I don't know about you, but I sometimes wonder if we live in a madhouse. I don't mean our homes, but the world in general, and education circles in particular.
You may well be aware that for some days now Michael Gove has been banging on about improving standards in schools. Over the last few years the Primary sector have been scrutinised, measured, checked, Ofsteded etc. Primary League Tables have been published and his latest idea is to change one of the categories of the Ofsted results.
A school will no longer be classed as "satisfactory" (for according to Mr Gove this implies that the school is just ticking over.) It must show steady progress and improve year on year! I ask myself is the man mad, has he taken leave of his senses, or is he just living in cloud cuckoo land?
I wonder if he has had the experience of trying to teach a class where over 50% of the children are classed as ESL (English as a second language.) It seems to me to be an exercise in futility trying to teach all the academic subjects to some poor little person who can barely speak (or understand) English.
But all of this is not my real concern about the world being mad. Oh No!
If I hadn't read it on the BBC interrnet news I would have hardly believed it.
Did you know that at the present moment a course in horse care is equivalent to four (yes you did read that right - FOUR) GCSE's?
A BTec level 2 in fish husbandry, and a level 2 certificate in nail technology services (both worth the equivalent of 2 GCSE's) could also be taken out of the GCSE equivalents. Whoopee I say! The sooner the better!
How on earth could these three examples be compared to a decent GCSE, let alone two or four GCSE equivalents?
With equivalents like these I wouldn't have been surprised to have seen breathing being given a GCSE equivalent!
No wonder our Secondary education system is in such a mess!
It seems that Secondary Schools are now in the firing line. Prof. Alison Wilson has decided that some of the courses offerred as equivalent to GCSE's will either be downgraded or removed from the equivalent status altogether! Do I detect a movement towards common sense at last?
Tuesday 31 January 2012
Friday 27 January 2012
Four Funerals and No Weddings
I have been a bit busy this week with funerals! Monday was a relatives, and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were due to me being an organist!
I thought that a bit of relative peace and quiet was due, but no such luck. I already have a funeral to play for on Wednesday and another on Friday. In fact next week is already building up. On Monday there is a trip to Harrogate for Dot to visit the Eye Clinic, and on Monday evening I have a practice for the Male Voice Choir. We are due to give a concert at Dalesway (A BUPA home) in Thornbury on the following Monday. As I missed last Mondays practice due to being at the funeral of a relative, there will be quite a bit of work to put in at this Mondays practice!
I am also booked to give a talk to the Hall Royd Methodist Group an hour after the funeral on Wednesday.
I thought that a bit of relative peace and quiet was due, but no such luck. I already have a funeral to play for on Wednesday and another on Friday. In fact next week is already building up. On Monday there is a trip to Harrogate for Dot to visit the Eye Clinic, and on Monday evening I have a practice for the Male Voice Choir. We are due to give a concert at Dalesway (A BUPA home) in Thornbury on the following Monday. As I missed last Mondays practice due to being at the funeral of a relative, there will be quite a bit of work to put in at this Mondays practice!
I am also booked to give a talk to the Hall Royd Methodist Group an hour after the funeral on Wednesday.
Tuesday 24 January 2012
TOWIB
Youv'e no doubt all heard of, and probably seen the TV programme The Only Way Way Is Essex (TOWIE for short) well read on to discover what TOWIB is.....
To put it mildly,this week does not promise to be an auspicious one.
Hannh managed to pick up a screw in the rear near side tyre of her new car, and on taking it to Quickfit on Sunday, after a two hour wait she was told that the tyre was beyond repair. On asking the price of a new tyre she was told £150.00 - it's a Broadstone low profile one. There were none immediately available, and it would probably be Monday or Tuesday before she could get it repaired.......
QUICKfit - what a misnomer if ever there was one!
So yesterday and today the Bentley Taxi Service has been in full swing, but seeing as Dot and I had to attend a relatives funeral on Monday afternoon, Sarah had to do the honours and collect Hannah from school on Monday afternoon.
Whilst all this has been going on I have had to cancel a wedding I had been booked to play for at Rudding Park Harrogate on Saturday 28th April due to the fact that the new Vicar of Bingley is being inducted one hour before the wedding is due to take place and my first call has to be on the organ buffet in Bingley!
In and amongst all this I have been booked to play for no less than three funerals this week - so like the title of this blog suggests The Only Way Is Better - it surely can't get any worse, can it???
To put it mildly,this week does not promise to be an auspicious one.
