Album of the Day: Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
This perhaps wasn’t the ideal morning for me to listen to some doom and gloom with Smiling Mike. I have a twisted relationship with Tubular Bells. Love, hate etc. I was once obsessive about it. Isn’t everyone?
Sure, it has structure and superbly crafted production. It’s also become a cliche over the years and hasn’t aged as well as other classic albums from this period. But it’s still very, very good. Just not right now for me.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Various Agenda and Minutes reading started Monday morning. For once it wasn’t the usual #localgov bollocks.
The rowing club and Brockwell Lido Users are both at the AGM time of the year. It looks a healthy situation for the former, but deffo not for the latter.
The BLU AGM was actually yesterday. Time and tide kept me away. Plus having not bathed in the waters of Lake Brockwell for over a year, I would have felt a fraud if I turned up.
One of the main reasons keeping me away is the complete incompetence of Fusion, the management company that Lambeth trusted with a 25 year lease.
That now seems like a very mis-guided decision. It was one that was made with the blessing of many Lido users at the time after we were asked to assess the three organisations who pitched in.
From what I can see online, the local MP, Councillor and Cabinet member all rocked up to the AGM. I know that two of them actually use the facility, so well done there.
With six years left on the Fusion lease, time is now critical. The building is falling apart and unloved. Hopefully the AGM yesterday will be the rocket Fusion needs to shape up or ship out.
The Postman Delivers: Paroah’s Karma CD. It’s bonkers. Good.
One track at almost 33 minutes, and then a second that stretches out to a more radio friendly 5 minutes. They don’t make them like this anymore.
I hit SEND on the school work email that had to be sent.
There. I feel better for that.
And now for the response…
The New Cue had a great interview with Budgie. He was open about the personal politics going off in the Banshees and the Creatures. It seems that he is now in a happy place.
We were both free mid-afternoon for an Estuary Wilds wander. This was the most adventurous ramble post-op. It involved a little climbing.
The light was poor, but sufficient enough for some phots. I snapped away eagerly with the PEN-F.
We made our way down to the Quay. The Christmas lights are already installed around the Church tower ahead of the big TURN ON.
Soon there will be the OH SO HILARIOUS upside down Christmas tree light.
It’s tradition, innit.
Fuck tradition.
Tradition is bad things that have been around for to long. Much like the poster for the Racist Santa.
We shared AirPods throughout the walk. We caught up with a great Word In Your Ear podcast all about the rise of 2Tone.
The fields towards the back of the Sailing Club were caked in shit. This was definitely welly weather.
A short 4km walk. I was still wiped out when we arrived back at base. My fitness has taken a complete nosedive in the past month.
Monday evening was spent with a little Miles listening. So What, etc.
And then the football.
And BOOZE.
Chin chin.