MURDER AT DISNEYWORLD

Martha Crabbit wanted to kill her husband. It was a strong, pervading thought that she found occupying her mind more and more these days.

She had been married to Bill for 23 years, and could say that the first 6 months were ok and it went rapidly downhill from there. She was 20 when they married after a whirlwind romance - back in those days he treated her well, taking her to fine restaurants, buying her flowers, he had seemed so thoughtful and caring. How wrong she was! He had changed into a stranger. A morose man who seemed to avoid her as much as possible, leaving her feeling lonely. It wasn't a partnership, more like flatmates who didn't get on very well together.

So she had taken out a hefty insurance policy, no harm in thinking of the future after all.
It was for $400,000 and she hadn't told Bill. He would only question why the amount was so large.
Just as well she earned her own money to pay for it, waitressing at the local diner.

It was by chance that she had learned of his cheating ways, though she had suspected as much by his furtive behaviour. It was a friday night when the phone rang.
'I'll get it!' Bill hollered at the same moment as Martha picked up the phone to answer it, she stayed on the line listening almost without meaning to. The gap in the airwaves held her attention.

There was an initial silence after Bill's 'hello', which she found a bit odd, then a husky female voice came over the line.
'Darling? Are you on your own?'
'Yes, at the moment I'm in the den, she is upstairs watching t.v.' Bills voice sounded so different. This wasn't the cringing, nagging voice that she heard every day, this man sounded softer and, well, she had to admit it, sexy.

'I've missed you so much, when can we get together again?', the soft, pleading voice sent daggers of hate into Marthas mind. She felt jealous of this invisible interloper into her marriage, even though it was dead on its feet. After all, she was his wife.

'We'll have to leave it till monday night, we have visitors this weekend and I can't get away. I'll say I have to stay late at the office and I'll come over to yours. Ok?' Bills duplicity shook Martha to her very core. This explained a lot! All those nights when he was late coming home, seemingly exhausted.
'Hah!', she thought, so that's what he's been doing.

After the phone call, things started to click into place, how could she not have noticed before? Bill wasn't really unkind to her, he just seemed to blot her out most of the time and treated her as if she were an unwanted guest in his house.
She had always been a quiet sort of person, only talking when she had something to say, not just to fill silences. She was also timid. Now she didn't feel timid, she felt livid, but didn't show it. Oh no. She would carry on as usual whilst plotting her revenge.

She started to go through his pockets, something she hadn't thought to do before. There were receipts for fancy restaurants, even a receipt for flowers. Flowers! He hadn't bought her any for, well, it must have been in their courting days, long ago, when love was bright in their eyes and hearts.

So a plan began to form in her mind and one morning she started to put it into action.
'Do you feel like a trip to Disneyworld Bill? I've never been, and after talking to Jane, who went a couple of months ago, I think I'd like to go. How about next month?' Jane was her sister, she had 2 children, 5 and 11 year old boys. She seemed to be happily married to Peter, who worked successfully as a 'software consultant' - whatever that is, Martha had thought. It was something to do with computers.

Martha had only lost children before they could even become viable. Her womb had seemed like a graveyard. She had had 3 miscarriages. It was a black area for her, she didn't like to even think about it and had resolved to live her life as a childless woman. There was a deep bitterness which some nights kept her awake with the longing for being a mother.
'What do you want to go to Disneyworld for?' Bill asked in his particularly wheedling voice. Then came the killer comment.
'It's not as if we have any children to take.' He closed the newspaper he was reading, threw it down onto the table and got up to go to the fridge for another beer.

'Please Bill, I really would like to go. We don't go anywhere these days, well together that is.' She said, keeping her voice calm although inside she felt like a volcano about to erupt.
'What do you mean? Not take you anywhere? Of course I do! What about when we went to La Traviata just last month?' This was a reference to an Italian restaurant they had gone to with Jane and her family for Peter's 40th birthday.
'I mean just us, you and me, having a day out together. Please Bill, I don't ask for much from you do I?'

Bill had to admit that his wife was, in fact, quite undemanding, especially in the bedroom, he thought bitterly. Might as well do it and shut her up, his private thoughts told him.
'Ok. When do you want to go?'
'What about taking a day off, and going on a weekday, then it wouldn't be so busy with schoolkids', Martha said, keeping her voice light and pleasant. As Bill was quite senior in his firm, he could take a day off easily.
She went over to the calendar on the kitchen wall and drew in a large X on the first day of June, the next month.
'There, it's on the calendar, so that means it's going to happen.' Martha kept her face away from Bill so he couldn't see the malevolence that she felt a plain as day.
A 'grumph' was the only response she got, so she asumed that was a positive answer. That was it then. It was all set. All she had to do now was to work out how.

