BIBBLEBLOG

WTF......

2011-09-08T14:02:00.000+01:00

A mystery rash, dizzyness and stomach pain prompted a visit to the doctors for a check up, subsequent blood tests and to be booked in for an ultrasound scan.

Rash is still a mystery.

Pain was hernia playing up.

Dizzyness has gone.

Slightly anemic, need more iron

Now to wait for ultrasound.

WTF........

Construction Time

2011-08-28T13:43:00.000+01:00

Finally got around to building my outside structure. It's kind of a wooden patio / decked / conservatory. Having two weeks off work, gave me ample time to get on with it. The English weather being what it is actually meant I would have a few hours of clear skies and little rain, in truth the first few days brought good weather and so I was able to get out and do it.

Taking delivery of piles of wood and trying to decypher my scribbled plans occupied the first morning, then it was all woodworking go. Drilling, cementing, bolting, screwing, sawing and hammering till the early evening on three successive days got most of the work done, fortunately on the day I had fitted the roof, it began to rain, so I was then able to utilise the properties of a clear plastic corrugated roof and remain dry and end the day with a beer, admiring my work.

All that remains are a few final touches, like fitting some windows and doors so I can enjoy the outside inside. At this moment in time it resembles a crime scene, for the open sides are covered with a large clear tarp, just so the rain doesn't get in.

Oh yeah, celebrated my 43rd birthday with a curry and beers.

June & July

2011-07-31T13:35:00.000+01:00

June saw the one year anniversary of passing my driving test, and so what better way to celebrate it than with a round trip to Wolverhampton to pick up my mum from my brothers. The sun was shinning, traffic was light and Audley and the squirrels entertained us in my brothers back garden.

Obviously a return journey lay ahead and so it was two hours in the car chatting to my mum, and a nice curry waiting for me in the fridge when I got home.

The rest of June & July brought a few surprises and smiles to my face on many occasions, but things end, just like July, bring on August.

Spain & The 2011 Spanish Grand Prix

2011-05-25T12:51:00.001+01:00

Good to get some sun on my pasty skin, and manage to avoid the English lobster look, spend time with my good friend Michelle. We embarked on many a good walk with her pack of dogs, exploring the countryside of Masquefa, it's all quite beautiful, but you cannot beat the rolling hills of the English countryside, a little more sunshine wouldn't go amiss though.

I endulged in plenty of good food including a damn fine Prawn Madras, home cooked by Michelle of course. Even a squid ink paella was consumed with gusto, mighty tasty, but doesn't half stain your teeth.

Michelle had to work while I visited, so camera in hand I took the opportunity to wander around some of the less touristy parts of Barcelona, snapping away at whatever caught my eye. While we had time in the city itself we made a visit to the Museum of Rock, housed in the old bull fighting ring. Basically it was the private collection of a local radio DJ, but it did contain some choice artifacts.

The Spanish GP was as good if not better than expected, a bit of a formality with Vettel romping home to yet another win. Alonso entertained the home crowd with a spectacular opening manouver, but was unable to fend of the Red Bull of Vettel and the two Maclarens. His inability to finish on the podium promted many of the Spanish contingent to head home early. Hamilton received the obligatory pantomime booing, but at least we could shout 'he's behind you'.

A second and third for Hamilton And Button ended an exciting race viewed from a grandstand opposite the pit lane exit, as the champagne flowed on the podium, it was time to remove the earplugs and head off for a bit of shade to chill out, as we had no rush to leave, unlike the Alonso fans, plus I had a few more days in Spain to enjoy.

Recent Events

2011-05-08T11:28:00.003+01:00

So what have I been doing since my last post. Well not a lot, but here is a list anyway

- Have enjoyed drinking some of the vodka I brought back from Poland.

- Formula 1 is back on, so most of my Sunday afternoons are spoken for.

- Drove to Manchester for a gig, only to find the main band had cancelled.

- Painted back wall of house, 1st time since I moved here.

- Got new car insurance, bloody expensive.

- Put car through MOT, passed with only a few minor faults.

But in a couple of weeks, the Spanish Grand Prix beckons, so I shall be jetting off to Michelle's to enjoy her hospitality and enjoy another race in Spain. Sitting opposite the pit lane exit this year, so it's gonna be extra loud :)

My Visit To Poland

2011-03-06T15:06:00.004Z

A Grand Adventure

Having made friends with many a Polish person over the last few years, it seemed fitting to visit the country of their origin. That and having someone living there to show me around, I did the decent thing, booked myself a flight and got myself over there.

Kasia was the good friend who would be helping me out on my visit, showing me the sights and allowing me to sleep on her floor for a couple of nights. But first things first, I had to get there. That was simple enough apart from the loud fidgety idiot on the flight who got himself taken into a private room by Polish security at border control.

Anyway onto the Grand Adventure

All Things Big and Small

It was more convenient for me to land in Krakow to start my visit, and so Kasia was there to meet me and inform me of what was in store. We would spend 1 night here then 3 nights in the mountains then the last couple days in Chorzow at her flat. So here I am in Krakow looking for a cheap hotel or hostel, 5 minutes in an information centre and we have directions.

No sooner have we wandered onto Florianska Street and we have found a cheap hostel and a great restaurant for what we intended to be a light snack. Here begins All Things Big and Small.

We both ordered was was described as a light bite consisting of a folded pizza type thing, but what arrived was a 12" pizza folded in half full of cheese and spicy sausage, not that I was complaining, for it tasted great and kept us fuelled up for the rest of the day. A sense of scale was needed, or maybe it is just a Krakow thing.

Fully full of folded pizza we checked into our hostel, Tutti Frutti, and set about exploring Krakow. Further along the street we were staying at was a large square surrounded by an old market, a giant head, church and assorted stalls selling cuddly dragons, and this was only the start of what we were to find.

Obviously due to the Krakow Dragon legend thing we had to visit the castle and see the Dragon. So that we did, and took many a picture, but the strange thing was that everytime I took a picture of Kasia infront of the Dragon, Flame would emerge from it's mouth, but for anyone else standing there, nothing.

Everywhere we went, the grand old buildings would have miniature versions of itself next to it, the old market, a church, even the city had a miniature. That and the traditional snack the Obwarzanki had a miniature version as well. All this wandering created a bit of a thirst, so for the evening we retired to a sequence of bars to sample Polish beer. Following this KFC and a nightcap at the bar under the hostel.

The following morning a free breakfast of toast preceeded our checking out and final wander around the square and the purchase of a cuddly Dragon for Kasia, for today was her birthday. Having gathered our bags and wits around ourselves, a coach was sat upon for 2 hours before reaching our next destination.

Next Stop The Mountains - Bukowina

Sitting on a coach for 2 hours wasn't so bad, the scenery was splendid the company wasn't so bad either. What I did notice was we were getting higher the houses became pointier and the volume of snow increased. Good job I had my thermals on.

Kasia had booked us 3 nights at a local hotel, or rather someones house which had been converted into many rooms. each with own bathroom and facilities. Considering the cost it didn't matter, warm comfortable and within easy reach of everything we needed. As we had arrived late in the afternoon, all that was left was to unpack, freshen up and head out for beer and food, for the next day I would only need my swimming shorts and a towel...........

As a surprise Kasia had arranged for us to spend the day at Terma Bukowina, a thermal pool just up the road from where we were staying, and what a surprise it was. Heated pools, spa's, jacuzzi and slides, all situated inside, and if you felt brave, a few pools outside. Considering the pool temperature was around 34 degrees celcius, and outside minus 10, it was all a bit bizarre. Yet we spent a good 4 hours there, and my back felt all the better for it. Having being pummled, jetted and generally all slid about, our stomachs grumbled and needed attention. Another restaurant was decided upon and grand food consumed, followed by a few beers of course.

Day three and we walked, walked and walked all around the town, wandering on ski slopes, viewing mountains and making many a snowy footprint as we went along. Obviously we worked up an appetite, and a third restaurant sought out and visited. You may think that I live to eat, you may be right, but when in Poland you have to sample the local food and beer, well that's my excuse, plus was on holiday.

So what did I eat

Pierogi, Bigos,Barszcz czerwony (beetroot soup), kotlet kurczeta (rolled chicken in butter and garlic), Polish Croquettes (served with the soup), minced beef grill with gerkins.

A Final Trip

Our last morning in the mountains simply comprised of getting our stuff together, catching a bus to Zakaopane then spending the afternoon on the train back to Krakow, then a connecting train to Katowice, then finally a bus to Chorzow. Where finally we got to Kasia's flat, a quick shop at the local shop, then a lazy evening of snacks and beer. The train from Zakopane to Krakow was slow, but still enjoyable, as I got to see some of the country as it passed me by and got steadily more industrial.

A new morning in a new town, following an evening spent sleeping on a camping mat, lent to Kasia by a neigbour, not the most comfortable night, but hey ho. Today Kasia would show me her town, that being after we did a little shopping for tonights food, Woody's Chicken Curry. I had brought with me a little bag of spices as a certain Polish girl missed my curry, so I could not dissapoint.

Following the shopping we ventured into the local park, and not some tiny little thing with a small pond and a few ducks, this is huge, comprising of a sculpture area, zoo, observatory and much much more. More pics taken as per usual with me, then home to cook curry, then out for beer. We were supposed to be meeting Jola, but she phoned earlier to say she wasn't feeling so good, so we stayed local and had many a beer in her honour. Another night on the camping mat followed, but with me being a little relaxed after the beer it was not so bad.

My last day in Poland was to be a visit to Kasia's mum's home to sample some traditional Silesian food Rolady kluski modra kapusta. Again you may think food is the only constant on my mind, but again I must put the record straight, we all have to eat, and when in another country you have to try the local food, and mighty tasty it was too.

Unfortunately time was against us, as I had my flight to catch. So I made my goodbye's, got the bus to the airport, said see ya later to Kasia, bought some vodka and came home.

Will I go again, well if Kasia can put up with me again, of course. But maybe when its a little warmer, and I don't have as much trouble with locks, for everywhere we went we had problems opening locked doors, closing locked doors, you name it we had problems with them.

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A Whalley Weekend

2011-02-21T17:39:00.000Z

It was one of those few occasions that we all got together, usually when someone visits us who doesn't live here anymore. On this occasion the Plirsty's had made the trip up north to visit family and friends. So a meeting was to be arranged and a public house drank in.

The pub in question was to be the Bull's Head, as it was local to many of those meeting there, relatively. Those attending drank beer and conversed, those not we had no idea. But a surprise was in store, that being the arrival of Sharon, who had not ventured out for a few drinkies for quite some time. Shock followed awe and more drink consumed.

Those attending this evening being Woody, Kieran, Sharon, Pla, Kirsty, Lee and eventually Sandra. She having a late excuse having a prior engagement at an amateur production of Oklahoma.

The following day and we completed our Whalley Weekend with a wander around Spring Wood in Whalley. Good intentions and bad heads began this meanderings, but ill and chilly winds prevented a good stomping, so hot chocolate and coffee was to be drank in a more sheltered environment.

Playgrounds were sought out by those less equipped with age and sensiblility. The ill and chilly winds caught up with us yet again, and so endeth the Whalley Weekend.

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Christmas In Barcelona

2010-12-31T13:57:00.002Z

Well it is that time of year again, and yet again I would be spending it in Barcelona. Well you cannot pass up such an invitation can you. England was cold and covered in snow, and Barcelona would be considerably warmer and devoid of snow.

Again a few firsts would be accomplished, I would be driving to airport and leaving car for a week, and secondly flying with EasyJet from Liverpool. Neither would deprive me from sleep, but there has to a first time for everything. No problems getting there, or parking my car on a snow covered car park, so a stress free flight and my arrival in Barcelona was complete.

But not everything went to plan.

Whilst out walking with Shel and the dogs, little Raymond (a dog) had a mild stroke and had to be taken to the vets for tests and observation. That gave us quite a scare, but he was pretty much back to his usual grumpy self later that evening.

Christmas Day was filled with food and drink, more food and a little more drink. No bird, but Beef stuffed with sausage meat and pine nuts, very nice. Of course we had all the trimmings, along with some miniature Chorizo, oh yessss.

Boxing Day we had been invited to Gabi's mums for a family feast, and so along we went using my very limited Spanish to attempt to communicate. As Ray was still not so well, we left early and continued with the drink.

With me I had brought some Indian spices, so curry could be made, and was so. Very good it was indeed, with plenty of spices and sauce left over so Shel could make another.

A few more walks with the dogs filled the days, with explorations around the village. It's great to be in the Spanish countryside and do without all the hustle and bustle of the city. Plenty pics were taken as is the norm with me, and all that was left was for me to zip back to England and pick up my car and drive home. Hurrah.

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The Big Drive - Cornwall October 2010

2010-11-06T13:32:00.006Z

Now that I am driving it was only a matter of time before making the Big Drive. That being driving to Cornwall. I had kinda planned to do it earlier, but circumstances prevented that, so Halloween was to be the time to attempt it.

One thing that became apparent, was packing. As had no need to limit what I was to take or how neat I need to pack my bags, it was just a matter of chucking stuff in the car, set the Sat Nav, and off went.

That was until I got to Warrington, and had to endure 1 and a half hours of crawling along at 5mph. But all was not lost, having packed some tuna butties, and a grand selection of music, it was just a matter of time, before I was off and running.

Eventually, the road cleared and everyone got on with their respective journeys. Despite the hold up I made good time and got to Cornwall in just over 7 and a half hours.

Once there I slotted into the general Plirtsy routine and had a great time. The weather wasn't always that great, but I drove Pla and Willow to Falmouth to visit John and Lucie on one of the dryer days. Obviously I had to be guided, but no great disaster, and we got back in one piece without any shattered nerves.

Made a difference, deciding who's car to take, now that I have one, but navigating those tiny roads will get some getting used to.

The girls all got dressed up for Halloween and went out Trick or Treating, and my curry was consumed to much hmmming and belly slapping.

Eventually I had to drive back, and did so stocked up on pasties, but much quicker than my drive down. Six hours was pretty good going for my little car, and will probably do it again nearer summer, long weekend maybe.....

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Wild Boar Park, Chipping. September 3rd 2010

2010-09-04T19:14:00.007+01:00

I had kinda arranged to drive over to see Sandra at some point on my holidays, but unfortunately she had been working on the days I was free to visit, but on the last Friday of my holidays we were both free and arranged to meet up at the Wild Boar Park in Chipping.

