Still busy...

After my 'Too Busy To Blog' Blog explanation, life has continued apace.... I went to my annual regional two day conference at Madingley Hall, Cambridge (pictured) and it is always special, meeting up with work colleagues from around the region, good food, good company, a quiz - my team won: the prize? Chocolates!!!!! And we were accused of taking it too seriously!!!!!

Good training, and above all, the most beautiful surroundings, formal gardens, a walk, a pond, a lake, and we were blessed with the most stunning weather, blue skies and sun. The only complaint is that 2 days was not enough.

Back to work to get on with Annual report, getting the accounts done, which involved a few evening meetings with my Chair, and lots of hard work in the office....my staff have had lots of tea and cake to keep them going...


Then, on Tuesday, a special night out..to celebrate my first born's 30th birthday.....oh how I feel old, but hey...that's life..it was a celebration..he is lovely... he is now in New York having a birthday holiday - for 12 days! - with his new lady.....I hope he is very happy....

Now today, is My AGM, speech almost written, reports printed, sandwiches ordered,,hope people turn up..then after, after a pretty stressful two weeks, I can come home, pack, and head up to Peterborough for the weekend, and relax and spend it with dear, dear friends. Can't wait! Here's hoping I am in the hotel pool by 6.30pm!!!!

Time to get up and do some ironing and see if there is anything I can fit into....
And can I say, as if all that wasn't enough excitement, what with the wedding, I am so excited about the card I have made for the bride and groom! So excited! Don't tell them! Then...then..after a relaxing Sunday, on Monday........(an urgent funding bid to write at work, ugh) but..guess what? Jill and I are going to Wembley to see Will Young!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back by popular demand.....

So some of you have missed me...I caught up with the comments on my last blog, and am now receiving texts from people about to start work on my obituary..but to use a well worn cliche, the rumours of my death are much exaggerated.....

Thank you to those of you who have been concerned about my health - indeed in recent times, my lack of blogging has indicated a downturn in my mental health...this is true. But the reason for my blogging silence of late is...I have been having a life!!!! Hard to believe I know....after coming back from Sugar Hill and having a quick shower and change, I headed off to a fund raising garden party, pics of which I shall post shortly..we raised almost £2,000 for the charity, which is fab...after clearing up I arrived home at 7pm and collapsed..then went upstairs to unpack my bag from my three nights at the festival, and repack for a trip up north next day!

I was on a 7.27am train out of St Albans, which I thought was pretty impressive, and had two days training for my new job in...training! I had a fab two days, the weather was brill and the company was fun and friendly..and welcoming...

After a couple of days back at work, we were away for the weekend at a cousin's 70th surprise birthday party! We had a room at the hotel, and a nice four poster bed....shame we weren't in it for longer...

Then I have had..trips to the theatre in London, evening meetings re the forthcoming AGM, I have joined a tap dancing class with Laura!!! Been swimming with Rosemarie - last Friday i did 26 lengths!!!!! Had a girly morning at a spa, also with Laa, we had a back massage - heaven - and toe and finegr nails files and polished so we are real tarts now...don't make any comment....

And Saturday was good too....

Saturday morning at Sugar Hill Festival - I had been asked by Sue if the caravan could double as a box office for the weekend - I happily agreed but then realised i couldn't have a lie in, or I would be sitting up in bed selling wristbands out the window in my nightie..a fact which sent poor John W into quite a turn....so I got up extra early, cleared the bedding away, made the caravan look respectable, in time for Sue to appear and say as there were next to no punters, they didn't need a box office after all.......

Still, I was in time for breakfast again in John's caravan, which was the social hub of our little group - various people popped in for food, tea and coffee, and once again I just lvoed being a part of such a friendly, laid back, social gathering - especially with the stunning countryside around us and the sun shining in a clear blue sky, yet again.

David and I were on compere duties, so we decided to split the job, with him doing mainstage and me doing the beer tent. Hardly an onerous task, introducing bands and bringing them off again, mostly with about 6 people in the venue....the job became jointly compere, venue manager and stage manager..and in between I could go out and sit in the sunshine, and even catch an act on mainstage, with the other 20 people......

Slightly bum moment when I went onstage to introduce a band and forgot their name..they were very nice about it, it gave me the giggles and also the 4 people in the venue..two being Matt and Beki who could be heard laughing for a long time after. Bless them, they came in the venue at my request to bump up the numbers when a great acoustic blues duo came on and they were only playing to the bar staff...