Martha looked up Disneyworld on the internet and became familiar with the rides on offer. She had a vague plan that involved Bill having a tragic 'accident' whilst at the theme park. They happened a lot, didn't they? She didn't quite know why she had thought of Disneyworld as the venue for murder, it had popped into her head and stayed there, along with the aftermath picture of her having to deal with becoming a grieving widow, and a rich one at that.

The days seemed to fly by, and now it was the day before their trip to Disneyworld and Martha was having a quiet panic. Bill was 'working late.' She inserted her own punctuation, as she knew it was a lie, he was really enjoying himself with that woman. Martha didn't even know who she was, she had just heard her voice and pictured her as a dizzy blonde, more of a bimbo than a real woman. No brains and bleached hair, Martha thought bitterly.

They lived a good 3 hour drive from Florida, so set out early in order to be there and have a full day.
'Have you turned everything off?' Bill asked Martha as she got into the passenger seat.
'Of course I have!' Her voice showed a hint of anger at his facile question.
'Alright, you don't have to bite my head off.' Bill started the car with a scowl on his face.
'Great', thought Martha, we're back to loggerheads yet again. This man was infuriating.

There was mostly silence on the drive, this was normal for the couple these days. It appeared that they had said everything they needed to say during the last 23 years, so it was just the day to day stuff that got talked about. No actual conversation, or light banter. O no. It was just one big dull facade of a marriage. Martha felt a bit like a boxer, priming herself for the big fight to come, although it wouldn't be a fight as such, more like a knockout blow to finish this farce once and for all. She didn't know what he was thinking, he never opened up to her these days, the intimacy had gone long ago.

A large sign informed them that they were almost there. 'Here we are'. Said Bill, almost eagerly, his mood had changed as soon as they arrived. 'Let's go and get the tickets.' Bill's sudden enthusiasm struck Martha as false. What was his game? She thought as she got out of the car.

There was a queue, well, that was to be expected, but it wasn't too long as it was off peak and most children were at school. Studying the map of the site, Bill suggested several rides, including the big dipper, which was incredibly high, with loops for upside down travelling. Martha hadn't thought this far ahead, and realised that she wasn't actually all that keen on such stomach churning rides. However, the big dipper was crucial to her plan so she didn't have a choice.
'Let's go on the big dipper first', she said breathlessly, she was becoming quite anxious now, her plan was unfurling before her eyes. All those nights of imagining how it would go and now here she was, it was going to happen!

'Ok.' Bill turned to look at her and gave her such a piercing look that it cut right through her. His eyes held a sadness and a poignancy that she hadn't seen before. He seemed to be saying a lot more than 'ok.' Still, no time for other thoughts than those of freeing herself from this loveless marriage and the money to come.

She had decided that she would pretend to throw herself out of the ride by lifting the bar that held them in the car, then push him out whilst they were upside down in the loop. All people would see would be her creating a disturbance, it would be travelling so fast that others' couldn't hear them or clearly see what was going on. It had to be an accident for the insurance.

A man came round to all the cars and checked that the bar was down and in place before they set off. Martha's heart was racing. She had thunder in her ears, she could feel her blood pressure rising as the adrenaline kicked in. They were off.

She would start her act so that by the time they were looping the loop the bar would be up and nothing would be holding them in, gravity would do the rest. Martha would make sure to hold onto the bar with one hand whilst pushing Bill out with the other, taking him by surprise. It had seemed easy when she had planned it, but now the thought was daunting. What if he didn't fall? He would then know that she was trying to kill him. Countless thoughts raced through her mind as the car wound its way up the climb.

Martha prepared herself mentally for the challenge. She started to push up the bar and found that it came up easily. Bill was also pushing it! He turned to look at her, his words thrown to the wind as he mouthed 'sorry.'
They were both now scrambling around the car, both trying to hold on and keep one arm free as the car sped downhill and into the loop. They were now hanging upside down, frantically trying to push each other out, it all became clear to Martha. Bill was trying to kill her! He fought to release her hand that was holding onto the side of the car, the bar had been pushed too high to hold onto. She hadn't thought of that!

