Procol Harum "Whiter Shade of Pale"

Amy McDonald

Papa hasn`t got a brand new bag!

D needs a new bag for work. After stuffing it full of extremely heavy crap it has given up and died. Didn`t want to go for a new one himself, sent me. I trawled around the market and various shops, nothing, which isn`t surprising as..rectangle shape won`t do, it has to be square and with three zippy areas...."Like the old one". Enough time wasted, I give up, he can look for one himself.

As he is now 60 also, I don`t have to suffer the same old joke of me being older than him, him being my toy boy etc etc. The best card was from brother D, 3 very stout naked men showing their arses. Brother said "Eeee look three Dave`s" We all trouped to Mandarin, a Chinese restaurant in town which was excellent. They had sculpted little turnips into flower shapes for decoration. Brother D confided that he once went to a Chinese friend`s dad`s restaurant, they made the offer, if he ate a whole turnip he could have the meal free. "After eating half the turnip, I was full, so I couldn`t eat a meal anyway" Aye, that figures.

I was telling my sister in law that I have a book which translates Cockney Rhyming slang, we commented on such phrases as "apples and pears" for stairs and brother informed us that "Did you know that a piss is "hit and miss"? and by the way I need one?" he promptly left the table. When he came back we were treated to a youtube clip showing a frog slicking out it`s tongue onto an iphone as the cruel owner was showing the creature virtual ants running about. The frog gets annoyed and bites the owners hand, fair do`s.

Leaving the restaurant, we cross the road to the eight storey car park, we are at the top, (It`s St Patrick`s Day and everywhere is full to the gills.) We all take the stairs, except husband D, who stands smuggly at the lift door sneering at us. However, daughter in law B presses all of the buttons for the lift as we pass, aren`t kids great? We stand on the roof taking photos of the surrounding Chinatown while D makes his interrupted ascent.

Went to the studio today and as hard as I try to copy from a photo of a woman, mostly in shadow, it turns out more like a bloke, second attempt, will try once more and that`s it!

Pink Lane Poetry and Performance 3rd Birthday (Photo by Bish)

When will bloody cold symptoms go away? I have coughed,barked,wheezed so much that Chico the parrot is copying. During the night I woke with a scratchy throat and took a Strepsil, fell asleep with it in my mouth. I have a peculiar habit of brushing my teeth first thing in the morning, when I spat out the water it was red, thought it was blood, my tongue was dyed bright red so I had to brush that also.

This is the second week of feeling crap, waking up looking like Methusalah`s mother, but yesterday decided to go to a meeting and to carry out one of my reading sessions. The group members are all willing to share a memory and these turn out to be fascinating. J`s father used to own a meat safe, which was made of wood with a lining of metal which was perforated with holes to let cold air in. He knew a man who hunted rooks, one day a sack full of them was given to J`s father. The family cooked them and took the breast off each one to eat, she said they were lovely. Now, until last night, I haven`t recalled a dream for months, but after that story I woke up in a panic, a huge crow had pecked a hole in Chico`s cage and was chasing him around inside. May have been a combination of medical remedies and the fact that I quaffed a huge glass of tequila and corky`s then brandy, all for medicinal purposes of course. Or, if I`m analysing, could be wishful thinking! D bent down near the cage last night to put a plug in and Chico pecked him viciously on the arm and drew blood. He is so territorial about his cage, but when I think back, all of our animals have bitten D, dogs in particular and P`s hamster.

I have succumbed to watching tv during my infectious phase. Adele is a multiple winner of awards, she`s fab. Watched some recorded stuff, Bob Dylan The 1966 World Tour Home Movie, documentary hosted by Micky Jones, again, Goldie Hawn and Susan Sarandon as The Banger Sisters, Eve Arnold, A Retrospective,Empire of the Seas was great, a four parter Heart of Oak, "How victory over the Armada turned England into a seafaring nation"
but the best programme was Wonders of the Solar System, unfortunately didn`t realise that it was 5th in the series. Professor Brian Cox (He only looks about 15) explored underwater in a pod, ice caps and dried out deserts with tunnels and evidence of waterfalls, similar patterns on Mars and footage of Jupiter`s moons.

