Today I talk about a dvd that was issued on September 23rd in the UK.
Called From Up On Poppy Hill, this anime stage play by Hayao Miyazaki and lovingly directed by his son, Goro, is a coming of age romance set in Yokohama, Japan in 1963, just 18 years after the end of World War Two and the establishment of modern day Japan.
Set in the ramshackle club house of their high school , it charts the romance of Umi and Shun as they join forces to save it from demolition for a new sports facility for the (then) upcoming 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The musical score is jazz based and features Sukiyaki the World conquering 1963 Japanese song that had a cover version by Kenny Ball's trad jazz band in the UK.
The animation as is usually the case from this studio, Studio Ghilbi, is unapologetically old school cell drawn and all the better for it allowing you to concentrate on the story.
Strongly recommended.
As we're entering the Fall, one thing I sure can remember doing is exploring woodlands, trying to climb and certainly hugging and feeling trees as with the smell of the woodland the whole thing was one great sensual experience. it as well however to have a thin raincoat at hand on days like today when it goes from hazy sun to showers quite suddenly that can soon catch you out otherwise. Some even come in a tiny bag so carrying one isn't a great hardship
Do you know officially this blog has now had over 36,060 page views since its conception and a average of over 1,500 views per month? Well that's what the statistics that Google provide to anyone using their platform inform me and that is pretty good given there's no 'cheap thrills' on this site.
As anyone who ventures out is aware it's very much the back to school season with stationery stores stocking such essentials as Compass sets, pencil cases, note books, as well as obviously pens and pencils.
I've gotten a new Green pleated school skirt and a matching netball skirt with the pleats at the side and rear as well as some rather cute Hello Kitty socks.
Pretty traditional rather like me and it is very similar to a blue one I have had for a few years now the story of which is told on one my 'Pre-blog' entries here which are just unabridged notes I made some being almost ten years ago with no added commentary that just talk of things that lead me into the community of littles. They are just the things that I'd of talked with you about before we all met each other and it's a shame we weren't in a position too.
Moving on a little topic wise, the subject of ones age as a little came up at Tumblr where it appeared the notion people having just single fixed age as a little appears to be doing the rounds.
Let me say from the outset, there is nothing at all wrong with having just a single little age say 10 years if this is the age you feel when you are in a little (or Middle) Headspace but this is by no means the only situation. For a good number of us, we do vary a little having a 'Upper age limit' which is as old as we can feel and a lower point we may regress further back to in certain situations, getting a little 'silly' at times. This is when you think about it, is little different to that of actual children who can go back a few years especially at periods of great stress.
I would like anyone who does find their 'age' is fluid to understand this is quite normal and certainly doesn't make you less of a little.
Although I hover around the 10 to 12 bit most of the time I go go back to around 8 or 9 or even younger sometimes and my littlest little would really like to be dressed rather like this:
See I can admit to it, having an even younger side to the girl within and does she surprise any of you?
As explained on last weeks entry that was published here's this weeks entry.
I was going out for the day with over 100 people from our part of deepest Cheshire on two touring bus coaches. Fortunately for me Mommy came too which was nice as we both rather like this particular seaside resort which we got to using the M6 motorway very near us, changing at Lymm for the M56 Cheshire/Merseyside section passing Runcorn where we finally joined the double lane each direction A55 through North Wales.
Having arrived in Llandudno coach park, we walked into town for a drink before meeting with friends for midday meal. I had plaice, garden peas and chips which is my want being a catgirl and they were really tasty, I can assure you. Neigh purrfect. Llandudno is very flat, something that those of us with physical disabilities do appreciate as it's much less tiring as was being easier if you use walking aids or a wheelchair.
Mommy and I went around clothes shops, in drug stores looking at cosmetics and a gift shop where I got a Bunny in a lovely pink frilly dress.Eat ya heart out, Fudge!
It's an unfortunate fact of life that people get lost, injured or even die of our coastlines so we have a non for profit organization - the Royal National Lifeboat Institution - who operate craft such as this to help rescue people.
Being on the coast many trips are run during the Holiday Season one of which takes you all around the Coast at Llandudno which having been on it, gives you a very different feel than you would on land.
Many of the towns buildings date to the Victorian era where this seaside resort came very much into it's own aided by good rail links from the Midlands where we are as well as North west England. This picture shows you the beach which is sandy with children playing on it and yes I played on it too!
This boat jetty is frequently used by people who wish to walk on out into the sea. In the background toward the right you'll see the "Little Orme" and the small town of Craig-y-Don well illuminated on this bright late August afternoon.
"Judy!' screamed all the children and me as Mr Punch pictured on the left of the puppet show goes to attack her baby as she lives it to get Mr Punch's dinner that comprised of Sausages. Mr Punch gets his just deserts later on in the performance for assaulting Judy and PC Plod. It's enough to say he won't repeat the offence again.
We all loved the performance of this traditional and decisively non politically correct seaside children's entertainment.
Did you know you can go down a Rabbit Hole here? This town is very proud of it's links to Lewis Carroll of Alice in Wonderland fame.
Here's an overview of the famed pier with childrens rides and amusements featuring a Hello Kitty car but unfortunately I couldn't fit into it as it was too small.
We returned in the early evening climbing up the Halkyn Mountains, passing Preston Brook before coming off the motorway to our lovely town of Sandbach.
