Andy D'Agorne

A sign of approaching old age must be when your childhood is far enough in the past to warrant being recorded in a museum display. The Castle Museum in York -the first whole street reconstruction museums in this country - has just added a whole area on the 60's. Hopefully it will encourage not only an awareness of the optimism and hope for a better world of the time, but also introduce many more to the rich history contained within the rest of the museum. There is even a special website and 60's quiz http://www.thesixties.org.uk/home.html  If you are a York resident remember to take your York card to gain free admission -

We dont appreciate enough the value of the heritage that surrounds us - and some would say our planners and architects dont either! Little did I think, when I spent a whole day taking photos of York buildings in the late 70's, that one day I would be a councillor here on the planning committee, with the opportunity to make decisions on the future legacy we leave for residents and visitors alike. World Heritage Site status is being discussed, but would take many years to be approved by UNESCO. Yet it does seem strange that the most intact surviving medieval walled city in Europe and the largest Cathedral of its type is not recognised by such protection.

The view from our attic window! If you want see more photos, see the photoblog or www.flickr.com -'greensambaman' is me!

There are literally millions of cool images out there in cyberspace, and with flickr many are free for non commercial use if you are producing your own newsletter or website. Have a look, but not when you are in a hurry to get some work done!

What the world would be like if "The Press" was a broadcaster ...     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl3gMfQGv7Q      ( Amusing but not for children! ) Even editors are human (and prone to using bad language when they think they are not 'on air' )! 

PS Well sadly its not there any longer - Kevin Booth presumably was 'not amused'!

This week marks the 'end of an era' for me with my daughter leaving the Steiner School, which was a major factor in our move to York. As it happens, Mark Hill's daughter has been in the same class as mine forthe past six years, and has moved this week with Mark and his family to Hebden Bridge. The Steiner school has a strong sense of community and a very mixed range of people from those with lots of money to those with very little. The Summer Term Festival is an emotional event, with the Class 8 children and their teacher parting company after seven years together. In our case our children spent over a week in Iceland and then worked hard to produce a challenging play by Brecht - Caucasian Chalk Circle in the weeks before their final school day on Friday. Their teacher has a book with quotes, poems and photos as well as recordings of the songs they performed in the show (arrangements found via the internet from an American who is to receive a DVD of one of the performances) I certainly wouldnt have had the courage at 14 to do solos as well as perform in a class play - Im nervous enough now when Im the only one singing one of four parts!

»7:31 PM    »1 comments (0 )     »Send entry    

Posted by: andydag

Chechelele performed at the Bishopthorpe Garden Party on Sat Jun 30th at about 1.15 and 2.15pm - The weather held just long enough for us to stay comparatively dry performing on the steps of the Archbishop's Palace. In the evening we are performing again at a private function for the York Sopremptorists. Our set is full of varied upbeat songs that are a real challenge for the three new members. We were tempting fate with the weather by including the song 'Akana Mandla' - when we performed it at the York Cemetery Chapel in 2005 (well, when we practicing actually) there was a real thunder storm brewing. The words 'hard rains are falling' and 'he has no power' (referring to the devil) had just been uttered when there was an almighty crash of thunder overhead and the heavy wooden outside door blew crashing open with the force of the crack. The rain then came - and that same night the moors village of Hawnby was hit by flash floods, following which the historic bridge has only just reopened fully after being rebuilt.