Mid Life Epiphany?

When I told Ruth that quite a few amazing things had happened to me recently she kindly wrote, "Wow. Mobile phone, German, food, hearing. Are you having some of mid life epiphany?" Maybe an old age epiphany ....

In the last few months I have

• Discovered I am not going deaf, the ear doctor plucked wax slugs out of my ears.
• Simultaneously become much more interested in food. I quite often make myself a three course lunch. E.g. this afternoon: avocado, pear in mustard pickle (delicious secret old German recipe), cheese and biscuits.
• Found German very easy to speak and understand. The border is down, it's so much fun.
• Got totally relaxed without a mobile phone*.
• Experienced a creative and inventive surge. I now have six projects cooking.

Could food appreciation and being able to hear be connected? I will ask the ear doctor when I see her in September.

(*) Camilla said.
"I was remembering going to the Isle of Wight festival - sometime in the 1780s [sic]....and spending four days looking for the people I was meant to be meeting. Never happened, but I met lots of lovely new people. Your mobile free life will be full of such pleasures."
Thanks darling!

Casewise Burns

That's the Casewise office in Watford where I used to work all day. I am still a director. It caught fire Monday April 15, nobody was hurt :-)

FD Mike Hodes said, "That will take care of the dilapidation costs." He then told us that Casewise made a good profit in Quarter 1.

MD Alex Wentzo writes: We have already moved into a new office on the same street: 54 Clarendon Rd, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 1DU. Our new temporary phone number is: +44 (0)115 966 8111.

Our internal IT team has been working all day to set our internal network up. It would probably take this week to be back as normal. Concerning the UK employees, you will be contacted by your manager today to confirm when you can come back to the office.

On the phone he told me: It's cheaper thatn the old office. Extra profit in Q2!

More in the Watford Observe here.

Comment
Glad to hear they're doing well. Maybe we'll get a dividend, once they've claimed on the insurance.

Posted by: Carrie | April 17, 2013 at 02:16 PM

Pestalozzi tournament Sunday 23 June

Pestalozzi tournament to be held here on Sunday 23 June .   Please pass this email on to your wives, ex-wives, children and children's boy/girl friends.  It would be nice to have a Keeling final!  Entry forms on request.

Lol  Mum / Granny

LIONBOY

David Camilla Granny and Granpa are going to the Lionboy show (see two posts earlier) at the Unicorn Theatre in London at 2pm on Saturday 13th July. Please come and join us. Tickets are £16 with concessions for the old, the young and students. Seating is not numbered so we'll all be able to sit together. Half the seats are currently sold.

Though the show is billed as a "family" event, it is staged by Complicite and should be dramatic and interesting for adults.

If you can't make this date but want to go it's on for 2 weeks in London; if you can't get to London it's on in various places around the country - Bristol and Oxford being particularly of interest to some.

This is Poppy's big show at the moment - don't miss it!
Comment
It's on 11–15 June in Oxford. If anybody else wants to see it here, let me know.

Posted by: Carrie | April 04, 2013 at 02:02 PM

Happy Birthday to Trevor!

LIONBOY

A major production for Complicite
Assistant producer Poppy Keeling

Showing in London at the Unicorn Theatre from July Tuesday 9 -Sunday 21

Also at
Bristol Old Vic May 29 - Jun 1
Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Jun 4 - 8
Oxford Playhouse Jun 11 - 15
Warwick Arts Centre Jun 18 - 20
West Yorkshire Playhouse June 25 - 29
Wales Millenium Centre July 2 - 6

Charlie Ashanti is eleven years old. He’s a perfectly normal boy, except for one thing: he can speak to cats. When Charlie’s parents are kidnapped, he sets off on a rescue mission – with a little help from a floating circus and its pride of performing lions.

