Friday, August 31, 2012

Friday Reggae # 35


Well done to the French mixed coxed four who came fourth in today's rowing heat at the Paralympics, and so go through to the repechage. One Englishman followed your race with a different perspective to most.

Now revenons à nos moutons, as they say in France.

Isn't this lovely?

And to think you can get it free, if you're in the UK, along with nine other Trojan gems - on this.

Yes, I do think I shall require a beverage.

Janet Kay - 'Lovin' You' (1977)

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

"Spirit In Motion"


In July 2004 I was involved in a motor accident in Montpellier, France: I was in a (hire) car and the other party was a motorcyclist, who was badly injured.

The case went to court in France, but I wasn't obliged to attend. I was charged for 'failing to look right at a junction', fined very lightly (65 Euros - then about £40) and banned from driving in France for two weeks. Since I lived then, as now, in London, and the court knew that, this last was no penalty at all. It seemed over all that I'd been given just about the lightest penalty possible, so I assumed, though I did not know, that witnesses had confirmed the lights at the junction had indeed been green, as I'd told the police, that the motorcyclist had jumped it, had maybe been going too fast, had maybe occupied the wrong lane of the carriageway (these things were hinted to me, but never confirmed). All I heard about the motorcyclist was that he had been in and out of hospital for most of the year that followed, maybe would not walk again. It was a hard thing to think about, and mostly I tried not to.

I've never forgotten what happened, of course. I've never forgotten what I saw of the motorcyclist's injuries, and how often I'd asked if he'd be OK and him crying, in shock and pain, 'You didn't have the right of way'.

I still have a folder - 'Accident' - on my computer, documents I'll never delete.

But as summers passed, nearly ten of them, I rationalised I'd hear no more about the accident, the 'case', the motorcyclist.

I didn't feel entirely sure of that, to be honest.

*

Well, last night at about 8:30pm the motorcyclist called me and left a message, in English, on my phone (an 'international number', I'd ignored the call, thinking it was one of those spam competition things we get plagued with in the evenings).

He 'didn't know if I would remember him' (!)

He wanted me to know that before the accident he had been a rower. He wanted me to know that it had taken him two years to learn to walk again after the accident, never mind to row. He wanted me to know that he would be rowing in the French coxless 4s team at the London 2012 Paralympics. He wanted me to know that he 'did not make a judgement'. He wanted me to know that he would be sending me two tickets and would like me to watch him. If he didn't hear back from me, he would send them anyway, and I could do what I liked with them.


*

This afternoon I spoke to him.

He is sure he wants to do this.

He wants to know I am there watching him do this.

So I am going on Friday - to the first of the heats at Eton Dorney: how can I not?

['Spirit In Motion' is the motto of the Paralympic Games]

Monday, August 20, 2012

Gone West (Reprise)


We have gone again for a week to the place of sheela-na-gigs and old stone, where in the night-time garden you can hear only owls*

And there shall be quiet pints in ancient inns, a walk up Ham Hill; trips to the Jurassic Coast; and maybe a slap-up lunch at the Hive Beach Cafe.

Hugs. Will send some Twitter postcards.

Kings Of Convenience - 'Summer On The Westhill' (2001)

*but see the International Space Station pass at 21:18 on Monday, we hope

Friday, August 17, 2012

Never Mind The Balearics


We're off to Zummerzet next week. Ooh-arr.

Meanwhile here in London it's 28C and blissfully sunny so I've stocked up on the rosado and some ready-made tapas for the workshy and we're going to make believe we're in Ibeefa.

Here's a tune I put on every vaguely-Balearic/chilled tape or CD I made for at least a five year period in the early, must we call them, 'Noughties' (usually somewhere in the middle between the uptempo things at the start and the ambienty things at the end)

Salud!

Banda Sonora - 'Guitarra G' (2001)

Monday, August 13, 2012

Quality Sounds For Under A Pound (Again)


There's always one song that jumps out at me from all of the rest. D.J Mr Rob Ryan this time 'brought the wrong box' but let me tell you that even Mr Rob Ryan's wrong box is the kind of box the rest of us'd kill for. Nevertheless That Tune didn't come from him this time, despite even lovelinesses like this. It came from our very own Ms Ally, and it was this.

Roberta Flack - 'Compared To What' (1969)

Thanks to all the seasoned 99p Soulers who made this newbie feel so welcome, again. And to think, I've still got the free CD to enjoy...x

Friday, August 10, 2012

Yeah Baby

Novos Baianos: babies welcome

 This was pretty good pretty loud on the A303 through Wiltshire back from Devon and the Aged Ps yesterday and will set up our Friday night nicely now, I reckon.

The geetar sound puts me in mind of The Allman Brothers 'Jessica', theme to Top Gear, a bit; but this is eminently niftier/groovier, and Brazilian, which is pretty much the same thing.

I don't mind telling you that I've just poured myself a rather generous G&T.

Novos Baianos - 'America Tropical' (1974)

Friday, August 03, 2012

"My News"



by davyh aged 47 and 3 days

This week was still holiday but we are at home. There was Olympics and we went to see the cycling because it was up our road and the others went to the real olympics but i didn't but i went to see bradley wiggins who is a mod which is a man with sideburns who likes the style council. he was very good and he won and i saw him pass me and then in the pub on the tv and people cherred very loud. before that on tuesday it was my birthday and i had cake and also a curry and i got three records which were by frank ocean which is very very good and a record of music from brazil in the 1970's and some madonna because i used to have it on a cassette but now i havent. i did not write anything on my blog because i did not have any ideers th end

Jimmy Cliff - 'The News' (1975)