Birmingham meet up....

KatyK - yes the Arts Festival Weekend was great. Huge piles of detailed A4 programmes were being distributed - inside the Rep on the Saturday. No one seemed to have had one earlier. They should have been out in libraries etc. a couple of weeks earlier so that people actually knew about the festival and could plan their time there. Very poor PR.

Tomorrow the Birmingham Literature Festival starts, on until 17th October. Many events are free. Brochures are in libraries but again a lot of people seem unaware of the events.

Finally back on line; going away for a week but will see what's what when I get back. Not sure if I'm coming to Brum for the day or if I'm going to stay over to do more family research for a day or so. OGM; hoping that our little meet ups will continue on a regular basis so watch this space .

Having finally visited The Place to Eat at the top of John Lewis I couldn't see the Blue Bull where we are intending to meet. This is because it is in a small section leading off the main restaurant. I actually had to ask where it was! Very interesting bull too!

Keep me posted*Tegan * xx

Just to clarify this was my suggestion: It is quite big so I would suggest we meet in the section totally opposite to where the food is served. You will know you are in the right place if you can see a blue bull on the wall made of plates.

I think the important part is the section totally opposite to where the food is served

It is the smallest area which is why I thought it would be easiest for us.

Sadly I am now unable to join you as my MIL has been admitted to hospital for the end stage of her life and naturally DH needs us to visit for the next few days. I hope you have a good day and I hope to meet with you all in the near future. xx

Sorry to hear that Teatime I hope her end stage is peaceful.

Thank you.

Oh how sad; thinking of you both .

Thought I'd better bump this up [in case I forget to go ]....

I'm still going! Have to buy something to wear for DS's graduation!

Teetime - sorry to hear about your MiL, a very sad time for you all.

Tegan and Nonnie, see you tomorrow with anyone else able to join us.

Oops - I mean today of course. How did it get to that time?

Great to see you again, Tegan and Nonnie! Enjoying the company so much that only just made it to the theatre! Enjoyed Priscilla, costumes awesomely fabulous!

Pleased to hear that you got there in time! Had a lovely journey back on the train chatting to a guy who worked for social services. Time went so quickly that he had to tell me I was at my station...I thought we were only at Burton![bet he was glad to see the back of me]. It seems to be my new hobby; chatting to men on trains . Just watched The Last Kingdom which seems to have been about Bamburgh; strange thing is that everything is filmed at Bamburgh on the beach but this, which was about Bamburgh looked [to me at least] as if fit had been filmed elsewhere . Now for a bit of Simon Shamas[sp] programme about portraits [I've only just latched onto the series]

Pictures?????

Only took a picture of 'The Eye of Sauron' from inside the station but still don't know how to stick it on here . Think I might do a Tom Hanks [can't remember the name of the film] and move into Grand Central and live on John Lewis cakes....

Good to meet you both again, nice small group so easy to chat but it would also be good to meet more Gns next time. Would more come if we met in All Bar one?

So many news places in Brum now I will have to go back and see The Mailbox and whatever the one at the NEC is called.

www.facebook.com/midlandstoday/videos/10153666682244761/?fref=nf

Not necessarily! You'd have had at least one more if it had been a Wednesday or Friday

No problem with those days Alea. I'm planning to visit my home town on a regular basis, especially now that the new station is so 'idiot proof' and there's [hopefully] less chance of me getting on the wrong train. As I was watching the screen telling me which platform to go to [kept saying TBC] I said to the young lad stood next to me who was getting very very bored that 'the train has arrived, according to the screen, but they don't seem to know where it is' to which his dad added 'it must be platform something or other [y'know, the Hogwarts one]'' 'really?' said the lad, his eyes lighting up, so me and his dad said 'could be '.

I can do any day of the week!

Ooh, hello, I've just discovered this thread. I live near Wolverhampton and would love to meet some other GNers face to face. Birmingham is easy for me, so I hope it'll be ok if I join the next gathering. Is anything planned so far this year?

I don't think so but a Spring trip to the big JL would be a great idea - I'll come if the date fits in.

Might be interested, is the station now more disabled friendly? It was a mess last time I used it.

Galen, do you get assistance at stations? A fellow passenger was met by a very helpful man at Stoke who also carried my luggage for me and deposited us both in the First Class waiting room. I'm sure you know all about this but the web site with all the information is: www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/disabled_passengers.aspx