SEPTEMBER 2008 DIARY ENTRIES

Friday 26th September 2008
Well I am nearing the end of two weeks in Wimbledon and it has been a fantastic two weeks.  It's been lovely to see so many Craigettes coming to the show over the weeks and I would like to thank Rosehill for her lovely drawings and all those who contributed to my fabulous Ted Baker beanie hat!!!  Even the weather has picked up a bit while i've been here on the odd day!  The flat I have been sharing with Chris Dilley is beautiful and I have had a very comfortable stay here.  I have been slowly getting around to checking out the various things on CCF and I didn't realise there was so much on there!  I have been reading the "5 Guys Named Joe" story and i'm up to chapter 5........ Jennifer phoned me to say she is on her way early today so that was a nice surprise and she will be here for me starting the first show.  We are back to Birmingham on Sat night and then off to Lowestoft on Monday and I hear that the theatre is tiny and I am sharing a dressing room with 3 others as well as a washing machine and tumble dryer!!!  I have been getting my NANDOS fix over the last couple of weeks as there is a restaurant practically opposite stage door!  I took Jen to London on Sunday and we had a lovely meal and then went to see "STOMP" at the Ambassadors Theatre.  The theatre is TINY! only around 450 seats and I was surprised at that as I had always imagined all West End theatres to always hold a lot more than that.  It made me feel good that we are able to play to and sell out so many large theatres across the country.  The show itself was very entertaining and Jen really enjoyed it.  I had seen "STOMP OUT LOUD" in Las Vegas which is about 5 times bigger and more elaborate so it didn't have quite the same affect on me but I did enjoy it all the same.  I have booked my digs for Nottingham and it looks like a lovely apartment only 3 mins walk from the theatre.  I'm sharing with Chris Dilley again (he plays levi/the baker) as we are such good friends on the tour and get on great living together.  It was his birthday this week and he got spoilt rotten from the cast as he is such a likeable guy.  Anyway 2 shows today so I better hit the shower!  ta ta for now x


Wednesday 10th September 2008
Hi everyone,  as I type this I am in my bed on my treasured Wednesday afternoon!  I think the bed I have in Newcastle is one of the comfiest i've had on the tour!  I'm enjoying Newcastle and last weekend I got to go home and see my friends and family and Jen was up as well so it was a fantastic weekend. It got off to a bad start however on the Sat night driving home......my brother drove down with his girlfriend to watch the show and then drive Jen and I back to Edinburgh.  I'ts only 100 miles away and should be a 1 1/2 - 2 hour drive but the rain in Newcastle and surrounding areas was unbelievable over the weekend and by the time we got to driving back up the A1 on Sat night we got stopped by a policeman who informed us some of the road was unpassable up ahead so we had to drive all the way back to Newcastle and then take the A68 road around towards Jedburgh! The drive took over 4 hours so we got in knackered and late.  So we lay in on Sunday until around 12 and got ready to go to lunch with my mum, dad and gran.  We went and had a Sunday carvery which was out of this world, I had enough on my plate to feed a small country and I ate the lot!  Then dad, Gavin and I went to play table tennis as they are now member of a club/league and play twice a week.  The last time we all played we were all evenly matched but as I hadn't played for a while and they are now playing regularly both my dad and Gavin beat me in somewhat spectacular fashion.  Nonetheless I enjoyed myself and to finish off the night Jen went off to the airport to go back to Birmingham and myself and my brother and a few of my mates went off to play in a poker tournament at the casino.  There was around 75 players and the top 6 got paid and I came in 10th place when my k-j got knocked out all in by a guys q-j which is very unlucky as my hand is a 75% favourite before the cards hit the board but the 2 queens came out to give him trip queens (apologies for those that dont understand any of that but basically I was very unlucky!!!).  It was good though and I lasted 5 hours in the tournament.  So I crammed a lot into my Sunday and went back to Newcastle on Monday afternoon happy that I got to see my family again.  My dad has started looking at properties in Edinburgh that he and I can potentially go halves on with a view to renovate and modernise and then sell on.  He has seen a couple of potential places so watch this space.  I have always wanted to get a property with my dad since he bought a couple of places a few years ago and the way the market is it seems a good time for buyers.