Hannh managed to pick up a screw in the rear near side tyre of her new car, and on taking it to Quickfit on Sunday, after a two hour wait she was told that the tyre was beyond repair. On asking the price of a new tyre she was told £150.00 - it's a Broadstone low profile one. There were none immediately available, and it would probably be Monday or Tuesday before she could get it repaired.......
QUICKfit - what a misnomer if ever there was one!
So yesterday and today the Bentley Taxi Service has been in full swing, but seeing as Dot and I had to attend a relatives funeral on Monday afternoon, Sarah had to do the honours and collect Hannah from school on Monday afternoon.
Whilst all this has been going on I have had to cancel a wedding I had been booked to play for at Rudding Park Harrogate on Saturday 28th April due to the fact that the new Vicar of Bingley is being inducted one hour before the wedding is due to take place and my first call has to be on the organ buffet in Bingley!
In and amongst all this I have been booked to play for no less than three funerals this week - so like the title of this blog suggests The Only Way Is Better - it surely can't get any worse, can it???
Sunday 22 January 2012
Katherine Jenkins Concert (2)
We attended the Katherine Jenkins concert at the Harroagte International Centre yesterday evening. We knew that the concert was a sell out, and that the auditorium holds 2,000 people, and we were expecting car parking to be at a premium, so we set off in plenty of time and managed to find space in the multi-storey park at the centre itself.
Amazingly the cost of parking was only £2.00, which compares very favourably with the on street parking where the fee is £1.40 for the first hour, up to a maximum of three hours.
The concert was (as expected) most enjoyable. Among the songs that Katherine sang were: Black is the Colour, J'Avais Reve D'Une Autre Vie (the French words to "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables), Love Divine to the Welsh Tune "Hyfrydol" , Calon Lan (Welsh Words to Blaenwern) and Break it to My Heart.
As usual she had 3 dress changes, wearing, in total, four very elegant dresses. Sorry no photos as photography and recording was banned in the centre!
We purchased her latest CD (Daydream) which has three or four of the songs she featured in last night's concert.
Amazingly the cost of parking was only £2.00, which compares very favourably with the on street parking where the fee is £1.40 for the first hour, up to a maximum of three hours.
The concert was (as expected) most enjoyable. Among the songs that Katherine sang were: Black is the Colour, J'Avais Reve D'Une Autre Vie (the French words to "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables), Love Divine to the Welsh Tune "Hyfrydol" , Calon Lan (Welsh Words to Blaenwern) and Break it to My Heart.
As usual she had 3 dress changes, wearing, in total, four very elegant dresses. Sorry no photos as photography and recording was banned in the centre!
We purchased her latest CD (Daydream) which has three or four of the songs she featured in last night's concert.
Thursday 19 January 2012
Katherine Jenkins Concert
I am looking forward to Saturday evening. We are going to the Katherine Jenkins Concert at the Harrogate International Centre. We have got front row seats thanks to a present from the Phillips family - it was their Christmas present for us!
Having met the aforementioned lady, and spoken with her, a few years ago (she was a guest at a wedding I was playing for) I can vouch for the fact that she is a very natural person and seems totally unaffected by her fame.
Oh, and just in case you didn't believe that I had spoken with her, here's the proof......
The broad grin was caused by me suggesting that she may like to audition for my choir!
Saturday 14 January 2012
Pantomime and Cold Weather
We paid our annual visit to the Harrogate Pantomime last night (Beauty & the Beast) and had a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining evening. As usual the cast were splendid. Tim Stedman as Muddles was his usual idiotic and simple self, whilst the Dame (Sue the Sous Chef) and Baron Bon Bon gave excellent support. Polly Lister was outstanding as the Sorceress. She played an evil Baddie, and has great stage presence and a very good voice too.
One of the highlights of last night's performance was the plate catching scene. There are two chutes (one each side of the stage), and the crockery is sent down these chutes for Muddles and Baron Bon Bon to catch them prior to
washing them. All works well when Sue the Sous Chef demonstrates, but when Muddles & Baron Bon Bon take over there is chaos. They are at the wrong chute when plates come hurtling down. The idea is that the precious plates smash, but last night they refused to. Muddles and the Baron did an superb job of ad libbing each time the plates refused to smash.
During the following scene there was a tremendous crash back stage and Muddles could be heard shouting "They still won't smash even after seven weeks!"
There was the usual selection of a member of the front row of the audience to be the butt of many jokes (Michael was the man's name) and he was persuaded to stand up and conduct the theatre (complete with follow spot on him) in the silly song routine.
When we came out of the theatre there was a distinct nip in the air. The car temperature gauge read - 4.0 degrees, and this morning you could see the result of the freezing cold night.
