good news

Well, we're back just before the New Year after all! Sorry about that, I'm sure you all deserved a break! Anyway, the reason is this:
I had wanted to interview David Kirby for the film since he was tremendously important in helping construct the Lantern Tower at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, but none of my contacts had any snail mail, email or telephone number for the gentleman in question. So imagine my delight when just before Christmas John Reyntiens sent me David's email address. We were soon in telephone contact. Not only does he sound very enthusiastic, but he's also emailed a whole slew of archival photographs detailing Liverpool work in progress at the Loudwater studio - AND he told us that Patrick's design and use of dalles-de-verre for St Mary's, Leyland (which David also helped construct) was pivotal in deciding whether to undertake the Liverpool commission. We didn't even know about the Leyland project, so this is all a huge boost.
The film would not be complete without an interview with David, so despite the fact that he lives in Herefordshire and every trip eats into our miniscule profit margin, I think we're going to have to take some time off from editing! 'Go the extra mile' should be our motto!
Happy New Year to you all. :-)

frost, fish, Film Farm

Tuesday 7th saw me on my travels once more, this time to lecture near Aylesbury. As noted the snow on my side of Kent had melted away, but come Sevenoaks it was all snowy again which finally gave way to the most beautiful hoar frost I think I've ever seen. Thence across to Bristol area for the night and the following day a drive down to Truro for another lecture - again fabulous frost sparkling in the low sunlight - the sheep were snapped during this trip (reminds me of a dreadful painting my grandfather had above his fireplace, always struck me as odd, the miserable looking half frozen sheep marooned above a blazing log fire!). Stayed the night with a lovely lady in St Agnes, an old tin mining village.Thursday a Reyntiens research day, first to see the five amazing Piper/Reyntiens windows in St Andrew's, Plymouth (the fish are a detail from the Trinity window in the south transept). And on to Devizes to see the spirited Piper/Reyntiens panel in the Museum of Wiltshire Archaeological Society, from which the pots are a detail. Night at a B&B north of Oxford and then the following morning a drive to Film Farm arriving in time for luncheon of scallops wrapped in pancetta (a FF Favourite).Charles' friend Alan had been delighting himself night fishing off the east coast beaches (must be barking!) and presented the director with a cauldron full of whiting (see photo). Luckily Charles undertook the fiddly filleting process whilst I faffed around putting together tomatoes, spinach, carrots, celery, chilli pepper, grated cheddar, some prawns and smoked fish and mash to make a Jamie Oliver style fish pie. Followed by fish soup and Gruyere toasts the following day, and gallons and gallons of fish stock for the freezer.

And then it was back to editing work until Tuesday when I drove back to Kent. Wednesday went to Christie's to witness the auction of Brangwyn's Cider Press and Brass Shop, both woefully undersold to my mind, especially considering the prices some rather worthless pieces attracted. Hey ho, c'est la vie. Cheered myself up no end by then not only 'doing' the Glasgow Boys at the RA (wonderful except for the labelling, one room was decorated in gold and the writing was impossible to read) but also Gauguin at Tate Modern (he was one of my earliest artistic passions so interesting to note that I still found the work fascinating and compelling some 45 or so years later - my love of art started at a very precocious age you understand!)

Now to contemplate Christmas - and do some organising! Have a good one - we'll be back in the New Year.

the snow show must go on!

Well, although the footie briefly but tiresomely intruded on the news, you will all have realised that SNOW took centre stage this last week, not least in Lincolnshire and Kent (see photo of a table outside the breakfast room). When the snow falls heavily and drifts my house becomes completely cut off from the world, so I took the necessary precaution of leaving my car in the village 1/4 mile away. Conditions in Kent became progressively worse, the M20 motorway was again turned into a lorry car park c/o Operation Stack, roads were hazardous, normal trains not working, Dover completely cut off by rail, road or sea - but we do have one excellent advantage nearly on our doorstep - High Speed Rail, Ashford to St Pancras. So, come Wednesday's lecture in Theydon Bois, despite a hacking cough and redder nose than normal, at 7am I released my car from its blanket of snow in the village and drove to Ashford, thence the train to Stratford International, bus to Stratford tube and central line out to Essex. Not my best ever lecture but I did give it my all! Still shivering I then made my way to Finchley Road station to see a Brangwyn watercolour in a private collection, which cheered me up no end because it was one of the most beautiful ones I have ever seen. And the lovely lady gave me a warming cup of tea and some yummy lemon polenta cake which slightly revived my spirits (having had no breakfast or lunch). Thence back to chilly Kent and I was still shivering and shaking until the following morning.

