12-JUL-2009
The subtle flavour of out-of-fashion little gestures.
I think that we get really old only when we lose interest in learning new things.
Personally I certainly recognize the importance of computers, which have really changed the world of communication.
I have been probably the first one to have a computer in Bearlingham Green ( I must admit in my village there are not many inhabitants...) and I use it for all my practical needs and to make my daily life easier.
Nevertheless I still enjoy the subtle pleasure of handwritten correspondence.
I mean real letters, made of paper, which transport our words written by ink at a very slow speed compared with the instantaneous transmission of data by computer.
I like the nice little ritual of folding the letter, putting it into an envelope, sticking on it the suitable stamp and taking the time to walk down the street to a still existent mail box.
A real mail box has still a greater charm than a virtual one, because it gives us a tangible sensation and allows us feel the sender closer to us, since we can concretely touch the paper they have touched and so on...
Of course e-mail is a fantastic invention, which makes distances infinitely shorter and can almost change the dimension of time.
I think the best solution is taking advantage of both, in order not to lose anything but to have a double opportunity, as different circumstances may demand.
Today I not only posted some real letter to friends, but I also went to our local Post Office to send a parcel, we cannot do it by computer yet....
11-JUL-2009
Do you think I have made the right choice?
I had the opportunity to rent this small cottage, here in our lovely village of Bearlingham Green, the pearl of Bearshire.
It’s very close to my abode and I think it will be suitable for my nephew Frimpong, at least until he manages to build his own new cottage.
Of course Frimpong won’t come here very often, he’s a professional traveller, as you know and he’s very devoted to his job, but he needed a place where he could store his things. Now that he has sold his flat in central London, he could not fill my home with all his boxes either.
I can consider this cottage as a detached guest-room as well.
There is a very dear friend of mine who seems to be very determined to come to visit me soon, he has merely to push a door to get here, we live very close to each other.
In this page of my diary I’d like to explain the fundamental features of all the abodes of the Bear family.
We like living in an ancient building, which looks extremely small from outside, but inside it is obvious that there must be many different rooms, as you have probably already noticed from the pictures you have seen of my own cottage.
Generally speaking it’s not easy to find similar houses, but in Bearshire they are quite common. It’s another good reason to live in Bearshire, you see.
Whatever seems to be bizarre or impossible elsewhere can be real in Bearshire, but that is another story...
So do you think Frimpong will like this cottage?
I didn’t decide the name of the cottage yet.
If you have any suggestion, please do let me know, your advice will be of great help.
8-JUL-2009
Don’t’ be afraid, I’m not getting drowned...This is art!
You know I’m a lady of experience and I have many artistic interests as well.
Since I have started taking care of my beloved nephew’s, Mr. Frimpong Bear, photographs collections, that is I’m the chairlady of the world famous “Frimpong’s Project”, I have learnt to deal with all the nuances of photographic art too.
I have been told by one of my friends, a very fine and creative young photographer, that nowadays it’s very fashionable taking conceptual underwater photos.
So I decided to try and I had a lot of fun actually.
I think I really look like a mermaid!
I’m simply a bit concerned now because all that humidity has not had a very good effect on my rheumatisms.
Augh... I can hardly move!
I suppose I’ll stay at home very quiet for a while and I’ll need a series of massages with my special Bear-ointment.
Shopping for groceries...
I have had a very busy morning indeed.
My dear nephew Frimpong has practically emptied my fridge before leaving, so I badly need to go shopping for groceries.
Ah, by the way, I have received a couple of slightly worried letters asking me if Frimpong had really decided to stop travelling and settle here in Bearshire near me.
Don’t worry! He has not any intention of changing his lifestyle, he’s a professional traveller and still too young to retire.
He simply decided to sell his flat in central London and to have a cottage built here in our lovely village of Bearshire.
He will come to spend a few days in his cottage when he can take a break, as a kind of “holiday” for him.
But it will take some time before the cottage will be ready.
I’ll keep you informed, of course.
One of my kind and affectionate readers asked me the name of our village...oh my, I had forgotten to mention it.
For me it’s so natural to live here, that I thought everybody knew the name of the place.
My village is called
Bearlingham Green and it’s the pearl of Bearshire.
When I have to go shopping to the centre of the village I find it so handy to take my motor-scooter, mostly in summer.
Now I have to drive back home, I have to arrange my groceries and to bake a cake for Stevie, a dear young friend of mine.
I think he will pay me a visit one of these days.
If you want to have friends visiting you with joy, always keep a home-baked cake ready and your sympathetic ears open for them.
7-JUL-2009
The enjoyable ritual of a classy afternoon tea.
I suppose most of you already know that the invention of the tradition of afternoon tea is attributed to Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford in the in the early 1840's.
Traditionally dinner was not served until 8:30 or 9:00 in the evening and it seems that the Duchess had a solid appetite and often became hungry, especially in the summer when dinner was served even later.
She took the habit to order a small meal of bread, butter, and other delicacies, such as cakes, tarts, and biscuits, to be brought secretly to her boudoir.
When her little secret became known ( one must never trust the discretion of servants, they are the ones who know all, being present, even though apparently unnoticed, to all their masters’ most intimate circumstances) she involuntarily created a fashionable trend.
Her habit caught on and the concept of a small meal, of niceties and perhaps tea, became popular and eventually known as "afternoon tea".
Today in my mail I found also a very kind letter from an Australian lady I’m proud to have among my faithful readers, she asked me the veritable recipe of world famous Violet’s scones and with joy I shared it with her.
I take this opportunity to thank all of you for your letters and to assure you that I always write back promptly and I’m extremely glad to answer your questions and to give you my advice, not only on culinary matters, of course.
So now let me enjoy my afternoon tea in this glorious summer evening...
