The book is closed...

Every time I judge ice skating I have a note book. I write copious notes and then have a few choice phrases - or not - ready. Since Wednesday I've closed the book and now have to use my brain - ha.... Words still seem to come out but not quite sure what they will be!

And it's another day in the office for the Dancing On Ice Tour. Half way I think we are? Judges not quite agreeing on everything - as per usual. Show great fun - Carol from Loose Women was guest judge and did a super job tonight.

Skating at Slough from 9.15 am this morning for two and a half hours with Louise. We've been practising this week. A lot better this morning from me and we're starting to get things together for the next ICE TIMES show. I am a lot less like Bambi now (compared to Wednesday when I looked geriatric) but still having real challenges with my blade alignment. Can't hold forward insides - keep getting turned - i may have to buy a new set of boots and start the process again! Well that's what happens when you don't get new boots for about twenty years!!!! Workman blaming tools comes to mind but it's a pig to not feel the blades aligned correctly and I've moved them already. More incremental movement to come.

Went in to Christiane's work today with the family - she's on maternity leave right now. It was great to meet lots of her work colleagues and for Tiger to get passed around the ladies. he's fine with this.... He was quite taken with blonde hair of one of the girls at one point! 

We've taken to eating out of the hotel - it's crazy prices in there - even though its covered by the our. Anyway Man United are staying at our place tonight so it can't be that bad. I suppose they can afford the £10 extra gym fee and the £28 for breakfast as indeed we can but... well it's just not right!

Awaiting bus home. It's a glamorous life! And my driver Bisi - from the DOI TV series is here driving Linda home. Maybe they would swing past my place. I'll go and ask.

Love

N

DANCING ON ICE TOUR..... WEMBLEY...

Backstage picture of family Slater in Birmingham. Little one is getting used to the show and can sleep blissfully through the second half if he needs a rest.

A week in London at posh hotel. £59.50 for two breakfasts was our bill this morning! A different and crazy world. I had  thought £2.50 for a Mars bar  and £4.50 for a 99p bottle of beer in our Sheffield hotel minibar was hectic but this is a different league. Taxi to the airport sir? Certainly, that will be £150! Well that was what an American chap had been quoted I shared the lift with.

Trying to get blades set on new boots for a skate with Louise this week. Real pain, one seems to be off line and they seem to be set too far forward so my weight is weird and I'm skating like Bambi presently. The fact that they are sharpened to the nth degree for plastic ice doesn't help. So in early at Wembley to try to get that sorted today. I've also got a bit of berii berri which adds to the fun.

Last week was one year since I had my Oasys keyboard delivered to Birmingham. It was good to reflect on what a year has produced from that perspective. Right now she sits at home but guitar and microphone plus laptop are touring. Along with Christiane and Tiger - now that wasn't expected. The missing is the songs being on the web and produced. Time passes and we've done a lot but I think I need time out to get the music production in gear.

However... I'm excited about a song that came about over the last two weeks with my set up.  

Firstly I had a wrongly tuned guitar and developed some chords around this, then some words came, prompted by Tiger holding my hand in his carrying sling whilst we walked to the shops. Thirdly I've got Logic now and it's easier in the new version and with my big laptop screen I can run the music and develop lyrics against it. Finally I've upped my guitar game - even have a hammer action in the song - a first for me, thank you Iain for the coaching oh yes and Christiane for a lie in the song.

 Karen said - sounds like proper music... amazing. It's called Legacy. Jason asked me what was the top line? I didn't know what that was - I have it now - it's the words - duhh!

Did the show DVD on Sunday. I wasn't that happy with me in it, one of those times when things stick in your head about what you should have done. All the skaters did extremely well though and the DOI show rocks. The dvd will be spectacular.

Love

Nicky

DOI TOUR - BIRMINGHAM

Love it here. Great hotel, 5 minutes walk to arena, centre of town, people very pleasant and we're here for a week. Washing needs doing after two weeks on the road!  The practicalities of life. 

Tiger is doing brilliantly and is being looked after by various of the girls and Robin at various times. There's a pool area in the hotel where I think he should have his first swim. Well 8 weeks old it's time.

Show is changing with some of the skating couples really getting to grips with their routines so for us judges there's different results coming up. I've met people who are coming to the show 14 times!!! Goodness... and they will always see something new.

I got the judges dance right tonight - after 14 shows I've got it. Now to work on my style!

Love 

Nicky

Nottingham Dancing on ice

A good day. The show went very well and the judging panel was rocking along. I did a couple of interviews for BBC Radio Nottingham this afternoon for Jo and Sarah. Jo's was funny she has read this blog - HELLO JO! - and we had a laugh about the fact I don't have a TV! So now people in Nottingham will know, but hey, it's not a crime!

I thought I had a rubbish day yesterday. I was all over the place judging and speaking. Might be the result of pretty bad conjunctivitis and a trip from Brighton. It took Robin four hours and seven for us. Have to factor in feed stops for Tiger!

Anyway better today and on the ice with new boots. Blades set wrong so need to amend their positioning but good to be back on ice.

To Newcastle tomorrow - the crew and cast have gone in the tour bus. I'm here coming down after the show and enjoying a night in our hotel. Busy time for the crew with an overnight ride and a get in for a show tomorrow evening.

If you haven't got a ticket for Dancing on ice yet do get one. It's a great show and competition and the standard of skating from the celebs and pro skaters is high. Chris and Jayne aren't that bad either!

Goodnight. Now where's the makep remover?

Love N

50th Birthday

Wow I was fifty yesterday on the tour. Andy Peters kindly wished me Happy 50th just before we started show 5 last night! Great fun, and Ian - one of our superb production team was 50 too. Backstage Christiane and Tiger sat watching. What a great way to spend a 50th, the biggest tour in the country, part of the DOI family and married to a wonderful woman with a lovely 7 week old son - Thank you God I am very blessed......

And thank you Tony for arranging a couple of pictures from the show.