Thursday 3 October 2013

Mostly Music - and apples!



Well a very quick post today. I have been so busy DOING lovely stuff it has been hard getting down to blog about it. But isn't that  great?

First off, it was my birthday on the 28th September - my Sixty-Tooth, if you want to know, and I had a super time. Part of my birthday treat was a trip to London with Mike and Vicki and Jim to the 02 Arena for the Fleetwood Mac concert/ Have been a fan for many, many years -well, ever since Albatross made the charts first time round! Was disappointed when they played their last gig before disbanding that I'd never seen them live, and now here they are, back together again - minus Christine McVie. Just a couple of photos as we were too far away for good ones.


                                                                     John, and Stevie


                                           Mick Fleetwood, Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks


                         Surprise guest appearance by Christine McVie, to rapturous applause.

Stevie has lost some of her top register, but still sounds good. They played for nearly 3 hours without a break, and did 3 encores. They really were fantastic. However, I will say, I don't enjoy arena concerts! Too many people, and we were so high up we almost had altitude sickness! I prefer the atmosphere and intimacy of a much smaller venue.


                                                        Son Mike's Pink Lady apple tree

                                                            Close up of gorgeousness!


Not sure what variety these apples are, we've had suggestions of Spartan, and a species of Crab Apple which isn't tiny and sour.


                            I thought they were large damsons before I got close up.


                                    And here are some we picked before we came home.


Vicki has this large bay tree in her garden, I've never seen one as large as this!


Happy Birthday to me!!

And  then, after all the excitement of a big concert, hotel stay and lovely lunch out, what did I get to do next? Only go and see Andy Cutting at the Mayflower Folk Club in Cambridge! yeah! Quite a few Burwell Bash folks there, including me, Lizzy and Jane. It was wonderful, and we went to have a chat at the end, me trying not to appear as an ageing groupie! But was chuffed to find Andy had remembered me from Witney last year.  The folk cub is based in a pub, the Portland Arms, and has recently had an overhaul, and is a super little space; I must get down there again. It was a late night,  by the time I had dropped Lizzy off in Ely it was nearly 1am when I got home - a very bleary-eyed Jim sat up waiting for me, bless him he still managed to ask me how it had gone!

So, no textiles this time, no foodie stuff, just a quick blog about meeting my heroes, in very different settings. Hope you' have all had good weeks, be back soon, honest!

25 comments:

  1. I think the second apple probably is Spartan as it was in my friend B's garden (now I have to sneek around to pick the odd one or two whilst no one is looking! Not sure whether the other one is Pink Lady or not. We were given something similar that has a pink tinge to the flesh under neath the skin.

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  2. Thanks Dc, think you are right about the Spartan, and you know the other certainly taste like Pink Ladies.

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  3. Glad you had a good night, my cousin went to that gig too. Those applies look yummy! We have apples that taste exactly like Pink Ladies at our yard - the horses love them. xx

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    1. Did your cousin enjoy it, Shirl? I don't ride any more but always took an apple for my horse with me!

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  4. Gosh Fleetwood Mac, that takes me back. Loved them in their day. Glad you had a wonderful time Lynne and here's wishing you belated birthday wishes.
    Patricia x

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    1. Hi Patricia, my husband prefers the 'old' Mac when they were a blues band. And thanks for the good wishes, it was super! Lx

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  5. I think the other might be James Grieve??

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    1. I think maybe too hard and 'plummy' looking for James Grieve - I think they are red/green aren't they?Lx

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  6. Glad you've been enjoying yourself. Lovely photos of the apples and bay.

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  7. A rose is a rose by any other name, as long as you like them it does not really matter if they are Pink Lady or Barbara Cartland ( the pinkest lady I could think of). I can not remember what my apples are called but we like all of them.

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    1. Well, yes, I'd agree with you Pam, but as they were actually picked from my son's garden it has become a bit of a game trying to identify the two varieties not something which bothers us, I assure you! Lx

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  8. Happy birthday you lovely lady! How great to see some of your favourites and to take some great pictures of the apples. The bay tree is pretty spectacular - I have a twig!

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    1. Thanks Chel. Yes, that bay tree is a monster isn't it? I have only ever seen them as small to medium trained bushes - I have a small straggly one out in the garden. I wonder if there is a way of uprooting a portion of it and replanting at home? Hmmm, something to think about! Lx

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  9. Hi Sue, and thank you. Yes, I thought after I took the photo it was getting scarily suggestive of you-know-when! My veggie man on the market sometimes has quinces but they seem to be either the overblown Egyptian or Turkish ones with no perfume, or scabby little English ones - there must be some decent ones around somewhere near here!

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  10. well what a lovely photograph of you - not bad for sixty tooth!!!! glad you've been having a good time we went to the O2 a few years back to see the rolling stones and i ended up in tears and shaking like a leave when we got to our seats because they were so high up - i am not good with heights - we had seen the stones before at twickenham and they were brilliant - sadly i didn't really enjoy the O2 concert because we had a bad vibes from the crowd around us - they were either going to the bar or the toilets or arguing with some poor chap who had taken his old mum for a treat to see her heroes - we haven't been back to the O2 since - we are seeing crosby, stills and nash in a few weeks at the colston hall in bristol - a much smaller and more intimate venue and we've got second row seats!!!! love the debate on the apples and the photo's - hope you have a great weekend and take care!! xx

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    1. Ha! Thanks Lynne - I can sometimes 'scrub up' ok! I agree with everything you say about the 02. Didn't so much have bad vibes but confess to feeling a bit surprised at all the moving about and chatting - a bit like theatre-going in Shakespeare's day! And the height of the seats!Ah well, it was an experience, and I really did enjoy the Mac! Lx

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  11. Happy Birthday Lynne, what a great way to celebrate! :) x

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    1. Thank you Ada, it certainly was though never again to an arena, see my reply to Lynne, above. Lx

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  12. Many happy returns Lynne, lucky you seeing Fleetwood Mac, how fabulous xxx Penny

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    1. Thanks Penny! Yes, finally seeing my fave group ...and probably just in time, I don't expect we will see that full line up again. Lx

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  13. Hello Lynne, congratulations on your birthday and going into London for Fleetwood Mac . . . it doesn't get much better than that. I agree about huge stadium concerts, but with the fans that they have it can not be helped. I'm excited for you, it must have been a blast :) Oh, I love that sixth-tooth . . . your humor is delightful.
    Keep having fun and enjoying life!
    Your blogging sister, Connie :)

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    1. Hello Connie, thank you for your good wishes! And your comments - always a joy. Lxxx

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  14. I'm behind on my reading and I'm so sorry I missed your birthday. So Happy Birthday a little bit late. You have reached a special age - I'm 62 also! It's a lovely time of my life other than the aches and pains of RA. I'm so glad you got to go to the concert and I hope you had a wonderful Birthday,

    Hugs,
    Sharon

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    1. Hi Sharon! I know it is so easy to get behind with blog-reading, isn't it! Thank you for your good wishes, and yes, it was a lovely weekend with lots to be happy about and grateful for. Hope your RA is under control and bearable. Lxx

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