Getting cold in Egham.

Christmas was going so well - about three weeks ago we were ahead of ourselves and everything was planned out; the shopping, some nice Christmassy days out too.

Then I got really ill and we lost two weeks overnight.

Now Christmas is next weekend, I've just had Chemo and not really feeling too great and there's no time to do anything.

Except on Saturday morning we found time to go into Egham to have a coffee and listen to some Christmas music....amongst the trolleys outside Tesco's;

It's The Egham Band again and very pleasant it was too, even if it was a bit cold and miserable out on the street. 

They played all the traditional favourites and after quite a while listening we went for a coffee.

Unfortunately, I got really cold without realising it and spent the rest of the day trying to get back to normal.

But it was worth it.

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

Egham Band at Christmas.

So, Saturday night in the rain, we headed off for Egham and a night with 'The Egham Band' playing Christmas music.

We actually went very, very early because last year we nearly didn't get in; this year we found the church locked and dark....puzzling!

In fact they'd moved to a bigger place and, with a bit of luck, we found it. This time we were the first in!

This is Gareth Green the musical director;

The band is a huge achievement, striking a difficult balance between fun and completion standards which makes it a joy to hear them play . In addition to the band there is also a growing youth band who have their own slot in the concert.

There were lots of Christmas favourites but perhaps not as many as last year. It was more serious although that certainly paid off when they played 'Gloria In Excelsis Deo', with the cornets high up in the balcony.

But I'm not religious and for me the smaltzy, fun and sometimes tacky Christmas music is what I like best.

The band will be playing on Egham High Street on 17th December at 1030 am and we may pop down to take another look.

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

My Tailor has closed!.

That's not good;

The Age UK charity shop in Egham closed.

One day it was there, the next it was gone;

All gone;

I bought a lot of my clothes there - most notably a pair of genuine Levi 501's for £5.

We bought music and DVD's there - Robyn picked up blank wedding invitations there.

In 2013 I bought my first digital camera there for £11-99, to brighten up this blog and because I didn't think people would believe what I did unless there were pictures!

We always popped in and had a chat with the people who worked there - so we didn't get a chance to say goodbye.

Here's a picture from happier times;

It will be very much missed, even if I'm not likely to need any more clothes these days......

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

Magna Carta Day 2016 at Egham.

We went to Egham Magna Carta day which I haven't been able to get to for a few years.

Egham band were in fine form on the opening parade;

And then gave us a rousing performance to open up the music;

This is actually the new Junior band with a few performers from the highly professional seniors helping out;

The Junior band was formed out of the training band and they are now in the process of forming a new training band for beginners.

The highlight of Egham fair for me has always been the music, which in the past was very varied and exciting. It meant that the event was something special.

Even though this year there were three sound stages, the choice of music was fairy dull.

Don't get me wrong - I like a brass band and it's definitely part of the English summer;

And under their conductor they are a very professional outfit;

I also enjoyed The Juma Steel Band who did their best to bring some sunshine to a dull day;

We looked at the stalls and ate cake and eventually got heavily rained on too!

But the local area has a wealth of talent, most of whom are desperate for a chance to perform. Instead we seemed to get a lot of mock country and western music - safe and boring.

Dripping wet, we ended up drifting home.

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)

Idle time.

I spent the Bank Holiday bleeding, as I expected. And in lots of pain too.

On Sunday we went to Egham and idled away an afternoon watching pigeons drinking water on the Magna Carta fountain outside Tesco's;

And Robyn sneaked this picture of me, which does look a bit better than the one she took last night while we were watching the Nightriders go by.

I'm getting much more limited these days - lots of pain and having to ration myself out.  

And the weather is really, really miserable.

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

The M25 Fire Spinners.

Friday night we had an appointment under one of the M25 motorway bridges;

We went fire spinning with The M25 Fire Spinners who you can find on facebook;

I must admit I spent quite a lot of the night wrestling with my camera but I did enjoy it;

There were some very skilful fire spinners;

There were fire jugglers and here a fire eater;

Once again, a magical night;

And a chance to meet some wonderful people;

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

Spinning with The M25 Fire Spinners.

