When I was, erm...38 (?), it was a very good year...

I could possibly have mentioned having a 'troubled' year once or twice. However, I also had an amazing year in 2010, and I didn't forget it no matter what else was thrown at me. This is for me to look back on and smile, and for others to be amazed at the fantastic things that sometimes went on behind the scenes.

January
January started with snow, and lots of it. The schools were delayed starting back after Christmas as people just couldn't get there. In January I signed up to do the Great Manchester Run in aid of the MS Society, and training started, very slowly at first. However, it wasn't all healthy stuff. We had a great time when 'the girls' went to The Hilton in Manchester for a champagne high tea, followed by a trip to see Les Mis. Even though it was January, we managed to get a clear day and could see for miles.

The trail behind our house

My mum(s) at The Hilton

February
At the beginning of February we had 'Priscilla' night, as Debbie had just returned from Australia and seen where the ping pong scene was set, and Andrew was over from Switzerland. Unfortunately the Priscilla Queen of the Desert DVD didn't arrive from Amazon in time, but we managed to get hold of a copy anyway. We also had the most needed holiday ever, and we got the most February sun we have seen in Cyprus. Apart from the slight hitch when my case didn't arrive that I didn't mention (much) it was sooo relaxing.

Andrew and Debbie



Paul and H at Limassol





March

Towards the end of March a great friend who I lived with in London and did voluntary work for years ago died. She lived near Portsmouth so we went down for the funeral. P and H went to see the ships while I was at the service, and we stayed overnight in Portsmouth.

The Spinnaker in Portsmouth

H on The Victory

April

After Portsmouth we stayed on and went to Stonehenge, where I'd never been. It was amazing. I loved it. Although you can see it from the main road it was well worth the entrance price to go and have a close look. We then went to Avebury to see the stone circles there, before going to Bath for the night. Even though the main purpose of the trip was to attend a funeral, we had a great time and I am certain that Val would have been pleased.

Stonehenge

Pulteney Bridge, Bath

May

We were busy in May. It started off bad with the election result, but it wasn't for lack of trying. I roped H in, and we had lots of production lines going in our house when we were on envelope stuffing duties. David Milliband and Tony Blair even paid us a visit. Paul and I went to see Peter Kay and got in the private bar beforehand so we could relax with champagne. We also had a last minute day out to Liverpool, where we got to see the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The highlight of the month though was The Great Manchester Run which I completed, raising over £600 for the MS Society.

H on election day

A visit from Tony Blair



The Three Graces, Liverpool




Lennon's house, Liverpool





   

Finishing The Great Manchester Run, and still smiling




Before Peter Kay

  

June

We managed a sneaky weekend away to Scotland to stay with my friend who runs a B&B in Kirkconnel. We really got away from it all. It is lovely around there, and rolling the car 'up' a hill at Electric Brae was weird. We went to Gardeners World Live at Birmingham NEC. I had got Paul tickets for Christmas as I thought he'd like it, but we all had such a good time that we are having a bigger family day out there this June! It was also the first Manchester Day Parade, which the city of Manchester was kind enough to arrange on Debbie's birthday. This is going to be an annual event.

Dunure, Scotland

Drumlanrig Castle, Scotland

Gardeners World



Gardeners World



Manchester Day parade





July

July was a bit quieter! It was the X Factor auditions in Manchester, where The Chorladies came so close to fame. We didn't let a little rejection get in the way of a good day out though. We had time on 'the beach' that had been especially constructed for the World Cup, and as well as yet another trip to Cloud 23 we found a new bar, Taps, where you have beer pumps on your table so you can help yourselves. An iPod Touch attached to the pumps works out how much you have had an charges you at the end.

X Factor Auditions



Taps bar




Debbie on the beach in central Manchester



August

In August Paul got his first ever suit, for the wedding of a friend, and he looked ever so smart in it. We had a night in Hebden Bridge as a friend had just moved there. I was in charge of finding a B&B, and I don't think I'll be given that job again. We had a bad taxi experience, although the B&B was lovely, if a little too far into the country. Soon after we had our first all-inclusive holiday, to Turkey. The hotel was brilliant, the weather perfect, and we were close to Ephesus so we had a bit of history too.

