Hello February !

The month of February already upon us ! it is flying by, this week has been as crazy as every

Monday started

Hospital visit with DOUGIE for check up in Basingstoke , all good news on that front !

then the fab Izzy came and we went through work projects , So started getting the ball rolling !

Dentist on Tuesday , then met Judy in Winchester for Lunch at the Ivy , lovely but froze my butt off sitting out side .. Didnt warm up for the rest of the day … worked on costumes for Bor productions , Nice long chat with BF… I treasure our friendship… put me in good stead and a good place … Wednesday flowers arrived how that puts a smile on my face I love flowers ! Got Dougie ready for Zoom meeting re the platitium Jubilee

Lisa popped around and we worked on the Bor productions .. Thursday went to Kingston see Steve Bor and Sara went through costumes and orders for the ships so that was good…

Friday upon us and told Dougie we were going out … but Sara,Sandy and Kirsty popped down to see us lovely afternoon…armed with flowers LOVE IT ! the girls are just fabulous … Sandy prepared Dougie’s cake the big one is upon us he will be 90 ! ..

Caught up with” AND JUST LIKE THAT ‘ well Im a fan … love the style and fashion and love SJP that dress on the bridge in Paris just stunning …. the end of the season of it was just perfect for me .. although I knew that was going to happen from episode 1…. he is just to handsome for words …. lol… please I hope they make a season 2 !!!!

Watched all the creative presentation of winter Olympics some lovely beautiful and really creative moments technology is just mind blowing with what you can do …

So its Saturday a beautiful dawn, and a catch up day !

CHAMPNEYS TRING !

JUST HAD A FABULOUS WEEKEND AT CHAMPNEY’S IN TRING !

I WAS INVITED TO GIVE FOUR CLASSES OF DANCE OVER THE WEEKEND …

THE CLASSES WENT WELL AND THE LADIES HAD A GOOD TIME !! ( WELL THEY SAID THEY DID !)

FAB STUDIO TO DANCE IN…. FROM THE STAFF,THE FOOD THE AMBIENCE THE TREAMENTS IT REALLY LIVES UP TO ITS NAME …

44 years together !

A special memory day we took the plunge with a ceremony about 16years ago and celebrating this year 44 years together lol!

How can this be lol xxx and they said it wouldn’t last !

JANUARY!

The new year is upon us…. loads of things to do so get motivated Mr Johns

that I am finding very hard to do….

lovely flowers from Reece and Scott that brought a huge smile to my face ….

some beautiful sunrises on these chilly mornings .. progress on Dougie is good

had meetings re costumes for Windsor and Bor productions a nice trip to Windsor ..

just need to get on with it !

Jeff and Robert took us for lunch at the Mayfly which was such a fun super lunch…

sweet flowers from Ashleigh and Mark a little drama on the 3rd set they have resent .. a long story ..

flowers from Michael and Emma … remembering dear Wei wei on her birthday …. How lucky we are !

NEW YEAR!

SO a quick trip to Western Super Mare for the quickest choreography ever New year show

it went well and i was back on the rd at 5pm to get home …. Lisa came and sat with Dougie so all plans worked ! by 10 pm i was exhausted so didnt see the new year in lol!

I wonder what this year will bring…. Hope i guess …. be healthy happy and full of love and kindness x

CHRISTMAS ...

It was great to have Dougie home for Christmas, So we had a nice quiet one

I did loads of cooking as everyone else did Im sure

Christmas day my brother and mum joined us to go to the Grosvenor Hotel in Stockbridge

For christmas lunch which was excellent… a totally enjoyable lunch it was just perfect ..

loved that i had no washing up to do ! then we just chilled at the cottage afterwards

so a very nice relaxed one …. xxx

London....in December

Although it was crazy the few days we were at EXCEL we crammed a lot in….

We got there the night before unload costumes and check out the venue …. how much walking lol !

then felt like we were in the middle of nowhere … we found a pizza place to eat, it was like a scene from Eastenders ! then had a few drinks at the hotel …

it all seems a blur … it went that fast think i lost a day too …

next day rehearsals went well .. all sorted by 12.30, fittings done . number done very painless ! almost worrying … but everybody seemed happy….

