"Shadows of the past.." Gary Moore

Greetings World's !!

It's a wet & thundery Saturday, here in the South-West of England...... and - I don't think I've written anything... well, for a day or two at least !! Sorry about that - I will try to do better !!

To be honest - very little has happened here !! I could write about the various bits of fur, that the cats have left behind, but that would take a few days, just to pick them all up & identify which cat the fur belonged too !! Nevermind.... it's all good.

Because of the rain - all 4 of our moggies are in.... that's unusual, in itself !! But - it really has been wet outside - so, I can't really complain too much about them !! Heck - we would worry, if we didn't see them... at least once a day !!

So - as I type, B is sat over to my left, doing a cross stitch... and, as far as I can see, one of the cats - the eldest "Smudge" is just sat here, trying to look innocent. "Yeah right !!". All cats can look sweet - but, they can also turn & try to scratch your eyes out - without too much warning !! No - really... they are not that bad....

Maybe it's something I wrote - but B has decided to leave me here & has gone up, to her craft-room. I hope it wasn't something I did - oh well - I'm sure she will tell me, if indeed I did do something to upset her !!

So - with B going upstairs... I am now, sat here - on my own !! I did have the TV on... but, I've given up on that & I am now listening to a really good 2 Cd set, recorded at the famous Madison Square Garden, in New York, featuring Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood...... I'm not sure, if it had a name, other than 'Live'.... but, the tracks are:

CD 1

  1) Had To Cry Today
  2) Low Down
  3) Them Changes
  4) Forever Man
  5) Sleeping On The Ground
  6) Presence Of The Lord
  7) Glad
  8) Well All Right
  9) Double Trouble
10) Pearly Queen
11) Tell The Truth
12) No face, No Name, No Number

CD 2

1) After Midnight
2) Split Decision
3) Ramblin' On My Mind
4) Georgia On My Mind
5) Little Wing
6) Voodoo Chile
7) Can't Find My Way Home
8) Dear Mr Fantasy
9) Cocaine

If you know anything, about these 2 gents - you will recognize a whole bundle of these tracks !! Some solo stuff, plus things from various bands & sessions......... the latter - well...... Mr Winwood played organ, on Jimi Hendrix's 'Voodoo Chile'... so, it's kind of fitting, that they do a brilliant version, on this recording !!

I'm talking about the long version, of the track - from the 'Electric Ladyland' album. Hendrix on guitar, Jack Casady on bass....plus Steve Winwood on organ.... a really good track & - if you haven't already got yourself a copy, go & buy one !!

It took me a very long time, before I actually bought a copy.... I seemed to have it, on a semi-permanent loan, from a guy I worked with, at the time. He didn't seem to mind & I sure as heck wasn't complaining....

I think, and that's kind of dangerous (thinking) that I bought it, on pre-recorded cassette tape - probably around 1974-1975....... around the same time as I bought my first really good "Hi-fi" set up...... it included a top of the line, for it's time, cassette deck - so I used to buy a lot of tapes, instead of the Lp versions !!

Now, of course - things have moved on.... tapes have all but disappeared & it's mostly Cd's on the shelves. Ok - I know you can still buy vinyl albums - but.... having sold off, nearly all of old Lp's.... I seem to only buy second hand Lp's... if I see them.... nevermind !!

I see, from the adverts on TV - the latest bunch of Led Zeppelin re-issues have come out... or, are about to come out !! I'm not sure exactly which albums have been released - but, they must be better than the first 3 !! Honestly - I am a Zeppelin fan.... but, those albums - the re-issues - were a real rip-off !!

Ok - I do know a few people, who will collect almost anything, related to Led Zeppelin... but, to bring out an album, with a so called "bonus" Cd... which only lasted 30+ minutes.... well, I call that a bit of a con job !!

B has said, that I can buy any of them, if I want to.... but, unless there is something really special, on the bonus discs - I will be staying well clear of them !!

