Bollington 2003
	Late in 2002 Sarah had suggested to Elin, Dawn and I that we all give the Spring Northern Concorde event at Bollington a try. So on 22nd-24th February Sarah and I headed north. We found our way to the hotel (which is a converted and extended manor house with much of the period detail retained within the older part of the building) arriving around mid afternoon. We had pre-agreed that I would share with Elin whilst Sarah shared with Dawn. Rooms were comfy with just enough room for us both. They were quite distant from the dining room and up and down a lot of stairs though, which I thought might prove interesting later.
	This event is very much aimed at couples so there is actually a dress code - basically no fetish gear. That suited me fine as I was in the mood for some elegant evening meals! For the Friday night I wore outfit I wore in Blackpool in November - black satin strapless dress with high heeled strappy sandals and jewel decorated tights. The standard of the food was excellent and the conversation equally entertaining. As well as the regular crowd (Jessica and Suze, Jackie and Debbie from Hayway, Elin, Sarah and Dawn) I found myself seated with Suzanne Hearne. She is a transgendered vicar with a most interesting past and share a number of entertaining stories with me. I found we also shared a mutual enjoyment in dancing and having our picture taken.
	Much to my surprise there was live entertainment in the form of two guys with guitars called 'Sounds of Cliff and the Shadows'. I hadn't realised just how easy this sot of music is to dance to but with so many genetic females in the audience it wasn't long before the dance floor was jam packed and I Suzanne and I were out there with them. However those strappy sandals weren't made for dancing so, after a photo session with Suzanne out in the main hall way (click here to see it), I retired to my room for something a little more suitable - navy blue vest top, beige skirt and black leather boots. A further photo session then ensued after which we danced the rest of the evening away, the band having being replaced by a disco for the final few hours.
	As I was without my own transport, and Bollington is somewhat isolated, I knew that my Saturday would be spent rather more quietly than usual. Never-the-less I was determined it would be enfemme so I was up early to prepare. My daytime outfit was a lovely blue sleeveless angora turtle-neck sweater that Nicki had given me, teamed with my blue jeans and denim jacket. In the morning I teamed this with black slingbacks. After breakfast Sarah leant me her car keys so I could listen to a documentary about Doctor Who on Radio 4 - a girl can have her hobbies too after all! Then I decided to swap my heels for my flats and take a walk around the village to see if there was anything of interest in the local corner shop (there wasn't!). This was an interesting experience though as in some ways I felt more exposed in this quiet village than I do walking around in Blackpool for example. I soon began to regret not bringing my long coat as the denim jacket was insufficient to keep out the spring chill so I headed back to the hotel. Unusually, a buffet lunch was also provided as part of this weekend package so I tucked into that before joining Sarah to take part in the afternoon's general knowledge quiz (in which we came second). After that I retired to my room for a short rest before preparing for the evening.
	My evening outfit this time was the purple satin ankle length dress that I had last worn the previous spring in Blackpool, teamed once more with the black slingbacks. Once more the chef surpassed my expectations with an excellent meal. And the live entertainment (a band called the Sharp Cuts) practically brought the house down. I have never enjoyed a live band quite as much as these guys. Excellent music, much of it very dance-able. They did so many encores that the disco barely got going before they had to finish.
	Before that however I went to get changed again as the floor length dress really wasn't suitable for dancing. And Suzanne and I took a few more pictures out in the hallway too. Then we once more dance the night away. I saw Sizanne next morning at breakfast, all ready for church in a most fecthing burgundy trouser suit. For myself, as I would be picking up my car from Sarah's girlfriend's house, I didnt go home enfemme this time. But that didn't spoil a most welcome Wendy weekend, my first of 2003.
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