Love in the cottage

I spent last night working in my boyfriend's public house. He's the manager there, let me tell you he does a fantastic job. I told him afterwards it was the best Valentines night I had ever had - as we've been together seven years now, he looked a little embarrassed. I think this was because he realised that we never do anything vaguely good or romantic usually!
We enjoyed a little light smoking and a cup of tea when we got into the cottage, sitting by the fire ranting about the state of pubs in the current financial market. I think I remember that he said five pubs a week are going out of business - this is a lot of jobs lost. He reckons that nobody cares because people who work in pubs etc. are never in a Union. Well, anyway.. that was the rant.
I realise I don't talk much about music in this blog - I suppose that's because I rarely think that much about it! It consumes my life all the bloody time and I get sick of thinking about it. Well on Tuesday I will perform at The Ales and Tales event in Blanchland.. I have to provide some music for a storyteller as well as play solo. Let me tell you - I cannot stand storytellers, (please God do not let anyone I know read this!) As if "storyteller" is a job or even a title. Surely each and every one of us is a storyteller on a minute to minute basis? What is so important about having a title for it. Personally I'd rather listen to the stories of my friends, family and people I happen to meet than pay to hear a tall bearded, middle class, long coated loud mouth. Possibly this is a little harsh - please persuade me otherwise...
I am settling down to films and a nice meal by the fire this evening - and am off to try my hand at fudge making. I found a nice little recipe:
http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/513459
Do have a go.
See you soon.

Thursday is a cold finger day

Sent my boyfriend off to work in Allendale early this morning. I stayed tucked up warm in bed. We are both involved in a type of sword dancing which originates from the North East of England. It's called rapper dancing. Find out about it if you like, by visiting: www.kingsmen.co.uk. That's why he stays with me in Newcastle every Wednesday night.
It was heavily snowing today. Madness. I went to pick up my friend Beth who takes Sound Therapies in practise with me and drove for ten minutes through thick and white frosting. Beautiful. The only problem was that after she had rushed out of bed, (still in there when I arrived,) we got as far as Gateshead and pulled into a garage. The point was raised that the roads were terrible, nobody had thought to grit the night before. As we were due to be in Sunderland all day until 5.30pm, we rang everyone of any importance for advice, hoping they would all say - "turn back girls, it's dangerous out there." Needless to say we did turn back.
Back in Fenham we ate a bagel, drank tea, had a fag and watched Neighbours, whilst looking out of the glass doors at the accumulating white out. So much fun. I was a little sad to miss the fantastic afternoon of playing with vibro acoustic beds and microphones, last weeks first lecture was eye opening.
I didn't write yesterday - it was a boring day. I had a lesson with Catriona MacDonald, renowned Shetland fiddle player. I also found out that I passed my three hour hell hole exam with 54/100 and my interim recital with 68/100. I didn't do badly. Rapper practise was as dreary as ever - even though a pagan man has joined. I also got the chance to meet the vice chancellor for engagements at Newcastle University yesterday - he was nice. An ex Kingsman, (that's the name of the rapper sword team.) He's a musician like moi - singer, mandola, pipes... Very talented.
See you soon. Tea beckons and my flatmate is back!

First Ever Blog.

At present I have two homes. One with my boyfriend in Catton, Allendale and one in Newcastle. This is the one I pay rent for. My flatmate is fantastic, she is a bossy, confident teaching assistant with a collie dog who starts barking at 3pm every day. Today he did some extra barking because our new wheelie bin arrived outside the front door. Or was it the bailiffs?
I had a meeting at University at noon. I suppose I should mention I am a student of Folk and Traditional music at Newcastle - I play the fiddle/violin. I have done since I was ten, it is about all I can do.. Apart from talk, drink tea, watch Tv and I'm a pretty good ice skater.
Tonight they have given me a tutorial at 7.36pm.. I mean, surely that time is considered anti social working hours? I certainly consider it that. The tutorial is to tell me what marks, (if any,) I got for some January exams. One performance exam and one three hour hell hole writing about bollocks exam.
I'm hoping to do this blog thing every day or two, so therefore I shouldn't really make this one too long. I have no idea what kind of person reads these things - I recently read a book based on a blog and she found out some mothers at her kids school were reading it. It got her into all kinds of trouble, which thankfully, she did not apologise for.
Before I leave a brief description of myself is probably useful to the reader: 5ft 3", longish brown hair, grey eyes, size 14 - 16 variable (it's like the shipping forecast,) bubbly, busy and fairly boring fashion sense. I'm getting a hair cut SOON.
That concludes first blog. Well done me!