The Norman Conquests (Manchester, Oxford)
Dec. 20th, 2008 01:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mattpDue to working excessive hours in recent weeks I was very kindly given a day off in lieu. I decided to take that last Friday, giving me a long weekend.
Thursday evening I got the train up to Manchester to see![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
msbhayvin. Hard to think that it's something like 5 years since we first met. We had originally intended to go out for a curry but by the time I'd arrived in Manchester our intended establishment had closed, so we went for a chinese instead. Far, far too much food.
Oh - speaking of feeling old, On Friday it was the Christmas play of my old hall of residence at uni (my other reason for heading to Manchester). It was 10 years ago when I first went there. They play itself was a rendition of the first of the Alan Ayckbourn Norman Conquests trilogy, Table Manners. Thoroughly entertaining.
Afterwards I went for a drink in the hall bar. Full of memories, that place. It was 80p per pint when I first went there.
It being the first time I'd been back for the best part of 6 years I didn't recognise more than a single person. During the play, I notice that one of the cast had on what looked like a hand-knitted sweater and which had some very interesting patterns. When she came down to the bad she no longer had it with her. I asked (explaining that I was a knitter) if I could take a photo, so she popped across the road to her flat and gave it to me! Most unexpected, but makes it easier to duplicate. It wasn't the colour (beige) that I was interested in, plus it was ripped in a few places, but the cabling is decorative without being too complex. I'd sort a photo, but I've left it at work so it'll have to wait.
On Saturday I got the train down to London and then the coach up to Oxford forcheshcat's 6th birthday. Bit of a circuitous route, perhaps, but it worked out cheaper that way. Happy coincidence - I got on the coach at Marble Arch, only to be greeted by friend_of_tofu and alex_tiefling. Better yet, there was a space at the table for me to sit. Uneventful journal up, but stimulating conversation.
The party itself was great fun, and lasted for most of the weekend.nearlyeveryone was there - too many to name. If you ever get a chance to play Warewolf with alex_tiefling then I can wholeheartedly recommend it - he doth make an excellent GM.
On Sunday morninganarchist_nomad went bellringing, and then we all went into town to look at art work.
I came close to buying some prints, but had too much to carry so decided against it. I'm considering buying something online though.
Sunday evening we did some more ringing, and then went back to his for some handbell ringing. I haven't done nearly as much as I'd like but after an hour it was beginning to fall into place. Decided that I couldn't be bothered heading back late on a SUnday so stayed another night and got the coach down straight to work the morning after.
All in all, a fab weekend.
Thursday evening I got the train up to Manchester to see
msbhayvin. Hard to think that it's something like 5 years since we first met. We had originally intended to go out for a curry but by the time I'd arrived in Manchester our intended establishment had closed, so we went for a chinese instead. Far, far too much food.Oh - speaking of feeling old, On Friday it was the Christmas play of my old hall of residence at uni (my other reason for heading to Manchester). It was 10 years ago when I first went there. They play itself was a rendition of the first of the Alan Ayckbourn Norman Conquests trilogy, Table Manners. Thoroughly entertaining.
Afterwards I went for a drink in the hall bar. Full of memories, that place. It was 80p per pint when I first went there.
It being the first time I'd been back for the best part of 6 years I didn't recognise more than a single person. During the play, I notice that one of the cast had on what looked like a hand-knitted sweater and which had some very interesting patterns. When she came down to the bad she no longer had it with her. I asked (explaining that I was a knitter) if I could take a photo, so she popped across the road to her flat and gave it to me! Most unexpected, but makes it easier to duplicate. It wasn't the colour (beige) that I was interested in, plus it was ripped in a few places, but the cabling is decorative without being too complex. I'd sort a photo, but I've left it at work so it'll have to wait.
On Saturday I got the train down to London and then the coach up to Oxford for
cheshcat's 6th birthday. Bit of a circuitous route, perhaps, but it worked out cheaper that way. Happy coincidence - I got on the coach at Marble Arch, only to be greeted by friend_of_tofu and alex_tiefling. Better yet, there was a space at the table for me to sit. Uneventful journal up, but stimulating conversation.The party itself was great fun, and lasted for most of the weekend.
nearlyeveryone was there - too many to name. If you ever get a chance to play Warewolf with alex_tiefling then I can wholeheartedly recommend it - he doth make an excellent GM.On Sunday morning
anarchist_nomad went bellringing, and then we all went into town to look at art work.I came close to buying some prints, but had too much to carry so decided against it. I'm considering buying something online though.
Sunday evening we did some more ringing, and then went back to his for some handbell ringing. I haven't done nearly as much as I'd like but after an hour it was beginning to fall into place. Decided that I couldn't be bothered heading back late on a SUnday so stayed another night and got the coach down straight to work the morning after.
All in all, a fab weekend.
