What a difference a week makes!

Well I think Autumn has definitely arrived this week, what's it been like for you? On the East coast of England we've taken a bit of a battering this week. And the fires have been lit and blankets tucked around knees in the evening.

Last weekend however it was Summer again. Little Miss had her Big Show at the theatre and we had to deliver her to the stage door at 10am and collect her at 9.30pm; a really long day especially for the little dancers - some were as young as 3.

We'd agreed that Little Miss and I would be dropped off in Norwich for 10am and then I'd hang around the city (read that as grab several coffees and a newspaper) while the others went home for a few hours.

I'm always envious when I see that friends have enjoyed a lazy day drinking coffee and generally watching the world go by in a beautiful city like Cambridge, Bath or Chester. I'd love to spend a day in any of those places but sometimes we just don't have time to appreciate the place we live in. And I have to say after living here for around 35 years I had never really realised what a beautiful city Norwich is. I did notice a few new (to me) places when we did our gorilla hunt in the Summer.



Sorry to repeat some of the photos but I took so much more notice of the city as

we strolled around that day. All the photos above are in the city centre.

 And I always knew the Norwich Cathedrals (there are 2 in the city centre) were very picturesque however I never realised what a relaxed and happening place it could be.

After I dropped Little Miss off I considered doing some Christmas shopping but soon realised I was likely to be carrying the bags for several hours, so instead decided to enjoy a coffee and breakfast pastry. I watched the city come to life as the shoppers arrived, the pavement cafes filled up with people enjoying the sunshine, the Sunday papers and good coffee. I read my book (this months reading group choice - not enjoying it and about to give up on it!), drank 3 coffees and enjoyed the view, unfortunately I had great ideas of taking some artistic photos but

a) I'm not at all artistic and b) I forgot!

Theatre Royal, Norwich

City Hall

These are all I managed but it was a beautiful day to enjoy a quiet coffee outside knowing I didn't have to dash of anywhere, in fact I couldn't dash off anywhere!

It really is a vibrant city and had quite a different feel on a Sunday when people were enjoying the sun and not running in and out of shops in their lunchbreak.
Although we had tickets for the evening performance of the show I bought a cheap matinee ticket just for myself, and watched the 2.30pm show from upstairs in my "restricted view" seat. I was in awe of anyone daring to get up on that stage!

The show itself was themed on famous musicals and we saw the dancers performing to songs from Cabaret, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Moulin Rouge, 101 Dalmatians and Shrek to name just a few. Performing at The Theatre Royal is a big deal as far as I'm concerned but the little dancers were just perfect and it was a stunning show! The group who got the biggest cheer (and the biggest aaahhhh!) were the tiny dalmatians, all aged around 3, wagging their tails and trooping onto the stage one behind the other.

Little Miss performed in 2 dances both from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, I was so proud as she led her troop on and cartwheeled across the stage. She only attends a local ballet school in the village church hall but so much work went into this production I'm overwhelmed and very grateful she had the opportunity.

Taking their bow, in an outfit I'd give my eye teeth to wear

grabbing a pizza between performances, in full make up, as you do!

We finished last weekend very tired but on a high; sadly this weekend looked more like winter! Gale force wind did this to the garden...

Windfall apples everywhere!

 The trampoline has been up for nearly 10 years but it seems a big gust took it up in the air, the legs fell off (surprising as I thought they were fixed together with rust!) and it landed back down - luckily undamaged - still several more years in it yet.
The guinea pig house was flattened too although luckily they had been decamped to their indoor accommodation the night before.

The view from indoors all weekend was like this...

 Not a very good photo but it was dark and wet all day, really miserable! And to think last Sunday I was enjoying the sunshine at a pavement café!

I hope you're all snuggled up away from the cold, I think most of the country has had a wet and windy weekend.
And thank you to everyone for the advice on my little talk to the Rotary Club, it's tonight! Apparently only about 12 people (I'm such a wimp!) With the aid of a teenage boy I have a small powerpoint presentation of photos to take, I hope someone knows what to do with the memory stick when I get there! (no suggestions please!)
Have a great week wherever you are.
Jay
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