STORY TIME MRS. PEPPERPOT

OK, after telling you about Sweeney Todd yesterday, today it is the turn of Mrs. Pepperpot! A story which was read to me as a little girl. It was at boarding school and to be honest, we didn’t get suffocated with love or warmth there, but on a Tuesday night, we received a wonderful treat. An old silver haired lady with very long slim legs, I know this because we used to sit on the floor in front of her sitting on her chair and I used to think how pretty her legs were. Haha. You can tell where my Son gets his talent for mind being elsewhere? Well, my best friend at school with the beautiful name who I write about and still we are great friends, used to run through the spooky corridors of our dull lit school and up and down loads of steps. Through the huge lounge and into the enormous conservatory with gigantic plants and slippy tiled floors. Around corners and in the night, voices could be heard echoing as our backs would face more down stairs to the closed kitchens. There were no lights on in the conservatory but when we went from one door through there to the next one, a dull orange glow told us we were almost into the room of relief.

The library was situated in a totally different part to the school and it was the only really bright room. Away from the horrible housewife Elizabeth and strictness of the so called home life as we knew it at boarding school and to see “Aunt Jessie”.

 The old lady had no warmth and was  matter of fact, but, she wasn’t horrible and read so well. It was my turn to escape. My friend and I would take our positions on the floor and be transported into the world of this story.

 Mrs. Pepperpot Teskjekjerringa, translation: the teaspoon lady) is a fictional character in a series of children's books created by the Norwegian author Alf Proysen. Alf Prøysen (23 July 1914 - 23 November 1970), was a writer and and musician. He was from Norway. Prøysen was one of the most important Norwegian cultural personalities in the second half of the twentieth century, and he made significant contributions  to literature, music, radio and TV. His childhood was typical for those of the husmann class; the landless  lower class. of rural Norway. This is reflected in his songs and short stories, where he draws realistic, satirical and harsh pictures of class relations and everyday life in rural Norway .

The book/story he wrote Mrs Pepperpot, amazed me how she could continue doing her everyday duties/tasks though she was tiny. She never knew when she was going to shrink to the size of a tea spoon. I wonder about the reasons behind this book? Was the author a tiny man? I wonder if not, did he have an elderly family member who was his hero?

  His first book in the series was printed in 1956. The main character, Mrs. Pepperpot, is a little old lady who lives in a cottage in the countryside together with her husband, Mr. Pepperpot. Mrs. Pepperpot has a secret - she occasionally shrinks to the size of a pepperpot, but nevertheless always manages to cope with the tricky situations that she finds herself in, at least partially thanks to the fact that upon shrinking she also gains the ability to understand and talk to all animals.

A successful Japanese anime TV series adaptation of "Mrs. Pepperpot" called " “Spoon Obosan, was produced by Studio Pierrot, in the 1980s

 

 

 

Some of the Mrs Pepperpot stories are:

• Little Old Mrs Pepperpot
• Mrs Pepperpot and the Mechanical Doll
• Mrs Pepperpot buys Macaroni
• Queen of the Crows
• Mrs Pepperpot at the Bazaar
• Mrs Pepperpot and the Bilberries
• Mrs Pepperpot Minds the Baby
• Mrs Pepperpot's Penny Watchman
• The Bad Luck Story
• Mrs Pepperpot and the Moose
• Mrs Pepperpot Finds a Missing Treasure
• Mr Pepperpot
• Mrs Pepperpot to the Rescue
• Mrs Pepperpot on the Warpath
• The Nature Lesson
• Mrs Pepperpot is Taken for a Witch
• Mrs Pepperpot's Birthday
• Mrs Pepperpot Turns Fortune-Teller
• The New Year's Eve Adventure
• Fate and Mrs Pepperpot
• Mrs Pepperpot Helps Arne
• Spring Cleaning
• Easter Chicks
• The Cuckoo
• Midsummer Romance
• Mrs Pepperpot and the Peddler
• The Moose Hunt
• Mr Pepperpot and the Weather
• Mrs Pepperpot in Hospital
• Mrs Pepperpot's Christmas
• Mrs Pepperpot in the Magic Wood
• Mrs Pepperpot and the Puppet Show
• Mrs Pepperpot and the Baby Crow
• Mrs Pepperpot Learns to Swim
• Mrs Pepperpot Gives a Party
• Mrs Pepperpot's Outing
• Mrs Pepperpot has a Visitor from America
• Mrs Pepperpot and the Budgerigar
• Mrs Pepperpot turns Detective
• Mrs Pepperpot and the Brooch Hunt
• The Ski Race

