Simple Minds at The London Palladium

London. Saturday 27-May-2017.

Simple Minds weren't on my musical bucket list - artists to see before *they* die - but no reason not to go see them.

The London Palladium, like many of London's West End theatres is an architectural gem - apparently a Grade II* listed building.

It was billed as 'Acoustic Live '17". Turned out it wasn't that acoustic. The guitars were acoustic rather than electric but miked up and amplified, and all the other instruments were as normal. It was apparently as much an opportunity to showcase new rearrangements of the songs.

An excellent review and lots of pictures from Naomi Dryden-Smith on Louder than War:

"Any nagging worries about the implications of “acoustic set” (for those who haven’t heard the album) are dispelled within the first minute with the arrival of Cherisse Osei who, bathed in gorgeous golden lighting, fills the place with astonishing tribal drumming, marking the beginning of New Gold Dream. The whole place is on its feet from the very start, and Simple Minds spend the next couple of hours demonstrating that acoustic doesn’t mean unplugged, but merely “rearranged”
[...]
A fantastic gig from start to finish, comfortable familiar nostalgia revamped and energized to appeal to a new audience. Definitely one to go and see if you can catch the tour."

Seems like a number of the audience recorded songs and have loaded them up on YouTube; here's one:

Enjoy!

The Other Place 07 - Furniture Assembling

Cisternino, Puglia, Italy. Thursday 25-May-2017.

While we were away the kitchen worktop was fitted which looks great but I forgot to take a picture. However the main feature of this trip was getting furniture into the place. Plus buying all the lights for every room so the electrician could come in and fit them.

When you are two stories up centuries-old narrow winding stairs there are two options with furniture. Flat pack that goes up the stairs or pre-assembled and winch it up the outside. Fortunately the builders scaffolding and hoist are there until the end of the month.

Most of the furniture were pre-ordered from Ikea for delivery the day after we arrived. Two wardrobes, two chest of drawers, two bedside cabinets, two hanging rails and a bed. At least I didn't have to carry all that lot up two flights of steep stairs. The poor delivery driver looked well puffed by the end.

By the end I was getting pretty slick at assembly. Thank goodness for the power screwdriver.

The sofa was a different matter. It was delivered a couple of days later and came as a piece. It had to go up the outside - a scary thing to watch.

The hoist is rated for more than the weight of the sofa but even so it is not a spectacle for the nervous.

Once on the terrace it was a bit of a manoeuvre to reverse it into the small bedroom and back out through the kitchen and dining room, across the landing and into the living room.

A week later a sideboard from Calligaris went up the same route. All very stylish and in one piece.

It was not all work, there was eating and drinking. One difference between London and Cisternino is that here you actually know the name of the person who made your Easter egg - Antonietta Pinto founder of Chocolab. We've met her and she's the sister of the brothers who run Bar Fod across the piazza. Buona Pasqua.

That's the Limoncello and Arancello started. I have made Limoncello before using Chris's recipe but this is the first time I have made Arancello.

We'll be back in a couple of weeks to complete the recipe by adding the syrup.

While we are away at least one of the bathrooms should be installed and the boiler up and working so we can actually move in. We will be driving down with a car stuffed full of all sorts on a three day road trip and now be based there for the summer.

Brighton Marathon 2017

Brighton, England. Sunday 09-April-2017.

I thought "How hard can it be to run a marathon. Tens of thousands of people do it every year. I could do that!" Mary wisely counselled to try running a half marathon and see how that goes. Last year's Royal Parks Half Marathon was a training run for this full marathon. I couldn't get into the London Marathon so Brighton was plan B.

Well I crossed the finish line. Ran 22 miles. Ran out of steam. Had a 50 min rest until St John's Ambulance finally got back to me to give me the all clear. Walked the last 4.2 miles with a final jog over the finish line. Time immaterial, I finished.

My splits were consistent. I was with the pace runner up to 30km. Not sure was caused the problem but being hottest day of the year didn't help - much hotter than predicted even that morning. To say I'm disappointed doesn't cover it. But not *bitterly* disappointed. I did the training - 35 runs, 416km (256 miles). I had a plan. Just didn't go to plan. Thank you to everyone who sponsored me so generously. Running total: £1,391.00 Total raised incl. Gift Aid:£1,727.50

So when the final Brighton Marathon results came out I was 6888 out of 7757 male runners; 116 out of 145 in the 60-64 category. Total time 5:45:39 made up of 3:45 running, 0:50 sitting and 1:10 walking.
https://resultscui.active.com/participants/2092507

I have learned that I have a real problem accepting praise which I don't feel I deserve but I have to ask myself, "Did I give it my best shot?" The answer has to be "Yes". I did the training. I ran till I was spent. I was literally staggering all over the track with exhaustion or dehydration.

The full story...

