Anyway, back to the gig: The Smoke Fairies, whom we first saw a decade or more ago, warming up the audience for my my beloved Bryan. I just turned to Den and said “You like this, don’t you.” He nodded and he has every track they’ve released (and more, but don’t tell anyone). He also received a collection of Smoke Fairies special stuff, including very personal things like shells in a tin, which Trina arranged for his 70th birthday in 2018. I can’t repeat his reaction in writing (he also got stuff from several of his heroes like the Green Pajamas, Cliff Bennett, Randy Newman, so it was a bit overwhelming for him lol).
We’ve seen them as the main act at the Brudenell Centre (when Den started collecting Bear’s Den, their supporting act, who I must say are rather good) and I think we had tickets but had to miss another gig, maybe when I was ill? Watching on an 18-inch screen was a bit strange but perfect harmonies and excellent guitar playing just need good sound in the end and factor in the absence of crowd noise - it was great. I felt sorry for them with no audience to feed off but I don’t remember their patter ever being anything but awkward.
I’ve just finished my first book in a month. Normally I’d have read 8 to 10 books but recently I just look, sigh and leave it. The book was Dear Fatty, Dawn French’s autobiography written when she hit 50. It’s a series of letters addressed to various people in her life, Fatty being Jennifer Saunders, her late father, her mum, brother, daughter, various friends... At first I disliked it, it was so unrelentingly Dawn French in her comedy persona and I wanted to slap her. As I couldn’t attend book group - I was booked for Part 2 of The Haven’s Dealing With Change and Transition - there was no pressure to finish it but I picked it up yesterday and read 3/4 in one go. On balance, it was quite readable and therefore enjoyable and she did make me laugh a few times. It was sad though to realise the things that have happened since, like her divorce, Rik Mayall’s accident and, later, his death; Jennifer Saunders’ breast cancer, all of which would have influenced the whole tone of the book I think. Not that she could write a PS. That would be another book entirely.
Lying next to me is my next read: the 26th (?) Jack Reacher novel. No one said my reading was intellectual lol. It’s young bro, Anthony, who has had to change his name to Child so he can carry on the franchise now Lee Child has retired. I think they wrote this together. I’m not sure I approve. I’d rather Lee Child had sent Jack out in a blaze of glory but I believe there’s a TV deal with Netflix or Amazon Prime so he has to keep the stories coming. I just hope the casting is more within his control. The idea of diminutive Tom Cruise flattening a team of six private security guards, armed and immovable, with just a few choice moves with elbows, feet and knees is risible. May Anthony write as smoothly as Lee. Fingers crossed.
Just this moment got a hospital physio appointment (but I may not be allowed to go as I’m CEV -hospital policy, sigh). I was about to say I didn’t need it till I realised it was D, my excellent oncology physio who I have confidence could look at the whole of me and sort me out. Fingers crossed again.
I say fingers crossed. I can’t physically achieve the move right now lol
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