Cheltenham and Other Festivals

Spent last weekend at Chetlenham Folk Festival. Obviously I ended up stewarding during the thing I really wanted to see (which would be Jon Boden and the Remnant Kings) and, it being on the Friday night, I didn't have time to swap with anyone but it turned out well since the person I was on the doors with didnt like them so let me do all the inside stuf so I caught mosy of them and they were brilliant. Loved all the different mixtures of instruments (although have to say that Paul Sartin looks terrified of holding the melodeon, never mind using it) and the mix of songs from the album (greatly added to by the sound of the oboe, I felt) and from the Folk Song a Day project were great. Gorgeous rendition of 'Rigs of the Time' all on strings and really liked Sportsman's Hornpipe (at least, that's what I think it was) leading into 'Penny for the Preacher. Also really liked the song about Francis Drake (whose title I just can't remember). I was off duty in time for the singaround afterwards which was great fun. We all sang along to 'Butter and Cheese and All' which was being recorded for the dollowing day's podcast and The Bailey Sisters treated us to a lovely rendition of 'The Cuckoo' before Paul Sartin brought the house down as well as not so much lowering the tone as boring a hole in the bottom and scuttling it with the hilarious 'Cock-a-doodle-doo'. Just a really nice end to the evening and I hope it catches on.
Saturday included, Jackie Oates, The Askew Sisters, Freya Abbott Ferguson, Hannah James and Sam Sweeney (introduced as Hannah and James by a slightly confused Pete Grasby which resulted in ahuge cry of 'Sam' from the audience which apparently made Sam Sweeney, backstage, wonder what on earth he'd done!), Pete Coe, The Crucible Trio and Kerr and Fagan who were just brilliant. Also managed to buy some fingerless gloves and some new melodeon straps (which was a little more involved than I suspected since the original Pokerwork strap fittings won't take the nice new straps so I'll have to get new fittings which PJ sadly didn't have with him at the weekend. He has, however promised to bring them to IVFDF and fit them for me and, in the process of all this, found that my current fitting was hanging by a thread so he fixed that so that my melodeon won't fall off the current straps in the meantime so disaster narrowly averted there). Also bought the new Blowzabella CD, 'Dance' which is just great!
On Sunday I managed to catch Mike Wilson and Damien Barber and their song to talk ratio is improving (although not by much! Doesn't matter though. Could listen to them do either all day). Went to Simon Care's melodeon workshop and he really is lovely. Didn't really teach us anything new but spent the whole session just reassuring us that what we were all doing was absolutley fine which was actually really, really helpful. I'm booked on one of his workshops at Squeezing Shropshire later in the year and I'm really looking forward to it. Finally managed to see most of The Melrose Quartet's set (and they were very, very good) before having to head for the train. Which was cancelled so they put us on a bus which didn't quite make it in time for my connection (although we were treated to a highly exciting 3 point turn in some incredibly narrow streets) so I had to wait an hour for the next train. Still I got back in one piece and it was still less time travelling than any festival I've managed from Edinburgh. Travel notwithstatnding, I had a great weekend with some lovely people and some fantastic music (and even ran into a Mons Megger. We turn up everywhere you know!) and Cheltenham has now been added to my list of likely festivals.

On Monday, I got to see The Remnant Kings again at the O'Reilly Theatre in Oxford (and, oh, the novelty of a gig I can get to with a short bus ride...). They were even better (possibly because I wasn't having to keep ushering people through doors during it). Was absolutely fascinated by the workings of the phonographs (one of which was right in front of me) and I also now have some slight urgings to have a go at the concertina after watching Rob Harbron. He really is a bit good. Anna, who I was at with, apparently fancies the double base, but I'd never be able to see over one!). We had a bit of a mad dash for beer during the interval since the bar was apparently in another building which made it interesting to find and it took them ages to serve us. (We were quite calm until we'd noticed that the band had just been served and were heading back. Panic set in a little then. The sing around was great fun again. This time we got to join in on 'Cupid's Garden' for the podcast. Lovely rendition of 'Don't Go Out Tonight Dear Father' by Jon Boden with slightly hilarious backing vocal antics from Messers Sweeney, Harbron and Sartin and we got a couple of numbers from Ian Giles to join in with. I do like him. He always seems to be so surprised to be talking to people. And, of course, Mr Sartin managed to get 'Cock-a-doodle-doo in again to general merriment.
Lovely evening with good company and good music.

Festival-wise this year, I'm definately going to IVFDF, Bristol, Shrewsbury, Holmfirth and Sidmouth. I was planning on the the Oxford Folk Festival and The Big Session but the Big Session is reduced to one day at the 'Beautiful Days Festival' which I can't make while they look for a new venue now that they'll not be using the DeMontfod Hall anymore and Oxford has just had to cancel due to economic difficulties. Fingers crossed that both of these manage to get off the ground again in 2012 because they're both great festivals and I shall really miss them this year. Anyhow, am currently considering Sheppley, Beverley and Ely. Sheppley's looking pretty good at the moment (list includes Bellowhead and Belshazzars Feast) and I really enjoyed Ely last year (may volunteer as a steward this year). Will have to see.

In the meantime, this weekend, I'll be heading back up to Edinburgh for a DERT pratice (and, hopefully, a pub tour) with Mons Meg. It'll be nice to dance some rapper again (rapper withdrawal is a bit severe currently since the Mables are busy trying to organise DERT so aren't really dancing at the moment) and it'll be lovely to see Mons Meg again too. I have missed them!

Also, at some point, I shall get round to sorting out my room since it is ridiculous to need a climbing harness in order to find clothes!

New year with Bellowhead

What an amazing New Year's Eve! Having got the train down to London, I met up with a friend and we spent a couple of hours browsing round the shops before heading off to find the Youth Hostel. This would be the point we got ourselves very lost by getting the bus in the wrong direction before we managed to get ourselves orientated. Finally made it to the Youth Hostel at the same time as the other friend we were sharing with who had still been on the train when we set off. Anyhow, we got changed into our gear (for me this would be, hat, ruff, ears and tail which I finally managed to get finished the night before. And trousers and top cause it would have been chilly and disturbing else) and set off to meet everyone else at a Dim Sun restaurant beside the Southbank Centre called Ping Pong. Food was very nice but I still have no idea of what it actually was I ate. Anyhow, I quickly gave myself a black doggy nose with eyeliner (hadn't wanted to before I ate in case it made everything taste of make-up!) and off we went to queue to get in. A couple of our group did a bit of morris dancing to a melodeon while we were waiting which seemed to amuse everyone a great deal.