‘Complicite produces the most imaginative theatre to be found anywhere.’ Independent

‘Since 1983…Complicite has been helping us make sense of the world, making us laugh and weep and making us see things we would otherwise have missed...It is the reason I go to the theatre’ Telegraph

From the novels by Zizou Corder
Directed by Annabel Arden
Assistant Producer Poppy Keeling (shamefully not on the main flyers, but it's true)
Adapted by Marcelo dos Santos
With Annabel Arden, Louisa Young, Mike Kenny and the Company

Award-winning theatre company Complicite presents its first show for families and young people, inspired by Zizou Corder’s best-selling Lionboy trilogy and with a cast including Adetomiwa Edun from BBC’s Merlin.


An adventure that will inspire and entertain, don’t miss this new play at the Unicorn on its only London tour dates.
Comment
Or see it at the Oxford Playhouse first. I will.

Posted by: Carrie | March 05, 2013 at 01:32 PM

Cabaret Fantastique

Chief reporter on Radio 4

Chief Reporter Ruth Keeling of the Local Government Chronicle was interviewed today on the BBC's World At One. The World At One is the most listened to program in my flat. She had found out the plain truth about local council tax rises and subsidies and told us.

You can listen here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qkmp4
The interview with Ruth starts at 22:40
The recording says it is available for seven days - to 21/2/2013. But the archives say they go back to 1970.

Posted by a proud Dad
Comment
The next Pulitzer prize winner! - never doubted it for a second

Posted by: Paul & Van | February 15, 2013 at 09:40 AM

Win Gibbs, 1898-1988

Win Gibbs

Win Gibbs was born 30th July 1898 and she died 10th November 1988 at the Clarence Nursing Home in Tunbridge Wells. Her parents were Arthur Gibbs and Ena (nee Ladd) whose children were Arthur (1894), Brian (1896), Win (1898) and Marjorie (1905). Arthur the son became Barbar's husband. Arthur and Barbar are the maternal grandparents of the 8 brothers.

Win's parents lived in Bramley Surrey, Win lived there too. Earliest known fact: She quarrelled with her father and left home 'penniless' to work and live in a cake shop in Rye or possibly a tea shop in Windsor,  where she discovered the warmth that newspapers could provide. Apparently her father fell out with quite a lot of people. Win was also no easy companion. Sue Goodsir (who started this enquiry) tells us that Win founded the ladies section at Bramley golf club, presumably before the falling out with her father.

She had learnt golf in Scotland in very windy conditions and usually went there when young for the shooting. She was always travelling for that, so never had proper birthday parties.

She moved to a Brit colony in South Africa. Possibly SA itself, maybe Rhodesia or another colony. There in the 20s or 30s she became ladies golf champion. She got to the finals and was matched against a well known and very good player who was the hot favourite. On the day of the competition it was very windy. The Scottish practice told in her favour and much to the surprise of all she took the cup.

She married Arthur French from Johannesburg on 25th June 1927. We do not know if that was the reason for migration. He was 28 years older than her, born in 1870, and he died aged 65 on 24th September 1935. She then married Robert Stewart Munn on 4th December 1940 in Johannesburg. She later changed her name back to French. Her only child came from the first union. He was Phillip Arthur French, who became a doctor and died of suicide age 35. There is a Capt. P. A. FRENCH, M.B. (478966) recorded in the London Gazette. We do not believe this is him. Win outlived her second husband as well and returned to UK in the 1960s.

Win died on 10th November 1988 in the Clarence Nursing Home in Tunbridge Wells. Mum (Jenifer Keeling, Win's niece) tells us that Win met her brother Arthur's great grand daughter Ruth Keeling in 1983. Mum often visited Win in the nursing home.

Win's full first name was Winifred, nickname Winsome. Mum said she was 'very good looking' - a common failing in the Gibbs family.

Jenifer Keeling (niece), Howard Palmer (son of other niece) told all this to George.

Click for more very old Gibbs photos and comments

More shows from Van - and this time it's family, so you have to come!!

Your cousin Tom Palmer will be working with Van.  DO NOT miss it!!

JV Productions present TOTALLY TOM - at the St James' Studio Theatre on Thursday February 7th - ticket price £12.50 - £15.00 - to book contact www.stjamestheatre.co.uk or telephone 0844 264 2140

or, if you can't wait that long to get your comedy fix, how about 24th January?

