bright smiles galore

So tonight I'm in a hotel across the freeway from Alliance Airport, attdning Natural Helpers training with 29 teens and a smattering of adults from school. At this moment we're having "activity time"; the kids are in a large room across the hall playing noisy games. I'm checking in online, fighting sleep, waiting for bedtime.

So far today we've done trust exercises and practiced active listening skills. I've also eaten entirely too much - donut, pizza, barbeque. If I outgrow these jeans, I'm sunk. I'm already in my "fat jeans". The Program begins in earnest Monday. Really. Remind me of that when I cheat, please.

I'm enjoying these kids - mostly freshmen and sophs with a few juniors. They're smart and cute and friendly. And I've had a chance to talk with a few teachers whom I haven't known very well, so that's cool too. One has a truly hideous Boston terrier. Our SRO led a session tonight - he was pretty crazy and a really good singer. At the beginning he sang the entire song from Willy Wonka (I dunno the name, the one about imagination) and at the end he sang a Mr Rogers song. But it worked.

I've been thinking about hubby and how miserable he is at work. I hope we can find something else for him soon, or else figure out how to live on MUCH less income. I don't know what to do, but something has to change. I feel really bad for him.

Night.

memories were like coins that tumbled

Well dang, I have readers! I had no idea that anyone would notice a new blog so quickly. *blush*

So I suppose I should say more. Thanksgiving was an adventure this year because I had a guest from the Netherlands. It was her second trip to the US and first time in Texas, so it was quite interesting to see things through her eyes. She's very curious and interested in many things, so I spent a lot of time answering questions and showing sights. It was nice to get out to three museums (all in Fort Worth) as well as the Dallas World Aquarium, the Stockyards, and some shops. Turning a vegetarian animal-rights activist thrifty European into a rabid consumer was kind of fun (even though I know she's back to her old habits by now and was really only doing Christmas shopping and taking advantage of the lovely Bush economy). One very exciting event was that I converted her to rabid Ritterdom. Heh.

Ann stayed in Jessica's room during her visit - she was Jess's friend first, on the Moby board. Just this evening I discovered a note Ann left behind on the bedside table, with a poem about Jessica that brought tears to my eyes. Beautiful.

the ships to set me free

Dangittie, it's been forever since I last blogged and I'm too sleepy tonight to say much. San Diego. Boise. Austin. Reno. Austin again. San Marcos. Upcoming adventure: with the husband to El Paso and Albuquerque, Flat Pablo in tow (though he isn't flat, actually. . . yet).

Seriously, I've been roaming a lot this fall, and expect my usual Dear Readers already know about that so there's not much point in going into it all here.

I left off with waiting for my new aide to begin work. She's been with us now for a couple of months or so and is working out well. She's not JA, but she has her own strengths.

Story from today: I was over in the assistant principal's area, walking down the hall past the principal's office. Saw him unlocking his door, so as I drew even with him I said a cheery "good morning". I heard him say, enthusiastically, "Good morning! How are you?" and instantly realized that he was talking to another lady who was still down the hall, completely ignoring little old moi, who was right freakin' beside the idiot. I swear.

on the second day of scho-ol my true love gave to me....

a new aide. Well, actually, my true love didn't give me squat, but the assistant principal had me participate in interviews of three potential aides. I liked all three and felt they all could do the job. For a couple of reasons, #3 was eliminated, leaving me the day to ponder which of the other two to choose. The AP had told them that she'd let them know one way or the other today, so I ahd to make a decision.

I'm not so good at making decisions. I generally dither, faff, ponder, take a while to meditate. There was not that luxury today, so I made a selection. I hope I made the right, best choice. I truly felt that either lady would be good at the job, and I liked them both. Dang. that made it soooo hard. I hope the one I didn't choose isn't too disappointed.

Now we have to wait for HR to approve the applicant, so I suppose it'll be next week before she gets to start.

I had two classes come to the library today for book talks and check-out, and will have 6 tomorrow and 5 Thursday. More Friday. I'm already booked up through next week. This is crazy.

Fairy elves, Whose midnight revels by a forest side

Let me try to wrap up the rest of my UK holiday in July, what parts I can still remember at least. So Monday, July 9: J and I went to St Albans after getting the kids off to school (which was complicated by the enterprise scheme for T, who had to take tons of supplies for making toasties with some other girls). When we were over there in January it was cold and we ran out of time for seeing the Roman ruins. This time we headed straight for the Roman theatre ruins http://www.romantheatre.co.uk/. This was very interesting for me. Then we strolled over to the Roman wall and also went into the hypocaust building to see the mosaic floor. http://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/hypocaust.htm After seeing plenty of old stuff (no, I wasn't using a mirror, hah hah) we found a pub for lunch, then popped in and out of shops. I found a set of hedgehog salt and pepper shakers! Extremely cute.