Postscript: the day after I took the photo, i.e. yesterday, the snow melted overnight, as if by magic, but the weight of it on the poor old roof, and then the subsequent floods of water, infiltrated the tiling and and a few ceilings with the result that by morning all the clothes in the wardrobe were sopping wet, an old Mongolian carpet was similarly affected and huge lumps of plaster have detached themsleves. UGH!

2nd edit session

Returned to Film Farm 22 November for the next session which went pretty well although working with so many different format films, archival stuff and VHS is hurting the brain of the new system which decides to crash periodically. Have devised the time lapse chapter headings and progressed on to Oundle but realise need more footage of the school so am trying to organise that for early next year - at least it is just down the road from FF.Whilst in residence I wandered down to the greenhouses one day to check out the remaining tomatoes and discovered this absolute beauty which weighed in at 1lb11oz (the establishment works in old fashioned Imperial despite the modern technology) and tasted pretty darned good when sliced and teamed up with mozzarella, olives, capers, avocado and home grown chillies with a drizzle of unfiltered and balsamic.

As correctly predicted by the weather men the snow fell on Thursday and the house grew progressively colder (they didn't predict that consequence) - by Saturday morning my bedroom windows were iced over INSIDE! Aaaargh! Returned to Kent Sunday (almost coincidentally) with a burgeoning cold which does not bode well for Wednesday's lecture. UGH!

PR in London

Since I had to go to Christie's, South Ken, to advise on a couple of possible Brangwyn works, I decided to catch up with some more Reyntiens, so skipped round to the V&A to see the Piper/Reyntiens Christ between Saints Peter and Paul (located in room 88, sacred silver and stained glass). Smaller than I expected but beautiful jewel like colours. The other work I had hoped to see, Brittany Beach, was, according to the website, in room 222 but such a room does not exist. Anyway, I'm trying to fix up to see all the JP/PR and PR works in store so maybe I'll get to see Brittany Beach at the same time.Thence for lunch with younger son and see his Cuban photos - not quite as exciting as I'd anticipated and he said the food was disappointing, but I'd still love to go there before the Castros pop their clogs.

And then on to St Margaret's next to Westminster Abbey, windows by JP/PR in 1966. 8 triple lancet windows in the south aisle, abstract design and muted colours. I thought it worked exceedingly well.

I would then have returned to the V&A to do some research in the Library but since I was on the slow train (the high speed train fare having risen to a whopping £49.50) I walked along the embankment to Charing Cross and got back to Kent about 6.30.

PS Was amused to note in St James' that an elderly Big Issue seller was attired in smart suit and long black coat and looked just like a city gent!

First edit session

Having had a mere week back in Kent scaring the living daylights out of the spiders which had taken up squatter status and clearing all surfaces of the Miss Haversham style dust covering, I returned to Film Farm for the 1st edit session. We reckon that we are going to need at least 7 week long sessions and in between my lectures and Charles' other commitments we have booked ourselves for editing purposes almost every other week until mid March.
This first session, in the brand new edit suite (see above) went very well. We tried out one of crumple-pops split screen devices for the opening and their new bottom 1/3 captions. Being Patrick, the film is already shaping up to being both humorous and instructive.

Survival - fittest?!

Yorkshire is wonderful, don't get me wrong, after all it's 'God's own', but was I glad to finally return to Kent, the garden of England, yesterday. And that's a rhetorical question. Emotional blackmail, complete lack of appreciation, absolutely nothing I did was right and towards the end there was some serious nursing for which I am just not cut out (yes I do have some failings!) - rubber gloves (which I've always previously abhorred) and hospital style alcohol hand gel became two of my 'favourite things' - Lady Macbeth had nothing on my anal hand washing routines!
Anyway, suffice it to say that my mother is now happily ensconced in The Hall and I am again free to continue with my life. I did actually manage to transcribe and write the scripts for both Gordon Russell and Reyntiens films whilst 'up north' and the latter I think is quite light hearted and should be fun - how I managed to think chirpy in those conditions I know not!