Clarity dawned on them both at the same time. They were both falling. Down past the scaffolding, landing with a hefty bump onto the concreted path, scattering bystanders.

Somehow, Martha had landed on Bill, he cushioned her fall, although she knew she was still injured quite badly. Her final thoughts as she slipped into unconsciousness were strangely calm ones. She remembered her mother, standing in the kitchen with flour on her hands, smiling at her in such a loving way. It tore at her heart, she had no room for murderous thoughts as her consciousness slipped away.

Bill had managed to break the impact of his fall on his legs. They were both splayed out, but he remained alert. There was no pain, not yet anyway. He felt annoyance that Martha was lying on top of him, her bulk was squashing him. He'd often told her that she could do with losing weight, she felt obscenely heavy to him right now.

There was screaming happening around him and he thought that people were so inconsiderate screaming like that when it was him that was starting to hurt. In fact, he thought dreamily as he passed into unconsciousness, I'm better off getting out of here. An odd thought. It made sense though.

He mercifully remained unconscious all the way to the hospital and eventually came round in the emergency room. The light was bright, too bright. There was pain, he felt that it had been dulled somewhat, but he could feel it mostly in his arms. Now why did he feel pain in his arms when it was his legs that should be hurting the most? In fact, he couldn't feel his legs at all, he couldn't feel anything below his waist. He couldn't move anything below his waist.

His mind finally understood as he saw sympathy in the eyes of the medical staff surrounding his bed.

'We have good news and bad news,' said a doctor standing at his right side. What do you want first?'
'Bad news first.' Said a dry throated Bill, suddenly feeling very thirsty. His hoarse voice sounded feeble to his ears.

'The bad news is that you have lost the use of your legs. I'm afraid that you will never walk again.' Said the doctor in his best bedside manner.
'....and the good news....? Bill croaked as his ravaged voice sounded barely above a whisper.

'Your wife will make a full recovery.'

DINNER
Spag bog with left over mince from last night.
Salad a la Moi
Walnut Dream Ice Cream

SUNDAY DINNER
Barbequeued Beefburgers and Peppers
Courgettes from the Garden
Globe Artichokes from the Garden
Beetroots from Garden
Broad Beans cooked and gone cold with lemon juice, olive oil and onion
Samphire, brought back by Mr A from the Salt Marsh where he has been working

Sunday, we moved Madam Broody and the 6 chicks into the main run, with the other 3 hens. Broody was very protective, pecked the others and established order. They left the chicks alone as she was quite vicious with them. So, it all seemed hunky dory.
Today, I noticed that the chicks were still in the house, all the hens were out in the run. Strange? Anyway, later in the day, I noticed that one chick had blood on her back and her feathers were bedraggled. She had obviously been pecked. Next time I looked, all the chicks were huddled in a corner, under the base of the run. There was a little alcove, where they had cuched in, with just their backs showing. Hmmm. This looked like they were trying to hide from the other hens. Then, as I was further up the garden I heard some furious cheeping. I came down to see one of the hens pecking and bullying the little chick mercilessly. Madam Broody seemed unconcerned, letting the other hen peck her babies.

So, I've had to move the 6 chicks back into the little arc where they hatched. It's a smaller run, but has all the mod cons for the modern little chickadee.
It's not safe for them to be with the other hens, so back to the drawing board for the time being. If, as I think, there are 3 males and 3 females, we'll have to decide what to do with the cockerels as I don't want to keep any. It will be hard to kill them, so I'm not going to do it. Still don't know how I'll feel if it comes to eating any of them......

Mr A is working away for the week, coming home at weekends. He brought a load of samphire. It's a bit like seaweed and looks like anoerexic asaragus. Quite bland, but nice with butter. I also cooked up some beetroot, freshly picked and they were delicious! I forgot the bacon/beetroot combo Mr Frost - again! When I did remember, the beetroot had all gone.

I pickled a load of shallots from the garden. It's a good year for onions, shallots and garlic. Pickling them was a very fiddly job, but very satisfying. These days, you can buy pickling vinegar all ready, so it's a bit of a doddle!

