2004 Diary

What a shame to see the beautiful big Beccles Control Tower so neglected and on the point of falling over.....pics HERE.

A fun night out with the Yanks at Lakenheath for their fancy dress party, only it seems we were the oldest people there, with the majority of the attendees in their mid to late twenties :-D Cheap subsidised beer, good music and dancing, and a guy in a Spiderman costume that I couldn't grab for a photo!

To celebrate 60 years of the USAF in Europe and also celebrating the 48th Fighter Wing, we were invited along to RAF Lakenheath to give dancing demos and generally to have a ball with the Yanks - click HERE for pics!

A pleasant weekend at Holt, Weybourn and Sheringham, riding on the lovely old steam trains, being surrounded by re-enactors in uniform and Forties glamour, and dancing on railway platforms! Saturday night was particularly enjoyable due to a portable stereo, lots of beer and swing music, and a platoon of re-enactors who decided to teach us how to drill in return for us teaching them how to do the Stroll! Click HERE for pics.

My first time seeing this much-talked about band and they sure didn't disappoint! Great music, not a note or hair out of place, lively and energetic band members who should be on the Olympic team, and great performances including juggling, sword fights with brass instruments, standing on tables and much more! A must-see band if you ever hear they are in your area!

My first ever visit to Normandy with my dad for an interesting and moving holiday. Click HERE for pics and HERE for my (long) journal of the holiday.

A triumphant return to Twinwood for me this year, as I was returning as a dancer not as a frustrated spectator who wanted to dance! Click HERE for pics and more.

21st August 2004:

Ramsay Wartime Weekend

A great weekend camping at Ramsay Rural Museum for their Forties Wartime Weekend. Much dancing, sunshine and men in uniform were enjoyed! Pics HERE.

15th August 2004:

Great Ashfield & Rattlesden airfields

Another day out visitng Eye, Great Ashfield and Rattlesden airfields. Pics HERE.

30th July 2004:

Lowestoft Air Show

A vast improvement on last years dull, grey, rained-off event. The sun shone, the planes turned up, and people packed the beach and promenade to watch what could potentially be the last airshow at Lowestoft. Unfortunately, out of an estimated 300,000 visitors over a two day period, only £35,000 was collected towards funding of the 2005 airshow. Quite disgraceful really! See my WHINGE page for the full rant. Airshow pics HERE.

25th July 2004:

Halesworth museum

An interesting day out at Halesworth museum, home of the 56th Fighter Group "Zemke's Wolfpack" and the 446th Bomb Group. Pics HERE.

17th July 2004:

Hardwick Hangar Dance

A disappointing evening at Hardwick with the Jonathan Wyatt Big Band, who I had first seen 3 years ago and hadn't been too impressed with. But I decided to give them a second chance from a dancing point of view, and unfortunately, despite the fab setting of a well decorated hangar and the presence of a 2 P51s, a Stearman and a Harvard, Mr Wyatt still failed to impress! Need more practice staying together during those fast numbers boys ;-)

11th July 2004:

Formula Woman on ITV

Well finally the cat can come out of the bag - I was a finalist in the much-hyped Formula Woman competition to find 16 female racing drivers. I was chosen from 10,000 applicants and then 2,400 shortlisted girls to attend a week-long Eliminations Camp at Cadwell park, but unfortunately I was eliminated on the Thursday and didn't get through to race.

That's about all I can say about things due to a signed confidentiality agreement, but I will say I met some great girls, made some good friendships, had some fab track time in an RX8, and also had my eyes open to the harsh "reality" of Reality TV.......click HERE for some screen grabs!

10th July 2004:

Bures Jazz Festival

My first time at the Bures festival, we went on the Saturday night for their Swing Dance evening. Featuring Forties DJ Terry Elliot and the awesome, AWESOME swing/jump jive band BLUE HARLEM. If anyone out there is looking to book a forties band, these are the guys you want. The female singer had that slightly nasal (but good!) quality to her voice that all forties female singers had, she sounded so authentic...not at all like other female big band singers I've heard, who unfortunately come across as cruise-ship singers! They were great to dance to, never missed a beat, and played great songs. I'll definitely be back at Bures next year!

