44/365 Another "red flag" Sunday

In our household we have a term for days on which everything seems fated to turn out wrong, ruining your best laid plans - and yet the day turns out unexpectedly wonderful. They are known as red flag days. This term is based on a day out we had whilst on holiday in Northumberland. We'd spent the evening before poring over maps planning a day of hiking, only to turn up to our chosen spot and find all the access roads closed for Army training. We drove around the area to enter from the North side, only to find the same to be true - and at each point we were greeted by a large red flag. The alternative hike we ended up having was truly memorable. And included a picnic lying on a heathered hill in glorious sunshine, whilst we let our trousers dry off from an impromptu hailstorm. Not at all what we had planned but fabulous nonetheless.

(I've just reread that and would like to make clear we were still wearing the trousers).

Anyway, that rambling preamble leads me into today. We had a rendezvous organised with friends to watch a re-enactment at 2pm as part of the Winterlude festivities. We were on time and I pulled out my phone to organise a meeting point. Unfortunately after reading the message I had just received, I realised we were on time at the WRONG museum. Because apparently in my pretty little head (war) re-enactments are obviously held at the Civilisation Museum and not the War museum. That's just common sense surely?!

In an attempt to salvage the situation we wandered around the Winterlude stalls in search of the snow sculpture competition entries we enjoyed so much at last years festival.......These sculptures were huge, so after failing to find any evidence I queried one of the security folk. This year there was no such contest due to funding cutbacks! The day was not going to plan.

But salvage the day we did.
with scarecrows in HASMAT suits....
Giant sculptures of eerie spikes heading into the sky....
Improv jazz featuring a violin, half a bass clarinet, guitar, singing bowls played with bows, vibrating sticks, magic black boxes, and all sorts of other jiggery pokery.
And cake.
And ice-sculptures on the snowy walk home.

For photo treats of all that goodness, head over to flickr for my photo today is of a graffiti hippo.



Just because it made me smile.