Join me on Facebook…
Flickr Photos
Visitors to this site
Just visiting
You can also find me at….
Much of a muchness
Things that make you go 'hmm'…
I’m back!
Posted by on July 2, 2008
It was a wonderful weekend. On Friday, I went to Wimbledon with my friend Amanda and we managed to cadge a lift from a friend, John, who was driving up, instead of having to catch the train, so that was a great start to the day. When we arrived, there were security checks and my tiny Swiss Army penknife which is attached to my keyring was confiscated from my handbag. This was so irritating as they only seemed to be searching bags so if the keys had been in my coat pocket, they would not have been noticed. Some security. Note to would-be trouble makers – carry your machete in your coat pocket….
It started to rain just as we arrived but play was only delayed for 90 minutes so we did not have long to wait before watching Roger Federer walk onto a sunny Centre Court. He won his match against the French player, Marc Gicquel, in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. We then watched Serena Williams and Amelie Mauresmo play a thrilling first set which Serena narrowly won but in the second set, Amelie seemed to be carrying an injury and played below par and so Serena won easily. So all in all, a very bad day for French tennis players.
We managed to slip out between matches for a little refreshment – my summer favourite, a glass of Pimms!
After an afternoon of tennis, we met up with John and Bob for a Wimbledon tradition, strawberries and cream – caused me no end of problems as I have an aversion to licking wet wood and the strawberries came with a wooden spoon! Still, undaunted, I ate the strawberries with my fingers and drank the cream from the bowl – not very ladylike but needs must… and of course, we had a glass or two of champagne.
The next day, I had to be up early as I was going to Glastonbury Festival with some other friends. #2 son had gone on ahead as he was camping and he sent a message that it had rained on Friday night so not good news. He said that he and his friends had put 10 tents in a circle with a tarpaulin on the floor, a gazebo on top of that and then covered the whole assembly with another tarpaulin so their encampment was snug and watertight! He learned his lesson after last year when they got soaked and never really dried out plus, it was so muddy, they had nowhere to sit down for 4 days.
By the time I arrived on Saturday, the sun had come out and the weather was warm and sunny all day – such a treat. Highlights of the day were Seasick Steve, Crowded House, James Blunt, Manu Chao, The Raconteurs and a shambolic Amy Winehouse who manged to get into a fight with some of her fans….
This is my favourite bit – Crowded House singing ‘Weather with You’ and the wave at the end was fantastic! Did you spot me? In the middle, towards the back :-)
The next day, we saw John Mayer and bizarrely, Neil Diamond, who seemed to struggle to get the crowd going until he sang ‘I’m a Believer’ and then of course ‘Sweet Caroline’ which brought the house down. He should have just come on and sang ‘Sweet Caroline’ half a dozen times and everyone would have been happy. I love the way everyone sang the backing vocals as well as the main tune…
The weather stayed dry all the time I was there so I must thank you for all your kind comments and wishes – they worked! here is a small slide show of photographs from Wimbledon and Glastonbury.
Much of a muchness 
Good heavens! You have certainly packed a lot into your time away, m’dear!
Good to have you back!
When I saw the lineup for Glastonbury I was truly jealous about John Mayer. Now that he’s cut his hair I’m a big fan again! ;) And the Raconteurs–I really enjoyed their show at Bonnaroo. I’m so glad you had a good time and that the weather cooperated.
Lord L – Why thank you! Glad that you are back from your travels too…. :-)
Amy – the buzz was that Jennifer Aniston was back stage (being as how they are coupled up) but no-one managed to see her. John Mayer was very good but we were slightly disappointed as he didn’t play many of the songs we knew…
As for The Raconteurs, my son said he saw Jack White close up and he is very scary – very, very tall and very, very pale :-)
I just love live music – and being part of a large gathering listening and dancing and singing along generates such a buzz. The energy is phenomenal :-)
Yay for pics! I agree with Amy, the weather looks really good (though I think it might have rained). Sounds like you had a lot of fun too.