The first act was the Baghdaddies who were pretty good (their calypso/reggae version of 'Keep Your Feet Still Geordie Hinny' made me laugh a lot) but got a bit of a subdued reaction just, I think, cause they were the first on and everyone was waiting for Bellowhead. I think the audience warmed to thema lot more later in the evening. Then Bellowhead came on and everything really took off. Their first set was great fun and I finally got to hear 'If You Will Not Have Me' live. Worth the ticket price alone, in my opinion. The songs were also interspersed with short circus acts which were fun. After Bellowhead's first set, I wombled upstairs to see the session which was being hosted by Mike Wilson and Damien Barber. Got to hear them do 2 songs (1 of which was 'Shiney-O' which I love) and got to sing a long to a few songs before headingdown to the silent disco where I got to dance to 'All Around My Hat' and 'The Floral Dance' (another ambition I never knew I had until I accomplished it). After this, it was back to see Bellowhead and, after having said they wouldn't do a covers set due to lack of practice time, this is precisely what they did. This time they were all dressed up as clowns for the most part and it was hilarious to see them playing 'Amsterdam' so seriously. We also got versions of 'Take on Me' and 'Baggy Trousers' from Mr Spiers, 'Mack the Knife' and 'Close to You' (complete with very dodgy wig) from Mr Sartin and 'Foxy Lady' by Mr Kirkpatrick, made all the more memorable by the 2 comperes who came on as a huntsman and a fox whereupon the 'fox' started to strip until he was down to his tail and a thong. Bad enough really until the other lad made one of his socks disappear and then whipped away the thong to reveal where the sock had gone, shortly before whipping the sock away as well. The most disturbing bit in all this was that he was still wearing the fox's tail. Really, really glad that I wasn't right at the front and that I'm quite short (although a lot of the band's expressions were priceless!). I also liked the acrobat dressed as a rabbit (and the very odd but good accompanying music from Bellowhead). Very effective and just slightly bizarre. I think my favourites in this set were 'Baggy Trousers' and 'Mack the Knife'.
We managed to get up to see O'Hooley and Tidow do a couple of numbers which was lovely before we headed out onto the balcony to watch the fireworks which were pretty impressive (and chilly). Then it was back in for Bellowhead's last set and they pulled out all the stops with some of the new songs and a lot of old favourites and we all bounced our socks off. Just a brilliant, brilliant night and I hope they do it again next year (although where they got the energy from I have no idea!)
We did get a little lost on the way back to the Youth Hostel but we sorted ourselves out and I managed to make it back to Edinburgh the next day with only a minor problem with temporary loss of power on the train just past Berwick.
Great fun all round really.

Stuff and Nonsense Again

Unsurprisingly didn't really get anything done over the long weekend. This was partly due to my lack of sleep catching up with me and partly due to me getting my hands on Seasons 1 and 2 of Riptide (american 80's action adventure series. Same creators as the A-Team. Very silly but an old favourite). I did manage to de-mould the bathroom (and how impressed with the de-mould spray am I! Admittedly, I think you're only supposed to spray the mould patches rather than drown them like I did but it was amazing watching them just dissolve. Should probably worry about what it's doing to me since I'm fairly sure that's where a fair bit of it ended up given that I now smell distinctly of chlorine but I seem to have survived) so that's something.

Must make my ears and tail tonight for NYE. Nothing like leaving it till the last moment. Very excited about the whole thing. Well, somewhat less exicted about having to get the train at 05.00 in the morning but, still, it's the train rather than an overnight trip on Megabus which is a huge point in it's favour. However, Bellowhead for New Years Eve!!! Yup, just a little excited. Really looking forward to seeing everyone and going for tea beforehand too.

Managed to get my cancelled National Express tickets from the 7th amended and I'm now heading down to Oxford for the 4th and 5th to view flats. Have a selection to view so will hopefully find something to at least give me breathing space to hunt for something more suitable.
Staying overnight at the Youth Hostel I haven't stayed in before so that should be interesting and I get to spend some time in wandering in Oxford which is always nice, even if I am making overnight trips. (At least it's National Express and not Megabus!)
Bit nervous about the whole flat hunting thing to be honest. Having handed in my letter of resignation at work and given my notice to my landlady (who's been very nice about it.) I think it's all starting to hit home. I know it'll be alright, it's not like I haven't done the whole uproot life thing all before (although admittedly not at this distance) and I'll find a way to manage regardless (plus, I've never been this organised before. It's not like me at all!) but it's still, not scary but unsettling. It's also possibly due to being proactive after such a long stint of being reactive. Anyhow, think I'll settle a bit if I know I have to somewhere to live when I get there.

Have booked my tickets for IVFDF so that's out of the way. Will decide whether to offer to steward or not when more of the Workshop programme comes out. May also have booked to go and see Bellowhead at Warwick on the 29th April. My exuse is that I have not yet been to see a seated Bellowhead gig and I'm curious. The reality is that being within such easy reach of concerts is a huge novelty and may take some time to wear off...

Lots of stuff to look forward to in the New Year as well. A Mons Meg workshop and tour before I go (and, of course, DERT), lots of festivals, new dance sides to join. Smallpipes workshop to attend, new fiddle classes to find (may actually have to splash out on individual lessons if I can't find a group class. Could be a good thing) and hopefully get more done with the melodeon.

Stramash Tune

My old scarf gave up the ghost last night and unravelled. Now have a nice, new, very cheap scarf which, I did not realise until today, is stretchy! This came in useful when I was leaving the newsagents at lunch and, as so often happens, snagged the end of my scarf on the door handle. This would normally result in me being yanked backwards as the door shuts before I realise what has happened but, with this scarf, as the door shut, the scarf stretched and I had time to realise I was hooked and detatch it before I became door furniture. Huzzah for the stretchy scarf!

We're playing 'Song of the Chanter' (or some title aproximating that) in fiddle at the moment. It's a reasonably nice tune and it's what our class will be playing at the stramash a week on Thursday so shall be practicing that tonight. At least I have this weekend free to practice and to work on the melodeon (plus I'm getting the urge to have another go at the clarinet). At some point I will tidy, if only because I can no longer find anything at all and it would be nice to have a flat surface upon which I can start making my New Year's outfit.

Getting slightly worried about the weather. Desperately want to go and see Belshazzar's Feast when they play at Brigham Memorial Hall in December but if the weather sets in the way it's supposed to, I may not be able to get out that way and I shall be royally miffed. Not quite worried about New Year's Eve yet since the bus goes down fairly major motorways but the little roads in Cumbria are a little more concerning. Oh well, fingers crossed.

Bellowhead (Sheffield)

Having bid farewell to my fellow Spibods, I once again navigated the tube to Victoria and got on a bus to Sheffield. Once again a not very comfortable megabus trip but at least nobody tried to bash me in the face this time. Spent some time rambling around the Meadowhall shopping centre (and got some Percy Pigs from M&S. Bettyslippers keeps producing them at Bellowhead gigs and I think I'm becoming addicted!) and then headed off to find the Leadmill. I amused myself for a little while trying to find a bus station whose luggage lockers were useable till after the gig to stow my big bag but couldn't find one open long enough so resigned myself to having to keep it with me at the gig and ambled along to join the queue. Turns out I was the first in the queue which turned out to be fortunate since the queue organisation was appalling and the venue was a really funny shape. Ayhow, got in and took up station on the fiddle side of the stage (having seen the brass side the previous day) which allowed me to my bag on the other side of the barrier which was nice. Couldn't see any other spibods but I got chatting to the lass beside me who was good fun which was fortunate because two lads pushed their way to the front and they were right nyaffs for the whole gig, constantly mocking what was going on on the stage. Fortunately for me, they were on my deaf side and at least they seemed to like the dance numbers.
Another great gig from the 'Heads and lovely to see it all again from a different point of view with the fiddle section up to their usual antics. One very memorable note was the smoke machine which seemed to based right where the fiddles were and went into overdrive during the Rochester Coconut dance and first we lost the fiddle section, then we lost the rest of the band and then the people on either side of me disappeared! Could hear Jon Boden asking if we were still out there and asking if the machine could be turned off please and they eventually all hove into view again.
Highlights? Everybody's reaction to the fiddles disappearing, Paul Sartin hijacking Rachel McShane's chair when she was about to play the cello, Paul Sartin trying to land himself in deep water by asking for an interpreter (and those are some snazzy purple winklepickers that he seems to have gotten hold of!), Sam Sweeney apparently attempting to kill his cowbell during little Sally Racket and Pete Flood weaving an increasingly convoluted tale around 'Frog's Legs and Dragon's Teeth' while pleading for the band to start playing because he couldn't think of anything else to say. (Needless to say they just left him to it!).

