UULUUICH

Uuluuich may sound like someone is suffering from the Corona Virus after drowning their sorrows with gallons of cheap alcohol, but it would seem this is the Anglo Saxon name of our near neighbour. It's snappy and requires no lip movement which could be useful, I can't think of a scenario, but it could.

Ah. Maybe for a ventriloquist's act?

This superb map from the excellent Londonist website shows London in Anglo Saxon times. To be honest I didn't know Plumstead (or Plumstede), was even invented back then. I wouldn't mind if some clever person would tell me how far Plumstedeshire stretches back in time.

Surely a brewery could've picked from a million other names?

It would seem my name has been used by a local brewery. Well that's flattering, but would've been nice to be asked first.

Hibernating is so nice

[Yawns a long yawn]

Is it time to wake up yet?

Has anything happened in The Shire?

Plumstead Live! 2016

The aroma of anticipation is in the air as the good folk o' the Shire plan their picnics, for Sunday is Plumstead Live! day.

For those who have recently moved to this green and pleasant village of Plumsteadshire, Plumstead Live is like Glyndebourne without the champagne and stuffiness. Here, the music is relaxed and it's an excellent opportunity to meet your neighbours. It's always a lovely atmosphere at this event so come and enjoy.

Fingers crossed that it may not rain for one day this Summer.

We could win, but it's up to us

I first happened across the Britain Has Spirit website by mistake as I was on the look out for a bottle of non-alcoholic absinthe. As if by some freak coincidence, The Plumstead Make Merry was in a slow motion race with a small handful of other hopefuls. This race has turned out to be mildly gripping as our festival lagged far behind the leader and within a week, have now taken pole position. Staying in front is another kettle of fish as no doubt, some voters will forget to vote, others may spoil their ballot papers and a few more will move on to the next new thing¹.

Good people of The Shire, vote every day. Borrow your neighbour's smart phone and vote on their behalf, but do not be tempted to look through their photos, for fear of potential fruity² images.

If the Make Merry does not win the £10 million pot of gold, the organisers may have to cancel George Clooney's personal appearance. I believe he was delighted to have been asked to cut the ribbon. Still, professional George look-a-like, Sadiq Khan might have to do.

If the Make Merry does not win the £10 million pot of gold, there are many ways of making it a fun packed day. Some low rent theme parks have a 'panning for gold' activity whereby you assume a character from the gold prospecting days. You swish around with a sieve and find gold nuggets in the sand or water. We don't have gold, but we have cats.

The people of The Shire LOVE cats.

So 10 or 12 people could bring their cat litter trays to the Common et voila, panning for gold Plumstead style. It's fun for everyone from 7 to 77.

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footnotes
1 - One of my gripes of modern life is the throw-away culture. In this instance, information on social media flashes past us before we can digest it. Information indigestion - quite a mouthful in itself.
2 - Not meaning apples and oranges.

Now is the time to vote

Forget Donald Trump and Sadiq Khan is so last month.

We vote because we believe in what's right. We vote because we want a better future. We vote because our children are the future, teach them well and let them lead the way.

The Plumstead Make Merry (a high point in The Shire's social calendar), is on the edge of winning a much needed wad of cash and it is all down to you to vote. Yes dear listener, YOU can make it happen.

Click this link and vote, preferably for The Plumstead Make Merry. Tell your friends, tell your family and vote every day.

www.britainhasspirit.com/vote-london

Dancing to the sound of silence

Being 256 years old, I sometimes struggle to keep up with the latest trends. Steam locomotives were quite go-ahead, shooting rockets in to space seemed rather a novel idea but it happens all the time now, and I hoped that flared trousers could stay forever.

Something I simply don't understand is the idea of a discotheque, not any old discotheque, but one where one listens to popular music whilst wearing headphones. I thought a discotheque was to enjoy dancing with other people? Look at these swingers having a gay time.

This new fangled headphone discotheque is called a Silent Disco (I am getting more confused), it is real and happening in neighbouring Greenwich. Thank the Lord God not in The Shire. It is happening on Friday 2nd October 2015 at The Cutty Sark. I don't think you'll need to bring your own wax cylinders, but do contact the organisers if you should so need.

Click here to buy your tickets.

How does this thing work again?

I have actually forgotten how this blogging thing works. I thought it'd be like riding a bicycle. I know how to sit on my 'bicycle' but I don't know how to make my legs go round.

Cup of tea. That's the answer to everything, then it'll slowly come back to me.

[pauses]

Ah yes. Getting there.

It's certainly been a long time and I was enjoying my retirement, but over the months and years, people had asked me to start blogging again. "Gadzooks man, do you not know how time consuming blogging is?", say I.

