listen up north!

Skating and Butties

We pick up Teen2 from a sleepover in Newcastle (or should that be stayawakeover?) and gently break the news that she is expected to go for a walk and expend some energy rather than slump in front of the computer all afternoon  ‘msning’ other teens  with whom she has just shared a floor.  Ignoring the complaints about about unreasonable parents, we head for the Northumberland coast;  the A1 is clear but the sideroads are still treacherous with ice.  Arriving at Craster, the public carpark is like a skating rink  and we are glad to find some tasty butties from the Piper’s Pitch catering van – all freshly cooked and very good value.  Andy Grant’s business was so popular that he was recently saved from unjust closure by a local petition. 

Wonderhubby, Teen 1 and I lick our fingers and lips (but not Teen 2 who is still full of pancakes from her stayawakeover breakfast) as we wander down to Craster, a village famed for its smoked kippers and like so many places in Northumberland – it’s the land that time forgot in a free from the duress of modern life kind of way.

 

Past the harbour, through the gate and across the fields, the enigmatic outline of Dunstanburgh Castle comes into view; it’s structure ravaged by the elements, jagged teeth coming down to meet the water’s edge. We walk along to the constant pounding of waves against the rock pools and the plaintiff cries of oystercatchers too shy to pose for the camera.

It’s a bright crisp afternoon but the ice hasn’t yet melted from over a week ago and is evident in puddles along the walk and yes those are kids skating, Edwardian style on the frozen lake. 

 

Inside the castle grounds is just as brooding and mysterious.  Built in 1313, the castle was intended to be a statement of power, a two finger job to the southern King Edward II by Baron, Earl Thomas of Lancaster.  Possibly the origins of the of the North/South divide?

It’s such an atmospheric place and being a writer I can feel an idea coming on, but I try my best to suppress this because already in my head are so many stories and so little time.  

The views from the castle grounds are amazing: to the north Embleton Bay and to the west inland, the peak of The Cheviot can be see in the distance covered in snow.

It’s an amazing place to rest your mind, space is so important to get your thoughts in order, find that creative solution.  It’s great to find a refuge from all those digital demands we are hostage to and to take time out as a family to enjoy each other’s company.  As we make our way back to the car, dusk falling and shadows long in the low winter sun, even Teen 2 looks like she has enjoyed herself - not that she would admit it.

Fighting for Time

The beginning of the week has plenty of frenetic activity but unfortunately nothing productive towards the business of setting up the spoken word website or my own writing.  Most of it is spent driving Teen 1 back to university with enough clean washing for another term and chasing Teen 2 to get her homework done on the last afternoon of her 3 week holiday.  Half the morning is spent turning the house upside for a missing English project. 

On the work front, unread e-mails have reached 351 and the number of tasks on my ‘to do’ list seems insurmountable.  Then there is a hospital scan and a consultant appointment which takes another whole day.  By Tuesday evening, I feel so thwarted in fighting for time that I’m ready to throw the towel in. Rather tired and low on motivation, I reluctantly turn up at a Business Support Programme run by Crossover Labs which in fact turns out to be a very fruitful event with new ideas for working and networking opportunities.

Wednesday is spent at Core Music, Hexham with Richard who painstakingly edits and puts the sound effects on Oranges and Lemons.  This is just one of  several sessions we have spent on the audiodrama and it still needs some fine adjustment but I am feeling very pleased with what has been achieved so far.  Richard is working within Core and setting up his own editing business after qualifying as an audio engineer at The School of Audio Engineering in London. Phil, my IDI mentor is waiting for me to write content for the pages of my prototype website but after spending most of my day at Core, this still isn’t started.

Wednesday evening, panic as I realise that I only have 2 days to register as self-employed in accordance with the conditions of my DigitalCity Fellowship at The Institute of Digital Innovation, Teesside University and realise that I feel very unsure about the whole process and unready.  So I hit the hmrc website and register online – surprisingly straightforward, even I can do it.  I feel strangely different – I am now the proud owner of my own company, now I must expect results and hopefully sooner rather than later. 

The next day is not spent writing content for listenupnorth.com as planned but refreshing myself on all the documentation, record keeping and regulations around being self employed.  My nemesis cash flow records rears its ugly head.  I start to make some sense of it but will I be able to understand software programmes designed to make life easier rather than harder?  How will my poor brain manage more complicated accounting concepts?

