In September I have been.........

.........Reading

The Hobbit
I have got myself all excited about the film coming out, so the book was definitely worth a re-read. Forgot I still have several months to wait.

Rivers of London
Finally got round to my birthday reading. Good fun story about the Met Police, combined with magic. Good fresh take on the fantasy genre. Have the next in the series waiting for me.

........Watching

Woman in Black
I've watched the play, read the book, and still this film gave me the creeps. This is how scary movies should be - much left unsaid and subtler than the usual Hollywood affair.

Psycho
One of those films which has passed me by until now. Here's an example of how Hollywood horror isn't scary, but I could see how it has become a classic and I enjoyed it all the same.

Brave
Bit of a disappointment for me I must admit - bit too mainstream for Pixar - typical modern day princess story - girl who rebels from her fate. Princess was annoying, but her mother Queen Elinor who showed the true essence of bravery and saved the film. Saw where the plot was going about half way through - would a preferred a bit less predictability, and something to make me think, as Pixar has done previously.

Vikings
What's not to like - history & Neil Oliver combined! Straight on after .....

The Great British Bake Off
Another year comes around again and this wonderful programme is back on our screens. We've been routing for James since the beginning, and now the final is just days away! This leads me neatly onto.....


...........Baking
Blueberry Bundt Cake, courtesy of Hummingbird bakery

Went down a treat. Might make a smaller amount next time though - this one's enormous!


...........buying

This dress, from Oasis

visiting...........

Preston Guild (see last post)

London

Paddington station band - they perform every Friday evening. Absolutely wonderful

Can't resist sitting next to Paddington himself whilst enjoying a doughnut from next door

Evening of tapas with friends here

Eton mess to finish

Saying goodbye to........

Allders of Croydon - closing after 150 years of trading. What will replace it now?

.........learning

to jog again. It's a slow road, but I still have a 10km plan on my mind.

September round up

Well another month has been and gone. It has made me wonder where the time for blogging went?

September 2012 - marked by the Paralympics in London, wonderful end-of-summer sunshine, and the drawing in of the evenings once more.

Here's a few things I got up to.

Preston Guild

I got together with my husband way back in 1999: 13 years ago. He is Preston born and bred, and way back then told me of the one-in-twenty year event that was the Preston guild.

Well the last was 1992, and so 2012 was my first Guild.

What is the Guild, well a city festival: the sum of many parts.

Too many things went on to list, so here is a snapshot of our weekend on the guild.

1) Preston Cake City

Yes, a giant cake map of Preston was built in a big top. Contestants got their aprons on and set about to recreate the best landmarks in the city. My sister in law's entry was the law courts, as below.

Real thing here

Kids made cars during the day to add to the map

My favourite entry

The completed city before being carved up for all the spectators.

Winning entry here.

2) Retro cinema.

After much cake assembly, queuing and crowd shuffling, we trooped off to watch Bugsy Malone in the open air cinema on Saturday night.

 

Free popcorn for everyone!

3) Sunday while the cake city was being put together we went off to the 50s event in the Spiegeltent and learnt a bit of jive!

Me in action

With aching limbs, we headed back to the cakes, running into this band of chefs serenading some ladies along the way.

The weekend finished up with a picnic in the park in glorious sunshine.

Live music to eat by

Thoughts of the weekend. Well, not sure it was momentous enough to be 20 years in the making. The crowds were unbelievable and made getting around difficult. But the events themselves were fantastic, as were the moments sat in the sunshine with family and friends.