 

THE CHRISTMAS PROMISE BY FIONA CUMMINGS

The Christmas Promise

By Fiona Cummings

You promised me

You left a note under the tree

You said you would be home for Christmas

Now look at me it’s all a mess

Your parcel is unopened

Your words are lies which shouldn’t have been spoken

My heart is broken

You promised me

Sealed with a kiss

You know it’s you I truly miss

If only I had one wish

It would be you home for Christmas

I ache for your love

I take comfort from the stars above

But they don’t hold me like you do

They don’t say I love you

You promised me

You would gift me your word

I didn’t misunderstand

I know what I heard

All this tinsel

Draped over a parcel

 So much sparkle

Whatever for

My Christmas spirit has hit the floor

I can’t keep living like this

Can’t take much more

I just beg you to make it right

Walk through the door

Please tonight?

It’s Christmas Eve

I want to believe

In my true love’s words

Let’s fly free like birds

Run away from your work

You promised me

You said just wait and see

Kisses of chocolate

And rose bud cream

I wear your locket

And feel like a queen

My insides danced like a jumping bean

For you promised me

 

SWEENEY TODD AND MY TEACHER

OK, here is in my opinion, one of the best old stories from the UK. As a child, I had a wonderful teacher, he was my hero. Sadly now not with us, but as children, he would read to us once a week. This was one of the stories he would read and I shall write about more in the coming weeks.

I was nine and sat in fear though complete anticipation as the words fell from the pages of this fantastic novel. I am sure it is a true story. Here goes.

Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as the murderer of the Victorian penny dreadful the string of pearls 1846/47 in 1979, he was introduced as an antihero in the musical Sweeney Todd the demon barber of Fleet street and it’s 2007 film adaptation of the same name.

Claims that Sweeney Todd was a historical person

    

In the original version of the tale, Todd is a barber who dispatches his victims by pulling a lever as they sit in his barber chair. His victims fall backward down a revolving trapdoor into the basement of his shop, generally causing them to break their necks or skulls. In case they are alive, Todd goes to the basement and "polishes them off" (slitting their throats with his straight razor

In some adaptations, the murdering process is reversed, with Todd slitting his customers' throats before dispatching them into the basement via the revolving trapdoor. After Todd has robbed his dead victims of their goods, Mrs Lovett

his partner in crime (in some later versions, his friend and/or lover), assists him in disposing of the bodies by baking their flesh into meet pies

and selling them to the unsuspecting customers of her pie shop. Todd's barber shop is situated at 186 Fleet street London next to St Dunstan’s church.

And is connected to Mrs. Lovett’s pie shop on Bell Yard, by means of an underground passage. In most versions of the story, he and Mrs. Lovett hire an unwitting orphan boy, Tobias Ragg to serve the pies to customers.

 The tale became a staple of Victorian melodrama Later it was the subject of a 1959 ballet by English composer Sir Malcolm Arnold  and in 1979 a Tony award winning Broadway musical The last-mentioned, by far the best-known 20th Century version of the tale, was adapted for the screen in 2007, but in my opinion, you can’t beat the book.

In rhyming slang, Sweeney Todd is the flying squad, a branch of

The UK's Metropolitan Police), which inspired the television series.

The Sweeney.

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE STOCKINGS BY FIONA CUMMINGS

CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE STOCKENS

Put on my shoes

Which are shades of blues?

A warm coat and gloves

As it’s looking stormy above

Step out on the December day

On my way

Off to the factory

What will I see?

Passing a snow white cat

Sitting shivering on a doormat

Waiting to be let in

The trees look so thin

With no green dresses on

Just bare branches

The wood burning streets are ghostly

No cars no one

Passing empty benches

Going through lit up arches

There it is

Smoke in a fizz

Chimneys so tall

In comparison to toadstool houses so small

Giraffe with his head in the sky

There are boxes outside

I wonder why?

