This morning Nicholas Briggs and David Richardson from Big Finish joined me in my kitchen to record two podcasts about the new CDs I’ve agreed to do. Sue took some pictures.
David Richardson, me and Nicholas Briggs.
Picture © Sue Jerrard
Recording the Podcast – in my hand is the first script of my new adventures!
Picture © Sue Jerrard
We record the first Doctor Who adventure in about 3 weeks’ time and the rest later in the year. They’ll be ready in January 2012 and you can actually pre-order them here: www.bigfinish.com
It will be such fun to work with Louise Jameson again. At the moment she’s still in Liverpool playing Jocasta at the repertory theatre there. The studio where we’re recording the Big Finish dramas is air-conditioned so I’m hoping we can be in full costume! Also, I’m hoping K9 will be featured. I’ll let you know the details later and will keep you up to the minute about the recording fun.
I continue to enjoy the messages left on my website even though it’s not possible for me to answer them all, so William helps me out. I recently received an invitation to perform a ceremony at the wedding of two devoted fans. I’m not ordained, although I was once a monk, and I’m not a qualified registrar, but they didn’t want me for the official stuff. They imagined something that dreams are made of in another universe on another planet. I was sorry to decline the invite to such a love match but I am otherwise engaged. So please, no invites to christenings, golden weddings or centenarian parties! It’s simply not humanly possible for me to be everywhere.
Max Bear continues to run on Channel 4 at 6.10 in the mornings. He is a character who lives in a wonderful world of pleasure and his voice is mine. It is written by Helena Panks especially for me.
I am receiving encouraging mail from early-rising or insomniac bear lovers. You would be amazed to know how many people think of bears all day long, and you would find it hard to believe that there are thousands of people who would prefer to BE a bear.
If you are one of these people, please share your dreams with the rest of us. I am also interested to hear from those who would prefer to be anything but human. I have often thought how nice it would be if I were an otter, but I’m scared of water. One of the loveliest books I have ever read is Wind in the Willows. Alan Bennett recorded it and I can’t even imagine a better version.
I’m down in the woods at least three times a day with Poppy. The anemones, white with yellow eyes, are there in their thousands, hotly pursued by the early growth of bluebells. I have hidden Poppy’s toy rabbit to discourage her antics among the daffodils which she leaves decapitated all over the lawn. The birds are frantically preparing to propagate their genes and build their nests. A beloved wisteria, only three years old, has been discovered by long-tailed tits which have snaffled all the flower buds. Bella caught one of the birds and then lost it to Poppy. And though the niger seed cylinders are full, the goldfinches seem to prefer sun flower seed hearts.
I lay out goodies of all sorts, seeds, fragments of bread and so on, which makes me feel like St. Francis. And then I get angry if Poppy goes outside and licks up the seeds laid out for the small birds. But then I get angry when the magpies and pigeons scatter the tiny birds and wolf my goodies. It’s a violent world out there on the patio. The nut hatch bullies the tits, and the squirrels ruthlessly break open the feeders by unhooking them and scattering the seeds in heaps: it’s dog eat dog all day long.
We’ve just had the fish pond spring cleaned and can now see how beautiful the fish are and what they get up to all day long. Yes! This is very pleasant for us but – there is always a BUT – it is also VERY nice for the heron. I met a man at the World of Water the other day who told me he came home after a short weekend to find 17 of his fish spiked and scattered by the side of his pool. I won’t tell you what he said. But it proved how love and hate are close.
We all hate what threatens what we love. Love carp: HATE herons. Love gardening: HATE deer, greenfly, black fly and the cats next door. The list is endless and paradoxical. Love God: HATE the Devil. Love the devil: God may get on your nerves. Love your neighbour: well, that’s up to you.
That’s all for now – I’m off to start preparing my Big Finish script!
Picture © Sue Jerrard