I went to see the kitten that we are going to get. She's almost 6 weeks old, tabby, with a ginger splodge on the top of her head. Very cute! Talking about having the kitten with cat owning friends, they all have litter boxes, even though the cats go outside. I've never had a litter tray for a cat that can access outdoors. You have to be ruthless in training them, you know, rub their noses in it and chuck them out as soon as it's discovered. I know it works, because our last, inherited cat, Dusky, had been peeing and shitting in the house for years. It was a battle, but she got the idea in the end, and the carpet, at last would be odour free. I seem to remember blogging about the ongoing battle with her at the time.

I ran out of Walnut Dream Ice Cream, so got 2 more boxes pronto. I'm still in love with this ice cream, the best I've ever tasted! Mmmmmmmm! Sometimes, (confession time), I rush my dinner just so that I can get to the ice cream for afters! I've given up adding Baileys Cream for the time being, as using it regularly took away the specialness of it. Too much of a good thing, etc.

T.v. continues to be boring with not much I want to watch. 'Dragons Den' though is always interesting to watch. Also 'Would I lie to You?' Is funny and worth a watch. Otherwise, I've watching on 4OD. I found some of Derren Brown's shows that I hadn't seen. He is such an amazing performer and hypnotist extraordinaire.
'Top Gear' is always good, not so much the bit about certain cars, but the 'projects' they get up to. This week, they were matched with 3 German presenters of a German version of their programme. They had to race in 3 different races with them. The first one was won by the first person to put their national flag onto a beach lounger! Anyway, Top Gear won! Hurrah!

After another hot day, the rain has come. Last night there was thunder. It knocked out the electricity for a few minutes, it was that dramatic! At least the garden is getting a good watering. Lots of peas and beans at the moment.
The globe artichokes were gorgeous! You can't just tuck in and slice a bit to eat. No, you have to unpeel each leaf, chewing the tasty part at the thick end of the leaf. Then, when you finally get to the middle of it, you have to pare away the hairy part, which is inedible, then tuck into the very delicious stem part. A bit of work to get there, but definitely worth it! If anyone has never eaten a globe artichoke, I advise to try one, it's a gastronomic event that you won't regret!

I'm typing away to the pattering of rain on the plastic see through roof of the kitchen just next door. So, trying to time my venture out into the garden between showers. At least I managed to bring in the swing seat cushions before it rained. There's been quite a few times when I've left them out, and it's started raining. Damn! Especially if I'm out. I've had to run out in the middle of the night before now to bring them in when it's started to rain unexpectedly.

So, thrilling action packed news! Containing the excitement from such adventures may be difficult if you are in company whilst reading this. The people around you will wonder at what you are gasping and exclaiming about. Well, you'll just have to tell them. Avrilo has been regailing her blogging audience with tales of such high adventure that even James Bond stories pale into mediocre insignificance.
O yes, these action packed past few days have just sped by. It's like an ongoing soap story puncuated by tasty dinners.

Must go, the Archers is on...................

DINNER
Welsh Beefburgers
New Potatoes
Side Dishes - Tapas to you!: Smoked Salmon, King Prawns with Avocado, and Green Salad from Garden

Walnut Dream Ice Cream (I may need counselling to stop)

The Dot Coms (see last post) are on the programme! OMG I shall have to rehearse for sure. Thank goodness the bassist has played my songs before as we won't meet until the festival...

The little chicadees are growing fast. We are going to put them, with Madam Broody in with the other 3 hens to see how they all get on. They might need a fence between them if they get bullied. Whatever, it's going to be interesting to watch what happens. We'll do this tomorrow. Mr A is out on the razz tonight at a friends birthday bash. They had a game of cricket this afternoon, before the party, so I cried off.

Just discovered that ITV3 is no more on our t.v., just when I decided to watch Cadfael. It was a sign from the Goddess that I should log on rather than watch t.v.....
Funny how we say 'The Goddess' and just 'God'. We don't say 'The God', do we?

So. I turned on the laptop after a week of avoiding it. There are loads of emails to reply to. One little game I do is to try and guess the amount of emails there will be when I log into my email account. No way would I have envisaged 22!

One of the courgettes is more like a marrow, I hadn't picked any for a few days and they kept growing and growing.....

Just finished reading Stephen King's new book, 'Duma Key'. He is a really good writer, holds the attention from the first paragraph. He has moved on from shock horror, to well, still shock horror, but written really well...another author who has developed into a fine writer is Dean Koontz, his Odd Thomas novels are a good read.

