I keep having this same dream, and it was only when I was half awake/half asleep on Sunday morning, having this dream again, that I realised its significance. I’m fairly certain I’ve had this same dream 3 or 4 times now.

Do you all know what ‘users dreams’ are? It’s basically when you dream about doing something you’ve given up, and the dream is so real that you wake up having experienced all the same feelings you did when you were a ‘user’. I get them about once every 3 or 4 months, and they normally involve me being around people doing drugs, and I wake up sweating with my heart beating so hard, I could swear it might burst out of my chest.

So I cannot decide if this dream I keep having is a variant on a ‘users dream’, or just some residual post-process feelings – perhaps to do with my dark side, or missing that depressive cloud.

The dream involves me feeling threatened, like something is chasing me or is coming – in my head, it is always a monster of some sort, of a catastrophic event. I find myself panicking and looking for a place to hide, and normally find solace in a bush, a group of trees, or something to that effect. It’s quite a short, but very powerful dream, and in the times I have had it – probably all within the last month or so – I have woken up physically scared.

I just can’t decide what it is my unconscious mind is scared of.

After (regrettably) missing Friday night’s Hoffman support meeting, Saturday was ‘Go Ape!’ day.

The day began with a drive down to Thames Ditton to pick up Dom, (and have a quick chat with Marcus) before making my way to Bracknell. (Is there a more English name for a town than that?)

After throwing some food down me – I was starving – we were strapped into harnesses, and given half an hour’s instruction on being constantly secured to posts, how to make all the drops were to endure, and how to generally finish the park’s 5 courses without killing ourselves – which kind of drove home the enormity of what were about to do.

The first, practice course, wasn’t too bad. Climb a rope ladder, walk across something, quick swing onto a rope net and then slide down a long rope until you hit some woodchips, hopefully landing feet first so you don’t get them all down your jeans, pants, and whatever else– which wasn’t so bad. (PS – I’m probably getting this all wrong)

Second course, much the same, bit more dangerous. Third course was when I kind of realised I’d done for the day. Part of the course was negotiating your way through a series of horseshoes, hanging by a piece of string. It took unbelievable patience, upper body strength, and sheer will to make it across – and I did the short version! By the time I got to the bottom of the course, having once again landed on my feet, and not in the woodchips, I was done. Perhaps I’m just too much of a city boy, but I was satisfied that I had ‘roughed it’ enough at that point, and the prospect of more climbing, swinging, dirt, sweat, and possible injury wasn’t really what I was looking for.

After watching the rest of the group make their way round the course, we settled for a quick bite to eat, and made our ways home – mine taking nearly 4 hours after getting caught in two lots of traffic. Tired and having seen enough of my car for one day, I made myself something to eat, and fell asleep at some absurdly early hour.

I must be tired, because today’s entry is RUBBISH! At least I get a longer sleep tomorrow, as it is Jewish New Year, and, as such, I am taking the day off. I may or may not write something, depends how much time I get.

So to you, readers, I wish you a good day. Tomorrow or Wednesday will bring a better-written blog, I promise you. Neil gets antsy if I don’t get these things up early…

Lots of love as always,

Closed Box

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STAINES HOBGOBLIN
Thursday 11th September 2008

Bloodloss - Staines - Hob Neil_Mach Sept 2008

Bloodloss are in appearance, general style and musical ability, much like ‘Lamb of God.’ But, as with most successful basic metals bands from The New Wave of American Heavy Metal, you will find that there is a lot more going on 'in there' than you might at first think. There is a glimmer of melody and arrangement in the music of these bands - and these elements along with a generous slice of virtuosity can also be found in the music of Bloodloss ... so compare this band to 'Machine Head' or 'Chimaira'.

Barry O’Connor is the muscle-bound rhapsoidein wearing a British Bull Dog T-shirt and strutting and posturing across the stage with that British vim and vitality that we are so accustomed to. He takes the extreme de rigueur / Thrash Metal vocals (i.e. shouting hard) to the next level, but he can also occasionally mystify and delight the audience with some truly mournful and tuneful notes. Barry also drums with AfterDeath ( an up-and-coming London-based metal band) and it is very clear that his vocals are kept in perfect trim by his 'insider' knowledge of the rhythm. Bloodloss employs (almost) a twin-lead guitar-sound with Rob Ironmonger on number 1 lute and Mark Browell on No 2 (who also helps with supporting vocals) and these two churn out the kind of grinding chord progressions you so urgently and desperately need. Sometimes these chords are as unusual, complex and demanding as a high-class Tokyo call-girl who has found herself with her wrist-watch caught in the Vicar’s flies, but those ripping lead breaks lead you (and her) , ever onwards, to a place of wonder and, ultimately, sinful climax. The (temporary) bass chitarrone thumped those low-lines following the rhythm guitar riffs but also employed some deft intermezzi techniques and some nifty progressions. The thrashing drummer Daniel Kelly, on the bongos, is just a blur of hair, stamina and testosterone. Blast-beats came naturally to him, as do some magical ‘rim of the snare’ techniques and plenty of hyper blasts when the occasions demand them.

The low syncopated power chords and the powerful metalcore vocals (think 'Killswitch Engage') provide the petulant pomp to this team of screamsters. Their songs, like ‘Inside My Mind’ and ‘Taken Down’ speak of life, light, darkness and focussed, strain. “It is a struggle to be in a band” shouts out Barry, to the bassist from the support act (Demure), “Isn’t it brother?”. Clap, clap, clap. We all agree ... as if we knew. The band do not underestimate the simpler facts-of-life though, ( the songs are often interrupted by reflective and gentler moments when simple chords are crafted,) or the more euphoric moments we live, when the vocals, fuzzy guitars and rhythmic blasts reach a ‘state of grace’.

There are several nods towards modern advocates of complex progressive metal (like 'Opeth'), not just in the style, with occasional guitar interludes, but also with some uncommon time signatures and dynamic shifts... and polyrhythms abound. Grunts and shouts are more in order than the screams of some bands and are actually more tuneful and pleasing (think 'Slipknot') than some nu-metal bands. These styles elevate the ambience and the pomposity of Bloodloss to new highs. Yes , mood and rhythm and texture is more important than melody to the bands of this genre but in the music of Bloodloss pleasing musical arrangements can also be found. At the barnstorming end of the evening there was a timely and welcome breakdown- conducive to a bit of moshing/body-slamming- and so Bal attempted to create a wall of death inside the limited space of the Staines Hob with the - erm- nine or ten members of the ‘crowd’. And so moshing commenced.

All-in-all Bloodloss live was a strong, mesmerising and absolutely exhilarating experience and I thoroughly recommend this London/Guildford act to any metal fan.

To sum up and to quote Bal on the night, “If You call yourselves ‘Metal Heads’ then this is the time, this is the place, and this is the band”

© Neil_Mach
Sep 2008

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You can see Bloodloss next at:

Sep 16 2008 8:00P RSVP, Woking Woking

Sep 27 2008 8:00P The Drama Club Bracknell

Oct 5 2008 8:00P The Phoenix Staines

Oct 10 2008 8:00P The Star Inn Guildford

Links:

http://www.myspace.com/thisbandisbloodloss

staines
live music
rock music
gigs

Feedburn This

Visit a Dolls House at The Rose, Kingston

A Dolls House - the Kingston ROSE theatre  9 September - 27 September

Post performance talk: Tuesday 16 September

By Henrik Ibsen
Directed by Peter Hall

In 1879, Ibsen's new play stunned the world and provoked outrage. One critic compared it to the ‘dropping of a bomb into contemporary life'. Beautifully crafted and powerfully moving, no work better distils Ibsen's genius than A Doll's House.

