Changes at Blue Peter

The weekend started pretty much with waking up to reports from various weekend newspapers that the long running children's tv program, Blue Peter will cease to make live programs from its studio at Salford, Lancashire and instead be entirely pre-recorded.

Shockingly last Friday's show was actually the last live one although neither presenters, the children taking part or us the viewers actually knew as none of us were informed.

It remains unclear as to what exactly the role of all three presenters, Abby, Joel and Shini will be beyond being in any pre-recorded clip as each will need to be "anchored" to form a cohesive program whither or not it is shown first on iPlayer online or transmitted on a traditional 'linear' tv channel.

It is understood that the BBC is planning on axing the BBC CBBC channel for 6 to 12 year olds and going digital only at some future point, a channel that was first established in 2002 and the movement of all children's programming to it in 2012 after the "digital switchover" 

It's not as if Blue Peter has never had pre-recorded segments shot on film or tape from the 1960's onwards as those of us can recall things like John Noakes climbing Nelson's Column, the many summer expeditions that of necessity had to be or trips to various places but being live gave it an edge, the sense o f not knowing what was going to happen next.

It made for memorable interviews on set, the possibility of a fluffed line or a animal misbehaving that as children we just laughed out loud at.

One memorable live show had people on from GirlGuiding in December 1970 where a camp fire was light as brownies and girl guides all sang around as nobody noticed until it was a bit late the campfire was getting out of control right next to them!

Things like "The Big Badge Wall" that celebrates achievements from posted art and details of challenges undertaken take on more as presenter show the weeks outstanding recipients as children cheer as they do for an artist performing or a live presenter challenge.

That is very stuff that will be lost from now on, the edge of the seat feel we get and which as children we so compared to a continuity linked series of pre-recorded items.

As ever the groan ups show their lack of understanding of what makes great tv even though we all know the world has changed since we first started watching not least how we do but we all saw saw things at the same time for very first time live.

Anyone who reads the BP Fan Club pages knows seeing and chatting about these live bits gets them so excited and happy. Many adults love live shows too for similar reasons but middle age preduces seem to think glorified podcasts are all we want.

This is a very retrograde step.

bb

Observations

Another week and a bit of  a follow up from last week in some respects following on from the period just before I was away.

Interestingly since the week before and the period after Camp I have been getting up a good deal earlier  by at least a good hour which isn't just a matter of things such as bright mornings although at the end of the month that finger turning ritual of setting every clock and watch to Daylight Saving aka British Summer Time Begins where we kid ourselves the night is so much brighter.

It's not a trick I fall for but when official time is altered you can't live as if it hasn't really as transport goes to it - railways being what moved the UK to a standardized time in the first place - and shows on the radio and tv are listed to that too.

No it's something that has been talked about in the context of high school children,  namely the tendency to check before bed and then having taken a device to bed to start waking up around three and rationalize looking around the likes of news sites saying I'll just have a quick look and soon a few hours goes by and maybe you crash to sleep.

Then you wake up quite a bit later as you've hit deep sleep later than you would of so you start the day late having had less sleep.

Given my spoon issues anyway it's not good so I'm keeping the electrics downstairs at night.

Perhaps I need old school parenting?

Tammy needs the swish of the cane at times.

Birthday edition

 

It's been a pretty warm over the last week indeed temperatures were as high as 17 degrees c at one point so I was outside enjoying myself but that wasn't all I did.

Well it was my birthday last week so there were celebrations so thanks to the  SH, EB, GT forums and LGC Discord group for your kind birthday wishes.

There was some money to pay for some presents such as a triple lp set and a few things coming as there were some delays that also included two cards.

 

I got this five cd  set of albums by the great Jazz player John Coltrane to replace a poor sounding set I have for a good number of years having been brought up on Jazz, playing dads records during school hols.

I have arriving three other discs that were a part of the original set plus a mid sixties title which rounds off that little project.

I did have this recent recording of William Walton's Violin Concerto with the Sinfonia of London conducted by John Wilson which is really well played.

I also had some white chocolate bars and a Toberone.

Thinking Day thoughts

After last week's exciting littles adventure report, this week I wish to return to something that has been a series of posts within this blog from the start.