Huge admiration for the band for keeping up that level of energy for so long. They've still a week left to go so I hope they don't run themselves into the ground.

After the gig, caught up with Shelley and Stephen who'd been at the other end of the stage which was nice and then set off to make the hour and a half walk back to the Meadowhall Interchange to get the bus back to Edinburgh. This seemed like such a good idea when I set out but by the time I was halfway there, my feet were agony. Then I got there and realised that was the least of my worries since they seem to have installed some sort of anti vandal device which plays loud, really bad music through the whole station. It was very effective. Given the choice I would have been out of there like a shot but I had to wait there for 2 hours and 45 minutes in the freezing cold and, by the time the bus arrived, I was homicidal! Anyhow another uneventful but supremely uncomfortable journey back to Edinburgh and was I glad I'd taken the Monday off this time cause I just about had the energy to shower when I got back before clambering in to bed and snoozing the day away. Got up in time to go to rapper which was fun despite me not really being awake and then back home and back to bed.

Don't think I can take much more travelling by megabus. I need to either find a job that pays enough for me to take the train or to move further south and I need to do it soon.
However, no matter how horrendous the various journeys were, they were still completely worth it for Bellowhead. Roll on New year is all I can say (as I settle down for a cup of tea in my new Bellowhead mug)

Bellowhead (London)

What a great weekend!

Had a fairly inauspicious start on the Friday evening when I decided to have beans on toast before heading for the bus. Was happily getting the beans into the microwave when there was an almighty bang behind me. When I picked myself back off the floor I discovered that front of the toaster had blown off and there was now bits of toaster and toast all over the floor. Another kitchen appliance bites the dust! Anyhow, cleared up most of the mess (although am still finding little bits on the floor now), ate the beans (after giving the microwave a stern look and reminding it of the one exploding item a day limit!), got myself packed and set off to catch the bus. Then had to get back into the burrow when I remembered half way down the road that I hadn't picked up my concert tickets!

Not the best megabus journey I've ever had. For starters the bus was an hour late and it was one of those buses without the footrests on the chair in front. Because I'm a little shorted than the norm, it meant I was continuously sliding off my seat and having to push myself back up which gave me a bit of a sore back and meant I was swearing to myself for most of my trip (which might have worried the person in the next seat somewhat). They also couldn't turn the heater off so, not only was it swelteringly hot (and this bus didn't let us out to stretch our legs anywhere so we wer stuck with it for over 9 hours!) but I had to sit with my legs twisted to the side to avoid burning my leg on the heater! Just to add to this, as we were setting off, the lad in front of me decided to put his seat back (and whoever decided that this facillity was a good idea on public transport wants shot. Space is limited enough without someone in front of you reducing it further!) and, if there was a safety device to stop it going back to far then it had obviously failed since the only thing that stopped me attending the Bellowhead gigs in my guise as Pandagirl was the fact that I managed to get my arm in front of my face before it hit me! (As it was, I now have a fairly badly bruised knee) And then the lad glanced back once and was going to leave his chair in that position! After a few words from me (and from the lad sat next to me who seemed a little startled by the whole thing as well) he put it back but tried to do it again half way through the trip. There should be a cull, there really should.
Needless to say, by the time I arrived in London I was stiff, irritated and exhausted. I decided to walk to Shepherd's Bush to orientate myself and stretch my legs and, having found where the Youth Hostel was for later, I bought myself a ticket for the 9am showing of Harry Potter meaning to have a nap in the warm while it was on. As it turns out, the film was actually quite good (couldn't stand the book. Overpadded and badly written wasn't it, but I suppose it got kids reading it and that's never a bad thing.) and I only slept a little bit. No matter, a couple of hours in a comfy chair at a nice temperature with no-one beside me worked wonders and when Firebird from the Spibod froum called to let me know she was at the Southbank Centre I decided to to risk the tube and meet her there. To my suprise, I had no problems on the tube (although the people using it were bloody rude and inconsiderate. Prefer the Metro.) and got to the Southbank Centre in no time at all. Course it was then that my phone ran out of money and I had to go searching for Firebird on the offchance. As it turned out, I found her fairly easily and we had a nice relaxing drink before we headed off to let Firebird and Bettyslippers try their hand at busking. It was their first time and I though they sounded pretty good. Having met up with Siansparkles we then headed back to Shepherds' Bush to book into the hostel and meet up with Sarahfairy.
After tea at the Stinging Nettle, we finally headed to the Shepherd's Bush Empire. It's a lovely venue which I had'nt been to before. There was a bit of queue to get in but Sarahfairy managed to get in early due to having an O2 phone and saved us some space.
The first support act was LucyFarrell and Jonny Kearney who were very sweet and listenable to and it was a shame that they had to sing over thepeople talking at the back of the room. The next support act was Matthew and the Atlas who were awful. I could have done what the accordionist was doing and I don't even play the accordion, their 2 brass players were completely wasted (although one of them did have a fairly stupendous moustache) and the lead singer seemed to think he was better than he actually was. Me and Bettyslippers amuse ourselves by trying to predict how many times they'd go 'Oooooooo'.
Finally it was Bellowhead and they were awesome. It should not be possible to cram that much energy on to one stage. A couple of firsts for me: Benji was playing and it's the first time I've seen him play with the band (if my experience was anything to go by, I'd have said James Fagan was the band member!) and he was very good, and it's also the first time I've been at the brass side of the stage and they were a huge amount of fun. Still unsure as to why Justin Thurgur was wearing a cassock but it obviously works for him so long may it continue. I'm starting to suspect that Andy Mellon actually runs on batteries cause he was bouncy as a bouncy thing and Brendan Kelly was all over the stage while Ed Neuheuser seemed to be havig a great time on the helicon. John Spiers was doing some amazing jumps in his really rather nice velvet suit and orange trainers and, at one point, Benji managed to get one foot on the rail right in front of us with the other still on the stage (although I'm even more impressed taht he managed to get back upright again otherwise!) Couldn't see as much of the fiddle section as I'm used to because a certain Mr Boden was in the way and you can't really ask him to move, especially when he was on such fine manic form, but they also seemed to be bouncing around like maniacs and they got us all dancing along with the Sloe Gin set and it's really nice to see Rachel McShane coming to the front of the stage more. Highlights? So many, Andy having to be pulled off the stage when he started playing up to the audience in Cholera Camp, Brendan barging Squeezy John out of the way to get to the microphone for Little Sally Racket, Squeezy threatening to poke Jon Boden in the side when he was holding a long note, Pete Flood trying to announce the last dance having finally made it to a microphone, Paul Sartin cheerfully calling South London a place of poverty and destitution, the list just goes on.
It was also really nice to be able to go back to the hostel and just enthuse about the whole thing with the others. Just a really great evening, even if we did get a fire alarm at 1am in the morning and had to be let back in by one of the hostel staff who appeared to be holding a newly cooked wrap and said that he wasn't around when the alarm went off when none of us had even asked. Little too specific a denial there methinks.

