Today Went Smoothly...

I put out my wheelie bin, managed to catch a bus to Durham around midday, no hold ups on the way, arrived at the studio in the Gala Theatre with 10 minutes to spare and I had my choice of seats to choose from.

We were entertained for almost an hour by The Ruth Lambert Trio. Personally, it was a pity the hour passed by so quickly. My kind of singer and music. I'm sure that Ruth wants to be seen in her own right but think of Diana Krall and I think you are pretty close. Lots of information on Ruth and examples of her work here. I suspect I have not heard of Ruth before because a lot of her work is across the UK and the world but locally more in the Tyneside/Northumberland area and we are less well served in my location.



Ruth could not really fail with her choice of music and anything would have been good taken from her CD's and repertoire but today we had Porter, Berlin, Jobim, Cahn, Styne, Carmichael amongst others and the selection included the songs "Let's Do It""Skylark""Blue Skies""Time After Time" and the Christmas fun song "Santa Baby"

Guitarist Giles Strong and Mick Shoulder double bass player I should be seeing again all being well as they perform a kind of tribute to Django Reinhardt in a group called Djangologie and they are joined by James Birkett(another guitarist)and Emma Fiske on violin. They are appearing at Bishop Auckland Town Hall. But a week later are doing a lunchtime concert at the Gala. It is a pleasure to hear musicians who are masters of their instruments.






I came out of the theatre to a wet and windy Durham. I decided to pop into a shop I have looked at often but discounted entering because I just knew as an exclusive coffee/tea shop what they sell is out of my price range and some items are £15-£20 and more. But I ventured in today and a lot of items are no more expensive than some of what you pay and find in the supermarket and I save money elsewhere I think I can treat myself occasionally in the future...more about the retailer here. I hear there is a sale after Christmas so I may be popping in earlier than planned in the hope I can find something for myself.

I actually purchased some instant coffee this time which has an Irish Cream flavour and should make 42 cups of coffee(I could probably make double that amount)but that's around 10p a cup. I have purchased as a gift for the person who invited me to my Christmas meal instead of biscuits alongside a small bottle of vodka. I was told she likes vodka but took a chance on the coffee.

I called into the post office...I am really behind with the posting/writing of cards this year. But purchased some postage stamps and nearly fell through the floor when they asked for £7.20 for 12 first class postage stamps. Yes, we have the internet and e-mail but to receive a card is nice but that is a lot of money to find.

I then found one of those shops that appear for a few weeks and disappear again at Christmas and they were selling some very good jumpers, hats, scarves, gloves etc...all with a Christmas theme. I now have another jumper but the design means I can wear it through the whole of Winter and probably a few years to come.



I went the whole way and got myself a scarf of a similar design too. Image below. The image is the wrong way around and this time I am unable to turn it around perhaps later...

I purchased a hat last year never thinking about Christmas but it also goes with the season(I have some gloves too)so they've all matched up rather well.

So my shopping spree was not over...I called into a shop that sells popular items cheaply(mainly cakes, biscuits and the like. I found various Cadbury's rolls at silly prices and with good dates on the boxes and later saw the same items in a national supermarket next door. I paid approx. £3 and in the "Other" place the same items would have cost me between £9-£11 if at full price or whether you purchased them in a kind of offer that was on.

Then outside the bus station at the greengrocer's I purchased some pears, strawberries and don't ask how I got them home(without my shopping trolley)a 7.5kg bag of premium Maris Piper potatoes that cost only around £2.25 so at that price a bargain. I was flagging in the end, the bus station was near the greengrocer's but at this end I was struggling.

When I reached home I had a coffee and my sandwiches(I've got through them now)and a couple of small cakes I had brought home from the music club buffet. 

And now as the wind blows outside and it rains, I am cosy in bed listening to some festive music   type programmes on the radio.

As I won a house in the bingo on Sunday and was given back £10 at the end of the year at the Bingo Club Xmas party last night(we all get that)most of my shopping today was taken care of.

Ahh, yes the Bingo Club Xmas do...it went well, there was a game of bingo(yes, even there)some got up and had a dance, there was a turn and a very big buffet and a lot of stuff was going to be wasted so I have to admit to filling up a few containers and bringing items home with me which will keep me going for quite some time.

There was still some items remaining but I came home with sandwiches and some sliced chicken in gravy so if put it with vegetables its going to be like having a number of Christmas meals.