The Lion King

I keep on meaning to do a post I promised here about my trip to see a musical in London.

As you can see, hubby & I went to see The Lion King at Lyceum Theatre.

Lion King(s) greeting visitors at Covent Garden's tube gate.

The sights and sounds were truly spectacular. We weren't allowed to take pictures during the show, so here are some pictures from their website so you can have an idea of what we saw.

Musically it was good. The voice of the adult Simba was a bit weak compared to the rest of the cast, which was a shame as he looked gorgeous. :)

The most annoying thing was a tourist nearby who kept on snapping pictures at crucial moments, even after she was being told off by the usher and others around her. The flash ruined a couple of good scenes. I would have wrung her neck if she were to sit any closer to me!! Very inconsiderate and not being sophisticated whatsover. Apart from that, it was a good experience.

Shoes and More Shoes

I seem to collect shoes wherever I go. It's not a disease, it's a necessity. Surely there's no such thing as having only one pair of shoes that's perfectly suited for every occasion in life?

To me "functional shoes" = shoes that are designed to serve a particular purpose. To this extent, all my functional shoes have travelled the world with me.

Here are some examples:

a pair of sturdy walking boots to tackle muddy fields (walking in Auckland, NZ)

a pair of slinky heels to match my eyeshadows (indoors in England)

a pair of sneakers to walk around Taj Mahal (on a trip to India)

a pair of ballet shoes (standing on a parchland in Kenya)

a pair of shoes with chunky heels (attending a wedding in Bali)

See what I mean? There's always a time and a place for every shoes! :) Rest assured I have a pair of ankle length boots to wear with jeans, a pair of comfy espadrille to walk around town, a pair of sensible black shoes (not sure what they are for, yet), a pair of knee-length boots to wear with my dresses, plus some more. Oh, alright, I confess: plus many, many, many, many more pairs... (blushing)

Most of my shoes are in the storage place as I'm sort of "in-between country" at the moment, staying at PIL's place. I do have my favourites with me. I'm an organist by trade, so I always carry a pair of modified jazz shoes with me to play the organ. See whether you can spot my tiny organ shoes on the picture below.

Can't really see the shoes, I know... at least you can see me in action! :)

Back to more shoes. Amongst my summer acquisition is a pair of satin Monsoon shoes, RRP £65, acquired for the sum of £1. I couldn't believe it when I saw the price tag. I asked the sales assistant whether there was something wrong with it. She said, "Nope. Only because it's the last pair left-over from last season." Huh?! Last season or not, I fell in love with them straight away. The next picture shows the Monsoon shoes from different angles. Bear in mind that I do not use them for organ playing, the spiky heels make them almost useless for playing the pedals properly. They're just there for a show, in real life they're worn before and after playing the organ. Such is the life of an organist...

I Dreamed A Dream

... of building a harpsichord with my own hands. Using a kit, like the one sold on this webpage. 7 years on, I realized that I've almost abandoned that dream. Having no place I can call "home" isn't helping either.

I've told hubby that when he's "rich and not that famous" I'd like him to buy me a real pipe organ for home use. After all, in the past I've made a living playing pipe organ for all sorts of occasions. Nerdy but can be good money, as organists are supposed to be a dying breed. :)

Now I'm inspired to build a pipe organ instead after reading about people who have built their own pipe organ (see here and here). I admire what they've done. Perhaps sometime in the future I could try doing it...

Vicky Beeching

I haven't listened to my music collections for a while. The other day I listened to "Painting the Invisible" album by Vicky Beeching, my favourite singer/songwriter.

Whenever I sing this song I change the words "twenty-six" into whatever age I'm at. Yeah, I'm not twenty six anymore... :)

"I don't know what the future holds
All that lies beyond my horizon
The years ahead are just out of sight
Well I think sometimes that You hide them
So that I'll walk by faith and not sight
So I'll take Your hand holding tight

Through twenty-six summers and twenty-six winters
I've laughed in the spring time
I've cried in the rain
Though I've questioned the meaning
Of some of life's seasons
It's true that they've left me holding on tighter to You

My one desire for the road ahead
Is that we would walk it together
Friend and King, You're my everything
May I stay by Your side forever
For when my heart's afraid, You're near
Whispering to my soul, "don't fear"

And I will trust in You alone
For You're the hand leading me home...

I've spent twenty-six summers and twenty-six winters with You
Through all of the seasons
And my search for reasons
You've carried me through
I will keep holding on to You."

(Twenty-Six Summers, Vicky Beeching, 2007)

Yes, God, I'll keep holding on to You! :)