DINNER
Cauliflower Curry with Chick Peas
Brown Rice
Garlic and Coriander Naan Bread
Salad a la Moi
Garden Broad Beans in olive oil, lemon juice n Garlic

Walnut Dream Ice Cream

I picked a couple of stubby looking cauliflowers from the garden. I don't think they are going to get any bigger and would do for a curry. The broad beans are delicious when cold, after cooking first, done as a side dish. Very Turkish.

I've had to come up with a band name as I'm performing at this year's Women in Tune festival. At the moment there's just me and a very good bass player. I'm hoping to recruit some others to join. I was asked for the name to go in the programme asap. After much faffing and finding names that became surreal, like Fraulines On Toast......Wittering Heights...... Bra Wars......... Marmite Central........I've come up with:

The Dot Coms.
Ta! Da!

Now someone will tell me that the name is already out there.....anyway, it's too late now, it'll be in the programme.
My tent is spread out in the music room. It's dry by now but I need another pair of hands to fold it up.
Mr A is coming back on the train in 45 mins and I'm meeting him at the station. The curry's cooked and on the stove. The bad news is that there's only brown rice, which I love, but Mr A doesn't. Still, there's 4 small naan breads...

There's Frost on t.v. later, the detective. Same time as American Idol, but I can watch that another day. I haven't been following it for weeks and it's now down to 10 acts. There's a gap where Dr Who used to be...................

We are getting a big delivery tomorrow morning of roofing materials. Yes, we are going to have a new roof. Mr A will take time off work, pay a labourer and do it himself. I'm dreaded the disruption, but at least we can move to the house next door (holiday cottage) during the worst of it. After the insulation it will be warm and cosy for the winter.

Right! Time to make the salad!

LAST NIGHTS DINNER
Californian Maki. This is Sushi Rice rolled with a large leaved Seaweed. Inside is chopped Avocado, Cucumber, Various unidentified Bits and Pieces, topped with bright orange 'Caviar' (some sort of fish eggs)
Miso Soup

After the successful reheating and tweaking of the previous night's Spag Bog, I was ready for a bit of Sushi, as I was going into town for Scarabella rehearsal anyway.
Tonight we have a gig at Mozarts, a winebar with a great atmosphere - and a piano! Even though we are performing just for expenses, the glad rags are on! Black dress, turquoise glittery scarf, turquoise and deep blue large feathers is our 'uniform.' Long black gloves optional.

We have changed the rythmn of one of our songs. It was a bit ponderous, a slow marching sort of rhythmn, but now, with Brenda's funky bass line, it has a whole new lease of life - and exciting to sing! It's the only song we've written as a group. It was commissioned on the occasion of unveiling a bronze statue, dedicated to the women who started up the Greenham Common Peace Camp. Here are the words:

GOSSAMER THREADS

Women marching from the West,
prepared to face distain and arrest.
Joining hands around the fence.
Spirit of Woman,
her pride and strength.

Remember Greenham, remember Greenham.

Sisters' meet to disarm the fear.
Daughters, mothers, grandmother's gathering.
Clearly seeing beyond the might,
of a hawk guided missile,
on it's cruising flight.

Rainbow camps,
linked by webs.
Peace held,
in gossamer threads.
(Linked by webs).

Side by side.
Side by side.
(Hand in hand in hand)

Copyright Scarabella 2002ish

DINNER
Chicken Soup made with leftover Roast Cicken, Onions, Courgettes and Cabbage from the Garden, Organic Carrots (always taste better), Baby New Potatoes and Celery

Walnut Dream Ice Cream

This afternoon I had a go at nailing some wood over the holes in the chicken hut and coop. I couldn't find the hammer, so I used the blunt end of an axe. The poor chicks and Madam Broody had to put up with me banging away, shaking their run in the process. The hut we use for them is really old, it belonged to Mr A's parents from when they had chickens. We had to have another coop for Madam Broody and her chicks, apart from the 3 other hens we've got. After Mr A finding a couple of the chicks amongst the courgette plant, next to the coop, he shoved some boards over the holes, but nothing was secured.
ake
I went into town for my sherbert lemon supply and discovered that the zip on my handbag was broken so I went into some charity shops and found a new (second hand) bag. For £3.75, I've got a new looking bag with lots of different compartments and zips. Just trying to remember which particular bit of the bag contains what is going to take a while to sort out. Despite that, I'm chuffed with it, as it's big enough to contain all my bits and pieces and they are easy to get out as well. I don't know why I didn't get the right handbag before, as my previous one had 2 zips, one on the side, which meant sometimes things would fall out when I opened it up. Blimey, I didn't think I would have so much to say about buying a second hand hand bag!

