Anyone for Tennis?

I wonder how many newborn babies will be christened Andy in the wake of yesterday's second historic Wimbledon win for a British player?

What a blast from the past scanning the faces in the royal box, who can forget the excitement elicited in the 70's by the enigmatic Bjorn Borg?  And yesterday drew us all back to the heady excitement of Wimbledon at its best, all Pimms, strawberries and waiting with baited breath for a double fault!

'Foxglove Falls' fell silent as the contest got under way.  Even Leo, the great sportsman, deigned to spend the afternoon passively watching Andy power his way to success.  Occasionally, he sagely offered the screen pearls of wisdom such as, "process Andy, focus on the process..."  

"Peaches, I am thinking that I might take tennis up again," Leo announced without taking his eyes off the screen.  Experience guided me to just leave the idea out there in the middle of the room, in front of the screen.  Just how this will be fitted in to the tight schedule of putting practice, yoga and meditation, I am not at all sure. 

I will save this nugget for consideration at the next board meeting with Lola; already I can hear her deep intake of breath as she raises shapely brows...

The End of the Affair...

As predicted in these pages yesterday by Madame Peaches, Max failed to show!

Everything and everyone else was in position, poised to go, but once again Max failed to show...  The simple procedure of swopping the wheels escalated into a spectacle; a side show with a complete cast of players.  The ever patient, ever helpful Euan; service advisor at the dealership and butt of all complaints, even those totally out of his control.  And lovely Hugo, the driver, who delivers and collects the vehicles in understated style, his impeccable attention to detail allowing the merest mortal the opportunity to sense royalty.  The words on everyone's lips, the look in everyone's eyes said it all: Enough is Enough! 

Girding myself for Leo's disdain, I copied him in to a carefully composed email to the marvellous Max, explaining that it was a simple case of manners.  Feeling it important to cover all angels, without prejudicing future relations, I counselled that good communication is an essential tool for survival in the modern business world.  While text and electronic mail are de rigeur, and certainly have their place, they will never replace human contact.  And simply failing to 'show' for a pre-arranged appointment is disrespectful of other people's time; a definite NO NO. Warming to my theme, I went on to say:

"Max, respect for others, and their time, is fundamental for good business relations. Certain boundaries should never be crossed, and this is one of them..."  

    No doubt, Max's current business model is simply a first draft; now ready for the editor's red pen!  

The Art of Changing the Tyres

How difficult can it be?  "It's simple process, Peaches," Leo assures me, on his morning flypast through the reinforced gate. " Call Max, he's just parted company with the dealership, he's set up his own concierge company for loyal clients."

Ah Max... lovely, but totally unreliable!  Of course Leo loves him, they talk engines and horsepower until the cows come home, cooing over the purr and tonality of the latest super injected engine.  Well, I'm sure that this is all fine and dandy if you are not the family operations officer, the mortal who is responsible for the down to the minute co-ordination and execution of all things practical.  Of course, the charming Max never answers his phone, replies to emails and texts or deigns to put in an appearance for a pre-arranged appointment.  He then wonders WHY usually affable clients morph into demented toddlers, throwing all their toys out of the pram in a fit of frustrated pique!

So today, fourteen days on from an eventual response to a March request for assistance, yet another appointment has been set... and I hold my breath in anticipation that the seasonal tyres change will actually come to pass before twilight!

The Importance of being a BFF

Louis' mellow tones sooth my soul as he serenades the morning ritual with the marigolds:
"What a wonderful world..."

For Leo it's Hatha yoga, meditation and some practise putting, all squeezed in before 6am.  But for me, due to sleep deprivation which is known to be an effective form of torture, it's the repetitive action of filling the bowl, with the help of a well known fairy, and washing away the debris of the night before!

Lola, phoned yesterday to admit that another of her friends, who with immediate effect will be known as Walter Mitty, is planning a subtle coup to claim my position as her BFF.

"Now calm down Peaches, no need to be like that, it was only lunch at Sundae."

"Exactly my point Lola, that's where we go for our christmas and birthday outings, Sundae is sacred."

"Calm down, I've told Walter that currently there's no vacancy."

"Currently?  So when does the position come up for review?"

And then as usual we got totally distracted, another topic grasshoppering into our consciousness...