I've been fairly ill for the last fortnight - at times it's been really grim but we'd been looking forward to Friday night for a month.

So we ended up waiting at 9pm on Egham High Street - deserted except for a few people walking their dogs.

We had lager and paraffin and then when we saw the procession coming our way we set off our glow sticks to welcome the M25 Fire Spinners! 

 

 

We were heading for the River Thames and the M25 motorway bridge;

 

 



 

 

 

It's a secret world, an amazing place - at night dark and industrial - the evil child of bored architect who designed a space that no one was ever meant to see.

 

Then once a month it's transformed into a very human space by the M25 Fire Spinners.

There's music and, of course, lots and lots of fire;

There are some very skilful people there;

My little camera could never really do it justice so occasionally I had to slip into flash;

But that doesn't really show you how exciting it is;

Or how great the bridges are lit up by paraffin;

And just take a look at this - believe me it's much better live;

So then the moment came when I had to have a go. I'm not sure who looks more worried here although I'm not actually bothered about fire;

Starting up here;

I like that a lot!

Oh yeah!

Then Robyn had a go;

And she's good.

Doesn't she look great?

We came away early - I'd had a rough week.

As we walked along the river we took a look at the Moon high in the sky;

And a last look back at the Fire Spinners far away, spinning into the night;

Few people in my situation get to spend such a magical evening amongst such nice people. Two hours disappeared in a matter of moments while the rest of the world just slumbered by the T.V. unaware of what they could be doing under the busy M25.

Who knows what we'll be doing the next time they meet or where we'll be.

It's going to be really tough what ever happens but neither of us will ever forget  tonight.

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

Autumn leaves.

Saturday morning saw me walking to the Village hall for the Macmillan Cancer Support Bazaar. I usually go, looking for some bargains.
As ever it always strikes me that most of the people running it either have cancer or have a relative with cancer.

On the way back the autumn leaves were beginning to pile up;

Who can resist kicking up leaves as they walk along?

I am probably the only person ever stopped by a policeman for kicking leaves. It was a few years ago.

In the afternoon we both felt we had to get out of the house and we went to Egham for a coffee.

We sat and talked on a beautiful, still Autumn day.

I didn't bring a coat, it was so mild.

Gradually, dusk fell and it got quite cold.

Then for just a few moments, we got the most vibrant sunset anyone could wish for.

Then it was gone.

 

 

 

Neil Harris

 

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 





A temporary freedom.

I've been scrabbling about trying to find........



 

 

.....some ancient Paraffin (or for Robyn 'kerosene') which I had to pour out of a really elderly container. It's supposed to be blue or red but it faded over the years.

 

It's the price of admission to a really exclusive event.

 

Can you guess from the specks that have got onto my camera lens?

 





They are drops of Paraffin (Kerosene) flying all around us.

I'm not sure this is going to help you either;

This weekend the clocks go back as British Summer Time ends - now it will be dark in the afternoon. I'm grumpy about it because spring might have been nice but I was too ill to enjoy it.

By the time I was back on walking sticks the summer was over.

I'm not dealing with it very well.

The only thing to do was to celebrate;

These are 'The M25 Fire Spinners' and they meet every month under the M25 Motorway at Egham, where the Thames goes under the road.

You can find them on FaceBook.

They meet near Budgens and have a little procession along the high street - we joined up with them a bit further on - then we all made our way to the bridge;

It's an incredible space; the river was black and still and above us the great arches of the bridge were like the flying buttresses of a medieval cathedral.

We spoke to Lorenzo who told us that they meet up because Egham is "so boring.....it's our temporary freedom".

These are real circus skills and it all took place against a loud background of Balkan Gypsy music and House.

There were drummers and everywhere a strong smell of Paraffin (Kerosene).

And fire!

There was fire eating and juggling;

I'm not sure where the evening went - in a matter of moments two and a half hours had gone up in smoke;

I can't think of a better way to party.

Robyn's already taken the first steps to spinning fire and we've promised that next month it's our turn;

I loved the fact that I've driven over the M25 bridge a thousand times and never realised what was going on underneath.

That we were having such fun while quiet Egham dozed in front of the TV.

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com