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The Trinity Festival Tour 2005 - Page 2

by Linda Dobson

(7 May 2005)

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The beautiful Service, led by lovely Terrie Robinson, concluded by a superb organ recital by Rhidian Jones, who played:- Toccata Adagio and Fugue in C Major (Bach), Ave Maria (Cherubini), Master Tallis’ Testament (Howells) – I loved this, it was so powerful, but the final piece made me very elated indeed, The Organist’s Country Garden (Andrew Wright).  It was a joy to congratulate Mr Jones afterwards and he was delighted we’d enjoyed it so much.  The forty strong congregation mingled happily afterwards where refreshments and nibbles were provided.  Everyone we spoke to welcomed us with open arms.

 

Monday 25 April

We had originally planned to get tickets for the Piano Variations Concert at Pinder Hall, but hadn’t.  But after last night’s musical extravaganza at St John’s we knew it would be an unmissable night so off I shot to the Stationery Depot and was delighted to obtain two of the last few remaining tickets.  Err, I don’t think this was the lady who served me though!!!

 

Tuesday 26 April

Although we didn’t go on the Burghclere trip to the Sandham Memorial Chapel, by all accounts it was a wonderful visit and a resounding success.  We heard the coach driver had been the gentleman who had ferried the Royal Family to the Guildhall during the recent Royal Wedding.  That was a lovely added bonus to hear that.  We wished we had been on the trip.

 

This afternoon we drove around The Cookhams attempting to spot some more of the Guys and Dolls.  We thought Olive the Oxfam Bride was great and after some searching, found ‘Guys For Tennis’, the car got rather wet with all the puddles but it was well worth it, as I think you’ll agree. 

 

   

We couldn’t find the Golfer at Winter Hill Golf Club, it must have been beyond the gate, but we did meet some lovely sheep and baby lambs in a nearby field, so that sort of made up for it.

 

 

8pm soon arrived and we went along to the Pinder Hall, to be greeted in the foyer by … Rosemary!  Another of the Dolls. 

 

 

The Concert began and was it fantastic?  Yes it was.  If you weren’t there, you missed a treat.  The evening was opened by Michael Johnson, with recitals by Reg Willsher (you made it look so easy), Carla Matthews, Gillian Salmon, Helena Brown and Aidan Glover, with musical renditions by Anna Higgs and Eleanor Griffiths.  All were brilliant – pieces ranged from Brahms, Jazz, Schubert, Dvorak, Gautier and Constant Lambert.  We were thrilled when Gillian and Helena were asked to give an encore which was extra special as all the performers were invited back on stage.  After they took their bows, they were proud to receive huge applause and gifts.  It was a wonderful night, one which we wouldn’t have missed for the world.

Wednesday 27 April

We took some more photos today of the Guys and Dolls and ticked them off our list as we found them.

 

Thursday 28 April

We came face to face with George and Topsy in Cookham Arcade this evening, another two to cross off our list.

 

 

Do you ever get that feeling when you’re walking along and you just know you’re being watched?  We were quite happily walking along the High Street and suddenly felt beady eyes were onto us, we turned round and we were right.  These two ladies were having a wail of a time in the Wine Shop window!

 

Friday 29 April

As luck would have it tonight, in the words of that wonderous Judy Garland film “We’re off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz”, yes that’s right we followed the yellow brick road (fondly known as Hills Lane), twisting and turning up into Cookham Dean, then along towards the First School, before our eyes unfolded a magical sight, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion, all hiding in the School grounds.  I sneaked a quick picture of the three friends and I did wonder if Dorothy and little Toto were lurking nearby?

 

 

Saturday 30 April

We started the day with a rather brisk walk up Winter Hill (which the great Enid Blyton made famous in her Mystery Stories as ‘Christmas Hill’, as she lived in Bourne End at the time she wrote them) – I began to wish it hadn’t been so brisk as I was rather exhausted by the time we got back to the car (my saviour on wheels). 

 

 

On our walk I found some lovely bluebells in a wooded area.

 

 

I did wonder had we actually found the ‘Guy’ at the Golf Course (to the right of the photo) – apologies to the owner of the golf bag! 

 

 

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