannia’ too as a found object and ‘England Forever.’ Worth looking at certainly and prices worth chuckling at and all that implies. A parade of forms in itself and the value put on form by someone. Horseguard’s Parade was closed, that’s a space I really love. I walked up to Whitehall and talked to a few security guards and members of the public who said there were more people walking back because the bridges were full. I went over to the National Portrait Gallery, enjoying an array of Warhol prints in the shop, one of the best images of the Queen that I’ve seen, from 1985. The print on the front of the advert for the exhibition of the queen’s reign is also interesting. I went up to the third floor and looked down from the restaurant window to see if I could see crowds below or see far, but there wasn’t really much to see. I called into Westminster library, where I talked with a library assistant who was watching the flotilla on TV and sorted out a pin number for me to use at home and said there was a message on the screen for me about my card. I went to Leicester Square to get the train home and gladly got a seat, feet tired, bag too heavy. An older lady got on at the next stop so I moved up and we chatted. She said she’d been by the river but was tired now and was on the way home. Her family wouldn’t like it if they knew she’d been there today on her own. She is 81 and had had had a very nice time. A young man had taken a photo for her so she had some record. She was getting off and getting her train from St. Pancras and when I asked where home was she said, Leicester. I was amazed. I felt, like she did, really glad that she’d made the effort. She said Thanks to me as she got off the Piccadilly line train and I to her. I was thankful to have met her and the other people I’d met in passing giving me information about the crowds. A lot of much older people today near St. James’s Park, Trafalgar Square and that area. I am listening to Darryl Bailey, a non-duality speaker on the internet as I am writing this. I heard some of the talk last night before I went to sleep. Later beautiful horses performing in what I take to be Horse Guards Parade. From Italy, France and Russia, quite a spectacle though I didn’t see much of it as I was going out. I went to hear two of my favourite poets Aoife Mannix and John Hegley who did a great performance in a youth project which is housed in what was a swimming pool that served this area for generations and was left standing for 14 years by the council and is now this project and housing. It was very good, very funny and very entertaining June 4rth 2012 Monday Wind and rain and this time last week there was a glimpse of summer as I lay in Kew Gardens and marvelled at heat and colour. Received an email last night about works to the house I live in and wake this morning once again in the future of this. Read in bed, wrote some emails and sit here now writing this. A frustrating day when I wanted to go to hospice to read to patients, go to a pilates class or go swimming and did none of those things but did some cleaning in the house and went to Tesco. I read some of my own writing, had a few phone calls then went to a talk in Hampstead which was excellent and walked back to South End Green with a friend and came home on the train, doing a bit of shopping at Sainsbury’s and then watching some of the Diamond Jubilee concert on one channel of the TV and watching part of a fascinating programme on BBC4 called Surviving Progress. It was interesting to see my reactions to the crowds, which was amiable, the celebrities which was less so and Prince Charles calling the Queen, mummy, which was sweet. He gave her a nice speech and the fireworks were wonderful. Today (Tuesday) however I do wonder what on earth is going on with the spending of all that money when the country is in such dire straits. Perhaps it was their money, but I doubt it. I had a bath before going to bed and listened to an excellent programme on Radio 4 about a woman who started to hear voices when she was at university. Brilliant, interesting and extraordinary. There was bunting at the end of my street and on my way back in there was a party going on with food cooked by a lady living next door to the pub as far as I could see. I think she would have put the bunting up and also I think she lost her husband this year so I remember thinking that was remarkable, He was always out there tinkering with his car. It was going on when I went out and still when I came back in. Glad someone in my neighbourhood made the effort. June 5th 2012 I woke at 6.30, went back to sleep again and woke with a dream at 8.00 about birds flying into a swimming pool and then flying out again, had a cup of tea and went to a yoga class with a teacher I often go to. I had a shower there afterwards and washed my hair and came home and rang a woman about a reading that Andrew Motion and Alan Hollingsworth are doing for an organisation that helps the victims of torture. It’s next week although the paper I read about it in didn’t specify. My daughter just back from a festival phoned me a moment ago and now I’m off to hospice. Hospice was very quiet. I had a chat in the coffee bar with another volunteer who had gone down to watch the pageant from the river who said she’d done her old lady act to be able to get a place to see and saw some of the boats but verified that there was only one bridge open to the public. Speaking together about the costs a doctor said it was costing the nations purse 2 and a half million a day in lost revenue I read an excellent story to someone I know who comes in for respite and we watched the fly past and some of the final concert, he noting that she’ll be looking forward to catching up with Corrie and Eastenders, She said this apparently. He said the Royal family paid for the flotilla and the pageant themselves. Then I was with three children whose family were visiting someone on another ward. We read together, and chatted for a quite a while, which I really enjoyed and I had something to eat there before coming home, having something more to eat, reading, catching up with Corrie myself and watching the wonderful Grayson Perry in his new short series. What a breath of fresh air he is! I was very glad I had spent time in hospice. It was my best Jubilee day really. That’s it for the Jubilee Diary. I wish the weather had been better but I’m glad so many people seemed to enjoy themselves so much. It was as people point out the only one we will see in our lifetimes. The spectacle and seeing it on TV was excellent. I don’t think I even had a TV for the Silver Jubilee