Monday 26 January 2015

Bridlington and Burley

into 2013
Spent last New year in Dublin,








and the previous one in Moscow.

into 2014



So this year, in post-Seasonal and Seasonal Concerts and General End of Term  Recovery I decided to spent a day walking along the seafront at Bridlington, and then come back for John and Charlotte's do in Burley.
seabirds posing at Brid harbour


Before: ice
After:Just a shadow 


dry docked at night


The little hotel was great; got shown to my room before any attempt was made to sign me in. Recommend the Mont Milais to anyone. I walked along the prom at night, and then all next morning. By the bridge besides a sea-bound rivulet, the morning sun had melted the ground ice except where the fence bars got in the way. When I came back two hours later, only shadows remained.


dry docked in the day

The train home on New year's Eve changing first in an empty Hull station then in an empty Selby Station seemed as as remote as crossing from St Petersburg to Helsinki. But having your tickets checked was a whole lot less stressful! Eek!

Here's some party pictures including the lantern which didn't in the end get any higher than the house,



Friday 23 January 2015

Blayds, Chemic, Armley Mills: Natalie and Ursula Get a Bit Older

We thought it was too loud., but Tim thought, nice.
Well Astrid

The heady days of foreign travel are behind me for a bit. Getting my excitement these days from Lower Briggate, Woodhouse and Armley.
huddling in thermals
First Natalie, very inconveniently born at the end of the autumn term, celebrates her birthday at Blayd's where summer 2013 we rocked Gay Pride. and in winter we huddled under a small tarpaulin in our thermals.





This evening Bex and Katie danced a bit. Bex, Vic and I posed with bottles.

The Chemic, Leeds

Saturday after Christmas, for her big birthday, Ursula booked Open Mike at the Chemic and then a private screening of Mamma Mia at the Little Cinema at Armley Mills Museum. Well, that was just the best!

I loved Mamma Mia all over again, and I absolutely loved Armley Mills for the first time [and have lived in Leeds over 30 years!]

cake

canal



Friday 9 January 2015

A Half term of Conferences

Now then Strid,

After the excitement that was Hull, the only way I can get away now is by going to a conference, or in this case, five!
 
                                                         First it was the MU teachers'
bird at Cardiff College
conference in Cardiff, actually Land of my Father who was born in nearby Bridgend. I left Bex ,Yi Bai and Tim to take the Sparrows at the Awards Ceremony at Leeds Rugby/Cricket Club, and jumped on the train to Manchester, where I met Diane, who I was expecting to meet, and .two ex-colleagues, which was a bonus. Followed shortly by bumping into the youngest son at Picadilly, as Diane and I were changing trains and Mig was coming home.

In Cardiff we conferenced hard, then in the evening I spot ex-student, James now in his fourth year at Cardiff College of Music, and then we go out and drinking with lots of lovely people including Karen who was in eldest son's Music A level class at Lawnswood School, Leeds.

Cardiff Station
one big recorder
The following day I left Wales for the sunny climes of Peterborough for the Schools Music Association Conference, Here were more old chums including my ocarina friends: David and Christa, and maybe another glass of wine. The highlight of this weekend was a professional blind musician, who played more types of recorders than I knew existed. More details on Music Ed blog.
two recorders at once

Back in Leeds for recovery half term, then down to the people v PFI conference at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical medicine. In the evening I went over to Hackney to see Grand Union's latest offering, then stayed in a bizarre little hotel in Hackney.




Next morning met up with Lionel and Hazel [from Nostalgia]. We talked endless rubbish about steelpans then drove over to Clapham Junction to talk more rubbish of same ilk with Grafton and Charlotte. Kings Cross and home!







At Kings Cross I met up with Aretha and we journeyed home together.



The following Thursday evening I spent an hour in the cold at Leeds Station while the London trains failed to materialise, eventually sprinting [who am I kidding!] from Kings Cross to St Pancras to jump on on the Luton train. Just made it for a glass of wine at the wonderful Great Northern and talked pop music history with some of the regulars.



Then slept in a weird hotel, pods for rooms, no windows, claustrophobic, cheap.

Great Northern, listed tiles




television but no windows

















This conference was on Carnival Arts, and was great, and very inspiring, especially the tales from Carnival artists on what these Arts had done for them - professionally. Lots, it appeared. Met up with Marina.

Back to Leeds Friday evening ready for "Summat New" at Leeds Uni, where, unsurprisingly met loads of people I knew including Diane and Marina.
Luton Airport Station - scary
Summat New Leeds Uni

After all that Astrid, I was ill for months.


Summat New Leeds Uni