Mr A is away this week, so I've been running on my own timetable, beholden to no one else but myself (and the chickens). My son has kindly volunteered to open up the chicks door in the morning to let them out into the run. This job is usually done by Mr A, who is an early riser. I take a little while to 'get into my body' first thing, and loosen up etc before climbing the steps up the bank behind our house, up the garden to the top, where the chicks live. As my son, his wife and Liberty, (4) live just a few steps away from the chicks house, it's nearer for him to do the job in the morning in return for eggs. It's a good arrangement, we all live on a bank (not the monetary kind) with our wooden house up a set of steps to the first level, then more steps up to their wooden house at the top of the bank. It does mean that they have quite a climb going up and down the steps, but by now they've got used to it. I shudder to think that it could have been the other way round, with us living at the top and my son's family living down the steps, nearer the road.
I have to accept that I'm getting older, and finding that my body doesn't respond they way it used to. This is something that I've heard people say and thought that they were just moaning about getting old, but now I know what they mean! My best time of day is in the afternoon, by then I'm fully functioning, firing on all cylinders. First thing in the morning, I find that I need to sit, drink a cup of coffee and slowly get into the day. I couldn't work an early shift, as I used to anymore.
It's not a big deal really, I'm just having a bit of a winge.....and when I'm out having a dance, well, the ol' hips are wiggling away, and my bottom's gyrating at speed and I'm dancing like I'm at an audition for Pans People, the Next Generation......

There doesn't seem to be anything to my taste on telly these days...I've taken to watching 4OD on my laptop, the screen of which is bigger than our t.v. anyway...yes folks, I have a 15" screen on my laptop and it's a blooming beauty!

I've just finished a book by William Gibson, well known for 'Necromancer' a cutting edge Sci-Fi book he wrote years ago which won a few literary awards. Anyway, this book, called 'Pattern Recognition'. It was ok, but I thought it lacked something. His prose is really good, his descriptions take you on a journey, but I found the actual plot, the nuts and bolts of the story didn't match it. He used the phrase 'mirror world' early on, for different objects, which gave it an air of mystery. I thought that he meant 'mirror world' as a sci-fi construct, that these objects were in another dimension sort of thing. What it turned out he meant, when he explained the phrase, he only meant that it was belonging to England and not America. Which made it quite dull and not extraordinary at all. Anyway, I was a tad disappointed in the book. Some parts of the story were elaborated with lots of explanations, whilst other parts were skated over when I thought he could have written more on them.

I'm now reading 'Power Play' by Joseph Finder. It's a straightforward thriller but concisely written which I'm enjoying more. Tomorrow I'm going to the library, so I'll look for more of his books as this is the first one I've read.
Scarabella have a rehearsal tomorrow and then a gig on thursday, so there will be lots of driving for me this week. I've also got my meals on wheels round tomorrow morning.

Well, I reckon this Chicken Soup's ready. First I have to take out all the bones and carcass, then - mmmmmmmmmmm...lovely soup!

DINNER
Bolognese Sauce left over from last night's Spag Bog
Organic Pasta Twirls
Salad a la Moi

With lettuce from t' garden and Olive Oil from Asses, a place in Turkey, not a donkey, it should be a splendid feast. The oil a present from Mr A's much travelled younger brother.

Brenda and Gra came over sunday for a roast chicken late lunch. It was a really hot day, no rain for a change. A very pleasant time was had, sharing a lovely bottle of red wine. Very smooth it was too. Mr A was in talkative mood, having someone with some scientific knowledge to bounce ideas off was good. They were chatting away about the origin of carbon, apparently it's about number 12 on the elemental scale. As the men were chatting about the cosmos, Brenda and I talked about going to the next level for Scarabella. We have a paid gig coming up, and we could be doing more of them. Lots of people say that we are good enough, and without being boastful, it's true, we sing cracking harmonies and rythmns like no one else.
So, we are looking for someone to set up a web site for us and my job is contact a friend who is a singer and uses an agency for work, to get the contact of the agency, then send them some bumpf for work. Our menfolk were saying that we are good enough to playing to corporate do's, even Saudi Princes, sort of level. It's all about finding the contacts who know the scene. After 12 years of playing mostly benefit gigs we certainly deserve to earn some money.

