Coronation Street weekly update, August 27 2012

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here  

This week in Corrie, Gail went a bit giddy.

Going Garbo

Do you know what? Sometimes, just sometimes, a day on my own with no one to talk to and nothing to do apart from whatever the heck I want to do, is just wonderful.

I've had such a day today. 

I wouldn't want them all the time, but when I have them, I love them.

Jimmy Cliff CD Rebirth - A love letter to reggae

One of the many lovely birthday presents I received this week was the new CD by Jimmy Cliff, Rebirth. It's an absolute cracker, not a duff song on it. It's like a love letter to reggae. Rush out and buy it now.

I've blogged about Jimmy Cliff before.

Coronation Street weekly update, August 20 2012

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here 

This week in Corrie, things have been a bit slow.

James, trains and Batman

To Stockton weekender festival the other weekend in er, Stockton, to see James. I've seen them a few times before and it's always a good show. Their gig at Stockton was wonderful, really enjoyable. I've been singing this ever since.  The Stockton weekender gig was the only time this year I've been outdoors drinking and dancing and it's something I did more often in London. I miss it. Not London, the outdoors gigging, drinking and dancing bit.

There was no gigging, drinking or dancing on the Weardale Railway but that's not to say I didn't have an enjoyable day, I did, it was ace. I was chuffed to bits to be on a steam train chugging its way up and down the Wear Valley.

And finally, to see Batman - The Dark Knight Rises at the flicks. I'm a big Batman fan  - have a look here.  Recognised some of the interior filming location, again, as Senate House, part of the University of London where I used to work.

Flaming Nora! It's been six years

Today is the 6th anniversary of the start of this here Flaming Nora Blog. 

My first blog post was August 18, 2006.

Have a look at it here.

Coronation Street weekly update, August 13 2012

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here

This week in Corrie, I reckon it's time Margi Clarke returned as Tyrone's mum to sort that Kirsty one out.

Coronation Street weekly update, August 6 2012

I've been writing Coronation Street weekly updates since 1995 and this week's Coronation Street update has just gone live here

This week in Corrie, Rita heard news so shocking she had no option but to do the Betty face.

Crazy golfing mad in Scarborough

Regular readers will know I enjoy holidays in Scarborough. I also enjoy a spot of crazy golf so what better than to combine a crazy golf tournament with a day in Scarborough?  Well, we had FUN, that's all I can say! All pictures below are my own.

We played four crazy golf courses starting with the Merlin Pirate Adventure Mini Golf next to the Sealife Centre. Its website is here.

This was by far the most "corporate" of the crazy golf courses we played, it's a franchise after all, but it did offer a lot, especially the rather annoying but fun "Yo-Ho, Yo-Ho" pirate song.  There wasn't a lot of space on this course and it did feel a little packed with families queuing to play by the time we left.  However, the big plus is that there are two pirate boats that you have to use to cross the river to get around the course and these are great fun, whatever your age. The site was well-maintained with nice landscaping and would probably be the most fun for kids to play, with its pirate theme, pirate song and boats.

Cost to play was £4 each (with a 2nd game half-price if you played straight away.)
Scores: Flaming Nora 50; Sunny Jim 44.
Number of holes: 12
Our vote for fun: 4 out of 5

The second crazy golf course we played was also called Pirate Golf. It's on the promenade along the sea-front from the Mini-Golf mentioned above.  This was by far our favourite course to play because it's quiet, peaceful, it has wonderful views of the North Bay and castle, it's been there forever and you can wave at the people going by on the North Bay railway train.

It's a proper, old fashioned crazy golf course, no gimmicks, just fun.  This crazy golf course has been featured on CBeebies who voted it their favourite too.  It's easy to see why.  It's also the course used for the Yorkshire Championships.

Cost to play was £2.50 each
Scores: Flaming Nora 43; Sunny Jim 31 - beating the current Yorkshire Champion by 1 point - and he scored a hole in one!
Number of holes: 9
Our vote for fun: 5* out of 5

The third course we played was The Crazy Crab.  It's one that we'd ignored every time we'd seen it in Scarborough because it has a temporary look to it and to be honest, seemed a bit naff.  But in the interests of, ahem, research we paid our money, took our sticks and balls and played the course.

Surprisingly, it was a lot more fun that we expected although it's on a busy main road - where the open-top bus turns around in the North Bay - and so was noisy and didn't feel very relaxed. It's got lovely sea views, but was too quick to play.

Cost to play was £2 each
Scores: Flaming Nora 38; Sunny Jim 42.
Number of holes: 12
Our vote for fun: 3 out of 5

The final course we played was  the Seaside Crazy Golf beside Peasholm Park and located opposite the wonderful North Riding Brew pub, which is one of our favourite pubs in Scarborough.  

This was an odd course in that it was concrete so the ball never stopped rolling like it did on the other courses we played. This accounts for the huge scores we both got because each hole was pretty tricky to play.  However, it is in a lovely spot, with seating around it for family members who aren't playing to sit and rest and watch. On the day we were there, there was an abundance of nana on the benches! 

It's a traditional course with good landscaping.  And so, after playing four games of crazy golf there was only one thing to do after we hung up our sticks and balls - and that was to head to the North Riding Brew pub for a pint and a half of their specially brewed beer, "Ay Up".

Cost to play was £2 each
Scores: Flaming Nora 74; Sunny Jim 66.
Number of holes: 15
Our vote for fun: 3.5 out of 5

Finally, I know it's not crazy golf but I'm going to give a well-deserved if quick mention to the Holbeck putting green - because of its stunning views. Who needs to go golfing in Pebble Beach when there are putting greens with views like this in Scarborough? 

Cost to play was £1.90 each
Scores: Flaming Nora 55; Sunny Jim 48
Number of holes: 18
Our vote for views: 10 out of 5 

There's another putting green in Peasholm Park which we didn't play, but if you know any more crazy golf courses in Scarborough, please do let me know.

It's not bad, is Bradford

"When yur gerroff train, can yur mek sure yur tek all yur belonnins" says the train guard.

I'm having a holiday in Yorkshire.

First off were four days in Scarborough then a base in Harrogate to explore the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in Wakefield (ace).

Then we went to the Hepworth Wakefield (good), Saltaire (brilliant) and Bradford. Yes, Bradford.

For years I've wanted to go to the National Media Museum in Bradford and this week I did and it's not half bad - and that applies to both Bradford and the museum too. 

You know when you've got somewhere in your head, an image of a place that you've never been to and you get there and you're a bit taken aback that the place you're in doesn't match at all, not one little bit, the place  in your head? Well, that was me with Bradford this week.

It's a lot grander, a lot bigger than I could have possibly imagined.  The National Media Museum was great, although not quite as interesting as I'd hoped it was going to be.  But I did get to see the original Play School toys on display.

We watched Bradley Wiggins in the Olympics cycling time trial on the big screen in Centenary Square...

...and watched again the opening ceremony of the Olympics in a super high definition screening - one of only three such screens in the country. The clarity of the image on screen meant we could even seen the numbers on the empty seats.

So anyway, Bradford. It's not bad. It's fun and it's funky...

... and it's got a sense of humour, with that fella Brendan Sheerin from TV's Coach Trip starring in the pantomime this Chrisrmas at the Bradford Alhambra.

 See also: Middlesbrough - it's really not that bad.