Friday 21 February 2014

We went to Wales...

.... to check that the caravan was still on one piece and hadn't been blown away in the wind.

Then it was into Llandudno for lunch and a blow on the beach.



Wednesday 19 February 2014

This twelve year old...


 .... is now towering over his 15 year old sister!

Sorry Megs - it's only going to get worse!



Tuesday 18 February 2014

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Nearly 25 years ago Al and I went to the cinema to see the movie Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

We'd been going for movies nights once or twice a week all summer -
 usually with Al's best  friend Richard, and often with my best friend Gill too.

That night it was just us - and at the end of the evening, as he drove me home he asked me out.

A couple of days later I went to French Alps with my family  for nearly 3 weeks. 
While I was there I told my mum I was going to marry Al.
Five years later I did.

And now, 24 1/2 years later, we've been to see Dirty Rotten Scoundrels again.


.

This time it's a musical, premiering in Manchester 
{as seems to be the way these days}
before transferring to the West End.

Like the film its rather stupid - quite over the top -
and really rather funny.

Robert Lindsay and Rufus Hound were good as the conmen- 
whilst Katherine Kinglsey was just brilliant as the woman who bests them both.

Al and I made a night of it. Gma had Megs and Ben over night, so we could stay in the PremierInn next to the Midland Hotel 

{It has the same view - and a room cost the same as afternoon tea at the Midland....)

The following day we spent the morning in Manchester Art Gallery 
visiting some favourtie Pre-Raphaelites 
{And some amazing large scale crochet}

and then saw the movie The Monuments Men at the cinema at Great Northern,
 before going to pick up the children.





Sunday 16 February 2014

It's been a tough half term...

..... Spring One is always hard going.

It's still cold and dark - 
this year there has been the unrelenting wind, rain and MUD
{26 pairs of wellies twice a day}

And then I had 17 new starters into Nursery.

I've never been more ready for a week off.

Saturday Megs spent the afternoon lunching/shopping with Jamie in Liverpool



While we took Ben to see The Lego Movie





Today was Church - Lunch with Gma and Gpa -
And a walk along the river at sunset



Sunday 2 February 2014

In the footsteps of Sherlock....

On the way back to Euston we called in at 221B Baker   (Faker) Street
(actually 187 North Gower Street)
for a photo opp with the wonky door knocker.
 
Apparently touching the same door knocker as the lovely Benedict Cumberbatch
is the next best thing to marriage.
 
 

Oh how I love Henry V

One of my favourite plays -
 
I fell in love with the Ken Brannagh version when I was a student -
Such clear memories of watching it with friends at the Pheonix Picture House in Oxford

We absolutely had to see Jude Law in the role -
perhaps the first half was a little disappointing.
The Globe production we saw in 2012 was so vibrant and full of life
with Jamie Parker as a very young Henry -
that this production at first seemed a little flat.

But after the interval - the war weary, duty bound Henry really came to life.
The camp fire scene was very moving -
and the device of doubling the Chorus/Boy lent huge poignancy to attack on the baggage.

By the time Henry wooed Katherine - we had been totally won over.

{and of course the sight of Mr Law in those tight leather trousers
was probably worth the trip to London alone!}








 

London Day Trip

My friend Sharron has commented -
 "You pop to London like other people pop to Liverpool"
 
But with cheap tickets
{plus family railcard discount}
and a journey time of 1 hour 50 minutes
we can leave Runcorn at 8am and be at Euston before 10!
So why not!
 
 
 
 
 
We met Jonathan, Karen and Katherine at Euston,
then walked to Coram's Fields so Katherine could play.
 

 



 




 
 
 
Then it was lunch at the GBK in the Brunswick -
before we took the tube to Trafalger Square.
Katherine took great delight in chasing the pigeons before we headed to the
Noel Coward Theatre for our matinee of Henry V.
 


 


 
It was a really lovely few hours - time with Katherine is always a delight!