When she released her new album ‘My Heart’ in 2011 she became the oldest artist to enter the UK’s top ten album charts. This Telegraph interview of Doris by Paul McCartney is short and rather sweet, even if Macca interjects a little too much about himself for my liking. I consider them both as heroes of mine for two reasons; their music and their dedication to raising awareness of animal rights. I have found that people who care about animals are usually people of quality and these two are good examples of that.

One of my favourite North Cornwall beaches, it was good to return to Mawgan Porth in September. Scarlet’s so frisbee/ball obssessed she ends up swallowing half of the sand as she tears around the beach. Luckily there is enough of the yellow stuff to go round.

We stayed in a sweet little dog-friendly cottage near Tintagel, North Cornwall that was surprisingly spacious with great facilities (www.welcomecottages.co.uk).  Gizbo bagsied his spot by the window where would spend hours sitting absorbing the warm sunshine. The garden was enclosed with a wall so we could even let them off for a run about without worrying too much.

It was the day before we had to head home. I suggested we go for a quick walk before dinner with the dogs and remembered that there was a path near our cottage. We found it and it led to a field in which some cows grazed over the far end. There was an arrow showing the direction and there was right of way so we thought no more of it. We would keep the dogs on a lead and figured we wouldn’t have to go anywhere near the cows so we climbed the stile and crossed the field.

We soon realised that the next field was full of more livestock so we decided to turn back and call it a day. As we got halfway across the cows noticed us and started to head our way at a bit of a pace. Tom was right by the gate we had entered through and as he had the dogs I asked him to take them out of the field. Being 200 ft behind him before I could reach the gate the 15 cows had surrounded me. Then a swift glance Southward told me that these weren’t cows at all but … bulls.

Being in a field with one bull is bad enough but 15…it is safe to say I wasn’t sure how this was going to pan out. With an agility I never knew I had I then leapt over the barbed wire fence that lined the field and stood wedged within the one foot of space that it allowed. The bullocks stood around for a bit, one or two agressively shaking their head from side to side before they got wind of the dogs on the other side of the gate and headed that way. I tried to climb back out but it proved more difficult now the adrenalin was ebbing away. Trouble was I couldn’t see the bullocks as they were over the brow of the hill now and I had no idea which way to head. I knew I shouldn’t run. I didn’t want to stay there when it got dark, so swallowing my pride I rang the local Police and asked them to call the farmer who owned the field to see if he/she could come to my rescue.

After some patronising suggestions which I had anticipated (climb over the barbed wire and calmly place one foot in front of the other Madam) they located the farmer. Twenty minutes later a young guy was helping me over the barbed wire and walking me across the field to the opposite side. “I will see the comedy of the situation later” I told him as we crossed but he was great and didn’t make me feel like a out-of-their-depth city dweller. I was halfway across before I realised that this wasn’t the farmer at all but a local who Tom had asked for help. He said he could see why I was worried as the bullocks were a bit testy at the moment and that I should think of them as teenage boys. They spotted us and tried to head us off at the pass but we just beat them to it and climbed over to safety. My rescuer was George Stoy and I would like to thank him. George is a professional surf and alpine sports instructor and runs a The George Stoy Surf School in Cornwall.

Port Isaac – once an active harbour – is a charming little place and the location of the much loved TV series ‘Doc Martin’. Before walking down the steep slopes to the water past the old cottages either side we stopped at The Smiling Sardine for a gorgeous fish pie. The food here is really very good and not too expensive. Try the Knickerbocker Glory which you can have with or without alcohol. Not being a fan of squirty cream as a topping they happily swapped it for clotted cream on my request. One overheard comment from a satisfied customer at a nearby table: “your fish and chips knock Rick Stein’s into a cocked hat”. Can’t say fairer than that. Cheers.

See my full review on www.Reviewedonline.co.uk

Read my Screenjabber review here.

Read my review here:

A sofa, table and toy train all made from sand © Jane O’Connor 2011

With tickets to see Danny Boyle’s acclaimed stage play Frankenstein in our hot little hands, we climbed down the stairs at Blackfriars Bridge and headed towards the National Theatre along the Southbank. There were people below us on the banks of the Thames building spectacular sandcastles. Sandcastles is the wrong description; more like sand features. My first thought was that the Thames must be as clean as they say these days for people to get as close as that. I heard you can even fish in the Thames now, just like my Dad did years ago when he was a child. The sand artists encouraged donations and people gamely tried to get their coins into the yellow bucket below. I did too. I missed.

Free hugs on the Southbank © Jane O’Connor 2011

Onwards past well-trodden landmarks like the Oxo Tower and Gabriels Wharf with its busy restaurants and on to the National Theatre itself. Past us went a piano on wheels, at the helm was a man dressed in top hat and tails playing tunefully as he peddled past. By the book stalls outside the National is a drinking establishment complete with outdoor seating and deck chairs. It was way too early to go in the theatre yet and we needed no convincing to flop in one of those comfy chairs and quench our thirsts in the sunshine. Then, as if by magic, five or six people arrived on the Southbank offering strangers ‘free hugs’, complete with banners, signs and enthusiastic smiles. From our vantage point in the

Tom outside the National before his free hug © Jane O’Connor 2011

comfort of our chairs we watched each new person’s reaction as they realised what they were walking into. Would they or wouldn’t they take their free hug? It was fun to guess. A surprising number of people did just that and – British cynicism aside for a minute – I have to say there was something incredibly joyful about it.  Complete strangers hugging each other in the middle of a crowded area of Central London; a simple and profound act all rolled into one.  And in case you’re wondering, yes we both took our free hugs thank you very much.