Oh standing with a cherry smile

Is my favourite pixie

It’s the one and only Tixi

Next to her

Sitting on a rug of fir

Is Jim the tiny elf

 Who has the cutest dimples and strawberry curls

 His trousers are patents of spots and swirls

His shoes are pointy and heels so high

 He wore a yellow dickey bow tie

They hadn’t forgotten me

And ran to see

Why I had come to the chocolate factory

“Well, it’s Christmas

And look in my bag

Even a gift for your cat like a rag

Just as I said that ragdoll came from behind the bin

Looking to me a little thin

Dixie said the cat ran away and got lost

They worried as on the ground was frost

But it followed its nose

And came back home

Then got wrong and reminded not to roam

I was met at the door by Carter

Remember in the spring he was the new starter?

He called to his staff

And began to laugh

As he had sparkles all over his face

Oh there she is all in lace

It’s Nancy

Who’s making the place look ever so fancy?

Just look at that cake

Standing near it is Jake

There is the cook Alvin

Suddenly I’m starving

“Go around the side

Noddy will give you a ride

I heard voices inside

Toot toot

I perched on the back

Drove to the door all silver framed in black

This was the magic entrance

As through that door

Was a moving floor

Which went down

Below the ground

To a land never been seen before

It was like an elevator once inside

Just about coped after my bumpy ride

Chocolate buttons on the walls

For lights and machines

Freezers full of mini ice creams

This was a place for children’s dreams

Big balloons

Floated around the rooms

Water features poured out chocolate

Then Noddy took from his pocket

A bell

This was to alert friends I was there

Look its naughty Norman, he pulled up a chair

As I sat on it the elves and pixies did stare

Next thing I knew

Chocolate robins appeared

They flew

This was weird

And tinfoil snowmen 

Danced

 Look at Santa’s beard

And pants

Black velvet trousers

And a coat colour of roses

Silver bells

And chocolate filled shelves

Everything looked so pretty

I truly was in a heavenly city

Alright

Christmas Eve is tonight

So hear are your gifts

One at a time

As Jake played his old violin

And Maj poured red wine

Melanie started to sing

The baby bounced on a jelly

In the corner was Ellie

Decorating the tree

This was to be a gift for me

Each branch held a parcel

With a bow which did sparkle

The fern stood as high as my knees

So I could carry it home

Then naughty Norm created a storm

As he chased the elves with a banana made from foam

Maj answered the phone

It was the king and queen

So not a sound could be heard

 Apart from a falling jelly bean

   The phone went down

Maj wore a frown

She said the King and Queen were coming to see them

The Pixies shouted when?

Answer, now

So I had to run

Just as we were having fun

But before I left

I collected my tree

And all of the little friends gave chocolate kisses to me

Wished me the best

Hoped I would rest

And have a Happy Christmas

Out through the door into the roar

Of the bitter December day

For I would surely return one day

To my secret place

Of fine friends

Woven lace

Chocolate fountains

And sugar mice

Everything so nice

Hidden houses

Under mushrooms

Secret doors

And bubble gum balloons

Magical keys

Golden leaves 

A place where no one would believe

But I know it’s true

For I have seen

The largest coated coffee bean

And not forgetting the king and queen

Who would close down the factory

If it got out

What I know

Though I tell you

Keep it to yourself

Our tail of Paddy and friends

And Jim the Elf

Till next time the end

WHAT'S COOKING?

Good afternoon. Gosh I am ready for a sit down and a cup of tea. It’s been nonstop today. So many phone calls and emails to answer.

I have made the dinner for tonight, well prepared it. Roast beef and I can’t remember the last time I cooked a joint. Roast potatoes and carrots. I put a small amount of ginger in the carrots and a little fresh garlic on top of the beef and rosemary.

I am having a salad. Woopy doo

Haha!

OK I had a either blonde moment or early signs of dementia today.

So I let Waggatail and BB out, didn’t see Long Chops passing me but presumed she had gone out as she is slick.

BB came in then even Waggatail. Now she is getting great at coming in the house after she has said hello to her toilet. She used to wonder off.

So I waited for LC, and waited, and, well, waited.

Then I called on her name. Then I went to the run where her toilet is, nothing. Of course you know me, I panick and thought she had died.