This was a challenge for my driving, lots of country roads to navigate, twists, turns, hills, dips. You name it, it was there, and boy did I have to concentrate. Even with my trusty sat nav it was a complicated drive. Yes I got there, and yes it was worth it.

Set in a small valley is basically a sanctuary for an assortment of animals, from Meercats to Red Deer, the task at hand is to wander about the place and find everything. Most of it is located around the visitors centre, but you can still wander off and explore the woods and discover.

Great place to take your kids, and Sandra had brought Robin, her friend Sally and her daughter Rosa. Again the sun was out, as was my camera, and strangely enough we didn't get to see the wild boars until it was time to leave. Ah well.

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Wild Boar Park Website - Link

Bolton Abbey, September 1st 2010

2010-09-01T19:56:00.003+01:00

As this was such a bright sunny day, driving somewhere was obvious, but as to where to go that was the question, do I drive to the sea? and if so whereabouts? It wasn't until I awoke that a thought popped into my head, Bolton Abbey. This was somewhere I visited on a school trip probably over 30 years ago, but for some reason I had never been back, it's not that it's a long drive, probably took me an hour. Anyway, I packed up a bottle of water with my camera, loaded the postcode into the trusty sat nav, and off I went.

The drive there was pleasant enough, easy to find and not too busy on the roads, and the sun was shining brightly in the sky, what else could I ask for. Another great day out, another photo opportunity.

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End Of my Summer Holiday, August 31st 2010

2010-09-01T10:41:00.002+01:00

Having finally recovered from my birthday, and the weather being sunny, the car and I ventured forth for more sights to see and pictures to be taken, the first being local to test out a new filter for my camera. A polarizer is supposed to bring out colour and reduce reflection, so what the heck, off I went to see what could be achieved with it.

Witton Park, Blackburn

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42nd Birthday

2010-08-28T10:13:00.006+01:00

This year as it would be my 42nd birthday it was decided that I would have some kind of do, that do being a fancy dress do, and a do to be held at St Albans club in Blackburn. Some people did ask, why 42, and the obvious reply was, well it's the meaning of life isn't it. To which I would be issued with a puzzled look and a brief shaking of the head. Many of my friends embraced the idea and came in some kind of Pythonesque attire, even Michelle flew over from Spain for the weekend, just to join in with the crazyness.

As the venue had to close around midnight, and not wanting to transform into pumpkins, we ventured into the night and sought refuge in a local drinking establishment, The Napier. A few heads were turned, but some patrons saw the joke and kindly got into the spirit of it all. In all a splendid night was had by all, a few old faces made their current faces visible. Images of such have been digitally captured for posterity and made available by the wiggle and click of a plastic mouse.

Thanks to all those who made it a night to remember.

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Yorkshire Sculpture Park August 25th 2010

2010-08-26T17:50:00.005+01:00

Well considering I have 2 weeks off for my summer holidays, and a car in which I can drive to places, I decided to go visit something. Gillian had mentioned she had visited this place recently and suggested I should go and take my camera with me. So off I went, guided by my sat nav, having great day, with plenty of walking and wonderous sculpture to behold.

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Yorkshire Sculpture Park Website - Here

Kasia is going home

2010-08-01T16:58:00.008+01:00

As with most things, they have to come to an end, and so Kasia has decided to go back to Poland. A job opportunity has arisen and it would be foolish to pass up such a great offer, sure beats what she had been doing for the last few weeks. It's just a pity that the weather had not been that good, and chances of outings being few and infrequent, but despite that we did get out a few times, and obviously a few pics taken to document the occasions.

Corporation Park June 20th

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Corporation Park July 4th

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Entwistle Reservoir July 30th

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And so on Saturday 31st July I drove Kasia to Liverpool Airport for her flight home. It was wonderful having her here, and to stay at my house for the duration. Both me and my cat Q kinda got used to her being around, but alas she has gone home, hope all goes well in her new job and she gets a nice flat, well it will give me somewhere to stay when I go and visit.

My first car

2010-06-22T20:50:00.004+01:00

As alluded to in previous posts, something that I had started back in October came to fruition on June the 4th, that being, starting driving lessons and passing my test first time. In the last couple of week I had been looking for a car to purchase, and on Saturday 12th June myself and Graham went a hunting for cars, and luckily we found such a thing, and made a downpayment. The following Wednesday, we returned to pick up said car and made probably the scariest drive in my life.

and here it is

Kasia visits from Poland

2010-06-11T20:43:00.001+01:00

June the 11th saw Kasia fly to England for an extended visit, for how long she would stay, who knows, but for the next couple weeks, she would be squeezing into the small room at the back of my house. Starting work back at Mellor Electrics allowed her to earn money, but flat hunting would be one of the first things she would attend to. In the interim we would get out whenever possible as long as the weather permits.

June 2010

2010-06-06T16:50:00.006+01:00

Friday the 4th of June saw the payoff of what I started back in October 2009, but more of that later.

5th of June was The Damned in Manchester Academy, so myself Lee and Kieran met up with Julie Windle and set fort on the train to Manchester for beer and merryment, and was had with aplomb. Since we spent time in the bar consuming pints of golden liquid, we missed the support bands, but as soon was available we set forth and entered the room of delight.

The Damned never dissapoint, always a great show, and quite often as tonight was the case, play some old songs from their ever expanding catalogue. The delight's they played tonight were, Fan Club, Fish, Gun Fury, Bad Time For Bonzo, Limit Club and Thanks For The Night. Great banter between the band and the audience punctuated the set, as as the good Captain remarked, we (Manchester) were a better audience than the previous night (London). Well we Northern Scum do appreciate good music when we hear it.

Microphones had been placed on the sides of the stage, maybe they were recording, they did record the Machine Gun Etiquette DVD here, so maybe we have been recorded for posterity.

Anyhow, didn't take my camera with me, but some kind person did, so here is a link to what they took - Kevin Ruscoe's pictures, here is one of those mentioned, not taken by me pictures for you to enjoy.

May 2010

2010-06-01T20:26:00.000+01:00

May brings the annual pilgrimage to Spain, for the Spanish Grand Prix, so avoiding the ash that has been plaguing many flights in and out of the country, I managed just that and had a great time. Fortunately Michelle had many day's off, so for all of my visit we were able to spend our days walking the dogs, doing a bit of gardening, checking out the fast cars, and take a crazy amount of pictures as per usual. Only get delayed by 6 hours to get home, damn that ash.

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and the day of the fast cars

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April 2010

2010-05-01T20:25:00.000+01:00

April, bathroom is pretty much finished now, hurrah you may say, and what took so long, well, I didn't want to rush it and make mistakes (that's my excuse and am sticking to it). Actually a few distractions needed to be not so, and my focus had to be shifted for a few weeks to ensure those distractions where completed (yes I am being cryptic, but nevermind).

As the weather is beginning to improve it means more days out in the outside. New camera needs new bits, so new lens has been purchased and needed to be put through its paces. So a nice wander around Entwistle Reservoir with Gill was undertaken, and a few nice pictures taken to prove it.

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Of course having a new lens I had to venture back to my local park and snap some more.....

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February & March 2010

2010-04-01T20:25:00.000+01:00

February and March, pretty much the same, work, bathroom (yes still on it) few walks in the park, when it was not raining and free of snow and the continuation of the something mentioned earlier.

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and even more pictures

January 2010

2010-02-01T20:24:00.000Z

January, new year, new bathroom, well did you expect it to be finished, ha, not yet. That's the problem when you do a job like this on your own, it all takes a bit longer, plus when I come home from work it's the last thing I want to be getting involved with, but slowly it is taking shape.

Testing out new camera, it's nice having a great park on my doorstep, great opportunities to get out and take pictures of stuff, even if it's the same things over and over again, but covered in inches of snow, gotta learn this camera.

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December 2009

2010-01-01T20:23:00.000Z

December, a second Christmas without my Dad, but thanks to Carole, Mark and Connor, me and my mum had a great time at the Whittons.

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The month ended with me starting on my bathroom, not just redecorating, but the ripping out of the existing suite and a new one put in its place, well not exactly, shower has gone, bath now resides and sink is in new place. Remind me, when starting a job like this one, to get some help. Michelle did help me at one point while she was spending Christmas over here, and so an extra pair of hands came in most usefull. Much curry was consumed of the takeaway kind while she was here and a night out in Whalley was executed, but it being the eve of new years eve the pubs closed early, even the Napier had closed its doors and a reasonable time, but that did not stop me and Michelle, back to my house for more beer and a piss poor attempt at Guitar Hero before pouring her into a taxi home.

Treated myself to a new camera as well, a lovely digital SLR, now to work out how to use it.....

November 2009

2009-12-01T20:23:00.000Z

November, November, November, what did I do, did I do anything......... nope.

October 2009

2009-10-31T20:22:00.000Z

October brought the one year anniversary of the death of my father, still cannot believe it, and it being a year already. We marked the occasion with a few helium balloons, which we let off by his tree, and attached to the balloons we had tags with my email address in case someone found it and would be willing to get back in touch. Guess what, a few weeks later someone did get back to me, informing me that it landed later the same day in Hillsborough Sheffield, what kind chappie he was.

Kirsty ventured up north for a visit and so we went out for a few beers, but sadly no pictorial evidence is in existence from me. Halloween was spent without fancy dress, but a quick visit to Blackpool with Gill to see the pretty lights was undertaken, and on returning to my house, pumpkins carved and illuminated. The evening was completed with a nice bowl of curry and a viewing of the remake of Halloween.

October also saw the start of something, but more of that later, fingers crossed (bet your wondering, he he he)

September 2009

2009-09-30T20:21:00.000+01:00

September remained quite un-eventful, back to work after my holidays, and nothing much else, weather being what it is in not so sunny England. enjoyed the remaining Grand Prix races from the comfort of my sofa, with a few very early starts, but hey, that's what lazy Sunday's are for.

Cornwall - August 2009

2009-09-01T13:40:00.005+01:00

Wednesday - arrived, had brief walk with kids and Mango. Sandra, Jos and Robin are also here.

Thursday - Went for great walk to celebrate 41st birthday, Chapel Porth to Porthtowan. Had food at the Blue (lamb curry), few beers, watched sunset and came home. John had baked a special cake with courgettes in, it may sound strange, but it was most splendid, and we did consume with great gusto.

Friday - Drove out to Hells Mouth, clambered down to beach, had glorious day of sunshine, drove home, had chinese take away for tea, more beer.

Saturday - Robin was all dressed up by Freya and Willow, visited Wheal Coates and the painted cow, home for cups of tea. Sandra, Jos and Robin drove home.

Sunday - Day of mist, me and Pla take Mango for long walk, head down to St Agnes, have couple beers, then wander back home for more beer.

Monday - Lucie and Fred paid a brief visit, had cups of tea in the garden, bought obligatory pasty, and flew home.

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Spain August 2009

2009-08-23T22:34:00.009+01:00

Sunday - Arrived and chilled

Monday - Shopping and fence erecting, nice sticks on a roll for edge of patio

Tuesday - Dali museum in Figueras then to Port Lligat for a wander, ended up at Cadaques for food

Wednesday - Lazy day, dog walking in Martorell. Cleaned wood burner pipes

Thursday - More lazing, dug out pipes for veg patch, and erected them for veg patch, then another dog walk to football field

Friday - Dog walking in Martorell

Off to Cambrills to see Cambrirock
- Joselito “El Chatarra”
- Chambao
- Ojos de Brujo

slept in car

Saturday - Tarragona for wander around cathedral then Roman ruins and more food, local pub for couple beers with the dogs, home for home made margarita (bit too sharp for me)

Sunday - another lazy day, watched Grand prix, from comfort of sofa, and fitted fence to posts

Monday - Back home

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I am ......

2009-07-19T17:47:00.000+01:00

I am contrary to popular opinion
I am always always found above sea level
I am an understudy for myself
I am who I am, not who I am wearing
I am indifferent, yet compliant
I am the universe made manifest, trying to figure itself out
I am one small piece of a larger puzzle
I am me, not you
I am pink, fleshy and taste of pork
I am my father
I am scared of nothing, yet apprehensive of change
I am a traveler in both space and time
I am carbon based, yet mostly of water
I am Pope Bibbletang the first
I am not always here
I am a fan, not a fanatic
I am improbable
I am not the Anarchist, nor the Antichrist
I am immortal til I die
I am capable of many things, yet incapable of writing all of them down
I am not my fucking khakis
I am the result of millions of years of evolution
I am a number, many numbers
I am a punchline in the joke of life
I am in practice for the real thing
I am my own worst enemy
I am a maker of lists
I am the Donkey Headed Advissary Of Humankind (sometimes)
I am not always who I appear to be
I am attempting to invert reality with an egg whisk and string
I am now, not then
I am morefishlike than my parents
I am playing fatty's game
I am a meaning of life
I am Spartacus
I am the other in which the town is not big enough

I Want .......

2009-07-19T17:45:00.002+01:00

I want to move like Jah people
I want to know if I should stay or go?
I want to know how much sanctuary sells for
I want to find the last piece of the puzzle just to see if it fits
I want to make it so
I want you to like it, if I make you angry
I want to see just how far the rabbit hole goes
I want to be on novelty island
I want to be somewhere else
I want to have all the time in the world
I want to know if it's safe to surf
I want a wafer thin mint
I want purple underwear
I want spam, spam, spam, spam, eggs, baked beans and spam
I want to be a drug sniffing dog
I want to be sedated
I want to want to break free
I want to be your dog
I want to sit in the greener grass
I want my food to taste like somebody else made it
I want my glass to be more than half full
I want to be in the shade of the octupus's garden
I want to dream of electric sheep
I want a perfect day, but not Mr Reeds'
I want that sweetest feeling
I want it to be 25 oclock
I want to be in the pond with the big ugly shark
I want to be painting a room in a colourful way
I want a get out of jail free card
I want to get down and jungle boogie
I want to have something I should know
I want a pot to piss in
I want a constant plank
I want to invert reality one molecule at a time
I want to be cooking on gas
I want to be out for lunch
I want a devil in a black dress to watch over

Skipton Castle - June 27th 2009

2009-06-28T15:29:00.003+01:00

Its a bright Saturday afternoon, Gill is meeting up with me, and we are gonna drive out to visit Skipton Castle, well why not. Not the most amazing place to go to, but it's a day out and considering what the weather will do later in the day, it;s a good job we did.

