LOOKIN' OUT MY BACK DOOR

 

CREDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL - LOOKIN' OUT MY BACK DOOR

A great song that - it takes me way back to school and university days.

When looking for a title picture I realised that I've never done a door series. Sorry about that. I used a view of the backdoor from the hallway that I had on file.

The backdoor has always led out to an open porch area with some crappy brickwork that flows out to the drive. This has always been an annoyance as when it's windy, leaves, dust and other debris get blown into the area making it very dirty and untidy and requiring sweeping every other day.

We finally decided to have the area covered in.

"I can do it" I said to The Old Girl. "I'll buy an old door at a salvage yard and knock up a surround. No problem!"

My offer was not so politely refused with her suggesting that we'd get a tradesman in. Our builder, who has done a few things around the house came up with a nice plan which was a bespoke aluminium door, louvre and top window set. Here are some pics showing the development.

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It looks great and will keep things nice and tidy over winter.

Once again, sorry about not having done a series on doors.

PURE CLASS

 When I was making my lunch today I put YouTube on the TV in the lounge and listened to a cross section of music videos from Prince, David Bowie, Muddy Waters concert, Eric Clapton - a lot of diverse musicians and styles that were linked to a kind of general theme selected randomly by YouTube. I just let it run on until this popped up:

Papa was a rolling stone - THE TEMPTATIONS

Now whether you are a fan of Motown and Soul or not, I'm sure that if you watch this through you will see the great talents on display here that made this outstanding 1972 number.

"Son, Papa was a rolling stone
(Well, well, well, well, yeah)
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
(And when he died)
All he left us was a loan, loan, loan, loan, loan
Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
(And when he died)
All he left us was a loan"

Great stuff. I just had to sit and watch all 6:58 minutes through.

I'M MAD

MAD

Definition in Oxford Dictionary

ADJECTIVE

madder, maddest

1. British: Mentally ill; insane.

‘he felt as if he were going mad’

2. British (of behaviour or an idea) extremely foolish; not sensible.

3. In a frenzied mental or physical state.

4 Informal: Very enthusiastic about someone or something.

5. British: Very exciting.

6. Informal: Very angry.

7. US informal: Great; remarkable.

ADVERB

1. Informal US: as submodifier

Very; extremely.

VERB 

mads, madding, madded archaic

Make (someone) mad.

OK? Then I'm the adjective (6) - Very angry.

So what makes me mad?

I watched a seven part documentary on NETFLIX - 'THE KEEPERS'.

This is a true crime documentary concerning a 27 year old nun who was murdered in Baltimore in 1969.

The series outlines events leading up to the crime and the almost 50 year aftermath using newspaper and television footage, documents and photographs and the findings of a group of dedicated investigators who interviewed family, friends, associates, the Catholic Church and the Baltimore police.

There was no satisfactory conclusion as several of the possible murderers are now dead including the main suspect - a pedaphile priest.

The suggestion is that the nun learned of the activities of this pedaphile priest and his cronies (other priests, brothers, police officers and politicians) and confronted him on the day that she was murdered.

The series is worth a viewing.

What particularly makes me mad is that the authorities, both church and state indulged in a massive cover up and possibly destroyed and hid vital information. The Catholic Church knew about this priest and had in fact moved him from parish to parish as complaints emerged (rapes, indecent assaults, perversions, sexual molestation etc) and, after the murder, hid him in a church run institution and were determined to keep him out of sight. The police and various legal institutions also knew about this priest and his cronies and did a cover up and deliberately down played the murder - determining that it was perpetrated by a stranger - and hid and destroyed evidence. Why? Because senior members of the police and other leading bodies were pals of the pedaphile priest and some were involved in the sexual depravity and crimes.

Here's the verb. This 'madded'  me - it made me mad.

Sure this happened in the 1960s but it is still happening now.

