Music Mayhem!

I was surprised last weekend when I heard that this is the 12th year for our village music festival.  I would have guessed at maybe 7 or 8 at the most!  We've enjoyed fantastic weather for nearly all of those years so I suppose a complete wash-out was on the cards sooner or later. 

Most of the smaller events went ahead indoors but the big concerts (already downgraded from the Castle venue and minus the headline acts due to poor ticket sales) were a big disappointment.  The photo above was taken on the Sunday afternoon and, although there were more people than you can see here, it was disappointing.  Saturday had been worse.....much worse!!!  The rain was torrential and the area you can see cordoned off had become a pond.
 

First bag choice for work colleague

 But, as per our camping trip, we and our friends had a laugh anyway. Personally, I saw performances by The Saturday Singers (that I used to belong to) the local hand bell ringers, a soul singer, a tenor horn player and various cover bands and open mic performers.

I don't know what will happen next year (if it depends on this year's takings) or even if there'll be a festival next year.  I hope they bring back what used to be a highlight for me - the Male Voice Choir performance at the Castle. 

Progress since last time:

Second bag for chap at work to give his wife - started
2 cat mouse-toys - finished (above photo, sitting on the second bag, which I just realised looks like it might be the same design as the first - but is not!)

By for now
Teresa x

"Summer" Holiday!

Despite the extremely unseasonably bad weather on our recent week in Cornwall (shortened to 5 days) we had fun, mainly due to the fact that there were 15 of us plus 2 dogs in 7 tents.  Our tents were erected in very strong winds and taken down in rain and winds verging on gale-force - quite an experience I can tell you!  Some campers (not us) didn't have to bother taking their tents down because they blew down!!  We did have a couple of dry days (and parts of days) here and there, though, and had fun making the most of it.  It'll certainly be a holiday to remember!  We came home on the Thursday after hearing Amber Weather Warnings for later!!

 The extreme weather conditions completely over-shadowed the fact that the journey there (which should normally take about 3 and a half hours) took more like 7 and a half!! Some of us headed off the main route to have lunch at Jamaica Inn (of Daphne du Maurier fame) and decided not to re-join the crawling masses.  Consequently, the Sat Nav took us down narrower and narrower lanes until our vehicles were practically scraping the hedges and banks on the sides of the road. 

 Still, we made it safely there and camp was erected.  This is our tent and DD's behind.  Can you see the small towel pegged to the rear guy-rope swaying gently in the breeze!!!!!  We also had our bunting and windmills up ready for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee weekend. 

 One reasonable day, 6 of us headed for the Eden Project as we'd not been before.  It's a thoroughly amazing place that does great social and environmental work. 

This impressive flower was within days of blooming while we were there. You can see the result on this page on a short video.

This bunch of characters is a sculpture but it struck me how it looks in this photo as though they were actually leaping and jumping about.

We held our own Jubilee celebrations on the first dry afternoon of the weekend. 

DD painted her nails for the occasion

We went prepared and soon rustled this up between us

Some 'special guests' arrived!

We couldn't leave without spending at least a little time at the beach!

Progress since last time:

One bag (ordered by chap at work for his wife) finished.
Another bag (to give said chap a choice) started
2 mice cat-toys stuffed.
15 or so hexagons prepared while on hols.

Music Festival this weekend
See you all soon
Bye for now
Teresa x