Box procured and found to be good...

Playlist
Various Composers - 100 Best 20th Century Pieces
Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No 2
Debussy - La Mer
Delius - Brigg fair
Mahler - Das Lied von der Erde
Schoenberg - Five Orchestral Pieces
Webern - Six Orchestral Pieces
Prokofiev - Piano Concerto No 1
Various Composers - Deutscher Musikrat : Zeit genoessische Musik
Threnody Ensemble - Timbre Hollow

September seen off...



Out slightly earlier than yesterday, for a coincidental second visit to the dentist...

A fine morning...



The berries out...



The sun coming up...



A good church near the dentist...



..and the street where we once lived...



..and one of my favourite Edinburgh towers just after 9 am...



Later, on yet another scorcher - very weird weather right now - I popped to HMV and procured the box set mentioned yesterday...

In the evening, to the newly tidied back room...



...where I enjoyed the first two of the sixteen discs...



As you can see, Meg the Black Cat was also enjoying proceedings - while Annie was getting involved in this year's "Strictly"...

Further listening comprised some German avant garde from a few years back - a day of tunefulness and weirdness...



Call to my mum - Pam out again tonight round at chum Liz's for a girls' night with some further chums and staying the night...

Mum also advised Pam had baked an apple pie on Thursday for a coffee morning this morning, in aid of the MacMillan Cancer Support...

Said pie was purchased and cash was raised...

Last night sister Sheila was round for the evening while mum went out - the siblings spent the evening chatting about this, that and the next thing...

Call too to Count Brodski and a lunch arrangement for tomorrow...

A text to Dr Prog for a meet tomorrow morning at the library, from which I have a seriously overdue Woody Guthrie disc...

Despite copious amounts of Cocodamol and Ibuprofen, the painful shoulder remains and, if anything, is worse than yesterday - I see a sleepless night ahead...

"Outnumbered" and "Fresh Meat" entertained before retiral...

Highlight of the day :  A box of music...

Falling asleep can be dangerous...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Blend
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Happygolucky
Various Composers –20th Century Classical Music

Leaving Meg the Black Cat snoozing...



...it was out into a fine morning...



Soundtracked by me during the day, in lieu of last night’s performance…

To the dentist first thing – will return in late October for some, no doubt painful, work…

On the way, at the initial bus stop I noted a young man in T-shirt, Bermuda shorts and flip-flops – we’re havin’ a heatwave…

More entertaining though was a young girl who boarded almost at the end of my journey…

A student I surmised, wearing the de rigeur strange young lady hairstyle of very over to the side parting with hair combed horizontally across her forehead…

However, as she approached the bus, the wind caught her “fringe” and revealed her forehead…

There, written in large black letters, no doubt by a drunken flatmate after said young lady had lost conciousness last night, was the word “Cock” followed by a large exclamation mark…

Sadly, I was unable to capture either of these unintentionally entertaining individuals on camera…

Good news re sister Pam…

I did my best to push along her referral yesterday and, first thing today, an e-mail from The Beatson advised she is being called there on 10 October – I am pleased with this as it’s only two days after the date on which the sixth cycle of the previous chemo treatment would have started…

Anne and I will take her through and, typical Pam, she is looking forward to a day out in Glasgow…

In the evening, Anne enjoyed “Masterchef” before we watched the last two episodes in the French series “Spiral” – gruesome but entertaining…

A pain in my right shoulder which started around 4:30 this afternoon, reached mega proportions mid first episode and was accompanied by a very painful right lower leg – all for no apparent reason…

Music-wise this evening, various discs of 20th century classical music were dug out and enjoyed – inspired by my swithering over an EMI 16 disc box in the HMV sale for twenty three of your English pounds…

These are “20th Century Masterpieces”, presented in chronological order from Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto (1901) to Thomas Adès's Asyla (1997)…

All top performances by the likes of Simon Rattle Adrian Boult, Michael Tilson Thomas, Jacqueline du Pré, Gidon Kremer, Martha Argerich, André Previn, the Berlin Philharmonic, Carlo Maria Giulini, John Barbirolli, Pierre Boulez and Steven Isserlis…

All in all there are fifty-two individual works, all played in full (apart from an excerpt from Mahler's 'Das Lied von der Erde')…

According to the reviews I’ve read, there's not a bad performance in the box…

Erm, I think I’ve convinced myself…

A return visit tomorrow perhaps…

“Question Time” and “This Week” rounded off the day…

Highlight of the Day : Appointment in the diary for Pam…

The absence of a stage is no obstacle to a good evening...