Mr A is away working this week on some salt marsh, place name forgotten already. So it's up to me to let out the chicks in the morning as he usually does it before going to work. They are growing steadily some have little tail feathers on their fluffy bums. I wonder if they will be the males? Also their little combs are beginning to show. I watched Madam Broody listening to her old mates, the other 3 hens who are now separated from her. She was definitely listening to them with her head up and cocked. I think she was missing them. Now the little chicks are growing fast, I think she feels her maternal role is becoming less and less. They still copy what she does though, if she stretches a wing, then some of them do the same.

I travelled to my creative dance group and found the place locked and empty. Damn! I'd forgotten that it was cancelled this week. I had read an email telling me that a few days ago and forgot all about it. I didn't write it in my diary.
My 5 person tent got hung out to dry yesterday in the lovely sunshine. I now have to try and fold it back up, finding somewhere flat and big enough's a bit of a problem..
Nowt much on telly. Managed to watch the last Dr Who on 4Od. What a corker! As the earth was towed back into its part of the universe, I started to say to Mr A about the questions that arose over such an unlikely event. Like what happens about the spinning and axis of the earth if its being towed superfast over a long distance? Mr A said just don't think about the physics of it and take it as it is, a highly improbable event, exciting as it was.
We've been enjoying watching old episodes of 'Scrapheap Challenge' on 4OD. Mr A could easily be in one of those teams that create machines out of scrap for a challenge. I get a smattering of education about engines and assorted bits of gear associated with creating a working machine. I found out what a turbo does, though I couldn't explain it to anyone..

Liberty, now 4 at last, came for a visit this afternoon and I learnt of an additional verse to a rhyme you say after burping:
'Pardon me for being rude, it was not me, it was my food.'
the extra rhyme she came out with,
'It came out from down below, to look around and say hello.'
I thought that related more to a fart than a burp.....so made up another little rhyme,
'It came out from up above to spread some laughter and some love.'

I'm getting hungry so I'd better trek up the garden, pick me a lettuce, put some water on to boil the pasta and reheat the delicious bolognese sauce left over from last night. I added a few chopped Jalapeno Peppers to give it a bit of a hit. Mmmmmm!!!

LAST NIGHTS DINNER
Beef Casserole, with Swede, Onion, Carrot, Peas from t'garden, n Braised Steak

I asked the butcher in Morrisons which would be the best cut for a casserole, cos I just don't know, and he recommended braising steak. It was delicious! I added a bit of sherry in the mix then added the ingredients bit by bit.
Mr A complimented me on the food, so I know it was good.

TONIGHTS DINNER
Tortilla with our own eggs, cabbage, potatoes and yellow Pepper
Salad with Lettuce from t'Garden

It was Liberties 4th Birthday party today, themed Princesses and Dragons, so I went in my long green velvet dress and feathery tiara. No, I wasn't a dragon, I was a princess! A few games like pass the parcel and statues were fun, then I had to go and sort out chickens, food and fire, so left around 5.30. The chicks have grown lots. They have stumpy little wings which allow them to fly in fits and starts. They eat loads and seem starving all the time.

Another day of rain. I made a Sherbert Lemon shop in town luckily managing to avoid the showers.

DINNER
Welsh Spring Lamb Cutlets
New Potatoes
Cabbage from t' Garden
Courgettes from t' Garden cooked in butter

Walnut Dream Ice Cream

Wayell, it was 4 nights of loitering within tent at a mostly muddy festival, but hey, it was worth the effort for the good bits in between the showers. I arrived on thursday and put up my 5 person tent next to Brenda and Gra's tent. They had roped off an area for our little group, so we had plenty of space, unlike those campers who were touching guy ropes in the rest of the cramped camping field.
Yes, there were quite a few bands, but only one really memorable one called The Amigos who were brilliant. We had to work as stewards for our ticket, which was a 6 hour shift on saturday and a 4 hour shift on sunday. Luckily, Brenda and I worked our shift together. So here are some snapshots of The Workhouse Festival......

Spending 6 hours on saturday checking wristbands on the bridge that was the entrance to the festival. To stave off boredom, I would occasionally shout out 'hands in the air! Show us your wristbands', do I hear yeh?' At which point the crowds would yell out 'yeh' and stick their arms up to show their wristbands.
Well, I thought it amusing anyway.

