Wednesday 28 July 2010

Murder at Andi's

I try not to kill anything.

Spiders are caught with a mini vacuum cleaner and put safely outside, bees and butterflies are caught with a child's fishing net and again, put outside...

But WASPS?

I don't like killing even them, but I do. So when I discovered we had a wasps' nest way up on the apex of the roof, I called in the experts and had them...



EXTERMINATED!

Within a few hours our roof was free of the horrid things. Cost me £50 but in the case of wasps I consider this money well spent.

Imagine my dismay when, the very next day, I discovered ANOTHER nest this time in the roof of the kitchen (a single-storey part of the house). We seem to be the vacation of choice in the wasp world. As this nest was in a more accessible part of the house (for humans as well as wasps), I was charged a discount rate of £40. That's £90 just to get rid of the Devil's invention. Grrrrrr!

And continuing the subject of killing:

This is my latest find:



I have been after this picture for a couple of years now and have never seen it for sale (well, the original Warhol has been on sale but my bank balance didn't stretch that far), so was delighted to find one for sale on Ebay.

I'm a big fan of Judy Garland (the Capitol years rather than the Mickey Rooney stuff) and this picture I think is just wonderful.

However, it wasn't until after I'd bought it that I found out this particular picture was part of a campaign to promote the wearing of fur. I am very much against wearing fur and it worried me for a while that I was displaying a picture that went against my beliefs. Then I decided that I'd bought the picture not for it's statement but because I think it's a great picture. So it's staying.

Another fur problem came along this week. I'm very lucky to have been cast as Myra Arundel in Noel Coward's Hay Fever. Myra is a gift of a character and is great fun to play, but because she's a rich socialite of the 1920's I'm going to be wearing a fur stole. Wearing fur was considered perfectly correct back then, as was smoking (which I'm also having to do). I was asked if I minded the fur and the cigarettes, but I believe my own prejudices shouldn't interfere with the character Coward created. If I want to play her I have to be prepared to take on all that she is. So for ten nights and a couple of dress rehearsals, I shall be draped in fur.

Goodness, it's a blood-bath here!

Blessings,
Andi
xx

15 comments:

  1. Congratulations on getting the part in the play. I hope you post pictures. I love most anything in that time period.
    Hope you are able to keep the wasps away now!
    Karen
    Ladybug Creek

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  2. I don't like things that fly and sting. Good luck in your new role.

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  3. hiya- yes, the picture must STAY its gorgeous!

    Vintage fur...well, could you think that with every old-and-already-processed fur used, it means there's no longer the need for a new one?

    We had a wasps nest in our tiny attic- they'd built it OVER 3/4s of the loft hatch door, and then decided to use the ceiling light in our bedroom as an entrance and exit (the recessed light is cut/wired into the loft space).
    So, Ted decided to go up there armed with wasp spray, and wearing a vintage wire-mesh fencing mask over his face!
    I didn't know whether to laugh or cry or phone the ambulance and prep them for the journey!

    Glad yours have gone- DEFINITELY worth the ££s
    xx

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  4. I'm still laughing at you catching spiders in a mini vacuum ;)

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  5. I'm sure the "fur wearing" sacrifice will be worth it (I also HATE the very thought) Good luck and congratulations! XO (you have wasps we have squirrels that keep coming back no matter what we do and little by little are destroying our roof AND our wallets :(

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  6. I'm so phobic of spiders I can't even use those mini vacuums!
    You have been unlucky with your wasp infestations.I've hardly seen any this year.

    Bellaboo ;o)

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  7. Sounds so exciting to be cast in a play... Have you done this sort of thing for a long time?

    My name is Sherry and I am new to the Bloggerette Sorority. I wanted to come by and introduce myself. I am sorry that I missed the rush, but I have only been blogging for a few weeks! Looking forward to joining in on the fun to come with everyone. I would be honored if you would stop by my blog at http://scrappingwithsherry1.blogspot.com/. Hope to see you there.

    Take Care~ Sherry F.

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  8. Wasps are the worst!! I have never seen a Judy Garland framed picture before. It's lovely!

    Sandy xox

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  9. I had a nest of wasps empty itself over me when I was a toddler. My grandmother wheeled my pushchair over a nest in the ground, so I have been left with a lifelong fear of the creatures.....

    Good luck with the play, I think you are right to put yourself in the character and wear the fur/smoke the cigarettes.

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  10. Andi. Thanks for your view re the Michaelangelo - you're right I noticed it was strategically placed. Just wish they'd got a ladder and placed a fig leaf...But tomorrow I shall drive past with "your" eyes and be less judgemental! Enjoy Myra!

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  11. If its any consolation, I watched Bill Bailey last night and he made a comment that he heard a campaign slogan 'I'd rather go naked than wear fur' and he winced and said well, actually, really...he'd really, if he had to, rather wear a bit of fur than..go naked...'and I think I'm with him on that..but I wouldn't choose to wear fur.

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  12. You are acting! SO this is fine to wear the fur(Don't they have fake for you to wear)If you were playing a murderer you may have a knife(FAKE)BUT it does not promote that you are in agreement with the act... The SMOKING bothers me because it's putting YOU at risk... Don't they have fake stuff???

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  13. Maybe it's beacuse I'm Norwegian, maybe I'm just a bit slow, but I had never heard of Quentin Crisp. The last hour I have watched so many lovely interviews with him on YouTube. All thanks to you! What an inspiration :)

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  14. Greetings from a fellow UK blogger and thespian! ;-) Our neighbours had a waps nest just last year - we kept getting them in our window until they finally got it sorted! Nuisance - I really am unsure what purpose they serve except to annoy!!! Great mirror too ;-)

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  15. My mum has a mini vacuum - it's a pink pig and she uses it to clean up crumbs from the dining table. I wonder if it would work for spiders too?

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