My violin is called Chloe.

Still there in my right knee If these are 'growing pains' then we should be rather tall by now sbhoa

My whole lower body aches intensely and I've mentioned it in another thread. I need some Ralgex, and when I've finished with it I'll post it up to you Louise1712.

I've just realised our kettle is exactly the same one, in colour too, to Roger and Val Have Just Got In's kettle.

We just had a power cut!

I've seen some really strange things from other drivers but nothing as strange as this whilst driving through a council estate in the southern suburbs of Birmingham today, I'd just turned left and there was this black and grey car slap bang in the middle of the road blocking it. There was a queue of oncoming cars of around two or three, and I looked inside the car and there were this rather scruffy man and woman having a blazing and very savage row. One beep of the horn didn't disturb them and after around thirty seconds or so I skilfully edged past them and they didn't know I was even there, they were far too busy swearing at each other to realise they had blocked the Queen's Highway less than fifteen metres from a busy junction.

Maybe they couldn't wait till they arrived at Jeremy Kyle's studio to get out their dirty laundry!!!

no llores por mi argentina


listening to musicals in foreign languages is fun .... and relaxing!

Here's a random thought...if the musical Kismet was set not in Baghdad but in Glasgow we'd have 'Gorbals Gangles and Geads'.

Have discovered today what an Ocarina is!

I really miss my pussy-cat

Don't-Wanna-Work-Today-Bag x

I'm really sorry to hear that Bagpuss. Would you like one of my two mowmows??

There can't be anything less user-friendly than a Dyson vacuum cleaner.

How about a PC that won't do as it is told?

Do four year olds come with an on/off switch? My nephew doesn't seem to have one

From avuncular experience, no Now that mine are teenagers, somewhat different issues

I'll have to try and take the batteries out then......

Yes, different issues.......more expensive ones.

The older nephew (now 17 ) isn't too expensive too run - he's happy for a trip out somewhere to take photos. The other (16 next month) is much more expensive to run! He's the musician (trumpet, cornet, guitar) and seems obsessed with his social life and isn't the least bit interested if his uncle suggests doing something

think I'll keep the four year old thanks

Regarding these adult learner events that the AB organise. They sound like great fun and it seems from reading the reports of them on the Events page it's a wonderful idea to meet up and play, plus also increase ones confidence.

The AB do not organise the events.
They let us use the forum to pass on the information about them.
The events are organised by forum users who are grateful for the support of AB in allowing us to post about them.
In the early stages all of those attending were forum members but with the Adult Learner events organised by myself and katyjay we've now been able to attract other adult learners from our local areas.

Hi Lee. These events are organised by forum members, not the AB. They are extremely good for gaining performance experiences and are very supportive. It doesn't matter what grade or level you are, or even if you manage to complete your performance once you've started. Nerves do get the better of some people on occasion, but we're all in the same boat. Some people are better at hiding their nerves than others. Give it a try sometime.

Don't be too hard on yourself in regards to playing. I think as adults we expect a lot of ourselves (yes, I'm an adult learner so know how you feel at the moment.). Give yourself a chance. The harder you try, the worse the situation gets sometimes...been there, done it!

Whatever you do, don't give up! Keep at it, get a teacher you can work well with (if you haven't already) and you'll be fine.

Edit: sbhoa beat me to it!

Right, apologies for implying that. They sound good anyway!

I just want to endorse sbhoa and primrose comments. Ive been to three Leeds and one Chester, as well as attending Blackburn at the last minute as audience! The events are very relaxed , and you dont have to be note perfect. When I played in my first one in Chester in 2009 (Bach and Shostakovich), I had not played a piano in public since the 1960's, and was a bit nervous, but not for the later ones !
Hoping to manage at least two this year.

At the moment, but we had a Brum Bash at the end of 2010, and Gloucester, which is not that far, will be on this autumn. Members who feel neglected often end up organising an event themselves.

Forums members have travelled long distances to take part in these events: there is a select group of three Forumites who have taken part in events in each of the four countries which make up the UK.

