10October 2012 shopping Newecastle and South Shields

It is another bright morning October 10^th 2012 and I will shortly get myself ready to go to Newcastle to Lakeland for another microwave dish, two more egg poaching pouches and the toaster toasted sandwich sleeves. More about which another occasion I also want some spring flowering bulbs. It is just before 9 am and I have been up wasting time for an hour and half playing chess and Free Cell patience. I had some mushrooms and tomatoes for breakfast with coffee.

I had an interesting dream (s) which I have not been able to work out. There were two reoccurring recent themes. The first is where I am in a building. Some times a variation of a place where I am at work, a Town Hall with entrances/exits which end at unrecognisable places or a departmental store. With similar issues about where I sometimes find myself. I am usually going somewhere specific, a place to eat or to meet up someone, and usually someone I know. Sometimes I find myself in unknown territory getting further and further away from where want/need to be although there is sometimes a but, usually the last which I sometimes miss and there are no other means of transport, sometimes I know a way to a railway station, and some times I get back to where I want to be. Other instances involve moving between floors in the building and finding one is required to take a risk, difficult stairways, having to jump. I enquire or search for an easy way. This was one aspect of the dream this morning. And my original family, the aunties were involved. I was due to meet one of them who also worked in the building at a restaurant but I found myself in the area. Then there was something like a fire or alarm and we all had to be moved. In this instance some distance away to a strange building or series of buildings passing stalls peopled by Muslims... I told someone, I wanted to see the President I had a message, I was being challenged, where did I come from and instead of saying New York than Washington as I knew we had all been moved.

I have won £6.40 in the lottery with two numbers and a star. It is the fourth time I have one small amount in the Euro lottery with the same numbers with a month. I had the TV on last night when the numbers came up and recognised that I had three, I checked emails and there is no notification but there is a winner notice on the account and the on line ticket check also confirmed. Interesting

13.15 I had an excellent visit to Newcastle, having been made aware in advance that the Duchess of Cambridge was coming to town when listening to BBC North East Radio while I was getting ready in thee bathroom. William was scheduled to be with her but had to cancel with the Funeral of a former Nanny. As I crossed over from the Monument Mall Metro entrance to Eldon Square Shopping centre I noticed a hoard of police including police horses and barriers on either side of the road in anticipation of the Royal cars. The Monument Mall building is being ripped apart from the inside with little progress appearing to have been made. It is possible to exit by the escalator or lift from the basement level to the ground level but everything thing else is barriered off and looks a mess.

I was able to find a copy of the morning Metro paper to look at for the early part of travel. The Celia Imrie Who do you think you are programme is tonight having being cancelled last week. She has aristocratic connections. The other papers are fill of the Police statement regarding Jimmy Saville and other celebrities at the BBC where there is now significant accounts that he had sex with many young people below the age of consent, mainly girls 13 -16 although a man has now come forward to say he was molested as a child. The family have removed the recently created elaborate grave stone following official and public reaction to the revelations. It is one thing to talk of the culture developed in the late fifties through to the seventies following the availability of the contraceptive pill, but the information suggests calculated systematic predatory behaviour of a criminal nature. To talk of sexual abuse not accurate as if somehow abuse is less harmful than criminal assault. There was an anything goes culture and very young girls threw themselves at rock and pop stars, just as there had been lots of casual and promiscuous activity associated with the peace movement of the late 1950’s and sixties, but what is being reported about Saville is of a different order and what also appears high level cover up meriting investigation as it is underway by the Police and the BBC.

All around the Monument in Newcastle there is a seasonal street market with some substantial cabin like stalls offering objects, novelties, clothing and lots of food including great cauldrons of Paella, Chilli con Carne and other dishes, mountains of Greek olives, large chunks of fudge, Mexican dishes, Hog Roast and others foods to tempt the palate on such a cold morning.

I have been into Eldon Square via Monument Metro Station earlier this year but not noted the extent of the changes that have taken place ion the ships on the first floor especially the Tyneside Film Theatre Film School on two floors. There is of course the new extension leading to the new departmental store and other fashion stores which attracts huge numbers on a Saturday attracting people to the City and away from the Metro centre on the outskirts of Gateshead. I am still surprised that both former Departmental Stores in Sunderland are now closed, Binns and the one in High Street although another opened in the extension to the uncover centre which I remember as once open streets.

I had a good look around Lakeland while I searched for another Microwave dish holder, not in the same place as before but I then found the poached egg pouches and bought two in orange as those given were in green so I will use one of each colour. I missed the Toasted sandwich bags/sleeves which were adjacent and had to ask an assistant. I could not resist three packs of soft chocolate covered nougat bars for £3.98 delicious as have been wolfing them since. I needed the loo and went up a floor noting in the opposite corner the North East Artists cooperative with ten galleries or rooms featuring the work of those involved. There is a wide range of artists on show here and price from a couple of hundred to several thousand pounds. I was Interested in industrial scenes of miners, Tyneside ship yard workers and locals, I did not linger too long as I do not have the resources to purchases and was not as a consequence interested in a window shop. I did have look at the Comet PC World store with a check on additional computer memory with costs around £75 to £100 but which I suspect I will need to have professionally fitted as it did not appear the same as additional storage. I promised myself an Internet check which I will do now.

I am not sure of the basis of the problem which could be a virus or malware of some kind so I have attempted system restore and other system support rather than go to a purchase. I will consult a local store if the problem persists. I reminded myself the need for a new answer phone and have reserved one at Argos to be collected tomorrow and costs under £20 as a half price sale item. It has a cordless handset. I have the reservation number on mobile and will go for it when printer arrives. The delivery company have sent email with a tracker check but as yet they have received the package to advise the expected delivery slot.

On both journeys I read more of The Snack Thief and made a few notes. Although tired on arrival at South Shields I decided to in search of spring flowering bulbs. There was a large group of young people leaving the station and three young girls possibly sixth formers possible students at Hebburn College liked noticed a pair of mixed bright colourful high heels worn by a well dressed woman in her twenties. The shoes were attractive as well as the heels high and not the usual wear for the day time street of South Shields. The girls were envious and then I overhead a comment by one of the accompanying young men in the party that this was the first time one or more of the girls had been to South Shields which I found amazing given the evident North East accents. There was a congregation of other young people who this group greeted at the King Street entrance to the Station and they stood there and later when I passed several were eating sandwiches or had drinks with them. They had departed the next time I passed the station entrance,

I went first in search of a £1 cheese and pickle baguette and was shocked to find these had been priced up to £1.50. When I checked at the two other Gregg stores it was confirmed the £1 baguette is no more although there was a ham for £1.30. The justification is greater cheese and pickle which I agree did make a difference but a 50% increase I ask you?

However any disappointment was offset by the visit to the original Pound wise store in the look out of springtime bulbs. I noticed some 2013 pocket diaries with leather looking cover, week to a view and a locking clasp which houses a biro pen all for £1 brilliant. I also noticed many other items of interest including some glitter glue and stick glue which I assume is also for £1, However I decided against at this point and went for the bulbs where I purchased two packs of four different coloured scented Hyacinths and two of the multi coloured 10 tulip packs also at £1

　

　

Mouth of Tyne Festival 2012 and the great Pot Hole

The sky is clear blue and cold this summer’s morning July 21st 2012, one week before the commencement of the Olympic Games in London and although I want to write extensively about the best TV drama series I have experienced, the six episode Millennium with covers the two stories of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and, the four episode two part story The Girl Played with Fire with the Girl who kicked Hornet’s Nest, I need first to catch up on the cultural and sporting events of last weekend and other developments.

