Rain, museums and blooming football

Nice end to last week with a trip to the Dock Museum Barrow with Year 6 St Pius kids. It was a deluge...I was drenched in 2 minutes greeting the bus! And then...a misunderstanding in opening times...we were there an hour early! However, Liz from the museum arrived at the same time and kindly let us in to the study room where we investigated artefacts and dressed up for a good hour. We had a great time and then we went on the tour with Paul. We found out lots of things to extend our learning about early Barrow and then had our lunch. After lunch we had quizzes and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. All this for free! I know people knock the council...but I do think the Dock Museum is value for money-in terms of rates etc.We have to acknowledge that the staff and the council do a good job and the displays and exhibits are getting better all the time. Add to this the amazing hoard and the fact that it is now safeguarded for permanent display I think we should be very proud of our museum.


You may want to pop in on us when Furness Abbey Fellowship have their first outing to Barrow Carnival. We will have activities such as Guess the number of sweets, chocolate tombola, Find the treasure and facepainting...all proceeds will be divided between the Dock Museum and Furness Abbey...the latter to produce a leaflet for drawing in tourists. We are committed to raising the Furness profile because we feel for a long time we have been sidelined and almost ignored. The committee is not yet complete but we will be moving forward and will establish a constitution to allow us to be recognised as a legitimate volunteer group.


The football drags on and on...I know-not a good attitude for someone who has worked at a football club for 4 years...but really! I am watching reluctantly-but genuinely hate the competition...I like everyone to win! Thinking of my Italian relatives and friends who will be watching the match in Vas. Hope the split loyalties don't spoil the enjoyment.


Time marching on towards a batch of signings...the first on 7 July at Chester Waterstones-the furthest afield I have been. Hope it goes well. Guy the Grumpy Gargoyle is now out on Kindle and e-books...go ahead and download-its a bargain! The real thing is out on 1August-can't wait.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guy-the-Grumpy-Gargoyle-ebook/dp/B008CYP0C4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340565903&sr=8-1

Reflections on an Italian sojourn

I have just received some fantastic comments on here from the lovely Italian students I had the pleasure of meeting last week at Liceo Veronese in Montebelluno. I am in awe of their skill in learning and using a foreign language -amazing...some of them so good you would think they had been speaking English for ever! I can't help but think how much it puts us to shame...I learnt French but  can tell you...I would not be able to hold a conversation as adeptly as they do!

Giro d'Italia

I am posting some pictures on here of the day and the whole adventure was brilliant. I observed how relaxed everything seemed in Italy. We seem as though we are always racing around to meet invisible deadlines and I frequently run out of time. Yet in Italy the hours blended into each other and there was no demarcation of time as there is here. Whether that has something to do with the good weather I am not sure, but I certainly felt relaxed and I think I could get to like it. I even got to see the Giro d'Italia which went through Vas where  was staying! Exciting!

Students at Liceo Veronese

I have had a busy week with students -but the high point was our trip to St George's Church-we were exploring the "first" church in Barrow-in-Furness. It was fascinating and we found lots of interesting facts about it. I am really enthused about the mini history I have been asked to write for the church by the vicar Linda. I'm going to get down to the Barrow Archives this week and do a bit of research in my half term holiday.


The rest of the time...family time. Whether we will subscribe to Diamond Jubilee fever I'm not sure. The republican in me says no...but the traditionalist and observer of things historical says....go on have a party...watch the celebrations on TV! Not sure which one will win!

Continental travels

Well, a busy day ahead...students all day-some of whom are almost finished and then a meeting re future students. Quick dash back home to pick up case and off to airport hotel for an early start-7-30am flight to Marco Polo airport Venice! Hopefully my cousin Lidia will meet me and then off to Vas. Friday is the big day...being interviewed by students who have read Out of Time. And this is where I am embarrassed...they will be interviewing me in English...while I have no Italian to speak of! We are so lazy as linguist in the UK and I feel ashamed that my linguistic knowledge won't stretch beyond Ciao and grazie.I am always embarrassed to speak in a foreign language..even French which I seem to understand reasonably well. I remember when we were trying to find the Pas de Calais cemetery sending Harry into a garage with a note to read out and was mortified when he came back and said they didn't know what I was on about!

By the way we did very well at the Tea Party on Saturday...serving about 60 afternoon teas and making about £400...not bad for two hours.

Getting jittery

Tea Party for Dystonia tomorrow at St Pauls Church hall at 2pm, Last event for Awareness week. Lots of friends and supporters helping us, bringing cakes etc-just hope we get the customers. Next big task is getting in everyone's sponsorship from K2B-usually takes some time but worth it in the end.


Then I have to prepare for my trip to Italy on Thursday. My first ever plane journey alone...and I do hate flying! Ah well-its for the greater good! Then my cousins Lidia and John are meeting me at Marco Polo airport and taking me to Vas. Friday I visit the school and meet the pupils...can't wait-though I am embarrassed that I speak NO Italian! I will take lots of pics to put on the website etc.


I took receipt of 400 copies of Out of Time today...storage was expensive so I hope to save on that. I need a definite marketing strategy...I don't seem very good at getting lots of bookings-they kind of come in a bit erratically. I hate phoning up-I need a social secretary or PA I think! I am going to address  this when I return and get stuck into the phone calls. I know the book is good(still hate this sort of self proclamation)but the problem is if people don't know about it they won't buy it...so need to develop a better strategy! Saatchi and Saatchi maybe> Fans/friends/readers...you can do your part-tell everyone you know, re-tweet me, like my page, follow my blog and visit the Youtube video...please?


Local note-bit concerned over the proposed biomass plant. Unsure what it means...the antis are saying its certain death and destruction the pros are saying its good for the economy and the local area..but what are the real facts? Answers on a postcard please! I want real scientific facts which a re rigorous and valid...but will we have that sort of transparency before the damned thing is built? I doubt it...after all it's only Barrow...you know that chav town at the end of the longest cul-de-sac in the world?


Ooh! Almost forgot...Raven's Hoard due out on 1 November 2012...preview synopsis on Troubador website as we speak!