We had to get back to J's house before the kids were out of school. We went in to check on the enterprise scheme and I bought a lovely ham and cheese toastie from T and her friends. It was really nice to see the inside of a little British school and the kids looked adorable in their blue uniforms. I so wish we could require uniforms at our school.


Later that afternoon J, T, and I took Ammy for a walk through the park. Ammy is sooo sweet and happy, such a pleasure to be with. It was really nice to be in a place where one can go for a walk in July without risking heat stroke. I especially enjoyed seeing the canal boats along the way. So quaint. It'd be fun for me and T to take a bit of a trip in one, I think..

On Tuesday, M took the day off work and he drove me and J to the Buckinghamshire town of Chalfont St Giles where we toured Milton's Cottage http://www.miltonscottage.org/aboutmiltonscottage.htm. This was very interesting and really sort of amazing to me, to be wandering around in a cottage that had been used by such a famous and important poet. He lived there while he was completing Paradise Lost. There are various editions of Milton's works on display.

After the cottage, we went to the town duck pond and had a picnic lunch. I love having little picnics in England.

On Wednesday morning I was set to fly home early, so poor Mike had to get up before dawn and drive me over to Heathrow. When I went to check in for my flight, I was informed that it had been cancelled. ARGH! They had switched me to a later flight, so I (and Mike) could have slept later. Oh well. I don't mind hanging around a decent airport for a while.

It was a lovely trip for me all around. My friends there are such kind and generous people, and the children are cute and polite and funny and the family dog is perfection. Oh, not to mention the desserts. YUM. Sticky toffee pudding on my last night there.

Due to popular demand (okay, well, Lydia-demand anyhow) I'm blogging again already.

My summer holiday is over. This Tuesday I had to go back to work at the library, and got the confirmation that one of my aides, JA, is transaferring to another high school to job-share. I'm happy for her, she worked long and hard to get her degree and become a librarian, and it's actually a good situation for her, though she'd love to be getting the entire salary instead of a portion. Today we had a secondary librarians meeting and she was there in her new capacity. It was fun, though it took some adjusting for everyone. Whenever she said "we" I wasn't sure if she meant "we" as in my school or "we" as in where she is now. She usually meant my school, as she still thinks of herself as part of my team. I'll take her a little while to adjust.

Meanwhile, I'm searching for a new aide. I may have someone to interview in the morning. If she doesn't pan out, I'm pretty much at a deadend. The position hasn't been posted on the district website yet though, so there could be someone out there for me. It's jsut going to be really rough to start school Monday with only the two of us. I'll have to train the student aides (that was part of JA's job) and then when I get a new paraprofessional aide, I'll have to train her, all the while hoping that my other aide doesn't try to run her off like she did when JA was new.

It's all too complicated. What it boils down to is that this is going to be an extremely difficult and trying fall. Oh well. One day at a time. Laugh, and the world laughs with you.

Fortunately, the new Josh Ritter CD has some songs that have not yet failed to bring a smile to my face, so if I can listen to at least one on my way to work every morning, and maybe have a chance to hear one at lunchtime, I can get through this with that smile firmly in place.

Okay, obviously I'm so far behind that I'll never finish my UK blogging in time to write about Georgia before I forget everything, so, I'm skipping on to GA right now. Like it or lump it.

Zannah and I left midmorning last Friday, driving east in the Beetle. We failed to stock up on trash magazines before heading out, so made multiple stops in search of mind-candy: US, OK!, and even The Enquirer. We also stopped to eat a couple of times. Around 10 pm we checked into a hotel in Meridian, Mississippi, to spend the night. Saturday we pressed on and arrived at Hard Labor Creek State Park around 4 pm. After settling into our cottage, we drove toward Athens and called Larry and Renee as soon as we could get a cell signal. Larry was working, but we met Renee at the Grit for dinner - the veggie plate, as usual, and dessert (pineapple/rhubarb pie for me).

