It's Not That Cold Up North!

I'm just home from an excellent adventure! Four days with my good friend, Pauline, in Marton, Middlesbrough. Not only did I get to meet one of my Facebook friends, Jay Tee the famous Middlesbrough film maker, but I also managed to do a bit of book promotion at the Marton library. Pauline treated me to the delights of the area, which included a night at the Bingo, a trip to the Transporter Bridge, and Fish and Chips at Saltburn by the sea. And it was fun, fun, fun the whole way. We ended up so tired that we almost fell asleep watching The Rolling Stones at Glastonbury, and I doubt many slept through that.                      

Pauline took me on a Magical Mystery Tour

 It's a long time since I last played Bingo, but I soon got the hang of it. Pauline supplied me with a dobber, I called it a dibber, but it didn't bring me luck. Never mind, we had a laugh.

 It's a good job I took my mac because the next day was slightly inclement. Not to be deterred, we headed for the seaside. I really loved Saltburn with its Victorian Spa feel, the Valley Gardens, and the Funicular lift up the cliff side. We called at the cafe bar in the gardens and had a lovely hot chocolate, then we walked to the Smuggler's Inn, and went onto the beach to do a spot of fossil hunting. I learned that this was the Jurassic coast, and after that there was no stopping us. We both found fantastic fossil specimens of crustaceans from millions of years ago.

 Of course we had to walk along the pier (in the pouring rain) with our fish and chips. There were lots of schoolchildren enjoying a day trip to Saltburn. And when we had washed our sticky fingers, we went into the arcade and had 50 pence worth of slot machine fun.

The Funicular lift as seen from the pier.

 Ticket officer, Paul, and lift operator, Adrian, tried to explain where the boundary of Yorkshire stopped and started. It is all very confusing, but most people I spoke to liked to thing themselves as being Yorkshire. The 50p ride up the cliff was well worth the money. And at the top to open the doors was another Paul, Paul the banjo player. He even gave us a tune, and a little ditty, before we headed off into the wind and rain, in search of the famous chocolate shop.

 Oh Yes! Chocolate!

 And the next day the sun came out, right on cue for my book signing morning at the Marton Library. There I met Jay Tee, a local film director. We have been Facebook friends for a couple of years, and never met. It was a good meeting, and after the event we went to the pub for a jar and a natter.

 I was happy to promote my writing, and I got into conversation with lots of lovely people. It was the first time Tears From the Sun - A Cretan Journey had been to Middlesbrough.

 On the way home we took a close up look at the famous Middlesbrough transporter bridge. It's a true dinosaur, thin at one end, fat in the middle, and thin at the other end.

 We laughed at this sign. It was placed at the beginning of a graveyard we passed.

 This photo was taken before the choir arrived on stage. The Concert was given at the Town Hall in Middlesbrough. It was called Coronation Celebration, and the orchestra was the Mowbray Orchestra, conductor John Forsyth MBE. The Choir was the Cleveland Philharmonic Choir. How marvelous that my friend Pauline should think of me and book seats as a Saturday night treat. It was wonderful to sing Land of Hope and Glory with the audience, just like the last night at the Proms. (Well almost).

 And then we needed beer. After church on Sunday morning, we changed into our country garb and headed for the dales. We parked the car at Cobbydale and walked along a bridleway, about 2 miles, to a pub called The Eskdale. It was an easy walk in God's own countryside.

We saw lots of Tumuli, I have to look up the history of the area. I forgot to tell you that we did visit a museum at Redcar, and we saw the exhibition called The Saxon Princess. Fantastic jewelery that had been found in a Saxon graveyard, in a field not far from Redcar. The owner of the jewelery had been buried in a bed. Other graves produced more beads and gold broaches etc. Thoroughly fascinating!

To round off my trip, Pauline took me to Guisbrough Priory, or what is left of it. And then we went home to a hearty meal and a game of scrabble. It was the end of my stay in Middlesbrough.

Now I am back in Beckenham with all those memories of my little adventure North. I missed choir practice last night (bad girl) but am now raring to go, and have spent a good two hours practicing my cello today. Tomorrow I have to visit the dentist, and then I had better do a bit of shopping, I ended up having boiled eggs and baked beans for tea tonight, the cupboards are almost bare. Still, Pauline fed me so well that I'd better cut down a bit for the next few days.

I traveled to Middlesbrough on the train. I booked on-line with EastCoastTrains, making a good saving by using my Senior Rail Card. So I can thoroughly recommend you get one if you are entitled. And I am already planning my next adventure. Follow me again soon, to see where I get to in July.

Bye for now, love, peace, and lots of fun,
Jane x

Singing with Angels

Were you ever so happy that you just knew you were surrounded by angels? Well, that's how I felt last Saturday evening when I was in the church of St George, Beckenham. It was the occasion of a charity concert that had been organised by the committee of the Beckenham Ladies Choir. The church was full to standing (though extra chairs were brought in so that everyone had a seat), and boy, was that large audience in for a treat. The Ladies Choir was joined by the Blaenavon Male Voice Choir, and a young man, Oliver Wass, who played the harp. The male voice choir were absolutely fantastic, they were a hard act to follow, but of course, we ladies rose to the occasion. Music lovers watch out for Oliver Wass, he is extremely talented, and treated us to a brilliant performance. All profits are to go to provide stroke rehabilitation equipment at Hildenborough hospital.

