So it’s Saturday night, Spurs are in the FA Cup semis, Ireland have won the triple crown, there’s a paella cooking up nicelly on the stove, bottle of French red opened and all is well with the world. The soundtrack tonight – Vans really very good last album of new songs Keep Me Singing.
You?
Walked to town in the snow to do some shopping, listened to the Spurs game (I’m a fan…COYS!), watched the dismal England game, and then cooked salmon with courgettes au gratin, carrots, broccoli and saute potatoes accompanied by a nice white while listening to Show Of Hands Dark Fields album and Bruce’s High Hopes. Watching Pointless Celebrities now and just proudly identified Princess In Rags for a pointless answer….off out soon to watch a local band, Dumbo’s Feather, who are an Irish folk group. Will be mildly pissed.
It will be frozen pizza for me, after my flight home was delayed. I’m on the bus from the airport now. Given the weather in Prague and Stansted it could have been a great deal worse!
Weekend away in snowbound Southend.
Earlier trip to record shops spawned nothing (except mild hypothermia)
Currently in the bar with book, tablet and Guiness.
No soundtrack, but Tom Waits Ol’ 55 has been bouncing round my head since lunchtime
It is now two months since I became a widower. It doesn’t get easier. I am sustaining our traditions in order to keep her close. So Saturday night has to be a big night. Tonight has been a very nice fillet steak with dauphinoise potatoes, a red wine jus, green beans and carrots. Accompanied by a 20year old claret, this was followed by some rather good cheese. I am both well fed and comforted by the thought that she would have enjoyed it too. Later on, I shall watch Van The Man at Eden; which is my connection to the OP. Oh, England lost and Scotland won so life isn’t unremittingly dark.
Sorry for your loss, Fifer. Saturday nights must be rough.
Oh, Fifer man xxx
I’m really sorry for your loss. I’m 3.5 years in and I’d be lying if I said it truly gets easier – but you do get better at it.
So sorry to hear that fifer. Hope your evening was OK
Oh Fifer, I’m sorry, that’s so hard.
So sorry Fifer.
Stay strong, Fifer. That’s some feast you rustled up there. She’d be proud, I’m sure.
Best wishes Fifer. Life can be so hard at times.
I didn’t think you had been around for a while; now I know why. Best wishes to you.
Hi Fifer – Nice food,nice sounds and I’m sending you some posi’ vibes too. Sorry to hear of your loss.
Best wishes, Fifer.
Thanks to all for the words of support. It’s going to take a while to get used to the loneliness, so knowing you guys are out there will definitely help. I’ll be that annoying chap who turns up and hovers on the edge of things. Just ignore me and allow me to sit in the reflected glow of your wit and wisdom.
@fifer
Not sure anything I say will be of worth but I’m sure she’d be pleased you’re sustaining traditions. And that meal sounds mouthwatering.
For what it’s worth I’ve had too many plain crisps and am now feeling a little ashamed of myself. Spent the morning ferrying the little Prince around and the afternoon trying to sort out the dogs insurance. We’ve so far spent £520 on meds and it’s not yet worth completing the admin to attempt to claim this back.
My mate though has secured a couple of tickets for the first night of Meltdown in June so really looking forward to that….The Psychedelic Furs supported by The Church. Boom!
If The Church are playing, I can understand you are pleased, Freddy.
Now that Earls Court is no longer packed with Aussies and Kiwis, I wonder if young, up and coming bands from Oz and NZ still come to London to try and make it in the UK as used to happen back in the day.
My Saturday night consisted of a visit to the communal laundry and then an episode of Shetland on SVT. The former was brightened up by a Brazilian neighbour lurking among the washing machines, practising Despacito on his saxophone,
@kaisfatdad
Cheers. Big fan of the Furs too so pretty happy. Hoping The Church will fit in some other UK dates too, seems a long way to come for a support slot.
Mr B is watching something with subtitles on BBC4. I’m spinning a few recent used CD buys, including some very pretty bedroom electronica by National Forest. I discovered him via some 7″ singles found in a charity shop – if you listened to the latest CBVD you might remember I played a couple. Anyway, the CD is available for pennies in the usual places and has the minibreakfast seal of approval.
Also, I am on the sherry.
Something with subtitles? Keep your eyes on the screen, there might be rudies.
By which I don’t mean Jamaican fellows in pork pie hats who make appearances in the lyrics of ska records.
Am on Bill Evans – Blue In Green now, bought at a lovely sunny boot sale on Wednesday where I bought stacks of good stuff, which makes up for the fact that both of tomorrow’s have been cancelled due to the weather.
Might as well have another sherry.
Does Bill know?
And is he enjoying the sherry too
I can’t imagine Bill Evans drinking sherry.
Neat whiskey – yes.
A cup of coffee that you have to consume using a knife and fork – yes.
Bill and I go way back.
I am listening to Ovo, a Peter Gabriel with which I was previously unfamiliar. It was used in the Millennium Dome, which dates it in a fairly specific way.
It is rather good – vocals shared with Paul Buchanan, Elizabeth Fraser and Richie Havens. Range of styles, a lovely song about his father.
No idea how I managed to miss this gem before.
Ovo is great! I think it was deleted fairly quickly and PG doesn’t want it considered part of his canon (although to be fair he’s not on quite a bit of it). It’s certainly more interesting than Up.
Father Son is utterly brilliant but I can’t listen to it. It hits me way too hard. My dad is alive and reasonably well, but it still totally sends me over the edge like nothing else. Soft sod.
Triple Crown? Mate, you won the whole kit and caboodle. Grand Slam.
I spent the day nervously checking the BBC Sport app while coaching two referees.
Scotland – win.
Ireland – win
Wales win.
