Task 50: Track down old friend Neil Simpson for cocktails in Knightsbridge

You may be wondering who Neil Simpson is, what's prompted me to track him down and why I'd be suggesting cocktails in Knightsbridge? All very reasonable questions of course! So here's a bit of background for you....

Neil was one of my older brother David’s best friends when they were students at Oxford.  When I was 16 I had a massive crush on him, and although it was unrequited (after all, he was gay, although I was completely oblivious to such things at the time), he was very kind to me, even to the extent of taking me to an Oxford Uni Eights Week Ball (just imagine the kudos I gained in the Upper Five that year).  After leaving university (and in my case nursing studies), David, Neil and I shared a flat for a while in the posh environs of Knightsbridge, and during the long hot summer of 1976, with none of us yet in permanent jobs, we had plenty of spare time to visit Wimbledon, go to all night horror films, narrowly miss getting caught up in riots at the Notting Hill Carnival and throw an infamous toffs and tarts party (which resulted in us having to write grovelling letters of apology to various titled and thoroughly unimpressed neighbours the next day…..) Here are a couple of photos taken on my 21st birthday (Snoopy is sitting between Neil and me in the first one and my friend Jane is by my side in the second one).

Neil and I lost contact after Andrew and I moved down to Sussex and started producing babies. But I often wondered how he was. And then lo and behold, four years ago I was watching Breakfast News on TV when an item popped up about a controversial building project in Kensington and to my amazement, the person being interviewed (Chair of the local Residents’ Association I'll have you know) was none other than Neil. By then I hadn’t seen him for 35 years. I was beside myself with excitement and tried to track him down through various search engines - but after several attempts I had to admit defeat, and the years continued to pass by.

Until, that is, I was walking dogs with my friend Gillie one morning back in March, got into a conversation with her about what other tasks to add to my then embryonic Sixty at 60 list, and it suddenly occurred to me (yes, another of those light bulb moments – I really must calm down) that finding Neil would be an important and special challenge to include.

So two weeks ago, I duly rolled up my sleeves and started a new Google search – and this time, I actually managed to track down an address listed on a Directors’ Register that seemed to fit the bill for Neil. I penned a hard copy letter to him (just as I would have done 39 years ago), enclosed several photos, stuck down the envelope, took a deep breath and popped the letter into the postbox. Then I waited, heart pounding, just like a lovesick fifth former all over again. I realised that it might all come to nothing - perhaps he wouldn't remember me at all?  Or perhaps our friendship simply wouldn't have meant as much to him as to me? Or perhaps he'd moved? Or.......or.....

But guess what, two days later an email popped up in my inbox - and yes, it was from Neil. Do you know I actually jumped up and down on the spot - another of those fifth-form moments!  We arranged to speak on the phone the following day and when I heard his voice. the years just rolled back. 

I should explain that amidst the happiness of our conversation, I learnt that over the last 18 months Neil has been through a period of very serious ill-health and has had to endure surgery, radiotherapy and two courses of chemo, the second of which he completed just last week.  It's clearly been a torrid time for him but he was incredibly sanguine about it all (that's Neil!) and is rejoicing in the fact that life is beginning to return to some kind of normality again. Needless to say David and I have arranged to meet up with him for those cocktails (NB in Pall Mall rather than Knightsbridge - do hope you'll forgive that slight tweak to the task), so think of us on 7 August - I can't wait....

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Task 46: Learn how to play Year of the Cat riff on the saxophone

So why have I chosen to play the 'year of the cat' riff on the saxophone as my fiftieth task?  Well quite simply because Andrew and I regard year of the cat as our song. We saw Al Stewart singing it for the first time at a concert in 1977 and in a loving gesture I promptly went out and bought the album for Andrew. I even added a personal touch to the front of the album cover - in case you're wondering, it reads (oh dear, this is deeply embarrassing), 'Fur someone paw but purrfect from an intoxicated tabby' – I think the reference to a tabby must have been some kind of in joke between us at the time.

  

However my anxiety levels about this particular task have been creeping up for two reasons:

a)      David H who is an eminent music producer of many years’ standing and knows pretty much everything there is to know about creating music has informed me that the saxophone is a very difficult instrument to play…..in fact he thinks it’s probably the most difficult instrument I could possibly have chosen to play.

b)      Andy T has forwarded on an email from a friend of his who has recently seen Al Stewart in concert and says 'having seen the contortions the sax player went through playing that solo, I wish her luck and your money is safe’. 

