The Price of Love

Lyrics here BTW. Song here for those with a computer that doesn't need one off the wrist to keep it going.

I've been paying too much attention to this web site. As opposed, Ladies and Gentleman, to this web site. That's why I must have slipped, just for a second, into the vernacular.

I've had a time over the last few days. By "time" I mean the usual head chatter, nonsense, short quiet periods of brief respite and a silent head.

Friday, think I said, an evening with the proto-leader writers of this newspaper. Two ex-colleagues. I say "ex" quite thankfully. Not without pain either though. I'm just changing. OK ?

Saturday. The day with a "turd" in the middle. So it turned out.

Although the early day was great because I saw my lovely child Juniper. We did Indian in the garden.

Later, out to a little old 40th wedding anniversary party near here.

The host, a wonderful man with a wonderful talent to be this guy. Oh, if it were me !

The hostess, a children's writer, sharp and funny and a talent for doing this

So a lovely evening, marred only by best friend telling me it was all over with his partner. He's finally realised he's got crap radar and a very warm and generous heart. Goodness, that boy has suffered trying to make it work. More than me....that is for sure.

So a tricky evening for me. but quite groovy cus I met a guy called Stuart and talked about the red's and the blue's all night. No no no ........not Sir Alex V's Mr M. No indeed. A battle between a guy who looks like Peter Kay on drugs since he got that beard and, compellingly, another Scotsman who is proving to be quite a responsive and thought-out bloke. Yep, we talked Liverpool and Everton all evening between listening and watching to this lot and this lot.

Busy time. In the background...pip pip pip pip pip.

Sunday, the joy of Pip, my bike, a summer's afternoon and an evening to just die for. Entering into (what you know by now)and what is now known (officially) as an "overwhelmingly holistic experience" It was groovy.

Journey home was characterised by your correspondent finding out how, at last, to work a BMW R100CS gearbox properly. Duh !

Home to Thumper and Pizza. My boy (emotionally absent) still not very well but putting brave face on having tummy things going on.

Today. The release of work. Focused on my Policy document. Finished now and submitted. I will have my way !!!

Saw a poor lad in the afternoon who may go on to actually kill someone if we're not careful.

I say "poor" because this woman let him down by telling him there was no such thing as society.

A casualty of the modern world. When I saw the offences of this 18 year-old-boy on paper, I was just stunned. Meeting him, I thought, would be a daunting prospect. What I found, importantly, was a boy who is out of his depth, with no education, a load of labels around his neck given to him by doctors who should know better and, an intellect to die for.

I told him about education, I told him my story, I told him about learning to read at 15 and doing a degree at 37. The struggle ! How books change the world. The pen is mightier than the sword etc etc etc.

He looked at me and said, "I ain't doing your programme so don't start that hippy shit"

I just love him !

If there are people like that out there, if they are educated, if they are given stuff to do......if Tony Blair....you really had been tough on the causes of crime boys like this would probably have had more opportunity to make a mark, other than a just a stain.

Gonna talk to Pip on here in a minute. Looking forward to it.

JVIP