After a week off, here is the next Monday Mix-tape selection, inspired by my week in Austria:
1) Postman Pat TV Theme
Can't count how many times I heard and sung this over the week just to keep Anthony happy!
2) Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends
Again, just to keep a child happy in times of tears and chocolate grumps!
3) Staying Alive - The Bee Gees
The first Bee Gee song I heard after hearing of the death of Robin Gibb. Oh the irony!
4) Just The Two Of Us - Bill Withers
One of our chosen theme songs for the Graz visit!
5) Singing In The Rain - Gene Kelly
The other Graz theme!
6) Girl Is On My Mind - The Black Keys
It always seemed to come on when I listened to music on my phone!
7) Bad Water - Cast
Another regular player on the music player. Even on random!
8) Steirische Brauch - Traditional
Well, it's only right, innit?!
9) Rotterdam - The Beautiful South
Another regular player, if only because it came after Postman Pat a few times!
10) D.I.V.O.R.C.E - Billy Connolly
It's funny, and it mentions a dog!
Enjoy those ten, and see you next week my friends!
Sunday, 27 May 2012
Just like school!
Remember the old days, when your first task of the term was to tell everyone what you'd been up to over the school holidays? The pressure was really on... you had the kids who went camping, the kids who went to a fancy holiday cottage, and then the creme de la creme - those lucky kids that went to that mystical place called 'Abroad'. Well, here is my report of the last week:
Day 1: Saturday.
The alarm caused me to peel my eyes open at 3am. After cursing pretty much everything and everyone I got up along with Marisa and the little man and by 4am we were off. It was simple stuff until the GPS proved too technical for me and tempers frayed. Nontheless, we arrived at the Airport parking place and parked and got on the bus. Relief just about covered it.
Once at Birmingham Airport, after Marisa fell over a bit, and I ran over Pingu in the mud we got ourselves orientated. Oh, and then joined the queue for Security.
Happily we got on the flight to Munich and all was good. The Munich stopover was brief enough and before too long we were Graz bound. The little one was overcome by tiredness and slept most of the flight. I watched out of the window as the plane passed over the Alps. Poor Marisa had to listen to some competitive women discuss their travels. I didn't really care once I saw the legs on one of them!!
And then we were there. With our bags we made our way into the arms of the in-laws.
After Marisa picked up the fancy hire car (an Astra estate I'll have you know!) we trundled off towards St Marein bei Graz. The Centre of the Universe.
Once there, more greetings with Marisa's dad, some obligatory food and alcohol, and a play with the neighbours.
Then, in the evening, I watched in horror as Chelsea won the Champions League final.
Day 2: Sunday.
Woken early, well, not really early, just an hour ahead on the clock! Slightly steaming head from the sun and alcohol the previous afternoon. It was a calm day, with another afternoon of family welcomes and drink, and food. I really don't recall much else happening. I tell a lie, we went to the pub to play darts and table football.
Day 3: Monday.
Getting used to the hour difference at last. The morning spent deciding what to do with the afternoon! Finally decisions made, Marisa, her sister, sister's husband, the little man and I set off towards a chocolate factory sort of thing (see Zotter) which had a petting zoo on site... Having been chased out by a school party, we tackled the (free) petting zoo. It has to be said that the weather had been a bit 'British' up to this point. A hair-raising trip down a slide later, we were all sat drinking strong coffee. Except little one, who was devouring chocolate. Day over.
Day 4: Tuesday.
Bloody awful weather. Described by Marisa's dad as 'British'. Enough said. Marisa and I put the little one down for his nap and took off into Graz. A very wet Graz. Still we had a blast being a couple for a change. Dinner in a Chinese Restaurant bedecked with pictures of naked women covered in chocolate followed by a trip up a hill to look over a rainy, horrible Graz. But, it was great. Back home to see a rather excited little man via Toys R Us. Some lego and a jigsaw to soften the blow of having missed his parents.
Day 5: Wednesday.
The usual morning routine of relaxing, little man's nap and lunch was followed by a trip on the Flascherlzug from Stainz. Including special West Styrian wine. And more evidence that the weather really was undecided as to what it wanted to do. Blinding sunshine was chased away by rain and a nice thunderstorm on the way back! There is a link here to the final day, but more of that later! Upon our return the evening fell into it's standard routine of bedtime for the little one, and computer catch up and reading for us grown-ups.
Day 6: Thursday.
