Looking forward to a week in the van
Half term is coming and with it the thought of a week in the trusty van firstly alongside the Oxford canal and then onto the wilds of broadest Norfolk (did ya see what I did there?) These are simple dreams and ones that I hope won’t be shattered by the continuously high absenteeism at school, don’t care about the weather as long as we get away. More and more these days it’s not just Covid it’s all the other diseases that we haven’t had for a couple of years as we’ve all isolated. Everybody’s coughing and they all meet the accusatory stare with a furtive glance and mutterings of testing negative. That still doesn’t give you the right to deliberately infect a classroom of kids just because you DON”T have one thing but quite patently have another FFS!
However, it is encouraging, much more mask-wearing particularly as half-term approaches. Some forward-thinking parents have even removed their children from school in case their half-term plans are disrupted, again FFS!! If only teachers could take that option… On a lighter note, the dark winter evenings have encouraged some serious comedy viewing and I would highly recommend the following:
Alma’s Not Normal – iPlayer – brilliantly written observation of a deeply dysfunctional family that features some stand-out acting as well as a beautifully bittersweet centre.
Back to Life – iPlayer – another comedy hewn from the same rock as Alma ie written and starring the creator as the central female protagonist. This time a woman released from prison after serving several years and trying to reintegrate with her family and home town. Even more compelling than it sounds…..I kid you not!
Brassic 3 – Sky or NOW tv – the return of Vinnie and his boys, as well as Dr Dominic West, in this laugh-out loud filthy farce that turns all taboos to the sole purpose of amusing and commenting on the human condition. I nearly wet myself at the Bull and Tupperware scene – to be seen to be believed and gag on every line but start on series 1 if possible.
Soundswise I always put together some playlists for the journey so I have been rifling through very old and dusty corners for delights. First up a delight from a phone cam at a Jackson Browne gig, tune out the background chat and you will hear probably the best version of this song I’ve heard him do. Secondly thinking about the much-missed Adam Schlesinger from the incomparable Fountains of Wayne and lastly another much missed artist whom I was so glad to see live, Richie Havens and his slightly muddy-sounding take on James Taylor‘s masterpiece.
Inspired
Wonderful
Wise
