Lots to do

I mentioned a week ago that the new Morrison’s had opened in Blaydon and that I found this quite exciting. Heather and I called in briefly during one of our walks, and as we were leaving we noticed signs up in the car park telling us that there is a three hour maximum period for parking. Why on earth would anyone want to spend three hours in Morrison’s? Oh how we chuckled. Roll on to Saturday afternoon; I was back in Morrison’s this time with the car and also my mother.

“Mum, it’s ten to three we need to think about getting through the checkout because we’re only allowed to park for three hours and we’ve been here since eleven.” 

“But I have my disabled badge.” Mum thinks that her disabled badge would entitle her to park on your front lawn if she wanted to. 

“It’s still three hours Mum, disabled badge or not, we’ll get a ticket.” 

“Don’t be so ridiculous of course we won’t get a ticket if we’re in a disabled bay. I ’m just going to look at the make-up.” 

We had a snack in the café there, and for once I decided to put my foot down with Mum over her having nothing else but cake for her lunch. I could see her gearing up for a battle – she asked for apple crumble. I told her she could have apple crumble for afters but she had to eat something more substantial first. It’s a bit mean I suppose because she can’t actually walk over to the counter to get her dinner under her own steam, but I like to try to make her eat sensibly when I’m with her as I know she lives on chocolate the rest of the time. After some haggling she settled for a bacon sandwich followed by the crumble. 

Residing in the North East is like having too many television channels. When we just had the four I could pick a programme and settle down to watch it. Now we have 60 or so I’m forever tampering with the remote control and actually watch very little. Living here is like that, there is so much to do that it makes it hard to pick. Not only are we blessed with Morrison’s, but we have many fantastic theatres and music venues throughout the region, and we try to get around as many as we can.  We’ve got a lot of stuff booked over the next month in Newcastle, Durham and Gateshead. 

Last week the review company What’s Good To Do, kindly sent me to review “Sunshine on Leith Byker” at the Northern Stage. The producers were S.A. Productions who work alongside the Sage Academy of Performing Arts who give full and part-time training to aspiring young performers. They appear to be doing a good job. For further information see www.saproductions.co.uk. I am ashamed to tell you that the last time I saw anything at the Northern Stage it was called the Newcastle Playhouse and the cast included a very young and completely unheard of Kevin Whately. That’s how long ago it was. I’ve noted down the names of the actors starring in “Sunshine on Byker”, as I expect that like Kevin I will be seeing more of them in the future.

Talking of the Sage, we’re going there this evening to see the Pet Shop Boys and I’m very curious about what to expect. Heather asked for tickets for her birthday and is at a point of near hysteria over the prospect of seeing her idols. God knows what she would be like if it was Kim Wilde we were seeing. The Pet Shop Boys are a little after my time, Julie Andrews is more my era, but I’m sure I’ll enjoy myself and I will tell you all about it