With the words of these esteemed gentlemen ringing in my ears I duly attended for my first sax lesson on Wednesday.  My teacher, Sarah Skinner (based in Heathfield) turned out to be an inspirational saxophone guru who in addition to being very relieved that for once she has someone who isn’t asking to play Baker Street, seemed pretty confident that Task 46 is a doable one.  And so to the esteemed gentlemen above, I think the gauntlet is well and truly thrown down!

One of the main aims of my first lesson was to decide whether I wanted to play an alto or tenor sax. I soon discovered that I'd be bearing the full weight of the instrument around my ageing neck, and rapidly concluded that I’d be better off playing the alto sax, which is smaller and lighter than the tenor (although I can assure you it’s not that small or light!) Yesterday I took myself off to the mecca of saxophone stores in the entire world, Sax.co.uk (which as good fortune would have it, is located in Crowborough of all places) to hire myself an alto sax. Here it is on display in the shop (it’s the shiny gold one on the right).  It’s difficult to believe that one day I may actually be able to play that special song on it.

The work now begins and as with my running programme, I shall keep you posted on my progress from time to time.  And I shall wind up this post with Al’s immortal closing lines:

Bur the drumbeat strains of the night remain

In the rhythm of the new-born day

You know sometime you're bound to leave her

But for now you're going to stay

In the year of the cat…….year of the cat........

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Task 35: Read a hard copy of War and Peace

Task 35 on my Sixty at 60 list may not sound exactly cutting edge or inspirational, but nevertheless I do think it’ll require a reasonable amount of effort on my part to complete it. Someone who clearly understands this level of effort is Andy T, who recently wrote to me saying (and I quote) 'Only a sadist would insist on your reading a hard copy of War and Peace (my Penguin edition has 1,444 pages)'.  I’ve just checked my Penguin edition and am delighted to say that it only has 1,399 pages – oh but hang on a moment, that probably means the font in my edition is smaller, which is not a good thing......   

Here's another audacious attempt to get the sympathy vote for Task 35  – if you look at the photo below, the Kite Runner (one of my favourite books of the last decade) is on the left and looming beside it on the right is Tolstoy’s tome. Need I say more?

Some reviewers on Amazon have assured me that W&P is a fantastic read – ‘I finished wishing it was even longer!’ said one and ‘When I got to the end it felt as if a new friend had left’  said another. Could they be friends or relations of the author perhaps?  

I’m going to commence reading Tolstoy’s ‘sprawling epic’ in two days' time (have to finish reading ‘H is for Hawk’ first – can definitely recommend it) - and I may be some time.  

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Task 10: Have a freebie make-up session in a department store

This particular task might seem a rather trivial and self-indulgent one to some, but for me it's definitely a one for the Facing Fears section. In glossy department stores I’ve spent more years than I care to remember head down avoiding eye contact with make-up consultants when walking through the beauty sections. Those perfectly made-up faces, flawless complexions, immaculately painted nails, beautifully styled hair – quite terrifying!  And I’d imagine sitting at a counter having my make-up done whilst hundreds of women (also with perfectly made-up faces etc) were walking past and thinking to themselves 'That poor make-up consultant - she's got a job on her hands there'. But at the same time, my mini phobia has resulted in total ignorance on my part about products and techniques that might be best suited to my maturing years. Hence having a freebie make-up session in a department store seemed a task well worth adding to my list. 

A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking ahead to our forthcoming weekend in New York and had another of my light bulb moments - Bloomingdales is located just a few blocks from the hotel we were due to stay at, so perhaps I could make Task 10 even more challenging for myself and have that make-up session in one of the glossiest department stores in the Western world......?

I identified three strategies to help me complete the task:

1. Head for Bobbi Brown counter (Bobbi Brown's philosophy of ‘be who you are’ sounded good)
2. Book appointment in advance (chance to pre-select understanding make-up artist)
3. Ask Lucy to accompany me to appointment (to act as my protector and stop me from running away)

 And so it was that on 21 June at 2.30pm Lucy and I arrived at the Bobbi Brown section in Bloomingdales. We were late, it was 32 degrees outside and my appearance was glowing to say the least.  But once sitting at the counter in the expert hands of my very welcoming make-up artist, Alison Tam, I began to calm down. I allowed Lucy to take a photo of me without my make-up on (unbelievable) and I very quickly forgot about the people walking past me (NB did they all have perfectly made up faces? I haven't a clue!)