Mouse Burrow (Probably)

Enjoyed fiddle last night. Learning a new tune which is quite good fun (and which I can't currently remember the name of!) and we went over a bit more ornamentation.

I may have a mouse. Saw something fairly large moving out of the corner of my eye last night. Whatever it was, it had done a fairly impressive disappearing act when I went across the room to investigate but I'm damn sure I saw a tail. I suspect the cold weather has driven it inside and, when it discovers that it's actually colder in the burrow than it is in the garden, it'll decamp like they usually do but in the meantime, I may have to see if I can get hold of a trap because, while there's no food out (or, indeed, much in the burrow at all that isn't canned) there are still a lot of things it could chew and I'd rather all my festival kit and instruments remained in one piece. If it touches my books, I won't need a trap: I'll be able to explode it with my mind! I suppose I should be greatful that this is apparently a stealthy mouse as opposed to the usual culprits who come and sit in the middle of my rug and eyeball me while I'm trying to eat my tea. Lucky the little buggers don't frighten me really, I suppose, but I do object to the sheer bloody cheek that some of them have!

Well, have sent off a stewarding form to Cheltenham so will see what comes of that and I've sent off 2 more job applications so that's something else to wait for.

As for this weekend, well, on one hand I'm really dreading spending upwards of 18 hours on various coaches but, on the other hand, 2 Bellowhead gigs!!! Little bit excited, just a little bit!
Anyhow, setting off tonight then I've got all day to wander round London before I meet up with some of the Spibods at the Youth Hostel and head along to the Shepherd's Bush Empire. Am I going to make an effort to be right at the front? Course I am.

More Plans and Schemes

Started trying to cross-row with the melodeon last night. Think it's going to take a bit of getting used but I'm determined I shall manage. I have the John Kirkpatrick DVD to aid me in my endeavours. Am also experimenting with a different method of depressing the buttons (using the flat of my fingers rather than the tips like I would with piano). It seems to be working well so I may continue with it. Also got some fiddle pratice in. Seem to have hit a bit of a plateau with the fiddle at the moment so am trying out new tunes to keep my interest up. We're just starting to get into ornamentation in classes which is good fun and I cracked at Bromyard and invested in the Music Room fiddle tutor DVD so will give that a go after this weekend (really no point beforehand!). If I'm ever going to play for dancing on either of these instruments I need to really start thinking about what I'm doing. I think now might be the time to concentrate on 6/8 jigs and see if I can get a bit of speed up so I can have a go at playing for some stepping at rapper practice and get used to it. Hmm, will see.

Festivals are starting to rear their heads again. The skeleton outline had gone up for Shrewsbury and it's looking very good. Think I'll be buying a ticket again this year rather than stewarding cause there's too much I don't want to miss! Still waiting for the Sidmouth line-up to go up but I think I'll be going regardless so will have to save up for that too. The Big Session is a definite of course and so is Oxford (but I may offer to steward for that this year.). We're dancing at Holmfirth and I'm currently considering Cheltenham (Cause Jon Boden and the remnant Kings are playing there and I'd like to see them and there's also Nancy Kerr and James Fagan and Pete Coe. May see if I can steward though) and the line-up for Bristol is looking good too. Decisions, decisions.

Well, fiddle practice tonight (missed last week cause I was panicking about Witney!) so that should hopefully be fun and must make sure that I've got everything sorted for my weekend Bellowhead extravaganza.

Shaved Donkey Overload

Fingers sore from practicing melodeon for hours last night (upstairs neighbours are doing really noisy DIY to absolutely silly times so, rather than complaining, I'm taking advantage and practicing my growing collection of instruments for longer than usual) with occasional breaks for fiddle. My neighbours probably now know 'Shave the Donkey' as well as I do...

Caught up with the first episode of Edwardian Farm on the i-player last night. I do love these series and this one doesn't look like it's going to be an exception. The lime kiln was particularly interesting (and I did like the complete singlemindedness of the ram and the complete lack of interest among the ewes themselves! In my experience, ewes are only ever really interested in a ram if he's not supposed to be there!). Also watched Misfits which was hilarious and I may keep an eye on it.

Finally got round to hunting for my Bellowhead tickets last night. Found them (thankfully!) but the bed has now disappeared under all the stuff I emptied out while doing so. Spent last night on the sofa which has persuaded me that tonight's first job is hunting for the bed! Anyhow, tickets are now ensconced in my temporary safe ticket place (a different spot on the mantlepiece) and plans are afoot to try and provide a more sensible system. Moles may be involved.

More job applications to fill in tonight so that should be dull but will make me feel like I'm doing something constructive in between fiddle and melodeon jags.

A new lock has now appeared on our stair's front door which is interesting. I've been given keys but no-one has said anything about it (and my landlady would have mentioned it) so that will be fun to watch. If they're wanting everyone to chip in for it without prior consultation then they're a bit buggered cause that will not be covered by a statutory notice.

Only 3 more days to Bellowhead!

Melodeons at Witney

Well, Friday saw me catching the coach down to Oxford again. Interesting trip down: there were only 3 of us on the whole coach but a woman still sat in front of me and tried to put her chair back! I took the opportunity to move to another seat while she just looked bewildered. A cull is really the only option. Still didn't manage to sleep (although I remembered my travel pillow so at least I was bit more comfortable) Anyhow, got down to Oxford where I got the bus to Witney with no trouble (Thanks to all the advice form the spibods who told me to look out for the church to know where to get off) and arrived early enough to go looking for my B&B so that I could find it later.

