2012 may well have stood out as the year of sporting prowess and nationalistic fervour, overuse of the words ‘Olympic’ and ‘Jubilee’ and the playing of the theme tune to ‘Chariots of Fire’ and of Bruce Forsyth not dying, but I will remember it for other reasons:-

I survived another Y6 residential; taught another successful end of year dance number; met up with old friends long missed; danced to Inner City, ‘Pennies from Heaven’ in my wellies; cycled my mobile back to life; finally saw DJ Yoda; visited a nudist spa (it wasn’t for me…) and despite feeling thoroughly & inexplicably miserable a lot of the time, I have also laughed so hard I almost peed - and I have my friends to thank for that because again, inexplicably… I do have some.  Bless them & love them every one of them! Xx

 My favourite phrase of 2012 came at the end of the year from my eldest..

“I’m not beefing Mum.  I’m whining!”

Brilliant!

However for me, without question, the highlight of 2012 was the (eventual) safe arrival of my first niece in April…

Becoming an Aunt = awesome!

All the joy of being a part of a new life, with a slightly lower chance of screwing this one up because she doesn’t live with me 24/7.

The force is strong with this one…

Maybe in 2012 I can introduce her to nights under canvas, waterproof trou and eating lukewarm noodles from a mess tin on one of my; “When can we go on a proper holiday mum?”  festival gigs.

Last year I managed to get to  3:-

Lounging at Magic

An arresting sight

We’re living in yet another bloody field!

Assume the cooking position

One of them, even childerbeast-free!

Look at me. High up & child free!

Unlikely to manage more than one this year as I can only afford one, so will have to choose wisely (having blown my chances of crewing again for the Angel Gardens by being a massive dingus!) 

Non-festival related nights out in 2012 were very few and far between:-  Miss Sunshine’s birthday in January, Bman’s birthday in February, an 80′s themed leaving bash and the odd village pub visit in Chester – making drunken accusations against TV personalities (several of which have turned out to be purportedly  true) and of baffling the Landlord by deliberately requesting drinks from the 1970′s. 

#cinzano #dubonet #snowball #maraschinocherry

To top them all off… Only last week, the piece de resistance of “Not Quite Boxing Day” when I was lured into going out in the Boro to see a ‘Thin Lizzy’ tribute act.

Not a big fan of the old Lynott, I’ll be honest, although I could pick out a couple of their best known songs if pushed.  I do know though that this is nothing remotely like a Thin Lizzy tribute act:- 

… the hell?

www.slydealive.com

Unless Phil Lynot has gone all “Bay City Roller” that, my friend, smacks of the old Noddy & Dave to me.   Cup a soup anyone?

(Still, it gave me a chance to show off my new faux fur giraffe print jacket).

Mekon, her mum & I, clearly being the only element of glamour in the place, but not enough for any of the leering auld coots hunched around their pale ales to actually get up off their freshly ironed cords and offer to buy us a drink.  Shame on you, aging rockers of Scarborough.

To get to this pinnacle of festive entertainment, which had cost us £4 a piece to get in,  we had to sit through the bar owner’s brother’s band -  The Warriors (who incidentally bore no resemblance in any way to the movie of the same name).

They WISHED they looked like this

…and only.  Only. In the Boro, could this song, be requested from the DJ and it immediately fill a previously empty dance floor:-

Keep smiling.. at least we’re out-out!

I hold higher hopes for better things this year because in all honesty, 2012 was pretty much a wash-out in more ways than one. 

We’ve already booked for the Harry Potter Studio Tour in February, where I have every intention of embarrassing the childerbeast by having my picture taken in full Quidditch garb, astride a Nimbus 2000 grinning like a loon. 

We have a holiday to France booked for July with the Anson Fam. I have tickets for ‘Cats’ and ‘The Woman in Black’ and I have every intention of dragging my sorry ass down to Northants to make DTR wish he’d never invited us down… be prepared my old friend… be prepared!

I see from Slydealive’s website that they are booked twice to play in Chester this year.  I can see at least one other night out brewing…

I leave you with some of my favourite snapshots from the year, which I shall leave uncaptioned for added randomness.

    And don’t forget… there are always pies….

Ciao for now everybody peeps.  Thanks for sticking with me…  XXx

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I attended my first festival last weekend. I was invited to perform in the Food For Thought tent with Bettakultcha at The Magic Lougeabout near Skipton in North Yorkshire. I’ve never camped really before, so borrowing my sister’s tent and packing an inordinate amount of wet wipes I skeptically made my way to the rural rolling hills.

The festival was smaller than I anticipated, and during the day there wasn’t much on, but the company of my BFF and some new friends, along with some excellent food, helped pass the time. We somehow managed to pitch our tent nearest the LOUDEST people on the campsite, but once they’d passed out, it was a relatively pleasant experience. I was actually surprised at how easily I could fall asleep in a tent.

