There's a bright golden haze on the meadow....................there's a bright golden haze on the meadow...........(actually, it's a bonfire at the local tip, but hey..........)

Hello peeps,

It's a slightly sunny afternoon down here at the seaside, and the town is quiet in preperation for the easter hols.
I managed to escape the valentine hearts and creme eggs stuffed in the entrance to our "new look" co-op since boxing day this year, as I basically havent been out at all, apart from gigs. I decided to hibernate this winter and am glad I did. I have many nuts, twigs and berries spare if anyone wants to put a "woodland extravaganza" on at their local village hall/ scout hut/ pizza hut.
(The rest I shall just fashion into a hat for any outdoor lunchtime gigs, in case we dont get fed).

Having finally arrived almost to the top of the trough I've been crawling out of, the colours are starting to show again, and the air feels a little fresher, and Ive realised how much I've missed my mates, but am grateful for the chance to have had an, albeit selfish, overhaul and service. (which reminds me of when I stayed at the posh Lowry hotel in Manchester once, the night before I had a week at ronnies in London, and ordered some room service, and told the poor (hot)guy delivering the stuff (chocolates and wine of course!twas in my drinking days)that I was having a lazy night and just fancied indulging myself and being "serviced" ha ha ha ha ha ha, never seen anyone run so fast! ha ha)

So, although not entering the krypton factor assault course, or a darts tournament just yet, am slowly opening my eyes and wiping away the 3 months of heavy sleep that have clogged them up.
(would have liked some tiny disney birds to be flitting and singing round my head as I did so, but have given up drugs*, as well as drink, so have to use my woodland hat with a fuzzy felt canary in it instead!)

The trio, along with my lovely mum Clare, and best friend Jackie, spent NYE at the Royal Hotel in Ventnor I O W, and had a wonderful time. Roger and Mark both looked like wonderful bodyguards at the inaugeration or something like that, and us girls were very happy indeed.

We played a jazz/function set on a staircase in the main hall/ballroom, and it was very nostalgic, although difficult having, in between each song, to go and pick up the drum kit from the bottom of the stairs. A stage would have been more preferable.

Actually, it was fab, and I realise I hadnt done a function for ages so it was fun doing all the old cheesy but lovely songs. we even ended with "the last waltz" by Engelbert Humperdink, which I havent done since the Grand Hotel Eastbourne days in 1988!! My mum asked for "brown eyes blue" by Crystale Gaile,and Jackie asked for the 1812 overture, which is always an ice breaker, (along with the windows, walls, etc).

Going "away" with Jackie has always been fun. One particular trip sticks in my mind.

At a loss for what to do one weekend, as our respective partners were working, we decided to visit Ghent in Belgium for a couple of nights.
I had been there many times previously due to being in a band based there called "urbanized", and being a university town, afforded many live music and eating/drinking venues and galleries, so was perfect for us.
After a freezing afternoon spent on "an exciting canal trip taking in the sights of Ghent, including the tallest man-made, near extinct, oldest industrial chimney in belgium"!!!, (which took us approx 200 yards from one side of the canal to the other, in about 2 hours with a wonderful driver/tourguide who was 132 years old, we decided to relax in the university's cafe bar with a hot draught or tincture or 12.
The Vooruit centre is a very family friendly place and on the table next to us were a young couple with a rather boisterous 3 or 4 year old little Flemish girl, who was having fun throwing things at walls, tables, people, and threw a peaked cap, Oddjob style, straight in to the jugular vein of a quiet, unassuming chap sitting reading and drinking chimay at another table near us. This resulted in a piercing scream from him, and he looked up, with a very visible red welt on his neck, and glared straight at me, and so, of course, I just looked at him and said "sorry"!!!!
I must stop taking the flak for others!!!

He wasnt impressed and so Jackie and I decided it was time to go (quickly) and sample the local culinary delights of Belgium, and so ended up round the corner in a Brazilian restaurant owned by an ex Brazilian national footballer. (Lamb with coffee sauce yum!!), and after that we went to a club briefly until we had to run from some lively Turkish guys who wanted us to lift our petticoats methinks, and made a hasty retreat back to the hotel.
I miss mine and Jackie's adventures and must take her away soon, probably to Bexhill this time due to the credit crunch, but we can always pour our filter coffees over our mini kievs, so no difference there then.

Sorry am waffling on and on again,

One thing I did whilst underground this last month was watch the Barack Obama inaugeration 3 TIMES in a row. (bbc news 24, continual loop).
Wow, it was amazing wasnt it? To see that many people braving the ice cold to celebrate a momentous day in history was one of the most moving things ive ever seen in my life and I'm still fizzing from it.
(Did anyone see Huw Edwards, the Welsh commentator reporting from the top of a building though? He looked like he was incredibly constipated as well as frozen and was yapping on endlessly, thinking he had to fill every gap with verbal blah blah blaaaaargh, which spoilt it a little, but hey, what a day)

Anyway, that's all for now,
Shall be finalizing my recovery by doing a charity gig week after next, for a musical theatre college fund raiser, which sounds great, but even greater when you hear it's in ............................................
HAWAII !!!!!!!! YEY YEY YEY YEY!!!(hence the current mood emoticom!!)
Will be there for my 45th so will be sending love vibes to all whilst kayaking with those geysers from the beginning credits to hawaii 50!!!

See you all later

love and alohas

Liane x x x x x x x