The life and times of Mags Delaney
35 days to go 
Today me and my travelling band of thesps hit Stratford home of the Bard 
and its raining!!!! 
But our performance outside last week was great – sunshine and nice setting – so we got something out of it … 
MANY MANY THANKS FGM 
for the really cool Shakespearean smilies – you is a 
for now 
Our Mags is world famous in Warwickshire! The following news story recently appeared on the Warwickshire City Council website:
Shakespeare on the buses
Tuesday 13th June, 2006
“It has been a fantastic experience with staff and children getting to know the play together, unleashing a lot of creativity. ”
Sue Mitchell
William Shakespeare is riding on the buses thanks to the children of Warwickshire.
Quotes from the Bard have been examined by children aged six and seven and re-interpreted for the modern era.
The results are available for all to see on Stagecoach buses travelling around the county. A mosaic poster of Shakespeare’s face composed of images of Warwickshire children performing his work is being displayed at Nuneaton and Rugby railway stations.
The posters are heralding the launch of the Mini Complete Works of Shakespeare Festival, which will see thousands of pupils taking part in the largest drama festival the county has seen.
Pupils aged five to 17 from all over Warwickshire will be performing at their schools to fellow students, parents and the public next week.
They will then gather in Stratford for a series of outdoor performances at the Dell, an outdoor theatre next to the Royal Shakespeare Company.
More than 70 schools will be taking part in the festival, which complements the RSC’s internationally acclaimed Complete Works festival. The Mini Complete Works has been organised by Warwickshire County Council’s Arts Zone.
Three schools helped the festival get off the ground by having Year 3 pupils look at some quotes and come up with their own suggestions as to what they meant.
‘All that glisters is not gold’ from Merchant of Venice was interpreted as ‘You don’t have to be showy to shine’ by youngsters at Queens CE Junior School in Nuneaton.
Two classes from Year 3 are involved in preparing scenes from the beginning of Romeo and Juliet bringing the rivalry between the Montagues and Capulets alive.
Teacher Sally Rowney said: “The children have enjoyed the preparations so much. They have talked about it constantly. When we heard about the opportunity to go to Stratford we took the chance to bring in a dance artist and they have been working with the children. Everyone is looking forward to it”
Children at St Marie’s Catholic Junior School in Rugby proclaimed ‘Going to work with friends is as good as a holiday’ after studying the following lines from Henry IV, Part 1.
“If all the year were playing holidays,To sport would beas tedious as to work”
Teacher Mags Delaney said: “We don’t usually do Shakespeare with younger children but they really enjoyed coming up with these ideas. Pupils from Year 6 will be performing a scene from the play in Stratford. Rehearsals are going well and everyone is looking forward to going to Stratford.”
Year One children at Telford Infant School in Leamington have developed a dance based on circles that has been inspired by the exchange of a bracelet and a ring in Cymbeline. They also contributed to the bus poster, saying ‘Don’t be bossy! – you might regret it one day’ in response to ‘ The smallest worm will turn, being trodden on’ from Henry VI, Part 3.
Teacher Sue Mitchell said: “It has been a fantastic experience with staff and children getting to know the play together, unleashing a lot of creativity. One of the children in my class said that it’s the best thing she’s done this year and I hope we cover Shakespeare at least once every year!”
44 days to go 
Well should I have actually had the time to write ‘the novel’ for this year not even my fevered imagination could have come up with all the twists and turns …. 
Not only am I 
but tonight after announcing his retirement earlier this year Kris Radlinski is pulling his boots back on to try to help save the team from the drop … and he’s doing it for FREE!!
He’s said he couldn’t bear anything happening to the team especially if he hadn’t done something to help them out of the situation … what a sportsman … what a hero … what a legend!
A Wiganer through and through … 
puts all those overpaid underachievers currently in Germany to shame … 
Sadly as its an evening KO I’ll only be watching the telly version – but they’ll hear the shouts I’m sure …
(memo to Mr Jones – tonight might be a good one to have your ‘off game’ !! 
)
Hopefully after all the madness of last week in the hh this week will be relatively calmer, quieter and less stressful … 
for now
(still waiting for my 
) 
53 days to go
Can’t get away from it really – there’s a tournament on involving round balls in Germany and apparently ‘In-ger-land’ have a team in it … 
2pm today England may grind to a halt – and then after about 2 hours there will either be a lot of drunk males about celebrating 
or a lot of drunk males crying and getting a ‘bit’ tetchy 
The out break of St George’s flags has reached almost epidemic proportions !!! (and given the driving prats even more of a reason to drive like prats!! 
)
Even the book fair I’m running next week has a world cup theme … 
The cream of English man hood has been all over the news programmes over the last 24 hours … and provides the strongest evidence as to why I’ve found myself a sweetheart 
from the other side of the world …
Its not that I’m not patriotic – I just don’t like to think I’m being lumped in the same catagory as those being screened around the world at the mo … no wonder the rest of the world looks at us side ways… 
(and we do have alcohol in the UK – tho you wouldn’t think it to see the ‘fans’ …)
Away from the pitch …
the Sun has found its way to Rugby!!! 
But instead of building up gradually its come on strong wham in full … (see I am a true Brit – moaning about the weather!!! 
)
its been a tad too warm for me – and its woken up me hay fever 
which I thought I’d escaped … 
School should be banned on hot days – the hh has no cool parts in any sense of the word … 
Got a mad week ahead – book fair, art day, picnic for Y3, sports,drama – and some lessons in there somewhere … I may have to have a long lie down in a very dark room after it all 
Anyone want to swap lives??? 
Think I need a cup of tea …. 
BYE! 
60 days to go …
Half way through the year almost and 19 days from the longest day here – wish someone would tell the weather that!!!! 
its cold… its rained (no drought in Rugby!!!) and the sun can’t make its mind up!!!!
I bet when we’re back in the hh next week its cracking the flags!!!!
Maybe its a cunning plan to get me used to winter weather in August – tho it has been warmer in Auckland than it has been here!!!!! 
(Can’t pack tho still need my clothes!!!!!!)
Went to the game last Saturday – and ok we lost – but boy what an atmosphere
and the new boy -The future Mr L Mc Dougall – or Michael Dobson as he’s known to the rest of the world 
was fabbo – and such a polite young man too… 
His kicking game was just what the doc ordered and woke up most of the rest of the team – if it hadn’t been for 2 silly passes and a useless ref – and the stains lot not being quite so dirty 
the final score (which flattered them anyway! 
) could have been much closer …
Plans for My Big Adventure are continuing apace – Moffatt Travel Inc (Your pleasure is my pleasure …. 
) has almost everything in place … and its all very very exciting …
I’ve got myself a new big red suitcase …
Life with the ‘licklies’ in Y3 is a hoot … 
its not like being at school really – just ashame I keep getting ‘visitors’ from other year groups (think some of 6 are really missing me 
)
So I am floating around in a calm, relaxed sort of way 
…
Not even the angst of Wayne Rooney’s metatarsel is bothering me well not much – no one bothered when I did mine!!! 
(He’s kicked a ball today – be still my heart!!!!! 
)
With so much footie on over the next few weeks I might get more chance to blog
for now …