The cast includes Catherine McCormack (The Land Girls, All My Sons), Finbar Lynch (Proof, Not About Nightingales), Anthony Howell (Foyle's War), Christopher Ravenscroft (The Ruth Rendell Mysteries) and Susie Trayling (National Theatre, Heartbeat).

Box Office: 0871 230 1552

Rose Theatre, Kingston
24-26 High Street
Kingston KT1 1HL

http://www.rosetheatrekingston.org/

2.

Blues, Funk 'n Soul it up - at Ascot

The Robin Bibi Band at The Jagz Club & Restaurant, Ascot Sat 13th Sept

Robin Bibi is one of the UK’s top blues/rock guitarists and having paid his dues working with such names as Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Ben.E.King, The Pretty Things and Helen Shapiro, launched the Robin Bibi Band in 1996. The Band’s debut album ‘Blue Thrash Therapy’ was released a year later and quickly sold out leading to a recent re-release. Five albums on, Robin’s acoustic album ‘Fast Life Songs’ has also received critical acclaim and continues to sell well.

Blues, funk, soul, rock, reggae and jazz are all rolled together in The Robin Bibi Band's own feel-good concoction. Above all, the Band’s aim is to give their audience a night to remember whilst guaranteeing the best British Blues Rock can offer in a tried and tested, exciting, spontaneous, power trio format.

Because of their widely known reputation with a highly entertaining stage presentation, the Robin Bibi Band are now one of the busiest bands round the Southern music venue circuit and have played most of the major Blues festivals in the UK, Ireland, and Europe.

The music is exuberant passionate, dynamic, exciting and fun! It's music played straight from the heart, it will move your head, your heart and of course your feet!

The Ascot show:

Saturday, 13th September
Show will start at 8.00P
Ticket cost: £8.00
Doors open from 7.30pm. £26 for 2 courses and entrance (£30 for 3 courses). Entrance for the bands is £8 but is strictly limited and on a first come first served basis. Entrance for dining or just the band INCLUDES free entrance to the nightclub

Jagz
Station Hill
Ascot
SL5 9EG

http://www.jagz.co.uk/

http://www.robinbibiband.co.uk/

Also see Robin Bibi at:

MON 29th BULLS HEAD 373 Lonsdale Road Barnes SW13
Robin is appearing with Never The Bride


3.

Have a Laugh- at Hayes

Jongleurs - On the Road The Beck Theatre, Hayes, Fri 12 Sep 2008, 8:00P

Best of British Stand-Up ...on the road

The Jongleurs On The Road tour brings their top-quality stand-up shows to theatres and other venues across the UK, in areas

without a dedicated comedy club. They've been touring now for over two years, visiting more than fifty venues along the way

- from Newcastle to Newbury, Liverpool to Luton, Yeovil to Yorkshire. Hayes, Middlesex, is next...

JONGLEURS - ON THE ROAD
BECK THEATRE
The Beck Theatre
Grange Road, Hayes, UB3 2UE
FRIDAY EVENING 20:00
12TH SEPTEMBER 2008

Tickets from £10

Click Here for tickets for BECK theatre THIS FRIDAY

4.

Prepare to Rock at The Hob Staines

Bloodloss with Demure at The Hob Staines,  Thu Sep 11 2008      8:00P

Formed in 2006 BloodLoss is a pure all out metal 5 piece band from london/guildford with Barry O’connor on vocals, Daniel Kelly on Drums, Mark Browell On Guitar, Rob Ironmonger on guitar. With influences ranging from Metallica, Pantera, Arch Enemy, Killswitch Engage, Lamb Of God, Chimaira, Machine Head and  As I Lay Dying.  You must not miss the show!

Also more Bloodloss dates:

Sep 16 2008      8:00P RSVP, Woking     Woking

Sep 27 2008     8:00P The Drama Club   Bracknell

Oct 10 2008     8:00P The Star Inn         Guildford

http://www.myspace.com/thisbandisbloodloss

We salute you!


5.

Swing dance at The Rose, Kingston

Swing Dance Rose Theatre Culture Cafe Sun 14 Sept 2:00P to 5:00P
Admission free of charge, and no ticket required

Following the huge success of the first Sunday Tea Dance at the Rose in May, we're delighted to announce three further dates throughout the summer. The Jive Joint Dance Company has been promoting and staging dance events across Surrey over many years and is bringing its legendary Sunday afternoon Tea Dance to the Rose Theatre, Kingston for dancers of Modern Jive, Swing, West Coast Swing, Rock n Roll, and, for latin dancers, Salsa, Merengue & Argentine Tango under the direction of international DJ John Vassallo and fellow DJ guests. Why not pay us a visit after shopping perhaps, have a boogie, a drink or a coffee and a snack. If you are a non dancer, watch the various dance styles on display and simply enjoy music
from the 1940's right up to the present time.

Links

http://www.johnvassallo.co.uk/pages/danceevents.html

http://www.rosetheatrekingston.org/culture-cafe

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Netherworld can be regarded as an instrumental trio of power, with the addition of a strong vocal armoury. Though the band relies heavily on Thin Lizzy numbers and cites Lizzy as a major influence, the lack of twin-leads (and therefore the consequential loss of any lead-clashes) makes their Lizzyfied sound a little weak. Instead, you would be better off comparing the band to Cream. Their's is the classic three-way rock explosion that most aptly defines the work of Netherworld.

The predominant instrument in the arsenal of these long-haired do-gooders is the guitar of Jason Stretch. Or should I use the plural- guitars? That would more accurately describe the monster wails, sighs, cries and laments that heavily depend on lyrical echo to achieve their full splendour. Jason has, reputedly, toured with the likes of the Iron Maiden Steve Harris and Whitesnake's Neil Murray and the sheer professionalism and dedication of his rock pedigree is fully demonstrated.

With a rampaging and driving rhythm provided by Ian Roberts, from the engine room, and the structure of each song carefully woven by bassist Smiffy, the Netherworld experience is as exhilarating as it is satisfying. Heavy and technically proficient, the two guitarists share out the vocal leads (actually I prefer Paul Smith). They even, at one stage, employ their road manager as a lead vocalist (very talented and well received by all.)

This band demands that the audience pays attention. Even in a small (and to be quite honest- fairly olde worlde) venue like Staines Riverside Club, the band were provocative and hard. One old-time club member pointed out to me before the show that the bass drum was amplified, "We have never experienced that kind of power here before", he exclaimed with a startled expression. The hair is big, the sound is wide and fills a barn. The sense of urgency is electrifying. The sheer exhilaration is dizzying and uncompromising.

If you like AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Free, Hendrix and a big dollop of Cream and you don't mind having your eardrums shattered by power-crazed solos, riffs and fills- then Netherworld is for you.

