A blast from the past

When I used to live in another city (in another life ago) I didn't have such a broad music interest as I seem to have now.

My ex used to like being out and about without me, and being young and boring I would often find myself home alone with nothing but a bottle of red and some melancholy music for company. Mostly I didn't mind that, in fact nowadays the idea of being home alone for more than half and hour at a time sounds positively ideal! Anyway, I think one of the real tests of one's music tastes in when you find that old CD, or (gasp) vinyl album years later and replay it and find that you either get a third of the way into the first track before heaving it out the nearest window - or whether you can still enjoy the music. To be honest, there were all kinds of emotions playing along with that music too. I doubt the same emotions come into play with melancholy stuff years and happiness later!

I stumbled across my old Julia Fordham vinyl album, tucked away behind my Matt Bianco record but far away from my Quiet Riot record.....to this day I really love this track!  I always wanted hair like hers, and blue eyes and those long legs and.....however I digress.....How has your music taste weathered over the years?

Tuesday Tipple

Gloom Chaser

30ml Grand Marnier

30ml orange Curacao

30ml Lemon Juice

7ml Grenadine

ice

Pour all ingredients into shaker, shake then strain into serving glass. (I'd use a champagne saucer).

And the reason you will need a Gloom Chaser is because of what I am about to tell you.....(drum roll....)

IT WAS 26 degrees at 9.15pm LAST NIGHT, I got to sit on the deck and sip a cold glass of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc - summer is finally on it's way.

Silent Sunday

Did you find at least 37?

Song titles in italics.

It was a Hot August Night.




She got out of the Big Yellow Taxi and shimmied across the sidewalk. Of all the crusty juke joints in town, she had to shimmy into mine. Seeing her again here at Club A Gogo, Something got a hold of my heart.



“Baby, it’s you!” I hugged her close but couldn’t help wondering why she was here?



“Yes, it’s Li’l ol’ Wine drinker Me.” She purred



“What’s New, Pussycat? I haven’t seen you since that Rainy Night in Georgia.”



She smiled slowly. I knew I was a Sharp Dressed Man. She sat her well-rounded Tush on a bar stool. She was a Long Tall Woman in a Black Dress. I’d known Victoria since we were Oh, Very Young. I never could forget that time in the Summer of ’69……….whatever she wanted I knew I’d do. Even after all this time she could still Play Me.



“Do you wanna dance?”

“No”

“Wine?” I asked but she was a Hard Woman to Please.

She wanted One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer.



Seated at a table by the window, I watched her with her drink.

“There’s something on your mind –you know with me you can Tell it Like it is.” I smiled at her encouragingly. She didn’t answer right away then She said Yeah.

I had another long drag on my drink. I was becoming Comfortably Numb then she finally spoke.

“I fought the law and the law won. Help. I’m not cut out for a Chain Gang.”



She explained the shoot out in detail.



I didn’t know how I was going to help her. Victoria started to Shake.

“Little Girl – I Can’t Believe it” I stared at her for a long time. Was she teasing me? I was Undecided.

Suddenly three men resembling underworld thugs burst through the door, they were obviously Searchin’.

“We’ve gotta get out of this place”, I whispered then grabbed her hand and I ran.

‘Take it easy” she panted, running to keep up with me. We ran out of the Green Door, across the street and into the lobby of the Hotel California.

“We’ll be safe here.”



We looked at each other. I desperately wanted a cigarette but I knew she hated it when Smoke gets in your eyes.



“I’ll never be safe again.” She uttered quietly. At that moment, I just wanted to be Seduced.

Thirsty Thursday

The grapes got their revenge on me and I missed the Tipple on Tuesday (should have missed the tipple on Monday shouldn't I!! - still, old enough to know better and young enough to do it anyway)...so, if you're thirsty this Thursday here's what I'm having:-

Poinsotta

20ml cointreau
40ml cranberry juice
sparkling wine or champers

Pour Cointreau and juice into a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine (or champers).

Now, I'd advise you to quaff this with a good ol' friend, which is what I'm going to do. My friend of a long time (she hates being referred to as an old friend) is jetting in from Sydney this arvo (see, I speak Aussie) and we're going to have a good old fashioned catch up! I can't wait. And when we have polished off the Poinsotta we will probably get into some red wine...

Its only words

Ok, so here is a very short story written by me...mostly made up of song titles. How many song titles can you find....there is a part 2. Play if you want. Just comment with the number of songs or list them by title. The winner who gets all the song titles, gets to help me finish this one! If they want. Wow. Gee. Thanks. Rol probably has a head start???