High point of the day was bringing the headline act, Dr Feelgood, into the beer tent to play, instead of mainstage, because of the lack of numbers. After negotiating with the band before them to shorten their act slightly, and getting Dr Feelgood to go on slightly later, we were on for 10.15 - 11.30pm act. DC came backstage to make sure I was comfortable introducing them, and I chatted to the lead singer to get ideas as to what to say.He was talking to me when he suddenly stopped and looked at me and said, 'You've got beautiful eyes.....' I said thank you, he appeared to lose track of what he was saying for a minute, then carried on. I went on stage and introduced them..and smiled all evening at getting such a compliment at my age!!!!!!

They played a rocking set..and who should be getting it on down at the front, dancing like mad people, but the farmer and his wife..by now we were best friends, so I dived in and danced with them..and had a blast with John W who was partying like no tomorrow....

What a night. I went on stage and got the band to come back and do an encore. We danced. We had fun. We went to bed....and in the morning......Sally had to get up early and drive back to St Albans, missing Day 2 of the gig, tearfully leaving all her friends, as duty called at another event...

Still, it wasn't all bad..got a kiss from the farmer.....

Fabulous Friday....

Woke up in the caravan on Friday morning to look out on the surrounding hills, blue sky and sunshine, and thought, I love this camping lark! Given that I spend GB shut up in a box, to be on the field with everyone else was lovely. Especially when, having got up and showered, there was a knock on the caravan door and the lvoely John W asking, 'Would you like breakfast?' Would I?
So we trot obediently to John's caravan, all of 20 yards away, to find cereal, toast, cooked breakfast, tea and coffee all awaiting us. We have a leisurely breakfast, and greet occasional members of site crew wandering past, and I decide I just lvoe this way of life.....

The day is spent getting the site ready, all 4 tents...one mainstage, one beer tent with stage 2, a Family activity tent, and a Merchandising tent...oh and there is the stewards' tent, and medics...one familiar medic, S, is all smiles and envelopes me in a huge hug. He's lvoely too. What a community! I help to build the stage in the beer tent, and still have the bruises across my thighs from carrying the staging. DC and I drive round in Pete's little bug with the trailer on the back, full of chairs and tables, and deliver them to the various venues. One or two site crew members ride on the trailer, to help with the task, and Pete took me to one side and asked me to tell David off, as he was breaking the rules....why me???

We managed a tea break in the caravan during the afternoon, inviting visitors in for tea and cake. So civilised. Just as I was wondering what else I could do, Pete came up with the job of helping the band get ready to play for the night's private party in the beer tent..the farmer's own band was playing, but due to a lack of communication somewhere, the sound man denied knowing a band was playing that night....so the late hour and lack of kit meant everything was behind..three of us hit the stage and began 'wiring up', putting up mike stands, mikes, cables, plugging up...we worked for an hour in a whirl of activity, me DC and young BP who was a star, and we had the band ready to go by 9.15pm..only an hour or so late..the beer tent was packed with 300 plus family and friends, the band rocked, and we had a good time, especially when we thought we had missed out on the hog roast, and the lvoely George had kept some back for us...

We kept working, keeping an eye on the venue, challenging young girls on under age drinking: well, she turned out to be a boy, much to my embarrassment and the parents' annoyance..but they did eventually apologise for buying him alcohol..he was only 13....then when I had to challenge drunken people who were dancing on the tables, and ask them to get down..one of them was the farmer's wife..she owns the land!!! But as Doggit said encouragingly, 'she doesn't own the table,' and she did get down and looked suitable chastened. The farmer apologised to me for his wife in the morning..anyway..some more photos of Friday's set up.....

building mainstage..... and how many people does it take to move some one tonne hay bales into the Family tent? Answer, after we have all put our backs out trying to move them manually, you get Pete's landrover on the other end of a metal rope..then then the farmer turns up and offers his fork lift...why didn't he say that an hour ago?????

Work, Scones and a festival...

Yes, that was Wednesday evening..I had promised to make 100 scones for our large Fundraising Tea Party on Sunday afternoon..I had been meaning to make them for weeks, but something always seemed to get in the way..on Tuesday evening the problem had been a lack of flour, and the little I had was crawling with small brown creatures...I know they would have added protein..but I didn't want to poison everyone....so here I was in the kitchen on Wednesday evening with just one evening to make all 100 scones (leave things until the last minute?? Not me!)

