Sunday, April 30, 2006

Special *

I really must get round to blogging about the game of five-a-sides I played last week (scored five in a 10-7 victory while getting kicked all over the pitch all over my legs and getting punch in the ribs - yes, they were filthy bastards) and about the fact that I'm moving in to a new gaff on Wednesday. Just showed the boy where it is - only down side is that, him being a lazy wee shite, he doesn't like the idea of walking up the hill to get to it.

But what I really really really must get round to blogging about is the brilliantly perfect day Jane and I spent in Oxford on Friday. A lovely walk round, a pint, a lovely walk round a beautiful garden, a pint in the pub in which CS Lewis and JR Tolkien used to meet in, nice meal in Brown's and then a lovely elongated drive home (no, of course Jane didn't go in the wrong direction). And then a peck on the cheek to wish the Cobblers well in their final home game of the season - if they win, they are promoted. They win, they are promoted - joy and celebrations ensue in Northampton and in New Cross! Jane visits The Den next season - ha ha ha ha ha! Oh, and the Cobblers could also win the title, never mind they are promoted!

Right, so that's what I intend to blog about when I get round to it!

* De La Soul

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Get It Together *

And I'm trying to get it together by sorting out my fucking blogroll. Apologies to many people for not doing so before now by the way but I've been so ... errr ... fucking lazy, that I didn't manage to get round to it.

* Jackson 5

Monday, April 24, 2006

These Are The Days *


So I got to pick up the boy from his friends tonight. "Where have you been? What have you been doing?" the boy asks as we get in the car. While the answer to this one was supposed to be the subject of a joint discussion involving his mother too, I can't lie to him. But I start by mumbling something about waiting until his mother is with us before I will tell him. Of course, that's him well interested in what I've been doing, so here goes ... "Well, son, I've been doing something which will mean a big change in our lives," I tell him.

Fuck it, you lot don't need to know every word that was spoken, so let's just say that I told him, in what I think was the nicest possible way, that his daddy will be leaving in the next couple of weeks and that what I was doing earlier was looking for my own place to live.

Right, for some kids, this would have come as a massive shock, but, for my boy, he's known that mum and dad haven't been a couple for many years - about 10, now that I come to think of it - so he pauses and smiles and tells me it's "cool." Then immediately asks when I'm leaving cos his mum has told him in the past that when I move out he'll get the big bedroom and have more space for him and his friends to hang out in. I'm starting to think that the wee shite can't wait until I leave - ha ha! I've then been asking him all evening if he is cool about it and all the signs are that he is. I had driven him round to see the place before getting home from his friends and he is well pleased that it is not far from the house at all and is very close to his school. And he's chuffed to know that there is a spare bedroom for him, and he's chuffed when I tell him that, of course, his friends can come round, and, of course his friends can stay over with him. I also tell him that I'll still be round to check on him after school, as I am now, and that I'll be round quite often.

As the boy's mum said a week or so ago, this is something which we should really have done years ago. But it's happening now and everything is cool, and we're not going to argue about it and the boy is fine about it and me and his mum will remain friends for the rest of our lives. And now people can stop remarking about how "weird" my domestic situation is.

But is it so "weird" to have wanted to stay in the house with your own son, to see him grow up and bond with him and to share that house with your former lover, someone who will always remain a great friend? My boy has never been confused about our domestic situation. He has always known that there would come a time when either mum or dad or both would find someone else to love and that, probably, dad would leave.

So, if all goes to plan and nobody else gets in the frame for the flat, I'll be outta here in the next week or so. And, in all probability, it will be the happiest parting of the ways that i've ever known!

I'll keep all my bloggy mates posted!

*Lift To Experience, from their amazingly brilliant 2001 debut The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads.

Sunday, April 23, 2006

A New England *




Happy St George's Day greetings to all my English and England-based readers. And for all those self-hating English liberal lefties and ultra-lefties, I say: "Fuck you, ya bunch of tossers!"

* Billy Bragg

Monday, April 17, 2006

Sulk *


Shit, fuck, bollocks and arseholes - the mighty Lions are relegated!