Since I last picked up my virtual pen, The Shire has changed. Not by much, but this oil tanker takes a lot of steering.

• A couple of local social media groups have started up and have become the soap boxes for Plumstead folk which is great as most people have something to say, but don't say it or are too shy, or think their view isn't valid. Plumstead People is an amazing source of local history and local banter.
• The dining-out experience has exploded ¹. The Plumstead Pantry is a real treat for an evening supper and The Star public house is so much more than a public house.
• New folk have started moving in to The Shire. Folk who have moved from very smart parts of London. In the many years I've lived here, this is a new phenomena to me. Maybe they're here for the Crossrail effect and sell up and move on once Crossrail opens, I don't know, but the ones I've chatted to are very nice folk, so that's fine by me.

I'd like to paste a photo or two, but can't remember how. It'll give me an incentive to write something else before Halley's Comet comes round again.

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footnote

1 - People read this from all corners of the World, so if we don't 'big it up', no one will.

The London Symphony Orchestra is simply world class and they are here, right on our doorstep, in London. In all the years they've been performing, one of their latest works may be the one which reaches out to more audience members ever. I don't mind whether or not Candy Crush Soda Saga is a low brow introduction to orchestral music, but the music in this game is wonderfully lush - rather lost on tiny speakers in an iPhone, but you get the idea.

Here's an article on Johan Holmström, the composer.

Plumstead Live

Unfortunately for us, The Plumstead Common Colliery Band had to pull out of the Plumstead Live Festival today at the last minute. Such a shame, but it was an excellent day nonetheless.

In its' short existence, Plumstead Live has already taken root in the local cultural calendar and this primarily comes down to the strength of the organisers, but it also shows the strength of the community, that this event helps make The Shire a special corner of London.

I want Plumstead Live to grow, but actually I want it to grow really slowly as I think it should be about the music and not about convoys of food vans¹.

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footnote

1 - I am only assuming that attracting commercial businesses brings in a little money to help fund the event.

Live entertainment

There's something really special happening this weekend (14th, 15th & 16th December). If you want to have an amazing time and just want to stay local to The Shire, you must go to the Greenwich Circus Festival down by the Thames Barrier.

If you do anything this weekend, go to this festival. It's a must-see event, in fact it's a must-do event as there are circus skills to try out too. On Saturday evening, there's a cabaret show called Midnight Circus which sounds intriguing followed by live music, drink, food, drink.... Man alive, I'm booking up now.

Click here to book online

Hangar Arts Trust
Unit 7a, Mellish House
Harrington Way
SE18 5NR

Plumstead Community Market

Are you :-

1. In the Plumstead area on Saturday 27th October 2012 between 10am - 2pm?
2. Looking for a gift?
3. Feeling the need for a gorgeous slice of cake?
4. Looking for a craft activity so your children don't smear Pritt Stick¹ all over your antimacassars at home?
5. Wanting to meet decent up-standing members of The Shire?

Well, why not pop up to St Mark's Hall on Plumstead Common and discover the newly (and perfectly formed), Plumstead Community Market?

This will be the second community market event and by jove, I'm sure there will be more, but why wait? "Come on down, the price is right", as Lesley Crowther used to say.

http://plumsteadcommunitymarket.wordpress.com

St Mark's Church is located in a picturesque corner of Old Mill Road. Look out for this building.

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footnotes

1 - Other adhesives are also available

It's an exciting Summer full of culture and it's started.

The excellent Greenwich & Docklands International Festival starts today and runs until 30th June. There's far too much to list here, but Prometheus Awakes looks like a very exciting free theatrical event. Check your diaries quick because it's happening tomorrow night by the Queen's House in Greenwich Park. It doesn't start until 10pm so too late for young children which is a shame as it looks pretty stunning.

This weekend, continue to bombard yourself with culture and entertainment and more Greenwichness as it's the Greenwich Fair. Every nook and cranny of the town centre will be taken over by street theatre and quirky performances. Should be great whether it rains or shines. Not sure which shows I'd pick out, but The Pig looks intriguing and worrying at the same time.

As if that's not enough, the Laban Dance Centre in Deptfordshire is hosting The Big Dance Picnic on 23rd June from 12pm. It's more about dance, circus arts and performance than picnic, but there should be enough movement for everyone's appetite. There will alos be a multi-sensory tent which sounds like a must-do.

Enough junk food already

Plumstead Common has its' fair share of greasy food outlets and we don't need another one. Here's a petition to give YOU, the good people o' the Shire a chance to stand up and be counted for. What the heck, I don't mind if you're from Guatemala or the South Sea Islands and never heard of Plumstead Common, you can sign and show your support too.