Training for the half I got bored running round and round and round Wandsworth Common so I used the Wandle Trail, out-and-back, as my training route getting longer and longer each run. My longest run in training was 30km which took me all the way to Beddington Park and back.

The optimistic prediction for crossing the finish line was twice my half marathon time, so 4:30. I followed the training plan pretty much: a total of 35 training runs totalling 416 km. Plotted in Excel, best fit graph, and revised my expected time upwards to 4:40. Vectored in on that time using three different calculations I was feeling confident it was achievable.

The plan was simple:

• Pasta meal the night before
• Go with the 4:30 pace runner
• Drink water little and often
• Fade a little towards the end and hit 4:40

Found the 4:30 pace runner:

At the Half Marathon mark it was all on track, here is me in the blue baseball cap just a few metres behind Mr 4:30.

Then it all went pear-shaped. What I hadn't counted on was:

• it was the hottest day of the year - much hotter than predicted
• I found it impossible to drink from paper cups whilst running - and I didn't want to stop otherwise I'd lose sight of the pace runner
• I should have carried my own water supply

As a result I didn't take on enough water and at the 22 mile mark my body had had enough. Apparently I was staggering all over the track. Two fellow runners asked if I was OK, the second of them steered me into the arms of the St John's Ambulance volunteers.

After being checked over, I had to sit for nearly an hour till they gave me the all clear to carry on. It shouldn't have taken so long but the heat had taken out so many other runners whose needs were greater that I was triaged to the bottom of the queue. Eventually I set off at a gentle walk but determined to cross the finish line.

On the walk section, every now and then, I tried to run, took three steps and just couldn't do it. The tank was empty. You can see the second heart rate spike as I jogged over the line.

I was stationary so long the Garmin auto-paused and finished the activity so I know how long the run part was.

As an aside I had a DNA test recently which, amongst other findings, informed me that I have the genes of a world-class endurance athlete.

Shame I don't have the body to go with it!

The Other Place 06 - Kitchen Fitting

Cisternino, Puglia, Italy. Thursday 30-March-2017.

This whole trip was planned around the installation date for the kitchen.

The basic layout is a U-shape. Key to the design is to separate the oven and hob. The hob is in the foreground facing into the room so Mary can cook and talk to our guests at the same time.

The back of the units are covered with dummy doors so that you are not looking at the bare backs of the units.

One downside of buying a non-designer kitchen was that Conforama could not supply the worktop. The walls are too irregular, they only do basic walls with straight lines and 90 degree angles. We had to wait until the units were in then get the local marble merchant round to measure up. Part of the challenge is to play Tetris with the pieces of the worktop to cut them all from a single 270cm by 325cm composite slab.

All done ready for the worktop, hob and sink.

Up on the terrace the water tank is waiting to be plumbed in. All the houses in the town have rooftop tanks as the water supply is turned off at night. It will be hidden behind a low stone wall for aesthetic reasons.

The terrace walls are below the one metre legal minimum. Our initial thought was to put trellis attached to the planters. Now we are thinking we will put a proper metal railing - awaiting a quote for that.

The next visit we plan to move in. As long as the water is connected the loos will work and we can always boil a kettle for a flannel wash and go to Trullo Azzurro for a shower later. Exciting times.

Paul Young's Los Pacaminos at Half Moon

Putney, London. Friday 24-March-2017.

This was supposed to be John Lee Hooker at Under The Bridge but that was cancelled due to "unforseen circumstances" so we invoked Plan B.

Paul Young has a wonderful voice and I remember his early singles "Love of the Common People" and "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)". Since those days he has eschewed pop music, the charts, and stardom for a back-to-basics approach and low key gigs in pubs and nightclubs. He apparently formed this Tex-Mex band back in 1993.

I went with friends Grant and John for meal beforehand at Hudson's just a few doors along. Described on Google as "Easygoing, family-friendly neighbourhood restaurant with outdoor seats, serving global comfort food." I'd second that.

Paul is the one with the grey stubbly beard and the check shirt.

I enjoyed the music well enough although Tex-Mex wouldn't be top of my preferred musical styles. The band were clearly having a good time and that adds to the atmosphere.

There was a support act then they did two sets so we certainly got our money's worth.

An enjoyable evening.

Kenilworth Grammar School Reunion - Class of '71

Kenilworth, Warkwickshire. Saturday 18-March-2017.

A reunion for those of us who left KGS in the summer of 1971. We met up in The Tiltyard opposite the school for lunch.

People who have said they were joining us:
Nigel Bull, Bill Nealon, Paul Pearce, Andrew Fox, Mary Plimmer was Cameron, Diana Jones was Gibson, Virginia Edwards, Sue Hope was Kirk, Norman Stevens, Wendy Browne was Skinner, Mark Mclellan, Louise Brooke was Phillips, Ken Harrop, John and Crissima Savage, John Ralphs and David Botterill.

