28th June 2017 - Busy it is !! Back to the Studio!

Thought for the day:" I just got a birthday card, opened it & rice went everywhere. It was from Uncle Ben! "

Grey day again.
Been a busy week. Allied Masonic Degree on Monday (in the Chair). Red Cross of Constantine yesterday ( Treasurer, 1st Aide de Campe, and Organist!). Scarlet Cord Installation (Deputy District Director of Ceremonies)  and Secret Monitor (Nothing - just a guest!!) today in Pembroke - Have to keep busy.

Need to pop into town to pay in the dues from the meeting last night into the Bank and refresh the Tea which we seem to be very short of. Surprising how much more tea I drink at the moment !!

Then back into the Studio to finish Black Pearl and look at Valeria of Mythodea...

Am having some positive critique from my daughter Bethan now - which is good - as it allows another person to listen and give an honest view... "the drums are out on this one" (not surprising as I am not a drummer) - "there is a pause there" (probably knew that but couldn't hear it)  so that is good!

Luckily, the system allows different sections to be re-recorded at will.

So 28DayD
2 more to go :)
Cheers

27th June 2017 - Songs and Combat

Thought for the day:"After a few recent murders where the victims have been stabbed with knitting needles - the police think the murderer is following a pattern."

Tuesday - all day
Cloudy and grey - and almost ready to forget the sun and heatwave from last week.

Allied Masonic Degree last night - Grand Tylers of Solomon went withut a hitch - though the general consensus was that the ceremony was far better than the book of ritual on which it was based - I may have hammed it up in a couple of places - but with a dozen friends in the council it was "a good time had by all!"

Installation of the Red Cross of Constantine this evening - but I do not have to do anything except play the Organ so that is a bonus.

They want me to play "We'll keep a welcome in the hillsides" for the recession on Saturday in the Provincial Mark Meeting where I am also organist. Sadly - they still do not realise that I am not really a keyboard player and I am having great troble finding any sheet music - and the bits I have seen are all for Harry Secombe and in Eb - which has three black notes which is totally uacceptable.
Will have to sit down and see how much I can do by ear - in C or G ...

On the subject of music - I found this recent music song analysis ...

I thought it was quite apt.

Of course - with battles pending this weekend ( not for me I hasten to add - but for the Moon) I found this little "note to self" about combat which is worth sharing..

Will try to get back into the studio this morning

3 Days to Go
Day27D
Cheers

26th June 2017 - History and Hospital Bills

Thought for the day :"Intelligence is like an underwear. It is important that you have it, but not necessary that you show it off."


Saw this - thought it was worth repeating ...

I considered myself very lucky when I go t injured in Germany a couple of years ago - and I was properly covered by travel insurance that paid dividends - so that the only real inconvenience was excruciating pain and having to ask my wife to travel half way across Europe to rescue me - something I think that the insurance might have done had we been more patient....

Now I am not a great supporter of private health insurance - but we are looking at it primarily as a method of jumping queues should that prove necessary or desirable. It seems a good use of pension that will be coming in shortly... However, watching the fuss in America over low cost or social health insurance and the actual costs without a NHS behind us... I saw this bill for heart surgery..

With those few thoughts I look to the next few days to celebrate
26DayD
4 to go  :)
Cheers,,,

25th June 2017 - Starships and Celebrations

Thought for the day: "I can totally keep secrets. It's the people I tell them to that can't."

Strange things that you can find on Google Maps #25 -

Yes, it appears to be a starwars spaceship boxed in by shipping containers.. and I might get a little paranoid if I was not aware that they may be filming a star wars film in that area sometime...
But still fun ....

But this weekend is the 300th Anniversary of the formation of the United Grand Lodge of England, otherwise known as a boozy lunch meeting at the Goose and Gridiron in London - but which got to resolve some of the differences between the opposing forces in the field of Masonry at that time - 1717....

Goose & Gridiron

The original pub stood in St Pauls Churchyard and is marked by the placard..

  
So - Sunday it is and heading back home this evening...

