Song Of The Week LXIV

I haven't had a song since I posted the Michael Jackson one, which wasn't intentional, I haven't been inspired I guess.
Then this one has been used in a relatively frequently played advert and each time I've found myself singing along.
It's funny, I've had it in my mp3 collection for ages, years maybe but I never really heard the lyrics, or rather never properly listened, but it's just beautiful.

Bright Eyes - First Day of My Life:

To Kill A Mockingbird

A couple of weeks ago the kindly Lovefilm sent me 'Failure to Launch'.
I expected a pretty standard romantic comedy which would be lighthearted, easy to watch and that I'd forget it pretty soon after I watched it.
What I didn't expect is that I'd find myself randomly giggling after recalling a specific scene.
Actually, I have to admit to laughing, loudly at frequent intervals throughout the movie, but, no matter how many times I see this scene I find myself giggling.
The actual scene starts about 2 1/2 minutes in, but I like the way this little clip sets it up:

"Walk away from the light little buddy!"

Craic

So here's what's been going on:

I had a weird dream. A really weird dream. Actually I had two, but the second one faded to nothing and I'm really cross I forgot it.
However the first one was superbly surreal.
I dreamt that I had a baby. It was a little boy, I don't remember naming him but a short while later I'd misplaced the baby. Careless and anywhere other than a dreamworld, a really terrible thing! Anyway, I had another baby, this time it was a girl. It was only a little while later and I seem to remember that mid birthing process I decided I'd have a sleep and finish off in the morning. Very realistic obviously. So in the morning I had a baby girl. I was really stressed out because I couldn't decide on a name for her. Then I found the baby boy and both babies turned into cats. Weirdly the baby boy turned into Mifford - especially as Mifford is a female cat. I was really worried that the baby boy/Mifford wouldn't like the baby girl/other cat, especially as I hadn't named her, but then Mifford starting licking the face of the other cat and I was ecstatically happy.
That's weird right?

My choice for a belated Song of The Week is coming up, damn this is a seriously sexy song, there was one video that had some superb photography but I went with this one instead.

Jace Everett - Bad Things:


I've been out in the garden quite a lot, eating almost exclusively every evening from what I've picked fresh from the vegetable patch. Salad is one of my favourite things in the world! Also I've had to put in new sowings of various things. I want my allotment!
Speaking of which.... I took a wander round the village to post back one of my lovefilm dvd's and as I passed the village noticeboard I paused to see what was posted there. I found myself reading, thoroughly, the minutes of the recent Parish Council meeting. I read the whole thing and what worries me most is that I found it quite interesting.
I got to read a bit about what is happening as regards the allotments and it's good to know I might still be in the running for a wee plot of land. Fingers crossed.

Someone ran into my Sky dish. I have a caravan as my prime suspect. What was really a pain was that it was going to take almost a full week to get it repaired. Again. It's sited in a ridiculous place and is frequently getting bash by high vehicles. Anyway, the delightful engineer arrived early on Saturday morning and moved the dish to a location that will require incredible ingenuity to be hit with anything at all. Oh how I missed my TV!

But, on the plus side, it did mean that I found time to sit and watch the entire box set of My So-Called Life. I am obviously deeply in love with Jordan Catalano again. What's rather disturbing is that, as this came out originally in 1994, I am now closer in age to the parents in the series than the kids. Crap. Back then, they were twice my age, now they're just 5 years older. Crap.

Oh, the other week I went to see the Battlefield Band! My last gig for a while, but on the upside I do have Cambridge Folk Festival in just over a week! Must be getting near the time where I have to start choosing my outfits! The weather forecast is not looking pretty so I suspect a lot of my outfits will be revolving around wellies. What looks good with wellies? Hmm? Anyone?
Yeah, nothing.
Can you even dance in wellies? This remains to be seen. Although to be fair, I'm not so sure that I dance so much as flail wildly and jump around. I'm not sure about my ability to dance a ceilidh in wellies though... what a shame there will be no video of my attempts.

I'm attempting to slowly take down my hateful conifer hedge. I don't strictly have permission to do so, so am attempting a very definite trim of the hedge in the hope it won't survive. If you feel like lopping off a few branches, please don't hesitate to pop over, for I shall not hesitate in handing to you the loppers! I'm wildly generous that way.
Mum is coming to stay for a while so I'll offer to let her cut some hedge too. See, my generosity knows no bounds.

