Great to Get Away

We recently spent a week in Wales, enjoying the mist, cloud and rain that seems to be Summer this year.

The weather was, for much of the week, truly like that. And while I was attempting to be humorous, we actually did enjoy it.

We stayed in a place that is away from everything. It's in the middle of fields, far from civilisation. It has no TV, and we didn't even bring computers. Wonderful getaway.

Last time we stayed there was about two years ago during the week that hit 40c. Yes, it was hot but in the late evening I sat out under clear, starry dark skies and saw some amazing things. That couldn't happen this time, but the weather brought on a different atmosphere. Moody and mysterious.

We walked along clifftops in the mist, looking down at an angry sea pummeling the rocks below, and feeling quite medieval. We sat on the beach under grey skies and ate hot pizza. We walked across fields, with our small dog enjoying all the new smells. We even lit a fire one night and enjoyed our wine.

One of my favourite bookshops is down there, and I've never been disappointed with their selection of used books. I picked up a few, and even supported them by splurging on a new one.  It was one I had thought about buying anyway, but they had it for the same price and signed by the author.

And so I read a lot. I managed to finish two books I'd already started and read four more completely. As I said - cold wet evenings with no TV or computers to distract.

And now I can't wait for my next getaway.

The Right One

When I lived in Australia, I spent several years looking for a book club to join. I never found one.

There were plenty around, just none that suited me.  Our local library ran several. I did, in fact, make an enquiry there. The librarian I spoke to suggested none would suit me. "Unless you like discussing Jodi Picoult novels for five minutes then sharing photos of your grandchildren for the next hour over tea, I don't think these groups would suit you," she laughed.

I don't have grandchildren. Nothing against Picoult, but her genre is not my kind of reading, And, as these book clubs ran weekday afternoons, I would have been at work anyway.

After I moved to the UK, I again looked for a book club. A couple of false starts, then finally I found one. I had high hopes for it. I attended for around 18 months. I never truly loved it, never really enjoyed most of the books chosen, and never really felt connected with any of the other members. (I might say, this is no reflection on the members)

It simply wasn't the club for me. Finally I decided to quit for a number of reasons. Sigh.

Fast forward to this year and I have found a book club. I became aware of this club in a most peculiar way. I took a chance, and I'm so glad I did. I am absolutely loving it. I look forward to each meeting. I really enjoy every second, the people involved, and the way it is run.

Finally, the right club for me.

It arrived at exactly the right moment for me. Just the tonic I needed - along with a couple of other things in a similar vein. 

Needs are being met but you have to give as well as receive. I'm making efforts there as well, and these efforts seem to finally be coming to fruition.

All good things come to those who wait? I'm not convinced by Violet Fane's maxim, but my patience appears to be paying off here.

Remembering Gitte

Ten years ago today, Gitte Christensen passed. A wonderful writer, a quiet achiever, all round lovely person, and a good friend.

You are never forgotten, Gitte.

Echobelly, Ocean Colour Scene and Other Assorted Blasts from the Past

Back in the 90s, while living in Japan, I started listening to Echobelly. Their first two albums were wonderful but like so much of the music I listened to in those days, I figured there was minimal opportunity for me to see them live.

A few weeks ago, that dream came true. Echobelly came to Lincoln, and I was not disappointed. They sounded fabulous, looked great, and had a fantastic stage presence. The audience was a little small, and a little quiet, but from where I was standing it appeared everyone was into the music and grooving along in their own way.

Being a small city and with one of the main venues always in financial trouble, Lincoln hasn't really attracted much in the way of music in the past 5 or 6 years - at least, not music that interests me.  Tribute bands have their place, but they're generally not really my thing. They are, however, a cheap and safe option for a cash-strapped venue.  Fortunately the venue was taken over last year by one of the local colleges, and what a change!  It's only May, and I've already seen more acts than I have in each of the past five years. And I have bought tickets for a few more in the next six months or so. Again, many are musicians I was listening to in the 80s and 90s and figured I would never get to see.

I posted recently about wanting to see more live music, and since then I have been, and also exploring the local folk scene. It hasn't disappointed. There truly are some hidden gems here in Lincolnshire.

Next up?  Ocean Colour Scene.  A long time favourite, and although I've seen Oscar and Simon as an acoustic duo, this will be my first time to see the whole band.  And I can't wait.

I see double up ahead 
Where the riverboat swayed beneath the sun 
Is where the river runs red 
Like a King who stalks the wings and shoots a dove 
And frees an eagle instead 
It's more or less the same as the things that you said

Rock the Casbah.

