FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11TH - Plinth visit

Leave father and try to find a photo of York's own, Dame Judi Dench. Why? Ah well... Go to National Theatre. No luck. Wander across the bridge in great weather to Traflagar Square, in time for popular and busy twitterer, Penny Nash to mount the plinth.

But before she appears, I settle down on a wall behind the plinth. I was then engaged in a less than comprehendible conversation with a man, who said that at one time he was a Scientologist. "But what is there to do in Yorkshire?', was one of the gems.

Moved across to a group of Penny's supporters. Some of them have never met before, but know each other through twittering. Introduce myself and give out some cards. Very friendly and another example of a of feeling of a 'family' forming, really out of nothing except a shared experience.

Penny does a good variety hour. Fun, charity and business. (http://www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/penny_n_1) She is the fourth plinther I've seen and the first to be speaking. It was interesting to see how far her voice carried. Not bad, considering there were hundreds of people in the square, a loud rapper busker outside the National Gallery, traffic etc: I may change my mind, but at the moment, I'm still pleased to be in the square when it should be quieter. Ha! they will probably be constructing the staging for the Eid festival all night.

I should be careful what I wish for. Not long after the notification of a plinth place, I told someone that I thought I would try to be dignified. Ho! Ho! Ho!

NB: When I get home to York, I find have probably left my keys on the train. 3 hours later and a very nice locksmith later, I get in - very tired.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10TH - London

Got the Silent Night prop to my father's flat via train and taxi. It makes a good conversation piece, which gives me an idea of drawing attention to the fund raising angle of this project, on the more 'interesting' prop that I will be travelling with on Wednesday week.

I have decided to give myself plenty of time to plan and enjoy the whole experience, so will be down a few days beforehand. Friend, Pat and I are meeting on the Thursday and going to a matinee of the highly acclaimed, 'War Horse'.

I've also bought down the York 'T' shirt, the pens and Adrian's thermal underwear. The latter is not a prop, many will be pleased to hear, but just incase the night is forecast to be cold. Found a fold up table in the flat I could use, but the trunk I had in mind is too big and heavy. There's a old suitcase in the garage in York that I may use instead.

Had wanted to go to the London South Bank to find some props, but legs too tired, so rest instead. Oh it's boring being sensible, but I don't want to take risks at this stage.

Staying the night at Joe and Nic's. Joe is going to help me do the writing and we talked about the logistics of the night/morning 25th/26th. Nic bought home a copy of a well known picture. Daniel Craig as James Bond, coming out of the sea picture! Another prop. Dear reader, is this getting stranger?

Doesn't do anything for me, but may for others and it brightens up the page.

A young woman plinther spent an hour advertising Scarborough this afternoon. Excellent stuff.

http://www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Hannah_R

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 9TH - Meeting

As reported, a few days ago, I found a bit of personal theatrical treasure in a trunk. I'm planning to use it on the plinth and so I put it in a safe place. Guess what? You're right. I can't damn well find it. Found a bit more treasure in the trunk that can be used too, but not that item. I'm so cross with myself, but know just to leave it for the moment and I will find it in time, probably in a daft place. (Don't panic Rita, you have two weeks.)

Tonight was the monthly meeting of SI (Soroptimists International) York Ebor group. We had planned to watch the Water Aid DVD, but with not having a meeting in August, there was too much other business to discuss.

Rosie discussed our stall in Coppergate on Sept 26th and now has it manned from 8.30am to 4pm. There was much discussion around where exactly the funds collected would go to, so when I got home I emailed all the group members with the following:

In answer to the question tonight: What exactly will any money collected be going to?

Taken from: www.wateraid.org/uk/get_involved/community_groups/professional_groups/sor
optimists/default.asp

All donations from Soroptimists in Great Britain and Ireland go to support our Water and Sanitation projects in Nigeria – here's how your money could help:

£240 could provide hygiene promotion training for 120 people.

£1,600 could set up three sanitation centres to enable six communities of around 1,000 people to each have access to latrine slab construction materials.

£3,800 could pay for one borehole fitted with a handpump and three ventilated improved pit latrines for 2,000 school children.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 8TH - Visit York

At last I managed to get round to the offices of Visit York. (www.visityork.org) The PR Manager, Kay Hyde was most welcoming and enthusiastic. I now have a I Love York 'T' shirt, though I have warned Kay that at the moment, I am not planning to wear it, but will display it somewhere.

I have been giving thought as to how I write a lot of information eg: websites, on the Silent Night prop. Waterproof and large enough to be seen are important. Pens don't seem thick enough and paint could be less easy to apply. To help me get all the plinth stuff down to London, I am starting by taking this particular prop to London on Thursday, which means I will only do the writing two/three days before the 26th.

With these thoughts I go into The Art Shop in The Shambles. After some useful discussion I buy some Uni Posca pens. Black - Just Giving addresses. Blue - Soroptimists International. Red - Visit York. Green - Childline. Expensive, but little option. I wonder if son, Joe, would do the writing for me? The 'just giving' addresses are so long, I wonder whether I should get two pens for that? Perhaps if I went back, they would give me one on sale or return?

NB:

http://www.justgiving.com/fourthplinthforchildline

http:/www.justgiving.com/fourthplinthforwateraid

Sally, one of the Nestle chocolate tasters, told me today, that she is enjoying the blog and looks at it with her daughter Lydia. Hello Lydia! (Hope I've spelt it correctly) Sally has written a message of support on the plinther page. How kind. Now have two. If anyone else would like to add one:

http://www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Rita-I-in-ART

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 7TH - No info

I rang the One and Other office today. I wanted to know the dimensions of the holes on the plinth that takes the pole. This info is for David, the prop maker.

The person I talked to was very friendly and wanted to be helpful. But...they told me that they couldn't give out the size of the holes for Health and Safety reasons! Don't quite understand that, but wasn't going to argue the point. I will have to attach the item to the pole instead.

Ah! A variation on my prop appeared on the plinth this morning. That's two now. Never mind, ours will be different.

It's getting harder to be original as the weeks go by. A couple of weeks ago. out of nowhere, I thought about a treadle sewing machine o the plinth. And there one was on the plinth. At 4am this morning. I liked Ange's idea. We have to give three words about ourselves for our plinth page. Ange had asked asked her friends and family to give three words about themselves. She had then put the three words with a picture of the plinth on to material squares, which she was sewing together in a patchwork. http://www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Ange

My page and three words can be found on: www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/rita-i-in-art

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 6TH - Hippo & Duck

A few days ago I wrote that Silent Night had notified me that their plinth prop was on the way with the 'Hippo & Duck team'. I had no idea what they were talking about.

Then last night I opened up the large parcel and inside were... Hippo & Duck!! Cute eh?

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 4TH - Checking the prop

David Bloodworth, from Paragon Creative, asks if I could go out to have a look the beginnings of the prop he is kindly making me. Now I have to contact the One and Other office, to find out the diameter and depth of the holes on the plinth, as we have decided that using one of the supplied holes may be a good idea if it's windy.

The nature of the props, means that my mind is becoming occupied with the presentation or will it be a performance? It's a bit presumptuous to think I could carry a performance of any sort, but that's the way my thinking is going.

I know I will have three weeks of finding it difficult to concentrate on other things and disturbed sleeping. Dare I use humour? Or will it get lost? Or will I fall flat on my face? I feel it's necessary to break the hour up. There was a woman on the plinth with a good message, but with no humour, it turned into hectoring/lecturing after 20 minutes.