Back to a fairly quiet time again. A rehearsal and a trio gig up and coming soon and the usual music meanderings too of course. The weathers a lot cooler but still pleasantly sunny though.
I always thought that with so much information available now people would be more sensible. But it does seem the bigger the lie the better still and that old perennial ‘you can’t believe anything’ . I just put a ‘Historic’ Elephant Shelf video clip from Brighton Joogleberry Playhouse in 2006 with Jessie Pie going full loon. This was not far off her last gig with us (120 seat venue and tickets were £14 each and it sold out) when she left to pursue other musical avenues. We went on as Delta ladies to do another 2800 odd gigs after that which kept us amused.

And so in Ukraine the war of attrition continues. Nothing to see here. As most people suspect putin wants either regime change or reintegration in to the Russian federation. So it will go on for years then unless there is a miracle. Also Trump now has made the USA look like a very limp dick… Nothing different to what I expected. Putin looked so confident on screen. He was totally owning it. Meeting Putin before a ceasefire looks very weak. Putin appears like a man who is just waiting to arrange the terms of Ukraines surrender. Or maybe they will just divide the spoils between them?

I went out for a ride in the Picasso, blew a few spiders webs off it. I think it knows its time is nigh.I must remain focused and make sure to get rid of it this time (the Picasso that is). Watch this space. I don’t entirely trust myself to be honest. I must use the force to resist moving towards the dark side and ending up spending another grand on keeping a very old banger on the road….

Its funny but I am feeling a lot less wound up this last week or so. Its nice while it lasts. Maybe the years turning a corner. In last few months I have felt a desperate urge to try and do as much as possible. That’s not really a way to do the things I want to do in music certainly. A bit of mania creeping in to it all. I am just hoping that I am on the other side of the curve now. As I mentioned previously I trying a re-boot on certain day to day interactions. I am a Paradox. I am proud of my achievements but also a voice in my head is still pumping out the school teacher mantra. ‘Does not pay attention and could try harder’ I dont think thats really true anymore generally. And also it is me that has ‘Low self esteem’ but I don’t ware it like a flag and I have enough of an ego to fight back.

Just had a quick stroll around Sharpenhoe Clappers with Alison. Nr Streatley just above Luton. Nice but very dull light. A good night’s sleep straight through but horrible dreams. So a bit exhausted by that.I felt much better for a trip out today. I think that is part of the answer for me. Just getting out a bit more generally regardless of having to have a specific reason to.

Sad to see here are a lot of reform supporting vigilante groups popping up around the UK now. Young guys, often football fans too. Claiming to be protecting people from migrants and homeless. Looks like there might be a Bedford one as well. It’s not encouraging at all.

A bit tired today. Slept reasonably but bad dreams again. Odd as my mum has been in the dreams. The theme seems to be about family but it’s all weird. I preferred the spectacular Hollywood dreams about alien invasions I used to have. Maybe I need to binge watch some Sci-Fi?

The cheap thoman Violin I brought when I moved here as a back-up fiddle maybe useful. The sound is very raw and loud but I fitted my old Barcus Berry Bridge-pick up I got in the about 1975 to it. I had forgotten I had done that. As an experiment I tried recording it as part of the track I am working in and the pick-up sound is awesome. It could be a violin to use with the Sonic Boomers possibly. I will try it at our next rehearsal I think. In my weird way I again enjoyed the drive today to Jon for an Invisible Folk Band rehearsal. He has twinkly eyes you know, which is a dangerous thing in a songwriter/poet. Even though it was a trip on the dreaded M1 mostly. Told you I was weird. Of course I used to drive all day many moons ago. maybe I should get a couple of days a week driving a van again. They are not like they used to be, aircon and power steering. Only half joking.I could do with a bob or two extra certainly.