"On the way out, Walter saw Mr W's painting of the Madonna & Child, it's now hanging in the spare room."

"Oh, the print of the one we sit under in the cathedral; you know, when we go to pay our respects?"

"Absolutely.  Walter says it's the most beautiful painting that she's ever seen."

 "Oh, I see, Walter says...Why don't you give it to her then?

"Well, Stella says..."

"Stella?"

Stella, is Lola's older sister, for whom she has total sibling worship. If Stella says jump, uncharacteristically Lola asks, 'how high?'

"Oh, of course, Stella says..."

Lola laughs, "come on Peaches, don't be catty, it's not your style.  Tell you what, why don't you pop over here next Saturday, we'll celebrate our official birthdays?  A bit early I know, but we need to get in early this year, it's the Queen's 90th on the 21st."

" Ahh yes, another great Taurean!  Well, I suppose there's some consolation in arriving two weeks late;  I was supposed to be born on the 21st!"

Lola, seamlessly glides over my drama queen response.  "Great, drive over after the rush hour, I'm looking forward to it already.  Love to Leo, I take it he'll be off golfing."

Rooftop Nest

Today, I visited young Scarlett's new nest.  Sited at the crown of a spectacular, spiral staircase is our Entrepreneurial Spark's new abode; peaceful and quirky with a birds-eye City view.

With an eye for space and place, 'Pereguin's Perch' is full of Scarlett's style; bo-ho chic!
Now CEO of her own future, a self-contained satellite of Foxglove Falls, Scarlett has already embarked on a series of creative endeavours:
- Developing delicious, healthy 'Power- Ball' snacks.
- Practising the art of Feng shui, to encourage the flow of high altitude chi.
- Blending colour & texture to create botanical oasis in the clouds.

Tonight, I have returned to Foxglove Falls, proud, replete and, most importantly, inspired!
Settling down with one of Scarlett's power balls, I feel relaxed and excited to be in possession of an exclusive pre-view of Pavlova's highly anticipated new novel... In the words of Pa Larkin, "perfick."

Hoover Forum

At athis morning's board meeting, around the coffee table, the Pink Ladies and I swooned in unison over the new hero in our lives: the Sebo.  Smooth, stream-lined and powerful, he has us all in his thrall...  He does what it says on the box and more!  No fuss, complication or tantrums, just masterful performance.  We are all in love...

Battery Power.

It's the little things at Foxglove Falls that keep the machine oiled and running smoothly.

Without doubt, the skill set on my C.V has expanded considerably, whilst in the role of Chief Operations Officer.  Detailed knowledge of the intricate inner-workings of all domestic gadgets is a minimum requirement for the role.  Today's SOS involved the garage door remote.  To be fair, trouble has been brewing here for a while, just last week a quick trip to the hardware shop revealed that my store of spare batteries expired in 2013, a reasonable explanation for the failure to power up.  Scarlett, had to restrain me from buying a back-up, reasoning that on past performance the back up is likely to expire before it's required.

  Well, having crossed this hurdle Leo has just announced:
'Peaches, did you fix this remote?'
'Yes, Leo - all is tickets boo...'
'I've just dropped it on my way to the rower, and it's not working.'

Tout ca change...

Scarlett Sets Off...

As the sun rose over the horizon it slowly dawned on me that today was the day when Scarlett would cross the threshold to adulthood.  Despite the cheery lure of 'Katrina & The Waves' eulogising about walking on sunshine, I ducked my head back under the duvet to savour my last few moments of denial...

The hum of the Sebo from Scarlett's room, the new Hoover has been a hit with all of us, excepting Leo, confirmed that countdown was already under way.  With a mountain of carrier bags decorating the hall and cleaning products on every surface, Scarlett was a hive of activity.  Not wanting to discourage her, I kept stump over my suspicions that the new flat would probably not be quite so spanky for her arrival.  Ahh, how well we all remember that first rite of passage...