Friday and I get up very early to at least get my home page design and content sent off to mentor Phil to look at.  Then it’s on to Durham and at another Crossover Labs event I look at multiplatform innovation and its relevance to digital media which basically means how can you take a project e.g. my spoken word website and exploit the various digital outlets to get your work out there? Quite intense but worthwhile and plenty of ideas in a field where everything seems to be groundbreaking and there are no blueprints to follow.  I come away with a greater awareness of how I can attract finance to my website.  All very well in theory now I’ve got to put it into practice.

On returning home, there is a message from poet Keith Armstrong on the answer machine asking how the editing of his recording is going.  There’s always someone to keep you on your toes!  Quick e-mail to Richard to make sure Keith’s poems are moving through the system.  Keith is soon to contribute to a programme on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday 27th January at 11am called Bridging the Gap which is a sound portrait of The Tyne Bridge.  I am also looking forward to hearing Keith and other talented poets at The Northern Voices Annual Poetry Event at The Bridge Hotel Newcastle on Sunday 24th January at 7.30pm.   And of course I soon hope to feature recordings of Keith’s poetry on this blog and also the new spoken word website www.listenupnorth.com when it is up and running

Excited to be writing content for prototype of new website listenupnorth.com. Just putting writers' biographies tog.

Banished into the Icy Blast

As much as you love your kids it’s always nice to take a little time out as a couple – not that we had much choice in the matter.  Teen 1 came home from uni for the hols and announced that she was having a mass sleepover of student friends early in the New Year and hinted strongly that we might like to make ourselves scarce for a couple of nights.  Not that we would dream of cramping her style and I certainly didn’t want to be around to see things spilt on the new carpet.  

Of course there were lots to do before we left, Wonderhubby and I braved the blizzards to ensure that in the event of nuclear fallout there would be enough for them to eat, drink and make merry without the need to resurface until at least next Spring.  Mattresses, duvets and sleeping bags had to be arranged on various floors, there was a list of instructions: how to put the rubbish out, how to switch off the water, gas and electricity, how to switch on the dishwasher (I live in hope) and to bring in any bottles of milk spotted on the doorstep.   Eventually we were unceremoniously pushed out of the door but not before I issued strict orders to Teen 1 about behaving responsibly with her friends in front of younger, more impressionable Teen 2.  ‘Yeah, Mum, whatever’, came the reply.

Anxious thoughts soon gave way to awe as driving through the wintry landscapes of Northumberland, past Hadrian’s Wall and into Cumbria was breathtaking.  Glimpsing sight of the Langdale Pikes, shimmering white in the dusk signalled we had reached my favourite part of The Lake District and were near our destination: The Langdale Hotel where Wonderhubby and I resolved to spoil ourselves. 

Our room had recently been refurbished and was very stylish if rather purple; the bed was so enormous that I imagined less affectionate couples might signal goodnight to each other in semaphore.  However, it was brilliant for reclining on and watching the widescreen, flatscreen TV.   I toyed briefly with the idea of starting to map out the plot for my new drama idea but opted instead for the pool, spa and steam room.  On perusing the menu, I decided that my New Year’s resolution for healthy options might need to be somewhat delayed. 

 

But the real treat was outside and on waking we found a crisp bright day, showing the magnificent snow covered peaks to perfection, each with it’s own characteristic shape.  We took a circular walk from Elterwater village over to Little Langdale, returning via Colwith Force and Skelwith Bridge past Elterwater Lake itself and conveniently winding up at The Britannia, a real ale pub with a real log fire. Even these lowland paths were treacherous with packed ice and great care was needed underfoot as well as a silly hat and bandit scarf to keep the frost out. One does not need altitude in The Lakes to be surrounded by magnificent vistas and it is easy to see why this place has been an inspiration to many writers through time. 

Recently I have had the privilege to come across the work of the late Tom Rawling whose beautiful, honest and often moving poetry was shaped by his native Ennerdale.  Poems and memories of Tom have now been put together in the book How Hall by Lamplugh and District Heritage Society and recordings by the writer of his poetry are also available on a CD.  I am just in the process of obtaining consent from the copyright holders then I look forward to featuring Tom and his work on the blog and when it is up and running, the spoken word website.