 As you see, I snook a couple of pictures before the concert started. Here you see our lovely choir mistress opening the event.

I thought this photo surreal. Of course it is not a ghost! It does show off the inside of St George's
Church though.

Well, that was Saturday, and it is now Thursday, so what has happened in between? There was church on Sunday morning. I went to Clock House where Mary played organ this week, so I could relax and enjoy the service. There was also a little birthday celebration for her afterwards, which included a giant chocolate cake made by one of the congregation. It was mightily delicious. At 12.30 I met Jo and Jack in Beckenham, and together with Jack's other grandma and auntie, we went for lunch at Prezzio, an Italian Restaurant on the high street. I have to admit, after the chocolate cake, I wasn't too hungry, but I did enjoy a glass of white wine and a salad.

Monday was a busy day. First my little volunteer job at the coffee shop, then a visit to the medical center to get my prescriptions, I was told it took 48hrs, so to come back in a couple of days. I shopped at Sainsbury's and caught the 227 bus home. Cello practice came next, and then I was off again, this time to Penge to the regular choir practice. We were given new music for our next concert in October,

Poetry Please! (as they say). I have joined the Shortlands Poetry Circle, and was extremely well received by the other members. This week we had researched the lives and poems of Miroslav Holub,  Anna Akhmatova, and C P Cavafy. Everyone read two poems which they had chosen from the works of these three poets. I was asked to read Cavafy's Ithaca in Greek, I think it upped my street cred. It really was a wonderful afternoon. So that was Tuesday.

Cello lesson yesterday was exciting, as I learned some new stuff. I am very happy with my new teacher, and she has asked me to a concert at Kings Hospital, London, next week, where she will be playing with her friends. So, another adventure to look forward to.

And today, I am going to put together a small collection of my poems, and try to make a little pamphlet to take to Middlesbrough at the end of the month, for the Literary Festival, and the 50th birthday celebrations of Marton Library. I've got quite a busy life, I haven't time to worry about the weather, which by the way, is a little grey, but we make our own sunshine, don't we?

Have a lovely weekend my friends, may the angels watch over you.
Love Jane x

I Found Me A Bentley!

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 What a great week I have had. I had chance to pull out all the stops at Beckenham Methodist Church, when I was treated to spend an hour trying out my skills on the big pipe organ. It was a bit scary, but David, one of the regular organists, explained the ins and outs of the levers (stops) and what went on with 'feet'. He then left me to it. I was able to practice a few hymns and provide a bit of background music for the coffee shop clientele, but I don't think I am ready to be unleashed in front of a congregation. I'm happy with the electronic Yamaha that I play at Clock House. The experience was great, though, and I can go and play some more whenever I want.

After my volunteer job at the coffee shop, on Monday, I decided to walk back home via Kelsey Park. It was delightful, full of green, green, and smelling of excited cytoplasm. Birds were twittering, squirrels were darting about, and wood pigeons shyly strutted in the shade of tall trees. It was the stuff that poems are made of.

 So, speaking of poetry, what do you think to Carol Ann Duffy's poem for the Coronation celebration in Westminster Abbey. I thought it was a lovely poem, brilliantly crafted. And I liked it even better when I saw it written down.
The Crown

The crown translates a woman to a Queen –
endless gold, circling itself, an O like a well,
fathomless, for the years to drown in – history's bride,
anointed, blessed, for a crowning. One head alone
can know its weight, on throne, in pageantry,
and feel it still, in private space, when it's lifted:
not a hollow thing, but a measuring; no halo,
treasure, but a valuing; decades and duty. Time-gifted,
the crown is old light, journeying from skulls of kings
to living Queen.

                                           Its jewels glow, virtues; loyalty's ruby, blood-deep; sapphire's ice resilience; emerald evergreen;
the shy pearl, humility. My whole life, whether it be long
or short, devoted to your service. Not lightly worn.

Of course I may be a bit bias, but Carol Ann Duffy was one of my mentors way back in 1993, along with Mathew Sweeney, both excellent poets.

If you missed watching the service with all it's pageantry, music and fashions, then I urge you to pop on You Tube and select one of the many recordings made.

So, after a relaxing day at home with the Queen, my cello and a few episodes of The Tudors, on TV, I slept soundly, and was up at the crack of dawn this morning to do a bit of housework and get ready for another adventurous day.

10.30 a.m. Coffee Morning at Abbeyfield, where I was invited to offer a rendering of one of my poems, and talk a little about my book, Tears from the Sun - A Cretan Journey. And after that I went to the Jolly Woodman with my new friends from the Beckenham Ladies Choir, to fill in an hour before heading of to Chiselhurst where we gave an afternoon concert.

As you can see I had an attentive audience at Abbeyfield.

And then to the stuff that dreams are made of. As we came out of the residential home, full of tea, biscuits, and Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend (part of our repertoire), I couldn't help taking advantage of a photo with this parked Bentley. You may not know this, but this car is on my vision board, I just had to touch it, very lightly of course so as not to leave a smudge. Personally, I think we look good together!
Well, dream the music and the tune follows! Dum-de-dum! Bye for now, I'm off to my kitchen to sizzle up some sausages.

May the sun be shining on you wherever you are.

Bye for now, love Jane x