Paul in his first suit

Hebden Bridge

P and H in Turkey

Ephesus

September

Probably the quietest month of the year. Debbie had her MacMillan Coffee Morning, with wine in the afternoon, and she raised a fortune. The wine in the afternoon soon turned into more wine at night, but it was all in a good cause. I also started a course, and it was strange writing essays again, being told what I had to write about. So far so good, and all the assignments have been passed so far.

Come Dine With Me following the coffee morning wine afternoon

Massages were given in exchange for donations

October

We did lots in October too. A tidy up was organised on the Kirklees Trail, which is just outside our back garden gate, so we went to help out. We also joined TWIGS (Tottington Wildlife Watch Group) - a local group for children that I'm becoming a leader for. I don't know much about wildlife but I'm guessing I just have to be responsible and one step ahead of the children! We had a couple of trips to Manchester, taking H on the Wheel that he's been asking to do for ages, and visiting the John Rylands Library. At the end of the month H and I went off to Switzerland, leaving Paul at home to 'do jobs'. We flew via Heathrow and flying low over central London was brilliant. We stayed in Basel a couple of nights, but we also had a couple of nights in the chalet in the mountains, swimming in the outdoor spa heated pool. I always feel better about everything when I've been to see The Swiss.

Our tidy trail

The view through the shutters in my bedroom in Inden

Over the rooftops in Basel



November
Things didn't slow down in November, when it was time to pick sloes after the first frost. Sloe gin is now maturing under the stairs and is a lovely colour. It will be ready in a couple of months. I was talked into having a 'fish pedicure' where you put your feet in a fish tank and let them eat the dead skin. I also had an interesting experience at a fondue night, that took me days to recover from. The night after I went to see Marc Almond for the first time. Although I was very subdued it was great.

Sloe gin day 33

Fish pedicure



Things got rowdy at the fondue night....


 

...and the night got worse after I left!

December
Finally the end of the year was in sight, but not before a big party for my dad's 70th birthday. He didn't really want any fuss, but I think he enjoyed it. We put together a book full of birthday messages as a momento for him. It snowed on the day I was having my Christmas Play Out in Manchester, but it all worked out well. We managed drinks, a meal at Sweet Mandarin (where I've never been but heard great things about - all true), and then went to see James at the MEN. It was a great day with great company. Paul had his hernia operation a few days before Christmas and the bruises are still there now, but it went well. Christmas was a bit deflated and we managed to get through it without hitches, although I have my thinking hat on to make next years better. FB wanted Pot Noodle for Xmas dinner so that is what she was given (Xmas dinner flavour, yuk). The year finished with a good curry, a scary film, and hundreds of Chinese lanterns in the sky.

Dad's birthday

Dad's birthday

Christmas did come to my home-office

FB enjoying her Xmas Dinner

I'm already saving the good stuff for next year's review, and yes, I am going to throw all the rubbish back!

Happy New Year

I've had a push to write again, but I've really been putting it off. I did contemplate a review of the year, as it has been eventful to say the least. We've done some brilliant things throughout the last year, but it has also been one of the most traumatic ones ever. After the first week in January I took so many knocks, and these continued throughout the year, with a great big one hitting me on Christmas Eve. However, although I might do a 'good bits' review it still wouldn't be right to put the rest on the world wide web without anonymity.....and yes, I do know I'm not the only one around here to have a bad time but I'm allowed a little self-pity. That is done with now.

Paul's bruised and stitched naval.

