cold

It is so cold. I am shivering in my office getting ready for a housegroup this evening and thinking about going out to a coffee shop to plan rather than be in here. I am a bit worried about turning on the heating because our quoted bill for the next 12 months is just under £2,000 (which we pay in monthly installments and is based on last year's consumption at this address). We haven't had the heating on - apart from occasional emergency clothes drying - and I don't want to start until Oct. But, it really is quite cold. Now, I have an income (admittedly not all that much but I am settled and have a secure job) which means that this bill is annoying (understatement) but can be dealt with and with belt tightening can be paid. However, I am quite concerned that there are many people who will find themselves in fuel poverty this year. I wonder what is the Christian response?

La Machine escapes to Birkenhead!

After a busy day in the parish I managed to get into town by 9pm to catch La Princess as she walked past the Empire. The amazing crowds in town almost blew me away...I am not sure I have ever seen so many people in the city at night and certainly I have never experienced collective popular euphoria on this scale before. There was a carnival atmosphere - a world turned upside down feeling - as the the people took over streets usually chocker with cars, taxis and buses. This is the sort of welcome that is usually reserved for football heroes! Yet last night the crowd was more diverse, the atmosphere calm and almost serene.

As I wondered down William Brown Street (do click on the link as it will give you a panoramic view of WB St) past the Walker and on to the library I was very pleased to find John Davies standing on the bottom of the steps. What a treat! Shortly we were joined by Kate who's husband Tommy has been working with Mark on La Machine - we are both La Machine widows who haven't seen our husbands in daylight for nearly 2 weeks! Our vantage point, on the steps, was great...we were able to see the giant spider as she came down the street and advanced on to the Tunnel.

What has been impressive about the production of this three day performance has been the way the company has used the existing cityscape to theatrical advantage. Making adjustments to the street furniture to accommodate the procession (the removal of the tunnel roundabout, the uprooting of traffic lights and closing off of major roads for days at a time) they have optimized the city's natural contours as well as it's man-made structures. This final city venue provided a perfect amphitheatre for the spider's last stand...

Liverpool's La Princess was driven out of the city by a combination of fire, water, snow and a barrage of fireworks. Her exit down the tunnel the finale of a beautiful weekend of spider related elation. I have to say I am going to miss the beautiful beast. Mark is experiencing a combination of exhaustion and post-performance downer. How will he fill his days now La Princess has escaped to Birkenhead!? He is still in bed and may need cake.

We were at the dock yesterday when the princess took a dip in the Mersey...we all got very wet. Here are a couple of videos that capture some of the atmosphere







We are planning to go back into town shortly to see her wonder back up to concourse house.

Arachnophobia

At lunchtime today I actually saw a bbc news story that claimed that Liverpool Arachnophobes were having to leave for Widnes because of La Machine. Even the thought of Liverpool has now filled Arachnophobes with fear and can cause stress. Not that this put the PM off who was also visiting the city today!

Having spent a few hours with the spider this afternoon I can confirm that it is neither real nor threatening. In fact it spent most of the time I was with it asleep. Mark has just returned home from spending the day with La Machine and has had to go straight to bed!

I don't have photos but this is a video of last night's appearance on the concourse. When I visited it last night at 10pm it was just hanging out. B-T-W I didn't take this video as I wasn't allowed to leave the vehicle!

La Machine

This, and other pictures, can be found at this BBC picture link and John Davies has taken some good shots as well which are up on his flickr.



The next few days are going to be quite hectic here at the vicarage. Eva goes back to school, I have curate's duties to attend to and Mark is working on La Machine. Having seen the front page of the Liverpool Echo this afternoon there probably isn't a person in Liverpool who doesn't know what the creature is by now!

Anyway, if you need to know the plan here it is:
"Something unforgettable is about to happen in Liverpool as a highlight of the Liverpool European Capital of Culture celebrations. Vast in scale and spectacular in execution, this breathtaking new commission from La Machine will spin a tale so magical that an entire city will fall under its spell. Just as The Sultan’s Elephant stopped London in its tracks in 2006, so this three-day adventure will unfold against the landmarks of a great city, stopping the traffic and captivating everyone who sees it. Prepare to be amazed by a show that will make you believe in the impossible…"

DAILY SCHEDULE
Wednesday 3rd September
Dawn The creature appears suspended on the side of Concourse Tower.
08.00h Press briefing – with photo and interview opportunities.
10.00h A Research Base is set up at the Echo Arena at the ACC.
16.00h Scientists arrive at Concourse Tower to set up searchlights to light the creature.
20.30h Scientists switch on searchlights, which stay lit overnight.