As the weekend approached the weather had been a better mixture although it was disappointment on Saturday morning when I elected to make my visit to the North Tyneside Mouth of the Tyne Festival at Tynemouth. Sunday was to be warm and sunny but I wanted to do other things at home.

I decided to take the large red umbrella as the skies were grey and looked full of rain and headed for the Tyne Ferry walking at a good pace. On reaching the road crossing I saw that the ferry had just arrived with the majority of passengers already reaching the end of the landing stage so I quickened my pace to a trot but was still overtaken by a man who appeared about my age. He continued running until entering the Ferry but I worked out I had time to stop and walk at a normal pace. In this I was proved correct and took one of the few available seats downstairs on a bench where a teenage girl in the latest fashion of short hot pants and tights was engaged in enthusiastic conversation with a young man with a bicycle and where from the subsequent conversation it appeared that although they knew each other, possible from school, they had met unexpectedly but were both delighted to have done so.

At North Tyneside I discovered that for some unexplained reason the new bus turning circle and facilities had been closed on June 25th for four weeks so there was a little walk to the bus stop where a 333 was waiting and I took a seat and waited for other passengers to come and although several walked by along towards the Fish Quay. I did not see or may have missed what happened to the new found young couple but I believe that the man who had passed me on the way to the ferry also got on the bus and I subsequently know that he alighted  in the North Shields town centre and made his way to the Metro train station.

Before making my way there I went to Greggs and purchased my lunch, a £1 medium baguette filled with cheese and pickle. For the same money I could make myself two or one larger but this presently meets my needs and I enjoy  two or three times a week when I have decided to eat the main meal in the early evening. Whereas the French made baguette goes hard, these become soft if left for several hours before consuming.

The North Tyneside Metro station has been undergoing major renovations for the best part of a year and the line is regularly closed over weekends so that the work can be undertaken without interruption. There is now a long walk on either side of the track with a new entrance at the far end of the platforms and it was here as I sat down that I encountered the man from the Ferry landing at Shields who recognised me and asked if I was the person he had also passed running.

It is a feature of the North East, only in part because we are of the same generation, that strangers of both sexes will engage in passing the time conversation. I cannot remember how we got onto the subject of the Second World War he was born afterwards but remembered sweet with his rationing sister four years older remembering the puzzlement of what did one do with a banana which I matched with the story of someone who had rejected a fried egg for a proper egg having been used to powdered eggs until then. We moved onto the challenges which young people faced and also the world in which they now lived as well as our reality of being elders.

On the train my attention was taken first by a short man in an RAF uniform with a shoulder of medals who I felt sure I had seen in a previous year at the Festival or elsewhere, and then a young man accompanied by two young women and who wore a top which said weekend offender and had the crest of Her Majesty’s Prison department. He and the  girls appeared cool about the situation and I assume that if it was for real he would have worn a coat but the top attracted considerable attention from other passengers especially as nearby there were a couple of policemen. I suspect the trio were making their way to the Castle for the evenings Rock concert with the Wanted whereas I saw the policeman and woman walking about the Festival site in the course of their arranged duty.

I was headed for the next station Tynemouth on the circular route to Whitley Bay for two reasons. I wanted to view the £1 million plus restoration of the station to its original Victorian splendour and there was also a full day of music and dance events on a stage within the station concourse and where a bric-a-brac market is also held every Saturday and Sunday with stalls on both sides of the station. On the side from Newcastle and North Shields where I alighted there are twenty large overheard glass canopies fronting the platform with glass arches to the station walls and entrance. One needs to go over the bridge to the other side to reach the town centre and the ruins on the headlands of the Priory and Castle Keep.

It is on this side that the greater expense was incurred because the glass work had been absent from a significant area and the iron metal supports had rusted and required considerable repair. There are some thirty large vaulted arches spanning perhaps twenty five metres from platform edge to station walls and facilities. There is an expensive Italian restaurant to one side of the main entrance and a coffee shop cafe on the other plus a newsagent store, hairdressers and toilet facilities. I explored the full extent of the stalls on this platform area. There was quite a crowd of visitors so that passage between the aisles was difficult. It is the kind of place where I could readily spend a lot of money buying jazz and other music CD for £1 as well as books for the same price. There are also interesting books and original gramophone records costing tens of pounds. There were lots of other items of interest but I decided to keep my cash firmly in my pocket until I catch up on the videos and books already in possession and listen again too much of my record collection. I therefore resisted a copy of Stag Larsson’s the girl with the Draft Tattoo , but later regretted after viewing the four CD disk of all three books made into a six part TV series and considered making the trip this Saturday to see if the book was still available.

The other temptations were the food from delicious olives at £3.70 for 200 grams or extraordinary rich cream decorated cup cakes home baked for £1. There were also hot food stalls and specialist coffees ready to drink. I had quickly consumed the baguette and was hungry again but resisted. A couple of young woman were performing an intense artistic dance on the stage with occupied seating and a standing audience behind. A Street Dance Cru of young men drew great applause and there was then a gap for the establishment of new sound equipment for another intense duo of artistic dances which a young man playing what seemed to be an African type of drum 

Leaving the station I went a few steps in the opposite direction to the start of the road down to the Castle because my attention was directed at the recruitment drive at the local Territorial Army base. The government has announced it is to increase this force to 30000 balancing out the reduction in the full time forces. A poster listed the rate of daily pay for officers and other ranks plus the signing on bounty once basic training was successfully completed. At one level these appeared generous until one remembered the use of the TA in Afghanistan. While the emphasise was on the logistical trades and rolls required in small print there was reference to basic training with all that this entailed omitted.

There is a church with a tall steeple at the commencement of the wide thoroughfare leading to the Castle and Priory on the headland and which I can view from North Marine Park a few yards from my front doorway, the headland not the church I mean!  On either side of the entrance to the church building, which as in other years invited people in for coffee and sandwiches, an attractive young woman on stilts stood to one side in a very short skirt with a young man also on stilts on the other. Because of the weather there were comparative fewer people than previous years. Most were gathered by the main stage located on an area used for car parking. Here there were acts designed to appeal to children as well as families. Throughout the day there were walkabout artists. In this instance I spotted two men in costumes of artic explorers but it was the five young persons on stilts dressed as some kind of creature with tentacles and large colourful wings which aroused great interest.

In addition to the stilts for their feet they held two long poles as an aid to walking although from time to time they used a pole as a form of greeting to a young person with those present fascinated as how the creatures were able to get about as their faces were fully masked but as one mother explained the material was one way see through.  There were several pavement hot food sellers from specialist sausage rolls and burgers to unusual roasted meats. Here as at the Metro Station there was a preponderance of middle class families and individualists some bordering on the eccentric elderly with trimmed beards and their confident well dressed ladies unphased by the cost of meals in the restaurants.  However I did note that while there was huge crowd exploring the stalls at Tynemouth station the majority appeared to be looking and few buying. Having said this hot food stalls at the station and along the High Street was doing good business. It was that kind of day.

