Happy Birthday! What a lovely snapshot of your new life. When I was on the 94-95 Buddy tour, we played Norwich for a couple of weeks, and I recall it being one one of the better stops. I am glad you landed in that vicinity.
I admit a little jealousy at your distance from the awfulness of DJT 2.0, which is feeling pretty omnipresent over here, even if one avoids the news and such. I am imagining the sweet distraction of Norwich-accented OAPs on a double date talking underwear. (A vote for the "boycut" here.)
And indeed, much like, say, "Having My Baby," "Young Girl" is compellingly cringey, yet masterfully (deviously?) constructed, melody-wise. I am imagining a 90s-era compilation from Rhino or Razor & Tie or some such like, titled Cringefest, with the aforementioned two alongside "Seasons In the Sun," "Wildfire," "Shannon," and maybe "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)". Perhaps I shall waste a little time making a Spotify playlist titled Cringefest, and send those writers and/or their heirs/publishers some micro-pennies.
Great to hear about the upcoming tour and especially the sequel to GTC.
Hi Robert and thank you! Norwich has really grown and changed even in the last twenty years (Eric lived here when we first got together) So many independent shops and cafes, I enjoy having such a charming vibrant place nearby accessible via public transport. Wondering where you stayed there and also have you ever read Patrick Hamilton's Monday Morning (he's most known for Hangover Square but his first novel MM has great stuff about theatre troupes outside of London, I bet you'd love it) I have to differ on "Shannon" being cringe - I used to feel that way and a couple of years ago fell into the song and decided it's just too good to ever be embarrassed by or about. But I think the Cringefest would make a great set- would you include TImothy by the Buoys? Take care and hi to Holly!
Re: Shannon, you have inspired me to revisit this tune about a beloved drowned dog. The melody, like most cringey tunes, is bewitching. I accidentally lifted part of it some years back for a song that only exists now on DATs, cassettes, and CDRs (and in my head). And yes, of course Timothy by the Buoys, and The Blind Man in the Bleachers by David Geddes. I am open to more suggestions.
Thank you for the book recommendation. I've been on biography/memoir kick of late, very unlike me. Just finished Bono's excellent "Surrender," now deep into Robert Hilburn's very good Randy Newman bio. HGW is usually the bio nut. I go for fiction, but a novel hasn't knocked my socks off in a while, so I'm shaking it up. But I would love to get lost in a good yarn.
I wish I could recall where they put me up in Norwich. I should have kept better records. Amazing now to think what we let go by before the age of compulsive chronicling. Whenever someone posts "Three words you would give to your 18-year-old self" I respond with "write it down."
The thread was about Puckett so I didn't go into my conversation with Howard. I told him that I had seen the Turtles in 1966 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and he said that he remembered that gig. I was skeptical so he elaborated; he said it was their first national tour, they were on a bus with the Animals and coming into town they noticed a peculiar smell and didn't know what it was until they got to the venue, which was across the street from the Quaker Oats factory. Having gone to college up that street for 3 years I remember that odor and knew he was telling the truth. We discussed life on the road and he said that he was doing Happy Together because he wanted to, unlike many on the tour who just needed the money, but that he hoped to stop before too long "because I don't want to die in some hotel room like John Entwhistle".
Thank you! And yes I'm so thankful I've been keeping a blog/whatever you call it for decades now, there's no way I could have remembered all the details I can call up by looking through a particular era's posts.
Hi Amy, I guess this piece landed the day I landed and.... I was otherwise distracted. It is lovely to catch up on your travels and new life. There are many similarities in your writing with what I experience in Beverley, where indeed I do have to double-check at the local M&S that I am not frowning at it being full of old people, considering that I just got my senior rail card. The NHS is a whole other subject: it's a national treasure, but socialized medicine - which I 100% back and approve of - has to be properly funded and morally supported to work, and the system here is exhausted in so many senses. That said, the small town love, the goodness in people often employed in low-paying jobs (such as my ex-mother's Care Home) is lovely to come back to, for me. And politeness in shops never goes amiss either. Glad you are settling in. Say hi to Eric!
Thanks for reading Tony, I know you have a lot going on! I think I spoke too soon about getting the bus pass - I'm just a leave to remain legal resident but had to apply for a Natl Insurance # to apply for the bus pass and am now waiting to see how that goes! (But the senior railcard is great) Take care and safe travels here and back in NY.
II'm eligible for UK Citizenship (mum was born there and served in the WAAF during WWII). But it is not easy for a guy who can't fill out a basic form.
You and Eric have that in common! All my years of temp/office work trained me to not fear forms. Just turn off your brain-I know that's hard for some folks. Amazing about your mum - we just watched Blitz, have you seen it Bill? It sent me looking up things "did that really happen?" Your mother must've had some stories!
