The Day We Met Tim Vine

My brightest highlight of the summer happened one Wednesday afternoon. I’ve never been much of a fan of Wednesdays, I even wrote a blog post about it once but 21st August 2013 was probably the best Wednesday there has ever been, except perhaps the one when I was born!

Youngest son and I were in Edinburgh waiting for the Tim Vine Chat Show, there wasn’t much of a queue when we arrived, just one family of 4 in front of us but we still had over half an hour to wait. I’d already made youngest son walk round the courtyard once so we didn’t appear too keen!

There had been a few spots of rain earlier in the day but suddenly the clouds parted, I slipped off my cardigan and enjoyed the summer sunshine on my bare shoulders, glad for the first time that day I had chosen my pretty, strappy summer top to wear. 

Then I looked around and spotted Tim Vine walking towards us!!!!!

I manhandled youngest son so he was looking in the right direction, he’s never been terribly observant.

“Who can you see?” I hissed in his ear. “Do you want to show him your Lego figure?”

is it a banana or is it a torch?

I got the Lego man out of my pocket thinking we would have to pounce as Tim walked past to get his attention but he actually came and stood behind us in the queue, cheekily asked who we were waiting for and if was he any good.

He liked the Lego version youngest son had made to show him. 

Personally I liked the real version standing in front of us, he looked just as gorgeous as he does on TV and I couldn’t believe he was standing here talking to us!

Is now a good time to mention I have a tiny little crush on him and he was the main reason we had chosen Edinburgh for our holiday destination?

When he wandered off the lady in front of us in the queue said she had a photo of us talking to him. Well a photo with a bit of us in, she had tried to cut us off altogether, but she offered to email it to me. My hands were shaking as I typed my email address into her unfamiliar phone.

The queue started to grow then, oblivious that the star of the show had just been chatting with us.

Eventually the doors opened and we sat ourselves down on the front row in the middle, it was a small venue and the stage was only inches away!

As part of the show Tim invites members of the audience on stage to interview them.  He said outside that he liked youngest son and he should fill in a form but as he wasn’t bothered and I was I filled in the form and made sure I had handed mine back first! I wrote “My son’s the one with the Lego figure!” just to increase my chances of being picked.

The lights dimmed and I sat getting nervous – what if he picked me? Or worse - what if he didn’t?

Too late to worry about that now Tim Vine burst onto the stage, larger than life wearing a pair of glasses made from sweets.

“EYE CANDY!” He said.

From where I was sitting he really didn’t need them – and I had a whole hour to sit back, relax, enjoy the show from pole position – hahahahaha!

Well he sang a song, something about miracles that I’ve never heard before and suddenly there is a microphone in front of my face. Fortunately before I even get chance to open my mouth you can hear a disembodied voice coming over the speakers singing a line of the song – oh why, oh why did we sit so close? My face probably matched my freshly dyed red hair now - well I did want him to notice me!

Do I believe in miracles? Hmmmmm – maybe? Can I think about that one?

He said, “My hamster died today but that’s OK he left me something in his wheel!”

Then he made the “mistake” of getting youngest son on stage to show off his Tshirt with a hamster face on it.

is it a guinea pig or is it a hamster?

“It’s a guinea pig!” Youngest son corrected – no microphone required for his outburst! He’s very fond of this Tshirt, the face looks just like our guinea pig Flash. Most beloved guinea pig in the world since our other guinea pig Fluffy died earlier in the year.

Youngest son sat down, I probably blushed even more from embarrassment as Tim Vine laid his hand on my shoulder, “You’ll have problems with him,” he said or something in a similar vein.

“I know.” I muttered meekly. 

Tim Vine had his hand on my shoulder and my son had just been so rude and the moment passed in a blur…

We’d already moved on, more jokes, songs, the first guest, a man who sold oxygen to hospitals!

Then suddenly it was my turn as my name was called and I was up on stage.

Now I’d meticulously planned this moment, I’d planned what I was going to wear (that strappy top was a definitely a great idea, I've often thought my shoulders were one of my best features!)  I was going to be the best guest ever. I was going to be articulate, witty, pretty…

I even imagined a daydream where things didn’t go so perfectly, one where I tripped getting up on stage and Tim Vine caught me – hahahahaha!

