Only another nine days to enjoy the thrills of 69. The passing of such a landmark will hopefully go largely unheralded. After all, what is there to celebrate about achieving one’s allotted time? Seemingly anything after this is a bonus to be cherished, or scorned, depending on your point of view! Looking out into our sun-swamped garden, where Alison has been pouring bucketloads of loving care and attention, lingering a little longer looks an attractive option. It is fast becoming a horticultural masterpiece that will surely demand an Open Day or two. I suspect the memsahib might baulk at such a suggestion.
Today I learnt, whilst dozing with Radio 4 in my ear, marks two rather contrasting, but not totally unconnected anniversaries. The first, two hundred years ago, was the day upon which Napoleon Bonaparte departed this mortal coil. He was, theoretically, France’s last dictator although only time will tell! It’s mildly amusing to contemplate whether he would have given Chanel No 5 to Empress Josephine or whether it would have been a case of “not tonight Josephine”? It was on this day one hundred years ago that Coco Chanel launched her iconic ‘parfum’ upon an unsuspecting world. I had no idea until now why it was called No 5. As far as I know there was no 1,2,3 or 4? Upon consulting the all-knowing google it transpires it was the number of the sample presented to her by perfumer Ernest Beaux. They could have called it Le Parfum Beaux, but No 5 is inspired in it’s simplicity and universal appeal. I suppose in a way it’s the same as The New River, which used to flow along the end of my Grandmother’s garden. It’s actually a canal that was built to supply London’s drinking water and at the time “New” probably seemed the simplest appellation. As it was built in 1613 it’s probably due a name change. I digress. Apparently Chanel No 5 is a “highly complex blend of aldehydes and florals – including rose, yland-yland, jasmine, lily of the valley and iris – layered over a warm, woody base of vetiver, sandalwood, vanilla, amber and patchouli – this perfume satisfies Chanel’s request that No 5 smell like a “composition” rather than any single flower.” Now you know. Better than the compost I have under my fingernails anyway. A dinner table that included Napoleon, Coco Chanel and Donald Trump would be interesting n’est ce pas. Seemingly The Donald is about to be let loose on Facebook again; another very good reason for boycotting Zuckerberg’s zoo time.
You will be thrilled to learn, I’m sure, that last Saturday’s potential flirtation with disaster on the hockey fields of Eastbourne proved to be an enjoyable and stress-free experience. The ageing rock stars were very well behaved and yours truly was rather more competent, albeit far from flawless, than on the two previous outings with a whistle. After the game I was able to venture along the way to sneakily watch the son and heir performing with bat and ball against Brighton College. I was greeted with a ludicrous sight. A number of parents, who were equally eager to revel in their offsprings’ genius, were gathered on the main road looking over the wall, as they had been ejected from sitting in their cars, well outside the boundary. This meant, that instead of sitting in their bio-secure bubbles, they were all gathered together with not a hint of mask or social distancing. I hasten to add this is not the school’s fault, they are merely following Government protocols, but surely this is another case of the Law of Unintended Consequences? Having long been a believer that rules are made for the obedience of fools and guidance of wise men, I do wonder when common sense will prevail in all this malarkey?
I am now off to discover what ylang-ylang, vetiver and patchouli are…..I’m so ignorant.
ADayInTheStrifeOf 