Poodle mayhem

I retrieved the poodles from their holiday camp today. I was going to do the usual bus trip then long walk home but the weather has been so damp and mucky recently that I figured any enjoyment garnered from a six mile tramp would be instantly negated by the mud, fog and drizzle. I ordered a taxi instead.

Naturally the poodles went hysterical, jumping all over the taxi and, by extension, me. The lady taxi driver thought they were hilarious.

After lunch we went for a long walk around the park which they both enjoyed, although, as usual, they didn’t leave my side for most of it. Carmen managed an FSI, though I didn’t mind too much as they both needed a post-holiday camp bath.

The weather continued foggy all day (there was a report of a sun sighting in Hampshire but I didn’t see it), making me wish we were still in sunny Paris.

Then, in a rare moment of double Cansfield, Dawn came over and collected me. An age ago, she booked tickets to see a folk singer called Kate Rusby in Guildford.

I’d heard Kate before (and bought her album Awkward Annie based on hearing her on Radio 4 last year) and was very keen on seeing her live.

Years ago, when we first settled in Surrey, we lived quite close to Guildford and would travel into town in the Car With No Name (the one that died very close to where it was purchased in Yoevil). At the top of the High Street, there was a large car park surrounding (almost) a large, ugly building called the Civic Centre.

We never attended anything at this monstrosity but, from memory, it only had things like World Championship Wrestling on there. Needless to say, we tended to head to the other end of town and visit the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre for more intellectual pursuits.

By last year, the ugly Civic Centre had been pulled down and a new, beautiful venue built in its place. This was called G Live and plays host to bands, singers, performing groups, etc (no wrestling as far as I can see). And this is where Kate was performing.

It was my first time at G Live and I have to say, it is a terrific venue. All glass, bright and roomy in the auditorium with a sensible approach to audience movement through the area to the theatre itself. Two big bars, lots of room for tables and chairs, an area for artists to sell their fan-wares, etc.

Inside, the space is equally well appointed and thought out. The centre section can have the seats removed while, at the back, a second tier of seating provides permanent seating.

Given Dawn booked the tickets yonks ago, we had excellent tickets, an aisle seat in the centre block of the third row, with a brilliant view of the stage. Speaking of the seats…they are very comfortable, each with an arm and enough room to stretch one’s legs.

But what of the concert?

Kate (and her boys) was fantastic. She has a wonderful voice and a tremendous personality which makes you feel she is singing and chatting to you at your home rather than in the company of 2,000 others. We thoroughly enjoyed her (and her boys). This year she is celebrating 20 years in the music business and has released a double album full of some of her favourite folk songs, completely reworked, a lot of which we heard.

Here she is, singing The Wild Goose on Youtube:

In other news…I have uploaded some of our Paris photos onto the site. You can view them here. The album is a bit different than usual but just click the individual images to see the full size.