Darren and the Yummy Mummies (and Daddies)

My friend Darren; has become the darling of the yummy mummies and daddies of Brentford. He has also unified two more or less discrete clans of friends in the area. How has he done this? .
Starting at the beginning- I have known Darren for a very long time, since back in the psychedelic 80s of the Chiswick Village era. He went out with Ali-la Peche, and they had a baby together and even after all the ups and downs, everybody is still friends.

When we moved from Chiswick Village down to Airedale Avenue, Darren joined us as our lodger and we got to know him much better

Darren is a very interesting, intelligent and capable person; he learned to ride at reform school, he learned carpentry and cabinet making as a teenager, and is generally very artistic. He got a degree in electronics and knows about plumbing! A true polymath and all round renaissance man. So when we moved into our little house, our tiny house with all our boxes full of clutter, of course we asked him- if this was your house, and your clutter, how would you arrange things. So he spent several months working in each room in turn, to create storage masterpieces; our downstairs toilet is truly delightful! Over time, my other friends in Brentford, the Green Dragon Group came over and admired Darren's work, and began to ask for Darren's number; Darren's network of admirers grew and he is never out of work. He has also become a great friend to one and all; you don't get just a brilliant design, but insight and entertainment too. The Green Dragon Group and The Chiswick Village Collective are now all at each other's parties, and now, joy of joy for many, Darren is now moving to the heartland of Brentford. Funnily enough, he is moving away from tap dance land, Pitshanger Lane, which he also was able to appreciate the charms of!
His many fans will be able to bang on his door and plead to be next in line for Darren designs, and the love will flow.

This week

It's Friday, I'm just back from tap, any of my fellow tappers looking for the big entry about tap, welcome....scroll back to early June and "Tipetty Tap" more photos will be posted tomorrow

A lot of fun has been had this week, but have been neglecting this blog...Monday we went to see Roky Erickson at the Festival Hall as part of this year's Meltdown festival. If anyone doesn't know, he was part of the 13th Floor Elevators a very psychedelic band from the 60s and when I say psychedelic- they were so 'far out' they didn't let Jimi Hendrix join as he didn't do enough drugs! I used to really enjoy their music- the two albums I knew were Easter Everywhere (more accessible) and Bull of the Woods (more wierd)
Anyway- before he came on there were concerns about what he would be like- he'd been in some kind of institution for the mentally unwell for years and become very unwell himself- now, he is well again, enough to play gigs and enjoy life generally! the gig was excellent he mainly played blues, with lyrics he'd made up, I think, at least one, 'Don't Slander Me' from the early days. I couldn't hear some of them properly as they didn't make sense, but then I thought I may well have heard correctly.
Wednesday had a great day generally as my daughter got the results of her degree- a 2:1 and lots of good grades within that- excellent news- anyway she came to streetdance with me for the second week, and quite enjoyed it this time, people there are so friendly and remembered her from last week and chatted to her. We went next door to Pizza Organic afterwards - we could smell a lovely garlic bread smell wafting through into the class from there earlier so it was an easy decision- delicious olives and a celebratory glass of wine each- very nice..the week sped by to Thursday and we went to see another Meltdown show- this time, Cornershop. The only music I'd ever heard by them, to my knowledge, anyway is Brimful of Asha which I always really liked- especially the Fatboy Slim remix- but the best thing about both nights at Meldown, was Cornershop's support band Jeffrey Lewis and the Jitters; they were so clever , artistic and funny, I will be seeking out as much info and downloadable music as I can about them- the lyrics were so quick though I must have missed loads of the humour and general brilliance.
Cornershop were great- the variety of instruments and musicianship- a lot of what they did was kind of dance music- trippy , particularly when coupled with the slideshow; even when not remotely chemically enhanced, even by a glass of wine; great stuff though and I'll be looking for an album, definitely to enjoy in a more laid back manner at home.
All the fun broken up by work, which has been ok but hard to get back into after my recent time off.
Good to come home this evening and then after a square or two of chocolate, off to tap, yes tap- wonderful invention...the man came back for the second week, and has made amazing progress; I think it took me about two months to accomplish what he has! Three more new people-hooray! our class is a joyous, ever changing place to be at the end of the week...and my hip is feeling MUCH better thanks to gruelling physio.