I made my way to the Rock of Gibraltar Inn overlooking the start of sandy bay far below where an elderly jazz band with a female clarinettist was preparing to start their set to a bedraggled audience although there was about a dozen souls who had brought their own seats or sat on the damp grass with their protective clothing as I had originally planned to do had the weather appeared likely to be better. The rest sat on the benches at the pavement roadside of the small green with an audience of thirty to forty in total. I sat in the enclosed bus shelter together with a dozen young Asians clustering around me to get out of the cold wind and spitting rain. Why they had come and what they intended doing next remains a mystery.

We were outnumbered by a long line of mainly teenage girls who appeared to have already queued for sometime at the closed entrance to the headland grounds and then down towards the riverside. They had come early to ensure a front of stage place for the band The Wanted who was scheduled to appear seven hours later in the evening.  There was a steady flow of the young women to the modern public conveniences brought to the area adjacent to the stage and which required a coin although the queue was such that most were able to keep the door opened for the next individual.

Almost all the girls were wearing the latest fashion of short hot pants and many without tights.  Later when I walked in the sunshine in Newcastle centre there were also dozens of similar and again as I had noted my visit to Hoppings and Newcastle two weeks previously that as with mini and micro skirt they can appear attractive and sexy, but alas many do not have good legs and have large bottoms to the point of being fat. Such is group pressure and not wanting to be different or out of the mainstream fashion. I have only seen such attire once in South Shields recently. 

I also noted the Sunday afternoon show where the cost was less had been sold out. The cost for Wanted was £25 plus the usual booking extras. 

I stayed for about half an hour of jazz when I decided I was not enjoying the experience and made my way back for a bus to North Tyneside and the Ferry. I waited for over 15 minutes and the only bus that came along was a park and Ride. The airman with his medals arrived and engaged in conversation with a woman also at the bus stop and she advised that they go for another bus which stopped around the corner. I debated joining them and set off only to see a bus coming up the road in the distance. I was able to get back only to see it was the bus destined for the other stop. I put out a hand more in hope than expectation but it stopped so I was able to find myself a good seat whereas the other two had to joined a long queue and were amazed to see me smiling at them and comfortable.

On reaching North Tyneside town centre I changed my mind and stayed on board as I was feeling tired and went all the way to the in Newcastle and the Haymarket. The bus took the more direct route used that is known as the Coast Road and the one I take when travelling from the Silverlink roundabout to the Freeman Hospital, and which also passers the People’s Theatre if you continue into Newcastle. The other bus I had intended to take goes closer to the Tyne and visits Wallsend. On the way into to the town centre I was struck how much is now given over to the buildings of the two universities with their 50000 students from all over the UK and indeed the world. Newcastle has become a very exiting city for young people.

On arrival I was torn between a growing tiredness and not wanting to make use of the warm sunshine even I considering returning to the Festival. While debating to catch the Metro back to South Shields I heard the sound of a good band coming from down Northumberland Street, so went along to listen. It was an interesting group with saxophone, trumpet, drums, trombone and a  West Indian singer all of middle age to older, I stood against a wall to listen as the many new seats  now in the Street were all occupied enjoying the music in the continuing sunshine. I was still torn between the sunshine and tiredness so after a short walkabout went back to Haymarket for the train home. My barber and the female assistant she employs on a Saturday were outside enjoying the weather at the entrance to their small building once a newsagent, then Pizzas and then a nail bar. The Pizzas have moved down next to Station taxi office. In the updated former railway station building with the award winning Women’s health centre in one part I noted that the Mobility centre which provided electric wheel chairs for the shopping centre had closed down and was up for sale. The “barberesses” gave me a wave of recognition as I continued wearily up the hill and home deciding against going into the pub for a coffee.

On Sunday I decided to remain home and research and write in the morning despite good sunshine outside and then watch sport on TV in the afternoon rather than go to Exhibition Park for a free concert by Scouting for Girls. In the afternoon Durham was playing in a televised 40 40 game at the Rosebowl Hampshire reminding of the difference between the aggressive and hostile security staff  on my visit there for 20 20 final and the contrasting approach of those employed for the one day international at Durham.

I had a discouraging feel about the game and this was reinforced as four wickets fell with the Durham total below 60. Stokes had played and missed for 1` and with Mustard out early for 5, Stoneman had looked promised and then out for and Collingwood  confident now as captain of the champion side  went for 28. Fortunately Gordon Muchall showed what he can do and with 5 fours and 2 sixes he was unbeaten in the end at 96 with Benkenstein helping out in a stand of 80, The second disappointment of the innings was that the South African Myberg who has been given an extend contract from the 20 20 to the 40 40 and could not celebrate this with what could have a match winnings on a difficult wicket.  Hampshire got off to a great start and the usually tight Graham Onions was hit for several fours in one over. Young Borthwick was the more expensive with 51 runs off his eight overs but with the prize of four wickets. Durham’s total of 200 was never enough and Hants achieved what was required by a good knock from Katich not out with 59 as the home side one with 8 balls to go. While all is not lost in the completion they cannot afford another defeat if they are to gain the fourth spot as the best runner up. Rain again prevented a win in the championship at Worcester as previously report so Durham continues to hug the bottom of the table. Losing the wickets of Smith and Muchall with only one of the board Durham again struggle on a difficult wicket at Arundel against Sussex a game I had hoped to visit when planning my summer visits earlier in the year, Benkenstein 43 and Borthwick rescued the side to a modest total of 231 and only one batting point. Sussex is looking better after the second day with 100 for 3 in another game where a draw looks promising and defeat is possible. Sussex were 100 for 3 at the close with Goodwin ands Yard moving forward after the wicket went at 

It was a different story at the important first Test against South Africa which commenced on Thursday in which England hopes to reinforce their position as the number one Test side in the world.  England won the toss and elected to bat on what had appeared to be a flat Oval wicket  when a wide range of personalities were present from the Lord Chancellor to former Prime Minister John Major and the personality Michael Parkinson and his wife. There was also a host of former Cricket stars spotted from around the world.

The South Africans had a brilliant start getting captain Straus out for 0 in the fourth ball on appeal. However the indefatigable Alistair Cook batted through the rest if the day and is 114 not out and a long period he was supported by Trott who took the total to 170 before going for 71 before he out. Kevin Pieterson who is not in the World Cup 20 20 squad because of his decision not to play one day cricket looked as if wanted to prove a point before  getting out  when he also look like making a good score when 42. Bell stayed with Cook until the close at 267 for 3. On this wicket England will need a 500 plus total to exert sufficient pressure to be able to enforce the follow on although with the spin likely to be a major factor on the fifth this might be a better alternative for Swann. I shall watch the game on TV at least keep one eye on the screen while I get on with this piece.

There was an enjoyable game on Sunday Tea Time on BBC TV as Warrington beat Huddersfield convincingly in the second Semi Final of the Challenge Cup to play Leeds in the Final at Wembley in five weeks time. This is the third time Warrington has reached the final in four years winning their two previous visits.