Beautiful Basingstoke

Now the title may sound like a contradiction in terms, but bear with me!
Libby (feeling rather less irrepressible after her incarceration in Yorkshire), having worked on Gordon Russell and Reyntiens came to the conclusion that we needed more furniture images for the former. Additionally it had not slipped her attention that Cecil Collins kept on creeping into Reyntiens interviews and that perhaps the best way of indicating the relationship between the two men might be to include one of their joint windows. Since Basingstoke is only 2 hours drive from Broadway this appeared to be a good option.
The financial oracles were consulted and came to the unanimous conclusion that there was no budget left to undertake such journeys - so we went anyway!
That's the trouble with us - we're so determined to produce the absolute bestest of the best - at whatever cost!
I managed to get my mother into The Hall (a high class residential home literally next door to her own house) and 1 September saw us roll up at All Saints', Basingstoke, not a modern church as I had anticipated (actually dated 1917) to meet the immensely jolly and helpful Rev Rosalind Rutherford. There are two small angel windows in glowing yellows, but the highlight is the great west window with a face representing God the Holy Spirit/sun in the centre surrounded by concentric circles of flames, soaring hearts, stars, wheeling angels. Being late afternoon the sun shone through the window, dappling the walls and ground, and it was just BEAUTIFUL! And that face - mesmeric!
So we were NOT disappointed but charged and inspired and hugely delighted.
The following day we did our Russell filming and photographing and thence back to Film Farm to organise the new edit suite, do some scanning, editing - all the usual suspects before Libby returned once again to the mind-numbing ordeal in Yorkshire.
P.S. If anyone finds some stray marbles perhaps they could send them because I seem to be losing mine!

Up North

The past few weeks have been even more frenetic than normal - if possible - finishing FBSG, two Art in Action lectures (being me I decided to write completely new lectures - why do I always give myself twice as much work? Rhetorical), a lecture at the world renowned Leytonstone Art Festival (you haven't?), cooking for 20 at a 90th birthday party and dashing up to Thornton-le-Dale regularly because mea mater is failing badly. And that is why I am decamping up north on a semi-permanent basis as from tomorrow, dropping in at Film Farm en route to work out a mind map for the Reyntiens film (looks rather scrambled but seemed to make sense at the time, perhaps reflects our brains?!). I'm taking all my gear with me and hope to transcribe the Gordon Russell tapes and Reyntiens tapes and formulate the sequences for both films whilst in Yorkshire. It won't be easy, but I've been described as irrepressible so I'll have to live up to the description!

dreaming spires

So tomorrow I'm due to give 2 lectures at Art in Action, hotel paid for this evening - so this afternoon a quick research visit to Christ Church to see the Reyntiens windows in the Dining Hall. Quite Medieval grisaille looking. And the face on the left is a portrait of Alice in Wonderland (aka Liddell).