Sunday morning we picked up Renee and a slightly MIA Larry and headed north to Dahlonega, site of the first gold rush in US history in 1833. We checked out the small town, then drove to a mine where we could pan for gold. It's kind of silly - you give them $$ and they give you a plastic bag full of sand and gravel. You go over to a trough and get a pan and proceed to slosh through your bag of dirt in search of gold. We all found some tiny flecks and teeny nuggety-thingies, so it was fun. We had a great lunch at The Crimson Moon, where there was a mountain-music jam session going on.

The Crimson Moon, Dahlonega, GA.

We also drove to Amicalola Falls State Park, and walked down the trail to the waterfall. A lovely place.

Monday Zannah and I went to Watkinsville so I could go to the yarn shop we discovered last November. It's moved location, but a phone call to Larry got us to the right place. I found some lovely yarns, and Zannah decided she wants to learn to knit, so we got her a book. We went to the grocery store, then went back out to our cottage so Zannah could make dinner for our guests, Renee and Larry! She roasted new potatoes from the Daily Co-op, and made a pizza with fresh basil, mushrooms, bell peppers, mozzarella, and added olives that Larry brought out with him. It was yummy!
On Tuesday we met Renee at Weaver D's for lunch. As we arrived, we noticed a camera crew. The Travel Channel was filming for their Taste of America program. EEK! We all had to sign a release form, so it's possible our faces could appear on the show when it airs in January. Eating at WEaver D's was an experience. The guy randomly calls out "Communicate!" or "Automatic!". The corn muffin was probably the best one I've ever had in my life. Lord knows how much fat
was in it. Watching the crew interview the folks in the restaurant was fun.

Tuesday afternoon Renee had to work, so Zannah and I shopped at Junkman's Daughter's Brother, then went back to the cottage for a shower and rest before going back to town to meet Larry and Renee for dinner at A Taste of India. Then we wandered over to Paul's shop and hung out a little, then met Renee's friend Jeff and went to a show at The Morton Theatre. They were taping for the radio show, Athens 441, and the first two acts were guys Renee knows. Peter was good fun, I enjoyed his music a lot. Then it was Steven, whom Renee had played with at that very theatre a few years ago when they opened for Robyn Hitchcock! www.myspace.com/greenlawns He was really good.

Josh Ritter: To the Dogs or Whoever

Josh Ritter: Mind's Eye

Hobbiton and The Shire?

After our picnic at the Rollright Stones, we stopped off at a nearby farm shop for ice cream and a chance to pat the baby water buffaloes.


Then we drove to the town of Burford, a very charming place indeed. I popped into quite a few shops on the main street and found a sweet sleeping hedgie statue for my collection. The flowers on the stone buildings were magnificent. Tabs found some very cute summer shoes in one of the shops. I heard requests for more ice cream, but Joanne seemed to remember that some had already been eaten; drat.


Then we drove on over to Oxford for a quick look around. The colleges were all closed for the day, but we strolled around the streets outside, past several colleges and the Bodleian Library. I was thrilled to see the pub where J.R.R. Tolkien and his colleagues used to hang out.

If I had been alone, I probably would have gone inside and ordered a pint, then sat there dreaming of being a hobbit or something equally "me."

After that, we had to get back to Watford so the kids could get into bed - school the next day. It had been a beautiful day out in the English countryside - just what I had wanted, so I went to bed tired and satisfied. And full of pudding, too.

like a pendulum do

From Dublin we flew back to Gatwick, where Lydia helped me get my ticket for the correct train to Watford. Her train was leaving just before mine from the same platform, so we had a few more minutes to chat. She got an ugly dirty train. I got a shiny green pretty one. Hah!

At Watford Junction I was met by a speeding Max and laughing Tabs, followed by their dad. When we got to their home, I was greeted by a wet tongue in my ear. Joanne should have been making dinner, but.... oh, right, the tongue was Amanita's, never mind. We had the first in a series of yummy dinners, then were off to bed so we could be ready
for a busy Saturday.

Around noon on Saturday we were ready to head into London to see the first stage of the Tour de France. I know next to nothing about bicycle racing, but it was fun to be in the crowd of spectators watching the cyclists in their brightly-colored spandex whizzing past. After we had had enough of that, we set off for the Victoria and Albert Museum, only to arrive right after they had closed for the day. Undaunted, we dashed across the road to the Natural History Museum instead. We only had about 15 minutes there before they closed.



We hadn't been able to take the train to London because of station closures, so we got back to the car and drove home.