An after show 'chat' with a star of stage and screen © Jane O’Connor 2011

We hadn’t entered the National yet and it already felt like we’d seen a lot. As we entered the theatre we paused to listen to the Swing band playing to a packed audience in the foyer before heading up to our seats. Frankenstein was even better than I anticipated. It was hard not to have a visceral response to the opening scene and the sight and sound of a grunting, shuddering and naked Creature as he breaks free of his man-made cocoon. This was a clever adaptation; rather than focus on the mechanics of the Creature’s creation Boyle dives right in to the point when he’s already been created. This allows the focus to rest on the relationship between Frankenstein and the Creature and makes room for exploration of the concept of what it is to be a Man. The lighting was mesmerising and had a big part to play in shaping the atmosphere in the theatre. The two leads, Benedict Cumberbatch as Frankenstein and Johny Lee Miller as the Creature were outstanding and I stood to applaud, something I don’t do very often.

Outside, by the Royal Festival hall a chocolate festival was in full swing. Stalls were selling chocolate bookmarks, chocolate beer and all manner of cocoa inspired goodies. From there

Dim Sum at Ping Pong © Jane O’Connor 2011

we headed into Ping Pong restaurant for cocktails like my Elderflower Saketini, with Sake and Elderflower liqueur among the ingredients. This was just okay for me, I love Sake but having tasted the cocktail I think Sake should be drunk hot from a flask. The quality of the dim sum was a bit hit and miss but overall a decent meal and not at rip-off prices which was a refreshing change for Central London.

This is an account of what can be seen should you take a stroll down to ol’ London Town on a sunny day in Spring.

Here's hoping this is the right platform © Tom Shyu 2011

On the train to Nyugati station the conductor came through for tickets, went to disembark and Tom chose that moment – the moment his foot touched the platform – to ask him a question. The train pulled away yet the conductor jumped back on to assist. That’s the kind of thing I’m talking about. Can’t see a National Rail employee doing that, can you?

Glorious sunshine throughout so no need for our Kagools and I even had to buy a T-shirt to cover my sunburnt neck. Weatherwise we could have been in the Med.

Tom and I travelled with my nephew Christian and his girlfriend Tiffany before the metro took us different ways to our hotels on either side of the river.

Tom with Hungarian lager ouside our hotel © Jane O'Connor 2011

They were staying on the Buda side, we on the Pest. We dragged our suitcases along Vaci Utca for a while before realising that we could have stayed on two stops longer and been delivered practically to the hotel’s doorstep. Still, we decided that it gave us a chance to check out the many shops and restaurants along the way. Right at the end of Vaci Utca, just before Fovam Ter and the Market Hall we found the Cosmo Fashion Hotel on the right. Very purple and black but also very clean.

Just time for a quick shower then out again for our 6pm appointment with Gabor at the Faust Wine Cellar at Buda Castle for our wine tasting session. As instructed we entered via the bowels of the Hilton hotel and together the four of us descended the staircase to the increasingly cold cellar below.  The little lights all around began to twinkle more invitingly with each step. When we reached the room below Gabor gaily greeted and seated us at a table by a crevice in the stone which was illuminated with candles. Medieval music played in the background.

Faust wine cellar © Jane O’Connor 2011

Along with savoury scones to soak up the alcohol we tasted all manner of Hungarian wines, from dry and sweet whites to light and heavy reds. Gabor provided background information on each wine and even held a map up to show us from where it originated.  He described each wine’s bouquet and unique flavour while we nodded, sipped and sometimes ventured our own interpretations. Definitely one of the highlights of our trip.

Second Day: Our first morning in this great city started by meeting Christian and Tiffany for coffee on the viewing terrace at

Enjoying the sun and views at Fisherman's Bastion © Jane O’Connor 2011

Fisherman’s Bastion, with its far-reaching views that stretch across to the Pest side and along the Danube. The fenicular railway that normally ferries people up was not open so we took the #16 bus all the way up and walked the rest. From there we walked around Mattias Church and Castle hill. The others had enough energy to take them onto Gellert Hill but me and Tom called it a day and took the #16 bus to the Pest side and the #2 tram to Market Hall.

Near Market hall we found a busy restaurant in a square just a stone’s throw from the Danube.  We sat outside in the sun sipping Anna lager, watching the Danube flow past and listening to an accordion player.  Having made it up to Gellert hill, it wasn’t long before Christian and Tiffany made it over Liberty bridge and joined us for drinks in the sun. There were no stray dogs to be seen, just well cared for ones walking with their owners or playing ball in the square.

Jane and Christian in Market Hall © Tom Shyu 2011

After we had drained all the enjoyment we could out of the novelty of sitting in the sun in March (and hearing songs like Danny Boy on accordion) we walked the 50 yards across the square to the mightily impressive Great Market Hall. This was quite something; it was baffling and impressive at the same time to see dozens and dozens of stalls selling exactly the same great quality produce like cheese, meat, fruit and veg. How do they all make a living? Upstairs is divided – half are tourist driven souvenir stalls while the other seem to cater for locals hankering after their fried pizza.

Come the evening we headed up Vaci Utca and its many restaurants along the way before

At Fa Mo's Music Club © Jane O’Connor 2011

settling on a crowd pleasing Italian/Hungarian restaurant for a decent meal. Then off to find Fat Mos Music Club . When we got there the duet ‘Destiny’ were due on as the entertainment for the night. I wondered whether it would be the same Destiny of ‘Sing it Stella’ X-Factor fame but it wasn’t and I didn’t know whether to feel relieved or not. Destiny sang along quite well to recorded music while we downed a few cocktails and politely declined continual staff requests that we eat something.