Christmas in the Kelly-Hale Household isn't quite as jolly as most! Paul puts up a Christmas tree and decorations, and I fail to acknowledge them. This year Paul had a hernia operation Christmas week, so he has been out of action. I never used to be this bah-humbug, but I think we reached new lows this year. Present buying went downhill. Although the children didn't miss out, we didn't go mad, and we didn't buy each other anything at all. We did Secret Santas for one side of the family. There are loads of children, who all get an awful lot, and it ends up costing everyone a fortune buying things that people don't need or particularly want. A present was bought for and by each person (so our family bought 4 presents, rather than 13!) and we had a £10 limit. I got loads for the £10s I spent, picking up bargains as I saw them. I think it was a brilliant idea, and whatever the others think I'm not going back to how we were.

FB enjoying her Christmas Dinner.

Christmas dinner was a change this year as well. I used to spend hours and hours cooking up wonderful things for people. For the past couple of years we have had nice food, but not turkey and all the trimmings. Last year we had lobster thermidor, but not just any lobster thermidor This year M&S did us proud again. I had my favourite treat food (a tin of M&S chunky chicken) and Paul had his (a tin of M&S hot beef curry). As it was a special occasion we had microwave rice! We had no children arguing because they didn't want sprouts etc as we gave them what they requested. Afterall, shouldn't Christmas be about everyone enjoying themselves and indulging how they like? H had hotdogs, and FB's special request was a Christmas dinner flavoured Pot Noodle. We all enjoyed our food, and there was absolutely no stress, no arguing, little preparation, and not much washing up.

The first sherry of 2011

By 27th December we had our thinking caps on, trying to come up with an alternative for next year. I thought a bit of voluntary work, perhaps helping out in a soup kitchen, might be a good idea. I found a charity in Manchester that opens for 12 hours a day throughout the Christmas period to feed and help those in need. Doctors and solicitors turn up to give advice to people who otherwise wouldn't be able to access it. I've been told though that H wouldn't be allowed there. I will check it out though. I think it would do him the world of good to see things through different eyes. 'Crossing the water' next year was mentioned, but I think that has too much potential to go wrong. We would only need a little snow and our plans would be kiboshed. Even a cruise was debated, but as my dad said, you couldn't escape Christmas at all then, and they don't do 'Cruises for Scrooges'. I do have a plan hatching though that could work very well....

Paul and H on the snow on the beach

The first Mr Whippy ice-cream of the year

I know I was miserable this year but I think that could be because I was so eager for it to end! Last night was a perfect, quiet, end to the year, with a good curry, good friend, good wine and a scary film. It was wonderful to wake up this morning without a bad head, and able to have our first grand day out of the year. We had a big lie in so were too late to go up to Fountains Abbey. Instead, we went to Formby to see the red squirrels. It was raining, but we still managed an ice-cream before having a walk and ending up on the beach. It is a fabulous beach (I've never been before), and it was a bit weird having to cross the snow to get to the sea. We didn't go to see the Antony Gormley sculptures as the weather was so bad we thought we wouldn't really see much, but that will save for another day. We saw a grand total of no squirrels (I had thought there would be loads) even though we went through the woods searching. Spotting a Waitrose more than made up for this though, until we realised it was closed. We didn't let a little thing like that spoil our day though, and had our picnic (complete with flasks of tea!) in the Waitrose car park. We know how to live.

Paul and I on Formby beach, 1st January 2011

I'm going to be doing lots of great things this year, and I'm going to ride any knocks that happen to come my way. I'm going to have new experiences and take myself out of my comfort zone more often, and this time next year I will do a review of the year that won't have to be doctored!

Happy New Year!

Published work at last



The snow family in our garden



Thank goodness the snow and ice has gone. I can cope with whatever life throws at me (I might have a few minutes of panic but then I get on with it), and I have even learned to cope with wasps if I really have to, i.e. if there are children to protect! All that goes out of the window when faced with an icy road. Last year for a whole month my footwear consisted of slippers or hiking boots. Luckily the hiking boots were only out for a few days this time. As Paul is a gardener he can't do much in the snow so I had a chauffeur for a couple of days when I needed to go out for work. No matter what meetings I went to though, the hiking boots stayed with me. I did make sure I wore trousers and not a skirt though so I didn't scare too many people!



