ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 21ST OF 2023

 Morning all tis Friday time for

Well we have had a mighty busy week with an eclectic mix of things we've done as well as busy days at home and at work. 

Last Friday we travelled down to Stratford upon Avon as we had booked to see the Shakespeare play at the RSC known as Cymbelline.  It isn't a play I knew at all and I know it was one of his latter plays.  It was described as a dark fairytale but usually before a Shakespeare we've at least got our heads around the synopsis of the play, alas we simply hadn't had time. 

We set off early so we could make full use of the time we had down there, so set off around 9ish, we don't do motorways down, they are boring and if you get stuck in traffic you are stuck whereas side roads you still have options, this means a fight around Leicester but we've done it a few times.  Thankfully this time it wasn't too bad due to a reduction in the amount of traffic and around 12 ish we landed in Stratford. 

We got parked up and as the sun was shining and hubby wasn't driving until the following day so we headed down to the waterside to enjoy a drink as we were both parched.  Hubby enjoyed a cider 

and I had a Beck's Blue which is 0% and we shared a little bit of food. 

After we headed over to the RSC to have a look around the shop (and see if I could find a quick abridged version of the play).  When we wandered to the back of the shop, we realised that the panel had been moved and that you could access the space which is the Swan theatre at the back.  We enquired and they confirmed that there was a new exhibition to check out so we headed down the corridor and up the stairs to have a look around. 

This was at the top of the stairs

The exhibition had lots of costumes from previous shows

and there was an original first folio of Shakespeare's plays in a cabinet at the back of the room, a rarity as only 250 survive of the original 750 copies.

I loved this lion's head for snug the joiner, aptly made out of chunky wood.

The detail and work that went into the costumes was amazing. 

and outside over the open space was a head inspired by Romeo and Juliet made up of hundreds of stars for the star-crossed lovers. 

When we headed back I noticed some more costumes on the landing, so I headed up there and hubby headed up the great tower to have a good view of Stratford (I'm not a lift fan, so it was a non starter for me if I'm honest). 

These costumes come from a version of Hamlet from a few year's ago

I loved the crown

there were other's from Shakespeare plays and other productions. 

By then the heavens had opened, but it was dry when we headed outside and we got our items from the car and checked into the local Premier Inn.

Hubby then promptly had a snooze whilst I did a bit of browsing and reading, then we got ready and headed out, we had pre-booked to go to Zizzi's for tea, the food was lovely

As you can see hubby was happy with his (in his words) Italian pasty, also known as a calzone to other people

We also tried the purple gnocchi as we've never tried them, they were fried which I don't think is always the way they are eaten and had been mixed with rosemary, but they were very tasty. 

We were both very naughty and had a berry sundae for dessert

there's mischief in that face. 

and then off to the play

the set was sparce, but the seats were great and despite the length (3 hours and 15 minutes) with 2 intervals (I kid you not).  It flew by and I can only describe it as Shakespeare's greatest hits, we noted afterwards how many of his previous plays featured in some way shape or form, not the characters but similar plot lines, elements of Lady Macbeth, Othello, Much ado to name but a few

and afterwards despite the lateness of the hour we got a post-show talk, which was absolutely amazing and apparently we learnt that the show we had seen (remember the length) was a shortened version and that "hundreds of lines" had been cut, goodness knows how long it would have been originally. 

We sauntered back to the hotel gone 11pm, hubby had a glass of wine and we dissected the play before shutting our eyes heading up 1am.  Thankfully we'd booked a later breakfast, so headed down around 9.30am after having showered and then setting back off up the country home. 

We chilled for the remainder of Saturday but then set to on the stairs decorating once again on Sunday.  It has been an epic task and we have insisted on doing everything ourselves which has meant fitting it in between work.  

Monday arrived and we were both off, we did a food shop first thing and then had a lazy few hours at home before getting ready and setting off for Sheffield, we abandoned the car at Park Hill flats, something you wouldn't have done years ago and walked the half hour to Bramall lane, the home of Sheffield United, but more importantly for us (because we don't do football) it was time for the Motley Crue and Def Leppard concert. 

