Well it has been ages since I wrote anything and I am feeling very guilty. So here is another blog to keep you up to date. Before Christmas I was very busy concentrating on yet another book about Woking. It comprised 90 old photos and 90 new. Each page will contain two photos with words in the middle. It looks very good and is due out in February. I am hoping to have a launch but the book has to be published first!
As I am expecting someone to drag me into the 21st century technologically, I must close now.
Hope to write again soon.
Tuesday 21 January 2014
Tuesday 26 March 2013
It has been a while since I have blogged so I thought I had better write something. I am still working on my 'teaching' book. It's called 'Mind that Cow!' and is a light-hearted account of my teaching in three continents - England, Canada and Africa. I was delighted to find the three books I had written years ago. I'd sent them to publishers but they had all come sailing back like homing pigeons.
Having re-read them, I do not think they are very well written so I aim to make them into one book and improve them. After all, I am now a published author with 15 books to my credit. When I originally sent them off, I was totally 'unknown'.
I'll sign off now and get on with the latest chapter.
Marion
Having re-read them, I do not think they are very well written so I aim to make them into one book and improve them. After all, I am now a published author with 15 books to my credit. When I originally sent them off, I was totally 'unknown'.
I'll sign off now and get on with the latest chapter.
Marion
Wednesday 6 February 2013
Another Blog - at last!
Sorry it's been so long since I wrote. I've been quite busy but the other reason is that I was clicking on the wrong thing so I couldn't get into my blog!
I've started work on 'Mind that Cow!' a light-hearted account of my teaching in three continents - England, Canada and Uganda. They were all very different. I'd written 'books' about each ages ago but they need editing and I thought it was a good idea to put them all into one book. The title is from my time in Uganda. When I drove my 'beetle' on the mud roads, I was frequently reminded by my African passengers to 'mind that cow'! Cows, like elephants, have 'right of way' on the roads. The elephants, of course, are in the Game Parks, not on the roads. I was chased by one once. It was not a pleasant experience but we managed to escape from him. The incident will be described in my book so I won't go into it now.
Last week I gave a talk about my writing experiences to a local group. They were most appreciative and I sold some books which was very encouraging. I called my talk 'Better late than Never'! As I mentioned, I'd written some books years ago but didn't find a publisher. Now I have had 15 books published and I still have to pinch myself to believe it.
I've also recently entered a competition to write a 'Memoir'. I have it ready to post but, as all our local post offices have been closed, I have to wait until I go to the town.
Must close now and get on with some work.
Marion
I've started work on 'Mind that Cow!' a light-hearted account of my teaching in three continents - England, Canada and Uganda. They were all very different. I'd written 'books' about each ages ago but they need editing and I thought it was a good idea to put them all into one book. The title is from my time in Uganda. When I drove my 'beetle' on the mud roads, I was frequently reminded by my African passengers to 'mind that cow'! Cows, like elephants, have 'right of way' on the roads. The elephants, of course, are in the Game Parks, not on the roads. I was chased by one once. It was not a pleasant experience but we managed to escape from him. The incident will be described in my book so I won't go into it now.
Last week I gave a talk about my writing experiences to a local group. They were most appreciative and I sold some books which was very encouraging. I called my talk 'Better late than Never'! As I mentioned, I'd written some books years ago but didn't find a publisher. Now I have had 15 books published and I still have to pinch myself to believe it.
I've also recently entered a competition to write a 'Memoir'. I have it ready to post but, as all our local post offices have been closed, I have to wait until I go to the town.
Must close now and get on with some work.
Marion
Monday 14 January 2013
The Doomed Waistcoats
Well I am again. I decided to see if I could do it myself without help and I seem to have managed it. Last year I heard a fascinating story about a tailor who made some waistcoats at very short notice for a client who was travelling on the Titanic. Unfortunately, they went down with the ship and the tailor was never paid.
