Wishbone Ash & Mr Ronnie James...

Greetings !!

It's been over a week, since I last wrote anything, here in my old post.... I'm sorry about that - one thing has pushed out another & before you know it, I've lost a whole week !! Shame on me !!

It's not that I've been rushed off of my feet - I've just got out of my day to day routine..... what ever that was !! I don't know, how best to explain things. But, with a bit of pain, a bit of depression - + a lot of rushing around, I have,sort of, just lost the plot a bit !!

First tho'... "The Family" !!

As I type, B is here, with me..... upstairs - trying to do some housework. At some point, the two of us are going into the back bedroom..... our Son's old room. We have to really have a sort out !!

As J is no longer coming "home" - we have to decide what, if anything, we are going to do in his room. At the moment - well, over the last couple of months (at least) everything has been just put in there, any old how !! I kid you not - there are boxes, blankets, craft things - plus countless models !! All of which we have to go thru' & sort out - if nothing else, to get to the bottom of what is actually
there !!

That's not going to be today tho - we've had other things on our mind.... lots of things !!

Going back, to last weekend - readers will know - that B's dad was in the hospital. This meant that My Wife & Dearest Friend was rushing around, like a mad thing !! Honestly - the hospital was 60 miles away, so it was quite a journey. Anyways - that was last weekend....

Her Dad was released from hospital, about mid-week.... and - altho' still poorly - is now back to his own home. That has cut down, on the distance - so, last Saturday, I went with B, to visit the old guy... I can see he's not 100% - but, he still knows how to pass out the odd
insult !!

I'm not sure how to describe the things he says.... B says to ignore him, because he doesn't think how much he hurts people, by his remarks..... that he doesn't think, before opening his mouth !! But - I look at it, in another way....

Whenever I've been with him... over the last 12 months - he always waits, until I'm alone with him.... then says something, which - by design, I believe, - he knows will "hurt" me. B says he says things, with out thinking.... me.... well, you have to think of something, in order to say it !! Oh well....

On Saturday tho' - he said something, just a few seconds before B came back into the room.... so, I used what he said, against him & we left !! He really pisses me off - I have enough to deal with, with-out putting up with his shit !!

Talking of which....

I just took a "comfort" break..... I think that's what they call it, whenever F1 drivers leave the starting grid, before a race starts !! Sooooo - moving along.... and - kind of - staying with the subject...

Last evening, B was out in the garden & found that our drains were overflowing !! So - she dug the rods out of the garage & I spent an hour, doing my best to free up the problem..... literally !!

Unfortunately, it started to rain - and, it became surprisingly dark, very quickly....... so, we abandoned that. After a second attempt, this morning, I called in reinforcements.... and that got the job done, in under 30 minutes. I wish I had been able to do the job, myself !! At least I gave it a go - hole in back & everything !! Ho-hum......

B & I did have a smile tho' - mainly over "what might have been" !! To explain....

Our drains - well.... we are at the start of the system. So - if, by chance, someone further along, had had their man hole cover up (this morning)..... well, shall I say, I hope they got out, before our tidal wave of sh*t came flowing their way !! Ho-hum.... again..... we really have a weird sense of humour !!

Going back, to last week......

It was B's birthday, on the Monday......... unfortunately, it really rained hard, so... several plans went out of the window !! We didn't see the point, in going out & getting wet thru' - so........ we left things as they were & I took B into various crafty shops, on the Wednesday (I think). It was dry & we had more fun, doing it all then - rather than getting wet thru' !!

As it was - I had to go to the hospital, on the Wednesday - for a dressings change... so, while we were in town, we killed 2 birds, with one stone... as the saying goes. Oh well - it all made some kind of sense, at the time !! As did a trip to Taunton - on the Friday....

We had arranged, on Friday, to go over to Wellington School......... and, for the first time, in way to many Moons, I went into the Chapel there - it was a fantastic experience !! Some parts of it had changed - or I couldn't have remembered it correctly..... but, it was fantastic to go into the old place again !!

From there, we headed back to Taunton... and B had a few minutes in one of the craft shops there + I had chance to go into HMV & look at the Cd's. I don't know what, exactly, B bought - but, I found a couple of cheap Cd's.... one of which I'm playing, as I type.....

For my sins, it's another 'live' set, by the brilliant Ronnie James Dio...... long time readers will know - I have a soft spot for anything that Mr Ronnie James did !! This one is from 1984 & the tracks are:

  1) We Rock
  2) Mystery
  3) Shame On The Night
  4) Children Of The Sea
  5) Heaven & Hell
  6) Stand Up & Shout
  7) Holy Diver
  8) The Mob Rules
  9) Rainbow In The Dark
10) Man On The Silver Mountain
11) Long Live Rock & Roll
12) Man On The Silver Mountain (reprise)

The Cd is called 'Chasing Rainbows' & was recorded in 'The Coliseum Washington' - and that's all I know about it... mainly as I've not read the enclosed write up !! I'll get around to that.... at some point !! It's great to have another Dio 'live' set tho' - a great singer !!

I've done well, for Dio stuff - well, his vocals, at least, this past couple of weeks.... I've had 2 double Rainbow sets, in the post, 'Anthology 1975-1984' & 'Catch The Rainbow - The Anthology'..... both of which featured his vocals, on various tracks..... so, life has been good !!

The other Cd, that I picked up, in HMV - well, that's a 2 Cd set by Wishbone Ash.... another, kind of, 'Best Of' set !! I have a couple of their studio albums... but, this new album has tracks from their earlier Lp's...... plus it was really cheap !!

I'm not going to list all 27 tracks - but, quite a few of them are from 'Wishbone Ash' - 'Pilgrimage' - 'Argus' & 'Wishbone Four'..... stuff I wanted to replace the old Lp's..... well, part of the old Lp's !!

Going back to Saturday.... as mentioned, B drove us to visit her Dad. Well, there was a bonus..... which I didn't really expect. There was a record fair on - in the City !! Ok - I knew there was a fair on - I actually told B I wasn't that bothered about going.... but, I'm glad I did..... some old friends were there !!

I honestly thought it was going to be a bit of a waste of time.... but, I'm glad I went along !! Not only did I meet some old friends - but, I came home with another Grateful Dead bootleg !! As always - don't buy bootlegs... buy all of the official stuff.... there are loads of Grateful Dead live sets, that you can buy - get those !!

This new (to me) bootleg was recorded back in 1969 & the tracks are:

1) Monkey & The Engineer
2) Little Sadie
3) Long Black Limousine
4) I've Been Around This World
5) Master's Bouquet
6) Black Peter
7) Uncle John's Band/He Was A Friend Of Mine

I've not played it all yet - but, track 7 is just shy of 45 minutes long !! So - that will keep me off the streets for a while !! If all goes well, I'll find the rest of my Grateful Dead Cd's & put this new one alongside those.... I've really lost the plot, as far as music goes, over the last few weeks.... nevermind !!

Right - I best be on my ways.... things to do & stuff like that !! I'm not sure what I'm going to do - but, at some point, I must try out the new Cd player, that I bought a few weeks back..... it's all plugged in - I've just not used it yet !!

It switches on - well.... the lights come on - but, as yet, I've not used it, to play back anything... or  - for that matter - used it, to try & record anything !! I best get on that, at some point, before it collects too much dust !! Ho-hum...

For now tho' - I will be on my ways.... I thank you all for taking the time to log on & read my words - I thank you all.... until next time..

Bye Bye