I think I have mentioned the PMT earlier..I know it's a bit of a joke, but I was all over the place, disjointed, dyspraxic, messy, untidy, and the piece de resistance was knocking the flour all over the floor after 50 scones, so any more were out of the question.....

So after a stressful morning's work with loads and loads to do, I left early, bought flour, and had the most manic afternoon, given that I wanted to leave the house by 4pm.....if I had videoed it, I could have sold it.....I was making and baking scones in the kitchen, in batches of 15, about every 15 minutes..I was in the bathroom applying dye to my hair, which had various timings to be adhered to...and I was ironing in the dining room..all three activities were taking place simultaneously, with me rushing to the appropriate room depending on the time....another 50 scones were made and not burned, my hair turned dark brown, ironing and packing were done, and I left at 4.30pm. Not bad. Did I have everything??? I hoped so.....

When I arrived at the site of the Sugar Hill Blues Festival, at 6.15pm, the sun was shining, the caravan was waiting, and John W had the barbecue going..what more could I ask for? These were some of the views awaiting me..... Sugar Hill...by day...and night...

More details...

Oh dear, why do I start this...

Chapter 5. In which Sally Travels to her Interview.

So, I made friends with this nice Scottish guy who had change of a £5 note so I could buy a ticket and go catch my train. I bought a train ticket from a machine and it gave me two bits, one ticket, one card receipt. They look identical. I put the tickets in my purse and went to the kiosk to buy a bottle of water. I then went to go through the barrier. I took the ticket out of my purse and put it in the slot and nothing happened. Tried again. Nothing. 'Come through the gate,' the man said. As I went through he took my ticket. 'Ah, this is the receipt, that's why. hang on, this is dated 17th July. A bit out of date!' Now, why would a ticket almost two months old be first out of my purse????

So, having found the right ticket, which of course was hiding in a small corner of my purse, I was allowed on the platform. I should tell you know, the one thing I did right was to Allow Plenty of Time. So these small delays did not upset me. I meant to read the document on the train, but was feeling so lousy (see earlier PMT reference) that I slept all the way to Farringdon. Oh well. Got out in Plenty of Time, so decided to sit and have a coffee outside a little coffee shop to chill, check the map and NOT spill coffee on my clean beige skirt.....which actually, being linen, was starting to look a little crumpled.....

I walked confidently in the direction of the offices, still with Plenty of Time. I got to the bit where on the map they should have been, but they weren't. I asked people. No-one had heard of the address. I walked around, checking all office blocks, asking people..and by now, dear reader, given that it was a strangely hot and humid day in London, the sweat began to pour off me, because I am wearing a Smart Jacket.

It becomes like the scene from a scary film. At one point I am in a square, and on the other side I see a postman. Aha! A postie will know. I call out, 'Excuse me!' and hurry towards him but he appears not to have heard, and as I get near he suddenly vanishes up an alley hidden between two buildings. I run to the alley..look up...he is nowhere to be seen. Scary.

I still have Plenty of Time, but not as much as I did, so when the next building and man are no help, I get out my mobile phone and ring Nikki. (There are no contact phone nos. on the interview letter, and just the name of the office building, no street name. It is not just that I am useless.....)

I ask Nikki (assertively) to ring the London office and find out exactly where they are and ring straight back. She says yes and is gone a minute or two and rings back with the information that I am on the Wrong Side of High Holborn. My internet map is wrong. I get there, cross the road and look for an entrance to a huge block that has the right name on. Hurrah!

I still have time..but my shoes are rubbing, my feel are killing me, and I am soaked through with sweat..humidity is rising..I find a man at a door in the side street and ask if he can let me in. No, he says, the main entrance is on the main road. But I looked.....

I go back to the main road and walkalongg the shops. It is an old Elizabethan block, and there, between two shops is a small wooden arch, leading to a cobbled courtyard. I walk under the arch and around the courtyard are lots of old houses, each one with its own front door leading to hundreds of small offices. On account of my bad eyesight I have to go up to each front door and peer at the plaques. At the third door I am lucky...third floor..I push the door..put it doesn't open. I work out which bell to push and push. Three minutes to go. Plenty of Time. No-one answers. I push again. This time a voiced answers and invites me in. I push the door. Nothing. I wait. Push. Ring again. I can't get in, I explain. Oh, it's very stiff, you have to push hard. Thanks.

