Wednesday 29/6/11

Hi everyone – today has been fun again. I spent part of my morning creating a flapper hat for a craft day later in the summer. I also spent some more time writing part of the final scene of my murder mystery story………. I can’t think of a witty end yet, but if I sleep on that thought, something might come to me JJ

I am really looking forward to tomorrow, as I am going to be able to create even more crafts, which will be wacky and wonderful. I hope that we have as much success during the summer events as we did with the pirate week and pirate craft day……. It was so much fun to interact with the children and parents who came in, and it was nice that they also went around the museum and took notice of their local history.

This afternoon I spent sometime with one of our volunteers, helping her to research some information on floods in Bridport in the last fifty years. Some of the pictures in the files are incredible; they show just how powerful the local rivers are when rainfall increases by even a little bit…… I was particularly amazed by a photo of a flood in Burton Bradstock, however. It showed a car that had been completely submerged, so that you could only see the bike supports on the roof!

Bye for now – I’m off to fold some more paper hats JJ

Sayonara J

Tuesday 28/6/11

Hi everyone – sorry that I did not write on Monday. I was busy starting to create more crafts for the summer holiday programme we are going to organise. There is soooooo much going on. It’s crazy around here at the moment. It is really, truly great to have so much to do……. I am a workaholic, and I love it JJ

On another note, Tess of the D’Urbervilles was a great success on last Sunday. We had a lot of people there, enjoying the pimms and the picnics, and the fantastic sunny evening. I love picnics, but sadly not Hardy….. It is too much doom and gloom for my taste J……

On Friday’s post I said that there would be a Peg Doll day on this Wednesday; it was a mistake, and in fact it will now be held next month on the 27^th. My apologies if this has confused anyone who intended to come! J

Adieu until tomorrow

Sayonara JJ

Friday 24/6/11

Hi everyone – sorry about the lack of conversation this week. I have just been busy creating more activities for the summer holidays. I can’t complain that I have been bored, which is a good thing J. I am looking forward to the next couple of weeks, when the first of the activity days will be occurring. There is a Peg Doll Day on next Wednesday starting at 10am and finishing at 5pm. Please come along and take part in the activities – they promise to be truly great fun JJ

I am really pleased to be doing so much creative work here at the museum. Not only am I writing this murder mystery story, but I am creating all the different activities, and it is really nice to expand my skills and experiences in working with children and adults in a semi-professional capacity. I know that when my six-months here are up, that I will be sad to say good buy……… I know that I will obviously come back, but still, it won’t be the same J

Sayonara until next Monday JJ

Tuesday 21/6/11

Hi everyone – today has been another really positive day!! JJ I have really enjoyed pushing my murder mystery story further; in fact, we are now possibly within sight of the finishing line!! I have just written the part in which the murderer has been arrested by the police, so now all that is really left for me to write is the revelation of how she did it……. I am really looking forward to seeing this idea become reality, at some point in the future. In a galaxy, far, far, away…………….

I have two important dates to remind you all about.

The first is for all the Friends of Bridport Museum. This Sunday, The New Hardy Players are performing ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ on the Millennium Green. The first 100 tickets will secure a place in the WI hall if weather conditions turn inclement. Please come down to the Coach House and book some tickets JJ

The second is the Charter Fair, which is set to occur on Saturday 2^nd of July. I have not been to this before, and I am looking forward to seeing what it has to offer. It looks really fun, especially the dramatic reenactments.

For now, we must say adieu……….

Sayonara JJ

Monday 20/6/11

Hi everyone – fantastic weekend at the Bridport Food Festival event. Saturday was really good fun. I know we had a lot of people who came to look at our stall, and at the photo board we had brought along too. I really enjoyed also going around and looking at what everyone else had to offer; I particularly liked the cider stalls……… I am sure I had five-too-many tasters JJ at the end of my shift, of course!! I am certain that next year I will also attend the hog-roast at the ‘Ropemakers’ pub on the Friday…… I LOVE spit-roasted pig. I am sure there is no better way to eat an animal of that size (I am drooling as I write this……..)

