This Week I......

..........made Pimiento Padron - even though I say so myself - they were utterly delicious:


Went to my Dad's and marvelled at Son of Romo's first ever experience of the guitar - a small three-stringed thing which he insisted was taken down from the wall for him to play - like a duck to water. Check out the stance! Grandpa promised to re-string it - see the new ones hanging off the end still in their packet. It will have to be strung for a lefty it seems.

listening to music whilst trying to pick out the key by ear

Then we went for a walk and saw this being displayed in the window of the Hackney Gazette HQ, Cambridge Heath Rd.

Incredible.

Thriller via the medium of prison

Blinded By The LIght

This is actually a post about weather and not a popular beat combo. But before I regale you with tales of my near electrocution yesterday does anyone know:

(a) what or who Manfred Mann actually is ie: why a band decided to name themselves after someone that sounds like they are a German taxidermist?

(b) what on earth 'Blinded By the Light' is actually about? Ie: 'revved up like a deuce in the owner of the night'. God? Drugs? Motorbikes? All three? Answers on a grain of rice please.

So I am very pleased to announce that I am alive and well despite having started the school holidays as a single parent as of Tuesday last week. I don't want to go into it too much here as this is not going to suddenly turn into a 'my terrible broken life' blog. All I will say is that it is for the best albeit terrifying and extremely focussing. Almost as terrifying as being on the phone during a flash storm yesterday to a friend. Whilst 'telling her all about it'and as I was talking and just as I mentioned 'him who snores/d like a bison's' name there was a big white streak or ball of something so electrically fast culminating in a huge bang outside, around my head and in the other room. I felt a judder underneath my feet - luckily covered in life-saving Converse. Of course, all my friend heard was a quick shrill shriek from me, a bang and then the line went dead. It was all a bit surreal. The phone kind of popped bang while I was talking and on examination seems to have exploded the answermachine. The outside of the house is ok. There was also some sort of a flashflood at the front of the house which means my car is now sporting a nice scratchy tide mark around it. No doubt more rain and flash floods will wash it off over the next few days. The squidget and I are off to a swimming pool party at a posh friends house today. Nothing like swimming in the rain - as long as there is no lightning then all will be fine. I guess I could always swim in my Converse?

PS: Happy Birthday Annie.

S.P.A.M. (strange people at mail)

Spam in my mailbox this morning:

Hi there my friend. I am desperate. First I'm going to kill myself then I'm going to eat my dog unless I get some meds.

Perhaps they would feel better if they tucked into a Spam Giftset as above? Who generates spam? How does it work? Why does spam sometimes say really disturbing things like: special offer for you ormulu veneer?

Just wondering.

Humorous = Annoying (Sometimes)

Perhaps it is just me but as I was mooching in the Books Section of last week's Observer (this week on major catch-up) it irked me that Bill Bryson is suddenly top of the books list....yaawwwwn.......again......zzzzz. I'm sure he is a very nice man but I find his cheerful, humorous writing rather annoying. For me I think he tries a bit too hard. His latest book is not a 'humorous travel book', a 'cheerful travelling companion' but a memoir.

You can read all about how Bill was made a CBE and read an excerpt from his latest The Life And Times of the Thunderbolt Kid here.

Mind you what do I know? I had to google 'spelling humourous' to work out how to spell it properly. Apparently the American way is the universal rule. Perhaps I should have consulted one of Bill Bryson's other publications: Bill Bryson's Book of Troublesome Words?

Bill Bryson books I have read: A Walk In the Woods, Notes From An Island and In A Sunburned Country (didn't finish).

Live and Sleazy

There was some talk in the comments a few days ago about Hot Gossip - here they are in their former most fabulous glory performing a jaunty jig to "Live and Sleazy: by David 'Scar' Hodo (the construction worker from Village People - I kid you not!!). Yes as Cafe Del Nightmare pointed out to me via the powerful medium of ichat - it's gayweek here for some reason - brought to you in wonderful Romovision. Enjoy.

Here's One For Dickley

Stop Press: see here for Bazzer Badness! "This mum's favourite crooner has a reputation as a ladies man, but one male reader got rather friendly with him while cottaging in Sheffield bus station. The young chap asked, "You're taking a bit of a risk, aren't you? The Vegas star's reply? "Who the fuck would believe you if you told them?"

Let's hope...He made it through the rain
He kept his world protected
He made it through the rain
He kept his point of view
He made it through the rain
And found himself respected
By the others whoooooo
Got rained on toooooooo
And made it throughhhhhhhhh

Blogitis

Liberace obviously had the right idea - sit in a bath and contemplate your navel

or your 'personality lift' shoe and boot collection.

Currently languishing in bed with last week's Observer Magazine and a box of violet creams (not really I hate violet creams). Taking time out after doing a Margaret Thatcher and operating on 4-5 hrs sleep a night for the last three/four months solid. How did she do it? Feeling a bit un-rock. Will be back soon once I've got my brain back up to speed and my mojo back.

xx