I have fully mastered the use of the treatment machine for sleep apnoea as well as settling into a pattern of nightly use between five and six hours although I cannot say that this is being achieved without difficulty as I find the head gear uncomfortable and the balance of being able to breathe naturally through my nose with my mouth shut and the absence of upper body wind is not always managed. I am also not getting as much exercise as I need although I have commenced to jog on the spot in the house and to walk with purpose when out and about. I have not progressed with weight loss but so far prevented the kind of swing back increase that occurred last summer which keeps me in a good place to lose more.

I have achieve 29 of the past 30 nights with a use above the recommended level of four hours and the reading should become 30/30 over the next week. I am hoping to be able to demonstrate this pattern on my next visit to see the consultant in November. The average hours over night is 5.8 although I am unlikely to keep this up and indeed I only managed 4.2 one night during this week. Having been told those four hours is adequate I am relaxing and not persisting with use of a third session at times. Another reason is that while the addition of a humidifier has been positive in that it appears to be the main factor in having sleeps of three and last night four hours at a time I am still waking with a sticky dry mouth. I have tried various levels of use on the register of .5 to 6   although with no attempt above 4 which I plan to try over the coming days. What I have decided is to start high and keep for a few days and then work downwards until I and only isolated bouts of tiredness during the day, usually related to the total hours of sleep the night before as well as its quality. My total use of the machine exceeded 275.

As mentioned when attending the one day International between England and Australia at the Emirates Chester Le Street a warning light came on as the journey commenced, I  was due to replace two tyres following the MOT and asked if the garage could deal with the problem or should I take to a Suzuki dealership. I was advised that they provided a diagnostic service  which I decided to use and was advised that according to the error code which  on the system the spark plugs should be replaced and also the coil a significant more expensive item. I was faced with a bill of £350 and set off to Sunderland to check out the PC speakers at PC World which I looked at when at the Silverlink Odeon for the Men’s Tennis Final 3D relay. There was no warning light but as I approached the city the same light returned. 

I continued to PC World and decided to obtain the least expensive speakers available which I had viewed on my visit to Silverlink for the 3D Odeon relay of the Wimbledon Men’s Tennis Final. Because of the changed circumstances a pair of speakers with a small base box was available for £10 but not in stock but as luck would have it, and which I badly needed they had a pair at the Comet which is now part of the same enterprise and next door. I can now enjoy voice and music with a good volume more than I need together with sound quality which is a joy and also will be excellent for sound when using the TV as a large monitor for the PC.

I returned the vehicle to the garage upset at having wasted £250 on repairs which were evidently not necessary. It was agreed that the amount would set against the eventual cost. It became evident on Friday that they had been unable to diagnosis problem and contracted with a nearby electrical specialist to undertake further diagnosis. The hope was a loose wire but it now appears that a new electrical unit is required. By Saturday morning before going out to the Festival I heard that the cost of a new unit would be astronomical and that the effort was being made to find a less expensive alternative. I viewed a telephone call on Monday with apprehension. In fact it was Wednesday before the situation was resolved with payment of a further £140 and all the prospective gains from having paid off the vehicle were wiped out until Christmas and by then the annual would come around, assuming that the work proved effective and an electrical unit of some £1000 was not required.

Also at the time of the visit to the cricket a hole had appeared in the back lane following the great rains and which following referral by a neighbour the local authority had barriered off. At the time it was possible for my vehicle get by. However after what appears to have been a further inspection by either the local authority or the Water Authority the hole had been made larger at the surface indicating a gap between the surface tarmac and what appeared rubble and earth below. The barrier had been strengthened and moved in such away that further passage by was not possible. Usually there are vehicles obstructing the other exit at various times including the vehicles of those working at some of the properties on both sides of the lane but fortunately the work was completed and a passage out of the garage was possible. Then I was without the car for almost a week so although noticing the lack of progress with filling the hole I was not concerned. With the return of the car I decided it was time to make enquiries. I first contacted the local authority and spoke to a receptionist and then someone who appeared to have the information on computer that the problem had been reported and referred to Northumberland Water authority on July 10th. I also gained the impression that communication between the authorities was not good because of different viewpoints about levels of responsibility for undertaking remedial works and costs of such problems when they had arisen in the past.

What concerned was the suggestion that rats in relation to sewer workings dislodge earth and given the size of the hole this concerned. This was added when on reading the headlines from the local newspaper online I noted concern about the release of rats into the open in another part of the Borough. I spoke to neighbours and the concern mounted as reference as made to two previous  similar occurrences and today another neighbour revealed that they also have a Roman origin Well in their yard  as another had previously mentioned and on further examination of the hole later it looked as if this another  Well so the plot thickens. 

I decided to contact Northumbria area direct via customer services and Operations and explained what I knew.  Later in the afternoon I was contacted by the authority to say that an investigation team had been sent out and I would get a report back on Friday, He added that there was the possibility of a sunken main. After the call I looked outside and there as a Northumbria water vehicle at the back. I drafted a note which I then circulated to my neighbours and those on the other side of lane. I had also contacted the three Ward Councillors and was contacted to advise that contact had been made with officers. My understanding is that following contact between the local authorities the Local authority has agreed to fill in the hole on Monday although there remains the longer term issue of the overall situation given the history and the situation on the hill which was once residential quarters and storage facilities for the fort which served as the supply base of the whole length of the Wall.

On Thursday my Azda home deliver arrived as uncertain at the time when the car would be returned I had used the on line home delivery service something which I had done   for several years, not on my own behalf but for my mother and aunt when they were prevented from going out to shop on their own in the late 1990’s. Then I had used Sainsbury at Purley Way  and after talking to them and  a cousin who lived nearby each week I would make the order on line and then have a call after it was delivered,

In this instance although I telephoned on Wednesday the order was delivered on the Thursday afternoon for one of the lost variable charges listed of £3. The delivery driver lives lower down the hill and he told the tale of neighbour that the side wall of her house was affected by subsidence due to Roman workings with the consequence that  this side of house had to be underpinned. The delivery provided everything I had ordered although I discovered that I had not as I thought reduced an unintended order of four whole chickens to two so I have a six to eight week supply.

I am leaving the major sporting event of the weekend and the subsequent week until the next writing as Bradley Wiggins kept the Yellow Jersey as the overall leader of the Tour De France and looked to becoming the first British winner of the race after 99 years since the race commenced. Moreover his team mate Chris Froome has remained in the second position before the final Time Trial on Saturday afternoon followed by the Sprint race in the centre of Paris Sunday afternoon which could be won by the British Mark Cavendish who won the Sprint finish race on Friday and who could become the best ever Sprint racer in the history of the race, Chris was the only member of the British team at the 2008 Olympics not to win a member from the most successful cycling team ever. The impact of the win on Bradley personally and on cycling in the UK will be extraordinary.

Bomber Command Memorial, a visit to the Hoppings and a search for plain colured shirts

My weekend has been has interesting and at times enjoyable. I had three outings, two unplanned on Saturday. I received a notification from the Post Office saying that a communication could not be delivered because a signature was required and I immediately assumed Olympic tickets although there had been no advance emails. I therefore went to the holding post office early so I could park the car across the way in the limited holding area close to the entrance of the Metro station.

I was given a letter from my previous insurers for the house building and contents including travel away from home and for emergencies. At one level it was a good reminder that the direct debit payment had ceased although the primary purpose was marketing. Determined that my journey should not be wasted I ventured to the clothing section of the supermarket where I had previously noted a summer sale to find a plain coloured shirt in red, green and or brown.

