Hallo hallo and happy midsummer to you all.
Been quite a while since I posted but as ever I've been ever so busy and my tardiness simply must me excused. So kind of you.
I'm writing this on the Thursday evening prior to Glastonbury festival starting for real, though this year I'm not attending. Fact is I've been to 11 since my first in 1995 and, though I've had a whale of a time, I need some time away. I may have said I was retiring after the glory of 2010's sun-baked joy-fest but it's more likely to be a sabbatical for a few years. However, Julian (my husband, remember?) is a dyed in the wool Glastonbury goer and has headed to the west country to enjoy the festival festivities along with our bestest chums Donna and Josh. I'm staying home running the shop (shorter hours if you need to know) and keeping a lid on things while he makes merry, which is something I'm absolutely fine with. Sure I'm missing Ju a bit and it's safe to say that Gonzo's a bit sick of me talking to him, but it's also a relief. Thing is, I'm less of a party animal than I once was and much prefer my comforts and a reasonably early night as opposed to dancing until dawn, whereas Ju is the opposite. Makes perfect sense for him to go there and for me to have my little break in Wiltshire in a few weeks.
Sorry? You didn't know about this? And why aren't you following me on twitter pray tell? Do so now, here - www.twitter.com/biggayshaun. Thank you.
I'm away to Wiltshire, by way of a sleepover and Donna and Josh's place in Clifton, to stay for a few nights in a country pub (with restaurant) called the Seven Stars. Why that particular place? Well, in 1989 I spent an interesting 10 days at a music and dance camp in a field in a hamlet called Honey Street (very hippy, really really crunchy) which turned out to be the start of a few changes for me. I've always vowed to return to the area and this seems like the ideal opportunity to do so. The pub's only a few miles away from where the campsite was and even has views of the Alton Barnes white horse which greeted me every morning as I left my tent. I'm certain that being in that area again will bring a resurgence of memories of my last visit and that's something I'm quite looking forward to.
So anyway, that's enough rambling for now. I think I need to finish this bottle of cava and watch me an episode of Ab Fab (series 5 if you please).
Remember you can follow me on twitter for regular goings on in between blog posts. Okay? Good.
S
x
Anyhoo.
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Friday, 22 April 2011
good friday
It's the Easter season once again, though it is rather late this year. That combined with the recent glorious weather means that we are spending the afternoon of Good Friday sitting in the garden and enjoying the sunshine. Have to say it's what I need just now, a little time sitting about and doing very little. I'm in the throes of reading and working on my final coursework for college, an independent study of my choice. My choice was to undertake a critical analysis of the Coleridge poem "The Rime of The Ancient Mariner". It's quite an epic work, the 1817 version weighing in at a steady 155 verses, so I've not taken an easy option but I'm enjoying the process. This morning I worked through 30 verses and made copious notes and right mow my brain feels a little full so I'm not making any sudden movements in case I spill any impotant words out my ears. Seriously.
Over the backs from our garden one of the old gents is sat in his garden soaking up the sun. This has been his regular summertime afternoon pastime ever since we've lived here (2003 if you're interested). Between our garden and his there is a wall with a trellis-y fence and we've grown a luxuriant covering of ivy and honeysuckle over it which has attracted the interests of the local bird population. One pair of blackbirds have actually set up a nest in the ivy, on the side where the old fella lives. Joy! I'm going to be a grandad. Kind of, only not really, but I'm certain you knkow what I'm getting at. Anyway, the old chap has taken to whistling whenever the blackbirds are doing their calling (which is fairly often) in a pretty ropey mimicry of their call. Well, it seems ropey to me but the blackbirds do tweetle and respond to him. It makes me smile. Things like that should.
I don't really have any majorly earth shattering news other than the inconsequential facts listed above but I felt moved to check in and pass the time of day. That's done so I'll be off to relax a little more.
Remember that somebody somewhere is wondering how you are. Why not let them know? I'm sure they'd appreciate it. I would :)
S
x
Over the backs from our garden one of the old gents is sat in his garden soaking up the sun. This has been his regular summertime afternoon pastime ever since we've lived here (2003 if you're interested). Between our garden and his there is a wall with a trellis-y fence and we've grown a luxuriant covering of ivy and honeysuckle over it which has attracted the interests of the local bird population. One pair of blackbirds have actually set up a nest in the ivy, on the side where the old fella lives. Joy! I'm going to be a grandad. Kind of, only not really, but I'm certain you knkow what I'm getting at. Anyway, the old chap has taken to whistling whenever the blackbirds are doing their calling (which is fairly often) in a pretty ropey mimicry of their call. Well, it seems ropey to me but the blackbirds do tweetle and respond to him. It makes me smile. Things like that should.
