The Lovers

Two ill-fated pairs of lovers by Utamaro circa 1797. What were we having in the West about that time - Neo-Classicism?

Nichiren calming the storm

Another by Kuniyoshi

Elephants

It's hardly surprising the Japanese lead the world in graphic novels, manga and animated cartoons. They've been doing it for centuries. It's as natural to them to draw a story as to put it into words. This 'Tai Shun and the elephants'by Kuniyoshi is from 'A Mirror of the Twenty-Four Paragons of Filial Piety' 1840 illustrating a series of stories teaching children their duty to their parents, which I suppose makes them the equivelant of the Victorian morality tale and Mrs Do-As-You-Would-Be-Done-By.'

Notwithstanding that depressing reason for its existance (what IS it about morality tales that make me shudder?) I love the print. Look at the rear of that elephant. The blurb suggests that Kuniyoshi may never have seen a real elephant in his life. A huge (elephant folio!) Phaedon Press book of Japanese prints came in Saturday and I have been enjoying them.

U and Non-U

Nancy Mitford and all things non-u came up at one of the family gatherings last week. I remember my mother-in-law giving me a book (Lady Behave) which amongst other hints on how to write letters to lords and ladies and how to address an Archbishop had helpful warnings about U and non U ways. A few stuck with me. One must never have a lavatory brush in sight in the lavatory. One should not call napkins 'serviettes.' Fish knives and cake forks are decidedly below the salt. Putting the milk into the cup before the tea wasn't Done. Doileys were out as were frills on cutlets. My mother of course did everything wrong in her thoroughly fussy aspiring-to-lower-middle-class way. Happy were the ignorant underclasses who got things right by chance and circumstance - like calling the dessert a pudding and having only one set of cutlery anyway so they would never make the faux pas of offering fish knives at a meal. Nancy M wrote her book Noblesse Oblige tongue in cheek, but for some it was serious. They needed to get the signals right so they weren't mistaken for the hoi polloi.

Today I dug out this poem by John Betjeman on the subject:

How To Get On In Society by John Betjeman

Phone for the fish knives, Norman
As cook is a little unnerved;
You kiddies have crumpled the serviettes
And I must have things daintily served.

Are the requisites all in the toilet?
The frills round the cutlets can wait
Till the girl has replenished the cruets
And switched on the logs in the grate.

It's ever so close in the lounge dear,
But the vestibule's comfy for tea
And Howard is riding on horseback
So do come and take some with me

Now here is a fork for your pastries
And do use the couch for your feet;
I know that I wanted to ask you-
Is trifle sufficient for sweet?

Milk and then just as it comes dear?
I'm afraid the preserve's full of stones;
Beg pardon, I'm soiling the doileys
With afternoon tea-cakes and scones.

Looking back.

I've just been reading my own words here for March. There was much more about books and the shop. This is what happens when there is no money to buy books, my thoughts wonder and my interest wanes. A downward spiral which might become a nose-dive I can't pull out of if I'm not careful. There have been family visits to distract, and summer is a more outgoing outward-looking time I suppose, but even Donald doesn't seem very interested in books just now. He is back into the football season, racing up and down the field egging on (sorry, coaching) the school teams. Hopefully we shall meet up next week and even if books are not the topic of conversation the books in his house might re-awaken some interest. There's a book fair coming up at the end of September and to that one I SHALL go.

Hard hats must be worn.

Changes

No fireplace in the living room - hooray! Costa is very efficient and has the resulting hole plaster-boarded, the room repainted and generally looking as if it was always like that. It took him two days. I think he is marketable. The smell of paint is rather nice. I like change. It shakes out the cobwebs and gives a new perspective to life.

(Well that was all a bit staccato. At the moment I rarely have time to finish a sentence so I make them short and fire them off quickly!)

Changing rooms often involves spending money which is in short supply here just now. So far I have spent about £30 which won't bring in the bailiffs, however the new wall space simply screams for a nice horizontally oblong painting (or weaving, or embroidery... hint hint... Chillside what have you got in store over there?) I can't put back the Thanka I had there because it is oblong in the wrong direction! A nice natural sculpture - drift wood for instance....but I never find them when I want them.. and for the first time I feel as if I need curtains... and so one thing leads to another. The joy is that it alllows for creativity. There's nothing so dead as the house that remains unchanged for 30 years.

In my opinon.

My grandson Finlay is doing his best to remove cobwebs by opening cupboards and emptying drawers. Great fun. Especially at 4.30am. I have had three coffees already this morning. Not sure I'll make it through the day. Fin is obsessed with tractors. Luckily there are plenty around just now as harvest time approaches, also mowers and tractors to pull boats in and out of the water, so whilst his mum and I have sat in coffee shops or outside the Captain's Table by Findhorn Bay in the sunshine, he has found parked tractors to gaze at in admiration. The wheels are much higher than the top of his head but he is in no way afraid of them and would climb aboard if allowed.

I am frequently asked for books about farm machinery. It has a lasting fascination.