Net result: Scotland third in table; England fifth.
I won’t lie, there was small cheer from the Scottish contingent in Virginia.
Yeah you’re right. Don’t know what I was thinking there; we’ve only won the Grand Slam twice before so still getting used to the concept. Great performance and never in doubt, unlike other nervy Irish performances in the past.
Congrats. Was thinking if Anscombe’s last minute pass had gone to Welsh hands instead of Irish then we would have had both Ireland and Wales on 20 pts in final table. Wales fortunate today though.
Today. I, my wife and my two little girls; three and one and a half, marched in our town’s St. Patrick’s Day parade behind the Tidy Towns float. A year ago we had just moved here and watched the parade pass the end of our road wondering whether the girls might one day be involved. It was freezing here but walking up the middle of the main street with people clapping and waving was brilliant. The girls had a ball and I felt a sense of community I haven’t felt before while knowing the only person I know in this town is in Liverpool tonight. By the way, I just found out we’re expecting our third so I’m quite emotional. Don’t watch or care about rugby but it’s been a great day!
Congratulations Bamber!
That’s smashing, Bamber. Good luck.
Great stuff @Bamber ! Congrats and all that!
Thanks Lads. It’s early days but I’m excited. You’re the only people I’ve told. My own family don’t know.
Not even the wife?
I spent the day with my soon to be 92 year old dad, eating pizza and reminiscing. If I’m as fit and bright and young at heart and in appearance at 70 as he is at 90+, I’ll be very lucky!
Just got in from an evening spent with four of my kid’s teachers. It was an end of show party of sorts after the school play, which. I provided sound and projection for. They’re really smart and funny and I’m a little over refreshed. One of them in particular has great taste in music. A good time was had by all.
End of March break which my 11 yr old daughter normally spends with me. Currently -11 so we were limited to indoor activities. Went to see Early Man at the local multiplex which was pretty enjoyable. We played pool on the table I got her for Christmas and had a game of cribbage (I won). Also watched a fair amount of rugby while she fiddled on her iPad and we listened to Dusty in Memphis. She liked it and asked who it was.
Great to hear you are having fun, dai. Make the most of it. They grow up so fast.
Cheers David. Will be a bit lost next week though, but a ton of work to do.
Local football team won their 17th (seventeenth) consecutive home match – no opposition fancies playing at their wind tunnel of a ground – a rather brilliant folk group played in the local hall and there was absolutely no mention of St. “Paddy’s” Day (copyright) anywhere.
On the F.A. Cup, a possible all Premier League semi-final line up of Tottenham, Chelsea, Man. Utd. and Southampton is exactly what the poor old ailing competition DOESN’T need.
At least three of those teams couldn’t give a monkey’s about winning it next to finishing – wait for it – fourth.
I presume Southampton, if they beat Wigan of course, do. Who knows?
Southampton have just appointed Mark Hughes, whose default demeanour makes Marvin the paranoid android seem like a room full of brilliant sunshine, so those supporters are going to need all the cheering up they can get..
Late to the party I guess but yesterday afternoon despite having a cold/sore throat I trudged to St.Andrews to watch Birmingham put in a convincing performance against Hull. We won 3-0 in a game that veered between sunshine and snow blizzards throughout. It wasn’t just the win it seems Garry Monk in two weeks has understood what was wrong with our team and addressed the issues. Of course it could be a false dawn but genuinely think we can avoid the drop now.
Last night we went to a U2 tribute in Derby – if the tickets hadn’t been paid for and the fact we were meeting people for dinner I wouldn’t have gone. As it was it was a decent dinner, a good show and plenty of beer.
This am I am sitting here with copious amounts of tea listening to the new Yo La Tengo album which is suitably floaty for a shitty sunday morning where venturing outside isn’t recommended.
Not so much Monk; I reckon it’s Pep Clotet, his assistant, who is the key. Clotet took the manager’s job at Oxford rather than follow Monk to us at Boro, where Monk was spectacularly indecisive and just didn’t hack it. It was probably as much of a relief to him as it was to us when he was sacked.
Out to a pub on Paddys Night for the first time in many a year. Normally steer well clear as it’s generally one of those Idiot’s Nights that are best avoided.
Slightly unusual choice for Paddys Night but The Silencerz were there and a free gig in a friendly pub.
The Silencerz are Lee Thompson’s “other” band when Madness are not touring or recording. Actually his son Daly’s (singer) band but Lee is present more often than not.
A 10-piece band playing ska and reggae with a few curve balls such as Dury’s “Clevor Trever” & “Wake Up And Make Love With Me”, Beatles “Don’t Let Me Down”, Paul Simon’s “Mother & Child Reunion” plus “There’s No Lights On The Christmas Tree Mother, They’re Burning Big Louie Tonight”..
What is a very good but often rather sedate pub was jam-packed with dancing ravers of all ages, drinking like fishes and being pretty loud but not lairy.
A decent ska & reggae DJ kept the pot simmering before and during the intermission, though his sound system was slightly lacking in bass, I thought.
Sounds like my kind of night.
Well, it’s all over now, but on Saturday night I dined on a cheese and ham toastie and a bottle of Stone & Wood Pacific Ale, then climbed into my penguin suit to sing in Poulenc’s Gloria along with the Queensland Youth Orchestra. This, for those who don’t know it (as I didn’t up to now), is the most transcendentally beautiful piece of music, full of spry French humour and soaring solo soprano, with a touch of rock-‘n’ roll thrown in. Quite a few of us old growlers up the back were in tears quite a lot of the time. Here’s a taste.
And talking of tears, @fifer, I’m sorry for your loss. Only thing I can say, from the perspective of 11 years on, is that it does get better, although you never forget of course.