For the greater part of the previous seven years I have worn black trousers with a black or white shirt, a grey house jacket and a black outside coat. This was part of the black and white aspect of my project 101 and where I have published a limited edition autobiography 101 in Black and White. It is a coincidence that Newcastle are a Black and White coloured kit team and the Durham 20 20 team are known as the Men in Black as well as the Durham Dynamos.

For the past two years I have worn green or brown Trousers with brown house jackets and a green outdoor coat. However I had only one well worn red shirt and none in green or brown hence the present search. Although the prices were cheap there were no shirts in the required colours. I decided I would venture out later in the morning and visit BHS when going for a baguette and a second £10 deal at M and S.  At M and S I was taken by the availability of a gammon joint which would be eaten hot for one meal and as with salad for another and by two large breaded fish topped within the coating with a prawn sauce. I selected both and two more of the side dishes of cubed potatoes and cherry tomatoes with a cheese topping bake. I added one apple pie and the last carton of raspberries and blu berries available, one bottle of Rosé and a red. However the weight was such that I abandoned the visit to BHS and decided to go to Newcastle after the lunch of a cheese and pickle baguette followed by one of the half pounds of cherries purchased the previous day. Later I was to enjoy one of the fishes with sixth portion of the £2 giant water melon.

I made by way to the Metro station with the weather uncertain taking a small umbrella with the shoulder rucksack, I realised I was uncertain if the train continued to West Jesmond which was the nearest station for the Hoppings on the Town moor the large stretch of common land on which the Freemen of the City are supposed to be allowed to graze their animals and which at one point was planned to be the new home for Newcastle United Football club. I ought to have realised the Hoppings were on when the weather turned nasty as it is tradition for one the biggest fairs in Europe to experience heavy rain,

Because of the uncertainty and inability to see the Metro service map from where I was sitting I got off at the Monument to check and caught the next train from the same platform travelling the three stations of Monument, Jesmond and West Jesmond. From the station exist one could see the Moor at the end of a short row of terraced housing which looked as if it had been turned into rented accommodation for students. Later when passing a cafe used by students close to city University I saw a notice for accommodation that individual rooms available from between £50 to £100  in the city with the average  £75 and therefore significantly cheaper than that offered in Brighton which I noted on my recent visit.

Some who has also alighted from the train or had parked nearby then made their way across the field at a diagonal where the tall thrill rides could be seen and music heard from the site. I had debated wearing my walking boots but decided that as I was intending just to view rather than participate I would stick to the permanent pathways and avoid the wet grass. I made my way along the side of the field and onto the road way leading to one of the main entrances to the fair appreciating the attractive suburban villas which enjoyed their open view of the Moor.

Reaching the busy dual lane roadway out of the city northwards I saw that the majority of those before me were wearing Wellington Boots of many colourings. There was one gravel roadway across the centre of fair but venture away from this there was deep slush and where rubber matting had been lain this squelched and sank because of the level of mud beneath. I quickly returned to the gravel and the far end I took what appeared to be a second pathway between the domestic quarters for those providing thrill rides, games and food at the fair. While some units could be described as traditional caravans there were many huge mobile homes requiring a major articulated vehicle to transport. I speculated if the mobile restaurant on one side and the music stage on the other would attract more people than usual because of the pathways available. There was nevertheless lots of mud and the tops of my shoes were soon covered.

There was a variety of expensive thrill rides include the giant revolving swing arm seen at the end of Brighton Pier but also two others similar with one have a single double row of seats at one end and which was raise to a great height and then allowed to swing as pendulum until reaching its central balance. There was also another similar to the full revolutions but again with several seating areas at one end and the other having a counterbalance. These attracted mini queues of young people. Because it was early afternoon and the Northumberland Plate racing day was being held nearby I was not surprised at how few was the overall number of people about although plenty of families with some very young children.

Having reached the end of the site close to the city of Newcastle I made my way out of the entrance and immediately onto Exhibition Park in the gathering gloom which promised more rain. I made my way under the dual carriage way road just at the time it commenced to rain resisting the temptation to visit the military vehicle museum which was also supporting Armed Forces Day.

Earlier in the week I had watched the Queen and other members of the Royal Family with connections to the military attend the unveiling to the memorial to the men of Bomber Command in Green Park which I will visit at the earliest opportunity.

Although a memorial was previously created in Lincoln Cathedral in 2008 it was not until last week that a National Memorial was dedicated. The reason for this is that although as a proportion of any force more of the young men were killed with the odds against survival rapidly decreasing with each mission, the country became understandably ambivalent about the merits of the action during the course of war on realising that between 300000 and 600000 men, women and children died and whole cities were destroyed notably Cologne and Dresden Alongside the policy of attacking civilian populations to reduce the moral of the German people the Command made a major contribution  to destroying the arms and industrial base of Germany particularly in the Ruhr Valley.

Some 50000 aircrew died including 10000 Canadians who provided the roof on the memorial from the remains of a Halifax Bomber and other metals from their national museum were melted into ingots. The main building was made of Portland Stone and a metal wreath was created and contributed by an Australian

Robin Gibb who recently died was the publc figure who promoted the call for the £6.5 million funds raised with substantial sums from the controversial former Treasurer of the Tory Party Lord Ashcroft and the business man John Caudwell as well as from public subscription and donations from surviving members of the aircrew together with the families of those who died.

There was further controversy when the government refused to guarantee the £700000 to put on the ceremony and  survivors and the families of others  were forced to provide financial guarantees if the call for public subscription failed.

6000 veterans and the families of those who died attended the ceremony where the nature of site meant that the majority had to view the proceedings on a large screen a little distance away and therefore without the close up of view of the Queen as experienced as the those in Royal Enclosure at Ascot.

It is difficult to come to judgement about the effectiveness of the memorial from the TV pictures which include seven greater than life figures of aircrew putting down their kit having returned from a mission, beneath a rectangle of open sky in the roof of the Memorial. I was not sure about the overall scale whether the memorial was large enough to produce the right scale for the seven figures.

Having made this important digression I return to my walk from the Hoppings  through Exhibition Park and across the road into the University of Newcastle city complex where I made my way to the new development which transformed the carpark used by those attending the Playhouse Theatre, and formerly the University run Theatre into one of several new blocks which dominate the city skyline as the University expands, competing with its comparatively new relation, Northumbria University and offers undergraduate and post grad studies to the world especially to China. There is now a pedestrian/wheelchair and pram friendly way down onto the main road close to the Haymarket. It was open day at the University and I had just missed one of the concerts being offered to those attending by the musical school.

My first interest was M and S where I was shocked by the price of Shirts £29-£9 although I discovered some less expensive although none in the colours I wanted. I then crossed through the store after making a comfort break and on to the Primark store in Northumberland Street which is being expanded with the creation of two additional floors. There was the usual Saturday chaos with the store packed and huge lines at the checkout and some cheap and nasty shirts none in the shades I wanted. My last resort was the basement of BHS where the four floor expansion has been completed with a furnishings and restaurant on the second floor with toilets and offices on the third. I was successful with shirts in red and in green at £10 each albeit with short sleeves.

