Fidler in the Hood: In Paris, France, you’ll hear ‘Oui, Oui!’ Ooh, la la!
Thought some French flavours could be added to this week’s proceedings.
BON JOUR, monsieurs et madames. Thought some French flavours could be added to this week’s proceedings. Actually, it was all due to an e-mail received from Lynette Sviridov of Margate Retirement Village.
Seems Lynette and Cat Simoni are friends who correspond regularly when there is some news regarding their mutual love of cats. This time around, it was our love of Cat after her recent sensational ‘What a Swell Party’ evening.
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Lynette sent my comments to Cat, who responded, resulting in something of a mutual admiration society, I guess, with Lynette passing on our messages. Lynette asked if I could recall Cat’s superb rendition of Edith Piaf’s classic ‘La Vie en Rose’ at the show?
Well, Cat sang this number as a special request from Jean (as in Monsieur Jean), my partner and myself. Jean and I speak French at home; it’s my second language and we love French music and songs.” Fair enough, I thought “To Each His Own”, I say.
Russian roulette
I continued “Lynette, you have a ‘frightfully English’ first name; but your surname is frighteningly Russian-sounding? Maybe Bulgarian?” “You’re quite right, Rob.
My late husband was of Russian aristocracy, whose family fled Russia when the tsar and his family were murdered during the Russian revolution. The Sviridov family were Russian émigrés and sought refuge in Cape Town in the 1920s. I retained my Russian married name, even after becoming a widow.
Now, I have a Frenchman, Jean Rousseau, in my life.” We’ve agreed to meet at the forthcoming Anthony Stonier show at the MRV on Saturday, September 23, to put a face to each other. Actually, I’m willing to wager that we’ll end up ‘talking cats’, which are Lynette’s and the CO’s besotted passion. Maybe Jean and I can discuss the merits of French and Cape wines!
That Old Devil Moon
The meeting of the Moondeckers came and went last week and is one of those ‘must see’ events, even if the full moon disappointed, yet again. Once more, heavy cloud afforded only occasional glimpses.
Talk about ‘That Old Devil Moon, that razzle dazzle lune’. Maybe the recent worldwide solar eclipse was ‘one moon too many’ for discerning lunar worshippers.
Numbers were down, but the usual crowd were there enjoying prego rolls, a tipple or two, making new acquaintances and greeting ‘old’ friends.
Dave Hodgson of Margate kindly remembered to bring a set of menus from his voyage to and from New Zealand on the old Shaw Saville liners ‘Northern Star’ and ‘Southern Cross’. Memories came flooding back as your scribe worked for Shaw Saville as a ship’s printer in the 60s.
April in Parys?
Besides the excellent little talk by David Hallé about the dangers of having toxic plants in our gardens (what a wealth of knowledge he has), several ‘new’ faces were there, including Greg and Luzia Velleman of Ramsgate.
They hail from Springs, Barberton, Pretoria and Parys – not the Paris of Jean Rousseau, but that little dorp in the Free State. Somehow ‘April in Parys’ doesn’t have the correct ring about it, does it?
And mention must be made of delightful trio Luvuyo Gushu, Nosipho Kusi and Nhlanhla Mkhize at Ramsgate Whale Watchers Deck. Always smiling, exceptionally polite and willing, this trio of whale-watching stewards turn us followers into potential weight watchers. Thanks, you guys!
Due praise afforded
Finally, let’s hear it for Uvongo municipal street cleaners. Last Friday, the parking area and adjacent area next to the Uvongo municipal offices was covered by mountains of litter, piled high, strewn between offices, the public library and the many taxis and vehicles parked there.
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Apparently a major school event had been held in the auditorium and hundreds of school children just dumped litter all over the area. Your scribe, who was ‘going mad’ with the disgusting scene, despairing at the deteriorating standards in our lovely town, took some photos. However, the next morning, the whole area had been cleaned and swept and the place was spick ‘n span! So, hats off to the municipality for a great job of cleaning up the place. Well done! Till next week. Rob.
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