Lance Greenfield's Blog, page 58
September 19, 2016
My Dog, The Terrorist!
I love Eloise’s comical stories about Henry Carlisle De Sousa. He is one hilarious mutt!
Eyes wide open with dark pupils glaring into my soul, his mouth remained clamped over his latest hostage. My pleas and persuasion had fallen on deaf ears and now my voice held an angry bite, ready to do battle.
“Put the doll down, Henry,” I growled.
His head cocked to one side, contemplation stealing across his chiselled facade. Sad, pathetic dolly arms flumped as he swung his head to check for attackers from behind. He was safe for now. He only had to face me. But he and I both knew that back-up was on its way. The heavy footfalls of the Hubble were unmistakeable.
“Drop it, now!” My hissing voice reminded me of a stand-off in a spaghetti western. I should have worn my poncho for this!
Big mistake. As my thoughts trailed away, he took the opportunity to run past my outstretched hands and scuttle out of the…
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School’s Out For Summer
I sit quietly melting at my desk in the Porters’ Lodge. There is a little salty dampness above my top lip and I can feel a trickle of hot sweat sliding slowly down my back. I cannot remember how many times I have heard people complain that it is just too hot today.
I realise I am rather perpetuating the English stereotype of complaining about the weather, but if you have ever lived with English weather you will no doubt understand. Having just experienced a weekend that alternated at random intervals between bright sunshine and violent downpours, we are now in a thick and muggy heat wave. You can never, ever plan anything around the English weather. English weather will do just as it pleases.
Contrary to proclamations to the opposite, it seems that there are a lot of people out enjoying the climate. With no further educational endeavours until…
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My Best Writing Friend #WWWB #ShoutOutSeptember
I want to let you in on a secret: I have an amazing writing friend. When I am stuck for ideas, I go to her. If I need inspiration, she is the first to pop into my mind. If I’m disheartened by some feedback or by my slow progress, I know she understands the challenges on my writing journey. Oh, and if I have wins, she cheers like it’s her own victory.
I bet you want a writing friend like that too.
Here’s the good news: this friend is Women Writers, Women Books (WWWB). I joined their Facebook page last year and it’s my go-to place for inspiration and support. This Facebook page is an extension of the www.booksbywomen.org website. Its aim is to provide women writers from all walks of life with a platform where they can meet and chat with other women writers, with the focus on mutual support.
In…
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Day 31 – Lucca to Gambassi Terme
More from Adge’s epic adventure
Back in the saddle today and you know what..? Life is far simpler when you are in the saddle! The weather threatened rain, but thankfully it’s held off. I’m staying in the Ostello Sigerico which is just on the outskirts of Gambassi Terme, Tuscany. It was fairly straightforward cycling today, 6.5hrs in the saddle, a few rolling hills, but the sting in the tail was the final 5km which had a 330m climb… nice! The hostel has a good reputation and has all the facilities any exhausted pilgrim needs and for €23 you get a shared dormitory type room (modern, but in a rustic farmhouse setting) dinner and breakfast.
For the Roe, Goodwill and Barber families; I visited Villa Glicine, but unfortunately it was all closed up, so I didn’t even get a free coffee! The villa, garden etc looked much the same.
I also visited the location of the…
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September 17, 2016
Losing prejudices is hard, but I have managed to lose one
As anyone who follows my blog knows very well, I am always passionately posting on the subject of prejudice, so I am very happy that you have eliminated one of your own prejudices, Lucie.
I am also very happy that you enjoyed your retreat in Greece. It sounds wonderful. Almost makes me wish I were a woman so that I could come along!
Ever since June, I like groups of other women more.
This summer, I got a revelation. I never liked being in a group of other women, I always had female and male friends, but if it was a group, I always preferred to be with men, or in a mixed group. Somehow, I found men easier. They seemed more direct, less manipulative, nicer.
Then I joined Women reading aloud Writer’s retreat in Greece in June.Apart from me, they were all American ( one Canadian). Are the Americans nicer?
I blogged about it, remember?
https://luciemuses.wordpress.com/2016/06/20/i-am-starting-to-think-i-am-a-writer/
Those women were different. It was not the fact that they were all smart and educated, most of my friends are. It was the fact that they were kind, non-judgemental, tolerant, and such fun to be with!
Last week, one of the writer’s group, Joanie came to visit me. She was coming to Europe, and asked…
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September 16, 2016
My friend Adge on the Via Francigena
This is a message from your Italian roving reporter. Today’s new sensation can be achieved by all! Simply place your cycling machine in your shower, put on your waterproofs, put the resistance on the machine to high, mount the bicycle and then turn on the shower to maximum, place the temperature just around tepid and […]
via Day 28 – Sarzana to Lucca — Cycling the Via Francigena
September 15, 2016
Review: The Boy with No Shoes
The Boy with No Shoes by William Horwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Brilliantly narrated
Reading my way through this book was like walking through a hall of mirrors at a fairground. Every turn revealed a new reflection of an aspect of my own childhood. Some were distorted more than others, but the story of the life of Jimmy Rova, told in the first person singular, evoked many poignant memories.
