You are now enrolled at the University of Oxford...

Okay, it's only a short course - an intensive weekend of intermediate French, to be exact. And it's costing 85 quid (about $180) for two days. But it's two dreams come true all at once - to get get serious about speaking decent French and to study at Oxford University.

My folks are gonna be chuffed!

Oxford Folk Fest!

Over the past 3 days, I've put in 36 hours at the Oxford Folk Festival. I'm knackered, my feet and legs ache... but I am over the moon. What a weekend!!

The first big buzz was that after just 2 years helping out with stewarding (in return for free tickets - whoot!), I was asked to be one of two 'town hall managers' this year, looking after nearly 100 stewards over the festival weekend and scoring an 'Access All Areas' pass. Better yet, I got to share the job with the lovely Becca, a fellow flautist from the Half Moon, who is studing 'how to run festivals' as part of her arts degree. Cool, huh?

In between problem solving on the fly and standing in for stewards who needed a wee, we managed to catch some amazing acts, and some brilliant gossip (the things some artists want as a condition of playing! ha!) as the weekend just got better and better.

Friday night and I loved Jack Harris, who I'd never heard of before, and the sheer joy and uplifting African harmonies of Oxford's own Afropean Choir. And Ants and I were reunited with 'Laurence the sound guy', a friend of Mandy Connells who we met 2 yrs ago at Cropredy. We probably shouldn't have all stayed in the Half Moon after 'til 3am, but Barry the Steward was driving us home and besides, you only live once.

Saturday, after recovering from one of the artists turning up just 20 minutes before he was due to play, feet hardly touched ground as I ran between errands and trying to catch the talents of local Half Moon virtuosos Rob Ryan, Jamie Huddlestone and James Bell. Scotland's 'next big thing', a trio called Lau, were amazing, as was Fay Hield from the Witches of Elswick, accompanied by her fabulous spouse, Mr Boden.

Minor panic ensued as we lost Anthony at the beginning of a shift... only to discover that he'd been helping a 4-month-pregnant Kate Rusby lift instruments onto the main stage. He had no idea who she was until later... but there was no mistaking that voice once she began. Mid-set, I desperately looked around for Ants in the crowd as she launched into 'You belong to me', which has been 'Anthony's song' for me ever since that night at the Dan O'Connell before I came away. Found him at last and had to shed a tear, although we laughed long and hard as the woman with the voice of an angel then dropped back into broad Yorkshire dialect for her legendary banter between numbers.

And I thought that would be the highlight of my weekend. Little did I know that the Reel Bach Consort (who take the works of Bach and turn them into folk tunes, complete with bagpipes), would prove that Germans DO have a sense of humour; or that the whole festival committee would get down the front of the stage to shake it for Spiers and Boden (see pix). I even caught the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain - who are good, although I still can't stop giggling at the concept of a uke orchestra, specially one that only has about 7 ukes in it!

Last but not least, after all the cleaning and tidying was done, Becca and I learned we'd been made 'friends of the festival' for this year, and scored seats at the free 'thankyou' concert from Saul Rose (who, incidentally, plays the lilty Hobbity bit on the Lord of the Rings soundtrack whenever hobbits are in a happy place in the movie). Gilesy and Woodsy made it down to the 'Moon for the session, and I just know that the revellers will have kicked on long past my bedtime.

I can't wait for next year.

Wytham Wood's festival debut

The other big buzz about this weekend was, of course, Wytham Wood's first festival appearance.
It was both amazing and humbling.

I was scared half out of my pants from about midday, stalking the bar area like a cat on a hot tin roof waiting for our soundcheck to be called. I hardly tasted lunch and couldn't drink my pint of cider. Then suddenly we were in, the flute was assembled and Jules' guitar miked up, and they were asking us if we wanted to start 5 minutes early. We said yes, altho' with a sinking feeling on my part, 'cos Ants hadn't arrived yet.

But with a reassuring grin from Matt from work, a wave from 'Mistress Trebuchet' (aka Kim) and a wink from Barry-from-the-Half-Moon (also a fellow steward) we were away. We started with Jules' song 'The Dance', which I just love, and modest applause from the half full room. Then they opened the doors to admit latecomers, and in came a bunch of Half-Mooners, whose familiar faces helped to settle my nerves. After all, they've all been here, done this before too.

