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Paul Young

Pic of the week 30/6/19

On Tuesday Becky & I went to see Paul Young, and he was great.

The voice wasn’t as powerful as it once was, and he struggled (i.e. couldn’t) hit high notes, but it was a great night as he belted out all the classics from his hey-day.

Still very much a showman, he interacted well with the audience (who, a little disappointingly, were rather passive – I don’t think we got out of our seats until the very end), a good an and a half set at the Octagon Theatre, Yeovil, and we were still home for five past eleven. (Although, being the last week of term, I was less worried about the dangers of burning the candle at both ends. I have since successfully navigated the last few days of term and am now luxuriating in the long summer holiday.)

My musical tour continues – I’m really enjoying “the live music scene”: the anticipation of the show giving me something to look forward to, the show itself and then a re-engagement with the music and musician long after the concert.

Here are a couple of videos of the 63 year old in action

And, from Instagram, Love Will Tear Us Apart:

 

 

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Bit of @paulyoungparlez

A post shared by Becky Peabody (@beckydotsandspots) on

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Another reunion

Pic of the week 23/6/19

Last night I went to another OW reunion, mainly on the basis that we’ve all turned (or will soon be turning) 50 this year.

Good to see people again, although fewer this time than two years ago (no, not because everyone is starting to shuffle of this mortal coil, but perhaps because the novelty is wearing off?)

Particularly good to see Ed (Fuller), Andrew “Klebs” Kirby and Rachel (Willis) who weren’t there last time. We laughed, we joked, we rolled back the years, a good evening, even if it did, at times, feel like I’d wandered onto the set of a Richard Curtis movie.

In other news, did my referee fitness test today and passed, no smashed, it. To go from Level 7 to 6 I needed to do 2,000m  (5 laps) in 12 minutes, I did circa 2,500 m (6 3/4) laps in the 12 minutes, more than I’d need to do to go from 6 to 5. (Also did x2 50 m sprints in under 7.5 seconds)

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Father’s Day

Pic(s) of the week 16/6/19

Father’s Day!

Up early and off for a run, to be met by the boy on my return. Later in the day, Sophie returned home from her first year at Reading University. Where has that time gone?!

Lot’s of presents from the pair of them – many food/snack related, but also a “Brexshite” mug from Sam and a book : “Zonal Marking” from Sophie.

Becky also gave me a card, writing in it:

“A fab Dad but hopeless at getting your son doing school work!!!

Whilst Sam had independently written in his card:

“Thank you for being a great Dad and helping me with school work”

I wonder who’s right?!

An an unrelated note, mention must be made of the dreadful weather that persists – the last two weeks have been little more than rain, wind and grey skies. Here’s hoping it changes in two weeks time …

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EPQ and tooth

Pic of the week 9/6/19

In some respects a rather unremarkable week, but not one without note.

On Tuesday I went to see Sam’s EPQ presentation. After quite a bit of badgering from us, he’s (almost) completed the project and it was good to see him so confident and comfortable in his school environment, discussing his findings with range of adults.

On Wednesday Becky went to see Sophie Ellis Bextor, and thoroughly enjoyed it, although since then she has been somewhat poorly with labyrinthitis. She has slept more than Rip van Winkle over the last few days, but made it into work today, so seems to be on the mend.

On Friday I went to dentist, having thought I had cracked my tooth a couple of weeks ago. Turns out it was a filling that had come out (of the back tooth, LHS, next to the “abscess tooth” that was removed last year.) She replaced the filling – hurt a bit at the time – but hopefully all good now.

Weather has been a bit rubbish – and doesn’t look like its going to get much better soon: quite wet. Lets just hope all the rain is falling now leaving uninterrupted sunshine from three weeks from now.

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Take That

Pic of the week 2/6/19

So half term draws to a close -it’s whipped by far too quickly, but with only four weeks until the golden prize of the summer holidays, the end of hols sting is easily absorbed.

On Tuesday, Becky & I went to see Take That at Ashton Gate and, not surprisingly, they were excellent. More of a “classic” concert than their more theatrical “shows”, but they belted out all the hits with passion and panache and I really enjoyed it. Rick (Astley) wasn’t bad either – “Never Going to Give You Up” be belted out by thirty thousand was a sound to behold, too.

On Friday I went for my annual* shearing – back and chest wax. The back is over in minutes whilst suffering, at worst, mild discomfort. The chest, however is a whole different ball game (and I ain’t even going to contemplate going there …) It was soooo painful – I did actually feel a little weak and nauseous walking home afterwards. But the pain ebbs and now I’m left with smooth skin and only a smattering of measle like red rashes!  *I think the answer may be to make it more regular than annual – it was the sheer forest of hair that needed removing that made it so painful; perhaps if I have it removed more regularly it’ll be less painful.

Running – yesterday I ran my 200th Km and, after today’s 10K, I’ve done 217 Km so far this year, not bad. And my running season is now upon me – with no football to referee on Sunday’s its a 10K each Sabbath, and with the summer hols a mere four weeks away, I should be pounding the streets with a regularity that’ll soon see the next 100K notched up.