There is a new super lift and I decided to go for a cup of tea and something like an Eccles cake it was raining outside. The cafe is excellent and I chose a seat at large window looking down on Northumberland Street and the entrance to the Eldon Square Shopping centre. At the counter I was for just a cup of tea £1.40 and a buttered scone £1.40 when I noted that for an additional 15 pence I could have jam, cream and a tea refill. I choose this but the young man in charge offered the same priced deal but exchanging the scone for a cream cake on offer from £2.40 to £2.80. I fancied the Lemon Slice which was wicked but enjoyed together with a second cup of tea. Thus I enjoyed a £5 20 deal for £2.95.

It stopped raining so I made my way back to the Haymarket Station arriving in South Shields fortunately after another burst of rain had taken place. It had been a good outing.

Devastating and Dangerous weather

Thursday June 28th 2012 Tyneside experienced biblical weather with a black darkness descending mid afternoon followed by several episodes of torrential rain interspersed with spectacular lightening and thunder claps.  There were 1500 lightening strikes recorded in one hour in the area according to official sources.

Although the rain came in again though the alcove ceiling above my desk it was not as bad as happened a few days before and apart from that I was not affected. It was not until seeing the local papers in the morning and viewing the regional news programme in the evening that the full extent of the damage was appreciated and with many families and individuals having their memorabilia of a lifetime destroyed as well as the contents of businesses and schools wrecked. The damage to individual lives and to property is incalculable and yet there were also many tales where the Geordie nation demonstrated Christian and socialist ethics and principles coupled with a spirit of accepting unpredictable freak acts of nature and getting on with it.

The storm is described as supercell and has already been recorded in Wikipedia as one of two in the UK in recent years and third known in Europe. They usually occur on the Great Plains of the USA and in this instance involved the clash of warm air from the south with cold air from across the Atlantic and the super strata of weather activity above. It should be mentioned that the storm swept across the UK and more accurately there were two storms and elsewhere there was hail the size of golf balls and a tornado. However it was the speed and intensive which stunned Tyneside and the wider North East and it was as one relative commented as if one had all the lights on because of the blackness outside and a power cut plunged the house into darkness.

People have used the expression of War of the Worlds and Armageddon thinking of Hollywood films seen than the biblical texts but for once they accurately described the impact of what happened. As much  rain  fell in two hours that is usual for the rest of the month and only once in the past 100 years has more rainfall been recorded and there are a couple of days to go.

The most used video was of lightening striking the Tyne Bridge although elsewhere in the city a house was struck and the upper floor caught fire but the family inside escaped without physical harm. The young man who pointed his phone camera at the Bridge and filmed the event shared a flat overlooking the Tyne and relayed the video to his closest friends. The video has appeared on televisions worldwide including Japan, and a huge photo dominated the background of regional news Friday evening. Only a week before the Bridge was also on national TV as someone abseiled on a wire from the top of the Bridge to the Quayside.

The other dramatic events immediately hitting the headlines was the flooding of the main city station and the closure of the Metro train system with the track between platforms in one photograph a lake. Both were closed several hours so too was the Tyne Tunnel which became a canal at its lowest point and with similar effects on part of the Metro system especially between platforms and in one instance a landslide also prevented use. I am not sure if it was this event or a separate one where the water accumulated on the Metro swept down and swamped housing turning one garden into a boating lake for the young person of the property. There was also film of two  others canoeing down the main street and the out door  artificial ice skating ring at  Tynemouth which I mentioned as part of my recent  visit to the town  was photographed as a swimming pool.

The damage to railway lines affected more people which the East Coast line only able to operate a reduced service between Newcastle and Scotland 24 hours later because of a major land slides on the line. There was a similar problem on the West Coast Line via Carlisle to Glasgow which caused passengers on one train to arrive more than 12 hours late making a journey time of over 16 hours. When the train was held up in Cumbria someone had the idea of taking the train across county from west to east to Leeds where it was not able to make progress north because of what happened on the East Coast Line.  Eventually it was sent back to the West coast when the line was cleared only for electrical failures causing a fire at the front of the train sending the passengers cramped to the rear for the remainder of the journey.

There were dozens of similar tales of multi hour hold ups and similarly on the roads because of closures and of people stranded or unable to reach destinations on time. A group of teenage girls with hair dos and special party frocks were shown trying to make their way to the School Prom at the Assembly Rooms in central Newcastle which had began two hours beforehand. Their once in a lifetime experience irrevocably ruined. Two people from South Shields were given overnight accommodation at the Metro and staff at a Tesco’s car park provided blanket and drinks for a family one of whose members had missed their flight and  was staying on to catch the next in the early morning once roads became passable once more.

No one appears to have died or suffered injury in this region although a man in his sixties was swept to his death in Shropshire. A holidaymaker in Alnwick had a lucky escape as she and her husband got out of the car which suddenly commenced to fill water in the main High Street and she was swept away by the force of the current. She attempted to grab hold of not one but two lampposts without success until an estate agent managed to get hold of her from his shop entrance and with the help of two others got into the safety of his premises. An elderly woman on her own because her husband was in hospital could not thank the young neighbours enough who had rallied round to help her when water filled her ground floor by several feet. An elderly man was taken to hospital after being rescued from his property suffering from hypothermia. There were several reports and one video of bus drivers finding ways around the blocked roads, picking up people often ankle deep in water and getting them to their destinations.

On Thursday evening was limited coverage on the regional TV because reporters could not get out and as one later said it took him four hours to get home from the studio. In fact on the night the presenter appeared stunned like the rest of us. By the morning the event had made national and internal news with the Journal having a front page full of headlines- Homes Flooded, Trains Cancelled, Roads Closed and Businesses and Schools Hit. Inside it was reported that 23000 homes were without power, Later the number was given as 50000 because of lighting strikes on ground based Transformers and overhead cabling. 7500 were reported to have been without power overnight and some 2500 remained affected some 24 hours later with 200 engineers working to restore normal coverage.

Earlier in week I mentioned having overheard that Ocean Road with its restaurants on one side and B and B’s on the other had been flooded but without confirmation. On Friday I saw pictures of what happened when the roadway turned into a lake with photos of other places under water in South Shields and Borough. There was flooding in Hebburn and in Bolden the River Don rose threatening to burst its banks and flood local housing to one inch. Being Thursday there was to have been a show at Amphitheatre but that was underwater as well.

I was puzzled by a report that he Metro Shopping centre Gateshead had closed in parts as the main under cover Malls there are between one and two storey’s of car parking between the main malls and the roadway, but Ikea store had water coming in through the roofing which was said to have been damaged, Youngsters from nursery at Newburn had to be evacuated and taken to the Ambulance shelter HQ to await pick up by their parents.

A significant number of schools were closed for Friday throughout the region. There was film of the damage to schools in North Tyneside and Newcastle with one teacher explaining that they had witnessed a sheet of water 100 metres wide, the length of the pitch approaching and sweeping through the ground floor causing ten of thousands of pounds of damage. Teachers at one school   stayed until midnight rescuing the work of pupils

One of the worst places where shops were affected was the Durham village of Lanchester where flooding has occurred before and where the owner of a hardware store said he would have to beat losses or risk being uninsured or having impossible to pay premiums. There was the damage caused to restaurant business that had only recently opened where the owners wondered how she could pay her staff with no income. In South Tyneside the Leader of the Council made a point of offering help to businesses including the provision of temporary accommodation.

