Tag Archives: Barnes park

Bananas and herbal tea

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I just dug out my laptop, thinking it’d be nicer to type on. And I could listen to music too. After forty minutes of arguing with it, I have succeeded in emptying the recycle bin. So now I’m back to an iPod/iPhone combo. Apple have won again!

Anyway, bananas and herbal tea have been the theme for the weekend, as I found out on Friday that I’d put on 4lbs in a week and a half. Not exactly going well with the weight loss thing. But I’m not gonna dwell on negatives! Maybe I’ll have something positive to report on weigh-day-Wednesday?

Last weekend, I dragged family to local park to take part in a local ‘big walk’, we did a health walk. Husband didn’t want to be there and pointed that out almost continuously, and toddler ‘wasn’t tired’ but needed to be carried half way round, despite that, I enjoyed it. And toddler was happy with his medal.

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It did reinforce my family’s, (well my husband’s really), version of supporting me. It’s very much ‘do want you want, as long as I’m not involved’, but such is life! Anyway, it’s a nice park, and it wasn’t too cold. The walk leaders were people who knew the park really well, so we learnt stuff on the way – who knew there was a bed of chamomile there?

So, now I’m listening to some Sam Baker. Highly recommended, if you’ve never heard of him. Not like anything else I listen too. A little sad sometimes too, but sometimes it’s nice to listen to something that isn’t as cheerful, it puts stuff into perspective.

Well, before I get too maudlin, and turn this into a pitiful rant…. I’m not gonna go on about things that are in my head too much, a lot of them should stay there. But I will pose a question instead, if that’s ok – why would a husband tell a lie about where he had been and who he’d been with? (The presumption here is that nothing sinister is going on).

I think I should maybe quit while I’m ahead, good night folks xxx

The most lamentable comedy?

On Saturday night I dragged a slightly reluctant husband to the local park. We’re there on a fairly regular basis chasing a 2 year old, but all children had been sent to see grandparents, so we could have a ‘grown up’ night out.

The park itself is very pretty:

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I’d read (on Facebook), that a local acting group were putting on a play in the park. Shakespeare’s ‘A midsummer night’s dream’. So, I thought we’d go along and see what it was like. Now, like a lot of people, I read that. At school. A long time ago.

But, I’ve never seen it performed before (I’d like to think I was in the minority there). It restored my belief that plays are not really meant to be read as a book, when you’re 15, because your teacher tells you too. They should be seen, and not discussed to death. I know schools take children to the theatre nowadays, but mine didn’t. I would recommend anyone poring over a letts study guide to get out and actually watch something, and unfortunately, you’ve just missed a great opportunity. Anyway, rant over.

The idea (as I understand it) is to make better use of spaces (better use being theatre). Now parks are fine during the day, but on an evening, you expect them to be full of grouchy teenagers in hoodies (with optional cider/cigarettes).

However, the park was a perfect setting, as we followed the actors to different locations for different scenes, the audience were more like bystanders, watching events unfold in a far less formal atmosphere than you’d expect to be watching Shakespeare in. I (and husband), had a brilliant evening, and will definitely be following the group to see what else they come up with.

They are theatre space NE and seem to be on a mission to use space for good, and I hope they continue to do so, and bring us more in the future.

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