Me sound checking at Shuttleworth!

Hello one and all it’s been another action packed weekend with the Flying Proms and all and what a great night that turned out to be too. I was singing at Shuttleworth and I’m pleased to say the rain kept off although lots of picnickers did have there umbrellas to hand just in case. It was lovely to see my friend Gail and to hear the National Symphony Orchestra play. They included a few of my favourites – Nimrod, The Dambuster’s March and Rule Britannia. Although my favourite piece of the whole concert was Dvorak’s  “Song to the Moon” which was beautifully sung by their soprano who’s real name was also Fiona. A popular name for a soprano it would seem! Song to the Moon is one of my favourite arias and it’s one of those arias I never quite got around to learning but I now feel I really ought to as I do love it.

Ready for my Glamour Set at Shuttleworth!

I really enjoyed taking part in the Proms as they had planes flying over head to the music and afterwards they had all the pilots on stage as they played the Theme from Top Gun. It kind of set me thinking we could do with a British composer to write a rousing piece of music called The Squadron or something like that rather than always relying on the Americans. So maybe one day! I myself sung from the 1940s and 50s my first set being a WAAF singalong followed by a glamour set. I did a real mix bag from The Andrews Sisters to Rodgers and Hammerstein and I even included some Rock and Roll. By this part of the evening everyone had finished their picnics and had come to the front of the stage – it was wonderful to see everyone up and dancing. I even got an encore – and the atnospire was electric. So thank-you to David for inviting me and to sound engineers Russell and John. I don’t think John quite knew what had hit him -I can be such a terror! Bless you John for being such a good sport! xx

Me at Ramsey with Jubilee Caravans!

Meeting up with Paul Casper!

Sunday I took some time out to visit the Ramsey 1940s show and I was thrilled to bump into my friend Paul Casper who is the most wonderful George Formby so we enjoyed having a cup of off ration tea together. I myself was there to do a bit of shopping as I’m booked to do a 1920s 30s photo shoot this week. I had my eye on a particular hat but when it came to trying it on it didn’t suit at all. In fact it made me look like the awful mother in law and at least 120 years old. However I found something else which was just perfect from Vintage and Revival plus another beautiful hand made hat by Cindy Henry which will go with one of my suits perfectly. While I was at the show I rather fell in love with this beautiful car and Vintage Caravan. The Caravan was made by Ken and he makes them to order check out their web-site www.jubileecaravans.com It was so lovely to meet you Ken and Simon too and I hope you get lots of orders.
Tomorrow I’m off bright and early to the hair dresses in prep for Wednesdays photo shoot. I shall be shooting this week in Suffolk at Earsham Hall which is a stately home in the village of Bungay. I’ve been busy sorting out my 1920s 30s dresses and I’m working with a very talented photographer called Angela Adams check out her web-site www.clickdp.co.uk I shall be away for a few days coming back on the 22nd as I have a tea dance to do in Saffron Walden on the way back so busy busy.
In the mean time do check out my photos from this weekend on my face book pages and thank-you for following http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fiona-Harrison-A-Voice-in-a-Million/143965822288531
Toodle Pip! 😉

Me sound checking at Shuttleworth!

Hello one and all it’s been another action packed weekend with the Flying Proms and all and what a great night that turned out to be too. I was singing at Shuttleworth and I’m pleased to say the rain kept off although lots of picnickers did have there umbrellas to hand just in case. It was lovely to see my friend Gail and to hear the National Symphony Orchestra play. They included a few of my favourites – Nimrod, The Dambuster’s March and Rule Britannia. Although my favourite piece of the whole concert was Dvorak’s  “Song to the Moon” which was beautifully sung by their soprano who’s real name was also Fiona. A popular name for a soprano it would seem! Song to the Moon is one of my favourite arias and it’s one of those arias I never quite got around to learning but I now feel I really ought to as I do love it.

Ready for my Glamour Set at Shuttleworth!