The castle itself is ok, it's still standing after many years of changes and use. We are given a photocopied guide of how you are supposed to meander around the rooms, but we throw caution to the wind, and find our own way around. As most rooms link up with other rooms, and some areas are off limit to the the public, we soon find ourselves back at the beginning looking down at the cadets who have been 'marching up and down the square', having their photo taken.

Tea, coffee and ice cream follow, Gill attempts humour at my expense, she is looking at the precious things as while the collection of potted plants take mine (my distraction is the source of her attempt). In a secluded area of the castle ther are performances of Shakespear's Merchant Of Venice, which looks interesting, but you have to pay extra for this, and being without picnic we decide to wander off.

It's off along the canal and woods we go, for the next hour or so, the sun is out best make the most of it, for back in Blackburn, the skies have opened and torrents of rain are decending. So the method in our madness has paid off, we are dry and in the open, ha.

Of course I have my camera with me, yet I nearly didn't bring it, it was a last minute decision, prompted by Gill, yes Gill, she of camera picture shyness. Not so many pics taken today, but enough to mark the day. Anyway, it was home later for curry and drinks.

click here for more pictures

Zappa Plays Zappa - 17th June 2009

2009-06-18T14:55:00.001+01:00

Here we are at Manchester Bridgewater Hall, that is myself and Kieran, to see how one son continues the memory and legacy of his father. The son being Dweezil, the father Frank. This is the second time I have seen this tribute to Frank Zappa, the first was accompanied by 2 ex members of Frank Zappa's band those being Napoleon Murphy Brock, and Steve Vai, but this time there would be no such performers. That does not mean that the performance will be lacking in any shape or form, to the contrary, the musicians that make up this band bring their own individuality and interpretation to each song without altering the whole, something that Zappa always wanted from his musicians.

The atmosphere is quite friendly, Dweezil jokes about the last time he played in Manchester, with his equipment failing to perform correctly, but tonight all goes without any hiccup, even inviting people from the audience to join them on stage.

It is so good to see Zappa's music still being played live, so a new audience can be a part of such a musical legacy. The setlist is quite eclectic, but covers most bases, and bass solos lead the way through the night of many more solo's. Unfortunately I did not take my camera, so only a couple of mobile pics are taken. A most splendid night, thanks to all who performed, turned up and enjoyed.

Set List.

APOSTROPHE
PURPLE LAGOON
MAGIC FINGERS
CAROLINA HARDCORE
LUMPY GRAVY
MONTANA
VILLAGE OF THE SUN
ECHIDNA'S ARF
DONT YOU EVER WASH THAT THING?
DIRTY LOVE
GAS STATION
INCA ROADS
OUTSIDE NOW
BAMBOOZLED BY LOVE
POUND FOR A BROWN
ZOMBY WOOF

---

PEACHES EN REGALIA
COSMIK DEBRIS
YELLOW SNOW
WILLIE THE PIMP

Southport - 30th May 2009

2009-05-31T13:54:00.007+01:00

I think the last time I visited Southport I was about 13, and burnt my ears in the sun. It would have been a family based summer holiday at Pontins. Fortunately today is just a daytrip, so there will be no Crocodile Club for me. My accomplice for the day would be Gill (she of the cartwheel and sand writing ability) for she was also free for this glorious Saturday and also wanted a day out by the sea. So off we went, suitably attired, well I had shorts on.

A few 80's tunes later and we were paying for our ticket, you have to pay to park everywhere, even outside my own house, but anyway we were in Southport, hurrah. First things first, Gill wanted ice cream, not that whippy stuff, but a 'proper' scoop, I must agree, not about the consistancy of ice cream, but ice cream itself, it does go well with a stroll down a pier, and so we did.

Ice cream consumed, or rather licked away, we continued our meanderings, right upto the sea, which for those who know Southport, can be quite a distance. Getting there was something of a feat in itself. So the shoes and socks had to come off. Gill had flip flops, so they were easily flipped off and we flopped our way via the squelchy black mud/sand to the sea, and paddled.

Paddling done, and small shell collecting achieved (according to Gill, I have a house full of 'stuff' and more 'stuff' is always welcome), we continued our meanderings until we found respite in the smallest pub in Britain and consumed a couple of beers. The lakeside view is what it says on the tin, so perched on the veranda we quenched our thirst before heading home to burn stuff.

As it was such a fine evening, we sat outside and warmed ourselves by burning stuff (not my collective 'stuff' but wood and paper) in my chimnea. Quickly making a chilli, which I intended to have with jacket spuds cooked inside the chimnea, but turning out as blackened pieces of charcoal, mash became a substitute. A few more drinks and music rounded the evening, until Gill headed home.

A nice day with a nice if not a little burnt evening.

click here for gallery of pictures

Spain - May 2009

2009-05-12T16:54:00.011+01:00

It's May, it's 2009, it's another Formula One season, must be time to visit Mecca, or rather the Catalunya Circuit in Barcelona, but more of that later.

It's always nice to be somewhere where you don't have to worry about the weather, and always nice to be there with friends, so it's more than fortunate to have a friend who lives in Spain, and always welcomes a visitor from England. This trip I would be traveling very light, due to the fact that the cost of placing my case in the hold is £20, so hand luggage only. It's just getting there that could be a nightmare.

Todays nightmare came in the guise of an overly officious boarding person, who took it upon themselves to screen the size of peoples hand luggage, despite the fact that we had already had had our luggage checked when we checked in. Some people were being asked to resize, and the guide that was being used did look a little smaller than the one we had to use at check in (call me paranoid). This caused a few passengers a little anguish when their bag would not fit or got caught on the guide, and then being informed that they would have to place their bag in the hold at some ridiculous surcharge. Fortunately I was never asked, but left a rather crimson woman arguing with the officious person over a matter of a few millimeters, size does matter.

Goodbye England, hello Spain. A couple of trains and a taxi later and I am enjoying a beer on the terrace at Michelle's place of work. There I was forced to sit in the sun, bottle of San Miguel by my side, waiting for Michelle to finish. It's a hard life, but someone has to do it. So here I am again, Spain, bit of shopping then back to Michelle's for a bite to eat (pizza, fingernail free) and a few drinkies. On the way to the supermarket we happened upon a most spectacular sight, a field full of blood red poppies, so obviously we stopped for a photo or two. A most spendid start to my visit.

Friday was quite a busy day, up relatively early, shower, walk to Masquefa, get train to Barcelona. I am finally going to venture inside the Sagrada Familia. The trains here are so different from back home in England, yet they do run on tracks, but they are clean, punctual, informative and cheap. Ok you need to know a few words of Spanish, as the digital displays tell you where you are, where you are going to be, and where it will finally be. Not some dodgy Dalek impersonator based tannoy system that no-one can understand.

So here I am, outside the Sagrada Familia, about to pay my Euro's and venture inside. This has to be one of the most amazing buildings ever constructed, and the work still continues. The building itself has two faces, old and new, both complement each other, yet are distinctly different. For the first time I am able to see all of this close up and in my face, its simply breathtaking. Where do you start. Entering on the newer side, under 'The Passion' with its angular scultures, depicting the last days of Christ, you enter the Cathedral through huge inlayed doors. Words cannot describe fully what I am seeing, even with photographs, the sheer scale is unprecidented.

Inside it is simply vast, your eyes are cast upward into the grand ceiling, what was Gaudi smoking when he designed all of this. Round and through to the older side and outside to the classic face of the Sagrada Familia. Here is the nativity, with scenes depicting Mary and Josephs journey, Herod and his soldiers seeking the infant child and many more with angels, kings etc. Striking representations sculpted in a more classical style than the angular Passion. From here I ventured down into the museum, to see how and why all of this was constructed, I simply cannot put into words how impressive all of this is, bizarre models of how Gaudi calculated the loads and stresses each arch would be able to take.

Now I must join an orderly queue to travel upwards into the towers, a further fee is required to do this, but of course it is all worth it. Within 30mins I am exiting the elevator and beginning to explore the towers, spiral staircases twist up and down, with little room for passing, so decorum must be obayed, with a little patience. Some towers you can only ascend, and others decend, but you can get around all four towers, and with a few balconies you are able to see some most extraordinary sights, and see Barcelona from a most interesting vantage point.

After spending as much time as is possible in the towers, I re-emerge back inside the central cathedral, and wander a little more, got to make the most of my visit here. Back down into the museum, few more photographs, all the way around the outside, yet more picture taken. Eventually I must leave this place of wonderment, but not before purchasing a few souveneirs, fridge magnet representations of Gaudi's number square. Alas it is time to go, catch my train, meet Michelle back at her workplace, and get something to eat before heading off to see The Adicts at The Faktoria. (read about it here)

Saturday brought a day of firsts, the first first was to finally eat paella in Spain, I have been here so many times, but never eaten paella. So here we were, me and Michelle, Saturday afternoon, sitting in the sun, tucking into a huge dish of mixed paella. Mixed means mixed, rabbit, chicken, mussles, prawns, fish, you name it, it is in this dish, and it was delicious. Ok we are in the touristy bit of the sea front, but hey, it was still good.

The next first and last first, was to indulge my inner (or not so inner, eh Gill) geek, and go see the new Star Trek movie. Obviously it's not the first Trek film I have ever seen, but it's the first time I have been to the movies in Spain. No it was not in Spanish, my Spanish is in no way good enough for that, it was in the only language I am able to speak fluently, English, but with Spanish subtitles.

What of the film itself. Well it's like what they have done with the new Bond films, it's familiar, yet new, reinvented and revised for a new generation of movie go-ers. For followers of Trek the makers of the new film have included a clever little plot device so that they can make sequels to this one, without polluting the existing Trek timeline, oops my innner geek is spilling out. Anyway it's a good film for Trekkies and non Trekkies, funnier if you are familiar with the concept, but a good sci-fi adventure movie. Two things are remarkable, one being how full the cinema was and secondly how dark the room was, once the film got underway. There was a false start with the film, as someone had set the picture size incorrectly, but that was soon sorted and the film restarted. Despite that, the film received a nice round of applause at the end.

to be continued............................

click here for more pictures

Adicts - Barcelona (Terassa) May 8th 2009

2009-05-09T20:18:00.002+01:00

As I was to be in Barcelona for the Grand Prix, Michelle had checked out if anything was on while I was there, and to her surprise an English Punk band, 'The Adicts' would be performing at the same venue I had seen the 'Arabian Orchestra' last December.

The Adicts are a band I have only 1 frame of reference to, that being someone had the clown face logo painted on the back of their leather jacket (Tacky I think). I had not heard anything by them, so going to see them would be if anything, interesting.

Punks in Spain? I was surprised.

On approaching the venue the concentration of mowhawks, studs and bondage gear became greater, until saturation point inside the venue. Everywhere you looked people had 'punk' t-shirts, and none of them Spanish. Dead Kennedys, English Dogs, Damned etc. This was going to be interesting.

First to tread the boards are a local Oi! punk band. Obviously they had brought their mates along, as they sang along (in Spanish), with no spitting, some stage diving, and plenty of arms in the air. It's a Spanish thing, or so I have been told.

From what I could gleam from the interweb, The Adicts would appear to have quite an interest in the movie 'A Clockwork Orange', borrowing imagry for both songs and costume. So it came as no surprise they came onstage to the theme from the movie, decked out in white boiler suits and bowler hats.

But what was a surprise was how well the audience knew the songs. From when the singer made his way to the stage and his first words in first costume, to last words in last costume, the audience continued to sing along. It was a bizarre singalong to a band I had never heard before, but obviously they are well known in this neck of the woods.

So what of the music, it was more party punk than a statement of anarchy, a fun band which did not take themselves too seriously. They know how to entertain, as the the singer informed us, he was nearly 50, but it did not matter, they entertained, and we were also. Despite how long they must have been playing the same songs, there was an air of freshness about it al, not because of my lack of exposure, the band themselves are uncontrived, hugely enjoyable, well crafted and theatrical.

I would like to see them again....sometime.

click here for gallery of pictures

St Annes & Blackpool, May 2nd 2009

2009-05-03T19:32:00.002+01:00

Saturday morning, the morning after the night before, and the night before had only comprised of a few beers, so a clear head was in the building. A Saturday morning usually has a few tasks attached to it, tidying up, vacuum living room, the usual mundane chores, then laze about until monday.

But today, me and Gill had decided to visit the sea, St Annes to be the exact expanse of sea in question. So following her usual saturday rituals, some not too dissimilar to mine, she picked me up around 3 and off we went.

Parking up at a cafe in St Annes, we indulged in a cup of tea and dodgy cake, then a set about walking. I hadn't been here for many a year (am not sure if I have actually been here before), so it was quite a new experience. Plenty of photo's were a taken. Gill is quite phobic about her picture being taken, but managed a couple. After wandering up and down the pier and back to the car a further jaunt was undertaken.......Blackpool.

We only made it as far as the south pier before the tackyness that is Blackpool became too much and the money ran out of the parking meter. But our allotted time allowed for the pondering over of the prom sculptures, the writing of names in the sand, and to peer upon the giant disco ball. Ice creme was consumed with great gusto before i was persuaded to make a fool of my self by attempting cartwheels upon the sand. Gill would be quite adept at the cartwheel, me on other hand, just fell over utterly hopeless.

All that was left was to drive home for a homemade curry and a few beers. A good day.

click here for gallery of pictures

Ojos De Brujo - Liverpool Philarmonic May 1st 2009

2009-05-02T20:02:00.001+01:00

My friend Michelle informed me a few weeks ago the Ojos De Brujo would be playing near Barcelona in june, like the cat curiosity guided my mouse via the interweb and I found that Ojos De Brujo would be performing in Liverpool at the beginning of may......so having survived (unlike the cat) I booked tickets for me and Peter.

Slowly the days passed until at last we ventured forth to that pool of liver to behold the magnificence that is Ojos De Brujo. Unfortunately we arrived a few minutes late and the band had already started, but no matter we were here and that's all that mattered.

New tracks mixed with old, old tracks remixed for a live performance. The audience encouraged to release themselves from the confined of booked seats and to strut, boogie and jiggle about in rhythmical formation infront of the stage. we just sat in wonderment at this spectacle on the balcony, as it afforded us a great view and sound.

