Day 32: Straight Outta Frodsham

Today's soundtrack: N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton

Last day with the boys today, so making the most of having them around. The day started with just Son No 1 and myself in da house, so we busied ourselves playing the adventure game we bought the day before in Manchester - 'The Longest Journey', a prequel to a game called 'Dreamfall'. The two games came packaged together, and although I missed them when they came out, they appear to have won shedloads of awards from the computer gaming fraternity at the time.

So for a happy few hours, I adopted the persona of 'April Ryan', an 18 year old art student from the 23rd Century, as she swapped between a fantasy dreamworld and the reality of student life. Back in the day, there used to be loads of adventure games of this type - the real 'hardcore' games being text-only - now they are a very small niche indeed, so it was good to find a couple of games still available. They must have cost a bomb to produce, and I suspect sold relatively few copies - so they are probably amongst the last of a dying breed. Great fun though, if you've got the time and the patience to play them.

Son No 2 arrived back from Preston around half eleven, and the boys headed off back down South after I'd filled them up with sausage and bacon sandwiches using the last of the bread. Great to spend some time with the boys over the last couple of days, and especially nice to see them both at the same time, something that happens very rarely now they are both grown up and living their own lives at opposite ends of the country.

Once they'd gone the house felt very empty indeed - so to take my mind off the emptiness, I loaded up the second of the two games we'd bought yesterday - this being the online version of the Lord of the Rings. This time I adopted the persona of a (male) elf from Rivendell, battling goblins alongside dwarfs somewhere in Middle Earth.

I am nothing if not versatile.

No fancy cooking today (apart from a very tasty French 'Rustic' loaf, involving three (count 'em!) different types of flour) - Mrs W and I dined on Steak Pie and Chips and Gravy (yummy!) tonight, whilst watching an episode of Dexter...yes, another programme involving serial killers, but one in which the twist is that the serial killer is actually our hero! Very good indeed.

Today's blog title obviously comes from the name of the album playing in the background as I type. It should be a Half Man Half Biscuit album title really...assuming it isn't already!

So what's a nice, professional, white middle-class boy like you doing listening to hard core rap, you might be asking? Well, it's pretty good, is why. I'm not a great fan of rap or hip-hop, but there are elements of the genre that I really like. Early Sugarhill (Rapper's Delight, Grandmaster Flash, Funky Four + One), Public Enemy and NWA just about covers it, although there is some Jay-Z, Kanye and even some Eminem lurking on iTunes somewhere. I never really got into the Tupac/Notorious B.I.G. stuff though.

NWA come, as you might expect, from Compton, California. The original group included Ice Cube, Dr Dre and Eazy-E, who all went on to further success rapping, acting and producing - but this, their first album, really established a new genre - Gangsta Rap - that hadn't existed previously. Hard-hitting, openly violent and misogynous in equal measure, it out-punked punk in its anti-establishment stance, and was seen as genuinely subversive at a time when inner-city rioting and racial tension was endemic in parts of America.



Watching that reminded me of the greatest series to appear on television in recent years, 'The Wire'. Filmed by HBO in Baltimore, over five series it covers a range of topics relating to life in that city, initially focusing upon the drug wars between the police and rival gangs of dealers, but later covering schooling, politics, labour disputes in the docks and the role of the media in reporting what is happening in the city. There are no 'heroes' in this drama - nor any overt judgments - and you get to see what's happening from all sides, enabling you to relate as easily to the drug barons as to the law and the politicians.

The Wire creeps up on you slowly - there are no easy resolutions, no 'cases solved' at the end of each episode, and events in series one may have no real impact until later series. Major characters are not guaranteed to survive, and the good guys don't always win. The street language can be impenetrable at times.

But over time you attune yourself to the language. You identify with characters on both sides of the moral divide. And suddenly you need your fix. You may not make it past the first two episodes - but if you do, it will have you all the way to the end.

From Series one, here's D'Angelo teaching Wallace and Bodie about chess, in language they can relate to. Some of this language is NSFW, so be warned.

Day 31: Brad Pitt and Fancy Dress

Today's soundtrack: Dexys Midnight Runners - Too-Rye-Ay

Down to one son today, as Son No 2 was driving up to Preston to spend the day with his girlfriend... given the choice between spending some time with his old Dad, and a day with his girlfriend, he chose the latter. No idea why. The visit also ran to a meal out with his girlfriend's parents, and an overnight stop as well. Sleeping on the couch no doubt.

Waved him off into the maw of a thunderstorm, his ears ringing with all sorts of warnings about taking it easy on the M6 in the rain...but with his customary aplomb, he breezed up there in about 50 minutes ('piece of piss', was his considered opinion).

So it was left to myself and Son No 1 to fill the day, which we did by taking a trip into Manchester once the rain had eased up. Son No 1 was looking for some black garb to wear - he's going to a fancy dress party back at University shortly and wanted to go as a 'ninja' so we were on the lookout for cheap black gear.

So where else to go but Primark? A new experience for me, but if the job market remains tight, then you never know, it may become my label of choice - 'Primani', don't you know! As it was, I picked up a long sleeved t-shirt for £4, and Son No 1 got kitted out head to toe for about £7, I think. We failed to pick up any ninja weapons, but I'm sure if I'd asked any of the shop's customers, they might have seen us right.

I'm joking, of course.

Had a bit of a trawl around the Arndale next, and I picked up a couple of cheap computer games - an 'old school' adventure game, and one of those on-line wizards and goblins roleplaying game type things. Thought I'd just investigate, another way of filling the days at the moment. Not totally convinced it's 'me', but you've got to try these things out.

Back home, for tea and a film. Having done more than enough cooking over the last couple of days, we copped out and ordered Dominos, and settled down to watch 'Burn After Reading', which I heartily recommend to you. A Coen Brothers film, one of their 'black comedies' starring Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Frances McDormand amongst others.

I do enjoy the work of the Coen Brothers - The Big Lebowski is certainly one of my top 5 films of all time and, while Burn After Reading is not in that class, it has its moments and they do manage to get their actors (who tend to reappear in their films) to stretch themselves and act against type. Brad Pitt in particular (who I actually think is a far better actor than he's given credit for) plays the airhead gym assistant to perfection and John Malkovich is pure shouty genius.

I am slightly disconcerted by the fact that the Frances McDormand character is the spitting image of someone I used to work with

Here's a trailer, enhanced wonderfully by 'Grounds for Divorce' by Elbow playing in the background (which, funnily enough, I don't recall anywhere in the film...) Note that some of the shouty language might not be particularly safe for work...



Today's soundtrack - the always wonderful Dexys (not Dexy's, note) Midnight Runners. I'm actually listening to the second disc of the 'deluxe' set, which includes a live concert recorded around the time of the Too-Rye-Ay album. I actually saw them on that tour, performing at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London. A concert that was filmed and released on video as 'The Bridge' and for all I know is available on DVD somewhere. I bought the video when it came out, and searched the audience shots in vain to see if I could spot myself - but I was there.

I think the following clip is an extract from that video - so have a look and see if you can spot me. Happy Days.