We got into the stadium with relative ease, grabbed a drink and a comfort break before heading to our seats.  The support act called the Vivas was Ok, not really our taste in music but it was a good start.  The day was overcast but dry and warm.  We had aisle seats which meant a fair bit of jumping up and down for people, but we didn't mind. 

At 6.15pm Motley Crue ventured onto the stage, I've never seen them as a band but hubby has seen them a couple of times and they did not disappoint.  Stunning vocals, great guitars, backing singers the works and a good mix of newer tracks and their older stuff. The set was fantastic too and the star screens helped given how far back we were. 

Both me and hubby were a little bit of apprehensive about the gig, I think the location, the size of the crowd etc and it has been a while since we did a gig. 

Motley finished at 8.15pm and a half hour set change before Def Leppard headed out onto the stage and to a home crowd. 

Mr Elliott was at his finest vocal wise and it was a stunning show

and hopefully a great way for the band to kick off their world tour. 

We headed back to the car, buzzing from the gig and definitely shouting a little louder than we were when we went in.  We got home starving so grabbed some food, put the world to rights and collapsed into bed.  

Thankfully I'd had for the foresight to book us off from work on Tuesday and the plan was another stairs day.  However, mid-morning I got an emergency call from work from my boss with a hundred apologies but asking for me to provide some detail needed for a funding panel.  Fingers crossed the hours of work was worth it, but time will tell. 

Then we got on with the stairs and finished later than we had anticipated but having achieved a fair amount.  

Wednesday was our only day in work this week and it was a stupidly busy crazy day it has to be said.  I had a proper catch up with my boss but the day exceeded 12 hours which meant a very very late tea. 

Thankfully today and we've got another day at home, the music is blasting, the sky is blue and the sun is shining, I have a line of washing drying and we are working on the stairs together and it is proving just a beautiful day. 

I hope you've had a wonderful week too. 

Hugs

PS I will try harder to visit earlier this week.  

PPS Gina since I made the blog private I don't think it appears on people's reading lists - apologies - I keep thinking am I brave enough to convert it back to public. 

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY 9TH OF 2016

Morning all tis Friday and only one item on the agenda this morning 

Well this week has been a busy one if I'm honest.  

Last Friday night we headed off to the arena to see Thunder in concert, we also had two support bands King King and Terrorvision (who we've seen before), I really enjoyed King King they were brilliant and Thunder - well they have always and I'm sure will always turn out a pretty epic gig and that is exactly what we were treated to!

It was actually a 'half arena' gig - which we haven't been to before but it really works well, they should definitely do more of those! 

We've also been brave this week and got up at 6am for a walk, I know - mad yes, the thing is we'd realised recently that we can't really afford a whole hours walking at night when we've been at work but both me and hubby lead quite sedentary lives at work so we've got no alternative but to find other ways of exercising, so we decided on waking early and going for an early morning walk to get us off the starting blocks as it were. 

With this early morning walk we've been treated to beautiful night time skies

and within half an hour - beautiful sunrise skies - in the same walk! 

I also realised that I'd not managed to photograph my tiny tete a tete daffodils in the garden that have sprung up so before they disappear completely I managed a photo of them, Kate's photos last week reminded me to take a photograph of them!

Then when I was at home Wednesday as I haven't been 100% I glanced out of the TV room window and saw this guy on the fence. 

And here he is again just under the kitchen window, I've heard him for a few mornings but hadn't managed to spot him until yesterday! 

Parents evening feedback was good, although the need for more revision became the sentence of the night, thankfully said 15 year old has already acknowledged this which was good! 

Thursday found us at the theatre to see Macbeth by a production company called Out of Chaos - pretty much the whole play done by two actors, using a table, two chairs, two torches and two torch boxes as props - all in 80 minutes.  If you get chance to see them in a play I can highly recommend them - an absolute riot to watch! 

And then it is Friday... the kettle is boiling, the washing machine whirring, the blue skies of the week have changed for grey clouds but its dry (although a little cold).  Next plan is the vacuuming trying to get the house ship shape before 9am - best get on with it then. 

I hope you have had a splendid and positive week and that its full of 'rocking' moments, if you fancy joining in pop a post together, pop back link up and leave a comment so we can visit! 