I wrote an article about it but unfortunately I did not send it off during 2012 the anniversary of the sinking of the great ship. So as I had written it, I thought I would post it on my BLOG. Here it is.
THE DOOMED WAISTCOATS
Listening to his client, the Master Tailor tried not to show his impatience. His customer had used John Blackburn's services for years but never before had he asked the tailor to produce garments at such short notice.
"It's urgent," he reiterated. "The 'Titanic' sails next week and I must have these eight waistcoats before that so they can be carefully packed before they go on board."
John Blackburn nodded, trying not to show his anxiety. The measurements had been taken, the fabric chosen and the cloth was ready to be cut. But still his client seemed reluctant to leave. Every moment he stayed was eating into the time needed to produce works of perfection fit for a lord. At last he edged towards the door, still stressing the urgency of the commission.
When his client had finally gone, the tailor immediately left the showroom and descended the stairs to his workroom in Covent Garden. His heart was heavy. He had to get the work finished in time. But could he do it? Carefully he laid some cotton material on the table and proceeded to cut out the shapes of the required waistcoats. He would make a sample waistcoat before he started on the real thing. It had been a grey day and now dusk was falling. The light through the one window was dim and the new electric light that had recently been installed was not as bright as he would have liked. He worked hard to finish the sample. If it was satisfactory, he could start using the white silk material the following day.
At last it was finished. Rubbing his eyes, he scrutinized it. The buttonholes would only be inserted on the actual waistcoats. He sighed with relief. It was perfect. He could now start cutting the first waistcoat. The light glinted on the white silk and he gently caressed the expensive material before cutting it into the required shapes. He tacked the pieces together and then set his new machine to work. It whirred satisfactorily as seam after seam was deftly sewn. He worked late into the night until the first garment was completed apart from the buttonholes which would be stitched by hand.
The next day his wife joined him; her supple fingers worked delicately on the four buttonholes before sewing on the elaborate silver buttons that completed the work of art. Other commissions would have to wait until the waistcoats were completed. At least this work would produce a healthy profit. John Blackburn was the best in the area and could command high fees but he needed the money to provide for his large family. His forbears had been Master Tailors for five generations and recently he had been honoured by having the Freedom of the City of London bestowed on him.
After working all day with his wife, he enlisted the help of his eight children during the evening. They pinned the work ready for tacking and then took out the tacks when the seams had been stitched; when one magnificent waistcoat was finished, they carefully wrapped it up ready for collection. Two of the waistcoats would be white to go with the wearer's tail coat; when a dinner jacket was worn, two black waistcoats would be needed. The other two would be for day wear. They would be of fine beige linen.
The whole family worked hard for several days and at last the tailor could look with pride on his completed work. With the help of his family, he had completed it in time. A manservant collected the package and bore it off to be stored on the famous ship until she sailed. He took the invoice and assured the tailor that he would soon be paid. John hoped so. He needed the money.
Returning to his workshop, he started to work on earlier unfinished commissions. Two days later, the papers were full of the majestic ship, the 'Titanic', as she set off on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic. John felt a glow of pride as he thought of his client wearing the waistcoats he had made.
But the waistcoats were doomed. So was his client and hundreds of other passengers when the 'Titanic' struck an iceberg a few days after she left Southampton. The garments, so meticulously stitched, floated into the depths of the sea. Over the years the material rotted; only the elaborate buttons remained. John Blackburn never received any payment for the work on which he had spent so many fruitless hours.
Hope you enjoyed it. Off to teach now!
Marion
I wrote an article about it but unfortunately I did not send it off during 2012 the anniversary of the sinking of the great ship. So as I had written it, I thought I would post it on my BLOG. Here it is.
THE DOOMED WAISTCOATS
Listening to his client, the Master Tailor tried not to show his impatience. His customer had used John Blackburn's services for years but never before had he asked the tailor to produce garments at such short notice.
"It's urgent," he reiterated. "The 'Titanic' sails next week and I must have these eight waistcoats before that so they can be carefully packed before they go on board."