Ojos De Brujo performed a short first set, had an interval and returned to bemuse amuse and infuse us some more. They are able to fuse so many different types of music, all with an effortless complexity, and expertise it possitively blows the mind. How many more rhythms can you fit into one song, and still they would add more.

So in all we had a great night. On returning to Blackburn it was decided we sould venture forth into the night and consume beer, and so we did.

click here for more pictures

Sandra and Michelle's 40th Birthday Party

2009-04-12T22:04:00.022+01:00

Last night saw what could have been described as a celebrity gathering, if any real celebrities were actually there. Instead we took it upon ourselves to dress up all fancy like, and be somebody else for the night. All was in celebration of Michelle and Sandra's 40th birthdays. So here we were in Hebden Bridge, in a small room above the Stubbin Wharf pub, a dancing and a feeding, a chatting and laughing. Catching up with familiar faces from our respective past, capturing digital snapshots for the future.

A slight hiccup caused me a slight embarrasment, when my laptop decided to shut down, it had become too hot from sitting on a paper tablecloth. A quick restart and a mouse converted into a temporary prop, allowed the music to continue (phew). I had also managed to create a slideshow of images, and had them projected large form, for people to gape at and giggle. you can see some of them in the background, of the video at the end of this entry.

The highlight of the evening was the floorshow, when Michelle and Sandra, dressed up as the Anadin Brothers from Dr & the Medics, performed a choreographed jig and swirl to 'Spirit In The Sky'. Everyone who had come as somebody else excelled in their attire, 2 Elvis's (or Elvii), Meat Loaf, Cher, Captain Sensible, Bananarama, Avril Lavigne, Mama Cass, John & Yoko to name but many. Eventually the evening came to a close and we all slinked back to our regular existance, but images remain to remind us of an unforgetable night.

click here for gallery of pictures

Bowling For Christmas

2008-12-29T14:18:00.001Z

It used to be the tradition that we would all meet up for something to eat between Christmas and New Years, often at someones house for a buffet. The last few years we have not been bothered to do it, for one thing or another, but this year, it would return.

Michelle would be over in England for Christmas and excuses made & a meet up arranged. This year we would be eating out, and then later, bowling. The eating part had been added at the last minute and so not all could meet that early. Fortunately the eating place was only round the corner and so walking to bowl easy. A slight delay in seating and a shoddy service at the eatery made sure that those waiting for us at the bowling had to join us for a beer at the eatery. Now we are all together, names can be revealed.

Me, Michelle, Sandra, Gillian (Sandra's sister), Kieran & Lee.

Bellies full of Mexican digestables, we waddled our way over the road to view the Vue, and bowling for Christmas. Having paid money and exchanged our shoes, our lane awaited. I had only been bowling the once before, and Lee had been a few, the rest of us were innocent in the kind of fun that would follow.

3 games, many hurling of bowls, Lee having Wii arm, silly strike dancing, beer, my winning of the 1st and last game, Gillian the winning of the 2nd game, lots of hillarity, applause at strikes, Sandra being crowned the gutter queen, and me having the highest overall score.

With this all said and done, we heading back into Blackburn for a few more well earned beers. Sadly Kieran was to go home before more drinking, but it did not stop the rest of us.

Maybe we will do this all again, sometime.........

Christmas

2008-12-28T14:13:00.010Z

In some ways i was quite dreading this christmas, that being the first without my father, and wanted it out of the way and onto the new year as quickly as possible.

Carole, Mark and Connor would be joining myself and my mum at my mums to celebrate this year, Mark had expressed his intent to cook dinner, and so with no argument from the rest of us, his duties were allocated. No sooner had he arrived, he set to work, it was then up to the rest of to make sure we all had enough to drink, and open presents.

As my brother was not going to be joining us, new father and all that, we set up my camera to record the grand present unwrapping, and so with lots of ripping crinkling and oohs, this was accomplished.

Mark busied himself with food preparation and soon the table was laid and filled with an assortment of festive foodstuffs. Roast parsnips, sprouts, roast spuds, carrots, turkey, sausage in bacon and champagne. Toasts were made to us all and my late father, even Connor was allowed a small glass of champagne. My dads last bottle of red wine opened and was quickly consumed, hmmmm, good choice pops.

No sooner that we had started eating, it was all over with, crackers pulled, dodgy jokes told and strange gifts puzzled over. The table was then removed and the grand sitting began. Christmas TV does not improve with age, but selectively it has its high points. Couple hours later more food is laid out for us to gorge ourselves, more wine is drunk, and we are also.

Slowly all begin to succumb to the days excesses and sleep beckons. Despite the dread, i think we had a good day, thanks to all who made it so, and a special one for Mark for a lovely dinner.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas, bring on 2009

Barcelona - December 2008

2008-12-10T14:52:00.004Z

As Michelle was to spend Christmas in England, an end of year visit to Spain was formulated and executed. After having had to change my flight time a couple of times and using that ricketty bone shaker of an English train network, I arrive early afternoon at the airport. No hassles, no delays later and I am standing in Barcelona airport. Train to the city, one to Sabadell and I am meeting Michelle.

Greetings exchanged and we are off to the supermarket, a rough outline of what we intend to do for the next few days dictates our requirements. This all done and dusted we proceed to drop everything at home then we are are off out again, this time to eat and be entertained. Taditional salad for me and a lasagne, and for Michelle soup and sausages (not together, that would be......hmmmm).

Now for the evenings entertainment, an Arabian Orchestra, at a venue where you are actually allowed to smoke, and smoke some people do. The tell tale sweet smell of a herbal kind permiates the air, while the band entertains with all kinds of emotional Arabic soundscapes. many pictures are taken and some video shot. They are most enjoyable, and different, a refreshing change at the end of a rather hectic day.

Next day, Michelle is working, so I sleep in, mooch about the place and wait until Michelle gets home, beer and chat follows.

Friday is a day of work for both of us, Michelle has the day off, so we set to work tidying up the patio and stockpilling logs. Wood is gathered for laters BBQ. A BBQ in December you may question the logic in this, but it was a glorious day, we had bought suitable supplies the previous day, and so we set about grilling it all before the sun went down. Spanish black pudding, ribs, goat and some bacon, hmmmmmm. Many beers are drunk before darkness decends, and the wind ends our time outside.

Saturday was a trip to the city, for I had a personal mission to complete. My mum had asked me to take some of my dad's ashes and to place them in the sea, he was a sailor for 10 years after all, so some part of hime belonged there. A suitable place was found and a moments reflection undertaken and it was all done. We had intende to eat in Barcelona, a traditional Paella, so many visits I have made here, and never have i sampled this traditional dish, but all was in vain, as the restaraunt we had intended to eat at was so busy, we had to leave it for another time.

So it was off back to the Sagrada Familia, that magnificent cathedral never fails to impress me. As it was the beginning of December a market open just outside the cathedral, selling all kind of Spanish Christmassy wares, logs with faces, figurines for your nativity scene, and the obligitory little shitting man, 'The Caganer'. I had to treat myself to one, so bought myself a little shitting Yoda. We had hoped to bump into Gabi's brother Luca, as he usually has a stall on here, but unfortunately he was not around, but we managed to track him down to a local cafe, so we joined him and had a coffee.

So we left the city behind and headed back home to treat ourselves to a takeaway pizza. All wa going well until Michelle found a nail clipping in one of them, not nice. So we were down to one pizza, which was consumed with care and washed down with sangria.

Sunday was my last full day here, so we had a bit of a lazy day, lounged around the house, took the dogs for a local walk, finished off the meat we had bought, and generally did nothing.

Next day, hassle free flight, home sweet home.

click here for more pictures

Strawberry Duck - October 2008

2008-10-30T15:35:00.000Z

As Kirsty and Pla had ventured north to mark the event that was Kirsty's 40th birthday, we decided to meet up and drink beer, the location for this mass consumption would be the Strawberry Duck, former venue for many a drunken night out. The Duck was one of the only pubs in the area at which you had a wide variety of real ale, and for our return visit, we hoped that this would still be the fact. Luckily for us it was still home for many an oddly monikered ale of three.

Those attending this cold wet evening would be Pla, Kirsty, Kieran, Sandra, Myself, Lee and Gillian (Sandra's sister), she had nothing better to do and is taking the picture.

Merriment and consumption of ale began, continued though a game of musical chairs, well we moved from one room to another, and ended via the train back to Blackburn in the Napier. Fortunately this pub had quite a few more fellow drinkers than the Duck, a bit sparse was the Duck, the barstaff nearly outnumbered the patrons.

gallery

Strawberry Duck - October 2008

2008-10-30T00:23:00.000Z

A Painfull Loss

2008-10-20T13:15:00.001+01:00

On the 10th of October 2008, my father was taken from us. No warnings, no illness, nothing. One minute he is taking stuff upstairs for my mum, the next a massive heart attack, and his no longer with us. Unfortunately i was in Cornwall at the time, and so had to rapidly get myself back up to Blackburn. Pla and Kirsty did all they could to help me, even offering to drive me home, but a flight was available and was booked.

The next few days were a surreal blur, but arrangements had to be made.

His funeral was in a strange way a happy occasion, the minister we had for the service had talked with me at length about my father and so was able to say a few kind and yet personal words on our behalf. Me my brother and sister all wanted to say a few words in tribute, but it was left to me to say what we all felt.

We even managed to get some of his favorite music played during the service, which even had a few feet tapping to the sounds of Jackie Wilson.

He was my hero, my teacher, my guide.
Taught me to swim, ride a bike,
and encouraged me in whatever i was interested in.
He taught me how to be the person i am today.

I always looked up to him,
and despite having the same shoe size,
i could never fill them.
He will never leave me,
and his mark will stay with me forever.
I have his bald spot to prove it.

Always in my heart.
Love you and miss you.

One strange request he had was for a brass band to be playing at his funeral, we have no idea where that came from, but due to practicality this was not possible, but back at my mothers we raised our rum filled glasses to him and had a brass band version of Sweet Georgia Brown playing while we toasted him.

Friends and family have been very supportive and understanding, and i thank you all for this.

Since then we have all had our moments of sadness and joy when thinking about him, but he will always be with us. As a tribute we have purchased a tree at Pleasington Cemetary, so we have somewhere to go to when we feel that need.

Dad, you are not sleeping
Just resting your eyes
You will always be with me
In Thought, and my heart

Love you and miss you
David x

Cornwall October 2008

2008-10-12T12:56:00.001+01:00

So finally i made it to Cornwall this year, what with one thing and another, no festival, an early Easter, and no slots being available at the Plirsty summer house of fun. Anyway, i was here, standing on the beach with both Pla and Kirsty, watching Mango dive into the sea to retrieve as many stones as your arm could hurl.

Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond my control my visit was to be cut shot, but despite this, we had a great time, eating out, watching the sunset, even seeing Willow in her Harvest Festival. But it was Friday night which was to rock my world forever.

As per usual many pictures were taken during my brief visit, and can be viewed at the usual place, or by clicking the title at the top of this entry.

Back to Blackpool, 27th September 2008

2008-10-05T18:14:00.011+01:00

So here we are again, twice in the same year, what is going on you may ask, well the answer is really quite simple. My good friend Kasia, had invited her friend Jola to England for a few months and so we decided to treat her to a visit to Blackpool. Is this really a treat? Well for someone who had never experienced the tackyness that is the pool of black, seeing is believing.

Fingers were crossed that the weather would be good, for the majority of this summer we have not had many days of sun, you could probably count them on Beadles stunted fingers. But hope springs eternal, and we were gifted with a clear day, hurrah for us. So off we went, bumped on our way on Englands wonderful train network, and arrived in that pool of black and began our day of fun.

First port of call was to see the sea, and then the wanderings began. Beach based meanderings, and donkey spotting followed, and was ended at this stage with a beer on a pier. Feeling hungry we backtracked to Harry Ramsdens for traditional fish and chips, and another beer. Two surprises here, first being that you can have a beer with your food, and secondly that we would be served by Polish waitresses, for both Kasia and Jola are Polish also.

Bellies full it was time to roll those balls again and race the horses. Many games later Kasia emerged victorious, and was rewarded with a stuffed purple rabbit. More meanderings followed and retreatings to another pier for more beer and watch the sunset. Braving the chilly evening air no more, we headed inside to finish our beer before heading back for our return journey and to gaze longingly at the pretty lights. It is just a pity we only had a short time to look at the illuminations, but we did have a train to catch.

Our cameras had been clicking and shuttering all day, so it was a relief to sit down on yet another prime example of Englands train network, and bump our way home. I think that may be it for Blackpool this year, but you never know, it may have a third visit in the pipeline, who knows.

On Being 40

2008-09-03T17:48:00.002+01:00

So it's finally here, the huge landmark in the grand scheme of things, a time where life is supposed to begin, the midlife crisis, time to re-assess ones priorities, to take stock of what has gone before, ponder the inevitable.

For me, it's just another birthday, only this time with more food and presents. An excuse to get old and new friends together, have a laugh, for 40 isn't that old now now that i a actually here. But at 16, 40 seems such a long way away and a place where you got 'old'.

Do I feel any different, have I suddenly gotten old overnight, do my teeth reside in a glass by the bed at night. Has my mind started to fail me, and joint pain starting to keep me awake at night. Well some of these things are true, but have been for quite a while, but do I feel 40...........NO.

Personally I think I am growing old gracefully, dignified and with a little style. I make no attempts to disguise the fact I am going bald, my eye sight is what it is, and my little beer belly is still there. As for a midlife crisis, what midlife, my life is what it is and people who know me, know me and all agree, age is a state of mind.

I still like to go out, even though hangovers take a few days to get over. Music still has to be played loud and not because I qam going a little deaf, it just has to be. Ok I have no idea who is in the top 40, but have I ever?

Do I regret anything from the last 40 years, no. For there is no use in regret, for you cannot change anything, and if you could, you would not know if you had anyway.

So what for the future, who knows, just keep enjoying my life the way I have always have.

To all those who helped me celebrate my 40th, cards, pressies, food, drink, I thank you all. It meant a lot to me, for friends and family are more important than anything. See you for the next 40.

The Big 40

2008-08-27T12:00:00.000+01:00

Finally here, so here are a few pictures for you to laugh at.

I am nearly 40

2008-08-05T19:29:00.003+01:00

Counting down, three weeks to go.....

