Dream Theater 'Breaking The Fourth Wall......

Greetings World's !!

How is your bit of the Universe treating you - this fine Friday morning ?! Ok - I know it's probably not Friday - by the time you get to read these words of mine.... but.... 'tis Friday, here in England !!

To be perfectly honest - I had hoped to write something, before today. I think it was Tuesday, the last time that I put fingers to keyboard, sooooo - I'm sorry about the delay !! Things have been a little bit hectic...... first tho'.... "The Family" !!

As I type - there are just the 2 of us, here in the homestead....... with everyone else having moved out - it means that B - My Wife & Dearest Friend & I have the place to ourselves, most of the time. It's great to see people tho'....... so, if you're in the area, pop in & say "Hello !!" - you will be made most welcome.

As I type, B is up in her "craft cave" - trying to sort stuff out. The last I heard, she had found another stash of Christmas card making kits & stuff that goes along with them. She seemed genuinely surprised by her find !! Me - I try & stay out of that room.... it seems safer that way !!

She has just come down the stairs.... happily surprised that I had taken all of the bedding off & got it ready for washing !! I having been feeling too special, for the last couple of days - so.... I was actually resting on the bed, when B came up to her cave.

While she was sorting stuff out - I quietly took all of the bedding, off of our  bed & brought it down stairs - sooooo, that's made her day.... not having that little bit of house work to do !! Heck - I even put some of the stuff, into the washing machine.... tho' - looking at it, I think I put a little bit too much washing liquid in the thing !! As I type - there are bubbles coming out of the top tray thingy !! Oh well - better too much, rather than too little.... I guess !!

Anyhoo - that's the 2 of us.... ME (our Daughter) came over on Wednesday evening....... I think there was a football match, on TV... so she left her partner - M - to watch it. She is not a great football fan.... so, being here - with us - won out, over staying home with M & their cat Bruce !!

There had been a small chance, that she was going to come with us, down to Exeter, on Wednesday - to do a bit of shopping........ well, to look around the shops - I don't think there was much hope of any cash changing hands !! As it turned out.... she stayed home & the 2 of us went down, on our own !!

The reason being ?! Well - once again... it was time to see the lovely Consultant, who did my last bit of "plastic surgery" !! He seems quite happy with it - even tho' - everybody else who looks at it, seems to be of a different opinion !! Oh well.... each to their own, I guess...

The plan - now - is for me to go back, in another 4 weeks..... during which time, once again... I have to be fitted up with another Vac-pump dressing !! That will be pump number 5..... so, I'll have to think up a new name !!

If it goes to plan... and that's a joke, on it's own.... since when have any of my last surgeries gone to plan ?! Anyhoo - if all goes well - the hole in my back, will - I'm told - heal back together..... or - maybe - I will need, yet another, surgery... to just close it over. Something, I thought, he was hoping to do during the last 2 surgeries !!

Nevermind.... At some point, someone, somewhere, will get in contact with me & we'll sort out the new pump.... all being well, in the not too distant future !! The longer it takes, to get the pump on - the longer it will take, to get the wound to close over..... as I say... "nevermind" !!

We did smile about it... the Consultant was quite happy for me, to come home - and organize the whole Vac-pump thingy !! I know I have spent most of the last 16 months, having this, that & the other done to me, in various hospitals - but, I can't go around sorting out Vac pumps !! They cost money - besides, if he wants me to have one, he's the one to sort it out !! Oh well - watch this space !!

I did see my local nurse, this morning.... she agreed with the above...... it's his place to sort stuff like this out - not mine. As it is - the local nurse is going to contact someone else & from there, I might get a pump fitted..... "watch this space" !!

Away from family & hospitals....

The music of the moment is the ever friendly Canned Heat & their fantastic 'Refried Boogie'. It came out, way back in 1968 - on their 'Living The Blues' 2 Lp set - at the moment, I'm listening to a copy of it, which I recorded onto my old 'Project '87' tapes & Cd's. What am I talking about - well - it's a very long story..... so, if you're interested, go thru' my old posts & look for 'Project '87' and work from there !!

I'm actually listening to the old project, via my iPod thingy, the 'Mini Egg'.... to try & explain !! Stick with me... it might make sense !!

I'm happy, to play the project - either as I originally recorded it, on cassette - or, more recently, on the Cd version.... however, the biggest draw back, to both versions, was the need to change the tape or disc.

Ok - I know I have some wonderful kit here - & I can play tapes, one after another.... all day long, if I wanted..... the same with the Cd version - I can load up the multi-play decks & just listen to Cd after Cd...... but - I wanted something different..... something even more sad, than the above !!

Sooooo - as the project is on the Mini Egg - I sorted it, so that it will play, continuously, track after track.... and that's how it's been playing - since Wednesday morning, when we got into the car, to head down to the hospital......... I know - it's sad & I've still had to turn the machine off, from time to time.... but, it's been a bit of fun.... for me, at least !!

Moving right along....

I've had some new music reach me, since I last posted anything !!

On Blue-ray... or whatever it's called.... the latest Dream Theater concert footage called 'Breaking The Fourth Wall'. It's "live from the Boston Opera House" and features an orchestra & choir & looks pretty good - tho' I've not really watched it yet !! I'll give you a track listing, when I can actually find the case, to copy it down from !!

On the Cd front - I picked up a copy of Deep Purple's last studio album (I think ?) called 'Now What ?@ - as with the Dream Theater - I've yet to play the disc.... it's on my list of things to do !!

But - something even more special, reached me, in the post this morning.... the very first 2 Alice Cooper albums.... 'Easy Action' & Pretties For You' !! I'm not 100% sure which came out first.... but, heck - they are pure 1960's/1970's Alice Cooper.... great stuff !! The tracks are:

'Pretties For You'

  1) Titanic Overture
  2) 10 Minutes Before The Worm
  3) Sing Low, Sweet Cheerio
  4) Today Mueller
  5) Living
  6) Fields Of Regret
  7) No Longer Umpire
  8) Levity Ball
  9) B. B. On Mars
10) Reflected
11) Apple Bush
12) Earwigs To Eternity
13) Changing Arranging

'Easy Action'

1) Mr & Misdemeanor
2) Shoe Salesman
3) Still No Air
4) Below Your Means
5) Return Of The Spiders
6) Laughing At Me
7) Refrigerator Heaven
8) Beautiful Flyaway
9) Lay Down & Die, Goodbye

I had both of the above, when Alice became "big" - way back when..... I didn't really plan on ever getting them, on Cd - but, what the heck... it's all good music, even if it's not exactly to your own taste !! I'll get around to playing the pair of them... maybe tomorrow......

One plan, that is gradually coming together.... and that's my rewiring the whole speaker system, here in our living room !! Yesterday, we picked up some more cable - to give me extra reach, on where to place the added speakers - hopefully enough.... I'll see how things go.

I was a little pissed, with the shop... mainly as they had rolls of cable, on the shelves, marked at £9.99 - but, when we got to pay for the roll, that B had picked up for me, the guy wanted £60+ !! A bit of a difference, I guess you will agree !!

When I asked why - it turned out, it was my fault, for believing what the labels said - not the shops fault, for labeling the things wrong !! Oh well - I think the 100 feet of the stuff, that we came home with, will be enough..... hopefully, at some point, over the coming days, I'll get around to sorting things out !! It should be fun... ho-hum !!

Right - I better be on my ways..... things to do & stuff.... maybe even get around to fitting the new Cd recorder - if I can decide where it's going to go..... another ho-hum... for just thinking about it !!

As always - I thank you for logging in & reading my words... from where you are.... until next time..

Bye Bye