If you missed them in Staines, try to catch them locally here:

Jun 15 2008 8:00P The Six Bells Brentford
Jun 20 2008 8:00P The Shire Horse Hounslow
Jul 11 2008 8:00P The Running Horse Bracknell
Jul 12 2008 8:00P Social Club Hounslow
Jul 20 2008 8:00P The Six Bells Brentford
Jul 25 2008 8:00P The Shire Horse Hounslow
Jul 26 2008 8:00P The Cardinal Wolsey East Molesey
Aug 1 2008 8:00P The Red Lion Twickenham

http://www.myspace.com/netherworldrock

Keep checking www.adpontes.co.uk for gig guide, reviews, articles and what's on in your area

The Getaway Team in Staines

The Getaway Team, The Hobgblin, Staines May 29 2008

The Getaway Team from Guildford are here to write music and have the time of their lives!

They started writing together in mid 2006, and found a knack of producing some catchy pop songs, with some pop-punk and indie thrown in!

In the past few months they have started playing those songs in what has become an exciting, adrenaline-fueled live show. The band have recently finished recording a debut mini album titled 'Haven't You Heard', out June 2nd.

The Debut single 'Lost All Hope' will hit shops on May 5th, available for download and on limited Green vinyl, with a postcard and stickers inside; so make sure you hook yourselves up!

See them live in Staines on the 29th at The Hob or on:

Jul 24 2008 8:00P The Boileroom, Guildford w/ Cut The Blue Wire

http://www.myspace.com/thegetawayteam

2.

Go see the Cadillac Kings at Jagz, Ascot

Cadillac Kings - May 31 2008 8:00P Jagz Club, Ascot Berks

Featuring six of the UK's top blues & roots musicians, The Cadillac Kings play music inspired by the sounds & styles of the 40s & 50s. A mix of mostly original songs with a few well-chosen covers from the likes of T-Bone Walker, Roy Brown & Champion Jack Dupree have made the band firm favourites on both the blues & jump-jive scenes. With their stunning musicianship & exciting stage act, this is a band that knows how to entertain audiences across the board, from arts centres to dance-halls, from intimate clubs to major festivals.

Influences: T-Bone Walker, Louis Jordan, Slim Harpo, Champion Jack Dupree, James Harman, Elmore James, Billy the Kid Emerson, William Clarke, Ray Charles, The Coasters, Professor Longhair, Boozoo Chavis, Jimmy Reed, Clifton Chenier, George Smith

Also catch them at:

Sep 20 2008 8:00P Blues at the Fort Festival Fort Purbrook, Hants

CLICK HERE for the acclaimed Cadillac Kings Allbum- Highway 17

http://www.myspace.com/thecadillackings

3.

Go rock with Netherworld, Staines

Netherworls May 30 2008 8:00P Staines Riverside Club Staines

Fronted by Jason Stretch on vocals and guitar, backed by the brilliant bass and vocals of Paul Smith and dynamic drumming of Ian Roberts- this rockin' band will rock your (nether)world. Covering the best of classic rock songs, this three-piece bring their wealth of professional talent together for this new project.

Previous gigging and recording credits include ; Bad II The Bone, British Lion, Steve Harris (Iron Maiden), Reload, The Dhogie Band and Phil Mogg (UFO).

You will not fail to be impressed by the superbly tight musicianship of these three heavyweight players ...

Also catch them at:

Jun 14 2008 8:00P The Camphill Club Surrey

Jun 15 2008 8:00P The Six Bells Brentford

Jun 20 2008 8:00P The Shire Horse Hounslow

Jul 11 2008 8:00P The Running Horse Bracknell

Jul 26 2008 8:00P The Cardinal Wolsey

Aug 1 2008 8:00P The Red Lion Twickenham

http://www.myspace.com/netherworldrock

4.

Go experience Kakuzi at Staines

Kakuzi- The Hobgblin, Staines May 29 2008

Kakuzi (formally known as DARK-FiRE) formed with the current line up in September 2006, jamming out just a few of songs to enter their first gig as a band in the Mole Valley Battle of the Bands. Since then the band has been through a short phase of high energy raw punky rock music, to exploring new dimensions and styles of music. They have really honed in their live set, gigging regularly at the Grey Horse, Kingston and other venues around Guildford and Surrey. Their first E.P, "Senses" can be bought off them at any of their gigs for £5 each.

Currently the band are back in the studio recording a variety of tracks for an E.P. titled "Corridors".

The Band:

Lucas (Luc) O'Neill, Isamu (Sam) Yoneda, Alastair (Ali) Lawrenson, Alexander-James (AJ) Fritsch, David (Dave) Medlicott

Influences:

Audioslave The Cardigans The Clash The Doors Faithless Foo Fighters Hendrix Incubus Kasabian Leftfield Led Zeppelin The Mars Volta Muse Nirvana Pendulum Pink Floyd Radiohead Red Hot Chilli Peppers R.E.M. Stone Roses

Also catch the band at:

Jun 18 2008 8:00P Grey Horse - Kingston, Battle of the Bands

http://www.myspace.com/kakuzi
5.

Wonder at Prog-Rock Legends 'Haze' at Kingston

Haze -May 31 2008 8:00P The Peel (30th anniversary show) Kingston

Formed in 1978 by Chris and Paul McMahon, Haze were one of the founders of the neo-progressive revival of the early 1980s. The band went through a number of line-up changes until drummer Paul Chisnell joined in 1983, completing the classic line-up which was to remain unaltered until the band's demise in 1988. On 31st May 1998 Haze reunited for a 20th anniversary concert in Sheffield and now you can be part of the history-of-haze by seeing them on their 30th anniversary reunion.

Although part of the 1980s "progressive" revival, Haze were always much more than just another Yes/Genesis clone, moving with ease across the spectrum from rock to funk, pop to progressive in their own distinctive style. World Turtle have continued in this tradition, bringing modern sounds and influences, as well as powerful, intelligent lyrics to the brothers' undoubted musical and songwriting skills.

On 31st May 1998 Haze reunited for a 20th anniversary concert in Sheffield. The show was a great success and was recorded for a limited edition double live CD on Cyclops Records. Since then the band have headlined a number of shows in Sheffield, supported IQ and John Wetton at the Whitchurch Music Festival and toured Italy, Belgium & Switzerland twice.

The band are now planning a European tour, a new live CD, and the re-issue of their "Stoat & Bottle" album.

Paul Chisnell - percussion, vocals
Paul McMahon - guitars & vocals
Chris McMahon - keybords, bass & vocals

Influences Van Der Graaf Generator, King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Rory Gallagher, Steve Hillage, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Moody Blues, Rush.

http://www.myspace.com/hazeuk

--------------------

Keep Visiting www.AdPontes-Staines.com for news, views, reviews, articles and what's on in Staines

See the Kast Off Kinks

Kast off Kinks, Eeel pie Club, Twickenham Wed Apr 30th 2008 8PM

Having gone from British Invasion hitmakers to late Sixties cult heroes to
bonafide arena-filling rock stars in the Seventies and Eighties, the Kinks are, it
would seem, cult heroes again for the time being - a position that their bright
and sometimes discomfited leader no doubt savors. On the eve of their induction
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, Ray Davies had this to say: "The
Kinks have always been outsiders. I'm an outsider. To be accepted is unique for
us. I'm pleased for the people who believed in me all along. It's nice for them to know that their faith wasn't misplaced." To quote a slogan popular with those who love the band, "God Save the Kinks."

John Dalton, Mick Avory, Dave Clark, John "The Baptist" Gosling are the remaining 'kast off' Kinks !

http://www.john-dalton.com/kok.htm

2.

