Saturday 28th March 09

Woken too early by a phone call from one of the boys' friends, who then came round.

I had breakfast and then tried to find something to do for my Community Care blog... I'm not feeling inspired at the moment.

So I used someone else's inspiration... Danny Chivers, a poet, whom I met at a gathering of Climate Speakers in London earlier this year. See http://www.communitycare.co.uk/blogs/green-living/2009/03/green-man-wonders-how-to-get-t.html
I love this poem! It's even better hearing him perform it whilst you read along...

Got this done by midday and got dressed and up, ready to go to Sheffield for a performance of the Ukulele Orchestra.

I was picked up at Sheffield station soon after 2 and spent some of the afternoon with Ali and her daughter and their new PA Sarah, who is lovely too. At 5ish, we headed down to town on the tram to go to the Blue Moon, to meet up with Al's parents and an ex-carer who's become a friend and a soon-to-be ex-carer who they will both miss. This meal was part of a Mother's Day present from Ali to her 84 year old Ma. Blue Moon is a lovely place, veggie and vegan, and caters for other special diets such as gluten free. I had a good main meal, a cauliflower thing with some spinach and feta pie with salads... and some of Ali's too, as she didn't like the bean-heavy thing she had ordered, so I was stuffed and didn't have cake. Sarah took Ali's daughter home, as he was very tired... she is only 5years old.

Then the short walk to the newly refurbished Crucible Theatre, where the brilliant Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain were due to perform. I knew nothing about this bunch but was really impressed. A line-up of 7, as one member (Kitty) wasn't well, so I hope she gets better soon. But the performance was awesome... really, really clever, funny, very 'tight' arrangements with brilliant mixing of different songs. All of us enjoyed it, although Ali's parents missed some of the 'in jokes' according to her Dad, as many of the pieces were post 1960s and some post-Punk. Afterwards, we hung around as Ali wanted to get her CD and DVD signed.. she has bought a Ukulele, as she used to play the guitar but has found it more and more difficult to hold but the Uke is more manageable. Her daughter has also got one and loves the UOOGB too. They have another fan as of tonight!

We went home on the tram and I had a comfortable night on a sofabed, the one the PA usually uses... she slept on a matress on the floor in Ali's daughter's bedroom.