Oh and finally, I have not sustained any new injuries! Remember that incident with the hand blender and my finger? The fingernail dropped off. Nice eh? Not in a gross way though - which is what I was really worried about. The slashed nail grew until finally it was too weak to carry on. It was a bit misshapen for a while but I think it's actually going to be ok, I'm sure that's a massive relief for everyone. I will have normal (ish) fingernails. Well, until the next time I do myself an injury that is....

Cats & Ducks

Thursday last week, I made my way down to Bristol to watch The Cat Empire. Always superb live and great high energy fun.
With the exception of missing one junction - which I will continue to blame on poor road signs - I made it without a problem, even driving into the city centre and finding my destination without a wrong turn. Without sat nav. Not half bad!
Met up with Siobhan and Aaron and we went for a pizza dinner, trying out the one of the new Leggera pizzas. God, just the word pizza makes me hungry.
Afterwards we headed to the venue and made our way in, taking up my traditional spot towards the front.
The support came on and were pretty good.
I told Siobhan that Felix in the Cat Empire was beautiful. She asked whether he was really beautiful, or just my idea of beautiful.
I think she might be trying to infer that I have occasionally unusual taste in men.
I assured her he really was very beautiful.
The band took to the stage, I pointed at the stage and said "That's Felix".
"Oh my God, that's like a real life Patrick Dempsey" she said, then turned to Aaron and continued "I'm sorry, but I might have to leave you".
Look how beautiful he is:

That man was standing just feet from me and I was able to contain myself. That's self control I tell you.
And for your viewing pleasure, here they are live, doing one of my favourite songs, in fact the chorus is my ringtone on my phone.
Oh, and check out the dude in black on the trumpet. That's Harry. I wouldn't be turning him down either! Plus that Harry, he can really scat.

A little bit of the lovely Harry (I'm generous today eh?):


So, after they came on stage the crowd got a little, well crowded, a lot of pushing and shoving commenced. After a song or two Aaron decided to bow out and during the next song, Siobhan and I nearly ended up getting pushed over. I grabbed her wrist and despite her declarations that she was fine I insisted it wasn't safe and we made an exit. Or rather I shoved a number of people and trampled on a lot of feet. We headed upwards and watched the gig from tv screens and where I was free to dance like a dervish, as is my wont.
Despite the crush at the front I had a splendid time.
When they did The Chariot (the first video) it went to an instrumental in the middle before suddenly morphing into Billie Jean, which was awesome. None of the band sang the verses but as it moved into the chorus the whole crowd started singing. I sorely missed someone doing a moonwalk but it was just brilliant, as they morphed back into The Chariot, Felix said they felt he deserved a tribute and it was an excellent one.

Post gig we headed back to Siobhan & Aaron's place where I kipped for the night, before heading home at lunchtime.
I again missed the damn junction, for the exact same road, but this time, brilliantly, I managed to not only miss the junction but then get caught up in the tailback following a small pile-up. And thus welcomed an extra couple of hours on to my journey.

Finally made it home in time for tea and started preparations for the picnic I'd arranged for Saturday. Only a small affair, but as it was the annual Dunston Duck Races I thought it would be a laugh for some of my mates to come over and bet on a duck or two.
So, at 11pm on Friday night, I was busy whipping up a couple of batches of cupcakes. I'll be uploading the recipe for the cupcakes with mascarpone & fruit on my cookery blog soon and you must try them, find any excuse you can, they were just so very, very good.

Saturday rolled around and it was picnic time, I took a sack trolley and made my way up to the green, laid out blankets and started to feast. To begin with it wash just Rachael and I as it was also a massive airshow just down the road and traffic was rather heaving. I suspect we looked quite funny with this enormous amount of food and just the pair of us, bit by bit other folks showed up. The kids ran up and down the beck, slowly getting wetter and wetter, but it was so warm that they seemed to dry almost as quickly. There's something about kids just jumping around in water, free fun and they make seemingly endless games out of it!

A little while later the races commenced. I bet on races 4 and 5.
Below is my duck, number 43. It's safe to say that this little grouping of ducks is towards the rear. I was in no danger of winning.

These would be the ducks making it under the finish line. Mine was still feasting on weeds or stuck behind an obstacle. Quite frankly number 43 let me down.
Truth be told, my bet on number 7 didn't go any better either. Ah well, it's a good job I'm not a gambler.

I managed to get a wonderful circular spot of sunburn on my back, having not thought through the keyhole part of my top very well. I just can't reach there with suncream!