Go to listen to the Nashville Teens at Bracknell

The Nashville Teens at the Silver Birch, Bracknell. Sat 3rd May 8:00PM

One of the Worlds finest R&B singers, Ray Phillips (vocalist) has stayed loyal to the Nashville Teens through thick and thin, turning down offers to move to other groups, including an offer from Jack Bruce to be lead singer with Cream. Ray is a keep fit enthusiast and as well as his dynamic performance with the Nashville Teens, he also works with the World Class Maclaren Motor Racing Team.

Colin Pattenden (bass guitar)cut his teeth as a session guitarist for the likes of Englebert Humperdink and Leapy Lee in the sixties, but made his mark as a founder member of Manfred Mann's Earth Band in the early seventies. He has also played with Mungo Jerry, The King Earl Boogie Band and The Jackie Lynton Band.

Simon Spratley (keyboards & vocals) is a music teacher by day and has played with many other bands, including Cheques In The Post and The Ian Campbell Blues band.

Ken Osborn is an accomplished lead guitarist who has played with other bands including Spank The Monkey, The King Earl Boogie Band and the Jackie Lynton Band.

Despite his youthful looks, Adrian 'spud' Metcalfe has drummed with the Teens for 25 years, and - apart from Ray - is the longest serving band member in the Groups history.

http://www.nashville-teens.com/

The Jackie Lynton Band is playing Staines Riverside Club on Fri 9th May 2008 9:00pm

3.

Go see the Agency Girls at Beck Theatre

The Agency Girls at The Beck Theatre, Hayes, Thu 1st May 8:00PM

THE AGENCY GIRLS
BY K.R.S FOSTER
BECK THEATRE
GRANGE ROAD, HAYES
THURSDAY EVENING 20:00
1ST MAY 2008

Running time 70 minutes

With the characters rushing in and out of doors at one hundred miles an hour, The Market Theatre has slowly made this style of comedy their theatrical trade mark and this year's show will not disappoint!

The play is set in a remote cottage where two unsuspecting men have both, unknowingly, booked the same venue for a weekend away with their respective mystery women. One of them has used traditional booking procedures, to secure the property and the other the infallible internet.

70 Minutes of sexual innuendo, comic confusion and ridiculous reasoning will make this a night to remember and a farce not to miss. However, you will need to book early as this show is only on for one night!

From the company that brought the hilarious adult panto Beauty and the Big Beastie.

Adults only!

Click here for tickets for Thursday 1st May at Beck Theatre

4.

Go to see Nigel Havers at Woking

Single Spies- New Victoria Theatre, Woking 5th-10th May 2008

By Alan Bennett

Monday 5 - Saturday 10 May 2008
New Victoria Theatre, Woking

Stars Nigel Havers with Jack Ryder (Eastenders) and Diana Quick (Brideshead
Revisited)

Single Spies opened to ecstatic reviews at the National Theatre in 1988 and went
on to become a huge Wet End hit. The two plays, An Englishman Abroad and A
Question of Attribution sparkle with Alan Bennett's trademark wit and delighted a
public intrigued by espionage and fascinated by forgery.

Box Office: 0870 060 6645

5.

Simply Ballroom - One Night Only !!!

Sunday 4 May 2008 at 8:00 pm New Victoria Theatre, Woking

Featuring a cast of International Championship Dancers, with choreography by TV’s Dancing Stars Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag.

Simply Ballroom is a lavish production where the colour and spectacle of ballroom dance fuses brilliantly with live theatre.

Featuring a cast of outstanding world-class dance champions whose performances in the Waltz are exhilarating; their passion in the Tango breathtaking and their Paso Doble - just one of the many highlights of this spectacular show - has astounded audiences in every venue around the country.

This electrifying production showcases the exceptional talents of the cast through a number of styles, including the Cha Cha, Salsa, Rumba, Quickstep and many, many more.

Running Time
2h 10m

Box Office: 0870 060 6645

Get Your Tickets for Beck Theatre, Hayes

The Beck Theatre
Grange Road
Hayes
Middlesex
UB3 2UE

-Visit AdPontes-Staines Regularly for Staines Arts-

Programme du jour : De l'eau, de l'eau !

Mes parents sont toujours à Paris. Ce matin je me réveille à 8h15. Pendant que je suis dans sa chambre, Célya s'exclame "Haaaa, on a changé d'heure aujourd'hui !" A cette annonce je me précipite vers la fenêtre et gaiement m'écrie à mon tour : "Regarde Célya on a changer DEHORS !".

Ce matin nous allons dans un endroit magique à mes yeux : Coral Reef, un complexe aquatique à Bracknell adaptés aux petits enfants et aux grands ! Me sentant comme un poisson dans l'eau, je saute partout, cours et tente de nager ! Faut dire que mon Papa est un grand nageur, peut-être poursuivrai-je sur sa lignée ! En tout cas une chose est sûre, j'adore l'eau ! Célya m'entraine jusqu'au grand toboggan/tunnel. Une fois la glissade terminée nous plongeons. La première chose que je dis en sortant la tête de l'eau c'est "encore" recrachant encore un peu d'eau !

!!!

3 heures plus tard la faim titille nos petits ventres. Nous nous séchons et nous installons dans le petit restaurant. Pour moi ce sera macaronis au fromage accompagnés d'une saucisse... et le tout avec vue sur la piscine s'il vous plait ! Prise par tant d'émotion, j'en oublie ma vessie. Quelques secondes plus tard, je sens mon pantalon tout mouillé et une flaque sous mes fesses. Célya m'explique que maintenant je suis grande (2 ans et 5 mois tout de même) et que ce genre d'accident ne devrait plus arriver. Le repas se termine tout de même dans la joie et la bonne humeur.

La fatigue m'emporte. Arrivée à la maison, Célya me dépose dans ma mon lit avec grande douceur. En me berçant de sa jolie voix, je m'endors paisiblement.

Tellement bien qu'elle est obligée de venir me réveiller 3 bonnes heures plus tard ! Il est temps de se lever, il est déjà 17h30. Je goûte un peu et confectionne ensuite un joli poisson d'avril.

Vers 19h30 je vais au bain emmenant avec moi mon nouveau bébé. J'annonce bientôt "Tout propre Baby, comme May-Lysandre !".

Nous dînons ensemble en nous remémorant les bons moments de cette journée. Nous avons fait beaucoup de choses, et n'avons pas eu le temps de nous ennuyer une seule fois !

De leur coté, mes parents ont passé la journée à Paris, un brunch dans l'excellent salon de thé Angélina, et une petite visite du Musée du Louvre, avant de repartir en voiture vers Luxembourg. Maman y restera la semaine, et Papa rentrera demain en Angleterre.

Vers 21h15, Célya décide qu'il est maintenant temps d'aller se coucher. Après quelques chansons et de gros câlins, elle quitte ma chambre, me laissant ainsi me plonger dans mes rêves. Rédactrice : Célya, mon Au Pair.

Programme du jour : Sciences, shopping, restau !

Maman rentre ce soir du Luxembourg. Caroline (la filleule de Papa) est encore là jusqu'à demain. Je me réveille à 7h15. Je déjeune avec Célya et Caroline, j'aide à vider le lave-vaisselle, à plier le linge et je joue.

