w.atching the w.orld unw.ind

Today's lyric:
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"We met when we were in school
Never took no shit from no one, we weren't fools
The teacher says we're dumb
We're only having fun
We piss on everyone
In the classroom."

The Clash: "Stay free"
From the album: "Give 'em enough rope"

30 years ago, my best mate from college came to dinner, having just spent 6 months in 'open' for drug-related offences. He got easily wrecked on two glasses of whisky and then disappeared abroad, never to be heard from again.

We guessed it was to sever himself from a life which was leading him seriously astray. But he was missed.

Despite regular searches of Friends Reunited etc., we never did manage to make contact again, during the whole lifetime which has unrolled and unravelled since that night.

So when we got home yesterday, and Mrs.D. picked up the postcard from Thailand that Number One Son had left on the 'phone table, all she could repeat was "Oh my God!"

Phil had sent us his e-mail address, with a behest to get in touch? Jeez, there is so much to tell and hear about. Where would you start?

And lord knows from where he got our address?

When we parted for what, I believe, neither of us knew was to be the final time, I forgot to give him the record I'd bought for his release, from which the lyrics above are taken. I've still got the vinyl album. Maybe I'll be able to deliver that gift, one day now?

Labels: Red Letter Days

Today's lyric:
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"Work away today, work away tomorrow.
Never comes the day for my love and me.
I feel her gently sighing as the evening slips away.
If only you knew what's inside of me now
You wouldn't want to know me somehow."

The Moody Blues: "Never comes the day"
From the album: "This is the Moody Blues"

My disappointment about not going wreck-fishing today is not so much the missed opportunity to catch some decent-sized fish but the thwarted plan to spend a day afloat with Number One Son and Ol' Sparky.

I just hope the skipper didn't cry off too prematurely..

Labels: Angling, Anticipation, Boaty things

Today's lyric:
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"I'll pull your arms tight behind you back
Use myself as weight
And wonder while you fade."

Moby: "The Great Escape"
From the album: "Play"

Despite the most serious of misgivings, we may well be afloat tomorrow.

We're providing seven of the crew of eight and very much looking forward to fishing over a wreck in 250' of water.

But if it blows up again - as it did at the weekend - we'll be well pi55ed!

11:37 update
Fcuk.

Fcuk. Fcuk. Fcuk.

Labels: Angling, Boaty things

Today's lyric:
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"Used to sleep through the night peacefully
Not a care in the world got to me
But now I lay me down to sleep
Im afraid of what I might see
I wake up screamin' when your dream goes by."

Albert Lee and Hogan's Heroes: "Wake up screaming"
From the album: "Between the cracks"

>

(Inevitably) drawn back to Pompey again last night to see the inimitable Albert Lee and Hogan's Heroes play at the Eastney Cellars, ably supported by the up-and-coming Lucie Diamond.

Proper blues riffs. Proper honky tonk piano. And proper pedal steel guitar.

Climbed into our pit at 1:00 a.m., ears still ringing from the rockin'.

God - I love live music!

Labels: gigs, Red Letter Days

Today's lyric:
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"God save Myra Hindley
God save Ian Brady
Even though he's horrible and she ain't what you call a lady."

Sex Pistols: "No-one is innocent"
From the album: "Jubilee"

Started to watch "Longford" last night. Jim Broadbent's rendition of the Moors Killer's prison visitor and confidant, but ended up taping the finish as Mrs.D. had reached her customary 'cold point'.

Then the first track on the iPod today - one Ronnie Biggs, belting it out with the Pistols in his own, inimitable stylee.

Sometimes I frighten myself..

Labels: Coincidencery

Today's lyric:
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"Alone with your tweezers and your handkerchief
You murder time and truth, love, laughter and relief
Don't try to touch my heart
It's darker than you think
And don't try to read my mind, because it's full of disappearing ink."

Elvis Costello: "All the rage"
From the album: "All this useless beauty"

Got back from a birthday barbie yesterday and Mrs.D. cooked off some surplus, donated burgers, ready for today's lunch.

