AndyBlog

A dog's life

Our dear little dog Holly died yesterday, after a long and indulgent old-age. She was about 16 years old, we think. We got her from the Dog&Cat shelter when she was about a year old and have loved her ever since. She was truly part of the family and few who met her failed to like her.

She's pictured here with her old friend Ben, who left us some time ago, dying of stomach cancer. She loved Ben, they were like brother and sister. They would happily sleep together, curled up, just like this. Beyond cute.

It was sad when Ben left us, and we got the tiny puppy of Jasper. Holly never really loved Jasper, but he was, at times, better than no friend at all for her. She became more of a loner while he was with us.

When he died of a spinal condition  a couple of years ago, she brightened somewhat and enjoyed her old age. Once more she got all the scraps and first pick of anything going.

Though rather deaf, she managed to live well and enjoy life, and we enjoyed her, even though we knew it would not be for as long as we would wish.

So now she is gone, and we miss her very much indeed. The house feels empty, and I keep expecting her to trot into the shack here, but of course she never does.

Life goes on, but it will never be quite the same again.

Yachtman's Balls

I make this further posting regarding last night's activities in order to mainly post the picture of Jason and Christine. There, I've said it. This first picture gives you some idea of the atmosphere inside the great waterlogged tent.

All my cables were damp when I took the gear down at the end of the night, and the dampness got into a studio condenser mic I had brought along for an earlier recording job. So, everything I earned last night is wiped out because I have to buy a replacement mic. I'm not bitter - really, I'm not.

I am bitter, though. Very very bitter.

Right, here is the main reason for this posting. It captures a very delicate moment where Doug gently tells Jason that the pies are made from locally sourced ginger cats. Christine overhears.

It's a picture befitting a night where the band played well - including an inspiring version of Bat Out Of Hell, and yet at which the audience to little or no part. Puzzling for us in the band, because we know we may not be the best band ever, but we do a competent job and are generally well received. No-one left, they just stood and watched.

Strangely enough, this somehow reminded me of playing music in church.

Tunes in a tent

So here we are in rainy Blyth, playing at some sort of celebration, I suppose. It may be to do with the recently and soggily departed Tall Ships race from the port of Tyne. Or 'Newcastle-Gateshead' as we are being encouraged to think of it.

Playing in a marquee always offers something a little extra to the experience. In this case, that fact that they forgot that the stage for the band until the last minute is painfully obvious.

Had they allowed sufficient head-room for a two foot stage, all would be well. As it is, I simply dare not stand up, lest I be grasped by the tent lining, in all it's damp and sodden horridness.

I hope we play well. There have to be some compensations for all this hassle. Having to perform a version of 'Bat Out Of Hell' is making tonight's performance yet more interesting. Here's hoping that our public are sufficiently refreshed to believe we did the epic justice.

Ah, the joys of playing in a band.

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...and my very lovely Treo650

Real Actual Birthday

And so it was that I finally got to play with the excellent birthday sparklers and solitary party balloon, kindly provided by Jason, the blues man, Thompson. It was great.

We lit sparklers. I waved them, Jac waved them. Fiona lit sparklers and barely waved them at all. Tris watched with a guarded wonderment at the stupidity of his elders.

Life is full.

Thanks Jac, for waving so meaningfully.

I totally love the taste...

...of Vanilla Müller Light Yoghurt.

I like most of the flavours in the range, but the vanilla one is my current favourite.

I would like nothing better than to have some form of massive comedy bucket of the stuff poured all over me. I would just lie willingly beneath and wait for the cool and lovely yoghurt to splosh all my troubles away. Same goes for the blackcurrent flavour.

My only reservation there would be that the fruit might be a bit uncomfortable if I rolled over. Perhaps I should wear some sort of protective sheath? If I could be lying in some sort of empty pool, maybe I could work towards a floating/swimming/eating scenario.

That would be near perfect. I would bet that a yoghurt-filled pool would offer outstanding buoyancy.

Until I ate it all.

Hold that picture, folks.

Examination

I haven't made it overly clear in my blog, but I have been engaged of late in a course at a college, in which I will have, hopefully, acquired some knowledge/skill in the subject that I studied.

Today was the day for the one and only exam of the course, the rest of the marks being settled by a portfolio reflecting the course work.

I've never really been a fan of exams. They seem to be a vehicle for requiring people to regurgitate large amounts of information in a completely false environment.

I have this argument very well practiced. The only trouble is, I rather enjoyed my exam.

So I thought - maybe my built-in dislike of exams was entirely based on my previous singular lack of preparedness.

It's a question which I choose to leave hanging.

It's my birthday

What you see here, is an extract from a birthday card that I entirely failed to receive. I see that as a good and positive thing, and will happily stare quite hard at anyone who suggests otherwise.

It is, nevertheless, my birthday.

I have received a fair mix of nice things today, as is the custom, also a couple of puzzling ones - and a few totally inappropriate ones. I like that mix.

I'm coming to enjoy, more and more, the email greetings I receive. In particular, the automate ones:

 

From Iambic forums (Iambic make Agendus for PalmOS):
Hello Boris_The_Mule, We at iambic Forums would like to wish you a happy birthday today!

 

From those beautiful people at Treo central (I love my phone):
Hello TwoSheds, We at TreoCentral.com would like to wish you a happy birthday today!

Feesch played a blinder:
On behalf of Feesch and all it's members, I wish you a very happy birthday!
Oh by the way, we've automatically updated your age for you to '40'.


 
Here's one from Biggap Ricks:
Of course, you've always dreamed of a bigger 'friend' to make those romantic nights yet more beautiful and exciting - well, now you can...



Erm.....


I guess I should just say thanks very much to all who got in touch - including the many also offering me excellent pre-approved mortgage rates, free holidays, reasonably priced non-prescription Viagra and, of course, sure-fire penis extension solutions.

I think, however, I'll keep to my original factory issue, despite the convincing advertising, because I know that I am equipped to give a lady the best 3 seconds of her life - and that's good enough for me.

I fear I may have strayed a little in this posting, but I figure you will all read it anyway, because after all, it IS my birthday.

Another test

OK - if this works, I have sussed out how to attach an image to a blog post in moBlog.

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Posted with MoBlog
...and my very lovely Treo650

Test

Download F16-AC142b.jpg (21.5K)

test   test   test   test   test

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Posted with MoBlog and my very lovely Treo650

Japanese Again

Monday saw us return to the excellent Fujiyama for an entertaining and pleasant Japanese meal with Fiona's parents.

The meal was very nice, and the amusing and friendly Japanese chefs were predictably amusing and friendly.

I consider Teppan-Yaki to be one of the best and tasty ways of converting a meat into an eat. Not only is the “Wow!” factor there, but they fulfil that important requirement of doing something that it is near impossible to do well at home, because of lack of equipment.

It was quite nice, and we enjoyed it.