"DO YOU SPEAK-A MY LANGUAGE?"

There's been a bit of a weather change yesterday and today with no sunshine and a drop in temperature.

Richard is hibernating for which his Dutch oven no doubt comes in handy. Apparently when it gets cold, hacking icicles off the doorway to his study is too much of a fankle so he stays in bed.

Writing no post I know sounds like a bad thing but for the reader, his snappy and concise little comments that don't include multiple references to m7b5, 7b9 and m6 chords, Dm6 (B D F A / D F A B) notes and diminished E roots (G# B D F) are somewhat of a relief. I guess at his age diminished roots are to be expected.

Robert, after an encouraging foray into non-religious posting has slipped back into his bible nonsense quoting some jerk named Jer:

"Come back disloyal children-it is the Lord that speaks-for I alone am your Master".

- Jer 3-14

I'm not too sure what that means and neither is Robert by the sound of it. He wrote that he too is using the Dutch oven and finds it hard to get out of bed. Unlike Richard though he's taken up 'making up' using moisturisers, mascara, lipstick and a bit of rouge. Each to their own I guess.

He complains that his eyes are feeling heavy but I think it's that muck he's putting on his eyelids.

I've been inside doing some 'chores' and keeping warm. This house, when no heating is on seems to be at 14° at this time of year which doesn't necessitate putting the central heating on but does mean that I wear my woolen cardigan.

Yesterday we had an Infinity Heating specialist call in to check the gas operated hot water system because it has been groaning when the hot taps are used. The system is 20 years old and guess what? They are supposed to last for 15 to 20 years! I've asked for a quote for replacement and expect that to be about $5k. While he was here I asked him to check on the gas central heating which thankfully he said was in good order.

The Old Girl, who should have been getting off to work in the morning hung around for ages. Did I mention that the heating specialist was a young and good-looking hunk of a man "six foot four and full of muscle". I bet if it'd been a gorgeous young woman I'd have been accused of being a letch. Go figure.

NORMAL BROADCASTING WILL RESUME SHORTLY

 

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

"Well, I'm so tired of cryin' but I'm out on the road again

I'm on the road again" *

I took advantage of the splendid weather today and walked from Thorndon along the waterfront, to the end of Oriental Bay, along Evans Bay Parade to Greta Point, through Kilbirnie, over the hill to Newtown and along Adelaide Road towards the Basin Reserve.

I hopped on a bus near John Street as my knee was stiffening up. On checking my phone I discovered I'd walked 12 kilometers. That's more than I've been doing recently due to bad weather and feeling unwell. It will be good for building up fitness for the Australian trip and I'll have to do a walk like this three times a week if possible.

When I got to Kilbirnie I remembered reading in the St Patrick's College newsletter that the annual Winter Sports Exchange with St Patrick's College Silverstream was scheduled for today so I cut through Evans Bay Park to watch some of the First XV game. I saw the last 10 minutes of the first half but didn't wait around to watch the second half - I'm not that much of a sports fan.

 

The thing to note was that the intensity of the game and the skills was greater than in our day and the players, especially the Polynesian boys, bigger and stronger.

* I wasn't really crying but have been 'under the weather' both figuratively and literally for a few weeks.

NEW POST - THE CURMUDGEON'S AGONY AUNT

 

1440, WHEN SCULPTURES WERE NAUGHTY

THEY SEEK THEM HERE, THEY SEEK THEM THERE ...

 I just received the digital edition of the Saint Patrick's College newsletter and you might find this interesting:

Click on photo to see it more clearly

In the photograph are the younger brothers of some of the guys I went to school with (1966 to 1970) including R.J. (Rodney) Prowse younger brother of Chris, Richard and Robert.

They get about these Prowse boys.

CONCORDANCE OR KINSHIP?

 I found this cartoon this morning while strolling for cartoon images.

It made me laugh for two reasons.

The first is Richard's confession that when he was 5 years old at primary school, a 'big girl' caught him loitering under a staircase looking up girls' skirts to see their knickers.

The second is Robert's confession that he hangs around statues of the Virgin Mary in churches, fascinated by her in her long flowing robes and no doubt wanting to lift them and have a peek.

