“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.”          Roald Dahl

We are so lucky here, gone are the days of ordering taxis, battling traffic and searching for parking to see live entertainment. Live entertainment now comes to us.

One of the things that we have missed during the pandemic is live entertainment. It hasn’t just affected us, it has been a global loss and whilst it has been sad for us to miss our favourite acts, it has been catastrophic for entertainers who saw their livelihoods vanish overnight.

Many entertainers were quick to turn their live performances into live streams. We have a cinema room here with a large screen which has enabled us to get our fix of our favourite singers and guest speakers, but it hasn’t been quite the same as having them in the room.

Over the last couple of months restrictions have been modified and we have been delighted to see life taking on some semblance of normality once more. Face to face visits have been reintroduced and families are now invited to take part in events, and for this we are very grateful.

It has been a joy to welcome live entertainment back into Layston Grove, live streams have been fun, but nothing beats the personal interaction. We have taken full advantage of the relaxation of the rules, we have been treated to singers, guest speakers and even had a visit from some reptiles but this week the team outdid themselves by treating us to a magic show.

It doesn’t matter how old you are, everyone is intrigued and delighted by magic. There are card tricks that have you scratching your head in disbelief, optical illusions that you have you doubting your own eyes and sleight of hand tricks and balloon animals that take you right back to children’s parties and family days out.

It is fair to say that we were entranced by the magic that was happening right there in front of us, quite taken aback by the brilliance on display. It was so much fun to watch.
Some of tried to work out how it was done, the brain wanting to understand how the impossible is made possible but, in the end, we surrendered the idea and just sat back and enjoyed the ride. 

The more you see of life, the more you realise that there is magic all around us. You don’t have to understand how something happens to enjoy it, just be grateful that it does.