Quand Papa nous rejoint dans la salle à manger, je lui fais dessiner des lettres, que je tente de reconnaître. On se prépare, et nous partons tous les 4 au Discovery Center de Bracknell, un lieu de vulgarisation scientifique pour les enfants

C'est magique pour moi qui aime tripoter tout ce qui est à ma portée. Ici, c'est même le but, je peux toucher à tout, il y a plein de boutons, de sons, de bruits, de couleur. L'activité "bateaux / écluse" reste ma préférée.

A 12h30, nous rentrons à la maison, nous mangeons tous ensemble, et le même menu, que nous terminons par une mousse au caramel.

Je pars me reposer 2h dans ma chambre pendant que Papa et sa filleule se rendent au centre aquatique Coral Reef.

A 18h, je quitte la maison avec Célya pour retrouver Papa et Caroline à l'Oracle. Nous arrivons exactement au même instant devant la barrière du parking. Quelle coïncidence ! Nous avons rendez-vous avec Maman qui est rentrée de Luxembourg ce matin, et qui a travaillé en Angleterre aujourd'hui.

Quand je l'aperçois sur l'escalator, je cours vers elle. Je suis vraiment heureuse de la retrouver (elle aussi !). Elle m'offre un petit paquet de chocolat, que je partage avec plaisir avec tout le monde. C'est ma première sortie shopping sans couche, je sais maintenant demander pour aller aux toilettes. Il n'y aura d'ailleurs pas d'accident pipi de toute la journée.

Je cours dans le centre commercial, je suis de très bonne humeur. Nous faisons un peu de shopping, je promène un "panier à roulettes" dans le magasin ou nous achetons un adaptateur de cuvette. Bref, un truc qui me permette de m'asseoir sur les toilettes des grands... sans tomber au fond !

Comme je suis sympa, mes parents nous emmènent tous au restaurant. Je suis bien entourée, Maman, Célya, Caroline et Papa.

L'heure tourne, et il est 21h30 quand nous quittons le restaurant. Hop, direction la maison, des bisous, un peu de crème pour mon eczéma, une chanson avec Célya, et à 22h je suis au lit. Je ne me suis jamais couchée aussi tard depuis bien longtemps. Rédacteur : Patrick-Robin, mon Papa.

Out, Joe.

As you can see, I'm a cheap date.  One glass of red wine and I'm snoring into my scampi in a basket, dribbling on the table and sticking to the napkins, and anything with caffeine and sugar combined turns me into a gurning fiend.  Lucozade has very much the same effect as drugs did back in the olden days when I didn't mind dicing with death, the law and miniscule clothing combos made entirely from feather boas and bobbles.  What I recall mostly is the total irritation of being tired to death and yet completely unable to go to sleep. 

Nobody puts that in the 'don't do drugs' leaflet, but they should.  It is a massive turn off.  Drugs would be great if you could take them for twenty minutes and then go and have a lie down for a few hours, but they don't work like that.  They either kill you stone dead or work so well you're still leaping around like a gazelle twenty four hours later, 'avin it large, but bored out of your wits.  It's a bit like watching an endless loop of Countdown with Richard Whitely, but on fast forward with gaps for the adverts and the occasional flashback.  The panic button moments are the ones where his gaily striped jacket tries to creep out of the television and strangle you.

While we're on the subject, the government should stop making anti-drugs adverts and campaigns and spend the money on something worthwhile like municipal hanging baskets or dog loos.  The government anti-drug campaigns are all conceived in the back of a Morris Van by a man called, 'Call me Dave,' who used to be a sociology teacher and has iron on patches on his jumbo cord sports jacket.  Call me Dave, once had a lary experience with some ganja back in 1974, only to discover that it was in fact an Oxo cube and he managed to convince himself he was wasted on gravy.  The shame!

Everything he knows about drugs is gleaned from his informal, 'we're all friends here' chats during his time as a sociology teacher. He would ask his pupils if any of them took drugs and they would say yes to oblige him because he looked so disappointed the first time he asked and nobody put their hands up.  The only people who eventually put their hands up are the people who've read a lot about them, and who once had a nasty 'skunk' related incident in 1987 in a car park in Bracknell.  To their eternal shame this also turned out to be gravy browning, but they have mythologized their experience so much they can't own up to it, and consequently become the school's tame drug experts.

The real drug addicts meanwhile, would rather be found dead with needles in their eyes than actually attend a sociology lesson and are nodding out in the car park and wondering how much they could get for Call me Dave's Morris Traveller if they weren't too wasted to work out how to steal it.

I have two pet hates regarding these 'anti-drug' messages.  The first one is the fact that they always tell you the hideous facts about drugs, but conveniently forget to mention the fact that they can be quite enjoyable, which is why millions of disillusioned, miserable people take them on a weekly basis.  Drugs don't work like Eastenders. 

People watch Eastenders like they sit next to the fat lady with a beard at weddings, so that they can look at their own life/lack of beard, and feel consoled that things aren't so bad after all.  People take drugs because they're quite good, and they can escape from their hellish lives for a few hours and run round pretending to be four again.  Either that or they can go to sleep for a few hours and forget that they're thirty-four again.

The fact that when the majority of people take their first drug of choice they have a good time, which they probably weren't expecting at all, makes them think that everything else the 'drugs are terrible' brigade say is a pack of lies, and so they get on and ignore much of the sensible advice that is offered, which can often be the fatal flaw.

The second thing I hate about these campaigns is that annoying ginger haired idiot boy on the adverts who wears that giant question mark on his head.  Who in the name of all that is good and holy came up with that winning idea?  He is an obnoxious little turd, and just watching him bouncing around, grinning like a loon makes me want to reach for a line of coke and a crack pipe.  Dreadful, dreadful child.  He has set back the war on drugs by a good twenty years.

Now I read somewhere that there was a vendetta against that boy on the new look Frosties advert.  The one where the kid sings: 'They're gonna taste great' or whatever it is.  He is not half so annoying as the grinny ginger kid in my opinion and yet nobody is out to kill him off.  Perhaps I could do it.  Maybe I could start a website and a petition. 

It may not have been the boy's fault.  Perhaps he had a pushy showbiz mother who forced him into his glittering hat and bouncy shoes and prodded him onto the film set with a giant stick with a finger on it.  Maybe he was paying off a debt to a Chinese War Lord so that he could stay in the U.K. and not be deported back to Gingeria or whichever strange land he hails from.  Perhaps I should not judge him so harshly.  Unfortunately for him, I do.

So.  Rant over.  Back to my terrible day.  Last night Tilly came down with spotitis, measles, 'virus' or whatever it is that the doctors feel that they don't have to share with me.  Thankfully it isn't as bad as I thought because she doesn't seem to have any other symptoms except a gyppy tummy, which she will insist on telling me about in great detail, but which is liveable with.  Now, as I am unable to ascertain what Tallulah had, I am unsure as to whether Tilly has caught a milder version of Tallulah's mystery illness, which is entirely possible, or whether she was jealous and has invented one of her own.

I sent her to bed, resigned myself to another day festooned with spotty children and retired to bed to read a miserable book about two old people dying.  For those of you who wish to be reminded of your own mortality and how miserable it is to be left alone without the one you love, I highly recommend Michael Kimball's, 'How Much of Us There Was'.  For the rest of you, the Christmas double edition of The Radio Times is now out, and there is a particularly unchallenging interview with Kylie Minogue on page 15.