When Alison had completed her work, she gave me a mirror to show me the results and I was actually able to scrutinize my reflection without flinching. I especially loved her very skilful use of eye-liner and the light as a feather foundation (effective but subtle - or ‘pretty powerful’ as Bobbi Brown would say). 

During the make-up lesson I was given loads of make-up tips and ideas without any pressure whatsoever to buy anything. But if there’s one key message I took away from my session, it's that good quality make-up brushes are worth their weight in gold, and so I did splash out on one (along with that fab foundation and eye-liner of course). And now I’m not only the enthusiastic user of a new make-up range, but also potentially a more confident customer at make-up counters in smart department stores. So Fenwicks beauty department in Tunbridge Wells, be warned, I may yet pay you a visit!

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Task 33: Visit the One World Observatory in New York

When I started putting together my Sixty at 60 list a few months ago, I knew that I'd be visiting New York with Andrew and Lucy in June 2015, and since it’s one of my favourite places in the world (and indeed Lucy's favourite place in the world), it seemed only right and proper to include an NY-based task, with the two provisos that it must be a new experience for me and one that would be a fitting tribute to the city.  I thought of taking a trip on the Staten Island ferry….or walking the length of the Brooklyn Bridge….or climbing to the top of the Statue of Liberty. Then I spotted an article in the Times reporting that the Observatory at One World Trade Center would be opening to the public on 29 May, and had a light bulb moment. On each of our weekend trips to New York since 9/11, Andrew and I have made a point of going to the World Trade Center site to watch it regaining its momentum and sense of identity. And so it seemed a fitting task indeed to visit the One World Observatory and celebrate the completion of OneWTC. Within ten minutes of reading the Times article, I had booked tickets for us on 21 June.

We woke up three days ago to the sight of rain, mist and murk in mid-town Manhattan. The weather forecast indicated heavy showers at 11.30 am, the very time at which we were due to be crossing the threshold of OneWTC. However, just as we emerged from the subway, the breeze picked up, the clouds miraculously parted and there soaring high above us was OneWTC shimmering in the sunshine. 

We felt a whoosh of excitement - maybe we'd see more than just a blanket of soggy clouds from the top after all? Once inside the building we joined a long but fast moving queue for the lift, where we watched an amazing 30 second potted history of New York whilst whizzing up 102 floors to the Observatory. We all piled out of the lift and stood in front of a screen to be shown a slickly compiled film of some typical NY montages. Then the screen finally rolled back and oh my word - there was New York's skyline in all its sunlit glory. It was quite a goose-bumpy moment and everyone broke into spontaneous applause (I felt thoroughly American).

The views from the observatory were amazing - the skyscrapers of Manhattan looked like Lego building blocks, tour helicopters buzzed like flies below us, the Statue of Liberty was a tiny figure in the distance, and the river Hudson snaked its way around the city. Every view seemed to demand a thousand and one photos - but here's the most important one, providing you with evidence that I really was there!

 It was a very special experience and I found I had a big smile on my face from start to finish - New Yorkers must be truly proud of what they have achieved. 

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Task 1: progress report on my running programme

My friend Linda asked me a couple of days ago whether I’d actually managed to get out running yet (good point - after all the post setting out my plans to run a 10k only said I was going to start running…..) So here’s some evidence for you Linda! The picture below shows me on my return from my second run this week. I look a bit of a sorry sight (although in my defence I was laying it on thick to try and get some sympathy from Andrew – none forthcoming of course).  The good news is that my ankle seems to be coping well with the shock of returning to running circuits and it did feel nice (for a short time anyway) to be stretching my limbs again.

  

And hot off the press, I’ve now registered for the Tonbridge Running and Riding 10K on 25 October:

Vivien Hunot is entered for Tonbridge 10k Main Entry List on 25-OCT-2015  

http://runningandriding.co.uk/tonbridge-10k/

So Task 1 is cast in a tablet of stone (not an Ed Stone I hasten to add) – no turning back now....

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Task 28: use my senior railcard to visit Liverpool for the day

Just look at what arrived in the post this morning - I think I can now officially call myself a senior.

The next step is to plan my daytrip to Liverpool  - one third off my rail fare courtesy of Senior Railcard.....it's time to embrace becoming a wrinkly!

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