Which I plated, covered with kitchen paper and a tea-plate.

And found this morning, plate dislodged, kitchen paper teased and tasted for burger juice, and the burgers themselves 'part enjoyed'.

B@st@rd Burmese.

Labels: Bbq News

Today's lyric:
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"Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and moustaches."

Greek Maria: "My Favourite Things"
From the album: "The Sound of Music"

I love my life as a urologist. Taking the pi55 out of people is a fine and noble sport..

Now - this is not one of my recent, vivid dreams, so tighten your sphincters, folks. Last night, I looked up a bloke's arse.

We had just finished dinner. Well, I'd eaten a plate of solid food and Mrs. D had just consumed her customary bowl of gruel. She eats like that famous actress Reese, with a spoon?

Trapped by a full belly and a tea-tray, I was unable to reach the remote and switch over the programme that burst - with no warning - onto the screen. It was called "Embarrassing Ailments" (or something).

Some 55-year old mush entered a tv quack's studio - sorry, surgery - and disclosed a propensity towards piles.

"And how long have you had them?" asked the solicitous tv quack.

"Since my teens" disclosed the moron.

cue well-rehearsed raising of medical eyebrows

"And why have you decided to come and see me now? after a third of a century of suffering

"They itch."

AFTER 35 YEARS! NO SH1T, SHERLOCK!

So the bloke drops his kaks and lays on his side, whereupon the camera - and with no "If you don't want to see the result, look away now" enjoinder - switches to the other side, to find white-coated matey inspecting the black hole of wherever with a flashlight.

I wonder if I can claim off the insurance for chilli stains to the carpet, because it didn't come with a barf-proof coating?

Enjoy your weekends, y'all.

Labels: Barf-generating tv

Today's lyric:
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"Feeling so tired, can't understand it
Just had a fortnight's sleep
I'm feeling so tired, I'm so distracted
Ain't touched a thing all week

I'm feeling drunk, juiced up, excited
Ain't touched a drink all night
I'm feeling hungry, can't see the reason
Just ate a horse meat pie

Yeah when you call my name
I salivate like a Pavlov dog
Yeah when you lay me out
My heart is beating louder than a big bass drum, alright."

The Rolling Stones: "Bitch"
From the album: "Sticky fingers"

In my still non-alcohol-fuelled dream (the diet-sponsoring GP has persuaded Mrs.D. to 'go for the burn' in order to come off all lifetime-projected, blood pressure-reducing medication, so still no wine for another 3 weeks or so!) I went to a 'place of torture' with several strangers and then spent an hour lying on a bed, equally miffed about not joining in and equally pleased not to be wasting my energies on unrewarding exercise.

At the end of the hour, I went for a beer and by the time I'd finished it, they were ready for their next session.

While I, of course, needed to rest.

"But your dog desperately needs a walk" they chorused, poiting en masse to a supine mini-Dobermann lying on a pillow under a duvet.

"Yeah, right it does" I gave back.

Wtf are all these nightmares coming from?

Maybe it's not the lack of stimulant that's giving me such vivid (and, for me, unusually memorable) dreams?

Perhaps it's the new diet? (Just joshing, Witchy, if you're still out there?)

Labels: Diet, Dreamery

Today's lyric:
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"Was it love, or was it the idea of being in love?
Or was it the hand of fate, that seemed to fit just like a glove?
The moment slipped by and soon the seeds were sown
The year grew late and neither one wanted to remain alone."

Pink Floyd: "A new machine (Part II)"
From the album: "A momentary lapse of reason"

or has Blogland ground to a shuddering halt?

News Dietary:

Mrs.D. has now officially lost 40lbs. She may start to ease back?

Labels: Bereftness, Diet, Health

Today's lyric:
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"Over the nights and through the fires, we went surging down the wires
Through the towns and on the highways
Through the storms in all their thundering
In the blue August moon
In the cool August moon."

Brian Eno: "St. Elmo's Fire"
From the album: "Another green world"

Number One Son returns home from a few days in Kernowland tomorrow.