Time is a relative construct, and so must be our age. Maturity, wisdom, factors on how we face the world. Either an old head on young shoulders or young on old. It's all a state of mind.

I don't think i am trying to validate the fact that i will be 40 soon, but i don't feel 40. Yes i am losing a bit of hair, and yes i do have a bit of a belly, but mentally i don't feel 40. New people i have met and become friends with all say i don't look 40 ( i hope they are telling the truth and not just being polite). But the fact remains, i will be and there is nothing you or i can do to change that.

I see guys older than me trying desperately hard to stay looking young. Hair dye, clothes, i am sorry look your age, or at least don't make a fool out of yourself. Yes i used to dye my hair, and wear wild and wacky clothes, but that was when i was much younger, and i am not saying that we must adopt the pipe and slippers just yet. If you must wear clothes that you think make you look younger, do it with a bit of pride, someone may well be laughing at you, or think you are on some fancy dress do.

Some say life begins at 40, but my life started when i was born, and will end when i die. it's how you live your life, that's what matters. Make good friends, look after your family, and enjoy yourself. It's the only one you've got.

Unless you are immortal that is.

Blackpool - Same s**t different decade.

2008-08-03T14:39:00.004+01:00

Day trip to Blackpool, Saturday 2nd August 2008

It's been over 10 years since i last went to Blackpool, why? Well it lost it's appeal to me. Gone are the days of playing on the beach, makind sandcastles, visiting the Dr Who exhibition, spending hours queuing up to be hurled around a ricketty old track on the Pleasure Beach. But that being said, it was about time i revisited good old Blackpool and see how i felt many many years since my last visitation.

So joining me on this trip down memory lane would be my good friend Kasia (friend only, nothing more), as it was she who suggested this day trip.

Early Saturday morning we met up at thew bus stop and made our way to the train. Being daring and throwing caution to the wind, we are both wearing shorts, well my legs do need to get out once in a while. The journey in unremarkable apart from on pulling into Preston the skies open and torrents of rain soak the station. Is this a sign of things to come? The train slowly fills up as we get closer to Blackpool, and an old traditional game re-enters my mind, who will be the first to spot the tower. As i am the only one playing, i am obviously the winner as Kasia if sound asleep.

We arrive at the Pleasure Beach and decide to disembark here and begin our grand footstomp. The first thing i notice is the smell, there is none, well just a whiff. Gone is the stench of shit and fish that usally permiated the air, now you can actually smell the sea, just (the whiff). Venturing forth we skirt around the amusdement palace, queuing is olympic and it's barely 11am. It's here i begin to see how Blackpool has changed, new sea defences are being erected and here down by the south pier, the promenade is looking quite good, alost modern with random pieces of art scattered here and there.

Shades shorts and shirts soon became a slended idea as the sun did shine beyond the duration of our visit, our attire was quite sedate and normal compared to some sights that befel our shaded vision. That being the obligiatory ' let's go to Blackpool for our hen/stag party' brigade. On the whole the code would be matching printed t-shirts and cowboy hats, with the subject of the impending nuptuals being a little more flamboyant or obvious. The odd eccentric would be evident with full regency costumes and Borat swim suits being worn, depending upon the level of intoxication.

Kiss me quick hats lie along side assorted flavours of rock, as befits Blackpool, for some things do not change. That can be said of the music played in the bars and small rides dotted around the piers, with dodgy 80's megamixes and Agadoo in constant rotation for the last 30 years. Maybe it's some kind of timewarp, or it has some kind of subliminal effect that causes the listener to return here like some crazed salmon, year after year.

Traditions have to be maintained, and personal one for me was about to be revisited. For here at Blackpool, the Dr Who exhibition has returned from it's adventures in time and space. I too would have an assistant for this bold adventure, in form of Kasia, a recent viewer of this TV classic. You see, as a small boy we as a family, would often visit Blackpool for the day, and as my younger brother and sister played on the beach, i would wander for hours inside this temple of wonderment. Now i am an adult, how does it feel to revisit all this. Well, it's all a bit geeky, the exhibits comprise mostly of old costumes and replicas of crap monsters. But Besssie the car was there, so a quick photo opportunity arose and was taken. All in all a nice trip down memory lane, but not worth the entrance fee. Saying that, explaining my childhood Who fascination to Kasia was strangely geeky, but entertainingly funny.

Second tradition is easy, when in Blackpool, what do you eat. Fish and chips. So off to Harry Ramsdens for a splendid plate of, guess what, fish chips and mushy peas. Kasia did not expect the peas to be mushy, which did raise a few chuckles, but splendid food anyway.

A quick saunter on the beach followed the feed, not that there was much sand to walk on, the tide must have been having a lazy day. Those who wished to tempt fate dipped more than a toe in the sea, but not us, we had games to play.

We found one of those horse racing games, the one with the balls, lanes and point scoring holes, where if successfull, scoring causes your horse to travel a measured amount. Unfortunately six games each bore no fruit, but plenty of excitement and hilarity. Next was the car racing simulator, not being a driver, my ability to keep the car on the track is questionable. FGood job it's only virtual.

Nearing the end of our day, we retired to a bar and consumed alcohol. Orderly queuing at the bar i ask you, what next, a rain free day? So off home we went, a little pinker than we started. Cheap B&B's are an option for a further visit, possibly for the lights, but that is another date in time. It's home for a late home made curry and more beer.

Barbeques - Second time around

2008-07-27T13:58:00.006+01:00

It had been Adam's birthday the other week, but he had just driven back from Poland, he had not had chance to mark it. So he wanted to consume beer and enjoy good company. I obviously said no to this and instead have a BBQ. This prompted a reply in the affirmative and pland became an appendage. I was to make my now infamous curried chicken, and Adam, Kasia, Kasia would supply the Polish sausage. My yard would be the venue, all we needed was good weather.

Unfortunately the forcast was not inspiring, but we would go ahead anyway. We had arranged to meet at maybe around 3pm so it gave me enough time to nip into town and aquire a few extras. So there i was, middle of town loaded with stuff, and my phone goes, it's Kasia. 'We are at the Polish shop and will be round in 20mins'. Bugger, they are early, so gadget skates on, time to head home. Good job i live but a hop skip and a jump away from the town centre.

Managing to get home before the others, quickly i prepare a little salad to compliment all the meat we are to consume, chill the beer and arrange seats. Man make fire, man is good.

Today there will be no need for the chimnea, as it's a glorious day, hardly a cloud in the sky. Everyone arrives and the eating begins. With us today is Adams girlfriends brother Grzegorz, soon to be a member of the 'Woody's curried chicken' fan club. No hitches occur all day, beer is plentiful, music is randomized and food consumed with gusto. As it is Adam's birthday celebration, he is given the first curried chicken and we fight over the remainder. Happy birthday is sung and a makeshift icecream/cake/candle, is produced and blown out.

As is becoming a tradition, out come the wigs and hillarity. Shutters are shut in plentiful numbers and subsequent images are bound to digital pixels to be reviewed later. As Kasia (Adam's) is with child she retires earlier than the rest of us, who welcome the darkness with solar powered illumination.

The next day brings more sunshine and an opportunity to consume leftovers. Unforrtunately no chicken, but a few sausages. So the BBQ is relit and the weekend continues with those who either did not manage to get home, and those who returned for seconds.

And that pretty much marked the end of july.

Kitchen - Hurrah

2008-07-23T21:42:00.007+01:00

Those of you who have visited my house will have seen the sorry state my kitchen is, the bare concrete floor has laid naked for over 16 years, due in part to my lazyness and my 'it's my kitchen' attitude. So now or rather over the last few weeks, I have attempted to rectify this with laminate.

Slowly over many nights and afternoons I have slithered back and forth across my increasingly new floor clipping down this 'quick lock' laminate flooring. For those who know and those who don't, well you may find out how 'quick' it is. But i digress, the kitchen has now arisen from the drab partial mess it was to maybe 90% complete. Bit of electrical work needed.

So now i have laminate flooring, T&G on walls, cupboards, shelves, all wood, stained varnished and ready for use. My cat 'Q' is still unsure about it all, she still skids and slides around the new floor, and believe me it's still funny.

So it's a little cosmetic work here and there, and probably more shelves. Can't have enough shelves can you?

Next is the bathroom.

Fake No More - White Bull, Blackburn July 11th 2008

2008-07-12T19:34:00.002+01:00

Had to revise my attitude towards tribute bands the other night, as I saw one who were rather good.

So, crammed into the White Bull was Fake No More, a Faith No More tribute band (name a bit of a give away). having listened to some MP3's on their website the potential was good, and they did not dissapoint.

The singer had made some effort to look like Patton, but did manage to sound like him most of the time. Musically they hit all the right notes (bad pun, sorry). It was a rather lack lustre turn out that let it down, but after nearly 2 hours the band still rocked. They even attempted Fantomas and Tomahawk, which worked. But a tribute band doing songs that the original band covered is bordering on self anihilation, if not a little strange.

Those attending enjoyed it all the same, and sang along when possible.

Raise your glasses its a successful tribute band, a beacon in an ocean of mediocracy.

Those attending, Me, Lee, Piotr, Kasia

Yard / Garden

2008-07-01T12:00:00.002+01:00

Early last year, I put up a homemade bird table, with a few hooks for hanging seeds, nuts, fatballs, etc. This got me to looking at my yard in a different way, as a place to sit out and enjoy. So I put on my carpenters hat, built some bedding boxes, assorted soil containing devices, erected some hanging baskets and filled them with flowers, bushes and plants in general.

Despite the crazy weather last year, it was nice to look out into the yard, look at the feeding birds, and watch stuff grow. So this year I would go a stage further with larger bedding boxes and 2 huge benches on which to sit. A cast iron BBQ and chimnea now also adorn the yard.

Just recently I hired a skip and emptied the outside toilet and coal shed of junk. So now if the weather is ok (dry) I can sit out with a brew, more likely a bottle of beer, have BBQ's and generally enjoy my yard.

Oh yes, the cat likes it too (as you can see), maybe some of you may get to experience it for yourself someday.

Bodyworlds - Manchester

2008-06-29T22:58:00.001+01:00

Had a day trip to Manchester with Peter and Kasia, to visit the dead bodies at the MOSI (Museum Of Science & Industry) and what a trip it was. Dr Gunter Von Hagen has perfected a way of preserving cadavers and arranging them for public observation. It boggles the imagination, for nothing can prepare you for the confrontation of our own mortality and bodily function, for all is laid bare, quite literally.

Unfortunately no pictures can be taken at the exhibition, but there is no need, for such images are seared into the brain for a long time to come, and yes I did feel a little peckish on the way around.

Some of the exhibits are purely scientific, as in hearts, lungs etc, sectioned and displayed, but it is the fact that they are actual body parts thats holds our fascination.

Other exhibits are positioned into elaborate poses (guitarist) or are recreations of classical scientific/religious artworks. The more you see the more you are in awe of the fantastical spectacle before you.

You must see it before it leaves Manchester, in the middle of August.

After here we became a little more traditional, a quick visit to the air and space museum, mainly to escape the rain, then it was onto the art gallery, to pull bemused faces at traditional 'art' and to stand open mouthed at contemporary pieces (Gwon Osang).

Barbeques - great British tradition

2008-06-24T12:58:00.007+01:00

A great British tradition during the summer months is to attempt to cook food outside, that is between torrents of rain and the occasion bout of food poisoning.

So me being a sucker for tradition opted for a simple barbeque with kebabs, cooked sausage and thinly sliced curried chicken. This was attempted twice during May, and both to a successful conclusion, that is, no food poisoning.

My yard is now fully equipped to cater for this food fest, having benches (home made), BBQ and chimnea, and the obligatory huge umbrella, in case of emergencies.

For second BBQ a gazebo was erected, but not needed as weather stayed fine for both gatherings.

Further construction is planned for late summer, something akin to a wooden framed pagoda with facilities including removable tarpaulin, for shelter. Lights may adorn the frame, but a sound system will have to come first.

Who knows we may have more good weather later in the year, but I will not be holding my breath.

L to R, Me, Kasia, Adam, Kasia, Piotr

Roger Waters - Liverpool Echo 15/5/08

2008-05-15T23:57:00.001+01:00

Kieran surprised me the other day with an offer of a free ticket to go see Roger Waters live in Liverpool. Not one to pass up such an opportunity like that, I obviously said yes.

So on a sunny Thursday evening, off we did go to Liverpool. The waterfront looks really quite impressive now, plenty money spent, buildings clean, and new buildings erected. All of this is almost complete, but not yet.

Venue is a usual inner city multifunction hall, filled to capacity, all anticipating the evenings musical extravaganza.

Huge video projection dominates the rear of the stage and is put to good use throughout both sets. First half consists of old Pink Floyd classics, with a few Roger Waters tunes thrown in, it is his gig after all. Second half is Dark Side Of The Moon in its entirity, followed by more Pink Floyd classics. Everyone sings along at the appropriate time and some fool has his back to the stage all through the evening, and conducted the rest of the audience, why?

Music ends, lights up, throats sore, must drive home. Cheers Kieran, splendid gig.

Barcelona - Michelle and the Grand Prix

2008-04-30T20:56:00.003+01:00

Thursday

taxi to airport
check in
security
flight ok, land barcelona
michelle working, make own way to sabadell
free train to barcelona from airport
cheap train barcelona to sabadell
taxi, station to airport
text michelle have arrived
drink beer on veranda, read book in sun, turn pink
michelle finished work, exchange greetings and hugs
go shopping
have food, eat, chat and drink

friday

michelle working, day to self
shower, sun cream, still pink from yesterday
walk to masquefa, train to barcelona
arrive city, metro to columbus statue
walk along beach, eat food
walk up ramblers, take pictures 0f living statues, make donations
metro to sagrada familia, more photographs
train back to sabadell
out for meal with mathew and guy from lufthansa, all paid by top fly
home, beer

saturday

belly dancing class, read book while waiting outside
local market, buy new white shirt
home, eat, watch F1 qualifying
michelle go to extra belly dancing workshop
make food, eat, more beer

sunday

very early start
load car, drive to circuit
unload, find good spot to sit
meet up with vanessa (michelle workmate)
1st race - formula renault, practice high speed photography
2nd race - GP2 - more practice speedy photography
3rd race - porsche - even more practice, have it now
drivers procession, parade lap, hamilton booed
race starts, hamilton overcooks it, spanish cheer
more photo's getting good at it now
heiki crashes close to us, little scary, he is okay
3.15 alonso retires from race, small english cheer
lots spanish go home
race finish, hamilton not win, but points finish
small picnic after race, go home
rewatch race on video, beer, sleep

monday

lazy day
dog walking
little shopping
eat, drink, laze about

tuesday

diy day
michelle working
do odd jobs around house
secure single bed in small room
fix gutter on patio
fix washing hanger in house
get barked at by dogs all day
plenty cups tea
enjoy sunshire
michelle home, eat drink be merry

wednesday

up early
goto airport
fly home
taxi
curry
end

A Pendle walk for Kieran's Birthday

2008-04-14T20:53:00.004+01:00

Kieran had decided he wanted to celebrate his 40th by walking up Pendle Hill and being one who enjoys a good walk, I would accompany him along with Sandra T, and Jos, little Robin and Holly the dog.