Oddly enough the Kimball book turned out to be quite depressing (who knew?), and I then had to stay up for another hour to read something a little more cheery (Evelyn Waugh's, 'Labels') before I could nod off without weeping into my pillow, and sighing because Jason was in London and not snoring next to me in a furry heap of raging manhood.

This morning I had much to do.  Tallulah had to be packed off to school and then my dad was coming over to escort me and the remaining children to the dentists where I was due for a check up.  Now I can normally do most child related things without an extra pair of adult hands.  I can even fold up the buggy with one hand whilst holding a wriggling baby in the other (which would be my olympic sport of choice), I cannot however sit in the dentist's chair whilst Oscar roams around the floor like a wild beast, wrecking the surgery and trying to unplug the drill.

I am not keen on dentists at the best of times, and trying to keep my cool whilst worrying about my child racking up thousands of pounds in dental damages does nothing to soothe my fevered brow.  I also worry that he has inherited my brother's penchant for fixing things.  My mum once took my toddler brother to the dentists with her when she went for her quarterly check up.  My brother took the entire workings of the uppy downy dentists chair apart while my mum and the dentist were having a garbled conversation about holidays, and when the dentist came to elevate the chair, the whole thing fell apart and my mum plummeted to the floor surrounded by cogs and gears.  It was not a happy day.

Consequently my dad came along to distract Oscar from his genetic dispositions, and Tilly came along because she was diseased.  I needn't have worried.  Half way there I had a phone call from the school to say that Tallulah's temperature had shot up and that she was complaining of a stiff neck and a headache and could I come back to fetch her.  It was a tense moment and made even tenser by the fact we had to fight our way back across town in Christmas traffic.

I whisked her straight to the Leicester Royal Infirmary (made famous when Adrian Mole had to have his airfix model removed from his nose there), and took the rest of family along as a group booking in case they were all infectious.  Luckily they have a children's a&e, which meant we didn't have to sit with the drunken victims of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and I didn't have to answer difficult questions in the waiting room ('Mama? Why is that man shouting that?' or, 'Mama? Why can't that man sit down properly?'), which was nice.

Basically, after spending nine hours of my life there we have come to the conclusion that neither child has anything contagious or life threatening.  They are ill.  Nobody knows why they are ill.  We guess that it is probably F****ing VIRAL.  One of the doctors did at least have the good grace to confess that they said viral when they didn't know what else it was.

Tallulah has been an absolute star as Tilly got off with a cursory examination and then got sent home to eat jam sandwiches with Oscar and my mum and dad, while Tallulah has had it all.  Her temperature was so high bless her, and it didn't come down after a bath full of drugs, which got them worried, so they threw the book at her test wise.  She has had blood tests and x-rays and has been poked and prodded so much that I'm surprise she's not a giant bruise with legs.

She was so good when they did the blood tests.  I was incredibly proud of her, especially when the bigger girl in the next cubicle had a major hysterical break down and it took eight people forty minutes to get blood out of her.  I'd have cut her throat.  That'd have learned her!  Actually I did feel sorry for her as well, because the stupid child's mother burst into tears and said 'Don't hurt my baby', or some such nonsense.  Consequently the child was convinced it was going to be slaughtered in a Herodian massacre, and acted accordingly.  Then when they came out, the girl's gran told her off for making her mother cry!  Nice one.  Why not just tell her she's fat and ugly as well, then you can get your money's worth when you have to pay for therapy later?  Madness,  sheer madness!

Anyway, we are now home.  All children are in bed, and I am coming down from my Lucozade high, mentally limbering up for another day pretending to be Florence Nightingale and making soup.  I still haven't bought a panettone by the way.  Mainly because they don't sell them in the WRVS shop at the Royal.  I had to make do with a bar of Cadbury's fruit and nut (I don't like fruit and nut.  I sent my dad to buy a chocolate bar and he brought stuff with fruit and nuts back.  Still at least it wasn't a Bakewell Tart), and a copy of Heat magazine.  No wonder I'm tired out.

Look!

Gnome in Etsy's The Storque!

and the Etsy Costume Contest results can be found here !

and if all of that wasn't enough....

Lady Bracknell wrote a piece on her CleverGirl experience that really moved me (and she's hilarious and witty and fabulous so check out her blog already!) and I may have to frame it (and laminate a copy for portability!)

Anyways, off to bed... I am spending the morning in the classroom trying to keep the crazed, costumed kids from staging a coup.

g'night...

Bek

Humeur du jour : Comme une petite fille avec 39° de fièvre.

Programme du jour : Je dors.

J’ai de la fièvre toute ma journée. On alterne Ibuprofen et Paracétamol toutes les 4 heures. Je n’ai pas faim, et suis vraiment fatiguée. Des petits boutons sont apparus sur tout mon corps. Nous irons chez le médecin demain.

Je me réveille à 7h, me rendors à 9h pour 2h. Encore 1/2h de sieste, un bain, un repas (mais je ne mange pas !), et je repars pour plus de 2h de sommeil.

A 15h, je commence à préparer notre déménagement du 18 Août en mettant toutes mes peluches dans un grand carton sous le regard attentif de Célya.

Pendant ce temps, Léa (ma copine de 21 mois), sa maman Agnès et la mienne de Maman partent à Discovery Center de Bracknell, au volant de sa nouvelle voiture.

Je joue un bon moment avec Célya, prends mon repas avec Maman qui me couche un peu avant 19h. Rédacteur : PRDV (Patrick-Robin, mon Papa).

Visitez mon site : www.may-lysandre.com

Je suis réglée comme une pendule, à 7h, je suis réveillée ! Célya s’occupe de moi pendant que mes parents se reposent encore un peu. Après mon petit déjeuner, nous partons nous promener au marché de Woodley city. Quand nous entrons dans un magasin, je me précipite vers un mini-cosi et sa poupée, je ne veux plus les lâcher. Célya (trop gentille !) me les offre. Nous passons également devant une étale de charcuterie et je goûte du saucisson à l’ail (j’adore ça). Je choisis aussi une plote de laine pour faire des pompons. Je suis ravie et très sympa.!!!

Mes parents nous rejoignent sur le coup de 10h. Nous faisons une halte au Costa, prendre un café, et quelques gâteaux secs. Nous rentrons à la maison vers 11h30 et vais me reposer pendant 1h30. A mon réveil, Barbara, une amie de Maman, déjeune à la maison. J’en profite pour lui montrer comment je sais bien me servir de mes couverts. A 14h, Maman et Barbara partent pour Londres. Elles vont assister au concert de Muse ce soir à Wembley. Elles rentreront bien tard.

De mon coté, nous allons avec Célya à Coral Reef Waterworld de Bracknell, un parc aquatique à ¼ h de la maison. Je m’y amuse beaucoup, je fais même du grand toboggan dans les bras de Célya et en redemande ! En fait on monte des dizaines de marches pour pouvoir descendre le toboggan, une sorte de tunnel avec de l’eau. Quand on arrive en bas on plonge sous l’eau et mon premier mot en sortant est « again » ! Mais il y a aussi tout un endroit plus adapté aux tous petits avec des petits jacuzzis, des petits toboggans et un sol spécial anti dérapant pour nos petits pieds.!!!

A 17h, nous voilà de retour à la maison, je joue, je prends un bain, je dine et fais l’imbécile avec Célya, pendant que Papa prépare son départ de demain pour une semaine à Luxembourg. A 19h45, je suis au lit, je discute un peu avec mes canards mais je m’endors bien vite. Rédacteur : PRDV (Patrick-Robin, mon Papa).