Meanwhile learning the Grand Tylers of Solomon or Masons elect of 27 !!
Not easy going - but need it for tomorrow night - may put it onto a USB stick and see if I can learn as I drive home - 4 hours in the car should help me crack it ....

Ooh - 25DayD
5 days to go ...
Cheers

24th June 2017 - Of Soft Drinks and Songs...

Thought for the day: "Keep the dream alive: Hit the snooze button"

Weather turning this morning - so Summer is probably over for another year. Personally I can take or leave the heat - as long as I have some decent air conditioning. Never been one for sitting on a beach or chasing the sun. I am the guy who tends to wear  shorts over Christmas and not feel the cold.

Thursday last was a quick trip back to Llanelli and a meeting of the Deheubarth Conclave of Commissioned rulers in the Order of secret Monitor or Brotherhood of David and Jonathan in England Wales and its Districts and Conclaves Overseas. I don';t have to carry the gown around with me - but the sash stays with me until I install my successor next year.

Of course in this degree that may cause a little problem as I will have to get a dispensation to go into the Chair of another Conclave in September when I get installed as Supreme Ruler of the Cynghordy Conclave in Llanelli - you are not really allowed to be in two chairs in the same province under normal circumstances - but I think on this occasion they will allow it. Then I will have two sashes to wear and will have to decide which one at a time - - 1st World Problems !

In other news - I really like my father in law's scales which are obviously broken but show that I have lost another few pounds during my monthly period of abstinence. It has not really proved any difficulty - other than parting with £17.25 a bottle of wine for the top table on Thursday and not able to drink - and finding that the bottle was one glass short for the entire top - so having to put my hand into the pocket for a second bottle at Hotel prices !!!  But I kept the bottle - and can always take it back with me in July and enjoy a glass with myself .....
I still get annoyed with hotel prices. I saw a colleague buy a glass of lemonade with a brit vic orange put in the top  - he kindly offered to buy my pint of iced tap water (no charge naturally) and I then watched him pass over £3.25 for his soft drink! I may not be drinking - but I certainly will not be buying any soft drinks from Hotels - I shall stick with my iced water !!...

On better news - I saw in Tesco that they have a big box full of fruit that they invite children to eat from when int he store which is for free. I thought that was a nice idea - though I felt peckish myself - being unable to eat bread or potatoes on my diet - and thought that this was being un-necessarily ageist in its policy..  I decided not to stand on my high horse on this occasion - but it is food for thought - or rather food for kids and not old men ( see what i did there?)

So - I work on my new Song - Song for Valeria - but having to use the laptop mike and audacity software as practice mode... it will get together - hopefully before I get to Germany ...

She stood at the window

There were Shadows within 

The flicker of firelight

Tattooing her skin

So Still and so Silent 

Her gaze far away 

If I close my eyes tightly

I can see her today...

She sat at the table 

Her head in her hands 

Her gaze it was distant

Far places far lands

But her smile it was gentle

She saw through it all 

A band of bright scarlet

O'er her eyes pierced my soul

  

She walked like a dancer

She stood like a Queen

With Fur at her shoulders 

So lithe and so lean

Stark elven features

A haughty disdain

Brings me back to the Crabbe

Again and again..

So - 24 Days into Diet - 6 to go
(Not that I am counting of course !!)
Cheers

23rd June 2017 - Friday - South Coast Again

Thought for the day : "Constipated people don’t give a crap"

So weather changing a little. There will probably be rain for the weekend at Glastonbury - and next year will be a fallow year. Seems Kris Kristofferson was at the Pyramid today - would have enjoyed watching that - last great star I saw at Glastonbury that I really enjoyed was Johnny Cash who had a huge crowd at the main stage - and John Tamms who sang 40 shillings on the drum in a more discrete crowd of maybe 20 .....

First chance of driving the new Cash-Cow - and a beautiful drive it was as well...
Fish Pie for dinner - and a glass of squash..
Songs from Mythodea..


Day23D
Keeping an eye out for you ...
Cheers!