I really enjoyed taking part in the Proms as they had planes flying over head to the music and afterwards they had all the pilots on stage as they played the Theme from Top Gun. It kind of set me thinking we could do with a British composer to write a rousing piece of music called The Squadron or something like that rather than always relying on the Americans. So maybe one day! I myself sung from the 1940s and 50s my first set being a WAAF singalong followed by a glamour set. I did a real mix bag from The Andrews Sisters to Rodgers and Hammerstein and I even included some Rock and Roll. By this part of the evening everyone had finished their picnics and had come to the front of the stage – it was wonderful to see everyone up and dancing. I even got an encore – and the atnospire was electric. So thank-you to David for inviting me and to sound engineers Russell and John. I don’t think John quite knew what had hit him -I can be such a terror! Bless you John for being such a good sport! xx

Me at Ramsey with Jubilee Caravans!

Meeting up with Paul Casper!

Sunday I took some time out to visit the Ramsey 1940s show and I was thrilled to bump into my friend Paul Casper who is the most wonderful George Formby so we enjoyed having a cup of off ration tea together. I myself was there to do a bit of shopping as I’m booked to do a 1920s 30s photo shoot this week. I had my eye on a particular hat but when it came to trying it on it didn’t suit at all. In fact it made me look like the awful mother in law and at least 120 years old. However I found something else which was just perfect from Vintage and Revival plus another beautiful hand made hat by Cindy Henry which will go with one of my suits perfectly. While I was at the show I rather fell in love with this beautiful car and Vintage Caravan. The Caravan was made by Ken and he makes them to order check out their web-site www.jubileecaravans.com It was so lovely to meet you Ken and Simon too and I hope you get lots of orders.
Tomorrow I’m off bright and early to the hair dresses in prep for Wednesdays photo shoot. I shall be shooting this week in Suffolk at Earsham Hall which is a stately home in the village of Bungay. I’ve been busy sorting out my 1920s 30s dresses and I’m working with a very talented photographer called Angela Adams check out her web-site www.clickdp.co.uk I shall be away for a few days coming back on the 22nd as I have a tea dance to do in Saffron Walden on the way back so busy busy.
In the mean time do check out my photos from this weekend on my face book pages and thank-you for following http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fiona-Harrison-A-Voice-in-a-Million/143965822288531
Toodle Pip! 😉

Today I have been getting ready for the weekend and it’s going to be a very busy Saturday. I’ve spent most of today in the hair dresses in prep and thank-you to Joe who came round this morning and gave me a helping hand in polishing my brasses and shoes. I often find there are just not enough hours in the day to do everything myself and I do enjoy polishing my brasses but uniforms don’t prep them selves so thank-you Joe for your help.
Tomorrow afternoon I will be in Milton Keynes performing my Pearly Queen show before heading off to Shuttleworth for the Flying Proms in the evening. I have 2 x 30mins sets to do one WAAF and one 1940s 50s glamour and I believe they are expecting about 3000 people. It’s one of those dos where you bring a pic nick and in true British fashion it looks like it might rain so bring your umbrella as well! That’s the wonderful thing about being British when we decide to go to an out door concert it makes no difference at all what the weather does. I’ve done it myself sat out in the rain picnicking to Handle’s Water Music – there’s a joke there! Tomorrow it will be the National Symphony Orchestra doing all the Prom Classics while planes fly over head and a Firework finale so I’m looking forward to taking part very much. Do check out their web-site for details www.shuttleworth.org
Sunday I shall be heading off to the Ramsey 1940s event in Cambridgeshire to do some shopping. So often when I am working at these events I don’t get a proper chance to look at the stalls and shop. There is a hat I am particularly interested in which I spotted back in January. Next week I’m booked to do a 1920s 30s photo shoot at Earsham Hall  in Suffolk. So I’ve been sorting out all my outfits and I know this hat will be perfect. Well I still have a few jobs to sort out for tomorrow so I shall sign off now. Thank-you for following and Toodle Pip for Now!