Got back to Henry Box school in plenty of time to meet up with friends before registration and then it was off to my first workshop. This was Liam Robinson's 'Getting it Together' workshop which proved to be tremendous fun. He was a good teacher and very funny and made the whole thing easy to understand with lots of useful tips which I can't wait to have ago at. Don't think he's entirely sane, mind!
Enjoyed lunch with some of the other workshoppers at an interesting pub and just made it back in time for the afternoon.Having coped with the workshop fine, I still managed to mess up the tune in the afternoon squeeze, partly due to my inherent nervousness at playing in front of other people and partly due to not being used to being so close to other people when playing. The other groups sounded great and it was fun to listen to what they'd been learning.
Set off to my B&B (which was lovely and friendly and would definitely stay there again) meaning to have a quick nap and then head back to see the concert but, sadly, woke up at 23.00 so completely missed the whole thing, although, given even the owner of the B&B said I looked much better in the morning, I obviously needed the sleep.
Sunday saw me doing the 'adding the Base Line' workshop with Issy Emeney who was nice and a good teacher but very odd. Still trying to get my head round the A minor, B minor and D7 chords so have a lot of stuff to work on and she gave us a lot of exercises to be going on with which I think will be useful.
Had a thoroughly enjoyable lunch in a very nice pub with some of the others (although, if that soup was tomato and basil I will eat my melodeon. It was very nice soup though regardless)
managed better in the group squeeze this time but didn't even attempt the Main group tune. Enjoyed listening to it though.
Best line of the weekend goes to Saul Rose who, on hearing Liam Robinson's explanation of what his group had been up to on Sunday which ended with him saying that not doing something made the melodeon fairies sad, commented to Liam's group, 'I think we can all see what kind of day you lot have had!'
Was really quite sad to leave Witney, which is a very pretty place, but I managed to get my bus back to Oxford with no trouble where I sat reading in a pub for 5 hours waiting for my coach. Trip back was uneventful (although the hour's wait for the change at Milton Keynes at midnight was freezing!) but I still didn't get any sleep which meant I was knackered at work on Monday and ended up having to take a half day to get an afternoon nap. I suspect my days of managing to go for days with no sleep may be coming to a close. That said though, I might just have hit the wrong part of my sleep cycle as I still do get periods when I don't sleep for days or get by with an hour's sleep at night. It might even just be that the bus was so uncomfortable or that I was concentrating so hard at the workshops. Anyhow, at least it was cheap.

Really enjoyed Witney and learned a lot. If I can afford it, I may consider doing the fiddle on in February.

Still managed to get to rapper on Monday evening though (even though I don't remember much of it). Trina gave me my icing melodeon and mole (which is currently sitting on the kitchen worktop) and we discussed finding someone to dance with us at DERT so we'll see where that goes. Trina, it seems, had an absolutely wonderful time at the Bellowhead gig on Sunday so I'm now really, really looking forward to seeing them on Saturday and Sunday (even if it does mean another Megabus trip. Think I'll take the Monday off this time!)

Too Excited to Breathe

Well, have booked my ticket for Bellowhead's New Year's Gig at the Southbank Centre. I'm staying at a hostel with 6 friends from the forum and I've sorted out my travel (Megabus, unfortunately. Still, return from Edinburgh to London for under £12...but, still, megabus) so all I have to do now is sort out a costume. The theme is circus and cabaret and while there is a lot of discussion going on about corsetry, I don't fancy spending the whole night in tights, feathers and/or sequins so I am considering being a performing dog. I have an elizabethan ruff but I can probably make a sparklier net one with marching wrist ruffs and I can easily make a little clown hat and I have dark trousers and top. I can make a tail and either create some floppy ears or just not get my hair cut and tie it in high bunches. Add some black face paint to give me a doggy nose and possibly eye patches (although that could end up with me as a performing panda!) and that could be me. This would also pack down really well and not to chilly for hanging around outside in London at night. Yep, that idea is growing on me. (After all, I am the girl who turned up to a reenactors' pirate party, where all the other lasses were in corsets and high heeled boots, as a parrot. I have a reputation to maintain! I think the most worrying thing about that night was that I was wearing a red wig, red face paint and a big beak and everyone still instantly knew who I was...)

Need to do some more melodeon practice for Witney tonight and have another go at tidying the burrow (nothing changes!). Might try and get to see Burke and Hare at the cinema this weekend or I might go and see Red again (very silly but enjoyable film. The only film, in fact, where I've ever liked John Malkovitch) and, at some point, I should really work out how the gears on my bicycle work. Last time I cycled regularly, bicycles had 3 gears and I wasn't particularly good at using those. Now there seem to be hundreds of the buggers and, while I understand the theory of using gears while cycling perfectly well, I haven't yet worked out how to make the bloody things work on the actual bike! At least I'm avoiding the whole ninja cyclist business so prevelant in Edinburgh. I have enough lights and reflective clothing on when I'm cycling that I'm probably visible from space. I probably leave swathes of blinded drivers in crashed cars behind me as I go (on my very, very slow way)

Things to Come

Well, first to start off with this morning's really annoying incident. Was standing on the traffic island waiting to cross the rest of the road (normal lane and bus lane) when man in a range rover stopped and waved me across. All very nice, except I'd seen the taxi zooming up beside him in the bus lane so I stayed on the island while I waited to see what the taxi did (since I couldn't see it behind the range rover and it was going a fair speed). Within 10 seconds, the stopped driver went from exaggerated gesticulating to really swearing at me for not crossing. As it was, the taxi did shoot past and, if I'd gone with his gesticulations, I'd be a bit of a mess on the road by now but that didn't seem to phase him in the least. It's quite common for drivers to stop there to let people across and just not register that there's traffic in the lane beside them (mainly because if one driver stops, the drivers behind often decide to undertake them in the bus lane!) but I've never seen them get so mad at people for not crossing when they say, never mind so quickly.



Needless to say I was a little annoyed when I got into work this morning and I'm now thinking of taking Mouldy the Mole back out with me to wave at people who annoy me thereby relieving my frustration by causing confusion and worry in others!



Anyhow, fiddle practice tonight. Quite pleased with how my fiddle playing is coming along and, when I've upped my knowledge of scottish tunes (my current repertoire tends heavily towards the english at the moment), I'll head back to the slow session again because I enjoyed it when I went along last time (Just wasn't familiar with most of the tunes.)



We have a rapper dem at a ceilidh (and probably a little tourette) this weekend which I had forgotten all about. Have had no rapper practice for 3 weeks so I might be a little rusty. Should probably do a bit more stepping practice tonight. Also off to practice melodeon (and I have a nice new Hohner Pokerwork melodeon (well, to me, anyway) since Ellie let me try her melodeon at Bromyard and I haven't been able to play my cheap Stephenelli since!) with others of Mon Meg on Saturday.



Lots of concerts and workshops coming up. I'm down in Witney first for the Melodeons at Witney Workshop which I'm really looking forward to but really nervous about at the same time, then I have tickets for 2 Bellowhead gigs for the new tour (London and Sheffield, same weekend), then I have to catch one of Belshazzar's Feast's Christmas gigs (They're playing a few up in Cumbria so I may have to hire a car for an evening) followed by Phil Cunningham's Christmas gig in Edinburgh and closing out at New Year (hopefully, if I can get tickets) with Bellowhead's New Year's Event at the Southbank. Then, come the New Year, I've booked for the 'Learn Smallpipes in 1 Day' workshop at Celtic Connections and the Spiers & Boden and Saltfishforty gig. Plus there's the Spiers & Boden Birthday gig in May at the Shepherds Bush Empire. Lots of stuff to look forward to.

