London

Off to London for a few nights, mum and dad house sitting, for my wife's birthday.
It's cold and promising to stay cold for a few days so fingers crossed it'll be a weekend full of seasonal splendor. Hoping to track down someone selling hot roast chestnuts, not seen much of this in recent years in the old capital. When I was a kid and we got taken to London it was a MUST to get some chestnuts from a street vendor, why is this growing so rare? Hope its not the health and safety fascists doing their bit.
Anyway lets hope for a successful and cheery weekend in the run up to Christmas, fingers crossed.
ciao

Dictators

Pol Pot killed one point seven million Cambodians, died under house arrest, well done there. Stalin killed many millions, died in his bed, aged seventy-two, well done indeed.

And the reason we let them get away with it is they killed their own people. And we're sort of fine with that. Hitler killed people next door.
Oh, stupid man. After a couple of years we won't stand for that, will we?
Eddie Izzard

Hero

I found this image on eBay today, its a poster of my guitar hero Joe Walsh.
I had this poster on my wall when I was a teenager, and when I moved into my first pad too, so all in all it must have hung over my bed for about 10-12 years. I'm not even sure if I still have it somewhere up in the attic with my vinyl collection..I'd look if I could get in there amongst all the other stuff. Anyway I bought it for myself, don't think the wife will let me put it up in our marital bedroom, but when I get the attic fixed up properly one day maybe it'll be framed and take pride of place up there.

Funny, I haven't played my guitars for a good few years now, and after a little session revisiting my old Joe Walsh Cd's I fired up the Strat' and Tele' and had a wee burn up. To my surprise I can still play a bit. I used to be pretty good, at one time I was playing daily for 3-4 hours a few years back, then I got hit with depression and it all went by the wayside. I hope maybe one day it'll all fizz back up again, because I have to say, the 2 hours I spent "shredding" the fretboard have got to have been about the most fun I've had in years.

Thanks Joe.

Cal

To Cal
Another year has passed without my most wonderful friend, and I still can't bring myself to say goodbye.

I will see you in the morning fella...just like I always promised.


"He's just my dog.
He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds;
my other ears that hear above the winds.
He has told me more than a thousand times over that I am his reason for being -- by the way he rests against my leg, by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile, by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me).
When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive.
When I am angry he clowns to make me smile.
When I am happy, he is joy unbounded.
When I am a fool, he ignores it.
When I succeed, he brags.
Without him, I am only another person.
With him, I am all powerful.
He has taught me the meaning of devotion is loyalty itself.
With him, I know the secret comfort and a private peace.
He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant.
His head on my knee can heal my human hurts.
His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things.
He has promised to wait for me ... whenever ... wherever ... in case I need him, and I expect I will, as I always have.

Who is he? -- He's just --

MY DOG!"

Sketches of Spain

Spain?...never been there, though I have it high on my list of places to visit before I die. I love Flamenco music, Cameron de La Isla had one of the most emotive voices I have ever heard, and Paco de Lucia can play a guitar with so much passion it can make you weep.

However I am digressing. I came here to talk about Miles Davis' "Sketches of Spain". I bought this album first of all to impress a young lady I was taking out for a day trip to Bath. I wanted to show I was cultured and this was one way I showed it, by buying this album on vinyl. I must have been a re-issue because my LP version didn't have the usual cover and I haven't been able to track that one down for you to see. Anyway, listening to this album the other night it struck me as to why I love it so much, the big band support that Gil Evans orchestrated gives the album the same sort of sound that I remember hearing drifting up the stairs from our front room when I was a kid...not quite Tijuana Brass and Herb Alpert, but definitely a fore runner.
The girl I was trying to impress.....I married her.

How to Murder Your Wife

Misogynistic?.....Moi???
Non!
I love my wife, she's my complete soul mate. This film appeared on TV this morning, and its just one of those films that rattled my nostalgic cage. Jack Lemmon and terry Thomas, who could ask for more. Its a good old Sunday afternoon by the fire while its blowing and raining outside film.

Morning!

Well, this old place needs a bit of a dust off, and a fresh lick of paint.

I haven't posted here since the snow back in February I think. Not much of a nostalgic nature seems to haunt me during the summer months...not that you'd call this piss poor excuse for a July "summer". Anyway, maybe I'll be back popping in and out in the next few weeks or so, maybe not...it seems a shame to dump this place the way I have done so many other blogs, simply because this one is more personal and holds my memories for me to save space in my head for all this new 21st century junk.

Anyway, thought I'd post this little gem, an interview with one of my favourite writers, Gunter Grass where he discusses his autobiography, the controversy over his disclosure of SS service in the final stages of the war, and the difficulties in separating fact from fiction when looking back.

Link