Watching that reminds me of the time I went to a fancy dress party dressed a la Dexys, in beret, dungarees and pumps. There is photographic evidence somewhere...

Remember the 96

Today's soundtrack: You'll Never Walk Alone

On Sunday, I will be going with seven other members of my family to watch an FA Cup Semi Final.

Twenty years ago today, along with thousands of other football fans, I went to watch another FA Cup Semi Final.

Luckily for me, my Semi Final took place at Villa Park, where Everton were playing Norwich City.

Another Semi Final was to take place at the same time, 90 miles to the north, at Hillsborough in Sheffield, Liverpool taking on Nottingham Forest.

96 people who set out to watch that Semi Final never made it back home.

Sat in the stands at Villa Park, there was little initial inkling of what was unfolding elsewhere. I remember an announcement being made prior to kick off, that the game at Hillsborough had been delayed "due to crowd trouble". Bloody Liverpool fans, we thought. Here we go again.

How wrong could we be.

For the next 90 minutes, all thought of what might be happening at Hillsborough was forgotten. How could it not be? We were in another semi, playing against a Norwich team that was punching above its weight but that we were expected to beat comfortably. We had our place at Wembley to play for.

And we won. Only 1-0, a Pat Nevin goal the difference between the two teams. We were back in the final, with the prospect of another local derby at Wembley to come.

Depending upon what happened at Hillsborough.

What had happened became bleakly, horribly obvious listening to the radio on the long drive home. My first thought was for friends and colleagues who had been going to the game - where were they located? Were they safe? (Thankfully, all were safe).

And after the shock, the aftermath. When elements of the national press vilified the Liverpool supporters. Lies, invented to sell newspapers and to perpetuate a stereotype. To fuel the egos of one or two twisted individuals (who still appear to be in denial). To provide a smokescreen for an implicated, passive and hopeless police force - who saw itself in conflict with the public it was there to serve. (And still does, to this day - but that's another story for another time).

Over time, the truth came out. The club - both clubs - conducted themselves with dignity and compassion for the people - all the people - of Merseyside, and in particular for those closest to the dead and injured. There were few families on Merseyside without any links to those directly affected.

The City was united in its grief. Liverpool has an unfair reputation for playing the victim, for wallowing in self-pity - in this instance the grief was real, was heartfelt and was widespread.

And after the grief - the anger. At the press, at the police, at the combination of factors that led inexorably to this disaster. It happened to be Hillsborough. But if not Hillsborough, at some other time, some similar event, something similarly awful could - would - have happened.

Did anything good come out of the tragedy? Maybe the widespread changes to safety arrangements in football grounds that have - so far - prevented a recurrence of the factors that led to this disaster. Maybe the vilification and boycott of a certain newspaper that continues in Liverpool to this day. Maybe the drawing together of the two halves of a city divided by football. But it should not take the deaths of 96 innocent people to force change that was already necessary and overdue.

And it was 20 years ago. The two main Merseyside teams are drawing apart, the 'friendly derby' no more. Policing techniques are returning to the 'act first, justify later' methods that prevailed at Hillsborough. And the families of the 96 still wait for justice - to understand why their loved ones never returned home.

Which is why we must never forget - or forgive. The fight for justice continues.

On Sunday, I will be going with seven other members of my family to watch an FA Cup Semi Final. God willing, we will all return home safely to our loved ones.

20 years ago today, 96 football fans did not return home. Remember the 96.

Day 30: Happy Families!

Today's soundtrack: The Ramones - Hey! Ho! Let's Go! The Anthology

Mrs W back at work today, so just me and the boys around, with a spot of family visiting to do. But first, to Tesco, to stock up on all the necessary to ensure everyone is satisfactorily fed and watered for the next few days.

[rant mode on]

Since I've been 'spending more time with my family', Ive tended to take on the responsibility for getting the weekly shop sorted. Now being an efficient sort of chap, I like to get the shop done early, before the crowds build up and when the shelves are fully stocked. Which has led to me doing the shop normally around 8 - 8:30 in the morning. Which is fine so far as it goes - certainly getting up and down the aisles. However it all falls to pieces at the checkout stage. Tesco, in their wisdom, don't put any cashiers on the tills until after 9:00 so up until that time you are reliant on the self-service tills. Which, again, is fine if you're just picking up a few items on the way in to work but which is, frankly, a bit crap if you're doing Big Shop and have a trolley full. It is made even more crap if you are buying any booze (which we invariably are) as you need an assistant to confirm you are old and sensible enough to buy the stuff. Also, if you are on your own, there is a need to do stuff in stages - scan, load, scan, load - as otherwise the belt gets backed up. All very unsatisfactory and I'm not the only one to notice as there were a few people discussing the whys and wherefores this morning.

I feel an email to Mr Tesco is in order. And a change of allegiance until I receive satisfaction!

[exit rant mode]

Having got the shop out of the way, I took the boys off to see their grandparents. And with it being half term, they got to see their two young cousins as well. Oh, and Alfie, the dog. Probably because they don't get to see them that often, my nephew and niece are really keen and happy to see the boys and they all get on really well together. Nephew and Son No 2 out in the garden playing football, while niece discusses her options for university with Son No 1. Which is pretty precocious for a nine year old!

Doting grandparents put on a massive and varied spread, including various types of pie and pizza as well as sandwiches, crisps, dips and cakes. And fizzy pop. All in all, enough e-numbers to send all the kids hyper for an hour or two! A game of Triominos calmed the massive down and we headed back home mid-afternoon to kick off the evening's entertainment.

Mexican food tonight - combination of tacos and enchiladas, followed by a selection of Ben & Jerry's finest (Phish Food and Baked Alaska - to die for). Quantum of Solace on the box - lots of fights, chases and explosions just bout making up for the lack of any coherence in the plotline. But what the hell, it's Bond, isn't it?

The Ramones on the soundtrack today - a band that never fail to bring a smile to my face. In a complete reversal of the Spinal Tap scenario, it's only Ramone drummers who are alive today - disease and self-abuse having seen off Joey, Johnny and Dee Dee. Still, we have the records. Deceptively simple three chord thrashes, they produced amphetamine-driven anthems to teen life and love - the Beach Boys transplanted from 1965 California to 1977 Queens, high on speed and glue. But beneath the thrash, a keen ear for a tune and a melody that is unmatched. It's hard work making something so simple. Oh, and it's easy to play along to on the bass, as well!

Day 29: Normal service resumed (for the time being anyway)

Today's soundtrack: Miles Davis - Sketches of Spain

Easter Monday morning, and it's all hands to the pump to get the house looking respectable before the boys turn up - my two sons are both coming up together to spend the next few days here, so we've been busy changing beds, hoovering carpets, washing floors etc to straighten things up a bit.

Not that they'll notice of course, both being tax-dodgers at Portsmouth and Huddersfield University respectively, but the house needed a bit of TLC anyway, and this is as good a reason for doing the chores as any [EDIT: Son No 2 just read the above over my shoulder - and tells me he did notice. Not sure how taken he was with the tax dodger line though....]