This morning was fun – I helped Margaret out by returning the stock we took on Saturday to the museum shop; I know some people may not find basic jobs interesting, but I really appreciate the different work experiences…. It is important to see all the aspects of a job so that you can be prepared for whatever comes next in the best possible way…… Some of the items we have in our shop are really incredible….. I particularly like the hand-made books, because they are so colourful, and the patterns on some of them are really intricate.

The murder mystery story is also progressing well. This morning I have gone through the story so far, and I have tried to find a way to make it more streamlined, easier to logically follow, so that it flows better when read. I think that it is getting more sinister by the word, if not the letter, now. I am nervous to even read the words, as if they are going to jump out and attack me!!!!!!!!!!!!

‘Don’t worry, be happy’ – bye for now

Sayonara JJ

Friday 17/6/11

Hi everyone

Sorry that I haven’t spoken all week, I have simply been very busy shortening and tidying up my murder mystery story. It has got a bit too long, so I needed to simplify the plot line a bit. It is looking really good, though, and I am looking forward to finishing it once I know how each of the characters will influence the story…… Agatha Christie would be proud!! JJ

On another note, the museum has a stall tomorrow at the Food Festival event down on Asker's Meadow, by Morrison’s. Come along and enjoy the day; I just hope that it doesn’t rain, though….. I don’t want to have to wear welly’s, as it could end up like Glastonbury….

Sorry about the shortness of this blog post. I have to go buy my dinner J

Sayonara until Monday JJ

Monday 13/6/11

Hi everyone

Today has been fun – I have made a lot of progress with my murder mystery story; there has been another gruesome murder……. And it looks like there is some suspicious forgery occurring too. The plot is really getting thick and murky!! JJ

I also went through parts of our collections, and found some interesting sport related items, which I photographed and then added to my sports research…. I am really looking forward to hopefully seeing a sports exhibition next year… I am also really looking forward to the 2012 Olympics; although I doubt that I’ll be able to watch it anywhere apart from on the TV!!

Here is another call to all of you who may have forgotten that there is an event on tomorrow as part of the Bridport Festival. Down at the Salt House in West Bay, Maya Pieris is giving you a talk on the history of the afternoon tea. There is also the offer of a cream tea, if you fancy coming along JJJ

Sorry about the shortness of today’s post – I am a bit pushed for time, as there is always soooooo much to do!!

Bye for now!!

Sayonara JJ

Friday 10/6/11

Hi everyone

Today has been really good fun……….. I spent all my time writing more of the murder mystery story. If yesterday I said that everything was gruesome and gory, then today has by distinction trumped that…………. A failed murder attempt and a sinister break in!! JJ The plot is truly thickening…….

The research into local sports is also going well; next week I will have a number of items lined up to research further. So it’s all pistons go here at the mo J

See you on Monday – have a great and relaxing weekend

Sayonara JJ

Thursday 9/6/11

Hi everyone

Today has been simple but fun – I have spent most of my time writing more scenes for the murder mystery story……. I can tell you that the next big event will be a failed murder!! This is a strictly contraband leak, so enjoy it JJ

I also did some research into the history of football rattles. We have a couple in our collections, so I thought they would make a nice side story to the sport exhibition next year…… I’m beginning to wonder how many sports there are locally; I seem to be finding small teams popping up all over the place!! Most of them are interlinked, as I previously mentioned; the Rugby team is also the Football team and so on……..

The count-down to next weeks Food Festival is getting shorter - come along, please and enjoy the various events…… They all promise to be fantastic; I’m particularly looking forward to the Cider tasting on Wednesday (I think?), and then the BBQ on Sunday – I LOVE hog roast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will see you all tomorrow – sleep tight zzzzzzzz JJ

Sayonara……

Wednesday 8/6/11

Hi everyone

Today has been fun – I have spent most of my time continuing to write the murder mystery story. I am onto Act 2, and the plot is thickening and becoming increasingly gruesome and gory!!

