Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti

All's quiet at the hub today because it's Thursday and that's  the day we take whole day or half day bookings so I don't get any coffee today and I don't get a good chat or to build towers with little people. But I do get to sit on reception and see all our patients. It's a busy time here. It must be people sorting themselves out ready for the Christmas holidays. I am eating my way through my crispy cakes and looking forward to tonight's big sing.

Moving into 2012

I started the day by making chocolate crispy cake christmas puddings and delivering them to everyone in the building in exchange for the use of upstairs' microwave. I put them in paper cases which are slippery little suckers when put on a plate so poor Tim had his thrown all over his desk on delivery. 


It was the Babysign Christmas party today which I missed because we had a practitioner meeting (which I forgot to take the crispy cakes to). Looking at the aftermath of the Christmas party, I realised I had missed a treat...bubbles, sprinkles, glitter, songs. But the good news in that on Friday, Sophie has another party for Wriggle Rhythms and I am not missing that one. 


Knitting was lovely and gentle today. Penny unknitted a hat, Sophie made a jumper that may fit her Thirza in 5 years time, Liz knitted a Tombliboo's leg and I played with Penny. That's one of the highlights of my week but it's not improving my knitting. We sang Let's Go Fly a Kite together (see I do sing really Peter), played with nail polish and ate crispy cakes. 


The afternoon flew by. Time ran away with me and I nearly missed Lottie pick up time. I even had to do a bit of running.


The practitioners have lots of ideas and lots of knowledge to share. In case you didn't know we have a practice next door with herbalists, osteopaths, acupuncturists, Alexander technique teachers, reflexologists, massage therapists and Feldenkrais teachers. All of whom have a tremendous amount of knowledge in their particular field and all of whom have to be spot on in order to be part of the Sustainable Health Centre. I am hoping that we can put the practitioners to good use in helping us all with the things we struggle with day to day - stress and anxiety, feeling tired, sleep problems, constant sniffles, etc.


I want 2012 to be great at the hub. 


The hub is going to be closed between Saturday 24th December and Monday 2nd January (unless you are going to Janette's Birthing Class). I want to use this time to catch my breath, spend some time with Lottie and get my head around some of the things I need to do to polish 
in terms of what we do at the hub. So if you have any ideas, constructive criticism, things you like, things you don't - it would be really really helpful to hear them. I only see the hub the way I see the hub and it is useful to know how others see it and how other people want it to be used. 


The other EXCITEMENT is that Lisa (maybe Crazy Lisa) is doing a family crafting session on Tuesday at noon. The last one she did at half term was our halloween lantern making and the hub was awash with excitement and black and orange tissue paper. It is £4 per family and I know we have got lots of people coming. There's no need to book. Just come along and join in. 

Lisa's last family crafting session

This week at the hub

This week:


We are open for teas, coffees, biscuits and whatever else ends up on the table between 12 noon and 1:30pm every day.


This morning is crafting group with Lisa at noon. Just pop along.
Tonight at 6:30pm we have Feldenkrais with Klaas Overzee.
Tomorrow morning is Gentle Hatha Yoga with Roberta Hutchins and 9:45am.
Tomorrow at noon we have Rachael's knitting group - a chance to slow down and have a good chat. 
Tomorrow at 2pm is Babysign with Sophie Headlong-Moore. 
Thursday evening is our Christmas sing with Peter Kyrke-Smith & Magic Carpet. All welcome but you do need to book through Rob on 01392 422938.
Friday we have Sophie's Wriggle Rhythms at 11am and coffee time at noon.


We also have the University of Exeter's geography student's exhibition in the hub until Friday. 