We have a water bowl on the garage roof, for the birds, and I was amazed to see what looks like an upward growing icicle had formed.......
As there was nothing dripping into the bowl from above it I am at a loss as to how this has formed.
The field behind our house looked quite picturesque, with the sheep standing about.
and one of them obviously remembered that they sometimes get fed with the vegetable left overs, and came to beg!
Our car usually misses the most of the frost, as it sits between our house and next door's extension, so is quite sheltered, but this morning there was evidence on it of just how cold it had been during the night.
One of the highlights of last night's performance was the plate catching scene. There are two chutes (one each side of the stage), and the crockery is sent down these chutes for Muddles and Baron Bon Bon to catch them prior to
washing them. All works well when Sue the Sous Chef demonstrates, but when Muddles & Baron Bon Bon take over there is chaos. They are at the wrong chute when plates come hurtling down. The idea is that the precious plates smash, but last night they refused to. Muddles and the Baron did an superb job of ad libbing each time the plates refused to smash.
During the following scene there was a tremendous crash back stage and Muddles could be heard shouting "They still won't smash even after seven weeks!"
There was the usual selection of a member of the front row of the audience to be the butt of many jokes (Michael was the man's name) and he was persuaded to stand up and conduct the theatre (complete with follow spot on him) in the silly song routine.
When we came out of the theatre there was a distinct nip in the air. The car temperature gauge read - 4.0 degrees, and this morning you could see the result of the freezing cold night.
We have a water bowl on the garage roof, for the birds, and I was amazed to see what looks like an upward growing icicle had formed.......
As there was nothing dripping into the bowl from above it I am at a loss as to how this has formed.
The field behind our house looked quite picturesque, with the sheep standing about.
and one of them obviously remembered that they sometimes get fed with the vegetable left overs, and came to beg!
Our car usually misses the most of the frost, as it sits between our house and next door's extension, so is quite sheltered, but this morning there was evidence on it of just how cold it had been during the night.
Thursday 12 January 2012
Beauty & the Beast
Tomorrow sees the Bentley Family making their annual pilgrimage to Harrogate Theatre for their visit to the pantomime.
A somewhat unusual choice for the pantomime this year - Beauty and the Beast, but it stars the usual cast so there will be plenty to laught at no doubt!
A somewhat unusual choice for the pantomime this year - Beauty and the Beast, but it stars the usual cast so there will be plenty to laught at no doubt!
Howard Chadwick as Dame Sue the Sous Chef
and Tim Stedman as Muddles
Katy Dean as Beauty
Muddles & Dame Sue the Sous Chef
Polly Lister as the Sorceress Baron Bonbon, Dame Sue the Sous Chef & Muddles
Polly Lister as the Sorceress
Tuesday 10 January 2012
Newsflash: It's Arrived!
Great Event in the Ben/Hannah household tonight. They took delivery of their new Seat Ibizia SC se Copa Sportrider!
They followed me back from JCT 600 in Menston, and I only saw Hannah manage to stall it three times!
I had my Meriva in for its MOT at Drive In Shipley (It Passed!) and saw the Pink Peril up on the ramps, with the engine hanging out at the back!
Hopefully by tomorrow they should have diagnosed exactly what the problem is. They think it is clutch problems
They followed me back from JCT 600 in Menston, and I only saw Hannah manage to stall it three times!
I had my Meriva in for its MOT at Drive In Shipley (It Passed!) and saw the Pink Peril up on the ramps, with the engine hanging out at the back!
Hopefully by tomorrow they should have diagnosed exactly what the problem is. They think it is clutch problems
Monday 9 January 2012
Busy Beaver!
Good Morning Merry Blog Readers!
It looks like this week could be a fun filled week.
I had an early start. Up at 06.00 and Hannah and Ben to collect at 07.00. I dropped Ben off at Crossflatts first then set off to take Hannah to school (The Pink Peril is still immobile). As we turned round at Magnet, Hannah realised she still had her doggie walking crocs on, so we made a return call to Fox Street first. It's now almost 17 years since I used to regularly do the school run, and in that time the volume of traffic appears to have grown by a factor of about 50!
I covered much the same route at the same time as I used to go to Bierley, but the time taken was much longer. Firstly a queue on the Bingley Relief Road, then a queue from Bingley Road traffic lights to the mini roundabout at Cottingley / Sandy Lane, then a queue from Haworth Lane traffic lights to the roundabout at the Boulevard then a queue up Manchester Road, From leaving Fox Street to getting home - travel time 70 minutes!