Gloucester is well over fifty miles from me, in the West Country. But even then, learners in a huge swathe of the South West south of Bristol would have to travel much much further to get to that one.

You could always talk to the forumites who set up the existing events, and get their advice about setting up one local to you yourself if you like

(Note that if you do that, you can put your own restrictions on it.
I've been a couple of events where you could be any instrument/any standard, buy you had to be an adult - so here a high-standard singer who is a singing teacher would be able to sing.
I've been to a couple of other events where you can be any instrument/any standard, but you had to have started or re-started that instrument as an adult, and not make a living out of it - so here our singing teacher wouldn't be able to sing, but could play another instrument that was taken up after leaving school.
I've also been to a baroque event. And so on. So there would be nothing to stop you choosing exactly who you want to be able to turn up [though don't make it so narrow that it's only you!!])

I WANT THIS http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C281395 but to buy it I'd have to sell my Stag .... To GT6 or to Stag? That is the question!

Ooo! Now I DO like that one.... (and far more stylish than a Marina LOL)

I think travelling to the events is part of the fun - mwl1 and I only go to a couple a year but make a long weekend of them, like in April we're going up to Glasgow (300 mile round trip - 800 miles last year as I went via my parents'!).

As Floss says, make a weekend of it, possibly? And Gloucester, in forum event/adult learner event terms, is not that far from Birmingham. And plenty of trains go from Birmingham to Manchester, and Stalybridge isn't that far from Manchester city centre.

I didn't get a ride on Boris' new bus today

It doesn't sound as though it was much your day at all, barry!
btw, you know you can see your account online?
(ed sorry shift key playing up again!)

Yep. Have now printed it out and it will be heading to Southeastern Trains with a first class stamp on it.

Still FUMING!!!!

I suppose if I was living in the Scottish Highlands like Floss I would expect to have to travel a long way, but not slap bang in the centre of the UK. I'm going to look forward to reading about all your escapades and excursions on the Events page. I hope you publish photos!

A PROUD Midlander (not a northerner or southerner!!)

This has just reminded me of something which happened to me over the Christmas period. I was going to Howarths so wanted to go to Baker's Street from Kings Cross. I went to the usual platform only to discover that there were no trains going in that direction because of engineering work. There was an attendant there who was telling everyone who came down to go back upstairs and catch a bus. When I went back up, the machine deducted a single fare for a journey I hadn't made! There were no attendants to complain to by the machines and the nearest ticket office was closed because it was the "holiday" period. The main ticket office had a huge queue which didn't seem to be moving so I decided to go to Baker Street and make a complaint there. I failed to find a bus which would take me to Baker Street so ended up going a convuluted route on the underground.

I waited 15 minutes in a queue at Baker Street to complain about having had a fare deducted and they said there was nothing they could do about it since there was no proof that I hadn't gone somewhere and come back to Kings Cross Given that it had taken me about two minutes to walk down the stairs and back up again and presumably the Oyster Card has the times on it, it ought to have been obvious I hadn't been anywhere.

I didn't realise you could print out details online, otherwise I would have done.

I think you're missing out thinking like that. I'm a very proud South Londoner (as those who have met me will confirm!), but it hasn't stopped me travelling near and far in the name of forum. And it didn't stop me picking an accompanist for my diploma who lives (according to the AA) 73 miles from me...

I think as Midlanders in general, we're used to missing out on things. All the glory tends to go to London and the south, and Manchester and the north. People talk of the 'north south divide' but fail to recognise there is a little bit in between the two. So pat yourselves on the back if you're in Warwickshire, or Worcestershire, or Staffordshire, or Shropshire, or Herefordshire, or the Black Country, or in the nation's Second City of Birmingham!

I recently had my fare refunded when I got on a bus that broke down within about 50 yards. All I did was to ring the Oyster helpline.

Again, not living in the UK, I didn't even know that there was such a thing as an Oyster helpline. But I now know for next time (so thanks ).

And you would have thought that the person working at Baker Street could have told me that!

I should just point out too that Floss does not currently live in the Highlands. And we have people coming to my Scottish event from all over Great Britain. I love the fact that it's not JUST locals (although they are fabulous and we could not run it without them!), and that people who enjoyed it last year are making the effort to travel huge distances to come back for a second year.

