Nicholas Parsons

A day of waiting for the pay check to go into the bank. It wasn't so bad. I played a bunch of games on the ipad. I went back over the games and cleared all levels with maximum (ducks, stars, whatever form they come in). Great fun and highly comfortable sitting in an armchair or out on the back porch.

By three the pay had gone into the bank so I went into town, bought a bottle of cheap red wine, two cans of Guinness and picked up Grace on the way back. She's now off school until Grandma arrives and goes home again. I doubt I'll survive! (name that tune). Three ladies in the house! I am hoping it will be like Christmas with acres of wine, blue cheese, Rosy's crackers (Thai version of Ritz and at 9 baht a pack). I have access to a galaxy of movies from yesteryear with Bette Davies and her ilk.

My music resurrection is going well and regular visits to Bolt.org has me coming away with a new load of interesting finds. My latest, which I have asked John Reed for advice on is Ginhouse, hailing from Newcastle in the 70's. On the thread, some guy said they are his pals and would be overjoyed that anyone would still be listening to them. I DL'd it and they sound great. Also got Bridget St. John as Reed recommended.

Confessions of an Opium Eater is probably only for Vincent Price enthusiasts. He is great, but the movie is odd, as expected. It's pretty good but has that "why exactly am I watching this?" feel to it. I am yet to finish, which I will, before watching The Last Detail with Jack Nicholson and a very young looking Randy Quaid, who is a favourite of mine.

My new headphones are getting a lot of play right now. A decent pair and great external sound reduction, rock and roll lives in my head! A lot of Chuck Prophet right now. I do the rounds in my enormous collection, though I always try to have a healthy new batch of musicians coming in too. Kate Bush's Ariel album has a lovely vibe to it.

Not much reading unfortunately, of which I feel utterly ashamed, though Radio 4 programs get regular airplay. The favourites, for the millions of screaming fans on the verge of stabbing themselves to death, are; The News Quiz, with my favourite lesbian Sandi Toksvig, Any Questions, In Our Time, Material World and Science in Action. I confess to not having listened to Just a Minute since Clement Freud died. I must give it a chance before Nicholas Parsons dies or Paul Merton leaves.