Everyone but Rachael made their way home after the racing had finished. Rachael and I headed to my garden where we reopened the picnic leftovers. There was more feasting. I had made fresh lemonade and some elderflower cordial but Mifford wasn't allowed any, so as not to be outdone, she found her own sweet nectar:
Got to love a bit of watering can water, although that might only apply if you are a cat, or Mifford.
Once the sun started to cool, we headed in and watched Transporter 3, which I enjoyed. I know it's not a good movie, but I do like the Transporter movies, they make me laugh and the violence is just so wonderfully choreographed!

A final couple of notes. I totally ran over the big toe on my left foot with the sack trolley, I cannot tell you how that smarted. I did well not to curse in a number of different languages.
So, on Sunday my big toe was clearly swollen and I therefore decided that the ideal way to proceed would be to stub my little toe and hard. So hard it went a purple/black shade and I wondered for some time if I'd actually broken it.
It's a talent.

That's all for now folks, I have to go pick tea from the garden.
Oooh, it's raining and the sun is out, I also have to go see the rainbow.
I'm easily excited, me.

Michael Jackson

Song Of The Week LXIII - Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror:

I wonder how many blog posts are out there written about Michael Jackson and his sudden, unexpected death.

I heard the news and felt the shock. Sometimes you feel as though some people are going to live forever. The fact one day they will die is a concept you can't even begin to grapple with.
I watched the news, read the reports, saw the pictures but somehow you still expect that they'll turn round and tell you it's actually not real.

As a child I idolised Michael Jackson, I was a real fan. My best friend and I collected everything we could find about him, I had folder upon folder of newspaper & magazine clippings and dreamed that one day I'd see him perform live, that I'd get to be one of the girls that why always showed on TV in the throngs desperate to see him.
We went to see Moonwalker at the cinema so many times we got to know all the lines and sat in the back row singing along, being asked by the ushers how many times we'd seen it. I'm actually not sure of the number.

When the allegations hit, huge numbers of his fans stuck by him. I don't think those die hard fans ever believed he was capable of the terrible things he was accused of.
There was something about Michael, they called him Peter Pan, but to my mind he really had never grown up. He seemed barely to have progressed beyond adolescence in his mind.
Being in the spotlight for 45 years of your life has to take its toll.
Adults are a judgemental bunch and children so much less so. I really felt as though he chose to have a large part of his life around children for the freedom it gave him to be himself.
I remember an interview he did with Oprah, they had shots of a cinema he had built, which had hospital beds so that sick children could come, have fun and be cared for.
It never struck me as the behaviour of a man who would wish to cause children harm.
For those who chose to ignore his complete acquittal of the allegations made against him I feel a little pity, that they choose to believe the worst about people, I only hope that if they were ever placed in the same situation the world is kinder to them.
To loosely quote one of Michael's friends interviewed on the news; "I hope history will be kinder to Michael than contemporary media".

I remember, many years ago, when River Phoenix died I felt a profound sense of loss. I couldn't explain how I felt this grief for someone I didn't know. For someone who existed for me only on a screen or through the words in a magazine, but it was there and it was real.
I knew that I was not alone in that grief but it wasn't until I found a magazine article by someone explaining the reasons they felt a grief for this movie star that I really understood my own.
They ended the article by saying:
"We wondered how anyone could comprehend the grief we felt. How could they understand when he belonged to our generation. We understood because River spoke our language, voiced our worries and fears about our future. Only in the years to come will they realise how much he meant to us - a symbol of both our frustrations and hopes. Like his name suggested, he rose from the ashes of obscurity and flew in the face of public opinion with a poetic grace that matched the rhythm of the times."

Michael Jackson was a part of my childhood, my formative years, I practiced my terrible singing, I wanted to make a change, I wanted a pet chimp to be my best friend. I did feel almost as though I knew him, I felt his shyness and maybe I appreciated his eccentricity, knowing I carried my own with me.

I feel a deep sadness about his death. I feel for his family and his children who must now feel so bereft.
There's little to say that hasn't already been said, but what a real loss to the world of music too. He might not have released anything for a long time, but his catalogue stands up, as someone said, his World Record Album sales for Thriller will never be topped. So much is sold online now that that number of real world sales will just never be beaten.
That's one hell of a legacy.

I am to be found regularly joking about my age, about getting old, but then when someone just 16 years older than you are, dies, suddenly you appreciate how young you are. 50 is no age to die. I'm not sure what IS the right age, only that at 50 you expect to have decade upon decade left in front of you.

