Today marks the beginning of the second half of this grand adventure.  I believe this is day one of Week 11 of what is officially a 20 Week commitment.  So, there it was, quick as that, more than half done.  Funny what routine teaches us to accept as normal isn’t it? This whole Film Unit, from the actors to the grounds keepers has grown into a very familiar workplace.  Folks discussing their weekend’s activities over Monday morning coffee and hoping for the weather to be suitable for the days ahead.  All very routine and regular, till you step outside of it for a moment and realize that the person next to you chatting about their local laundry supplies store is driving a bloody arrowhead into some dude’s neck.  Same old, same old.  Funny.

Also funny is the fact that I have a whole group of friends and colleagues who have only known me as a bearded person.  Several times over the past weeks, a person from the production has approached me explaining that they googled the band, or myself and saw all these pictures of me without my beard.  They find it very weird to see me with no facial hair.  

Many funny and odd aspects to this wonderful detour I find myself exploring.

Funny hearing people from the UK speak of the ‘great’ distances across this Island.  Coming from Newfoundland or anywhere in Canada for that matter, there are no great distances in the UK.  Everything is really close to everything else.  Not the way the locals see it.  Londoners talk of taking the train to Scotland, like it is to be a barefoot walk across the Sahara.  They think Belfast is a remote and isolated place that one could only hope to see once in a lifetime.  

The entire production shifts to Wales next week.  It is charming to hear all the Londoners making plans for the big trip and how they will pack for the journey.  I’m sitting there in the middle of it nodding, when I really want to smirk, and say,

 ‘Guy’s its Wales.  It’s right there.  We can almost see it.  It is closer to here than Gander is to St John’s.  It’s like shifting from Toronto to Kingston.  It would take a few days, but we could walk there. Literally.’

But of course, that would be rude.  So, myself and Kevin, who plays Little John, who grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario, which for those of you who don’t know, is a full day’ s drive from everywhere, just wink at each other and have our own little Canadian in joke.  Sneaky, I suppose, but better than the alternative.

Looking forward to the stint in Wales.  We should be there for two weeks and the change of scenery is welcomed.  Especially considering we are headed to South Wales, which has some of the mot spectacular coastline in the world.  I’ll be bringing the Mountain Bike, for sure.

After the Wales trip, there are a few weeks of filming back here and then that’s it.  Jaysus, how fast time flies.  I am due to be here till the 15th of August, then home for a couple of days before joining up with the GBS bus on the 18th to make our way to Cape Cod.  

Looking forward to a concert, I guarantee you.  Might sing a few extra ones that night.

Keep you posted.
Cheers,
Alan