Bronze Medal (but first prize)

Well, I'm back from Madrid. Actually, I suppose I could have arranged some internet contact while I was away by using an internet café, but to be honest I was too busy having a good time. It was fabulous. I moved on to Valencia for a quick dinner with some friends and thought the place was incredible (I've never been before). It has so much history (I even saw holes in the city walls caused by Napoleon's balls) and as I arrived in the city, they were holding the festival of Corpus Christi – street processions; idol-worshipping; mountains of rose petals strewn in the path of heavy wooden carts that carried huge effigies of Jesus and his saintly mum; bells; choirs; marching bands; and yes, some hysteria. All very colourful and spectacular, but all vaguely disturbing too.

Anyway, moments before I left for Madrid I received news that some words I had written are to be incorporated into a new sculpture that has been commissioned in Beeston (nr Nottingham) to celebrate the industrial history of the town. I'm thrilled – the sculptor is an extremely talented lady called Hilary Cartmel who only works in cast iron (or bronze). She likes to include words into her work, but doesn't use her own, so she invited submissions from interested parties – and I was selected! There's going to be a grand unveiling with the Mayor (of course) and the press, and Hilary has invited my parents along too because they both worked in Beeston's industries both before, and after, the war (no, not the current debacle that Tony Blair organized, but the real war when people died for freedom and democracy, not oil). Anyway, I'm quite excited to have been chosen, and am looking forward to seeing my words immortalised in bronze for all of Beeston to view (before the graffiti obscures it, no doubt). Picture of the sculpture above.

I think I'll wear some harlequin trousers and pointy shoes at the ceremony. What do you think about a basque?