You cannot escape being something of an eternal Brownie  when you are "little" me and that is in differing ways a part of who I am so we've written about Girlguiding, what it means to me and how as a lifelong sissy elements have been problematic although I'm now at peace with it.

Today we look at something important - Founder's Day.

The day itself, 22 February, marks the birthday of Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouts. It’s a birthday he shared with his wife, Olave, on the far right of this picture,  who was World Chief Guide, which is why the day is special for Guides too who call it Thinking Day.

As is traditional,the Scouts  took part in the Annual Wreath Laying Service at the Baden-Powell Memorial at Westminster Abbey represented vy Welsh Explorers, while Girlguides like us reflecting on what he gave us when he set out the principals for scouting and started our movement.

It is  a day to renew your Promise, and think about how Scouting has and still does have the potential to change lives and society in general for the better in whar are troubling times with conflicts and challenges not least that involving our planet.

What might you need on an camping trip with your mates?

Here it seems American Girl Scouts have gathered much you will such as matches, maps, eating and cooking utensils (you may well need to eat something!) and a good first aid kit as you may be a few miles from a chemist or doctor.

A compass really is a must as is a torch, guides on indentifying trees and plants and penknife.

Little Sissy's Winter away days

This week we'll go back to last week although it felt more like December  looking at how being away was involving a train journey part of the way before I was kindly given a lift for the reminder stopping off at Tintern Abbey near Chepstow enroute.

It is is a ruin undertaking as can be evidenced from the scaffolding renovation works part structural and part to restore elements lost in previous attempts.

It's pretty big, very much self contained settlement although finding it took a bit of doing as the signing wasn't obvious.

We called in the cafe adjacent to it for a bite to eat as it had been a good while since we'd eaten and I had a "White Monk's Breakfast" which was the local form of the traditional a full bacon and egg "English" fried breakfast that was extremely good.
 

 When we got to the Eleventh Century manor house we were staying at we did explore the extensive grounds there were a lot of snowdrops and daffodils out looking towards the local fields and hills.

That's where I stayed!

Fortunately for sissikins, there were lots of dollies and a forest of pink everything's which was great for getting very little which is something I've been needing to be honest.

 I did mention the time seemed different and it was cos it was Christmas and everything was centred around that so we had a tree that was decorated.

Santa came with presents such as a super gurlie activity set with colouring book and green bag plus a little princess was bag and a Christmas box on Christmas eve that had scrumptious amounts of chocolates in it.

There were arts and crafts sessions that included making decorations such as chains, things for the tree such as my Cat one, making place mats for Christmas dinner and so on that was fun.

We did Home Economics, making Mince pies, decorating Ginger biscuits with seasonal art, cup cakes and even making our very own Pizzas from dough so with a great issue with cheese mine was tomato, turkey and ham.

We held games with a twist on musical chairs, quiz's, landing a jelly object on a Christmas tree target and getting a pin on the top of the donkey. The team I was part of came second in the General Knowledge quiz.

 Catering was by us and we had a traditional very tasty Christmas Dinner with Christmas pudding  and turkey, ham and salad with chips Boxing day meal. Well we had plenty of turkey and ham so you might as well us it which our parents always did!

It felt like it really was Christmas all over again for this sissy.

Thoughts on leaving

Technically I should be leaving today but actually we are going to gift shop that also has a restaurant first after packing my case and uber cute Hello Kitty tote bag ready for off in the early evening and I am dressed as me, feminine, gurlish, little me on view to all young and old given it's half term in schools this week and it's beautiful. 

Being that Gurl really is the thing and generally few care abut the back story as you just "be" and act as you "are" just respecting some more adult styles aren't really the best choice for mixed company even if there's nothing intrinsically wrong with them.

I'll write something about the week next week but Tammy was out and deserves to be.

hhh

Playtime

 

Well, I used to have my own swing but not since a few years ago when it started to come apart and major redesign work was going on in the garden so these days I try to grab moments in the park and that as really this more what I'm about.

Having fun as this gurl.

You do notice things that are going on around you when that's the case such as the disputes between different members of the bird family, squirrels climbing trees, going along fence posts and burying their acorns and the odd cat on patrol.

That really is what the next six days will be about for me when I'm away, very much to play and have more child like fun and play games.

That's what I call cool!