A bleak St Anne's church in Tottington

Harrison had church parade the other weekend, but the roads were still bad, especially on our close. We got him to Bury Parish Church but it was sheet ice on the cobbles outside the church. We intended to go shopping while he was in the church (we only tried staying for the church bit the once!), but Wetherspoons, directly opposite the church doors, looked too inviting. It was an ingenious idea. It was only 10am so it was quiet - although there were a few people relaxing with a pint - and we could pick the best, most comfortable seats and keep warm for an hour and a half. We had a great breakfast and coffee that was much nicer and cheaper than at Tesco cafe, and we read the Sunday papers until we spotted the congregation leaving church. We then nipped back across the road to collect H, where everyone assumed we'd been shivering and singing for the duration.

My sloe gin day 33

Ramsbottom is having 3 Xmas/Farmers markets this month, and for 2 of them Bridge Street is closed to traffic and is full of stalls. Next Sunday the 'living nativity' will be there, along with birds of prey and owls. I have been having a bit of a Cachaca Crisis, as I've only been able to find it abroad or in duty free shops, and every so often only a Caipirinha will do. I went into The Vineyard in Ramsbottom on the off change that they stocked it. This is a fabulous wine shop and although there are some amazingly expensive wines there were 'normal' ones too (but no wine cubes!). I was fascinated listening to the owners giving customers advice about regions and tastes; that must be a really worthwhile job to do. Anyway, when it was my turn to be served I was offered a choice of Cachacas! I'm over the moon to have found a local supplier (they weren't quite as pleased as I didn't buy any - I don't need to just yet!) and they said they always have at least one type in stock. I was even more impressed when I found out I was practically related to one of the owners - well he is my step-mother's niece's brother-in-law!

At long last I have had an article published in a magazine. My '101 things to do when your teenager leaves home' was condensed into 10 things as I only had 800 words. The magazine is called Northern Life and it covers Lancashire and Yorkshire. I'm trying to coerce people to write in to say they want more of me, which although I'm biased I think would be great for the magazine sales! I'm still hoping for paid work, but as they say, you have to speculate to accumulate.

Yesterday was my dad's 70th birthday. It's hard to believe as he looks at least 10 years younger (that's where I get it from ha ha) and thinks nothing of cycling 30 miles and playing 5 sets of tennis.....I don't get any of that from him! He decided that he didn't want a fuss so just a few family were invited to the house. This 'few' family did grow to many more and friends as well, but it was lovely for us all to get together and by the time yesterday arrived dad was looking forward to it. I'd decided that it would be good to order him a photo book containing pictures of people he knows with their happy birthday messages. For weeks I have been a private investigator on the side, tracking down old friends and family that he hasn't seen for ages. I got some brilliant photos emailed to me along with tales about my dad from years ago. The best one had to be about a group of them getting legless at a stag night in the early 60s, the night before the wedding where dad was the best man. In the days before drinking and driving became illegal 3 of the group borrowed a motorbike and sidecar, lost control of it on a bend, and all 3 of them ended up through someone's front window. They did make it to the wedding but were a sight in their various slings, plasters and cuts. Some people sent me photos by post, including one who sent a typewritten envelope just in case he happened to be at my house when the post arrived and recognised the writing. It took me hours to get it all together but the end result was brilliant, and it is safe to say he loved it. There were photos in the book from America, Australia, Denmark, Cyprus, Switzerland, and even Burnley. It was well worth the effort but if anyone else is thinking of doing something similar it may be an idea to be better organised than I was, with my dozen or so lists all over the place.