After the obligatory early morning coffee, things were a little more structured as we were out of the house by 10.30 to go up a mountain. Teichalm, to be precise. Despite a bit of a diversion, and my eventual acceptance of GPS as a valid tool to find out where the fudge we are, we arrived in time for lunch. This thankfully coincided with a period of wetness, so no harm done. After that, we all went for a wander. By we, I mean Marisa, myself, the little one and Marisa's mum. Round a nice lake, through a forest boardwalk. Taking in awesome scenery. Marisa and myself having a disagreement about the pronounciation of the word 'Piste'. Then it got windy, which made the trip back to the car alot more of a challenge! Still, we made it anyway and found our way back home to the sound of mooing cows and bleating sheep (all from Marisa's mum in the back seat!!)
Day 7: Friday.
The morning was taken up by a bit of domesticity as a-sofa-bed-shopping we did go. This was then followed by a long promised trip for gulasch at Marisa's cousin and parents place. This was goooood. During the after-dinner drink/social, a rather bizarre coincidence was unearthed. Marisa's uncle had been sent some WW2 correspondence from Berlin, itself having been discovered in Shrewsbury of all places, just 6 miles or so from where I live!!
After more drinking, we were off to the last visit of the holiday to see more relatives. And drink more. Then, bed time.
Day 8: Saturday.
Not much to say about this. Packing, sleeping child, more packing. Farewells. Trip to Graz Airport. A chance meeting with the musician from the Flascherlzug at the check-in desk (I told you so). Then goodbyes, plane delays, a world-record rush through Frankfurt airport to get to our connecting flight as boarding commenced. Back on home soil, a razz down the motorway to get home for 8pm. To celebrate, Marisa stuck on the Eurovision Song Contest and ate most of the Haagen Dasz I'd bought from Tesco!!
So ends my holiday report. And not one mention of the dog... Oh F-
Day 1: Saturday.
The alarm caused me to peel my eyes open at 3am. After cursing pretty much everything and everyone I got up along with Marisa and the little man and by 4am we were off. It was simple stuff until the GPS proved too technical for me and tempers frayed. Nontheless, we arrived at the Airport parking place and parked and got on the bus. Relief just about covered it.
Once at Birmingham Airport, after Marisa fell over a bit, and I ran over Pingu in the mud we got ourselves orientated. Oh, and then joined the queue for Security.
Happily we got on the flight to Munich and all was good. The Munich stopover was brief enough and before too long we were Graz bound. The little one was overcome by tiredness and slept most of the flight. I watched out of the window as the plane passed over the Alps. Poor Marisa had to listen to some competitive women discuss their travels. I didn't really care once I saw the legs on one of them!!
And then we were there. With our bags we made our way into the arms of the in-laws.
After Marisa picked up the fancy hire car (an Astra estate I'll have you know!) we trundled off towards St Marein bei Graz. The Centre of the Universe.
Once there, more greetings with Marisa's dad, some obligatory food and alcohol, and a play with the neighbours.
Then, in the evening, I watched in horror as Chelsea won the Champions League final.
Day 2: Sunday.
Woken early, well, not really early, just an hour ahead on the clock! Slightly steaming head from the sun and alcohol the previous afternoon. It was a calm day, with another afternoon of family welcomes and drink, and food. I really don't recall much else happening. I tell a lie, we went to the pub to play darts and table football.
Day 3: Monday.
Getting used to the hour difference at last. The morning spent deciding what to do with the afternoon! Finally decisions made, Marisa, her sister, sister's husband, the little man and I set off towards a chocolate factory sort of thing (see Zotter) which had a petting zoo on site... Having been chased out by a school party, we tackled the (free) petting zoo. It has to be said that the weather had been a bit 'British' up to this point. A hair-raising trip down a slide later, we were all sat drinking strong coffee. Except little one, who was devouring chocolate. Day over.
Day 4: Tuesday.
Bloody awful weather. Described by Marisa's dad as 'British'. Enough said. Marisa and I put the little one down for his nap and took off into Graz. A very wet Graz. Still we had a blast being a couple for a change. Dinner in a Chinese Restaurant bedecked with pictures of naked women covered in chocolate followed by a trip up a hill to look over a rainy, horrible Graz. But, it was great. Back home to see a rather excited little man via Toys R Us. Some lego and a jigsaw to soften the blow of having missed his parents.
Day 5: Wednesday.
The usual morning routine of relaxing, little man's nap and lunch was followed by a trip on the Flascherlzug from Stainz. Including special West Styrian wine. And more evidence that the weather really was undecided as to what it wanted to do. Blinding sunshine was chased away by rain and a nice thunderstorm on the way back! There is a link here to the final day, but more of that later! Upon our return the evening fell into it's standard routine of bedtime for the little one, and computer catch up and reading for us grown-ups.
