The Soundtracks of My Life

I was actually going to do a post on the tracks of my years, then I came across this tag by the lovely Em Linthorpe.  
I am not what you would call a true music buff, although I was always to be found taping the charts in my teen years (we all did that right?!) whilst sat in my bedroom.  I have memories of dancing round my bedroom making up dance routines with my friend, singing into hair brushes, thinking we were the bees knees. My tastes are diverse and random, I think that would be the most accurate definition.  It wasn't difficult to pick 7 songs that impacted on my life, to be honest I could have picked loads more.  So sit back and relax and don't judge!

Its been sometime!!

Well its been a while since I blogged.  So I thought while I am sat watching the final of the snooker, I would pull together April's highlights

So a quick football update:

• Unfortunately our Ladies didn't gain promotion to the Premier division.  Gutted doesn't even come close.  So all focus is now on the County Cup Final this week
• Ladies Summer league football is in full force.  We have been able to put two teams into the league and proud to say both teams are doing superb
• My son's season is all finished, he has really enjoyed his footy this season, which I am glad about.  He ended up playing for three different teams towards the end of the season and I know he is chuffed with the opportunity (even if he doesn't say it)
• Our U10 girls season has come to an end, and they continue to grow with confidence and ability.  We now have a summer of tournaments to look forward too

April seems to have flown by!! It seems like a blink of the eye and May is almost here. It is scary. 

We started off the month with a little trip to Hawes with work friends.  We had a great weekend staying in a bunkbarn, going caving and a spot of geocaching.  The weather was superb.

Miss C caving

Crochet an Easter Chick - Cadbury Creme Egg Size!

So its nearly Easter, and I thought I would share with you my crochet pattern for some Easter chicks which fit a Cadbury's Creme Egg (or similar sized egg eg. Lindt). They make a perfect Easter gift and take no time at all

Please note: I have written the pattern in a way that is easy to follow for a beginner

Football Mum #2

Its been a while since I posted a football update.  The last few weeks have been busy football wise.

Our Penrith Angels U10 team (Miss C's team) have moved back to outdoor football.  That of course means muddy feet and kits, and when their shirts are white it is not the greatest.  They seem to love it, I am not sure whether it is because the pitch is bigger compared to the Futsal pitches, or just simply because its the fresh air.  They are such a great team, and as I have said before as a club it is not always about winning especially at a young age, but about the enjoyment and taking part.  I wish all club would embed that ethos into their coaching and management!!

Master L has been having a few great weeks footy wise too.  The Under 16 team got through to the semi final of the County cup....not to be unfortunately. However he has been given the opportunity to play with our Reserves team, playing some great football and bagging 90 minutes just the other night.  I watch him and can't believe how much he has grown up, not just physically but emotionally and mentally. 

Our Women's Summer League started this week, this provides girls above the age of 16 with summer football across Cumbria.  They play 9 v 9 format from April to September.  We kicked off last Monday with an opening tournament, the perfect evening for football.  It's funny though its called summer football, that implies that it will be glorious evenings with us sat in chairs on the side line cheering our ladies on......I can tell you that last year we spent many an evening huddled under umbrellas with many layers on.  Keep your fingers crossed!!

Finally our Ladies team are having a super season.  They made it though to the County Cup Final with a comfortable 4-1 win over our fellow West Cumbrians. We now know the final will be the 5th May and we will play our North Cumbrian counterparts. 

I know the ladies will be desperate to win back the title.  However they also have a league campaign to concentrate on, and with their final game looming it is so close at the top.  Having narrowly missed out on promotion last season, they are going all out to make it possible this season @PAFCladies

Its also good to see that our used kits are bringing smiles across the world, with one of our tracksuits making this boy a happy boy in Ankoma

Thanks for reading, and keep your fingers crossed for our Ladies team this weekend 😉

Our Night out in Manchester: The Smyths/Old Red Eyes

So my hubby was/is a huge Smiths and Morrissey fan.  For as long as I have known him he has been singing how heaven knows he's miserable now!

After much persuasion (to what I somewhat feel guilty about now), we headed off for a last minute trip to Manchester (home of The Smiths), to watch The Smyths.  Strangeways, Here We Come, was the title of their tour, a homage to their fourth and final studio album released in 1987.  A "more than a tribute band" formed in 2003 from there passion of The Smiths Read more  If nothing else it would be a much needed night out and back in my hometown of Manchester.

