Don't you want to know why we keep starting fires ?

For those who like loose ends tied up, our fifth competitive dance went spectacularly well - it was in the Cumberland Arms (spiritual home of rapper teams), danced in front of a wall plastered with rapper trophies past and present, to an amazingly enthusiastic audience.

We also danced at the (non-competitive) evening gala, but that was ( a bit of a disaster )

Sadly, when the winners were announced we weren't in the top three of our class. The full results aren't out yet (or if they are, I haven't seen them) so I don't know how well we did do; the marks are always an interesting read and give us a hint on what to work on next.

A fun weekend, though.

I wrote a letter to my love and on the way I lost it

My digital camera is currently knackered, so I took my dad's old camera away with me at the weekend. I hadn't realised quite how cheap and nasty his old camera was (his new camera's lovely, mind), or that it wouldn't be able to take photos of moving things without blur.

So, no photos of people dancing. Instead, a snap of something stationary which amused me quite disproportionately on Saturday morning:

( ...down a side-alley near Byker Bridge Road... )

Let's hear it for cigarettes

So... this year I'm supposed to be acquiring approximately one new skill per month.

February has been the month for drawing. Ably aided and abetted by bateleur (in his secret art-teacher alter-ego) I have been propelled through basic exercises, and made to draw (variously) tankards, trains, beach huts and a little old granny digging the garden.

Drawing is, it turns out, very hard. And takes a very long time. And I can only do it if I have Bateleur leaning over my shoulder saying "No! Don't put that line there!" However, I've learned quite a lot about what sort of pictures I might like to - and be able to - draw, if only I can manage to be sufficiently patient and practise. And about how to go about executing them.

The stated goal for drawing was "produce a recognisable drawing which I need not be ashamed to display in public!"

( Did I succeed? )

Many, many thanks to Bateleur for his time, patience, advice and ability to know where lines ought to go. And to lathany for yummy pasta, general hospitality and letting me borrow Bateleur :)

March is now underway, in both senses.