Even when I take it on my own I like keeping always a touch of class, it’s important, isn’t it?
05-JUL-2009
Sunset is the best time of the day for a hearty family chat...
My beloved nephew Frimpong and I had not had any real chance to sit side by side in front of a sunset for many years.
After our tea, we walked over the countryside to the lake (you know Bearshire, obviously, and you know that it is one of the finest districts of the UK indeed).
“I understand why you keep living in your beloved Bearshire, Auntie, even though you could stay anywhere else in the world,”
Frimpong told me after a long silence.
“Indeed, Frimpong. We might travel all over the world and enjoy so many different places, but we need that special place we can call “home” to feel comfortable. It’s not necessary to stay there constantly, but we need to know it exists and we can come back when we feel the need...”
“Auntie, I have decided to sell my flat in Central London and consider Bearshire as my “home” now.
When I have time in my hectic life of professional traveller I’d like to come back here and find my roots again.
Of course I’m not a child anymore, so I won’t disturb your daily life living under your roof.
I have the intention to build my own cottage near yours, so we can be close to each other and independent at the same time.
As soon as I sell my flat in London I’ll transfer the money to your bank account and I’ll be very grateful to you if you could help me with the business of building my new cottage.”
“Of course, my dear nephew, it will be my pleasure. I’m retired and I have a lot of spare time, while you are always so busy...”
“Thank you, Auntie; I can always rely on you”
“We are a family, Frimpong”
“Yes we are. What a special light the sunsets in Bearshire have...
There's no place like home!”
Many things might happen to a lady while she is taking care of her roses...
I was enjoying my garden and cleaning some of my roses when suddenly I heard someone walking over the path which leads from the gate to my cottage door....
I thought it could be Professor McLivet, my neighbour, who always runs out of something and comes to ask me to lend him this and that...usually a half bottle of sherry or a can of beer.
My surprise was immense when I realized that the visitor was none other than....my nephew Frimpong Bear, with whom you probably are a little familiar.
Frimpong doesn’t pay me a visit very often.
He’s a professional traveller and, when he can take a break, he usually stays in his own flat in central London,though usually for only a very few days.
Frimpong told me he had tried to phone me when he was in Norfolk, but it was my turn to be absent then.
“Frimpong," – I cried out loud- "you are not supposed to be in Bearshire, you, you....”
“Take it easy, Auntie, I simply felt like spending a day with you, I have something to tell you, then I’ll go back to my travel destination, my host will hardly notice my short absence, I told him I was going for a walk...”
If you feel like knowing what Frimpong had to tell me and why he had come to see me...be so patient to wait for my next post.
For the time being enjoy my roses...they smell so nicely, don't they?
Signals of love in my kitchen garden.
As you probably already know, I’m a lady of age and experience, so I have learnt from life not to be easily a victim of emotional feelings, but to keep always my feet (paws) on solid ground.
I like taking care of my garden and, even though it becomes a little more tiring year after year, I have still the great satisfaction to eat my own fresh vegetables.
I had started digging potatoes when one of them attracted my attention for its unusual shape...I’m glad to show it to you here.
I might consider it a kind of omen predicting a future love affair for me...
In case you might wonder what I did with it, I’m happy to inform you that I have already transformed this gentle symbol of love into a tasty plate of chips.
1-JUL-2009
If you feel comfortable there, it's never monotonous being at home...
I’m happy to be back home!
We always complain about repetitive habits, but then we realize they have also good sides.
I don’t like thinking of myself as a creature of habit, actually I have always been considered non-conformist and some respectable people have even called me an “outrageous old lady” in a circumstance I won’t reveal to you right now. Nevertheless I feel that we all need certain points of reference, which are not perceived as a burden if they are chosen freely.
Personally , I think that my abode and my books are among the most important points of reference, that give me the pleasure for life and the necessary serenity to cope with it in the best possible way.
I’d like to thank here all of you for your positive remarks on my slightly refreshed look and my new hair-style.
I think little changes are important to allow us to keep on being consistent in all the more serious elements of our personality.
So here I’m once again in my cottage in Bearshire,ready and willing to keep on sharing my diary with all of you.
20-JUN-2009
"If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change”
One of my old friends, a Sicilian aristocrat, Giuseppe, Prince of Lampedusa, who was a fine writer, is mostly famous for a great novel which some consider a kind of epic story, sometimes compared to Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind or to Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past.
I met him in London, many years ago, when his uncle was Italian ambassador there.
In his novel,” Il Gattopardo” (The Leopard) he wrote:
“If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change”
Of course in a totally different context, I dare to quote him, because what I learnt from him was one of the reasons for changing my look, willing to remain even more myself
I confess to you that I feel much better now and the closest friends, who have seen me, congratulated me for my slightly more fashionable style.
At the same time I’m always your devoted Violet Bear and I’ll be grateful if you’ll keep on following my adventures as you have done so far.
20-JUN-2009
This must be the right place....
I’m back to England, after my long holiday.
During these past days I have thought about many things...
They told me in this street there is an excellent beauty parlour...it must be over here....
Ah, here I am, and there is also the hairdresser I have heard miracles of...
I have taken my decision; it’s time for a little change.
I’ll see you again in a few hours....
31-MAY-2009
Yes, Frimpong dear, it's me...Can you hear me?
“How nice of you to call me, my beloved nephew!
Oh, I’m afraid you cannot come over with your friend Steve.
I’m not at home at the moment. I’m in Italy, on holiday.
I would have been delighted to meet Steve, I have seen the picture of him in your company and he looks so charming!
Don’t worry about me, I’m perfectly well and Tom takes good care of me. He sings all the time however, and he’s a bit noisy, but the villa is big so I can always find a little peace in my room.
Give my best regards to Stevie, good bye, Frimpong dear!”