Day 6: Thursday.
After the obligatory early morning coffee, things were a little more structured as we were out of the house by 10.30 to go up a mountain. Teichalm, to be precise. Despite a bit of a diversion, and my eventual acceptance of GPS as a valid tool to find out where the fudge we are, we arrived in time for lunch. This thankfully coincided with a period of wetness, so no harm done. After that, we all went for a wander. By we, I mean Marisa, myself, the little one and Marisa's mum. Round a nice lake, through a forest boardwalk. Taking in awesome scenery. Marisa and myself having a disagreement about the pronounciation of the word 'Piste'. Then it got windy, which made the trip back to the car alot more of a challenge! Still, we made it anyway and found our way back home to the sound of mooing cows and bleating sheep (all from Marisa's mum in the back seat!!)Day 7: Friday.
The morning was taken up by a bit of domesticity as a-sofa-bed-shopping we did go. This was then followed by a long promised trip for gulasch at Marisa's cousin and parents place. This was goooood. During the after-dinner drink/social, a rather bizarre coincidence was unearthed. Marisa's uncle had been sent some WW2 correspondence from Berlin, itself having been discovered in Shrewsbury of all places, just 6 miles or so from where I live!!After more drinking, we were off to the last visit of the holiday to see more relatives. And drink more. Then, bed time.
Day 8: Saturday.
Not much to say about this. Packing, sleeping child, more packing. Farewells. Trip to Graz Airport. A chance meeting with the musician from the Flascherlzug at the check-in desk (I told you so). Then goodbyes, plane delays, a world-record rush through Frankfurt airport to get to our connecting flight as boarding commenced. Back on home soil, a razz down the motorway to get home for 8pm. To celebrate, Marisa stuck on the Eurovision Song Contest and ate most of the Haagen Dasz I'd bought from Tesco!!
So ends my holiday report. And not one mention of the dog... Oh F-
Sunday, 13 May 2012
The Inaugural Monday Mix Tape
Well, here it is. The first one. The start of something hopefully special. Ten tracks for your delectation.
I've decided to go with a theme, and that theme is 50's Rock n Roll:
1) Twenty Flight Rock - Eddie Cochrane
The song that got Paul McCartney into The Beatles!!
2) Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
That song that Michael J Fox did in Back To The Future!
3) That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly & The Crickets
The birth of the singer-songwriter, sort of!
4) Tutti Frutti - Little Richard
Powerful piano playing!
5) Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
The King !
6) Ain't That A Shame - Fats Domino
Roly-poly Rock n Roll!
7) Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
Hammering the crap out of a poor piano!
8) Be-Bop-A-Lula - Gene Vincent
He was in the US Navy, you know!
9) Wake Up Little Susie - The Everly Brothers
Nice clean-cut music!
10) Move It - Cliff Richard
Just to show that Brits could have a go too!
Hope you enjoy a trip back in time, and good luck finding them in the Itunes store!!
I've decided to go with a theme, and that theme is 50's Rock n Roll:
1) Twenty Flight Rock - Eddie Cochrane
The song that got Paul McCartney into The Beatles!!
2) Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
That song that Michael J Fox did in Back To The Future!
3) That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly & The Crickets
The birth of the singer-songwriter, sort of!
4) Tutti Frutti - Little Richard
Powerful piano playing!
5) Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
The King !
6) Ain't That A Shame - Fats Domino
Roly-poly Rock n Roll!
7) Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
Hammering the crap out of a poor piano!
8) Be-Bop-A-Lula - Gene Vincent
He was in the US Navy, you know!
9) Wake Up Little Susie - The Everly Brothers
Nice clean-cut music!
10) Move It - Cliff Richard
Just to show that Brits could have a go too!
Hope you enjoy a trip back in time, and good luck finding them in the Itunes store!!
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
A rare Petrolhead Post
For those regular visitors to these pages, you'll have noted that, for a man, I don't tend to rabbit on about cars a great deal. Well, that's not really my thing. Yes, I watch Top Gear, and I drive a car myself, but on the whole I don't really get excited by cars.
Yet, whilst watching Quentin Tarantino's 'Death Proof' on DVD the other night, I found myself quite taken with the 1970 Dodge Challenger that formed part of the film's fabulous set-piece car chase scene. In fact, I made it my resolution that should I ever have the means, there would be a 1970 Dodge Challenger in my garage. Then I wondered how big my garage would be and felt that there ought to be some other cars in there to keep the Dodge company...
