Tikhtak

Michael Jackson - Whose Bad!

I guess we may never know the real truth behind all the accusations that hounded Michael Jackson, but whatever suspicions remain, he was an incredible performer. I remember staying up late as a teenager in the early 80's to see the TV premier of Thriller on The Tube ...Wow it was a video that was made like a mini film! And what about Billie Jean and those squares that lit up as he walked. Then there was my debut into flirting with dance at St Mary's College performing Michael Jackson "Bad" to a whooping audience for an end of term cabaret. He kind of made dance cool for the male species. And I even went on to use "Black or White" to teach dance to a bunch of year 8's on my teaching practice in the early 90's at Cullompton secondary school, Devon.

Clapham Common Fayre

Today was Holy Trinity Churches annual Clapham Common Fayre. It is held in the grounds of the church and is the only time throughout the year where people from the common flood onto the premises of the church. There are, as always, all kinds of side stalls from white elephant to arts and crafts as well as ye old faithful bouncy castle. This year we had a visible local police presence with two bobbies on horses, as well as an ambulance, which took the fire engines place. It really is a typically English event and is almost Trumptonesque, with the local trades all represented. Two things that stuck out this year perhaps reflects what happens when the church reaches out to the community in this way. First of all there was the video stall. It shows a church innocence which can cause great amusement to a streetwise world. On one hand it is 'Vicar of Dibley' and endearing, but on the other hand reflects the challenge the church has to be relevant. Having said that my highlight of this years fayre had to be a sing song inside the church, which our 'Church band' orchestrated at certain times throughout the day. It was a new experiment and although the PA was not working properly and some songs were under rehearsed, there was an informality and inclusiveness about the 'Worship' which I seldom feel on a Sunday. So another year of the Common fayre has gone by, If only we could find ways to utilise this ingenuity and passion with one another and the community in other ways throughout the year. I suppose we still have 6 months more!

The 3 Yorkshire Peaks Conquered in a day

We set off at 5 30am in the morning when normally most people are sleeping. Not today! There were scores of walkers everywhere walking for various charities. There were 400 BT walkers alone on a team building day. We scaled the first peak within the first few hours but straight away the legs were feeling heavy. Burning up the hills and feeling like jelly going down. The second peak was quite a walk from the first and this seemed to last forever but the scenery was amazing and the morning mist had cleared to be a beautiful day. Peak 2 was conquered some 8 hours after setting off. The journey down was steep and cruel on the knees but we all made it down. At this stage Merlin, (a friend of Mikes) decided 2 was enough and the rest of us continued on. As we scaled the final peak Anita started to struggle too with a blister and reluctantly we had to leave Anita to try and continue at a blister sensitive pace. So the rest of us got to the third peak and celebrated taking pictures from the top. As we began to descend to our amazement Anita appeared over the brow....she had made it too. Check out more pics on my flicker. If you still want to give some many towards CMS youth projects in the UK it is not too late. Just log on to our just giving web page.

Off to walk 3 hills in Yorkshire for charity

Tomorrow morning we plan to set off at 5 am to complete the Yorkshire 3 Peaks walk within 12 hours. The reward for doing this is apparently a medal and a tie, as well as raising over £1000 for CMS youth work in the UK.  Check out our just giving page if you would like to give something still. The walk takes in the 3 summits of Pen-y-ghent (694 metres - 2,276 feet), Whernside (736 metres - 2,415 feet) and Ingleborough (723 metres  2,372 feet) all in one circular route. The aim is to do it by 5pm so I can then get back to Derby to catch my train back to London. It may be actually more of a walking challenge to get back to Brixton from St Pancras!! There is a lot of press and publicity cruelly saying that I will not make it. All I have to say is, to borrow the words of the much maligned Prince Hal from Henry iv part 1.

I know you all, and will awhile uphold
The unyoked humour of your idleness:
Yet herein will I imitate the sun,
Who doth permit the base contagious clouds
To smother up his beauty from the world,
That, when he please again to be himself,
Being wanted, he may be more wonder'd at,
By breaking through the foul and ugly mists
Of vapours that did seem to strangle him.
If all the year were playing holidays,
To sport would be as tedious as to work;
But when they seldom come, they wish'd for come,
And nothing pleaseth but rare accidents.

Watch this space!

Charmed by Ibiza

We went to Ibiza  a little in trepidation about the clubbing scene and how Zara might cope! No worries, in fact apart from Santa Antonio, the island is a place of tranquility and beauty. Zara absolutely loved the sea and with a hotel bang on the beach she woke up every morning chanting the same refrain, "Lets go Sea, Lets go Sea."  Check out more pictures at my flicker page.