Playlist
Tangerine Dream - Seven Letters From Tibet
Tangerine Dream - Transsiberia
Tangerine Dream - Tangines Scales
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Undercover
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Aftersilence
Barber - Serenade For String Orchestra
Pink Floyd - Echoes
Impossible Songs - Wild West Lothian

A fair morning...



On which I realised I can no longer see properly using +1 reading glasses...

The search was on for new ones...

To the pound shop - they only had sunglasses..

To Boots - their reading glasses come in at £25 of your English pounds - ridiculous...

To a large department store, only to find that the cafe was the only department open pre 9:30 am...

To a well known optician and the only pair of suitable +1.5's were located after a search through a large box behind the counter...

Unfortunately, one of the legs seemed slightly bent - I was offered a discount from £8 to £5 and accepted, handing over a £10 note and putting the specs in my pocket...

After some considerable time mucking about with the till, trying to put through a manual £5 sale, the lovely assistant handed me my tenner back and told me to "get going"...

Free glasses!!

Result...

So, anyway, the day turned into a scorcher...



Success at last re Pam's referral to the Professor in Glasgow and we should hear shortly about a time and date for her consultation...

Meanwhile, when I called mum's late afternboon, Pam was already off galavanting to chum Liz's for tea...

Post our own tasty pasta based tea, it was into town with Anne for the gig at the Melville and a very enjoyable evening it was too...

The setlist comprised covers by The Killers, Pink Floyd (2), Dar Williams and Elvis Presley along with various songs from the eight CBQ song-based LPs...

Pity then that, when Anne and I arrived at around 7:40, we were advised there was to be no live music tonight...

Nonetheless, we enjoyed an excellent evening, probably all the more enjoyable for my not having to play...

Good fun and chat with chums John and Ali from Impossible Songs, Annie, Comedian Jim and Jamie, both from Capital Models, Pure Bear and artist George and art and travel afficionado, Ian...

All musicians apart from Anne, who is, of course, the Exec Producer...



Home by 10:30 and writing this up...

Jamie is hatching plans for Capital Models and, in the fullness of time, we will see to what they may come...

Highlight of the Day : Not playing, just having a good time...

Nothing to see here...

Playlist
Various - Last 10 Months on Shuffleplay
Nadine Coyle - Insatiable
Cheryl Cole - Meessy Little Raindrops
Nicola Roberts - Cinderella Eyes

A fairly uneventful day, on which the sky looked good in the late afternoon...



Fish Pie with an episode of "Spiral" filled the early evening...

A last rehearsal...

A call to Pam - she won't make it along tomorrow night - she's off to her chum Liz's for dinner - probably a damn sight more entertaining...

Another good day for her with a visit to a new community cinema set-up in Loanhead for a showing of "The King's Speech"...

Reportedly very enjoyable...

More items purchased to put her stamp on mum's house...

Still no word re Glasgow...

Cheryl Cole joined the recent Girls Aloud solo LP collection...

Yes indeed, fairly uneventful...

Highlight of the Day : Difficult but I suppose it was the fish pie...

The whole is better than the constituent parts...

Playlist
Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events
Dvorak - Complete String Quartets
Nicola Roberts - Cinderella Eyes
Nadine Coyle - Insatiable

Good weather...



Exercise today re a walk to FOPP and back - nothing purchased, although I toyed with the idea of a 3CD set of hits from 1955-1959 - can't think why...