Peckish Dining station

 Why blog?  An interesting question if ever there was one!   Well, today's mission involved merchandising and architectural design.  On face value, the brief sounded fairly straight forward:
 - Source a practical, stylish table for the avian residents of Foxglove Falls, to dine and socialise -

But on close inspection, it's clear that our feathered friends' requirements vary dramatically.  Elvis, the resident pheasant, has body dysmorphia and struggles with the concept of relativity. The disproportionate weight of his rump versus his fellow diner, a blue tit, creates a seesaw sensation, which is further exacerbated by this season's hurricane force winds.  It's all in the psychology.  Elvis is keenly aware of his equal rights to the sunflower seeds and peanuts on offer, and is not inclined to share his entitlement.  The Jay, not a fan of the limelight, intimidates the small songbirds with her predatory presence, and then there's Sammy, the greedy grey squirrel.

"Why don't you google bird feeders?' was Scarlett's pithy response as I pulled my beanie firmly down over my ears.  Ahh the younger generation, 'Googling it' seems to be the answer to all the great questions of our times.

"No Scarlett, I'm going to make a bold move...  I'm rejecting a virtual visit in favour of driving to an actual garden centre.  I'm hoping to speak to someone and handle the merchandise in real-time."

"Ohh"

Well, I'm pleased to report that the small road trip was a huge success on several levels:

- I experienced the splendour of the glorious day, without the insulation of Foxglove Falls and all it's distractions!

- Jason, an erstwhile, knowledgeable Twitcher, having established my avian requirements, helpfully recommended and demonstrated the benefits of the 'Peckish Dining Station.

All that's needed now is a board meeting for our feathered friends to establish a code of conduct.  This I fear may prove a little more daunting, it may well be my first foray into the world of politics!

Hoovering Muscles

Twenty four hours after the consultation with Lola, the SEBO has landed.  Stylish, retro and sleek,  it looks like a catwalk model at New York fashion week, probably at part of the VB collection!  Once plugged in, it's all go with a definite mind of its own! A little unnerving to find it shimmying across the carpet at speed, unaccompanied on the first day...

"Wow Auntie Peaches, your hoover is state of the art, a robotic cleaner... cool" Scarlett pronounces.  Her chirpy presence at Foxglove HQ is an unexpected bonus to the working day.

Working from home via computer link is de riguer as part of the 'Entrepreneurial Spark'.  Thanks to our sparky intern, we now have a whole new dictionary of modern vernacular here at Foxglove Falls.  Scarlett and I have become 'desk buddies' and we now 'hot desk' in the kitchen; the only room where the wireless link is uninterrupted!

Obviously, we will be conducting trials with the robotic hoover, monitoring the levels of wolf hair accumulating in the corners and providing double insulation under the chairs.  My only concern is the weight, with regular use I may end up looking like a lopsided female bodybuilder, not really my style...

Dyson Failure!

Distressing as it is, I have to confess that the new Dyson is not all that it's cracked up to be!

System failure after five months is causing chaos, the Wolf's hair balls are turning the Foxglove Falls into a desert scene from Mad Max...  An emergency call is now out to Mel Gibson!  Well, in my case to Lola, model agent extraordinaire, who is proving to have a University Challenge level of understanding on the pros and cons of vacuum cleaners.

"Peaches,what are you doing with a Dyson in the first place?  We've been through all this before, I thought that you had learned your lesson!"

Of course, she's absolutely right. During my long, arduous hoovering career, the Dyson and I have never truly bonded; too faddy, with excessive novelty plastic and requiring a precision degree in mechanical engineering.  Not a match made in heaven as Leo so helpfully points out, watching me struggle to extract yet another twig from the suction pipe!

"What you need, Peaches, is a SEBO, I'm googling it for you now, as we speak," advised Lola.  "Check your emails, I'll send you the link.  Look... here's the perfect one for you: SEBO Automatic x4 Pet Eco Upright.  Sounds like it'll practically hoover the whole house for you..."

Now when it comes to Best Friends, Lola is tops!  Her ability to source gadgets and instinctive understanding of consumer trends is legendary.  Hopefully,we may have re-established contact with slate floor tiles by tea time!

A Lifetime of Kindness

This morning the tributes continue to flow regarding the legendary kindness of Sir Terry Wogan. Emotionally shattered at his passing, yet another pillar of our youth, I was startled when the mobile shimmied into action.  Lola's contralto tones filled my ears.

"Peaches, I've only just stopped crying..."

"I know darling, Terry was legend."