1. The Dodge Challenger (that one over there... on the right. Look up. Now.)
2. Jaguar XK
3. Ferrari 458
1. The Dodge Challenger (that one over there... on the right. Look up. Now.)
2. Jaguar XK
4. Aston Martin DB9
5. Ford Mustang (also the 1970 model, cos it's cool)
Admittedly, I'd be spending a fortune on fuel, but boy would it be fun anyway!!!
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
On Reflection, I may have got it a little wrong.
Back in August, you may recall I made some predictions for the current football season. As the title of this blog suggests, I may have got it a little wrong. Some might say badly wrong, others might even go as far as to say it was all a complete load of tripe. But that's the thing about trying to predict stuff. The folks at the Met Office do degrees and what have you, and they still can't predict the weather to any level of accuracy!
Just to recap, I'll put my predictions against existing standings (as at 20th March 2012), just to make it easier for you to see how horrifically bad I was:
Premier League
Me Actual
1. Manchester Utd 1. Manchester Utd
2. Chelsea 2. Manchester City
3. Manchester City 3. Tottenham
4. Arsenal 4. Arsenal
5. Liverpool 5. Chelsea
18. Wigan 18. QPR
19. Norwich 19. Wigan
20. Swansea 20. Wolves
So, as you can see, I had no faith in Swansea or Norwich, and yet they are easily holding their own around the mid-table area. At least I had the sense to see another struggle for Wigan. The two Top 5's are fairly similar in that the usual suspects are there. I didn't expect Spurs to have such an impact though. And Liverpool have let me down. Again.
Championship
Me Actual
1. West Ham 1. Southampton
2. Reading 2. Reading
Play-offs
Leeds (promoted) West Ham
Birmingham Brighton
Cardiff Middlesbrough
Nottingham Forest Birmingham
22. Crystal Palace 22. Coventry
23. Peterborough 23. Doncaster
24. Brighton 24. Portsmouth
I got Brighton's season wildly wrong for a start!! West Ham have been around the top most of the season and could still conceivably get back to the top, but Southampton do look unbeatable at the moment. Neither did I compute the problems that have engulfed Portsmouth yet again. Peterborough are near the bottom, but the current bottom three seem poor enough to ensure Peterborough stay up. Leeds probably won't be going up though, even with new manager Neil Warnock. And at least I've got Reading right as potential promotion candidates!!
League 1
Me Actual
1. Sheffield Utd 1. Charlton
2. Sheffield Wed 2. Sheffield Utd
Play-offs
Charlton (promoted) Sheffield Wed
Colchester Huddersfield
Huddersfield MK Dons
Preston NE Carlisle Utd
21. Stevenage 21. Walsall
22. Notts County 22. Rochdale
23. Walsall 23. Exeter
24. Bury 24. Chesterfield
As it stands, I could still get all three promoted teams right, but in a different order. Huddersfield are also up there. Stevenage have proved me wrong in a pretty spectacular way, seeing as they currently lie just outside the play-off zone and played their way to the FA Cup 5th Round just to rub it in!
Down at the bottom, I have managed to guess at Walsall's struggle at least. Which, for a Shrewsbury fan was quite a nice, pleasurable surprise!! Bury are also struggling and might still slip into the bottom four by season's end. Notts County will not though, they are battling for a play-off spot along with Stevenage.
League 2
Me Actual
1. Swindon 1. Swindon
2. Shrewsbury Town 2. Torquay Utd
3. Bristol Rovers 3. Shrewsbury Town
Play-offs
Crawley (promoted) Southend
Crewe Alex Crawley
Gillingham Cheltenham
Plymouth Oxford Utd
23. AFC Wimbledon 23. Hereford
24. Barnet 24. Dagenham & Redbridge
First thing's first, I'm happy to say that Shrewsbury haven't let me down this season. Yet. Swindon have surprised nobody, whereas Torquay have. I expected them to have an average season having lost their manager and some star players to Bristol Rovers (who I thought would be up there), but it's turned out the opposite, so what do I know?! Crawley are in the play-off mix, so I could well be getting that right. The big over-estimation is obviously Plymouth. I had them as play-off contenders, but problems off the field have left them floundering at the bottom all season. A bit of a recovery has given them a fighting chance, as other clubs have surprisingly struggled - Northampton and Dagenham & Redbridge namely. Barnet are in a relegation fight, so could prove me right. AFC Wimbledon aren't mathematically safe yet, but I don't expect them to go down this season. Which is quite nice actually.
