Today I received my first Covid vaccination. The queue was long. The weather cold. The organiser of the queue told me that they do similar work in Wormwood Scrubs. Quite a few elderly people were freezing including me...although I was a mere youngster at 65. The patient behind me talked a bit but I couldnt understand him...partly the effect of the ( Read more... )

To walk to a theatre, have a gin and tonic, watch the play, get the bus home is a perfect day. That day has arrived. Unfortunately the walk is along the Uxbridge Road until Shepherds Bush but then soon after Notting Hill you take a right by the statue of a Ukrainian King which takes you to Holland Park and its pastoral embrace

In Cardiff I was part of a trade union conference which under normal circumstances is a conveyor belt of the faithful speaking about their experiences in their schools and the General Secretary aided and abetted by the National Executive trying to give shape to the weekend with a view to some useful soundbites, shepherding the delegates to talk ( Read more... )

Carol King wrote some great songs that is a fact. But did you know she wrote for the Drifters the Shirelles earlier in her career? You probably did. She wrote hits and didn't start writing for herself until later in her career. Of course these were also hits but a different sort of hit. Also her earlier success didn't go to her head either ( Read more... )

The play that has probably the longest title of all time - the curious incident of the dog in the night time, a title that sounds like one of those sentences you had to put in the right order at school has moved to the Gielgud Theatre because the set at the previous theatre fell through the floor. On first impression the set is basically a lot of ( Read more... )

Ryan Adams played his excellent blend of country/blues. I recognised about 4 of the songs but his talent is in the seemingly effortless fusion of the Eagles meet Dylan meet Ry Cooder...... He does have a great voice and I thought his solo acoustic songs were the most effective. He has an elfin quality even though he is approaching middle age and ( Read more... )

The Peasonhall carnival saw me as Noddy and my brother Paul as Big Ears pushing me in a newly painted pedal car which broke down half way through the procession. The elastic keeping my Noddy hat secure chafed under my chin. Paul as Big Ears decided to push, which inadvertently activated the pedals which gave me a painful rap as they whirled round ( Read more... )

A luthier is someone who makes string guitars violins ukuleles banjos. It is a lot harder than it might appear. You have to get the right bits of wood for the right bits.The neck needs x and the body needs y You have to plane them to a ridiculous thinness. The thinness has to be the same thinness across an expanse of wood which means your plane has ( Read more... )

Swimming 40 lengths yesterday has meant that I felt like superman but now feel like shit. The roast chicken drumstick at lunchtime hasnt helped (with cabbage and squash) and school dinner gravy. I am summoning up the energy to go swimming so that I can feel like superman again. The sensation lasts for a few hours only and I have to resist then the ( Read more... )

Last Friday driving to Bude I discovered that my windscreen wipers had given up. I drove with one hand whilst moving my other arm out of the window to wipe away the torrential rain. Eventually I gave up due to lack of vision and parked the car in Slough. The car park in the station had a space and I bought a bunch of tickets to pay for an entire ( Read more... )