So who says I don't do culture..........

 I am not known for my cultured ways - in fact my plebian tendencies have been well documented (believing that there is "too much dancing" in Swan Lake and looking aghast at any food which does not have the look of either comfort or nursery food!). However, this weekend I found myself at the MEN arena (as high up as you can get without having a nosebleed!) listening to the Halle Orchestra and the Leeds Festival Chorus in a Classical Spectacular. What a treat. The programme, the acoustics and the space gave rise to a thoroughly great evening, rounded off with some magnificent pyrotechnic displays, gun salutes and cannon fire - which, by the way made us jump so much we could almost hang from the lighting rigs! All this was of course enhanced by good company and the fact that we treated ourselves to a taxi door to door (£50!!!!) well - it was snowy!

All this reminded me of the last time I was at the MEN and I realised that I hadn't shared this experience with you - so before you can feel cheated I must just tell you the highlights.
Regular readers may remember that earlier this year I had a run in with a Grantham stair sprite and it was thought for a while that I had broken my ankle. Whilst I was immobilised for a few days my concerns were (in this order...) my tickets to see Cesar Milan , how I was going to get home, work.
First things first - my immediate task was to call the MEN and arrange for different seats that would accommodate a wheelchair - no problem, easily sorted just report to customer services on the night and they will direct us to the correct bay. Hmmm  thought we might be in for a treat with seats close to the stage and our beloved Cesar. Very excited!

As it transpires, I had not broken my ankle - it was an old break ( and one that I had never known had happened!) so I was stripped of my plaster, crutches taken away and was left with a flimsy bit of tubigrip. Amongst the euphoria of getting my mobility back I quickly realised that this had implications for Cesar. I couldn't phone again as they'd given my old seats away - and anyway our new seats could be much better. So, we hatched a plan. .....

On the night of the show I was found wearing a hastily made lower leg splint and seated in a borrowed wheelchair (in my defense my mobility was still rather limited!!!). Once the doors opened (and we seemed to be waiting ages - my foot was freezing!!!!) we were ushered in ahead of the crowds feeling v. special. Directed to customer services, given our new tickets and found our places -

as far back from the stage as it is possible to go and v. high up!! Teach us to be special. Still, at least we had plenty of room - and then the other places started to fill, some in wheelchairs, some on crutches, began to feel a bit of a fraud! As the show was about to begin a group of 3 women joined us one of which possibly had a sprained ankle, they sat down and began moaning in very loud voices about how "disgusting" it was (think they meant being in a collective with the "disabled") and how they'd paid for good seats etc. Resisted urge to demonstrate miraculous recovery and walk up to them with a therapeutic slap! Anyway eventually they became resigned to their fate.
The show began, Cesar arrived on stage and then one of said women in a voice that could be heard 3 fields away and more shouted "we love you Cesar", audience tittered, Cesar looked around, "we're over 'ere, in the DISABLED bay"....... audience as one turned and looked - straight at me...............OMG how embarasing! Can laugh about it now - just hope the show (which was absolutely mesmorising by the way) wasn't being taped for dvd.

So. back to the present day , Classical Spectacular and then the lastest Harry Potter film... a great weekend and a bit of culture for my soul.....