So, I join in with all those other grieving fans and people who felt like they knew him, who grew up with his music, those who don't care a jot that you couldn't put him in the pigeonhole marked 'normal' and those that will miss the opportunity to know what he had left to show us.

Memories

I was in the kitchen washing up when I suddenly heard something play on the TV that I recognised, I literally ran through to the lounge and immediately began singing along with this:

This apparently was first shown in 1989, I clearly remember having the words to this written on the back of my Maths book. Ah, I was 14 years old, my friends and I could sing along. I still remember all the words to it, in fact without it being on I could probably do it all the way through.
How it's still cool I'll never know.

It's been re-released on I guess, it's 20th anniversary. However, interestingly, I didn't hear what it was changed to, but the part about appetite has been altered and also they've taken out the word 'smart' and replaced it with 'good'.
I wonder who decided that was better for us to hear?

Song Of The Week LXII

Last Friday I went off to a festival, just for the day, at Southwell.
As there was a ceilidh on as well it seemed like a good chance to have a good dance and to see some new music.

I was really surprised to see that both of the stages had rows of chairs set up in front of them. I have never seen a festival with seating like that and it made me feel a little disappointed. What about dancing? What about lounging around? I'm not good at being stuck into conforming little rows.
Anyway, Rachael and I sat and watched a few acts, keeping our fingers crossed that the weather would hold.
As we watched one guitarist the lady behind us started commenting to her husband;
"I didn't think much of that first one" she said "it was just a bit of strumming!"
I should point out here that the guy was playing a wonderful bit of slide guitar and that Rachael had leant over to me at the end and said how much she'd liked it. He played beautifully and it showed how ignorant she was to assume it was 'just a bit of strumming'.
I willed her to be quiet.
For his second number he sang a song and for his third it was another instrumental piece on an acoustic guitar.
Again she piped up "I just don't understand it, is this a tune with a beginning, a middle and an end? Or does he just go on playing until he gets bored?"
I don't remember her husband replying, I'm only hoping that he was rolling his eyes and resisting the strong urge to slap him.
It would seem it is only music in her mind if there are words.
Poor old Beethoven. If only he'd known I'm sure he'd have mustered up a lyric or two.
Eventually she decided to leave and try the other stage. I did not shrilly scream Good Riddance as she exited, but trust me that took willpower.

The second stage at Southwell had been given a, somewhat uneven, wooden floor. I'd slipped on it twice and was becoming a little worried about the idea of dancing a ceilidh on it later on!

By now the rain had come in, Rachael and I decided that a pizza was the way forward and queued for a lovely wild mushroom affair which we then huddled under cover to eat before heading for more music.

Finally ceilidh time rolled around and this is where the song of the week comes in.

Steamchicken - Boston Tea Party:

Rachael and I danced this one. Well not this exact one as shown in the video, but this dance.
To be fair, in the video it doesn't look too chaotic, but imagine the hall filled with twice or thrice the number of people. Oh I can't tell you how I love to dance in a ceilidh, it's just guaranteed to make you laugh. If you ever get the chance, go on, go for it!
All I'll say is if they say the next dance is going to involve the move called 'the basket' sit that one out. Someone will always get hurt!!

Song Of The Week

I tend to have these weeks where I don't share songs, because I'm both forgetful and busy. Sometimes at the same time, which isn't productive at all.

Anyway, tomorrow one of my best friends is getting married. It's going to be a small ceremony, followed by a picnic by the lake which stands to be absolutely delightful.
This afternoon I've been putting together her wedding music on a CD for her and it's left me feeling rather sentimental, as we ladies are prone to be on occasion.
Left in this mood I decided to go with songs that have been dedicated to me in the past.
How very slushy.

Song LIX
Teddy Pendergrass - It Should Have Been You:

Song LX

Bob Dylan - Lay Lady Lay:

Song LXI
Aqualung - Strange & Beautiful:


Doesn't it just make you all warm and mushy?
No?
Just me then!

Song Of The Week LVIII

It's been a good week this week.
I pulled up outside my house just as our postlady, Pearl, was about to deliver my mail, she paused and said how jealous she was of my Sylvac collection. No-one is ever jealous of my Sylvac, I'm the only person I know that really likes it. But Pearl said she always wanted to break my window and steal the items on my windowsill. So at least I'll have a prime suspect if that ever happens!

