Nine Feet Underground

Last night I sat (well, lay in the sweet spot between the speakers if I am going to be precise) listened to the Pink Floyd album 'Dark Side Of The Moon' from beginning to end. I have recently bought the 50th Anniversary remaster and wanted to hear what it sounded like.  I haven't listened to it all the way through for a very long time but as it started I became drawn in and wanted to listen to it all.  This post is about what it means to me, after all these years.  Let's get one thing out of the way from the off. My feelings about the album have changed over the years, partly because it became so ubiquitous with too much airplay (familiarity breeds contempt etc) even going through a period of denial during the punk era.  So extreme was my denial of my love for the album, that I sold an original vinyl copy from 1973 (who knew vinyl would become popular and cool again!!) along with a load of other albums as they didn't fit with my revisionist views of music that punk ...

In and out the dusty bluebells! (Are they dusty or dusky, that is the question?) Certain aspects of life are following sinuous, meandering routes but I think the destination is still in sight. As the path becomes clearer I will elaborate further in these hallowed ones and zeroes. We're also making plans for Christmas (not Nigel), something revolutionary (for us, if not for Che) for a change which bring much much fun for all of us, or almost all of us. Since last my binary digits (I was going to write bits, but it sounded decidedly odd) graced this virtual paper, sons 1, 3 and I have visited Liverpool as part of birthday celebrations with Q and then visited Salts Mill in Bradford for lunch with my big sis and her husband followed by a tour of the Hockney exhibition (and the bookshop - oops!).  We haven't seen big sis and husband since our mum's funeral, so a face-to-face catch up was overdue.  It was also an opportunity for Q to meet them, so now she's met both my sister...

My last full day in Liverpool for a week. 😔 I've just had my haircut in a local barbershop and managed not to discuss football,  a narrow escape after last weekend's VAR controversy and the team I follow.  Instead, the barber chatted about Wroclaw, where he spends a lot of time and has a house. Last Saturday night, after the controversial result the taxi driver who took us home, was almost in tears.  I've certainly noticed the level of the River Mersey rise since last weekend. It's an open day at the university today, so Q is there representing on behalf of Education. Exciting times are ahead, potentially, as we have been booking a big house for Christmas with our collective set of children and maybe some partners.  Not only that, there are gigs booked and maybe a trip to Berlin in early December. Talking of music, there's so much I could share that I don't know where to begin...maybe I'll insert several tunes here, for a change. Cardiacs /  'Day Is Gon...

Still in Liverpool, a city that is fast establishing itself as one of my favourite English cities and that isn't just due to the inhabitants.  The Idler Drinks returned yesterday and it was great to catch up with friends, even though I was distracted through much of the post-call chat for domestic reasons.  The guest was the economist Guy Standing who talked about Basic Income, the precariat and in particular time and the politics thereof.  Fascinating and radical stuff and not only does he talk about it but he is also working with governments on experiments to make it a reality. I've just booked tickets to see Gong and Ozric Tentacles in Liverpool in December and music is very much on my mind, and this post is an excuse for more... CV Vision /  'Die Reise ins Innere'   / 'Im Tal der Stutzer' [[] ]

I'm writing this in Liverpool, as Q moved back into her house on Friday afternoon after three weeks away while the bathroom was replaced post-fire.  There's still more to be done - a bit more inside and some roof and guttering repairs outside. I arrived on Saturday afternoon after perhaps the longest journey north yet.  The best thing about the journey was that the lengthy detour through Shropshire and Cheshire took me past the former RAF Tern Hill and not far from RAF Shawbury. Whatever is able to increase the buoyancy of your waterborne transport. Timely arrival was key as we were due to out early evening for a meal with some good friends who are spending the weekend in the city.  We had booked a table at an Italian restaurant in the city centre.  We had a great meal with lots of chat and wonderful company. It's been too long. We must meet again soon - next time with the "boys".  One thing that struck me is a Saturday night in Liverpool is very friendly....