Half term beckons and I’m not at all stressed…
…until the wonderful Mrs H told me we were spending 5 days in a house with all the children and grandchildren – 14 of us altogether. I cheered myself up with the thought that on the Friday I would be going into hospital for a knee op that has been a long time coming. My dependency on co-codamol is becoming of interest to the authorities but luckily I’ve enough to get me through next week.
A couple of close friends are also going through procedures this coming week, both more serious than mine, and I reflect on the fact that as I’m not snowed in with the constant pressure of school I find myself looking to my friends and loved ones and thinking about how precious our physical and mental health is to us and often taken for granted. Most of us are blessed with reasonable health and we should count every damn second we spend pain or worry-free, too often I’m moaning about shit and not looking around at what many are enduring. Note to self – loosen up, relax and celebrate every moment. This not working in a school is definitely changing my outlook.
The radio show this week is a cracker, I modestly feel, featuring amongst other things a new corner in the studio – folk corner – this week highlighting a new band to me from Austin Texas – Half Dream. I have therefore included a youtube clip of their single – full of vim and fizz and featuring some Clines like guitar and Jonathan Wilson also features following the release of Eat the Worm – another cracker. Both a little left-field but absolutely wonderful. Other highlights in the show are The Jayhawks, Midlake, Large Plants, Adam Klein, Margot Cilker, Golden Smog, The Sadies, Michele Stodart and Tom Petty.