As for my Conference promotion tips, only Luton are still in with a chance of fulfilling my prophecy, but only just. Fleetwood look like running away with the title, and Wrexham are also dangerously good this season. Lincoln however, are in a huge mess and in danger of suffering a second successive relegation.
There it is then. I will refrain from making any more foolish predictions because I will only get them wrong!
I will, however, say that Celtic will win the Scottish Premier League this season!!!
Just to recap, I'll put my predictions against existing standings (as at 20th March 2012), just to make it easier for you to see how horrifically bad I was:
Premier League
Me Actual
1. Manchester Utd 1. Manchester Utd
2. Chelsea 2. Manchester City
3. Manchester City 3. Tottenham
4. Arsenal 4. Arsenal
5. Liverpool 5. Chelsea
18. Wigan 18. QPR
19. Norwich 19. Wigan
20. Swansea 20. Wolves
So, as you can see, I had no faith in Swansea or Norwich, and yet they are easily holding their own around the mid-table area. At least I had the sense to see another struggle for Wigan. The two Top 5's are fairly similar in that the usual suspects are there. I didn't expect Spurs to have such an impact though. And Liverpool have let me down. Again.
Championship
Me Actual
1. West Ham 1. Southampton
2. Reading 2. Reading
Play-offs
Leeds (promoted) West Ham
Birmingham Brighton
Cardiff Middlesbrough
Nottingham Forest Birmingham
22. Crystal Palace 22. Coventry
23. Peterborough 23. Doncaster
24. Brighton 24. Portsmouth
I got Brighton's season wildly wrong for a start!! West Ham have been around the top most of the season and could still conceivably get back to the top, but Southampton do look unbeatable at the moment. Neither did I compute the problems that have engulfed Portsmouth yet again. Peterborough are near the bottom, but the current bottom three seem poor enough to ensure Peterborough stay up. Leeds probably won't be going up though, even with new manager Neil Warnock. And at least I've got Reading right as potential promotion candidates!!
League 1
Me Actual
1. Sheffield Utd 1. Charlton
2. Sheffield Wed 2. Sheffield Utd
Play-offs
Charlton (promoted) Sheffield Wed
Colchester Huddersfield
Huddersfield MK Dons
Preston NE Carlisle Utd
21. Stevenage 21. Walsall
22. Notts County 22. Rochdale
23. Walsall 23. Exeter
24. Bury 24. Chesterfield
As it stands, I could still get all three promoted teams right, but in a different order. Huddersfield are also up there. Stevenage have proved me wrong in a pretty spectacular way, seeing as they currently lie just outside the play-off zone and played their way to the FA Cup 5th Round just to rub it in!
Down at the bottom, I have managed to guess at Walsall's struggle at least. Which, for a Shrewsbury fan was quite a nice, pleasurable surprise!! Bury are also struggling and might still slip into the bottom four by season's end. Notts County will not though, they are battling for a play-off spot along with Stevenage.
League 2
Me Actual
1. Swindon 1. Swindon
2. Shrewsbury Town 2. Torquay Utd
3. Bristol Rovers 3. Shrewsbury Town
Play-offs
Crawley (promoted) Southend
Crewe Alex Crawley
Gillingham Cheltenham
Plymouth Oxford Utd
23. AFC Wimbledon 23. Hereford
24. Barnet 24. Dagenham & Redbridge
First thing's first, I'm happy to say that Shrewsbury haven't let me down this season. Yet. Swindon have surprised nobody, whereas Torquay have. I expected them to have an average season having lost their manager and some star players to Bristol Rovers (who I thought would be up there), but it's turned out the opposite, so what do I know?! Crawley are in the play-off mix, so I could well be getting that right. The big over-estimation is obviously Plymouth. I had them as play-off contenders, but problems off the field have left them floundering at the bottom all season. A bit of a recovery has given them a fighting chance, as other clubs have surprisingly struggled - Northampton and Dagenham & Redbridge namely. Barnet are in a relegation fight, so could prove me right. AFC Wimbledon aren't mathematically safe yet, but I don't expect them to go down this season. Which is quite nice actually.
As for my Conference promotion tips, only Luton are still in with a chance of fulfilling my prophecy, but only just. Fleetwood look like running away with the title, and Wrexham are also dangerously good this season. Lincoln however, are in a huge mess and in danger of suffering a second successive relegation.
There it is then. I will refrain from making any more foolish predictions because I will only get them wrong!
I will, however, say that Celtic will win the Scottish Premier League this season!!!
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