They were performing at the O2 Ritz Manchester, despite being brought up in Manchester a venue I have not visited before.  My Dad was telling us on the way into Manchester how he had recently heard on the radio that the underneath of the dance floor is made from thousands of tennis balls, that would explain the bouncy floor!

We headed in about an hour before they were due on stage, something which I now regret as the act on prior to them was a solo acoustic tribute to the songs and sounds of Paul Heaton, better known maybe as The Beautiful South and The Housemartins.  We caught the last 45 minutes of his act, and I have to say what a fantastic Delete repeated word (purposeful repeat of the word!) tribute, I could have listened all night, and we will definitely make a trip to catch up with him live again.  Any fans of Paul Heaton's work should seek this guy out Old Red Eyes

The time came and The Smyths took to the stage.  Now unlike my hubby I am not familiar with any of The Smiths territory, I associated it with untuneful dreariness, how much my opinion changed immediately.  They owned the stage, everything about them oozed passion.   They were electric, they took the music from years ago and brought it alive again.  We danced the night away and were hoarse when we came out.  How much I loved the fact that I was so wrong beforehand, we are planning to see them later in the year in Carlisle (our hometown) at The Brickyard. 

Thanks for reading x

Update: My Exciting weekend

So you may all be wondering how I got on last weekend (I suppose only those that read my post!) My Exciting Weekend

Well here goes.  So I hope I explained in my previous post the logistics of it all.  We were drawn number 3 (out of 8), so not too long a wait, albeit a nervy one.  We had a short rehearsal in the hotel bar in the morning.  Yes the hotel bar you heard right, we certainly created an atmosphere, not one the lads from the previous nights stag party appreciated though! 

We head to our holding area, the registration cards are handed out to players.  Instrument, check, music, check, so all ready to go.  A short wait after registration and we were onto the stage.  It is one of those stages where you can't see out into the audience, a blessing for some nervous types.  All set, everyone comfortable and off we go.

We put in a great performance and once we played headed off to the pub.  Yes a true attribute of all bandsmen.  A patient wait for the results, a catch up with good friends.  Results are in and we came 3rd.  Not enough for a trip to the National Finals in Cheltenham this year, but when you look back at where we have come from in just over 12 months, we have made huge strides in the banding world, and have so much more to offer.  So not dwelling on disappointment and onwards and upwards, we enjoyed a very mush deserved night in Durham, eating and drinking and oh so many giggles. 

A great weekend, not the result maybe we wanted, but a great weekend.

Thanks for reading x

My Exciting Weekend!

So I did warn you I was a brass band geek and yes my favourite film would be Brassed Off. My first blog post as one though.

I have played the cornet since being at primary school.  I have to say I suffered from lots of ridicule at the hands of what I have come to realise were just jealous lost souls, but it was tough at times to be laughed at and have the mickey taken out of me.  It didn't put me off though and many years on I still love it though.  

We have a big weekend ahead of us.  For weeks and months, brass bands across many Counties have been rehearsing twice weekly and more recently each night on the run up to the Regional Championships.  These take place in the North West,Yorkshire, West of England, Midlands and Scotland once a year and qualifying bands play at the National Brass Band Championships in September (as featured in Brassed Off).  

Let me try and give you an explanation of how its works. It works similar to football,in that there are leagues, more commonly referred to as sections.  The higher the section the better the band. Each section is given the same test piece (piece of music), which is adjudicated (blind) by some proper brass band geeks, usually conductors, players, composers, generally very well known experts in the brass band field.

Of course there has to be a winner, and of course we hope that might be us.  We won our section last year and came second nationally, and yes it would be great to repeat that experience.

So we have been rehearsing each night this week,and today we head over to Durham, where our regional competition is to be held over the weekend.  It is set to be a great weekend with a fine bunch of people.  It will be safe to say there will be some alcohol consumed and lots of giggles, but that is why I love it, and thousands of other too.

So I will up date you in my next blog post, and for those who follow me on Instagram (@notjustamumfromcumbria) I will attempt to keep my insta story updated. For now I need to make sure my uniform is ironed and I have my instrument and music.

Thanks for reading 💖