After Fat Mos we found a Irish bar still open and this is where we downed our first Palinkas (tasted would be wrong) and where they also sold the beer Delirium Tremens, a beverage that was new to me but I won’t forget the pink elephant logo in a hurry.

St. Stephen's Basilica © Jane O’Connor 2011

Day Three: A slower pace today (no surprises there), Tom and I took a slow walk along the banks of the Danube, booked tickets for a Danube Cruise later than evening and visited St Stephen’s Basilica. There was a rock band setting up when we got there so we sat on the steps of the Basilica listening to them for an hour eating ice-cream in the sunshine. We slowly headed back and had pizza in a restaurant by our hotel on the Vaci Utca. It was interesting to see the different techniques staff use from each competing restaurant to persuade tourists that theirs is the best.

Later we took the cruise along the Danube, watching each building light up until Buda and Pest was a

In Horgasztanya Etterem restaurant © 2011

blur of golden and white lights. Budapest knows how to light up its banks – it was spectacular to see and hard to forget. We opted out of the food option on the cruise but the smell wafted up so some of us were pretty hungry by the time we disembarked. We headed across Chain bridge to our pre-booked restaurant with its menu offering dishes like Hungarian fish stew, trout, cajun catfish, paprika chicken. Overall it offered pretty decent food at reasonable prices. A cosy, unpretentious place full of locals with fun furnishings, like the upside-down fisherman & boat that hangs from the ceiling.

We stopped off at a pub next door for a few nightcaps…which included a fantatic cherry brandy licquor that was delicious and not too sweet. Apparently very difficult to get hold of, all I could see from the bottle’s label was the word ‘Meggy’. After a great evening Tom and I walked back across Chain bridge to our hotel on the Pest side, aware of the time 01.00hrs and of our surroundings but minus any real concern. Even in the early hours Budapest felt safe and for a city, that is some achievement.

Jane on seesaw in South London park © Jane O’Connor 2011

Amazing place to hail from though, is Kennington. Stand on a certain corner and you can see the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben while the good old Thames is a ten minute walk away. Kennington Tube station and all the buses you could wish for make it easy to get anywhere at the drop of a hat. These things I took for granted and now miss.

I go to Central London every month or so, but when I go back to Kennington/Waterloo I feel I am returning to Me,  my beginnings and consequently all the things I lost while I was there. The fibre of the place is the fibre of me and any change to the landscape or ugly new building can feel like a personal affront. So a trip there can be pretty emotive, yet I feel compelled to do it and at least once every couple of years.

Reminds me of a memory of Michael Caine’s, recorded in his brilliant autobiography ‘What’s it all about?’. Being from the same neck of the woods as me he has a

Kennington Lane © Veronica Bain 2007

similar compulsion to return every now and then, see how the old place is faring. Once he was standing in the Elephant and Castle, just looking. He turned around and saw Charlie Chaplin (another Kenningtonian) lost in thought doing exactly the same. He went over to Chaplin who didn’t know him from Adam and asked what he was doing there. Chaplin replied that he comes back rvery now and then to just look at the place. Not sure what it is about the place but me and my compulsions seem to be in good company.

Before the show we walked along the South Bank with the sun following us all the way. We went past Gabriel’s Wharf (where I’ve had many a pasta and beer with friends), The National Gallery and then down Waterloo Road.  (As a teenager I was walking in Waterloo one day and was approached by a middle-aged American couple. The woman asked me “Honey, do you know where we can find The Gap? We’re looking for The Gap.’ It took much scratching of heads before I realised that they weren’t trying to find a well-known clothes store at all but the road on which we were standing: The Cut. She recognised that it was correct, we laughed for a bit, I felt very pleased with myself and we went our separate ways. Memory duly stored.

Outside the National Gallery © Jane O’Connor 2011

On the corner of the Cut we went into one of those little art galleries where most paitings are £3000 upwards before feeling sufficiently uncomfortable enough to leave. On to Tas (a decent Mediterranean restaurant, The Cut) for the lovely Halloumi cheese and stuffed vine leaves before heading into the theatre.

Vernon God Little is about a young guy wrongly accused of the massacre of his schoolmates in the States. It turned out to be one of the funniest plays I’ve seen in a long time. I don’t often laugh out loud at the theatre (the last time was at a press screening of the Producers with Nathan Lane and Lee Evans in the lead roles) but a perfect combination of excellent cast, writing and production left no funny bone untickled. Even the most unlikely audience members were clapping along at the end.

~ One of my least favourite months of the year and a time to hibernate, eat and do very little else. Saw the King’s Speech which deserves its many accolades,  went to a press screening (I Am Number Four), had some lovely sushi on Valentine’s day, tried a new local Thai restaurant and ordered some new hedging plants for front garden. That was February, in a nutshell.  Roll on March.

JANUARY 2011

~ Press visit to Chewton Glen Luxury Hotel & Spa. We stayed in the Marryat Suite and it was an insight into extravagance. In the Spa I had the Ananda facial and a foot scrub with 150 million year old Himalayan salts. More to come in my review shortly.

DECEMBER 2010

~ Gullivers Travels press screening at Leicester Square. Got a caricature done and posed for a digital interpretation of me as Gulliver tied up by Lilliputians. My stomach isn’t that big….really. As for the film, it was just okay and anything starring Jack Black is okay by me.

Jane at Gulliver's Travels press screening © Jane O’Connor 201

Jane as Gulliver © Jane O’Connor 2010

~ My nephew Martin and his fiance Christina were over from the States and it was great to

Jane with family in Cambridge

see them. We took a trip to Cambridge and its many colleges, we ate in Wagamamas and finished off with a drink in The Eagle. The Eagle is the pub where Crick and Watson are said to have discussed their theories for DNA and the the ceiling is completely covered by the writings of RAF officers who used lighters to leave their mark.