The boys duly turned up at around 1:30. I'd been texting Son No 2 to find out ETAs etc, but since he was doing the driving, he wasn't responding. Which I should be thankful for, I suppose. His first long drive since passing his test last year, and his first motorway journey as well - all managed with his customary aplomb and lack of concern. I'll just have to do the worrying for him, I suppose.

With the boys up, there was the customary need to stock up on DVDs and to do some menu planning for the next few days. So it was out to Blockbuster to pick up a few films (four for a tenner, midweek!) and to pick up a few bits and pieces for the evening meal - a big lasagne, since you ask. I'd also put the breadmaker to good use - using the 'Italian' loaf setting with the addition of a couple of finely chopped cloves of garlic to produce some home-made garlic bread! Very nice too, even though I say so myself. It's the future, you know - a taste sensation! You read it here first. Probably.

The lasagne required some careful construction. Whilst Mrs W and myself consider the mushroom to be a fundamentally important ingredient, neither of the boys are particularly partial. So the lasagne incorporated a 'baffle board' down the middle, comprised of a couple of vertically-stacked pasta sheets. On one side of this barrier, I put together a mushroom-free lasagne, and a fully mushroomed-up version on the other side.

The things you do to keep your kids happy, eh?

Lasagne (both sides) slipped down a treat, as did the garlic bread, while we were watching a piece of fluff called 'Pineapple Express'. Mrs W and I tend not to watch 'funny' films when it's just the two of us - our default film setting tending towards the gory - so it makes quite a nice change when the boys are up for their tastes to prevail and for us to watch something a bit out of the ordinary. And quite an entertaining piece of fluff it was too.

So not too much to report on the personal front today - just a nice day spending some quality time with my kids. Likely to be the theme of the next couple of posts as well, I guess.

Bit of jazz on the soundtrack today - Miles' version of 'Sketches of Spain', recorded with Gil Evans in 1960. I don't listen to a lot of jazz - and when I do it tends to be Miles I listen to - but by any standards this is a fantastic album. It's source material is a Spanish classical piece - and at times it feels like more of a classical album than a jazz album. In a good way. A beautiful, beautiful piece of music.

Day 28: Happy Easter!

Today's soundtrack: Björk - Family Tree

A bright, sunny Easter day today, largely spent with the family - hence the lateness of today's post.

Good to have a bit of a family gathering once in a while, especially when the sun is shining and the living is (relatively) easy. Down to my parents, to be joined by my brother, his wife and two kids, and my brothers in-laws. Oh, and a mountain of Easter Eggs that were gaily distributed after dinner.

And a lovely dinner it was too. A massive chunk of beef, that took me the best part of half an hour to carve (traditionally my job to carve the meat at my Mum's - no idea why though!), served with mashed and roast potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots both on their own and mashed with swede, and yorkshire puddings, And gravy, of course. Followed up with a selection of desserts including apple pie, chocolate and sponge cakes, cheese & biscuits and coffee. And then followed by a long sit down!

Whilst all this was going on, Everton were playing away to Aston Villa in a crunch match to determine who, if anyone, was going to challenge Arsenal for the last Champions League spot. Despite leading 2-0 and 3-1, Everton managed to end up drawing the match 3-3, which is a good result for Arsenal and probably confirms both us and the Villa as participants in the 'Europa League' next year, whatever that is. Could only manage surreptitious glances at my phone for scores over dinner, so had to wait until Match of the Day was on to see any of the game.

It's always difficult to get a real flavour for the game in the highlights, but both the free kick and the penalty that Villa were awarded in the second half (that resulted in the two goals that got them back level) looked a bit soft to my blue-tinted eyes. That said, even from my perspective I would have to concede that Villa were a touch unlucky not to be awarded an earlier penalty for a couple of clumsy challenges on Ashley Young by Tony Hibbert, who apparently got turned inside out by Young all game. That said, the Everton messageboards appeared to be outraged by the amount of diving that Young was doing - and the number of times the referee fell for it.

So a shame to be pegged back after being in a winning position twice, but I'd have taken a draw at their place if offered it at the start, so can't complain too much. We need to tighten up defensively again for the semi-final next week, but we are scoring from all over the pitch at the moment so if we can just score more than we concede, then we'll win. Obviously.

Arrangements all sorted for the semi next weekend, and I'm happily getting a lift to and from Wembley so haven't got to worry about the driving (well volunteered, Keith!). Six of us sitting together up in the rafters, but we are there, that's the important thing.

Back home from Mum and Dad's at around six, laden with plants, flowers and chocolate (and a cheeky bottle of Bailey's). Decided to sit and watch a couple of box-set episodes accompanied by a light bottle of bubbly that's been cluttering the fridge up since Christmas. Half way through we cracked, and finished off some leftovers we had in the fridge, just to top up our calorie intake for the day. Mrs W then left me to it, with Match of the Day and the Masters to watch.

Started with the back end of the Masters, at a time when Mickelson and Woods were making a bit of a last minute charge, stringing a few birdies together and challenging the leaders. I left them to it for an hour or so to watch the footy, returning later to see that the big boys' challenge had just fizzled out, leaving three players in contention - Cabrera from Argentina, Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry from the US. Going into the last two holes, Perry looked like he was home and dry, with a two shot lead - but he managed to drop shots at each of the last two holes to end up in a three-way tie with Campbell and Cabrera.

Very disconcerting the way the commentators made great play of Perry's incredible age - especially when he's two years' younger than me!

So into the sudden death play-off, where a few nerves started to come into play. Cabrera put his first tee shot into the trees, seemingly putting him out of contention, whilst the other two players hit relatively safe tee shots down the fairway. Cabrera then managed to bounce his second shot back onto the fairway off a couple of trees whilst the other two hit poor shots missing the green, Campbell finding a bunker. Cabrera and Perry then managed to rescue their position with strong approach shots and single putts, while Campbell two-putted and was out of the running.

On the second play-off hole, Perry sprayed the ball all over the place while Cabrera played safe, steady golf and ended up needing two putts from about 12 feet for the title, which were duly delivered. A shame for Perry, who had led for so long, but the chunky Argentinian (built far more for comfort than for speed) kept his nerve throughout and deserved his win.

A bit of Björk this morning as I type this. Family Tree is an unusual box set, made up of a number of cds of differing sizes covering a number of themes - Roots, Strings and Beats - plus a full-size CD with a smattering of 'greatest hits', which is what we are listening to just now. Always had a soft spot for Björk, ever since her Sugarcubes days - the world needs the odd kooky Icelandic chanteuse around to provide a bit of variety and eclecticism to the overall musical mix. I saw her at Glastonbury in 2007, headlining the Other Stage and she put on a great show in the rain, bringing a bit of sunshine (and some particularly phat beats at one point) to a very gloomy corner of Somerset.

