Singleton Gala

What did we do today? we went to a gala!  Today was Singleton Gala but our costumes are still being repaired after the wet weather yesterday and our Queen and Princess didn't go. So we just went to watch for a change. It was only a little parade but all the other Queens went so next year i will try to persuade people to go, its just because we attended one yesterday, people don't like doing 2 days on the trot, we all need some weekend. There were no floats as it was only a short route so the Queens walked. It was really nice and we stayed for the crowning ceremony and they even do a traditional maypole dance. That was amazing and i don't envy the lady who taught them, that must be a hard job as they were only young and they did it so well even though it looked quite complicated.

Its such a quaint village, i love this old fire hut, that seems to be an electricity station now.

Love these gorgous houses and beautiful gardens, one day maybe....

The end of another weekend and Fathers day.

My Little Happy Meal

Yesterday i woke up to see the rain pouring down and my heart fell, it was Fleetwood Carnival day and the kids had helped me make costumes so they could enter the fancy dress as a group had and the weather was not looking good. But one thing about kids is that when they are looking forward to something there is not usually anything that will put them off.  I also had been really looking forward to .Rewind a week and our gala had finished, we got up on Sunday morning and we all felt a little flat, the running round and business of the last  few.. days, weeks, months was gone and now i was at a loss. I had filed away all the paperwork from this year and turned a clean page in my note book with some ideas for next year and things that could be changed to make them run smoother. Last year our gala was just the start, as the kids were on the retinue and each week we were off here and there and i loved it. We had planned to go to some of the Galas anyway to support our retinues, so we decided to enter ourselves, well we have enough kids to make a nice little group! So Paul and i started thinking about what we could be, Abba, the Beatles and Gwen Stephany ? (Pauls idea!!!) all came up but a bit of googling later and we settled on a Happy Meal, and by the end of the day the first costume had been made, Paul joined in as well with the costume making.

This was the final dress rehearsal the night before

This was when we first started painting the box, after this it was carnage i don't think a single thing in the garden has suvived without red paint! Good job i put that old take out which i have been using recently for some of the messy crafts. Well not its red anyway

Milkshake Molly!

Mc Fries Alex

Happy Meal Box Ewan

Burger Fred

Fred wore his costume for most of the week, so its a bit worse for wear now.

This was before the judging, Molly thought the 1 was out place, but no it was our judging number, we just got there nice and early!

We did go on to win first prize, and they got medals each, which they are still wearing

This is the dome in the marine hall, its a really nice inside.

I did lots of shows here as a child and i caught a glance of back stage and it brought back a flood of memorys

Some of the amazing floats, that people had worked so hard on and they all braved the rain. Fleetwood has so much community spirit, the carnival always gets more entrants than any of the other galas in the area, its just a different sort of place, they have a lot of the older traditions and stick to them, Its great, i wish we could encourage some of them to enter our gala as well a week earlier

Our Princess & Queens Float, the kids still enjoyed it dispitethe weather

Afterwards we all dried off and Paul and i got Jiggy with it!!!!

Fred has now claimed everybodys medal and is wearing them all!!!

Good luck getting them back guys!!!

Gala day finally arrived!

After so much uncertainty about the weather (i was the only one not concerned, after all what can i do about that!) i woke up and looked out of the window to see this

Ok not the best picture, but it wasn't raining, in face it was warm with a few sunny spells, just over cast for the majority of the day. Perfect!

Headed over the Jubilee Gardens to start setting up for the Crowning before heading back the Thornton where the parade was going to see if people would come!

And they did, lots of people, more people than the year before, Five local schools,  taekwando Groups,  cheerleading groups, Morris dancers, Dog rehoming center, nursarys, church groups, visiting queens and lots of Fancy dress!

I love the creatvity

This little guy is the cutiest!

I was posting on parade selfies on the way round. i was walking with the Mayor & Mayress, but just kept dropping back to take them! sure they didn't mind.

This is our new Princess float, Its a sweety house and the girls are all tooth fairy's

And our new Queen Laura, with her float Rainbow wishes.

Then back to Jubilee to start the field events, i couldn't believe it by the time i got back all the stalls were set up and the stage set and the place was full of people. 

The crowning went really well and the entertainment was great.

I nearly forgot before the parade, we had a flower laying ceremony at the cenotaph

Not the best pictures but me working hard

You can just about see Paul in the back, he escorted the Mayor for the first bit as i was busy judging.

I feel so proud of myself, i never thought i would be able to organize an event like this, but not only did i pull it off, it was a success and in the process, Paul is hooked as well, its great we have a hobby that we both enjoy and can share. I think we will be involved for many years to come.