The Journal's Graeme Whitfield takes you behind the headlines in his newsroom blog »
Environment campaigner Anna Heywood writes on ethical living »
Malcolm Clarke on life as a professional pool player »
David Brennan from the website Enjoying Photography writes about how to take good photos »
Emily Sillar, from the Comfort Food Company on North-East food »
Write Said Fred - view from the pram with six-month-old Fred Telfer »
Rebecca Young finds fashion on a budget »
Local GP John Mackay writes about the NHS »
Mark Robertson of the Northumber-
Tom Dodds on transport matters »Brenda Boyd
A better class of heckle
Posted by Brenda Boyd on July 7, 2008 8:15 PM
Getting wet in Wallsend on Saturday reminded me of the time Tyne Bridge danced at the Durham Folk Party a couple of years ago….
Continue reading "A better class of heckle" »
- Post to:
del.icio.us
Digg
Newsvine
Nowpublic
Reddit
Wet in Wallsend
Posted by Brenda Boyd on July 6, 2008 3:45 PM
Yesterday Tyne Bridge Morris danced at Wallsend Festival for the first time. It was also Miss Ecograd’s first dance out at a proper booking (not counting May Day morning and Mrs Quilt’s Diamond Do). Our first spot was at 1.15pm outside Woolworths so we arranged to meet at a quarter to – this makes sure everyone is there and ready to go at the start of the spot. I parked near the Town Hall and, carrying the garland bags, stick bags and my own kit bag, walked through the funfair part of the festival to Woolies. I had my umbrella but didn’t need to put it up. Miss Ecograd arrived first, followed gradually by everyone else who had signed up for the booking.
The Town Centres Manager came over resplendent in Barbour jacket and hat and said we could dance anywhere in the street we liked. It started to drizzle but two security lads volunteered to hold golf umbrellas over our musicians as they don’t like getting their instruments wet. Banjoman gets very concerned about rusty strings.
Continue reading "Wet in Wallsend" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Foot in Mouth 3: “So sharp you’ll cut yourself”
Posted by Brenda Boyd on June 22, 2008 7:01 PM
My late mother (r.i.p.) was blessed with a very quick wit, and cursed with children who inherited it. On the rare occasions when one of us came back with a reply she had no answer to her final word (and Mother always had the final word) would be “Watch out, one day you’ll be so sharp you’ll cut yourself.”
She was right.
The prim and easily shocked should read no further. Although as my oldest best friend Siân’s mother used so say “All is pure to the pure.”
Continue reading "Foot in Mouth 3: “So sharp you’ll cut yourself”" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Foot in Mouth 2: Your slip's showing
Posted by Brenda Boyd on June 13, 2008 10:09 AM
I will admit that I regularly engage my mouth before putting my brain into gear (as my oldest best friend Siân says). Here are more examples – in all cases I was drinking lime and soda. The prim and easily shocked should read no further.
Continue reading "Foot in Mouth 2: Your slip's showing" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Foot in Mouth 1
Posted by Brenda Boyd on May 30, 2008 8:55 AM
Having commented on Mrs Quilt’s innumerate moment at practice a while ago, I will admit that I regularly engage my mouth before putting my brain into gear (as my oldest best friend Siân says). Here are a couple of examples – in all cases I was drinking lime and soda.
The prim and easily shocked should read no further.
Although as Siân’s mother used to say “All is pure to the pure.”
Continue reading "Foot in Mouth 1" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Morris Golfers?
Posted by Brenda Boyd on May 25, 2008 7:24 PM
Yesterday Fester, the boys and I went for a day out to Whitby on the train. We returned via the Esk Valley line and then the line from Middlesbrough to Newcastle via Sunderland. This takes you along the coast for much of the way. Looking out of the window I noticed a fairly barren, windblown links golf course and wondered why on earth anyone would want to be out there trying to knock a small ball into a slightly larger hole.
“You know” I commented to Fester “I can never see the attraction of golf.”
“Well” he replied “I don’t suppose many golfers see the attraction of morris dancing.”
Continue reading "Morris Golfers?" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Return of the Dragon
Posted by Brenda Boyd on May 17, 2008 11:05 PM
Today Tyne Bridge danced at Sedgefield Medieaval Fayre. Lovely booking but with the worst dancing surface I know of. The Squire was at a Rugby Club Ball last night so didn’t sign up for the booking, as she knew she’d have a hangover, so the Deputy Squire was in charge.
In our first spot we did turn and turn about with Black Sheep Morris. We started with Churchtown, followed by Rose & Crown, Goostrey and Mobberley. As the middle two were six person dances I got the dragon out and worked the crowd frightening small children. Whilst we were doing Mobberley I noticed a man looking at us and smiling. Later, as we were sitting outside the Dun Cow drinking beer in the drizzle, he approached us and asked if we could do him a favour. Deputy Squire gave me the “We’ve got a right one here” look. But he seemed harmless so we humoured him.