Won`t be at the life drawing group this Saturday as I am attending a photography exhibition at The Side Gallery, the work of Pentti Sammallahti. A Finnish photographer who began taking pictures aged eleven.

The grant for Side has also been successful and is safe until September, the funding will enable fundraising programmes and new work to be displayed. Hope that this means Newcastle will be on the way to securing this gem of a gallery.

Monkfish Productions (The Shed, Gateshead)

The 5th birthday of Monkfish and launch of the new website went very well with a good turn out of supporters. We were treated to some of the films which the company have produced over the years, with only one which I hadn`t seen before. James served drinks and cut the birthday cake which was lovely. Well done all and looking forward to seeing work over the next five years.

Tom Kelly (Book Launch - (The Time Office -new and selected poems)

Tom Kelly`s poetry is among the best around in the region. He writes about what he knows and what is important to him, drawing heavily on his family, professions and memories of how things used to be in an industrial climate, the decline of his Jarrow. Red Squirrel Press hosted the event at the Literary and Philosophical Society. Sheila Wakefield made me laugh when she introduced Tom as chief male squirrel and Kathleen Kenny (another fine local poet) as chief female squirrel. We moved on to the Bridge Hotel afterwards for drinks and a chat.

Just watched We`ll Take Manhattan, loved it! It`s great to learn about someone who was revolutionary, a trail blazer in their own time. David Bailey, photographer, disregarded what he was told and went with his own ideas and creativity. The documentary afterwards was fascinating. "I just want the person" He`s not interested in what they are wearing or how they hold their hands. Loved his studio, a place to make a mess. That`s why I love going to High Bridge Studios once a week, charcoal, pastels, paint, coffee rings on the table, it doesn`t matter. And no distractions of home and everything that involves, peace, no tv, just by myself, me myself and I.

Just aquired a book "The World`s Best Photographs, printed in 1947 and packed with a huge range of material from buildings, onion peeling, Pics from parrots, planes and pigeons, nudes, nature and Nagasaki (1945 - atom bomb explosion on 9th August) All black and white shots which show light and dark superbly, I will use some of these to practise my drawing.

O and A are interested in seeing the studio, so maybe this week or next sometime I can take them along. O - to paint there and A - to take photographs.

Borderline Books

We now have a fridge and can keep milk for our regular cuppa`s. A continues to make the most lovely banana bread, flapjacks and corn bread to keep us going. I did try to offer the healthy option this week by bringing strawberries and cherries, but A reminded me that we are in the middle of winter, so we stuffed flapjacks and tea! I had taken advantage of 3 for 2 Cadbury`s Twirl offer and also ate one and a half of those as A wasn`t interested.

The books still keep rolling in and it`s always a surprise to open each box to see what`s inside. We now have a large selection of children`s literature in many languages, which we leave for when M brings her school children on a sorting and classifying trip. It`s great that young people can be encouraged to have a love of books, how to look after them and learn how to decipher the languages in which they are written.

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Don`t Cry For Me Argentina

What have we learned from Margaret Thatcher`s attempt to divert public attention from her shite policies. When politics aren`t working to your advantage cause a war, now it`s happening again, Cameron is following suit. Why should British people think that they can just aquire an island and live there? Maybe our colonial past tells us that it`s ok? Here we go again

Decided to pick up where I left off from my teens and get back into drawing. Have the use of a studio in town courtesy of a friend who can`t use it on certain days. Thoroughly enjoyed being part of a life drawing group in the studio last Saturday and will certainly be there again in two weeks. Not sure if there will be a female model, first one was male. The room was packed, I worked on a wooden easle and we did around 8 two minute sketches of different poses. Didnt enjoy this, and was thinking that I wouldn`t go back, but once we got into the more detailed work of 40 and 20 minute drawings I felt right at home.

New-ish tapa`s restaurant in town, Las Iguana`s is a great place to be. Been there half a dozen times and loved it. Coconut chicken and choriso sausage washed down with a Dark and Stormy cocktail, mmmm. Course the company helps. Around 20 of us and great switching seats to chat.

