Sunday (ST5)

Sunday Afternoon

Sunday the last day of Sparkle. Most people would be departing for home. There wasn’t really any hurry for Diana and myself. I’ve realised in previous posts that I’ve said I was up and out before Diana. The reason being it takes me longer to get ready and I don’t like to keep people waiting if they are ready to go out, plus for me being in Manchester is like waking up on Christmas morning when I was a kid. I love getting up, getting ready and going out in the morning. Sorry Diana if you read this I wasn’t inferring anything.

We spent some time with Kate S, Diana’s friend I had met on Saturday evening. Kate had to get home in the afternoon. It really was a pleasure to meet Kate and Diana’s other friend Jen on the Saturday.

After Kate left we went to Suki and Kate C’s house for a barbeque. This is getting confusing with more than one Kate.

We had both been out to Kate and Suki’s house a couple of times. They are both wonderful friends and it’s always a pleasure and a honour to be invited to their home.

Emma and her wife were there when we arrived. It was nice to see them.

The rain held off and we had a lovely afternoon in the garden with Kate in charge of the barbeque and doing a great job.

Unfortunately the afternoon came to an end. Emma and Mrs E had to make their way home. Emma’s trip round England had come to an end which must have been amazing.

We then had to say our goodbye’s to Kate and Suki and make our way back to The Village.

Sunday Evening

The Village wasn't as quiet as we thought it might be. Naps was open and what was surprising upstairs was open. So it was up for a dance.
We didn't stay to late.
It had been a really nice way to end Sparkle. Writing this I must admit I feel a bit down remembering. I still had 3 nights left which I will record here despite it now getting a bit difficult, but I'll regret it if I don't

Saturday Evening (ST4)

Saturday Evening

After the park event Diana met up with 2 friends of hers Kate and Jen and we had a meal in Taurus. It had certainly been a busy day. We decided to eat early to try and miss the crowd and rush. Afterwards it was back to the hotel for a change. This would be the third night in a row I would wear a dress. Very unusual for me. Back in the Village Diana, Kate, Jen and myself had a wander up Canal St. In The View looking out the window someone made a comment about all the straight people sitting outside taking sneaky pictures, laughing and staring at the various Tgirls who passed by.

There was a suggestion that Tgirls should start taking pictures of straight people on Canal St and start a group on a social networking site with the best pictures.

Could imagine going up to one and saying.

‘Excuse me are you straight. We don’t get many down here. Can I take your picture.’ Perhaps turn the tables.

I think it’s quite sad when someone takes a sneaky picture without your permission. Are their lives that sad. Perhaps turning the tables like that would not be a good idea and only cause problems.

After we left The View we met Emma and her wife. Emma had be out for a week and with her wife and had been touring Southeast England

It had been a long day and coupled with the past few days it was starting to take it’s toll on me. I wasn’t feeling to good and in a bit of pain.

It was getting busier and when we went to Baa Baa I decided it would be better if I went back to the hotel and got some sleep.

I found out later that the queue for Naps went round the corner and inside you could barely move.

I was glad in the morning I’d turned in early as I got a really good sleep.

Sparkle Trip Part 3 (Saturday Afternoon)

Saturday Sparkle in the Park

I was up before Diana so I went into the city centre to buy a new umbrella as my one had seen better days. Diana had lost hers somewhere so I said I would get her one as well.

Passing Sackville Gardens I saw people setting up the stage and stalls for Sparkle in the Park later on. I really hoped it wouldn’t rain. I need not have worried .

I found 2 umbrellas and went back to meet Diana for breakfast.

After breakfast we went to the park which was ready for the days events. We met up with Mandy who it was great to see again. Diana had volunteered for a stint on the desk at LGF signing people in for the talks being held there. She had also volunteered for an hour on the Manchester Concord stand.

Two other people I was really happy to see were Bev and Gemma and her partner.

Karen a really nice lass who is on the MC committee was dashing about checking everything was going ok . She puts a lot of work in where Concord is concerned. I was once mistakenly put on the MC committee instead of her which we still joke about.

When I am in Manchester, and Sparkle brought this home to me even more. I feel part of the T community, but sort of on the fringe. It’s because I don’t get out as much as I want and see my friends. The majority of my time I live in male mode working to earn a living so I can be comfortable and have times out being myself. Life at times feels empty. Home for me is not home if that makes sense. Manchester a place I have never lived feels more like home.

On the stage we had a speech by Lynn Featherstone MP, the Equality Minister. She talked a lot but nothing she said stood out. Marianne’s band The Strawberry Elephant Experience were first on and really good.