We are expecting resemblance to a drown'ed rat..

Labels: Climatology

Today's lyric:
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"You can jump off a roof
Maybe you'll fly?
Maybe you'll bounce?
Maybe you'll die?"

Joe Walsh: "Waffle Stomp"
From the album: "Fast times at Ridgmont High"

With sincere apologies to John Keats1795 - 1821

I wandered bogwards for a crap
But someone else had beaten me
I found a floater in the trap
Embalm'ed in another's wee

I jabbed at it with a loo brush
But it glared malevolently
I frantically pushed the flush
But it had neutral buoyancy

I tried and tried for it to drown
And held it under with my shoe
I saw my boot go filthy brown
The fecker stuck like superglue

I moved into the other stall
But there - reposing in the pan
I witnessed another bad call
It seemed I was a stalk'ed man?

I hopefully raised the seat
Looking for an unsoiled bog
I saw the pre-digested meat
An evil, mobile chocolate log

I tried to find a fitting end
To conclude my little ditty?
I tried in vain, my dearest friend
Today, I'm feeling shi

Hmm.

Enjoy your weeekends, y'all...

Labels: Doggerel

Today's lyric:
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"Well it's a shame when you got nobody
And it's a drag when you got no friends
But it's worse when you get no mercy
And you're startin' all over again."

The Tubes: "No mercy"
From the album: "Remote control"

I managed to get the first holding screw out of the iron without too much difficulty.

Then I was confronted by two screws, the heads of which I'd never seen the like of before (and that's after attempting some 20 mends of individual electrical pressing-type appliances during the course of our married life - honestly).

So out to the garage, to try and hacksaw a gap in an otherwise perfectly useable screwdriver, for to remove the remaining pins. Result: one screwed screwdriver.

Eventually, a pair of needle-nose pliers were employed to winkle out the recalcitrant little bu99ers and then the whole gubbins fell out.

At which point, Number One Son entered the kitchen, apprised the situation in a flash and remarked "Father, why do you bother trying to fix irons? You're crap at it."

Out of the mouths...

Labels: Censorship, D.I.Bloody Y.

Today's lyric:
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"I remember when the air was sweet
And I brought home the fish to eat
Now we buy Spam from the grocery store
Cause you can eat the fish no more."

Ry Cooder & Little Village: "Do you want my job?"
From the album: "Little Village"

Buddy and I fished 'under the guns' of Frazer shore battery in Portsmouth on Saturday.

The day started cool and overcast, so sweatshirts were necessary, but pretty soon, as the sun came out, they came off, just as the whole male population of the city's nudists decided to occupy our patch of shingle for their tan-topping-upping.

Todgers to the left, todgers to the right.

All we caught was crabs...

Labels: Angling, Red Letter Days

Today's lyric:
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"It's easy living in a bubble, no complication or trouble
But it's hard to have responsibility.
And judging by you a personality."

Bluetones: "Cut some rug"
From the album: "Expecting to fly"

It seems that the way to get A-listed by a Top Blogger (no link necessary, you're already here) is to threaten to kill them to death. So mote it be.

Ergo one Jamie St. Arbuck (Ergo isn't part of his name, btw) is hereby elevated to the exalted position of my Blogrollcallinglist.

Until Death us do partition (or Ann Noreen Widdecombe becomes my bitch ho - whichever is the sooner.)

I am expecting reciprocity?

Or there will be death.

Labels: Wryness

Today's lyric:
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"Once you're inside they won't take you for a ride
They got a good deal for you and your automobile
For the right price they will sell you fuzzy dice
And leather hand grips for your steering whee ee al."

The Dickies: "Manny, Moe and Jack"
From the album: "Dawn of the Dickies"

This week was to have seen me take off most of what's left of last year's holidays, but events have proved otherwise and I'm now not off until Thursday, which leaves but one day to finish off laying the laminate floor in the kitchen and clean up the fishing tackle in expectation of a day afloat on Saturday, eh Buddy?

Labels: Angling, Boaty things, D.I.Bloody Y.