Day 27: Welsh Wales

Today's soundtrack: Various Artists - Tougher Then Tough: The Story of Jamaican Music

Up and out today, to enjoy the good weather while it lasts. Off to Conway (or Conwy, as the locals would have it) for a quick wander. A long, long time since I've been, and the first time for Mrs W. A very smooth journey - motorway/dual carriageway pretty well all the way now - I'm sure in years gone by the journey involved lots of single carriageway stuff. The journey along the coast road takes in some excellent views over the Dee estuary and the Irish sea as well, both resplendent in their 'blueness' today.

Of course, with it being a Bank Holiday weekend and all, Conway was packed and it took a while to find a car park (and then to generate some small change to pay for the parking). Once parked up, we wandered through the town onto the quayside where I was delighted to see that the 'Smallest House in Great Britain' was still there and that no-one had discovered a smaller house yet. I first saw the house on a school trip to Conway back in the '60s - for some reason it made a bigger impression on me at the time than the castle itself did. Slightly confusingly, it was bigger than I remembered it.... Apparently the house was lived in until 1900, when it was deemed 'unfit for human habitation' which given the standards of the time must have meant it was pretty grim. It does beg the question though - if the house is 'unfit for human habitation' is it still reasonable to describe it as a house? In which case it might not qualify as the smallest in Great Britain? Hmmmm...

Wandered in the general direction of the castle but gave the full tour a miss this time around. In any event, Mrs W's stomach was calling out to her and we went in search of sustenance. Sadly, the options available to us either involved long queues or cramped seats so we decided to 'save ourselves' for our tea. Which tonight involves a lot of pre-prepared Tesco snacky stuff chucked into the oven.

What? Standards slipping, you say? Don't you think I did enough cooking last night?

Last night's fish bake was very fine, I have to say, but hard work. Lots of pans on the go, especially when I decided to accompany it with another cauliflower cheese, which meant cooking up two separate sauces at the same time. Inevitably something had to give, and the cauliflower cheese was slightly disappointing, certainly when compared to the monster dish prepared a couple of weeks ago.

As I type, the footy results are coming through. ManYoo struggle to a somewhat spawny win at Sunderland with the young Italian kid scoring again with his first touch, and Chelsea very nearly chucked away a 4-0 lead, holding on to win 4-3 in the end. Oh, and Big Red buried Blackburn 4-0 earlier in the day. So still very interesting at the very top. Disappointingly, Arsenal also won, 4-1, but the scoreline doesn't really reflect the fact that Wigan led for most of the game, and that three of the Arsenal goals came in the last 20 minutes or so. That probably puts them out of reach, although there's the small matter of a game to win against Aston Villa tomorrow.

Toughter Than Tough is a 4-disc box set, covering Jamaican music from the early '60s through to the early '90s, tracing the music from its early calypso origins, through ska and rock steady, reggae and its variants (lovers, roots etc), dub and on to the toasting performers of the late '80s and early '90s. There's hardly a bad track in the set, although for me the series peaks on the third disc, which covers the late '70s and the reggae explosion that accompanied the punk era. Culture, Black Uhuru, Burning Spear and of course Bob Marley are well represented, but it's also delightful tunes like 'Uptown Top Ranking' by Althea and Donna that bring a smile to your face and a skank to your step.

Excellent hair and glasses madam! In mi khaki suit an' ting! Riddim!!

Day 26: What's so 'Good' about Good Friday?

Today's soundtrack: The Cure - Acoustic Hits

Miserable day weather-wise, so we've done very little other than lounge around the house today - with all the shopping for the holiday break done, there's been little incentive to do anything other than vegetate. Nothing wrong with that, though. Did bake another loaf today, and enjoyed sausage sandwiches made with freshly baked and cut bread, still warm from the oven. The best sandwich Mrs W has ever had, apparently...

Played around with some pictures of Katy Teabag today, trying to get a decent picture small enough to go into a locket Mrs W bought to hold a picture and a claw shed by Katy in a recent scratching session. Took a bit of trial and error, but eventually got the picture the right size and shape for the locket and everything gently manipulated into place.

So it's creamy fish bake for tea tonight. I've some salmon, cod (line caught in the Pacific!) and prawns as the base, which I will poach in some milk with some onion, carrot and celery. When cooked through, the fish will be flaked into an oven proof dish with the vegetables. I shall then make a bechamel sauce using the milk I used to poach the fish, thickened with a flour and butter roux. When the sauce is the right consistency, I'll add a chopped bunch of parsley and some double cream for flavour and richness, and pour the sauce over the fish.

Topping will be mashed potato, which I shall either leave 'as is', although I am tempted to sprinkle with breadcrumbs to add a bit of texture. Once prepared, I think baking in a hot oven for around 25 minutes should do the trick nicely!

Will report back...

I'm continuing to make steady progress through 'Anathem', the book I started reading on Day 11 - 570 pages in as we speak. It's an engrossing (if challenging) read. Science fiction essentially, set in a world not too different from ours at a point some thousands of years after the end of 'modern' civilisation. The 'hero' is a sort of monk, resident at the beginning of the tale in a 'monastery' that only opens its doors to the outside world at intervals - ten yearly, in the case of our man, although there are other elements of the monastery that only open their doors at hundred or even thousand year intervals. Anyway, a cataclysmic event in the outside world causes our hero and a number of his fellow inmates to be sent out into the wider world to use the combined fruits of their learning and skills to address this event. Many adventures ensue.

Not sure I've sold that particularly well, but it is proving to be very enjoyable. Not for everyone by any stretch of the imagination, but if you're a fan of the genre it's definitely worth a go. The review of the book in the Guardian can be found here - I think the reviewer likes it as well...

Interesting album thrown up on iTunes today - this is an extra disc that came with The Cure's Greatest Hits collection - and as the name suggests, it's those greatest hits re-recorded as acoustic tracks. It works very well, and I probably play it more often than the originals. You might not think that Cure songs would lend themselves well to a purely acoustic treatment, but the sparse arrangements fit the songs well and, stripped back, the tunes shine through.

Here they are with an acoustic version of 'A Forest', one of my favourite early Cure tracks.



So then, why is 'Good' Friday so called? Well, extensive research (and a quick bit of Googling) reveals that the term is probably a corruption of the phrase 'God's Friday'. So there you go - a bit of learnin' for you as well.

Day 25: When is a Bank Holiday not a Bank Holiday?

Today's soundtrack: Tom Waits - Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards

When you're not working! Very strange feeling going into a holiday weekend, as the 'benefit' of a couple of extra days off doesn't really apply at the moment. Still, be nice to have Mrs W around the house for a few days (so long as she doesn't get under my feet!) and Son No. 1 is coming up to stay for a few days at the end of the holiday as well, which will be good.

Big Shop for the bank holiday this morning, out early to avoid the rush. Got everything we needed for the weekend, and the promised fish pie will be duly delivered on Good Friday (got to have fish on Good Friday!) and recipe will follow - if it's any good.... Mexican and crappy film tonight though I think. I suspect a lasagne will also be prepared over the holiday as well.