Lisa went back to see her dogs , Reece and I drove into London went for a lovely lunch at tower bridge and nice walk then drove in the heart of London showed Reece the London Decs Bond street looked lovely…

Then met Reece’s brother Richard Katrina Ted Frank and Winnie so lovely to see them… the kids are sweet and fun had a nice walk around Covent Garden and shared a Pizza fun…

back to the docklands …. Lisa wen to see Dougie we had a rehearsal which went very well then we all went into London for Chinese in LECIESTER SQUARE it was nice! back to the docklands ..

next morning we didnt need to be at the Excel until 3pm so we went off to Greenwich had a walk about then a got a speed boat (well it felt like one) to Southbank it was amusing had a walk about to the wheel then returned to excel …

first show went well …… so we then drove to Canary Wharf had a long walk about the place it had been years since I have been … Still impressive … then we went for a treat dinner at the Ivy which was lovely…. back to Excel for show which went down well ….

So my time was up with the Horse Show and drove back home afterwards ….

felt so empty so alone just had a couple of days with my dear friend Reece always SPECIAL to spend time with him .. so impressed how he is .. and very Proud of him and his achievements

Lovely to spend time with Lisa too .. HOW LUCKY I AM XXX

CHURCH DECS...

I was asked if I wanted to do decs at our local church in one of the windows …

oh yes I said …. when will I ever learn lol…

I think i got a little carried away … moi ! lol xxx

ROYAL HORSE SHOW AT EXCEL

This year was very different, normally the Horse show is at Olympia where it has been for donkey’s years!

but this year it was taken to Excel right the other side of London… (Olympia was so easy to get to for us from Wherwell … So the Journey there and back and did quite a few times was horrendous 3 hours each way !!!

so Im not going to winge !!!

But I have to applaud Simon Brooks Ward and Nic Brooks Ward and the whole team at HORSE POWER

FOR PUTTING ON SUCH A LARGE SCALE EVENT PRODUCTION ! plus during these times amazing ….

Excel is massive and catered very well for the event from my eyes …. All seemed to go very well despite the covid etc. every one did a grand job,….

We were only a small part of the event the Christmas finale not on such a large scale as previous years but we had a super group of performer dancers from BIRDS COLLEGE OF PERFORMING ARTS IN SYDCUP

they were just fab, got into the swing of things and performed really well , they were so animated a joy to watch ….. so a huge thanks to Luis and all his team at Birds

also although it was brief great to work with Reece and Lisa just the best x

CHRISTMAS PARTIES !

A crazy week of putting on Christmas parties all over the country !

Great working with David and Tony of @Impact Artists, so nice to do shows for such caring kind guys .

Always enjoy working with them … could of done without the driving !!!

from Cardiff ICC, to Southampton,Syon park, Ardingly, Maidstone ,Western Super Mare

Big BIG Thank You to all the dancers ,special Thanks to Suzanne,Nikki,Jo and Jonny @wilkesacademy

For the amazing Jackie Travers and Joan Golden for being fabulous !

Dougie...

Dougie unfortunately at the end of November was taken in to hospital ,it was a very stressing time what with the new covid going around and for the first time in ages work was a foot . So I was running around all over the place….I was fortunate to get to the hospital everyday to see him to take him food lol and johns beauty treatments … he was in a nice ward with very nice staff so it was very helpful being able to see him even when I shouldn’t off Dougie was in for nearly 4 weeks , bless him and fought all the viruses he had …. he was desperate to get home , which he did just before Christmas but had to take him in every day till 30th for his antibiotics ( that was harsh) and so the healing and care has really bucked him up no end … just had a trip to hospital in Jan and all is good news ….apart from walking … he is back to being himself …

I must say i had great support from friends and family so a heart felt thanks X

I couldn’t of gone through it without you… especially Lisa,Reece ….. x

just make as my favourite song writer sang Peter Allen ‘making every moment count “