Comment

Do you think I will get Cherry to join me there? !!! I'm afraid not, but we will certainly have some fun talking about it!!! Lol Jenny

Posted by: jenifer Keeling | January 11, 2013 at 10:36 AM

The Scottish Play at the Camden People's Theatre

Well who would have thought it was by Will Shakespeare himself? But most importantly my lovely girlfriend, Louise, will be playing the part of Lady Macbeth. Yes, that's right Lady M. The theatre is just by Warren St./ Euston Station so you don't even have to travel to Camden proper.

Anyway, if you fancy a night out in February please come along. I work just around the corner, so it will be very easy for me to drop by for pre/post performance drinks, so what more are you waiting for, well we could try and get Poppy roped in (and don't forget Ruth is now floating in the vicinity).

All the best

Trevor (the younger)

Comment
ooh definitely
Posted by: Carrie | January 04, 2013 at 12:53 PM

Who knows? Feb 24 being my 84th birthday we might turn up! All the best to Lady Macbeth.
Lol Granny and Grandpa
Posted by: jenifer Keeling | January 04, 2013 at 12:21 PM

Than sounds great. Congrats to Louise, break a leg etc. Would love to come along. Count me in. Jo
Posted by: Jo Keeling | January 04, 2013 at 11:45 AM

How exciting. Definitely ... C on hol first two weeks of Feb, so last week for us. Well done Louise!

Posted by: David | January 04, 2013 at 10:44 AM

Ahoy there!

As my previous post said, I have moved onto a canal boat. I have been on board a week so far and it has been very different, a lot of fun and - at times - extremely vexing.
Moving house is always a royal pain and the unpacking just as much - you can't find anything and you come home each evenig from work to a whole evening's work of wandering around finding that the place where the thing from box A needs to go is cluttered with boxes B and C and things in box B and C need to go where boxes E and F are stacked up, so on and so forth. Imagine that in a space 58x7ft. Chaos.
The boat was also really cold the first week. It had been empty a month, so the cold & damp had claimed squatters rights. Plus the wood/coal burner was missing a pane of glass and I couldn't get the new one in place due to a bolt which had become fused to the bolt I needed to take off first. And the timer on the electric heater failed the first two mornings (human error).
The whole idea of renting this boat was to test a long-held romantic notion of life on the water and see if I might buy my own one day, but by Friday night I hated it and thought I had made a massive mistake (as predicted by many friends and acquaintances in recent months).
But, Dad's lovely friends Alex & Gavin visited on Saturday and fixed the burner (Alex) and taught me to make a good fire (Gavin). I have spent the rest of the weekend as snug as a bug in a...boat - and unpacking. There will be more challenges - today I clambered down the side of the boat to fill up the water tank and tomorrow the fuel boat arrives so I need to make sure I don't miss the ;ast delivery of gas & coal until after Christmas - but right now I am back in romantic boat loving mode.
I'm moored just behind Kings Cross, so pop in if you're in the area xxx

For these two photos I am standing in the middle of the boat where the bathroom is. Above is the front of the boat, where my bed is. There is a window/door above the bed to get out to the very front of the boat.
Below is looking over the back of the sofa into the kitchen and the 'front' door where I come in and out. Behind the front door is the engine room and steps out to the wharf. You can see my cat Sasha on the kitchen floor.

This last picture was taken by Mr Alex 'Hero' Galli just after he fixed the burner. You can see how happy I was.