Ceiling of The Eagle, Cambridge © Jane O’Connor 2010

Jane, Times Square, NY © Jane O’Connor 2010

~ In New York. The taxi driver who picked us up from JFK airport loaded our luggage in his boot then tried to close it. After a few slams the dodgy boot stayed shut. Apart from quoting us the fixed rate to Manhatten he said very little else and mumbled monosyllabic to our questions but didn’t stop talking to his friends via his mobile. Three times I had told him the address of our hotel in Manhatten.

Jane and Tom Central Park, NY © Jane O’Connor 2010

As we hit downtown Manhatten I interupted his phone call to check for a fourth time he knew the hotel address in Upper West Manhatten. Furious, he spun around to bark the correct address incredously while accusing us of giving him the wrong address and the run around. Back on the phone I could hear him tutting, cussing and telling his friends – in his own language – that a passenger in his cab had given him the wrong address. At break neck speed he cut in and out of cars giving us whiplash into the bargain.

Wollman Rink, NY © Jane O'Connor 2010

At last he angrily screeched to a halt outside our hotel. I gave him the amount which included a decent tip but which meant that I was still owed $5. He sat there without giving me my change. I asked for my $5 dollars while Tom was left to unload all of our luggage from the boot without assistance. He said “I will give you the $5″ but made no move to do

Angels by the Rockerfella Centre, NY © Jane O’Connor 2010

so then ”get out of the taxi madam”. I replied “if you are going to give me my $5 back why  are you asking me to get out of your taxi?”. It had ceased to be a matter of money but was now a matter of principle and a battle of wills. At last he cussed, rummaged about and threw the $5 note at me and I got out of the cab. He immediately screeched off causing passers-by to look over in surprise. He only got 100 yards before his boot flapped open comically and he was forced to pull over, get out and slam it shut. Poetic justice perhaps.

Jane, Empire State Building, NY © Jane O’Connor 2010

I didn’t let the taxi ride skew my opinion and found most of the New Yorkers to be interesting, friendly and accommodating. Youths in hoodies walk the streets with their chihauhaus and don’t seem to align their street-cred or masculinity to the type of dog they have. Has to be a good thing and fascinating to see. Being a Londoner by birth New York to me is a faster, brighter version with taller buildings and better breakfasts.

Amazing to be there but after our eight nights in the city that never sleeps I was ready to leave.

OCTOBER 2010

~ You gotta love Autumn.

Autumn © Jane O’Connor 2010

SEPTEMBER 2010
~ Our trip to Ireland started with a detour to Youghal, Cork, a homage to my late father and the time he spent there in the 50s while filming ’Moby Dick.’ He spoke of the little

Photos from inside Moby Dicks Pub, Youghal © Jane O’Connor 2010

seaside town with affection and shared some funny stories with me about the mishaps and delays along the way.

I wrote in the visitors book and spent a good while studying the dozens of photographs that adorned the walls. He wasn’t visible in any of them but, as I wrote in the visitors book: I know he was in each one, working hard behind the scenes doing a job he absolutely loved.

Gregory Peck getting off boat with my dad behind © Jane O’Connor 2010

We stayed in Glenbeigh a quiet little village in Kerry with a few restaurants and pubs, perfect for exploring the Ring of Kerry. We drove anti-clockwise round the ring – as per

Jane, Ring of Kerry © Jane O’Connor 2010

tourist website advice – and it was absolutely stunning. The days were sunny, the sky and sea such a deep blue that we could have been forgiven for thinking we were in the Meditteranean at times.

Outside our cottage with view of Dingle Bay © Jane O’Connor 2010

From our little cottage we could see Dingle Bay and the huge garden was perfect for our two terriers. I enjoyed having a real fire, Tom had the knack of getting the best out of it so I left him to it.

Killarney National Park was another highlight. Vast and rugged, we had fun exploring the little nooks and crannies dotted around the place. Great place to walk dogs but overall the

Tom and dogs at Killarney National Park © Jane O’Connor 2010

parts of Ireland we visited didn’t have much opportunity for off-road walks. After a long drive it is handy to be able nip out for 10 minutes with poo bags in hand, but our dogs had to cross their legs for quite a long time before we found anywhere suitable. That’s one aspect of the trip that made me thankful for the many off road walkways and paths open to us all in England.

Rossbeigh Beach, Co. Kerry © Jane O’Connor 2010

The beaches, on the other hand, were gorgeous and dog-friendly all year round. This is a photo of Rossbeigh, a blue flag beach just a stone’s throw from where we were staying. It was huge, empty and absolutely beautiful.

AUGUST 2010

~ Enjoying The Great British Bake Off on BBC2 and just love Mel and Sue – it’s been too long since they co-presented something on TV. I am pretty envious of these clever people creating such amazing cakes and pastries, particularly the guy who has a uniquely ornate sense of style. One of his designs was a cake that resembled a forest floor with leaves and acorns lovingly represented in minute detail – loved it!. I don’t have any aspirations in that direction; I know what I’m good at and it ain’t a’baking.

One of my last attempts was a fruit cake/loaf in school that was so rock hard my dad jokingly used it as a doorstop for the day. And I forgot the sugar in my lemon meringue tart so it turned into soup. Now I look back I can see why the Home Economics teacher was infuriated by me, but the feeling was mutual. Hated every last minute of it and it didn’t help with the teacher shouting over our whisking that we should all try to get it right to please our future husbands or they would leave us …

Tom in Shaftesbury © Jane O’Connor 2010

~ Had a fantastic weekend in Dorset and Hampshire this month on a press visit.  Found time for a walk round the New Forest.

