LEAST WE FORGET … Remembrance day thoughts to all who served our country … and still serving
how sad it is tho after all these years War is still going on … how mankind in billions of years can’t learn to live in harmony with everyone … no one wins …. Love is only the true answer ….
we honour my GrandFather … POPPA
SYNDEY JAMES GAYLOR WHO SERVED HIS COUNTRY his whole career in the Navy
Friday not always a good to travel on the A34.m42 m6 and it lived up to its reputation..
I used to do the journey all the time sometimes twice a week .. but out of practice i found it harsh ..
but lovely to arrive and see my dear friends …. so a weekend of catching up chatting and eating and seeing my two favourite girls Molly and Bailey was well worth the trip…
I stayed at Franks apartments in Queen street … Run by STAYS BLACKPOOL it was stylish so comfortable in the heart of Blackpool I would love to move in !
GENERATION CHRISTMAS PARTY DANCE CLASS DEC 10TH AT 1PM TO 3.30PM
THEN TO THE COCK TAVERN … IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE TAVERN GO ON TO THE FACE BOOK PAGE OF PALLIDIUM GENERATION TO CONFIRM … MANY THANKS X
So happy to arrive home from a hard day at the unit for my amazon order to arrive of the long awaited
MY NAME IS BARBRA ….. SO DIDNT TAKE ME LONG TO SET THE SCENE …. FIRE ON …THE ALBUMS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND.. CANDLES …. A MUG OF COFFEE … think it may take a very long read nearly 1000 pages i believe the audio is 48 hours long …. my social media is all about Barbra … so here I read from the horses mouth as they say …. interesting so far …. HAPPY DAYS !
Such a fun afternoon with the as they say Generation family ! class was good it got everyone brains working
Lovely to see friends return … Its so very special …..
I am still child !!!!!
A weekend in the country !!! very Sondheim… A week end of staying at the lovely Champney’s and giving classes . I was invited by Jackie Travers who has taught there since the 70’s to join her and the lovely Rosmarie Ford for a weekend of classes … we had a lovely time not only with the classes and hopefully everyone enjoyed it but great to catch up on gossip from years past … I first worked with Rosemarie back in 1979 our first Job with Dougie … she was fabulous then and still as fabulous today …. …
apart from the m25 had such a nice time … even felt like i had lost weight … well only a little !!! lol
A quick trip to London and a sneaky Lunch with Geoff Pine in Sloane Square which was lovely to catch up on a walk around Sloane st and all the fabulous shops … ah back in the day …. there is a lovely lane of coffee bars and bread shops etc just by peter johns I adore it there ,,,,
Been working on costumes for dear friend Steve Bor & Sara Mellows finally done and sent off on the ships !
Steve has done so well these past years .. and his hard work never ceases to amaze me …
The amazing dear Friend Joan Golden celebrated her 73 yes 73 rd birthday !
what a treat Joan and Allan came down on the friday to the FOX in Crawley For a fabulous Lunch treated by Allan … very special to share it with them… Joan and Allan are quite remarkable ….I am in orr of them both it is truly a remarkable story and how they have managed so incredibly brilliant over the years with their fabulous daughter Amy Golden …. its just been a amazing to watch how they all have worked together its so touching and heartfelt .
We were back in the studio this past Sunday … It was so lovely to see all the Generation family of dancers
laughter, fun and dance and this month brain ache !!! With a 3 month break from class its amazing how everyone was much slower at picking up the routine … so now its all guns for November to get all back in the swing of the monthly classes !
What FABULOUS EVENING IN THE THEATRE !
Went with Lady Emma Parker and enjoyed the evening so much
From cast, production to crew and all backstage what a classy production ! just stunning ….
seeing the one and only Bonnie in full admiration of her talent, she was smashing ….
also loved Joanne Riding and Janie Dee … Lea Slonga to name a few they were all at the top of their game .
Had a lovely afternoon with fabulous designer and dear Friend Linda Martin seeing Diva at the V& A ..
