July 15th, 2012

There are not words to describe the pain and exhaustion we're feeling today!

Left London after last night's show and headed to a travelodge at Hatfield where we had a few hours sleep before heading up the A1 to Harrogate.  This week saw Mr King Snr turn 85 so we had a big family lunch to celebrate and there was no way we were missing that!!!

Such a lovely day with everyone and some wonderful photos and memories shared of a very long and eventful life!!

And now?  Bed!

July 13th & 14th 2012

OK, so a little bit of a cheat, but I'm putting these days together because they were essentially one day!

Springsteen at Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park, so after a 3.30am get up it was more queues, more numbers and more roll calls before the most dreaded run in venue history...I swear, the entrance to the front row barrier is a good 1km, which when you're sprinting is absolute killer.  And then, just in case we weren't tired enough, we were stood at that front row barrier for 11 HOURS!!!!

It's not quite as bad as it sounds, we were in at 12 and the first support act came on at 2pm so there was a steady stream of entertainment on the run up to 7pm when it was officially Boss Time!!  Amazing show, there's been plenty of reports about them cutting the sound for breaking the curfew but it was a brilliant night non the less. 

Hyde Park is a mess.  The combination of the amount of rain we've had and the Wireless festival last weekend made it essentially into a paddy field, which they then covered in wood chips to try and make safer.  They actually did a pretty good job, though the wood stunk to high heaven so it wasn't too pleasant, but truly worth every minute!!!!

July 12th, 2012

A very quick blog and early to bed for us tonight, as tomorrow we'll be getting up at stupid o'clock to head to London to join yet another Bruce Springsteen queue!  I'm sure we only just left the last one!

It's looking to be a very wet weekend - the show is in Hyde Park which they've had to cover in woodchips in an attempt to soak up some of the water, but I really don't see that working!  So we're heading armed with wellies and waterproofs!!!

July 11th, 2012

Just watched The Vow, what a brilliant film!

For those who've not seen it (and without giving away the ending) it's about a young married couple who have a car accident, she suffers massive head trauma and loses her memory (whilst listening to Meat Loaf I might add!) so she has to learn and remember everything about her recent past all over again, including who her husband is. 

One of those that really gets you thinking...I think sometimes it's easy to think that, given the choice, we'd delete all the bad memories and crap that we've gone through, but then those are the things that shape us and make us who we are, so to forget them would actually change the people we are now...tough one isn't it!

It's a lovely funny film though, considering the story line, would definitely recommend making time to see this one!

July 10th, 2012

So tonight, all eyes are on this weekend's weather forecast...

We've got tickets to see Springsteen (again) in Hyde Park but the weather is not looking good at all.  Tomorrow night's concert there has been cancelled already because the ground is too wet.  The event people have said that the show is going ahead and they're laying chipboard down to cover the grass, though rumour has it that the trucks can't get onto the grass to lay the boards...so it's not looking good!!

Of course the festivals all go ahead whatever the weather, but I'm not sure how "protected" Hyde Park is from being churned up, the area where the queue will be is right by Marble Arch so it's all really visible to tourists...guess there's nothing else to do but keep fingers firmly crosses!

July 9th, 2012

This morning, I faced war - Me vs The Sewing Machine!  I fear the sewing machine is winning though :-s

It's definitely not happy at the moment, don't know if it's the tension or what but the cotton underneath is snagging, coming through in huge chunks of thread and the needles are snapping. Scares the hell out of me, the Bang when a needle goes is shocking - I have some glasses which I don't wear because the prescription is a bit too strong, well I've taken as wearing them as goggles in case a needle goes when I'm on the machine!

My fear of sewing machines is definitely a valid one though.  I was always really confident on the machine, it was just like an extra arm to me!  Then when we were at college a friend of mine, who shall remain nameless, was doing some machine embroidery, moving the embroidery hoop round in circles, and I don't know how she managed it but she slipped and the needle went straight through her finger - straight through the nail and out of the other side.  I went into "teacher mode" in the immediate moment as we were in the room without a tutor but afterwards it really hit me, I just felt sick, so now I'm very wary of the machine!  Justifiably I think!

July 8th, 2012

Has anyone just watched Thelma's Gypsy Girls?  Oh I was so jealous, I'd love to do that job!

For those that didn't see it, Thelma Madine (the dressmaker from Big Fat Gypsy Weddings) is setting up a scheme whereby she takes on 10 traveller girls and trains them up to be dressmakers and seamstresses.  I'd love that!!  I'm not sure how well I'd get on with the enormous construction parts of those dresses but I'd be in my element doing the finishing - just let me loose with those diamantes!!