Monday, we're busy doing blog and planning to create our Yourways News.
Tuesday, We played golf at the Driving Range, having lunch at the Otter's Nursery Garden Centre, and did some evening drama at TR2.
Wednesday, we went out to the Devon Guild of Craftsmen where we met Ali sort out of our art exhibition and visit Sparkwell to look at galleries. (There're lots of photo's taken from both the Devon Guild and Sparkwell, so sit back, relax and look at these pictures).
Thursday, we're at the studio doing some more ink printing and finished my collage of the fruit bowl.
And Friday, we're busy practising our performance "Wizard of Oz" and stroll around in Radford Park.
What a week has been?! I would like to say "Thank You!" for helping me to brighten my friends up for the 70th Anniversary with Thomas the Tank Engine, Edward the Blue Engine and all their friends in Books and Television from Tuesday. I do hope the Awdry family will be proud too.
This song will be the day to remember; Shining Time Station. Our dreams, wishes and happiness will come true.
Here's my last two weeks' post of what I doing so far.
WEEK 1:
Monday 27th April, I was busy doing the blog and filming.
Tuesday 28th April, we went to Trago Mills to do some shopping and in the evening we're practising our drama sessions at the TR2.
Wednesday 29th April, Me and all my friends went out to Tamar Valley Trail to go on tree surfing. It was difficult and scary at first when we're on cables between the both platforms of the trees with different obstacle courses, but after the first couple of tree platforms we finally got the hang of it and we're feeling very brave.
Thursday 30th April, we're at the studio busy making collage and doing some ink printing.
Friday 1st May, we're at the TR2 practising our performance for the WIZARD OF OZ. After that we're at the Plymouth Museum to look at the wildlife photographer of the year during over the last five decades.
WEEK 2:
Monday 4th May, which was a bank holiday, I took a day off because it was my Gran's birthday. I was busy planting some new flowers for both the front and the back garden. And I also planting my wild flower seeds which the ones we planting at the roundabout in town sometime ago.
Tuesday 5th May, I was helping the cook club to cook some chicken rap, helping the TR2 to design the Funky Llama flag and doing some drama.
Wednesday 6th May, we went to the Compton Castle. We looked around the rooms, the gardens, the chapel, and standing by the nice warm fireplace. It was a cold and wet day over in Devon. We went to Torquay to have a nice Hot Chocolate.
Thursday 7th May, we're at the studio create some ink printing, having a meeting with Jill and almost finishing my collage picture of the fruit bowl.
Friday 8th May, it was wet and pouring day in both Devon and Cornwall. We went out to Cornwall for a drive, helping to clean the car, drove back to Devon to have a car wash and visit the Matalan store. We didn't mind the job.
And by the way, do you know what's happening this week? Well, I tell you something, do you know it's 70 years since the Reverend Wilbert Awdry who wrote Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends books. His first Railway Series book (the Three Railway Engines) has been published after he told the story about trains to his son: Christopher when he was 2 years old in bed with measles.
So here's the first book of the Railway Series; the Three Railway Engines. Published 12th May 1945. Written by Awdry in 1943 to entertain his son, Christopher, who was suffering from measles at the time, this was the first book in what was to become The Railway Series. The book tells the stories of kind Edward, pompous Gordon and foolish Henry.
EDWARD’S DAY OUT
The book opens with Edward being given the chance to go out of his shed again after some time, much to the outrage of the others in his shed. Following trouble with a guard who’s late, Edward has a wonderful time running through the countryside, and earns the chance to do it again the following day.
EDWARD AND GORDON
The next story tells of Edward’s encounter with the resident shed braggart Gordon. He promises a splendid sight when he rushes through with the Express, however, all that Gordon gets to pull that day is dirty trucks, and they prove too much for him as he becomes stranded on a hill, and has to be rescued by Edward. However, Gordon forgets his manners and speeds off into the distance following Edward’s assistance. Despite feeling unappreciated, Edward gets his reward when his Driver promises him a smart new coat of paint!