Pony in the New Forest, Hampshire © Jane O’Connor 2010

The Grosvenor Hotel and Christchurch Harbour Hotel are both unique in their own way and set at almost opposite ends of Dorset whch made for a good overview of this beautiful county.  Reviews to follow.

~ Loving Malaysian food at the moment and we even tried our hand at a few dishes this month. Seeing as it was our first attempt they turned out pretty good! Assam Fish and coconut rice with a dessert of Kuih Dadar, a rice flour crepe filled with coconut and palm sugar … gorgeous. We were inspired by our visit to The Malaysian Restaurant in Stony Stratford which I reviewed for Malaysia Kitchen recently.

JULY 2010

~ Visited Wroxham in Norfolk this month for a press visit to Broad House Hotel. Gorgeous grounds and plenty of places to walk the dogs. Full of character and history plus the food is excellent too – review to follow.

With Scarlet on Broad House hotel’s private quay. Will she, won’t she? She did jump in the end.

Broad House private quay © Jane O’Connor 2010

Broad House Hotel © Jane O’Connor 2010

~ After a considerable amount of time we have scanned and digitally stored all of our old and new photos. Here’s a few we did earlier:

My dad Martin O’Connor during WW2.

Martin O'Connor wearing his uniform © Jane O’Connor 2010

My mum Ada O’Connor. She didn’t like this photo of herself but I love it.

Ada O'Connor © Jane O’Connor 2011

~ Visited Cafe Luc in Marylebone the other day for a review; great brasserie with fantastic food and comfortable seating. The latter tends to grow in importance once past the age of 30.

Tom with kite © Jane O’Connor 2010

~ Yesterday we went off for a family picnic in a wildlife reserve complete with views of villages, rolling hills and munching cattle. Our dogs chased frisbees while my nephew and brother-in-law flew their kite nearby. As my little niece said: “what a lovely way to spend a Saturday, very relaxing”. I also discovered her word for someone who’s had too much to drink: she refers to them as ‘overwhelmed’; nice description of intoxication so I’ve added it to my lexicon and there it will stay.

~ We tried a great Japanese Sushi restaurant by the Quayside when we were in Cambridge this month: Teri Aki. On the expensive side but the food was fresh and delicious. It was warm and we were seated half in and half outside. The atmosphere outside was fantastic; a holiday type vibe with crowds of relaxed people standing drinking and talking by the river as the nearby punting business enjoyed a brisk trade.

~ I’ve started buying ’Empire‘ magazine as recommended by my nephew Martin. One of the films it recommended was ‘Departures’; a brilliant Japanese story about a man who applies for a job after seeing it advertised as ’Departures.’ To him the name speaks of travel and far flung destinations but instead finds himself working in the funeral business. Darkly funny and very moving.

~ Just finished reading Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and it’s now up there as one of my top 5 favourite books. It joins good company like: To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) and Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte). Having seen John Mills as Pip in the film I thought I knew the story pretty well, but the book is a whole different thing. Absorbing, detailed and surpringly witty.

JUNE 2010
~ Enjoying the glorious sunshine and balmy evenings and trying to fit in a few pub garden sessions while it is still warm. It’s gotta be done! The wasps, bless them, are a bit of a  nuisance but the mosquitos seem to be leaving me alone these days. I used to be their favourite meal of choice; a position I am happy to relinquish.

~ I organised a gathering at my house with family members meeting others they had not met before or seen for years. It was a very special day for me and hopefully the first of many similar events.

~ Watched all of England’s disappointing matches. What can I say? Everything’s been said already and then some. The linesman should have gone to Specsavers.

MAY 2010
~ I saw Ed Tudor Pole (of Crystal Maze and Tenpole Tudor fame) having breakfast in a hotel lounge.Not one person seemed to recognise him. I wanted to tell him that I thought he was great but didn’t want to appear sycophantic so I left him munching on his toast in peace.

~ Giving the house a lick of fresh paint and can’t believe the difference it makes.

~ My review of The Fox at Willian is now up online.

APRIL 2010
~ Met my new great nephew for the first time yesterday and what a little cutey he is.

Jane with great nephew © Jane O’Connor 2010

~ First night of Ricky Gervais’s show ‘Science‘ at Wembley Arena and I was one of the lucky c***s who got a ticket (this is what the ‘living legend’ himself endearingly called us all and we didn’t mind a bit). The set looked great, a mad professor’s lab complete with bubbling green test tubes and gadgets aplenty. That’s where the reference to Science ended though, as the rest of the evening had little allusion to it. Brilliant though, very funny and well-observed. A bit near the knuckle once or twice, enough to make me think I’d accidentally wandered into a Roy Chubby Brown gig by mistake. Loved the stuff he did on Amanda Holden and Noah’s inadequate sized arc.

~ Not a bad way to usher in another birthday. Yo-sushi and the well-received play ‘Ghost Stories’ at the Lyric, Hammersmith. A few ghoulish and startling moments caused us to leap from our seats but maybe we’ve just seen too many horror films for it to do much more. As for Yo-sushi; always good. Must try Yoshi Sushi soon as I’ve heard great things about it.

MARCH 2010

Jane and Scarlet doing sponsored dog walk © Jane O’Connor 2010

~ We took part in a charity sponsored dog walk to raise money for The Queen Mother Animal Hospital. Not too strenous, but then again I’ve never been one of those whose idea of raising money for charity is doing a handstand across the Himalayas.

~ It’s beginning to feel a lot like Spring…at last! It felt like such a long, dark winter.

