Spent Saturday at the by now well regarded annual pilgrimage to the Maverick Americana festival. As usual, took up our accustomed position in front of the Southern Sounds Stage for the afternoon session. It’s long been the case that even when not familiar with some of the lesser known (to me) artists the performances are never left that enjoyable and 2019 proved no exception.
redandwhiterag
London and the cricket
Just back from three nights in London at the Park Plaza Riverside hotel (very pleasant with spacious rooms). Managed to fit in a walking trail around old Pimlico followed by dinner with friends in the evening. The Saturday was largely filled with Sri Lanka vs. Australia world cup cricket at the Kennington Oval (a mere 10 minutes or so walk from the hotel) – a …
Homepage Conundrum
Never thought I’d ever have to update the site’s front page! But it looks as though that is definitely what I should be doing next. No more need be said, but a manager called Chris Wilder and his squad had a lot to do with it and Mr. Wilder in particular deserves all the plaudits that have subsequently come his way!!! Watch this space……..
Malta Break
Just back from a five day break in Malta with friends. I’m taking the kudos or this one because the weather, the hotel and Valletta itself were all excellent and the break proved a very fine pick me up for all involved. The flight from Southend was a suitably relaxing start, although the airport has fairly ambitious plans for expansion so it might not remain relaxed for that much longer…
This and that…
Had what must have been our first proper country walk for ages yesterday, along the river at Orford. A decent four miler, followed by coffee and a bite to eat. Other than that, I’ve been going to the gym a couple of times a week, had a few lunches at a variety of lovely pubs (including a visit to the Lighthouse at Aldeburgh) and had …
Ablation Update
Attended a follow-up appointment at Papworth on Wednesday of last week. Generally positive and a reduction in the heart rhythm medication all for the good. Will probably be on Apixaban (the blood thinners) for life but when you’ve had a stroke that’s no bad thing. Will now keep in contact with the consultant by email as I reduce the flecainide over the next two months. Will be interesting to see if the AF holds off without the medication. If it does, the ablation outlook looks very promising….
London
…..and then what?? Well, following the Seville trip and a measly four or five hours sleep, a quick pack and we were on the train to London for a three night stay. Originally set up before we managed to squeeze in the Seville break, hence the short turnaround time between trips. As we were at the Albert Hall the first night, we decided to try the delights of the Gore at Kensington….
Seville Sojourn
Back from the Skerryvore gig, one night at home and then down to the Stansted hotel for an overnighter before our flight to Seville. We had visited the city before, but that was a one night stop as part of a wider cruise itinerary; we’d enjoyed the city, its culture and history, so when this deal cropped up, a longer break of five days seemed ideal.
Our base was the Palacio Pinello, a 15thC palace that opened as a hotel in 2014. It proved ideal for us, and it demonstrated early on that tapas in this city is at a different level to any that we had previously experienced. I’ve decided not to bore with a detailed description of each and every experience but below are the main highlights of a particularly enjoyable break…
Skerryvore at the Apex
Skerryvore last night, at what proved to be the third in an excellent series of recent folk rock gigs, all of which were surprising and excellent in equal measure. I first heard the band with the release of their eponymous CD in, I think, 2010. So eight years or so later, finally got to see them in a live environment….
Oysterband at The Apex
Back to Bury after our excursion to the Maltings, and to what proved to be a fantastic night of folk rock from the Oysterband. Following on from the delights of Merry Hell, I’m definitely on something of a roll with Mrs. No Name. Only the second time for the full band (remember the ill fated Rhythm Festival in 2011) and a couple of years after The Oysters 3, the gig proved that those who are, sadly, of our generation can still singularly delight with the right environment and a stellar back catalogue…
William Hone (You ask?)
Another matinee at Wolsey Theatre yesterday, this time a comedy about a man I’d never heard of (neither man nor deed) by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman. Called ‘Trial by Laughter‘, the play focused almost exclusively on the three trials in three days that a man called Hone faced in December 1817. William Hone was a threadbare but talented London pamphleteer who was both persecuted and prosecuted …
Merry Hell at Snape
Realised that this was our first visit to Snape for a music gig that sat outside the annual Snape Proms festival; and coupled to that, it has been many a year sice I first expressed seeing Merry Hell in live performance. I’m a long time fan, having long enjoyed their rather singular take on the folk rock genre…