OK, I had no sleep last night and it was early but she never stays in bed.

I went to her bed then reality kicked in.

She was at Peterborough with Hub.

I felt a true numpty.

Well, at least my neighbours were not in the gardens, as it is winter, so didn’t see me shouting on a dog that was not there.

I have booked tickets for Hub and I to go to our Cathedral. God help me.

All this culture will have affects you know?

Well, we are going to see the Messiah!

Now then, what is that? I really don’t know all I do know is I had to keep saying the word Messiah over and over again as I for some reason wanted to say Omen!

The omen?

Gosh that would not be good. So that is for this weekend. I shall let you know what it was like. I know it was rather deer. But the money goes to a good cause. The Cathedral restoration.

And upkeep, as to run that place costs a fortune.

Right off now to do some research on the story I was going to tell you about remember? Also a trip to the chocolate factory I will write about later. Xxx

DIARY OF THE NIGHT

I’m up again, but I love it. I just love to come on here through the night, as it’s quiet, I don’t have a canary, Irish you know, tweeting, yes, my Canary is very tech. He tweets…

I don’t have twelve paws tip a tap tapping around my wooden floors, as they are tucked up in bed.

I don’t feel bad about being on here when my Hub is sitting here, and if he is working, so should I be. Sometimes I regard this as a job, but most of the time, I know housework is my job and this is my hobby.

Hub and I have decided after Christmas, we are both going on crash diets, but normally, crash to me literally, means crash. Right into the biscuit barrel.

Seriously, I will have to do something about my weight. My health is not good because of it. To think I used to be a model, it’s embarrassing now.

Now I would be a model jet.

Or jet carrier.

My boy posted the cards in the end now just have to sort out the ones I will post.

I only have about six I post.

I don’t know what happened yesterday, but, our blog page had rather higher views than most days. 182 views. This is fantastic. Wow, as I have said before, I just don’t understand how, one day the views are for example 64, next day 182.

Who tells who, to all look together?

I will never understand it all.

They are views from all over the world too, so it’s not as though they are all from one country where they can phone a friend and say

“Hi dood. Get yourself onto that mad woman’s page Fifi Blogget. What a fruit loop she is!”

Haha!

Do you know what I mean though? It’s like it fascinates me how at a football match, everyone starts to sing at the same time. But this is on a larger scale, as it’s all over the world. Well I am delighted. I remember last year telling my Dd I was amazed I had only a few off six thousand blogs in three months and only needed a couple of hundred to get to the six thousand.

Bless him, he told some of his friends from the UK and America, and collectively, we got to my goal by the 1^st of January.

Now we have over 37,000 views.

Just under three weeks before January. What will be the amount at the end of the year? I am forever in shock.

Oh I am going to write today a little later when I do some research about a wonderful story which my teacher read to us as a class when we were about ten at school.

A friend reminded me of him and I hope you will be able to get lost in his world too. Just as I did as a little girl and will never forget it.

Can’t wait for that one.

Hub off to Peterborough today, then home working tomorrow, then, holly wolly days.

Excited dot com.

He spoke to his Dad tonight. It’s awful really, his Dad is alive and yet, we hardly see him. Gosh if my Dad was still here, I would never be away.

I hope we can go to see him soon. It’s a bit of a nightmare to travel to him, as it’s an hour on the train, then the transport to his house,  One of our brothers collect us or Dad himself, but I feel like it is a half hour drive to his house, from the train station, and from his house to our house by car, is about fifty minutes.

So they drive for twenty minutes more that is all?

Dad is waiting for an op on his shoulder but before then his knee.

Gosh, I know that feeling.

I was hoping he would have it when hub was off work so we could go down there for a day at least, to keep him company he will be bored stiff stuck in his house all day, but he said it was going to be after Christmas and I bet it will be when hub is away again for his year of hell.

Hubs old Pa is back. So between the two of them, I’m sure his diary will be filled.

This is her first Christmas with her new little girl.

The best age to have a child. After eight, oh boy, it’s hard. I got to fifteen with my Son and now I need the hand of our maker to get me through it all.

