Something for the weekend Sir?

I've just had quite a nice weekend. I say "quite" because mainly, my life seems to be led at such a pace these days having scarcely time to draw breath.

When I first retired back in April last year, I had some vision in my head of endless empty days stretching out before me and that I would be doing exactly what I wanted with each individual hour that passed. Clearly this was a silly idea and actually, most of the time I'm dashing around doing the very stuff I neglected to do all for 50 years.

Things like cook properly, engage is rudimentary DIY, clean, wash, keep house, become my Mother!

Anyway Saturday found Steen and I at the radio station. Our show goes out on alternate weekends between 2 and 4. It's a mixture of footy, really good tunes and silly banter. A lot of people who listen say they enjoy it very much. Steen does news and views, I do the tunes mostly.

What I like to aim for is a template upon which the listener would always be a little surprised by the next offering. We don't stick to a musical genre and play (I think) some real interesting music for the discerning soul.

Having said that, both Justin Bieber and Jedward made a short appearance on Saturday. This, mainly because (as I said) we like to surprise and both eenie meenie miney mo lover and fight for your right to party are both (in my opinion) what my kids like to call "tunes"

Setting mainstream Pop against stuff like this just floats my boat and, I hope, others too.

Plus you get serious football banter. Can't be bad can it?

Sunday was Steen's birthday. She being a person whose celebrations tend towards an extension over the normal 24 hours with the weekend full of echos and re-inforcements of the important event.

Next year it will be critical for me to remember January 2012 contains a "significant" birthday for Steen and hence, celebrations are likely to last not just for the weekend, but rather over the full week.

As a result of this tendency I've taken to calling her Princess Lady Princess.

It was a nice weekend anyway and, to cap it all, we've nearly mastered this song.

That'll knock their socks off at Minch. (of which more later I think)

JVIP

Bless me Father....etc

It's been a while I know. Steen and I have been busy. Christmas, New Year, families and a secret desire by me to be writing this without the knowledge of anyone around me.

I went for my "consultation" on the 30th Dec. A very pleasent and overwhelmingly competent nurse told me what I should expect at the end of Jan.

I'm going for one of these. This to check whether I'm ok inside.

I'm in a quandary about what to write about today because so much has happened. Over the break I did wonder whether I should rename this column "Tales from the Supermarket" but, common sense says I should keep the thing open and talk about whatever I feel is relevant on the day.

So today, I'm going to talk about three things briefly. Music and Football and Christmas good news.

Music

Steen and I have played about six or seven times publicly since I last posted. Varying audiences from 2 or 3 to about 850. All our performances have been acceptable and could be very much better (as ever)

Steen grows as a guitarist by every day. She practises so hard. Her Atkin is paying huge dividends in terms of the depth of tone and playability it affords her. My old skip is as fast as ever and someone told me I reminded them of Wilco Johnson.

What a compliment!

Football


Unlike (it seems) most other Liverpool supporters, I'm really sad the Board have decided to give up on Roy Hodgson. It's a tough world for any Premiership Manager.

Increasingly, it seems, our media set out to run the world for us.

I do believe (to some extent) the success or failure of managers in a Premiership Football Club is a bit of a lottery. Trouble is, Roy's brand of cognitive repetition stands in the way of some players being able to express themselves fully. Coupled with faint hearts among the playing staff, a breakdown in motivation and you have a recipe for disaster. Someone said to me the other day the corporate structure of LFC is chaotic and borders on the farcical sometimes.

The big risk ,of course, is that King Kenny comes in and it still remains a shitty mess.

Then, and only then will any real changes be made.

Christmas Treats

I met Thumper in Reading over the Christmas. She was back in England from Tarifa. She has worked so hard to come to terms with a brighter reality of my betrayal of her.

That, given everything, it was probably for the best all round, that we moved apart.

So much so, btw, that her Christmas present to me this year is a week in her flat in Spain with Steen. I was taken aback by the her generosity of spirit. She is indeed a total dude of a woman. Amazing!

So...Steen and I are off to Spain in early May, Colon permitting.

In addition to this story of happiness I should say I have wonderful neighbours down the road. They are called Ray and Muriel. They are both about 85. Ray lost his leg in a motorcycle accident at 17. The other day I found him changing the rear brake cylinder on one of these. He's quite a guy.

Anyway, come Christmas Eve, Ray drops round to the door and leaves me with a little package. A grubby old jiffy bag with writing and working-out all over it. He left me with the parting shot of

"just some old bits and pieces I knocked together for you"

Turns out, Ray's Made us a little clock with our Band Logo on it. (see above)

Understandably, I was blown away.

Happy New Year

JVIP