"Exactly, a voice from the homeland! We had breakfast with him every day.  Radio 2 was the official station in our house, anyone daring to turn the dial to radio 1 risked the wrath of Dad"

"I know Lola, it was the same chez-nous.  I can still hear Milly singing along to Island of the Airwaves as she multi-tasked, simultaneously burning the toast and the porridge. She always was ahead of the curve".

"You're right there darling, absolutely fabulous fun, as long as she wasn't your mother!"

"Tell me about it...  Of course Milly and Ivy Rose be thrilled that Terry's arrived to DJ Radio Heaven".

"You do realise, Peaches, that full responsibility for our sanity is now going to land squarely on Frank Skinner's skinny shoulders."

Lola's addiction to Frank's podcasts is legendary.  He was even permitted to accompany us on our grand tour to Valencia for that wedding!  Only Frank and his side-kick Emily Dean were permitted passes to the inner sanctum of our dressing room.  Such is Lola's fascination...

*

Scarlett googled Lent this morning.  We are planning a Choc-Free-Athon for the full 40 days, and to get into the swing of things we are starting our chocolate reduction policy today.

"Only one small square of dark chocolate is allowed per day". We need this on health grounds, Auntie Peaches, our healthy one a day."

Ahh, withdrawal is already snapping at my willpower.  What with the national tide of grief, at the demise of Sir Tel, I am a tad dubious about our timing.  Watch this space for our Chocolate Addict's Diary...

Lord of the Floral Dance

Leo was up bright and early this morning tinkling the ivories.

"Makes a nice change from the traditional meditation, Peaches!"

This morning's rendition was the Floral Dance; fluid notes danced up the stairs reminding me of the ribbon-tangled scene at the harvest supper.  Our generation certainly lacked the agility of the primary school dancers.  Imagine my surprise when the radio announced that Sir Terry Wogan had slipped away.  I know that Leo's on the pulse but is he now a fully fledged Medium and channeling the velvet-toned Irish icon?

This January seems to be acting like a portal for the great and good.  Hardly a day passes without news of another departure through the pearly gates, St Peter checking the boarding passes and allocating seats for the next act.  Frankly, I'm exhausted with the emotional roller coaster, memories summoned like songs on a juke box and then hijacking my time at will.  I'll have to call Cameron, health guru, for some tips on grounding...

How strange,  Lola is being unusually silent this morning, not the ping of a text in sight.  Ahh, Sir Terry may not be her generation but he is Irish, so she'll be mourning!

The Entrepreneurial Spark

Huge announcement from Foxglove Falls:

"Scarlett, our resident Student in Crises, has had a rebirth!  With immediate effect she is: Scarlett, Entrepreneurial Spark!"

Yes, Scarlett is now formally a member of the workforce.  Suited and booted she's joined the creative community at 'Entrepreneurial Spark,' a space where the next generation can pool their skills and enthusiastically harness the creative wave...  Sixty start up companies working alongside each other, looking for ways to make a contribution.  What a fabulous idea.  To be honest, I'm a jot envious of the hot-desking and cafe based approach to work.  It takes the notion of an Artist's date to a whole new level...  Count me in, I'm putting it on the agenda for our next board meeting.

Stars in the Sky

Pavlova, CEO of Riverside Rest pinged an email over this morning:

" Peaches Darling,
  Mercury, Saturn, Venus, Mars and Jupiter will be lined up, on parade and visible pre-dawn..."

Pre-dawn!  Crikey is no time sacred?  I'll have to confess to Pav that a private view from Foxglove Falls is highly unlikely.


Sounds to me like Starman is setting yet another trend up there in the heavens.  Not only does he now have his own constellation, it seems that he's initiating a generational exodus of stars: Glen Fry, Ed Stewpot Stewart - the list seems endless.
I was 'Truly, Madly, Deeply' in shock at the passing of Alan Rickman.   Slumped in the chaise listening to Savage Garden, mop in hand, I remembered how Alan melted my heart.  And his loathsome Severus Snape, well just magnificent!  At that moment, Leo walked over to the sink and started filling the kettle.

"Did you know that Alan Rickman met his life-long partner when he was just 19?" I asked him, breaking momentarily from the front page of the newspaper.

"Is there any reason why he didn't marry her earlier," Leo cross examined. I babbled on for a mo...