It was a Hot August Night (c) Amanda Stephens (and there ends yet another mystery)




She got out of the big yellow taxi and shimmied across the sidewalk. Of all the crusty juke joints in town, she had to shimmy into mine. Seeing her again here at Club A Gogo, something got a hold of my heart.



“Baby, it’s you!” I hugged her close but couldn’t help wondering why she was here?



“Yes, it’s li’l ol’ wine drinker me.” She purred



“What’s new, Pussycat? I haven’t seen you since that rainy night in Georgia.”



She smiled slowly. I knew I was a sharp dressed man. She sat her well-rounded tush on a bar stool. She was a long tall woman in a black dress. I’d known Victoria since we were oh, very young. I never could forget that time in the summer of ’69……….whatever she wanted I knew I’d do. Even after all this time she could still play me.



“Do you wanna dance?”

“No”

“Wine?” I asked but she was a hard woman to please.

She wanted one Bourbon, one Scotch and one Beer.



Seated at a table by the window, I watched her with her drink.

“There’s something on your mind –you know with me you can tell it like it is.” I smiled at her encouragingly. She didn’t answer right away then she said yeah.

I had another long drag on my drink. I was becoming comfortably numb then she finally spoke.

“I fought the law and the law won. Help. I’m not cut out for a chain gang.”



She explained the shoot out in detail.



I didn’t know how I was going to help her. Victoria started to shake.

“Little girl – I can’t believe it” I stared at her for a long time. Was she teasing me? I was undecided.

Suddenly three men resembling underworld thugs burst through the door, they were obviously searchin’.

“We’ve gotta get out of this place”, I whispered then grabbed her hand and I ran.

‘Take it easy” she panted, running to keep up with me. We ran out of the green door, across the street and into the lobby of the Hotel California.

“We’ll be safe here.”



We looked at each other. I desperately wanted a cigarette but I knew she hated it when smoke gets in your eyes.



“I’ll never be safe again.” She uttered quietly. At that moment, I just wanted to be seduced.

To be continued................

Silent Sunday

Old and New

I took this photo about 17 years ago, my mum and my niece. My favourite part of the photo? My nieces wee hand grasping at my Mum's neck.
This niece is the one who made time speed up for me, until she was born time seemed to drift along days felt like days and a week was a week nothing more or less and then suddenly our family this wee 'marker' of time and I realised the value of a day, a week or even a minute and how quickly they were all ticking past.

Now of course my own kids have added to that and with the passing of years (and friends) I'm starting to think I'll never get all the things done on my list. That doesn't mean I won't be trying to get through the list tho'. When I was 23 a c,lose friend died of a vicious rare breast cancer. I know she will never get through her list and in some ways I feel obliged to make the most of my own time in honour of those friends and family who have had their's cut short. Is that odd? I still do things I want to do, I'm not trying to live those lives as well but it makes me even more keen to not waste time.

Do you have a list of things to do, you know "Bucket List" stuff or is your life like seaweed - drifting in and out with the tide, going with the flow?

Tuesday Tipple

Today we're having the RED EYE.

Chilled beer (yes, that may be hard to find if you're in the UK....)
tomato juice
Pour equal quantities of ingredients into beer glass.

In you go!! Now the following was a favourite drinking song when I was tad younger, the drunker people got the faster we tried to sing it. Chaos. Pure chaos.

Baffling stuff for Friday

you know when you buy those 3 packs of potato peelers....why is it that the only one which works properly is the green one? The white and the yellow just don't have the same appeal (ahem).

OK, so this clip has NOTHING to do with potato peelers but it's been yonks since I have played my precious vinyl version of this chap, which I actually 'borrowed' from an old boyfriend who worked for a radio station in a small West Coast town. I doubt the station has noticed it is missing after all this time! However, it's sunny today and not too bad if you can get out of the wind...perfect for listening to Bobby and sampling a Tuesday Tipple!

Tuesday Tipple

Brandy Crusta

30ml Brandy
15ml Maraschino
30ml fresh orange juice
dash Angostura bitters

Rub the rim of the glass with an orange slice then dip into sugar to coat the rim.
Pour all ingredients into shaker, shake, shake, shake (your boooooty) then strain into a serving glass.

What type of glass you ask? I'd use a champagne flute and decorate the glass with an orange slice and a cherry!
Cheers, Tony and God speed.