Monthly Archives: July 2024

So Class What Have We Learned Today

I played a short gig as part of a small local festival on Saturday and it was jolly good fun. Not perfect but very enjoyable. Go me. The sun’s out today and it’s going to be a hot one again by UK standards. I have a personal significant anniversary which has again minded me to think about what to do next, life wise. So far though I have not had any great inspiration.

A tune for you.

Ashes to Ashes. I think Stardust to Stardust sounds nicer. Apart from that I have very little to say.

Rant time

What is this myth about rich pensioners? I pretty sure I am not one the last time I looked at my bank account. Labour has just scrapped the winter fuel payment. As a somewhat arthritic pensioner that is not by any means wealthy and having had to wait a year longer to receive my state pension which ment burning through savings due to covid basically stopping my being able to work in my last year before receiving it I really would have expected better from you.

Labour has just given a massive middle finger to all those Labour voting pensioners who have been stitched up as there was nothing in the manifesto about that. Not a good look at all labour.

Pensioners who don’t receive pension credit are not all wealthy!

Also I wish they would stop using the phrase hard working people. I had my first job when I was 15 so I built up 50 years of NI contributions. If I did wish to sit on my arse at this point in life I don’t think that would be unreasonable. Actually I don’t but I am sure you get my drift.

It’s a mad, mad world

My brain is a bit fried this week. Here is my latest tune. About the weird world of the interwebs sort of I guess. Meaning might though be in the eye of the beholder to an extent in this case perhaps.

Troll Me Susie

It’s a close sort of day cloudy, but also warm. And I am getting a bit bad tempered. I can’t seem to burn off the energy though I have been busy enough. I might be getting a bit hyper or manic perhaps? I am feeling a bit manic today. Not a good place to be in. These things go in cycles often with no rhyme or reason. A bit like anxiety attacks out of the blue. There is usually a trigger though I can’t seem to find it.

The business of creating music goes on, though it must be said some days are a real slog. An idea seems inspired then turns out to be insipid then often turns in to something else entirely if you are lucky. I often wonder what writers do, staring at a blank page. Perhaps repeated trips to the fridge in the hope of calorific or caffinised enlightenment? I drink tea but so much as I used to do.

Make a will if you and your partner are not married.

A tale of woe and English law


My sister is awaiting the distribution of her late partners estate. So far it has taken close to 3 years. She has been to court twice and the Judge ruled that in terms of his estate she should be treated as a spouse. (they were together in total for 40 years). Her concerns have also unsettled me. It is the case that she has missed various communications from her solicitors or has misunderstood them as they have not been clear or concise. She is finding it difficult to keep on top of things. There is virtually nothing that I can do to help her out. It may still be the case that the amount left in the estate is substantial but the final settlement and the amount has still not being made clear. Personally I do think it unreasonable that solicitors cannot clarify these matters in the simple form so that she might be able to plan going forward. She has multiple serious health issues to contend with. If the worst come to the worst we may have to put her up here but it will cause considerable friction. She would though then be homeless so we might be able to get some traction with local housing authorities though her fear is that they might place her in an OAP home as she now has multiple health problems. With regard to any moneys from the estate the solicitors can deduct any money owing first in law. So she could come out with very little which is perfectly legal in the UK. All this makes me feel rather sad.

I spoke to her today. I told her that she must ring the solicitors and ask directly when they will be paying the money out or if they are not why not They said they had the money from the court last week.I can’t get involved as I am not the client so they have no obligation to speak to me. I am trying very hard not get involved but is stressing me a lot. She has not got enough money to live on now. Her pensions do not cover the trips to hospital and so forth. She is still chasing her money. The court made the award for an interim payment 65 days ago on at the time of writing this.

A busy weekend for a change

I played two actual gigs this weekend for a change. One with the Sonic Boomers in Stevenage and one solo at Milton Ernest. That was good fun and felt almost like the old days for a shining moment or two. But it’s Monday now and back to the usual routine though its lovely and sunny and I just took an evening stroll. It’s still pretty warm.

Here is a tune that could do with a bit more love: an instrumental tune from last year that I had forgotten about.It’s a sort of funky rocky prog trancy thing type thing. Me on keys and guitar….

Cousin Beige

Anyway back to moaning about stuff again. Now where were we? I am working on some music and taking a break for a moment. Usual musculoskeletal gripes of course. That’s not the title by the way.

The coming US presidential election is a wonderment indeed.

The fact that you can get a college degree in some states based on “creationism” blows my mind. I get a lot of friend requests from the US on facebook and many are musicians of sorts. They are usually OK and not flat earth bible thumpers.

I have no problem with genuine people of faith, but if they take things as factual and not allegorical that’s a problem. The fact that many Trump supporters are WASP’s is odd as the last time I looked in a bible it was saying stuff like “Love thy neighbour” and “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another”. 
Trump is if you actually  your read the bible pretty close to its description of the anti-christ. Now I have friends who follow many religions ( I have made music with Irish Catholics, Rastafarians, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims and Jews) and some who are secularist  and some who have no beliefs at all. so I am not pushing any agender.
As has been mentioned before you can now buy ammo from a vending machine…

Doesn’t look like God is going to save America any time soon from where I am standing. Perhaps it must fall before it can rise again? I would be delighted if a woman of color was the next POTUS.

Sadly I dont think its likely