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 52ND OF 2015 AND THE FINAL ONE FOR THIS YEAR

Good Morning lovely people, well if you have any sense you won't be anywhere near blogger this morning, you'll be enjoying some sort of festivities wherever you are in the world.  For me it will be Christmas Day, but my favourite day of the year by a long shot is Christmas Eve, so I'm not even preparing the post then as I want to savour every last delicious moment out of it, if I possibly can!

So what happy moments, grateful elements have I had this last week you may ask!

Friday brought my first proper day off and left me actually venturing to shops - I know - groan!

I had thought that I'd pretty much finished with present buying, until I checked out my list and realised there were a few more items that needed purchasing, so I ventured to the local retail park, hit the shops for a couple of hours and all was sorted.

I came home wrapped things and then I felt pretty much sorted.  So here is to retail parks opening early for the likes of me who doesn't do bun fights in shops at the best of times!

Saturday was split literally in two - talk about a day of two halves, the first half meant a very early jaunt out to the theatre in Sheffield to see the Aladdin pantomime and as always we were literally rolling with laughter from the first moments it started.  The Dame in this panto each year is utterly genius and we love him to bits, playing Widow Twanky this year!

We also ventured along the wooden huts afterwards having a look at the goods, but most of them were eateries. 

I also did some 'star spotting' 

Back home for a few hours, before setting off for an epic evening of music. 

Black Star Riders (aka the current formation of Thin Lizzy) were pretty epic and played Whiskey in the Jar as their final track! 

Then Whitesnake - Mrs Coverdale's little boy is doing pretty awesome as always playing some fabulous tunes that me and hubby remember from when we first met!

And to finish off Def Leppard, on the final night of their tour - finishing off in their home city of Sheffield - utterly amazing! 

Next grateful - it being warm enough to walk back to the park and ride, we were late out of the gig - squeezing every last ounce out of it and we didn't fancy the crushed sardines on a tram fiasco, so we just walked. 

We even walked passed Santa's grotto next to the shopping centre which was all lit up looking mighty festive. 

Me and hubby hadn't eaten before we went out, so when we arrived back from the gig we made some bacon butties - at about 1am!  

Sunday arrived and was supposed to be a full meet up with family before the big day, but my brother and his girlfriend had to cry off as poorly and to be honest me and hubby were full of lurgy - so my next grateful is flu capsules - they are awesome, half an hour after taking them and you are back on your feet again! 

So the remainder of us managed a jaunt out to the local craft and grub fayre, which was lovely and my Mum managed to buy a few last minute gifts, my niece (and said 15 year old) enjoyed a gorgeous hot chocolate in the beautiful little coffee shop when it was nearly home time. 

And my sister tried on a vintage tweed cape at a Vintage shop, she'd managed to catch up with us very late in the day as she'd been working - how giddy does she look in this cape!  I love her expression! 

Monday turned into a PJ day, which was needed as we really wanted a lie in, having not managed one for weeks.  Me and hubby sat in bed with lots of cups of tea reading magazines, books and our tablets - bliss.  Said 15 year old got up eventually at twenty to three in the afternoon - yes I know - what day - he had missed breakfast and lunch completely! 

Tuesday and Wednesday were a bit of a blur still suffering with lurgy and hubby having Doctor's appointment and me at the hospital, it was good to get them out of the way! 

And now I sit here on Christmas Eve, table prepared, Christmas TV in the background, hot cup of tea, wrapping done, the last of the Christmas cards have arrived and dropped through the door, the house is quiet as hubby and said 15 year old have popped out for a few last minute items. 

The build up is almost done with and the day has nearly arrived.

May I wish you and yours a very Happy Christmas or Happy Holidays if you don't celebrate Christmas. 

I shall see you next Friday for the very first post of 2016!

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY NUMBER 21

Where are these weeks going to - honestly it does make you wonder, blink and I'm at Thursday night again reflecting and taking stock and finding the positives, I've had a hard day so having a good think about the week might improve my mood - let's see because it's

Well let's see last Friday night saw operation history homework commence, the task to make a castle - well that's what said 12 year old had decided on and I saw fit to open my mouth and say - well we did do a gingerbread castle once didn't we and that was it the seed was sown and there was nothing we could do about it.  So Friday was baking night, for anyone who hasn't created elaborate gingerbread buildings before let me tell you it's hard work, but work he did, he managed the first batch of gingerbread pretty much on his own rolling and cutting the templates out.  However, recutting them when they were out of the oven and still scolding hot however was a no go area so me and his Dad did that.  Four hours baking I tell you that's some serious dedication!