Danny Lane revisited

And so to Danny's studio once again. As predicted Charles just loved it, especially the 'junk yard' out the back! And Danny is just such a wonderfully easy-going guy with a great sense of humour and hugely inventive. John and Patrick arrived and we got set up - Danny working on some glass on a large table, Patrick wanders in, Danny takes his coat, puts it on a large hook, pushes a knob and the jacket miraculously disappears to the ceiling. With Danny you're never quite sure what's going to happen next! The pair of them started working together on the table whilst Danny recalled Burghlefield days. Patrick paint's Graham's 'window'
It was then that a young stereotyped Australian (only he was named Graham and not Bruce which was a shame) walked in from the road and asked if anyone knew anything about glass. Well there we were surrounded by the stuff, so it sounded a pretty dumb question. We all had a bit of a laugh with him and Patrick painted on the little sample double glazed window he was clutching. He wanted to know why and what we were filming so we explained that Patrick was a VERY FAMOUS man, had he heard of Coventry Cathedral, Paddy's Tent etc etc. Of course he hadn't. I was convinced that this was another of Danny's games and he'd set the whole thing up - but Graham was 'for real' amazingly enough. Off Graham went.
Back Graham came 3 minutes later - 'Oi've rung moy mate and he hasn't heard of you!' Great, thanks Graham. Off he went.
5 minutes later he was back again. 'Oi've rung moy woif Sheilah and she's looked you up on the web and you did a picture of Dame Edna!' He was WELL impressed!
Somehow we managed to get back into the mood of the interrupted interview and brought it to a successful and picturesque conclusion with Danny flame throwing.
And then a miracle of sorts happened - Danny's wife Fiona had set up tables on the pavement and said tables were laden with BBQd chicken, loads of salads, dips, crisps, bread, wine - an absolute feast! So all of us, including Danny's staff, sat in the sunshine in the middle of an industrial estate in north London enjoying a Mediterranean type feast. I though it was just glorious. Forget about Heston Blooming whatsit or precious Raymond Blanc - this was living! In the afternoon we interviewed Danny alone - which worked very well. Somehow joint interviews involving Patrick don't work particularly well, he either goes mute (as with deMarco) or the other person is inhibited. Danny the Magician

Central

Sarah left, above Willow, Phillippa, Amal, Sarah

After various last minute hitches and worries that I would either have too many students or too few, it all worked wonderfully and once again I was impressed by their loyalty to Patrick and the effort they'd all put into contributing to the film. For example Sarah Wenden had travelled from Oxford, Nicola Clark from Gloucestershire, Philippa Clayden had cancelled all her afternoon appointments just to be there, and Willow Winston was also ultra busy. They were joined by Amal Ghosh who used to be in charge of the stained glass department at Central so provided an added dimension to the discussion - an absolutely charming man.
Amal

The more I learn about Patrick the more it occurs to me that there are three main facets which need to be highlighted - his art obviously, his intellect and his 'teaching' through Central and Burghlefield. The Central session backed up by interviews with Ray King and Danny Lane (both ex Burghlefield) should illustrate this dimension of Patrick pretty well.
Jay and Jeremy put us up for the night again - champagne and a lovely meal, the doors open, the warmth of a summer's day engulfing us - couldn't have been better. Nicola

Danny Lane

WOW! What a treat today - after a quick trip to advise on a possible Brangwyn at Christie's I whisked off to Willesden Junction (as one does) to do a recce on Danny Lane's studio prior to filming there with Patrick. I was just blown over by the beauty, size, scale, colour, inventiveness, imagination of the work - and not just in glass but also metal and wood - this man is A-MAZING! Filming the two of them in the studio promises to be a visual extravaganza - watch this space (24 June).
The images don't do Danny justice but I was taking them primarily to show Charles what he had to work with rather than producing art-shots! Anyway, top is Danny seen through a glass screen (weird!) and below a glass pillar and chair. For more (and better) images go to http://www.dannylane.co.uk/
Followed this up with a trip to Central St Martins to meet the wonderfully enthusiastic Peter Cleak, Events Manager, and other members of staff. Following on from my 'cunning plan' wheeze of 16 April, I have been trying to organise a group of ex students for a discussion forum and Central have kindly allowed us to take over the Head's Parlour for the afternoon of 23 June - and they aren't even charging us, which is brilliant news. They couldn't have been more helpful.

The Laskett

Following an exhausting day's filming and interviewing in Broadway (for a film on Gordon Russell) we drove to Sir Roy Strong's beautiful home and garden near Hereford. Unfortunately it was raining so we could not film in the garden as hoped, but set up in the conservatory as the next best thing.
Reading Sir Roy's diaries made me realise how fascinated by clothes and appearance the man is - still very sprightly and slim, the dark hair has given way to a silver slightly punk look and the iconic glasses have been replaced by contact lenses but the deep dark puppy dog eyes remain. A diamond earring twinkles, a beautiful crisp white shirt, casual denims, white trainers. Very cool.
And the mercurial man was charming, produced some very thoughtful insights about the inner Patrick, whilst my regular request for a succinct one sentence description produced a fabulous image - you'll have to wait for the DVD to find out!