The next trip is to Harrogate General Hospital this afternoon, to the Eye Clinic for another examination of Dot's right eye. Then it's a return to the school run once again. I was supposed to be restarting Eldwick & Gilstead Male Voice Choir Practices tonight, but if Hannah has a staff meeting I will not have time to do the school run, have some tea and collect my accompanist and get up to Gilstead in time for the practice, so I have postponed the start of practices until next Monday.
Tomorrow sees a school run, followed by a visit to "Drive In" at Shipley for 1) an MOT on my car and 2) Tax Disc collection from the Pink Peril, and any information on what needs to be done to it, [just had a phone call telling us that they think it needs a new clutch - at least that's a lot less expensive than a new gearbox!] followed by another school run, a trip to JCT 600 at Menston so that Hannah can collect her new car.
On Wednesday morning we have Bobby finishing off some work in the kitchen, then I have a funeral to play for at Nab Wood.
and so it goes on & on & on & on..........
It looks like this week could be a fun filled week.
I had an early start. Up at 06.00 and Hannah and Ben to collect at 07.00. I dropped Ben off at Crossflatts first then set off to take Hannah to school (The Pink Peril is still immobile). As we turned round at Magnet, Hannah realised she still had her doggie walking crocs on, so we made a return call to Fox Street first. It's now almost 17 years since I used to regularly do the school run, and in that time the volume of traffic appears to have grown by a factor of about 50!
I covered much the same route at the same time as I used to go to Bierley, but the time taken was much longer. Firstly a queue on the Bingley Relief Road, then a queue from Bingley Road traffic lights to the mini roundabout at Cottingley / Sandy Lane, then a queue from Haworth Lane traffic lights to the roundabout at the Boulevard then a queue up Manchester Road, From leaving Fox Street to getting home - travel time 70 minutes!
The next trip is to Harrogate General Hospital this afternoon, to the Eye Clinic for another examination of Dot's right eye. Then it's a return to the school run once again. I was supposed to be restarting Eldwick & Gilstead Male Voice Choir Practices tonight, but if Hannah has a staff meeting I will not have time to do the school run, have some tea and collect my accompanist and get up to Gilstead in time for the practice, so I have postponed the start of practices until next Monday.
Tomorrow sees a school run, followed by a visit to "Drive In" at Shipley for 1) an MOT on my car and 2) Tax Disc collection from the Pink Peril, and any information on what needs to be done to it, [just had a phone call telling us that they think it needs a new clutch - at least that's a lot less expensive than a new gearbox!] followed by another school run, a trip to JCT 600 at Menston so that Hannah can collect her new car.
On Wednesday morning we have Bobby finishing off some work in the kitchen, then I have a funeral to play for at Nab Wood.
and so it goes on & on & on & on..........
Saturday 7 January 2012
New Car!
You are looking at Hannah & Ben's new baby! They collect it on Friday from JCT 600 at Menston.
It is a Seat Ibizia SC se copa Sportrider just under three months old, and after heavy bartering from both Hannah and myself, we have got what we both consider to be a real bargain. £3,000 less than new, with exchange of personal plates, and a £70 cable for bluetooth etc. included in the price, and there may be more - depending if the Smart is worth repairing!
She went out for a test drive in it and was worried to death that she would stall it as it isn't an automatic! The salesman took her to the Harry Ramsden's Car Park, first of all so that she could get used to the clutch, then they went back to Burley and along the by pass to Ilkley, before returning to the garage.
We really were a pair of haggling Jews! We not only had the salesman running backwards and forwards, we also had the manager doing the same. Just as Hannah was about to sign up she tried my ploy, "Oh there's just one other thing, before I sign for it, please don't laugh!"
(I was expecting her to demand a huge teddy bear, because once when I went to collect a new car she had seen a car in the showroom with a huge teddy bear in it and was most disappointed that one didn't come with mine!)
"I expect a bunch of flowers on the back seat." - and what's more they promised her them!
The Pink Peril has Mobility Problems!
I planned on a nice quiet afternoon and evening yesterday, but things just didn't quite work out that way!
It was about 17.15 when the phone rang, and on the other end of the line was a distressed damsel by the name of Hannah. "Dad, I've broken down in the middle of Bradford. The car won't go! Can you come and help me?"
So it was the white dog walking waterproof jacket on (high visibility) and grab a 9 led torch, so I could have a look under the bonnet.
"Where abouts are you?" I asked.
Back came the reply, "If you go past Morrisons, to the second set of lights, turn right and right again, I'm at the bottom of that street!" [Barry Street for those who know it!]
What a wonderful time and place to break down! Rush hour, centre of Bradford, Friday Teatime, on one of the main arterial roads out of the city!
