Things that touch the heart

It was so nice to meet up with my son Justin whose a civil servant in Sheffield to travel on the train to Manchester. We went along to the Bridgewater Hall to see jazz trio The Brubecks play the greats of their father, the genius Dave Brubeck, who had his first hit with 'Blue Rondo a la Turk' back in 1959. They were joined by saxophonist Dave O' Higgins, a splendidly inventive and talented player.

'Take Five' and all of then other original hits of Dave Brubeck were so memorable ! The Brubecks have played for Barack Obama.  Justin and I ate in the Pizza Express in Manchester and even shared a bottle of  Rioja, after sharing  a beer or two on the train. It coat me £45.00 for the ticketson  the train for the two of us and I thought that was a bit expensive...should've booked in advance. I didn't let it spoil an otherwise splendid event even though it was a school night and I felt a little dicey today.

Lat week, I stood a few yards away from the Queen as she visited Sheffield Cathedral. I was covering her trip for our local BBC station where I work as a jobbing reporter. She always looks much smaller and demure in real life, but her smile dropped as she walked past me with a microphone in my hand. Sharp as a button at 84, good old Liz. I may be a republican but she worked the crowd hard that day. 

Later in the day some anti-war protestors turned up at the Advance Nuclear Manufacturing park in Sheffield where she was turning the sod (using virtual technology) to initiate work on a new research centre.