Flashmob days.....

I'm walking through Castle Gardens, a little park in the heart of the city.It's lunchtime, and as I make my way towards the banks of the River Soar, I can hear the distant sounds  of a song dragging me  screaming back to the eighties.

Turning a corner , I'm confronted by a thousand people in front of a stage.

Many are wearing blonde wigs....some of the men look like the tartiest transvestites around. Think Sean Bean in his latest television appearance.

There are cheerleaders with impossibly long ,fake tanned legs, in very short shorts.

 There are big butch security men ,

lots of students, and they're all dancing.

And here's more on stage with blond wigs.....these are the top bods at the university...

And there's more and more of them....

all lip synching and performing moves like the Mobot to Bonnie Tyler blasting  out...."Holding out for a hero". I hated that song back then and I haven't changed my mind all these years later.

But let's not be churlish. The wig wearers and hyperactive dancers are all there for a very good cause.It's a lip synching flashmob, all there to raise money for two exceptionally good causes -. LOROS, the wonderful hospice in Leicester where my mother in law died, and PROSTAID, which raises funds for research and treatment for men with prostate cancer.

The flashmob is the brainchild of the charismatic Dominic Shellard, who's Vice Chancellor of De Montfort University. He throws himself into his role with gusto.......

 

 

 

 

But it's not just a flashmob...there's a film being made with a back story and some sort of a plot....which involves my mate Jonathan Lampon from work, some Leicester Tigers players (well, hello...), Leicestershire cricketers  and Alan Birchenall, all round good egg, and local footballing leg end .


Why is Jonathan hiding...and not in the limelight for once?? Oh...it 's all part of the act...? Mind you,  with a blond wig like that, I'd be holding it and in hiding too....

 

 

 

The atmosphere is great... seeing so many people lip synching, dancing together ,and having such bloody fun on a Wednesday lunchtime and raising thousands of pounds for charity is heartwarming, life affirming. I can't wait to see the video ....

But after an hour of dear old Bonnie belting  out  from the speakers, just don't, and I repeat don't   .... sing, whistle, or even hum the tune to "Holding out for a hero "near me in the next few weeks. I may not be responsible for my actions.

Today's track is NOT a Bonnie Tyler one. Appropriate as it would be....I don't think so....

Instead...what about "Heroes" by the Wallflowers? I really like their version of the Bowie classic.....

 

blogging days

When it comes to winning things or awards, I'm usually  towards the end of the queue.

That's not to say I've not won anything at all....oh how I can't forget the excitement of winning a vase in a raffle. It was actually a  rather beautiful vase, but by the time it was sent to me , it was broken.

At charity fairs and fetes, if I ever have a go on the bottle stall, I'm surrounded by people crowing with delight, as they win some really good bottle of wine or even worse, champagne. The only bottle I've ever won was a bottle of vinegar. Yes, vinegar. Not even raspberry vinegar...just plain, boring malt vinegar.

When it comes to awards, well I have actually won one national broadcasting award for an interview I did some years back....but that's it.

But something came out of nowhere this week..something I wasn't expecting. A blogging award. Yipes! Who me?

But, before you get all excited...it's not one of these international jobbies, where I went to a fancy pants ceremony, quaffed champagne and had to make an acceptance speech , botoxed and fake tanned upto my eyeballs. Nevertheless , it bought a smile to my face I can tell you....

It was from the lovely Jo at http://gapyearsthebook.blogspot.co.uk/  so thanks Jo!

Instead of an acceptance speech, I'm supposed to tell you why I blog..... well, I just about did that in my last post. But I also must  nominate five other blogs which I find addictive...some are more well known than others

Only five?  I adore reading blogs....but these give me windows into other worlds....

OK, so here they are, and not in any particular order of preference......

http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/    Fiona has tried to become self sufficient and I love her stories of growing , making  and chicken keeping with her other half Danny.

http://emmachichesterclark.blogspot.co.uk/  this is an absolute must for me...as Emma illustrates  the adventures of her dog Plum..Obviously I'm addicted to this, because for me, Plum looks very like my little puppy Boo......

http://littleoldgoose.blogspot.co.uk/ Lucy, a twenty something,   lives on the south coast - loving the sea, crafts and photographing her world. (which being her incredibly nosy mother....I love reading about!)

http://itsnotfingrocketscience.com/  If you like your tastebuds tempted  then look no further. Her food is seriously tasty and beautifully photographed and she's funny too.

http://www.lettersofnote.com/ I've only just become addicted to this.....random letters which illuminate and entertain......eg a letter from 18 year old Keith Richards to his aunt about his new friend Mick, and the letter from a 12 year old boy asking the great architect Frank Loyd Wright to design a house for his dog - and he did!