Jacky Pittam`s art exhibition at People`s Theatre was amazing. She works from home and has a room to make a mess in. I find too many distractions at home and enjoy the perfect peace of being in a studio.

Big Bang Theory (Best comedy on tv)

http://youtu.be/FigGBZkEVko


Check this out. A box set of the series is on my list for spends with xmas money

December, the Countdown Begins

First visit to Iguana`s tapas bar in Grey Street with friends. Great atmosphere enhanced by two for the price of one cocktails. Didn`t order food, but Paul and Jane`s fayre looked soooo tasty. Had already eaten, but will be going here again soon to sample gamba`s, chorizo and chicken dishes. We met at 1.30 and the time passed so quickly chatting until 7.30

Southpaw on Friday at the Chillingham Arms was great with amazing pperformers. Looking forward to next year`s programme.

Watched a brilliant programme on BBC4 last night The Strange Science of Decay. A special glass room was constructed and monitored over 50 days. Fresh food, cooked meats, sandwiches and wine were left to rot and filmed. The most amazing patterns and formations emerged. First the flies and maggots moved in. When the last of the edible food was gone and only hardened skin on the pig and chicken were left, then the beetles took over. From among all of the dead things, life emerged in plants, wonderful.

Also watched Spinal Tap for the first time, side splitting stuff. The lyrics in their songs "You`re sweet, but you still got your baby teeth"
and comments "As long as there`s sex I can do without rock and roll" The mini-Stonehenge designed on a napkin. And, when one of the band is pulled up at customs with a cucumber down his kecks, hilarious. Watched Another Year, a bit depressing, miserable.

As usual D has his present early, an ipad which he is using regularly. Unlike last year`s present, a wii fit! It has been under the tv stand since January this year with the occasional dusting. However there is an Abba dance disc out, so he might be persuaded to follow that?

Hoshyar-Foundation

http://portal.sliderocket.com/BBVXH/Hoshyar-Foundation

Newcastle Winter Book Festival

Was asked to volunteer at the book festival.

At first imagined that I would be serving books, offering a puppet show or crafts session, no, serving tea with a request to wear my pinny and turban. Hundreds of parents and children attended the event which was packed with activities. A magician, circus performer, many eminent authors. Thoroughly enjoyed the day chatting with lots of interesting people.

Central library put on a great event on Sunday 27th. Poems and Pastries. Poets Catherine Graham, Tom Kelly and Peter Bennet read from their collections. The Northumbrian Language Society members read and spoke of how they promote, preserve, research and publish rich dialects from Northumberland to Durham (including Tyneside) AND there was tea and cakes!

Borderline Books

A kindly member of the public donated a fridge, all we had to do was pick it up. Now we can take a sandwich to keep us going. Last week A gave 600 books away to a community group who are setting up a multi-language library. So there were more book boxes to empty, stamp and sort into languages and categories. A task which I thoroughly enjoy as this project is so worthy. Trouble is that I always see a book or two that I like, while trying to sort my books at home, I bring a bag full to donate, then go away with a few more!!

A curious thing happened, I noticed an old paperback, The World of Suzi Wong, printed in 1957, I remembered that my mother had a copy of this and thought that I would take it to read. On flipping through, discovered a poem in a language that I didn`t recognise, but a name stood out which I did, Yvonne, my own name. Got home and keyed in a couple of words into Google Translations. It`s Dutch, so I could have asked Amina to translate as she has lived there and is fluent. Next Monday will offer it up to her. Some of the words meant ice, cold, mountains, so really curious to know more.

Amina found a piece of paper with the words "uncontrolled stock" How ironic is that, in a place where every bloody thing is? Couldn`t miss the opportunity to take a photo of her among the sea of literature. On the theme of sea, another thing that I have learned today, Silverfish. Two of the little horrors wriggled out from a book I was stamping. First time I have encountered such things, yet everyone that I have mentioned this to already know about them. They eat paper an are usually found in foisty old damp buildings. I suppose this is the problem, receiving donations of books, we don`t know where they have been stored.