Thanks Jim. I still like taking the bus over to Cromer (our nice new chocolate place here in N Walsham is only open for coffee 10-2 on Saturdays...ah country life! But still has all the basics AND the MP drops by occasionally. Hopefully see you before long! I'll be in Norwich 14th March and Laugharne Wales for the lit/music fest Mar 27-28
Hey Amy, be careful with that bus pass. They aren’t valid after 11pm at night though the chances of finding a bus in Norfolk after 11pm is pretty slim.
Thanks Monica - I was ready to get rid of this beret in last year's pre-move cull (the wool's a little itchy), so glad i didn't since I lost my other beloved grey hat back in Oct...
If you haven't learned to not give a fuck by age 66, perhaps you never will. Some people who read your diary are over 74. I find it's really pretty great being "old". Especially when you don't give a fuck.
Love your hat! and oh how I love your writing, thank you. I'm jealous of the beach, it's beautiful. Happy 66th, bus-pass age, Birthday to YOU! No matter the age, it's the laughter that lives inside you that makes it sweet.
Thanks Angie, I always wanted to live near the beach in winter, love it deserted like this (but with tea and cake nearby) THanks for the birthday wishes!
We are the same age. For another month. Then I will be 67 and here in Australia that means I could retire and become a pensioner. 😱😱
Its tricky to get our heads around aging sometimes. Im easing into it by cutting back on my day job. But honestly, the rest of my week is still filled with my writing and freelance business.
I doubt I will ever fully retire. Life’s too interesting for that, right? 😁
Happy Birthday! What a lovely snapshot of your new life. When I was on the 94-95 Buddy tour, we played Norwich for a couple of weeks, and I recall it being one one of the better stops. I am glad you landed in that vicinity.
I admit a little jealousy at your distance from the awfulness of DJT 2.0, which is feeling pretty omnipresent over here, even if one avoids the news and such. I am imagining the sweet distraction of Norwich-accented OAPs on a double date talking underwear. (A vote for the "boycut" here.)
And indeed, much like, say, "Having My Baby," "Young Girl" is compellingly cringey, yet masterfully (deviously?) constructed, melody-wise. I am imagining a 90s-era compilation from Rhino or Razor & Tie or some such like, titled Cringefest, with the aforementioned two alongside "Seasons In the Sun," "Wildfire," "Shannon," and maybe "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)". Perhaps I shall waste a little time making a Spotify playlist titled Cringefest, and send those writers and/or their heirs/publishers some micro-pennies.
Great to hear about the upcoming tour and especially the sequel to GTC.
Off you go.
Hi Robert and thank you! Norwich has really grown and changed even in the last twenty years (Eric lived here when we first got together) So many independent shops and cafes, I enjoy having such a charming vibrant place nearby accessible via public transport. Wondering where you stayed there and also have you ever read Patrick Hamilton's Monday Morning (he's most known for Hangover Square but his first novel MM has great stuff about theatre troupes outside of London, I bet you'd love it) I have to differ on "Shannon" being cringe - I used to feel that way and a couple of years ago fell into the song and decided it's just too good to ever be embarrassed by or about. But I think the Cringefest would make a great set- would you include TImothy by the Buoys? Take care and hi to Holly!
Re: Shannon, you have inspired me to revisit this tune about a beloved drowned dog. The melody, like most cringey tunes, is bewitching. I accidentally lifted part of it some years back for a song that only exists now on DATs, cassettes, and CDRs (and in my head). And yes, of course Timothy by the Buoys, and The Blind Man in the Bleachers by David Geddes. I am open to more suggestions.
Thank you for the book recommendation. I've been on biography/memoir kick of late, very unlike me. Just finished Bono's excellent "Surrender," now deep into Robert Hilburn's very good Randy Newman bio. HGW is usually the bio nut. I go for fiction, but a novel hasn't knocked my socks off in a while, so I'm shaking it up. But I would love to get lost in a good yarn.
I wish I could recall where they put me up in Norwich. I should have kept better records. Amazing now to think what we let go by before the age of compulsive chronicling. Whenever someone posts "Three words you would give to your 18-year-old self" I respond with "write it down."
The thread was about Puckett so I didn't go into my conversation with Howard. I told him that I had seen the Turtles in 1966 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and he said that he remembered that gig. I was skeptical so he elaborated; he said it was their first national tour, they were on a bus with the Animals and coming into town they noticed a peculiar smell and didn't know what it was until they got to the venue, which was across the street from the Quaker Oats factory. Having gone to college up that street for 3 years I remember that odor and knew he was telling the truth. We discussed life on the road and he said that he was doing Happy Together because he wanted to, unlike many on the tour who just needed the money, but that he hoped to stop before too long "because I don't want to die in some hotel room like John Entwhistle".
John Entwhistle died in Paradise (Nev.). But otherwise, yeah.
Happy Birthday Amy! Enjoy the perks of being wise beyond your years, just remember to write it down so you can remember what you can’t recall! 🎂🤭
Thank you! And yes I'm so thankful I've been keeping a blog/whatever you call it for decades now, there's no way I could have remembered all the details I can call up by looking through a particular era's posts.