I jumped in the car and got there as quickly as I could, to find that two kind gentlemen had pushed her car to the side of the road, so it wasn't blocking anything. As I was driving there I was wondering what am I going to do if I can't get the car to move?
As I pulled up I ascertained that the car had refused to go into gear and move either forwards or backwards. Fortunately Hannah had joined the RAC, and within an hour an RAC van had pulled up. The RAC man tried to get the car to move, but no joy. He thought it might be clutch or transmission problems. Back in his van he consulted a computer after entering all the car details, but there was nothing he could do.
So he summoned a suspended recovery. (It is fatal to try to move a Smart car which has clutch or transmission problems, and it has to be put on the back of a recovery truck.)
About an hour later a T F Smith Recovery Truck arrived and the little pink peril was hauled on to the back of the truck, taken to "Drive In" in Shipley, which deal with Smart Cars, and left outside their gates.
Friday 6 January 2012
What's in a Name?
I mentioned yesterday that I had been to Harrogate and spent some of my book vouchers. One of the books I bought was written by Gervase Phinn, and called "Out of the Woods but Not Over the Hill."
Gervase Phinn has been described as the James Herriot of Education. If you have been involved with children this is a must read for you.
In the first chapter he recalls the names of children when he was an inspector, and how they have changed from fairly ordinary names to far more exotic ones. He lists such names as Barbie, Kristopher, Buzz, Curston, Randy, Mykell, Charleen, Kaylee, Scarlet, Egypt, Hayleigh, Jordana, Aztec, Blase, Gooey (pronounced Guy!), and a Mr & Mrs Pipe's son called Dwayne (think about it - Dwayne Pipe!)
Then there were Demi, Dayle, Shalott (pronounced Charlotte), Precious, Roxanne, Tiggy, Trixie, Terri, Cheyenne, Billie-Jo, Tammy-Lou, Princess, Duncan Biscuit and Eileen Dover (Dunking Biscuit & I Leaned Over), twins called Sam & Ella (sounds like a kind of food poisoning!), Hadrian Wall, who had a father called Walter Wall, (Wall to Wall) Victoria Plumb, Sunny Day and Holly Wood.
He recalls a teacher telling him that she had taught Teresa Green, Annette Curtain and Poppy Field.
Then there was the Sprout family who christened their children after where they were conceived - Paris Sprout, Vienna Sprout and Seville Sprout - Luckily they didn't conceive a child in Brussels!
In an infant school in Bradford, he recalls, - I came across a large girl with a huge face, frizzy hair in bunches and great wide eyes.
"What's your name?" I asked the child.
"Tequila", she replied, "I'm named after a drink."
"Tequila Sunrise", I murmured.
"No," pouted the child. "Tequila Braithwaite!
I was told by the head of a Catholic school that it was a practice in the church to name the children after saints. He was at school with a boy who was called Innocent - a name adopted by a number of Popes.
"I suppose it was difficult having to live up to the name Innocent", I observed.
"It certainly was," he replied, "and something of a cross to bear. His second name was Bystander."
A vicar tells him the story of one child who was nearly christened Onarcardie.
I said to the parents "Name this Child," and the mother replied loudly "Onacardie."
I had just begun sprinkling the holy water over the baby's head and intoning "I christen this child Onacardie," only to be interrupted by the irate mother.
"No, No Vicar," she hissed. "It's on 'er Cardy. The names written on her cardigan, We want her to be called Siobahn!"
Gervase Phinn has been described as the James Herriot of Education. If you have been involved with children this is a must read for you.
In the first chapter he recalls the names of children when he was an inspector, and how they have changed from fairly ordinary names to far more exotic ones. He lists such names as Barbie, Kristopher, Buzz, Curston, Randy, Mykell, Charleen, Kaylee, Scarlet, Egypt, Hayleigh, Jordana, Aztec, Blase, Gooey (pronounced Guy!), and a Mr & Mrs Pipe's son called Dwayne (think about it - Dwayne Pipe!)
Then there were Demi, Dayle, Shalott (pronounced Charlotte), Precious, Roxanne, Tiggy, Trixie, Terri, Cheyenne, Billie-Jo, Tammy-Lou, Princess, Duncan Biscuit and Eileen Dover (Dunking Biscuit & I Leaned Over), twins called Sam & Ella (sounds like a kind of food poisoning!), Hadrian Wall, who had a father called Walter Wall, (Wall to Wall) Victoria Plumb, Sunny Day and Holly Wood.
He recalls a teacher telling him that she had taught Teresa Green, Annette Curtain and Poppy Field.