Today I have been getting ready for the weekend and it’s going to be a very busy Saturday. I’ve spent most of today in the hair dresses in prep and thank-you to Joe who came round this morning and gave me a helping hand in polishing my brasses and shoes. I often find there are just not enough hours in the day to do everything myself and I do enjoy polishing my brasses but uniforms don’t prep them selves so thank-you Joe for your help.
Tomorrow afternoon I will be in Milton Keynes performing my Pearly Queen show before heading off to Shuttleworth for the Flying Proms in the evening. I have 2 x 30mins sets to do one WAAF and one 1940s 50s glamour and I believe they are expecting about 3000 people. It’s one of those dos where you bring a pic nick and in true British fashion it looks like it might rain so bring your umbrella as well! That’s the wonderful thing about being British when we decide to go to an out door concert it makes no difference at all what the weather does. I’ve done it myself sat out in the rain picnicking to Handle’s Water Music – there’s a joke there! Tomorrow it will be the National Symphony Orchestra doing all the Prom Classics while planes fly over head and a Firework finale so I’m looking forward to taking part very much. Do check out their web-site for details www.shuttleworth.org
Sunday I shall be heading off to the Ramsey 1940s event in Cambridgeshire to do some shopping. So often when I am working at these events I don’t get a proper chance to look at the stalls and shop. There is a hat I am particularly interested in which I spotted back in January. Next week I’m booked to do a 1920s 30s photo shoot at Earsham Hall  in Suffolk. So I’ve been sorting out all my outfits and I know this hat will be perfect. Well I still have a few jobs to sort out for tomorrow so I shall sign off now. Thank-you for following and Toodle Pip for Now!

After a weekend of messing about on boats I’m back on the road again singing for my supper but not before I sort out all my paper work. This week I have been able to fill some important dates including new years eve so this year I will be in London performing at a very smart Mayfair hotel – so can’t wait!
Today I was playing for a Synagogue in Edgeware with my 1940s “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” show and tomorrow I’m in Peterbough doing the same again with it being VJ Day. I tried out one of my new songs today “Hands Knees and Boomps a Daisy” an odd choice for a 1940s”Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” show you might be thinking but actully it worked rather well. As all you anoraks out there will know it’s retro spective. Although it speaks about the 1890s and bustles it was in fact written in 1939 and from the film Band Waggon with Arthur Askey and Richard Murdoch. I have to say this song is very me – it’s a little bit naughty but in a rather sweet way and I can flirt quite shamefully while singing it. Speaking of which I really must sort out a bustle as I really want one! I just have to track down the right silk – yes I’ve decided my bustle must be silk!
We’ll that’s about all my news for now. I have a busy weekend planed with a Pearly Queen Show booked in on Saturday before I change and become a WAAF and then  head off to Shuttleworth for the Flying Proms.
Thanks for following and Toodle Pip! 😉

After a weekend of messing about on boats I’m back on the road again singing for my supper but not before I sort out all my paper work. This week I have been able to fill some important dates including new years eve so this year I will be in London performing at a very smart Mayfair hotel – so can’t wait!
Today I was playing for a Synagogue in Edgeware with my 1940s “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” show and tomorrow I’m in Peterbough doing the same again with it being VJ Day. I tried out one of my new songs today “Hands Knees and Boomps a Daisy” an odd choice for a 1940s”Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” show you might be thinking but actully it worked rather well. As all you anoraks out there will know it’s retro spective. Although it speaks about the 1890s and bustles it was in fact written in 1939 and from the film Band Waggon with Arthur Askey and Richard Murdoch. I have to say this song is very me – it’s a little bit naughty but in a rather sweet way and I can flirt quite shamefully while singing it. Speaking of which I really must sort out a bustle as I really want one! I just have to track down the right silk – yes I’ve decided my bustle must be silk!
We’ll that’s about all my news for now. I have a busy weekend planed with a Pearly Queen Show booked in on Saturday before I change and become a WAAF and then  head off to Shuttleworth for the Flying Proms.
Thanks for following and Toodle Pip! 😉

Me Piloting Smyne

Today I have been out on the Grand Union Canal piloting a narrow boat thanks to my friends Bill and Sheila. For those of you who follow me will know I’m something of a work-aholic. I always seem to be on the road heading off to some show or other so today was a real treat. In fact this is the first weekend I’ve had free since April and it does seem a little strange not to have to dash anywhere. So thank-you so much Bill for inviting me.
It’s great to live where I do because the Grand Union Canal is at the bottom of my road and Bill and Sheila’s house backs onto the canal which is why they bought their property.

The Grand Union Canal

 Their Narrow Boat is called Smyne a play on words meaning “It’s Mine” and they have it moored at the bottom of their garden. It was lovely today to be out on the canal seeing Leighton Buzzard from a different angle. Tesco in Leighton Buzzard backs onto the Grand Union Canal and there are lots of mooring places where you can stop to do you shopping before heading off again. Today we headed down the canal to The Globe Inn and stopped for a lovely pub lunch. There is something quite romantic turning up for Sunday lunch in a Narrow Boat and tieing up out-side!