Jimmy tells the story of his difficult early life, and the interactions with those around him. When he progresses, against the odds, into grammar school, life gets even tougher for him. The descriptions of the highs and lows in his life cannot fail to stir the readers’ emotions. This is a gripping read and it is so obviously wrapped around the personal experiences of the author. Having been previously so deeply moved by “Skallagrigg,” I should not have been at all surprised to be just as deeply moved by this book by William Horwood.
I am sure that there are many who, like me, will see reflections of their own lives as they read The Boy With No Shoes. However, there has got to be something here for everyone. I would not hesitate to recommend the read to anyone, and I am confident that my friends will thank me for doing so.
Footnote: If this sweeps you along on an emotional roller-coaster, you should definitely read SKALLAGRIGG by the same author.
September 9, 2016
First Days
Lots of my friends have been posting photos of their children on their first days at their new schools. I just posted a couple of my first day as HMS Conway, which was exactly 47 years ago today on 9th September 1969. While I was looking around, I found a few more of my “first days” photos. This is a little self-indulgent but I thought that they were too good not to share with you, so here they are.
Lance on front page of Patons Knitting Book 1956
First Day at school (with sister Kim) – Dronfield – September 1960
Brocksford Hall, Doveridge – with first camera – 1964
Brocksford 1968
HMS Conway (1969) – L to R: Smith, Greenfield, Lyon, Bell, Cook
L to R: Tony Bell (Hong Kong), George Cook (Buckie), Edwin Lyon (Bournemouth), Lance Greenfield (Perth and Sheffield), Neil Smith (Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain)
New Chums – HMS Conway – 9/9/69
Exactly 47 years ago today, I arrived at HMS Conway, next to the Menai Strait and close to the infamous village of Lllanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, or Llanfair PG as we preferred to call it.
This was where I completed my final five years of education. There is so much that I could say about my time on board what had become, by then, a concrete frigate, but a lot has been written already by much greater writers than myself, including John Masefield, who also attended the same naval school. Before anybody is cheeky enough to ask, the answer is, “Yes. he was before my time!”
Here I am with four other new chums, on my first day in front of the figurehead, which now stands by the gates of HMS Nelson in Plymouth, and in front of the main building.
HMS Conway (1969) – L to R: Smith, Greenfield, Lyon, Bell, Cook
L to R: Tony Bell (Hong Kong), George Cook (Buckie), Edwin Lyon (Bournemouth), Lance Greenfield (Perth and Sheffield), Neil Smith (Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain)
HMS Conway on the Menai Strait in front of Plas Newydd
September 8, 2016
Ecuador 1994 – Part Fifteen
18th August – Thursday
Got up at 7. Breakfast at Jimmy’s at 7.30. Eggs, juice and coffee. Took a picture of Jimmy and one of me lifting Nancy. It was quite a strain! Caught the 8.10 coach to the ferry which turned out to be the best bus ride we’d had. Ferry, then bus to the airport, followed by plenty of waiting. There was a girl from Sussex who hadn’t confirmed her flight so didn’t get on. We recommended Hotel Sol y Mar to her and off she went on the bus. Stopped over at Guayaquíl for 30 minutes and arrived in Quito about ten to four. This time we made sure that we found a good looking taxi and that paid off – we had a safe and secure journey.
After checking in to El Cafecito we went souvenir shopping and all ended up satisfied with our purchases. We deposited our loads in our room and headed for Reina Victoria for a Newcastle Brown. Again, they didn’t have any, so we had a Czech beer called Topvar which was very nice. We met an American woman from Florida who worked at the Embassy in Quito. She was called Joyce Moller and was quite interested in what we were doing, especially Oli’s book and Dad’s Eurocost work. We went to La Chosa for dinner. I had cerviche palmita (cold palm heart soup) followed by lomo (steak) and some fruit drink that I’d had on my first night in Ecuador. It was called chicha de morocho and was delicious. We rounded off the evening with a visit to big Dave’s for a farewell Margeurita. there followed the noisiest night of our stay during which we must have clocked up about one hour of sleep between the three of us.
19th August – Friday
El Cafecito Hostel
We got up at 7 am and each had a shower. Now that we were going home, the plumbing had finally been fixed. The water flowed strongly and was hot. Once we’d packed, we took our stuff round to the Magic Bean where we had breakfast. I had a bundle of clothes, shoes, et cetera which could be distributed amongst the poor people of Quito by the South American Explorers Club, so off I set. Dad directed me to keep to the same road to the top, then turn left. Unfortunately, “the top” was a couple of streets too far, and I consequently found myself on an hour long tour of Quito on foot. I passed the National Stadium on my left, and the University on my right, terminating for brekkers at the Magic Bean. I had blackberry pancakes and juice and coffee. I left the bundle for Bill to get to his brother, Logan, at the S.A.E.C. Perhaps I should have done that in the first place.
After breakfast, we had another safe taxi drive to the airport, lots of queuing for check-in, payment of tax and departure.
¡ADIOS QUITO!
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