On Sunday morning we set out in the direction of the Cotswalds. I had wanted to see a standing stone circle and Mike had suggested the Rollright Stones. Little did we know at the time that the reason he knew about these stones was that they're mentioned in a Half Man Half Biscuit lyric. *insert eye-rolling smilie here* Anyway, since I wasn't being picky, they were dandy standing stones for a visit. When we arrived there (near Chipping Norton) we got out our picnic and had lunch near the stones.


We noticed a silver-haired man standing in the center of the circle with his hands on a woman's head, rocking her back and forth. There was some other odd activity going on - a guy with some metal rods sort of wandering around with some concentration. After our picnic, the man saw the kids and asked if they'd like to learn to use his dowsing rods. Of course they were eager to give it a try. They picked it up immediately and we successfully commanding the rods in no time.











Next Joanne had a try, then me. I wasn't very good at it at all. The man said I was trying t0o hard or something. Oh well, I did get the rods to move some of the time. It was fun to mess around with them, anyway. Mike got them to move by saying "ghostbusters" instead of "thank you". There was a beautiful patch of red poppies growing in the field just past the stones. It made me wish Zannah were there to enjoy them with me.

had a fever

After the 4 July "not a show" we (me, Lydia, WH, WVO, and the Cresswells) met up with Astrid and wandered into a pub for a drink - shortly before closing time, but I was totally exhausted and Lydia wasn't feeling well, so we needed to get back to the hotel soon anyway. It was great to finally meet someone I've known only online for, gosh, about 4 years now, and who knew Jess before that. On the morning of the 5th, we overslept and missed breakfast at the hotel. Oh well. Our plan was to visit the National Museum, just across the road from the hotel, and we found a coffee shop (with chocolate croissants and diet Coke!) around the corner. We'd been in the museum only a little while when WVO caught up with us, so we toured together. He wanted to take the Jameson Whiskey Distillery tour, so we three walked across the river to the Smithfield area and embarked on the tour. As we were purchasing tickets, we saw that there was a nice discounted family rate, so we entertained the notion of claiming that we were Wim's lesbian mothers. Oh well, at least he got a student discount. The tour was pretty interesting and at the end we had samples of the whiskey. I got the one mixed with cranberry juice, and have to admit it was fairly tasty that way. After that, we strolled back to the Temple Bar area and had dinner (seafood pancakes) before making our way once more to the Olympia. It was another magical night of rocking music from an enthusiastic band for an equally enthusiastic audience.



Afterward, I was able to meet AH, a member of both Murmurs and the Moby board. She and her husband are a charming German couple. Since pubs were closing and I missed Astrid suggesting a club, we went to Eddie Rocket's for diner-style stuff, which was just as well. Lydia and WVO had a good opportunity to visit, and Astrid spoke German with AH & hubby. They're funny and cute and I was glad to meet in person.

So ended our second night in Dublin. Determined to get our hotel Irish breakfast on our last morning, we put in a wake-up call and arose at 8 a.m. on Friday. After enjoying our breakfast, we checked out and got Paddy to store our bags so we could do some shopping before our flight back to Gatwick. Despite repeated text-message efforts to find The Boys, we ended up shopping on our own and only seeing them for just long enough for goodbye hugs by the Molly Malone statue.

Don't even get me started on the Ryanair experience at Dublin airport. Feedlot without the feed. Mass confusion. Delayed flight, of course. Our "gate" was assigned to our Gatwick flight as well as a flight to Oslo, so the line was a huge mess.

Next entry - on to jolly old England.

streets broad and narrow

So. 4 July, 2007. As I was saying, we (me, Lydia, WH and WVO) went to dinner in the Temple Bar area; no, I don't remember the name of the place, but I had some lovely chicken and mushrooms. No pear cider, but the apple was nice. After the meal, we ambled down the narrow lanes back to the Olympia to take our seats: first circle, row D. WH was several rows behind us, and it turned out that J&M were almost directly in front of us. It was grand to have a chance to visit with them a bit before the show.

Opener was Via Rosa, otherwise known to the memory-impaired as Viagra (because, as Lydia said, they helped Robyn hitch his cock). Their music is okay, nothing special. After a couple songs from them, Robyn Hitchcock joined them. Then the Viagra guys left and Robyn was joined by two of the Venus Three - Scott McCaughey and Bill Rieflin. Robyn is so bizarre and so entertaining..
Then finally, R.E.M. (+2) took the stage for the "working rehearsal". Mills used the bullhorn to make certain that everyone knew "This is NOT a show". No, it wasn't a "show". It was something far better - an opportunity to see the guys relaxed and happy, in "making music for the fun of it" mode instead of "performing because we have to" mode.