Trying my best to chase along Pam's treatment but we're a wee bit in limbo right now re the switch from London to Glasgow - very frustrating...

Back home, noticing the new houses encroaching on our formerly leafy surroundings...



Annie was on a keep fit extravaganza with Lynn comprising Zumba followed by aerobics...

No wonder they look so good...

And I don't...



A call with sister Pam - doing well - was out walking around Loanhead (almost literally) for 90 minutes today - meanwhile a lovely boucquet of flowers arrived from her work colleagues back in Hemel to brighten up our mum's house...

Eschewed "University Challenge" and all other TV for rehearsing and generally working upstairs, including a mail out re Wednesday (see below)...

Later on, found albums to download by Girls Aloud alumni Nicola Roberts and Nadine Coyle - not sure if that was a stranger occurrence than contemplating three CDs of hits from before my birth...

Will nab Cheryl Cole's second LP tomorrow and will perhaps go about creating a wee compilation of Girls Aloud solo singles...

Idiot...

Not to worry...

Lights out...

Highlight of the Day : Pam still fine...

CBQ Live...

Short notice I know but I will play a thirty minute set of originals and covers, including some debut performances, at The Melville in William Street, Edinburgh this Wednesday, 28th September.



Kicks off at 8pm and there will be four or five acts.

Entry is free and there's usually a free buffet later on too.

Might see you there?

Cheers

David Reilly
Cloudland Blue Quartet
http://www.crispycat.co.uk/

Moving stuff about...

Playlist
Debussy - Complete Piano Works
Albinoni - Complete Oboe Concertos
Various - Top 10 Albums of the Year 1970
Various - Now That's What I Called Music in June-November1983
Various - Albums Bought in 1972/73
Beethoven - Complete String Quartets
Wes Montgomery - Boss Guitar
Various - Top 100 Albums 2009
Miles Davis - 50's Box Set

Up around 8 and off out to the gym...



Back home, the new houses loom too largely...



...but the flowers still bloom...



Breakfast and then to work in the back room, tidying and selecting items to go into the loft...

The Exec Producer executively produced my synths and guitars (bar one) into the roof space, advising that, since I was not actively working on a new LP, there was no need to have them down in the house right now...

Much moving around of CDs of course...



Rehearsing again in the afternoon before heading to Loanhead with a small TV and DVD for the room tidied at my mum's yesterday, to allow Pam to watch on her own if she so desires...

Once again, Pam was in fine fettle, having been out this morning walking to church (my mum drove - don't think Pam walked alongside the car though) and purchasing new curtains for her room to keep a bit more of the light out to allow for later sleeps to be enjoyed...

Sister Sheila was also in attendance but, of course, I'd forgotten the camera...

Leaving my family enjoying some tasty Chinese food, I drove home to an excellent sea bass fillet from the Masterchef of the house, with a tasty twist of cauliflower cheese instead of potatoes...

Nice...

"Torchwood" was finally despatched as we grinned and bore the 10th episode - what a heap of absolute shite it was - I suppose I've kept watching over the last two months or more thinking "surely it can't get any worse"...

An abolute travesty...

Better by far was "Curb Your Enthusiasm" making a welcome return, although we missed the first in the new (to us) series last week...

Finished off the room, for now...



..and the beast is happy with his lair...



Monster...

While Meg the Black Cat was completely unfazed by it all...



A compromise re the paintings however...



A call from Count Brodski and Lady Penny - a meet up is in the offing...

Another reasonable day despite everything...

Highlight of the Day : The return of Larry David - and Annie's sea bass - and tidying...

Unearthing...

Playlist
Various - Top 30 Artists
Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events
Alice Cooper - Welcome 2 My Nightmare
Andrew Hill - Mosaic Select (3CD)

Up early and, after breakfast, we drove over to Leith to look for a new sofa bed for the back room - one which will be more comfortable for Pam when she stays over than the £100 Ikea one we've had for the last 5 years...

Mission accomplished - it will be in place a week on Thursday...





