Experiencing British Music, the Thames and the Tate Modern ...

First of all, a big HELLO to those lovely people at http://www.whoogaboots.co.uk who will hopefully pick this blog to win some boots for my eldest daughter ...



Yesterday Charlotte had a non-pupil day at school, so I took the day off so we could go out and do something (Bethany having been reassured that I'd do the same on her non-pupil day). So we decided to go to the British Music Experience at the O2.

So at 09:52 we were at the station waiting for the train to London. (and you lovely people at
http://www.whoogaboots.co.uk please note the fake boots my daughter is wearing; she'd love a 'proper' pair ...!)

After a bit of mucking about on trains (Going into London then straight back out again) we made it to the incredibly empty O2.
Empty apart from the barriers in front of the main entrance to the arena - bearing in mind it was just gone 11am, there were already 20 or 30 people sat on the floor waiting for the doors to open for the Green Day performance that evening. The doors didn't open until 7pm.

The British Music Experience was round round the back of the O2, so after a 10 minute walk past all the restaurants (Charlotte making a careful note of where she wanted lunch) we finally found the place.

But before going in we took the opportunity to pose with some of the promo exhibits ...


As for the BME itself, we were lucky with our timing as we got to play in the Gibson Interactive Lounge before the masses arrived, so I played lots of Gibson guitars whilst Charlotte recorded some songs in the vocal booth and laid down some drum tracks ...:

There were numerous exhibits of interest, Charlotte being rather taken by the stage outfits from the Spice Girls, Leona Lewis, Adele and many others, whereas I more interested in the handwritten lyrics to New Order's 'Blue Monday' and this ...:

Paul Weller's Rickenbacker from his time in The Jam (And that's Robbie Williams' acoustic guitar from Knebworth in the bottom right). Noel Gallagher's Union Jack Epiphone was also there along with a Hofner violin bass that was presented to Paul McCartney in 1964 but never actually played - Weller's was the pick of the bunch though.

After lunch in Frankie and Benny's where my starter didn't turn up - 8 people in the place, how they'd do in a rush I dread to think, we went and got the Thames Clipper back into central London.
Heading back up the river we passed Canary Wharf (Or 'Torchwood Tower' for all you Doctor Who fans)
And then under Tower Bridge (Where we pulled faces at the person the bridge taking photos)

And then past HMS Belfast:

And finally arriving at The Tate Modern (Where it was very sunny):

The Tate used to be a power station, so the main exhibition hall is called the Turbine Room (As that's where the turbines were kept). I love that room ... Every year they have a new art installation - the first time I visited the Tate the installation was an enourmous crack in the floor (http://outofmeed.blogspot.com/2008/02/weird-japanese-guy.html for details). The last installation was a load of bunk beds ... And now it's Miroslaw Balka's 'How It Is': (http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/unilevermiroslawbalka/default.shtm)

Frankly, I think it looks like Darth Vader's garage.

It's pitch black when you walk inside and you have no idea where the end wall is - least you wouldn't if people weren't using their mobiles to see where they were going ... Charlotte and I both had dark clothing on so blended into the background quite nicely.

By this point Charlotte was flagging, so we walked over the Millienium Bridge and back to Liverpool Street to get the train home.

Bethany quite fancies the boat ride, but isn't that keen on Darth Vader's garage ...

And bye to to those lovely people at http://www.whoogaboots.co.uk, have a wonderful week ..!

Charlotte wants UGG boots ... so ...

High school is tough when you're 11 ... All the girls want UGG boots and Charlotte wants to fit in (And wants them). She knows that's who you are not what you wear, but she does like the boots!
I was the same at her age with Nike Cortez and the Fila tracksuit I wanted, never got them though.

But! Then again when I was 11 was 25 years ago, in the days before the internet being a global toy and before those nice people at Whooga (http://www.whoogaboots.co.uk) running a competition where if you display their badge you could win a pair of boots.

So ....












Lovely people at Whooga (http://www.whoogaboots.co.uk) please make my daughter's day and send her some boots! You'll earn the warm glow from a job well done.

Look! I'm on the tele!

Ipswich vs Newcastle United, yesterday afternoon ... Players are coming out onto the pitch and the BBC cameras pan across the South Stand. Brother-in-law Matt, mutual mate Russ and I are in the top right of the shot. 30 seconds later we get a phone-call from the mother-in-law to say she saw us on the tele!

That was the highlight of the day ... Ipswich promptly lost 0-4.

A picture says a 1000 words ...

Found this during the week and to be honest, plan on framing it. I love how Bethany jumps from subject to subject, and how Mia's dad is a viking and the description of Jackson. Oh, and how her sister is sick in the car ...

New additions ...

Bethany and Charlotte have goldfish ... And after long consideration their names are 'Rosetta' (Bethany's one) and 'B.F.G - Big friendly goldfish' (Charlotte's). This was after Sparkle, Sunshine, JLC(?) and numerous other girlie names were discarded.

Bethany took the whole getting a goldfish thing very seriously, getting a book on them out of the school library and writing down what to look for when she went to choose them at the pet shop.
She assisted in setting up the tank making sure the gravel was just right, and even released the fish into their new home. Apparently they were dancing along to 'Strictly Come Dancing' last night, but she was anything but impressed when she spotted the fish going to the toilet ...

And, thanks to my friend Sally (Haven't spoken to her in probably 20 years, but Facebook strikes again!) I've learnt a new Photoshop method and am now desaturating all my photos before putting a splash of colour back in ...

I'm fit and I know it ... *ahem*

Believe it or not, this is one half of my 'tidy' garages ... Mia and I went on a clear-up and mouse-killing crusade a couple of weeks back, which meant I could see my gym equipment, and as I can see it I'm using it.

So at the front left, you have the rowing machine, then the treadmill (With the 'Bryan and the BeachBums' inflatable beachbum in front of it), next to that is the multi-gym, and then the exercise bike. Out of shot is the Nordic skier and the thing for doing sit-ups with which I can never get to work properly.

So after 5 days of gym (Well 4 as Tuesday was a rest day, but I did have to run for the train after the football and gave myself a calf strain due to not warming up) how do I feel? Surprisingly not bad. But then I still can't do more than 5 minutes on the treadmill without black spots appearing in front of my eyes, and the sit-ups are painful - but eventually it'll be worth it.

Providing I don't fill the garage up with junk again ...

We're going on a walk, and you WILL enjoy it ...

Back in the day Bethany and Charlotte used to love going for a long walk on a Sunday afternoon ... Back in the day Jackson the dog used to love going for a long walk on a Sunday afternoon ... That day has passed. The girls have discovered the joys of PS3, Nintendo DS, iPod, laptop, and Disney channel, so I have to drag them out ... Jackson has discovered the joy of sleeping, but is easier to drag out as he's on a lead ...


Today we went somewhere different for our walk. Over the White Bridge that separates Essex from Suffolk, along the side of the Stour, under the rail bridge, and round to the left where last week I found a 'Hide' ...


After much playing with the various flaps around the hide and seeing what was out of each one, we decided to walk further along the mudflats and look at the wrecked boats we had spotted out on the left.
I've been wanting to get round to these boats for awhile, as I see them each time I get the train to Ipswich for the football. So, after carefully negotiating the rabbit holes and things with big thorns in (Got me on the way, and the way back) we got up and close to the blue wreck. I'm guessing it caught on fire at some point ...

We did however spot the River Stour Monster ...

Then back for the walk back home, stopping to look at the boats on the river now that the sluice gates were opening up and letting the water back in.

A 90 minute walk, 2 tired girls, 1 exhausted dog. and a Dad happy to have spent time with his daughters.