There are reviews of the "shows" elsewhere. For me personally, much of the evening was spent thinking how much Jessica would have loved to have been there. Yes, it would have fed her obsession with JMS, but seeing him enjoying himself, smiling, relaxed, would have meant the world to her.

singing cockles and mussels

Dublin. July 4-6. Left DFW July 3. Of course the flight was delayed, as were almost all flights during this period of unusual (for Texas summer) daily thunderstorms. I knew I would probably be late arriving at Gatwick, so carried on both my bags for the trip. Got to Gatwick around 11 Wednesday morning instead of 8, as planned, so dashed through immigration and over to the other terminal, searched high and low for the Ryanair desk, got checked in, hustled through security, and made it to the departure lounge with minutes to spare. After a quick stop in the ladies room, I was wandering back out to look for Lydia when she serendipitously found me. Of course, our flight to Dublin was delayed (the story of my summer travels) but we made it there around 4 p.m.

As we were riding the bus to our hotel, Lydia got the first of many text messages from friends we were meeting: "Where are you NOW?". We both cracked up. Fortunately, the bus dropped us off just across the road from the hotel, and I immediately saw WH out front waiting for us. Hugs all around. Eventually he got hold of WVO and we all walked together over to the Olympia to pick up our tickets for the 4th of July "working rehearsal" of R.E.M. Tickets in hand, we chatted to a couple of people in the queue for standing spots, then continued on to dinner.


(more later....eyes are tired)

shuffle off

How sad is this? I need to finish writing about the New York trip so I can move on to the Dublin and Watford trips.

Okay, so after Book Expo I met up with friends Lydia and Nicky, from England. I was the first to arrive at our hotel, which Lydia had booked, accompanied by John. As the car pulled up to the hotel, we saw a giant inflatable rat tied to a pole outside the entrance. There was a labor protest going on. I thought the protesters were very rude, and I knew Lydia had pre-paid for the room, so I went on in and checked in. The room was gorgeous! After a while, Lydia and Nicky got there and called from the lobby, wondering if we should stay there or not because of the labor situation. We decided to stay.

Anyway, enough of that! The days in NYC were great! Sights: Empire State Building, Bronx Zoo, harbor cruise in the evening, MOMA, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim, Natural History Museum. Food: too much to name! We ate a couple of times at the restaurant where John works - complimentary mimosas on Saturday from our handsome waiter (another friend and her husband met up with us that day).



Chocolate cheesecake so big that I couldn't finish it.


Of course it wasn't all food food food. We strolled through Central Park. We tried to visit St Patrick's Cathedral but made the error of attempting that on the day of the Puerto Rico parade. Couldn't get across 5th, and were pressed in enormous crowds for a good while.

I fell completely in love with John's Yorkie, Parker.
Snatches: mariachi buskers on the subway; breakdancers in the station; Dominican food in John's neighborhood; yorkie fashion show; cheap jewelry; silk wrap skirt; morning run for diet pepsi.

a brilliant night, I'm still awake

I'm going to include some extraneous details here because there are things that I'll forget, which I want to remember, so bear with me, please.

For the Book Expo, I stayed first at the Hotel Metro on W. 35th St. It was pretty good, except the AC wasn't adequate. Then I spent one night at an official conference hotel, Holiday Inn Midtown. It was very nice, had good AC, large room, and was affordable because of the conference rate.

After the Expo ended, I went to visit my young friend John at his apartment on the upper upper west side, in an old building with a marble and tile lobby and marble staircase. He lives on the second floor with Bridget the cat and Parker the yorkie, along with a human roommate or two. I totally fell in love with Parker and want a yorkie of my own now. What a tiny sweetheart!

It was wonderful to be able to spend so much time with John and catch up on his hectic life. We went for a stroll with Parker, went out to eat at his neighborhood diner, made a trip to the dollar store down the street. It was all fun. He even came along on some adventures with me and my friends later in the week.

"she is too fond of books, and it has addled her brain"

How awesome was the New York trip? Empire State, Guggenheim, Bronx Zoo, MOMA, Natural History, Met. Harbor lights cruise. Time with John.

Book Expo America:
http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/App/homepage.cfm?moduleid=42&appname=288

I attended this with another librarian from my district; we got along well, both willing to be together or go separately to do our own thing. We adventuresomely went to Kmart, since she hadn't packed enough undies; who knew there was a Kmart in Manhattan?