Dad - don't expect anything similar for your 80th........unless your mind has gone by then and we can pretend it is a new book we've done. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

A lesson in technology

Gluhwein overlooking the ice rink

I have 'seen' my mother 4 times today - once in person when I paid her a visit, and 3 times when she 'FaceTimed' me. She is really impressed with her new iPod Touch, but she wasn't actually using much of it. She got it for listening to music on, but I have a feeling they will be getting another iPod for music and will keep this for their new toy. She now has AccuWeather, and is fascinated by the hour by hour account of the weather close to where we are, or may be going. By putting me in as a contact, and tapping my address, the screen suddenly changed to a vision of the outside of my house. FaceTime was something else though. I've only just got it myself, so we were both learning, and it really is amazing. They were fascinated while I was at their house, but couldn't get over seeing me later, in my house, and being able to check out my new curtains etc! I could even show her how to do things on her laptop, by pointing the camera at mine. I haven't introduced her to Twitter yet but that day must come! As well as having a technological week, I've been busy doing other things too. I've been tending my sloe gin, although I'm not that keen on the current colour which is a bit like Ribena. Last night I went to the Christmas Markets in Manchester before going to an 'adult' Panto - Panto's on Strike with Paddy McGuinness and Coleen Nolan. It was very funny, and very adult. It seemed strange having the baddy (Gail Tyldesleys husband who tried to kill her) telling the audience to go forth and multiply, and even the "Oh yes you are"s were full of bad language.

This year there are 8 Christmas Markets in Manchester, and when I went through the main one at gone 8pm last night it was heaving. This year we have:
European Christmas Market at Albert Square, 10am - 9pm
World Christmas Market on Brazennose Street, 10am - 8pm
German Christmas Market at St Ann's Square, 10am - 8pm
Christmas Arts and Craft Market on Exchange Street, 10am - 8pm
Christmas Market on New Cathedral Street, 10am - 8pm
Christmas Market on Exchange Square, 10am - 8pm
French Christmas Market on King Street, 10am - 7pm
Weekend Craft and Gift Market at The Triangle, 10am - 7.30pm
They are all open until the 21st December, and as well as all the individual stalls there are plenty of places to stop for a drink of mulled wine, European beer or hot chocolate. The food is a bit pricey at £4 for a Bratwurst or £7 for a Raclette, but it is all very nice and can definitely compete with the big European markets. An ice rink has been built in Spinningfields for over the Christmas period and a temporary bar (The Lodge) has been constructed in a 2 storey tent, complete with balcony to watch the skaters from.

Spinningfields ice rink

I struggle with technology, and I can understand how people a generation up from me must find it really difficult! The changes just since I was born (not that long ago ha ha) are amazing. If someone who died just 30 years ago came back to life, imagine the things you would need to explain to them for them to cope with everyday life.

Before we get onto the Internet, just telephones are so different. No longer can we have a 'party line' shared between neighbours to cut the cost where only one household could make a call at once and the rest could listen in. No longer do we carry around an emergency 2p to use in a public telephone box. Calls could only be made after 6pm, and then had to be short as calls were so expensive. Even when I got my first mobile phone, it was for emergencies only, and I bet I used it about once every 2 months. Texts seemed really complicated, and as you paid per character sent, not per text, no wonder 'text language' quickly evolved. We had a video recorder 30 years ago (a Betamax!), but now not only have DVDs taken over, we have digi boxes and PVRs so you can pause television, and record 2 channels while watching another. Try explaining that to someone who the last time they were on earth had just 3 channels (Channel 4 didn't launch until 1982), and the National Anthem would play when the channels stopped at around midnight.

My mum would spend a day a week doing the laundry in a twin tub washing machine - we got an automatic washing machine in around 1982. Frozen food would have to be stored in the little ice compartment in the top of the fridge because it wasn't common to have a freezer. When my then boyfriend's family got a microwave in about 1983 it was a huge novelty, and I loved going to make baked potatoes, and scrambled eggs. Now many homes could cope very well with a big freezer and a microwave, because not as much fresh food is bought, or proper cooking done.

To get money, you queued up at the bank and drew it out. If you were lucky your branch would be open on a Saturday morning for a couple of hours. Someone returning after 30 years would have to be shown cashpoints, where you can get your money at any time on any day. You could then take it to one of the massive supermarkets and buy anything you wished, all under one roof. Another thing that doesn't make sense is some of the price changes. OK, so most things have gone up, but now you can buy £4 jeans, or a whole school uniform for a tenner. My school uniform, even more than 30 years ago, was a huge deal as it was over £100.

