Snovember*

No!

It isn’t supposed to snow this early. In fact, it isn’t really supposed to snow until after Christmas. It isn’t even Winter yet. Listening to the tv and radio, as usual, the country is grinding to a halt.

And it definitely isn’t supposed to snow when I have plans for the weekend!

That’s it, very brief (I think I must be getting too used to 140 characters these days)**

*Title copyright Cat
** but at least I have managed a blog entry for November

Hot weather walking

It was hot this week. That might have been summer. If you missed it, it was Tuesday.

We’d decided to go for a walk, a proper one this time, rather than one which turns into shopping, and I’d selected one that we hadn’t done from ‘the book’.

We’d planned to set off about 1, but somehow 1 stretched to 2, and we didn’t actually get to Hovingham and start walking until 3. And we hadn’t even stopped for tea, or at a shop, on the way.

Last weekend in the sales I bought a ‘girlie walking rucksack’. Serious stuff. Anyway, it’s blue with a flowery pattern, and goes well with my V&A William Morris print water bottle* and so I decided to christen it. J was wearing a skirt, and a vest top, to gasps of shock from me and V (whatever the weather, J is always cold!).

We set off, and realised that we had to go uphill, and very heavy going it was in the heat. However when we reached the ridge the view was spectacular, stretching away across poppy fields with the Moors in the distance.

We continued into the woods, to a huge knarled oak tree:

‘It’s like something out of Harry Potter’
‘It’s the whomping oak!’

We walked alongside a stream, (there was mud), we emerged into a field, and I had to take a work phone call, loosing reception as we delved back into the woods again. Emerging from the woods we headed up a valley, but the route didn’t seem right. Heading up to a ridge to get our bearings, we realised we’d missed our turn (which I blame on the instructions not being clear, not our ineptitude). In the top picture, we should have been where the building is!

Rejoining the route, we realised we’d been walking for about an hour and a half, and hadn’t done even half the route. It was very hot, we were running out of water, and V had come out without either sunglasses or suncream. We were clearly not geared up for hot weather walking and we were coming to a point where we could head back to the village, and more importantly, cold beer in the pub.

‘We could do half today, and half another day?’
‘She won’t let us tick it off if we don’t do it all’

I muttered a bit, but eventually admitted I was pretty knackered too, so we cut it short and headed for the pub. We’d still done about 4 miles, but this time the heat defeated us.

*I now also have a V&A William Morris flask to go with it, as a belated birthday present.

Spring forward!

The clocks went forward yesterday. Statement of the obvious I know, but, as if in celebration, the last two days have actually felt like Spring. There's suddenly some warmth in the sun, and there's a softness in the light that just means Spring to me. It's difficult to put into words, but it's so different to the cold harsh light of a winter's day. Anyway, I went out for a drive into the country yesterday, and it looked just beautiful. My favourite time of year!

'This time, it's Personnel'

Slight Spoiler alert again!

Ahh, Christmas TV. Time was, when I was small, I'd mark up the Radio Times with all the programmes I wanted to watch over the fortnight (and this was in the days before videos etc, so you had to watch things when they were on), and then there was the anticipation of what the 'big films' would be. I even remember the first time I saw 'The Wizard of Oz' in my Grandma's front room.

It all seems a long time ago, but the last two years have brought back the 'must see' Christmas programme - the Dr Who Christmas episode. Last year didn't quite have the same build up. We had a new Doctor to get used to, and whilst I'd liked Christopher Eccleston, let's face it, he's no David Tennant. This year, after the emotional trauma of 'Doomsday' (no, still not quite over it) we were waiting to see how the Doctor moved on from the loss of Rose, with the abrupt arrival of 'the bride' in the Tardis. Whilst initially I worried that this was 'stunt casting' of the worst kind, in the end I thought it worked brilliantly. 'Donna' was so different to Rose that the Doctor had no time to wallow in his loss, but had to get on with saving her, and the world, once again. And, I have to admit that I laughed out loud when the Head of HR turned out to be a baddie*.