Dr Horner #3

Saturday 15th May saw Libby leaving Film Farm before Charles had already risen, to drive to Cambridge where her younger son, Aidan, following in the footsteps of his mother and grandfather was awarded his PhD. Good day and the sun shone!

Not one to allow a research opportunity slip away, Libby also photographed the Brangwyn memorial to Fitzgerald on Kings Parade, and the Piper/Reyntiens windows in Churchill College chapel (detail below).

A few days later, queuing at a Waitrose cafe for a reviving coffee, the lady in front of me had a plate of curry and asked for some mango chutney. 'Oh no' said the girl behind the till, absolutely straight faced, 'we can't serve that any more. Health and Safety.' Good Heavens, what is the country coming to, when even chutney is considered dangerous!

Retrospective 6 - Anstey

Today we drove to Anstey to see the 398th Memorial window, fabulous, lots of butterflies and bombers and the names of all the fallen inscribed in the window - a beautiful and unusual tribute to the American airmen who were stationed nearby (detail above). Sir Roger du Boulay, a very sprightly 88 year young gentleman, arrived and gave a me a complete history of the church, the ancient mermaid font, the old chests etc. Sir Roger had organised the appeal for funds and the installation of the window and gave us an excellent interview, explaining the symbolism. We finally packed bags at Anstey about 2pm and, following Sir Roger's tip off, drove to the Woodman pub which had been the local for the Americans and has lots of memorabilia which we were able to photograph. And then back to Film Farm, both rather shattered.

Retrospective 5 - Much Hadham

Penelope, John and Patrick meet again after 15 years

A joyful days of unexpected extras. We arrived at Sts Andrew and Thomas at the same time as a lovely lady who turned out to be our guardian angel throughout the day - Penelope Wrong who was largely responsible for the Moore Memorial window in the church. Then some churchwardens arrived to see if we needed any help, then the vicar popped in. Libby went outside for her time lapse leaving Charles to the mercies of the ministrations and working out how to climb into the organ loft to get decent film of the window. Penelope dashed off to get some rope to hoist the camera into the loft.
Patrick and John arrived with one of the studies for the window and we filmed them - this was John's first commission with his father so pretty important.
Having found some garden rope Penelope then set about tracking down the previous rector who arrived just before midday so we were able to film him. Penelope and Patrick then went off for luncheon together whilst John stayed on to help with the ladder climbing, for which we were very grateful. A practical joker, John knocked over a stool when the camera was being lowered, giving Charles a real fright! He was somewhat relieved to be on terra firma after his efforts.
Having done all our church work we stopped for a brief eat in and then drove down to Penelope's wonderful thatched house because she owns the other study for the window. We set up the camera in the delightful courtyard watched by Poppy the lurcher and interviewed Penelope about the history of the window. Penelope in her garden with a study for the window
A great day, so many kind and helpful people. I had planned a visit to the Henry Moore Museum but we didn't finish work until 5pm so returned via an amazing and slightly scary water-splash to our Lutyens B&B for another picnic.

China mid water-splash and the wonderful Lutyens house, Homewood

Retrospective 4 - Coventry

Loads to do today - not only filming the Baptistry window but also interviewing Patrick and Graham Jones together (he of the Cochem window and born in Coventry - keep up!), and Graham tout seul assessing Patrick's place in the history of stained glass, his strengths and weaknesses (surely not?!) I wanted to start with Graham and Patrick in the bombed out shell of the old Cathedral but it was raining so we moved to stage 2 - the pair of them discussing the Baptistry window. Then a Litany intervened so we had to call a break. Meanwhile Charles had discovered a lovely lady helper who told him that visitors complained about almost every aspect of the new cathedral EXCEPT the Baptistry window which often reduced them to tears because of its beauty. So we programmed her into the schedule, reconvened with PR and Graham, and then, the rain having eased, filmed the two chaps outdoors.
PR and JR were then sent packing whilst we filmed Graham sitting on a gravestone being interviewed by Libby kneeling on damp grass - both Charles's suggestions and not exactly to our liking! Graham is such an ebullient figure, so full of energy and enthusiasm - a joy to interview, a natural. Through the Looking Glass, Libby (somewhere in there) and multiple images
Somehow we missed out on lunch, although the coffee was restorative. Bought some picnicy food en route to our B&B - a Lutyens house no less, Homewood, just fab.