Also, my Dad went for some surgery on Tuesday, it all went really well so that's a worry off the mind. I got a call on Wednesday morning to say he was ready to come home. I wasn't expecting him till the afternoon and had gone out on some chores, so I set off with only a couple of road numbers as directions, to a hospital I'd never been to before. I'll have you know, I drove straight there with nary a wrong turn. My sense of direction must finally be coming to life.
So, I find the hospital, go into the car park and savour the feeling of being in a car where the windows wind down and enable me to reach my arm out and get a ticket, instead of having to get out of the car!

I stride my way across the car park when I suddenly hear a shout and turn towards the voice. A gentleman is yelling that he loves my hair. It's been this shade of scarlet for such a long time I almost forget, in fact it never really feels very red to me. He catches up with me and joins me as we walk into the hotel, continuing to compliment me on my hair, which was very sweet really, particularly as it really could have done with a wash. He then says that he wishes he had a camera so he could photograph me.
At this point I'm not sure if it's still a compliment or not, or just a little odd.
I'm going to believe it to be a compliment.

Wednesday night I went to a gig. I'd been really looking forward to it and am no longer even slightly nervous about going on my own. I'd never have believed that possible.
With the exception of the elderly couple to my left it was excellent. They were a little hard of hearing and their whispered conversation was a rather shouted. And they weren't fragrant in a good way. Oh well, they didn't stay till the end, which I wasn't wholly sorry about.
This leads me to this weeks song, this is who I went to see:

Eliza Carthy - Like I Care:

In this video she is pretty heavily pregnant and still jumping about, she just seems to love the music.
Her new baby girl was there at the gig, born on Christmas Eve and christened Florence Daisy, which I think is a really lovely name.
My niece was doing the lighting for the gig so I'd offered her a lift home afterwards, knowing I'd have to wait for her to sort out all the equipment and stuff first.
So, when the gig ended, I went back out to the foyer, sat at a table and drifted off into my own thoughts. Until some people sat down immediately behind me, they were Eliza's friends, then Eliza arrived. So they all sat in this big jolly, chatty group and I was sitting there like a billy-no-mates. Some sort of stalkery hanger on. So I decided to nonchalantly wander off and read the posters on the wall (after having already read them all thoroughly several times already).
Slowly the place emptied and all that was left were the venue staff and the band.
I hung around in the foyer still. I watched the sound guy huff and puff his way around, if you look up asshole, there will be a picture of this guy. I swear it. I don't know what was wrong with him, but I swear he tried to run me down with a double bass.
It was some time later and it was clear the band were almost ready to go, when Eliza reappeared, with little Florence.
I am still hanging around. At this point I start to feel like she thinks I'm some desperate hanger on.
My internal monologue is telling me to be quiet, go read the posters again, take out my book and read it, but for goodness sakes to keep my mouth shut.
"She's a really beautiful baby" I say. I just can't keep my mouth shut.
My internal monologue is screaming at me to shut up, don't say anything else.
Eliza smiles and says she thinks so.
"By the way, I'm totally not a stalker hanging around here, my niece did the lighting and I'm waiting to take her home". My internal monologue never wins, I always feel the need to explain my behaviour, except instead of people thinking I'm NOT crazy, the opening of my mouth has the opposite effect.
Eliza looked unconvinced and left very soon after.
Way to go, me.

Whilst I was hanging around in that foyer I noticed that The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain were playing on Friday 1st May in Lincoln - I couldn't believe I hadn't known and was cursing my serious lack of funds.
However, I have tickets and am going this evening, thanks to Dad! Hurrah.

There was a sad moment this week. I decided that it would be best if Beastie went to the autobreakers. She had a few more problems than I realised after a friend came to look at her and I realised I was going to have difficulties selling her on. Thursday afternoon rolled around and in rolled the autobreaker truck.
"Will she start?" he asked me?
"Most definitely" I replied. Of course she'll start, first time too, she's a very good girl and I love her with all my heart.
As the autobreaker dude blocked the drive, a man with a delivery of very long planks of wood suddenly appeared. We looked at each other and I said I didn't think he was in luck.
"I'll have to pole vault over" he suggested.
"Do it, do it" I encouraged.
"You'd be impressed if I made it, wouldn't you?"
"Hell, that's my car on the back of the truck, even if you don't make it, I'll be entertained and cheered."
"It's going to be scrapped?"
"Don't you say the S word!!!!"
"Sorry, she's going to the place for cars in the sky?"
"Yes, to a better place"
I'm sorry to say that I just closed the door of autobreaker man's truck, there was no pole vaulting.
Beastie was carried away on the back of a truck and I was overwhelmed with guilt, I admit I had to sit down and have a big cry.