Booking for next year:
Yoga for 9-12 year olds (Tuesdays 4-5pm - starting 17/1/12)
Baby Yoga (Mondays 10:30-11:30am - 5 week course starting 16/1/12)
Gentle Hatha Yoga (Wednesdays 9:45-10:45am)
Pilates (Tuesdays 6:30-7:30pm and Fridays (9:45-10:45am)
Women's Network Beat the Blues Sessions (Fridays 2-4pm)
CVS open meeting for Big Communities Living Sustainably Initiative (11th January)
Daisy Birthing Classes (6 week courses ongoing)
Tai Chi (Fridays 6-8pm)
Transition Exeter Skills Swaps (Fridays from noon)
Crafting sessions (Tuesdays from noon)
Knitting Group (Wednesdays from noon)
The Craft Hub's Make and Take Group for 5-11 year olds (Monday 4-5pm)
Magic Carpet Community Choir (Tuesdays 10-12 noon)
Wriggle Rhythms (Fridays 11-12noon)
BabySign (Wednesdays 2-3pm)
Homebirth Trust meeting (10th January)
as well as plans for more baby fair and cake and craft fairs.


If you would like to use the hub for a class, course or private meeting please do get in touch. 

Blog Hijack!

A Message from a very tall, possibly magical, singing elf... – i.e. Peter Kyrke-Smith, Magic Carpet and the Hub’s answer to Gareth Malone!

Joey has very kindly let me do some of her (always brilliant) blog for today, just to introduce myself to all you readers, and to say something about the 2 great Christmas singing sessions coming up at The Hub THIS Thursday (December 15) and NEXT Thursday (December 22) – both from 5.30 to 7.30, and including a break in the middle for refreshments – Singing With The Angels!  (If you know The Hub, you’ll know why we’ve called them this!)

I’ve had the fantastic pleasure and privilege of doing all sorts of  singing and musical things with people over the past 15-20 years, with choirs, schools, theatres, community groups and individual singers -  and so I was DELIGHTED when Rob from Magic Carpet asked me if I’d like to set up a new daytime community choir, starting in January 2012 and based at The Hub, and to set the ball rolling with a couple of big Christmas sings.

Just as it will be with the Magic Carpet Community Choir in January, absolutely anyone and everyone is welcome to come along and Sing with the Angels! - just as long as you want to sing! - or at least give it a go!   

We’ll be doing a mix of ‘classic’ Christmas songs (think White Christmas, Winter Wonderland, All I Want For Christmas Is My Two front Teeth, Santa Baby and many more…!) and lots of traditional carols, with a few other heart-warming songs thrown in that you may or may not know, including the deeply moving Lost Satsuma Song…!

There is just one aim for each of the evenings : to have great fun, singing away to your heart’s content in  excellent company, and in one of Exeter’s most amazing, secret old buildings.

Be there! – but book now (via The Magic Carpet office on 01392-422938) to avoid disappointment!  The Hub is a wonderful place to sing, but we think 40 people really is about the upper limit numbers wise.

Peter Kyrke-Smith

p.s. and yes, The Magic Carpet Community Choir – open to anyone and everyone who wants to come along and sing on a Tuesday morning – will be starting at The Hub on Tuesday January 17, 2012.   We’ll start singing (all sorts of great songs!) at 10.30 each week, and finish by 12, but Joey’s wonderful brews of coffee, tea etc will be available from 10 o’clock.

Again, get in touch with The Magic Carpet office on 01392-422938 to find out more, or book a place for the first session.

p.p.s. and to find out more about some of the brilliant work Magic Carpet has been doing in Exeter and Devon for the past 30 years, have a look at their website : www.magiccarpet-arts.org.uk .  Their whole focus is on using the Arts to promote health and well-being for all groups and individuals in the community – and they share my total belief that SINGING IS GOOD FOR YOU! and… EVERYONE CAN SING! 

(This includes Joey, who keeps telling me she can’t sing and won’t sing!!  I give her about 10 minutes this Thursday evening before she can’t help it!)

The Next Two Thursdays...

For the next two Thursdays, I strongly recommend you come to Magic Carpet's Christmas Sing with Peter and then go Christmas shopping (we finish at 7:30pm and the shops are open until 9pm). It will well and truly put you in a chirpy Christmassy mood. I may wear my antlers and dress Lottie as an elf. Book through Rob (his number is below):

So clever...but a little 'Red Dwarf'

For our board meeting yesterday, we had three in the room and three on Skype. It was ridiculously clever and saved a lot of time and money and fuel... blooming marvellous technology. 

Lucky Me!