Interesting….. loved seeing the Bob Mackie costumes designed for Cher and Tina Turner
PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE !
Honoured as ever to be asked to help with decs for the harvest festival at the local church in Wherwell ,
I have found it very spiritual a place where I find peace and comfort , I am not religious as I have my own views on religion but respect everyone who does follow the faith , I hope I lead my life with values that I have to my own , I try to be a good person, kind, compassionate, caring, loyal, hard working TO HELP OTHERS , to listen and try and be non judgemental …I strive to be these things to the best way I can ….
I am missing Dougie very much indeed , feeling vey heart broken not a day goes by with out tears for the person I loved very much ….it doesn’t get easier at this stage …. I know I was so lucky to have the life we shared together FEEL A LITTLE GILT … as some people never reach the happiness i had with Dougie ….
what a amazing man …. the best part of me is now not here …. trying so hard to be a full person with the strength of his spirt and Love …. the tears and sadness behind a smile …..
UNDER WAY WITH PREPARATIONS FOR THIS YEARS HORSE SHOW !
Lovely to be together to celebrate younger bro Paul’s Birthday which is at the end of the week but he flew to Rome today producing the the RIDERS CUP ! It’s big in the Golf world ! how different can we be lol !
the Food was excellent at the Fox IN CRAWLEY 5 mins from where I live …
So lovely to see Janet out and bless our dear mum who’s been a little under the weather looking so much better …. so it was lovely x
Finally we are heading back to the GENERATION DANCE CLASSES !
Its been a while since our last class in June .. so it will be great to see all in class ….
there will be just a empty seat ….. x
I sit on the veranda on my last evening here at the villa at LA ROQUETTE SUR SIOGNE about 10 klm from Cannes and 4 from Mougin just watching the sun go down , the weather has been been amazing apart from this afternoon when i thought it was going to storm … but it moved by and now the clouds echo the sunset with its warm red glow … I have had a lovely time here all to the thanks of Reece and Danny close friends who joined me for 6 glorious days ! Cannes has a very special place in my heart going back to 1980 when i came here with Dougie and the 2nd Generation where we performed all summer at the Palm Beach casino and the following years up to 1990. from dancing to choreographing the shows here .. we loved our time here and it was Dougie’s favourite place .. so its been a fitting tribute to him that we came here i felt he has been with me on this journey …Reece sorted a villa with a pool which has been heaven … I have loved that and the villa has been okay in a very typical old French village so going into the town square which is tiny has been fun. there is a new complex here with a small super market, but by the church there is a tabac serving coffees and next door a bakery that was only open today while i have been here … thank god is all i can say i would have been rolled out of France otherwise ! So tried to show Reece and Danny a flavour of the south of France
Also with a splash of chilling around the pool ! My first days here I was alone so got a feel of where we are etc got a shop in so we were ready to go, I went to Mougin lovely memories for me so i was quite emotional but not as bad as when i drove into Cannes walked around the yachts as it was the yachting festival.. amazing the boats , yachts of today .. and the stunning sunset … Saw Palm Beach which is having millions spent on it as it will be a huge glamorous resort it made my tummy go …. then the whole of croisette down to the old Town where I ate in the square fab … … then back down the Rue Antibes Still had all the magic and glamour that I love about Cannes .the next day I pottered about enjoying the weather and the pool , and getting ready for Reece and Danny to arrive … that all went well apart from the journey back from the airport was harsh nearly at Monte Carlo before e we could get on the A8 due to rd works , so that was a hellish journey .. especially Reeces fear of my driving didnt help ! but we eventually got back to the villa … A chilled day for them to relax by the pool we had a breakfast then messed about with the inflatables … i served lunch then will chilled before going to Cannes in the evening we got a biot in which was great but then we did a walk fine for me but Reece and Danny were not amused also a lot of the bars had closed etc so we walked from Palm beach right down to the Crosiette where i was desperate to find us something to eat !! as they were starving and thirsty at this point ….. the meal was okay the we walked a little further much to there horror to the square nearly at the old town for drinks which was nice , then walked to another bar before getting a biot back …
so it was a tiring day for them … next day breakfast then drive to Monte Carlo .. the journey there was okay and it was to see got here the buildings and constructions is unreal , but we got to have a drink out side the Casino at the cafe de Paris and walk around Monte … could we get a sani no !!!! so the thought was to find somewhere on the way back … well that didnt turn out as planned i didnt take the A8 i drove up to EZE not a good idea … as it was the coast rd home to the villa bad traffic didnt help and drove the whole of Nice sea front … my passengers were not impressed … and we didnt get a sani !!! in the evening we went to Mougin for a walk about and dinner which was nice then a drink at the villa … POOL day next day which was fun by the pool .. the in evening went to juan les pins … not as lively as I remember But had a nice meal on the beach and went to a few of the bars for drinks which was nice .
