Pat Pope's blog

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Was working in Cheltenham on Friday so stayed with Matt and Alex, Thursday night. Matt was rehearsing, so I didn't really see him.....and I had an early start so I was in bed by 10.30........up at 5.....out at 6.....I met the journalist off the tube and we headed cross country.......first stop was a press call at some famous ex jockey/trainers livery.....well, I am beggining to love horses....but only for about three minutes...then I get bored....this was all about twenty people watching twenty jockeys ride twenty hoses around a track, inside while listening to an ex jockey witter on.  My attention span isn't that great.....so I left and headed for the famous Cheltenham racecourse. It was about 40 minutes away. My sat nav had me driving down an ever decreasing in size country lane. I gave up eventually when I hit a river I was meant to cross, about four feet deep!
By 11am I found myself on the race track.....setting up lights......inappropriately dressed in suede shoes (sodden) and suit jacket (freezing).......the subject was about two hours late and by the time she arrived all traces of sun had vanished!
I had a few other jobs there so didn't end up leaving till late in the afternoon......then I drove to Bath. This is where the pic ed and old mate lives. We went to the pub.....and then I got up early and drove to Totnes in Devon.
By 10.30 I was sat in my car, opposite my cousins house. It was her birthday and I'd sworn her husband to secrecy about my imminent arrival.....I rang her....engaged....again.....engaged.....I knew who it was....my mum, ringing to wish her a happy birthday.....I had spoken to her a few minutes before and told I was about to arrive and my plans!!!!!! Eventually the phone rang and Colin answered. He passed me over to Heidi, by which time I was out of the car and over near the front dor...'hi..happy birthday...what are you up to....' we chatted.....then I tapped her on the shoulder....she turned and screamed....it was perfect. I felt like Noel Edmonds (but more handsome)

Well....our private view was last Thursday. It was all proper and grown up with wine, canapes, the mayor....everything. It was well attended and Joelle gave a great speech and I blushed on cue. Read all about it on page 10.
After, we went for celebratory pizza and beer........
This weekend I had two great gigs to attend ......first was Mott the Hoople  in Hammersmith.......the band had a combined age of about 310.....but they still rocked out.....then Mumford & Sons at the Forum down here.....two great gigs.
This week I'm gonna consider photographing horses....but it's raining, so I'm watching telly......

well hello.......back again. It's Sunday.....no it's not, it's Saturday....
On Monday me and my friend Joelle are hanging our exhibition (more later)...except I have to go and work! I haven't worked for ages and as luck would have it Monday is the day.....so I've roped in Ying, my sisters boyfriend (more later) into helping! He's in town for a week before going back to France....then Montreal.....
Anyway......Jo and I are having an exhibition called 'Hidden Voices' highlighting the plight of homelessness. I've taken a load of portraits and she has interviewed them....we're gonna have MP3 players and sound bites from the subjects....it's very modern!
The private view is on Thursday.......
It's been really hot and sunny for the last few days....weird for late September. Global warming is responsible for us having summer from late August until some time in October.....

old chicken story........my brother denies it.

Suffolk for the weekend......Gina, Mark, Adam, Jo, Emma, Nick, Rachel, Jen and Gill......a 14 (I think) century house and a shed load of food and booze. Bliss.....I arrived on Friday evening about 9.00pm. We ate a lovely pasta supper around a huge dinner table, then hit the booze and shot the breeze for a few hours.....It was a late start and a late finish. The next morning I was paying for it....but the sun was shining and after a hearty breakfast, we headed in convoy into Newmarket. With fantasies of a lovely country pub in a  little ancient market town, what we got was TK Maxx followed by lunch in a JD Wetherspoons....oh well.....later we arrived home and.....pretty much repeated the night before.
On Sunday we managed a group photo, lunch in a real country pub (though I had Paella!) then set off for home.....a great weekend....

suffolk

I haven't posted for ages....not sure anyone really reads it.....
Last weekend I was at Reading. Got there at 11.00am on Friday....I traditionally get in via the Mean Fiddler box....but this year, after a quick scan, I realized I didn't know anyone...so I moved next door to HON. Once in, Brett and I began erecting our tents, along with Matt's (they were all a pop ups....how long could they take)...wrong! The ground was rock hard and we hadn't brought a mallet so we had to wait to borrow one. Meanwhile I opened my tent and immediately the wind ripped it from my hand and it somersaulted it's way across the site! I ran after it crying 'stop that tent!'.....or words to that effect....the wind was REALLY strong....then it started raining.....great.....we had tethered Brett's tent....mine was held down with 1 peg and a crate of beer....Matts we sat inside while both holding it down and sheltering from the torrential rain! Great start......
After about an hour the weather improved enough for us to peg the tents and start 'festivities' properly......
Three days of great bands....nice food....weak beer...and 80,000 people in a space for 100........
Highlights were...er.......Radiohead and Frank Turner....but I'm sure the kids loved it!

It's been a while....and guess what....I'm in London with a hangover....but to be fair it's almost over.
I've had a fun weekend so far. Yesterday I met the Skinnys and the skinny kids in Regents park. Haven't seen them much since they moved back north. We drank some wine and played with a ball....that kind of thing! Matt & Alex joined us.....then I had to leave to get over west. It was Scarlet & Tom's wedding party with an 80's theme. I came to my second home (chez prev) only to find my suite taken!!!! I had been double booked....but as it was Soph's mum, I forgave them and resigned myself to the sofa..It was Andy's birthday meal (48 today)....but I had a another party to attend. After I donned my leg warmers and bleached jeans, I caught a cab to bush hall. I fely RIDICULOUS as I approached the door...... maybe over done my costume?.....then I saw what everyone else was wearing and felt quite at home...pics coming!
Today I'm still at Prev HQ....but meeting up with Linda later......
Next week I think i'll move back in to my newly decorated flat......

It's Sunday....this week has been...er....actually I can't quite remember all of it.....I saw Pendulum on Wednesday at Somerset House....that was nice to see a few of the old guard....then yesterday was my mate George's 1st birthday. Lot's of egg sandwiches etc....lovely............I have the builders in tomorrow......they are fixing my subsidence cracks and re decorating. I have moved out....I think it's gonna be a very messy affair. Two weeks....on Thursday I'm house sitting over the road...so I can keep an eye.....