Friday turned out to be a very uplifting day, but for no obvious reason.
I did lunch with Kink and she went off to the gallery, despite the disappointment when she was told Pip wasn't there after all.
But if she's confused, then I'm even more so. She seemed thoroughly pre-occupied with her new boyfriend the whole time she was here, and left straight after dinner to catch his set at the club in Northampton where he plays every Friday.
12 hours is a long time I suppose, at this stage of a relationship.

The baby has temporarily calmed down, and I even managed to persuade Tx to take a bath and have an early night. She was in bed just after eight! Then Mirfee rang, so I ended up doing beers in The Stile until well after midnight! Exactly what the doctor ordered. He's always good company. On The Walk later he laid down a challenge.
For three years now at Christmas I have put together an mp3 collection of the year's musical experiences, which I think has taken the place of a more 'traditional' Compilation ALbum. Its been more than five years since I made on of these, which is crazy when I recall them coming out of my tape recorder at least three times a year.
So I am to make up a compilation CD. Fifteen, maybe 20 songs.
Cover, sleevenotes - the lot.

Talking of which - I have at last picked up the Island re-masters officially released last Monday. I wasn't in a hurry for these,a nd didn't expect to be able to afford them. Bizarrely though, they cost only £6 each and so I found the set irresistable. They are Great albums, but with all the bootlegs and copies of this and that I have picked up over the last two years, contain nothng that I don't have already more than half a dozen times. Haven't played them yet.
But the sleevenotes are excellent, so credit to Mallins for that. Not sure that I entirely agree with his claim to the title of 'researcher' on the credits, but I imagine that helps massage the ego a bit. The notes themselves are brilliantly written and based on new interviews with John. Again suggesting that his retrospection is growing now, and he's more comfortable with his past than ever before. Rob's artwork scanning is first class and the whole thing is very well put together - although I personally have a problem with glossy paper.
Its like bling and stretch limos - looks expensive and could impress a stupid person. Actually cheap and rather tasteless.
John's got two BBC radio interviews next week. 6Music with the loathsome Phill Jupitus at Breakfast on Monday morning, and then a live session and interview (with Louis) on the Janice Long slot on Radio 2 after midnight.
Looking forward to these. Hopefully they up for 'listening again' for a few days so I can add the recordings to the Archive.
Excellent stuff.

It was during my four mile walk home (on a beautiful evening, listening to blackbirds and my own footsteps) that I felt more lifted, more up, than I have for ages. Really positive about so many things.
Just about everythng in fact.
High 'Happiness Quotient' or whatever the phrase is. Lots of things to be thankful for, many blessings to be counted.

The wall is done. Looks amazing - one of those 'dream come true' things. We have found a great builder - efficient, skillful, conscientious, friendly, polite etc . He has done so much stuff above and beyond the call in terms of finishing off. Washing line back up, patio relaid, flower bed dug over.
Unfortunately, we are not doing the finishing on the other side that I would have been happy to do. Rest of fence not fixed up to new wall and so just 'waving about'; flower bed slipping into trench for footings and lined with bits of cement and a couple of fallen bricks; pointing incomplete.
Tough really

Went to The Farm today, but traffic on the M1 delayed us by nearly an hour so it was in the end only an afternoon visit. No less inspiring tho, and M looks and acts very well indeed. Left Tx to have some time with him and took the kids out to do some barrel walking on the oil-drums in the meadow, feed carrots to the horses and kick a football around in the garden. Took the kite, but I'd forgotten the overhead cables that run right across the missle of the land!
A little annoyed with her sister who had apparently arranged to come over and see us once she learned of our plan to visit him today. They hadn't turned up by 5 so we decided to leave without seeing them as we wanted to stop off for tea on the way home.
Just got in about 8.30 and the phone rang, expressing her disappointment that we didn't stay to see them!!! It was gone 6 before they turned up - what sort of time is that 'in the afternoon'. They have threatened to come here next weekend. Always good to catch up of course, but a faff to make room for the chair and we aren't always comfortable witht he carers that come too. And now Vic is unable to walk himself, things are made doubly complicated.

Reading in church tomorrow. Just going to go over the piece now.
Matthew 6: 1-18. How to give and all that. The One With The Lord's Prayer in it.