Shakespeare and children

Husband and I took two grandchildren over to Oxford to see Midsummer Night's Dream here. We were in a sunlit, windswept quad. The two fairies, Pease Blossom and Mustard Seed were scantily clad and must have been freezing. We'd brought blankets.

Eldest grandchild thoroughly enjoyed it, though grandson was more amused by the labourers attempts at the thespian arts, and his attention wandered when Titania was speaking, though I was impressed by his concentration throughout, given he's only seven, and bilingual, so following Shakespearean English wouldn't be a sinecure for him.

An academic, David Leal, wandered over to us afterwards, after watching our granddaughter rapt in the play. He asked her what part she would play (a giggling fairy), and encouraged her to get her school to do some Shakespeare next year when she's in year 6. I'd forgotten I'd done some Shakespeare with my year 4-5 class years ago - acted it, not read it. Shakespeare's for acting and for watching, not reading. Grandson knew that when he said he'd like to play Bottom.

There was no programme, so I have no idea who the actors were, nor the name of the director.

Brasenose reunion lunch

Husband arranged with his university friends to have a reunion now that they've all retired (more or less). They all seem pretty active for retirees, but now they are doing what they want to do, rather than for the sake of supporting family, mortgage or pleasing an employer.



We had a champagne starter. Then moved to a private room for the meal. The food was splendid, with wine to match.





Even better, I realised that one of the other women is a research student in the same year as me at the OU.


I love meals with people, long slow meals with good company, food and wine. This is the style to which I hope my husband accustoms me.