On over to Loanhead for lunch with mum and Pam...



...and some tidying out of my old room (again) with much nonsense being relegated either to the garage or to the loft...

Pam was in good spirits and well - her old school chum Liz had taken her out shopping this morning and another, Janice, was due to visit later this afternoon...

Back home and some rehearsing for Wednesday's 30 minute set, which I have decided will be 50/50 covers and originals, having noted the propensity for covers by the otehr performers last time I played an all original set at the Melville...

So, I'm planing on playing a couple of songs I've never played before...

After having watched the teleprinter confirm Queens going down 1-0 to an 86th minute goal from bottom of the league Ayr Utd (who, coincidentally put the mighty Jam Tarts out of the League Cup this week), I ordered and collected a small Indian takeaway, including a fiery Madras for your correspondent...

"Dr Who", like the curry, was mightily enjoyed - a bit of a comedy episode tonight but the ending set things up nicely for next week's "season finale" as the last in a series now seems to be called...

Also today, I downloaded a 3CD set of rarities by one of my Jazz favourites, the sadly departed pianist Andrew Hill...



Of 31 tracks, I believe only 3 were previously available - a good find...

This soundtracked "Match of the Day" after we'd enjoyed two episodes of the French detective drama, "Spiral"...

Lights out...

Highlight of the Day : Pam doing well - and undiscovered Andrew Hill...

Persistence in the face of adversity...

Playlist
Various - Last 10 Months on Shuffleplay
Sonny Rollins - Sonny Boy
The Killers - Sam's Town
The Killers - Singles (CD-R)
Alice Cooper - Welcome 2 My Nightmare
Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events

A reasonable morning but summer has definitely gone...

Still, the flowers persist in blooming...



...including the "Splinterheart" cover stars...



...and this wee solo artist in the far corner...



Over on the building site, it must surely be admitted that the view from the garden has been well and truly ruined...



Looking the other way remains fine though...



HMV at lunchtime - another sale - but nothing enticed...

On the way home, a call to sister Pam - doing fine at mum's and sounding well - of course I am always full of trepidation whenever I phone...

Once again, some work done in the background to move things along but, frustratingly, still no word re the first meeting in Glasgow...

Back home, while Meg the Black Cat gamboled in the garden...



...Anne and I cooked - I was in charge of onion and mushroom chopping...



...and the music - the fine disc by Mr Sonny Rollins purchased yesterday...



Meanwhile, signs at last of some chilis growing on Anne's chili plants...



The steaks were "rested"...



...till everything was finally ready...



Tasty...

Compiled a Killers compilation for Pam and downloaded the new album by Dream Theater...

And rehearsed for Wednesday...

Some TV was enjoyed, I recall "Outnumbered" but not much more...

Lights out...

Highlight of the Day : Cooking with Anne and Pam sounding good...

Not on the cusp of normal…

Playlist
Alice Cooper – Welcome 2 My Nightmare
The Hold Steady – Stay Positive
Cannonball Adderley – Inside Straight
Joe Walsh – Best of 1969-1974
Rob Zombie – Educated Horses
The Buggles – The Age of Plastic

A call first thing from Pam who was sounding well and was rested after, understandably, being pretty tired last night…

Meg the Black Cat did not want me to go out...



To FOPP at lunchtime, more for the walk along re exercise than anything else – nothing acquired…

I have lost 15lbs since the start of the month and don’t want to put it back on…

Still well over four stones to go though, till I’m even on the cusp of “normal”…

Spent some considerable time in correspondence with various people who have been dealing with Pam’s case, trying my best to keep on top of what’s happening – moving things along…

In the late afternoon, met up with Anne for a walk round the shops of Edinburgh – well, I say shops but, after a coffee at Starbucks it was White Stuff for Anne (spending birthday tokens from January)...