Saturday was not surprisingly spent assisting said 12 year old with construction, first off he had to make the 'glue' to stick the building together which is a mix of egg white and icing sugar - this is him enjoying the fact that there was more icing sugar in the air than in the bowl!  

then gluing the sides together - I know it looks like hubby is covered in icing but I can assure you that he is actually wearing what we call painting gear and the white splodges are actually old emulsion paint that won't wash out!

Then we were happy to leave him to it, armed with plenty of sweeties and some coloured icing he spent the remainder of the weekend, decorating and tinkering including his jelly baby army!

 You'll have to forgive the rather macabre look of the castle - but after all he is a boy!

He also had to make a book detailing how castles were used and for this we used the many photos we've got of us at castles looking at various attributes on the same, I left him to it on the book and let him loose with papers and stamps as you can see.  He did the write up on the computer and cut it out!

 And here it is all finished!

Next rocking moment - we managed a bit of a sort around in one of the rooms on Saturday which has meant the house flows better.  We actually  moved one of my craft cupboards but now it's been moved I think I'll have to sort it again because I can't actually find anything in it!

Sunday I tootled around the garden, cutting and mowing and strimming and tidying and it felt a lot better for it, now with all the rain we've had it'll be due for another cut soon - oh well it was the thought that counts and I really did enjoy just spending a bit of time outside, it's amazing what a bit of sunshine can do for you!

Monday was gig night - we dragged said 12 year old along to the Thunder/Whitesnake/Journey gig, had a great evening didn't stop for the final act (Journey) as it's not our cup of tea and said 12 year old had school the following day!  We came out very happy singing away and very very deaf!

Tuesday was Operation Castle Move - when we had to get gingerbread castle from A to B in one piece, with lots of instructions from said 12 year old when I was driving like "mind that pothole, Mum" we pulled up at the school gates with castle in box and still intact.  The positive from Tuesday was the positive response that said 12 year old got from school, his history teacher thought it was fantastic and brought another history teacher down to have a look.  Said 12 year old was made to do his presentation first, so win win overall and after all the presentations were finished after Wednesday's lesson - they ate it!  Thank goodness for that - I warned him not to bring it home!

Wednesday saw a hospital appointment for me with my tablets continuing for two more months which is what I wanted albeit that I am tiring of the side effects but hopefully I can see light at the end of the tunnel!

Said 12 year old had a school friend over for tea on Wednesday, it was fantastic to listen to them chatting in the TV room playing on Xbox, the laughter was unbelievable, its great to see him forging stronger friendships.

Another Rocking moment was catching up with my sister by phone, she's busy doing assignments for her 2nd year at uni and I haven't had a proper catch up in ages so it was good to have a proper chat with her.

Thursday well it's been a funny old day weather wise and said 12 year old has been on a geography field trip but managed to dodge all but two rain showers.  He was however, very low when he got in as one of the girls he's got to know really well has decided to move to a different school, he was quite teary when he got in, but held it together at school and why has this made my Rocking list, because it means he can still be emotional and have a good cry and tell his Mum and Dad, when he needs to.

And now I have a day off to look forward to on Friday - mmmm now what can I get up to?

I hope your week has had some silver linings and positive moments to make it that bit special, it's always amazing when you look back at how many positives exist in our lives if only we would take note of them.  If you fancy joining us in our Rocking post then just pop a post together, come back, link up and we'll come and visit, we love new people to join in, it doesn't have to be every week, it doesn't have to be a long write up like mine, bullet points are fine, if it reminds you then that's what counts and it doesn't have to be on a Friday !

I'll leave you with a layout, because I can this one the closing stageset of Macbeth that we saw and were naughty getting a quick photo at the end after all the actors had left the stage - Macbeth's head on a stick (very apt given the macabre castle) and then said 12 year old's lego version!

Mr Linky for my fellow rockers and rockettes