Retrospective 3 - Southwell

One of the windows leading to the Chapter House

On our own today which does make life easier! We understand each other's working methods so sessions are pretty efficient. Southwell is a beautiful Minster, not the soaring elegance of Gothic, but good solid Norman pillars, rounded arches, lovely detailing on the arches and doorways - reminds me of Durham, a solidity and weightiness and lack of hyperbole which appeals. And the staff and helpers are so helpful and in love with their treasure, which made the day a delight.
Since the weather was forecast to deteriorate, Libby started off outside with the time lapse, before moving inside to photograph the west window (the Angels window) which Charles was filming. I think it's rather splendid with grisaille colouring which attunes perfectly with the age of the church. Now whose that remind you of? ... No, me neither ...
Luckily Patrick had reminded me about a series of small windows leading to the Chapter House which we thought glorious (both the windows and the Chapter House itself with foliate heads and intricate stone carvings creating filigree baskets of leaves).

Forget about the Minster, what about the beautiful horse-chestnut candles?
An excellent day apart from the fact that Libby then had to drive another 1 1/2 hours to Coventry. This is a pretty tiring schedule!

Retrospective 2 - Ampleforth

And so to the wonderful setting of Ampleforth Abbey and College, where Patrick was once a student, where I first met John (serendipity), and where there's a whole slew of Reyntiens' windows. We set up the cameras ready for Patrick and John to arrive and then proceeded to interview Patrick in front of the beautiful north transept windows and round the chapel windows in turn, luckily finishing seconds before the midday service, at which point we retired outside to film Patrick talking some more about his school days (Basil Hume taught him rugby!)
Patrick and John were invited to the monks' refectory for luncheon and I had asked repeatedly whether Charles could film the event (he having done so in the dim and distant past and realising how well it would work in this film) but was told that a decision would be made on the day. However the Father Abbot said that the monks did not relish change and he had to give them a week's notice - so unfortunately that plan was shelved. Quick lunch for the troops - porkus pieus for Charles, a few peanuts for Libby.
She was then sent out into the freezing cold to organise a time lapse and fell in love with the field of beautiful white heifers with their huge mournful brown eyes. When she returned indoors with four numbed yellow fingers she discovered that Charles was not filming details of the windows as anticipated but had gone missing. Imagine her chagrin when it transpired he'd been having a coffee break with Patrick and John, recently returned from their monkish meal.
John did a quick bit to camera before the Reyntiens team went their way, which meant we could get back to filming and photographing the windows and details of same, plus a rather amusing sight of the heifers lined up by the fence observing the Cadet Force with great interest! Charles much amused by the anti-caravan signs leading to Sutton Bank! If he had his way all caravans would be banned except perhaps during the hours 2-5am - SCRAP stands of course for the Society for Caravan Removal and Prevention, and is going global - watch this space. Nothing to do with me Guv.
Finished an hour later than Libby's schedule and then a 2 1/2 hour journey to Southwell.

Retrospective - Film Farm

Arrived at FF Saturday 8th to discover an absolutely exhausted Charles but insisted we do some scanning for the Reyntiens project in the afternoon. Sunday charging of batteries and all that malarkey before driving up to Helmsley to stay the night in a lovely little B&B called 43.

