A quiet time - except for the music!

The Easter break is almost over and, as I heard someone say, the reason that Bank Holidays are so good is that we can really enjoy having some sheer relaxation without feeling guilty because we're all off work! Well, not quite all I realise, but I agree with the sentiment. Hope everyone's been able to have a good break.

So, the last couple of days have been spent at home and very quietly, partly due to the horrid bug that grabbed me on Friday but seems to be on its way now thank goodness. Partly due to the fact that it's been raining all day, so the gardening had to be shelved except for planting out a few things that I've been growing indoors. Not that this is craft related, but I hope that this piccie of Tara helping me to gen up on some plant knowledge will be acceptable for Joanne's Crafting Buddies ......yes, I know it's really meant to show our furry friends helping us to craft, but seeing as I wasn't either, I think it will count! I think Tara was looking for the section on Catnip! I did say it had been a quiet couple of days, but this afternoon was anything but really. David happened upon Channel 5 where they were showing the 25th Anniversary production of The Phantom of the Opera from the Royal Albert Hall. Unfortunately it had been on for an hour or so, and I completely forgot about Channel 5 plus one! However, it was just fantastic and I enjoyed every second. The tenor in the Phantom role was Ramin Karimloo who, coincidentally, was on Songs of Praise last night and who we first saw in the anniversary concert of Les Mis that Heather got us at Christmas. At the end of the opera Andrew Lloyd Webber came onto the stage and welcomed the original cast. Sarah Brightman sang along with four Phantoms as well as the current one. I get so caught up in musicals/operas that I was in tears most of the way through, even during the curtain calls! If you get chance to see this then do......if you don't like the music, watch it with the sound off because the stage sets and costumes were out of this world....quite staggering really.

It also brought to mind something that I seem to come across more and more these days. So many "comedians", or guests on panel shows etc seem to find it clever and funny to make so called jokes and jibes about people purely on their looks. I'm sometimes surprised at the people who are guilty of this as they are often those who I'd thought of as quite intelligent. No matter how talented the target may be, if they happen to be less than handsome or beautiful then they become "fair game". I was reminded by the Phantom story of course, and then when Andrew Lloyd Webber appeared who must be one of the most picked upon people in this way, despite his tremendous talent. Camilla Parker Bowles is forever being compared to a horse (I think she's very attractive), Susan Boyle will, apparently, never be appreciated for her voice alone, but will always find herself being sniggered at on comedic quiz shows. The list goes on. It's a horrible side to people that I really hate. The fact that everyone looks different (remarkable when you think how few features we have!) should be accepted and celebrated, not made into the subject for cruel "humour". Why do people do it? What do you think?
Anyway, having just watched the last half hour of Phantom again, on plus one, it is time to settle down for the evening now! The rain has stopped but it's a bit late to go outside now really. I had better go as I can hear lots of hissing coming from behind the door and may need to seperate two fur balls if I don't break things up now!