Old pics of our cottage

I was sent old pics from the 1920’s of our cottage and pics of the village

how lovely to see them, the cottage has stand its time i believe built around 1667!

the first two pics are our cottage x

Old Pics show up!

Love it when old pics of memories show up … always nice to remember …. the good and the bad lol !

The Fox Crawley Hants

In a village which is charming and lovely not far from us is the Fox Why I haven’t been before is crazy

friends of James Martin he always mentions it on his tv programmes they also have a fish and chips place in Winchester under the Town Hall so will have to try that too now … just excellent place for dinning…. the food the atmosphere the staff were all fabulous !

62!

62 well did that happen….. celebrated my birthday with family and dear friend Reece who came down from Blackpool, we went for a lovely lunch at the Peat and Spade in a nearby village ,very nice indeed !

relaxed in afternoon before going out to EAT again at MR SO in Winchester love the food there!

So a really nice chilled day

I was over whelmed by the lovely cards sent and the amazing amount of messages on social media, very heart warming and touching, feel very humbled

Also the lovely gifts and flowers is just so kind and really appreciated… im a lucky man to know such kind generous people that are dear friends

Storm weekend !

Well that was a storm and a half ! supposed to teach at Champneys Liphook on the Saturday

But our Rds were down with trees and we had a POWERCUT for 30 hours that was a shock to the system !

but fortunately went to Champneys on the Saturday night which was heaven ! HEATING lights ! a god send ..

classes went well the next day but glad to get home to warm house with lights !

DOUGIE 90!!!

Dougie marked his 90th birthday ! amazing … it was a week long birthday ! and all the surprises he knew nothing about ! and actually ran all very smoothly…. it started on the 11th Feb Tea at the Ritz with Biggins and Neil just fabulous … its everything thats so English dougie loved the surprise then trending to go the wrong way found our selves outside the Beauchamp Hotel in Bedford place to be greeted by Reece and Don and Taerry another surprise , Reece treated us to the weekend how fabulous … had a lovely room and I do love that hotel , Brings back fond memories , we then went to Imperial China in lyle street for Chinese with Judy joining us, food was fab we had so much of it ! So a fun night , next day breakfast in Covent Garden beautiful blue skies but cold … Lunch at Joe Allans then surprise party at Geoffs and Richard’s, who kindly hosted a surprise party for his lord ship… lovely friends there Judy, Freddie Maggie,Joe,Billy,Paul,Robert,Pat,Lisa,Nic,Simon,Sophie,

Reece ,Terry and Don a lovely evening with nice food and drinks so a special Thanks to Geoff and Richard ..

next day Breakfast at Balthazar and on to dance attic for a Generation Class All still a surprise to Dougie

Lovely to be back in a studio with our chums and we celebrated with a fabulous cake from Sandy HSamilton Benttes and champagne from Keeley Scott …so a fun day day

On his actual Birthday 16th went to The Grey Hound in Stock Bridge with Emma and Michael excellent food

then the 17th met up with GEORGES /BISHOPS at the May fly for a great get together …

so the celebrations were fun … just exhausted !!!

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 “