Comments
Apologies, 07939 then the rest. Fooled by my own anti phone bot cleverness
Posted by: Ruth | December 10, 2012 at 11:37 PM

They should! It's the only thing that's going to sort out my housing crisis, and demand already outstrips supply on moorings in the same way it does on houses in London. I'm zero seven one three nine 522355 xxx
Posted by: Ruth | December 10, 2012 at 11:36 PM

FANTASTIC!!! Maybe they'll start building new canals to sort out the housing crisis. Next time I'm up in London I'll phone to see if I'm invited. What's your phone number? xx David
Posted by: David | December 10, 2012 at 04:57 PM

It turns out I do have a postal address! I'll email it to you xxx
Posted by: Ruth | December 10, 2012 at 02:01 PM

I had no idea that you were moving into a canal boat! You are adventurous ! No wonder you didn't want the wing armchair !Hooray for Gavin and Alex fixing the heating! I daresay that you haven't a POSTAL address..... Lol Granny and Grandpa.
Posted by: Jenifer Keeling | December 10, 2012 at 01:00 PM

Wow! It looks very cosy and I hope it proves a great success and everything you hope for. I've arranged to collec the armchair and little table from Carolyn, so that is in hand. Tom

Posted by: Tom the older | December 10, 2012 at 10:24 AM

German Scrabble

We always knew that they have long words in German and I suffered from it yesterday when I played German Scrabble (which Mum gave me) with my Gerald.

I started the game with RING which soon got extended to RINGEN (to ring), Then Gerald came in with the killer and stuck VERB on the front and got the triple word. It was worth 60. It wasn't over. Then he added the D at the other end, then and E and I got in an N giving VERBRINGENDEN by the end of the game. It was a gold mine.

And here's Gerald in his moment of triumph.

If you want to know, VERBRINGEN means to spend (time), so VERBRINGENDEN is the plural of the present participle. It could possibly be used like this:
Meine langen verbringenden Gäste waren charmanten.
My long staying guests were charming.

Comments
It sounds as though you walked into a trap, even if the longstandingguestswerelovely% Tom
Posted by: Tom the older | December 07, 2012 at 12:56 PM

I am most impressed by your command of German ! Completely self taught lol Mum
Posted by: Jenifer Keeling | December 01, 2012 at 11:42 AM

Grandpa's armchair from Buckingham Street

I'm moving out of my flat and have to get rid of a lot of belongings to be able to fit into the new place, including Grandpa's chair from the Buckingham Street flat.

Before I give it away to a stranger, I wondered if any Keelings were interested in it. It needs recovering (I always meant to). There is also a table that goes quite well with the chair. Pictures below.

Also wardrobe, chest of drawers, double bed, bedside tables and shelves. If anyone needs such things xxx Ruth

Comments
Hi Granny/Kate/All
Sorry for not letting you know sooner, but Uncle Tom was quick off the mark with a text about the chair, so it will soon be in Somerset I think.
Bedside tables have gone I'm afraid Kate xx
R
Posted by: Ruth | December 03, 2012 at 07:42 PM

Hi Granny/Kate/All
Sorry for not letting you know sooner, but Uncle Tom was quick off the mark with a text about the chair, so it will soon be in Somerset I think.
Bedside tables have gone I'm afraid Kate xx
R
Posted by: Ruth | December 03, 2012 at 07:40 PM

Oo what's the bedside table like? Also if you ever want to pass on a chair like this again I would happily give it a willing home!
Hope you're well otherwise and good luck with the move! xx
Posted by: Kate | December 02, 2012 at 12:33 AM

Grandpa and I would like the armchair if no one else wants it. We would send it straight to the uphosterer in St. Leonard's. Who made you the pretty little stool wfich is beneath the chair? Lol Granny
Posted by: Jenifer Keeling | November 25, 2012 at 02:49 PM

Christmas Cards & German Bureaucracy

Christmas cards

Send a different kind of Christmas card this year and impress the people you forgot to talk to in 2012. I found a great website for it and the quality of the prints is second to none. CLICK HERE.

German Bureaucracy

Germans have the reputation for being efficient. Don't you believe it. Here are three examples.

1) When you live somewhere you have to register with the local authority. It's a law. I had to queue for two hours in the Rathaus to sign a form which took two minutes.

2) I have still not regularised my National Insurance benefits. I have been trying for three years. The responsible office in Bonn takes four months to answer a letter. HMRC are a model of efficiency by comparison.

