Well I did think I would get back into blogging but I've not written anything for ages. So what happened in February. Well it was a busy month!

We went to see High School Musical at the Theatre. It was really good. Theatre was packed – mostly families and kids ... we must have been the only ones there with no kids!  Also went to see Be my Baby at the New Vic.  How times have changed for un-married mothers since the 60's. This last week we went to see Romeo & Juliet again at the New Vic. Excellent performance by Northern Broadside. Performance contained nudity (male and female!!) and Romeo just happened to be right in front of us when he appeared naked!

Found out in February and that I'm official old!! I had my eyes tested and I need "readers". I've worn them a few times. It's ok when I'm just sitting reading, but if I pick my head up to look at something else everything goes woozy. Oh if anyone wants to know what my glasses are like ....

Managed to finish reading Time Travellers Wife last weekend (think the glasses helped J ). Found it hard going in places and I was a tad confused at times. Thought I'd try and clarify some things so googled it but ended up even more confused!  Thankfully I'm not the only one that's confused.

Went to watch Stoke v Ipswich. Crumbs it was cold!  I reckon the Britannia Stadium must be the coldest football ground in the country! Stoke won 1-0.  First time I've seen Stoke win at the Britannia and they kept their place at top of the Championship (that might have changed following today's result!).

Met up with a couple of girl friends and had a lovely evening reminiscing in Blakey's in Newcastle (used to be Candles Wine Bar).  We managed to get through a fair bit of wine between us!

Well the 29^th February came and went and I still didn't propose to anyone! More concerned whether I was being paid for working that day to worry about proposing J

Like I said February was a pretty busy month  but that'll do for now.

Til next time.

Think I got cursed in the Tutankhamun exhibition - I felt SO lousy all day. Should have gone back to work today but spent most of day in bed!

Anyway back to the exhibition it was really good - everything well laid out and well signed. We didn't have the headphones - that would have been another £4.00 on top of the £15.00 we had already paid. We took the Thames Clipper down to the 02 arena which was good as we saw London by day on the way down and by the time we came out it was night so saw London from the Thames at night.  Even managed to get hold of the mobile I wanted from the shop inside the 02 arena - so that made my day!

Dirty Dancing was fab. You should have seen the abs on Johnny! Definitely recommend it.  The theatre went wild when Johnny said "no body puts baby in the corner".

Well Christmas came and went for another year. Can't say it's the best Christmas I've ever had, but I don't suppose it was the worst! Had some nice presents. Disappointed I didn't get the mobile phone I wanted cause they were all out of stock and they are still out of stock now!  Mind you I've spent months deliberating over which one to have ... I suppose I should have made my mind up earlier!

Had lovely Christmas dinner (thanks to Rob and Andy for their cooking!). I even ate FIVE brussels sprouts - they were the first sprouts I've ever eaten. I reckon sprouts get a bad press - they weren't as bad as people make out!

Boxing day had a wander round Trentham and had coffee at the end of the lake - it was pretty busy. I reckon everyone was trying to walk off some of their over-indulgences.

Christmas TV has been rubbish this year ... but Dr Who and Corrie were pretty good.

Only a few days now until we go see Dirty Dancing and Tutankhamun exhibition. Will blog more when I've been.

Had a fab night at the MEN last night. Take That were great.  The two hours flew by. Our seats were way up in the Gods not quite the back row but not far away!

They opened up their set with Reach Out and then followed with some of their hits like It only take a Minute (with some very raunchy dancing), Relight My Fire (with a sample from Gnarls Barkley's Crazy) and then followed it with a few tracks from the Beautiful World album including Patience.  Then a walkway appeared and Take That made their way to be centre stage to Rule the World – this was one of my favourite parts of the show.

Take That now worked from the centre stage and we were given renditions of Could it be Magic, Back for Good and Everything Changes. They then made their way back to the main stage through the crowd – lucky for those people sitting in the main part of the arena.  No one is going to forget "Never Forget" which they performed running – yes running – on a moving part of the stage. They must be SO fit!  They finished off the performance with Pray.  A great night.

Take That were supported by Sophie Ellis Bexter who did a great set and her young son came out and sang Happy Birthday to Sophie's sister.

PS Was going to add a couple of videos but Myspace videos is not letting me upload them at the moment – may try again at some point – so watch this space.

I haven't blogged for ages!  Now Dad is back from his travels, I haven't really got back into the habit about blogging about what I've been upto and I've been busy playing Scrabulous over on Facebook - can I mention Facebook on here ... to late I already have!!

