I’m with Barry Cryer!

On BBC Radio 4 this morning, Barry Cryer was commending the good old telephone in these Covid19 isolation times. I couldn’t agree more. Of course, I’m happy (and very lucky) to have so much contact with family, friends and neighbours by text, WhatsApp, Facetime and the like, but you can’t beat the phone for a chin-wag AND no-one can see me in my nightie!  So don’t hesitate to give me a ring!

Meanwhile, for this month’s blog, I had intended to rave about two exhibitions recently visited and to recommend you visit them before they close in late April. Instead they have both fallen victim to the virus and closed, along with the rest of our wealth of museums and galleries. The first exhibition was ‘Mushrooms: The Art, Design and Future of Fungi’ at Somerset House. Who knew that the humble mushroom could be so fascinating and gorgeous and profoundly important to the planet? The second exhibition was ‘Visionary Women Collecting Textiles’ at Two Temple Place. Another surprisingly interesting afternoon out to see a collection of needlecraft from all over the world, both traditional and as a subversive art form. The exhibition narrative encouraged needlework as a calming pastime – good for our mental health. Little did I realise when I visited, just how prescient that suggestion might be. I haven’t taken up cross-stitch yet. I’m too busy working from home for my beloved Silver Travel Advisor as well as catching up like mad on BBC Sounds and iPlayer – let alone all that spring cleaning that awaits. But who knows, if the Covid lock-down continues long into the summer, I might well have a ‘Home Sweet Home’ sampler to display as a momento!

Stay safe, dear reader!