This post must be brief, I’m running out of time.
My gin is almost empty and that’s anything but fine!
Before I explain, I have just realised that tomorrow is the 11th April! My favourite, favourite date – 11th April, 1977! Never forgotten it. Never will. It was the day of the Hallyburton Hunter Trials and they were a big deal! Building up to it for ages, I was riding Teasy – or Mr Teasy Weasy, as was his ‘stage’ name. Standing at fourteen hands, one inch, he was dark bay and a power house who loved nothing more than to jump but it was his honesty which set him apart. There was no side to him and he and I had bonded since I claimed ownership. Originally from Ireland, we had bought him from the same owners as we had our first pony, Mickey, so he, too, was a prodegy of Greenacres in Auchterarder. Just five, if I remember correctly, when he first came to us, he belonged to my older sister for the first few years while Mickey was mine. Entirely different to Teasy, Mickey was a little devil and loved nothing more than to buck or stop dead. Great pony to learn on – no, seriously! Taught me everything I know about falling off!
Anyway, Teasy was totally different; a dream in every way. A character he, definitely, was but, more than anything, he wanted to please so, when my sister outgrew him, he was all mine and he and I got along famously. For once, my effort paid off. We were a good team and rosettes were, actually, attainable. That said, competing in cross country was not my favourite and, as I mentioned, Hallyburton was – and probably still is – a big thing. I was nervous but the day arrived, regardless.
Faded photos show the number 155 on my tabard, worn over the sky blue rugby shirt which, I remember, I loved so much – another hand-me-down from my sister! It must have brought me luck, however, because, nervous or not, we were doing this! I dreaded forgetting the course but I needn’t have worried and, one thing I will always remember is hearing the commentary of our progress over the Tannoy system. Fame at last! We made it round, clear, and I shall never forget that feeling of achievement. My sister had filmed much of it on the old ciné camera but none of us ever saw it. My mother, sentimental as always, left the film in the camera, never to be developed. So sad. Call it a hurt for the future! Meantime, it was still my perfect day topped off by a party, that night, at Kilmaron, home of our friend, Dick Morrison-Low! Held in the stables, we, all, used to take our own singles for the disco and, while the boys wore kilts, we were in long dresses. Really! The only guests missing were Jane Austen and Mr Darcy!
Seriously, that was our norm and we loved it! Life was one big party, any excuse, and the music of the late 70s was superb spawning many classics still played today – Bachman Turner Overdrive, You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet, for one. Suffice to say, April 11th had already sealed the deal for me but that party at Kilmaron, too, turned out to be one of the best – maybe nothing could spoil my mood. Nick Stewart. Albatross. Ah, yes, I remember it well …
So, the infamous ciné film may never have seen the light of day but I woke, the next morning, to the news that I was news! A suitably large photograph of Teasy and myself, in action, took pride of place on Page 2 of The Courier. 11th April, 1977. The pinnacle.
Been downhill ever since! Forty-three years on, I’ve got high hopes for tomorrow … Speaking of which, back to the top. The rhyme. I spent most of the day composing a little ditty re Trish-Trash.com to email to Graham Norton in the hope that he reads it out on his show tomorrow. Trish-Trash could do with a boost and, loyal listener that I am, I think he’s the man for the job. Steve Wright? Who?! Old news.
It’s been a busy day. No idea why! Ah, yes, milking my poetry prowess, that’s what did it. Then there was the foray to Marks for supplies before slowing the pace with an evening walk on my beach. All good, if not a little tedious?
Let me leave you with an interesting snippet divulged on ITV’s News at Ten tonight. Footballing legend, Sir Kenny Dalgleish, has tested positive for COVID-19. He was taken into hospital on Wednesday night, apparently, but has yet to show any symptoms. Would an exclamation mark suffice? No words other than, “Arise, Sir Kenny. A sick person needs your bed!”.
‘I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.’
Audrey Hepburn.
Don’t stop believing!
This is Trish, signing off.