FAREWELL TO MY DAD

A DAY OF REFLECTION SAYING FAREWELL TO OUR FATHER IVAN…

IT WAS A LOVELY SERVICE AT PORCHESTER CONDUCTED BY MALCOLM WHO WAS COMPASSIONATE

AND HEARFELT, I Read my speech,

IVAN TO MANY, DAD TO US CHILDREN...AND HIS FAVOURITE NAME POPPA TO ALL THE GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN 

HE WOULD BE VERY TOUCHED THAT DANIEL AND MARK RICHARDS BOYS, HAVE FLOWN OVER FROM DENMARK IN RESPECT OF RICHARD FOR IVAN. ALSO LYNDA’S  CHILDREN SPENCER AND CLAIRE BEING HERE.

IVAN WAS BORN JUNE 20TH 1928 IN GREAT YARMOUTH, 

THERE WERE 5 CHILDREN TO DAVID AND DAISY WILLIAMS 

DURING THE WAR YEARS THEY MOVED TO LONG EATON WHERE HIS FATHER WAS STATIONED A SERGEANT MAJOR IN THE ARMY, AFTER THE WAR THE FAMILY MOVED BACK  TO NORFOLK, WHERE IVAN STARTED HIS APPRENTICESHIP IN ENGINEERING  BEFORE JOINING THE  ROYAL NAVY

HE SPENT 8 YEARS IN  SERVICE ON  NUMEROUS SHIPS , WHICH HE LOVED, ESPECIALLY HIS TIME BASED IN MALTA, DURING THIS TIME HE MET OUR MOTHER DORIS  THEY MARRIED AND THE FAMILY BEGAN 

LYNDA, RICHARD WERE BORN  WHILE  HE WAS IN SERVICE, 1954 HE LEFT THE ROYAL NAVY AND  STARTED HIS LAND CAREER AT THE PORTSMOUTH EVENING NEWS WHERE HE STAYED UNTIL 1970  JANET MYSELF AND PAUL WERE BORN DURING THIS TIME . 1970 OPENED A NEWSAGENTS IN SOUTH-SEA 

BUT IN 1971 THE MARRIAGE HAD BROKEN DOWN  AND IVAN STARTED HIS REMAINING WORKING LIFE IN THE NAVAL DOCKYARD UNTIL HE RETIRED .



IVAN

A COLOURFUL CHARACTER, FULL OF FUN A WICKED SENSE OF HUMOUR SAW THE FUNNY SIDE IN EVERYTHING EVEN WHEN INAPPROPRIATE, EMBARRASSING  A CHARMER AND A HUGE FLIRT .. 

LOVED A GOOD DEBATE AS LONG AS WAS RIGHT ,TOOK PRIDE IN HIS APPEARANCE ,ACTUALLY WAS VAIN, 

WE TEASED HIM FOR HOW HIS HAIR WAS STILL NEARLY BLACK IN HIS 70’S, HIS PRIDE AND JOY AND DENIED IT BEING DYED . EVEN IN THE LAST DAYS HE WAS STILL TOUCHY ABOUT HIS HAIR . PAUL  used to joke Ivan dressed in his white jacket  was mr Delmonti .

IVAN WAS A GREAT NATURAL DANCER , HE WAS PROUD OF HIS SISTER ELAINE WHO WAS A PROFESSIONAL DANCER AND MOVED TO CANDA,WHICH OPENED THE DOOR FOR THREE OF US TO FOLLOW THE FOOT STEPS IN THE DANCING WORLD . HE SUPPORTED RICHARD AND PAUL IN THE PASSION FOR FOOTBALL,PLAYING SNOOKER  AND HIS BELOVED SPURS .. 