Grasped the nettle today, and parcelled up our stocks of cat food and cat litter for delivery to the cat shelter that we got Katy Teabag from. It's a shame to be removing all trace of her from the house, but the food can be put to good use by the sanctuary, looking after all the other cats who have been rescued in the same way as Katy. The sanctuary is called Paws Inn and their website can be found here. Teresa, the lady who runs the sanctuary from her own home, is totally reliant on donations to support her work - otherwise everything is funded from her on (limited) resources. You will note that there is a Paypal page on the website (here) where donations can be made, if you are of a mind - having seen what good and selfless work Teresa does for her animals, it is money well spent, I promise you.

Although not particularly of a religious bent, I was moved to contribute to a thread on the Word website today, looking for our favourite religious songs (given that Easter is upon us). So I added one of my favourite songs of all time (secular or religious) to the thread - Belle, by Al Green. This was recorded not long after Al 'got' religion and was trying to put aside Earthly temptations - in this case, the 'Belle' of the title...."It's you that I want, but it's Him that I need...".

Anyway, it's beautiful stuff, whoever or whatever your God.



The Word is, without doubt, my monthly reading material of choice and a magazine that comes with many 'added extras' - a vibrant and vocal community contributing to its website and a weekly podcast adding to, and building upon, the magazine itself. It helps that I fall slap bang into the middle of the Word demographic - ie borderline obsessive music fan fast approaching middle age but refusing to go there gently, with an unhealthy knowledge of the minutiae of rock music from the late '50s onwards. Anyway, I commend the magazine, the podcast and the website to you all. Hours of harmless fun debating the merit of Beatles album remasters and such - all to be found here.

For the second day in a row, I received a 'thanks, but no thanks' letter from a job application. Not too disappointed, as it would have involved quite a hike from home, but it's a bit disconcerting that - despite a good CV and what I thought was a compelling case - I don't even merit shortlisting for interview. However, as one door closes, another door potentially opens - an agency called today with another potential job closer to home and in line with my experience and skills. Again, early days, but good that people are still thinking of me and that there are at least one or two opportunities out there.

Despite the huge temptation, I am going to make no comment on Big Red's defeat at the hands of Chelsea last night. Naturally I didn't watch the game - I know for a fact that if I had the result would have been completely different - and only became aware of the result this morning, when I was party to a bit of premature gloating from the ManYoo camp going backwards and forwards by email. I use the word 'premature' advisedly - at present the tie is only at half time so there is plenty of time yet for the pact with the Devil to reassert itself.

Of more interest at the moment is ManYoo's apparent desire to self-destruct - their ongoing difficulties in the Champions League and the Premiership do give me the faintest hope that their focus will be elsewhere going into the semi-final next weekend. Pushing our chances of getting the FA Cup final from 'none' to 'slim' in the process! Semi final ticket is now happily sorted so there will be at least one Grand Day Out at Wembley this year, which I am determined to make the most of - whatever the result!

Tom Waits on the soundtrack today - the 'Orphans' collection is a bit of a sweep-up of various bits and pieces from his long and varied career, loosely themed across three CDs. Currently listening to the 'Brawlers' CD which shows off Waits' more muscular style. My preference is for Tom Waits the barroom balladeer, alone at the piano save for a pack of Camels and a quart of bourbon, lamenting the loss of a good woman and his lot in life.

Here he is on the Whistle Test back in 1977, singing 'Tom Traubert's Blues'.

Day 24: Stay Positive!

Today's soundtrack: Tindersticks - The Hungry Saw

Spent a large part of the day pulling together the paperwork for an insurance claim relating to my current situation - got the last piece of paperwork I needed from the Jobcentre yesterday, so today was all about checking and re-checking that all the information was there, scanning everything to ensure I had a complete record of everything that had been sent, then off to the Post Office to get the bundle of documents sent Special Delivery to make sure it all reaches its ultimate destination.

Had my first response to a job application today - not the response I wanted as I was not even shortlisted for interview. Disappointing, as I think it is a role that I would have been well suited for, but I think demonstrates the need to be more focused and tailored in the applications I make to ensure that my specific talents and 'fit' for the role comes through more. This was an application I submitted some time ago, while I was still working, so probably dashed it off a little bit quicker than I should have done. But you learn as much (if not more) from your failures as you do from your successes, so we move on.

And you Stay Positive - which as well as being the lesson for today, is also the title of the last studio album by the wonderful Hold Steady. Their latest disc (called 'A Positive Rage') dropped through the letter box this morning, a live album stemming from their 2006 tour of the US, in support of the 'Boys and Girls in America' album. Accompanying the CD is a DVD, including a documentary made during the same tour.

Those of you who have been around since Day 1 will already know that this blog takes its title from a Hold Steady song that has a lot of resonance for me - see here. They are a band that I've grown to love over the last couple of years - I saw them for the first time at Glastonbury in 2007, where they lightened the mood of a very wet and dismal Friday with a performance that just about blew away everyone else I'd seen that far. I've seen them twice since, in Liverpool later that year, and also in Manchester last December. Both times they just confirmed my belief that they are one of the best live bands around at the moment, not least because they actually look like they are enjoying themselves on stage, and want the audience to enjoy themselves as well.

Here they are performing 'Stuck Between Stations' on TV (is that Letterman?) in the
States.



I think you'll agree they're not the prettiest of bands, and Craig Finn is clearly not a classically trained singer, but it's the rough edges that make the band as likeable as they are...and the feeling that if Craig Finn can do it looking and sounding the way he does (sorry Craig), then there's hope for all the other rock band wannabes out there - me included!

All of which should not detract from today's soundtrack, which is provided by Nottingham's Tindersticks. 'The Hungry Saw' was one of my favourite albums of last year and is worth investigating further. Deceptively laid back, the album covers a number of noirish themes, but the overall melancholy feel of the album is leavened by the quality of the singing and the strong melodies of each song. Stripped back, but compelling, the album suits quiet contemplation in the early hours, probably nursing a single malt.

Here's an acoustic version of the title track for your delectation.



So all about music today I'm afraid - I spoiled you with the soup recipe yesterday (which was delightful, you'll be pleased to hear) so no recipes today. However Mrs W and I have been planning for Easter and I shall be experimenting with a fish bake over the holiday - so watch this space!

Day 23: Busy Busy!

Today's soundtrack: Dr Feelgood - Down By The Jetty

Well, in stark contrast to yesterday, I've not stopped today!

Up early this morning to trawl the job sites (nothing doing, obviously) and to get my paperwork together in advance of signing on just after lunch. Needed to get them to sign off on a particular piece of paperwork today, and despite half expecting to be pushed from pillar to post, the lady who signed me on was very happy to do the necessary while I waited. So again, it's not the most pleasant of experiences, but it has been remarkably painless (and quick) both visits so far.

And they are going to give me money as well!

Before setting off, I finally got round to confirming the green light for Latitude this year, so got the ticket bought post haste - and happily one of the lightweights I referred to a while ago (See Day 9) turned out to be far less lightweight than expected so I've got some company as well! Just need to work on the other two 'Musketeers' now - you know who you are!