~ Took in the Real Van Gogh exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts. He wrote quite a few letters and one or two were in English. Saw some of his work I had not known existed, like ’The apparition’ which is one of my favourites. It was around the time of my birthday and Tom surprised me by booking The Fountain Restaurant at Fortnum & Mason. Very elegant and quintessentially English.

~ Reviewed The Fox at Willian for The Culinary Guide.

~ Started a new job as Regional Consultant for a Medical Recruitment agency and in order to do the job I have to keep my nursing registration. A bit of financial stability and of course I still have time for my Freelance work.

~ Loving the Chris Evans breakfast show, in particular Head to Headlines and Top Tenuous. The sporting challenges are a good laugh too.

FEBRUARY 2010
~ Now writing for www.itchycity.co.uk with a Malaysian restaurant review in the pipeline. Also may be writing for http://internationallife.tv.

~ Booked to see Ricky Gervais at Wembley Arena and the play ‘Ghost Stories’ at the Lyric, both in April. Guaranteed to be laughing at one and screaming at the other, but which way round?

JANUARY 2010
~ Just updated my dad’s page on IMDB;

I have put a few photos and a little information about the films he worked on.

Peter Ustinov on set of Billy Budd © Jane O’Connor 2009

~ This is an emotive subject for me. I am pleased and relieved to read that come April 2010, dog meat - ‘fragrant meat’ – will be banned in China. About time. Apparently this is largely thanks to the increasing population of ‘middle-class’ pet owners in China. Horizon, The Secret Life of the Dog was on recently and revealed some interesting facts about our canine friends, some more surprising than others. Apparently the hormone that is released when bonding with dogs is the same one that is released by a mother bonding with her baby. On a similar note, I heard a sweet story last week on the Chris Evans show on Radio Two. Tinkerbell, a Chiwawa dog was given three kittens to look after by her guardians. She took to the job right away, cleaning and caring for them as if they were her own. Even more surprising is that she had just had a litter of her own, but she welcomed the kittens in right alongside her six puppies.

~ In December Tom and I visited a lovely restaurant in Woburn Park called Paris House. The grounds are magnificent and it is worth the drive through the grounds alone.

~ I can only refer to the UK, but have you ever noticed that when couples shop in supermarkets it’s usually the man who pushes the trolly while the women does the list reading and choosing of goods? While out for a meal the other night I also noticed that women often choose a seat facing out while men face the wall. I suppose these things are somehow related to our ingrained impulses to sustain the continuation of our dna. Fascinating though, human behaviour.

~ How true it is that when one door closes, another opens. More and more I have found that what seems to be an adverse event turns out to be the catalyst for better things to happen.

DECEMBER 2009
~ Had family round yesterday for our yearly Christmas get together. It was good fun, lots of games were played and prizes won, everyone seemed to have a great time. Miss not having my US based relatives here though.

~ Glad Paul McCartney has given the X-Factor the thumbs up. We all know the down side to it and the arguments against it, but it’s a great piece of entertainment and there are some seriously good singers coming out of it. It’s not something to be taken seriously, just like Opportunity Knocks back in the day.

~ Had a nice little break in the Northern Scottish Highlands where I went with Tom and the dogs to write a travel review for www.theculinaryguide.co.uk. Not a bad way to spend a

By the fire at Coul House © Jane O’Connor 2009

few days; the weather was crisp but sunny and we went on long walks by waterfalls

Snow topped mountains Ross and Cromarty, Scotland © Jane O’Connor 2009

surrounded on all sides by snow-capped mountains and forests. Afterwards we would head back to our warm hotel – Coul House - complete with its festive decorations and roaring log fires before getting ready for dinner and the great food on offer.

NOVEMBER 2009
~ Pleased to say I have plenty of writing work; now also writing for www.viamichelin.co.uk and my article will be translated into several European languages which should mean extended coverage.

~ I surprised Tom with a horseriding lesson for his birthday. Just before we were due to leave, I told Tom to wear his cowboy boots and he thought I was taking him country dancing. Molly the horse was calm and patient. Tom had a blast and
and even managed to get lots of praise from the trainer.

Watching the fireworks with my nephew © Jane O’Connor 2008

~ Guy Fawkes night is here again and the smell of cordite brings back the great memories of standing frozen waving a sparkler in gloved hand to the inevitable firework induced oohs and ahhs. Some memories aren’t so great but refuse to budge.

Flash back to 5th November some years back and I am 13 years old standing by the new locum teacher’s desk. She is red in the face and very, very angry. I make her sick she said and that I shouldn’t say another word but return to my desk with my head down as I disgust her. The reason? As requested I had shown her my Guy Fawkes poem that she had asked each of the class to do. She read it and point-blank refused to believe that I had written it, even wrongly accused me of copying it somehow. Funny how the memory of an injustice stays with us, even if it only crops up once a year …

OCTOBER 2009
~ Looking forward to seeing Paranormal Activity and Avatar at the cinemas. Watched some great films recently and some right rubbish.

~Just joined Twitter – couldn’t put it off much longer. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have some cracking tweets. Yoko Ono talks about counting the puddles when the sun is out…glad to see nothing has changed there.

~ I travelled to Franche-Comte where I spent three nights on my first press trip. On the

Cheese in Franche-Comte © Jane O’Connor 2009

border with Switzerland and the home of Comte cheese, this lesser known part of France is very picturesque; the town

Arbois © Jane O’Connor 2009

of Arbois was particularly memorable and well worth a visit.

A full itineray included a visit to the home of Absinthe; the Green Fairy.

