Poetry and Mascara

                         
A few years back I was lucky enough to work at the Museum of London. After spending 7 years in the City, it was such fun to work with really different people many of whom have become good friends. One of those is a dear pal Flora. Flora and I really shouldn't be friends on paper. But we do. We don't have a stitch in common but she makes me laugh and opens my mind, and one can't really ask for more in a friend, can one?
Flora now works for The Poetry Society. When she started work there I sent her my favourite poem for her review:

I eat my peas with honey;
I've done it all my life.
It makes the peas taste funny,
But it keeps them on the knife.

I felt that I should probably know more about poetry so have asked her to send me a poem every week. So now, on what is now called Poetry Friday, she sends me a poem for review. Just one. Nothing too heavy (although we have had a bit of Sylvia Plath). Nothing too light. I am enjoying it awfully. If anyone would like to sign up to this service, just let me know and I'll forward them on.

What Flora doesn't know is that when I was aged 11, I won a Stratford on Avon Poetry Festival Prize.  My key memory of this is of wearing a ghastly terracotta culottes suit to get my prize (a book voucher).  I was obviously vain as a peacock, even then.  The poem was a dreary account of a great aunt's wishing to end her life - the last line was 'I want to go through the door of death'.  Extraordinary! 
If you are better at writing poems than I am, then why not enter The Poetry Society's competition?  An unpublished writer won last year and I think the prize is well worth having.  Not to mention the glamour of winning a poetry competition, something I can attest to. 


A few days ago I had a plaintive request from Flora.

Dear Rose. Please please please can you fix it for me to have a blog post about a good, truly affordable, non-flaky-shadowy-under-the-eyesy mascara. My current tube is running out and I seek advice as a matter of urgency. This has been a lifelong hunt for me, I'm still seeking The One. In expectation, Panda Eyes of Richmond. xx

Well this is more my area of expertise than poetry it must be said.  So here is my top 3 of good, but cheap, mascaras. 
No7 Boots No7 Intense Volume Mascara, £11.50.  I think the No7 make up brand is the best of the 'supermarket make up brands' - great colours which change every season and good products.  It isn't the cheapest but it is good for thickening.
L'Oreal Million Lashes £8 ish nice packaging and smell, doesn't rub off and gives good inky black colour.
Number 1 - drum roll please - Max Factor false lash effect.  £9 ish - 2 coats of this and you look like a Hollywood star.  It will stay on all day and last for ages.

Now my advice comes with a caveat, dear Flora.  The way to stop panda eyes is to not use under eye concealer, foundation or eyeliner on bottom lashes UNLESS you dust with loose or pressed powder.  Unless you do that, even a £100 mascara will slide down your chin by lunchtime after a spell on the District Line. 

Rose x