Then there was the Sprout family who christened their children after where they were conceived - Paris Sprout, Vienna Sprout and Seville Sprout - Luckily they didn't conceive a child in Brussels!
In an infant school in Bradford, he recalls, - I came across a large girl with a huge face, frizzy hair in bunches and great wide eyes.
"What's your name?" I asked the child.
"Tequila", she replied, "I'm named after a drink."
"Tequila Sunrise", I murmured.
"No," pouted the child. "Tequila Braithwaite!
I was told by the head of a Catholic school that it was a practice in the church to name the children after saints. He was at school with a boy who was called Innocent - a name adopted by a number of Popes.
"I suppose it was difficult having to live up to the name Innocent", I observed.
"It certainly was," he replied, "and something of a cross to bear. His second name was Bystander."
A vicar tells him the story of one child who was nearly christened Onarcardie.
I said to the parents "Name this Child," and the mother replied loudly "Onacardie."
I had just begun sprinkling the holy water over the baby's head and intoning "I christen this child Onacardie," only to be interrupted by the irate mother.
"No, No Vicar," she hissed. "It's on 'er Cardy. The names written on her cardigan, We want her to be called Siobahn!"
Thursday 5 January 2012
Christmas & Birthday Presents
Being born on December 22nd may seem a bit of an unfortunate time to be born, but I have always had both birthday and Christmas presents bought.
This year was no exception. In fact, due to the fact that the Australian relatives were over in England, and we all met up on my birthday, I got some extra presents!
At the family meet up I was presented with a large selection box of Thornton's chocolates from the Aussie dwelling relatives. Sarah and Greg and Olivia gave me a nice tidy sum of money, and last week I was on line to Amazon and purchased no less than 5 CD's, all of which have arrived safely and been played. They will most definitely not be Sarah's choice, but they are mine! I got three Winifred Atwell CD's and two Grimethorpe Colliery Band CD's. So thanks for the cash to purchase those Sarah & Greg & Olivia!
-
For Christmas I was given a Waterstones voucher, also from Sarah, Greg & Olivia, and as Dot and I were in Harrogate this afternoon (another visit to the Eye Clinic at Harrogate General Hospital) I made it in my way to call in at Waterstones. It is a good time to call in just after Christmas as they have a half price sale, and you can pick up lots of current books which were double the current price before Christmas!
I had already decided to purchase a hardback book which has been heavily advertised on Classic Fm called "Classic Fm Hall of Fame". This contains information about the top 300 classical pieces of music, and their composers. It was advertised at £25.00, but guess what, it only cost me £12.50.
Whilst I was wandering round the music/entertainment shelves I came across another hardback book on classical music called The A - Z of Classic Fm Music" published by the Readers Digest at £9.99, but costing me just £4.99. Returning downstairs I spotted a newish publication (2010) by Gervaise Phinn called "Out of the Woods but not over the Hill" which is a collection of his best humorous writing.
I still have a book voucher from Hannah and Ben to spend, and Dot and I are looking forward to our joint Christmas present from Gary & Rachel & the family - front row tickets to see & hear Katherine Jenkins at the International Centre in Harrogate in a couple of weeks time!
This year was no exception. In fact, due to the fact that the Australian relatives were over in England, and we all met up on my birthday, I got some extra presents!
At the family meet up I was presented with a large selection box of Thornton's chocolates from the Aussie dwelling relatives. Sarah and Greg and Olivia gave me a nice tidy sum of money, and last week I was on line to Amazon and purchased no less than 5 CD's, all of which have arrived safely and been played. They will most definitely not be Sarah's choice, but they are mine! I got three Winifred Atwell CD's and two Grimethorpe Colliery Band CD's. So thanks for the cash to purchase those Sarah & Greg & Olivia!
For Christmas I was given a Waterstones voucher, also from Sarah, Greg & Olivia, and as Dot and I were in Harrogate this afternoon (another visit to the Eye Clinic at Harrogate General Hospital) I made it in my way to call in at Waterstones. It is a good time to call in just after Christmas as they have a half price sale, and you can pick up lots of current books which were double the current price before Christmas!
I had already decided to purchase a hardback book which has been heavily advertised on Classic Fm called "Classic Fm Hall of Fame". This contains information about the top 300 classical pieces of music, and their composers. It was advertised at £25.00, but guess what, it only cost me £12.50.
Whilst I was wandering round the music/entertainment shelves I came across another hardback book on classical music called The A - Z of Classic Fm Music" published by the Readers Digest at £9.99, but costing me just £4.99. Returning downstairs I spotted a newish publication (2010) by Gervaise Phinn called "Out of the Woods but not over the Hill" which is a collection of his best humorous writing.
