Ben Taylor's new album coming soon.. steady ladies..

One of my very favourite artists, Ben Taylor has his new record out in a few weeks. It's called Listening.
I'm quite excited about this, and so is my husband who is sick of hearing the same Ben Taylor songs over and over and over....

Here's a sneak preview...REALLY not sure about the glasses though..

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My Cybher12 'Meet and Greet'

My writing pal, Mel Comley and I are off to Cybher12 in May.
Cybher12 is billed as the number one event for women who blog. As it's not just for Mummies, of which Mel has no desire to be, she's coming over from France so we can go up together.
I'm hoping that this trip, Youngest might speak to her, or even look at her, as he managed to avoid it for the whole three days of her last visit.
Sian of Geek is The New Chic blog, is running a pre-Cyber12-event virtual 'meet and greet', so here's mine:

Name : Tania Tirraoro, aka The Special Needs Jungle lady
Blogs : NotAsAdvertised Special Needs Jungle
Twitter ID : @TaniaLT & SpcialNdsJungle
Height : 5'3" but Son1 claims I'm 5' 1". He LIES!
Hair : blonde and bobby
Five things you should know about me...
1.I'm always taking too much on then moaning about it
2. I used to read the news on the telly but now I write books. Sometimes.
3. I have loved James Taylor since I was 19 and have made my husband go to 5 of the 7 concerts I've seen. Even though he doesn't really like him.
4.I have two tween/teen sons, both with ASD. This can be exhausting.
5.My 2012 goals are to learn how to relax while still awake and to write a fourth book.

James Taylor -
quite a number of years ago

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James Taylor in Lucca - a Holiday Dream

Back from Lucca where we spent two weeks in the melting heat being eaten alive by evil mosquitos as well as lazing by the pool and eating too much. (interestingly mosquito in Italian is Zanzare but in Venetian it is Musato)

The highlight for me was seeing James Taylor in concert at the Lucca Summer Festival. James Taylor is my long-time favourite artist (though his son Ben Taylor is a firm second).
We were driving on our way to the villa when I saw a billboard advertising the festival and JT's appearance. I've already seen him five times but still, once more would be a charm, especially in the open air of a warm summer evening in Lucca's Piazza Napoleone, wouldn't it? My husband has also seen JT a few times. Reluctantly. Trouble is, he is a Blur and Billy Bragg man and only comes along to keep me company and prevent me from making an idiot of myself by rushing the stage or doing something else a 40-something woman shouldn't be doing at a concert by a 62 year old legendary former drug-addict.

I looked at my husband appealingly. Would you like to go? he asked, through gritted teeth. No, I replied, it's okay (eyes downcast).
A couple of days later we are in possession of tickets five rows from the front. (Courtesy of Luca's Euros as the credit card machine was broken) Whoopee! He's such a good sport, my husband.

And there we were just two days after that, me singing along ecstatically, husband clapping politely, insisting he was having a good time (not as good as me, obviously). Luca wanted to go too, but we would have had to sit further back, so hard luck, son.

Old String-bean was fan-bloody-tastic, as good as he was when I saw him in 1989 and with the two of the same backing singers to boot. He did the old favourites (well let's face it he's been going since the late sixties) and it really made my holiday memorable. The only downside was that I forgot my camera and had to rely on my camera phone which was a bit rubbish (see pic).
It may be the last time I see him as I'm not sure I can inflict another time on my husband. Mind you, Luca is getting older and I bet he'd go with me...

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