So I hope you will all have a look at these blogs..in the meantime, here's a track from a band I've  loved since 2003,and have seen so many times live. I've interviewed them a few times too....

This track is  called "Out of nowhere" and it's by Athlete.

 

the birth day of this blog

Was it really a year ago I tentatively dipped a toe in the blogging waters?

Yes! And what a year it's been ...with thousands of hits on the blog, hundreds of comments, virtual friendships  made with other bloggers from all over the world,  and quite frankly my dears, I've had a blast!

Here's the very first post
http://thinkingofthedays.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/thinking-of-days.html

I had no plan of what I would write....just documenting the world around me...things, people and places that interested me whether at home or at work.

One thing I did know was that I had to have music in every post...because , if this blog is a reflection of my world and thoughts...then you would have to listen to the soundtrack of my world too!

Working in radio, I write every day as part of my job and concentrate on sound, the interviews , the background noises, the atmosphere through listening.

But through writing this blog, I've learnt how to think visually too....and from being a complete ignoramus when it comes to taking photographs, I've become confident and enjoy snapping away on my i phone.

My most arty shot was unintentional though - i fell over!

http://thinkingofthedays.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/day-of-snow-and-birds.html

Writing this blog has given me wonderful reminders of very special days at home and further away...


The most popular blog posts have been about the Chelsea Flower Show, one of my favourite bookshops, the University of Leicester Botanic Garden, and posts from Australia .Mind you with posts of  pictures like this...

no wonder everyone liked vignettes from the land of sunshine back in a windswept , rain sodden English March.

Looking back at posts over the last year , I realise just how much I value the simple things in life...like lying in the garden with my dog Boo on a sunshiny day

So what's new for the blog  over the next year? Well more of the same, and many of you have told  me you like the tracks on every post....it's always good to share favourite tracks  don't you think?
I'll be doing some more travel posts too........but what would YOU like to see more of ?


Anyway, it's Friday ...I'm off to the pub for the weekly ritual of having a few glasses of wine with my favourite people , but in the meantime , I'll leave you with one of the best artists ever...one who I've loved since I was twelve years old....the one and only, the wonderful..... Jimmi Hendrix and "Happy Birthday"  

Blue sky days

I've still been looking upwards.....skywards over the last week...I can't stop looking at the sky.

Last weekend Mr Thinking of the days and I went to see our darling daughter who now lives on the South Coast. Boo came too..

Leaden skies , the rain all the way





It was still grey as the eight of us (well, six humans plus Boo and her new spaniel friend called Ozzie) began our walk along the front at Southsea on Saturday morning...

But within what seemed like moments, the world changed....blue skies were overhead and I could smell the sea.



Instantly I was in happy place...sailboats, blue water and blue skies took me back to family holidays on the island across the water...and to teenager years when I lived by the Indian ocean.

We all walked and talked...upto the Castle...where we sat outside in the sunshine enjoying coffee and for some, huge bacon butties....

But my eyes were still skywards....I've never seen clouds like this in such a deep blue setting

Or perhaps I have, but not appreciated them before. One thing is for sure - there's so much more I need to know about this wonderful world above us. There's a wonderful man called Tristan Gooley who's written books on natural navigation and exploration http://www.naturalnavigator.com/the-natural-explorer/ ...I must get hold of a copy.

Aren't these skies just magnificient? By the way, none of my photos are surgically enhanced....these colours are exactly what my iphone and I see.

The following day, another walk with just family...and my daughter finally persuaded Boo to go near the water....

A lovely weekend ...appreciating simple pleasures, mindful that it will be a while until we feel the sun on our backs, and such beautiful summery blue skies , which immediately make me feel happy..

Today's track is by Jamirquai....Blue Skies

Days of autumn skies

Boo is six months old and she's still learning something  new every day. So am I...by looking at my world through her eyes. Also, after nearly five years being without a dog, she's making me get out, come rain come shine.....and I realise how much I've been missing.

One of my favourite walks around the village starts by turning left down the lane, right at the back of our mediaeval church, and then up a track to a huge field....after harvest, there's stubble in the field. Nothing unusual, but Boo had never seen stubble before...

 She snuck into the stubble very carefully , looking up at me as if to say "What on earth is this?" But within seconds she was romping through it without a care in the world.