Pour visualiser l'album photos du jour, cliquez ici.

Je me réveille à 6h30 en hurlant, comme hier; en fait depuis que l’on a baissé le sommier de mon lit pour que je ne passe plus par dessus les barreaux. C’est Maman qui vient me lever pour laisser Célya se reposer un peu. Je suis très pénible, je ne fais que pleurer. Je chouine car je ne mange pas ce que je veux, je râle car Maman ne veut pas me prendre dans les bras, et j'hurle car elle ne répond pas à mes caprices. Résultat, je retourne au lit vers 7h30. Je dors un peu jusqu’à 8h30. Célya est réveillée et vient me voir avec Maman. Nous descendons jouer en bas. Célya m’habille et je goûte vers 10h.

Nous partons ensuite toutes les trois vers Bracknell, Célya veut faire changer son piercing. Nous faisons un peu les magasins, nous nous baladons dans les rues piétonnes et allons manger vers midi. Je prends un menu enfant : sandwich beurre fromage, yaourt à la fraise, raisins secs et jus de fruits. Voilà de quoi me régaler.

Vers 14h, nous partons pour la fête foraine. Je commence par un premier manège avec Célya. Nous sommes installées dans des sortes de tasses qui tourne en rond et sur elle-même. Je suis morte de rire, je ne connaissais pas l’impression de "la tête qui tourne". Maman m’amène aussi dans un petit train. Je fais "Tchouuu Tchouuu". Une petite pêche aux canards avec Célya où je gagne un petit diablotin (très représentatif de ma semaine !) et je finis par un dernier manège avec Célya dans une calèche. (Cliquez ici pour les photos).

Je suis fatiguée, nous rentrons donc à la maison. Je fais un caprice pour goûter, je vais donc me coucher directement. Mais je ne dors que très peu. Quand je me réveille, Maman me met le nouveau DVD qu’elle m’a acheté, des chansons interprétées par des enfants qui dansent. Papa rentre vers 19h30 du Luxembourg. Je suis ravie le revoir, il nous a beaucoup manqué depuis une semaine !

Je profite un peu de lui avant qu’il ne me mette au lit vers 20h. Rédactrice : CB (Célya, mon Au-pair).

Pour visualiser directement les albums photos du jour, cliquez ici, et encore là.

Il fait un temps splendide sur l’Angleterre pour ce « Good Friday », jour férié ici. Mes parents font donc la grasse matinée, mais moi, je me réveille à 7h, comme d’habitude.

Célya vient me lever, je suis de très bonne humeur, et je lui fais un gros bisou. Je descends avec elle prendre mon petit déjeuner. Elle me fait goûter de son jus d’orange, ce qui me fait éclater de rire… à se demander ce qu’elle met dedans. Ensuite nous remontons pour me préparer. Célya fait ça très bien, j’ai une magnifique petite robe mauve, avec chouchous, barrettes, et chaussures assortis.

Vers 8h, pendant que mes parents dorment encore, nous partons sur la pointe des pieds nous promener à Bracknell. Quand nous arrivons, tout est encore fermé, mais je m’amuse comme une folle sur un banc. Je fais aussi des tags sur la devanture d’un magasin. Mais non, c’est Papa qui à fait un petit montage photo ! (Cliquez ici pour les photos). Comme je n’ai rien à me mettre pour cet été (ben voyons, juste 3 cartons d’habits !), Célya m’offre une tenue complète de Barbie Girl (jupette, débardeur, pull et casquette).

De retour à la maison vers 11h00, un parfum de gâteau envahit la cuisine. Maman nous a préparé des muffins aux fraises. Evidemment, j’adore et en redemande avec un mot que j’affectionne tout particulièrement : « more ». Ensuite je passe un bon moment dans le jardin, sous un soleil radieux, entre des jeux de ballon, ma piscine à balles, et ma cabane.

Je suis toute sale, donc Maman dit « Au bain ». Je la suis en répétant « Bain, bain » et nous montons. Je profite de la douceur de Maman, caresses, massages et bisous. Je vais ensuite me reposer 2 bonnes heures. Pendant ce temps, mes parents et Célya prenne leur repas dans le jardin... Maman a presque prit un coup de soleil. 

Je me réveille à 15h en pleurant. Ça ne va pas, je suis ronchonne, je reste quelques minutes en bas, avant que Célya ne remonte me coucher. Elle en profite pour me faire un gros câlin, elle part à Londres pour tout ce grand week-end, avec des amies au-pair, comme elle… Elle vous racontera tout ça sur son blog, dès son retour lundi.

Une heure plus tard, mes parents viennent me chercher. Je suis de bien meilleure humeur. Je passe le reste de l’après-midi à jouer dans le jardin ; Papa m’a sorti ma table (rose), mes chaises (roses), Dolly ma poupée (roses), ma dinette (de toutes les couleurs), et ma nouvelle tente de princesse (rose)... si ça ce n’est pas du conditionnement ! (Cliquez ici pour les photos).

A 18h, je regarde un DVD de Baby Einstein avec Maman, puis je prépare ma table pour mon diner (soupe de légumes, et compote de poires). Encore quelques jeux, quelques répétitions de mots (je dis « ordinateur »), et il est 20h, l’heure d’aller me coucher. Bonne nuit ! Pendant ce temps, Célya "met le feu au dance floor" au Metra Club de London avec ses copines Marine et Pauline. Elles rentrent se coucher à 4h du mat. Rédacteur : PRDV (Patrick-Robin, mon Papa).

Pour visualiser les albums photos du jour, cliquez ici, et encore là.

(Maman aux Us : J+5). Aujourd’hui, c’est la Saint-Patrick, c’est donc la fête de Papa. Et la Sainte-May-Lysandre, c’est quand ?

Je me réveille tout de même à 6h30, mais me lève vraiment vers 7h. Mon cocard de mercredi va beaucoup mieux. Pendant que Célya me prépare, Papa nous rejoint dans ma chambre, et nous descendons déjeuner. Je suis très sympa ce matin, et adorable tout en rose, avec mes nouveaux chouchous très rigolos. I’m an angel !

Je joue avec Papa pendant que Célya rédige mon blog de la veille. A 10 h nous partons tous les 3 pour Bracknell. C’est le grand jour pour Célya et Angélique (sa copine, elle aussi "au-pair"), elles se font percer la langue. En ce qui me concerne, je vais encore attendre un peu, je crois. « Au mois 17 ans ! » me dit Papa. Pendant cette « opération », je me promène avec lui. Il m’offre une petite gourde (rose), 2 paires de bottes (roses), des chouchous (roses) et une poussette de « dépannage » (rose).

15 minutes plus tard, nous retrouvons les filles, qui zozotent à cause de leur bijou métallique sur la langue. Il parait que cela ne fait pas trop mal. Nous continuons ensuite notre balade, Maman nous appelle des Us (tout va bien à Minneapolis !), et vers midi, nous rentrons. (Cliquez ici pour les photos).

