The Printed Page ... and Beyond!

Well, it's been a good week for learning how to do retirement.  As a result, there are few eventful things to record, so they stand out just that much bolder, and command full attention here.  Someone commented that I've been more present this week on Facebook ... that's another consequence of having a non-work week with an almost blank diary.

Something I learned from Facebook was that this was International Book Week.  One was encouraged to "Grab the closest book to you; turn to page 52, and post the fifth sentence."  The post I had spotted then continued with a sentence containing a clue of its source, Dickens' Bleak House.  Another follower of this trend posted something from 'popular fiction' (not a genre with which I find any affinity).  Willing to take part, however, I reached for the end book on the shelf next to my desk, and followed the formula.  I do wonder what people made of a reference to King James issuing a religious declaration of not shedding blood 'so long as the Catholics remain quiet'! The book I had picked up was one of many that I've bought when the opportunity arose, but am yet to read, The Gunpowder Plot - Terror and Faith in 1605 by Antonia Fraser.

The literary theme continued later in the week, when I scoured the BBC's i-Player for something to watch over dinner, and discovered a film version of L.P. Hartley's The Go-Between.  I watched the first half that night, and saw the rest of it yesterday evening.  I remembered the salient points of the plot from reading the book at school, where it was part of a lesson bearing the loose title 'General English'.  This was the headmaster's brainchild for the cultural development of all those in the sixth form who weren't taking English at A-level and, so far as I recall, consisted of nothing more than reading a 'modern classic' around the class.  Other books we tackled included The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene, and A Passage to India by E. M. Forster.

Last night I dreamed about some of the characters in The Go-Between.  I suspect this might have been due to the conjunction of the origin of my knowledge of the book, and the single item in this week's diary, which has been executed this afternoon ... a class reunion of some of those with whom I passed through high school, including some who had suffered that same reading exercise.  Considering that a few of us hadn't seen each other 'in the flesh' (as opposed to seeing pictures on social media) for upwards of 45 years, it was quite remarkable that more "Now, who are you?" wasn't expressed than was actually the case!

There had been such an event fifteen years ago, but on that occasion the organiser had been unable to track me down, so I wasn't present.  Apparently the talk then was of professional achievement; today there was more focus on the extent of life-threatening illnesses, and our plans for making the most of our retirement.  The once-active sportsmen among us were now talking of 'a seat in the stand' rather than 'being selected for the football team this week'; and golf has now taken the place of cricket in many lives.  Although the lady was never mentioned, I found my thoughts drawn to a comic sketch performed by Joyce Grenfell, the words of which were placed in the mouth of one 'Lumpy Latimer', who had been living in Kenya ... 'although you have to call it Ken-ya now'!

Other achievements this week have included some preliminary preparations for what may be this year's last 'serious' outing in the motor-caravan.  This will be to a site in Cambridgeshire, popular for anglers.  I hasten to add that this is not my own interest; I chose the venue for the prospect of tranquillity and maybe a little fenland walking.  I have a number of things to deal with that require a few less distractions than regularly present themselves at home.  I wonder how many will have been progressed significantly by the time I return!