In the meantime, I am taking advantage of the fact that I really feel like me for the first time in a fair few years and the fact that I always get a little restless in the Autumn, to sort myself out. Am currently applying for jobs like a little jobfinding fiend while, at the same time getting in touch with my Postgrad Dean to find out what I can do next in the medicine line. Whichever happens, I'm getting out of my current job, whatever it takes. Will also be looking for a new flat when I've worked out where I'm going to be. Want to move on in all ways.

Ooops! Catch-up.

Oops, have neglected this shamefully this year. Mostly due to having way too much fun stuff to do and being either far too knackered or off to write anything inbetweentimes.

Shall try to recap.

Festivals I Have Been To.

Holmfirth - Great fun. Spent most of it hanging around with Stone Monkey Rapper who are lovely and saw, amongst others, Belshazzar's Feast, Rachel McShane and Pete Coe who were all brilliant. Got hugged by a morris dancer who was dancing on (took me a second to work out who it was!) and had a great evening in the session at the Cricket Club.
The Big Session - Just as awesome as last yeareven with the pouring rain on the Friday. Oysterband were brilliant in both their gigs, Chopper's solo stuff is lovely, Alan's stuff was great fun again. Saw the Proclaimers and realised a lifetime ambition I never knew I had (to hear them sing '500 Miles' live), really enjoyed Cara Dillon's set (which was a surprise since I can usually take or leave her stuff), loved Kerfuffle, enjoyed dancing to Whapweasel and discovered Megson and the Moulettes.
Ely Folk Festival - Blazingly hot weather, lovely little festival. Thoroughly enjoyed myself. Oysterband, Faustus, Demon Barbers, The Woodshed, Beckleberry, Chris Sherburn and Denny Bartley, Colvin Quarmby and John Tams and Barry Coope were all amazing. Met loads of people I knew, had fun at the French dance workshop and got thoroughly freaked out by how flat the land is there. Awesome weekend.
Whitby Folk Week - Amazing week. Hung around with Snark Rapper, played my fiddle in the beginners' sessions, learnt some cool new rapper figures, danced my socks off, loved the Dance Challenge between Chiltern Hundreds and Snark rapper, had an awesome night with all the sword dancers at Beck Hole, got to watch sam Sweeney and Hannah James while stewarding and had a really good time at the Northumbrian Ceilidh.
Shrewsbury - So much fun. Saw and loved Bellowhead, Belshazzar's Feast, Kerfuffle (last gig!), The Young 'Uns, The Wilsons, Kerr and Fagan (with and without Rob Habron), Fay Hield, Karen Matheson, Tickled Pink. All brilliant! Managed to play my fiddle through the Beginners' Session and loved John Kirkpatrick's 'Playing for Dancing' workshop.
Bromyard - Fun despite the rain. Belshazzar's Feast and Mike Wilson and Damien Barber were probably my favourites (both time both bands played) but Show of Hands, James Findlay, Fay Hield and Tri were also great fun. Whapweasel's ceilidh was lovely and I took my melodeon out for the first time for Issey Emney's workshop.

Concerts

Belshazzar's Feast - Saw them in Settle. Absolutely brilliant and so funny.
Spiers and Boden and Saltfishforty - Saw them in St Andrews. Enjoyed both of them as duos and they all played together really well in spite of the differing styles.
Mozart Festival Orchestra - Saw them in The Royal Albert Hall. Music was fantastic and the costumes were lovely. Might have accidently threatened to kill (and it was an honest accident) some german tourists beside me who would not stop talking (well, they did afterwards)
Bellowhead - Got an invite to the launch of Bellowhead's new album 'Hedonism' down in London. It was brilliant! They were so good in such a small space (and it was scary just how much of the audience I knew!) The new album is brilliant and they played it all the way through.
Spiers and Boden - saw them in Berwick. Really lovely weekend (got stared at by the seals off the pier) and the music was lovely and hilarious.

Rapper

Been a bit of a quiet year for rapper since DERT. We had one tour down Rose Street in the summer (fun but the football was on which dampened things a little.) We danced at the Anstruther Lifeboat Gala and then finished with a tourette in St Andrews which was good fun. We had a good day of practice for the DART team at The Village where I had another go at tumbling. Still not quite there but getting closer and I'm not giving up. We also had another soiree at The Village. Little more subdued for some reason than the previous one but still fun before we ended up at Trina's for mystery cocktails (which, is suspected, mostly consisted of vimto and slivovitz!). Apparently our team went down well in america at DART and I'm not jealous, not jealous at all.


In other areas, have got rid of Roger. There was too much too fix and parking was becoming an absolute nightmare. In one way it's incredibly annoying since I now really have to think hard before I want to go places again but in another way, it's a huge load off my mind. I managed before I got him, I'll manage again.
Attended the wedding of some reenactment friends at Craigmillar Castle. Lovely day, they both looked lovely in their medieval gear (ashamed to say I was in civvies since none of the kit I have is fit to be seen in nice places and I haven't had a chance to do any sewing this year), the company was good and there was a barn owl to drop off the rings.
Only managed one re-enactment event this year but it was a fun event in Inverness (where I managed to get quite a nasty sunburn despite linen coverings and factor 50 suncream!), multiperiod event at Fort George. Lovely to see the other time periods and nice to see the rest of the group as well.
Spent 2 weekends with Freaks in the Peaks. One was a normal dance weekend with blazing hot weather, and some fantastic sessions and the other was the canal trip which was wonderful. I ended up on the boat with Triskele rapper and we had a huge amount of fun on the gin slum as our boat became known. Some good fun dances (including the somewhat drunk gentleman who ran through the middle of a set with no trousers and only his hand to hide his modesty (as was pointed out later, he didn't really need the whole hand...) and some lovely scenery.

Lots of stuff coming as well. Will actually try to keep this thing up to date from now on.

Domestic Weekend

Why is it that, when you attend a meeting you really don't want to last too long, there's always one numpty ready to stretch it out for no apparent reason?! The election training would have taken long enough without the gentleman who decided to keep butting in with stories and sarcastic remarks about his previous experience working the elections. The majority of us had done it before, we all had experiences like that but did we go on about them? No. Why not? Well, it was a Friday evening and we all wanted to get home before 9pm.

I ended up going to see Repo Men at the cinema on the way home to cheer myself up. Not a bad film, the premise was interesting and the acting was good but the direction was a bit daft (especially the main finale scene. Some of the most laughable and medically dubious actions I have ever seen). The twist wasn't really unexpected (you could see it coming from the first time someone mentioned it) but I've seen worse films and it made me laugh (albeit, not always at the right things but you take what you can get).

Saturday, I wombled into town to get some type of fabric throw type things to cover the glass doors in the burrow (and who the hell uses a glass door for a bathroom?!) since the posters I've been using are starting to disintergrate. On the way in, I passed the Farmers' Market which I usually miss cause I'm either doing stuff or don't remember it's on so I took the opportunity to have a ramble. Ended up buying a game pie (venison, wild boar and pheasant) which was one of the yummiest things I've ever eaten. May have to try and go along next week and hope that trader is there again.
Anyhow, managed to get some cheap throws and a tin whistle in D (I don't know how I got that either) and set off back to the burrow where I spent the rest of the day doing random bits of frenzied tidying interspersed with lots of musical instrument (especially now that I seem to have added another one!). Finished the day by watching Doctor Who on i-player. Much better episode than last week and it's a 2 parter which always seems to work better.

