Steve_Bamlett_blog

The Old Man’s Birthday Trip

Well, here I am.on my birthday trip, a present from my lovely husband Geoff, who couldn’t make that preesnt complete by travelling with me.  Now, as I tap on my phone, on the station at Durham:

Now on board:and breakfast orders come round.. I could get used to first-class. My lovely husband! I chose spinach frittata and beans for brunch [quite good surprisingly].

It was a sadder birthday yezterday than I hoped because somehow a cold we both got has settled badly on Geoff and he has a bad chest and is breathless., whilst mine seems to have cleared except for lingering minor cough and sore throat. Here he was last night putting a brave face on my curry night at Alishaan at Durham:

He tried so hard to think of me for ‘my day’ but he is obviously suffering. Thinking of him but determined to enjoy this trip which he planned for me. He got me some second-hand books too so I would have something to unwrap wirh his caring card:

And though Geoff (silly billy) got me a card ftom her, Daisy was clearly not willing to join in the ‘fun’, getting straight into her basket and moving moodily between staring  therefrom into the front garden through the french doors and then lying down in moody fashion.

In bed Geoff brought out two packets of preaents and cards from friends.. the cards more or less summed up my frivolous life: left politics, art (with a note of queer survival) and books.

The pesents likewise spoke to interests. The pop-up card from Joanne guards a couple of pieces each based on well known Rodin pieces. Joanne knows I love his severed hands in emotive gestures whilst she is deluded that I might be like his The Thinker from Dante’s Gates of Hell. As I told her – if only I was as well developed as he between the thighs. Lol. She blushed. Lovely lady.

Rob and Linda got ne the comic  vintage jug below based on Oliver Twist, a book we all love, and probably the first Dickens book I read as a child. Since then I hzve always wanted ‘More!’, if I could get it. This jug however is calibrated to hold a lot of gruel, thank goodness.

Bur now slightly sad as the train slows down to pull into York.

A bit plagued that Geoff got me this wonderful present but isn’t with me and is breathless and shattered at home.

But, nevertheless, here is  the final schedule of tbe days in front of me which Geoff has instructed me to enjoy.

Day & Time	Event	Preview blog location	Final blog location after completion
25th October 10.40 a.m.	Train from Durham to Kings Cross (13.41)	N/A	This blog in lieu
25th October 2.45 p.m.	Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers (The National Gallery)	https://livesteven.com/2024/10/16/the-current-exhibition-at-the-national-gallery-promises-to-make-you-see-van-gogh-differently-i-see-it-on-thursday-25th-october-i-read-cornelia-homburg-ed-2024-van-gogh-poets-lover/	Awaiting write-up
25th October 7.30 p.m.	Waiting for Godot  (Theatre Royal Haymarket)	https://livesteven.com/2024/10/03/a-blog-stating-a-case-for-a-queer-reading-of-the-classic-play-by-samuel-beckett-waiting-for-godot-a-tragicomedy-in-two-acts-seeing-ben-whishaw-at-the-haymarket-25th-october-202/?_gl=1*h9onn4*_gcl_au*OTg1MjkwNDQxLjE3MjYwNDY4NDI.	https://livesteven.com/2024/10/27/the-moon-rises-at-back-mounts-in-the-sky-stands-still-shedding-a-pale-light-on-the-scene-in-the-theatre-royal-haymarket-production-of-waiting-for-godot-is-the-unlabelled-moonligh/?_gl=1*lfcd2x*_gcl_au*OTg1MjkwNDQxLjE3MjYwNDY4NDI.
26th October 11.00 a.m.	Francis Bacon: The Human Presence (National Portrait Gallery)	This one:   https://livesteven.com/2024/10/21/this-blog-prepares-me-for-the-first-exhibition-of-bacon-devoted-solely-to-the-concept-of-portraiture-with-the-help-of-rosie-broadley-ed-2024-francis-bacon-human-presence/?_gl=1*qifphh*_gcl_au*OTg1MjkwNDQxLjE3MjYwNDY4NDI.	Awaiting write-up
26th October 3.00 p.m.	Danez Smith: ‘Bluff’ (Southbank Centre)	On Sioux Falls only: https://livesteven.com/2024/10/07/how-dare-i-love-you-here-in-the-evidence-of-evil-some-thoughts-about-sioux-falls-in-danez-smith-2024-bluff/?_gl=1*b7iwf0*_gcl_au*OTg1MjkwNDQxLjE3MjYwNDY4NDI. Fuller blog: https://livesteven.com/2024/10/19/and-as-for-our-destination-there-is-a-place-but-thats-my-own-somewhere-far-from-your-knowing-this-is-a-blog-concerning-danez-smith-2024/	https://livesteven.com/2024/10/28/on-seeing-danez-smith/?_gl=1ouj2bj_gcl_au*MTg2MDkyMTk3OC4xNzI2MzgzMzEw
26th October 18.30 a.m.	Train from Kings Cross  to Durham (21.41)	N/A	https://livesteven.com/2024/10/26/the-old-mans-birthday-trip-continued-at-the-age-of-70-years-and-two-days/?_gl=1*cbasjq*_gcl_au*OTg1MjkwNDQxLjE3MjYwNDY4NDI.

PS: Because Geoff was ill our friends Paul and Catherine couldn’t come over on the day but she called today (Monday 28 October) with a wonderful mock tier cake made up of wonderful local Northumberland cheeses. Take a trip around it.

Enjoy it I will from Van Gogh, through Beckett and Bacon with a chance at the end to get ny Danez Smith volumes signed by the global best in queer poetry.

Well that is the blog for today. I will update the schedule table above when I have written responses to my experiences. Pray that Geoff gets better soon for me.

With love

Steven xxxxxxxxxx