DOING THE LAMBETH WALK!

Another really busy weekend, due to the Easter holiday. My friend Drew was down in London for a meeting at Elstree studios on Thursday, and he stayed for a couple of days and then drove Della, Gareth and myself up to Calderdale early on Easter Sunday in order that I could attend  a couple of engagements which I was committed to.

It seems that the residents of Brighouse and indeed Huddersfield and Halifax take Easter very seriously, and treat it as a great opportunity for all the community to get together. In fact, people turned out in their droves, despite the bad weather, and the quite atrocious cold. But this did not seem to deter the locals in the least; indeed, even a certain local mad woman was rumoured to have turned up to one of the more lively ‘knees ups’ and was extremely enthusiastic – some might say – gymnastic – despite sporting a heavy plaster cast on her recently injured leg. She had tied her dog to some nearby railings, and its persistent whining and growling in its attempts to join in with the loud ‘pop’ music blasting out of the tannoy system nearly led to her ejection from the event. But she was determined to stick it out until the ‘Lambeth Walk’ came on. Bless her!   In fact, I only mention this at all to give you all some idea of the spirit of the occasion. I was surprised that people in Yorkshire even knew what the Lambeth Walk is, let alone are so fond of it.

However it seems that all things London connected are ‘the rage’ up there, which is strange because one usually gets the impression that they all hate London really. But they are quite welcome to borrow the Lambeth Walk if it makes them happy – let them have it – in fact they can keep it as far as I’m concerned. For the benefit of anyone who doesn’t know how the dance is performed, here is an example of it being performed in London where it originated:

This was a great occasion but Easter was not yet over, for I still had to attend a prize giving function to award prizes to the lucky winners of the Marsden Easter Treasure Trail. As we were in Yorkshire we decided to go and check out an apparently haunted pub afterwards, in which an eighteenth century landlord had murdered his wife with a poker, which is still in evidence in the old fireplace. This took us a good few hours, and by the time Gareth and I felt that our investigation had been conducted to our high standards we were totally exhausted and practically leaning on each other for support! These Yorkshire excursions can really take it out of you; thank God for Drew who had taken us all there (and as designated driver was on orange juice) and without whom we could never had made it there – or back! It’s a hard life being a psychic investigator sometimes.

Still, make it back to Drew’s apartment we did, and managed to get in a relatively early night (or what was left of it) as I had to be up bright and early to cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the Hebden Bridge  Easter Indoor Bazaar at 10am. We stopped off for a pub lunch on the way back (there are so many haunted pubs in Yorkshire!) but while Drew and I and the rest had a roast dinner, Gareth had to make do with a baked potato and coleslaw as I don’t think they have heard of vegetarianism that far north! In fact Gareth is extremely difficult to feed, and refuses to touch eggs, cooked cheese, pasta, pizza or most vegetables. Obviously bacon is out of the question. Although for some reason he does love vegetarian curry.

We arrived back in London late afternoon early evening, and much to our delight it was still light due to British Summertime starting yesterday. In fact it is still light as I type.

Well I think it will be an early night for us tonight, as I still have some people coming over tomorrow evening. OH for a peaceful life!

Well that’s its for now, everyone, please keep watching this space , as I might have more news of one of the film projects I am currently involved with, although really this concerns the Highgate ‘vampire’ and not the rural, fence girded wastes of Yorkshire.

For now,
David