Last year, Latitude was a real highlight for me - a nice, compact festival in (generally) decent weather with a good range of bands and a remarkably strong lineup. The headliners were excellent, but the real joy was in discovering some real gems on some of the smaller stages. And getting our picture taken with Seasick Steve, of course. This year the lineup is slightly (but only slightly) less appealing than last year, but there's a lot of acts to be announced yet.

My Latitude photo album can be found on Photobucket here if you're interested.

After signing on, I headed off to Northwich to pick up the raw ingredients for tonight's culinary masterpiece. I hinted at carrot and coriander soup, but Mrs W put in a request for some ham & lentil soup instead, so that's what we shall be having, with some thick lumps of home-made bread (baked a wholewheat loaf last night - bit 'heavier' than the others, but a delight toasted and will set the soup off perfectly.)

You don't want the recipe for this as well, do you? Really? Oh, ok then.

Take a gammon or bacon joint (smoked or unsmoked - your choice) and wash it under cold water to reduce the saltiness. Cover in a big pot with boiling water (might take a couple of litres), and boil the joint for an hour or two, until the meat is tender and starts to break up easily. Remove the meat ands set to one side - you'll need it again soon.

Add a couple of chopped onions to the pot, along with three or four chopped sticks of celery and the same number of chopped carrots. Cook until the carrots begin to get tender, then add a decent cupful of split red lentils (check the pack - they probably won't need pre-soaking, but just make sure and soak if necessary). Continue cooking until the lentils and veg are tender - probably another hour or so.

NB: you can cook the veg along with the meat if you want - will all be blended at the end so it's difficult to 'overcook' the veg.

Once you're happy with the tenderness of your veg and lentils, do the whizzy thing with your hand blender to get your desired consistency. Taste and season although you shouldn't need any salt.

While your veg are cooking, and when the meat is cool enough to handle, take as much as you want to return to the soup and pull it into 'flakes'. It's far nicer if you do this by hand rather than cutting into cubes - but if you prefer cubes, be my guest. Add the flaked/cubed meat back to the blended soup and heat through until you are happy.

You can add herbage and cream if you want but really, it doesn't need it.

Easy stuff, honestly. Takes a long time to cook from start to finish but there is very little actual 'cooking' involved - just chuck stuff into the pan when necessary and let it look after itself.

Dr Feelgood's brand of rhythm 'n' blues is stripped down to the bone, and so much the better for it. Down By The Jetty is their first album - recorded in mono in 1976 - and the short, sharp songs were the precursor to the punk explosion that was just round the corner. The original (and best lineup) had Lee Brilleaux on vocals and harp (no, not the big stringy thing), Wilco Johnson on guitar, John B. Sparks on bass and The Big Figure behind the drumkit. The whole group was tight as a gnat's chuff, not an ounce of fat anywhere and no more notes played than absolutely necessary. Brilleaux (now sadly deceased) exuded anger and tension in his trademark off-white jacket and narrow tie, as tight as a wound spring. Wilco moved around as if on rails, manic stares in all directions, wielding his guitar like a machine gun, seemingly playing rhythm and lead at the same time. The engine room kept the beat sharp and tight. But rather than me try and describe it, just listen here or watch below. And learn - just how lean and focused rock and roll can be.

These boys deserve two clips - firstly doing 'Roxette' on the Whistle Test, with (overlong) introductions from David Hepworth and Mark Ellen:



Then doing 'She Does It Right' live on 'The Geordie Scene' in 1975:

Day 22: Tedium

Today's soundtrack: Everything But The Girl - Idlewild

Ok, today it started getting a bit dull. Partly my fault - a lack of motivation - but once I'd caught up on the blog and trawled the available websites to see - yet again - that there's nothing new out there, the rest of the day seemed to stretch out into the distance. And so it proved...it's been a looong day. I need to get my arse into gear and get a touch more proactive I feel.

Anyway, I promised you recipes this time round, so here you go. After being singularly unhealthy over the weekend, we're going to get some decent food back into us tonight by having some baked salmon with brown rice. Dead easy, very very tasty and pretty good for you as well.

A couple of salmon steaks, baked in foil parcels in the oven. Take a couple of sheets of tinfoil and fold them up into little parcels big enough to hold a salmon steak each. Oil the parcels with your oil of choice - I like to use sesame oil to give an oriental touch to the meal, but you could use olive oil or any oil that can stand a high oven temperature (ie don't use butter). Lay each salmon steak onto the oil (will stop it sticking to the foil) and add your seasonings of choice...up to you, but I would generally crush a clove of garlic over the steak, add salt and pepper to taste and squeeze a generous amount of lemon or lime juice over as well. Soy sauce or teriyaki sauce also work well - or a splash of white wine - but be careful of overpowering the salmon. Just a splash of liquid - you want to steam your fish - not boil it!

Fold your parcels up so none of the juices can escape and let them cook in a hot oven for around 20 minutes - which is about the length of time you'll need for your brown rice to cook, so set your rice to boiling as you prepare your salmon parcels. Obviously you can use regular long grain or basmati rice, but the nuttiness of the brown contrasts nicely with the salmon and is, I think, a better choice for this meal.

While your rice and salmon are cooking, prepare your veg. Again, use what you want - tonight we're having some green beans, some mange tout and some baby sweetcorn. You will also want some onion (spring or regular), garlic and maybe some ginger to add flavour to your veg. Ideally you want something with a bit of crunch to it. Retain the crunch by stirfrying the veg briskly, and when cooked combine with the cooked brown rice in a wok or similar.

Plate up the rice/veg mixture and place your salmon steak on top. The juices from the salmon parcels should be retained, and used to dress the meal.

And that's it! Infinitely flexible and healthy as well.

Finished off the broccoli and stilton soup (see Day 11) for lunch today, so need to crank up the stockpot again soon. Look out for the carrot and coriander recipe later this week...

Idlewild is a nice gentle soundtrack to today's blog. It was released before EBTG discovered dance music, so represents their fey indie period when it was largely just the two of them, an acoustic guitar or two and some light accompaniment. Nothing too noisy.

As always (almost), it's on Spotify here and the video for the lead-off track, 'I Don't Want To Talk About It' is below.



You'll no doubt know the Rod Stewart version best, although it's been recorded by many different artists over the years. The Rod version was a Number One in 1977, although (allegedly) it was being massively outsold by the Sex Pistols' 'God Save The Queen' at the time. In Jubilee year, it is widely believed The Man could not countenance a Sex Pistols song at the top of the charts, particularly one that had such a blatant pop at Her Maj.

And 32 years later Johnny Rotten is on our screens selling butter. How times change.

Day 21: It's just like watching Brazil!

Today's soundtrack: The Rolling Stones - Black and Blue

Apologies for the slight delay in service today - busy afternoon yesterday so playing catch up here.

The anticipated Saturday film got a big thumbs-down from Mrs W so a trip to Blockbuster had to be made to find a suitably appalling film to watch. This dovetailed nicely with a trip to Dominos to collect a couple of pizzas to eat whilst watching. I promise you some healthier food options in the coming days - but one has to pig out occasionally, doesn't one?

