Uh oh, New Hat

What's not to like about a mom/mum who sends you new hats — especially when they are from your Breton past. Yes, I acutally did once spend a lot of time living on the Breton coast ,and sailed a small boat out of LeConquet harbor, so I just about qualify.

But no one carries off wearing this hat like:
David Carradine?

Robby, now wants one. Guess he will have to make nice with Grandma. This one is nice and warm and perfect for Spring and Fall.

Stunning photo by ojisan jake

Photo by Ojisan Jake

Best viewed at his blog URL below:

http://ojisanjake.blogspot.com/2010/05/vacation-2010-day-canalwalk-final-part.html

A photo such as this by ojisanjake should be seen by as many eyes as possible. From a canalwalk during his recent vacation in England.

Back on the Feet, Owl Flight, Missing the Wheels

Back on my feet today, with a Kodog walk.

Rare sight tonight — a large owl hunting in the dark, very active on the chase after something. Darting across the road at high speed.
Photo by Nikographer Jon http://www.flickr.com/photos/-jon-/

Saw the wing feathers backlit by a street lamp as it flashed by. Low flying, a little alarming, I wondered for a moment if it might go after my fleece hat behind the hedge, or even Koda, it was so low, so close and so definitely on a mission. I swear I heard some vocalizations but which creature they came from, I have no idea. (I'm assuming our local red tail hawk doesn't hunt at night).



After two weeks laid low by a type of bronchitis, this was a welcome outing. The prednisone had become necessary, last Monday, about 5 days into the Levaquin, as the cough was still off the hook.

Resumed physical therapy for the neck today, hard to tell if it helped or hindered. The muscle work definitely makes the muscles sore, and that in turn compresses the discs more, and increases the nerve aggravation. Should be less harsh tomorrow.

Lots of arm and finger tingling when walking or getting up and vertical. The legs really felt it today during just a short 3-hill walk. A touch wobbly. Still good to be out and about even if only for 20 minutes.

TERRYB's Blogs
Checking up on cycling forums read a great blog at:

tbaroundtheworld

Pick just about any spot in Terry B's travels in China and enjoy a fine writer, avid cyclist and traveler.

Here's one of his photos from Chengdu. Can't recommend highly enough for a good read.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-HbCvUyx13msMe1V5iuDcngspD0sqFPtjai_wle83oRXdpdaBAbnMTxnhML8Id8aoM068B2-w_NVNMG-GJPYzE49LY0OBFQC-pct3bJUUxkfNYTYLW0kdCWdHeE4U02P-_dlWf_wOKk/s1600/IMG_6116.jpg

The Waldy

Photo by Paul Bullen courtesy the Lost British Pubs Project

From 3,000 miles and time-wise some 29 years distant, it's easy to imagine that life in Old Blighty continues on at it's traditional tootling pace, but even the most estranged ex-pat probably knows nothing could be further from the truth. Much has changed.

However, when it comes to a once-sacred social institution, the corner pub — that it, along with perhaps the local fish and chip shop — would be the last to succumb to the vicissitudes of random, gradual, or even planned, change.

A pub that is located near a college of several thousand students you might think would have the greatest chances of longevity. Sure, St. Mary's in Strawberry Hill, Middx., had it's own bar, but the pub was easily a preferred place for many for quiet and friendly conversation — with John, Caroline, Libby, Tony, Gervaise, Lucy, Liverpool John and many others — and for small groups to "conviviate".


I must be out of the loop, alright. It seems pubs in England have been closing left, right and town center (centre).
Some of this is documented in the Lost Pubs Project* which reports them closing at a rate of 25 a month.

I was googletating around my old college stomping grounds, trying to see how things looked there, without paying the airfare or taking a week off work. The houses and the streets looked reassuringly just as I'd left them, nothing much changed, however, when I googled my way into a boarded-up, street corner pub that used to be known as "The Waldy," my recollection and nostalgia glands went into shock; in the words of a Doors song from the 60's "sweet memory" is facing extinction.

It's jolt to see a beloved place from one's college days — a place you had no reason to think otherwise than that it would endure forever — all boarded up, and being dismantled.

What happened? Surely there are enough students within a half mile to keep this place buzzing all evening?
Did the new licensing hours laws or the popularity of wine bars bring it to its knees? Or did the owners just decide to sell to a developer?

P1010390, originally uploaded by MeBrian.

"Higher taxes and food prices, and changing times," and a recent smoking ban have been blamed for pubs going under.

If there's a silver lining, I guess, some bars and night spots in the U.S. are gaining patrons who prefer a smoke-free environment. They've come to enjoy places they once might have shunned. Have to admit after I gave up smoking 20 years ago, a smoky bar was the last place I wanted to be. Went to a Napper Tandy's a few weeks ago to see The Beach Drive Band and had a blast. A hundred and fifty or so folk having fun drinking, dancing and listening to a band with no cigarettes in sight, we'd never have dreamed it 16 years ago.

But the beer taxes and high rents might be a tougher nut to crack.

Back to the Waldy. Hard to believe such a great pub has been closed for years. It was a great place in its time. One can only wish it'll be restored to its former status as a place for great conversations and friends to meet by its new developers.

For any passing by, there's a facebook group that would love to see the pub return:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2382344843


The pub hosted some colorful characters in its time.