Continue reading "Return of the Dragon" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Penguin History
Posted by Brenda Boyd on May 12, 2008 8:00 PM
Yesterday was the Squire’s birthday so I popped down with her gifts – a cuddly penguin back pack and a cuddly penguin cd holder - with which she was delighted. We have been exchanging penguin type gifts since we were flatmates in 1982 and this is why.
Continue reading "Penguin History" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
May Day Morning
Posted by Brenda Boyd on May 4, 2008 2:29 PM
Dancing at Dawn on Town Moor on May Day morning went well.
It was quite an occasion as it was 30 years since the first dance (we believe), Bodhranman’s 25th consecutive May Day morning, twenty years since Mrs Leftfooter first came along and Number Two Son’s first attendance.
Continue reading "May Day Morning" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Dancing for St George
Posted by Brenda Boyd on April 29, 2008 4:41 PM
The dance out on Sunday went very well – despite the occasional drizzle.
All the teams turned up, and everyone in Tyne Bridge who said they would. Even Madame Fifi who rang me at about 10.30 to ask what we were going to do if it rained. She gets Guitarman in and out of his wheelchair so it wasn’t an unreasonable question.
Baltic Square is one of the best places to dance on Tyneside. It is flat, sheltered by the Baltic and the Tyne gorge and faces west . In the afternoon it is quite a suntrap. There is an excellent backdrop of the Sage, the bridges and Newcastle Quayside. The Millennium Bridge, and Q-buses, bring a steady stream of visitors who almost all stop to have a look. The steps up to the road even provide seating for the audience. The Baltic itself has toilets and a café where thirsty dancers can acquire water, coffee or even lunch. There is also good (if expensive) parking nearby with exceedingly enthusiastic parking attendants. On a sunny afternoon it is almost perfect.
Continue reading "Dancing for St George" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Morris Media Tart
Posted by Brenda Boyd on April 23, 2008 12:51 PM
As I have worked in public relations (sorry Graeme my secret is out) whenever there’s an event coming up I do a press release and email it out to all and sundry.
Next Sunday, 27th April from noon until 2.30pm, seven traditional dance teams from all over Tyneside will be dancing for St George outside the Baltic from 12 noon until 2.30pm. The organiser sent me the list of teams (Addison Rapper, Clog and Children, Hexham Morris Men, Hexhamshire Lasses, Short Circuit and Tyne Bridge Morris) while we were away on holiday in Wales. So I didn’t get the release emailed out until yesterday lunchtime. But yesterday afternoon I got a ‘phone call from a very nice girl at BBC Radio Newcastle asking if I’d like to go on the Mike Parr Show to talk about St George’s Day.
So first thing this morning, while boys got their own breakfast, I put on kit, got out a garland and the dragon, threw my clog bag into the boot of the car and set off to the Pink Palace. The gentleman on reception was quite surprise to see a female morris dancer walk in with a large red dragon over her shoulder.
Continue reading "Morris Media Tart" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Goodnight sweetheart
Posted by Brenda Boyd on April 11, 2008 10:57 PM
I never intended getting a replacement cat after Tiddles died; Matilda was perfectly content to be a single cat. But constant nagging from the boys and a trip to a pet shop in North Shields put an end to that.
A little black scrap of a thing (with white toes, bib and whiskers) climbed out of the manageress’ arms onto mine, looked deep into my heart with her navy-blue boot-button eyes and I was lost. We called her Kitty and she loved us. If anyone was in the house she was always in the same room, preferably within a few feet, purring like a motorbike. She perfected climbing up onto Fester’s shoulders (shirt or no shirt) to bully him into giving her cheese slices. She gave affection generously but on her own terms; grabbing your hand to lick it, and holding fingers and knuckles in her mouth. It only hurt if you tried to pull away.
Continue reading "Goodnight sweetheart" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Chateau Midden: chat aux bain
Posted by Brenda Boyd on April 6, 2008 10:18 PM
Every night the boys have a bath. One son goes in, followed by the other and finally Fester. As they all bathe each night they never get particularly dirty, and neither does the water. The bath gets topped up with hot for each new occupant.
Tonight Number One son decided to have his bath quite early so it was left unattended for a little while. After drying his hair, he went downstairs. Number Two was on the computer in the office. Fester and I were lying on the bed watching Top Gear.
Suddenly there was a great KER-SPLOOSH.
“Hippo” said Fester.
Continue reading "Chateau Midden: chat aux bain" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
The Diamond Do
Posted by Brenda Boyd on April 6, 2008 4:58 PM
Well Mrs Quilt’s Diamond birthday do went off well – Deo gratias (as my old mum used to say).
I bumped into lots of people I hadn't seen in years, and discovered that there are people out there who actually read this. Not all of them people I've emailed about it!
No accidents or injuries in the dancing, as far as I know. Which is good as it was Miss Ecograd’s first dance out with Tyne Bridge. Mr Ecograd accompanied her and Banjoman did his best to persuade him to come along to practices and play concertina. Mr Ecograd declined on the grounds he isn’t good enough yet.