10-11th July 2004:

Duxford Flying Legends

Back to Duxford again for my yearly fix of Warbirds. Pics and more words HERE.

4th July 2004:

Parham Open Day

A nice day out at Parham Tower with some great aerobatics, big crowds, loads of jeeps and then bucketloads of rain! Click HERE for pics.

27th June 2004:

Rougham Wings, Wheels and Steam

Traction engines in abundance today at Rougham airfield, plus a fairground, air displays, trade stands, dog shows, vintage tractors/motorbikes, massive queues at the chip van, and dancing displays with Barry and his Silver Bird Show. Oh, and the fab Control Tower too! Click HERE for pics.

26th June 2004:

Beccles Hangar Dance

A great night out at the Beccles heliport, home to an original T2 hangar and the tonight Super Swing Band, who rocked the joint til midnight with tons of swing.

20th June 2004:

Debach Open Day

Back to Debach again and what a difference a year makes. Click HERE for more.

6th June 2004:

The Jitterbug Ball

One of the biggest 40s dances in the UK, The Jitterbug Ball is held in Hammersmith Town Hall in London. I'd wanted to go to this event since first stumbling on their website. So we did! We met up with Helen (pictured) all the way from Tasmania, who contacted us via my Yahoo Swing Dance Group because she wanted to go too but didn't have anyone to go with. It was a great night but very hot and sweaty thanks to the serious lack of aircon in the old dancehall! Special guest for the night was Hal Singer, the tenor sax player who used to play alongside Duke Ellington. For an 85 year old guy he sure rocked! The Opus One big band also put on a great show, and Big Boy Bloater and his band were fantastic!

5th June 2004:

The Land Guard Fort

Landguard Fort has a long and rich history. Originally built at the behest of Henry the Eighth it is the only fort in England to have repelled a full scale invasion attempt. This was in 1667 when Captain Nathaniel Darell and 500 men defeated Admiral de Ruyter's Dutch force on 2nd July (Darell day is still celebrated). Since then the Fort has seen many changes during its time under military control up to 1956, when the army finally marched out. What remains now are parts of the walls and casemate rooms within, dating from the Fort of 1744 and later changes made during Queen Victoria's reign.

Every year they hold a Forties Day, with lots of wartime displays, memorabilia, re-enactments and of course - dancing! It's a very unusual place and great to explore. Guided tours detailing the history are regularly available, click HERE to go to their website.

31st May 2004:

Back to Horham

A lovely sunny Bank Holiday and another chance to see 95th BG veterans Charles Gallagher and Bob Capen. I met up with them and some of the 95th BG historical society for a tour of the old mess hall/Red Cross Club/Barber shop/ice cream parlour site, now sadly overgrown by trees. All that's left of the mess hall is the huge concrete floor base, it was very atmospheric standing in the middle of it and imagining the hundreds of airmen who sat on this very site, eating what could have been their last ever meal. The birds sang, the wind rustled the trees and the sun shone through the branches, picking out Charles and Bob and their wives as they explored their old haunts.

We also found a narrow concrete path that went through the woods and was a shortcut back to the base. You could almost hear the rattling of the bikes as the guys pedalled back and forth. We even found some footsteps in the concrete from when it was first laid.

Later on, Bob and Charles were taken up in a light aircraft for an aerial view of the old airfield. I was very pleased to have been a part of their day!

23rd May 2004:

Horham Open Day

A great day for me as I finally met some US 8th AF Veterans! Click HERE for tons of pics and a write-up.

15th May 2004:

Sandringham House

A nice day out at the country retreat of "Liz & Phil". Click HERE for pics!

9th May 2004:

Mid Norfolk Railway 1940s weekend

Click here for some shots of nostalgia as wartime returned to the restored North Elmham railway station.

21st March 2004:

Tate Modern, London Aquarium and The National Portrait Gallery

Today I went to London, mainly to see this awesome display at the Tate Modern pictured here by Olafur Eliasson. I just want to sit under that huge golden sun and chill for a few hours! The exhibition closes on the 21st so this is my last chance. The National Portrait Gallery has an exhibition featuring Cecil Beaton's old Hollywood portraits of the greats such as Greg Peck and Marilyn Monroe, and the London Aquarium is just plain COOL with its two huge tanks that are higher than two stories.