I get in and find a small staircase and climb what I am sure is three floors. No office, but a loo, so I go in and attempt to wash in cold water, use paper towels to dry off, and brush my wet hair and fringe from off my sweaty face,andn climb another staircase and arrive at the office. Hello, you made it, they say, and sit me in a small, airless, warm roomwith aa cup of iced water. is it and sip and breathe. 1 minute to go. I am so not in the mood for this interview....

M comes in and greets me and I am pleased to see her face is all damp and sweaty and she apologises for thehumidityy but we are on the fourth floor and she can't open a window. I sit in the interview room with sweatpouringg down my face and back and smile, and attempt to look relaxed.

They ask me a couple of questions, including what doIi think of the new guidelines..well, hard to read, too long,repetitivee, needs editing..but good apart from that, I remember to say....the time for the presentation. I stand up, look at the flip chart, grab a pen and breathe. I feel a mess. What did I sat when I practised it with MA? I take a deep breath, turn to my audience and smile......

After I have talked for 5 minutes, I stop, sit down and think,..oih dear....then I hear M say quietly..'Spot on.' Oh my goodness.... After one more question and pleasantries, I am out the door, and within 20 minutes,,yes just 20 minutes! I am back in the loo mopping myself up..as I do so I turn on my phone to hear a voice message of pan pipe playing buskers in Altrincham, cos Stuart and Karen heard them and thought of me....

There are hundreds of things I could have done in London, but all I could think about was getting home, (on the way out I found a sad soul I recognised stuck at the Front Door trying to get in for an interview, so I let her in and wishes her well....) so I limped to the station (smart shoes, bad blisters) and slept on the train all the way back to St Albans. Arrived in the office and collapsed.

Two hours later I get the phone call offering me the job.'You were brilliant,' says M, 'The only person to do their presentation without using notes, you just looked at us and talked clearly and confidently. You had obviously read the document thoroughly and understood it well. Welcome to the Training Team.'

Well, B***er me. What the F*** were the others like then?????

And here are the details....

Chapter 4. In which Sally Prepares for an Interview.

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.

I was offered the interview the day before I came to GB. So I left it until my return to read the 43 page document on Child Protection, on which Questions Would be Asked. As you can imagine, having existed on about 8 hours sleep altogether the previous week, every time I sat down to read it I went to sleep. Instantly. Like a brick. I tried on the sofa, at the table, in bed. Zzzzzzzzzzzz. A long, dry document which did not make exciting reading. But I got through it. Once. By Sunday.

Monday evening, as you know, was not a happy one and I retired to bed cross and stressed, wrote a long e-mail to DC to try and apologise (sort of, cos it's never my fault, and he was cross and stressy too, and we had a domestic over msn with steve and liz as bewildered referees, but more of that another time...) and I was upset that we had a miserable evening, and I had a headache..and I sat up in bed to read the document again.. at least three pages before falling asleep.

At 7am I tried again, and this time highlighted particular words with a highlighter pen, to show willing. I ironed my clothes, dressed and arrived in the office to do a bit of work. It occurred to me I ought to practice the 5 min training bit I had to do, which was just an idea in my head. I had written nothing down. So my secretary willingly sat in front of a flip chart while I wrote some headings and spoke enthusiastically for 5 mins on lines of responsibility and accountability. OK? OK. Not exciting, but she understood..and what is more important, I understood, although I was aware that the PMT and lack of sleep meant my brain wasn't supplying the right words to my mouth as quickly as I would like....well, I would busk it anyway, I usually do....

So I bid MA farewell and jumped in the car and headed for the station and the car park. For which you need money. The right money.....

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got the job! Training Support Worker in Child Protection for the Eastern Region of the National Organisation! Means I do my current job but do this other role at least six days a year. Off up North to be trained myself Monday and Tuesday. Celebration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I sat in the loo after my interview and listened to a recording of a pan-pipe playing busker in Altricham. I do so lvoe my friends!!!!

What is it with me?

How can I be so happy (ish) content (ish) stable, dealing with life, basking in the joy of friendships and just knowing I am loved by lots of people. Then, suddenly, without warning, I change. Mess up. become bad tempered, petulant, demanding, tearful...push away people who lvoe me. Ruin a perfectly good evening. Go to bed sad. Wake up sad. And I have a job interview today on 6 hours sleep.

Did I hear anyone mention the word PMT????

A good, chilled day...

