Another night with The Osmonds!!!

Late yesterday afternoon I travelled down to Southend with my friend Karen, to meet up with Lynn, who used to live in our road and her friend Debbie. I am certain that Southend has moved, it seemed a lot closer than before, mind you that could have been because I wasn't driving and its nice to chill out in the passenger seat for a change. 

When we got there the sun was just setting, we got a parking space and made our way to the venue to meet with our friends and to get a bite to eat. As we arrived the support group turned up in their coach. It was so funny to watch all this 'silly' middle aged women swooning over these men who were lapping it up!!! We hadn't thought to book ahead and when we went to the planned restaurant it was fully booked as was every other one within walking distance. In the end we went for traditional fish and chips, eaten in Karen's car in the car park!!!! It was lovely, particularly nice when you are hungry!!!!

Karen had come up trumps with the tickets again, and we were again second row, but at the opposite end to Watford. Southend had laid on bouncers so we got chatting to the guy near us. He was going to prevent a pitch invasion at all costs. He hadn't bargained on the die hard fans who were going to get to the front whatever. Poor Lynn had an inconsiderate woman next to her who kept 'drifting' into her seat space and in the end she had to use her elbows to stop her taking over completely!

This time I took my big camera, which our bouncer chap was happy with, I did manage to get a few shots that were OK, but the lighting was unpredictable so I also got a fair few duff shots as well. 

They were singing their very last song when another of the staff told me that I couldn't use my camera as it had a telephoto lens!! So I put it away, but TOO LATE!!!! I already had my shots!!

So all we have to look forward to now is Karen sitting on the phone and computer to get tickets for next years show starring Donny and Marie. Go get them Karen!!!!

That was a week!!!

Its been another of those busy time flying weeks. I am glad its the weekend!! The easy high light of the week was my trip to Watford to see The Osmonds !! Thanks to the ticket guru over the road Karen, we had second row tickets and an excellent view. The only downside was that we were spitting distance from the speakers that were easily 12ft by 12ft big and very very LOUD!!!!! That said afterwards we could still hear each other so all deafness was only temporary. As always they gave a fantastic show, we enjoyed it so much that we are going back again next week to see them play at Southend!!

As well as some of their new music, which was very good, they played a load of the classics. What was quite disconcerting was the number of middle aged plus women there were in the audience. The thing is I don't see myself as middle aged (cos I'm not!!) BUT the placed was full of 50 and 60 something people all screaming like sixteen year olds. I felt quite restrained compared to a couple of full on grey haired granny types who were up there with their silky Osmonds scarfs and their walking sticks shouting 'We want the Osmonds'!!!!

This time I only took my little camera, because the last visit we made they tried to stop me taking my big camera in, they asked us to wait while they checked out if it was OK for me to go in with it. Like naughty school girls, we legged it as soon as the security guard was out of sight!!!! This time no one checked so I was in a prime position with a puny camera, that will teach me!

Towards the end there was a near pitch invasion as all the fans arrived at the stage for the grand finale. (They had probably started their journey to the front in the first half!!!) These groups must be raking it in all these people with disposable income now living out their teenage dreams!!!

Beth ended up down A and E this week after she hurt her knee trampolining at school, this time she has damaged the ligaments and is in a great deal of pain. She has been X rayed and they have put a 'cricket bat' bandage on it. She has to go to fracture clinic next week for them to decide if it needs plastering to help the ligaments heal. The last few days have been really painful for her as it seems to have had an effect on her hip as well. Fingers crossed it starts to get better soon . 

I am on a bit of a roll with holidays as well. Last week we paid for our Cruise to the Fjords in May so I am getting excited about that one. We had been toying with the idea of going to see the Dutch bulb fields. Although we seem to visit Holland far more regularly than I visit my local town centre, its usually in the summer or winter when the bulbs have finished. So I have been looking at a mini cruise trip to do that during the school Easter holiday . When I first noticed the trip we couldn't get a cabin for three of us, just two twins which we didn't want. So I checked back a couple of days ago and found that there was a cabin available, so I booked it and now we are off for a three day trip including a day spent at Keukenhof Gardens  I can't wait, I think I should be able to get some fantastic photographs !!

Back to The 70's!!

Last night I had the chance to relive my teenage years with a visit to Wembley Arena to see some of the stars of the 70's. My teenage heart throbs, Bay City Rollers  were performing with Leo Sayer, David Essex and my all time faves The Osmonds!!

We left home at 5pm for the drive to Wembley, I went with my friend 'Karen over the road' we picked up three more friends and did battle with the London traffic. We arrived in plenty of time. It was so hot and muggy that it was a relief to get inside into the decidedly cool arena where the air conditioning was at full blast. Mind you as most of the audience were middle aged hormonal women, I could see the temperature rising before the night was out!

The show opened with the fantastic Bay City Rollers, needless to say they looked nothing like the photo above, which was taken in their hay day, there was still a lot of tartan around both on them and in the audience, but like us they were considerably older. They still put on a great show belting out their old classics like Bye Bye baby and Shang a lang (they don't write them like that anymore!!!)

Next up was Leo Sayer, I was never a fan in the 70's and he has not got any better as he has got older, he screeched out a few of his songs and to be honest I was glad to hear the back of him!!

Next up David Essex, a man who I have seen perform a fair few times over the years, but not as many times as Karen over the road!!! He can still belt out a tune or two, and he seems to have improved with age. He treated us all to his hits from the 70's, Rock On!!

Finally we had The Osmonds, The lovely lovely Osmonds. Sadly minus Donny who was in Las Vegas, but the rest of them put on a fantastic show . By the end of the evening we were all hot, the atmosphere was electric and I was a little concerned by the number of stewards who kept walking by carrying mop and buckets, could it be that the excitement was too much for middle age bladders?? Who knows.

It was a fantastic evening, can't wait to do it again!!