It's been an amazing weekend Hubwise and Joeywise. Friday was organised chaos. We had Wriggle Rhythms which was fabulously busy and lots of fun as always which ended at noon and Skills-Swap began. Penny was swapping knitting tips and Simon showed people how to make a warming tea for coughs and colds and Arabella discussed her reusable wipes and bags for babies with Penny. This ended at 1:30 and the 60ish geography students arrived for their 'lecture' with Ian Cook. Two hours later the Hub had been transformed from Santa's grotto (David, Darren and my handwork) into an exhibition space. The 3rd year students have been looking at the financial crisis and these exhibits and interactive displays are their take on the situation with ideas for what could be done to encourage us to make a difference. The exhibition will be here until Friday and the students would really like your comments in their book. It really is good fun as well as being thought-provoking and informative.

Whilst all this was going on I had Phonic FM DJ's in through the door, mulled wine on the go, a delivery of minced pie and mulled wine to make - even though it was rebuffed... don't worry Dan I will get over it :(
It all felt chaotic but all good.

Saturday Phd Student Jack looked after the exhibition whilst it was open to the public. I spent most of the day in and out of the hub and the Phoenix where Unique Boutique was in full flow. I discovered croissants that were so good I had to go back for a second and cheesy chips that were so tempting a lot were pinched. I bumped into all sorts of people and made plans for next year as well as buying a very cool baby grow with a screen printed robot on it that may or may not fit Lottie's little sister. Fingers crossed.

I also helped at the school's Christmas fair, on the toy stall. I picked up some toys to live with Peppa Pig and friends in the hub and picked up some things from Pipers Farm although they had sold out of my favourite rolled shoulder of lamb. Apparently it is my fault for telling everyone how good it is and what a bargain it is. So I am telling you now it is terrible. Stop buying it! And Michael please save me one for next weekend.

Today I went to The Craft Hub's Twinkling Firs Fair in Topsham. It was fabulous. I am internet stalking KABU (Kiss and Bake Up). She makes utterly spectacular things and I bought some of her vanilla buttercream-filled cinnamon oatmeal M&M cookies. They were so good it had gone before I reached the car. Lottie has one to look forward to later. I bought some Christmassy things too. I also won on the raffle - twice! And after winning first prize at the school Christmas Fair yesterday I am feeling I have been hit by the lucky stick.

This afternoon is our AGM and Simon and Alex have just pulled into the car park so I have to go. No spell-checking or grammar checking (so Jane you can have a field day!) and I will check it later. Back to business :)

Starting Fridays as I mean to go on...

At noon today Penny is coming in to do some exciting sharing with us. She is going to start with mince pies and christmas muffins and I have a vat of clotted cream so that's a good start. I also have some mulled wine that was kindly left by the ladies of the craft hub last night. I think that sounds like the start of a good party! But if you prefer coffee and biscuits we can do that for you too. 

The Great Crafty Swap Party

Hannah and Pip from the Craft Hub came armed with mulled wine, cava and white wine as well as crostini, pretzels and crispies (they know how to make friends) for the Crafty Swap Party. I traded in some crafty bits for 2 red stickers meaning I had £10 to spend when the swap began. Then we chattered and mingled and I highlighted names in blue when they came through the door. Lovely Rach said, "Why am I highlighted in blue?!" with a slightly paranoid air. If only I had a faster brain..."Because you're here!" Get that woman an bucks fizz and quick! I think the parking in Exeter nearly finished off some of the group so a relaxing evening and a vat of mulled wine was just the tonic.

I am so so so so so pleased with my swap but as usual I can't say what it is as it is a present. But I cannot believe how perfect it is and even better, I cleared out things I didn't want - blooming perfect. Genius. I love The Craft Hub ladies. And tomorrow if you come to the hub I have a LARGE tub of clotted cream that the ladies left with me along with scones and jam so it's party time at noon tomorrow.

The great clotted cream eating competition will coincide with Penny's skills swap. Perfect!

Baby Fair News

Oh boy oh boy did you shop today! We had some happy sellers and some happy buyers. Sophie Headlong-Moore worked really hard to put on the Baby Fair today and there were lots of relaxed parents, grandparents and little ones. I had lots of little playmates and people were asking when the next one is. That's a real success. Well done Sophie and team.