31/03/2008

This is going to be very short it's just to tell anyone who is interested, that the Junior Toads presentation of Annie will be starting tomorrow at Alexandra School in Tipton in the West Midlands and will be on all the week. Tickets are available at the door priced at a very reasonable £6 Show starts at 7.30 pm and should end about 10.15 pm. If you would like to see any still of the Juniors in costume please go to Flickr and key in  Junior Toads and hopefully you will see them. Hope to see some of you there, please come and find me I shall be there all the week.

Easter Monday

Although the last few days have been on the quiet side I did have quite a few days of last week when my feet were hardly on the ground. Last wednesday I met up with Robert, Stuart and Denise and spent time eating and drinking and generally enjoying spending time together. I then went to Robs for the night, as my lesson was due thursday morning at the Apple store, where, as Tom was not available, another really nice man named Ashleigh took the lesson with me. He took me through how to link my mobile phone to the computer and address book, which Stu and Rob had already tried to show me but as I have said before I forget almost as soon as I've been shown.

Robert had arranged for us to go to the MAC in Cannon Hill Park on wednesday to see "There will be Blood". He had seen it in Hongkong and had raved about it. It certainly was worth the viewing as Daniel Day-Lewis's acting was so powerful that without a doubt the Oscar was given to the right person. He completely dominated the screen. I was so glad that I had the opportunity to see the film.   Thursday afternoon, again Rob and I went to the cinema, to see "No Country for Old Men"  again this was another great piece of cinema with the starring role going to Javier Bardem who won the Oscar for best supporting actor and the film winning best film. Two fabulous films that I honestly would not have bothered to go and see myself if Robert had not said how much he had enjoyed them when he had first seen them while in Hongkong. 

Friday we met up with Charlotte and Lucy for lunch and then guess what ? we all went off to the cinema again, this time for Lucy's benefit to see "Horton hears a who" a Doctor Seuss story about an elephant and a tiny town of tiny people on a spot on a clover. Strange, but most enjoyable, well Lucy and I did, I think Rob and Char dozed off a couple of times. I eventually returned home on saturday in time to do some shopping for sunday  and get my washing done. Stu came yesterday for lunch and it was nice just spending time and watching " The Wizard of Oz" on tv.  Today has been very quiet, I haven't done much, as usual on most bank holidays the weather has done almost everything from rain, sunshine, hailing and snowing, so apart, from cooking my lunch, I have watched tv and a dvd that Stu said I must see called "Hard Candy". A very good but unpleasant film. I am now going to have a nice bath and then off to bed. I'm so worn out doing nothing. 

March 16th 2008

I can't believe it's been so long since I wrote my last blog. The thing is - my life isn't too interesting that I have much to write about, but since it was way back in January I think I might find a few memories to share. Toads has a new musical director, his name is Mike, a lovely lovely man who certainly knows his stuff. He works us very hard and won't be put off when we complain about it. It is really enjoyable though and his style is very different from Craig's ( our last MD ) The junior Toads are getting ready for their first performance which will be Annie. It's starting on the first of April at Alexandra High, Tipton. We have plenty of tickets if anyone would like to come along and it runs all the week till the saturday evening starting at 7.15pm. I am going along to help with programmes and tickets etc, in other words, a dogsbody, but it should be interesting.
I have started my lessons at the Apple store, which Robert gave me for Christmas. At first I felt very uneasy about them, as I thought I would probably be an old lady among lots of youngsters, but it's quite surprising the range of ages that go to the lessons. The very first person I saw was a lady easily nearer to my age than I expected. I have now had about five with the lovely Tom who makes it more of a pleasure than training. I have learned quite a lot, but the only trouble is when I get home I seem to have forgotten half of what I've been taught. Although Tom assures me we can go back to things that I'm not sure of, as I do have
52 lessons, one a week, in which to get everything to stick in my ever diminishing little grey cells.
A couple of weeks ago it was my birthday and Stuart took me to the Ricoh stadium in Coventry, to a Collectomania, where I met stars from TV and films. We met Bruce Campbell, and Robert Englund of Freddy Kruger fame who was the most adorable man you would ever wish to meet. Nightmare on Elm St. will never again give me nightmares. We also saw Warwick Davies and Kenny Baker from Star Wars along with the gorgeous man who stared in the latest Bond film Casino Royale as Daniel Craig's poker opponant. Far better looking than in the film. Stuart and Denise also gave me tickets for Madame Butterfly which I shall be going to in May.
Lucy and Charlotte have been to New Zealand to Charlotte's brother's wedding and Robert was, at the same time in Hongkong where he had a really nasty bout of food poisoning, which Chun and their other two friends also got. He looked quite poorly when he came back so perhaps next time he goes he will no doubt avoid oysters from a street vendor's hot pot.