PUB UPDATE FROM THE CLOSED PUBS PROJECT
We now have 14,231 lost pubs listed
This site was last updated on 11th February 2011

Although there are 60,000 pubs still in existence in the UK today, they are closing at the rate of 25 per month. Once closed they rarely reopen as most are either demolished or converted to housing.

Help us in our quest to index these lost pubs before they are forgotten for ever. If you know of a pub which has closed at any time in the past, please submit it, together with any anecdotes, historical information or photographs that you might have. Pubs do re-open from time to time, so if you see one on the site that is open please let us know.

Golf Dangers Warning - Chuck Karo on the Ball

--
Sent by Chuck from who knows where.

Chuck, apparently getting in some winter golf mileage in a dark and urban driving range — guess Denton Ave (?), sent this cellie pic of an ominous warning.

Well non of us carry 250 yards. Maybe I did twice, but not happening anytime soon until the neck discs are healed. The tingling still happens and the muscle spasms in the left arm/side, so progress is slow. Not about to jeopardise that by trying to swing a golf club anytime soon, if at all.

That said, watching golf still has its rewards. Among them, seeing Ray Romano being a true mensch at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, yesterday, interacting with junior fans and making generous losing wagers on some pretty fine shots, hookey-dookey swing notwithstanding. The work of the swing coaches on The Golf Channel has brought his game up several notches.

The celebs included:

Anthony Anderson-Actor
Harris Barton-Former professional football
Bill Belichick-Head Coach - NFL
Chris Berman-Sportscaster – ESPN
Michael Bolton-Entertainer
Drew Brees-Professional football
Matt Cain-Professional baseball
Brandi Chastain-Professional soccer
Kevin Costner-Actor/Producer/Director
Oscar de la Hoya-Professional boxing
Tom Dreesen-Comedian
Herman Edwards-Professional football
Jackie Flynn-Comedian
Kenny G-Musician
Andy Garcia-Actor
Oliver Hudson-Actor
Joe Kernen-Talk Show Host
George Lopez-Comedian/Actor
Toby Mac-Musician
Bill Murray-Comedian
Craig T. Nelson

with proceeds going to the:

Monterey Peninsula Foundation

The Beach Drive Band Rocks the House

So, following rendezvous amid the towering slick grey-white ice piles of Po'washington, we charged off up the L.I.E. in Drysuit Crash Messina's Custom Raised 4WD V8 Ford Extended 250/350? Battlecruiser of Shred ... through fog and mist far east into the outer-nether regions of Suffolk County and darkest lost Northport.

Specifically a lost intersection on the edge of town, or maybe the center of something - it was anyone's guess. Eagle eye Caro spotted the joint from afar. It was indeed where the GPS had stopped us, we just couldn't see the sign from our angle — Napper Tandy's.

And folk were flowing in and the parking lot was full — fuller, fullest? ... since there were a goodly number of XL sized trade vehicles, "dualie" pickups and whatnot.

AMBIENCE
The cell-phone camera. What can i say? actually I like the photo because although it overexaggerates the darkness, it does capture something of the ambience.

Bassist Steve "Domer" Domjan along, of course, with his fellow band members of The Beach Drive Band rocked the house and had the floor packed with an abundance of willing dancers. No mean feat for a largely 35 to 55 age crowd. And all credit must go to the rhythm section which began the procedings with a rock-steady underpinning for an extremely credible version of Start Me Up that set the tone for a solid night of classic rock and rock and roll choices.

Tight bunch of musicians here. Very punchy powerful beats, fluid lines, melodious and very pro. I'm thinking Domer has digested some Geddy Lee somewhere in his bass apprenticeship, but plenty of other influences. The vocalist deserves big props for handling a real broad gamut of songs without blowing up or blowing out in any way. Great job. Keyboard man, what can I say, we would have loved to had him in the gigs in my old band days in the 70s/80s.

KILLER
Wish I could remember the names of half the songs, but the first set list was peppered with a 70's 80's 90's diet of Springsteen, BIlly Joel, Rush?, the Cars, Led Zep, (SEE SET LIST IN COMMENT BELOW) and not a single song went unappreciated by the enthusiastic Saturday night crowd. THings reached a climax pretty much with a thundering rendition of Kashmir, and an extremely well-received "Killer on the Road" (The Doors) with the keyboardist hitting the soundscape perfectly and the bass and drums taking it up and bringing it down.

We were planning to head home at a decent hour, like before midnight-ish (being slightly old fartish), but as Scott Y. appeared in the house toward the end of the first set, we got to yakking and before you knew it, the "Lloyd Floyd" fest was on. A superbly executed 3 song sequence from Dark Side of the Moon ending with a spectacular version of The Great Gig in the Sky, followed by a gritty thumping version of Young Lust.




There were some Fleetwood Mac-like (?) selections and a countryesque tune whose name I forget with the sit-in female singer whose name I didn't hear, but who had a wonderful set of pipes and a great delivery to go with it.

Meatloaf's Dashboard Light has never been my cup of tea, but the two lead singers pulled off a theatrical act that had the dance floor denizens shimmying and jiving.

Other highpoints included I'm a Believer (the Monkees) and erm... I forget ... Domer do you have a set list you could send me to refresh my memory so I can finish this thing off?

Well worth the trek in foul weather, and not to be missed for a good, no great, night out, if The Beach Drive Band are in your town, or near.