Keith's blog

Sunday lovely Sunday
The week of technical and first previews was exciting but tiring; the show in good shape so early on in its journey and developing in confidence with every performance in the lead up to Press Night.
 

A little early extra drama in that first preview week, on Saturday (26th July) we had our first understudy on. Ewen Cummins was poorly so David Ajala went on to play Barnado and did very well indeed. What with the busy week Sunday was definitely going to be a day of rest.

Zoë had gone to visit her brother with her mum (Janet) in Cornwall and taken Milly (our dog) with her so I was home alone for the weekend. As such I intended to do nothing, or at least as little as possible. I pondered as to whether to buy and plant a plum tree – a long-promised project by me to Zoë –  or go for a long bike ride. Being a Libran, I agonised over coffee and the Sunday papers for some time … I hadn't ridden my bike for ages so determined to do so on such a beautiful day, especially having spent most of the previous fortnight in the dark in a gigantic tin box … on the other hand why not finally plant that plum tree? Oh dear, dither, dither, dither. But then, a stroke of genius … I'd do both and more if I could despite the day's rest status! I decided that that first on the agenda was to get the plum tree and within seconds of my momentous decision I was in the car and off to the country store near Bearley. The tree purchased and that at half-price in a clearance sale – result! – it was swiftly back home, on the winding drive back I resolved to go for a ride first and then plant the tree.

My trusty bike has been cruelly abandoned outdoors for some weeks in the garden and so needed some TLC in the form of a good oiling and the tyres re-inflating, in fact it probably needed more than that but I was impatient to leave. After some speedy cycle maintenance off I went on my trusty steed. Out of Alcester, through Oversley Green and over the old bridge, climbing up toward Oversley woods, over the footbridge crossing the main Stratford to Alcester road then round toward a farm marked out by two huge grain silos, a landmark small and distant from the town but massive and looming over me as I ride past them. Round between two fields, the rapeseed harvested on my left now green stubble, a golden field of wheat burned in the summer sun to my right. In the distance the growl of a tractor planting seeds with a plume of dust, and a host of birds trailing behind it. Behind the woods then down the hill towards Exhall turning left and a steep climb up to Ardens Grafton through a place called Little Britain. Past a carpenter's house, with some beautiful birdhouses in the garden round to the left through the village; I stopped to admire the magnificent view back across the valley. A gold and green patchwork of fields, the roofs of Exhall and the woods I'd just come from a blue-green strip. My destination now near I coasted down the gently sloping road to The Golden Cross. With the bike parked in the garden, I ordered a pint of local ale – Purity Gold brewed in Great Alne – then sat in the sun with the crossword for half and hour or so; bliss! Suitably refreshed back on the bike, up through the village to coast back down fast through Little Britain. I took a slightly different route back, turning right at Exhall and off-road through a livery stable along a bridleway, past some beautiful horses then to open pasture. Past the stables to a gate at the edge of Oversley Woods the other side of which I had to pause while a combine harvester deposited grain into a hopper on the back of a tractor blocking the footpath. When it'd finished, I continued along the path round the end of the woods then under the A46 and onto the home stretch. Through more farmland over a rise and through down to a field of maize at the back of the golf course, the rich green crop now head-high having been barely knee-high a few weeks ago. The path goes through a small paddock where two horses galloped over to check me out having heard the clang of the gate as I opened it. They were huge and their teeth noisily tore the grass as they ate lazily. I wait for them to retreat some distance slightly anxious that if I ride straight past them they'll gallop after me … a fear that no doubt betrays the townie in me! The final stretch of path had become very overgrown, the going slow and at one point the long grass hid the path's steep camber, my bike went from under me, over I went and I found myself staring at the cloudless sky cursing my carelessness. But no harm done, a bruised elbow and knee, back in the saddle to emerge onto the old Stratford Road back over the old bridge at Oversley Green and home.

After a much-needed glass of cider to slake my thirst on to my second major task of the day: the planting of the plum tree. I proceeded to dig a big hole in the garden an activity I found surprisingly satisfying. As required I dug a hole twice as big as the pot I'd bought the tree in, in it went, I packed the compost around it and there it was bedded in between the apple tree and the purple geraniums, I'm hot again and covered in mud so time for another glass of cider! My designated tasks were complete but then I remembered the garden gate at the back has been sticking, it's been annoying me for some time so I set about digging up the stones in the path that have been causing the stick. Having dug them out I redistributed some of the sand and put the bricks back again. The gate unstuck but now on a bit of a roll garden-wise, I cut the grass and watered all the plants; at last all my work done time for another refreshing glass of cider and a shower to cleanse myself of the mud and sand I was by now completely covered with. Feeling very smug having already accomplished far more than intended I just had Sunday dinner to cook. We have a great butcher – Reg Phillips – in Alcester and I'd bought a succulent piece of fillet steak as a bit of a treat on Saturday morning. I cooked this rare and made a red wine and horseradish jus by deglazing the frying pan and served it up with minted new potatoes and green vegetables. The steak was beautifully tender and melted like butter in the mouth, the piquant jus, astringent sweetness of the mint and potatoes, the fresh veg made for a DELICIOUS mains. For a simple pud, strawberries on lemon drizzle cake with sour cream. All this washed down with some fine red wine. It was now late evening, the so-called day of rest had actually been pretty a satisfyingly active one thus an early bed and a good nights sleep inexorably beckoned before yet another busy week ahead.

KO 03/08

   Respond to Keith's blog

Responses to Keith's blog

"Hope the plum tree does well - does this mean that plum pies will feature in a future gourmet menu? Your Sunday dinner sounds lovely - watch out or else I'll come and cadge a meal when I'm up in Stratford at the end of October. We're staying in Waterside, next to Ferry House, so if you want a quick meal you can come and cook for us at any time!"

Nina

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About blogger Keith

         

Likes: Music, cycling, food, theoretical physics

Dislikes: Queuing, flying, mice (and creatures of similar size), smoking

Keith plays Marcellus in Hamlet, Egeus in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Marcade in Love's Labour's Lost as part of the ensemble.