Received a fabulous book through the post today. After taking photos at the 60`S Experience and sending them to Alan Mosca of Herman`s Hermits, I was sent a gift from the lads. A limited edition of rare photos of Cliff, not actually one of my favourite performers, but the photos are outstanding, book in a presentation box and black and white photo included. What a lovely thought.

Talking Heads (Psycho Killer)

This reminds me of when our Paul was in his heavy metal days. Having to sit in a smoky den of the Golden Fleece in Marlborough because he was only 16, listening to their group blasting Rancid, headachesville days, but good fun.

Chaos Theory (The Butterfly Effect)

Hope that this programme comes out on dvd soon, fantastic.

Alan Turing

Looking forward to attending the reception at Saville Exchange Building to celebrate Tommy Brown, WW2 hero who rescued the Enigma codes from a sinking ship. Tommy had joined the navy as an under-age kitchen hand. When the ship was going down he retrieved the books, climbed up the ladder holding them under his arm. Turing would have been proud. I had the good fortune to meet Tommy`s sister at the last event held at North Shields where I read some of my poems recorded in Monkfish Productions poetry booth.

Turing was persecuted for being gay. He was offered a choice to accept beinging injected with female hormones or jail. He chose the former which drove him to commit suicide. He was in his early forties. We think computing has advanced, what if he`d lived? Because of evolution in computing, this reinforces my belief that we have no need of a creator, just a designer, self organisation....the way to go.

Fountain of Sorrow (Jackson Browne)

Crocodile Tears

Brother D L and sister in law A here again to sort me out on the computer. De-fragging again and deleting and re-installing itunes. D was working separately in his room trying to put stuff on a disc, he shouted through for DL, he replied "Are you sure it`s not your discs, last time I was round here I went to take one from the tower and at least 10 of them were covered in tomato sauce?" "No, no, they`re fine." DL came back to me and A, showing us a disc "Look at this, I just took it randomly from the middle of the pile!!!" It was scratched to hell. When DL points this out to D, he comes back with "Well I don`t know how that`s happened, I`m very careful with discs. "Right, so Peter Rabbit came in" I said and A added "He came in and shit on them and then wiped his arse on them" To which DL quotes randomly, which he is apt to do. "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile hoping it will eat him last." We all then ping pong about looking for quotes, I like Rupert Murdoch, brother wants Winston Churchill and A would rather listen to Depeche Mode. D has lost interest and goes back from whence he came. My favourite RP quote is "I`m a catalyst for change. You can`t be an outsider and be successful for 30 years without leaving a certain amount of scar tissue around the place." Then we learn from DL that the crocodile quote is one of Winston`s.

DL was talking about music and recommended Mamalian Locomotion, but thought that the track was "Something.......your inhibitions?" We looked for it and turned out it was Shelter your Needs, so very alike!! I suggested we play a Pink cd, DL plays You`re speaking my language by Juliette Lewis and the Licks on youtube and we agree that Pink was influenced by her. I`m really enjoying listening to new music at the moment, inspired by KF who has put some fabulous tracks on my ipod shuffle. Jackson Browne Fountain of Sorrow a favourite among many others. Once I`m familiar with itunes, I`ll be raring to go. D likes Katherine Jenkins.

DL wants to put one of his Radiohead cd`s in my stereo and asks how to open it as it has 3 disc tables, I say left, no the right side of the left one with the 3 little lights, he replies "Don`t apply for a job as an interface designer" (Who would have thought that this lovely little child, pictured, would have such a tongue? It`s a good job that I love him!


We get back on track after D disappears back in his room again. More de-fragging and A mentions that my book case could do with de-fragging, so to teach her a lesson, I make up a bag of 8 or so books to take home with her, she also gets a jumper, but don`t get me started on de-clagging the wardrobe!!

David Luscombe (Photographer, musician, designer)

https://plus.google.com/116133710641268277011#116133710641268277011/photos

The Tremeloes

Freddie and The Dreamers

Herman`s Hermits

Union Gap

60`s Experience, Tyne Theatre Newcastle upon Tyne

A fantastic show at Tyne Theatre, performed by Herman`s Hermits, The Dreamers, The Tremeloes and Union Gap.