It was played at a breakneck speed (possibly to stop you noticing the trees in full leaf at 'Christmas'), which made the few quiet moments all the more moving. Damn you, Russell T. Davies, for making me cry on Christmas day. A top left behind, a flash of memory, thoughts of last year's Christmas dinner, and in the final moments, a name.

And now, it does seem possible for the Doctor (and perhaps even more importantly, the audience) to move on, without resenting the newcomer. As Donna said, he does need someone, perhaps just to stop him.

How long is is till the new series?!

*It really does nothing for my professional image, you know - I'm already scary!

Manchester

'I've brought my camera''oh...Good!' The groan with which this is greeted doesn't surprise me, as I'm used to the lack of enthusiasm for my photographic efforts. I'm in Manchester for a 'girly' shopping weekend and to 'do' the Christmas Markets*. We'd planned this months ago, and only last week, it seemed like it might not happen, but we decided to go for one night instead of two, and it was back on.

I do like Manchester, it's such a vibrant city, with a great range of shops restaurants, and bars. I suppose it was slightly worrying to be able to point out the theatres that I'd stage door-ed at. There were also restaurants I'd eaten in, the car park that I nearly got stuck in, and the first Golden arches we ever discovered with Internet access.

The markets were great, and we wandered around sampling the gluwein, brawurst, and (for me) potato pancakes, which, rather bizarrely were served with apple sauce, but they tasted good. The weekend was pretty much taken up with shopping, eating and drinking - we found a great, and not very expensive, Italian restaurant for dinner which was close to the hotel (and also to the Palace Theatre, which is always useful to know).

Of course I spent far too much money. As one friend said, 'well, you didn't get anything you didn't need', but I think she was being kind in using that to justify me buying the black feathery glittery corsage thingy**

It was a great start to the Christmas season though.

*having planned this trip some time ago, we then saw that York was having it's own german Christmas Market for the first time - but when I went to it last Friday, it was rubbish. I've never actually worked out why it is that York just can't 'do' Christmas. We always have rubbish lights too

**I mean, can you imagine anything that's more 'me', apart from ruby slippers, that it?

Autumn colours

I was in Scotland for a few days last week, in Dumfries and Galloway, which quickly became known as ‘the land that time forgot’. It’s the corner of south west Scotland that most people pass by as they head for Glasgow, Edinburgh and the highlands, so it’s very un-commercialised. We first realised this when trying to find a pub to stop for lunch on the way up. Many villages just didn’t have one, and when we finally found one (with a very friendly cat, who joined us for lunch), it had décor that looked like it hadn’t changed since the 70’s, and we were the only customers, apart from a couple of locals, but it did serve lovely homemade soup.

The whole area was a bit like that – old fashioned shops, the type that sell a bit of everything, and grey houses. We stayed in a little country hotel along the coast, which was simple, but comfortable, and served huge amounts of food at dinner – so much so that I never managed to finish two courses. I did manage a few wee drams of single malt though (lovely!)

We had quite a bit of rain (well, it was Scotland), but had a lovely sunny day on the day we’d planned to go walking. Oh, yes, I walked, and through the countryside, not just round shops! It was over two miles, which was quite a long way for me, particularly when not punctuated by a pub or a coffee shop. I was relieved to find a nice little gift shop in the village we walked to, though, phew!! It was very peaceful, and pretty, and we had a lovely wander along the beach in the autumn sunshine, with the sun on our backs, listening to the waves break on the shore. My friend even recorded the sound on her phone, to listen to when she’s back in London. It was hard to believe it’s November.

We even saw red squirrels in the wild – though there was nearly one less of them as one dashed across the road in front of the car.

Season of mists, and mellow fruitfulness...and Strictly Come Dancing

Yey! 'Strictly' started again last night*, so my Saturday evenings are planned until Christmas! Odd new format though, with only the guys being voted for last night, and the women just doing a group dance, which didn't really give you the opportunity to judge potential.