None of these things happened – I almost wished I wasn’t there – but only ALMOST!

Today I shall be pretty and witty and funny but suddenly I can’t string together a sentence or a story. It’s not the first time I have gone to pieces, lost for words in front of an attractive single man, I don’t suppose it will be the last.

I try to tell the tale of the time I ended up in a cage with 5 baby gorillas, but I don't sound all that coherent. 

I look into the audience and you can’t see anyone beyond the front two rows, the lights are so dazzling.

I was at college and we were making a film about endangered animals and I had to interview the zoo keeper and this all made perfect sense when I thought about it in the middle of the night.

And all the while Tim is telling other jokes between my disjointed sentences, he touched my knee as he thought of another one to tell and wanders off.

“It’s not about you.” I remember him saying.

“You know when you are trying to do a serious interview and it doesn’t quite go to plan!” 

Where did that come from? 

Oh that was me, I’d found my voice and I got a laugh from the darkness. I giggled suddenly trying to be demure and bashful, I think I even fluttered my eyelashes, was this really the best time to start flirting?

It wasn’t long before I found myself back in my seat in the front row! 

PHEW - that was hard work – I hope I didn’t really upset him?

Then he asked to see the Lego model to show everyone so I guess I didn’t disgrace myself too much!

All too soon the hour was up and youngest son and I pushed our way through the crowd, we had to run to get to Radio 2 tent for the Simon Mayo Drivetime Show – rumour had it Tim Vine would be there with his confession so we really couldn’t miss that!

“Well done!” Someone said to me as we left.

“Thank you!” I answered somewhat relieved the show was over – I don’t think I could do that for a living!

New Kitchen Floor

I now have a gorgeous new floor covering up the mish mash of floorboards and chipboard and concrete.

We have dug out the rot, patched up the holes and now you would never know what lies underneath.

diagonal floorboards...

fancy edging!

The floor was laid by the son of our old neighbour. They have a family carpet and flooring business so they have always been our first port of call when we needed a new carpet. Andrew would always ask for some "ex-neighbourly discount" with a big grin.

I remember this "young" lad, from when we first married, he was a just a teenager then.

He in turn remembers Andrew. Andrew took time to show him how to build an airfix kit and he fondly remembers the time they spent together.

Today youngest son took great delight in showing off his dad's train set and his own Lego creations.

It's wonderful to find out how much Andrew touched the lives of other people in unexpected ways.

We never truly know what know what kind of impression we make on other people, it's only when you look beneath the surface you can find out the whole story.

The same can be said of my kitchen!

five sentence fiction - zombies

When I saw Lillie's prompt this week my heart sank, I am a fairytales kind of girl, I don't do HORROR stories, either reading or writing!

So when youngest son complained he was bored I decided to give him the challenge of writing a "zombie" tale instead.

I tweaked a few things with him when he had finished, mostly the beginnings of each sentence; originally 4 out of 5 started with the word "they". Otherwise it is all his own work.

He is twelve, an avid reader of fantasy, with a particular liking for books in a series but not first person narrative!  At the moment he is waiting for the library to get him a copy of Inheritance by Christopher Paolini and he won't read anything else but the Lego catalogue while he waits!

This morning I printed off the story for him to take to school and show both his English teacher and form teacher.

"What about showing the librarian too?" was my suggestion. I know she writes and would be interested.

He beamed proudly as he clutched his story and happily went off to school.

Zombies

Bob and Fred walked through the broken door of the crooked haunted house.

They looked around it was dark and creepy inside, something was wrong but they couldn’t think what it was.

As the detectives climbed up the stairs the timbers creaked under their weight.

A shadowy figure lurched towards them and in one swift blow they were both dead.

The zombie looked down at his work, smiled to himself and lumbered back into the gloom, waiting patiently for his next victims.

Inspiration for the story...

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

http://lilliemcferrin.com/five-sentence-fiction-zombie/

It's only fair

This morning was almost like a rehearsal for Christmas Day in our house.  It is youngest son’s birthday and last night he had the traditional birthday sleep-over. 