JazzCafe (Pink Lane Poetry and Performance) Halloween Party

Fantastic belated Halloween party at the Jazz Cafe. Burlesque by the marvelous Toxic Cherry, haunting poetry by Shaft, comedy resident duo F & L had us all in stitches with their act. Robbie Lee Hurst and improv muscic group were fantastic.

The brilliant Claire Morgan of Monkfish stunned us with her performance, some new acts which were great, but well done to everyone especially Jess for staging the event.

Visited the studio in the old Waygood building on High Bridge with K, we are to have a space here to paint. Must sort my easle out to transport there so that I can finish a painting I have started. Problems at home being too many distractions with computer, books, housework etc, so it will be great to just BE in this fabulous building to concentrate on art for a change.

Germaine Greer and Guy Fawkes

Enjoyed the talk by Germaine Greer at the Sage, a full house. A more mellow self, but still hugely entertaining and informative. Freedom, children are the least free of our society, which begins from being swaddled and then ordered around. I agree that children need rules, but I didn`t ever have any growing up and was allowed to roam around as I pleased without restriction.

A mix of bad parenting and free thinking. The old saying "Never did me any harm." comes to mind, but is that true or did me and my brother just "bury bad news" as they also say? Greer explored Sharia law, the hijab, women`s lib, rape and orgasm comparing the latter to revolution, it doesn`t last.

Guy Fawkes gathering at my brother D`s and sister in law A`s.....We open the patio door and there is much steam from the oven. Husband D`s glasses steam up and he asks me for a tissue. He is very irritated as I root through my bag, not quick enough for him, so I say "It`s not going to kill you to wait for a tissue is it??" my brother shows where his allegiance lies when he says "It would if you had cyanide on your eyes"

My brother made a pizza, his own base to which he`d added yeast. It is the
6th of November, Sunday. He`s showing off wafting the dough which has risen due to addition of yeast. Jamie like, he spreads the secret ingredients,then black olives, fresh prawns and 2 cheeses. The taste, I have to admit is wonderful, bastard!!! We quaff red wine and sister in law A saws wood to fuel the chimenea. Brother D pontificates on using a patio heater, could his carbon footprint be sullied? I point out that the people who pontificate to us on such subjects AKA Tony Blair, have 3 houses and have enough furniture in their homes to supply a small rain forest, fly around the world more times than Tom Pepper, so why should we worry about a teensy weensy little patio heater? We KNOW that we are adding to global warming, but it`s only a tiny contribution, isn`t it???

So... we dress up in halloween costumes that I brought and brother says "It`s not technically Halloween is it?" to which I reply
"Well, it`s not technically Guy Fawkes being the 6th is it?" "Aye" he says "Fair point, another drink?"

Being a greedy cow, I have eaten chilli with loads of cheese on top and a slice of pizza. People are in the garden setting off rockets and going "Ooooh, that`s a lovely one" and I spy a bowl of nuts on the kitchen table. After eating most of them, brother D is really concerned when I say "Lovely nuts" he gasps "They were for the bird table, they`re not fit for human consumption!!" to which my lovely husband drawls "That`s ok, she`s not human"

We hear A shouting "Is it ahad" The fire she means, so we need more wood.
D and A take it in turns to saw wood and we sit outside from 6.30- 11.30, it`s freezing cold, but we are well wrapped up in our woolly coats, scarves, witches hats, wings and vampire capes. Nobody remembered the false nashers which we had last year.

Brother D wants to show me the spiders colony they have in their shed, WHAT, is he mad, can`t he remember the near fainting fits at the sight of a spider. Although I am reaching at the thought, he still goes on to describe the "lovely patterns" on their backs "Shut up, or you will end up on the bonfire!" But, he`s back in the good books as he rang next day to find out if I`m ok after gorging on birdy num nums. (For the people who don`t get the reference, it`s from The Party starring Peter Sellers, watch it, the best film ever)

BBC 3 Free Thinking Festival (Celestial Navigation Radio on ne`fm)

http://celestialnavigation.podomatic.com/entry/2011-11-04T17_34_06-07_00

Enjoyed reading my poems with Catherine Graham at The Sage on Friday. Wilfred Owen`s poem left a lasting impression of war, waste of young lives, it is still happening.