After being picked up we proceeded to Kieran's for a quick cooing over baby Taliah, a quick hello to Sharon and a handing over of presemts to Kieran. Not his birthday for a few days, so was under instruction not to open until the correct day. His present from me being a miniature Jimmy Page double neck Gibson guitar.

So off we did trot, walk and be carried.

For most of the day the weather stayed fine, that was until Jos and Sandra headed back, whist me and Kieran with Holly continued upwards and onwards. The sky turned black and we got a soaking. Despite that the summit was spectacular, with views all over Lancashire. Descending back into the village via the rocky steps was somewhat akin to Frodo and Sam taking the ring to Mount Doom, only we were heading back, and are real people and not characters from a book.

We returned to the car park only to see little Robin chasing ducks, trying to feed them. Eventually he gave up and ate the bread himself. Kieran headed home with Holly, and I got a lift back with Jos and Sandra, stopping breifly at my house to have a quick look at my much improved yard / garden.

April - Birthday Month No. 1

2008-04-13T20:31:00.003+01:00

And so it is April, and what have we here, a month of birthdays, 4 to be precise. What is it with me and my friends, of all the months of the year, we congregate our birthdays around 2 months. Firstly April and secondly September. Obviously there are a few exceptions, but on the whole most of our birthdays occur during those 2 months. Horrorscopes, too vague and abstract, its a sim0le fact, our parents really enjoy 2 points during the year, summer and christmas. Check your calendar.

Anyway those having birthdays this month are as follows, Michelle, Kieran, Sharon and Sandra T.

Also this year there will be many 40ths, the first being Kieran.

Marching into March

2008-03-31T23:42:00.004+01:00

Had kinda arranged to go for a curry on Saturday 1st March to celebrate Lee's birthday, but somebody (Lee), started the day before and was feeling a little fragile, and so was unable to continue on Saturday.

So that left my day free.

Ice skating, what a bad idea. A good one at the time, but whilst and after, BAD BAD BAD.

A good friend of mine who I had arranged to meet on the afternoon of the soon to be cancelled curry, asked me if I wanted to accompany them in a spot of ice skating, now that I was free all day, I thought what the hell, why not. First few laps were ok, but after, oooh, there was so much pain in my ankles. So sitting this out was the best option. My friend continued making circles around the rink. But for me, my ice skating career was over.

After, we adjourned to the pub, as I said previous, plans had changed due to someones over indulgence the night before. The rest of the day was spent in the pub nursing my sore ankles, drinking beer, and why not.

What of the rest of the month, well nothing spectacular, few more nights in the pub, a couple walks in the park and some creative musical evenings. Apart from that, a quiet month.

That One Final Surprise

2008-02-29T23:37:00.002Z

A heavily pregnant Sharon and Kieran are not so any more. Baby Taliah entered our world this very morning.

A leap year baby, many congratulations.

Taliah born today, February 29th 2008

Curry Beer and Wigs

2008-02-23T22:51:00.003Z

So what events punctuate this month.

Firstly I had invited Peter and his girlfriend Kate (Kasia) round to my house for a homemade curry and an evening of drinking. The evening started quite civilized with ginger and lemonade, then followed with a huge pan of curry and rice, lager, more lager then whiskey and ginger topped up with lemonade.

It was at this point the silly wigs made an appearance along with my camera. Hilarity ensued and lashings of whiskey ginger and lemonade filled any gaps. At some point Kate decided she HAD to go home and so it all HAD to end right there.

Michelle makes a trip to England

2008-02-10T23:06:00.002Z

Got a surprise phone call from Michelle, not that a phone call from Michelle is a surprise, as we chat all the time, but the surprise was the fact that she would be visiting England to celebrate her mothers 60th birthday. So arrangements had to be made so that we could all meet up at the same point. It's surprising what can be achieved with very little notice, but a triumphant success followed, accompanied by a set of strange coincidences.

As it happens (insert Saville reference here) I was talking to Pla and he mentioned that Kirsty and the kids would be in Blackburn the same weekend as Michelle. So the Saturday night ended up with a grand meeting of old friends. Those attending were as follows. Woody, Michelle, Sandra, Gillian (Sandra's sister), Kirsty, Lee, Stuart (Michelle's brother) and his girlfriend Angela. A veritable fullhouse of loveable funsters making merry in Blackburn. It's strange how quickly and readily we can get together, yet most of the us hardly see each other, and we only live a few miles from each other.

Yet again beer is the lubricant that oils the evening, conversations ebb and flow as quickly as the drink can be purchased. Many establishments are visited this evening, ending up at The Napier, for obligatory 'Welsh Disco' (ask Lee he knows why). More arrangements are made for the following day's walk, and as night follows day, day follows night and it's Sunday already.

Today's the day the teddy bears have a picnic, but we are devoid of teddy bears and we have no sandwiches to picnic with. That being said, or written, we are together once more, but this time in Ribchester. A slightly different line up for today, missing is Stuart and his girlfriend Angela, and also Gillian is not with us.

Joining us today is a heavily pregnant Sharon and Kieran, along with Holly. Lee's youngest daughter Eleanor has brought a friend with her, and Kirsty's monkeys are also in attendance, along with Robin (Sandra's son). Most of us have a little fuzzyness about us (last nights drinking) so walking is prohibited and replaced with plenty of standing around and the taking of pictures. For all we can manage is to hang around while the kids enjoy the playground. Jos turns up unexpected to surprise us, it's good to see him, it's been a while.

After much standing and swaying the children are requesting ice creams, so purchases are made, more hanging around made, but at the shop this time. We return to the playground so the kids can burn off the sugar previously ingested. As the afternoon draws to a close, we all go our separate ways, a great weekend, but the final surprise awaits us at the very end of the month.

Second Month

2008-02-03T22:44:00.001Z

Second month of the year, and still I continue to try to go out more often and try new things. So this month had many drunken conversations with my new Polish friends. Not sure if I have mentioned this before, but since December, me and Peter (Polish guy from work) have been attempting to jam together with just 2 basses and a drum machine, thus we are drum and bass and bass. It's all sounding a little rough, but a few ideas are beginning to form, at least it gets us doing something rather than trawling through the internet.

Dunc's visit from Germany

2008-01-24T22:45:00.003Z

Obviously we would not be alone in our outing to the pub, so phones had to be rung, messages left and arrangements arranged. Barzooka would be the venue for the night, well until we had to leave (closing time arrived far too quickly) and find another drinking establishment.

So we the merry men (and woman) made merry for the evening, for many of us had not seen each other for quite some time. Tales were told, no songs sung, but merryment made non the less.

Attendee's for the evening went as follows. Woody, Lee, Stu D, Tony, Pete, Dunc and Sonia (merry woman as previously indicated).

After leaving Barzooka, more beer needed to be found and a second place of beer selling required. The Napier still has signs of life on this cold Thursday evening, so we the very merrymen and woman entered by the back door (ooer) and took refuge by the bar, for it was karaoke night. Fortunately none of us had the urge to make fools of ourselves any further, and so we drunk our final drinks, made our goodbyes and went our not so separate ways.

Seeing that I had work the next day, and my head would probably be of the banging kind, I decided that I would throw a sickie, and ring in feigning illness.

Following that, January remained relatively uneventful. So thats it for January.

New Beginnings

2008-01-05T22:35:00.002Z

New year, new beginning, new starts and time for a change. Or so they say, what does the new year bring, nothing new, same old same old. An arbitrary date for an arbitrary year. Mr Gregorian has a lot to answer for.

Time is constant, unyealding inflexible and always in constant motion, forward. So not one for making resolutions, a kind of promise is made to myself, that being to get out more and stop vegging infront of the TV watching endless episodes of old sci-fi series.

So it was a nice surprise to have a message on my answering machine from Dunc, telling me he was over for a week from Germany, and was wanting to go out for beers.

New years eve 2007

2008-01-01T23:55:00.001Z

This new years eve was a quiet affair, as I could not be bothered to go anywere, bumped into my neighbours and observed a small fire that somebody had kindy lit in the road.

Christmas in Barcelona 2007

2007-12-28T23:39:00.002Z

Its the end of the month and also of course the end of the year, so ultimately it's that time of year to dust off all those tacky tinsle trinkets, its christmas.

For the second year in a row, I am off to Barcelona to spend Christmas with my good friend Michelle, but first i must get there, and thats where the fun begins. It's The usual case, up early, taxi to airport, check in, go through security and fly away. Today is slightly different, everything follows it's usual plan up until I have to go through security, whereupon I find that everyone has arrived here at the same time and the queue is somewhat large. The queue itself snakes all around the shopping area right upto the crossover corridor to terminal 3. From start to finally exiting security takes over an hours and a half, and just as I emerge my flight had been called to gate and so I must continue forth, on the way purchasing a tiny bottle of water, phew.

It's just a pity that the orderly queue is not an Olympic sport, for we British would be world beaters, even if it was a disorderly freestyle queueing event. No one appeared to be stressed, and as with all events, Olympic standard have to be maintained, and so there are invigilators patroling this event as it happens, armed with clipboards ensuring that all is right and proper. All the while informing prospective flyers that they may need to leave this queue and perform an individual event, that being, the rush to gate your flight is about to board manouver. Marks out of ten 7.98.

The flight itself went without any major hiccups and arrived in Barcelona to a more condusive atmosphere than Manchester (sun was shining). Of course smooth sailing/flying must have its odd bit of turbulance, despite seeing Mr Bill Tidy (cartoonist of note) on the same plane as me, carousel was to have something of a Logan's Run kinda feel about it. It managed to break all records for the longest wait. Good job we are from England, land of the orderly queue. My bags finally arrived later at a magnificent 35 minutes. I finally emerged to an equally patient Michelle, and so off to do a quick food shopping excursion then onto a fixing of her wood burning stove.

Shopping for me is usually a routine trot around the supermarket, picking up all the usual items i usually get as quickly as possible and then beat a hasty retreat out of there. But here in Spain it is oh so opposite, firstly I have no idea where anything is, and secondly quite a lot of the items are somewhat different from back home. So it's quite an eye opener as to what you can find. For those who have watched the original Dawn Of The Dead, remember the supermarket sequence, I am one of the undead, wandering around aimlessly staring at the myriad of items. One thing stood out for me, or rather it was led down, vacuum packed piglets. You could imagine them being displayed in the Tate as some kind of Damien Hurst-esque exhibit. So with a trolly well filled and our bellies awaiting to be filled by the trolly contents, payments must be made and an escape performed, with a multipack of delicious Jammon to take home with me securely jammed under my arm.

Time to put on my red shoes and dance the blues, or rather a white coverall and help fix the flue for Michelle's wood burner needed repair. Damned thing as so blocked with carbon I felt like I was digging for coal. Lots of huffing and puffing punctuated the dismantleing and remantleing (is this a word?) of flue tubing, and a great success was obtained by the lighting of a fresh fire and the instant heat obtained.

So with the repair work done my attention was turned to stockpilling the logs for combustion. Many trips up and down the steps, avoiding the odd land mine (dog poo), and a more the adaquate pile became piled. Time to relax, beer food and Playstation.

This became the routine for the next few days, punctuated with a few dog walks in the local park, and a quick and rather dissapointing trip into the village of Masquefa.

Michelle had been informed by the local post office that she had parcels to retrieve, and so asked if they would be open on christmas eve to come and collect them, the reply to this was in the affirmative, ans so off we trotted on christmas eve to hunt down sprouts that brussle and parcels to pick up.

All over the world there are many constants, and here we happen upon one of them, the postal service. Not only do they not deliver, but remain closed when previously informed they would be open.

So this constant is the official who said one thing but meant another. Thus trapping wanted presents inside the office of post. For a brief moment I thought I saw a flash of Hulk green pass over Michelles eyes, as anger and frustration caused her to go rather quiet, then seething transformed into ranting, breaking the quiet storm brewing inside her.

Only an afternoon coffee, croissant and Star Trek pilot DVD could put a dent into this raging torrent. For this office of post is the same office of post in many countries, unreliable, untrustworthy and unbelievable.

Christmas day passed without a hitch, only without any sprouting brussels. These had to be replaced by asparagus and artichokes (a poor substitute, but mighty tasty). Michelle prepared a most wonderful array of foods, combining a tradition English with a twist of Spanish, all gobbled down with a nice Riocha (10 years), and on the TV we had Tinman (new reworking of the Wizard of Oz). Rest of the day was spent digesting this grand feast, allowing room for a couple of mince pies with custard, with plenty of beer and much Playstation.

Here in Spain, Boxing day is for the family, a day were ALL the family get together and eat. As was last year I was invited to accompany Michelle to Gabi's sisters to enjoy such a family getting together. After a brief gathering outside, drinking small bottles of Damm, we all transfered ourselves to the kitchen table, arming ourselves with cocktail sticks we began the onslaught of as many types of fish you could shake your cocktail stick at. This year my favorite being the baby squid in spicy tomato sauce.

Following this we gathered ourselves in the living room and sat in an orderly fashion around 2 tables and consume soup, meat in sauce and a final course of Bingo. Unfortunately my Spanish still has not improved, so conversations were brief and pigeon in form, but I was made very welcome and will strive to improve for hopefully a next time.

It was then back to Michelle's for beer and more playstation.