I also have to make another announcement: for those of you who already know about the Bridport Food Festival, you may also know that the museum is hosting a culinary trail from Monday 13^th to Saturday 18^th, as part of the events taking place during that week. It promises to be really fun and interesting, so please, please come along!! JJ

I also have spent sometime today with beginning to find items for the sport’s exhibition next season….. I am hoping to get a number of interesting items from our collections, and perhaps then do some further research into particular items….

Bye for now – I’m going home to cook lunch!!

Sayonara JJ

Tuesday 7/6/11

Hi, and sorry – I didn’t keep my promise last week. It was incredibly crazy over at the museum all week…. According to the volunteer news that Bruce put together, last week was the best so far this season!!!!!! Pirate week did bring in a lot of children and families; Wednesday last week, as the craft day, saw over a hundred and fifty people in, and I loved creating hats and eye-patches and parrots with all the kids. It was a really successful week, and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to do some more artistic and creative things….. I hope that it could be repeated again next year, because I am sure it would have a similar level of success!

I thought it would be nice if I gave you some basic statistics on our success last week:

· Total visitors were 711 – by far the biggest weekly number so far this year

· Donations were £130 and shop takings £213 – both by a large margin the best of the season

Today has been fun, as usual. I have been getting back into writing the murder mystery story; I can certainly say it is going to be gruesome, the first murder having been committed by as yet an unknown fiend!! I am really finding it a joy to be creative like this – it is going to be really satisfying to find out how this actually ends, because I have no idea how it will!! JJJ

I also need to put out another prompt about the talk at the Salt House next Wednesday; come along and listen to Maya Pieris give you a talk on the history of the afternoon tea, and be served one too!! J

We had a number of different volunteers over here at the Coach House today; it is nice to see regular faces at work. I do hope, nonetheless, that we get a lot of new volunteers coming in. We are always grateful for people to help out however they can!! J

On another note, I can’t wait for the Bridport Food Festival which is now less than a week away: 12th - 18th June (add link to web page), and it is going to be fantastic fun!! In Hitchin, where I used to live, we never really had this much going on, and there was never the enthusiastic and zany environment either!! JJ

I need to sign off now – I’m off to buy some Rosemary!!

Sayonara JJJJ

Tuesday 1/6/11

Hi everyone…..

First, a huge apology…

I have not spoken in ages, although this is due to the fact that I have been busy creating activities for the Pirate Craft Day tomorrow at the museum. I really hope that we get a lot of children in to enjoy the activities and games!!

On another note, the talk by Maya Pieris is coming up soon on Wednesday 15^th starting at 2:30 pm at the Salt House in West Bay. The talk will be on the History of Afternoon Tea, and there will of course be an afternoon tea served after the talk ends. Please come along, and enjoy a fascinating talk by a local historian!! J

Concerning myself, I am still pursuing research into sport in the community. I am considering doing a comparison between sport then, and sport now to mirror the present exhibition in the museum showing Bridport in 1911.I think it is important to see how times have changed, and also to see how people now place an emphasis on sport compared with people a hundred years ago…….

There seems to be a focus on football, swimming – both in public pools and the sea - and cricket. Along with these more active sports, bowls and golf also appear to have been popular among many local people in the last century. In particular connection with golf, the Gundry family has a close affinity. The sport itself first appeared in 1891 when the Bridport and West Dorset Golf Club was created. Joseph Peakes Fox Gundry was the founder and president of the club, according to the only remaining records of those early years.

Emily and I were over at the museum this afternoon, setting up everything ahead of tomorrow; I am sure we made many, many people laugh including the volunteers at the front desk. Attaching the flag above the entrance way was particularly funny to watch!!!!!............. Please come along tomorrow, as we hope to entertain many children and families!! JJJ

Bye for now, and I promise to start writing more regularly again!!

P:S - sorry this blog is a day late.......

Sayonara JJ