Next we played 'Crazy Man Michael' of Fairport Convention fame, the crowd really cheered, and in through the doors came Ants, Guy and Sal, and half a dozen mates from work. I felt totally humbled - most of them had only come to see one act, and paid good money for the privilege.

After that, things began to fly: I always love singing 'Dandelion', I got through the tricky flute bits on 'Thanks' without stopping (even when I stumbled over a coupla notes), and we blitzed 'Before sleep comes', 'Unweaving the Dream' and 'Ride on' before finishing with Jules' other signature piece, 'Tintagel', letting rip on vocals and guitar and almost floating off the stage amid what felt like wild applause.

It was an amazing experience. People have said really gorgeous things about our set. A bloke I'd been chatting to in the green room slipped me his card and asked if we'd consider teaming up for some gigs. Sal was still muttering next morning that she can't believe I've 'secretly' owned a flute for 20 yrs, and have finally learned to play it (without telling her). The sound guy murmured congratulations and said the room hadn't been this packed all weekend.

Jules even sold a couple of CDs. Awesome, awesome times. One bloke said that he likes my voice best of all the female folk singers he's ever heard. A chap from a band that played after us said something about 'as good as Sandy Denny, and a very similar voice', and if I ever wanted a job as a vocalist, please get in touch...

It's all far more praise than I deserve - but I'm going to remember these things for a long time to come.

Best off all - my oh-so-proud husband was waiting to give me a hug at the end - along with every last one of the friends who'd turned out in such force.

Wow.

I hope we can do that again sometime.

Georgi has (finally!) finished swimming the English Channel

Back in September, as you may recall, I took on the somewhat daunting challenge of swimming 'the equivalent of crossing the English Channel' to raise funds for a spinal injuries charity, Aspire UK. That's 22 miles, or 35.4 kms, or 1416 laps of the 25 metre pool in Witney. It's a bloody long way.

It's taken almost 6 months, and 21 separate swims, but today, I finally finished the job.

Technically, I was supposed to finish in December. And, if I'd been half as disciplined as my friend Mel, who diligently swims a mile on Tuesdays and Thursdays and then calls in at the pub for 2 pints on the way home, I could have swum twice that distance by now. But I isn't, and I haven't.

I could blame lots of things: the lurgey that knocked me flat for a week in December, followed by the pool closing for a month. Or work being stoopid busy. But the fact is that since the end of November I have had less than 10km (6 miles) to swim, and it's taken sodding ages.

However, now it's done, and I am so chuffed! Also, Aspire will still take your money. So, if you want to make one last ditch donation, you can give in any currency at www.justgiving.com/georginastickels. Or hand me the cash - I'm posting off a cheque at the end of March.

Thanks everyone for your support, your interest,and for not giving me heaps when I looked like not making the distance. Youse lot are grouse!

Wytham Wood is playing Oxford Folk Festival!

Wytham Wood is the name my friend Jules-of-the-amazing-songs-and-guitar-playing and I started performing under at the end of last year. This is our demo CD, recorded in appalling circumstances (I had so much flu I couldn't speak, yet somehow had to figure out how to sing) in December.

Apparently it's 'good enough' though - cos we've just scored our first 'big' gig, playing on the second stage at Oxford Folk Festival, on March 20!

Check this out! We've even got a blurb:

Wytham Wood

Saturday Cornbury Stage

Named after one of Oxford's magical places, Wytham Wood play an enchanting mix of traditional and self penned material. Julian Dickinson (acoustic guitar/vocals) and Georgie Cundall (vocals) make up this talented local duo.

Yes Mum, and Shona, I'm experimenting with a stage name. Please don't expect it to be a permanent change - I been a Stickels for far too long to mess with my mojo now. Now all we gotta do is figure out what to play, and start rehearsing... I'm so excited!!

Oh, and if anyone wants to see real music at the festival, the big names include Kate Rusby, John Spiers (rhymes with pliers) and Jon Boden, Lau (BBC2 Folk Award winners), Wilber, Cock & Bull, the Oxford Fiddle Group and the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain. Stop laughing - everyone says the Uke Orc is really good. No bull.