On Sunday, I remembered to put my tent out to air (the weather was good when I put it away at Oxford but the underside was very wet). Sadly, my putting the tent on the line was obviously the signal the rain gods were waiting for and I now have a burrow full of even wetter tent that I am trying to air out. Almost thought there was going to be a thunderstorm yesterday what with the general mugginess and humidity but, nothing doing.

Have been eyeing up Bellowhead's November tour dates. It looks like the Edinburgh date is going to clash with the melodeons weekend at Witney (which I really want to go to), however, having looked at buses and dates, I think that I could go down to the one in London which is on a Saturday, see folks down that way and then see the gig at Sheffield on the Sunday before heading back up north... There's still a couple of dates that haven't been confirmed yet so, if one of them's Gateshead, I may womble along to that too.

Oxford Folk Festival 2010 (Sunday)

On Sunday, I decided to try a couple of workshops which started off with the Hands On Workshop at the Bate Museum where we got to handle and (attempt) to play some of the instruments. We had great fun and some folks managed to get some tunes out of the various instruments (although not, apparently, the hurdy gurdy!). I was really taken with one of the crumhorns. It had a really nice sound and was surprisingly easy to get a scale out of and I now sort of want one...
After that I went along to the harp workshop which was also very good. I also want a harp!
After this, I went back to the Town Hall to visit the craft fair again and succumbed to the lure of the bowler hats. I am now the owner of a very nice hat with jewels along the hatband and some feathers. I must now make a new tatter coat to match the hat (although my current one will probably go well enough for now). The lassie who was selling them seemed very surprised that poeple wanted to buy them which was fairly funny.
I then headed back to the Far From the Madding Crowd for the french session which had some great tunes and a little bit of dancing. After a couple of drinks, I met up with some of the BFP's and went to see Karen Tweed and Paul Hutchinson. Underrehearsed and chaotic would be one way to describe them as they occasionally found themselves playing the wrong parts or had to search frantically for sheet music that was on the stand all the time, but they were so funny and the music was lovely that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I particularly liked the suggestion that, since they didn't have a CD out together, that we could play one each of their CD's at the same time, followed by the susggestion that we could run up and down the hallway for a doppler effect.

After a quick break to the icecream place for (in my case anyway) a Freeze (sorbet and lemonade. Lovely!) we went back to the Town Hall to see Maqam (Giles Lewin and others playing arabic music). They were very good but hit just at the wrong part of the day as I was a little drowsy and the music was very lulling. Managed not to fall asleep but it was a near run thing.
We then headed to the Cornbury stage to listen to (and sing along with) Ian Giles. This was really good fun with some really funny songs we could join in with. The Festival finished with What's Up Folk, a (large) group of kids from John Spiers' old school that he's done some work with in the past. Some very good performances (although we weren't too sure about them doing Kafoozalum. At least they didn't sing the words.) The lassie who sang solo was very good (although a slightly diconcerting choice of song for someone her age) and the 3 lads (one of which was also the trombonist who was really going for it!) who sang were also good.

We then headed off for tea before folks set off home. Since 2 of us were staying till the Monday, we headed off to The Bird and Baby (which I'm fairly sure is a nickname but I can't remember what it's real name is) where we drank green beer for the sheer novelty and just chatted before I finally headed back.

The coach trip back was a bit of a nightmare since it got delayed so it took over 10 hours and I was close to a kid who would not shut up whining. I got through 3 books (have just started reading Patricia Briggs who I'm quite enjoying) and listened to a lot of Bellowhead on the i-pod to get through it.
Still, totally worth it. I'm already trying to work out which of Bellowhead's November tour dates I can make it to and very much looking forward to Holmfirth where I'm going to see Rachel McShane and Belshazzar's Feast. It was also really lovely to meet so many people from the forum. Everyone was so friendly and it was really nice to have a group of people that I could just randomly meet up with when I felt like it and do stuff with. Will hopefully be running into them again at various festivals through the year.

Am now seriously starting to consider moving down south. Most of the stuff I want to do is down that way and I would save myself so much time and money taken up by travel. It would have to be somewhere with a rapper side and a strong folk scene. Am going to have to sit myself down at some point and have a very serious think.

Last night I was supposed to go over to a friend's for tea and DVD's. Instead I ended up helping her pull up the bathroom carpet in her old flat due to a leak. Still, it was nice to see her and we had pizza and a chat afterwards.

Still waiting to hear what is happening with Falkirk. Hope we cans till do it.

Oxford Folk Festival 2010 (Friday)

Well, the coach journey down wasn't great but could have been worse I suppose. managed to get throught the whole of 'Changes'. Jim Butcher's writing hasn't slipped at all and the book is a real rollercoaster ride where you're never quite sure who's going to make it. Harry Dresden does some really scary things and yet they're all believable given the circumstances. As for the ending, it was a bloody cliffhanger and yet I didn't mind. Can't wait for the next installment (If there is a next installment. The cliffhanger could be taken a lot of ways!)

Anyhow, arrived in Oxford at around 7.00am and, since I couldn't get onto the campsite till 12.00pm, I decided to have a general wander round. Fortunately, the weather was gorgeous and I set off to explore. Oxford is really lovely. I've never been before (and I could never stand 'Morse') so I didn't really have any idea what to expect but it really was pretty (even allowing for the fact that the weather was probably showing the city to it's best advantage).
Wombled off to the campsite for 12.00 and found it was very nice and friendly (although it turned out to be fairly noisy at night due to being next to some mechanical business of some description so I was fairly grateful for my hearing quirks), set up my tent and found I was camping next to one of the Bellowhead Forum members so it was lovely to meet up with someone else down there. I had a nap for the rest of the afternoon and then set off to the Town Hall to collect my ticket. There I met up with more Bellowhead Forum members and we went for a really rather nice indian meal before heading back for the Friday evening concert.
Once in the hall, I headed straight for the front where I was met by a whole host of Bellowhead Forum members who were incredibly friendly and enthusiastic and it was just really nice to be able to put names to faces.
The first act on was 'Telling the Bees', a band from Oxford who I've never heard before. Really enjoyed their set, very mellow and yet oddly haunting (bought one of their CD's at the weekend as well, which I've really enjoyed.)
Next up was Maclaine Colston and Saul Rose who were brilliant. Good music, funny banter and just really enjoyable. Sadly, cause we were sat on the floor at the front and not everyone else was, we didn't get a great view but the music more than made up for it.
Then it was Bellowhead. They were amazing. Chaotic, funny, very silly and just so full of energy. It was their 6th birthday party so the band were batting balloons into the audience and letting off party poppers (or trying to in some cases) everywhere and, at one point, wearing false noses! Jon Boden managed to throw his coat off in Fire Marengo so that it landed on his own head. He managed to keep singing so it was a shame that half the fiddle section nearly collapsed in giggles. Very funny. They played a fair few tunes from the album they've just finished recording which were great fun and have guaranteed that I'll be buying the CD when it comes out around October if only for the song Paul Sartin introduced as being about something very dear to the band's hearts;- 'Funky Wizard Sex'!. I don't think I've ever bounced so much. Did get a bit startled at one point when a party popper went off and landed on my head. There was an absolutely manic giggle behind me as the streamers got lifted up and I turned round thinking that it was still one of the other lasses behind me, only it wasn't. It was Saul Rose. Ye gods, he's tall. Anyhow, I think I can safely say that Bellowhead have now joined the Oysterband as my joint first favourite band and I can't wait to see them again.