Oh yes - the film....if I told you that the 'star' of the film was one Vincent Jones, former 'professional footballer' and all-round bad guy, you can take a rough stab at the degree of quality we were aiming for, can't you? And whilst it won't be anywhere in the queue for the Oscars next time round, it did deliver on a number of levels. Not very challenging levels admittedly, but it passed a couple of hours very enjoyably. Anyway, it was called 'The Midnight Meat Train'. You will not be surprised to learn that blood and guts featured prominently, although - sadly - no gratuitous female nudity that I can recall. It does have some pedigree in that it was based upon a Clive Barker short story. Vinnie, bless him, does not get to speak a single word in the whole film (although he glowers a lot). This is eventually explained - Spoiler alert! - by the fact that his tongue had been forcibly ripped out by the roots at some stage in the past. Which is nice.

My God, we are shallow, aren't we?

Anyway, up early on Sunday to bake a loaf of bread for my Mum and to watch the Grand Prix. You can keep Eastenders, Corrie and The Apprentice - Formula One has to be the best soap opera on telly at the moment. Jenson Button continues to provide this year's 'rags to riches' story as the Team That Very Nearly Didn't Exist carries on winning, and McLaren convincingly play the part of the big bad bully in the corner, unblushingly telling fibs and hoping to get away with it.

For once, the race itself provided a great deal of drama, mostly provided by the weather, but I find the tactics surrounding the timing of pitstops, the choice of tyres and the varying ability of cars and drivers to stay on the racetrack when things get a bit hairy to be absolutely fascinating. A shame the race didn't make it to full distance - not for the first time in the history of televised sport, the demands of the schedulers taking precedence over simple common sense - but that added its own element of drama as the needs and desires of the governing body came up against the very clear 'bugger this for a lark' attitude of the drivers.

And if that wasn't enough excitement for one day, it was off to Goodison in the afternoon for the Everton - Wigan game. On paper, this could have been quite a tough game for Everton, Wigan just one place beneath us in the league and coming to us on the back of a decent set of results. They has beaten us 1-0 at their place earlier in the season and are a big, strong set of players - the sort we normally struggle against.

Well, as it turned out, it was a stroll in the park really. We were the pick of the two teams in the first half, passing the ball around well without really doing too much with the ball, whilst Wigan never really threatened our goal. Not much protection from the referee, Tim Cahill in particular getting some very rough treatment from Michael Brown, who was booked and failed to reappear for the second half - possibly to save him from a likely sending off.

The deadlock was broken about halfway through the half, a good advantage from the referee freeing Osman, who played Jo in (possibly in a marginally offside position). A delightful left foot finish across the hapless Kirkland made it 1-0.

Second half, and just as my dad was saying we needed a quick second to settle things down, Fellaini duly delivered. Played in by Hibbert, he had plenty of room to turn and shoot low across Kirkland. And five minutes later, the game was over as Kirkland could only palm out a shot from Fellaini straight into the path of Jo, who couldn't miss from six yards out. A fourth followed later, as Kirkland again couldn't hold onto a Fellaini shot, Osman this time the recipient of an easy rebound that he tucked away nicely.

With the game won, Moyes brought the kids (and Saha) on for Cahill, Fellaini and Pienaar and we played the game out in second gear, allowing Wigan to attack but without really looking like we'd let them back into the game.

4-0 then, a nice warm up for the next two games against Villa and United, who coincidentally were beating each other up at Old Trafford as we made our way home. And the perfect result there too, as a last-gasp United winner puts us within one point of Villa and United back above Liverpool.

It's all good!

And in other news, Andrew and Natalie next door brought their new baby daughter home as well. In the excitement we didn't quite catch the new baby's name - either Anna (or was it Isla?) Marie (Maria?). Nice to have some good news and share in some happiness after the upsets of the last week.

Black and Blue is not, by any stretch of the imagination, The Stones' finest hour. Their version of the reggae standard 'Cherry Oh Baby' is particularly awful - but it does have 'Fool To Cry' which (barely) justifies the price of admission. Anyway, it's on Spotify (along with 37 other Stones albums) so you can listen for yourself here. What do you mean, you haven't downloaded Spotify yet? Get it sorted!

Recipes - something will be posted later on today for your delectation - I promise!

Day 20: Didn't we have a luvverly time....

Today's soundtrack: Various Artists - Superfunk

...the day we went to Southport?

Well, we did actually. We fancied a day out, and I've not been to Southport for years. Mrs W had never been. So off we went.

I remember my last trip to Southport, actually. Must have been about 1987-88, when I was working in Liverpool. A gang of us went to the Southport Theatre to see The Drifters. Or at least one version of The Drifters. I think there was one original member still with them at that stage, with three other 'newcomers'. They were great actually, had us up dancing in the seats and played all the old hits - alongside some Michael Jackson and Commodores stuff, which felt a bit wrong. Enough good Drifters stuff to play without that.

Anyway, no Drifters today - and not a great deal of 'sea' at the seaside either. Huge amounts of sand, though. The tide was out, and when it's out at Southport it's really out. I was pleased to see that you can still drive your car onto the beach at Southport. It may be my imagination playing tricks with me, but I'm sure the first time I sat behind the steering wheel of a car was on Southport beach. Sat on my Dad's knee, doing the steering while he was doing everything else and making sure I didn't hit anything (or anyone). That's the sort of thing you could do in the '60s.

The other thing there was plenty of at Southport today was wind. It was blowing a hooley out there! So we parked up, went for a stroll and decided we'd worked up an appetite. Found a Chiquito's close to the prom, and had a very agreeable lunch of Chimichangas (me) and Mexican fishcakes (Mrs W).

Oh yes.

So back to the car, and back home to watch the National.

I know there are mixed views about the Grand National, but I've always loved the spectacle and history of the race - and the chance to have a flutter. As always, I'd studied the form, trawled the web for tips, and made a very considered and informed decision on my horse selection. Which is why one fell at the second and the other, so far as I am aware, is still running. Mrs W, on the other hand, looks at the names and picks ones she likes. So naturally she manages to get her main selection placed. Of course I paid for the bet as well, so I'm doubly out of pocket here.

You'll be pleased to learn that last night's film was as good-bad as could have been hoped for - lots of blood, bit of eye candy for the girls and a bit of upstairs nudity for the boys. Tonight it looks like we'll be watching 'To Live and Die in LA', a 1985 film starring William Petersen and Willem Dafoe, which scores a highly respectable 7/10 on IMDB. I suspect a far better film - but as mind numbingly entertaining? We'll see.

You'll be pleased to hear the granary loaf baked yesterday was, if anything, better than the plain white effort baked first. I worry about the impact of all this on my waistline. But not much.

Lots of comings and goings next door - our neighbour has been on the verge of giving birth for about two weeks now but the signs are that something has finally happened. Smart money's on it being a girl....

Nice to have a bit of funk on in the background whilst taping this. The lead-off track on this compilation is 'Word Up' by Cameo, an excellent slice of codpieced 80's funk, although my favourite track on this album is the far lesser known 'Funkin' For Jamaica', by Tom Browne. Excellent use of trumpet! I'm working on the bassline....