OK, I’m rambling but watch out for my story later, as it’s great and you will be amazed as it’s a true one about a man who lived many years ago in London. Who got up to some pretty unusual things? X

 

DIARY OF FIONA CUMMINGS

My friend just told me it was on the news, a man on our TV, has been signing for the deaf and just making it up! Oh my God, how long did he think he would get away with this? And why? I would love to learn more about this story and if I find out, I shall let you know or if you find out first, let us all know please?

I have had a much better day thank God. Yesterday was so awful and dreadfully painful.

Today has been very busy. I have been asked to write three poems this month. One for a wedding and two for Christmas.  So they are done and thankfully I have three happy customers.

But when will my book happen? Will it be 2014? Hmm. I doubt it but so much I wish for this. I must get a visit in to the chocolate factory, remember our little elves? Well, they must be busy now it’s Christmas.

Perhaps tomorrow, I shall wonder off there and see what I can write for the children and young at heart.

I spoke for over two hours with my lovely friend from Scotland today. She used to be a teacher but had to retire on ill health. Poor thing can hardly walk now.

I so much was looking forward to seeing her in January. I was going with Hub to Scotland to see her as Hub is going there for what was two days. Now it’s four. Oh I felt as let down as a weekend in Eden borough would have been perfect s it is my favourite city but now he is there for four days, it’s too hard. Sad so sad but I dare not tell her.

I had 25 minutes to write my Christmas cards. If they were not ready within 25 minutes, they were not going to be delivered.

This is what I was told by the one I don’t talk about.

Oh it was so difficult. Trying to make sure they were all the right way and thankfully they had a pattern on the front, so I could feel that, but the concentration is just dreadful. Remembering where the writing is on the cards and now days it’s not always where it should be, is it.

Then writing the envelopes all this time in my head, trying to think who I had forgot, or remembered not doing two the same names.

Deep thought went into it as I heard the shower stopping and the hairdryer going. I knew my minutes were quickly turning into seconds and my time would run out. It shouldn’t be like that should it?

Then he came down and said goodbye.

I asked about the cards.

“No time.

I have had some gifts on the landing to label for over a week now. On those little cards it’s impossible. As there is a tiny to and from and they are never standard.

God knows when that will get done? Unless it is going to be done when he gets in tonight.

All of my garden furniture has been waiting since September to come in the garage as the frost will kill it all. Hub and I of course could do this and I bet we will, but walking from the bottom of the garden to the front of the house, then into the garage is hard enough, but when you are carrying a huge chair or table, it’s impossible as suddenly, the table legs are your hands, finding your way around.

I just don’t want the winter to make victoms of my lovely garden furniture.

Its chicken and vegetables with mash for tea for the boys. I guess I should go and cook it? Or perhaps not.

Hmm. In a mo. Jo.

Every day of Hubs holidays, we are busy. I am starting to really panick now that we don’t have everything.

I would love to just go away for Christmas. I have never wanted to leave home for this time of year, as I love it at home with Hub and the one we don’t talk about.

Normally, but this year is different.

Also, I buy over the course of the year for people, as when I see something I get it, on line of course, but this year, Olga helped us loads and I bought a gift for Hub with Beanie, but we buy for so many people. I think about seventeen and six dogs.

A girl I know in America, took her dog to see Santa, I thought she was joking, but no, off they went and had their photo with the big man in red.

How cute is that?

OK, must dash and do.

