Year: 2019

We packed up again and went into Letchworth town centre and had our breakfast.

More ‘Memory Lane’…..when Rhys started school I went to work for David’s bookshop, part time to fit in with school hours and I ran their shop in North Herts College which meant I had school holidays off. Davids was a family run business, William one of the brothers was my boss, so I had to call in to see who was there now. The lady in there told us they sold out to the person who managed it but William pops in every day and as he always did, he is still heavily involved in local events. It has expanded since I was there and now has a coffee shop too. It was good to see that this great institution is still there and going strong.

A pity I didn’t see William but the lady said she would tell him I called in. Then the drive back home, collecting Ellie from Lou and Rhys’s on the way.

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Thought for the Day – “Your memory is the glue that binds your life together; everything you are today is because of your amazing memory. You are a data collecting being, and your memory is where your life is lived.” ~ Kevin Horsely

We packed first thing and then went into breakfast. Other people had told us that there are some real bargains if booking for the next year’s folk weekend whilst still on site. So, we went to enquire and yes they were correct and yes we have booked! It also has a price match guarantee so we can’t go wrong. The lady who booked it (which included a premier food package, 3 nights for the price of 2!) told us to check prices in January and also 24 hours before we go, the two occasions they reduce prices, so we can’t go wrong.

Imagine 4,000 people leaving around the same time! We sat in the exit queue for well over an hour.

We called at Springfields shopping outlet again but found very little. They do have nice gardens there but a little cold to enjoy them.

Then on to our hotel in Letchworth. So many memories around this area. In the evening we went to eat in Dragon King, a Chinese Restaurant Torin used to take us to along with Scarlet and Jack. I wish we could take the children again, maybe when they are old enough to make their own minds up. Meanwhile we have no idea why we are not allowed to see them when we used to be so close. But then I remember that last summer before we lost Torin, they should have come for a holiday with us and even though I drove all that way to collect them,  their mother went back on her word and they didn’t have a holiday. Make your own minds up!  One day they will learn the truth, meanwhile I keep all the evidence.

So, we went to the restaurant, a trip down memory lane. The staff are lovely and insist you have more and more! I think I ate my weight in King Prawns. They still have the chocolate fountain too that Scarlet and Jack loved.

Thought for the Day – “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” ~ Bob Marley

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December already and Lou and Rhys have put their Christmas tree up!

We had breakfast, then a wander round. The Ukelele gang were playing.

Another sunny day and so too nice to stay indoors and so a brisk walk along the seafront.

More bands in the afternoon including the Shackleton Trio.

We went in for an early dinner so that we could queue outside Red stage for the evenings main event. Dinner was very good as usual and then we queued…..in the freezing cold for an hour and a quarter!! Remember we were mostly OLD people!! There were two entrances and so towards the end, one queue was running into the other! As people next to us said, it was a good job we were all British and used to queuing. Ridiculous….2,000+ people freezing cold. BUT we were rewarded with seats in the third row which was good until people started dancing in front of us!

Billy Mitchell and Bob Fox were on first. Very amusing. We have seen Billy before in Lindisfarne.

Then of course Steeleye Span, who we had seen about two weeks previous! Just wish they had changed their set a bit more. But they were still very good and had as many as could move, dancing!

The last gig, will have to come again next year! It was a great weekend.

Thought for the Day – “Music is a language that doesn’t speak in particular words, it speaks in emotion.” ~ Keith Richards

It was quite late when we woke up. Straight into breakfast and they had everything, fresh fruit, fried, croissants, fish…everything. I had kippers being the fish lover I am. There was a queue at both restaurants, so many late risers but it was all too good to go to bed early the previous night!!

It was such a lovely day we went for a walk along the sea front.

Back to the stage and we listened to Joe Martin. He had written a lot of his own numbers and such talent. I think we’ll be hearing a lot of him in the future.

We went to the supermarket on the way back and bought a bottle of Prosseco and went to our room for a while! Later a wander around all the stalls and listen to the new bands on the open stage.

Dinner and then on to Red theatre for a battle for a seat amongst 2,000 others! We did manage to get a good one in time to see Martyn Joseph. Excellent!

He was followed by Eddi Reader. We saw her the last time we were here.

An excellent nights music. It is sometimes difficult to choose acts who are appearing on different stages at the same time.

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We had our breakfast and then headed for Spalding, a much nicer drive with the sun out. We went to Springfields shopping outlet where previously we found the most amazing bargains. Not this time.  I wanted some shoes in Pavers, they didn’t have the ones I had seen online. Mal wanted a completely waterproof, breathable coat, couldn’t quite decide and then found one online a lot cheaper, identical!

We had some lunch feeling very disappointed at the lack of things to buy and then on to Butlins Skegvegas for the British Folk Weekend. We had a nice bungalow, with TWO bedrooms! We have the Premier package which means all our food is included so we don’t have to leave at all.

We listened to the music in the arena, had dinner and then went into Centre stage . We watched Barbara Dickson first.and then our all time favourites Merry Hell.

We didn’t get to bed until about 1 am.

A brilliant night and met some lovely people.

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We took Ellie to Minnis Bay. There were some huge jelly fish coming into shore.

We then took Ellie to Lou and Rhys’s as we were driving to Skegvegas. Today we were just going to Fenstanton and that was bad enough. An hour sitting on the M25 waiting to go through the tunnel. I have no idea why, then accidents with ambulances trying to get through. The A14 appeared one enormous road works and we obviously haven’t updated our satnav. The receptionist where we spent the night said that even she had to keep finding different ways home because of all the chaos. The roads really were horrendous.

We decided to leave the car and walk into the village for our dinner and found a really nice pub, The Duchess.

Thought for the Day – “The most important thing is to enjoy your life – to be happy. It’s all that matters.” ~ Audrey Hepburn

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After Ellie’s walk I went to but some car oil. I was also going to fill the car with fuel but for some unknown reason the garage was closed for the day (Tesco!) A bit of a waste of time driving to Manston. Then the rain started!

Mal cleaned all the car later.

Thought for the Day – “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” ~ Arthur Ashe

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