Wednesday 20 October 2010

Lots been happening in September - October

Things don’t change much. Here we are half way through October & I’ve written nothing about September, even though it was quite an action packed month!

So I’ll start with the first Sunday in September. Chris and I took the dogs to the Puppy School Fun Day & Bar-B-Que held in a field in Gateside. Fleur disgraced herself, getting her knickers in a twist because she saw a collie dog, so Chris took her home.

Imogen and I tried all the different disciplines, from the Scurry to Showing to Retrieving, from Agility to the Obstacle Course. It was a lovely sunny day, lots of happy people, great food and lots of laughs.

To her credit, Imogen won 2nd prize in the Obstacle Course class, which was such a surprise, and we got a special mention from the visiting Agility Judge, because together Imogen & I completed the course in the fasted time – 1 minute! We were disqualified however, because the dog is supposed to jump the jumps not me! Ach, she did the tunnels perfectly though!



This picture shows just how interested Imogen is in Dog Showing classes!

The following day, Chris and I flew down to London for a couple of days to celebrate his Birthday & attend a client’s party. We had a wonderful time. Each morning we went on a London Walk. The first walk was so interesting and amusing, we decided to go on a different walk on the following day. I really recommend you go on a London Walk if you are ever in London.

On one of the walks we passed Sir John Soane’s house, (13, Lincoln’s Inn Fields) which is now, a museum containing his eclectic collection of carvings, furniture, paintings and some of his own cartoons of buildings he designed. His house was his “showroom” for potential clients. We also saw Holgarth’s original paintings of A Rake’s Progress and An Election.

We went to the New London Theatre to see “War Horse”, based on a novel by Michael Morpurgo, in association with Handspring Puppet Company. WOW! A simple but disturbing story about one particular horse sent to France during the First World War, but the innovative puppets and the backdrop were absolutely amazing. We really enjoyed the puppets, but the acting was a bit on the hammy side, actually it became rather irritating, but the puppets were captivating. Yes, I cried.



Pictures taken from the internet of WarHorse.

We also visited Westminster Abbey for the first time & were eventually chucked out at closing time, and we hadn’t finished looking round. What a jumble of a place. There didn’t appear to be any sort of planning for all the memorials, stones, obelisks etc. They seemed to just “bung” them anywhere! Did see Mary Queen of Scots tomb and Elizabeth’s. I don’t know why I didn’t know that MQS was buried in Westminster.

October 2010

Chris and I are just back from a week in Caithness filming the Royal National MOD for An Comunn Gaighealach. This was our second MOD and although different from Oban last year, Thurso and Wick delivered a brilliant festival of singing, music and fringe events. We really enjoy working at the MOD, although the days are long because of the evening events, the week always seems to fly past.



Picture of surfers in Caithness.

One of the fringe events, which the committee were keen to promote, was surfing! The beaches around Caithness are perfect for surfing, long, clean, seaweed free sand and perfect curls / waves – Oh and sun. (We had the full range of weather last week, from warm sunshine with blue skies to dark skies and torrential rain, rainbows and sleet.)

The best part of the MOD for me is the final Saturday morning, when all the choirs and singers parade through town and meet up to sing together. The sound is just magical; I can’t explain the tingles that shiver up your spine when you hear a mass Gaelic Choir. You’ll just have to experience it for yourselves.

If we are asked to film the MOD in Stornaway next year, I think we will have to learn a few more words of Gaelic!