It was evident that dozens if not hundreds of households had been affected. For those involved there was the shock, helplessness and then where do I begin to clear up on finding their irreplaceable lifetime records and memorabilia destroyed. One adviser encouraged everyone to take the initiate admitting that the insurance companies do not have the number of loss assessors on hand to immediately visit everyone. It was evident from previous events in Cumbria and elsewhere that it will time for properties to dry out before repairs can be made and family homes and businesses used as before. The adviser said it was likely companies would pay for the replacement of cars written off on damaged because of the flooding and speed at which it had occurred.

Despite the problems of the alcove ceiling above my work desk which I had repaired after water penetration two years ago, I congratulated myself again for living on a hill although having to walk back up after going out and returning with luggage from the stations (train and coach) or from shopping is not always welcomed especially when caught in the rain.

According to the weather forecast for the region while there was to have been showers later on Friday the morning was expected to be dry and warm although not as muggy as the previous day. It looked reasonable when I went out around 9 having forgotten to get a supply of the hard boiled sweets which I use one a night when my mouth has dried out on waking. I also bought the Journal and obtained a copy of the free morning paper called Metro.

I called in at the three bakeries for a cheese and pickle baguette but none were made up and also purchased three of half pounds of cherries. Because the sun was out and noting the queue that formed outside Barclay’s bank for its opening, I took a seat in the sunshine to read the papers before making way home.  It was windy and I had difficult keeping tot he pages and then I noted the sudden appearance of ominous black clouds and would you Adam and Eve it, heavy rain poured forth again. I dived into the small M and S store nearby and could not resist their two can dine for £10 offer. I purchased  an already  part spit roasted chicken with a side of potato cubes, cherry tomatoes and Mozzarella for baking, and a carton of raspberries and blue berries resisting the apple tart and other tempting puddings plus a bottle of red wine, the latter for putting down for the future when the under 16 stone position is reached.  I will return for two coasted fish with a prawn topping and the apple pie (for the freezer) plus a bottle of Rosé in the fridge but also for the future. I was impressed with the selection available and delighted to see that the local store which is primarily food is participating. I returned on Saturday morning and in addition to the planned also purchased a joint of ham with more berries and a further bottle of red plus the side dishes of potato, tomato cheese bake, with only one other left after me. I would have one of the excellent fish meals with one of the potato bake plus another chunk of the melon which has provided seven good portions for the £2 but of the fruit season to--date. Alas I did not get two. I was able to enjoy a cheese and pickle £1 baguette for lunch with some cherries.

I did note that we have now lost a card shops in High Street and that one of the two shoe shop is closing down which together with the other recent and longer term closures begins to reveal the extent of the downturn on our High Street which brings me to writing the politics’ piece or more accurately pieces as a plethora of developments make one integrated note beyond me as a quickly written item.

First as the sun is shining another walk into the  town centre  with an umbrella just in case it rains again on the day of the Northumberland Plate, The Pitman’s Derby at Gosforth with the Hoppings Fair on the adjacent Town Moor. It will be interesting to see if Tyneside does dress up or it is macs and wellies given the forecast for the rest of the day.

Morning in Tynemouth

Wednesday June 21st 2012 was a glorious day with the sun shining from shortly after the dawn until dusk. It was not a day to working at a desk whereas Thursday from mid morning the skies darkened and it has rained solidly until early evening. Knowing the weather forecast for the rest of the month I was determined to enjoy the sunshine and shortly before 10 am set off for the ferry across the Tyne to North Shields taking my over shoulder rucksack with me. I was well on my way down the hill towards the station before realising that I had not brought a notebook with me and having long lost not one but two hand voice recorders in previous years I hesitated but then decided to continue and trust to memory anything which I would otherwise had made an immediate record. Other than taking the decision to cross the Tyne I had no plan although I did have in mind the need for more black display folders for the top copy printing of the Google Blogs.

There was about a dozen waiting with the ferry still berthed on the other bank of the river and about twenty individuals alighted and a similar number boarded when it arrived. I found a copy of Metro which I flicked though with nothing engaging my attention and seated myself outside at the rear with the diesel fumes filling my nostrils on what was forecast as a high pollen morning.

A large area in terms of  the north bank, in length and width, has now been cleared of buildings and other workings in preparation for major development similar to here in South Shields passed the Customs House entertainment centre and  along until Tyne Dock and the Port of Tyne. I suspect it will be years before the finance is amassed to commence the building projects, On reaching the roadway from the landing stage I immediately saw that the new bus turning circle and  bus stop was finished with the road started from beyond the gates which marked the commencement of the development area project. Clearly whatever the intentions for the development the buses would continue to time their arrival with that of the Ferry and then turn round. I went over to the stop with its new shelter and  public toilet facilities only to note that the other passengers divided between going to this stop and staying where the old stop use to be just across the road from the entrance to the Ferry landing. This was because the white 333 bus came and deposited passengers by the landing and then turned the circle to stop here. It was going to the Park Hotel at Tynemouth so instead of the decision to walk to the Fish Quay and perhaps along the river bank to Tynemouth I took this bus. I was not in the mood for a long walk  such as from the Fish Quay along the river bank to the Tynemouth pier which matched that on the other side of the Tyne at South Shields.

The bus is provided by Pheonix Coaches who  only appear to operate this service and about which I can find nothing or published timetables except a note that it operates the service weekdays daytime. From the turning circle the bus went along to the Fish Quay to the turning circle there where the promenade walking commences along the river bank and on the way I noted a restaurant offering a three course meal for £3.98 which is the best value seen advertised for many a day and I would have investigated later had a three course meals been on my agenda.

The bus then climbed the bank to the North Tyneside shopping area and instead of turning right towards Tynemouth it went left following the one way system to the mini bus station and then instead of going the familiar route parallel to the river bank the bus went inland though pleasant middle class homelands until the Park Hotel which is an isolated position on the coast road close to Seaworld and Tyneside Park with Tynemouth Longsand below.

The Park Hotel is regarded as a Northeast flagship hotel Art Deco in style with rooms from £60 to £90 a night for a double with full sea view. I had only been to this part of the north bank sea coast a few times before, the latest four to five years ago having taken the Metro to Whitey Bay and then stopping off the Coast liner bus to  visit  St George’s Church. I had then taken the bus to Tynemouth. This time I walked on the grass overlooking the Sands, continuing past the Rocky headland which separates the Sands and King Edward Bay.

The coastal areas either side of the Tyne have more in common with Cornwall than the southern beach resorts I had visited the previous week although the perspective and feel of the coast between Tynemouth and Whitely Bay and between South Shields and Seaburn beach Sunderland is very different. One is still trade union labour working class and the other Tory middle class and this is how the voting works out in local and national elections when the battle remains between the two national parties, North Tyne going briefly Tory. Interestingly the Lib Dems only making inroads and taking Newcastle for a time. 

Similar to the coast road between Roker and the River Wear in Sunderland the beaches between Cullercoats and Tynemouth Priory are  a long way down below so that from the grass bank at road side pavement one has extensive views towards Whitely Bay and to the ruins of the 7th Century Castle and 11th century Benedictine Priory.  While some had made it down to the sands there were acres of space to sit or walk without other humans in view if one wished.