Day 19: Here comes the weekend

Today's soundtrack: Bob Dylan - Oh Mercy

"So Paul, what are those strange blue boxes running down the right hand side of the screen?" is the question that absolutely none of you have asked me.

Well, I'm going to tell you anyway. They all relate to a website called 'last.fm' which is a website that (amongst other things) tracks the listening choices of its members. You set it up so that every time you play a song on iTunes (or your own media player of choice) it logs the play and adds it to its own record of tunes you have listened to. It also picks up any songs you play on your iPod/Zen/Zune etc when you synchronise back to your computer.

So what, I can hear you thinking. Well, in tracking all the songs I play, over time it can create 'league tables' of your most listened-to artists, albums and tracks - my overall and weekly charts are shown opposite. It also shows what I'm listening to at the time you are logged into this site. And most interestingly of all, it creates radio stations based upon your own record collections, playing tracks that it has logged randomly. And indeed, if you click on the big 'play' button in the 'BluePaul's Radio Station' box, it will start playing some of my songs for you. Magic! So not only do you get all this writing for free and some lovely tasty recipes to try out, I also let you share in my impeccable music taste. Go on - try it!

Today, fittingly, the soundtrack to my typing comes from my overall 'Top Artist' - Bob Dylan. I have loved Dylan for years (as should you) but I wouldn't say he is by any stretch my favourite artist - I just have more of his material than anyone else. Mainly because he's been churning the stuff out for longer than most, and he's been bootlegged more then most.

Oh Mercy is one of Bob's more recent albums (although having said that, a quick check reveals it was actually released 20 years ago!) and one of his better 'late period' albums. Standout track for me is 'Most of the Time' which was featured in the film 'High Fidelity', although below it's being used to soundtrack a trailer for 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind', which fits the lyrics very well too.



Unusually for Dylan, the song has a very direct lyric that isn't couched in allegory or metaphor. It's a beautiful song about someone just after a break-up, who can deal with the aftermath, 'most of the time'. The clear subtext is that, actually, the singer can't deal with the break-up at all.

First verse goes like this:

Most of the time I'm clear focused all around
Most of the time I can keep both feet on the ground
I can follow the path, I can read the signs
Stay right with it, when the road unwinds
I can handle whatever I stumble upon
I don't even notice she's gone
Most of the time.

The rest of the lyrics - and the song itself - are here.

I know Dylan is not to everyone's taste, but you should give it a try.

In other news, I've no new recipes to share with you today I'm afraid - we had steak and chips last night, steak cooked on the George Formby Grill (highly recommended, especially with the removeable hotplates) and tonight we've dragged an old curry out of the freezer to watch with our crap Friday night film.

It is tradition at Waring Towers to spend Friday night in front of the telly with plenty of food and booze, watching the worst film we can. Usually one that involves axes, inbred locals with a taste for blood and a stream of young nubiles being offed in a range of imaginative ways.

Tonight's offering is called 'Insanitarium' which sounds like just the ticket. It managed to score a massive 4.9 out of 10 on the IMDB website, which is quite a high score for us, but still sounds promisingly awful. Will let you know just how bad it is.

Well, as Bob Dylan gives way to Graham Parker, I shall bid you adieu. I have a granary loaf to get out of the machine shortly so must tend to that. A good weekend to one and all.

Day 18: New career paths beckon...

Today's soundtrack: Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go

Well, maybe new career paths beckon. Wish they would.

Firstly, off to Tesco this morning to stock up on flour, yeast etc so I could try out the new toy. All seems very easy - get your measurements right, chuck everything in the bowl, sort out your settings and stand back for four hours. And four hours later, open up and out pops a loaf of bread. So take a look at this bad boy...

Still cooling, so I can't tell you what it tastes like, but it looks and smells divine. Feels like a winner to me!

While the bread was cooking, I needed some lunch and was under orders to use up the smoked salmon that had reached its 'eat by' date. Normally, we eat our smoked salmon on top of scrambled eggs on toast, but I couldn't be bothered doing scrambled eggs for one. So I tried something different - a smoked salmon and mushroom omelette. And I was glad I did!

So for future reference - slice a handful of mushrooms and fry in some butter until they turn colour and soften. Beat three eggs in a jug with some salt and black pepper, and add to the pan with the mushrooms and cook gently to set the bottom of the omelette. Slice your smoked salmon into long, thin strips and add to the pan. Continue to cook gently until the egg sets and the salmon begins to turn colour. If necessary, put the pan under a hot grill to set the top. Fold, turn out onto a warm plate and serve. Easy. I toyed with putting some cheese in but it really didn't need it - it would have distracted from the subtle taste of the salmon. A touch of lemon juice might have been nice but I decided against - you might want to experiment though! No pictures I'm afraid - it didn't last long enough!

Oh, the loaf just cooled enough for me to cut, so had a quick sample with some strawberry jam. Oh yes. Oooooh yes.

Best stop eating now, steak and chips tonight so need to leave some room.

So career path one - celebrity chef? Hmmmm...

Or I could follow in the footsteps of my son, and become a music journalist. Well, I got my name in print today, so why not? Follow this link for the evidence - but be aware it's only up there for a week. I've blogged once or twice already about Amsterdam, but they remain one of my favourite bands - and are criminally underrated (and overlooked) by the mainstream music media. They are a great live band - and a great bunch of people as well. This is Matt and me with Ian Prowse, the band's lead singer, at Glastonbury last year. Who looks the most starstruck do you think? And no, I hadn't shaved for six days. And the beads? Because I can, folks.

One of my favourite albums of the past few years is 'The Seldom Seen Kid' by Elbow. The album has just been released in a live version, re-recorded at Abbey Road with the BBC Concert Orchestra. Just watched the DVD of the performance that comes with the album - and they've made a great album even better. Elbow have been operating for a number of years just below the radar, but in the last twelve months they've really started to hit the bigtime, with some big festival performances, winning the Mercury and also being voted Best British Band at the Brits. Again, a great bunch of blokes who deserve all the success they get.

I'd be delighted if Amsterdam could break through in the same way - Elbow demonstrate that perseverence (and a stonking set of songs) can find you a way through the hype and bullshit that surrounds the music business. Sometimes the good guys do win!

Nice to listen to the Manics while I'm typing this. 'Everything Must Go' was their 'breakthrough' album, the first released after the dark and harrowing 'Holy Bible', and their first as a trio following the 'disappearance' of Richey Edwards. Everything Must Go is a fine album, although lacking the rough edges that made The Holy Bible a classic. A Design For Life is, by any standards, a great song, with one of the best opening lines ("Libraries gave us power, then work came and made us free") a hit single could have. After a short spell in the mainstream, the Manics seem to have retreated back into a less accessible place but sound none the worse for it.

Finally thanks to all of you who have sent messages - either on the blog, or directly - about Katy Teabag. We appreciate your thoughts and kind words, it really does help to know that people care - that they do 'get it' as I put it yesterday.