Too Hot

Well it has been hot here in the North East.By our standards, 20c is pretty damn hot.

The weekend was fine we went (for the wife and me for the first time) to Nando's in town- my daughter's favourite restaurant. It's a funny place, sort of a hybrid of Pizza Hut and McDonalds but my portobello mushroom and haloumi cheese burger was surprisingly tasty. I liked the peri peri salted chips I chose as well but I was thirsty for the rest of the day! A quick bit of Googling reveals this Anyway it was OK but we wont be rushing back as the veggie selection was limited.
It was too hot for me to go for my run yesterday so I took the dog on a longer than usual second walk instead, he was exhausted at the end of it.

Stayed up late Friday and Saturday for the BBC Glastonbury coverage. They didn't show much of Neil Young (boo) but we did get a big chunk of The Boss.If things had been different i.e. my wife hadn't fallen out with her sister- (see here) I might have been at Hyde Park on Sunday to see him. I was almost converted to the cause by watching him perform at Glastonbury. He is a proper showman and showed respect to his audience and the occasion.

The rest of the TV coverage was predictable but it still made me want to be there, only not as much as in previous years. Our last festival was T in the Park some five years ago. Never much fancied Glastonbury - too many weirdo hippy associations from the late 70's and early 80's for me.

Parenthood

The wife and me are back on speaking terms but quite cool.My daughter has got over her disappointment much quicker than the wife.Life goes on when you're young.There are always more opportunities and doors to open for you because you have time on your side. Its only when you're older you realise that opportunities don't always knock twice.

My son is off in Germany on his post A level Deutch tour with his mate.This song by German Punk Band Die Toten Hosen is one of his favourite songs, although he says he prefers German rap. This song is sort of a companion to James' Sit Down and Chumbuwumbas Knocked Down (its called Steh Auf- Stand Up-) and its quite uplifting my son says and apparently about dealing with adversity, as in Steh Auf wenn du am boden bist- Stand up when you're on the floor.Sorry my German is almost non existent and between me and Babbelfish that was the best I could do. I suppose a more free translation would be Get up off the floor and carry on.Anyway its a cracking song.

Die Toten Hosen- Steh Auf

That's for you Guy. Enjoy your tour round your beloved Germany.Come back safe

Intuition

In my last post I talked about a vague sense of unease. It turned out that my daughter did not get into ATP at Dance City after yesterday's second audition. My wife has taken it very badly and we are not speaking. The inquest will begin when my daughter returns from a sleepover. I slept on the sofa last night. Sometimes my wife is a c*nt.

So I have always felt I have some form of intuituion but it is not clear and is not sufficient to guide me. Shame but I knew a storm was coming- does that make me a bit like thoise animals that run away unexpectedly just before something bad happens?

There is always music. This is a band I have liked for a few years. They are from Northumberland and did almost make it a year or so ago but like so many bands they fell by the wayside. To my shame I never bothered myself to see them live which I regret (like I regret never bothering to see The Smiths)

Anyway see if you like them. Derek the singer and driving force behind the band still gigs around Northumberland- mostly acoustic nights. They have a myspace site where you can check out more songs and gigs.

Clear Blue Skies- Teach Me To Stand

Vague feeling of unease

Duuno what's up with me. I have a feeling that something is going to happen. I think it may be bad, but I don't know. I am just slightly "twitchy" could be one of the usual things that bother me (see previous post on stress) but it may also be nothing.

Anyway, it's Friday- Hurrah!!so almost the weekend. Not doing much. Most of Saturday will be taken up by my daughter's dance audition (Round Two) for Dance City. We have to sit through a presentation and then be interviewed.WTF! At least weather wise it looks better for the Summer Solstice.Oh yes I'll be out there in the back garden naked at dawn with my bottle of cider, music blaring!

My running schedule has now officially started , no weight loss to speak of yet but it will come.

The Jumpin' Hot Club has its annual Reggae weekend at The Cluny here in Newcastle starting tommorrow. I could go but I can't face the thought of all those beards and sandals and warm Red Stripe. Derek Morgan is playing. Here is his best known duet with Patsy Todd, a song I have long since loved

Housewife's Choice

Now that has cheered me up. "Hey, hey, hey, hey!!"

Music

Bit of a quiet time in the Cowhut life. The academic frenzy of GCSEs and A levels has calmed down and by Friday will be all over.I can only hope that the kids have done well. The Summer sun seems to be continuing (if a bit more intermittent than before). Bought a new car over the weekend.Back to a Citroen C3 downsized from a Picasso. The wife is happier. Got absolutely soaked to the skin on my run yesterday but at least it was warm rain.

Music. I've listened a lot to this band whom I mentioned in my last post- Hope and Social. This is is a free track they posted on their website in the run up to the release of their superb Architect of the Church CD. Listen to this and if you like it go to their website (see link in post below this one) and buy the CD. You can download it - complete with artwork for as little as 1 pence.

Its Gone- Hope and Social

This band remind me of Embrace which is in my book a very good thing

Alone Again Or?

I'm in the house alone. Son is at the cinema, he is driving his mates there!!! Daughter is at Girls Aloud at the Arena. Wife is out with work. I don't get many nights on my own. I am enjoying it. I'm playing music loud, I mean LOUD.

The dog has put himself to bed, I am alone.

I'm listening to Fleet Foxes, lots of Northern Soul and this band Hope&Social

Voting Day

Here in UK and Europa land its election time. Now I am a pretty cynical middle aged voter and the last few weeks of Torygraph disclosures about MP expenses haven't endeared our political masters to me, but I will vote as usual. I believe its the least I can do (indeed it is the only "political" thing I do).

On the other hand, my 18 year old son is, by his own admission, "quite excited" about having a chance to vote for the first time. This has made me think that voting, often derided as not important, really is an important part of our democracy.So important that I believe it should be made compulsory to vote as I think it is in Australia. Come on, 5 minutes every year is not too much to ask of the people, is it?

So we are off en famille to vote tonight. I remember voting in Hulme, Manchester as a young man.We arrived at the Polling staion at the same time as our neighbours , a gruff Scottish couple probably no older than us but with three kids. It was apparently the first time of voting for the woman who said to her man "What do I do?". " Vote Labour" was the reply. Aaah it was so easy in the early Eighties. Whatever you don't do today, make sure you DO vote. I don't care who you vote for (if you want to vote BNP then that is your right, you racist moron) but please exercise your right to do so. Think of all the young 18 year olds like my son who are "quite excited" about voting.Remember that in some countries you can't vote. Remember that by voting you can change the world (Obama?). And if after all you don't vote, then you get what you deserve.

Midweek

Where do the days go? We have had glorious hot and sunny weather since Saturday. Its a bit cooler today but still warm.Work is hectic and I have upped my exercise so I am feeling more positive than I was a few weeks ago.

GCSE's and A2s are in full swing so kids are a bit frazzled, but in two weeks time they will all be over and then we just have the long wait for the results.

Sunny weather always makes me dig out the Beach Boys and reggae/ska tunes.Its sunny I'm hot and In the Mood for Ska