HE COULD BE STRICT AND IVAN’S WORD WAS THE LAST WORD ,SO WE ALWAYS HAD RESPECT FOR HIM ,HE TAUGHT US TO HAVE   A SENSE OF PRIDE IN OURSELVES,


WE ALL HAVE OUR SPECIAL MEMORIES OF HIM ...  PAUL MY BROTHER AND  I OVER THE PAST MONTH  HAVE SPOKEN FONDLY  ABOUT  DAD ,  THE FUN ..LAUGHTER and His Craziness 

ALWAYS COMES AT THE TOP OF THE LIST … A SPECIAL MAN.

On behalf of LYNDA RICHARD JANET PAUL AND MYSELF I would like to thank Terry and especially Paul Shorten for the care,Love and support they gave Ivan, 

and hope DAD is reunited with all his loved ones  Joan,Lynda and Richard 


I would like to read a poem

which I think is very much Ivan  by joyce grenfil


IF I GO BEFORE THE REST OF YOU
BREAK NOT A FLOWER NOR INSCRIBE A STONE NOR WHEN I’M GONE SPEAK IN A SUNDAY VOICE BUT BE THE USUAL SELVES I HAVE KNOWN 

WEEP IF YOU MUST PARTING IS HELL BUT LIFE GOES ON 

SO SING AS WELL .

DEAR DAD WE ALL LOVED YOU  God bless


GENERATION CHRISTMAS PARTY CLASS

CLASS CANCELED DUE TO CORNA

THE DATE IS SET DECEMBER 5th at DANCE ATTIC at 1pm till 4pm

Let the festives begin !

Back to work !

A busy week with costumes .. forgot how hard work it is getting it all prepared for hires ! but fun getting it all bagged up and sent off and then getting the Horse show and Christmas Party shows ready, which start next week so will be traveling all over the place before we start on this years Horse show which this year is at Excel

SOUP !

Have had a real spate at making Soup! every combination lol!

With the halloween over with I was given Pumpkins… so made 2 vats of the soup…

actually delicious.. mixed it with all kinds of vegetables herbs and spices move over Mary !

As I Made so much shared it with friends in the village, The one I made for Emma and Michael

in a glass jar, even drew a picture of fairy pumpkin on the label looked rather sweet with bow etc

I went to deliver walked out of house and tripped and of course smashed the bottle !

thank god I had made a lot … so the plastic containers a much safer option !

Just made cauliflower broccoli and pea soup … topped with fresh cream and lardons sough do bread !

May I should open a Soup shop !!

EVEN SONG AT WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL

At the end of a emotional day, My bruv with me we went for walk around Winchester walked to the cathedral

and always wanted to go in, A man came up to us and said why not go to the Even Song its wonderful, so we did ….

It was truly beautiful service with the magnificent Winchester Choir of male singers .a truly spiritual experience, we lite a candle for Dad .. and on leaving saw the stunning wall of crocheted Poppies for Remembrance Day.. A evening I will always remember xx

Halloween Class !

Generation Halloween class was great fun! firstly it was lovely to be back in the studio with the gang

and have a good old dance ! but the effort they made in dressing up was just fabulous !

afterwards went for coffee I think they had wine, just lovely to have a catch up and chat !

Dougie Awarded Lifetime achievement Carl Alan Award 2021

Congratulations Dougie Squires for receiving the Lifetime Achievements Award at the

Carl Alan 2021 Awards.

Congratulations to all

The nominees and winners at the Carl Alan Awards@ Chris Booth

My Dad bless him ....

Our dear Dad, Ivan who

Passed away yesterday peacefully….

My brother Paul and I spent time with him yesterday by his bedside, a touching farewell..

He was quite a character, thinking of him with fun and laughter brings a smile of joy ..

this was taken in July when we took him out …bless him … he went into care shortly after and we were humbled by the staff who were marvellous with him at the Mary Rose for the past months ….he wanted to marry all the nurses…. That was Ivan … a charmer …. So embarrassing!!! But it was the man we loved and called Dad … Hope Richard, Lynda and your Joan were there to greet you.

Thank you to Joan’s boys Paul and Terry for all the care they gave you …

All our love Dear Dad from

myself Paul , Janet, Doris & Poppa to all your grandchildren & your great grandchildren here and in Denmark

Bless you xxxx