Absinthe poster in distillery © Jane O’Connor 2009

We got a kick out of this ‘Absinthe is Death’ poster which was up in the distillery.

My fellow journalists on the Franche-Comte press trip were great company and we had a laugh. I am writing up the travel review now and it should be up online soon.

~ My good friend Veronica has just moved and I am really pleased for her, the new house is lovely. Now she is rural we can take the dogs on some fantastic walks. She’s a fantastic friend and I am lucky to know her.

SEPTEMBER 2009
~ We travelled to Mawgan Porth, Cornwall to review two hotels and their restaurants.

Mawgan Porth beach © Jane O’Connor 2009

Bedruthan Steps Hotel is family friendly hotel while up the road The Scarlet is a luxury eco-friendly hotel and very grown-up. I went on a spa journey there which included an Ayurvedic Consultation and found out that my dosha (body type) is ‘Pitta.’ Based on the descriptions of a Pitta dosha it seemed pretty accurate. I do prefer coolness to heat, I am organised, I often express my opinion and my bowel habits are … perhaps that is best left for me and the therapist to know.

~ My Freelance work is heating up – over the next few months I have a few hotel & restaurant reviews in Cornwall, a press trip to France and a travel review to do in Scotland. I am also going to attend my first film screening for www.sound-screen.co.uk next week.

AUGUST 2009
~  Had a discectomy operation. Aware of the old adage that nurses and doctors make the worse patients, I tried to be objective and not give the staff too much hassle. Most of them were great, but there was the odd nurse who took on the patronising nursy tone that sounds like an adult talking loudly to a child. Why do they do this? Most people aren’t stupid and there’s no need to talk to them as if they are.

At one point I was woken by a nurse who pointed to my food tray and said ‘aren’t you hungry then?’. It had been brought over half an hour before while I was asleep and I didn’t even know it was there. I certainly wasn’t hungry then as I stared at the lukewarm mash and beans.

Don’t get me wrong; I think most nurses do a brilliant job for very little reward. I should know, I’m one myself. But because of this I know when things are not right.

Hospital can be an intriguing place and you get to meet different people with different problems. I got to know Mandy in the bed opposite, who was in for a perforated appendix and came close to dying. Her dad visited the day before but before that she hadn’t seen him for 10 years.

On my second day I was told that there were not enough patients on the ward so for financial reasons we would all have to be dispersed around the hospital. Where’s the continuity of care in that? Just when I was getting to know Mandy and adapting to the strangeness of waking up in a bed that wasn’t mine. This type of money-oriented decision cannot be in the patient’s best interests. Many of the nurses confided their dismay at this but then shrugged it off as something that happens all the time.

The second ward I was shifted to made the first seem like paradise on earth, albeit one where people are attached to drips. Perhaps the thing I will take away with me is just how different one ward can be to the next in the very same hospital. The change in atmosphere was evident the moment the edge of my bed hit the wall. Gloomy, oppressive, indifferent. No-one came over to say hello or welcome me to the ward, if I made eye contact they swiftly looked away. At that point they weren’t even run off their feet, congregating instead in the nurses station as if it offered a protective barrier from the patients. A nurse visible on the open ward was as rare as camel’s teeth. A woman next to me kept shouting ‘ Nurse. Nurse’ but no-one came. Okay, she kept imagining she had a bedpan when she didn’t, but some care and reassurance wouldn’t have gone amiss. My husband Tom took on this role instead and she immediately calmed down.

The woman diagonally opposite was telling her visitor that she would be writing a ‘strong’ letter of complaint when she got out of here. About what I don’t know, but I could hazard a guess. We got chatting, and this woman worked away at sea, coming on to land every three months only.  She wanted to escape the ‘rat race’ and because of a freak accident is for now reluctantly back in it. She understood why I wanted to go home. We were interupted by John, a man in a severe confusional state who was under 24 hour close observation. He kept running into female wards chased by a nurse shouting ’John, don’t go in there, come this way, that is a ladies ward,’ every five minutes.

I couldn’t see how anyone could sleep in this place. At 2.30pm on my second day, dehydrated and with a headache that would not go, I eventually found a nurse and asked her to bleep the doctor as I wanted to go home. Six o’clock in the evening and still no doctor. When a nurse came to take my obs I grabbed my chance and asked what was happening about the doctor. ’He’s been bleeped by sister but he’s not responded’ was her reply. ‘Do you think she could try to bleep him again?’ I ventured. ‘Suppose so’ was her answer before she flung the curtains back open and left. Six thirty and a doctor arrives. She tells me that I can’t go home as I am not ready and it is only my second day. Plus one of the meds I am on is only available via pharmacy and this is now closed. ‘But it was open when I originally bleeped you at 2.30pm’ I said. Another doctor joined her and said he had no problem with me going home …

Tom wheeled me out and I couldn’t get away quick enough. So perhaps the old saying is true. Or maybe you don’t have to be a nurse or doctor to realise that some NHS care is compromised and just plain unnacceptable.

~  I am now in contact with Kelvin Pike, who worked on a few of the same films as my dad (Billy Budd and Moby Dick).

Kelvin was the camera operator for some great films, including The Shining, Empire Strikes Back and The Exorcist. We will be meeting up in the next few months and I am looking forward to swapping stories with him. (The photo shows my dad, Martin O’Connor – on the right – and another colleague during the filming of Billy Budd).

~  Great news; I am going to be tried by www.Screenjabber.com as a voluntary film critic.

JULY 2009
~  Enjoying the sun and sounds at an outdoor concert.

Jane at outdoor concert © Jane O’Connor 2009

~  I have been awarded £500 by King’s College London Nurses League to undertake higher education in Journalism and Health.