Ah navigating new government/health systems, just like rock’n’roll I’m sure it keeps you young! ❤️
Thanks Lo, that's a good way to look at it!
happy birthday to a swell chick!! xxxcm
Thanks bud! xx
Hi Amy, I guess this piece landed the day I landed and.... I was otherwise distracted. It is lovely to catch up on your travels and new life. There are many similarities in your writing with what I experience in Beverley, where indeed I do have to double-check at the local M&S that I am not frowning at it being full of old people, considering that I just got my senior rail card. The NHS is a whole other subject: it's a national treasure, but socialized medicine - which I 100% back and approve of - has to be properly funded and morally supported to work, and the system here is exhausted in so many senses. That said, the small town love, the goodness in people often employed in low-paying jobs (such as my ex-mother's Care Home) is lovely to come back to, for me. And politeness in shops never goes amiss either. Glad you are settling in. Say hi to Eric!
Thanks for reading Tony, I know you have a lot going on! I think I spoke too soon about getting the bus pass - I'm just a leave to remain legal resident but had to apply for a Natl Insurance # to apply for the bus pass and am now waiting to see how that goes! (But the senior railcard is great) Take care and safe travels here and back in NY.
II'm eligible for UK Citizenship (mum was born there and served in the WAAF during WWII). But it is not easy for a guy who can't fill out a basic form.
You and Eric have that in common! All my years of temp/office work trained me to not fear forms. Just turn off your brain-I know that's hard for some folks. Amazing about your mum - we just watched Blitz, have you seen it Bill? It sent me looking up things "did that really happen?" Your mother must've had some stories!
I’ve always liked small towns/villages in the UK. Looks like you and Eric have picked a good one. Happy Birthday & hope to catch a show soon.
Thanks Jim. I still like taking the bus over to Cromer (our nice new chocolate place here in N Walsham is only open for coffee 10-2 on Saturdays...ah country life! But still has all the basics AND the MP drops by occasionally. Hopefully see you before long! I'll be in Norwich 14th March and Laugharne Wales for the lit/music fest Mar 27-28
Happy Birthday from Cleveland, Ohio, and parts unknown… 💜
Thanks Ingrid, I hope winter is going easy on you in Cleveland!
Thankfully, I’ve spent most of this winter in Florida so far. The politics sucks but the weather is lovely… 😊
Hey Amy, be careful with that bus pass. They aren’t valid after 11pm at night though the chances of finding a bus in Norfolk after 11pm is pretty slim.
Ha, yes - thanks David! Not sure where I'd go after...9 pm anyways!
Hi Amy, happy birthday! What date is your American library in Norwich event? Mark
Thanks Mark! Just confirmed it for Fri 14th of March - will share the link soon.
Excellent! Thank you
Happy birthday! I love your hat!
Thanks Monica - I was ready to get rid of this beret in last year's pre-move cull (the wool's a little itchy), so glad i didn't since I lost my other beloved grey hat back in Oct...
Oh, I’m sorry that you lost a beloved hat! I still miss a black wool cloche that a friend’s dog destroyed. Sigh. I am glad that you have this one :)
It was traumatic but these things happen! And glad I held on to this one. Sorry about the black cloche, sounds lovely.
If you haven't learned to not give a fuck by age 66, perhaps you never will. Some people who read your diary are over 74. I find it's really pretty great being "old". Especially when you don't give a fuck.
Over-74 is a good club to belong to!
Well in a few months I'll be joining another club that will even better. Looking forward to that.
Love your hat! and oh how I love your writing, thank you. I'm jealous of the beach, it's beautiful. Happy 66th, bus-pass age, Birthday to YOU! No matter the age, it's the laughter that lives inside you that makes it sweet.
Thanks Angie, I always wanted to live near the beach in winter, love it deserted like this (but with tea and cake nearby) THanks for the birthday wishes!
Happy 66 birthday, Amy!
We are the same age. For another month. Then I will be 67 and here in Australia that means I could retire and become a pensioner. 😱😱
Its tricky to get our heads around aging sometimes. Im easing into it by cutting back on my day job. But honestly, the rest of my week is still filled with my writing and freelance business.
I doubt I will ever fully retire. Life’s too interesting for that, right? 😁
Thanks Sal and happy birthday to you next month!
Sometimes my wife and I go to events, look around, and think "damn, these people are so fucking old. Oh wait a minute, so are we."
As long as you're going to play gigs in Germany, why not hop across the border to the Netherlands? We will definitely come see you.
Enjoy the expat life. Enjoy being the envy of your friends in the US. It gives them an added incentive to come visit.
I'd love to go back and play in the Netherlands Rick. It's actually closer to us direct from Norwich. Now if only I knew any promoters there...
Not sure I want anyone's envy. I just want everyone to be okay!
I don’t know any promoters either, but I have time and can look into it.