My "List"

My daughter  did a post, recently, over on her blog, Recent Treats,  about feeling that she's hurtling towards 30 and has so many things she still wants to do.  Well, I'm 30 years older than her, so imagine how I feel!!!!

So, I've done my own List.
Here are some things I want to do one day, in no particular order. Some are very easy to do, and could well be ticked off some time soon. Others will have to wait a while yet. This is not a definitive list .... I will probably be adding all sorts of things to it along the way.
It's all just a question of time ........

To Do

• Walk the length of the Wirral Way
• Have afternoon tea at the Grosvenor, Chester, with above mentioned daughter!
• Try a new recipe every week
• Hang a piece of my own art on a wall
• Grow some herbs

• Do a craft fair with my own cards
• Learn to crochet
• Send a message in a bottle
• See Tom graduate
• Grow my nails and have a manicure
• Start to wear some colour - ditch the black trousers and shoes
• Start to wear dresses
• Walk to Hilbre island with Inca
• Do a photography course
• Join a book club
• Read my way through the BBC's Big Read 200 books
• Walk up Catbells in The Lake District
• Go on a spa weekend
• Create a new craft room
• Have a pretty bathroom
• organise the household paperwork and documents
• have a super organised wardrobe
• get rid of the 'workwear'!
• walk along a beach in moonlight
• go to the Glastonbury Festival - but not in a tent!!!
• ride on the Liverpool wheel on a clear day
• Sail along the Seine on a Bateau Mouche at night
• Maybe it's time to cut my losses on learning French, and try Italian

• To spend less time at work than at home each week 

To See

• The Phantom of the Opera with Kate
• The War of the Worlds
• A Christmas Carol at St George's Hall
• War Horse (the play, not the film)
• The Pre -Raphaelites exhibition at the Tate
• The Tate Gallery, Cornwall
• A Shakespeare play (I never understood them in my youth)
• Christmas Carol Concert at Liverpool's Philharmonic

To Visit in the UK

• Edinburgh over New Year
• Oxford
• Cambridge
• The far, far north coast of Scotland
• North Cornwall
• browse the book shops in Hay-on-Wye
• The Angel of the North      

 On the Wish List Further Afield

• Carcassonne
• Christmas shopping in Paris
• Northern Majorca
• Kalymnos
• a caravan road trip around the rest of France, not just the South East corner
• throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain, Rome
• Re-visit Florence, and actually go in the Uffizi Gallery
• A caravan road trip round Italy
• See Fall in New England
• Drive down the California coast from San Francisco to Los Angeles
• buy something from a souk in Marrakech

Above all ..... travel to France in July and don't have to race back for September's new term!

What would you put on your "List"?

Sea Odyssey

Before I show you what we've been up to in Liverpool this weekend, I must say a very big thank you for all your wonderful messages of comfort after my last post. It has been a very sad time here on the P.P.


My lovely daughter managed to get home this weekend, and we decided to check out what was going on in Liverpool. Three giants were roaming the city as part of a spectacular three day event to mark the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. The whole story behind it can be found here at Sea Odyssey.

On Saturday we headed into Liverpool by train, and were absolutely delighted to see this amazing sight as we stepped out of James Street station. A huge puppet dog called Xolo was galloping up and down, to the delight of the thousands of people lining the road.

He was closely followed by the 'little girl' giant who was looking for her uncle. 

She was thirty feet tall, and operated by a team of puppeteers called the "Lilliputions'.

The event is based on the true story of a ten year old girl who had written a letter to her father, a steward on the Titanic. Of course, the letter was never delivered and her father never came home. The original letter is in Liverpool's Maritime museum.

Later, after lunch, we joined thousands of excited onlookers at St George's Hall, waiting for the arrival of the 'Uncle' giant who was looking for his niece.

We were so lucky that the heavy April showers had cleared and there was blue sky.

Suddenly, there was an incredible sound as everyone caught the first glimpse of the 50 foot giant coming round the corner onto Lime Street. It was as though everyone whispered "WOW" at the same time.

My photographs are rubbish really, as I couldn't get a good vantage point in the vast crowds..... but there are some wonderful shots and videos around on Google and Youtube .. just type in Sea Odyssey.

I can't begin to describe the atmosphere around Liverpool yesterday ... the whole city was smiling, and we were all happily chatting to strangers as we waited for the giants to appear ... it really was the most incredibly uplifting, magical experience.

The spectacle finished at lunch time today, with the three giants sailing away down the Mersey .....

(Google images)

Sadly, I couldn't be there see it today, but I'm so pleased that we got there yesterday, to be part of it all!

I've never been so proud of my home city!

I'm taking a break ....

My lovely father-in-law died on Saturday.

He went to bed on Friday, and just didn't wake up.
A perfect end for him, but terribly shocking for everyone who loved him.
We didn't get a chance to say goodbye.
Just six weeks ago we were all happily celebrating his 80th birthday. 

I'm taking a break from blogging for a while, my heart isn't in it right now.

xxx