We are back from Liverpool. It has been an interesting weekend - not without it's tensions but I had a great time. I think next time I need to go on my own and not try to do so much. Trying to juggle Mark and Eva's needs and mine, doing church stuff as well as trying to see everyone is quite hard and it feels that nobody got to do exactly what they wanted and we have come back feeling a bit frustrated and compromised. Having said that we did do so much it is hardly surprising that we are a bit fractious. We got to Bob and Sue's at about 8pm and I had driven most of the way so was tired but buzzing so we tried to find food on Lark Lane. It seems that the combination of the three of us, tiredness and excitement is too much and it ended in a row about food. So, we just fed Eva and got her to bed. Seeing Bob and Sue was great. Bob was very excited about his play and we had a great evening catching up. I spent Friday chilling in the morning, saw Kate who was lunching with Jo and Katie so we had a great chat. Eva went off with Kate to get Maddie from school, I went to see Henry (my new boss and vicar at St Peter's and St John's). We got lots sorted but it was tiring and I didn't leave enough time for a rest before the evening. It is so difficult to rest properly when you re away from home comforts.
I spent 2 hours desperately wanting to get to the Capital of Culture launch event early enough to get a good position to see things but got caught up in other plans and didn't get into town until 7.30pm by which time it was chocker. We had a pretty bad spec but it was nevertheless worth going as being part of such a big crowd is so exciting. I am not sure what I thought of the event itself. It was difficult to make sense of it as we couldn't hear (or see). Seeing Andy Del and Claire Caddick up on the roof with Ringo (who performed in a large perspex container on the roof) was great. I was made up for Andy who considers Ringo to be a hero and the best Beatle. You can see pictures of the event at the offical 08 flicker page.
Did you watch the Culture Show last night? It was an optimistic take on the plans for the year and a good review of the weekend's events.
After the launch we went to see Matt and Kate to find out how Eva was getting on with Maddie - they were having a great time so they had a sleep over and we stayed and chatted for a while until I fell asleep on the sofa and knew it was time to go home. After a good breakfast in Greendays with Kate, Andrea and Andy on Saturday we went into town quite early to have a stomp about and walk from Bold Street to the Dock. There is still so much work to be done in town to get it all spick and span. I am not sure it will be done this year. It was great to wonder about get some bits and bobs and just enjoy being in the city. We eventually made it to the Tate to see the Turner Prize exhibition. I was quite impressed by it, not least for the diversity and depth of the work. Eva loved it and had loads to say about what was going on. She and Andrea had a great time analyzing the work and commenting on it.
We had a little rest before going to see Bob's play at the Unity - if you get a chance to go and see it. The company is called Big Wow - on this week and then probably reprising for Edinburgh. Then I stayed up too late chatting with Chris, Bob, Sue, Andrea and Mark.
Got up for church - Eva and I managed to get it together to go to Christ Church on Linnet Lane (my sending church). It was great to see everyone again and catch up. It seems such a long time since I was there and it as great to see so many new faces as well as hear from old friends. The congregation is getting bigger, it seems like so many positive things have happened.
By the time I got back to Bob and Sue's I was ready to go home - the whole weekend had exhausted me and I felt emotionally pulled in two as I want to make the most of being at Trinity and finishing off work etc but I also just want to get to Liverpool and start my job. The tension I was feeling about my 'old' Liverpool life and the potential for the 'new' one was very hard for me and I found it almost impossible to get things in perspective as we left. We had lunch at Andrea's, which was very kind of her, but I was distracted, tired and to be honest just wanted to switch off and disappear. The journey back was tempestuous as Mark and I fell out over pop music, food and driving. I guess that is how things go sometimes feelings are so overwhelming that they spill out and can be counter to what really should be happening. We should be excited about the future but instead we are fighting against it and trying to make it far more threatening that it probably is.
After a weird night's sleep dreaming about Beatles in a box, big crowds, people shouting to me from far away and being very very small (Freud would have field day with my dreams) I have woken up with the task of writing an essay. It is Mark's birthday so a cake will be made and we will probably be friends again by tea-time.
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