TT3D Closer to the Edge

Back to work with a bang on Tuesday. Hit the ground running and busy busy. Nice to start with 2 short weeks. First one 3 days and then 4 days.Had our first Tuesday night dancing club which was good. Wednesday night pub quiz didn't go so well but I got minor tiddly and was good entertainment according to hubby.
Thursday night is Tribal night. Few more there this week which is great. More shimmy practise and turning with shimmy. Went straight from there to cinema to see TT3D. Boys went Tuesday to Lakeside to see it and all enjoyed it. I was going on my own but DD got her shift covered and came with me. Wasn't sure that she would enjoy it but the film is actually more about the characters than the race itself. Some wonderfully funny and some very poignant moments. Guy Martin has been a hero for some time and although not perfect (who is ?) I still think he is great and just the kind of character that you need in the sport. Few bits of stomach churning action. Conor Cummins accident being one. Don't know how he survived that one. Makes it all the more amazing to see him back on a bike again at Brands last weekend. Also didn't realise that Hutchinson had been so badly injured just a short while after being the first man to win 5 TT's in a week. Made me all the more determined to get over to the island. Not for the TT as work prevents that but could go for the Manx this year as dates line up. Phil is seeing if he can get the time off and if he can I may be booking the flight and grovelling to Gary for a bed.
Extra day off as it appears that there is a wedding on. Not that interested but happy to take the day.
Planning breakfast out over the weekend and hopefully a new computer courtesy of DS. Phils help may be required as SIL has taking up remote control car banger racing and since DS was a world champion remote control car racer a few years back (not bangers) he does have a little expertise in this area.

Brands Hatch Weekend

Our friend from the Isle of Man, Gary, had got us free passes for the BSB at Brands this weekend. We had decided to only go for Sunday and Monday. Yesterday we parked ourselves near the exit to Clearways but got so hot that we moved round to the entry side which had some shade. Today we got there early to be able to park our chairs on the fence for the best view. Certainly got that but the breeze didn't let up all day and we were actually quite cold. However the racing was excellent with wins in the BSB class to Shane Byrne and Tommy Hill. We were very pleased to have a local winner with Danny Buchan taking a hard fought win in the Superstock 1000. He was listed as living in Basildon but the commentator said he was from Maldon. He is only 17 and beat the likes of John McGuinness and Connor  Cummins, both road race legends.
Face is feeling a little tight so may have got a bit burned or could just be wind damage!
Queued for about an hour to get out of the car park today so not too bad.Waved Gary on his way.
Must seriously do something about going over to visit him. Maybe when the Manx GP is on ??

Thursday Making Bras

So today was Tribal bra making day. Three dancing friends Wendy Ruth and Mel plus baby Emily came round and we all made a really good start on our bra's.Tribal bras are heavily embellished with coins, shells and various trimmings. I bought a large piece of jewellery, to put in the middle of mine, when the kids took me to Camden for mothers day. Everyone bought something yummy to eat so a good day all round.
 Beginners tribal tonight with the lovely Deana and we did a fair bit of shimmy work so my legs are aching now.
Have started to look at cameras to replace my broken one. Find it hard to know what I am looking at.

Tollesbury

Have been meaning for some time to take a trip down to Tollesbury. Ever since it featured on the TV Restoration programme. Since one of our current favourite things to do is to have breakfast out we decided to call in at the Heybridge Basin for breakfast at the Lock.

Went there recently with the kids and breakfast was good. Well they say that it is waitress service which would have been good if we had got it but people were coming in from outside and ordering at the counter and we got ignored ,so we left.

Tootled on down to Tollesbury and parked near the industrial estate. You have to go through the estate to get to the Marina. There was a little cafe there and by this time we were ravenous. Those of you that know my husband will realise that this is a dangerous state to be in. He had a full English I just had toast. He said the breakfast was one of the best he had ever had and it was all excellent value for money. We were watching the chef there and he was taking great care over everything. So we recommend this little cafe if ever in Tollesbury.There is also a cracking little bakery in the village too.

After a little light food shopping we ( we meaning mainly Phil) tackled weeding the patio. Then pub quiz time. Didn't do very well this week. Looking forward to tomorrow as I have some friends coming over to make tribal bras.

I  think I lead a healthily varied life

So Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March and some of April

Big event in October was daughters wedding. Had a great time from the party bus til the end. She looked amazing he looked amazing the bridesmaids looked amazing. Was a great day.And what about that cake. Spectacular and so them I loved it.
Sadly Phil's Mum was taken ill  during the day and have to thank Laura and Donna for all their help

 Sad news was that just a few weeks later our old neighbour Gary (pictured above with his partner Sue) passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly.

Jen and Jake flew off on their Egyptian honeymoon and 2 days later Peter and Jess flew back from their (delayed) honeymoon in the Maldives.

So to November, went  to see Armstrong and Miller at Southend. Had my birthday.  Our gift from Jen and Jake  at their wedding was tickets to see UB40 at Southend and was a pure coincidence that this happened on my birthday. Fantastic night!!!!!!

Should have had my long awaited op but it didn't happen. 12hours wait to be told 'no bed'

Did Richard box workshop.

End of month and Snow!!!

Operation happened on Dec 1st heavy snow outside but all went well. Went back to school for just a couple of days before Christmas break.

Went to see The Blockheads at Colchester. Another stonkingly good night.

January we popped down to Brighton for a spot of shopping and the Brighton Tattoo convention

February

Went to see Fairport Convention at Colchester. They were a bit subdued I thought but still good and they did the entire Babbacome Lee album which I had not heard them do before.

Went to Textiles in Focus  at Cottenham and for the first time did a workshop. Margaret taught one as well.

March

Went to see an amazing dance show at Rochford. The ATS belly dancing that I am learning was formulated by American Carolena Nericcio. She came over here to do some training and an evening of dance was arranged so us mere mortals could watch the creator at work. I have to say although she was totally breathtaking I most enjoyed the sister studios dancing together. For me this was Tribal as it should be.

March also had the Essex Tattoo Expo at the Brentwood centre and I worked on the Tattoos Only mag stall with my daughter. This is always a great day and I bumped into a few old friends and made a few new ones.

Towards the end of the month Tribal Unity organised a charity hafla for the people of Egypt. Always a bit nerve wracking dancing in front of those that can really do it but a great night nevertheless. And I won a record amount of raffle prizes which was a first for me.

Phil went off to Jerez to watch MotoGP and it rained!

Meanwhile in the sunshine of Camden market I had the best mothers day ever with my two children and their respective partners.

Camden probably not the place it used to be but good fun anyway and I managed to spend a bit.

On to April.

Phoenix hafla and the last of Wendy teaching us. :{

When we go back it will be a dance club. I hope people support it.

Did only my second ever workshop at Hylands House 'Inspired by Kantha' and have completed my elephant piece.

Met some colleagues old and new for coffee and a catch up and now looking forward to a day out with hubby . Tollesbury I think. Then some of my dancing buds coming over to have a Tribal bra making day which should be fun

Phew ! That's all caught up then

OK so it's not that then

So it is obviously not the pics that stops me from blogging it must just be me.
Anyhoo I broke my camera so even if I wanted to take pics I couldn't