John Blackburn nodded, trying not to show his anxiety. The measurements had been taken, the fabric chosen and the cloth was ready to be cut. But still his client seemed reluctant to leave. Every moment he stayed was eating into the time needed to produce works of perfection fit for a lord. At last he edged towards the door, still stressing the urgency of the commission.
When his client had finally gone, the tailor immediately left the showroom and descended the stairs to his workroom in Covent Garden. His heart was heavy. He had to get the work finished in time. But could he do it? Carefully he laid some cotton material on the table and proceeded to cut out the shapes of the required waistcoats. He would make a sample waistcoat before he started on the real thing. It had been a grey day and now dusk was falling. The light through the one window was dim and the new electric light that had recently been installed was not as bright as he would have liked. He worked hard to finish the sample. If it was satisfactory, he could start using the white silk material the following day.
At last it was finished. Rubbing his eyes, he scrutinized it. The buttonholes would only be inserted on the actual waistcoats. He sighed with relief. It was perfect. He could now start cutting the first waistcoat. The light glinted on the white silk and he gently caressed the expensive material before cutting it into the required shapes. He tacked the pieces together and then set his new machine to work. It whirred satisfactorily as seam after seam was deftly sewn. He worked late into the night until the first garment was completed apart from the buttonholes which would be stitched by hand.
The next day his wife joined him; her supple fingers worked delicately on the four buttonholes before sewing on the elaborate silver buttons that completed the work of art. Other commissions would have to wait until the waistcoats were completed. At least this work would produce a healthy profit. John Blackburn was the best in the area and could command high fees but he needed the money to provide for his large family. His forbears had been Master Tailors for five generations and recently he had been honoured by having the Freedom of the City of London bestowed on him.
After working all day with his wife, he enlisted the help of his eight children during the evening. They pinned the work ready for tacking and then took out the tacks when the seams had been stitched; when one magnificent waistcoat was finished, they carefully wrapped it up ready for collection. Two of the waistcoats would be white to go with the wearer's tail coat; when a dinner jacket was worn, two black waistcoats would be needed. The other two would be for day wear. They would be of fine beige linen.
The whole family worked hard for several days and at last the tailor could look with pride on his completed work. With the help of his family, he had completed it in time. A manservant collected the package and bore it off to be stored on the famous ship until she sailed. He took the invoice and assured the tailor that he would soon be paid. John hoped so. He needed the money.
Returning to his workshop, he started to work on earlier unfinished commissions. Two days later, the papers were full of the majestic ship, the 'Titanic', as she set off on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic. John felt a glow of pride as he thought of his client wearing the waistcoats he had made.
But the waistcoats were doomed. So was his client and hundreds of other passengers when the 'Titanic' struck an iceberg a few days after she left Southampton. The garments, so meticulously stitched, floated into the depths of the sea. Over the years the material rotted; only the elaborate buttons remained. John Blackburn never received any payment for the work on which he had spent so many fruitless hours.
Hope you enjoyed it. Off to teach now!
Marion
My New Year
Hello everyone
I've now started a new blog so that I could use the title that I originally thought of in the middle of the night so here is my first offering for my new blog.
I was rather shocked to discover when I woke up this morning that everything was white! Fortunately, it was only a flurry so I think I will be able to drive today.
I will sign off now as I have to go a meeting but I will write more later - I hope. At the moment someone is very kindly showing me what I need to do to open the blog!!
I wish everyone a Happy New Year.
Marion
I've now started a new blog so that I could use the title that I originally thought of in the middle of the night so here is my first offering for my new blog.
I was rather shocked to discover when I woke up this morning that everything was white! Fortunately, it was only a flurry so I think I will be able to drive today.
I will sign off now as I have to go a meeting but I will write more later - I hope. At the moment someone is very kindly showing me what I need to do to open the blog!!
I wish everyone a Happy New Year.
Marion
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