At least the sun is shining, I got more veg planted in the garden and I also started myself a little gardening blog. Mostly for my own benefit, I wanted to keep notes of what I liked and what I didn't. It's also really interesting to be able to note how long things took to germinate, how long it was before I was harvesting some crops.
I'm also hoping to be able to get some notes on any foraging I get to do this year. When I mentioned that I was planning on making Elderflower cordial this year I was asked if I would be selling it, by two separate people. So I'm definitely going to have to try and get that made well. Although I don't think I'll be selling it!

So, has it been a good week for you too?

Song Of The Week LVII

As it was St Georges Day yesterday I think this is an appropriate song.

Show of Hands - Roots:

I love how it celebrates being proud of your heritage, whatever it is and wherever you are from and also about knowing those things. Knowing the history of your homes and your cultures, that can't ever be underrated, surely?

Songs and More Songs

In this busy world days and weeks pass you by, my song of the week has been passed by, and then today the sun was shining in a glorious way and it made me think of summer songs. Those ones that make you want all the windows open in the car as you drive along.
So, I came to catch up in an aural fashion.

Song LI
Cherry Poppin' Daddies - Zoot Suit Riot:


Song LII
Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way:

Could Lenny be any more beautiful to look at? No, I thought not.

Song LIII
The Cat Empire - The Chariot:

Felix & Harry are pretty easy on the eye too. I love this song, in fact a snippet of it is the ringtone for my phone. I like my phone yelling to the world that it's never yielded to conformity, makes me smile every time.

Song LIV
Katrina & The Waves - Walking On Sunshine:


Song LV
Blur - Song 2:


Song LVI
The Boo Radleys - Wake Up Boo:

Song Of The Week L

I honestly believe this woman has one of the most beautiful singing voices. There's something about it that just makes you feel warm inside.
The essence of this song is sad and you feel that but her voice still shines through.

This song also has, I think, a really beautiful line: "Forget about it, when forever's over, I won't remember how much I loved you anymore", takes your breath away. I'm such a mush!

Alison Krauss - Forget About It:

Song Of The Week XLIX

I love lovefilm, I have so many movies on my list that half the time I have no idea what I've actually put on there and when the movies arrive I'm always a little surprised.
I don't remember adding this movie to my list but I must have done and I'm pleased I did, it was totally bonkers and really made me laugh and I found myself absolutely in love with this track from the movie.

Please Mr Jailer - From the movie Cry Baby


On the note of movies I went to see Helvetica last week. It was part of a World Cinema Season that I've mentioned before that's showing at a local venue. It's about the font Helvetica. I know right, how interesting can a movie about a font really be? Honestly? It was excellent. I'm really sorry that more people haven't seen this. It was funny and interesting, without once making me feel bored, or making me shuffle in my seat.
I really, really recommend it.
It also gave me a quote that I have fallen in love with:

"Trying to look good limits my life."

How often is that true?

One guy in the movie had a wall of framed quotes behind him and I admit to being a bit distracted trying to read them all. I may have permanently damaged my vision by squinting so hard.

So, you may possibly have noticed, I have a butterfly brain, flitting from here to there and back again.

Here I flit.

I was in traffic, waiting at a red light, when I noticed the number plate of the car in front of me. It was on a car which was advertising a local dairy.

The plate was: MO0 4 You.

Really. Every time I think about it I smile. It's absolutely the best plate I've ever seen in my life.

More flitting.

I bought some books recently and I was chatting to the gentleman from whom I purchased them, he asked me about old bibles and what to do with them. I had no idea so he went and spoke to the local vicar, who advised him that bibles should be buried on consecrated ground. I had never heard of that. I'm wondering if that has always been the case. They had a funeral the next day, so the gravedigger also buried the bibles.

It quite fascinated me. I don't have a religion and it had never occurred to me there would be a proper way to dispose of bibles.

Further flitting.

I had an email recently, from a woman who complained that a book she had bought was a bit dusty. To be fair, if I were over 100 years old, I'd probably be a bit dusty too. I mean, really? Do you purchase something that is a century old and expect it to be as new?

Penultimate flit.

I'm going for another tattoo tomorrow. My friend Gary asked if I was planning to join the circus. That would be no. Not this week.

Although, that does lead me to wonder what my circus act would be.....