* Radiohead

Tonight *


Right, okay, if I'm going to mention the music that I'm listening to tonight, I'll have to mention Weightlifting by these guys. I'll always remember double chemistry with the guy in the middle, but more memorably is the nights playing darts and listening to music with the bloke on the right and many pints in the Turf with all of them! Posted by Picasa

*Iggy Pop

Just Lookin' *


Of course, this pic is only on here cos, as I write, I'm listening to what is commonly known as "The Banana Album" but is really called The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico. Fucking stupendous. And this comes after I listened to Devo and listened to the Gourds and listened to the Clash and listened to Magazine. This was a really great music-listening evening.
But, hey, Nico was a hot looking babe, wasn't she? (And I now expect all sorts of bricks and bottles to come raining down when I see Jane on Wednesday!) Posted by Picasa

*The Charlatans

Saturday, April 15, 2006

Out On The Tiles *


It all started yesterday with me sitting at home on my own watching Cardiff v Sheffield United. There was a bottle of red wine opened from previous evening. I had to drink it - all of it. And then I watched Wolves v Watford. Then I went down the pub and watched Man Utd v Sunderland. But not before I went online and put a five on Ronaldo to score first and Man U to win 6-0. What a tosser! Me, that is, not Ronaldo. Well, now that I think of it ..
Got up today and thought: "No football on telly until tonight's Spanish offering, so I'll have a walk either into town or into and through Greenwich." But the TV listings tell me that Bolton v Chelsea is on the box, so it's down the pub for me. Then it will be quiet afternoon at home, during which I may even do some housework and definitely do some house-hunting, but that's a different matter altogether and will be discussed some other time. then I will watch the Spanish football and tomorrow there are two more games to watch and then more on Monday. This will all be watched while drinking copious amounts of alcohol - well, it is bank holiday weekend, innit? And it will be interspersed with listen out for the Lions' score. I just wish it was all fucking over with by now. That defeat against Brighton two weeks ago really was the final nail in the relegation coffin and now the inevitable is not very far off - what a shitty season. And to think we won't even be playing derby matches against Brentford or Southend as they will be a league above us. Memories of the last time we were in the third tier are still very much alive, with some of the most tedious and terrible football imaginable on show most weekends. But we shall get to meet Northampton and, talking of which ...

My best friend is on her way to Darlington for what is hoped to be a firm declaration of the Cobblers' determination to take an automatic promotion spot. And mention of my best friend takes me back to Thursday night, during which we had a great walk through Regent's Park, a lovely lovely stroll along the canal to Camden Lock, a quick stop-off for a drink in pub where my best friend is sure she spotted Ewan Macgregor, a stupendous walk up Primrose Hill for what may very well be a close contender (along with Greenwich Park, next to the Observatory) for best view in the world and then on to a superb Greek restaurant for a brilliant meal (but why oh why doesn't she like Retsina?). The lamb she had slid off the bone, while the beef of mine simply melted in the mouth - fucking tasty. To say nothing of the hummous and halloumi for starters!

speak later folks - I'm off down the Marquis of Granby for a shandy!
Posted by Picasa
P.S. while i did state in my last post that I wouldn't get back to blogging until things had been resolved ... they aren't yet resolved but I did feel like blogging!

* Led Zeppelin

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

The Blues Are Still Blue *


... then it's not good.

Lots of good things happened in the last week: I visited Scotland with the boy and seen my family and had a great night round at chez Jim's, Celtic won the league title, met up with Jane last Monday and we shared a couple of drinks with messalina and then had plenty more when she left, we had a great night out with sometime commenter on this blog marc and his missus D (what a superb couple they are) and had a lovely chat and a great meal and a few drinks and then me and Jane had a wonderful hotel to stay in on Saturday night. All of it totally marvellous.
But I got a call from my best friend toward the end of the week telling me that something truly awful had happened to her which added to the already truly awful news which she received earlier in the week. It really is horrible what she is going through, but I know that she's a fighter and that she will emerge from this bruised but victorious. So hang in there matey!
Yes, I know this is all a bit shrouded in mystery, but there's nothing else for it I'm afraid.
So it's made this blogging lark a bit of a drag at the moment and something which I (and she, probably) will only return to when things have been resolved. Hopefully, that will be in the not-too-distant future.
Can I just say this, however, remember, you bloggers, there are people out there who read your stuff and who may wish to make mischief - everything, absolutely everything, you write is in the public domain!!Posted by Picasa

* Belle and Sebastian

Sunday, April 02, 2006

The Sad Punk *


Saw jane on Friday, had a brilliant day. Played football on Saturday, scored a goal. Going to see jane tonight, will have a brilliant night. Going to Scotland tomorrow, during which I will have a great night with jim and thewife, during which I will be watching Celtic wrap up the league title. See you all next weekend. All this bollocks replaces the bollocks which I posted on here last night! Posted by Picasa

* The Pixies