Reasonable lie in, good music, space to potter, do washing, sort out all the Front Deskboxes on the lounge floor, play loud music, have Jackie pop in for coffee and a chat..her dad is really not well, and won't get better, time for me to be here for a shoulder to cry on, listening ear, as she has been a rock for me for the past couple of years....

More washing, more sorting, four boxes bagged and labelled and now back up in the loft..a small sleep as tiredness was setting in..a few packets of M&Ms cos, goodness, found a box which had genuinely been missed at the festival..left for me to look after..oh nearly time for a little something...

Actually I have made another discovery of mouthwatering, delicious food which i could eat and eat...as you would expect, it's probably not that healthy, and fattening, but handcooked vegetable crisps....mmmmmmmmmm.the keyboard is getting a bit greasy now....

Don't seem to have started my Annual Report which I brought home to do as I didn't get far on Thursday or Friday (I wonder why..) Jackie bought me a present, a little candle in a painted ceramic pot: she saw it and thought of me! On the top it says Sally, meaning princess in hebrew, and on the side is written as follows:



















Well, you all knew that, didn't you????

Found some pics...

Forgot I took some pcis on my phone at GB06... Friends..Daniel Bedingfield (who?) and the Ukele Orchestra.....wonderful times...

Oh, not as thin as I was!!!

The first few days of GB I was running around and hardly eating, and lost more weight....as the festival wore on, I was still running around, but I ate more, an what I did eat wasn't necessarily healthy!! fish and chips, toasty sandwich, pie, waffles and ice cream...and lots of lvoely cappucinos from the very lvoely real coffee stand near Front Desk.....all very lvoely but hardly a vegetable in sight! So I have put on a little...But I'm sure I'll lose it if I stick to healthy things....I didn't eat any pasta at GB and really missed it, so have been making up for that...

Other GB highlights....going to see Andy Thornton, whose songs I love..didn't cry at the first one, which usually sets me off, but made it until the fourth song which he wrote when his wife died....that did it..but then there was a song written when he met his new girlfriend,..all his songs are so full of emotion so beautifully expressed....it has made me get out the CDs and listen all over again!

Of course the real, real highlight has to be when I discovered, through chance conversation on the last night, that members of my front desk team liked folk music and singing, and played the guitar..I had brought my guitar, planning to sing at the folk club, but it just didn't happen, and so it laid unplayed under my desk...when the team heard there was a guitar, they insisted it came out, along with my songbooks which enabled everyone to join in..so on the last night, when others were thinking the party was at the organic beer tent, it was really with the crowd at Front Desk, singing their hearts out (not even a noise complaint from production could still our enthusiasm..)

Shaun made a capacity notice for the door (max 5) and George managed the queue. Chris, my newest, youngest and most gorgeous member of the team (ok, ok, I know he is only 22, far too young..) requested Streets of London, saying he lvoed that song, and when I realized he was actually serious, and not taking the mick, we all sang it, yes Streets of London, and I had to stop myself from climbing over the desk and having his babies there and then.....

Post GB blog.....

Here I am, tucked up in a warm bed, laptop on knee, cup of coffee in hand, radio 2 for company....and here I am, feeling ok, no post gb blues, because I have had a good time, with lovely friends, and I feel their lvoe still with me, and it makes me happy....

I feel happy because I was dreading it a bit,..the last two years have been very difficult and emotionally draining for me, and I took that emotion and stress to GB where it got multiplied by thousands, and I seemed to spend a great deal of time crying..the stress and tiredness made it worse.

But just before this year's festival, I seemed to get my act together - really! - and suddenly I was hopeful I would cope better, now that I am more stable, with the passing of time since losing my mum and dad.

And it was fine..only a few tears, but shortlived, and in private, but most of the time I was happy, busy, and more importantly, on the receiving end of hugs and lvoe and support from the most wonderful group of people I have had the pleasure to work with. I hope they feel it was all reciprocated.

Best moments: during build week when Front Desk was already busy and I was missing meals....being captured by angels in Control, who gave me lunch (at about 4pm!) three days running, wonderful crackers and pate and tomatoes, given with a hug, a cup of tea and they even did the washing up......

Going with friends - and Clive! - to see the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain on the grass at mainstage on Sunday afternoon....

Going backstage to witness Gaynor setting up Laura with Daniel Bedingfield and taking the photograph! And here it is....













and when I showed people the photo, everyone going, 'What a brilliant piccie, who is that with Laura? Cos at GB, Laura is more famous....