The day following Boxing Day was to be my last day, and a small errand had to be performed on the way to the airport. This was to rescue the trapped presents from the office of post. My Spanish is poor at best, but I got what Michelle was saying to the person behind the counter, it was rather heated but yet she kept her cool. Fortunately all was resolved and we were able to go our merry way, with letters galore we were off the the airport, for me to fly home.

Here endeth my Christmas trip to Barcelona 2007

A night out in Accrington

2007-12-23T23:33:00.003Z

Christmas is approaching fast and its time for the obligatory works christmas party, and our place of exploitation is no exception, only that it consists of hiking around as many pubs as possible, not being able to hear each other, jostling for position at the bar and then having to down whatever drink you have as those who succeeded in getting serverd first are wanting to move on. Sounds like fun? not for me.

So an alternative was decided and Accrington was the location, one pub in particular, and that particular pub was the Calder. This being a Thursday night a promotion was in force, beer was £1 a pint, oh yes. So me and 3 of my Polish workmates (Kasia, Adam and Magda) took to this promotion with gusto. Laugh we did a plenty and beer drink a plenty more. Time ticked away to an inevitable conclusion, it was hometime, taxi, planty of water, a good nights sleep for an evening well spent.

Cornwall December 2007

2007-12-05T23:22:00.001Z

December started in the same way that November ended, in Cornwall. An end of the year visit had been planned for some time, to spend nearly a week in sedate surroundings before the chaos of Christmas descends upon us all.

Unfortunately the weather was not what you would say, conducive to long walks around the coast, taking in breathtaking vistas along the way. In fact the weather was bloody awful from start to finish. Windy rain, and Rainy wind every day. A few brief respites allowed us to venture forth and brave the beach, foam and all. Mango the dog had not one whim of care, just as long as she was able to run headlong into the sea and await the inevitable stones you would throw for her to retireve.

The promise of mince pies, mulled wine and art dragged us from our shelter to brave the elements and view a local arts collective. Many rooms of many styles and concepts, some of which were still wet, as Willow found out several times. The obligatory hmmms, oohs and ahhh's were uttered from room to room, but on returning to the car the also obligatory argument arose 'call that art' - Kirsty.

A night in the pub in aid of Chapel Porths fire damaged cafe got me and Pla out of the house one evening. Old friends were met, beer drunk and raffle tickets bought, and to my surprise i actually won something. A sand filled plastic paper weight, which somewhat resembled an eye, mostly due to the fact that an old penny was also cast into the plastic precious thing. Hurrah for me.

And so i left behind the following, a rain soaked Cornwall, a crushing defeat at connect 4 froma 6 year old Willow, Freya being a present and Willow an ofstead inspector (don't ask) in the local school christmas production, Kisrty still busting dams in the local stream and Pla, just being.

Cardiacs Manchester Academy 21st november

2007-11-21T00:20:00.002Z

Here we are again, it has been nearly 3 years since I was last able to witness this most amazing band, and tonight would reaffirm how good this band is. With us tonight is a Cardiacs virgin, so who knows what she is expecting. Supporting the Cardiacs is former Cardiac, Jon Poole, with his band The Damn Filthy Whores.

Ballsy rock n roll with a Cardiacsy twist, entertain all those who wish to stand, sit or swim before them. Banter with ’Bernard Manning’ and a brief love affair with a large beard are but tiny interludes in these precedings. Jon’s tenure as focal point come to an end, but entertaining he was and always will be.

Of course we the fish, are here for the big ugly shark, and this huge swimming muscle must flex and twist the night away. The bass drum pounds with constant poundings, an introduction to what is to follow, and what follows will be remembered till our synapses cease their firing. This grand spectacle beholds the swaying pond, while a historial selection of musical interludes with smatterings of current offerings are welcomed with open hearts and minds. Highlights include Tarred & Feathered, Breakfast Line, Dive and RES.

Tim is his usual self, a duality of personas, headmaster and child, while his brother is a stoic as usual, with the occasional bow to the pond in recognition of appreciation. Karvus the animated, is well, animated. The new non-dancing girls don’t dance but bang drums and sing with aplomb. Bob, when you can see him, wears headphones with style, and his style works the room.

So comes the end, a little earlier that the set-list had planned for, but, well it doesn’t really matter, does it, for what came before is more than what we expected. So say goodbye to those funsters, hope to see you soon, maybe on one of those digital plastic disc things, if youtube is anything to go by.

Apes Fight Back Cellar Bar 17th November

2007-11-17T00:10:00.002Z

Local bands for local people, in a local venue. Tonight its three bands for the price of none, as tonight there will be no charge to view what is going to take place, that is apart from maybe a section of frequencies that you are probably going to lose.

Band number one is Salacious, a four piece from Blackburn, who for a front man have a front woman, which for the rest of the band is a both an advantage and disadvantage, for no matter how good you are, you will go un-noticed, and no matter how bad you are you will still go un-noticed. All this being said what did they sound like, well, as my eyes where on the front woman, I cannot remember. Joking aside they were ok, kinda like Garbage, but not quite as edgy, some good tunes, but just a little bit samey.

Band number two, The Addiction, well you had to feel sorry for them. Apart from myself and they guy who came with me, I could count on one hand all the people who stayed around after Salacious to watch them. Very Muse-like in sound and structure, so much so they actually did a version of Hysteria, which was ok. Maybe the fact that they came from Wigan, and they are not known here in Blackburn, may have contributed to the lack of an audience, but hey, we all have to deal with those situations.

Band number three, Apes Fight Back, are the reason I dragged myself from my rather comfortable sofa. To brave such a shitty wet Saturday night, to have my senses assaulted by two crazed individuals, whose sound is like nothing before. Hardcore, thrash, punk, combined with slick showmanship produced a short set, but what a set, a thousand miles an hour, pounding animalistic drums combined with a Cliff Burton sounding bass, tick all the right boxes for me. Miss them at your peril.

Dream Theatre Blackburn KGH 11th November

2007-11-11T00:08:00.002Z

What a coup, Dream Theater playing Blackburn, not that I am a great fan, but I do like what they do, and as they are playing in my home town, they have to be seen.

Supported by Symphony X, a good heads down rock outfit with some good tunes, the night kicks of with a bang. That is until mr security bastard informs me that the taking of photographs will not be allowed, and that they would be saying the same to everyone who attempts to take any illicit photographs all through the night, and true to their word they were.

Anyway, that would not spoil it for me, as Dream Theater make their way to the stage, obscured by a blackout curtain, into music filtered out and they were off. Tiny cameras have been discreetly placed around the stage and feed from these cameras are projected onto the rear of the stage for all to see, thus providing strange angles to view the band from. Some members play up to these cameras, while the others act as though they are not there.

Most of the songs they played tonight I knew, or rather I had heard before, but to ask be what they were called, my answer would comprise of a set of shrugged shoulders, but that does not matter, for they play with such precision, complex structures are executed with out the need for a safety net.

Two hours of this are lapped up by a most appreciative audience, but all good things have eventually to come to an end. We all spill out onto a cold Sunday evening in November, to discuss what we have seen and heard. All that remains is to head off home, which for me takes all of five minutes. Hurrah.

Sorry no pictures are available from me for this gig - thanks mr security bastard

Frank Sidebottom Blakeys KGH 9th November

2007-11-09T00:05:00.002Z

Frank Sidebottom was playing in Blackburn, so of course a visit had to be made, for you cannot beat a bit of Frank. Yes his act has not changed in all the years I have known of him, but who cares. Little Frank, silly songs, audience participation, raffles, dressing up in silly costumes all are familiar, yet utterly bizarre, just try to describe his act to someone who has never seen it and you would struggle, that or they will look at you as though you have just grown a secong head, a head that could rival Franks.

But who cares, the room was full of people quite willing to sing along with his silly songs, play along with his silly games and ultimately to have your picture taken with the man himself. And yes I did.

Barcelona - November 2007

2007-11-08T23:47:00.002Z

My good friend Michelle had a couple of bank holidays at the beginning of November, and so I had booked a few days off work, got myself a cheap flight to Barcelona, and stocked up on a few tastes from home. That being british bacon, lancashire cheese, bisto gravy and lancashire tea bags.

An early start meant a taxi to the airport, no delays and a stress free flight. This accomplished, a short wait for my baggage to reappear from behind the magic curtain followed, and finally emerging to a sunny morning in Barcelona. Michelle was there to meet me, greetings and blighties goodies exchanged, and then it was off to explore parts of the city I had never seen before.

First on the list was to climb the rather steep hill overlooking the city, board a funicular and finally arrive at Tibidabo, an ancient church with accompanying fairground. The church itself is quite magnificent, and for a small surcharge you can climb or rather be elevatorised to its uppermost reaches and take it the most breathtaking views of the city. Today and for all of the time I was there, the sun shone continuously, nothing like what I left behind in England.

Next day was to take the dogs for a good long walk in the surrounding countryside, discovering parts of Barcelona that you wouldn’t find on many tourist guides. For the evenings entertainment, traditional Spanish cuisine. This comprised of Calcots (a large sweet spring onion) and barbequed snails in rosemary and garlic sauce.

Saturday Michelle had her Belly dancing class, so for an hour I wandered around the town, taking a few snapshots. After class we met up with some of her classmates and meandered the local market. This evening it would be Japanese, sushi, sake, squid and sangria. Hmmmmmm.

Sunday again we took the dogs out for a rather long walk, discovering new sights to visit again, rounding off the evening with a wonderful home cooked meal and many hours of Guitar Hero.

Monday we both had flights to catch, Michelle having to go to China for work, and me to come home, and so we did, and so here endeth my visit to Barcelona.

Nighmare Visions - Cellar Bar

2007-11-08T23:15:00.000Z

Nightmare Visions, Cellar Bar, September 7th 2007

Big Green Gathering

2007-08-10T23:18:00.000+01:00

Big Green Gathering, August 2007

Nighmare Visions - Napier

2007-06-03T23:20:00.001+01:00

Nightmare Visions, Napier, Blackburn, June 2nd 2007

Spanish Grand Prix - 2007

2007-05-28T23:23:00.001+01:00

Spanish Grand Prix, 2007

Second time around and it's just me and Michelle, similar preperations as last time, cool box, food water, chairs etc.

This time went to see qualification, had good look at new cars, plenty of pictures taken.

Race day, good English following for new boy Hamilton, not a win for him, but a third gave him the lead in the championship.

Good cheers from Spanish for Hamilton, oh how that would change in a few weeks.

Sea's of blue had become sea's of white as locals had to buy new shirts to follow Alonso's move to a new team. Not a wise investment for the future, oops. Had my Scotland flag, Senna t-shirt and Button baseball cap, very eclectic.

Had new camera this year, so was able to get better pictures, bit closer with good zoom, so go look see.

Riders On The Storm - Manchester Apollo

2007-01-10T23:24:00.001Z

Riders On The Storm - Manchester Apollo, January 2007

When are the Doors not the Doors, when they are Riders On The Storm, this being due to some injunction or something.

But Jim is dead you may proclaim, yes I know but Ian Astbury has donned the leather jacket and shades, and taken over the vocals. Boy does he do it well.

Along with original members, Robbie Krieger and Ray Manzerak, they took to the stage in Manchester and rocked the Apollo.

Mostly the 'hits' are played, but a few obscure fan favorites are included. Astbury does not attempt to be Morrison, and simply slips to the rear of the stage in between songs, thus allowing those who were there to tell us about being there.

That being said, there are a few moments when you could almost believe Astbury was Morrison, what with his vocal stylings and physical presence. Jim has left the building, but the Doors are still open.

Ojos De Brujo - Barcelona

2006-12-22T23:26:00.001Z

Ojos De Brujo - Barcelona, December 22nd, 2006

Was spending christmas in Spain with Michelle this year, and for a treat, she had bought tickets to see ODB. To be honest,
I had a CD, but had only listened to it a couple of times, oh how that would change.

A dazzling fusion of flamenco, asian, dance, techno produced two hours of incredible musicianship from incredible musicians. The concert was being filmed and so a video projection filled the back wall, thus enabling us to see just how incredible the incredible musicians actually are.

Now it is many months later and the concert has been released on DVD. Guess what, if you freeze the playback at the correct moment you can just make me and Michelle out, in the audience.

Damned - Manchester Academy

2006-12-10T23:28:00.001Z

Damned - Manchester Academy, December 9th 2006

The Damned may not be the greatest band in the world, or the best musicians, but boy could they write a good tune or two. So here we are again at the Manchester Academy to see this band perform but a small selection of fine tunes they have entertained us for many a year.

Last time we saw them they were on the 25th year Machine Gun Etiquette tour, so they were promoting that, but this time nothing to promote, just a bunch of aging punks playing to an audience of aging punks.

Included amongst the classics were Alone Again Or, General and Rabid, all of which I never expected to gear live. As usual the band is on form and the pantomime banter punctuates the set list with the obligiatory 'Sensibles a wanker' being chanted whenever possible.

The Damned never fail in their ability to entertain. They may not be the best band in the world (possibly in my top 10), but for sheer entertainment, they are up there with the best of them.

NDR Big Band

2006-11-22T22:50:00.004Z

NDR big band

manchester november 22nd 2006

Towards the end of Frank Zappa's momentous life & career his touring band began to resemble the 'big band' format. So it was no stretch of the imagination in predicting what format tonights even would take.

So when a middle aged jazz warbling warbler began a warbling, I was a little warbled myself, but not in a good way. These were not Zappa tunes being big banded into warbleville, but contempary pop tunes. Was this the right room, had I paid for 5 minutes or the full half hour.

This big band strangeness ended with a warbleful of Sting's 'Moon over bourbon street' and the reign of the warble queen was over, long live the king.

This prompted a brief intermission, thus giving us time to ponder what had transgressed & what was to be.

Fortunately the second half was to be warble free, and was to be as advertised, Zappa, Zappa and more Zappa. Some might say this is yet another tribute band, but this is so much more. Interpretation & imagination seperate this from your standard soundalike tribute band. This is tribute with a diamond encrusted T, and extra gold stars for effort.

And so it began, from 'peaches' to 'black napkins', 'lets make the water turn black' to 'g spot tornado', all exhibiting such proficiency, even passing cyclists would qualify. If tonight was a long playing record, you would have no need for a hungarian phrasebook to tell you of its condition, pristine scratch free, and willing to hold it against your body.