On duty in the healing area, standing with Brenda next to someone receiving a 'Gong Shower' healing. The tones, harmonics and vibrations that came from the large gong were pretty spectacular. We were both quite high on the sounds as well as enjoying some strong sunshine.

Dancing to The Amigos, holding my bottle of water, like a real clubber!

Reading my book in my spacious tent with the sound of rain pattering, feeling pretty chilled.

Looking at all the stalls, selling stuff that was unique to festivals, you know, jewellery, hippy clothes, artwork, musical instruments. I bought Mr A a pressie from a gorgeous Greek silversmith. It was a fossil made into a pendant with a thong to wear around his neck. It was quite masculine, as he wouldn't want to wear anything too 'prissy'.

In the cabaret marquee, watching different acts. There were comdedienes, acrobats and jugglers along with musical acts. Not all the acts were good.....some were funny though.

Managing to erect my tent before the rain set in.

Managing to pack up to go home between showers.

Meeting and chatting with new people, including a lovely policeman who was giving out cuddles!

Being truthful though, I've got to say I would have enjoyed it more if it hadn't have rained so much. I took party clothes, but ended up wearing jeans, wellies and a rain mac most of the time. It got very muddy, though not quite as muddy as last year, where lots of cars had to be towed out. Muddy enough to make walking any distance tiring as each foot lifted with a squelch from the mud, which seemed to want to suck boots down into its cloying depths.

As I was packing up, I started chatting to a guy who was also packing up. Seems he needed a lift to Welshpool to catch a train. In return for him helping me pack up my tent I gave him a lift and had a pleasant time listening to his tales of travelling in China recently. He sat with his muddy boots inside a plastic bag, a very considerate young man!

Whilst away, the chicks had escaped! Mr A found them sheltering in the courgette plant next to the run. They had escaped through small holes at the bottom.
Yesterday, I saw one of the chicks riding on Broody's back! I don't know how it got up there, but seemed to enjoy the ride! I didn't have my camera, curses! It would have made a great photo.

Right, the dinner's done, Mr A is up the garden, shutting things up for the night, so I'm jolly well off...

DINNER
Sheesh Kebabs (Spicy)
Basmati Rice
Roasted Peppers and Garden Courgettes
Green Salad with Garden Lettuce
Flagelot Beans with Onion in Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinegar
Plum Tomatoes with Oil
Fresh Garden Basil and Parsley sprinkled liberally over the salads
Organic Beetroot

Walnut Dream Ice Cream (sigh)

Well, it was a very successful 70th birthday bash for Mr A's dad. There were about 50 people, mostly relatives who came friday, and stayed until sunday afternoon.
Scarabella sang to a very enthusiastic audience, the Mr A's band did a storming set.
We stayed in the old caravan, where we lived when we first got together, for a year. It doesn't have electricity, and is at the bottom of a sloping field, surrounded by trees. It was quite nostalgic to be back there, although there were people coming and going most of the time.
Luckily, saturday was good, weatherwise and a splendid game of cricket was organised with much shouting and laughing. To the massed choruses of 'that's a sixer', a bright yellow tennis ball would come sailing over our heads to get hopelessly lost within the trees surrounding the 'pitch'.
The barrel of locally brewed beer, Tomas Watkins, went down very well, as did the assorted drinks, not to mention the champagne for everyone for the birthday toast.

Chris, a family friend and neighbour turned up with a very large step ladder. ....okay........well, it will all become clear at some point in the proceedings..and it did.
Up he perched on the top of it with camera for group photograph. It happened so quickly, we all stood like mesmerised cattle, still waiting, and posing, long after the shot had been taken..

I 'dressed' the marquee. This was hiding the large wooden poles that were keeping it stable in the high winds with flowers. There were a load of beautiful tall foxgloves that had been blown over in the winds that I used, and even if I say so myself, it looked lovely after I'd finished, a mass of purples, yellows and white daisies.

To wind up the evening we had an outside fire by the caravan, where the 'other party' went on. Singing round the fire, laughing, smoking, telling stories, it was a fine end to an amazing day.
Mr A's mother, who is 70, worked like a Trojan, organising it all. From finding caterers, to getting off cuts of carpets for the marquee, she did a splendid job.

Mr A is hunting slugs while I finish up my post. They are out en masse, having decimated many of my flowers and herb seedlings. Slimy buggers!