After we got chucked out of the Town Hall, a few of us headed off to a late night ice cream parlour place where I had some very nice passion fruit sorbet before walking back to the campsite. Apparently there was ice on my tent that night but, due to a combination of me still being hyper from the concert and a nice new snuggly sleeping bag, I never noticed.

Extra Bounce and Needle Attacks!

Spent last night trying to get the hallway clear and I succeeded but only because everything is now in the sitting room!. Never mind, it means that the meter reading whatsit can get to the meter (and he had better come tonight!).

Tonight I will mostly be packing for Oxford since I'm getting the coach on Thursday night. Will also be reinforcing the bottom of the soft bag I bought at IVFDF since it always tends to go in bags like that and it's useful and I would like it to last.

Very, very excited. Have printed off all my booking things (campsite, coach and festival ticket) and the venues map and have been listening to Bellowhead CD's and DVD at all opportunities.

Have also booked bits and bobs for Holmfirth (These would be camping and tickets to go and see Belshazzar's Feast and Rachel McShane) so excited about that too. Add to that the fact that the Freaks in the Peaks Canal trip is sneaking up on me and I am a bouncy little gremlin indeed.

Got a little bit of the bounce knocked out of me last night when I managed to bring my hand down hard on the blunt end of a needle (well I will use the settee arm as a pincushion). It went pretty deep and I now have a slightly swolled and reddened puncture wound in the centre of my left hand. Will have to keep an eye on that (boom, boom!) Anyhow...

Looking around at stuff last night, I really, really need to have a big clear out (not just a big tidy!) The chest of drawers in the hall can certainly go (especially since I think the only thing keeping it upright is the stuff inside it!) and I can replace it with a cheap basket stand thing from Ikea or some such cause most of the stuff inside it can be binned too. All the books are sacrosanct, as are the CD's but there's a lot of DVD's I can see if I can sell to one of those second hand DVD shops. There's also a lot of reenactment kit I just don't use any more, mostly because it's rubbish so it'll be a case of binning rather than selling on. There's also the electronic items graveyard (hoovers, kettles, irons, heaters etc) that I seem to be hanging on to for unknown reasons. They can definitely go.

Anyhow, while not loking forward to another overnight coach journey (and the fact that I arrive in Oxford at around 07.45 but can't get in to the campsite till 12.00), I am definitely having problems containing the bounce being generated by this weekend. I've never been to Oxford before and am quite keen to see round it (please let the weather be nice!) and, as well as Bellowhead, I'm really looking forward to seeing MacLaine Colston and Saul Rose, The Demon Barber Road Show, Paul Hutchinson and Karen Tweed (I think they are going to win out over the northumbrian pipes workshop) and going to the workshops (I'm aiming for the singing and harp playing ones and possibly some morris) and, of course I will be keeping my eyes peeled for rapper since I think Black Adder will be there.

Odds and Ends

Parcel turned out to be a 'How to Play Melodeon' book so that was a nice surprise. Worth going out for.

Weather seems to have brightened up, now if it can just stay like this for Oxford I'll be a happy gremlin!

Must remember to do my washing for the weekend so that I can get it dried. (Nice thing about linen is that it dries fast.) If it stays like this I might be able to put it out on the line again.

Haircut tonight. will be interesting to see what they come up with. What the hell, the stuff grows fast enough that I can't bring myself to be that bothered (Just please don't let them try to have a conversation with me. My focus is completely on not hitting them for touching my head and I feel it is wise not to distract me from that!)

In festival news, have now booked tickets and camping for Ely, am still waiting on hearing from Whitby for Stewarding and have been watching the Bellowhead DVD to try and calm myself down before Oxford (that's not really working. I know Bellowhead are recording a new album at the moment and I have a wish that they include 'Haul Away' and 'If You Will Not Have Me' on it cause it's really frustrating only being able to listen to them on the DVD and not on my ipod. Ah well, shall see.) Been eying up the workshops at Oxford. I quite fancy trying the harp one and the melodeon workshop might be good to go and sit in on. There's also a Northumbrian pipes workshop but it clashes with Karen Tweed and Paul Hutchinson. The decision on that one may have to come down to the wire cause I really can't make up my mind which I want to attend more.

Bloody Weather!

Bloody snow!!!

2 hours it took me to go and collect my parcel from the world's most inconvenient parcel depot all because of the blizzard that started while I was on my way. Fortunately, my parcel did turn out to be my shoes and they do fit so totally worth it but, still!

Arm is still a little peculiar but only when I stretch up so musical instrument practice is not a problem. Started learning 2 new tunes on the melodeon last night while, thanks to my 'Teach Yourself Folk Fiddle' being apparently american, I was trying to play 'Oh Susannah' and 'Golden Slippers' last night. Think I'm going to try and find some other tunes.

Very exciting month coming up. Borderers this weekend (provided it doesn't get snowed off), DERT the weekend after, then Oxford Folk Festival (First time seeing Bellowhead live! As someone who's camping, please let it stop snowing before then), then going to see Les Miserables at the Playhouse and, finally, dancing at the St George's day thing in Falkirk. Lots of folky goodness in that mix.

Getting my hair cut tomorrow. Never been to this place before (chosen because it's opposite work and cheap). Basically want to get most of my hair lopped off and get my fringe back (and then, maybe, I won't get my hair caught up in the swords when I forget to tie it back!). Must remember to state specifically that I will be spending most of this year on campsites and will therefore not be able to style it so I need something that I can just brush and go (or just go for the days (alarmingly frequent as they are) when I forget to brush it). I don't care if I look like a startled hedgehog as long as it's out of the way.

Apparently there's another parcel waiting for me at the post office (somewhat more convenient thankfully). No clue what this one is but, seeing as my postman seems to be under the impression that there is very little that can fit through my (perfectly average sized!) letterbox it could just be a normal letter!

Things to Look Forward To.

Off to collect my melodeon tonight. Little bit excited. Just a little bit. (My neighbours are going to hate me!)

Also have a ticket to go and see Les Miserables at the Edinburgh Playhouse thanks to ylla mentioning it on her livejournal (Apparently tickets have been on sale since last March. I hadn't heard a thing about it and she only heard about it when she went to St Andrews! No, I can't explain it either.) Anyhow, I will be sat in the middle at the back of the stalls so at least I can stand up a bit if I can't see. Have wanted to see this for years but have never gotten round to it so a little excited now. Of course, it's not till April so some time to go yet but, still!

Managed a little bit of tidying last night and did a good bit of various musical instrument practice so I felt entitled to watch half of the Bellowhead DVD.

Have now cancelled my TV Licence. I expect the threatening letters any minute now...