Later with love

MY VILLAGE BY FIONA CUMMINGS

WALKING THROUGH MY VILLAGE

BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Candles glow

We wait for snow

Decorations can be seen through the window

Passing the large Victorian house

Next to the bakers shop near by

In the window shows a white sugar mouse

And seasonal goodies for us to try

Then the church on the hill

Standing proud

In the bitter night so still

The wind doesn’t blow

No flowers grow

Trees are bare

Just standing there

Finger like branches

Broken fences

Damaged by the December storm

Birds suffer until it’s warm

 Families make plans to see each other

Exciting times for all new lovers

Then there are the first time Mothers

Spoiling their young

Looking forward to so much fun

A frozen puddle glistens

People carrying presents

Full of anticipation

For the new year to arrive

Then we shall all thrive

On a new start

New Year

A change of heart

No more tears

Kissing goodbye to all our fears

A new slate

Food from an everlasting plate

A half full glass

Never half empty

Always hopeful for plenty

Walking through my village

With this festive knowledge

Fills my heart with joy

There is no spillage

Only the positive I will employ

To visit the lonely

To make their rooms homely

To make them feel wanted

To give flowers which will be planted

And though, out here is all frosted

Inside shall be warm

And everyone will be safe

Away from the storm

Whilst outside hang icicles

And the angels perform miracles

We hear the bells from the church

And stars shine against the silver birch

The ink sky

With fading clouds floating by

It’s a lovely time of year

Full of festive cheer

Children wear excited smiles upon their face

My village is a pretty place

NEWS BLOGGET STYLE

Hey there Bloggets. I am pleased to say I heard from one out of two of my dear friends from the US, now Mexico. Gosh, that sounds really odd saying my Yam a DD are from Mexico, can you remember when I used to call them, my borrowed American Mum and English stolen Dad, living in America? Well how confusing is it now they live in Mexico?

DD as I call him made me laugh when he wrote to me about Mexico. Just one thing he said was this.

It really is a mixture of the old and new here. A guy with a big sombrero just went by riding a donkey but he was texting on his ipod.

Hahaha. How funny is that? Imagine it?

I have been to bed. I was so tired but unfortunately my Hubs tablets send him into a deep sleep where no one can wake him up. And the snoring!

Oh boy!

Now I am sitting in the silence of my lovely sitting room with the rumblings of his throat from the ceiling. The dogs sleep soundly a yet silently in the hall and I’m eating delicious sweets.

I’m rather excited to meet up with my Geordie friend next week. And not too long after then, my friend from abroad is coming.

Hub and I have to try and get to the bank and the thought of that in the Christmas rush is rather daunting.

My mad aunt is coming next week too. Bless her soul.

Let’s see how far we get around the town this year.

I can’t believe this is our second Christmas in our new house. Two Christmases? Almost impossible to imagine this. If I were to think about it quickly, I would say we moved about ten months ago.

Gosh, I must write the neighbours cards. I have had them for weeks but fear writing them. It is something I have always been able to do, write, but because I have not done it for so long, I am a little anxious. I don’t want to be told I can’t do it for whatever reason.

My Son says he can still understand my signature, thank God. Not being able to write Braille, is bad enough, as especially when ones Husband, is head of Braille in the UK.

He is up again in a couple of hours to the station again. And again tomorrow.

His three days of travel, he wil have spent ten and a half hours travelling by rail.

But he has been coming home in the evenings. So that is great.

Looking at the news today, there is nothing really of great interest, but a few things I have found for you is as follows.

A man in the UK, given the all-clear from cancer was killed "in a moment of madness" after a row over a disabled parking space, a jury has heard.

Pathetic. The world is full of angrey people.

 

A disgraced French businessman was convicted of fraud and sentenced to four years in prison on Tuesday for filling tens of thousands of breast implants with industrial grade silicone.

“Only four years? They made a bit of  a boob of that!

Tesco's UK strategy has been slammed in an outspoken note by a US stockbroker that claims the retailer has put up prices faster than any other British grocer while its non-food ranges are more expensive than those at John Lewis.

“Not what they need to be reported just before Christmas?

 More than 100 baby seals orphaned in the recent floods have been washed up on a Norfolk beach after a tidal surge hit the east coast.

“Oh I hope the RSPCA can help them?

Northumberland has been given a big tourism boost after it was announced that a large section of its remote countryside is to be awarded protected Dark Sky Park status.

“My wonderful home land. I just hope we can keep it that way.

Scientists say they are close to developing a blood test that can be used to detect Alzheimer's at a much earlier stage than is currently possible.

“I really hope so. Whenever there is good news for help with such issues, my heart is full of pleasure.

Clubbers caught using party drug ketamine face up to five years in jail under tough new laws proposed by government advisers. The hallucinogenic horse tranquilizer, also known as “Special K”, leaves users delirious, confused and sick, experts told ministers.

“I say leave them in such a state.

A coroner today condemened hospital staff who made a catalogue of 43 shocking errors, before a 17-year-old girl was left to bleed to death for 15 hours following a routine operation.

“Just tragic.

OK friends, more much more later. X