Fantastic Friday !

I wrote another thousand words yesterday for my book THE BRIDGE HOUSE. I have now reached the time where Juri Gagarin became the first man in space - 12th April 1961. 

The story of The Bridge House begins in 1901, shortly after the death of Queen Victoria and my grandmother Lily's 11th birthday. The book follows the life of my grandmother and leads the reader not only through her life but the times in which she lived. I hope the story makes the reader feel what it was actually like to live through the major events my dear grandmother knew.

Throughout the story there are a number of characters who share Lily's life and bring their

outlook on the times into the story line. There is Lord Henry Wilton, William - Lily 's husband, Billy - son and Kenneth - also her son and my father. Now, within the time I am writing that role has passed to myself. Mention is also made in passing of different members of the Ashford Family, characters like Thomas Ashford who won the Victoria Cross and William Ashford the landscape painter. One of his works which sold recently at Christies is featured in the narrative.

It is a bit of a strange experience writing about myself in the story, while there is an element of fiction at times when I tell of what I did as a child with my grandmother everything is accurate and autobiographical.

Within the stage I am currently writing in The Bridge House I bring in a record that made it to number four in the hit parade at the same time in history as Juri Gagarin was orbiting the Earth. I did not own the 7" vinyl single of this but I did have the album ADAM where the song is featured.

Let me play it for you.

Nan liked that song. I got the LP from the record department at Stone's Newsagent just over the road from where she lived.

Yesterday I was the guest on Secklow Radio's Classics From Scratch. I told listeners a little tale from my childhood, a tale I am just about to bring into the book. I headed a revolt at school and changed the system from Music being a subject only taught to girls to become something boys also were allowed to join in.

You will have to listen to the ON DEMAND feature for the show or wait until The Bridge House is published to know of my plot which changed the school's timetable.

CLICK HERE to listen to my choice of music from Classic From Scratch. That's a beautiful piece of music isn't it ?

The picture above shows me clapping along to another choice of mine which show host Catherine Rose played for me. CLICK HERE to listen to The The Radetzky March.   Be it classical or be it pop music you can listen to the tune or you can listen to the music. To listen to the music. To listen to the music you need to understand more than the sound the piece makes. 

Johann Strauss Sr composed this march for Field Marshall Radetzky. When it was first

played the army officers standing on the side began to clap their hands and stamp their feet in time to the music. That tradition remains today for the audience to clap their hands in time to the music.

When my choice of The Bridisi, or Drinking Song, from Verdi's La Traviata was played Catherine and I did the actions. Here she is waving a bottle of water about in time to the music.   I had a can of Pepsi Max in my hand !

CLICK HERE and listen.

The 1910 Fruitgum Company and Black Lace did not invent songs which require actions to accompany the music.

Tomorrow I will be driving to Bristol to see my lovely granddaughters Katherine and Frances. Of all forms of music I love ballet more than all else. Here is Katherine at her ballet class. On the radio yesterday I explained in its my AMBITION to take Katherine to watch a performance of The Nutcracker. It is my DREAM to watch her dance The Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker.

My final choice of music yesterday was not The Sugar Plum Fairy but the final waltz from The Nutcracker. CLICK HERE and listen.

Being the guest on Catherine Rose's radio show yesterday brought my day to a lovely end. THANK YOU Catherine for inviting me.

At the other end of the day was a meeting a 9.30am in Asda Supermarket in Bletchley where I am taking The Secklow Radio Roadshow on Saturday 6th January. (Spot the Typo below ! I always like to include typos for those who delight in finding them !)

I had planned for everything to be located within the covered entrance foyer of the supermarket. I found out that is NOT Asda's plan, we will be located INSIDE the supermarket adjacent to the entrance. During the day TEN THOUSAND people will pass by the roadshow. As well and The Geriatric DJ spinning the discs Catherine and presenter

Stuart Moore will be there.

I think all three of us could be upstaged when customers and Asda staff take over the microphone.  What a day this is going to be.

Ahead of this Gary and I will be back at Hillsborough cheering on our team on New Years Day. Yesterday Stuart asked me if I wanted to be on his show on New Year's Day. Sorry Stuart I will be part of a live performance singing Hi Ho Sheffield Wednesday. Here we are at a previous performance of our anthem.

Time now to play my personal anthem for today. Here's my choice of fun music to start your day. Keep the bouncy melody from The Shadows with you all day and  have a SUPER SATURDAY.