Joanna Neary's Blog

Here is the text from my mum about my Radio thing that was on today on Woman's Hour. I didn't listen to it, or, indeed, tell anyone it was on. But this review should give you a clear idea of what it was all about.

'You were really good! I liked some references like cov cathedral and Mrs Crocker. Was so annoyed as a customer came in right at the end so I ignored them. Beth didn't get the job. Xxx' (sic)

Key to review: 'cov cathedral' is obviously Coventry Cathedral. I'm from Coventry. It's got a nice ring to it.

'Mrs Crocker' is a name taken from the Crockers, a family of gypsies who live at the bottom of the hill in Cornwall where my parents live. I went to school with Shane Crocker. All of the gypsies went to our school. Me and Sally Worrall wanted to be like Goldie, a little gypsy girl who joined our primary school. She had no shoes and long blond hair and me and Sally stood side by side in our white knee socks and nylon seventies clothes, watching Goldie jumping off walls in wonderment and awe. Then we had a competition to see who could do the Lord's Prayer off by heart.

'a customer came in at the end' My Mother is currently looking after a fireplace specialist shop in our home town. As she doesn't know anything about fireplaces, flumes, hearths, grates etc, she's really only there as a damage limitation strategy. Mind you, a tiny woman looking annoyed and listening to the radio might be considered by some to be detrimental to business.

'Beth didn't get the job'. There is no work in Cornwall. Many people are living below the poverty line there. It's a great place to buy a second home though, and that's what counts.