No wonder I'm thin.....

I never seem to stop...and I'm not eating as much as I used to..mind you, that should read no wonder I'm not quite as fat as I was..thin doesn't really come into it....however, I am still losing weight which is good.

Had a consultant's appointment yesterday morning, at 8am. Can't quite get used to this going private business, I know one shouldn't need to, but we have insurance, and needs must...the scan appointment I had at two days notice, at 7pm, the results were with my GP in two days, and consultant appointment within the week. Don't panic, nothing serious, just the speed of private medicine. The same process on the NHS last year took four months. Too long, too much time for worrying .

He said, as he put his rubber gloves on, that he does early appointments cos it's better than doing the school run, too many shoes, too many coats, too many children, it's easier to come to work. I have every sympathy with him, but whose fault is it he has too many children, given his area of expertise....???

Well, when I was away the other weekend with my cousin, he told me a rude joke...rude, but very funny...you know the kind of joke that makes you laugh all over again when you think of it? Well.....lying back on the couch thinking of England, I remembered the joke again (there was a connection, believe me..) and just wanted to roll around laughing....it took such self control not to..but as he was about to examine me, if I had burst out laughing, it would have put him off his stroke somewhat, and he might have lost confidence with his professional technique....it wouldn't have been fair, so I stayed silent...after I think the stress on my face from trying not to laugh, concerned the nurse, who asked kindly if I was all right. 'Fine thanks,' I said beaming. Why can't I be like other patients and look worried?

Anyway, straight to work for a hard day in the office, then off to Laa's new house, where I wallpapered the bedroom wall with the luxury, expensive wallpaper Laa had chosen. And very nice it looks too! Quite green..with white tree and leaf silhouettes..I had it done before Laa came home from work..many late nights this week, and when I met her off the train, Mec had been to the office to help her carry back all the stuff needed for Cheltenham..how they carried it all... boxes and bags and a suitcase..on the underground and BR I will never know....

Missing..one T shirt....

You wouldn't believe it..I went swimming with Rosemarie after work..or rather after leaving work early cos I was asleep at my desk..checked e-mails, had another quick sleep, then went to the pool. Swam 22 lengths - yes 22 , this is a record, with no rest at all...then showered and went to get dressed. Stuff out of locker, dress..or rather skirt..then t-shirt...t-shirt??? No t shirt. Nowhere to be seen. Searched locker. Empty. Searched bag, shook towels. Searched floor. Accused everyone in changing room of stealing it...no luck there. Well, I had it when I came in, I said. M&S. Dark army green. Size 14. short sleeved t shirt.

I stood there. Can't go home like this I said. Well that's a very pretty bra you're wearing, says Rosemarie, that'll turn a few heads when you walk through reception....No really, this is ridiculous. I get the giggles. I can't go home. Ever. I send Rosemarie to reception to explain my plight, and ask them to find something tasteful from lost property. She goes, and I realise several women in various states of undress are just staring at my chest. Yes, ok, you've seen it now, move along, nothing to see here. Not funny now. Rosemarie is gone a long time and people are still looking. One woman says, So you've not found your t shirt then. Yes, of course I have, I just want to sit here with no clothes on. Dur.

Rosemarie returns. They wouldn't lend anything from lost property on the grounds that the clothes belong to someone else. Err..yes... they weren't helpful, so Rosemarie made a fuss and said, you must have something, my friend can't go home in her bra (pretty and lacy though it is..) so she produces.....a bright, bright, vivid yellow T shirt, polo, several sizes too big. I put it on and I have the words Cannons LIFEGUARD emblazoned on my chest. Very fetching, says Rosemarie, who laughs all the way out to the car. On the way out, I report my t shirt stolen..I want it back.

Counting down....

Went through all the stuff on the floor of the 'new room': we still call it that although it was converted from the garage to a room more than 10 years ago...what can we call it? There is the lounge, the kitchen...and the new room.....it is, or was, my room, so we could call it Sally's room....it was once my therapy room - where I worked as a therapist, giving it rather than receiving it!! It is where the piano is, and all my music, and guitars, and where I used to teach the guitar, so was called the music room for a while..then it just became a dumping ground, for kid's stuff not wanted on voyage, pre/post gap years/uni/various flats/ then for my parents' stuff: full of boxes, records, books. two TV's, unwanted pcs, the ironing....yes, I am trying to sort it out to reclaim it as a room.

