Blossoms live…

I am so excited! Tonight Mr F & I are heading off to Liverpool to see Blossoms live at the Liverpool Olmpia. 

Music (especially live music) is another love of mine. Over the years I have seen an eclectic mix of bands from Chas & Dave suppporring Status Quo through to The Stone Roses at the Etihad stadium! So many that I’m not sure I’d be able to list them all. 

It would be tough to say which has been the best (The Sterophonics, Richard Ashcroft, Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller, Madness are all up there in my top 10) but without a doubt the worst was Midge Ure..

We were in Llandudno to celebrate my birthday weekend and spotted he was playing. I liked both his Ultravox & solo stuff so we thought why not? We turned up, handed our tickets in and was told “sit where you want”. Odd! We headed to our given seats (I just can’t do it, I’m not reckless enough, I have to follow protocol regardless 🙈)

We looked around and realized why she’d said that… we were the only ones upstairs in the circle. There was a scattering of people below and a sound engineer on stage testing the instruments… 

After a few minutes, hearing a few familiar notes coming from the stage, it dawned on us, THE CONCERT HAD BEGUN 🙉🙉 

Well! It was clearly not somewhere Midge Ure wanted to be that night (nor us by then) He had all the stage presence and charisma of a rotting carrot 🥕 

We forced ourselves to stay for the whole thing out of sheer pity… I can never see him on TV now without being reminded of the worst birthday ever… I think I even preferred the one where I fell out with my mum and boyfriend and ran away from home (but that’s another story folks 🙈)

Anyway, I have no fear of that happening tonight. This band is getting cracking reviews and I cannot wait. I’ve had their album playing in my car since Christmas.

Check them out folks – think you’ll know this one (last years holiday song for us) Blossoms – Charlemagne

Nobody puts Baby in a corner

How excited am I? Go on, ask me?….. No go on, ASK me… Seriously guys, ASK ME????

Oh well if you insist on dragging it out of me, I’ll tell you.

I’m off to see Dirty Dancing at the Liverpool Empire Theatre tonight!! 

 

You will find that I do go to the theatre/ cinema quite regularly. I love it and luckily for me, my work gets amazing deals.

We are very lucky to have a “sports & social team” within the company, who, as the name suggests, arrange lots of sporting and social events throughout the year. We get discounted cinema tickets, organised theatre trips, day trips, sporting events and discount at local shops and restaurants

I am one of the luckiest because last year, I was accepted into the Sports and Social Team! I help organise the corporate discounts offered by local companies and I am also on the planning committe.. 

I JUST LOVE BEING A SPORTS & SOCIAL REP!!

So far, I have seen Evita, Wicked, and Mamma Mia (this was my organised event and I loved every minute of arranging it). I have seen The Big Boy Band Reunion (my 1st live sighting of Blue YAYY) , Girls Aloud and recently went on a day trip to Knowsley Safari Park!

It really has opened up an amazing social life for me. Hubby was only asking me the other day is there anytime soon where I DON’T have a trip/ night out planned?

Ermmmm let me see…. No! I can maybe pencil him in for a night out during May half term? We’ll see 💕

You will hear about lots more of my Sports & Social activities but for today, it’s all about the syn free snack I’m taking with me, WATERMELON 🍉 

  

Blue

It’s a very Blue Good Friday for me…

Tonight I’m off to the Manchester Apollo to see noughties boy band BLUE! 

Didn’t realise how much I liked then until a couple of years back I had the chance to book tickets to see boyband “5ive”. Well I snapped them up, perfect for me & my big sis (no 1 cheesy pop music fan – just watch her groove to The Dooley’s). 

In the car “All RIse” arose. Text to sis, “YAYY listening to 5ive All Rise”

Reply – “That’s Blue”.

Few weeks on, similar text to sis, “YAYY listening to 5ive Fly By” 

Reply – “That’s Blue”. 

Realisation dawned… I’m not as big a fan of 5ive as I thought 😳

Ironically, I couldn’t make the concert as I was recovering from my 1st op on my feet and so sis took a friend who both proclaimed “BEST CONCERT EVER”…

FINALLY, got to see both bands on the Boy Band Big Reunion tour last year with sis. BOTH bands were fab BUT, for some reason, as it was approaching the time for Blue to come on I found myself getting more and more excited…

The first note started and on the boys strutted…

“I LOVE YOU DUNC” screamed some lunatic… Oh my god!! It was me 😜 where did that come from???

4 songs they did! Well, not enough for me so here I am, months on, counting down the hours till I see my Dunc again!

Pity F Minor! I’m afraid Max drew the short straw and gets to come with me… I did decline the offer of a meet and greet ticket (thanks tho, Mr F) there are some things a son should never have to see 🙈

Now do I play it cool tonight or do I wear my “Mrs Duncan James” t shirt?  

 

Ready meal

“It’s not bedtime without a goodnight song” said Lola, L. O. L. A, Lola 🎶



Shhhh 🙊 I think she’s asleep now! Can I fit in the cot too please?  

We’ve had a fun night with chippies for Lola (the peppa pig cheesy breadsticks were not a hit), fish n chips for the boys and slimming world chicken pizzaiola for me! The ready meals are great for times like this! 

I had it with the spectacular singing swede, green beans and carrots! 

SPEEDY & SUPER TASTY SYN FREE DINNER 💖



My guilty pleasure

Now most people who know me well would be able to tell you my guilty pleasure!  

It’s Chas n Dave’s – ain’t no pleasing you! Click on the link & listen, I dare you not to like it…

Ain’t no pleasing you

I’ve always loved it! 

Saw them live in December (Status Quo had them as the warm up band – dare I say they were better than the quo 🙊)! 

At my step-daughter’s wedding in November, she specially requested that the DJ play it – it was a Peter Kay moment, the 2nd I heard that infamous drumroll, I stopped, turned my ears to the music and strutted to the dance floor john travolta style!

Then WHY? oh WHY? Do I have this wonderful song as my bloody alarm tone on my phone??

A 5.15am alarm call at that! (Mr F ‘s day off today). I didn’t know whether to throw my phone at the wall or dance??

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!



Getting my oats

Mr F never fails to give me my oats! I only have to ask him.. He regularly gives my friends their oats too…

Tut tut, I know what you’re thinking, you dirty minded lot 😳

SUPERFAST PORRIGE OATS!

He is a manager, on the pet shop side (well, pet food superstore to give the exact description) of an animal feed mill. The mill has a sister company, “Morning Foods” who provide a huge range of cereals/ oats globally. 

His stores stock these cereals and “superfast oats” are amazing!  AND CHEAP!! 

No soaking overnight for these little ones! Pop your yogurt in, add fresh/ frozen fruit of your choice & away you go!  (I also added a glug of skinny syrup but more about that again)

SUPERFAST OVERNIGHT OATS!



The Turtles – Elenore

Tough day at the office today but came out to such a beautiful hazy, sunny afternoon that I instantly felt my mood lift! 

All day I’ve had a song running through my head, as I often do, The Turtles – Elenore! The lyrics go “Elenore, gee I think you’re swell…”  

My train if thought is often a strange ride, but I can’t help but wonder if, when this song was released in 1968, did Elenore promptly hit the gym thinking her boyfriend was calling her fat!! 

Slimming world began in 1969, who reckons she was slimming worlds first member lol….

Let’s all join in, in tribute to possibly Slimming Worlds possibly oldest member 🎶

The Turtles – Elenore