It was absolutely fantastic !!! JUST where I'm at !! I dont know how I will be able to go out to an ordinary club again !
Cor blimey .. it's going to take me all week to digest (and make sense) of, all my memories from Southport!
Off to a good start, 4 miles into our journey, Ben (who was following us) got pulled over by the Police - who then proceeded to measure every inch of his car ... his girlfriend, meanwhile, was on the phone to me nearly wetting herself and hoping they didnt search thoroughly (for one reason and another) .... We were SOOOOOO stressed, that when we finally got into the chalet (which I wont mention the condition of, as it hadnt been cleaned), we had an extremely LARGE vodka to settle the nerves!
My first impressions? Loving the queue of cars waiting to get in .. everyone was smiling at one another and you could almost sense that people were in anticipation for the greatest weekend in the last 6 months!
Hey .. we weren't in the beach hut either ... we were chalet 388, which wasnt too far down, but confusing enough for a couple of our party to find ! LOVED IT when the music started pumping from the rooms ... now that's what I call surround sound !!
The PowerHouse
Blimey ! Credit to the lighting crew !! I felt I was dancing in outer space at times ... partly due to the illegal substances I had partook of I should imagine, but a lot to do with the amazing lighting that wrapped us all in for the night !
I loved Norman Jay ... he really put me in the mood, and it was one of the highlights of my weekend !
Was thanking god that the chalet wasn't far away as we went back for a bit of a break and stuff from time to time ... and it was well deserved as I dont think I've danced as much, or smiled as much, EVER, in my life !!
(Charlene and I taking a well earned rest)
Friday night just passed in a blur of smiles, arms in the air, and with a few dewy moments as I stood there just soaking it all in and wondering just how life could feel so good !
Umm .. I didn't make it to the end of the night I'm ashamed to say .. I am SO not hardcore .. but lots of fully random talks in the chalet ensued which was fun ... involved carol singing seaguls, who knew it was Xmas because of all the lights in Southport ... and we were wondering if they would still sit outside the chalets singing christmas carols if we switched the christmas lights to June .
Didn't sleep tho ... tried to, but we kept shouting random things at one another and much giggling and generally being very childish, ensued !
I had an EMOTIONAL MOMENT on Saturday afternoon .. in CC ! It was like stepping back in time ... ok, the dancers were a bit older, more greyer, but they still had the moves and the appreciation !! All the times I'd told Mike about Northern Soul nights and the feel of the place, and on Saturday afternoon, there it was, right in front of us !! It was as though I'd stepped back in time and took him with me to show him ! I sobbed ! lol However, anyone who saw this lady crying into the arms of her friends, it was because she was happy !
Tis funny how the days and nights roll into one ...
Saturday night we had a good few drinks and more than one play of Bugz In The Attics, Booty La La .. wandered back to the place that was now feeling like a comfortable home from home, and threw ourselves into the night once again, like there was no tomorrow !
As I said before .. got toally lost trying to find Lolly's chalet ... made an utter fool of myself with a bin ... did someone's bra strap up for them .. and eventually found the rest of the guys in the Powerhouse
The weekend .. I feel like I've been through a mangle .. emotionally and physically ... I smiled so much that people were laughing at me (in a nice way) and asking if I was enjoying it !! I didn't have chance to talk to people in the place, as I was loving the music and atmosphere so much that I just wanted to soak it all in and treasure it - (for my old age)
Oh .. one thing I was so chuffed with .. there were people older than ME there ! In fact, at one point, I turned to Charlene and said .. "You must feel a bit out of it here with all these old peeps!"
More memories:
Mel Britt's "She'll Come Running Back" in CC on Saturday afternoon, had me tears ! Do you know, it's nigh on 25 years since I've heard that tune played out !! ?
The guy on the Sunday doing the interviewing ... sheesh .. I was just having a random moment with my group when he plonked himself down in the middle of us and shoved a mic up my nose .. I talked bollocks !!
The lady in the toilets giving me a hug and a kiss because I looked like I was having such a good time !
PLaying "Row row row the boat" in the bath ...
I still consider myself a newbie because I was so overwhelmed this weekend that I can't begin to comprehend it all really ...
The pace yourself thing didnt really work .... Let's face it, everyone was ready to party on the Friday night .....
Curtis Mayfield .. "Move on Up" ... BIG smiley moment for me on the Saturday afternoon !!
Cheryl Lynn ... "To Be Real" .. one tune that, when we play it at home, always get my eldest daughter down the stairs and dancing along to it !!!
The bewildered cashiers at the shop on the site !
The fact that it always seemed to be night?
Memories are still coming out fast and furiously ... I feel a lot like a deflated balloon at the moment and wish I was back there right now !!!
Danny Krivit in CC on Saturday morning ...... awesome !!