If I had money and time to travel I most definitely would, I love reading about everyone elses events! It's what encouraged me to run the first Scottish one last year!

I've travelled from Northern Ireland to several forum events - Woodford Green (3 times?), Egham (twice), Leicester, andante-in-c's flute day (- can't remember any more though there may be). I'd really love to get to the Scottish event this May.
I think it depends on how much you want to get to these events - if you plan in advance plane tickets are reasonably affordable. It usually is a very long & exhausting day but well worth it.

They're definitely more cute




I live in the north Midlands, in the Border Marches - it could be described as "southern north-west adjacent". In a rural area anything less than 25 miles each way is "local"... People living in large conurbations seem to expect everyting to be on the doorstep.

EDIT: my typing is getting worse

well Birmingham is easily reached from all over the United Kingdom because it's slap bang at the heart of it. Unlike London or Manchester! Unfortunately the establishment don't see it like that, including the BBC, who demolish a perfectly good studio centre at Pebble Mill that was only built in 1971 and invest license payers money on moving some of its TV centre operations and sport to a brand new facility in Manchester. But hey, that's another matter.

maybe there should be a Youtube channel for those of us that are curious to what goes on at these adult learners events, but live in the 'wrong' parts of Britland or even abroad? SBHOA should launch one for hers in the north west.....an idea???

I live in North (just) Derbyshire, about 20 miles exactly from but Derby and Sheffield city centres. Derbyshire is officially counted as being in the "East Midlands" whilst Sheffield and consequently South Yorkshire is distinctly "Northern".

I used to HATE the "you live in the north" comments and be quite clear Derbyshire was in the East Midlands, that was until I lived in Birmingham (ish) for a while.

Now if anyone asks I'm from Derbyshire which is in the North, as I live slightly closer to Sheffield than Derby. I'm a proper little proud Northerner, love my rural routes and the fact that it's less pretentious and we have better countryside and B-roads ooop North.

Derbyshire is most definately in the East Midlands region, for a start the accent isn't 'northern' even though it 'sounds' Northern. Like the north east Wales accent 'sounds' Liverpudlian though there are differences. Listen to someone from Leeds/Wakefield speak and someone from Chesterfield or Mansfield or Nottingham and the differences are really huge! In the North it's 'now', but in the east Midlands it's 'naaaa'. I love the Derbyshire 'Duck' as a term of endearment. You don't hear it north of Sheffield, and I used to live in Sheffield. Gilbert Row, Hague Row, Long Henry Row and right on the top Norwich Row. The grade 1 listed 'streets in the sky'. I lived on Norwich.

Pixie*Porsche is planning a gathering in Nottingham/Mansfield sometime in the future : is that any easier to reach?

Re. Youtube channel : get one of those for forum events/adult learner events, and many people, quite justifiably, won't want to be filmed, or even won't attend the events.

Nope. If anything that's further away!

Understand fully about people having hangups about being filmed, but there could be a Photobucket or Flickr facility rather than a Youtube in that case?

Have done research

Birmingham - Gloucester is around an hour by train.

Birmingham - Nottingham is about 1 hour 20 minutes.

On the basis of time, that's not much really (it took me about 1 hour 20 minutes to get to Egham from South East London). I appreciate cost may be an issue, but if you're quick, you can certainly do both journeys for around 15 GBP return.

You would have to add eight miles to any northward journey Barry, plus any journey to New Street Station (same distance) as I'm in n.Worcestershire and that is the distance into town from here.

well never mind, I just took an interest and casually remarked about these events being a very good idea!



I'm very surprised to learn there isn't anything in the 32 counties?? There must be lots and lots of learners in Ireland, (it's not a small country, is it??) without having to fork out air fare across the Channel?

LOL I know what you are saying! I don't sound *that* Derbyshire really, as I was always brought up to "speak properly" even though my parents don't ... so as you imagine I got teased at school for being "posh" oh how I wish!

"Duck" is indeed a Derbyshire thing