Gloucester Cathedral

This was my third year and they have just got better and better! I was but one of nearly a thousand attending and it was magnificent..... the soloists, the choirs and The Peeky Blinders delivered moments of pure magic and tone. Christmas in the Cathedral arranged by Age Concern Gloucestershire was almost perfect.....?

I had arrived in Gloucester with a crowd of noisy ladies who had to shop first, whereas I went straight on on past the Cathedral to Spencers Deli and had a royally stuffed organic chicken dinner with all the trimmings. Only then with my first takeaway black coffee did I head into the Cathedral to greet the Crew and a peeky twosome.

Mutual compliments, chat, kisses, a hug from the Rector and I was off.... to the Cloisters Cafe for a second coffee. Having decided on a seat by, and not behind a towering twelve foot diameter pillar, I chatted to my neighbour before David Newman peeking above a lectern quietly introduced.

Canon Celia enthused a warm welcome before a first Carol.

This year no petite Darling Julia to enliven and partner me in after Cathedral activities. Please somebody, next year ask Darling to do a solo of that Maori classic to please us all - me especially. Or, I could ask Daffy for you?

Christina was spell binding and her rendition of 'From a Distance' was lovely. But it didn't challenge the acoustics as much as the solo-sans-instruments by the Mistress of the Heart & Soul Choir - I dare you CB to give it a go!

The junior kids of Upton St Leonards were the best and eked out a few tears. I was taken back years to the age of 22 when my student apprenticeship completed and struggling to read Arabic, I, a Gloucestershire Youth Leader was sent to the village to bring peace to the club and so involve the Matson kids fully. Megan might be surprised to learn that here I started, trained and managed a Girls Football Team before departing to travel the World for some fourteen years.

Sorry, I've lost the plot and am digressing again so lets make it Good Night