Last flit.
I'm asking for lots of good vibes to be sent to my little sister, Siobhan. She got hit by a van. While she was on her bike. This was not a fair fight. She's relatively ok, no broken bones and thanks to her helmet, no head injury. I believe she is sporting a number of bruises as well as a sprained wrist. So a few healing vibes would be great. Thanks!

Song Of The Week XXXXVIII

I was busy doing my washing up this evening and this guy was being featured on TV, I have to admit I danced into the lounge, turned it right up, danced back into the kitchen and danced while I dried up.
He's awesome, there's no two ways about it!

Seasick Steve - Doghouse Boogie:

I had the opportunity to see him play a year or so ago and am really disappointed we arrived late to the festival and too late to see his gig.

You should totally check out him playing the one string guitar too!

Anyway, this week, my nose has been so close to the grindstone I have friction burns. Only slightly less attractive than a huge boil.
Nothing has happened. Which is really boring.
No exciting snow related dramas.
I haven't received any injuries.
Quite the mundane week really.
Well, with the exception of coming dangerously close to running out of oil and going without heating. When it's been particularly chilly... that wasn't a whole lot of fun!

Here's a thing, and I'm curious if anyone else feels the same way. As I'm living with my new tattoo and becoming used to seeing it there, it rather feels not as though something has been added, but instead as if something has been revealed.
Does that make sense?

Song Of The Week XXXXVII

It's not really a song this week, rather a beautiful piece of music.
Every time I hear the opening notes I feel like I could just drift off somewhere. I get lost in the memories of the movie, remembering the scenes and how powerfully acted they were.

Michael Nyman - The Piano - The Heart Asks Pleasure First:

I can't quite believe this came out in 1993. 16 years ago. I was a teenager and that really blows my mind. I still love this movie, haven't watched it in a while and I'm going to have to rectify that!

Song Of The Week XXXXVI

Every morning when my alarm goes off Mifford sits straight up, heads to the radio and stares at it as if contemplating where on earth all those people whose voices she can hear are hiding. After a moment she headbutts it and still they don't appear, then she will nudge me, paw me or flat out slap me for attention.
Normally I feign sleep for a while, but the other morning the alarm went off and a few moments later this song started.
I confess I virtually jumped from my bed and then proceeded to dance around my bedroom like a demon (how does a demon dance?) I just couldn't help myself, even now my toes are tapping and I feel like a bit of a boogie.

The Supremes - Keep Me Hanging On:

As with most kids I thought, when I heard this by Kim Wilde as a youngster, that it was the original, and when I established that it wasn't, I couldn't imagine that someone older could ever have done a potentially better version.
I'm so pleased to finally be older and realise that can definitely be wrong.
Not that Kim Wilde's version isn't good, sometimes going back to the beginning is just where it's at!

Song Of The Week XXXXV

I've seen these guys live a few times and they're just such good fun, it's like a comedy show as well as a gig.
Seek them out... they're great, honest!

The Handsome Family - The Bottomless Hole:

Song Of The Week XXXXIV

I was being organised today. I got up, I did my chores, I spent a few hours out at my barn having a sort out. I knew it was going to be heavy work so, despite the freezing temperatures, I left my coat at home. After moving box after box after box I headed home again, unlocked the front door into my conservatory and went to open the main door into the house.
The handle failed.
It failed miserably.
I was stuck in my conservatory.
That handle has been iffy for a while but it's only ever failed from the other side, the side where I can repair it.
Now I was stuck the wrong side. Mifford and I looked at each other through the window.
I kept turning the handle but no joy. It was kaput.
I rang my rental agency, they found me a locksmith. It was about 12.30pm and they said he'd be there between 3 & 4. So, the choice was either sit in a conservatory with no heating or head out for a bit.
I headed out, I met Harriet, we ordered a little lunch.
My phone rang, alerting me to the fact the locksmith was at my house.
Of course he was.
So, I dashed home.
I got stuck by not one, but two trains when the level crossing gates dropped.
The level crossing in Lincoln is an abomination. It's on the High Street, it stops the entire centre of town. For every train. It's a work of genius.
I finally make it out of town and am stuck behind someone who reads the 60mph sign as 40mph and dawdles frustratingly in front of me. I mutter (scream) choice swear words - I keep favourites for just such occasions.
I finally make it to my wee village and there sits Mr Locksmith, I run, I apologise. He is apparently unconcerned.
As I pull out my keys to unlock the front door he says "I wouldn't worry about that door". I don't really listen and promptly unlock my front door. Only it's then locked.
Turns out, he got a little bored waiting and let himself in. Figured he didn't really need a key so might as well fix it instead of waiting for me to get home.
Instead of being concerned by this am instead extremely pleased that the house is very tidy and his first impression would have been that I am very clean and tidy person! Ha!
I did however ask how long it took him to break in.
Apparently it took 20 minutes, which surprised me, I had totally imagined Mission Impossible timeframes and it taking just seconds. Am very proud of front door and its ability to hold unwanted visitors at bay for so long (whilst realising and ignoring fact that real burglar more likely to just give it a good kicking).

