But am now officially grabbing myself by the neck.
This summer, I've done four interesting things(apart from spending lots of lovely time with my friends).
Firstly, I moved from the charming(...) little suburb of Sidcup, Kent, to Colliers Wood, Mitcham. Suffice to say that the flat, being a lot closer to the city and only for two people, is very small. Some would almost say holiday- sized. You know when you go to a two star- hotel in the medeterranian somewhere, and you get those tiny, pink tiled bathrooms with the shower that has a door you can barely open to get in, and if your above a size 14, not at all? And the hot water you have to turn on half an hour before the shower, otherwise it kind of just spits cold water at you? ...yeah.
But I like it here. I like our huge hypermarket, out lovely Virgin active gym, Merton Abbey Mills(where I may be doing some barwork) with its market on sundays. And I like sitting by the open window at night, looking at the purple-black London sky that never really gets entirly dark; listening to the neighbours fighting, cleaning, talking and watching tv...and I even think it's kind of cute that when our(or the ones underneath us) tumbler runs, the floor shakes.
Secondly, I've earnt my keep at home with my parents this summer by working as a - is there an english word for this- "home- nurse"? It means the council arranges for nurses (and untrained staff in the summer) to go home to the elderly and help them with medication, food and sometimes personal hygiene. It was a huge challenge for me, as it is not at all my type of work(although I do admire the people who do it). It is certainly work that keeps you grounded! If I am succsessful in my career, I will never(remind me!) complain about how "hard" acting is.
Thirldy, I flew in to London during my holiday to audition for one of London's biggest casting directors. It was a great experience, but unfortunately I did not get the part, after waiting a long time for the results. However, I got very high praise from both casting director and director, and firmly hope they will call me in again for something even better! :) (They already did- but I couldn't afford to fly again. Fudge!)
Lastly, I went to France, as it turned out only in the company of my mother as my stepfather fell ill shortly before our departure. He has a mild heart condition which decided to display its powers at the wrong moment. These things happen I guess.
The trip was lovely though, I got to practice my French a lot since we travelled the Midi- pyrenees- an area not renowned for its english- speaking capabilities, but rather for its beauty and local cuisine.
I must say I am proud of us for getting where we were supposed to go even with trains cancelled because of "la Greve", buses that didn't run, tourist offices that would rather have a fag outside that show the faintest interest in "but we have to get there tomorrow morning, there was supposed to be a bus!" and who certainly didn't "Parlais anglais." But for all that, we saw the lovely city of Bordeaux, charming little Mossiac with its river and fabulous Michelin- star restaurant hotel "La Pont Napoleon" with the most helpful hotel attenant I have ever met; Gaby. The breakfast was spectacular, the rooms individually designed and so charming. Lauzerte was a beautiful medeival cite on top of a hill, where I had drinks at the mayor's house beacause I hung out with Brage's troup. The show was spectacular in the open air, on the cobblestoned place in front of the church in the lavender- scented evening air, drinking local grape juice iced in a bucket. Even the church bells tolled in the right time in the play, as if the place recognised the magic of Shakespeare...it made me think of how the acts are strung together; the sun is meant to come down by the third act, these plays were of course all originally performed on open air stages. The audience did as we did in France, drink, laugh, watch from the benches or from a distance, or just listening in from the local pub...
The picture is of a magnificent monument in Bordeaux; La Girondine. It displays an ocean godess, with four sea- horses that are so life like with their glistining fishtails and bulging muscles that you think they are about to spring on you!
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