So was I...because I could see this.....the sun coming out from behind the early evening skies...

This is one of the biggest fields near us..and because we live in hunting country, there's wide spaces of green beside the hedges for horses....

Boo loved it  - so much so, I took her back there the following day. We had company...my eldest son who is getting over his latest knee operation

What an invigorating walk, the breeze in our hair...a fresh but quite chilly day







We took it slowly around the field, my son still has to be very careful, but slowing down meant more time to just stand and stare at the beautiful landscape and skies....





and watch how the rolling clouds transform the panorama in a matter of minutes.....

It was time to head back....Boo had walked at least twice as far as us...darting ahead, then coming back to us, hither and thither...so much energy...



Boo collapsed in a tired but happy heap as soon as we arrived home, I sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee  and realised how much I adore looking at wide skies around me. Their beauty, their drama , simply fill me with wonder and happiness..

Today's track is "Clouds" by Newton Faulkner....I know I've chosen another track by him before...on the blog...but he's such a clever songwriter.....and I love this song......

Wine tasting days

I'm writing this on a Thursday, but I do love Saturday afternoons. A free couple of hours to mooch  about in Market Harborough...pay a visit to my favourite shops, buy something special for supper, and change my library books.

Even if friends are over for the weeekend, they like a whizz around my favourite haunts....and more about those in future blogposts...but this is always a popular port of call with anyone.

Duncan Murray Wines..a small wine shop, with big ideas and a warm welcome for everyone .Opened by Duncan and his wife Megan about five years ago, I've been a loyal customer ever since. Why? Well the choice of wines for one thing.....





I can get my favourite gluggable reds...something special to take to a friend, there's something for everyone's budget. But I know I could get those in many other places.

No, what's great about this little place is the brilliant banter every Saturday between 12noon and 3pm, when there's wine tastings from different countries and areas.

It's almost like a club...most people like to taste new wines they haven't tried before....usually between three and five different bottles...it's nice to talk to others about wine in a casual friendly atmosphere ....

...and there's the jokes.....from Duncan mainly...accompanied by raised eyebrows and a wry smile from Megan. Don't worry though, his wines are much better than the jokes.....

Sometimes different wine growers come to do their own tastings...occasionally there's a few nibbles to accompany the wines ...for example, from Spain we had some manchego cheese and chorizo, but with last Saturdays' tasting, there was something you couldn't possibly eat....

Yes, it's a rock. A kimmeridgeon about 150 years old from the Chablis area....the rock explains the flinty character of the wine from the region. And that's the attention to detail in this wine shop.....
When did you last see one of those in the supermarket wine section?

So on a Saturday afternoon if you see me in Market Harborough, I haven't been drowning my sorrrows in the pub all lunchtime, I've merely been learning more about wine in a very sociable way. Mind you I now go to the library before the wine tasting....I was getting some funny looks from the librarians...

.
Today's track is slightly different....I could have played UB40's Red Red Wine...but this sketch still makes me laugh every time I see it....It's the incomparable, and very young (!) Fry and Laurie.....on wine tasting.....

Bollywood days

There's always something new to see at Leicester's New Walk Museum.....I love it...from the Dinosaur gallery to the wonderful collections of paintings and Gimson furniture, to watching the lunchtime musical concerts held there.

Thousands visit there each year, but next year, the museum will be seen by millions. Why? Well, Bollywood came to Leicester this week . The stars Dharmendra Deol, plus his sons Sunny and Bobby were in town to film Yamla Pagla Deewana Part 2 ...which translated means Mad, Madder and Madder 2.

I was there bright and early yesterday morning to interview one of the producers and talk to a local councillor about the benefits of filming in Leicester.

It was very busy, and the camerawoman was everywhere....

Charismatic Bobby Deol, pictured below, plays a genius artist called Q - here he is just about to film a sequence with his adoring fans...cue a crowd of extras.....

I 'd finished my interviews and was getting ready to go when I was made an offer I couldn't refuse.....I was asked whether I would say a few lines in the film! Yes, I was shocked too....look at my face!

Jaswinder the writer gave me two lines....two very long lines to remember ...I was given my position right in front of my radio car....and then asked if I could interview a couple of the extras playing fans of Q.

Just ready darlings to do my bit....

 Well I managed the first line, fluffed the second and then did the interviews....my film career over in a few minutes. I can't wait to see the film when it's released in summer next year.What's the betting I end up on the cutting room floor?

But I really don't mind...and besides, it was such a laugh. Then it was off to Police Headquarters to do a proper interview....