Pride in Liverpool

[abbiedrake]

I'm so excited. I had been in two minds about attending, due to my dressing being pretty much on hiatus while Wifeling GG gets through cancer. However, I just looked up the itinerary (https://www.lcrpride.co.uk/prideinlpool/) and saw Victoria Hesketh AKA Little Boots is headlining one of the stages. Sign me up.

Her song, 'New in Town' (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ySaLKsXK7lM) might as well be me singing to Wifeling the first time she came over to the UK 21 years ago. We'd been talking online for 5 months at that point and I bought her a plane ticket and we spent 12 magical days together. She returned to the States very reluctantly, but returned with her 11 year old daughter a month later. She's never been back since. I must have made quite the impression. 😉

Not to mention 'Help Too' which so eloquently articulates how I feel as I carer sometimes. And 'Hearts Collide' a love song for loners, like me. 😁

My first Pride and one of my favourite artists. 👍 So yeah, I'm currently a very happy person.

- - - Updated - - -

Interesting update...
I half-jokingly said to Wifeling that I could wear my Joe Browns Carnival sneaks. These...
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And she said 'Wear what you want', not in a 'you hate me don't you' way so I think I might be wearing them with my otherwise drab outfit.
Funnily enough she has a pair of these of her own. Dare I suggest we go to Pride with matching funky, ribbon-tied shoes??

[Leslie Mary S]

I haven't noticed those in the local shoe stores. They are indeed cute. I would not buy them, they are not my personal style, but you go for it.

[abbiedrake]

Helen, I will indeed go for it. A dress is out of the question but I dare say I'll manage to sneak in a few more femme details.

Leslie Mary, I've worn these shoes in guy/hybrid mode more than once, with a suit no less. My style might best be described as 'singular'. Ironically though, en femme my style is generally quite conservative.

[Eemz]

Pride is perfect; wear whatever you want, limited only by what you (collectively) are comfortable with. Nobody will bat an eyelid.

I was in a Pride parade last weekend playing trombone in a marching band wearing a dress and nobody could care less; if you can't do it there where can you?

[Tracii G]

Cute shoes.
I have a pair of Ed Harvey sneaks similar to those.

[Lana Mae]

Cute! My only "cute" shoes are my blue with white polka dot sneakers similar in style! They are very comfortable! Wear whatever you like, it is Pride! Most of all have fun! Hugs Lana Mae

[Patience]

I was in a Pride parade last weekend playing trombone in a marching band wearing a dress and nobody could care less; if you can't do it there where can you?

I’m glad you had a good time at Pride, Eemz, but you did take a great risk.

Most people are willing to look the other way when they see a MAB person presenting as a woman, but it takes a lot of tolerance to put up with someone playing the trombone in public.

I keed, I keed. I miss my King 3B.

[Leslie Mary S]

Some of us can neither pay an instrument or walk a parade route.

[abbiedrake]

No musical prowess here either, Leslie Mary. As for walking the route, well... my wife is in a wheelchair, which I have to push (her main condition precludes her self-propelling). However, my right ankle is pretty bad at the moment so here's hoping it's sufficiently recovered to let us join the march.

Fingers crossed.

[Leslie Mary S]

I know you will make it. The last six months of her life my wife was in a chair. We still went to Orlando, FL, Disneyland and Epcot, Universal Studios "Down Town". Stayed in the Hard Rock Cafe". The on down to Miami to get on a Cruse ship for a 5 day cruse.

[Patience]

Some of us can neither pay an instrument or walk a parade route.

Well, they could put the instrument on layaway or buy second hand. I agree there are some of us who have mobility issues.

[AnnieMac]

Hmmmm Liverpool eh? Reminded me of this for all of us. . .

" Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice
In the church where a wedding has been
Lives in a dream
Waits at the window, wearing the face
That she keeps in a jar by the door
Who is it for? "

[Helena]

Abbie, there might be local shopmobilty where a scooter could be hired for few hours? Don't know if that would help?

[abbiedrake]

Hmmmm Liverpool eh? Reminded me of this for all of us. . .

" Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice
In the church where a wedding has been
Lives in a dream
Waits at the window, wearing the face
That she keeps in a jar by the door
Who is it for? "

Eleanor's was not a happy story. I'll endeavour to make sure the face I keep in a jar is always smiling.
She's still hanging around, incidentally, old Eleanor. On Stanley Street, no less.

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[Eemz]

it takes a lot of tolerance to put up with someone playing the trombone in public.
I keed, I keed. I miss my King 3B.

Ha ha it's like the old joke... what's the definition of a gentleman? Someone who can play the accordion, but doesn't.

King 3B is nice, but I like my Bach model 36 too much.

[Patience]

I've heard that joke, but the the instrument in the joke was the banjo.

[AnnieMac]

Yes, but when the banjo is tossed into the dumpster and crushes the accordion it's a win-win!
- actually accordions and banjos rock! (and trombones too)

[Alice Torn]

Have fun, and be safe. To be honest, i am not a Pride person. I do not like the word. I don't go to parades, am a loner. I wish they would use another word, other than Pride. Maybe Tolerance, or Acceptance, but pride I don't care for. Just me.

[abbiedrake]

Yeah, well, it was this past weekend and we didn't go. The rain was one thing, that's off-putting of you're in a wheelchair, like Wifeling is. But both she and I were hurting too badly.

It's often like this with scheduled events. We just can't predict how she's going to be on the day.

It's particularly gutting though. A small part because of the excitement of seeing Little Boots perform. But far more so, as it would have been my 1st Pride. And things have progressed a little in talks with wife. She'd even asked me if I intended to dress up. Out if consideration I told her no, only the sneaks and maybe some makeup and jewellery. And she was on with that. That she asked the question at all was amazing. I've relaxed enough that I was OK with not pushing the envelope, and I like to think she appreciates that.

Hey ho, next year. In the meantime I did mention I want to go to an NB Social next week. So we'll see if that happens...

[Helena]

Abbie, I feel for your disappointment. My wonderful SO M has a number of chronic health issues, and occasionally we had to abandon booked plans or events.

Despite that, there are positives in your second paragraph.

What about Pride somewhere else, may not be quite up to Liverpools standard but lots of even quite small towns have them? We are going to Doncaster one in Mid August. M wants us to take part in the parade, not just turn up for the entertainment.

[abbiedrake]

Well, I'll see if I can get to that Social next week. My wife goes through so much but I've got to find a way to recharge my own batteries so I can continue to get her going.

As for.other events, maybe. Transport isn't easy though, along with the aforementioned issues with doing things other than adhoc.

For now I'll keep it fairly low key, I reckon. But yeah, I'm holding onto some of the things she's said and done recently as signs of light at the end of the tunnel.

Who knows maybe once she's through the cancer a new frock each might be just the thing?! 😉