Nine Feet Underground

Only my second post in June and the month is almost over! I have been busy being and doing, hence only a little posted here.  Life changes and priorities change.   The 'return to running programme' took a hit with the recurrence of right knee pain, something that has dogged me ever since my knee operation way back when.  Arthroscopy I believe is the word.  I think the meniscus was mentioned too. There are some exercises which strengthen some muscles that hold the knee cap in place, but I've forgotten what they are. I used to have a book called 'The Runners Repair Handbook' (or something like that) but I gave it away as I thought I'd never run again. Never say never.  I guess Google is the answer.  It would help if I could remember what the muscles are called.  The walking has slowed down too, as even that hurts my knee but with exercises (see earlier), this should return to normal. I hope. Despite exercising less, I've still continued to lose weig...

Midway through the second week of C25K.  It's not been too bad though my knees seem to be taking a battering, like cod, but so far no chips. None that I can see at least. If this doesn't go well I'll change it to C25KC. Couch to 5K couch. Better for the knees. Can you get a 5K couch? Seems a lot to pay. I am feeling better for it and appear to have lost some weight too, probably in the form of marbles. Life has been busy lately. Apart from building a shed with the help of sons 1 and 3, I've also been getting organised for upcoming holidays and continuing my clearing/decluttering processes. I've also visited Q in Liverpool, where I attended last week's Idler.  The guest last week was Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music fame, amongst many other musical exploits.  He's got an autobiography titled, ' Revolución to Roxy ', which I've read and enjoyed. Best of all, I got to ask him a question.  As Q put it at the time, I went full fanboy. As if. This post has...

We're going away on holiday in July to somewhere which is expected to be very hot.  The Johnny Cash look will probably not cut it.  Certainly not my favourite black T-shirts. Consequently, I've been looking for some cooler clothes, in all senses of the word, naturellement.  As part of this process, I made a horrifying discovery. Either a lot of my clothes, especially shorts and shirts, have shrunk or, as it more likely seems, I have put on a fair bit of weight. Where have I put it on? Mostly around my middle, which we're told, is the worst place to gain weight for the more mature (in some ways) adult. This discovery has led to two remedial (I should be so lucky!) actions. I need to exercise more (well, at all would be more like the truth of late). I must cut out sugar from my diet. No more M6 Snickers.  I am debating the future of the almond croissant (and even better, the chocolate and almond croissant). Not for the whole world, so no need to worry, just for me. I u...

The last time I wrote here, April was disappearing into the sunset. Given the amount of cloud and rain during the month, that was more metaphorical than literal. Ho, hum, pig's bum! It may or not be the case.  Scrub that: it May be, is. What's the craic, I 'hear' you ask? It's a game of two halves, to be 'honest'. Allegedly, I am a 'parrot', sleep-wise, though not as sick as one. Over to you, Barry. It's alright, I'm just messin'. I am toying with the idea of attempting to write entirely in clichés, but mixing them up and playing with them for the linguistic fun of it. I could try to do that, but it would take a while and I have other things I want to say today.  So, it's time to get down to business.  Nose to the grindstone. Shoulder to the wheel. Pull my socks up. This post is not going to write itself. Sadly, for all concerned, E's health seems to have plateaued again. I'm not sure who this benefits, not her nor our sons wh...

May is approaching fast,  yet the tendrils of winter are still upon us.  I'm trying to stick to wearing T-shirts, but it's becoming a challenge.  (N.B. Not just T-shirts, ofc.) In sharp contrast to the missing spring weather here, 'Married At First Sight Australia' brings a lot of sunshine, be it from Sydney, the Gold Coast, Perth or wherever.  As many of you know, I am a regular viewer, in fact, you might even say I am a 'fan' (Steady on!)  There are some solid reasons for this (see me to discuss), but I won't write about those reasons here. Instead, I am going discuss some of the phrases that appear to be common parlance amongst Australians of a certain age, or maybe all Australians. (I could write about the fact that men don't seem to wear socks with shoes, but I'll skip that. Just an observation.) 'It's not my jam': You might think this is a phrase to be used in a kitchen. I don't really like jam (though I do like marmalade), so i...