All Fall Down

Pretty much what we've all been doing this week. Charles initiated the habit on Sunday by tripping over a kerbstone. As usual he had his hands in his pockets and so wasn't able to save himself from splitting his temple on the edge of the pavement. Much blood but some wonderfully helpful Helmsley inhabitants who took him to the nearest pub, found a Doctor and bandaged him up.
In Coventry on Wednesday Libby was getting rather stressed out juggling interviews between the Litanies, the rain and the guided tours and when dashing around outside trying to find some recalcitrant team members, slipped on the wet York stone and sliced the end off her elbow. Much blood but John Reyntiens came to the rescue in magnificent fashion, dashing off to a chemist and returning with bottled water, painkillers and bandages (the Cathedral is not allowed bandages in its First Aid Box - don't ask!)
A mere hour or so later, when the assembled had just finished their assorted coffees, Patrick wanted to get the show on the road, so instead of asking if I'd move from the bench, he stood on same, vaulted over the top, landed successfully on the other side, then leaped down to the ground which was his mistake because he ended up flying in horizontal mode for a good few feet before colliding with a metal table and chairs and a rather astonished imbiber. He pronounced himself fit as a fiddle and performed a jig just to prove it.
John had his chance the following day when jiggling a ladder into position but decided enough was sufficient and maintained his balance.

Transcribing ...

... is what I've been doing this week using my new CatDV programme which Charles purchased for me (great stuff!), plus reading a book I borrowed from Patrick about Edward James, and penning an article for Glass Circle News (about FB's glass and decanter designs), catching up, cleaning the house, and organising the next week's filming. All quite relaxed really - especially compared to the week my colleague has endured.
As soon as I left on Sunday Charles started work on the Big Draw DVD, with masses of slide shows to animate, music to add etc and that's before starting to author the DVD. Eileen stayed at Film Farm Monday and Tuesday to help sort out stuff and then he's been working flat out until the wee hours every day since. He is aiming to finish it and pop in the post before I arrive tomorrow midday-ish hoping to propel him back into Reyntiens mode.

Home James

The beautiful prawns and red mullet preparing themselves for the barbie

Having been for a pre-breakfast run every day this week I decided to give myself a birthday treat and have a lie-in. Crumbs the big 6-0 next year - I just don't feel sufficiently grown up to be a venerable age like that.
As predicted the fish shop was patronised - some gloriously patterned wild prawns and 4 small red mullet. Thence the drive back to Lincolnshire where we arrived late afternoon, checked e's etc and then dug the huge BBQ out of the stables where it was hiding behind an immoveable mini tractor and hedged in by the Sound Bites bike. Anyway with much heaving and grunting we managed it. Too cold to eat outdoors but we BBQd the wonderful prawns which Hare in the Gate served with garlic mayonnaise, followed by BBQd mullet with Hassan's cracked potatoes (with coriander, yummy) and a green salad. An excellent birthday celebration, washed down with a drop or 3, and decidely the BEST meal of the week! The Boss and his little BBQ
Then I made the poor chap watch some Japanese FB programmes because I thought there were some good graphics which we might adapt for Reyntiens. Following that the poor boy had to do some work in the editing room to process the films for me to transcribe next week and didn't get to bed until the wee hours of Sunday according to him - but then he revels in tea and sympathy! Back to Kent tomorrow.

Patrick sans (day 4)

We have renamed Somerset grit county on account of how they appear to be gritting every single road, however deep in the sticks. True Grit and China
On our own today. First stop Stoke St Mary where there are 3 windows by Patrick - there would have been a fourth but the parishioners decided they'd prefer a new sink! Lovely path up to the church with cherry and apple blossom (Libby got carried away as usual) and one of the windows visible through the open door. We tried the new time lapse idea.

Detail of one of the windows (lovely abstract), the path and a window inside, blossom dearie

Having finished Stoke St Mary we then realised that we hadn't got much good film of the exterior of Patrick's house so returned there via Ilminster (Friday fish and chips for Charles) and filmed the happy hens who were determined to peck Libby's skirt and the cockerel who obviously relished the attention and crowed noisily. (Having seen the rushes since, I note that Charles rather OD'd on the hens - a mere 7 out of 10 clips!) Thence to a field for another time lapse. Since the weather was improving we decided to have another go at St George's and managed some exterior filming there and yet another time lapse by which stage the Nikon was complaining about being overworked - 'you expect me to take a shot of the same building every 5 seconds for 30 minutes - you cannot be serious'!