The Longsands is regarded as one of the top Surfing beaches in the UK with national events held annually. On the other side of the road is the impressive Tynemouth Park with a pedalo boating lake, a 9 or 18 whole adventure mini golf course populated by lifelike dinosaurs and the largest outdoor synthetic ice skating rink in the UK. There is a licenced restaurants overlooking the three featured areas so that the grown ups can relax while keeping an eye on the youngest participating in activities if they wish.

There is a fine semi circle three or four storey Georgian Terrace before reaching the Gibraltar Rock Pub which I visited over the past five years for the annual Mouth of Tyne Festival as traditional Jazz and swing bands play on the outside stage in the adjacent gardens on both afternoons.  Before then I had passed the Grand Hotel Tynemouth where I had attended the first meeting of the Association of Directors of Social Services after the 1974 local government reorganisation and the displaced Director for Tynemouth was the host, He was retiring after failing to gain the post for the new local authority of North Tyneside. I had speculated if the Director at South Shields would be attending. He stayed away while the new man coming from outside to North Tyneside had not yet arrived. The extraordinary Brian Roycroft from Newcastle acted as a kind of crown Prince. I have moved on from the years when I speculated if what was said about him was true.

Of interest now was whether there is to be another Mouth of the Tyne Festival with Jazz bands playing outside the Gibraltar Pub. I checked online later and learned the Festival is flourishing and expanded on this bank of the Tyne with South Shields opting out and holding one of the free concerts with Scouting for Girls in Bents Park on the Sunday afternoon. There is to be a parade on the Saturday as part of the Family Fun weekend, the weekend before when full use will be made of the performance areas along the new boardwalk.

The Mouth of the River event at Tynemouth has been expanded to make full use of the vast undercover area at Tynemouth station and I will head here for at least one day given the range of cultural events with have been posted including Flamenco, Jazz, a Choir and the Sage Academy of Performing Arts a steel band and other local performers.
The jazz sessions are also continuing with six instead of four sessions each day but with bands playing two sessions each day, providing the opportunity to visit and participate in the full range of streets events and performance which will take place along the wide Grand Parade normally used for park cars.

The other change is that instead of free concerts on the main stage by the Priory on the Sunday afternoon there will be a charge of £10 for adults and £5 for children in addition to holding to major band concerts at £25 a ticket on the Friday and Saturday evenings with McFly and Wanted. The Undertones are also at the Whitely Bay Playhouse on the Thursday. I wonder if they will also have the firework display which used end the event at South Shields.

On Wednesday there was no concern about the weather which has badly affected the Mouth of the Tyne event in the past, with the pavements cafes were full of people enjoying midmorning coffee with toast/teacakes and such like. I was very tempted but resisted. I took the Coastliner bus  back to North Tyneside shopping centre going though the rear of the Beacon centre to Wilkinson’s Store to see if they had the black display folders. There was major reorganisation of their stationery and related supplies with little on view. I hoped for better in South Shields on the return journey. The Coastliner bus goes from Gateshead and the Newcastle Bus stations via Biker and Wallsend to North Shields, Tynemouth, Cullercoats and then Whitely Bay. This service can take 90 minutes plus given the route goes through the heart of Newcastle over the Tyne Bridge.

I was feeling peckish although it was only 11.30ish and looked in at the nearest bakery where unfortunately the £1 cheese and pickle baguettes had already sold out and I did not fancy the egg and tomato. I checked out the buses to see if there was one for the Ferry, suspecting that the stop for the 333 would be the same as for the 19 service which goes from the Ferry to the  town centre and then on to Silverlink and Cramlington, a journey of an hour before   going back into the town centre. I checked out the Asda store suspecting that it was too small to have a good range of stationery items similar to those at Shields or Bolden. Before reaching the store I passed a greasy spoon cafe called the Cottage which offers an all day Breakfast of Bacon, Egg, Sausage, Mushroom Tomato and Beans, plus pot of tea or coffee and slice of toast for £2.20 or with double helpings £3.20/40. The amazing value ever. Pity about my dieting and I was greatly tempted.

I took the upper deck on the homeward ferry having confirmed that the 19 and 333 buses left from close to North Shields Metro station. At the North Tyne stop the bus was approached by two women who wanted to know if the bus went to the coast/beach  and the driver sent them into town centre, It was not clear if they wanted the beach on the Fish Quay but they had departed before I was able to intervene. It occurred that if strangers to the area they had confused North and South Shields. Outsiders can think that because of the common name both communities are at the mouth of the River and therefore have coastal beaches. There is a good beach at North Tyneside in the mouth of the River as there is in South Shields but the coastal beach is at Tyne mouth a good couple of miles further along the riverside. I will never know if they found what they wanted and where.

When a group including an inquiring middle aged woman and a man with a walking disability inquired puzzled when the ferry ended its journey across the river I responded. She had come with her parent’s years before when they had stayed as now at Whitely Bay. Now she did not recognise the location. This is because the new Ferry Landing has been created with the buildings demolished creating a grassed bank between here and the Customs House. I explained that the huge contemporary glass and panel building was a new 400 staff BT centre and the church looking buildings on the  frontage by the new yuppie housing in the former  east docks was also a call centre with the housing and the boardwalk and its sculptures replacing the east docks. No sooner they were on their way after telling them about the £3 million spent recreating the original Victorian South Marine Park did a young Asian young clutching a map wanted to know the location of the Metro station. I escorted across the road into Market Square pointing to the trees with the track above the High Street beyond before going to Wilkinson’s where yet again a major reorganisation and restocking of the stationery area was taking place.

Fortunately they had 7 of the required display volumes at £1.40 an item. The nearest bakery also had several Cheese and Pickle baguettes and I enjoyed one on a bench seat close to W H Smiths. I purchased two ready bagged half pounds of cherries (£2 in total).  I walked back via the Morrison escalators arriving after one. It had been a good outing and I perspired during the walking but I needed two or three such outings a week to begin to have some effect.

It stopped raining but the roofs remained watery. Next I will begin write about recent sport with England cricket one day games against the West Indies with the third game tomorrow at Headingley although the weather forecast is poor. Ireland play Australia on Saturday and there is a 20 20 against the West Indies on Sunday afternoon. The 20 20 season is now fully underway with Durham‘s game against Derby on the TV last night and a home game last Tuesday evening, Yorkshire also at home tomorrow, and away to Lancs on Monday.

I have been watching Ascot every afternoon including the amazing horse Frankel. The Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix is from Valencia this weekend. I am half watching Portugal play the Czech Republic in the first Quarter Final of Euro 2012 while of greater interest is the match between Germany and Greece tomorrow evening, then Spain and France on Saturday evening followed by England against Italy on Sunday.

However I will have a choice to make as Sky and the Arts channel have three evenings at the Island of Wight Festival in 3D from 6pm until 11pm. The opening day of Wimbledon is on Monday with Murray also setting his sights on the Olympic competition. I will use both working TVs and the recoding button to try and capture the best of everything. There will be a  lot to write about. I achieved  over 9 hours sleep using the  Apnea Treatment machine last night and feel good.