Did go and see Mika a couple of weeks ago. He was really good. So energetic - he never seemed to stand still!  Was still humming Big Girls you are Beautiful the next day

Also had a few trips to the theatre. Went to see Rambert's Dance Company. Contemporary dance. They were brilliant, very athletic dancers.Swansong was really good! They also had a sign language interpreter, Dr Paul Whittaker, who is also profoundly deaf - at times I found myself watching him signing to music! 

Also got to see the English National Ballet Snow Queen. Did help that I'd read up on the story beforehand!

So a busy few weeks .... and still got Take That to see in just over a week!

Will be blogging again soon ... til then, toodle pip

Had a great night in Manchester last Friday. Donny was great. We couldn't have asked for better seats - front row!  Felt quite intimate, I'd forgotten about the 1,000's of folk behind me ... Donny was singing just to me

Donny even came down into the crowd, but unfortunately not in our part - well you can't have everything!

He sang quite a few tracks off 70's Love Songs. Also did some of his big hits, including Twelfth of Never.

Hopefully attached a few videos (just wish I could keep the camera still!!!)

How Long

Puppy Love

Sacred Emotion

Twelfth of Never, Go Away Little Girl, One Bad Apple

Love Me for a Reason

Let's Stay Together

and to finish off with

Crazy Horses

Well for those still following, this is the last post as Dad arrived home yesterday. Been down today to tell me some tales of his trip and the people he'd met. He's had a great time. Only two punctures and he's still on the same brake blocks!

Given him a copy of all my posts so he knows what I've been telling you all!

Anyway, thanks for staying the distance.

Week 12

Just had phone call of Dad (Thursday). He is now back in LA and staying at Santa Monica.  He caught the train back in from Ventura as lots of roads are closed because of the fires.  When he got to the station he was going to bike through LA but found there was a bus he could catch. Apparently they have racks on the front to put bikes on. Dad "cleaned and jerked" his bike onto the rack, got on the bus and asked how much. Bus driver said 45, so Dad said "hang on minute while I go get some extra money". Got back on the bus with his $45 and the bus driver went 45 cents!  Two hour bus ride for 45C.  Money well spent, I say!

Anyway bike is all boxed up now ready for return journey home and shuttle bus booked.  Dad is going to spend the day doing touristy things around Santa Monica.

Dad did manage to meet up with Colin (who he spent a few days with at the start of his trip). Colin joined him to cycle the 10 miles to the train station. Dad left him with his tent – well it had served Dad's purpose now and owed him nothing!  

Lots of place Dad has visited this last few weeks has been affected by the fires.

Dad reckons he has probably clocked over 3,000 miles on his trip – that bike will be due for a service when he gets it home!

Week 11

Dad phoned last night. In a place called Fillmore which is about 20 miles from the pacific coast.  He reckoned he'd had the hardest two days cycling he's had the whole trip this week. Cycling through the desert with temperatures in the 80's and winds of 30/40 miles an hour . One cycle ride which should have take 4/5 hours took him 9 hours to complete as the wind was so fierce. He had been to a place called Big Bear Lake which was 7,000 ft and when he was descending back down he'd had to peddle all the way!  He'd got sand everywhere, in his hair, ears, shoes, all his kit!  On one of the windy nights he'd managed to pitch his tent in shelter, the other night he got a Motel to say in.

This week he will start heading back towards LA.

Filled him in with details from home, ie England lost in the football for Euro 2008, but were through to the rugby final. Told him to hunt down a sports bar/pub so he could watch the rugby tonight!  Think he'll be lucky if he finds anywhere showing it!!

Had an email off Meghan (from Seatle)  this week who Dad had meet on an earlier part of the trip. She had a couple of photos of Dad.

Having a beer before setting off over the Bridge.

Dad on the Golden Gate Bridge

On the bridge

Sitting down for a meal


Is that bottle of beers on the table!!!

Week 10

Had the usual phone call off Dad on Friday night. He is still following the Pacific Crest Trail through some of the national parks.

He cycled up the into the Laguna Mountains (6,000 ft) region. Took him half a day cycle 24 miles, in Dad's words "I just kept twiddling".

Also cycled through Anza-Borrego desert, but as it was really hot, even in the shade he decided to move out of the desert. Presently staying in a place called Hemet and looking for somewhere to get his washing done, seeing he hadn't washed anything for 10 days!

Starts going dark about 6.30/7.00 p.m., so if there isn't a pub close by he's in bed by 7.30!

He has got just over two weeks left, so I assume soon he'll start heading back towards LA.