And The Consequence Was

I want the pond to be attractive to ducks- so I've been enlarging it.

Last time I did a lot of digging I hurt my back- so I was being very careful not to overstrain it...

...But I didn't give a thought to the willow tree that overhangs the pond and how it was showering me with pollen...

And the consequence was that my sinuses woke me up in the early hours of the morning and I had to take an antihistamine and drink a mug of lapsang souchong to get them to settle down a bit...

The Winter's Tale

The Winter's Tale is my favourite Shakespeare play.

I don't mean that it's his best, just that I love it the best.

And the reason I love it the best is because its the only art work I know- in any medium- that can be relied on to make me cry.

I've been watching the RSC production that's currently available on the BBC i-player. It isn't a particularly good production- but that's by the by. I'd prefer it if Autolycus and the clown made me laugh but if they don't I know Perdita and Florizel will be up next and they'll make me weep happy tears because their lines are so beautiful- and then- after a bit more buggering about- we'll come to the statue scene which'll have me sobbing out loud.