At the Expo, I went to three informative sessions - the best was about how to plan author visits. I traipsed around both levels of the Javits several times, becoming more and more laden with free tote bags, advance reader copies of books, pens, pins, bookmarks, you name it, I got it. Crazy.

The best thing about the Expo (well, in addition to the free totes) was the opportunity to just run into authors. I went to the booth of the publisher for Jan Brett because I had seen people carrying a tote with the art from her Three Snow Bears book and I wanted one, and when I got there, she was there too. Jan Brett. Just hanging around. We chatted about hedgehogs. Another time I noticed John Green so I waited til he was free and went to tell him my thoughts upon finishing An Abundance of Katherines.

Friday night during Expo, we went to a concert by the Rock Bottom Remainders. http://www.rockbottomremainders.com
How amazing that was! Stephen King, Amy Tan, Mitch Albom, Greg Iles, Scott Turow and others, playing like a garage band. Frank McCourt came out and played harmonica (a little, bless his heart). Lesley Gore sang with them. Then they brought out Roger McGuinn; what a dream come true for a long-time Byrds fan, to be singing along with Roger McGuinn, in person, in a small hall. I'm so glad we decided to go to that concert.

More on New York to follow.

Books

Oh dear. I've dreadfully neglected this blog. I suppose there's been nothing blog-worthy going on, but now that school is almost over for the year, I can begin getting excited about some trips.

Next week I'll go to New York City, first for Book Expo and then to hang out with some friends from England who are coming over. The Book Expo is huge, at the Javitz Center, and from what I've heard, I'll be hauling home tons of freebies, including advance readers copies of book. I'm especially excited about the chance to get an ARC of Libba Bray's new book. On Friday night, my colleague (elementary librarian) and I will go to a concert, The Rock-Bottom Remainders (Stephen King's band). All good.

After Book Expo, I'll stay a couple of nights with a former student, a total sweetie. Then I'll meet up with the Brits for a week of frivolity. We have tickets for Inherit the Wind and The Pirate Queen on Broadway. We've researched restaurants, museums, all the things we need to see and do and eat.

More adventure previews later, with reports to follow.

halfway to the stars

Taken by surprise sometimes, at odd moments. Yesterday afternoon I was enjoying my ADK chapter's 50th anniversary party. We had a singer performing the music of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, and it was lovely. He has a great voice and we were swaying and chorus-lining and having a grand old time. Then he started singing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" and I had to go hide in the ladies room so no one would noticed the tears. I still can't listen to the tape of Jessica singing that song, made only a couple of weeks before her death. I tried once, couldn't do it. Maybe someday, but the association of that song with her is too much.

I'll remember your song

I am dealing with the approaching anniversary by keeping as busy as possible. Spring Break this past week was good. A friend from England came to visit and we spent the latter half of the week in Austin for SXSW, along with another friend. We made a good threesome, all got along and enjoyed one another's company. Also went to Dallas Blooms (see above). Now I'm pretty much worn out, and have lots to do at work the next couple of days, and at home as well, so there'll be no time for melancholy. Time for reflection, I hope, but not enough time to dwell on the "what ifs".

Pictures from SXSW:

the broken heart that's lonely's only thought

Feeling weepy today, thinking too much. Sometimes I just want it to all be over.

meanwhile, back in London

I believe I left off as we were going to the Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 show. That was fun as well as interesting. The venue was basically a largeish room with bars on either side and a stage at the front. It was already fairly crowded when we arrived, so there was no chance to get to the front, which was just as well. We quickly found Ll & H, and then AP; 'twas good to see her again, though briefly. We couldn't chat because the opening band was too loud, of course, and she had a seat in a roped off area to the side at the front. Everyone else was standing.

We sort of staked out our turf midway back, off to one side a bit. Eventually some very very tall men got in front of us, which was a tad annoying. The concert was very good. I'm not very familiar with RH's music, but it was a good and fun show, and nice to see PLB and SM and BR looking like they were having fun. Pretty near the end, Z and I needed the loo and once we went back there, we found that the back part of the room was much cooler than the front, so we stayed back there, could hear fine and see almost as well.

The funniest part of the evening was when the concert ended. Our normally genial host seemed to be in a big hurry to leave, practically bolted like a bunny. I was ready to get home anyway, so that was fine with me.

Friday J took us to nearby St Albans. It was a cool, windy, dampish day. We walked past the ruins of a Roman wall and went to visit the very large cathedral. www.stalbanscathedral.org.uk. After touring the cathedral, we wandered around town a bit and found a pub for lunch. Starving by then, we were!