My (maternal) grandmother was a gentlewoman in the true sense of the word

June 9, 2007 at 8:26 pm | Posted in Lifescape | Leave a comment

Jer1ch0’s note
My (maternal) grandmother was a gentlewoman in the true sense of the word
My (maternal) grandmother was a gentlewoman in the true sense of the word. I remember her as a small grey haired lady who was gentle, quiet and reserved, though never distant. She married a protestant which was, I am sure, a big deal back then. One of my fondest memories is of her singing "Danny Boy" to me when I was very young. The words were from a lyric sheet (blue and black ink) which was a centre piece in a woman’s magazine. I can still see it. Her house was from another time. The walls were over a foot thick. Rooms were small and the stairway steep and narrow. There was an outside toilet and "pisspots" under the bed if you needed to go in the night. She emptied them each morning and then made the beds after breakfast. I recall helping her with these chores. There were sheepskins on the floors of the small bedrooms though I think they were some for the beds on cold nights too. I remember her big double bed that I slept in often in the front bedroom. The pot was white porcelain and placed under the bed midway down and used as needed overnight? I often indulged. The electricity looked like it was added to the place long after it was built. There were framed pictures of my (maternal) grandfather on the walls. He was in his army gear. I don’t recall any informal photos of him at all.

The house was tidy and old fashioned. I never recall a television but have abiding memories of open fires, smokey rooms and playing cards. The kitchen was at the back and I seem to recall porridge for breakfast. We had cornflakes sometimes which were bought for me I am sure. She made the best ever soda bread, replicated by her daughter but perhaps not to the same standard. She had milk delivered by Greta MacGreal, an old lady who had a farm up the road. There is a great passage in the earlier part of James Joyce’s Ulysses which reminds me of Greta.
She had an old singer sewing machine and was a great seamstress, an skill now lost essentially but then a mark of character.

We always went down town to shop ever day I stayed there. I remember getting cup cakes in a bakery (long since gone: Eddie Mayoch’s) with her. We also went to the church (much nicer than our church) and used to light candles and pray for whoever. The church also had electric candles where you put a coin in and pressed a button tho’ I always preferred the traditional ones. we prayed for lost ones. She stayed with us as she got older and was always beautiful.

I played with John Cowley (now a Garda I think) from round the corner and the Holland boys (rough but fair) from down the street. As a kid I always imagined Westport was in England!! (?) We often got a lift there with John McLaughlin a "hackney" driver. I seem to recall it was a two pound, or maybe thirty six shilling one way fee. John often refered to me as a "Mosscheen" another made up word which has entered Mee folklore.

Interestingly I don’t recall the house having a number at all, which by today’s standards is bizarre. It did have a big back garden with veggies and flowers (sweet pea). There were stones steps on the way up. I have a photo of my sister and I sitting on it. It seems like a million years ago. There was a shed too but it was off bounds generally.

Every time I return home I drive by her house. I love to do that. I am not ashamed to say I loved her dearly. I am ashamed to say I don’t recall when she died. She will always be with me.

This business card is worth Rs 1 crore!

June 9, 2007 at 1:53 pm | Posted in Lifescape | 1 Comment

Or USD244866.91

clipped from sify.com

This business card is worth Rs 1 crore!
Mumbai: Gitanjali Jewellers launched their first range of diamond collectibles.

The jewellery brand is understood to have gifted newly-wed Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan a business card with 8,000 diamonds studded in it.
The value of the card is reported to be Rs 1 crore.
The brand has roped in Bollywood actor Perizaad Zorabian to launch the special business card.

The IIFA [International Indian Film Academy] Awards 2007

June 9, 2007 at 12:58 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The IIFA Awards 2007


Acting legend Amitabh Bachchan

IIFA President Amitabh Bachchan

The final decision to hold the prestigious awards in Sheffield was made by IIFA President and Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan, who will be making an appearance at the award ceremony along with Shilpa Shetty, Abhishek Bachchan, Lara Datta, Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani and many other big names.

The award ceremony is to be hosted by the vivacious ex-Miss Universe Lara Dutta and comedy kingpins of Indian cinema Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani.

It’s also been confrimed that Colin Firth, Sienna Miller, Monty Panesar and Emma Thompson are among the big names attending various IIFA events.

The Arena

Zulfi Karim, director of Yorkshire’s bid, had already earmarked the Arena in Sheffield as the venue for the awards, feeling it was big enough and has the infastructure to provide a positive experience for those attending. >

Karim said: “The IIFA [International Indian Film Academy] Awards and the event itself is very much a global event. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get Yorkshire involved as a major destination for events.”

Bollywood Steps

“The UK is one of the largest box office revenue generators for Bollywood films outside India, so we’re hoping to attract people, not just from the region, but nationally and overseas as wel.”

£10m revenue

The international television audience for the awards is expected to be as large as the recent Commonwealth Games, in the region of 400 million, which would certainly raise the profile of our region.

It’s hoped the awards will attract between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors, with a minimum of 8000 people staying an average of three nights in the region… the weekend’s events are expecting to bring in over £10m in revenue.

“The international television audience for the awards is expected to be as large as the recent Commonwealth Games, in the region of 400 million” >
 

Events will include Bollywood Film premieres across the region, with cast and crew attending, and a charity celebrity cricket match at Headingley, featuring some of the biggest names in cricket and Bollywood.

Sheffield will have its own Bollywood fringe festival and events are also taking place in Rotherham and across the rest of Yorkshire.

Amitabh Bachchan says he has full faith in judiciary

June 9, 2007 at 12:16 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Amitabh Bachchan says he has full faith in judiciary…– post by unnikrishna

 

15 Hours,30 minutes Ago

 
 
 
 

Reacting to the controversy over his status as a farmer, Bollywood mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan has said he had full faith in the judicial system of the country and would abide by any decision taken by the courts in the matter.

“A lot of people have asked me about this, but all I want to say is that I have full faith in the judiciary of the country and I will abide by any decision that they take. Further than that any thing that I say on this matter, will not be appropriate as the matter is subjudice,” Bachchan said in Yorkshire on Thursday where he is in connection with IIFA awards function to be held on Saturday evening.”I will be holding a press conference when I get back to India on this matter, but this is not the right platform to talk about this,” he said.

A Faizabad court had last week cancelled the allotment of farmland to the megastar saying the land transfer was made through fraudulent means and held that he is not a farmer.

Bachchan was honoured by the Yorkshire county, which is hosting the awards this year, with a traditional staff resembling a walking stick.

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