I tackled my tax return as the first task of the new working week.
OUCH.
Pay to play, etc.
I got stuck on a particular section. Much like a daily diary, if doubt then write any old bollocks, right?
Album of the Day: Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance
A bloody EAR RINGER of an album. There’s a lot of experimentation taking place here. I like the gang feel, with mantras and slogans being paraded around. I couldn’t find any overall direction I could get behind though. The glass smashing sound effects on Sentimental Journey saw me off.
⭐ ⭐
The Postman Delivers: Soul Mining on CD by The The. This is another one of those albums that was always on my To Buy list back in the day. It’s only taken forty odd years or so for me to get round to it.
Music is so much more affordable these days. The £3.99 for a vinyl release back in 1983 seemed steep. I paid £3 all in for the CD to drop through my letterbox this morning.
It came super fast as well. I clicked the Buy button late on Saturday afternoon. The CD was with me by Monday morning. I’m not sure what happened there.
In No Shit News: Forest announced a pre-season away at Olympiacos. Don’t be surprised when a new competition is soon announced: The Marinakis Cup.
The ECB announced that both Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson will make their Test debuts later in the week against the Windies.
Good.
Smith is an absolute star in the making. He looks like he will step up from the Surrey conveyor belt where Ollie Pope has faded of late.
Gus meanwhile has yet to really carry on his form of last season. I hope the ECB don’t crush him on the big stage, as was the case with Rory.
We cycled off for a rare his ‘n’ hers swim mid-morning. I debated about taking the Trail. Overnight rain might send me over the edge with my clean bicycle OCD concerns.
It was damp and cool, but not splashy splashy damp.
Phew.
It was decent to see a Town Council fella halfway along the Trail on an ecargo emptying the bin.
Chapeau, Town Council ecargo fella.
The swim was speedy, despite some goggle issues. I chose to ignore the minor leakage, chasing the time, not the comfort.
I showered and dressed in record time. The inane banter from the Good Owd Essex Boys (racist shits) in the gents got right on my tits.
Back at base and out went the shout of: To the Kayaks!
Having bought a new kayak back in May, A has yet to launch it. Her lack of aquatic knowledge was revealed when she asked me:
“Have you got the sticks out?”
She meant the oars, natch. Bless.
My rowing shoes were still wet with all the shit from the Colne picked up with WivGigs yesterday. Rowing can be a right faff at times.
It was windy down at the front. We took the strategic decision to head upstream where the conditions were better.
This led to a sharp turn, and up the Roman River. We haven’t paddled up here for over a year. It is always beautifully remote and quiet.
I focussed on the length of my stroke, rather than the power. At times I had little strength in the water, but made great progress with long, controlled strokes. I think the flock of Geese settling on the Muddy Banks were impressed.
The Wiv One Designs looked cute as we made our way along the trots and back towards the Sailing Club. They are all lined up with different hull colours schemes, perfect in design and form.
One day, maybe…
Back at the Sailing Club and some old fella was making a right bloody racket. He was tapping his hammer against a metallic frame, which I think is used for lifting boats. It all sounded very Einstürzende Neubauten.
A brief Lidl run followed on the Raleigh electric. Actually, there is no such thing as a brief Lidl run. Ive already unlocked my July target with the promise of a freebie from the bread section.
GEDDIN.
To the Table of Dreams!
We both had a little energy left to use up with a wiff waff knockabout. There was some chewing gum left on the Table of Dreams. Work has started on the new skatepark nearby. I hope the little shits head over there.
I somehow sailed into a 2-0 lead. I lost 3-2.
Arse.
Some more music back at base. I’m loving the new SAULT album. That’s my sound of summer sorted.
News then dropped from the World Famous City Ground that Forest look like they will remain at the World Famous.
It’s been a game of poker between a cash strapped City Council and an ambitious owner who doesn’t take no shit from anyone.
Le Tour Rest Day on ITV4 was a little meh. There’s no such thing as a Rest Day on Le Tour. The riders are rolled out for endless media rounds. Betcha they would rather be back on their bicycles.
We caught up with some more Glasto highlights that we missed later in the evening. Fat Whites are BONKERS.
TOUCH the Leather, etc.