Grateful Dead & Hospital Dates !!

Greetings World's !!

I hope your bit of the Universe is treating you well, this fine & Sunny day ?! Here in England, I can look out, right over the beach & can see the sea coming ashore. It must be tide changing time - there are some white waves coming in.... it looks pretty good.

It's another Thursday.... a really strange day...... to explain.

I've been waiting a while, to hear about if I was going to have any more surgeries. In particular, I've been waiting for any kind of news, concerning a second skin graft. Well - today, things are moving right along !!

Not only has a nurse been, to see me, but - in the post - I've had 2 letters from the hospital, in Exeter. The first one, well.... that's from the Consultant, who wants to see me (again) on April 30th - I'm guessing to check me over & see how the back is doing. The second one is to actually give me a time & date, to have the next surgery - that's booked for May 12th !!

"Wow" - things are really coming along.... I wait for what seems like forever, to hear any news & suddenly, it all happens at once !! That can't be bad..... I hope now, that things will not get cancelled, that would be a real bummer !!

The nurse that came, wanted to check me out for another 'Vac pump'...... to see how & where it can be fitted. She seems to think I won't need one - or if I do, it will be an interesting "fit" - mainly as the hole in my back is sooooo much smaller than it was !! Oh well.......

If I do have one fitted, it will start next Monday - so, I will have to find a suitable name for it !! The first one was called "Rover" - as it had to go, everywhere I went... and the second was called "Curiosity" - as a sort of reference to the Mars rover. You know, the one that has been sending back fantastic images of the Martian surface. Oh well.... if it all happens, I'll find a name for it....

Moving on.... I forgot to mention the family !!

As I type, I'm here, on my own...... listening to the Grateful Dead, at just below deafening !! The ladies of the house, well - they waited until the nurse left (in case I needed help) and are now heading over to Taunton, to do some shopping. Our lovely Daughter wanted to go into a particular shop, so B went with her.

J - our Son - is over in Wales..... so, I'm home alone !! Looking around me, I can't see any of the cats, so - I really am here, on my own !! Better turn the music up, just a little louder.... !!

At the moment - and for some hours to come - I'm playing a 4 Cd set, from the Dead's April 1971 concerts, at New York's 'Fillmore East'. It's a great set of music - covering so many classic songs. The tracks are:

CD 1

  1) Truckin'
  2) Bertha
  3) Next Time You See Me
  4) Beat It On Down The Line
  5) Bird Song
  6) Dark Hollow
  7) Second That Emotion
  8) Me & My Uncle
  9) Cumberland Blues
10) Good Loving
11) Drums
12) Good Loving

CD 2

1) Sugar Magnolia
2) Loser
3) Ain't It Crazy (The Rub)
4) El Paso
5) I'm A King Bee
6) Ripple
7) Me & Bobby McGee
8) Uncle John's Band
9) Turn On Your Lovelight

CD 3

  1) China Cat Sunflower
  2) I Know You Rider
  3) It Hurts Me Too
  4) Sing Me Back Home
  5) Hard To Handle
  6) Dark Star
  7) St. Stephen
  8) Not Fade Away
  9) Going' Down The Road Feeling Band
10) Not Fade Away

CD 4

  1) Morning Dew
  2) New Minglewood Blues
  3) Wharf Rat
  4) Alligator
  5) Drums
  6) Jam
  7) Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad
  8) Cold Rain & Snow
  9) Casey Jones
10) In The Midnight Hour
11) We Bid You Goodnight

Ok - so they repeat a couple of the songs - and you get 2 sets of drum solo's..... but, it's still a fantastic set !! Thankfully, since Cd's came out some 30 years ago... or when ever it was, sets like this, well - they come into their own !! On Lp's there never could be a collection, like this one. Not only would it of meant loads of discs - but, the whole "flow" of the music been missing, as you had to change the records !!

Yesterday, I played several albums, on vinyl - and, to be honest, it was fun - just to hear them again, crackles & all.... but, for convenience, I can't fault the multi play Cd decks !! Oh well....

I was thinking, about which Grateful Dead album it was, that got me started..... which one it was, that meant so much to me, that I bought more & more, afterwards.

There are 2 really.... I guess.

First off, I have to give a mention, to a 3 Lp set, that came out featuring several bands, that played at the 1971 Glastonbury Fayre, here in Somerset. It was a great few days...... anyhoo, on this 3 Lp set, there is a whole side, of vinyl, with the Dead playing 'Dark Star'..... or I think it does, it's been a while since I dug it out & played it !!

The Grateful Dead were not at the Fayre, but - it was one of those Lp's that sparked off a liking for them. As mentioned (many times) before.... I always liked 'live' albums & to have a 3 Lp set, with the Dead playing on a whole side... well that was great !!

From that first real  taste of them live - I bought the 3 Lp set 'Europe '72'...... which had, for me, the defining track - the one that really got a hook into me - '(Walk Me Out In The) Morning Dew' !!

Ok - I know I have collected several  versions of that song, over the years..... one by Blackfoot, live at Knebworth, in 1985 stands out - but, the Dead's version, on that album always brings home the memories !!  The tracks on the 'Europe '72' album are:

  1) Cumberland Blues
  2) He's Gone
  3) One More Saturday Night
  4) Jack Straw
  5) You Win Again
  6) China Cat Sunflower
  7) I Know You Rider
  8) Brown-Eyed Woman
  9) Hurts Me Too
10) Ramble On Rose
11) Sugar Magnolia
12) Mr Charlie
13) Tennessee Jed
14) Truckin'
15) Epilogue
16) Prelude
17) (Walk Me Out In The) Morning Dew

It's a great album - so, if you get chance - give it a listen !! Side 6, of the vinyl version, starts with 'Truckin' and just goes on it's merry way from there..... it's a fantastic bit of music & a fantastic piece of memory jerking for your's truly !!

Moving away, from music...

B bought me the latest installment of 'The Hobbit' on DVD !! I love it - tho' - I've got to be honest - I've not watched it all the ways thru' yet !! B has wanted to watch it, with me.... so, we are looking at it, in sections...... a bit frustrating, but I'm enjoying it !!

I've got the DVD version - when it comes out,  or if it comes out, in a longer version - I'll get the "Blue Ray" then........ it seemed dumb to get both versions, on Blue Ray - especially as the DVD was only £8 !! A bit of a bargain really....... Oh well !!

Ok - my plans for the day   ?

Well, now that the nurse has been & gone, I might go upstairs & read some more of the 'Game Of Thrones' book...... I need to crack on with it - just to try & get to the end, before I go into the hospital. I know that's not going to be - if at all - for a few weeks, but.... I want to get it finished !! It's a good read & I want to get to the end of it...... after all, I have the 5th book here, as well - so, I hope I will be on that one, if I land up staying in the hospital, for any length of time !!

If the surgery goes ahead - it will be almost one year, since the first one !! May 28th last year & May 12 this year !! I never thought I was letting myself in for all of this - it's Ok really.... I'm a little pissed, that it has taken sooooo long, but these things happen, I guess !!

Right, I must away - I have a book to read.....

As always, I thank you for taking the time, to log in & read my words....... until next time...

Bye Bye