"Coming live from the Sage Gateshead in the hour before the start of the Radio 3 Free Thinking Festival:
We speak first with Matthew Dodd, Editor of Speech at Radio 3 about the Free Thinking Festival and why everyone should come to the Sage this weekend to hear a myriad of speakers and ideas.
Then we remember the poet Wilfred Owen who was killed on November 4 1918. His parents received the news a week later on 11 November - Armistice Day. Three poems of Owen read to a background of excerpts from Benjamin Britten's War Requiem.
Then we have the return of the 'Daughters of Tyne' - local poets Catherine Graham and Yvonne Young who read their poems about the area as it once was, 'women's work' and many other local memories. - all bound together with the music we grew up with."

My Sharona (Reality Bites)

Love this film and the music.

Free Thinking Festival at the Sage (Friday 4th November 4-6 p.m)

Will be reading my poems and prose with Catherine Graham at the Sage this Friday as Daughters of Tyne. Amina Marix Evans is hosting (Celestial Navigation Radio) for BBC3.

Mandelbrot

Mandelbrot Sets

We don`t need a creator, only a good designer

Tom Waits "Take it with me when I go" (Snow Cake)

Man Booker Prize

Enjoyed a lovely lunch at Newcastle`s Slug and Lettuce and had a tour around the Drum Centre, what a fabulous old building, must visit the archive to research the history of the place.

Busy day today, three meetings which went very well. I have another reading/memories group to start on 1st November and new contacts for mental health projects.

Get in!!! Man Booker Prize won by Julian Barnes "The Sense of an Ending". Just got back from Toon Man Booker at Newcastle`s own Central Library where we were treated to the first chapter from the 6 shortlisted books. We were split into 8`s with wine and nibbles to help the decision making. Snowdrops was a contender, here was me thinking what a lovely title, when it was explained that
in Russia after the harsh winter thaw, bodies are discovered, usually vagrants, murder victims and unfortunate drunks, so they are given the name "Snowdrops". I bought and voted for the winner, can`t wait to start this one

"I remember, in no particular order:
- a shiny inner wrist;
- steam rising from a wet sink as a hot frying pan is laughingly tossed into it;
-gouts of sperm circling a plughole, before being sluiced down the full length of a tall house;- a river rushing nonsensically upstream, it`s wave and wash lit by half a dozen chasing torchbeams;

(and also love this part)

"We live in time - it holds us and moulds us - but I`ve never felt I understood it very well. And I`m not referring to the theories about how it bends and doubles back , or may exist elsewhere in parallel versions. No, I mean ordinary, everyday time, which clocks and watches assure us passes regularly: tick-tock, tick-tock."

Loved the launch of Tyne Bridge Publisher`s new book All Right Now on the 70`s, also at Central Libary, as usual the speakers were spot on and very entertaining. I have my free copy as a contributor. My piece centered on my time as a G.P.O telephonist during the strike in 71.

Husband D purchased one of those air freshner contraptions which puff- blast evevery 20 minutes, fine, but it scared the shit out of me. I was watching a programme and just as someone mentioned "And they hid the body under the floorboards..." the bloody thing puffed out and I nearly shit myself!!

Just bought Reality Bites, it`s a long time since I watched this film, but I love the part where the 4 friends are waiting to be served in a service station. My Sherona is playing on the radio and 3 of them start dancing in the aisle while the fourth is mortified. Also watched The Notebook and was in floods of tears, brilliant!! The Butterfly Effect is a great film. Called in to A Touch of Class on Adelaide Terrace, second hand goods, 4 dvd`s for a quid, hence the list of films. Watched The Five People you Meet in Heaven, read the book and it sticks reliably to the text.

My eldest son G bought me a bottle of Monsoon perfume! What is he after I ask, but still, I shouldn`t complain, he often presents me with chocolate, so anyone who can do that is ok in my opinion, especially is it`s Twirl, yum.

Ira Lightman and Andrew Mcmillan (Lit and Phil) 3rd October 2011