Nods of appreciation from fellow band members follow solo musical excellence, followed in turn by the slapping sound of paired fleshy extremities. This is pure Zappa, and hurrah.

Anderson & Wakeman

2006-10-30T22:53:00.003Z

anderson & wakeman

manchester opera house 30th october 2006

I feel a little underdressed considering the surroundings, as this is an opera house, Manchester Opera House to be precise. A certain decorum must be observed, a reverence dictated by the oppulent facade. Here there are boards that have been tread, whats that I hear, he's behind you, oh shit. Pantomimes and dodgy musicals are on the bill, fortunately, not tonight. Prog maestro's Jon Anderson & Rick Wakeman age going to tease us with acoustic renditions os classic Yes, interspaced with new offerings written by just the two of them.

Mr Andersons has wifely support from Mrs Anderson sitting inthe balcony to the side of the stage, so at moments of mutual secrecy, he would gaze up to her, blowing kisses, waving of arms, and generaly saying hello.

Mr Wakeman has no support apart from his piano stool upon which he sits. Moments of verbal amusement eminate from his section of the stage. A swapping of tales from duo to audience give rise to titters and guffaws, depending upon severity of incident being recanted. Usually of Mr wakemans alcoholic past.

Mr A accopanies Mr W on acoustic guitar, and yes surprisingly it is plugged in ans amplified to a decent level. Reworkings of familiarity are interspersed with smatterings of new stuff, written especially the duo-ic concept. Mr W tinkles ivories like an ivory tinkler tinkleing Yes tunes, which of itself is self evident, for that is what we expect to hear.

Halfway through, just after the intermission Mr A takes up the stool and begins his own tinkleing, much to the amazement of the seated audience. Mr W enters the stage, places are traded, and Mr W gives us reditions of familiar nursery rhymes in the stylings of classical composers, and ends his solo spot with a highly subjective yet recognisable version of Eleanor Rigby. Before Mr A returns to his familiar spot, Mr W tells a few jokes and the evenings entertainment is allowed to continue.

As before is what is after, remarkable renditions of remarkable renditions, expert performances, considering how long they must have been playing some of these songs, to know them backwards is an understatement, but sometimes as Mr W was to quip,

"I didn't play on that one"

Off The Wall - Blackburn KGH

2006-10-15T22:56:00.003+01:00

off the wall

KGH blackburn 15th september 2006

My experiences with tribute bands have been mixed at best, for the whole idea leaves me feeling a little soiled, don't get me wrong, i have nothing against tribute bands, its just the fact that i just couldn't do it myself. That being said tonights tribute band attempt the emulate one of the greats, Pink Floyd.

Fortunately I have been informed that this band are up to the task, and have a light show to match. The venue is appropriately decked out, banked seating have been errected to provide an optimum viewing position.

Over the speakers it is announced that the performance will start in 5 minutes, of coures those needing a state of conciousness alteration pay no heed to what has just been said and stay in the bar. So when the first notes of Shine On You Crazy Diamond a frantic dash eminates from the bars and seats must be occupied.

Images of Syd Barret are projected on the circular screen at the rear of the stage, as without him, none of this could ever have existed. Along with a brief few images of Syd projected during Wish You Were Here, this is the only reference to this madcap genius. On previous occasions, the band had performed such classics as Arnold Layne and See Emily Play, but not tonight.

Classics are played and enjoyed, Welcome To The Machine and Have A Cigar, to Sheep and Learning To Fly, with most of Dark Side Of The Moon thrown in for good measure, even a track from Division Bell is let loose on a most appreciative audience. As this is going to be a long set, it has to be split into 2, this gives us time to replenish those parts that need it,

The intermission allows the audience to aquaint itself with itself and to see what cross section has ventured out tonight.From the middle aged die-hards to teen metal heads, all are here, even some pree teens, maybe it was cheaper to buy a ticket for their children than to get a babysitter for the evening, but it looked like they were enjoying the single occular device given to us. Its at events like these that brings out aquaintances that you only see at events like these, its always good to catch up like this. So on with the show.

Of course those in need of an altered state of conciousness slowly amble their way back to seats during the first song, but hey ho.

The second half, that being the one that follows the first is as stupendous as the first, sublime renditions of Floyd classics whip up the crowd, maybe substances have some bearing of the participation of audience based whooping. A couple of frommage based food product hand clapping incidents have the required cringe factor, but are soon forgotten when Off The Wall begin The Great Gig In The Sky.

Never before have so many open mouths been seen in King George Hall, the female guitarist has a voice, I really mean a voice. I personally have only heard this vocal sung as well once before, and that is the original. A collective raising of the hairs on the back of the neck with shivers down the spine marks the Van Der Graff Generator moment, and the crowd reciprocate with raptuous applause.

Throughout both sets projections illuminate and educate, visuals of both digital and actual beings flicker upon the circular screen. George Bush and Robert Mugabe are the idiots on the grass, Hitler makes a brief appearance, along with the Wizard Of Oz, all of which raises a smile, a nod and a wink. Quite some considerable time and effort have been spent producing such a superlative performance, but all things have an end, and this is it.

All the musicians have been given time the the proverbial light that spots, showing that time and effort pays off dividends, and being a Pink Floyd tribute band is a proud badge to wear. The show ends with a huge projection of a glittering disco ball, rotating to the last notes from Comfortably Numb, silouetted against this the saxaphone player tootles like a Lisa Simpson possessed, its time to go now, thank you and goodnight.

Frank Sidebottom - North Bar, Blackburn

2006-08-31T22:57:00.003+01:00

frank sidebottom

north bar blackburn 31st august

Sometimes as you get older, things change, or you view things in a different way from how you did 10 years ago. This thought passed through my mind one night as I drank a pint of Guiness not too far from where I am right now. Pondering how I would react to witnessing the one, the only Frank Sidebottom later this evening. As a regular visitor to Blackburn in the past, Frank Sidebottoms Timperly Lectures were something to look forward to in the cold winter months of the mid 90's.

This is now 2006, we are older, but is Frank? A man who performs in a large papier mache head, pretending to be a superstar, speaking as though wearing a clothes peg on his nose (his real one, not the hand painted pretend one), and singing familiar songs but with reworked lyrics. An act full of in jokes and ridiculous routines, an act so strange it is almost impossible to explain, you have to see it to believe it.

That brings us to a wet Thursday evening on the last day of August, cramed into the North Bar Blackburn. In here there are some real die-hard fans, I do enjoy, or rather enjoyed Frank in the past, but how am I going to react tonight. The answer is really quite simple, one word, fantastic. Still the same old Frank, with Little Frank, and the silly in jokes still amuse and bemuse. His head is still large and made of papier mache, Little Frank is still of cardboard, and guess who's been on Match Of The Day, he has in his big shorts.

A constant factor with the sucess of Franks act in an interaction with the audience. You are expected to play along with and experience the strange world in which he inhabits, to become the 10 year old child again, living in a very special fantastic world, where cardboard figures take on strange personas and everything has a fantastic quality.

To the unintiated, this may seem like some strange ritual, grown men singing along gleefully to a man in a large head, women screaming at his as though he is a greek adonis sex symbol, but to those in the know, those of us who have followed this bizarre cult for many years, it is entertainment at its silly best.

Many costume changes punctuate the act, from his straight suit to Father Christmas, then later onto his classic football kit, and finishing the preceedings with the addition of the obligatory Freddy Mercury moustache. Is this the real life or is it just Timperly.

No pyrotechics, no digital effects, no smoke or mirrors, for what you see is what you get. A man in a suit with a rather large head, singing increasingly daft songs in a daft voice. Blimey, lets just hope his mum doesn't find out.

Big Green Gathering

2006-08-10T22:59:00.002+01:00

big green gathering

august 2006

This year there was no Shambala Festival, but the desire to pitch tent and drink Chai was too strong to ignore so an alternative festival was required to sate our thirst. Many are on offer, but how do you select one from the many, unless you have a specific criteria. The choice was reduced somewhat by others wanting to attend at the same time, so co-ordinating time schedules became paramount. Two made the shortlist, but only one can be attended, and the winner was 'The Big Green Gathering'. I know people who have attended the northern version of this festival, and have had a great time, but to visit the big one would be different, for one thing, it would be down south.

This year transport would be relatively simple, as other northerners are to be attending, they who attended Shambala for the first time last year, and are wanting to repeat the experience. Also an offer of a lift has been made and accepted, so i will be travelling with Jill, Carl and Lily. Also attending would be friends from Cornwall, those being Pla, Kirsty, Freya & Willow, and travelling from Yorkshire would be Chris & Francis.

The journey down was quick and painless, and a rendezvous arranged at services to accertain a suitable route to the festival. After a short wandering down tight country lanes our goal was in sight. Large fields beckoned us with waiting carparks, in which we could secure a spot and unload our equipment. As with all festivals, camping is positioned away from our vehicles so all our goodies must be moved by hand, or by any available means. Here horse power has been laid on, and horse drawn carts transport our bits to camping areas, basic but effective, this is a green festival after all.

Finding a large enough spot to accomodate our tents provided a slight obstac le as many weary travellers had already made camp, and space was rather limited, but space was found and the pegging began. Soon our camp began to take shape and the rest of our belongings retrieved from the cars, transported on backs and bike powered rickshaw type arrangement. We are here and ready to begin.

Like Glastonbury, this festival is spread over many fields, themed to accomodate differing tastes and desires. The Campaign field had stalls dedicated to informing people of differing ideologies from conspiracy theories to nuclear disarmament, and solar powered showers to running your car on vegetable oil. The family field had a funfair at one end, a huge open area in the middle for daily events, and a pub at the other for their parents who need beverages of an organically intoxicating format. If arts & crafts float your coracle, then the craft field would be the obvious location in which to exercise your facination. Chipping away at a stone or making a batik painting to take home can while away many an hour if you so intend. Or try your hand at some felt craft even willow bending, its heaven for occupational therapy, and a good way of discovering new hobbies and interests.

Other fields are themed in other ways, some more mystical than others, alternative healing gives respite to those with ails to be cured, or just to chill out around the stone circle.You can aimlessly wander from field to field in whatever state of mind you bring with you or endevour to discover, even meet yourself travelling the other way if you try hard enough.

Joining all the differing fields together food stalls assault your nasal passages, all of which provide nourishment of a vegetarian persuasion, Jamaican stalls rub shoulders with Indonesian, mexican is sold next to indian and Chai tea is sold by the bucketload. All the food is as organic as possible, sometimes a little pricey, but generally its all worth it, especially if you discover a new vegetable you would like to take home with you. If clothing takes your fancy then a festival high street splits the main fields in two. Jackets, jumpers, and jerkins are always available, festival fashions festooned in a myriad of colours shapes and sizes are arranged on racks to peruse and pour over. Often we return after careful consideration to purchase such items, to be worn continuously, or until the festival ends.

What is a festival without music, a festival without music. But this festival had music, and lots of it, more than you could shake a whole basket full of sticks at, and again many genre's for many tastes. Arthur Brown without his crazy world, headlined Thursday night without his crazy headwear, but for a man of his years, his performance was full of fire, good humour and his classic fire. Strange industrial techno preceeded Saturdays fireshow, loops of noise grabbed some by the Bjorks, some loved it and some hated it, but it was different and compelling. Nik Turner was scheduled to play with Galacticos, and did so, but the previous night, without any prior warning played in a chai tent with Space Ritual, must to the dismay of Mr Pla (a long time Hawkwind/Nik Turner addict), as he missed it. To finish Sunday night, The Baghdaddies performed Ska with a middle eastern twist, no oil crazed illegal invasion here, just damn fine music to end a damn fine festival.

So what else was happening during the festival, well plenty of wanderings, a fair quantity of alcohol consumed both during the day and in the evening, two locals became frequented, one being the Bimble bar situated near the bottom of the family field, the second being a magnificent chai tent usually visited last thing at night for an evening tipple. Amongst the other sights were Terry Pratchet, well if it wasn't him he has an identical twin. At least one wedding was performed, a mobile confessional captured unexpecting sinners, several grumpy goblins saught out gobliny things and death and mrs bolster paid a visit.

Sorry Shambala, you have lost your crown for family festivals, five days of chilled out fun, with perfect camping weather thrown in for good measure. Even though there are probably 3-4 times as many people attending The Big Green Gathering than last years Shambala, it felt far less crowded, plus there is much more to see and do, just a shame there is no mass fancy dress, maybe that could be suggested for next year, as for next year, i would like to do it all over again.

Correfoc - Masquefa Barcelona

2006-06-01T23:03:00.002+01:00

correfoc

masquefa barcelona may 2006

There is no way on earth that this festival could be performed in England, its a pity for it is such a great spectacle, it unifys the village and all around, just as long as you don't mind loud noise, and being chased throughthe streets by devils brandishing pitchforks carrying fireworks.

Brief description taken from internet:
The 'Correfoc' (running fire) comes from a medieval dance called 'ball de diables' (demons dance) that represented the victory of an angel over a group of demons and was represented on festivities. Later pyrotechnics were added, and now it lacks any religious background except thefact that they're disguides as demons, so its just an entertainment thing that's done on various festivities, mostly on summer. In addition every group of demons has a monster that spits fireworks and all of them have a group of drummers that keep playing while the correfoc lasts. People are free to get inside the correfoc and stay under the fireworks, althoughyou should be properly dressed with old cotton clothes and a hat so you don't get burned.

That said, you have to experience it, a sensory assault that resembles a riot, with adults and children alike in caps and scarves covering as much of the face as possible. The preceedings start from the square with a vitriolic attack on all organisations, from the church to the state, drummers pound out continuously in between statements of abuse.

The march meanders through the village stopping off outside the town hall to give a special bit of abuse, similar treatment is given to the church. A rather large dragon is festooned with fireworks and all are set ablaze to whoops and cheers from the ensembled followers. All the way through the village the 'demons' continuously move back and forth from the cart carrying the fireworks, load their pitchfork, have it ignited by those carrying flares, and run with fireworks blazing towards all those participating in the fun.

If you wanted to sleep tonight you would have no chance, as the festivities continued to the late hours of midnight, The whole village gets involved, from those dressed up as the 'demons', the many who run the gauntlet of fire and residents who hang out of windows to watch it all happen from the safety of their homes.

Of course this could never happen in England, for many reasons, spoilsports.

If you get the chance to see and experience the correfoc, then do so, but you may need earplugs as well.