It represents inside my head....all the time the room is a mess, I am a mess. As I am sorting the room out, and clearing it, so I am getting sorted out. Well, in one corner, on the floor was a pile of GB front Desk/Training stuff, probably been there since last year, and I have gone through it and binned some out of date information.

I went into the attic last night (well, actually, sent Clive, like a chimney sweep boy, and he passed down four heavy boxes labelled Front Desk, and I will go through them tonight and remind myself what we have, and what I need to buy...oh goody, stationery shopping!!!!!

The week is slipping by, and there is a lot to do, washing, ironing, packing for Sunday, work (unfortunately) wallpapering for Laura when the paper arrives, cleaning and tidying the house and providing proper food for Saturday, when James will bring a 'friend' home for a proper visit..oh help...

Nearly time.....

I thought this might amuse..well, it amuses me... I have a Winnie the Pooh calendar on the wall behind my desk at the office, and it came with a sheet of WTP stickers for Very Special Occasions.

So in preparation for next week, I have stuck stickers on depicting what I might be doing....Sunday 20th..jumping up and down with excitement, leaving to go to Cheltenham..Monday 21st, putting my waterproof hat and coat on, plus Wellingtons...Tuesday 22nd, working very hard Making Lists and Writing Things Down, 23rd, Jar of Honey (need sustenance) 24th, me and George Thinking and Reading, 25th, me with Jar of Honey, 26th, me and a friend at Mainstage, Watching and Listening, 30th, me very tired and fast asleep in bed back home....

And lastly.....

Richard Thompson, who headlined on Friday night, was amazing, and brought in the biggest crowd of the weekend, we reckoned almost 2,000, the car park was full....Oyster Band, who headlined on Saturday, Seth Lakeman (gorgeous, talented, gorgeous) and Steeleye Span..who closed the festival on Sundayt night. What a line up, and that isn't mentioning the other fantassic bands....Fiddlers Bid, from the Shetlands, being one....

Not a bad line up for a First Festival, with an average of a few hundred people attending. Sorry it has taken all week to share!

One more time.....

Don't think there has been deliberate blog silence, over the past week - this is not the case. But every time I have tried to blog, and download some more festival pics, something has gone wrong, the process has taken for ever, and then when it finished..hey presto, no pictures!! I became so annoyed, ladie and gentleman, that an expletive would ensue, and I would turn laptop off in disgust.

At least the third time of trying this morning has been more successful, and brings you Los Pacaminos, Paul Young's Latin-American style band, whose CD I bought and now dance round the living room to it on a regular basis! Also featured: Flook, an excellent folk band where the lead singer and flautist plays standing perfectly still on one leg (pictured) Did she start this trend, or was in Ian Anderson??

More pics when blogger allows. The Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig news of this weekend is that Laa and Mec are in their very own house!!!!! I spent Saturday stripping the lounge walls of wall paper, then all of Sunday putting lining paper up so they can paint it white. The kitchen is now white, the bedroom white..the lounge will be white...and it is the most lvoely warm, sunny house, and it feels like their home already. Final, final moving in day is next Saturday..I am booked to put up just one wall of rather stylish, expensive wallpaper in the bedroom..it's been ordered over the internet, and Laura is desperate for it to arrive so I can hang it before I leave for GB on Sunday evening!!!

More festival pictures....

Some proper pics, you would expect...and some from a sad Ops person, of the side access to the 'car park' festival site., cos I was concerned about disabled access, and health and safety etc..... the only access, in fact, and that had no lighting the first night!!! You can imagine event he smallest crowds going through in the dark, and falling over those little wooden posts, cleverly wrapped in tiger tape..and bubble wrap.....

The main act on Thurs evening on mainstage, playing to , maybe about 300 people??? were a folk duo called John Spiers and John Boden (pictured here) and they were bloody good..now am proud owner of 2 new CDs!!!!!

Friday we had a lazy start to the day, breakfast in the adjoining hotel, shopping in the village shops for supplies..then I had a long phone call after which I was upset (so what's new I hear you say...) and my cousin waited patiently, then sat me down listened and talked, and made me a cup of tea, and didn't mind at all that we missed the afternoon at mainstage..he was an amazing and very astute listener and giver of advice..he is a trained legal arbiter and sums up evidence very succinctly!!!!! Dried tears and a big hug later, we were ready to go to the evening session...and what a great evening it was..more later.....