I did say to her, if there was a really good concert, on one of the Cd's - especially if it's one, that I actually attended - well, I would consider buying that... but, apart from that... well, I'll see what is on them, before handing over my hard won cash !! Especially, now that I am officially broke !! Oh well - read earlier posts, to find out more on that subject !!

Talking of earlier posts... read one, from a few days back... because you can read the track listing to the 'Without A Net' album, from the Grateful Dead..... because that's what I'm listening to, as I type..... the Clapton/Winwood Cd's having come to an end !!

I'm really glad I put these tapes - 'Without A Net' - onto Cd.... I will still try & buy a copy, if I can find one.... but, for now at least, I will make do with my CDR copies !! If nothing else - it will stop me breaking the tapes, from some kind of accident.... the tape decks are pretty good - but, that doesn't mean, that I won't mess up & break the things !!

Going back, to yesterday... one of the district nurses came out.... it was dressings time again !! As much as I know, the nurses do their very best, not to hurt me.... they can't help, but cause some pain, as the old stuff comes off & the new goes on !!

Unfortunately, my skin is breaking down... so, the nurse, that came yesterday, did her very best.... well, as I say, not to hurt me. Alas, she failed - it's not her fault... it just hurts, each & every time !!

That was in the morning... later, in the afternoon, we had to go down to the local Dr's office... well, I had to go - B came in with me..... the funny side of it...

Well, as we were going in, we saw one of the nurses, who treats me..... from time to time. It was almost like she couldn't wait, to get her hands on me & start ripping things off !! Bless them all, they certainly know, how to make a guy feel welcome !! I will, no doubt, need her tender touch - after the next surgery, which will take place, in one month & six days, from now.... not that I'm counting - but !!

3 hours later !!

Hi again...

Just as I was thinking of winding this old post of mine down - the Elders arrived, unannounced & that sort of threw a spanner in the works, as far as our plans went !! No big deal - tho' I wish they would ask, if it was alright to come over - rather than just show up, when we were going to do stuff !!

As it was - we went into town, a bit later than we were going to... and, now it's gone 7pm & the day seems to have got away from us.... just a little !! It's Ok - we managed to get our grocery shopping out of the way..... even tho' it did cost us just shy of £200 !! Honestly.... at least it will last us a while - with only B & I living at home now... food does go a lot further than it used to !!

Something I was going to write about... but, now seems to be a bit of crap really...

On the news, there is a story, concerning an Australian couple, who had twins, by a surrogate.... I'm not sure exactly, where the lady lives... anyhoo - the lady had twins & one of them has Downs Syndrome..... so, the Australia couple left that baby, with the surrogate - taking the twin with them !!

You have to look it up, on the news.... but, the whole thing really stinks - it really does !! Check it out... you should be able to find the story easily enough... it's really a crap way to treat a child !!

A couple of other things... the ongoing story, about Israel & the war with their old landowners..... I know, I should hold my thoughts, to myself - but... how can killing so many people be justified ?! Oh well.... I'll say no more on that subject...... I'll just await the hate mail.... !!

And then - of course... Mr Puck-tin's ongoing ego trip, in the East of Ukraine.... Give the families some closure & let the people do their job, investigating the crash site !! You have the power, to do that Mr Puck-tin.... wake up & smell the grass - or, at least, try a bit of humility and let those people do the job of finding any bodies, that might still be there to be found !! Oh well....

It's kind of funny really.... I'm sat here typing.... and everytime, that I look across at the TV - which, as usual is playing silently in the corner - there is one shot after another, from one "war zone" to another, all around the World !! I guess it will never change !!

Right - I will now do, what I was going to do... about 3 hours or so ago... and that's to close this down !! I have a few things to do & more than enough time to do them in.... but, I must get on with it !!

As always - I thank you for your time & logging in, to read my words.... many thanks - where ever you might be living... until next time..

Bye Bye