Christmas at the Parents'
A couple of the better pictures from the Christmas Eve get-together with our old school friends first of all. Here are Pod and Phil,
and Sue and Kath.
And here's Brett and I enjoying Christmas Lunch with the family.
Agter lunch of course, you just have to have a stroll, so we had a wander around the park behind the parents' house. Here's my aunt Pauline with my mum and dad looking backs towards town.
Nativity Porn
Yes, I know; it's childish and immature... but you have to amuse yourself somehow whilst in the tea-break of your second Chorus rehearsal in three days.
If you can't see what I'm on about, ask yourself what that Wise Man on the left is doing (and whether the sheep should be nervous!!)
Dallas by Night
A couple of night time panoramas of downtown Dallas. Click on an image to see a more detailed version
New Camera - Day One
[As ever, click on a photo to see a higher resolution version.]
This one is Brett, sitting on a bench on Wimbledon Common early on a freezing November morning. (Enter what you think is going through his mind in the Comments!)
A warmer shot, a little later on.
And finally, back home and enjoying the Sunday papers.
The Grange
OK, so above you have
The Grange as seen from the cliff tops in Ramsgate. It's the building with the flag on. I managed to forget to take an external shot from within the grounds, but you get the idea...
You enter through this structure which leads you up to the porch.
Once inside you arrive in a double-height hall which unfortunately I don't have any decent photos of (my camera's lens just isn't 'wide-angle' enough to do it justice!). The main rooms of the house all lead off this hallway. Below you are looking from the Drawing Room into the Library,
And here looking back from the library towards the Drawing Room.
The above is a rather poor shot of about half of the Drawing Room, below is David setting the fire there on our first night and below that is Ping, later on that same night, taking his ease.
Here's the dining room; the table would comfortably seat ten.
Pugin was a devout Catholic, so if you are of a religious bent, there is a private chapel for you...
...not to mention you have a crucifix over the bed in Pugin's room and (not visible) a statue of the Virgin Mary!
The Hobgoblin's Taunts
This made me smile. I even went on and bought a pint instead of the coke I'd been planning on, so I guess the advertisers taunting strategy worked. The pint turned out to be quite tasty though.
Grumpy
This is me tonight! Although I think having the cute toy to play with is cheering me up...
Up to Easedale Tarn
Setting off from Grasmere.
Brett by one of the wateralls on the trail.
"The Group Shot"
From Left to Right: Jane, Me, Brett, Brian, Mum, Frank, Rob, Helen, Margaret, Cath, Tom.
Still climbing.
Over lunch we watched a young seagull being taught how to swoop down on the tarn and try to catch fish.
"What do you mean, 'get out of the way'?"
Margaret muscles in on me, Brett and the parents.
The 'A' Group set off for higher things...
...while the alsorans set off for a picturesque stroll home.
It started out with me photographing the view and then my mother wanted to photograph me and then Brett got in on the act. So here I am, trying hard to look rugged while they fumbled with the zoom...
I think my father is auditioning to join the Swiss Guard...
The Banana Protector
What will they think of next? The talking point in our office today was The Banana Protector, a device for making sure that the banana you’ve put in your bag for lunch doesn’t get squashed before you get a chance to eat it. They are size-adjustable, but I understand they only come in yellow. Here we have a sample, demonstrated for you by the lovely Sid.
LGMC Partying
As ever the aftershow party proved to be plenty of fun - although unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me to catch all the scandal. Here are a few photos from other choristers to give you an idea of the night;
Here's John W, me & Brett supporting Paul L, slightly the worse for wear after celebrating his birthday as well as a successful show!
(Photo by John G)Power politics as the Chairman, AMD & Small Group Rep get their heads together:
(Photo by John G)David M, Paul A, Tony C & Nick B having a good time:
(Photo by John G)
Lingotto
The Auditorium was quite impressive; 1900 seats and a lovely acoustic.
There was the seemingly inevitable hanging-around as our tech-rehearsal was delayed by problems getting the sound system set up.
John and Rich were both suffering from a throat infection while we were in Turin, but managed to soldier on through the show - although here John doesn't exactly look full of the joys of spring...
Advertising
The Settembre Musica festival had put us on posters throughout the city.
And here's our poster-boy; PK enjoying his publicity...
And Here We Are
Brett & I at the Civic Reception the city hosted for us on the Monday night.
Around Turin
On the Monday morning (our first full day in Turin) we took a walking tour around the city.
We eventually ended up by the lovely River Po: