'Fruity and Full Bodied'

We were booked into 'A Complete Unknown' early afternoon at Ilkley Cinema so we set off early to have a snack lunch before the film.  As we parked up, Tony suggested that we check out Betty's Cafe queue to see how long it was in case there was a chance of lunch there.  Amazingly, there was no queue so we were straight in and seated.  Tony then suggested we have a proper lunch (with cakes!) and call it our Valentines Treat so we put in our order (with a bowl of chips and cakes!) and relaxed with plenty of time before we had to set out to the cinema.

On the next table a lone chap had been sitting for some time when two women arrived, apologising for traffic chaos.  As the first woman passed I thought I recognised her from somewhere and when she spoke to her friend I was pretty sure she was one of the original Calendar Girls who inspired the movie and the musical.  My thought was confirmed when she passed over a copy of her book to her friend.  I borrowed a pen from one of the waitresses and apologised for intruding, and asked if she would kindly give me her autograph on my serviette.  Tricia Stewart is her name and it was she who suggested the calendar when her friend's husband died of cancer and they wanted to raise money to furnish the family room at the hospital where he was treated.  Tricia was played by Dame Helen Mirren in the film.  In the Calendar she was Ms October 'fruity and full bodied' discreetly hidden by the apple press.

She was lovely, very surprised to still be recognised, loaned me her book to look through over lunch and told me that they were touring the local WI's with their story.

Well that was quite special and then we very much enjoyed the Bob Dylan film with a superb performance by Timothee Chalemet and much tapping of feet and quiet singing along.