Continue reading "The Diamond Do" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
“Get that dragon off!”
Posted by Brenda Boyd on March 30, 2008 10:51 AM
It’s not a call you hear every day (unless you’re into fantasy gaming), especially in Morpeth, even during the Gathering.
It happened like this …
Last Thursday at Tyne Bridge practice the Squire was working out how many and which dancers were coming to Morpeth Gathering. and who would be dancing where in the Procession. Our current processional dance is Churchtown. It can be done by 8 or more dancers, but it really has to be an even number. The team progresses in a column of two abreast – in other words in couples. It was agreed that if we had an even number of dancers I would dance – and if we had an odd number I would be the dragon.
This is the point where children and childlike adults should stop reading as it will spoil the magic for them.
Continue reading "“Get that dragon off!”" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Chateau Midden: cordless ‘phone
Posted by Brenda Boyd on March 27, 2008 7:52 PM
Tyne Bridge Morris has our first dance out of 2008 this Saturday at Morpeth Gathering. Number Two Son has just reminded me of something that happened at Morpeth Gathering a couple of years ago.
Tyne Bridge Morris’ kit comprises blue skirt and waistcoat, white blouse, black tights and clogs and red sash. Some of us are fortunate enough to have big blue woolly jackets to match. As Morpeth can be chilly (it will be this year) I normally take mine to wear when we’re not dancing. I always put my kit on (except clogs) before going to a booking as I can’t be bothered to find places to change – or to carry extra clothing.
However much information I hand/email out, and however often they are told, before most bookings someone will always ‘phone me to check on times, meeting places or whatever. Invariably when I’m upstairs putting tights onto freshly showered legs.
Continue reading "Chateau Midden: cordless ‘phone" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Numeracy
Posted by Brenda Boyd on March 23, 2008 7:42 PM
Tyne Bridge had an excellent practice this Thursday evening with 12 dancers turning up.
This allowed us to practice the double Rose & Crown for Mrs Quilt’s birthday do and go through most dances twice.
In the case of Goostrey we had two entirely different sets. The first was made up mostly of old hands who know the dance and their positions well. The second included novices and those who had moved positions in order to accommodate people who need to learn a particular position.
The Deputy Squire went up to the set to explain some finer details but was stopped short by Mrs Quilt, who held up a magisterial hand saying:-
“Excuse me – but we’ve got seven people out of place here!”
Goostrey is, of course, a six person dance.
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Chateau Midden: Flying Pig
Posted by Brenda Boyd on March 19, 2008 1:21 PM
I’m the first to admit that I am not the world’s best housewife.
I particularly hate doing the stairs. The hoover has not been invented that will do the job properly. The main bit is too big and the attachment only sucks and doesn’t sweep. There’s also the pain of pulling the whole thing up behind you. Or the danger of leaving it at the top of the stairs and waiting for it to topple and descend onto you when you’re half way down. So I end up doing them with a handbrush, which takes ages but means they're done properly.
Continue reading "Chateau Midden: Flying Pig" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Reverend Paisley
Posted by Brenda Boyd on March 4, 2008 10:42 PM
Hearing on the News at Ten that the Reverend Ian Paisley is stepping down reminded me of an incident with a fellow Catholic friend of mine a few years ago when the boys were small.
Continue reading "Reverend Paisley" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Ooh Err Mrs
Posted by Brenda Boyd on March 1, 2008 4:25 PM
Last night I finally managed to prize off a pair of speakers my late husband Phil had fixed to wall above the kitchen door. They used to be linked to the music centre in the living room so we could listen to cd’s whilst washing up or cooking. They ceased to function after Number One Son turned the volume up to 11 when he was a toddler. After the best part of two decades the adhesive pads had finally degraded sufficiently to pull the speakers off the wall and cut away the redundant cables.
Continue reading "Ooh Err Mrs" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
Tyne Bridge Morris AGM
Posted by Brenda Boyd on February 29, 2008 12:04 PM
It was TyneBridge’s Morris' Annual General Meeting last night when officers of the team make their reports and are 'elected', dancers commit to bookings and various bits of team business and affairs are discussed (sadly not those sort of affairs).
Continue reading "Tyne Bridge Morris AGM" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg
- Newsvine
- Nowpublic
- Reddit
They know you know
Posted by Brenda Boyd on February 14, 2008 9:10 AM
This weekend, being the start of half term, we are due to drive down to the land of my fathers for the week. The day before yesterday I tried to start my ten year old Skoda Felicia but was unable to get the key in the ignition. The kindly AA man (got bless them) told me the steering/ignition lock had fallen in on itself, it was due to old age, he’d seen it before and he’d try to get the key in and get it started for me. With WD40 and a picklock he succeeded in pushing the tumblers into place and inserting the key.
Continue reading "They know you know" »
- Post to:
- del.icio.us
- Digg