Some thoughts on the Oscars

A mild, very damp and gloomy day but I have been catching up with useful stuff which makes a pleasant change. This pic is for 60Plus who likes an old gate, this one rather ingeniously made out of a palette and metal gate and a lot of baling twine. It still holds the cattle in.

It's the Oscars' today and I'm not terrifically interested but a) the Irish are very well represented and we're rooting for the little donkey and Colin Farrell's eyebrows, and  b) my brother was once nominated - here he is in his glittery patchwork waistcoat and limo! I've told this story before but will tell it again. His film,  Screenplay,  was nominated for best short animated film. It was an incredibly complicated story based on the Willow Pattern and included a character who translated the narrative into sign language - Barry learnt sign language especially . He shot it in his large sitting room and my dear Ma was his runner - see other extra. It won loads of awards including the nomination. As you can imagine, we were all incredibly proud and excited but the dilemma was how to watch the ceremony live as it was at 2am on Sky TV which was quite a rarity back in 1993. I managed to find a hotel in Stratford upon Avon which assured me they had Sky and that all the staff would be watching. I booked in. My parents did something similar and found themselves in  hotel in Huntingdon plus bottle of champagne! I set my alarm for 1,30am and of course hardly slept in case I missed the big moment. Come 2am, could I find the right channel - not on your nelly!  I was to be seen traipsing the corridors of the hotel trying to find someone who could assure me that Sky was in fact available. It turns out it wasn't and highly disgruntled I tried to get back to sleep but was awake again early to listen to the news - Sadly he had not won and there was a fair amount of muttering about that amongst those who knew about this kind of thing for it was widely thought that he should have done, but  it was rumoured that as it was Year of the Woman (??) it  had been awarded to the only woman nominated. It was a mighty experience though. My parents didn't manage to get the right channel either. I then had to go home, have a shower and face a class of expectant 7 /8 years olds. It was a long day.

And I've just found it: Screenplay

There is yet another link. Ian, who has a flat in the same house as Barry, is one half of Mackinnon and Saunders, the company that have made all of his puppets. They also made the puppets for Pinocchio which has been nominated tonight and is likely to win. I have to say we really hated that film  Ian flew out yesterday, will be at the ceremony tonight, then is off to Elton John's knees up, then flying home on Tuesday! Urghhh! I'm not sure which part of that sentence is the worst.