This time we had name badges - a good idea not just because of our age but because some people change beyond recognition.

I leave it to you to work out who's who and who is a no show.

Dilys one end, cannot remember, Wendy Brown, Norman Stevens.

More peeps.

We all had a good natter, a meal and went home again. Pity I will have trouble meeting up in 2018 as I will be in Italy most of the summer.

Omar Puente Cuban Jazz Quintet at Ronnie Scott's

Soho, London. Friday 17-March-2017.

Mary and I went with her friend and ex-colleague, Cristina. Another person we have introduced to Ronnie's.

An evening of energetic Latin music with eating and drinking. What more can I say.

North Downs Way 07 - Hollingbourne to Charing

Kent Tuesday 14-March-2017.

Rather than heading home after reaching Hollingbourne, we stayed over at Leeds Castle to make it a 2 day walk. Very pleasant accommodation in the stable yard. We dined in the Castle View Restaurant and were very impressed with the quality of the food and the service.

Part of the deal with staying in the castle B & B was free entry into the castle. In the morning we were able to wander the grounds before the crowds arrived which was very delightful.

Once the castle opened we did the full tour, for free. A fascinating castle.

After lunch we took a taxi back to The Dirty Habit for an afternoon's half day walk. It being spring there were flowers. No idea what these are.

But I'm pretty sure these yellow chaps are primrose.

At this point the NDW joins the Pilgrim's Way for the nine mile walk to Charing. Much easier going which was a relief after the day before but downside was that the scenery was much less stunning than previous sections.

Not for the first time a bit of a brisk walk towards the end to catch an imminent train and avoid a long wait.

This leg: 8 miles
Total so far:104 miles

North Downs Way 06 - Cuxton to Hollingbourne

Kent. Monday 13-March-2017

As we get further from London the longer the train journey to our start point. By this stage it made more sense to make it a two day trip. We chose the B & B at Leeds Castle as the venue for our overnight stop.

We were due to take the train to Cuxton. That involved a change at Strood (Kent) for a 4 minute train journey and a 1.5 mile walk. So we jumped ship at Strood into a taxi that took us to the point on the NDW where we had finished the previous leg, all of which gave us at last a 30 minute advantage. Just as well given the day we had ahead.

Almost immediately we crossed the Medway Viaducts with a fine view of Baty's Marsh, shortly followed by Fort Borstal  -  part of the original young offenders institute.

Another lovely sunken lane.

This is an ancient landscape. We passed Kit's Coty House - the remains of a Neolithic chambered long barrow constructed 3500-2800 BC.

The White Horse Stone - another neolithic relic.

A long day through varied scenery with lots of ups and downs. The last stretch was especially hard work as the ups and downs continued which put the pressure on.

We were glad we started early otherwise we would have been stumbling downhill through woods in the dark.

We made it to at The Dirty Habit in Hollingbourne at 6:30 for a well earned pint. Our destination was off-path to Leeds Castle for our overnight stay so having done 18 miles already, and it being dark, we summoned a taxi to take us to the castle.

This leg: 18 miles
Total so far: 96 miles

The Other Place 05 - Furniture Moving

Cisternino, Puglia, Italy. Saturday 11-March-2016.

This trip was all about furniture - moving it and buying it. In part this was caused by retro-fitting air-conditioning into Sotto-Le-Stelle. Knowing that was going to create a lot of dust we started moving as much as we could across to the new place.

The scaffolding is down at the front showing of the freshly scrubbed frontage - all repointed and freshly whitewashed. The neighbours wisely chipped in to have their middle floor walls done at the same time whilst the scaffolding and city permits were in place.

If you look carefully you can see how Saverio has picked out the pillars between arched windows - a nice touch.

It was market day while we were there. The stalls start in Corso Umberto I, past our front door and down Via Regina Margarita. We get a good view from the roof.

First up was moving stuff from Trullo Azzurro to the apartment. Saverio has an amazing, heavy-duty cherry picker which he used to grab the fridge freezer from the courtyard. We also moved a double bed which we replaced with twin beds from Conforama making the accommodation at Trullo Azzurro more adaptable.

Everything came up via the back terrace.

Mattress

The fridge

Even the plant tubs from Sotto-le-Stelle

We bought a couple of Ikea chest of drawers so we could move most of our clothes over. Once we'd filled up the small bedroom Saverio sealed up the room with a plastic sheet while works continued.

It appears that there was a leak from our small terrace into the flat below so we had to have it re-tiled incorporating a waterproof membrane.

Removing the old boiler has revealed a bench which is now covered with stone slab and is a real sun trap.

The interior is also proceeding apace with the painting under way.

Next visit is timed to oversee the kitchen installation.