Today looks a little more Spring-like - it's less cloudy, there's been some sunshine and so far, no rain. As the woman on the bread stall said earlier, it is a bit fresh though. I'm gradually switching over to wearing T-shirts, in a bid to either encourage a change in the weather or become as tough as a Geordie - whichever comes first.  There is a third option, but we'll ignore that for now. It's Syd Barrett/'Have You Got It Yet?' if you're asking. I think I will be having a quiet Saturday, apart from the usual things that Saturday entails.  It is Record Store Day today, but as I'm trying to break away from physical media, then I'm just letting it happen. I'm still not convinced about the vinyl solution, apart from the aesthetics of the sleeve. Musically, I'm heading for the High-Res saloon. This week, I have mostly been listening to the new albums by The High Llamas ('Hey Panda') and Julia Holter ('Something In The Room She M...

There are a million thoughts all clamouring to escape, but it's not possible to write so many parallel thoughts and be intelligible even though it is possible to think them simultaneously. Life as a Venn diagram.  Separate parts of life coalesce into one life: the intersections overlap entirely into a single set, containing everything. Ziggy Stardust final show; Pandas; M. John Harrison; dipole centre cut at 300Mhz; walking boots; clutter/decluttering; Vinted; Logotherapy; Tom's Studio; Berlin; Bandpass filter; Phaedra; Eternity (CK); MAFSA; Some Velvet Morning; LIBSO; Friars Aylesbury; Amsterdam; ROPAL; noise annoys; Prague; stasis; Drag City; Cork; and so on. Live every day as if it is the last, in whatever way that works for you. (Make it so) The High Lamas /  'Hey Panda'   / 'Hey Panda' [[ ]]

We're well into April, but this is my first post.  Why?  Choose one from the following list: Couldn't be bothered; Abducted by aliens; Busy 'doing' life; or,  all of the above. Since my last post I've spent a few days in my adopted second home of Liverpool.  During this stay, Q and I went and saw a celebration of the songs of Lennon & McCartney called ' Come Together ', watched the film ' Wicked Little Letters ' at the Everyman cinema, and saw Say She She live at Hangar 34. That's retirement! (To be sung and crowbar-ed into 'That's Entertainment' by The Jam. Give it a go, it doesn't really fit, but if you try hard enough...) 'Come Together' was well-performed and, a times, funny, though it did play fast and loose with the facts.  In particular, I'm damn sure they implied that 'Abbey Road' was recorded AFTER 'Let It Be', which it clearly wasn't.  Not only that, but the linking segments omitted a...

Another delayed post.  There is too much going on whilst I am at home to manage to stick to plans. E has definitely stabilised to the extent that I have decided, in agreement with my sons, that I am just going to go ahead and follow my plans. She is still on medication, but I don't think she's in any hurry to go anywhere, even though her quality of life is the lowest it's ever been. For the past couple of weeks, maybe more, she has slept 99% of the time.  Set against this, now that I have the time to do what I want with my time, I really need to start doing it. Last week's brief stay with Q reminded me how much better I feel when I am not 'stuck' here. I always do everything in my power to make sure my time away runs smoothly for E and for my sons.  There's one more thing I need to organise, just in case, but then I must put myself first.  This is my new approach to things. Since I last wrote here I went to the preview screening of this documentary: ' Th...

I had planned to write this post yesterday, but it was a bit of a day for E and thus for me. It started first thing after E had suffered a bad night which resulted in her struggling to breathe easily.  This caused her to panic and it took an extra dose of sedative to gradually bring things under control.  First thing this morning her breathing was normal again and she was calmer. Today we have taken the first steps to reduce her daily intake of sedative but not the pain relief.  If she continues to be asleep all or the majority of the time, even with the reduction of the sedative, then this will suggest that her sleepiness is part of a process of decline. I had a lot of time to think yesterday, either whilst nurses were here (two separate visits) or whilst waiting for medication, during which time I found myself considering the nature of hell.  I came to the realisation that if it existed (which I don't think it does) it would be very different to the eternal fire th...