Well, they are brothers.

JUST CALL ME PEDRO ...

 ... seeing as I've been supporting Spain in the World Cup football final.

Mind you, being named Pedro would have suited an Argentinian win as well.

Spain won, defeating Argentina in a nail-biting final that went to the last seconds of extra time. Beauty!

*****************

Why "beauty" you may ask seeing as normally I don't give two stuffs about soccer?

Well, it's all to do with the orange idiot who's had a downer on Spain recently and, seeing that the big puffball was in the stands watching (behind bullet-proof glass) the final a Spanish win is enough to rattle the old blaggard.

Politico's headline when reporting on the game says it all:

You can read about it in this link: POLITICO but here are some highlights.

"Turns out, revenge is a dish best served on a warm Sunday afternoon in a New Jersey swamp.

President Donald Trump has spent much of his second term in office berating Spain over its anemic military spending and refusal to allow American forces to use Spanish bases for bombing missions in Iran. Earlier this month, Trump branded the country “hopeless,” derided the Spanish as “bad people” and briefly threatened to cut off all trade in goods with Madrid.

Today, the president who in March dubbed the country a “loser” had to celebrate Spain as the winner of a World Cup that Trump worked to make his own. He was primed to hand the sports world’s greatest prize to captain Rodri in front of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, King Felipe VI and a global television audience of more than one billion."

Sánchez, in a column for Spanish news outlet El País published Sunday before the final, largely avoided the U.S. clash, though did highlight his nation’s ethos beyond the soccer field.

“That’s the team that inspires passion. With the fluid, courageous style of play that defines us. But also with the values that shape our nation,” the Spanish prime minister wrote.

“A Spain that conducts itself with humility and respect for its opponents. And that relies on collective talent to win and show the world the beloved and respected country it is,” he added.

"I'll  take the ball and go home now"

ROBERT MADE THE GRADE

 Richard reminded me that Robert hadn't received his certificate yet so I had a word with Him above and he told me to give him this:

I won't tell you his exact words but he did add - " ... and tell him that he won't be getting one from Mum (sorry, I'll rephrase that) he won't be getting a certificate from Mum because she thinks he's creepy with all that excessive praying of the Rosary stuff. The occasional 'Our Father' is OK but umpteen 'Hail Marys'? Sheesh!"

BREAKING NEWS*

 * (Not 'necking brews' as it's too early - wait for 'wine o'clock' at 4pm).

Richard of Richard's Bass Bag has just completed 200 hours of music practice!

• 148 1/2 hours of violin.
• 29 1/2 hours of double bass.
• 22 hours of guitar.

These are concentrated hours of serious practice. They don't include gigs, band rehearsals or jams (but mainly because no-one invites him to any of those anymore).

He deserves an award for this achievement and ... here it is:

No need to thank us.

For a small fee this certificate can be personally signed by The Curmudgeon and The Music Curmudgeon. It can also be printed in sharper detail (again for an extra contribution) and, seeing that we are dealing with a schoolteacher, the American spelling can be converted at no charge.

BEWARE GREEKS BEARING GIFTS

 We went to see The Odyssey yesterday.

When I first heard of this production I decided it would be crap and took no further interest.

Later, just prior to the release of the film there was a lot of positive criticism coming out and, I thought, that as I've liked Matt Damon in numerous films and he director Christopher Nolan has made some good ones - what could be wrong?

Everything as it turned out.

The production is noisy and overblown. The script is atrocious along with the bad acting. Homer's Odyssey is totally distorted with a few of the sensational bits kept in. In short I was pissed off with it.

It annoys me when great stories are cocked up by ego-driven cinematographers and such a powerful story as the Odyssey deserves to have been made well given the money, technology and resources available. The Lord of the Rings had two abysmal productions before Peter Jackson stepped up and did a damned fine job with it. I would like to think that a decent (non American or American-influenced) director and some European or Chinese or Indian money brokers could come to the rescue and make a better job of it than this travesty.

I studied Homer's Odyssey in the 7th form at school and was captivated by it. I might now have another go at reading it nearly 60 years later to wash away this Americanised crap that has polluted my memory and senses.