3) When I moved into my flat I had major renovations and spent thousands of Euros repairing rotten beams between my flat and my neighbours below. The block management saw the work at the time and agreed to pay the money back to me. That was two years ago. I got the money yesterday.

!!!!!!!! HAPPY CHRISTMAS !!!!!!!!

Comment
Lovely photos Alexander xxx

Posted by: David | November 25, 2012 at 07:13 PM

JVP x 2

A night out with Van's sidekick, oops that'll be Phsychic

A Classy Night of Comedy and Song

Letters Home on Europeana 1914-1918

I found a website that is collecting pictures, letters, postcards, souvenirs and other items from 1914-1918 relating to World War One. It's at www.europeana1914-1918.eu/en. I have put Captain Arthur Gibbs' letters home. (He was Granny's Dad.) It's in a pdf file, which is also here, in case you want it. If you search europeana for 'Gibbs' you can also find it.

Van gets involved with the first theatre to open in central London in 30 years

Van is supplying comedy acts for the newly opened St James' Theatre.

To buy tickets go to: http://www.stjamestheatre.co.uk/events/frisky-mannish-marcel-lucont/

Comments
Great news! I was afraid that you were following the Keeling trend of being ill, and that is why we hadn't heard from you.
Love from and admiring Jenny.
Posted by: Jenifer Keeling | September 10, 2012 at 11:53 AM

Congrats

Posted by: George | September 10, 2012 at 10:38 AM

Rabbits?

1957 Hurst

Uncles Brian, Johnny, Herbert. Dad
Aunts Biddy, Robby (Johnny's 1st wife), Cally. Mum
Cousins Patrick, Sarah. Trevor, Granny, Robert, Grandpa, George
and various dogs.

 1969 Hurst

2011 Hurlingham

Standing: Emma, Tom, Nico & Christa Seitz, Ursula, Siobhan, Edward, Isssie, Ruth, Arthur, Carolyn, Polly, Zac, Paul, Jasper, Van, Alice, Jacquie, Jo, David, Camilla, Poppy, Kate, Tom, Harry, Archie, Trevor, Lizzie, Ted
Chairs: Simon, Trevor, Granny, Grandpa, Rob, George, Jim 
Bums on Grass: Jakob & Emma Seitz, Imogen, Eila, Flora, Jude 

Comment
Great pictures George, or should I say maaaarrvellous for the first two with Grandpa? We have just got back from Madrid where we were staying in a friend's house for a fortnight. All of us had a great time. Temperatures in the high thirties everyday. Tom

Posted by: Tom the older | August 30, 2012 at 12:06 PM

Calling all boy & girl racers

Hello Dear Cousins Aged 11 to 16

Do any of you want to have a race around Silverstone race track?

I have a voucher, which has to be used by September 19. Let me know and I'll send it your way.

Here are the details of what you get http://www.silverstone.co.uk/experiences/driving-days/First-Drive-Super-Choice-Voucher1/

Let me know asap. If no one is interested I'll put it on facebook xxx Ruth

Comments
I think Jude would be too young, as you have to be 11+. No Keelings could take up the offer, but I think a friend's son is going to take advantage.
Posted by: ruth | August 15, 2012 at 02:33 PM

Did anyone take up your offer? Was Jude told about it? Granny.
Posted by: Jenifer Keeling | August 10, 2012 at 11:10 AM

You don't HAVE to be over 16, but they said I'd be pretty bored by it (it was erroneously bought for my birthday). I suppose you could be over 16 & not know how to drive & still enjoy it x
Posted by: Ruth | August 04, 2012 at 01:01 PM

Now that's a good reason to be young again!
Posted by: David | August 04, 2012 at 10:42 AM

Grandpa and I think that Uncle Johnny used to race at Goodwood and maybe at Silverstone. Granny
Posted by: Jenifer Keeling | August 04, 2012 at 10:39 AM

Does it have to be under 16? Seems a bit ageist...
H

Posted by: Harry | August 04, 2012 at 03:37 AM