119. In memory of Rosie Brown

Last week we attended a thanksgiving service for the life of Rosie Brown who has been our daughter Jacqui's closest friend since primary school.
Rosie was vivacious company and a joy to everyone who knew her. A practising Christian and highly respected Art Therapist, she exuded impishness, was funny, caring and kind.
She called us Auntie Mo and Uncle Den and we adored her.
The service last Monday was held in a packed St. James' Church, Ryde. Three ministers, including her pastor from Hanwell, conducted the service and people came from near and far; an entire coachload travelled from London.
Everyone who knew her will cherish memories of her uniquely comic outlook. We first experienced it at a childrens' party in our house when she was little more than six or seven. Asked what she was going to do when she grew up she replied, her eyes shining with gentle mischief, "Marry a rich man."
It may not have come true, but it was the answer the question deserved.
Over the years she perfected a glorious lunacy and once turned up as Sir Les Patterson at a send-off 'do' when Jac was going to Australia.
Recently she could be seen sporting a t-shirt inscribed: Jesus loves you but I'm his favourite.
Rosie travelled extensively and for the past several years had been living and working in the London area. Her parents and brother are still resident on the Island and she regularly returned to see them.
On the morning of 2nd February, at around six o'clock, she was found to have died in her sleep.
She was 43.

Rosemarie Jane Brown, Art Therapist and friend;

born Isle of Wight 17.06.1965; died London 02.02,2009

For further tributes see GonetooSoon.org

118. From Simon's Cat to yet more apologies

BRAINCHILD OF SIMON TOFIELD.

Simon's Cat.
Praise be for friends who can put you right. The cat Shadow was a trifle disappointed but agreed that he neither could nor should take credit for being the inspiration behind the moggy shown under the heading Wake Up in my post of January 15.
Our favourite hairdresser and good pal Maxine pointed out that the cat in the animated cartoon is Simon's Cat, the creation of London animator Simon Tofield (Tandem Films). The cartoon is called Cat Man Do and is one of a hilarious series, the others being Let Me In, TV Dinner and Simon's Sister's Dog: we had only seen Cat Man Do as a forwarded email under the heading Wake Up: no mention was made as to the originator.
So apologies to Mr. Tofield, thanks for a little bunch of great laughs and if anybody reading this is as much in the dark as I was and would like to see the entire series, YouTube is the place to look.
And two Simon Tofield illustrated books are to be published by Canongate, one at the end of this year and one for Christmas 2010.
Make great presents - if you can resist hanging on to them.

A LOAD OF BALLS?

Front Page Stuff.
On the front page of The Independent yesterday was the headline: Cannabis linked to testicular cancer. Seems scientists in the United States have been doing their stuff again.
I'm not a user; don't even like the smell of it; but I can hear cannabis users all over the country shouting: "Bollocks!"

TELEVISION.

Demons. (ITV1)
Philip Glenister with Christian Cooke as Buddy the Vampire Slayer. Passes an hour.
Not Going Out. (BBC1)
Written by and starring Lee Mack.
If you don't like him you can always go out.
The Old Guys. (BBC1)
Roger Lloyd Pack, Clive Swift and Jane Asher. Put years on me.
Unforgiven. (ITV1)
When I occasionally moan that reality crap is taking over television I am in truth pleading for more plays like this gem by Sally Wainwright.
We recorded it and watched all three parts on the same afternoon.
An excellent cast led by Suranne Jones (as Ruth Slater who, after fifteen years in prison for the murder of two policemen, sets out to find her young sister) kept us enthralled from start to finish.
So to hell with your kangaroo cooks and gourmand geezers, I'll settle for more of this, please.

BOOKS.

Julie Walters.
I am about a third of the way through That's Another Story, the autobiography. (Weidenfeld & Nicolson.)
No surprises so far but she has only just left school.
Alan Barrett.
Laugh on the Loo presents Wicked Comedy for the Cistern Chapel. (Marks & Spencer)
Highly recommended to everyone except haemorrhoids sufferers.

FOOTBALL.

Goodbye to Tony Adams.
Have just heard the news that Portsmouth F.C. manager Tony Adams has been sacked.
The team has been abysmal since Harry Redknapp left, to be followed like a cruise missile by striker Jermain Defoe, so the sacking comes as no surprise.
Who best to replace him?
I asked the cat Shadow and he said: "It's Premiership football - at least, until the end of the season it is - so there's probably not a solitary player in the side who was born in Pompey. Who cares who the next manager is?"
I think he's still sulking over ol' Harry.

MORE APOLOGIES.

Bankers.
So now it's a bunch of bankers saying how sorry they are that their avarice and incompetence finally rebounded.
My response can only echo the one I attributed to the cannabis users.