I don't really have any majorly earth shattering news other than the inconsequential facts listed above but I felt moved to check in and pass the time of day. That's done so I'll be off to relax a little more.
Remember that somebody somewhere is wondering how you are. Why not let them know? I'm sure they'd appreciate it. I would :)
S
x
Saturday, 16 April 2011
all the A's
Wotcha folks. Just a quick post to let you have my math exam results. Two papers and a score of an 'A' in each. Yay me!
I'm super thrilled about that but still have an assignment to submit before my two final math exams in June. Then I'm off to big school by way of starting at Sheffield University in September (providing I complete my Diploma o'course). Anyhoo, I'm leaving it there for now but wanted to say "Hi" after another long absence.
In my dreams I'm tending the garden that you like to walk in. Imagine that :)
Shaun
I'm super thrilled about that but still have an assignment to submit before my two final math exams in June. Then I'm off to big school by way of starting at Sheffield University in September (providing I complete my Diploma o'course). Anyhoo, I'm leaving it there for now but wanted to say "Hi" after another long absence.
In my dreams I'm tending the garden that you like to walk in. Imagine that :)
Shaun
Sunday, 27 February 2011
getting to grips
Hi again everyone.
I'm just catching up with you all before what looks like it could be a bit of a busy few weeks. Got a math exam on Tuesday afternoon this week, as well as my usual Math and Politics classes. On top of this I need to get started on my Politics essay studying (after having a chat with the tutor on Tuesday) while also keeping on with my independent study assignment. Oh, and I'm attending an open day at the University of Sheffield on Wednesday afternoon too, which is both exciting and slightly nerve-wracking.
This is on top of the shop being quite busy, Julian getting on with his OU coursework and the pair of us taking off to Bristol next weekend to see the delicious Donna and Josh. Expect photos afterwards of course :)
So please forgive any long silence over the coming weeks, though I really will try to say hi as often as possible.
Try to do something good every day, no matter how small. Smile at the shopkeeper when you get served. Say thanks to the bus driver when you exit the bus. Give way to another motorist. Just do something good that will improve the world in a tiny yet significant way. Positivity is important just now.
Take care of yourselves.
S
x
I'm just catching up with you all before what looks like it could be a bit of a busy few weeks. Got a math exam on Tuesday afternoon this week, as well as my usual Math and Politics classes. On top of this I need to get started on my Politics essay studying (after having a chat with the tutor on Tuesday) while also keeping on with my independent study assignment. Oh, and I'm attending an open day at the University of Sheffield on Wednesday afternoon too, which is both exciting and slightly nerve-wracking.
This is on top of the shop being quite busy, Julian getting on with his OU coursework and the pair of us taking off to Bristol next weekend to see the delicious Donna and Josh. Expect photos afterwards of course :)
So please forgive any long silence over the coming weeks, though I really will try to say hi as often as possible.
Try to do something good every day, no matter how small. Smile at the shopkeeper when you get served. Say thanks to the bus driver when you exit the bus. Give way to another motorist. Just do something good that will improve the world in a tiny yet significant way. Positivity is important just now.
Take care of yourselves.
S
x
Monday, 21 February 2011
take care
Hallo again my lovelies.
I'm pleased to report that we're on the wagon booze-wise on weekdays and are also not eating loads of unhealthy snack foods as has been the case for the past few weeks. Why, I hear you ask? Well, it's simply because both Ju and I need to watch the amount we drink (we do so love a tipple y'see) and we also need to get on with our studies. The booze affects our sleeping which isn't conducive to feeling rested & being productive, while eating loads of snacks is just a byproduct of being busy over Valentine's day and needs to stop.
Which it has.
Here's hoping we stick with it.
S
x
I'm pleased to report that we're on the wagon booze-wise on weekdays and are also not eating loads of unhealthy snack foods as has been the case for the past few weeks. Why, I hear you ask? Well, it's simply because both Ju and I need to watch the amount we drink (we do so love a tipple y'see) and we also need to get on with our studies. The booze affects our sleeping which isn't conducive to feeling rested & being productive, while eating loads of snacks is just a byproduct of being busy over Valentine's day and needs to stop.
Which it has.
Here's hoping we stick with it.
S
x
Sunday, 20 February 2011
diamonds are forever
Hi again folks. As promised, here's another update on what's been happening in my life of late.
