Bizzarro world.

On Sunday we went for a walk, we both needed to get out. I was desperate to go somewhere I'd never been before but couldn't think of anywhere and I wasn't up to driving a long way.

In the end we walked along from Staines bridge but on the opposite bank of the river.

It was really weird - in all the years I've been here I'd never seen the places I knew from the other bank.

They looked completely different, smaller. And now I could see all the buildings close up that I'd only seen from across the water.

It was strange going through the bridges where we went fire spinning....in the day time.

It didn't help that everything was back to front.

Just before Bell Weir we passed the boatyard near Runnymede and I couldn't help taking a picture of a narrow boat, out of the water.

Then we walked passed an expensive hotel (I'm not giving them an advertisement here) and lots of people lazing away a Sunday afternoon.

They had deckchairs;

And you could hire a 'Tub Tug', a hot tub that was a boat;

I didn't fancy that one little bit - and it's a £120 an hour, so that isn't happening.

We made it all the way to the recreation ground at Runnymede - passing lots of buildings I see from the road but never saw nearby.

But by now I was tired and hurting. We had a sit by the river, enjoying the sun but where I'd parked we were limited to 2 hours and we had to get back.

I was hurting big time when we were back at the car but we walked about 3.7 miles which wasn't too bad.

Mind you, today I'm really paying for it.

Ouch!

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

Straight Outta Chemo 2; with the M25 Firespinners.

By the time I'd got out of Chemo and home I was tired out but I wasn't actually ill.....and my temperature was fine......so in the end there didn't seem any reason not to go out;

Because it was fire spinning night!

We hadn't been since November, just before I had my kidney operation so I didn't want to miss it.

You can find 'The M25 Firespinners' on Facebook and they meet up on the third Friday every month at Budgens on Egham High Street to start a procession that ends at the bridge over the Thames at The M25.

There are students from the University, some members of The Circus Society and Egham's Underground.......and an old codger from across the river......and Robyn!

I can't think of a better place to watch it;

Fire spinning is difficult, spectacular and thrilling;

And having been away for a few months we could see how people are getting better at it;

Unfortunately the same can't be said for Robyn and me - the last three months have been tough and we never got round to making Poi or Fire sticks so there's been no practising.

But I did get round to buying some steel wool!

I cheated. 

I cut my steel wool into some short lengths and then tied it to the end of some old electrical flex, added a weight, set fire to it and spun it in the tunnel;

Not bad for a first effort!

No skill required and lots of fun!

There's quite a risk of getting burnt or burning other people so you do need to take precautions.

It's dangerous enough that I decided there wasn't much point in having a trial run before I had a go.

Then Robyn took this amazing picture;

Which, I suppose says it all about me and what I'm about.

I've even made it my Facebook cover photo - I never had one before.

By the time I came home I was still buzzing with the Steroid party that was going on in my head and with the thrill of messing about with silly pyrotechnics.

Even better, some of the Fire Spinners have offered to perform at our wedding reception - it was always going to be hard enough to find a venue - now we need one that can cope with fire as well!

It's the most wonderful offer and if we can work everything out that's what we'll do.

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