So, it's early days as yet, and will probably take a couple of weeks for me to identify my favourite. The last couple of years it's been 'my' Aled, and then last year the lovely James Martin, and in the space of a few months I'd got to meet both of them (and suffered the taunts for having attended an Aled Jones concert, but I didn't care!), so I guess it's 'watch this space'. So far, I quite like RSC actor Ray Fearon and Mark Ramprakash.

But as for voting, oh, no, don't do that!

*though I see they are repeating the highlights, so at least I can catch up if I miss it, which I certainly will do nearer Christmas.

I also caught the first of the new Robin Hood series - I can't say i was impressed either by the acting, or the script. I will probably keep watching for a while though, if only for the lovely Richard Armitage

The end of summer

Well, it feels like it. I went into town yesterday morning and it started to pour down. Lots of people walking around drenched, and even though I had my umbrella I got pretty wet. Whatever happened to the hot August that we’d been promised? I hate this ‘turn of the seasons’ time, when there starts to be a chill in the air, and the nights are closing in. Time for comfort shopping* and comfort food.

But this year, it’s also a time of new opportunities. I finished one of my jobs on Friday. Only I didn’t. I’m no longer employed there, but I’m still going in for a few days to hand things over. And then, what? I actually don’t know, apart from one day a week that I’ll actually be employed for. I should have spent some of the last three months working out what I want to do next, but I haven’t. My excuse is time, and there’s certainly been very little of that, with the combination of work, and quick dashes to London, and Edinburgh, but in reality I think it’s partly because it’s very scary to even think about it.

And so that’s what I have to look to now, finding out what I want to do, and then finding if it’s out there. I know that 7 years ago when I went to University I was looking for a complete change, and whilst that partly happened for a while, I did drift back into doing what I’d done before, for reasons that were, if I’m honest, mainly financial. I therefore dropped most of my theatre, and I miss it desperately, but finding anything in theatre that actually pays you is incredibly difficult. Last time, having no job** was such a shock that I think I was still reeling from that when I accepted this job. It was never going to be ideal, with a 90 mile trip each day to get there and back, and, at least this time, leaving is my choice . I just have to sort out now when I actually finish.

*In my case, 3 books, 3 dvds, and 1 cd!
** just in case anyone was wondering, I was made redundant

It's spring, spring, spring!

Ah well, I've not been very good at updating this week have I? Just so much to do, I'm afraid. It's been a bit of a week, but at least it's finally felt like spring.

This is my favourite time of year. One of my theories* is that you like the time of year best that you were born in, (though I do own that this may not be the case if you were born in February, as I think the only good thing about that month is that it's short), and I love spring, when the air finally turns warm again, and everything seems to be waking up, and to have new energy and life, and the light has a certain softness about it.

I went into York today, and it looked beautiful as I walked along the river, with the blossom out and the trees budding, and I never take that walk without thinking how lucky I am to live in such a lovely city. I had breakfast at Betty's** and then shopped, looking for some 'pieces' for my holiday wardrobe, and also to get an idea of what I still need. This really is the optimum time for holiday shopping, whenever you're going, as, leave it much longer, and things are picked over, and all the best is gone. Anyway, I got a lovely turquoise top and skirt, turquoise being my 'summer colour', which should be perfect for drinking vino in a nice little ristorante. But I decided that I still need; a pair of linen trousers, a summer jacket, a holiday bag, a pair of comfy sandals, and some more tops - I guess I need to work hard and earn a bit of money to buy all that!

I also sat around planning more theatre trips, and as many of you know, that means a whole lot of new wardrobe decisions!

*Val's theories also include

• it's ok to take pain killers and drink wine, as long as you take them with water
• lucozade is an excellent hangover cure

**Yes, it's expensive, but I do like their bacon muffins