A bored Nikon camera in a field

Found our B&B for the night, wandered into town for a restaurant recce and discovered a wonderful looking 'real' fish-shop which may demand a visit tomorrow.
Thence back to St George's for the 150th Celebration of the church plus the Blessing of the Reyntiens window by the Bishop of Clifton. Fascinated by the diversity of the congregation, English, Polish, Indian and Filipino; the exuberance of the choir mistress; and 4 wonderfully costumed representatives of St George, the female versions looking like Scottish Widows. We stood in the balcony to film and record and when the Bishop (complete with flat pack Mitre) splashed the windows, his side kick whispered 'Saves on washing bills' and then before they descended the narrow spiral staircase offered to go first 'then if you fall, you'll have a soft landing'. Good to know there's a sense of humour about and the Bishop gave the camera a charming smile. Comparing the service with that in Cochem made me appreciate how avant-garde Father Muller is. Window looked lovely from the outside at night, lit from within.
Finished 8.45, quick dash back to B&B to leave equipment, then a waltz along the road to Eduardo's restaurant in a tiny listed building, a wonderful buzz about the place. obviously popular and deservedly so, the best food and value for money we've had all week.

Patrick day 3

This morning drove to St George's, Taunton, the largest stained glass project Patrick and John have completed jointly. Filmed the chaps with the window after which they left and Charles did details whilst I tried the exterior despite the rain. Chirpy window detail!
In the afternoon we green-screened Patrick on the subjects of Southwell, Anstey, Liverpool and Stoke St Mary - films to be highlighted in the DVD but without Patrick in attendance. We then moved into the wonderful stone flagged thatched cottage next door where Patrick used to live and tried an interview there in front of a wood burning stove - an ideal situation - but I think by this time we had actually worn out the ever ebullient man - and answers appeared sharply like punctuation marks so I called it a day.
Returned to the Lodge to take down the green screen and put the room to rights, thence to the studio to film more autonomous panels and studies together with some of Anne's paintings.
We finally packed about 6.30 - all four of us shattered and poor John having to drive back to London that evening. However all pleased with progress.
Patrick's energy is just astounding as is his imagination - artistically, written and verbal. His analogies and similes amaze me. Meanwhile John grows on us - he's just just an easy going, lovable, and fun guy with whom to work. We couldn't ask for more. Libby at Hugh F-W's with blackboard menu background
This evening - the big treat! We realised that one of our heroes, Hugh Fearney-Whittingstall has a canteen at nearby Axminster and discovered that Thursday night is stew-night - £10 per head. Right up our strasse, very basic decor etc, one is given a playing card for the stew and another for dessert, you wander up with your card and are presented with said food - Charles had the pork with spelt and gremolata whilst I had the root veg with same. Home made bread, divine butter, a wonderful glass of white to start with (Mayval from the Manstree vineyard), followed by an organic red with a colour like deep plum crushed velvet and a taste to match.

A happy Charles, glass of wine ind hand - Libby must have had a drop to many, having successfully decapitated the Boss

Tried to watch the political leader debate on Charles' tiddlytop computer (i-replay or whatever) but both kept falling asleep - however I get the feeling it wasn't spell-binding. Yawn.

Patrick day 2

Arrived at Patrick's 10am and interviewed him in the garden about his family history - main problem being that trainee helicopters circled continuously overhead - John busy on the phone to persuade them to stop, meanwhile the recurrence made a fitting break to each section of Patrick's life, preventing endless stories.
Charlie Higson arrived 11am so we then moved into Library mode - unfortunately Charlie too pleasant a chap to stop Patrick mid flow so we were treated to the latter's endless irrelevant classical references when it was all meant to be art related, but have since chewed it over and decided it might actually work if we change the ideology of the whole Library sequence.

Charlie Higson and Patrick in the Library

After lunch a new addition - a visit to Alice Temperley's glorious Palladian villa and a quick interview since she is an old family friend. Young, enthusiastic, bubbly, quite at ease with the camera - could work well.

The delightful Alice

Back to Patrick's house and filmed the man himself and John looking through sketchbooks, and then Patrick sketching something with his tea-bags, Indian ink and Somerset reeds - magical. Followed by a trip to the Monument - a source of inspiration, a restorative walk and, when Anne was ill, a contemplative landscape.

The monument and tree, and John doing the 'Hockney' boy pose!

The Gallery restaurant in Chard was open so we dined there, very good but portions far beyond our capabilities.