JUNE 2009
~ I got two audience tickets for this year’s X-factor auditions and although I don’t usually go in for these type of events I enjoy the X-factor so I decided to go for it. Plus the novelty appealed to me; this year is the first time the auditions will be watched by an audience. The ticket stated that the door opened at 5.15pm or so and we (me and Tom) got there 45 minutes before, happy that this would be okay. We arrived at the Excel, London after a long drive and paid £10 to park before tackling the confusing directions. Then we saw it. On one of the hottest days in June, the outdoor queue stretched to a distance that could challenge Paula Radcliffe.

I asked a steward whether I had a realistic chance of getting in. He looked at the queue and shaking his head told us no, he doubted it, adding that some people had arrived midday to claim their place in the queue. Tom and I were in agreement on this one: if they are prepared to stand in the baking heat for five hours then they are welcome to it. We headed home, £10 lighter and much wiser for it.

~ Trying to get about despite my slipped disc, which promoted itself from a minor irritation to a major problem when I was in Spain; probably not helped by the long car drive.

MAY 2009
~ Two week hoiday in Tamariu, Catalunya. The last time we were here was six years ago and we said we would one day return. The beautiful pine wooded coves of as yet unspoilt

View from villa in Catalunya, Spain © Jane O’Connor 2009

Tamariu and nearby Lafranc are a sight to see. Last time we could go out for a meal on the seafront and come home with change from £30. This time eating out in Spain at an averaged price restaurant was more expensive than London with two starters, two main courses and a bottle of wine costing €66 (£66) The Euro and pound were practically even when we left for our holiday). We were left reeling from a total of £210 on tolls to drive through France and back and petrol was €1.35 per litre (£1.35 practically). So without extravagance coming into it we realised we had spent half our spending money before we even reached Spain.

Apart from Banyoles lake, all of the beaches we visited were no-go areas for dogs. We had visualised beach walks with our dogs complete with frizbees flying through the air, but this

Jane at Banyoles Lake, Spain © Jane O’Connor 2009

was not to be. There was lots of unpicked up dog poo in France and Spain and perhaps this is the reason for the ban, but it also punishes those dog owners who clean up after their animals.

~ Darzi press conference at the Science Museum; I went along with two journalists from the Nursing Times. I was impressed with the presentation and the idea of NHS Innovations; a pot of money to support the creative ideas and inventions of healthcare workers to improve the NHS. (lthough a better innovation would be to stop the crazy waste in the NHS). I can imagine that many nurses won’t get to hear about this. I have already spoken to several colleagues across a range of Trusts and none of them had heard about it. I would imagine that some Trusts will benefit more from this than others.

APRIL 2009
~ My birthday, and Tom surprised me with tickets to ‘Carousel’ at the Savoy theatre and a meal at The Ivy. Lesley Garrett was amazing as Nettie Fowler, belting out songs like ’June is busting out all over’ and ‘You’ll never walk alone’ that at times I feared for my eardrums. There is no getting away from the questionnable moral and ethical problems with the domestic violence component of Carousel, but I am still drawn by the story; the idea of having one opportunity to correct mistakes made when alive and despite my best efforts I am always moved by the power of the songs. Perhaps this is because I grew up with it and it has woven itself into my psyche.

~ On the way to the Ivy we went past another theatre showing the musical ‘Priscilla, Queen of the desert’ which Tom, who had never heard of it and who loves his food, inevitably read as ‘Priscilla Queen of the Dessert’.

~ Having lunch in Zizzi and looking through the menu I came across ‘Sardinian salad’. I asked what it was and the waitress replied ”I think it is a salad made of sardines”. I just love it.

~ I’ve gone off Terry Wogan. By chance I caught a snippet of Top Gear, and Jeremy put this question to Terence: “When you are driving, do you swerve for rabbits?”. Whether it was bravado or the truth, Terry snorted and replied ‘No’. And that was all it took, just that. No more Radio Two in the morning for me. And I hope Clarkson comes back as a rabbit. I hate myself for liking Top Gear so much.

MARCH 2009
~ Had a week off to do some day trips with Tom.

One day we drove to Aldeburgh with the dogs as there is a mile of dog-friendly beach there. Never been to this small Suffolk coastal town before, but it seems pretty untouched by major tourism. We will be checking it out again. I had a great fish and seafood pie in the White Lion pub/restaurant and braving the March chill we sat outside.

~ The London Dungeons was on our list. It felt like I had only been there a few years ago, but when I added it up it turns out to be 22 years ago. No wonder things had changed so much. As with most London attractions you need to remortgage your house to get in, but the attractions weren’t too bad, such as Jack the Ripper pub, scary boat ride and the chop ride at the end. I looked at the photo taken of me in the last ride and it was pretty typical. Everyone else looks scared in a laughing and joking kind of way, whereas my expression is one of abject terror. Needless to say I never buy them.

~ Hinchingbrooke Country Park was fabulous, apart from Cumbria and
parts of the states, I’ve never seen so many lakes.

~ A few years ago I contacted IMDB to register my dad’s name on the crew credits for films he had worked on (Martin O’Connor). I heard nothing back but happened to be looking through it in March and found my dad’s name under crew members for ‘The Key’; a 1958 film starring Sophia Loren. He had a small part in this film too, walking up and down the ship and also taking part in a sea burial. It is wonderful that he should be recognised for the work he did, even if it is posthumously. I will be putting a bio and some photos on IMDB soon for all the films he worked on, which include: One million years BC, The guns of Navarone, Moby Dick, Billy Budd.

FEBRUARY 2009

~ Let it snow, let it snow let it snow!

Sunny after the snow © Jane O’Connor 2009