There were a couple of stalls offering information on laser hair removal and liposuction. The ladies on these stalls were telling me about fat removal. While they were telling me about this I did ask if they thought I needed it. One laughed after she looked at me and said as a joke  ’I hate people like you.   I am quite skinny, probably to much.

At the UNISON stall I spoke to a lovely lady. We had a long chat. A lot was about transitioning. She had been through the process herself. She never made any judgements on my situation, but gave me some good advice and a lot to think about. To go down that route I know you have to be sure and realise you may open the gates to your own personal hell, but then again you may be in that hell with full transition your only escape. For me I exist in a limbo that I have written about before on another blog. It’s tough, but not hell. A very uneasy balance that I try to maintain.

Kate and Suki appeared and I spent some time with them looking round the stalls and getting some pictures.

Diana and Mandy

Eventually the park event came to a close. It had been a lovely afternoon.

Sparkle Trip part 2 (Sparkle Begins)

Friday

The day saw some heavy rain. It was a bit worrying that the weather could be a factor and ruin Sparkle in the Park on Saturday. I went shopping leaving Diana to get ready for a cancer fundraiser in Taurus. It was a tea cake event with a 40s and 50s theme. Suki had made some lovely snowballs for it which brought back some childhood memories.
We had a lovely afternoon in Taurus where I saw Jane who I hadn't seen in over a year. She was looking great. I know she has had a lot to deal with and I hope things go well for her in the future.

Kate and myself in Taurus

 In the evening we met up again with a German girl Molly who was over for Sparkle and her first time out. At 6ft 6 she towered over us. To get out in a foreign country and strange city was very brave.

The show at Manchester Concord was interesting with the lesbian strippers and the Drag King. He did a great version of Chris de Burgh’s Patricia the Stripper which I thought was way better that the original.

We went to Eden where the music was a bit weird and the rain started to pour down outside. Somewhere along the line Diana had lost her umbrella.

Naps was quite busy and there was now quite a few girls out.

Sparkle had really begun.

In Eden out of the rain

Sparkle Trip Part 1 (Indestructible Nails and Salsa)

Wednesday and Thursday

I went to Manchester on the Wednesday before Sparkle. I could get settled in and the real bonus was my friend Diana was staying over for a few nights by the Village.
I met Kate in Taurus while waiting for my hotel room. After a drink I left Kate to get my room and get changed. Kate went into town for some shopping which would really help me. It really did make everything real seeing her. I love coming to Manchester to see my friends. We are all transgender except for Suki, Kate's wife, but that is a small detail that doesn't matter. If you have read previous posts Suki was known previously as Mrs Kate or Kitty.
I got my room and discovered I didn't have enough hangers for my clothes. At £28 a night, the room en suite, was functional clean and had a good mirror with decent light. I
I rang Kate to see if she could pick up some hangers so I could get unpacked properly. She found some which really helped me.
When  I was ready  I went into the city centre to meet Kate. Later on we went back  to Taurus to meet Diana. It was a beautiful feeling to be out again with my friends and later Suki would also be out.
After something to eat and Kate went to meet Suki we went to Concord and then on to Naps.
. Earlier I had decided to leave getting my nails done until Thursday morning. I would be really delighted with the results, but that would wait for the morning. Now it was time for some sleep I had been up 24 hours straight.

Thursday

In the morning Diana and myself went to have breakfast in the Retro Bar next to the car park. A full English breakfast at a very reasonable price really set you up for the day.
After breakfast  I wanted to get my nails done so we headed to the Arndale market. At the nail bar the oriental lady said it would be £25 pounds and something about acrylic tips. I wasn't sure but said ok.
When she had finished they looked amazing and very long. I would find that I could not get my necklaces on.
Below is a picture of them

These nails seemed indestructible. They didn't chip and I had to be a bit more delicate as it could be painful if  I caught them on anything.

I was really pleased with them and I would get quite a few nice comments about them.

Diana had gone to look for some shoes and when we met up again I think she was surprised and impressed at the work that was done on my nails.

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The real highlight of Thursday was the Salsa dancing class in the Village we went to It was free and Diana had been thinking about attending for some time. It did get a bit much for me and I felt myself getting dizzy. I knew what the problem was and there are times when it hits me and this was one of them. Everyone was very understanding. A really nice man about half my age took me through the steps at a slower pace. It was nice to be dancing even in my clumsy way as a woman being led by a male partner. 

The instructor had thrown us in at the deep end. Diana did really well and was getting the steps and movement. I hope she continues, she looked really good. He did show us what was possible dancing with a beautiful girl. It was almost mesmerising watching them dance.

Afterwards we ended the night in Naps. Friday Sparkle would really begin.

Me outside Naps in the dress I wore for the Salsa class.