… my musings on, er, "stuff"
Track of the week 16/9/18
A whacking great big slice of cheese this week.
Just before going to bed last Sunday I caught the end of Kylie at the Big Gig in Hyde Park, singing this, and Jason joined her as a special guest.
Oh how the years rolled back.
The Prince and Princess of pop. It left me with a great big beaming grin all through the next day.
It wasn’t cool to like them back in the day – but we all secretly did.
What a great tune. Listen to it, you day will be better for it.
Pic of the week 16/9/18
Little to report this week – term is up and running, weather is benign, no major dramas.
Sowed my grass seed on Wednesday, still no green shoots.
On the way to ref at Somerton this morning the car start making an awful screeching noise – like metal on metal. Reckoned it was either something to do with the brakes (sound eased off on their application) or a catastrophic failure of a wheel bearing. Sounded terrible. Arrived at ground, parked up, ref-ed. Got in car to drive home, no noise, and have since been out in it again, with no repetition, so perhaps just some gremlin that has been and gone?
Not a lot to report.
Track of the week 9/9/18
(Puts on best ’80’s DJ voice …) ” and this one goes out to my beautiful, brilliant wife Becky”
I could be a lot
But I know I’m not
I’m content just with the riches that you bringI might shoot to win
And commit the sin
Wanting more than I’ve already got
I could runaway
But I’d rather stay
In the warmth of your smile lighting up my day
The one that makes me say‘Cause you’re the best thing that ever happened
To me you’re my world
You’re the best thing that ever happened
So don’t go away
Pic of the week 9/9/18
The lawn wasn’t in a good state in Spring. And then the long hot summer happened. It got worse.
We’ve had sporadic rain of late, enough to see the lawn begin to green up – I’ve been mowing it for the last few weeks, but there were still some bare patches, particularly along the edge furthest from the house, where it had been moss, which has died ( a good thing) leaving baked hard earth ( a bad thing.)
So I figured I need to do some lawn maintenance.
I mowed the lawn today, then scarified it – raking out a whole pink trug of dead grass and thatch. I then applied a top dressing, of my own concoction: roughly 3 parts top soil to 1 part sharp sand. (I used two 35 litre bags of top soil and one “large” bag of sharp sand.)
Inevitably, it looks worse now than when I began, but hopefully it’ll help in the long term, and I have some grass seed arriving tomorrow or Tuesday and I’ll over seed the lawn. Hopefully the weather (& soil) will remain warm enough for fertilisation to take place – and I’m sure we’ll have enough rain to keep it moist, even if it needs the odd refreshing from the hose pipe.
Hopefully in a few weeks I’ll be posting pictures of a glorious green sward ….
In other news, Sam started work today at Millfield Prep School as a general kitchen assistant: hope it went well, of to collect him in a mo.
Track of the week 2/9/18
Sticking with the summer theme, this is an apt track of the week.
From the fantastic “Love” album (go on, listen to the whole thing, all the way through)
Summer in the city where the air is still
A baby being born to the overkill
Who cares what people say
We walk down love’s motorwayAmbition and love wearing boxing gloves
And singing hearts and flowers
Somewhere in my heart
There is a star that shines for you
Silver splits the blue
Love will see it through
And somewhere in my heart
There is the will to set you free
All you’ve got to be is true
Pic of the week 2/9/18
So farewell to summer – its been great.
Its been the best I can remember, so much done, so much to enjoy.
Its been hot, perhaps the hottest and driest since ’76. Whilst the lawn and plants may have suffered, the weather has been brilliant.
The hols began on a high note with the World Cup …
… England making it to the semi-finals and making us believe again,
… and a day out with Sam to Yeovilton Air show (but coming back in the afternoon to watch England beat Sweeden 2-0 in the World Cup Quarter final)
We had a few days in Cornwall, and the sun continued to shine …
… and then of to Majorca for the main event. A fantastic week in Pouerto Pollensa …
Each and every day was brilliant, it would be hard to pick out a highlight. Me and Sam climbing Puig de Maria was great, Formentor was stunningly beautiful (although overcrowded), pool time, evening meals, catching up with “Tappers” (for 10 years we lived less than 10 miles from each other but never met up, but put us on an island in the med and we’ll make the effort!), but perhaps the highlight was …
We come home to rain, but only for a day or so, and then the sun came back out.
Sam turned 16 …
… and they both got the grades they needed and deserved in GCSE and A level …
I did plenty of exercise, regularly running 10K (as well as spinning, swimming and refereeing) …
… and amongst all that, I also found time to tidy up the front drive, and add a bit of gravel …
And so tomorrow, its back to school and work. It really has been a great summer holiday. Thanks for the memories!
Track of the week 26/8/18
A happy face
A thumping base
For a loving race
Pic of the week 26/8/18
So this week it was Sam’s turn to collect his exam results and because of (his view) or despite (his mother’s view) his efforts he did well securing 8’s in Maths & Physics, 7’s in Chemistry & Biology, 6’s in English Lang, History & Computer Science (and being just 1 mark of a 7 in Comp Sci) and 5’s in English Lit & French.
He was pleased with that haul, as were we and he will stay at The Blue School to do Maths, Physics & Chemistry as his A levels.
Well done, son!
Track of the week 19/8/18
Aretha Franklin passed away this week.
So which of her songs to make track of the week?
First thoughts was “I say a little prayer” and this would have been a worthy entry. A song dripping with sentiment:
I run for the bus, dear
And while riding I think of us, dear (us, dear)
I say a little (prayer for you)
And at work I just take time
And all through my coffee break time (break time)
I say a little (prayer for you)
But if I’m honest, I prefer the Bomb da Bass version (possibly because this is how I first discovered the song?)
R.E.S.P.E.C.T – a belter, that would have graced the TOTW collection.
But I first “met” Aretha in the film “The Blues Brothers” and I still remember being blown away by the energy and raw power of this track. Think.
Aretha Franklin, 1942 – 2018. Respect.
Pic of the week 19/8/18
Thursday was A level results day, a day that we would discover Sophie’s destiny.
She didn’t disappoint, achieving (drum roll, please):
And she got an A in her EPQ, and we mustn’t forget her B in AS Physics from last year. An excellent, and well deserved haul.
She’s off to Reading University to read Economics in late September, and already the excitement is building. She’s got a place in her first choice Hall of Residence (Bridges)
The start of a whole new chapter in her life.
One very proud Dad.