Un repas, une petite sieste d’une heure, et hop je repars avec Célya à Woodley City. Elle laisse la poussette dans la voiture et nous marchons ensemble dans la rue piétonne. Au Waitrose, le supermarché, je mets les carottes dans le sachet plastique. Je cours dans les rayons, fais des sourires à tout le monde, décharge le panier de courses à la caisse et pars en disant « Bye ». A la sortie du magasin, Célya m’explique qu’elle ne peut pas me porter car elle a déjà les courses. En gentille petite fille obéissante que je suis, je lui donne la main jusqu’à la voiture sans réchigner ! Hé ben, cette petite sortie est pleine de nouveautés !

De retour à la maison, Papa m’emmène directement jouer dans le jardin. On joue dans ma cabane, Papa s’y cache et je cours vers lui, je promène ma poupée « Dolly » dans ma poussette et fonce dans Célya qui recule d’un mètre à chaque fois pour m’amuser. Je joue aussi au foot avec Papa qui d’ailleurs m’envoie le ballon en pleine tête (lui qui n’ait jamais arrivé à marquer un but !) ce qui me fait plus rire que P&C (Papa et Célya). Je me ballade aussi sur la terrasse… bref je m’éclate ! Evidemment, on prend des photos.

Vers 16h30 nous rentrons pour mon goûter. Célya m’a préparé une banane au porridge et à la confiture d’abricot. Un très bon mélange que j’étale partout sur ma serviette. Ensuite c’est à nouveau jeux avec mon Papa et Célya. Je suis vraiment adorable aujourd’hui, je ne ronchonne pas, je ne chouine pas, je suis la « Plus Gentille des Puces des Bois de son Papa ».

En fin d'après-midi, après quelques minutes d'un DVD de Baby Einstein, je prends un bain très plaisant pour tout le monde, et je redescends à la cuisine pour diner. Depuis hier, je sais descendre les escaliers toute seule, ventre au sol. Célya nous a préparé un « tlan aux calottes », c’est la même chose qu’un « flan aux carottes », mais prononcé avec un piercing sur la langue (Papa en rit encore !) . C’est très bon, j’adore ça. Je range ma petite table et ma chaise, et P&C vont me coucher à 19h30 en me faisant des bisous de la part de Maman. J’ai passé un excellente journée.

Maman appelle Papa un peu plus tard, son vol Minneapolis – San Diego c’est bien passé. Il est 13h en Californie et il fait très beau. Elle va essayer de profiter de son weekend même si nous lui manquons beaucoup. Rédacteur : PRDV (Patrick-Robin, mon Papa).

Pour visualiser directement l'album photos de ma journée, cliquez ici.

(Maman aux US, J+4). Pour changer (ben voyons !), je me réveille ce matin vers 6h. A 6h20 Célya entre dans ma chambre, les yeux à moitié fermés et me recouche en me donnant un biberon. "A cette heure là, les mignons bébés dorment !" me dit-elle.""Takacroir", je suis peut-être mignonne mais moi je suis réveillée ! Je joue calmement dans ma chambre et puis finalement Célya me lève vers 7h. Nous descendons déjeuner avec Papa qui joue ensuite avec moi pendant que Célya se prépare.

Vers 9h nous partons à Bracknell retrouver Angélique et Charlotte pendant que Papa reste à travailler à la maison (vive les factures !). Célya et Angélique ont décidé de se faire percer la langue. Nous nous promenons donc dans les rues piétonnes à la recherche d’un perceur. Nous en trouvons un bien sympathique mais Célya ne souhaite pas se faire "trouer la langue" en ma présence. Elles y retourneront donc demain matin, toutes seules. Nous traversons le centre commercial, très rapidement car Charlotte fait un énorme caprice. Angélique, son au-pair, ne veut pas la porter. Quand Célya me pose à mon tour par terre pour marcher, je tente moi aussi quelques brefs hurlements. Mais Célya me prévient "je compte jusqu’à 3, et si tu continues, tu finis dans la poussette". Pas de chance, elle tient ses promesses, fin de la promenade en poussette.

Nous rentrons à la maison vers 11h et je vais directement me coucher. Je fais une longue sieste jusqu’à 14h30. Je mange, puis Célya et moi repartons à Reading pour le Red Nose Day (RND en abrégé). En Angleterre, le 16 Mars, c'est le Red Nose Day (la journée des nez rouges, celui des clowns). C'est une opération ayant pour but de venir en aide aux pauvres et de lutter contre les injustices. Chacun participe à sa manière, un peu comme le téléthon en France. Je porte donc aujourd'hui le tee shirt rouge du Red Nose Day (un petit lien vers un jeu rigolo, cliquez ici). Mais aucune activité n’est prévue dans la ville semble-t-il.

En désespoir de cause, nous faisons les magasins (ben oui !). Célya m’achète des lunettes de soleil (trop kitch), des chouchous supers beaux (je les mettrai demain !), un chapeau pour cet été, et un adorable porte monnaie (rose) avec des petits chatons dessus.

Dans la zone piétonne, je refais un caprice car je ne veux pas marcher. Célya attend calmement que je me calme avant de me remettre dans la poussette. Je suis très contrariée. Mais quand, 1/2 h plus tard, elle me sort de la poussette, je marche sans faire d’histoires. Chez Ann Summers (un magasin assez... comment dire, assez sexy !), je retrouve ma vendeuse préférée qui me tire la langue, me fait des grimaces et joue avec moi.

Un peu plus loin je respire l’odeur des fleurs et nous finissons au ELC, mon magasin de jouets préféré. Je fais la connaissance d’Eva, notre femme de ménage. Quand elle vient à la maison le jeudi après-midi, je suis à la crèche. Elle est très gentille mais je suis beaucoup plus intéressée par la mini-cuisine en plastique exposée au milieu du magasin, spécialement pour les enfants. Au moment de partir, je pleure. Célya me refait le coup du 1,2, 3 soleil poussette. (Cliquez ici pour les photos). 

Nous rentrons à la maison vers 17h30 avec un cadeau pour Papa. Il a passé toute sa journée à travailler, pendant que nous nous balladions, alors nous lui avons ramené du chocolat car il adore ça. Je joue un bon moment avec mon Papa avant de manger. Mon repas se passe à merveille. Ensuite c’est pyjama, je redescends un peu mais je suis très fatiguée. Célya me met au lit vers 19h30 après m’avoir fait beaucoup de bisous de la part de Maman. Voilà déjà quelques jours qu’elle est au USA, elle me manque beaucoup. Rédactrice : CB (Célya, mon Au-pair).

De retour à la maison, je joue un moment et prends mon goûter vers 10h. Célya tente ensuite de me faire ranger mes jouets mais je ne veux pas. Après un quart d’heure d’hurlements de ma part dans la maison, Papa s’énerve aussi et me met au lit. Je me réveille de bien meilleur humeur vers 13h, je mange mon repas toute seule et joue un peu. Papa s’en va vers 14h au Luxembourg pour ses affaires. Il ne reviendra que vendredi soir.

De mon coté, je pars avec Célya chez Angélique. Je retrouve Charlotte et Tim. Nous faisons de la pâte à modeler, nous sautons sur le lit et partons même nous balader au parc. Pour le goûter je mange une tartine de Nutella. Evidemment je m’en mets partout mais j’adore ça.

Vers 18h nous rentrons à la maison, je suis fatiguée. Célya me met au bain, me donne mon repas, et hop vers 19h15 je suis au lit. Elle m’embrasse très fort de la part de mon Papa et ma Maman et je m’endors très rapidement. Rédactrice : CB (Célya mon Au Pair).

Allez visiter mon site : www.may-lysandre.com