January 9th 2008

I can't believe that its been so long since my last blog. I did not die or was confined to my bed, I have just been lazy.
The pantos went well that Toads did over a couple of weeks in December and also the two shows that we also had to do one for a Ladies Guild and the other, which I really enjoyed was when the Christmas lights were switched on at Great Bridge. This was a fun time when lots of other people and groups did their own performances. I must say it was freezing that night although the show was held in a very large tent like structure which had a certain amount of heating but with people moving in and out it didn't keep much heat in. When all the shows were finished I went to Rob's for the rest of the month and didn't come back till after New year. It was lovely being there with him, and on some days Lucy. Charlotte did a magnificent Christmas lunch for which I want to publicly thank her, although I did so at the time. Yesterday was the first time that Stuart, Denise and I had chance to spend the day together as their work schedule as quite hectic, although I did see them for a short time on boxing day when they came and met Rob and I in town. Robert has given me, for Christmas, lessons at the Apple store so hopefully I shall be starting them soon, and then look out as I shall be putting photos and all sorts of extra things on my blog, which I haven't any idea what to do at the moment. I was a bit nervous when I got it, but now I can't wait to start. Stuart gave me a new dvd player, as the one I have at the moment will only play certain dvds so I hope he will set it up for me when he comes to lunch on Sunday. We were supposed to start swimming again last Saturday and I have decided that I wasn't going as I have had a chest infection over Christmas, that had not really cleared up, but Friday night I had a phone call to say the pool wasn't ready so hopefully this saturday I and it will be okay. Do you know - even though as have already said this blog has been a long time coming, I can't think of much to say so less is more and perhaps I will think of something interesting next time, or maybe I might go back to my school days and write about them.

November 17th 2007

Wow has it really been that long since I wrote my last blog. To tell the truth I haven't had much to say, so what's the use of wasting mine and your time by writing something very uninteresting. Well I still don't have much to write about. As I have said too many times before I lead a very boring, very dull life. I did go to Robs for about six days recently which as always is very nice. I am waited on hand and foot, not even allowed to wash up after being treated to lovely meals and its a pleasure being able to spend time with Rob and Lucy. As I have already said Stu and I were taking Lucy to see Slava Snow show for her birthday treat. The Friday before we were going she was quite unwell with a sore throat and totally losing her voice but although her voice was still noticeably absent the day of the show, she was feeling better and so off we went. Needless to say she had a great time and she came home with a carrier bag full of "snow". It's only strips of silver and white paper, but it comes with such a force over all the audience it does seem like snow. Lucy told us later, when her voice finally reappeared, that she quite liked the cobweb, which started out as a little bit hanging on the stage but the more the clown tried to clear it away, the larger it grew until it spread out all over the auditorium and completely covered the audience. It really is the greatest show, so unique, unfortunately it has now gone for a season in China and Hong Kong but hopefully it will return to the U.K. next year, when I shall again, God willing, go again.
Stu and Denise are in the throes of moving house. He has a lot of good friends who are helping him as he doesn't drive himself he is very dependent on them but I think most of the large things are now at the new home although he still has a lot of stuff at the old place which has to be transported there in the next couple of weeks.
TOADS now have to perform our panto three more times so hopefully if anyone can get along to see us we would be very grateful as we really need to get our own lighting equipment instead of having to rely on hireing some. I will get dates and venue as soon as possible and put it on my next blog. Bye for now.

