So we are to have another film starring the septuagenarian Harrison Ford as his action hero Indiana Jones. While a great fan of the films and of Harrison, I wonder if he is the right man for the job. Having been killed off in the latest Star Wars movie I suppose Harrison is in need of a job. It has been noted that the actor will be 77 when the new film is released which gives us all hope for an active old age. He married a woman, Calista Flockhart, in 2010, who is 22 years his junior and with whom he has a child. So hope for all us who still aspire to be heroes.
Ian Duncan Smith
While Harrison Ford still continues to fight evil, spare a thought for IDS who is out of a job. With his fragmented cabinet around him poor Dave is fighting on various fronts and may be in need of his own “hero”. But with his sidekick, George after his job, as well as the charismatic Boris, I would not want to be in his shoes even for his large pension that probably can’t come fast enough. Although I bet he does not have to wait until he is nearly 70. Still with Han Solo wiped out of the universe …
Spring forward
Did you all remember to put your clocks forward? At last we can hope for some warmer weather. It may not have been a particularly cold winter but it does seem to have gone on a very long time with lots of rain and bad storms. It seems as though the Met Office having decided to name the storms, they have been more powerful than usual and the devastating winds and floods will make this winter a bad memory for many. Let’s hope that we do get a “barbecue summer” this year. Especially as from June it may be more expensive to holiday in the sun in Europe.
Reading with Grandma
I love being Grandma; it gives me all sorts of privileges other relatives don’t have. I have an assortment of grand-daughters from ages 19 to 5 and we have some interesting conversations. They actually talk to me as they realise I don’t do texting or any other digital communication. The relationship children have with grandparents can be very useful if they need someone to confide in. I often also find myself helping with homework and am more than happy to help the younger ones and listen to them read. However, I was flummoxed last week when the youngest grandchild took out her reading book and read to me in Welsh. I know I was in Wales but she could not understand why I was not able to help with some of the long words.
Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown!
This year sees the 400th anniversary of the death of the Bard of Avon. William Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616, and was buried two days later in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon.
The inscription on his grave slab has been the subject of debate and speculation for centuries. The ‘curse’ reads: ‘Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare, To digg the dust encloased heare, Blest by the man that spares these stones, And curst be he that moves my bones.’ It has been suggested over the years that the grave is far too short to be that of an adult and as it carries no name or date, that it is not Shakespeare’s grave at all.
The discovery that old Will’s head is almost certainly missing was quite fascinating. The grave itself was found to be very shallow with no sign of a coffin – certainly not a family vault as had previously been thought. In 1879 it was claimed that trophy hunters stole Shakespeare’s skull from his shallow grave in 1794. Unfortunately, it has never been found and so the mystery continues. As Shakespeare wrote – “That it should come to this!” (Hamlet, Act I, Scene II).