As you know, me and my husband are florists which means that from 10 - 14 February we have been working flat out preparing for Valentine's day, since it's one of the big days in our year. What this means in real terms is that we have a few days to create lots of bouquets and the like for our customers. This increased workload, while certainly lucrative, is very tiring and usually leads to reaching the end of the day and flaking out. However, at the end of December we saw fit to book tickets to see David McAlmont live in Sheffield on the evening of V day, taking the risk that we would be up for an evening of being entertained.
When the day arrived we were totally up for it, having managed to pull off the most organised of V days in our florist careers. The evening did not disappoint us.
Though the O2 Academy in Sheffield is large, the gig itself was in one of the smaller rooms and saw an audience of about 45 people, a fact which lent a very cosy and personal feel to the whole affair. This cosiness was furthered when David took to the stage and vowed to make eye contact with each member of the audience at some point in the evening. He did just that and more, moving among the audience to perform one song to the accompaniment of a double bass. Though I have been a fan of David's for a few years I was still unprepared for his astounding vocal gymnastics which, while complex, were delivered with a charm and effortlessness that left me breathless and at times near to tears.
Now, I'm fairly sure you're aware of Twitter and the fact that I post regularly there under the name @BigGayShaun. What you may not know is that David's keen social media user too (@DavidMcAlmont on Twitter, fyi) and we have been occasionally tweeting one another over the past year or so. In fact, this twitter based relationship is in part what helped in our decision to go to the Valentine's gig. Both the hubby (@GypsumFantastic) and I were obviously delighted when David said "hi" from the stage, shook our hands & had a quick exchange with us both. However, when he dedicated a song to us we were thrilled in excelsis and stood spellbound throughout. Such a thing to happen, eh?
The rest of the gig proved equally entrancing, with David and the band giving their all throughout and then giving a bit more by means of an encore. After the gig David came and said hello again and we had a quick chat before posing for pics (for us and for him) before we had to head home. Getting up at 5am does that to one.
So, the purpose of this post is twofold.
Firstly I want to thank David for what for me was the best live gig I've been to. Not just because of the song dedication and photos, though that obviously made the night extra special, but because of the way the evening felt bigger than the small audience while also feeling as if David were performing in one's front room for a select group of aficionados. Blissful.
Secondly I want to thank my husband Julian for being supportive through the heavy work required for V day and keeping my spirits up. Oh, and for facilitating a grand night out by offering to drive while I had a little drink or two. What a guy.
I think I'm going to leave it there for now as there's a glass of cava with my name on it and not drinking it would be plain rude. Cheers all.
Life is good right now. Remember that you're loved.
S
x
As you know, me and my husband are florists which means that from 10 - 14 February we have been working flat out preparing for Valentine's day, since it's one of the big days in our year. What this means in real terms is that we have a few days to create lots of bouquets and the like for our customers. This increased workload, while certainly lucrative, is very tiring and usually leads to reaching the end of the day and flaking out. However, at the end of December we saw fit to book tickets to see David McAlmont live in Sheffield on the evening of V day, taking the risk that we would be up for an evening of being entertained.
When the day arrived we were totally up for it, having managed to pull off the most organised of V days in our florist careers. The evening did not disappoint us.
Though the O2 Academy in Sheffield is large, the gig itself was in one of the smaller rooms and saw an audience of about 45 people, a fact which lent a very cosy and personal feel to the whole affair. This cosiness was furthered when David took to the stage and vowed to make eye contact with each member of the audience at some point in the evening. He did just that and more, moving among the audience to perform one song to the accompaniment of a double bass. Though I have been a fan of David's for a few years I was still unprepared for his astounding vocal gymnastics which, while complex, were delivered with a charm and effortlessness that left me breathless and at times near to tears.
Now, I'm fairly sure you're aware of Twitter and the fact that I post regularly there under the name @BigGayShaun. What you may not know is that David's keen social media user too (@DavidMcAlmont on Twitter, fyi) and we have been occasionally tweeting one another over the past year or so. In fact, this twitter based relationship is in part what helped in our decision to go to the Valentine's gig. Both the hubby (@GypsumFantastic) and I were obviously delighted when David said "hi" from the stage, shook our hands & had a quick exchange with us both. However, when he dedicated a song to us we were thrilled in excelsis and stood spellbound throughout. Such a thing to happen, eh?
The rest of the gig proved equally entrancing, with David and the band giving their all throughout and then giving a bit more by means of an encore. After the gig David came and said hello again and we had a quick chat before posing for pics (for us and for him) before we had to head home. Getting up at 5am does that to one.
