Yup! It is official! Graham needs to take a break! Not from blogging, goodness no! I have only just returned (and am here to stay! Sorry folks!). However, I am totally in need of a few days away. My camera has clearly been gathering dust over the past few months, my maps have been tucked away on the bookshelf, my walking boots are crying out for some exercise and my mind is frazzled!!!!! Alas, there is nothing for it except to pick up my ruck sack and go for a wander. So, in the pantomime spirit of Dick Whittington I am going to take a return trip to one of the most beautiful cities in the world, London! I am planning to go next Friday, 11th December and return on Monday 14th December.

As I am going on my lonesome, I have decided to do it in style. So, I have booked myself first class tickets on the train (so will be blessed with plenty of champagne on the journey there and back!). I have booked myself accommodation in one of the most amazing locations in the whole of London, at the edge of Covent Garden. And there is more....

... to keep myself occupied each evening, I am trying to arrange a few things. So far I have booked two visits to the theatre! On the Friday evening I am going to see "Cat on a hot tin roof" with the legendary James Earl Jones and Phylicia Rashad.


and on the Sunday evening I am planning to see "Inherit the wind" with Kevin Spacey


I want to leave the whole of Saturday free to wander the streets and absorb the magic of London at Christmas. My camera will be firmly in my hand as I try to capture the sights, the scenes, the history, the markets, the festive fun, the people, the food, the drink, the atmosphere... I will be sure to blog each night before I retire to my bed, so that you will be able to walk along side.

As a little challenge (lets call it a 'warm up' challenge in readiness for a whole year of them starting in January), where ever you live and what ever your religion, I would like you to grab your camera and capture the sights and scenes around you during December. Be sure to post them on your blog and I will do a special post at the end of the year to share your work.

Chat soon!

Graham x

Okay, it's official! I have been away too much, and am gonna try this place again. I have missed it BIG TIME!!!!!!!!

Watch out, there will be posts galore coming soon.

Here are a couple of photographs for anybody who may have missed me (that is assuming that anybody can still remember me!).







Graham x

This is going to be the strangest post that I have ever written, but nevertheless one of the most important...lol!

Many many years ago, when I was but knee high to a grasshopper I was sat in my parents lounge with my sisters watching TV. I remember the afternoon vividly as it was just before Christmas, dark outside and the snow had begun to fall. The reason I remember this evening so distinctly is that we were watching the most magical film ever written.

The film was based in a department store, and followed the adventures of a pile of broken toys that had been thrown in the basement awaiting incineration. Their adventures took them out of the basement and up into the unknown in search of Father Christmas.

The reason that this film has always stayed in my mind, is that we had to switch off the TV before the film had finished and head to London to stay with our Grandparents. You could only begin to imagine the heartache and distress that my sisters and I have had to endure over the past 30 years as we have wondered what happened to the toys at the bottom of the basement in that department store... What was the name of the film? Did the toys make it up to Father Christmas? Did their journey come to a sudden end en route? Did the robot or the witch capture them? Did Tommy Steel ever sing again?

Each year since, we have grappled with the Christmas TV film listings as soon as they are released, in hope that this would be the year that they would reshow the film. But alas, it has never been shown since... sob...sob!

Well, now all our questions can be answered as, while randomly wandering through YouTube tonight (as one does), I stumble upon the film... YES!!!! My life is now complete!!! (Well, almost..lol!) And judging by the comments left by others on YouTube, it appears that we were not the only children of the 70's that were wondering what happened with the film.

There is only one thing left for me to do, and that is to open a bottle of red wine, turn out the lights and sit back to enjoy the film. Of course I can't end this post here. It would be completely remiss of me not to invite you along. So get your popcorn ready, pull up a cushion and enjoy the film... oh, and as you will very soon discover, the film is very old and this copy on YouTube kinda reflects that fact. I am thinking of petitioning to get the film remade...lol!




















Cheerio for now and happy viewing,

Graham x