I took my 15 year old grand daughter up to London recently to the stage show Matilda . I’d bought tickets as her Christmas treat. I’m trying to do more experiences rather than buying stuff. And who knows what a 15 year old wants anyway!

I was just on the last knockings of a horrible cold. ‘A Cold’ sounds so little, but they can really knock you sideways!

Anyway, the cold air and the exertion of walking from Charing Cross to the theatre had me coughing – a lot. I was alright once in the theatre, other than a few coughs into the coat on my lap to deaden the noise.

We went up on the train, the theatre is not very far from Charing Cross. Then there was an amble back to catch the 11pm return. All very civilised and has inspired me to look at other things Mike and I can go to.

The show is fabulous, the children are SO talented. There are lots of effects, including rope swings that are swung right over the audience at one point. Lots of catchy songs.

There is an art gallery right on Seven Dials, so we had a poke round there. There was a glorious multiple floral artwork there that I liked a great deal, only £3000. Oh well, not this week then! Then we had a look in a large stationery store, I do love stationery. nothing quite like a lovely new notebook. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen him, but there were dvd’s and books of Bob Ross, a painter who does paintings live in half an hour on tv. It was strange seeing his face there!

There are some lovely songs from the show here for you to listen to

Singing

Those of you who have known me for a while know how much I like to sing in my local community choir. I haven’t been for a couple of weeks because of this wretched cold I caught. Whist at Matilda, I would have loved to cheer out loud, but I would have just set off a coughing fit.

Last week, there was a memorial service for a lovely friend I’d met though u3a. He was a chemist and we went to the science group together. Mike was a Christian, so the service was in the church he attended. There were hymns, so I thought I’d try singing. My goodness, it was so lovely to sing out loud. I didn’t realise just how much I’d missed it.

So this Sunday, I went gleefully off to choir practice again. We are performing at the opening of The Pink Cabbage, a new eatery in Heathfield that has moved from the nearby village of Mayfield. We’ll be there on Saturday, so it was quite an intense rehearsal session this week. SO great to be back!

Went to a u3a lunch on Friday, and whilst in the queue, I was talking to someone who, when I asked her how she was, as you do, said I’ve got a horrible cold. I was really quite cross. There were 20 people of a senior vintage whose immune systems aren’t what they were, and she had come along to sit in the same room. If I get yet another cold, I’ll be really very annoyed! Got germs, I’d really much rather you stayed at home please.