I still have a book voucher from Hannah and Ben to spend, and Dot and I are looking forward to our joint Christmas present from Gary & Rachel & the family - front row tickets to see & hear Katherine Jenkins at the International Centre in Harrogate in a couple of weeks time!
Tomorrow is Twelfth Night........
Twelfth Night is traditionally the time when the Wise Men, or Kings or Magi arrived on the scene, and this marks the end of the season of Christmas,and the start of the churches season of Epiphany. It is the day on which the Wise Men were guided by a star to the stable in Bethlehem.
I don't know if you have ever pondered the words of the carol We Three Kings, but nowhere in the bible accounts of the story does it give us an actual number. What is given is that they brought three gifts - gold, frankincence and myrrh. In a different account the kings are named as Caspar, Melchior & Balthazzar, which quite neatly fits in with the three gifts
I don't know if you have ever pondered the words of the carol We Three Kings, but nowhere in the bible accounts of the story does it give us an actual number. What is given is that they brought three gifts - gold, frankincence and myrrh. In a different account the kings are named as Caspar, Melchior & Balthazzar, which quite neatly fits in with the three gifts
Did you know that it is traditional to stir a Christmas pudding mixture from east to west in honour of the Wise Men, who travelled in the same direction?
In Spain children leave their shoes hanging out on Twelfth Night in the hope that the Wise Men will fill them with gifts, as they pass by!
Wednesday 4 January 2012
Rain........
It rained and rained and rained and rained and rained
It rained and rained and rained and rained again.......
(sounds familiar? Well it is actually some of the lyrics from Captain Noah & his Floating Zoo.)
(sounds familiar? Well it is actually some of the lyrics from Captain Noah & his Floating Zoo.)
I think that Noah had the right idea. Looking through the weather forecast for the next few days, what do I see? Wednesday evening - heavy rain, Wednesday night - heavy rain, Thursday 6.00 am - rain, Thursday 9.00 am - rain!
I suppose, looking on the bright side, if all this stuff is coming down as water then there can't be much more left up there for snow (hopefully!)
It's just that the weather is getting a trifle monotonous. It would be nice to see a change - maybe a bit of fog, frost or snow would be a welcome diversion?
Tuesday 3 January 2012
Christmas Decorations
Over the forty odd years we have lived here I can not remember ever taking any photos of the Christmas Decorations which are got out of the loft each year, carefully unpacked, and tastefully spread around the house!
It was at my wife's suggestion that I "Take a photo of the Christmas Tree because it looks so nice this year."
So here are a few shots of some of the decorations, taken under different lighting conditions........
It was at my wife's suggestion that I "Take a photo of the Christmas Tree because it looks so nice this year."
So here are a few shots of some of the decorations, taken under different lighting conditions........
Sunday 1 January 2012
A Christmas Retrospective
Now that all the festivities, Carol Services, Nativity Plays and Concerts have been completed, I have time to take a look back over the festive season.
I suppose the first intimation that Christmas was about to hit with the force of a tornado was when I commenced Nativity Play Practices at one of the local Primary Schools on Tuesday 29th September! Monday 12th, Tuesday 13th, Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th were the dates of the performances, and as the school hall will hold around 150 - 200, we must have played to approximately 700 people over the four performances! There were no major hitches and the children were word perfect. The high point had to be the two children who sang "Away in a Manger" - not a dry eye in the hall!
The evening of Tuesday 6th December found me in St Georges Hall in Bradford, suitably garbed in cloak & gown, and seated at the organ on stage to play for the graduation ceremony for the Bradford College Students. Looking out from the stage to a full hall is quite an awe inspiring sight! Thirty minutes of organ music before the Academic Procession, a three minute fanfare/March and we were underway.
Sunday 11th December at 4.00 pm found me conducting my Male Voice Choir at a Festival of Lights Service (which is held annually) at the Sue Ryder Home in Oxenhope. This is a service at which all those who have died there in the previous year are remembered and candles are in their memory. We were accompanied by the Salvation Army Brass Band, and singing to a brass band was a new experience for the choir.
Saturday 17th December at 10.00 found the church choir and members of Bingley All Saints congregation singing carols in Bingley Market Square. This took place beside a "live crib scene" where anyone who wanted to could dress up as one of the nativity characters.
The following day (Sunday 18th) was the annual Service of Lessons and Carols, and the church choir excelled themselves, singing descants to Once in Royal David's City and O Come all ye Faithful, as well as a choir carol "Is the Little King Sleeping?"