At 4.30 this morning there were 3 boys awake and bouncing on the beds.  My darling second child had already unwrapped his cards and presents from his friends.

“It’s only half past four!”  I sternly admonished them.

They pleaded innocence to the early hour.

“Back to bed and back to sleep!”

I switched off the light leaving the loft in silence and went back to find my own duvet in hope of getting a bit more sleep myself.

Seven o’clock is a far more respectable hour but I managed to convince them the Lego needed tidying downstairs before we even contemplated opening more presents and making more mess!  Thus giving myself a few extra minutes in bed before reluctantly getting up and dressed.

We had a birthday breakfast this year to capitalise on the fact his birthday falls in the school holiday.  Next year it doesn’t.  It also gave us a chance to catch up with our close friends before we scatter to celebrate Christmas with our families.

Now when his big brother was fifteen, only eleven days ago, I wrote a post all about how wonderful he was.  In the spirit of fairness I suppose I had better write a glowing report about youngest son too!

What can I say? 

He is lively, determined, argumentative, extremely bright, creative, persuasive, practical, sometimes helpful, often challenging and amazingly loving.  He is great at solving problems but asks the most awkward of questions.

Some of his characteristics have come straight from his dad and at other times I can see so much of me in him it’s frightening.

He knows EVERYTHING there is to know about Star Wars and Lego.  Merlin and Dr Who would also be excellent specialist subjects for him if he went on Junior Mastermind – I really need to find out how to apply.

As a baby we called him Limpet as he was very clingy.  He still is my most demonstrative and tactile child giving lots of kisses and cuddles – but only to his mother.  It is those kisses and cuddles that have frequently sustained me and I treasure our closeness.  Even yesterday as we shopped for today’s breakfast goodies he held my hand.  Having someone to physically hold when you have lost a husband is a precious gift.

So now my youngest is twelve, a big boy at secondary school.  I am pleased with the way he has settled in to this new stage of his life.  Andrew always worried so much about him but he is growing up and facing many different experiences admirably. 

I am proud of him beyond words and truly blessed to have both of these very special young men in my life.

There was no time to make him a cake this year but here is a picture of the Wise Man T-shirt I made him for the nativity.  He was Isaac Newton and with some help from his friends he wrote their part of the script.  Talented beyond belief - did I mention how he takes after his mother!!!

Lego Challenge

Youngest son has for a long while been telling me that

“Life seems easier when you are building Lego!”

Oh such a wise head on young shoulders, but I wondered how true the statement really was?

Lego is his passion and time always passes wonderfully if you are engaged in something you enjoy. 

Meanwhile oldest son rarely sits still and probably wouldn’t agree with the above statement at all, he’d rather be out playing sport – now that would reduce me to tears.  I can vividly remember the stinging cold legs from being out in shorts in November on the school hockey pitch.  I fail to see the excitement to be had.

I get enthusiastic when I have a new idea to write about.  My eyes start to twinkle as I can feel the words bubbling up inside.

We are all different.

I decided to test the theory when youngest son threw down a challenge.

“I bet I can tidy my Lego faster than you can build Anakin’s Starfighter.”

Well any trick to get the Lego tidy will do for me, plus I am the competitive sort and really wanted to show what I could do.  As they say on Top Gear – “how hard can it be?”

Half an hour later I casually walked up the stairs humming the Star Wars music, Anakin’s Starfighter completed in my hand.

Youngest son was amazed at my brilliance.  I have certainly scored a few points in the “best mum” stakes today.

So does “life seem easier when you are building Lego”?

Absolutely.  The pieces fit together with precision engineering and the instructions are all in colour.

And is the Lego tidy? – hmmm the flaw in my plan was my competitive streak.  I wanted so much to impress my son with my skills that I finished before him and there is still Lego all over his bedroom floor.  The chaalenge is over and he has wandered off.

Next time I must remember that life IS easier when you are building Lego and will therefore take my time and make the experience last.

Go on raid the Lego box today – you know you want to…