My performance on the Saturday night was loads of fun, and I enjoyed spending the evening (and most of the night) dancing away with the Bettakultcha folk. It’s always interesting to do drag in a new space, and a festival was a first for Maria. Thanks to some rain and a bar at the back of the tent, I performed to a pretty full tent, which is nice.

I was glad to leave on the Sunday, get a proper wash and all that, but I don’t think it’ll be the last time I sleep under the stars, in a sweaty bag.

Usual service will be resumed by Friday, by which time I am hoping that I will, by then, be able to tell my arse from my elbow (although I can’t promise anything – I have been trying for years unsucessfully after all).

In the meantime, here’s what you missed…

Not everyday you get to wave a flamingo at the Old Bill

I saw a young lad tip out of a taxi at the end of my street yesterday morning, looking forlorn and pissed off, with his single skin pop-up tent and an unopened slab of Carling.  Not sure if he had come home after just one night or was on his way. 

Either way he look thoroughly fed up about the 8am thunder storm.

I am collating the usual array of claptrap together for my first foray into the muddy minefield of portaloos and unnecessary headgear at the end of July.  My cupboards are already bursting with packets of anything that hot water can be added to, to form a suitable supper for the children that won’t take up much space in the car.  If this rain persists I may also need to invest in one of these bad boys rather than the old Vango 8man.

I am hoping that despite the river flowing through the site at Magic Loungeabout that they are not forced to cancel, as I am particularly looking forward to Inner City on the Saturday night.  If they play ‘Pennies from Heaven‘ I can see scary ‘Mum Dancing’ kicking in and the childerbeast mortified.  I can already picture them heading back to Crew Camping muttering “OMG she is so embarrassing” through gritted teeth while I rave on regardless!  Ditto ‘Chic’ on the Friday night.  Disco welly times dudes!

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http://www.themagicloungeabout.net/

http://www.shambalafestival.org/

as well as going to http://www.greetingsfrombeacons.com/ as a regular paying punter inbetween!

Glittery candyfloss, inflatable menagerie and twatish hand raised pies ahoy!

Best start arranging my Party Night festie outfit. I envision sequins this year!

See it here in all its glory www.themagicloungeabout.net

www.blowmedia.co.uk

Sam loves Glasto with all her 'art

FESTIVAL season: a heady six months of incredible music, blurry nights and the inevitable flooding of your Primark tent. But no-one looks forward to those days of blissful freedom more than Pontefract artist, Sam Pattison-O’Brien.

Sam’s travelling art camp, Angel Gardens, pitches its teepees in festival fields all over the country, hosting a children’s creche, creative workshops and a chill-out space for weary revellers who need a brew.

And this year, Angel Sam – as she is known on the circuit – has been chosen to create this year’s sculpture at Glastonbury’s infamous creative haven, the Green Fields.

“I’m creating 20 little pods made out of willow which people can climb into and they will be all lit up at night,” said Sam. “I’m also producing a garden where I’ll be carving into the grass.

“Festivals are such creative and inspiring places to be doing this. It’s lovely, you can’t fail to be inspired at Glastonbury. “It’s not just about the music. To be chosen this year is a real honour.

“I was thrilled to be selected, Glastonbury is the biggest collection of artists, performers and musicians in the country, and to be invited to be part of that is wonderful.”

Alongside her artistic duties and childcare facilities, Sam’s decorated caravan, the Pixie Pad has been chosen as the VIP meeting place for performers and celebs behind the Pyramid Stage.

The full-time artist and part-time university lecturer is hoping Bono might make an appearance in her mobile home. But with a team of up to 90 volunteers and countless activities to organise, it’s a wonder the festival fairy has any time to enjoy herself. “

When we get into a field we put up our tents and take over about two acres and put up all sorts of creative things,” she said. “It’s a knock out. We have reading and singing workshops, a baby care area, performances, circus skills, a vintage gaming area where people can play Pacman.

“We do a fire show and toast marshmallows, we even teach kids about fire safety. There’s lots of stuff going on throughout the day right through the night.”

Angel Gardens is fast becoming the largest travelling space of its kind, with artists, performers and musicians pitching up at festivals everywhere from Yorkshire’s Magic Loungeabout to the Southwald’s Latitude.

Sam said: “What we’re trying to do is make it for everyone. We try to integrate children together with adults because it’s their festival too.

“It’s very much a community, it’s about living together, and sharing a cup of chai tea and child care and cooking – I wish we could do it all the time.

 “We have been waiting all winter and climbing the walls to get outside. It’s hard work but once you get in that field and living with like-minded people, it’s just wonderful.”