We've recently learned that Catholic priests and brothers in Wellington who taught us have been exposed as pedaphiles. Not only that but the Church knew about their activities and, instead of handing them over to the authorities, chose to simply move them from parish to parish and, when their criminal activities became too obvious, the Church closeted them in Church run hostels or 'retreats'. Bastards!

Why is this still making me mad?

Robert, in his various posts and comments on his own and others' posts  continually defends the catholic Church in this. Unfortunately (or, to be honest, fortunately), Robert deletes his posts and comments on a regular basis so it's difficult finding the references and quotes I want. There are a few however in his most recent posts and comments:

Robert the apathetic sinner

7 May 2021 at 17:19

"Just remember that if you hate the Catholic church because its clergy has sinned, the Catechism is still spot on and the way Jesus wanted it to be!"

Robert the apathetic sinner

14 April 2021 at 16:43

"So if the only reason you are not Catholic is because catholics are human and sinners then welcome back to the church! Obviously you have no problem with the Creed."

To me, it's just not good enough that the Catholic Church, now, after all these years has decided to name and out a few (just scratching the surface) pedaphiles - most of whom are either dead or well and truly retired. They only admit this when proper investigation is done by others See: HERE and never conduct enquiries off their own bat.

Problems with pedaphile priests will continue unless the Church undertakes proper vetting, investigation and responsibility for transgressions. Unfortunately as long as this silly institution continues to  remain patriarchal (read misogynistic) and won't allow priests, brothers and nuns to marry (to either sex) and to have normal sexual relations then we have to expect abnormality. Personally I like the idea of a priest and a nun being married and setting up shop in the local church where they can bring up children and help the community.

 

SATURDAY MORNING SILLINESS - KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR

 KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCKIN' ON HEAVEN'S DOOR

OK, here's a scenario.

The Curmudgeon is about to knock on heaven's door. He knows that it's late but hopes that Saint Peter will let him in. As he arrives St Peter is about to lock up:

The Curmudgeon: Whew! Just made it.

Saint Peter: Hold on Sunshine we're closed.

The Curmudgeon: What? Why?

Saint Peter: Sorry but we're full. Where do you hail from?

The Curmudgeon: New Zealand.

Saint Peter: Hey, there's a coincidence! The guy who got the last place was from New Zealand.

The Curmudgeon: Whaaaa...! Was his name Robert?

Saint Peter: Hold on, I'll check. St Peter consults his register. Ummmmm .....  no ... his name was Richard Bagg.

The Curmudgeon: Richard Bagg? You don't mean Richard of Richard's Bass Bag do you?

Saint Peter: Mmmm. He consults the register again. Hard to tell the way you kiwis mumble but that could be right.

The Curmudgeon: But that can't be right. Richard had a place reserved in Hell, or at least that's what Robert told him.

Saint Peter: No, Richard seems to have covered all of his options. I have it down here in the register. He never missed Sunday Mass and helped Father Orange with his sermons.

The Curmudgeon: What the fuck!

Saint Peter: And he never used an exclamation mark when a question mark was required. He ...

The Curmudgeon: Yeah, yeah, he was a grammar saint. What else?

Saint Peter: Well he helped out in the church shop. I have it here that takings went up enormously - or at least that's what he told me.

The Curmudgeon:  Did he handle the weekly collection by any chance?

Saint Peter: Yes, I have it here - he volunteered to do that - consulting the ledger again - there were some discrepancies but  that was probably an accounting glitch. We don't understand why he had to take the money home to count it though, but, there's dedication for you.

The Curmudgeon: Jesus.

Saint Peter: No, Saint Peter.

The Curmudgeon: Christ!

Saint Peter: No, Jesus Christ, God and that other joker are all away at the moment. I'm the only one left on duty and I need to lock up so if there's nothing else?

The Curmudgeon: Fuck!

Saint Peter: Saint Fuck's nearby. He's helping Richard with his harp lessons. We told him that double basses and violins don't make the grade up here. We're more into harps, banjos, trombones, piano accordions and bagpipes. We've got a hell of a band you know - excuse the pun ha, ha.

The Curmudgeon wanders away.