So, the purpose of this post is twofold.
Firstly I want to thank David for what for me was the best live gig I've been to. Not just because of the song dedication and photos, though that obviously made the night extra special, but because of the way the evening felt bigger than the small audience while also feeling as if David were performing in one's front room for a select group of aficionados. Blissful.
Secondly I want to thank my husband Julian for being supportive through the heavy work required for V day and keeping my spirits up. Oh, and for facilitating a grand night out by offering to drive while I had a little drink or two. What a guy.
I think I'm going to leave it there for now as there's a glass of cava with my name on it and not drinking it would be plain rude. Cheers all.
Life is good right now. Remember that you're loved.
S
x
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
i've been gone too long
Hi there people,
Happy 2011 to you all and sincere apologies for the huge gap between this and my last post. Unforgivable but, I'm afraid to say, unavoidable.
After our amazing USA vacation it was straight back to work and, for me, college which kept me pretty occupied for the remainder of October. A splendid Hallowe'en visit from our delicious friends Donna and Josh finished that month but also saw our old dog Rowan become ill. As her illness progressed and tests were done, November kind of passed in a blur of the usual busy goings-on alongside visits to the vet, but there was one special weekend at the very end of the month. This was when we met Armistead Maupin at a book signing in Leeds on the Friday and returned to Leeds again on the Saturday to bid a fond farewell to our mate Jonty who was heading to the USA to be married. And he's actually married now, a fact which still makes me beam like the sun when I think about it.
So, back to Rowan. The week the big snows came was when we found out she had cancer that was quite advanced and basically inoperable. She went downhill pretty rapidly, but we had a few weeks to hug her and say the words we needed to say; the words that ultimately make your heart a little easier, though all too soon the only option we had was euthanasia. This was on the 17 December.
So, I don't want to be all downbeat here as she was an old bugger, reaching the grand age of 15. She'd lived a largely blameless life and had been all over the country with us camping and what have you, so there are loads of sparkling memories. But the whole situation kind of stole 4 weeks of our life and it wasn't until the Christmas break that we really found our feet again.
Anyways ups, here we are just before Valentine's day and we're gearing up for a busy few days at the shop, culminating in V day itself. With an added bonus though as we're off to see the delightful David McAlmont perform live in Sheffield that evening and have the following day off work. Hurrah!
I know this post's a bit like the diary of Rowan's demise, but I had to get this off my chest just now in order to explain, at least in part, my incredible tardiness. Plus pinning the whole thing down in words helps, as is often the case.
I will write again soon, if only to tell you how Valentine's day and David McAlmont go.
S
x
Happy 2011 to you all and sincere apologies for the huge gap between this and my last post. Unforgivable but, I'm afraid to say, unavoidable.
After our amazing USA vacation it was straight back to work and, for me, college which kept me pretty occupied for the remainder of October. A splendid Hallowe'en visit from our delicious friends Donna and Josh finished that month but also saw our old dog Rowan become ill. As her illness progressed and tests were done, November kind of passed in a blur of the usual busy goings-on alongside visits to the vet, but there was one special weekend at the very end of the month. This was when we met Armistead Maupin at a book signing in Leeds on the Friday and returned to Leeds again on the Saturday to bid a fond farewell to our mate Jonty who was heading to the USA to be married. And he's actually married now, a fact which still makes me beam like the sun when I think about it.
So, back to Rowan. The week the big snows came was when we found out she had cancer that was quite advanced and basically inoperable. She went downhill pretty rapidly, but we had a few weeks to hug her and say the words we needed to say; the words that ultimately make your heart a little easier, though all too soon the only option we had was euthanasia. This was on the 17 December.
So, I don't want to be all downbeat here as she was an old bugger, reaching the grand age of 15. She'd lived a largely blameless life and had been all over the country with us camping and what have you, so there are loads of sparkling memories. But the whole situation kind of stole 4 weeks of our life and it wasn't until the Christmas break that we really found our feet again.
Anyways ups, here we are just before Valentine's day and we're gearing up for a busy few days at the shop, culminating in V day itself. With an added bonus though as we're off to see the delightful David McAlmont perform live in Sheffield that evening and have the following day off work. Hurrah!
I know this post's a bit like the diary of Rowan's demise, but I had to get this off my chest just now in order to explain, at least in part, my incredible tardiness. Plus pinning the whole thing down in words helps, as is often the case.
I will write again soon, if only to tell you how Valentine's day and David McAlmont go.
S
x
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