"A simple, yes, or, no, will suffice Peaches.  Instead of answering a simple question, you leap to the defence of Alan Rickman.  You wouldn't have been quite so pleased if I hadn't asked you to marry me, early on in our relationship."

As usual, Leo had cut straight to the chase.  Teetering on the brink of an opinion, on the genius of the Eagles musically recording their demise for posterity in Hotel California, I made an executive decision and held my tongue.  That's one for the next board meeting with Lola I thought... until...

"Darling Peaches, it must be a generational thing, I just don't get Hotel California," she laughed.  "What is it with you and Juan?  Before I know it you'll be claiming that you love the Beatles.  On that one I must insist that you do stick to your principles.'
Lola considered that Juan, a private detective, and I were both afflicted with terrible taste when it came to films and music.

" Now had it been Howard Jones, Nick Kershaw, Gary Newman or Adam Ant - I would be prostrate with grief!  Oh the times that I tippexed a white stipe across my nose before venturing into Town on a Saturday..." Of course, Lola was born a trend setter with an eye for cool!

Releasing the Inner Dragon

'Peaches, what's this you've been ordering from Amazon?' An imperious brow hovers above Leo's half moon specs.

Kon Marie's sage advice: 'Remember for every new book, an existing book must go,' returns to haunt me.  Oh how I rue the day that I shared this little gem with Leo, librarian extraordinaire!

Today's delivery, 'How to Release your Inner Dragon,' has arrived just in the nick of time.  Following last night's impressive back flip manoeuvre with the casserole dish, jettisoning the moussaka into the bin at high speed, I'm all too aware that my Inner Dragon is fiery!

Just as I was serving supper, an unsolicited call to Foxy's mobile erased all trace of her,  usually voracious, appetite.  My lightening response to the words, 'I'm not hungry,' was a pure reflex.  Regardless of the fact that I'm currently Superjuicing with the Juice Master, I had devoted my whole afternoon to preparing a moorish moussaka for Leo and Foxy, the current residents at 'Peaches B&B.'

Mon Dieu, the out fall may well require intervention from the United Nations!  Failing that, vigorous study of 'How to Release your Inner Dragon.'

  I'll save the debate on the perils of mobile phones and family life for another rant.

All Aboard... And Best Laid Plans

Studious Scarlett's focus and determination has landed her an internship, a cause for celebration!

Olivia, called last night to confirm that their estate would not be packed to the gunnels, including the kitchen sink, when she lands at Foxglove Falls on Sunday.  An audible sigh of relief rippled danced on my lips on receiving this news.  How could I have reconciled myself with Kon Marie, the guru of tidying, my new year's turn-to expert?

Scarlett's imminent arrival has filled the house with joyous expectation as a new chapter begins...  Leo has a spring in his step, having now moved into his new home-office.  As we all know, I designed this glorious space for my own admin duties last autumn.  My plan was to move in post christmas festivities.  However, no sooner than the lovely corner desk had arrived,  Leo announced, that with immediate effect, he would be working from home several mornings a week.

"It will be a 5am start for us Peaches," Leo decreed, "followed by some stretching and meditation before switching on the computer at 7 sharp!"

So for now, the printer and I are back at the kitchen table...

Dr Seuss The Lorax

Alice Angel, our arts and city correspondent, loved 'Dr Seuss The Lorax' at The Old Vic this week.
"Brilliant with lots of puppetry!" she reports.

What a great start to 2016, full immersion into the fantabulous world of 'Dr Seuss'.

Oh, to have been there to share this magic with Alice, awash with childhood memories of 'The Cat in The Hat' and other creations... the timeless Dr's brilliant imagination now touching younger generations.  Her theatrical grandmother, Milly, will be celebrating in heaven with her angel friends.  Without doubt they accompanied Alice in spirit.  I can hear her now discussing the show with her life-long theatre-buddy, Ivy Rose, 'marvellous production darling, simply marvellous.'

Milly's infectious curiosity, energy and imagination are her enduring legacy.  Through Alice and Scarlett, the legend that was Milly lives on.  How lucky we are that her unique brand of magic and sparkle has touched our lives.

Stamen - Tracks of our Years...

