Saturday 8 December 2007

Lantern Parade etc

The weather's been bleak with sleet and snow but it hasn't stopped us - we've had a rather busy day today.

Hermione came home from music academy this morning with a clarinet. It belongs to the academy but she can now have use of it as long as she is attending academy and making progress. She is finding it much easier to play than the sax and has played it lots today. My head has throbbed at times but I've tried my best to look very appreciative and not dampen her enthusiasm.



This afternoon we (myself, Nana and Hermione) went to collect the willow to make our dome. The man who has kindly given it to us lives about fifteen miles away. When we got there it was snowing hard and we realised we were inadequately clad to be clambering around an allotment gathering willow in a blizzard. We finally concluded we had as much as we could possibly manage in the car and struggled to find a way to make the part sticking out of the front window safe. We drove the fifteen miles home in driving sleet and snow with the window open. Nana was adamant that we avoid anything which could be a bus route as she was worried that we may skewer someone standing at a bus stop with our willow overhang. Finally made it home. Just hoping the weather brightens up a little tomorrow so I can make a start.

This evening we went to the Lantern Parade at Hartlepool Marina. Despite the fact that Hartelpool has recently been voted as one of the worst places to live in England, we were quite impressed with their Christmas Festival - once we found it and managed to get parked that is!

There were carol singers, a snow machine, men dressed up as Santa behaving rather bizarrely with what I think was a role of carpet, two fairies pushing a huge Christmas pudding on wheels plus lots of the usual food stalls and such likes.

We also saw jugglers...



...and marched (very briefly) behind the jazz band.



I had expected there to be more boats illuminate There were just odd ones here and there with lights on. Very pretty al the same.

1 comment:

Wobblymoo said...

Looks lovely, we have been to the Marina once, must get back there some time soon.