falling light

I’ve recently fallen in love with this painting (‘The Accolade’ by Edmund Blair Leighton). The light, the solemnity, his down-looking eyes, her hair: beautiful.

 

I noticed it in my friend's house a few weeks ago. She had a copy of it hanging right as I walked in the front door.

I was pretty pleased with myself I have to admit because, without knowing anything about it, I was able to guess that it was a picture of Guinevere and Lancelot and that it looked vaguely pre-Raphaelite. Useful to know that – as well as being able to work out the metre of old poems, the difference between finite and non-finite verbs, and other such useful life skills – my English degree has equipped me with painting-recognition talents. Huzzah! Someone employ me, quick!

♥

doppelgängers.

In work on Friday, around dinner time, the cafe started filling up. It had been quiet all day (like, tumbleweed kind of quiet). In the space of about half an hour though the place was buzzing.

Taking orders, setting tables, scraping dishes – for the next few hours, we were all scurrying about trying to keep on top of everything, trying to make sure all the customers were happy. And then, as always happens, (practically) everyone decided to leave at the same time.

one

(I actually think customers plan this out before they leave their houses. They probably send each other secret messages via some sort of underground ‘customer communication’ system.

‘Right, folks,’ they say to each other, ‘come the stroke of seventeen minutes past eight, we will all ask for our bills, we will all pay our dues, and then, without looking back, we will all vacate the premises, leaving a daunting array of dirty tables behind us!’)

two

We tried to clean up the mess as quickly as possible - stacking teacups, gathering napkins, wiping down tables. While we tidied, two ladies sat sipping their tea and watching us.

‘You’re doing a grand job there,’ one of them said to me while I was tidying up close beside them.

three

♥

Later on, when the place was much tidier and the two ladies were getting up to leave, the other one took my hand and said:

‘I know where your double is in the world.'

‘Oh really?’ I said, expecting her to say that she knew my sister, or my mum from somewhere.

four

‘Yes,’ she said looking me straight in the eye. ‘Munich!’

‘Oh!’ I said.

‘Yes,’ and she raised her eyebrows meaningfully. ‘They say that everyone in the world has a double out there, don’t they? Well, yours is in Munich, and she’s my niece. The two of you... so similar. Beautiful!’

‘Thank-you...’ I said. And she squeezed my hand, then let go of it to button up her coat. And away she went.

five

♥

People are always telling me that I look like other people. Some obvious ones like: 'You look so much like your Mum!' or 'You and your sister must be twins' or (weirdly) 'Your brother and you look exactly the same!' I have also been told by quite a few different people that I look like all of the people dotted around this blog post.

six

In order: 1.) Rapunzel* from Tangled, 2.) Amelie Poulain from Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (this is actually my favourite film, and character-wise I think I am quite similar to her), 3.) the character Alice Cullen from the Twilight series (not a big fan), 4.) Carey Mulligan (...apparently!), 5.) Bonnie from Toy Story 3, and 6.) Katie Holmes.

Funny!

♥

(*oddly enough, my spell-checker didn’t recognise the word ‘Rapunzel’. Obviously my computer is quite uncultured!)

I should invest in a compact mirror.

While sorting through the pictures on my phone, I noticed that I have about four hundred and eleven* photos of the back of my head.

'But why?’ I (don’t actually but will imagine for the purposes of this post that I) hear you ask.

 

It’s not because I particularly like to look at the back of my head (although, you know, I am glad it’s there). It’s more because I’m trying to check for unruly hairs in order to flatten them. I tend to attack my hair with millions of kirbie grips to keep it up and in the process, little strands of hair tend to stick straight up ...which (to the UFO-fearing-eye) can make it look like I have antennae coming out my head.

To answer your question then (yes, I know you didn’t actually ask it, but play along with me here), I take these pictures to try and reassure the people walking behind me that I am, in fact, human. I take them to avoid having to overhear whispered conversations like this:

‘Is - is that an alien walking on front of us, Fred?’

‘I’m not sure, Mabel. It doesn't appear to be. It’s got arms and legs like us, and I can’t see any green skin.’

‘I know that Fred. But the antennae? What about the antennae, Fred? They look quite extra-terrestrial-ish to me.’

Fear not humans. I am one of you! 

(*note: possibly a slightly exaggerated number. Anyway... I should actually be writing an essay just now so cheerio!)

I haven't been eaten by an aligator.

♥

I’m just about to go and read more about “free indirect discourse” in Sense and Sensibility (WONDERFUL! I hate exams with a passion, but I like studying for them – learning and remembering interesting ideas). I thought I’d pop on here first though just to say I’m still alive and I’ve not abandoned this blog. I’ve just been busy with studying and whatnot. ‘Whatnot’ includes: 

♥ sitting outside for lunch as much as possible, while the sun lasts

♥ watching the royal wedding (what a beautiful dress. Yes, a lot of hype and 'pomp' - what a funny word - but it's nice to see a celebration on the news for a change, and to have an opportunity to laugh at ridiculous hats)

♥ getting my hair cut (it was getting quite long – so long, in fact, that everyone very kindly took it upon themselves to remind me how much I suit short hair. My sister actually dialled the number of the hair dresser for me, so I decided to take the hint, ha ha. It does look less messy.)

♥ going to see the Alice in Wonderland ballet (by the Scottish ballet – it was quite dark and wonderfully bizarre.)

♥ working in the cafe at the weekends (busy, very busy)

♥ making up songs about vegetables with my brother while making the dinner (‘Carrots on the Floor’ and ‘Fruit Salad (Ba-na-na-na-na)’. Expect updates on the release date of our EP soon).

♥ listening to: this song (I love, love, love Mumford and Sons)

Back to studying now! I will write more soon. Promise.

Pictures from: here.