Thursday 22nd December was the date of the family get together, when Karen, David, Alexander and Brigitte (from Australia) along with David's sister Jane, Andy and their daughter Becky and Granny Anne joined the Bentley clan for a meal at a local Chef & Brewer. It was a double celebration as it was also my birthday!
Saturday 24th at 6.00 pm was the Christingle and Nativity Play in Church. This event is always a "sell out" and the church is packed to the rafters! The memorable event at this service was a little child dressed as a lamb wandering down the centre aisle about two minutes after all the shepherds had arrived!
The Midnight Mass had the Bishop as the celebrant and preacher, and the highlight for many must have been his sermon introduction which told how the fairy came to be stuck at the top of the Christmas Tree!
This was followed by the Christmas Day Eucharist at 10.30 am - and the opening carol just had to be "Christians Awake!"
For the very first time Dot and I had not purchased a turkey for Christmas due to the fact that we were invited to Hannah & Ben's for the Christmas Lunch, and what a splendid spread it turned out to be!
The rest of the family joined us for the afternoon and early evening.
Boxing Day was the Bentley Boxing Day Party, when all the family descended on us as well as Dot's god daughter Hannah, her husband Dave and their two boys.
It was with great relief that we set off on Wednesday 28th. for a two night stay at the King's Head in Masham. Unfortunately Dot managed to start with shingles, so the trip turned out to be a tour of the local doctors surgeries, dispensing chemists and outpatients departments!
After the excitement and chaos of that little lot it can only be calmer and more peaceful in 2012.... can't it?
I suppose the first intimation that Christmas was about to hit with the force of a tornado was when I commenced Nativity Play Practices at one of the local Primary Schools on Tuesday 29th September! Monday 12th, Tuesday 13th, Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th were the dates of the performances, and as the school hall will hold around 150 - 200, we must have played to approximately 700 people over the four performances! There were no major hitches and the children were word perfect. The high point had to be the two children who sang "Away in a Manger" - not a dry eye in the hall!
The evening of Tuesday 6th December found me in St Georges Hall in Bradford, suitably garbed in cloak & gown, and seated at the organ on stage to play for the graduation ceremony for the Bradford College Students. Looking out from the stage to a full hall is quite an awe inspiring sight! Thirty minutes of organ music before the Academic Procession, a three minute fanfare/March and we were underway.
Sunday 11th December at 4.00 pm found me conducting my Male Voice Choir at a Festival of Lights Service (which is held annually) at the Sue Ryder Home in Oxenhope. This is a service at which all those who have died there in the previous year are remembered and candles are in their memory. We were accompanied by the Salvation Army Brass Band, and singing to a brass band was a new experience for the choir.
Saturday 17th December at 10.00 found the church choir and members of Bingley All Saints congregation singing carols in Bingley Market Square. This took place beside a "live crib scene" where anyone who wanted to could dress up as one of the nativity characters.
The following day (Sunday 18th) was the annual Service of Lessons and Carols, and the church choir excelled themselves, singing descants to Once in Royal David's City and O Come all ye Faithful, as well as a choir carol "Is the Little King Sleeping?"
The crib in church
The new Christmas Tree
Thursday 22nd December was the date of the family get together, when Karen, David, Alexander and Brigitte (from Australia) along with David's sister Jane, Andy and their daughter Becky and Granny Anne joined the Bentley clan for a meal at a local Chef & Brewer. It was a double celebration as it was also my birthday!
Saturday 24th at 6.00 pm was the Christingle and Nativity Play in Church. This event is always a "sell out" and the church is packed to the rafters! The memorable event at this service was a little child dressed as a lamb wandering down the centre aisle about two minutes after all the shepherds had arrived!
The Midnight Mass had the Bishop as the celebrant and preacher, and the highlight for many must have been his sermon introduction which told how the fairy came to be stuck at the top of the Christmas Tree!
This was followed by the Christmas Day Eucharist at 10.30 am - and the opening carol just had to be "Christians Awake!"
For the very first time Dot and I had not purchased a turkey for Christmas due to the fact that we were invited to Hannah & Ben's for the Christmas Lunch, and what a splendid spread it turned out to be!
The rest of the family joined us for the afternoon and early evening.
Boxing Day was the Bentley Boxing Day Party, when all the family descended on us as well as Dot's god daughter Hannah, her husband Dave and their two boys.
It was with great relief that we set off on Wednesday 28th. for a two night stay at the King's Head in Masham. Unfortunately Dot managed to start with shingles, so the trip turned out to be a tour of the local doctors surgeries, dispensing chemists and outpatients departments!
Doctor's surgery and chemists shop Masham
After the excitement and chaos of that little lot it can only be calmer and more peaceful in 2012.... can't it?
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