Specialist Subject

[poliphilo]

We're having a run of very hot weather- very hot by English standards, that is- and heat is tiring.

Today we've planned to meet Mike and Su at Batemans- roughly halfway between our two houses. It was their choice not mine. Mike even went to the lengths of explaining to me that Batemans is where Kipling lived. Give me credit, then, for not imposing my Kipling obsession on my kids! I've warned them not to ask me questions about the man, his house, or his works unless they want to receive lengthy answers full of unnecessary detail...

Comments

[lauradi7dw]

I visited Batemans in June 2008 (the Monday near the bottom of my detailed trip report here
https://lauradi7dw.dreamwidth.org/132166.html ). Before I saw "My Boy Jack" on TV, I didn't know anything about it, or about Kipling's family, but when I was there I emotionally touched the door frame where Jack carved his initials, (also looked for and found his name among the others on the WWI memorial in the town center).

[lokbiiviing]

How hot is hot?

Well, I wish you a very pleasant day, despite all! Similar thing happened to my mother recently, when some people congratulated her for visiting the town that our national poet lived in. Culture! I think she has told them that her family from her father's side hails from that town and her uncle ran a very posh book shop there... She took me there, because she wanted to show me around.

I would say sarcastically that it is so nice when people listen, but I'm sure that I have insulted people in a similar manner sometime, myself.

[poliphilo]

My Boy Jack is a pretty good film. And pretty accurate too , I think.

[poliphilo]

My grandmother worked on Kipling's farm during the Great War- when women took the place of men in key industries who'd gone into the military. She was warned that Mrs Kipling was "a tartar" but took the job anyway because she was a fan.

I inherited her fandom.