Lunch at The Globe Inn

 Needless to say if you have a Narrow Boat one thing you have to master is going through locks.
What a wonderful piece of engineering a lock is. Sheila is a dab hand at it and I really enjoyed helping, winding down the ratchet and pushing the lock open. There is quite a bit to it and it is possible for a lock to take 2 narrow boats at a time. On the way back there was a Que of us to go through the lock. If you are the only narrow boat going through you don’t have to open both gates you can just sail through the one. There is quite a knack to controlling the boat and when you are waiting on the toe path it’s important to hold the middle rope and not one of the end ones. If you are holding one of the end ropes the wash of any passing boat will cause the other end to swing out. So there is quite a bit to getting it right!

Shelia and Bill

Bill very kindly let me have a go at the tiller and un like a car if you want to go left you steer right and if you want to go right you steer left. It takes quite a bit of getting use to and you have to remember to pass on the right and head for the middle of the canal when sailing along normally. I think I did OK but then I did have a good teacher – Thank-you Bill!
Well I did say this was my first weekend off in ages and Saturday night I was at an engagement party so it’s been great to have some time out. I’ve a busy week next week with 6 shows to do and the Flying Proms on Saturday at Shuttleworth which is a really big do. I think they usually have about 3000 people who come along to that event so it’s wonderful to be involved – all thanks to my friends Brian and Cherie of “Perfect Vintage”. That’s about all my news for now and I shall post up some of my photos from today onto face book so do take a look.
Thanks for following and Toodle Pip!

Me Piloting Smyne

Today I have been out on the Grand Union Canal piloting a narrow boat thanks to my friends Bill and Sheila. For those of you who follow me will know I’m something of a work-aholic. I always seem to be on the road heading off to some show or other so today was a real treat. In fact this is the first weekend I’ve had free since April and it does seem a little strange not to have to dash anywhere. So thank-you so much Bill for inviting me.
It’s great to live where I do because the Grand Union Canal is at the bottom of my road and Bill and Sheila’s house backs onto the canal which is why they bought their property.

The Grand Union Canal

 Their Narrow Boat is called Smyne a play on words meaning “It’s Mine” and they have it moored at the bottom of their garden. It was lovely today to be out on the canal seeing Leighton Buzzard from a different angle. Tesco in Leighton Buzzard backs onto the Grand Union Canal and there are lots of mooring places where you can stop to do you shopping before heading off again. Today we headed down the canal to The Globe Inn and stopped for a lovely pub lunch. There is something quite romantic turning up for Sunday lunch in a Narrow Boat and tieing up out-side!

Lunch at The Globe Inn

 Needless to say if you have a Narrow Boat one thing you have to master is going through locks.
What a wonderful piece of engineering a lock is. Sheila is a dab hand at it and I really enjoyed helping, winding down the ratchet and pushing the lock open. There is quite a bit to it and it is possible for a lock to take 2 narrow boats at a time. On the way back there was a Que of us to go through the lock. If you are the only narrow boat going through you don’t have to open both gates you can just sail through the one. There is quite a knack to controlling the boat and when you are waiting on the toe path it’s important to hold the middle rope and not one of the end ones. If you are holding one of the end ropes the wash of any passing boat will cause the other end to swing out. So there is quite a bit to getting it right!

Shelia and Bill

Bill very kindly let me have a go at the tiller and un like a car if you want to go left you steer right and if you want to go right you steer left. It takes quite a bit of getting use to and you have to remember to pass on the right and head for the middle of the canal when sailing along normally. I think I did OK but then I did have a good teacher – Thank-you Bill!
Well I did say this was my first weekend off in ages and Saturday night I was at an engagement party so it’s been great to have some time out. I’ve a busy week next week with 6 shows to do and the Flying Proms on Saturday at Shuttleworth which is a really big do. I think they usually have about 3000 people who come along to that event so it’s wonderful to be involved – all thanks to my friends Brian and Cherie of “Perfect Vintage”. That’s about all my news for now and I shall post up some of my photos from today onto face book so do take a look.
Thanks for following and Toodle Pip!