All these changes may be amazing, but then there is the Internet, and social networking. I did joke with my mum earlier (it was a joke, honest, mum!) that I'd never have to visit her again now she had FaceTime and Facebook. We no longer have to write a letter, buy a stamp, post it and await a reply. We just send a quick email and can have a reply the same day. We know what our friends are up to via the social networking sites, and we can always access up to date news stories, rather than watching television at 6pm or 9pm (yes, it was the BBC 9 o'clock news in those days). We can send a quick text message to anywhere in the world and get an instant response, and if it is done via a wifi app it is totally free too. Where family in Australia would receive an annual Christmas Day phone call, now you can chat freely, either using an actual voice or by typing messages, and you can see them at the same time.

I've put my dad on Twitter, where he can complain about Condoms to his heart's content (his predictive text doesn't recognise ConDems) so it is only right that I see if my mum can cope. However, I think she won't have time - and I may not have time for much else either if FaceTime doesn't lose its novelty soon!

Sloe gin day 19

Oldest Swingers in Town.

Sloe Gin, day 12

I attended my first Local Area Partnership meeting this week. There were so many old people that attended I need to drum up some support for the next one - anyone under 65 bring the average age down by a lot. I'll be going again to try to re-educate this older generation. It was really interesting, and we had a presentation by the area manager of the Bolton and Bury Census that is being run by the Office of National Statistics next March. In my younger days census night was treated as a bit of a laugh, where a massive  party would be held resulting in scores of names being put on the form of one address, with lots of other apparently empty properties all around. It seems it was evolved since then though, and you can be on your census form even if you don't spend the actual night in question at your address.

Friday night was Fondue Night. A few years ago a work colleague gave me a brand new Le Creuset fondue set. She had received it as a wedding present (and she had celebrated her silver wedding), and indeed it still had wedding paper on it. Her husband decided that as it had never been out of the box it had to go, and the theory was that I'd like it because I like Switzerland???? I brought it home and put it in a cupboard, where it stayed, still unopened, until I had a clear out while decorating the other week. Ms. Aspery kindly took it off my hands and decided it should have an airing. 6 of us were there for the unveiling, although it almost didn't happen when we realised no-one had any matches to light the burner with. We did everything by the Swiss rules; we had black tea with it, had 12 year old schnapps when the fondue has half way down (and several more after), and then put an egg in the pot at the end to finish it off. We listened to Guggemusik while we ate. We were even treated to Black Forest Gateau to round off the 70s night.

Things deteriorated quite quickly. In fact, the emergency wine had been opened even before the first schnapps had been drunk, and the emergency bottle of schnapps was empty before the night was out. I found my way home well after 2am, and the party carried on well after that. The neighbours had to have an apology the next day, and after listening to a recording of the singing, I'm surprised the police weren't called. I'd called for a friend on the way and his mum had warned us we'd better not be rolling in drunk at 2am (especially as we had another night out planned for the day after). Oops.

Marc Almond at The Lowry

I spent Saturday recovering, and then I went to the Lowry Theatre to see Marc Almond. Even this was in jeopardy as I'd tried to swap my ticket for an A-Ha one the night before. Although a loose arrangement to meet the A-Ha and Rocky Horror lot (Manchester was the place to be last night) on Canal Street after, I drove as I couldn't face it. I've never seen Marc Almond before, even though a friend has asked me to go with her a few times. This time, for his 30th Anniversary Tour, I decided I should. I drove down with the friend I'd seen the night before, and we were both glad we'd be sat down and hoped it wouldn't be too loud. It was fantastic. I could have spent all night people watching. I was one one the youngest people there, and there were some proper old swingers. It messed with my mind a bit seeing quite old people dancing away at the front (a mosh pit?). Marc had laryngitis and I'll be amazed if he doesn't have to cancel some of his next dates.  He's 53, which explains some of the older audience. Some people looked like they were in the wrong theatre though! The venue was great, and I was pleased that he played the old ones that I knew - Say Hello Wave Goodbye is my favourite, that I had on vinyl.