Sunday 28th October

Well it's been a long time coming - this blog, but as anyone who has been reading "me and mine" will know it's panto season. Well it was until last night when our last show finished. It has been great although we do have to find a way of selling more tickets. The show itself has been lovely with everyone pulling to make it great. If you would like to see a few photos go to my flikr site and log onto my friend Angela Melia. she has only put a few on but hopefully when she has more time she will put on the rest. We shall be having a dvd and photos of the show soon and maybe Giles (our TOADS website manager) will put some more pictures on the official web. This morning we were again at the school to clear away the chairs and costumes and tidy up the rooms that we had used for changing in. Charlotte, Lucy, Val and Mary came to see the show on friday and I think they all liked it. Charlotte and Lucy stayed at my house friday night as it was rather late for Lucy and it was nice having breakfast with them although they had to rush off as Lucy was due to go to yet another birthday party, she seems to have one to go to nearly every other week. It will be Lucy's birthday on the 6th of November so I suppose that will be yet another party. Stuart and I are taking her to see Slavas Snow Show at the Hippodrome Birmingham for her birthday treat. Stu and I went to see it last year and it was absolutely amazing, so when I said I was taking Lucy, Stuart asked to come along as well. I think Lucy will like it. She has seen the dvd teaser and was very excited and she showed it to her mother on Saturday morning and I think she liked to idea of it also. If anyone can get to see this show, I'm not sure how many tickets are still available as it's so popular, they won't be disappointed as the only word to describe it is "wonderful" Its back to normal again now for a while, we are having next tuesday off from TOADS as a rest but I'm sure they will have something else planned for when we go back. We still have to do another performance of Snow White for some club or other and an evening of singing for another group. So one with the motley again soon.

Monday 15th October.

Well another week ! Friday, as I said in my last blog, I met Lucy from school club and she came home with me for the night. We didn't get much time together as it was quite late and after teatime we had to think about bath time and bed, but we did spend it having fun and reading a story. Well we started one a Roald Dahl called George's marvellous medicine, but Lucy didn't like George's grandmother character and so we read another called Back-to-front Benjy which was very funny and we both had a lot of laughs. I'm sure she will love the Roald Dahl one another time but I think my interpretation of the grandmother's voice was a bit too scary. Perhaps her dad will read it to her sometime. Any how Saturday morning we had to make our way back into Birmingham to meet Charlotte and for Lucy to go to her dance class at the Hippodrome. It was lovely to see all the children getting ready for their classes and others getting dressed to go home as there were shoes, socks, coats and bags everywhere, and what with all the parents sitting around this very small space very crowded - but so nice. Charlotte and I and Lucy's "very best" friend's mother, whose name I can't remember had a really interesting talk about religion, Doesn't it sound interesting? but it really was. Later we met up with Laura and her latest, the most darling baby Nancy (gorgeous name) for coffee. Then someone said how hungry they were and so we all went off to Cafe Soya for lunch. I had the nicest meal of Lemon grass chicken salad I can't tell you what the others had because I was too busy eating mine, except that they bought Lucy a very large chocolate milkshake. They love her to death in there, as her mom and dad have been taking her to Cafe Soya since she was a few weeks old, she is quite a seasoned Chinese foodie what with Chun cooking delicious meals as well. I enjoyed myself so much that I quite forgot that I had been invited to another party Saturday afternoon, but I'm sure they won't have missed me as it was an open invite and there were lots going. I must go and give my apologies in the next day or so. I went to the gym today where there is a week of various goings on. Today the were doing foot spa detox. You should have seen what ended up in mine. Well maybe not, it was horrendous, thick brown mud. So I think it must have done me some good getting all those toxins out of me and to tell the truth I went round the circuit afterwards like a 23 year old ( if only )