Sunday back at the pool topping up our tans the old town in cannes in the evening which they really liked and we eat at the LA PIZZA oh the memories and great pizzas .. and few bars for drinks before coming back . sea faring legs for the next day we had booked sailing Yacht drove to Theoule sur mer nice drive and pretty coastal village had a nice brunch before getting on the sail boat … it was a lovely afternoon we sailed along the bay of Cannes to set anchor between the islands Sainte Marguerite and Abbey Learins where we used set anchor with Claude ‘s boat back in the day … it was such a lovely afternoon. a lot of fun .. we set sail back with the sails and it was a bumpy ride and lots of listing but we all throughly enjoyed it .. that even ng we went to local village Mouans Sartoux another quant french village for dinner before heading home … the guys last morning a quick swim before heading off to Nice to fly home … I was very sad ti see them go as they were a great comfort and great company to be with …. so after they left i drove to Antibes then on to cannes another walk about before heading back to the Villa … oh so quiet with out them here ….
so today i went to local village which was lovely as they had a market in the square which was typically french LOVED IT .. drove to Pagomas another r sweet village a great restaurant L’ Ecluse .. before coming back too the villa for my last sunshine at the villa , nearly a storm but it passed by… sat did did some work up loaded photos on Fb and generally just pottered about before packing for my journey home tomorrow
merci beaucoup Dearest South of France xxx
IT is now over 3 months since Dearest Dougie Passed, one minute it feels like yesterday and then it also feels so long ago..I miss him very much , he was my life for a long time … so the new way of living takes some getting used to …but I am trying and with the best positive outlook I can give … its been emotional time
Reflecting what we shared to gather has been very special indeed, how very lucky I have been to have been loved by some one who is so incredible … he may of got the OBE and MVO… HE needed the NOBEL PEACE AWARD for putting up with me xxx
So moving forward have given myself tasks …not to shut off completely from the outside world … so easy to want and do, but have made a pact to myself to go and do things … so this past month had a fabulous night with the old gang of Dougie’s dancers to Jo Alans … went to Regents park open theatre with dear friend Geoff Pine , we had a wonderful hamper before the show LA CAGE ! Oh did we get rained on… lol actually hysterical haha… have visited my sister Janet and my dear mum a few times and seen my bro Paul when he is at his cottage which is in the next village which has been lovely… visits form JACKS and Trevor a very nice lunch great to see them. Also went for tea a treat from Reece and Danny at Oakley Court near whitchurch great cakes ! kept very busy with the cottage as the thatchers were in refurbing the top part of the thatch .. looks great now but oh the mess … haha worked on things inside the cottage and had the ramp taken down and steps put back .. and of course endless hours pottering in the garden and tending his lord ships resting place … Also started working again… and its busy too which has been great medicine i work better with a little stress so things moving along … and tomorrow off on a another adventure going on Hol to the South of France just out side Cannes ( our favourite place ) to re visit old haunts and memories and make new ones … I going for a couple of days on my own then dear friends Reece and Danny come for 6 days then on my own again for a few more so that will be just the best tonic !