Anyway, I'm finally getting round to this weeks song.
I'm in a really happy mood at the moment so I'm going with something that just really makes me happy.
Oh and, for good measure, I'm sure it's obvious I'm a fickle creature with many a Celebrity Crush, there's another one of them on here. Oh and I was there for this too! Bloody brilliant!

Shooglenifty - Tammienorrie:

So, my Celebrity Crush? That would be Angus. See the dude with the fiddle and serious beard? Yeah, him.
I stood at this festival with Harriet, she turned to me and said "Is it weird that I fancy him?" No, it's not, not to me anyway. Oh and he's really sweet too, signed my CD and everything at a different gig, even though I'd clearly danced like a lunatic right in front of him. At a seated gig. Well there were like a dozen of us that got up, I was in lunatic company.

Song Of The Week XXXXIII

I was wondering which song to start the New Year with.
I wanted to find something positive, maybe there's a song out there about resolutions but my mind has forgotten it. It does that sometimes.

I finally came up with this song, which isn't at all positive, it's about relationships ending and remembering how horrible the person you were with was. And yet, it makes me laugh every time I hear it.
It's just brilliant, no really, it is, don't just take my word for it, have a listen!

Hayseed Dixie - Keeping Your Poop In A Jar:

Ah it makes me warm inside.
Oh and just for the record, you can't see him, but I have another, yes another, Celebrity Crush on Jake. I think it's the facial fuzz, it's cool!

Christmas And All That Went Before

It has been a while!
I have been both poorly and busy. Which is not an ideal combination.
Christmas came at a very inconvenient time to be fair.
I managed to pick up a mean cold/cough type of bug and was laid out for a whole weekend. On the upside I got through lots of lovely television that I had recorded on the hard drive so it was a good use of time really.
When's all said and done though, I'd rather the snot monster went next door in future.

Anyway! It is a testament to what a good girl I am that I was very lucky at Christmas, Santa looked fondly on me.
In fact our whole house appeared to have been good all year judging by Santa's kindness.
All manner of lovely gifts had my name on them, I've been able to reduce the size of my wishlist somewhat and am very grateful!
I'm also planning to finally get some new tattoos done, which is quite exciting, although it'll take time as the tattooist is renowned for being booked up for ages and ages.
What am I saying? I'm really bloody excited about getting them done and talking to the tattooist about some designs I have in mind that I haven't been able to draw up myself.

I'm just taking a moment to jump up on my soapbox.
This morning I popped downstairs, remembering the men were coming to empty the bins and that I had several sacks of recycling in the boot that needed to go into my bins.
I ran downstairs and upon going outside realised that someone had moved my bins which I though was odd. Thinking little more of it, I opened the boot and took out the sacks. I hauled them to my bins. Opened my bins, which I knew to be virtually empty and discovered them to be full to the brim. It's just bloody rude. Everyone has their own bin, so why the hell do they think they have the right to fill mine up too? I hope they get nits. And other itchy ailments, preferably ones I won't catch. They're going on the list.
But seriously, how hard is it to knock on my door and ask if I mind them shoving all their crap in my bins. Maybe I should give them a key so they can use my fridge if they run out of room in theirs?
And breathe.

I've just finished reading The Llama Parlour by Kathy Lette.
What I most regret is that I'll never get back the time I wasted on that book.
What I also regret is that I am also hating the current book I'm reading, but after 300 pages I still feel an obligation to finish it, despite the fact the central characters are two of the most shallow women I've ever read about. There were a few funny lines at the beginning, but now I just hope it bucks a trend and there's a terribly unhappy ending. I can but hope.
I need some fire bricks so that I can put a grate in my fireplace, so that I can make kindling from these 'novels'.

As a belated Christmas gift to the world I am giving you these:



I admit I have a celebrity crush on Adam Savage. I can't help it. He makes me laugh!

And that has to be my favourite explosion.

Now I have to think about New Years Resolutions......