Just one thing – where’d you take some of those pictures from? Looks like it was from pretty high up…
The pics on the Slideshow are mine, the others are aerial views of Wimbledon and Glastonbury I found on the web. I guess they were taken from helicopters or something…
It didn’t rain at Glastonbury all the time I was there…it looked like it might – lots of big black clouds at times but with patches of blue in between…and Saturday was sunny all day – yay!
Oh you look and sound like you had the most perfect weekend …. I hope you realise that Neil was singing just for me… we share the same birthday you know (although a huge age difference 70s hastens to add lol )
My goodness … look at all those people! Wow!
Sounds like a great weekend .. and that drink! sigh .. looks so good!
Great photo of you all and welcome back.
“‘He should have just come on and sang ‘Sweet Caroline’ half a dozen times and everyone would have been happy” :) – that made me smile
I read about the Amy WInehouse incident. How sad.
Oh, what were your thoughts on the Doctor Who two-parter about the library. I thought those were the best so far (those are also the latest ones we’ve seen here). They blew my mind!
wow ..what a jam packed week !!
that pimms and the strawberries…yummo….
lucky the weather was fine…
lol I spotted you in the crowd.. :) :)
ps Diane
I gave you an award a while back too
its here
Oh I almost forgot … I too had Pimms this weekend after writing about that I had it first & last in 1979.
It was lovely, it has a Southern Comfort taste or is that my imagination as I have not had Southern Comfort in years either?? :-)
Amy looked good on the telly – she got off to a slow start but got into her stride OK – she’s very odd but oddly fascinating as well – some of her riffs are inspired.
Glad you had a lovely time – it’s good to go away but better to come home – or is that just me cos I’m ancient? – tee hee
My bet would’ve been copters too.
It’s looks like you were too high up in the stands to get better pictures, but the view for watching the game must’ve been great.
70steen – I thought he looked a bit scary! I have never been a Neil fan (apart from Sweet Caroline of course!) but did enjoy the sing-a-long. I think they should put the words on a big screen so everyone can join in properly – huge outdoor karaoke – now there’s a thought…… :-)
Drowsey – I can’t find exact numbers but there must have been 150,000+ people there. It was brill. As were the Pimms and the champagne…..
SW – we did have a great time. Glad you are enjoying your vacation too!
Those Doctor Who episodes were really good but just wait until you see what is coming!!!
Kim – the weather was such a bonus. If it had been like last year or the time before that, I would never have gone again!
Thank you so much for the award, I wil head over to check it out now – you are such a sweetie :-)
70steen – I have never tasted Southern Comfort so I can’t say but all I know is, it is TOO delicious and far too easy to slug back as if it was a soft drink!
DP – Amy had wonderful backing singers who kept her on track, I so wanted to hear her as I love her album but it must have sounded better on the TV than it did to us as the second half sounded a shambles to us…..she did look good in her spangly dress but she kept shoving at her hair as if it was falling over. She is SO thin though.
Ulquiorra – they did have a camera at Glastonbury and Wimbledon which was high on a giant crane type thing – very scary, but I reckon those shots were too high for that!
Those tennis shots I took were zoomed in as far as I could! I wish I had taken my better camera but didn’t want to be carrying it around all day as we were only allowed one bag at Wimbledon – security you know :-(
yep Pimm’s is too delicious by far … so like drinking pop but with a kick :-)
I am SO jealous now! Tennis AND music — what a great combination. Thanks for sharing the pictures and stories. It’s lovely for us to be able to live vicariously through you. :-)
70steen – a dangerous kick :-)
writinggb – I was intending to post more about tennis and music next time but I worry folk might get bored with it all! Glad to know you enjoyed it! And it is only once a year isn’t it? :-)
Can Neil still bring it? What is he now, sixty-five?
I’ll always, if not cherish, remember “The Jazz Singer” because I came across it at an important emotional time in my life. And we associate movies, songs, from those times like empathetic glue.
Sixty seven I think and no…he didn’t do it for me. Hair looked a bit too dyed and he didn’t really ever get the crowd going – apart from ‘ Sweet Caroline’! :-)
Haven’t seen ‘The Jazz Singer’ but I know what you mean about emotional attachments to songs. I get very attached in a similar way to places too. There are places that will always be off limits because they have very sad emotional connections. Silly but that’s how it is….