 "That's strange, Peaches,' announced Leo, emerging from the shower in a shroud of steam. 'That's the second Bowie song they've played in the last twenty minutes."  As ever, Leo was right on the pulse.  The radio responded immediately, which I'm sure will come as no surprise! A shocked DJ confirmed that the iconic Star Man had indeed left us to take his place in the heavens, just two days after his sixty-ninth birthday.  His departure a skilfully crafted work of art, the finale marked by his last album: 'Black Star'.

For the creative rebels among us he was a genius, the man who defined re-invention and made it cool to be creative; a little different...  Memories of poignant moments like; receiving 'Rock and Roll Suicide' on vinyl for my birthday, a gift from the avant-gard leader of our teenage pack. Then learning the lyrics whilst dancing with abandon in new plastic, pink and white platform shoes from the Freemans catalogue.  Milly would have paid weekly for those shoes, with her earnings from stacking shelves in Tesco's, while we were slept to the tunes of Radio Luxembourg!

'Wild is the Wind,' is the haunting soundtrack to my failed rebellion against Leo's insistence that we walk the 'Camino de Santiago'.  Manicured toenails giving up the ghost in the trudge across the Pyrenees from St Jean to Roncesvalles.  Crossing the bleak barbed wire border,  David understood the raw challenge of being alone in a hostile environment...  'What's the point of all that buffing?' I had cried in desperation.

Ziggy, Aladdin Sane, Star Man and so many more; for generations of aspiring artists Bowie will always be a Hero.  Enigmatic, the Brixton Boy exuded star quality.  A dignified, private, talented man, his legend is only just beginning.  Thank you, David, you will always be a bright star and now you can view us through the eyes of Major Tom.

Annual Juice Fest

The email is buzzing this morning, rainbow coloured recipes flooding the airwaves and seducing the senses.  Cameron is our go-to health correspondent, resident on the pulse advisor for all things green and gorgeous...  An effervescent Gemini, she's our Peter Pan and guru in times of prolonged sloth.  Tomorrow is the start of the first 'Juice Challenge' 2016 and we are all gearing up for the 'off'.  Formula one at its best...

Leo eyed his green glass with suspicion this morning, then declared it, 'delicious, quite simply delicious', before resuming his spotify-search for a suitable chant and assuming his latest Assana position.  Hugo, Leo Senior,  who's staying for some quality father/son time, looks bewildered, probably wondering whether he has bypassed waking up and is dreaming of life on Mars. Or maybe this what all those virtuous souls at N.I.C.E are fussing about; the hallucinogenic effects of a couple of glasses of Chateauneuf-du-Pape with dinner?

 As Leo emerges from a metrosexual hug, Hugo asks:

'So Sunshine, where have you been on your magic carpet his morning ?'

The Unexpected

Well, with Christmas finally over and Leo back at the helm of 'Golden Balls', I had been looking forward a little down time, obviously suffering from post performance delirium! Cue the new influx of homeless seeking respite at the inn...

First to check in is Leo Senior, here for a few days to see Leo who, of course, is far to busy to spare a mo.

"Peaches, Dad's arriving Friday afternoon..." Leo announced airily in his annual morning fly-past in the drive.

Panic call to Lola ensues, cancelling all carefully laid plans - I have to say that Lola was a picture of grace and generosity as she received the news, such a pro and a vital quality in one's BFF.

Then, as I carefully dismantled the pretty pine Christmas Tree, who faithfully refused drop her pins throughout the festive season, the phone rings.  Ahh it's Scarlett, resident 'Student in Crisis', announcing her imminent arrival for a series of interviews that will require my full attention this evening and donning my chauffeur's hat for the day tomorrow.  Tout ca Change!

NewYear - New Beginnings

Christmas has never been in Leo's top ten favourite events, his annual morph into 'The Grinch' every December is seamless.

Thank goodness for Olivia, always on hand with her New Year's guide to 'must have products', guaranteed to restore radiance and sanity in the wake challenging times...

Welcome to Origins, 'Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask';  a magic elixir for every exhausted Christmas fairy.  Yes, whilst Leo and his pals may be going 'Dry' for January, in a bid to restore liver function, I am on board with Olivia, partaking daily in nature's most nourishing nightcap to quench my skin's thirst. A rather lovely New Years resolution to lift weary spirits!