I want to live beyond 40 years old.

What a lot of people around The Shire want is a decent place serving decent food which won't block your arteries up as soon as you take your second mouthful. Of course, some people love such cuisine and well, I hope you're balancing out your diet with a ton of veg and exercise.

The fast food joint will be within spitting distance of Plumstead Manor School and I thought there are some sort of planning rules against lard in such close proximity to schools. Unfortunately, planning has been approved, but the owners are applying for planning permission for a shop sign which (considering it's a conservation area), is anything but subtle and, despite the name, lacks any sense of taste.

Here's the planning application.

Cinema

Cinema is returning to Woolwich. Brilliant.

Live entertainment

Down in the sleepy hamlet of Woolwich, there's an excitement buzzing around. Folk are chattering about the resurgence of the Woolwich Grand Theatre¹. I've not followed their developments too closely, but it seems they are aiming to bring cultural live entertainment to Woolwich once more, and what a great thing once this comes to fruition. Woolwich needs a place to focus the many creative minds and talents of this little settlement, especially so as it's perceived as a dour area. In years to come, Londinium will grow beyond Holborn and encompass rural communities like Woolwich and when that era cometh, art could easily be forgotten.

On the other hand, there is already a bubbling creative scene up the hill in Plumsteadshire. And what do such 'with-it' folk enjoy? Live comedy which is just as well because this Saturday is comedy night at The Pavilion. You'd be a fool to miss it.

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footnote
1 - or 'theater' as the dreaded spell checker prefers

Happy New Year

Happy Chinese New Year to everyone in The Shire, but I've just read about the Peninsula Restaurant in Charlton. They seem to have a hygiene record that could literally turn your stomach. Unfortunately, it's not the first time they've been caught out so I for one will be celebrating elsewhere.

I don't like to give negative news about a local business, but feel this could save people from praying to the porcelain alter all night long. And on that basis, I won't be investing in a meal there. I'm out [year of the dragon - ed.]

http://www.greenwich.co.uk/news/06970-chinese-restaurant-fined

Watch your eyes

Friends, Romans, good people o' The Shire. Yesterday evening around 8pm, I noticed a green laser light shining around Plumstead Common.

It could be someone experimenting how they could bend light, or it could be a little herbert who thinks it's fun to annoy passers-by. Either way, a laser light can blind you.

Be careful.

Haven't noticed this before so could be a one off incident.

hello again

Now, where did I get up to?

Things change when you've been away. Logging in to Blogger, the whole interface has changed and I can't tell if I'm blogging or looking at my Orange mobile phone bill. This would be lost on you if you don't use Blogger, or own an Orange mobile phone for that matter.

In the broadest possible way, I sort of feel like I've just walked out of prison and civilians are dressed in hip and 'with it' fashions, whilst I scurry in the shadows with my bell bottom Farah's and paisley shirt.

As part of the Blogger interface, I'm offered the option to add an adsense functionality to Plumsteadshire. Tempting to earn tuppence every month, but I do hate visiting a website and being bombarded by advertisements. Inadvertently, I've already advertised a phone provider, but for the sake of balance, there are other providers available.

Now, let's get straight to the point.

This Saturday (10th December 2011), is the great Comedy On The Common Christmas Special. Plumstead Common's very own live comedy night. Acts LIVE in The Shire are Frank Sanazi, Hattie Hayridge, Fredrik Andersson and Dave Whitney.

I don't have my finger on the pulse of popular culture, so I can't tell you a thing about them, but that's what the internet's for.

It's a hot ticket so book right now and remember, if you snooze, you lose.

Plumstead Live!

I haven't had any time to write about the Plumstead Live! event last Sunday and don't really have time to do it now either, but just to say how much I enjoyed the music; every performance was top notch.

The Plumstead Sinfonia kicked things off in style and I was particularly pleased that they'd included some Philip Glass in their set. The kids from Plumstead Manor School were amazing, especially the acapella. Anyway, I could go on, but it would be a lot of repetition and sound like I'm patting everyone on the back for the sake of it. Not so. I genuinely thought all the music was brilliant. There was a group on at the end who were playing South African music (?). Really, really fab way to end the event.

Not Plumstead Live! but you get the idea.

A great pity the rain tipped down, but it didn't dampen the atmosphere at all. Fingers crossed that the weather will be good for next year's event.

I'm not too sure who were the event organisers, but Nick Day (of PCEG fame), seems to be a big player in this, so Nick thank you so much for putting on an incredible day of live music in The Shire.