Well, it was inevitable I guess.....Late March 2012

.....And it was all going so well!  I'm writing this lying amongst a sea of cushions and pillows and very pissed off.  I decided that I was not getting enough excercise during the day.  I rattle around in my house doing my washing, cooking etc but as the weather changed I thought it would be a good idea to get on with my house refit.  I started to clear the front and rear gardens.  This means picking up all the little bits of tile, polystyrene and wood that litter my gardens.  This is left overs from the "reconstruction" of my house last year.  So black bag in hand I spent the day picking up shit.  It's a bit like working a festival but without the booze and babes.

Woke up Monday....couldn't move.  Really bad.  Luckily these periods are inevitable and I have built my house accordingly.  From my sofa I can have the Internet on my laptop, you tube on my telly, high quality music from my hifi and full home cinema from my blue ray player.  I even have a dish washer so I don't have to stoop for too long whilst doing the dishes.  All this helps but I can't help remembering the words of my last consultant, "one day you will wake up and you won't be able to move and that will be it.".  Ok, this is not that day but it makes you think....and get real.  I've been pushing it recently...

All that said what a week to be an invalid in!?  I'm as brown as a berry.  The 3rd Spring in a row Ive had 20 degree tanning sun; I'm an orchid not a daffodil!  In between my hourly shuffles to the bottom of the garden and back I have had a couple of workouts!  It's tricky exercising when ill this way but I'm so pleased with my efforts this year (even if they haven't stopped this relapse) I don't want another row of injuries ruining all my good work like last year.  I've been sick and on medication for 4 days now and because the pain killers make me sick (better that I can assure you!) I'm not hungry!  Tanned and slimming.  Great if I could boogie the night away...

Things have changed on the band front.  Basically The Cosmonauts are no more.  I was the first to go then Joolz (lead guitar) and Simon (bass) followed.  Those of you who know me know that music is like bikes to me.  I'm never going to be without either of them (and the wonderful Lizzy of course!).  Out with the old in with the new.  This time I have an equal share in a new band; here we go again!  With 2 high quality musicians we audition a new singer on Sunday.  This is a full blown semi-professional singer who works every weekend doing her 1 woman singing act around Wiltshire.  Clubs, birthdays, weddings etc.  In a band there is always somewhere to hide if you balls it up.  Singing against a backing track is difficult and if your kit dies what then?  Fair play to her.  I know Charmaigne (the name fits her perfectly) from a couple of years back when used to pissed it up in Melksham on Friday nights.  There was always a late band and being on my own we chatted one night and then by chance I saw her sing a couple of weeks later.  She has real attitude and a well crafted singing voice.  With her pink hair in a 1940's style and heavy make up to match, she is a striking sight.  A larger than life figure who would be great to front our contemporary rock and pop band.  Whatever happens I will be drumming on Sunday.  I'm so excited about this.  Even if it happens just the once I know I am going to really get a lot from playing with 3 such good musicians.  I'm the weak link now!  Good challenge, lovin it - when I can feckin get up from my pit!!

I went to a musical instrument auction at the Bath Sale Rooms last week and bought a guitar.  I once bought a beautiful lady a guitar in the hope that it would rekindle her love of playing music.  Knowing her as I do she would revel in being able to belt out a tune at the right moment and I want to help her have that capability (yup, I'm weird!).  Thinking about her the other day I thought why don't I learn?  So i bough a bass and I love it.  Unlike the drums I can play 24hrs a day.  The lads from the band have lent me a Marshall practice amp and tuner.  I'm learning Message in a Bottle, Talk to Me (Reef - kickin bass line starts the song) and Walking on the Moon.  Hope to have a go with the lads in a month or two.  Coooool!  New tricks.

What the bugger am I complaining about!?  I'm warm, comfortable and as I write this I have a fag in the ash tray, a rum and coke in my glass (goes lovely with heavy opiates!) and Point Break in high def on the wall mounted flat screen.  No girlfriend to share it with but such is life.  And on that point the outlook is bleak.  However......this was the situation last year and the freedom was a real catalyst to a terrific year....we shall see.

The music link is very cool and I can play the opening few bars of the song on my bass!  The very cool and massively underrated REEF!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vSQfHFftqw

Feb moves into March...and no start date!

Hi everyone!!!  some up and downs to report this post.  As the title suggests time is passing and nothing is changing in my life at the moment.  The weather is changing and the days are getting brighter and brighter and I'm getting that depressing feeling that 2012 is going to be a right off unless I get my act together and sort out a few little issues.  Firstly my new job.  I'm really up for this.  The money is good and I can work it exactly how I please.  The problem is the MD still has not given me a start date and I should have started last week.  This has a knock on effect in that I have now cancelled my May walk across northern Spain.  I can't start a job then say I'm off for a month whilst only giving my employer 6 weeks (at the most) service.  Not on.....especially when I'm going to take off July for France, Le Mans and 3 weeks of solid festivalling!

Things have picked up on the romance front however.  Early days but the early sparring has begun with an independent, beautiful, intelligent girl who, in orders of magnitude, is very much larger in personality than anyone I have known for a very long time.  She is definitely interested but the problem is she is a lot younger than I - 31 (I'm 45).  When casual sex is the aim this is a massive advantage for the obvious reasons (late nights and fun come in abundance) however I'm looking for something more than that.  As I have said many times I have gotten more choosy as I have entered middle age but this young lady is a little special and very interesting and probably worth quelling my better judgement for.  Anyway I have asked the question and we shall see.  I would imagine I'm just as scary a prospect to her as she is to me so I guess it won't happen!

As the weather has warmed up I have been getting the bike match fit and I have unearthed a couple of niggly little problems.  New headstock bearings and a slight misfire at low revs and spoiling my pleasure as I get used to my ballistic missile again after its winter hibernation.  I'll get there for the spring/summer.

Although I have loads to do underneath it all I'm still very bored.  Nothing like this to look forward to this year....(this still makes me blub, Glastonbury went mental..I was in love...what a moment.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6ozSBEc814

The job issue has buggered up my plans to go travelling and July seems an age away.  I want that massive adrenalin hit that you get when you roll off the ferry hit the starter button and you think "I can go wherever I want for as long as I want - where first. wonder who I am going to meet?" feeling.  Those reading this who have never done it - perhaps it is better that you don't.  Like crack, one hit and you could be hooked!

This whole work thing is especially exasperating as I'm so well at the moment.  My back is as good as i can get it.  I'm as strong as an Ox physically with lumps and bumps emerging everywhere.  My weight is also a reasonable 14 and half stone.  Talk about all revved up and nowhere to go!!!!

Last post I broke with tradition and posted links to songs that my new band, The Cosmonauts, play.  Katey the lead singer is a 29 year old and that means good contempory song suggestions and some of these are inspired and great to play.  Oh yeah and very, very cool.  So here is another few:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvPncUtOdf8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0-IRsX3H-0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiGDM4j9Wj0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7UrFYvl5TE&ob=av2e