Saint Peter: Say hello to Nick for me. We went to school together but of course he was in the G classes.

The Curmudgeon: Fuck!

NEW POST - THE RELIGIOUS CURMUDGEON

 

IN THE BEGINNING

LUBBLY JUBBLY

 

We've had another beautiful day here. This morning I walked then played tennis and, after tidying up following the deck painting over the last three days I re-arranged all of the pot plants  and put the deck furniture back in place.

I went for a swim and lazed about in the water for ages.

If this was Robert's post it would be minimalist and almost like a haiku thus:

It's almost winter

But walk tennis and swimming

Is OK up north.

Tomorrow I am attending an all-day training seminar for Civil Defence  It's the MH101 workshop.

ALL DONE

 I've finished the deck painting now and everything is good except that The Old Girl -  "Mrs Picky" pointed out some paint splotches on the deck boards.

Jeez!

Maybe I'll get some kind of deck board paint and have a go at those but then, no doubt, I'll splash some of that paint on the newly painted deck railings (which by then she'll have decided she likes the white paint). You can't win!*

Here's a couple of pics I took after I'd finished and before I went for a swim. At 4PM it was still warm and sunny and the water was great - chilly on first getting in but warm after a while. Marvellous!**

* But you can whine and, also as that's what I plan to do soon, you can wine.

** Sorry for that one word sentence Robert.

WATTYL I DO NOW?* .....

 ...... that I'm nearly finished painting the deck railings?

* A little pun there for a Wednesday morning.

Talking of puns, Richard attempted to make one in his comment on my previous post. The paint I'm using is made by Wattyl.

Richard said:

"Well done though I thought that Wattyl came in a bottle."

He was referring to a Monty Python sketch of the Australian philosophers that included the very funny Bruce's Philosophers' Song. 

It finished with the Australian national anthem:

This here's the wattle it's the symbol of our land.

You can stick it in a bottle or hold it in your hand.

'Straya, 'Straya we luv ya!

Talking of deck painting, which I was, unfortunately The Old Girl isn't as enthused with it as I am. "I liked the unfinished, natural look" she said this morning.

O well, she'll just have to live with it. This little ditty came to mind.

This here's the Wattyl paint, it comes in a can.

So what if it mottles mate, remember - I'm the man.

Obviously I didn't say this out loud, certainly not while in her earshot. I think I'm safe as she doesn't read my blog.

 

I DON'T MIND MONDAYS.

 We lucked out with a great day today so I set about preparing and painting the deck railings. We put this deck in years ago and took the builder's advice to let it weather rather than stain or paint the railings. I've never really been happy with the result which is grey coloured timber that clashes with the colour of the house.

I spent about 5 hours today putting the first coat of paint on using Wattlyl Accent

This is good paint that can be used for both undercoat and main coat. I'm hoping that just one more coat will do as I don't fancy two more 5 hour stints. I had to rig up some scaffolding at the high point of the deck and it was bloody hard work reaching up to do the underneath parts. I'd hate to be a painter.

I'm pleased with the result of the undercoat which already gives the deck a bit of a lift.

I finished just before 3PM and decided to leave the main coat for another day. It was hot and sunny and the tide was in so I went in for a swim. This is, I think, the first time that I've gone swimming in May. The water was crisp on first getting in but afterwards was delightful. I stayed in for about a quarter of an hour enjoying the sight of the newly painted deck.

How's your day going?

SUNDAY

 It's a cracker day up here - warm, sunny and no wind. Lovely.*

I took the opportunity of the warm day to paint the wood surrounds that the builder installed for the new porch door. I gave them three coats and now they look magnificent.

After that I scrubbed down the deck railings in preparation for sanding and painting tomorrow. Let's hope that tomorrow's weather will be as good as today's.

I didn't waste time looking in windows, installing useless TV aerials or having coffee meetings with imaginary friends like some other bloggers do. Up north we are bit more serious.

* Robert will get all uppity about the use of a one word sentence but, who cares?