The tree has gone.....

Well "Hello" Worlds !!

How has your day gone so far - actually - it's the weekend, so - how has your "weekend" gone so far ?! Mine is buzzing alone quite nicely - tho' I'm a little pissed off with the BBC.. to explain.....

We like watching the motor sport, be it F1 or (better still) the MotoGP..... bike racing. Well, according to the paper, the latter should be on, as I type - but... I'm buggered if I can find it anywhere !! Nevermind - I'll try again, a little later.... it's not that important !!

First off.... the family !!

B & J are both here - upstairs, someplace, sorting out the various beds - getting their (more than weekly) bedding change. J has done his - even putting it into the washing machine - he is well trained !! B - well, she is doing our bed (as I type) and that takes a bit longer.'''' mainly as it's 3 times the size, that she is !!

As for the other member of the family, our Daughter ME - well, she is working again, this weekend.... which is a shame. However - it is a holiday weekend & she gets Monday off... so, that's a bonus. It means she will be able to spend the day, with her boyfriend M.... they seldom get week days together !!

As for me - well, I've been out of bed, about an hour (time now, 11.51am) - so, I'm gradually waking up !! It usually takes me about this long, to work out what day it is & what is happening with my plans of the day !! Nevermind - it's a Saturday & life is good..... sort of !!

To explain that.....

I've spent quite a bit of time, trying to put the longest tracks, from the Allman's live sets, onto a playlist - ready to transfer over to the Mini Egg. If you've read any of my posts, over the last week, you'll see I've been going on about this, for some days now !!

Well - yesterday evening, I thought I had cracked it...... I had started with over 400 tracks & got it down to 141 different ones - all the longest of their own particular song. Things were looking good - until I played part of the playlist, this morning...... then the "bummer" hit the wall !!

I had a version of - what was listed as - 'Statesboro' Blues'...... however, when it played - it was something totally different & one I already had !! So - I've deleted that one & will now have to go thru' the CD's (again) looking for the above track !! "Bummer" !!

But nevermind - it's only one track - it could be & probably will be worse... as I have no doubt that I will find others, that I have duplicated !! Live goes on - plus, it will give me something to do - looking thru' the Cd's again !! Moving on.......

The music of the moment is the beautiful Joan Baez Lp 'From Every Stage'... which I found a few weeks back, in the local 2nd hand music shop. As I've managed to get some blank Cd's this week - I will try & transfer the Lp's over to Cd's - and to that end, I've got the timer going, just incase, it will fit onto one Cd..... I can tell already, that it's going to be too long.... oh well.....

'Joe Hill' has just played..... I can remember my Mother singing this particular song, many, many, many Moons ago.... it was one of her favorites & whenever I played the old 'Woodstock' 2 Lp set - and the track came on, she would sing it at the top of her voice.

I found out a few years later that she wasn't the nice person I thought she was - infact, she was really a bitch... and I say that, knowing full well I will be the butt of "You shouldn't say that about your Mother" thoughts - but - believe me.... with the benefit of many years experience & "knowing what I know now" thoughts... she was a first class bitch - but, I still remember her singing !!

The tracks on the Lp are:

Side 1

1) (I Ain't Gonna Let Nobody) Turn Me Around
2) Blessed Are
3) Suzanne
4) Love Song To A Stranger
5) I Shall Be Released

Side 2

1) Blowing In The Wind
2) Stewball
3) Natalia
4) The Ballad Of Sacco & Vanzetti
5) Joe Hill

Side 3

1) Love Is Just A Four-Letter Word
2) Forever Young
3) Diamonds & Rust
4) Boulder To Birmingham
5) Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Side 4

1) Please Come To Boston
2) Lily, Rosemary & The Jack Of Hearts
3) The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
4) Amazing Grace

The first Lp is an acoustic  set - and the 2nd Lp is an electric set. There are too many good, stand out tracks... but, my favorite has to be the cover of Dylan's 'Lily, Rosemary & The Jack Of Hearts' - I'll always like that one, it's well good !!

It's going to be far too long, for just one Cd - so, I'll work on that, later in the coming week. It'll give me something "extra" to do.... plus the painting & various other odd & ends, I have lined up - just to keep me from looking for the "Magic Pill". Oh yes - Lady B..... given the chance.... well.... you know what I mean !!

Actually - apart from the pain, the lack sleep and the various other crap things, that go to make up my life - on the whole, things are going along quite well, at the moment !!

On Friday, of next week, I will have my last meeting with the Consultant... before the surgery. From that meeting - it will be 17 days, until I actually go into the hospital - 18 days to the surgery.... probably 18 days to the surgery. Altho' I go into the hospital, on the Monday - we think, it will be the Tuesday, when I go into the
theatre !! That's something to look forward to !!

Then - it will be a day or two in bed, a few more days to get up & about.... giving the staff the run-a-round & - then, hopefully - after a few more days... I'll head for home & get used to what new wonders they have done to me !!

One question, that keeps coming up..... As they are going to remove a chunk of my spine & - then - joining the rest back together... will I be shorter, or possibly taller when they have finished ?! That's something to work out, when it's all over..... it'll be fun to measure myself up, before & after !! Oh well....

If - at the last meeting, next week - he decides, that they are not going ahead with the surgery, for whatever reason.... I will be totally gutted !! I kid you not..... if this doesn't happen... well, there won't be much worth writing about afterwards & that's for sure !!

We talk about the surgery being a "life changing" thing.... if, for me it gets cancelled now... I think it will be a life ending thing........ as I say, I won't have much to write about, if it doesn't happen, now - having waited these past 5 months, give or take !! Time will tell......

I did a quick 2nd post yesterday... I was playing one of the Lp's I bought in the week.... and it had Tom Rush's 'Driving Wheel' on it... it dragged up sooooo many old memories for me - having been at school, in my last year (I guess) when the record came out..... oh, "The good old days" !! Moving on... sort of...

I've always enjoyed listening to Tom Rush.... but, I only have one Cd by him...... so, to end that lack of stuff, by the man from Canada... I've ordered 4 of his albums, on Cd..... one of which includes the beautiful 'Driving Wheel' !! Music - more music.... and very few brain cells to play them on....Ain't life good ?!

Oh - before I go.... the man came & took away the tree....... It was kind of sad, to see it go - but, hopefully, it will get to grow to a right old size & have a full & green life !! I must away....

..... thanks everybody..... until next time..

Bye Bye