Spring has finally arrived, much later than usual, and it feels great.  The sky is blue and clear, the air is fresh, and the garden is coming alive again.  We spent much of last weekend replanting, weeding and generally tidying up. Hard work, but well worth it when it's so enjoyable sitting out there.

We managed to get away for a few days at the end of the month. First time I'd been overseas on holiday for several years, and it was fabulous. I even enjoyed the flights. But how can you not love three full days of wandering around Marrakesh. 

Not out first time there.  We spent a few days there on our honeymoon, and fell in love with the city then. The smells, sounds and the sights. Once again we wandered through amazing gardens, enjoying the calm away from the hectic city outside, and sipping on cool mocktails in the heat of the day. The food was fabulous, whether from small cafes or proper restaurants. And the vibe of the Medina, walking the streets, surviving the souks, and getting lost in the tiny, winding lanes. I even rocked the Casbah. What a fabulous city.

I returned home almost reluctantly. Work here is busy, but the memory of Marrakesh continues to refresh.

Why Are Fans So Awful?

It doesn't matter the fandom, so many fans are overly-critical, negative, and generally awful. If something isn't exactly how fans want it, then it is torn to shreds.

Late last year, The Beatles released Now and Then.  Many of us fans loved it, but you should have seen the discussions and comments which were simply negative - many of them before it had even been released.  Last week, the Beatles announced they were finally going to release the Let It Be film. This has been rumoured for release for many years now, and fans have been calling for it. And yet, once it was announced, fans started writing about how terrible this release would be, how it won't be this or that, won't have extras and so on. "we'd rather have a copy of the Shea Stadium show", they said. Never mind the fact as Beatles fans we have more outtakes and more unreleased material than virtually any other fandom, barring Bob Dylan.

But no, this release is going to be awful.

And talking of Dylan, the negativity towards the biopic is astounding. Timothee  Chalamet is a couple of inches too tall, the back pack he is wearing in the photos is not exactly the same as Dylan's. I even saw one comment today that said he didn't want to see this film because it will be terrible.  "My daughter hated Dune 2", he declared.  Yep, I have been wondering what his daughter thought of Dune 2, as that is how I base all my film reviews.

And then in Australian Rules football. My team, Essendon, played the biggest game of this year against last years Premiers. And it ended in a draw. Both teams played well, and my team, who has vastly underperformed for many years, were fabulous. Never gave up, chased and maintained the pressure right through the match, and were hard. Last year these fans were saying they just wanted effort.  Today, despite the pundits saying that no Essendon fan would be disappointed with the result, these fans were screaming because we didn't win.

And I'm not going to even look at the crybabies who announce often and loudly how much they hate any Star Wars film after the mid 1980s.  Sigh.

For the record, I loved Now and Then, look forward to Let It Be, think Chalamet will be a fabulous Dylan, and was thrilled with the efforts and result from today's match.

I don't care whether you (or your daughter) didn't like it.  I'll be over here making up my own mind.

More Music.

Much of my music collection has been in storage for quite a few years. Recently I've been able to access my music, and I've been able to commence sorting, organising, and completing the cataloguing I commenced way back in Australia.

It has also been really lovely to rediscover old favourites and listen to albums and tracks I'd forgotten about, or not had easy access to.  (I don't stream, for a number of reasons - and anyway, from what I've seen, some of my favourites simply aren't on those services.)

Last night I listened to an album I initially bought in 1989 or so, and haven't heard for around ten years. I was amazed at how fresh it sounded, and also how I knew the words and music so well.  It was wonderful to listen to. And I'm sure other aural delights await me as I explore my collection.

In a way, this re-access to my music, as well as going to a couple of live shows, has re-energised my love for music. I've bought tickets to a couple of other shows coming to Lincoln, and even explored the Folk Music scene in this county. And I was surprised to see that it's actually quite healthy and active.

I've known of the Folk Club in Lincoln for around a year or so, but their regular sessions clashed with another regular commitment I had.  I no longer have that, and so tonight I'm heading off to, hopefully, meet like minded people with similar tastes in music.

It can be uncomfortable joining a new group of people, but I've already had some online contact with a couple of them, and they seem really friendly and welcoming. I'm not nervous at all, and really looking forward to going.  And, as one would expect from a folk club, they meet in a pub.  Bonus!

In the next few months I have tickets to a few shows, Folk Club and Live Sessions pencilled into my calendar, and an unusual opportunity to explore new music.

Music still stirs my soul and speaks to my heart. And very often inspires my own creativity.

I'll let you know.