...and back to FOPP for me…

Despite not really wanting to buy anything, I ended up taking seven of their £3 offers (and putting back compilations of Dusty Springfield, Brigit Bardot and Buffalo Tom)…

The Buggles debut and a real version of the Killers “Sam’s Town” were first to snare me, the latter having been on the hard drive for a couple of years at least…

Upstairs and took a chance on a ’73 live session by Cannonball Adderley – funky – and an as yet unlistened to 1956 set by Sonny Rollins, “Sonny Boy”…

A Joe Walsh best of was taken purely for “Rocky Mountain Way” while the haul was rounded off with discs by The Hold Steady (never heard them before but liked the look of it – heavier than I thought) and Rob Zombie (due to the Cooper connection)…

Didn’t really want these last two but they were in my hand when they announced the shop was closing…

Back home for tea and a catch up with Pam – she’s been having a clear out today and will register with my mum’s GP tomorrow…

Spent some time listening to and ripping the new discs to the “Latest Acquisitions” Jukebox, which now comprises music from December 2010 to now…

Late on, we caught up on some TV, with the last two in the series of “Big Bang Theory” and the first two in the series of “Law & Order : Criminal Intent”…

Then, "This Week" - it seems the world remains on the cusp of boarding a handcart to hell - no surprise considering the lack of balls shown by all and sundry to actually face the problems uin 2007/08 and bite the bullet instead of ceaselessly papering over the cracks by throwing more cheap money at the markets...

Oh well...

Finally, confirmation came through today that I will play a set next Wednesday night back at the Melville Lounge in Edinburgh - so a run through a couple of songs also took place...

Lights out at 12:40...

Highlight of the Day : Time with Anne and Meg…

Home...

Playlist
Alice Cooper - Welcome 2 My Nightmare
Various - Milano Jukeboxes
Take That - Progress
Coldplay - X&Y
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Splinterheart
Various - From Disco to Zumba
David Bowie - Singles 1965-2003

Up at 7:30 and we weren't ready to leave till just before 11 due to breakfasting, last minute things to sort out, final packing and getting everything into the car...

As you might imagine, Pam was pretty upset about leaving her home - she will be back though...

So, instead of a final "Pam outside her house" pic, here's a wee cat from over the road who trotted up to us to say "goodbye"...



Before we left Hemel, we paid one last visit to Pam's office where tearful farewells were said to all her colleagues, then round to nearby chum Deb's office for a final cheerio to her and her colleagues, all of whom Pam knows too..

We finally left Hemel around 11:40 and, twenty minutes into the trip, the mood was lighter...



By 1:15, Pam was asleep and I was concentrating...



...erm , while taking pictures...



We made a quick stop for lunch at 2:15, enjoying sandwiches made this morning...



Then, back on the road, through stormy rain...



...and bright sunshine...



We made it to Scotland at 4:30...



...and drove into more rain...



...and sun...



...and clouds...

...before finally leaving the motorway at 5:15...



...and driving up the picturesque A702...



Our second stop of the day was in Biggar at 5:45 where, on the recommendation of fellow Creeker, Stuart Cobley, we sampled the delights of the Townhead Chippie...

Here's Pam through the window at the counter with a bloke who chatted her up...



Post tasty chips, we drove on towards Edinburgh, passing the turn off for sister Sheila's Penicuik at 6:30...



...arriving at our mum's at 6:45 - seven hours all told, including stops - two hours less than the trip down two weeks ago...



While I unpacked what seemed like the entire contents of Pam's house (excluding furniture) into my mum's front bedroom (Pam's old room), they enjoyed a cup of tea and a natter...



I think Pam is glad to be "home"...

Back on the road for your correspondent, round the bypass to Crispycat Towers...



...to be reunited with the Exec Producer and the lovely wee Meg the Black Cat...

I forgot to take pics of them though...

However, this was in the post for me - and was enjoyed to the max as Anne watched "Who Do You Think You Are" and Hearts crashing out of the League Cup to lowly Ayr Utd (Queens thrashed 5-0 by Kilmarnock last night)...



Ya dancer...

Early night cos I am, frankly, knackered...

Highlight of the Day : Pam "home", me home...