THE SAD STORY OF HENRY
A third locomotive, Henry, deciding to stop in the middle of a tunnel to avoid the rain, much to the dislike of his passengers and the Fat Director. They try pulling him out and pushing him out, but in the end, have to give up and leave him where he is to teach him a lesson. He soon realises the error of his ways, and fears it’s too late to rectify them.
EDWARD, GORDON AND HENRY
Henry is given a second chance following Gordon’s chance breakdown outside the opposite tunnel to where he is stood. Edward is the only engine available in the yard to try and push the train, however, proves ineffective and there’s only one engine left to help – Henry. The Fat Director gives him another chance and with Edward’s help, they help to bring the train home again. That evening, Gordon is helped home by Edward and Henry and all three engines become friends in light of all that’s happened, and Henry learns by his mistakes. He is given a new coat of paint following his troubles, and chooses to be painted blue to match his new friends.
Oh what a wonderful man he was! He always brighting up the children, their parents, their grandparents and even the trains all over the world. He wrote Thomas the Tank Engine, book no.2 the following year 1946. All about our No. 1 blue Tank Engine who wanted to go out see the world and how to become a really useful engine!
Awdry's most famous and loveable character comes to light in his first book, written by Awdry to follow up The Three Railway Engines - proving such a success through the strong and engaging storylines and bold illustrations by Reginald Payne, that it enticed Edmund Ward to commission another. Thomas the Tank Engine contains some of my favourite, and arguably best stories to be told in the Railway Series as a whole and showcase a great character in plucky and determined little Thomas.
THOMAS AND GORDON
We are introduced to Thomas – the tank engine shunter who works in the big station yard shunting coaches. A cheeky little thing, Thomas goes too far when he teases Gordon the big engine, who begins plotting revenge against him. Gordon ceases a chance to get his own back when Thomas is remained coupled to the back of his Express train, and he takes Thomas on a high speed run that he will never forget!
THOMAS’ TRAIN
Our first indication of Thomas’s interest in big station life waning. He longs to see the world and gets his chance for a passenger run when Henry takes ill. But for an unexplained reason, Thomas isn’t coupled to the train and starts his journey without the coaches. He’s soon stopped at a signal, and much to his dismay, finds out that he’s not been pulling the train at all. Despite this, he returns back to the station to try again, and this time pulls the train. But he is subject to teasing for a while due to his folly!
THOMAS AND THE TRUCKS
Thomas’s quest to leave the big station continues, and once again, another chance arises for him to prove himself. Edward offers to swap his train of trucks for a day shunting in Thomas’s place. Thomas, not used to trucks, soon finds himself running into bother when they gain the upper hand on Gordon’s Hill and push him down the other side. Fortunately, Thomas has a safe escape and stops in front of the buffers, only to find the Fat Director waiting for him. He gives Thomas another chance to prove himself with trucks, and allows him to shunt them in the yard for a few weeks.
THOMAS AND THE BREAKDOWN TRAIN
Thomas continues his work shunting in Edward’s yard and learning about trucks, with much encouragement from The Fat Director. One day in the yard, he spots a new engine, James, speeding through with his brake-blocks on fire. Thomas collects the Breakdown Train and heads off to James’ aid. After a busy afternoon of clearing the mess, Thomas brings James back to the shed and is rewarded grandly by the Fat Controller for his heroism with his own branch line. At long last, his hopes and dreams had been realised.
Wonderful, really useful stories that our author has written. He wrote the first twenty-six books from 1945-1972 and son Christopher who took over his father's job wrote sixteen more books from 1983-2011.
Oh! And don't forget, there was Brain Sibley's book "The Thomas the Tank Engine Man" the official biography of the Reverend Wilbert Awdry is out on sale this month. Price £18.99. You can read all about Wilbert Awdry's life about railways. So this will be his long unforgettable life with two songs "Island of Sodor" and "Little Eva Locomotion".