Thursday 4th September
11.30h The creature is craned off Concourse Tower.
12.30h The convoy carries the creature and sets off for the Research base at ACC.
13.00h The convoy arrives at the Research Base.
14.00h Press briefing with a member of the French artistic team.

Friday 5th September
11.30h The scientists perform experiments on the creature using different special
effects to see how it responds to different stimuli. The creature wakes up and
is prevented from running away by a wall of Chinese firecrackers and by a
fire effect. Eventually the creature is sent to sleep by a snow machine.
13.00h Interview / photo / filming opps - member of the French artistic team,
representative from Liverpool Culture Company, members of Artichoke
production team.
18.00h The creature wakes and parades to Salthouse Dock.
19.30h The creature arrives at the Dock and takes a bath, accompanied by live music.
After her bath, she is dried and perfumed.
20.30h The creature sets off for Cunard Building.
21.00h The creature arrives at Cunard Building. It begins to snow gently and she
falls asleep.

Saturday 6th September
11.30h The creature wakes up in the middle of a magical snowscape, and is
serenaded with music.
12.30h The creature goes to sleep again.
13.00h Press briefing with a member of the French artistic team.
14.45h The creature leaves Cunard Building and walks up Water Street.
15.30h The creature arrives at Town Hall – smoke effect.
15.40h The creature walks towards Derby Square along Castle Street.
16.00h Water ballet at Derby Square.
16.15h The creature walks down Lord Street to Holy Corner where it is snowing.
17.00h The creature sleeps.
18.30h The creature wakes and walks down Parker Street, serenaded on the way.
20.00h A tempest rages at Ranelagh Place.
20.30h The creature arrives at Concourse Tower, climbs up the tower and goes to sleep.

Sunday 7th September
15.00h The creature wakes up and is prepared for the evening’s entertainment.
16.00h The creature goes back to sleep.
19.30h Cherry-pickers and musicians arrive.
20.00h The creature is removed from the tower with a crane.
20.30h The convoy leaves the tower and parades to Queensway Tunnel entrance.
21.15h The creature tries to escape, but is prevented from doing so by the special
effect machines.
21.30h The creature escapes via the tunnel.


A show by La Machine
Created by François Delarozière.
Music composed by Dominique Malan.

Special effects by Thierry Loridant. Costumes by Gaelle Choveau.

bits and bobs by Mark Loudon


Obviously most of the Sunday stuff clashes with church so I won't be seeing that but hopefully Eva will hook up with some of her friends and get to see most of it - not sure how popular I would be if I made her come to church and miss the finale!

great face for the radio

I mentioned a while back that I was going to be on Radio Merseyside - Daybreak with Wayne Clarke - talking about how I came to be a curate! Well, I was - on Sunday at 8.20am. If you missed it then you can listen again (for one week only) by clicking on the listen again bit on the bottom right.

PhD

Today I have mostly been fiddling with my PhD. I am due to meet my supervisor next Monday and I have promised a new draft of everything (which isn't going to happen) by tomorrow. I have been able to manage an abstract, the intro, chapter 3, the conclusion and bibliography. The working on the rest depends on how these go down. I think a bit of creative cutting and pasting may be in order but Sara needs to have a look at the whole thing and give a verdict before I am prepared to commit any further editing.

The good news is that I have booked 4 days away st St Deiniols in Oct to have a go at the next draft. It is so distracting here at home - Mark is on the upstairs computer, Eva bouncing about. So, a few days away will, hopefully, kick the latest draft into touch.

I want to eat vast quantities of chocolate and drink white wine every time I finish a day on my PhD. I have no idea why it makes me so stressed!? The only thing that is spurring me on is the thought of finishing it and getting on with my life. Hey ho.