Many years ago going to a gig was a normal night out. It was really cheap, with tickets normally being about £3-4. If it was someone really big you may have to fork out a fiver, but that was the exception. There were lots of music venues in Manchester. As well as the Hacienda and the Ritz (and downstairs at what was Jilly's Music Box - was it called Fagins?) we had the International and International 2. Now tickets are so expensive, and you often have to go to the massive venues, rather than the large pubs we'd go to.

The International was on Anson Road/Dickenson Road and it was owned by Gareth Evans, the manager of the Stone Roses. The Stone Roses used it as their base. The hall was above a load of shops, and I went loads of times to see groups such as 10,000 Maniacs, The Pogues, Half Man Half Biscuit, The Soup Dragons and loads more. The likes of Bon Jovi, James and Sinead O'Connor also played there. On one occasion we were back stage and whoever we had seen got our autographs as they had heard of our group of the time (I can't remember who that was - Half Man Half Biscuit?). The International 2 opened up in an old Irish dance hall on Plymouth Grove, that was called Sloshkys or something like that. This was a bigger venue and again very cheap. We were watching the Pogues there once and the barriers at the front gave way. The local branch of the Hell's Angels were called to prop up the front row. At another Pogue's gig there we bumped into Elvis Costello outside as he was collecting his girlfriend who was in the Pogues. Billy Bragg also played a few times at the International 2. The International is now a Turkish supermarket and The International 2 was demolished and apartments have been built on the site.

Me at Platt Fields approx 1985 (before good cameras were invented).

I saw The Clash at Blackburn King Georges Hall, and The Smiths at The Free Trade Hall (now the Radisson Edwardian Hotel). Terry and Gerry, Hank Wangford, The June Brides and The Boothill Foot-tappers were all seen at various pubs and clubs. One of the best ones we went to has to be the Jobs For A Change festival in July 1985 in Battersea Park. This was also an End of GLC Concert, as the bill to abolish Greater London Council had been passed. It is said that Margaret Thatcher's incentive to abolish GLC was to get rid of the enormous poster on County Hall that told parliament of how many unemployed people there were in London. Red Ken Livingstone kept popping up on the stages to give out his message. This was a free concert with Billy Bragg, The Pogues, The Communards and Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark headlining. As it was on until late though had my one and only experience of sleeping rough. It was a glorious summer's day, and I was amazed at how cold it got in the middle of the night trying to get comfy on a park bench. We gave up in the end, only to find the park had been locked up. We had to scale the fence, with the very creepy Battersea Power Station glowing away for light, then walk around until the circle line opened when we could have a snooze on the underground while going round and round in warmth and comfort.

In those days there were lots of free gigs tied in with various marches being held, usually because of the lack of jobs, or campaigns against nuclear bombs. We went to a march through the centre of Manchester once that ended up with a free concert on Platt Fields. Billy Bragg was there and I think the Pogues too. A good march was a great way to pass a weekend, but I never saw any of the trouble that we see on the news now (I suppose the peaceful demonstrations don't make as much news...).

I was lucky enough to go to the ultimate free concert, Party at the Palace at Buckingham Palace in June 2002, for the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Although I was 6 months pregnant I was stood on my chair with everyone else to see Brian May play guitar on the roof of Buck Palace. Over 2 million people entered the free ticket raffle and 12,000 were chosen to attend. We were treated to Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Cliff Richard, Annie Lennox, Rod Stewart, Tom Jones, Ricky Martin, Brian Adams, Atomic Kitten, Will Young, Phil Collins, Ozzie Osbourne......It really was a fabulously indulgent day, with our picnic hampers with Waitrose goodies, bottles of champagne, and beer vouchers for in the beer tents! While I loved it, if anything even remotely similar happens for the Diamond Jubilee, or this wedding we won't stop hearing about, I'll be making representations!