A matter of life and death in Nunhead cemetery

Free films in my local area! What's not to like? Even better, the films are in special outdoor settings. Last night it was one of my all time favourites A Matter of Life and Death (affectionately known as AMOLAD) in my local cemetery. Apparently it was the overall winner in a poll to decide what should be shown in this new festival and was an inspired choice. The screening was at 8pm and there were seats for 120 - everyone else had to bring their folding chairs or take a chance on the gravel. Blankets were recommended and alcohol was strictly forbidden so I set off with an extra cardi and a flask of coffee.

There was only space for 250 and apparently 100 people were turned away at the gate. Tickets were a strip of 35mm film (still trying to work out what mine is from). I was soon happily seated and enjoying the atmosphere as the skies darkened and we were treated to animation films by local children. Then a total surprise for me. A screening of a British Transport Films (BTF) classic from the 1950s, The Elephant will Never Forget. Directed by Edgar Anstey, this short film is about the last tram in south London and it is a gem. I had a job in the 1980s where I marketed the BTF documentary films on video and met Anstey and many of the crew from that great era. I had seen the Elephant film many times and it was a good experience to see it again after ten years. Tears of nostalgia were soon flowing and were even more so when the main film began.

I am fortunate to have met Michael Powell, Jack Cardiff, Holly Hunter and Joan Maude. I am particularly glad to have known Joan who I spent several days with in her home in Lewes. She became a good friend and she delighted in sharing her stories of acting in the 1930s in films like Turn of the Tide (1936) and, of course AMOLAD. She could have had a long career in film but chose to retire when she married her husband, a newspaper editor.

The last time I saw AMOLAD was a special screening at London's Barbican cinema. Joan was there with another dear friend, Eric Cross who was a cameraman on Turn of the Tide. I often forget that I knew these remarkable people who were at the forefront of the British film industry. Last night I remembered them all and in the perfect setting.

So thank you to the folk that put this event together and for all the others that they are running over the next few days.Blues Brothers on Peckham Common, Nosferatu on the top floor of the multi storey car park. Inspired!

Washing machine day

A little bit of Nunhead - this was Saturday evening and taken on my way to the Old Nun's Head for a welcome drink after my day at home and in the garden.

Now I know I need to be careful that I am not just writing this because I have a blog but hey Saturday was the day of the washing machine. I needed to replace the one that gave up the ghost the other day. Now there may be good reasons for this expiration as I have since learned that that I should have both cleaned out the filter at least once a month and also left the door ajar after every wash thus saving around four years in washing machine life. I did neither. For the six years I have had it, I have been systematically using and abusing it. So it stopped one night with a full load of towels and soapy water. Now I had a problem - washing machine or net book? The net book won and so I searched for a secondhand washer.

The new-old machine is about six years old and he is in my flat just waiting for the final connection. I found him on the East Dulwich Forum -a fantastic source of gossip and bargains http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/ and yes he is cheap and a little rusty but as long as he spins I will be happy!

Tescoman collected the machine with me in his van and we put it by the front door for me to give it a serious clean as he went to work. As he left, a truck pulled up and out jumped two chaps who were only too happy to take it off my hands. Aha! I said you can't have this one but there is one inside that you can have if you can un-plumb it. With that they duly tackled the problem of getting the old one out from my rather bizarre kitchen space and told me that "whoever put this in had awkward hands, lady." I promised to call them if the new-old one turned out not to work either!

And then it was just me on the sofa and the cleaned up new-old machine on the doorstep waiting until my brother could arrive and help get it into the house and connected. I wasn't sure whether I was guarding it or it was guarding me but I was trapped. Some time later I was finally in and so was it, Except it is not connected because it is different to the other one. And the moral? I am beginning to think I should have waited for the net book.

Spring comes to London

These guys were sunbathing from office windows in Covent Garden on the first decent day of spring. I had to laugh at their "bare backed cheek"!

It is Thursday and the sun is shining in Nunhead today. Highlight of this week was the Chinese Masterchef event on Tuesday at Westminster Kingsway college near Victoria. I went with a group of other folk who are not working at the moment and we were all there because it was free! Cups of proper Chinese tea, dim sum, the lunchtime buffet, a Chinese neck massage and a large bottle of soy sauce. All free! We were entertained with martial arts demonstrations (that so nearly become marital arts), a tea ceremony and the most wonderful Lion dance. The masterchef dishes were presented to us for appraisal and what chefs can do with a the same ingredients never ceases to amaze me. There were four entrants and each one had their own distinctive style. I think I liked number 2 best as it was all so fresh and appetising in appearance. Number 3 and 4 looked more traditional and hearty and number 1 was more minimalist and clever. It was number 1 who won and the chefs were suitably surprised - so much so that they were not in the room for the announcement!I was hoping to be able to put a link here for the event but amazingly, there is no information whatsoever on the event. I can't believe that a college can go to all that effort and not capitalise on the results. So, I will have to put some of my own photos here. I am afraid I can't tell you anything much about what the food is and who the winners were!If I don't make it in Spain, China is my next destination choice as I have already spent some time there teaching English and it would be wonderful to go back.

The winning starter - a dish made from lobster. Apparently the ball is a deep fried egg yolk.

The Chinese Masterchef - still in his apron and without his white pointy hat!