SILENCE IS GOLDEN

As a young reporter I was once asked to interview three couples who were celebrating their golden wedding anniversaries. What had lead them to a lifetime of love?

One lady blushed at the question, despite her 70-something years. 'The first time he took me out, my hand brushed against his,' she said. ' I remember it felt like electricity running through my veins.'  Her husband merely smiled and took her hand in his.

The second couple swore it was their regular spats that kept the spark alive. 'We enjoy a good argument,' they said in unison. 'But we enjoy making up, too.'

'Did he ever send you a Valentine's card?' I asked.

He gave me a card  on our first date,' his wife smiled.  'And, apart from during the war, he's sent me one every year since.'

The final couple sat in silence: the husband merely nodded and smiled when I asked him a question. 'He's been deaf since the day we met,' his wife explained. 'He reckons that's why we're still married.'

Who was it said Silence is Golden?

Photos courtesy of Hope House Museum, Alstonefield, Nr Ashbourne, Derbyshire 

A View from the Register Office? Great drama, Kay!

If you didn't watch Kay Mellor's new drama on BBC 1 last night, you missed out on her best writing yet. Love, Lies & Records is a new six part series by the BAFTA award-winning writer. The only thing I don't like about it is the title!


According to the hype '...the series follows Registrar Kate Dickenson (Ashley Jensen) as she tries to juggle her personal life with the daily dramas of births, marriages and deaths and the impact they have on her.
After a dream promotion to the top job of Superintendent, Kate finds herself increasingly torn by the endless responsibilities of being a modern working mother. Her daughter’s hiding suspicious messages on her mobile, her son hates her because she’s bought him the wrong trainers and now her stepson’s turned up unannounced to stay.
As Kate tries to hold her work, life and relationship together, things go from complicated to impossible when a disgruntled colleague threatens to expose a secret from her past.'

And what a secret! ( sorry, no spoilers here.)

I'm surprised no-one else has thought of setting a drama in a register office, a place where people find themselves at  the most significant moments of their lives. To me, the unlucky Kate appears far too emotional for the job, taking everyone's personal problems to heart, and yet the viewer is rooting for her all the way. That's the clever bit.

Maybe I like it because the heroine is emotional, vulnerable, and nothing like the strong female professionals we're witnessing more and more on television. A bit like feminism in reverse. Maybe it's because the programme tackles complicated human issues with just the right amount of empathy. Whatever the reason, I'm already looking forward to next week.

A review of the whole series in today's Wall Street Journal is headed A View from the Register Office.

Now that's a great title, don't you think?

Photo courtesy of rollemproductions.co.uk

A taste of my new novel...

GUERNSEY 1941

A full moon cast shadows over the blackened rocks as two figures stumbled along the cliff path.

‘Have you done this before?’  He pulled the brambles aside.

‘Done what?’

‘This walk, in the blackout. If the Germans catch you they’ll shoot.’

‘Not when I’m with you, Reverend Martel, surely?’

‘I’m not immune, Lydia.  The enemy’s still the enemy.’

 ‘And I’m still free.’ She forced her way past him. ‘Why did you have to follow me?’

‘I was worried, that’s all. Tell me what’s wrong.’ A cloud passed over the moon, plunging them into darkness. 

‘Nothing.’ She hesitated.  ‘Well, if you must know, it’s Otto Kruger. I think he suspects something. He’s been behaving strangely recently.’

            ‘Damn the bloody Commandant. I’m sick of hearing you talk about him. I hope he burns in hell.’

‘What do you mean?’ Lydia frowned. ‘You know why I see Otto…’

Martin winced as the name left her lips. ‘Of course I know. And you’re doing a grand job from what I can gather.’

‘A job you asked me to do, don’t forget.’

‘I didn’t ask you, if you remember.’

‘But you didn’t stop me either…’

‘What was I supposed to do?’ Get down on my knees and beg?’ His face contorted.  ‘They’ll give you sainthood after the war and raise a flag on Castle Cornet. “Saint Lydia”-how does that sound?’

‘STOP IT, STOP IT…’  Her hand struck his jaw with a loud crack.

A trickle of blood ran down his chin.

‘I deserved that,’ he said, wiping his mouth with his knuckle. ‘And now, if you’ll excuse me?’  He turned, abruptly, striding back down the path and disappeared into the night.