Friday night, Saturday Morning

Friday night, tap dancing again...excellent fun as Rose has seen my blog now...I took photos of everyone for the blog., but the one of everyone not very good, so just a few of the group in that main photo. Sue is back from her holiday and it was good to have my partner in crime there; also a brave man started- brave, the class is almost completely made up of women...also brave as we all are, as tap is very difficult- many people come and only last for a few weeks, Sue and I have been going since about Feb 06, and can just about do two sorts of time-step and about two thirds of the routine to Good Golly Miss Molly. Anyway that is the brave man in the picture- he was so enthusiastic and joined in with everything...bodes well for his future as a tap dancer!
After that, went home and watched some telly and had dinner, our regular Friday night takeaway from Sunlight Kebabs...lovely clean salad and grilled meat...no wine as not drinking while I go through lots of tests relating to my hip/back.
Anyway the weekend speeds by and before we know it, it's already Saturday morning...! a few grim moments, as I phone work to see if I need to go in... no - hooray the gods of Saturday duty smile upon me - Saturday is mine again, and I swing into the normal Saturday routine. Off to Putney to meet Phil, visit my dad and do his shopping- I enjoy this as well as visiting my dad, we treat ourselves to lunch and do bits of out own shopping too, as although Putney high Street is crowded and hassley, the goods on offer in the shops are of a far greater quality and variety than those available in Brentford.
The first thing we always do is have a coffee with my dad and catch up while we compile the list.
We get the coffee from a conveniently located Caffe Nero...after decades of coffee drinking, my dad has declared this the finest of any of the coffees on offer from the many outlets in Putney. I would agree. We do the shopping and have unch in Caffe Moomba which is great as it's on lovely Lacey Rd, I reminisce in a rose-tinted way about being a teenager and a shop there used to be there called Nimbus - Kate Butler and I think her mum used to run it...funnily enough I met her son and his partner about fifteen years later through some other friends; hi Sam and Fiona!!
Back home by 5ish and some all important violin practice- am slowly getting the hang of Pete Cooper's bow hold, in readiness for my second lesson with the master this Friday!

walking to work

one of my daily pleasures during the working week is walking to work-is that a tongue twister?
Today I walked for the first time since my back problem; it is an excellent start to the day, and quite blissful. I walk through a beautiful old part of Brentford that has barely changed in a couple of hundred years, and along Brentford High Sreet. This is the only low point of the whole route. It depresses me to see the still boarded up shops, the dirt and detritus; uncared for, neglected....
a few brighter shops have opened up; the vintage clothes shop and the bicycle shop, but generally it is a sad and tatty high street...never mind, along past poor disregarded St Lawrences church I go towards the bridge...some very old buildings have been demolished by the canalside, one had been a lovely waterside restaurant for some time, then somebody's flat; next to the pub, there was a Cafe, at one point called the Black and White cafe- some friends I knew from Chiswick Village, Fran and Lisa ran that for a few years- I wonder where they are now... Anyway those buildings are now demolished- and there is just the pub, nicely renovated. The land is interesting too, it is all bare now except for a set of three or four stairs which look like they lean from the ground up to the river's edge, just on their own- they look very strange. I think they are just going to build flats on the land. I pass Glad's newsagents and turn left into Syon Park; the walled pathway is a relief on a very hot morning, a haven of shade, and I am in the park- this is wonderful, as I walk through, there are only a few others, some parents taking their children to the nursery, some people going to the stream to fish, and others going in both directions, to and from Brentford to work.
As I wander through the park, I have a lot of time to daydream or sort through what might lie ahead of me at work; it is meditative, prayerful and prepares me well for my day...I love my walk so much, I even walked to work in the heavy snow in January, it was beautiful treading in the pristine crunchy fresh snow. Every month has new beauties. At the moment there are meadow flowers growing in the field, bordering on the road, a lush parade of colour. Sometimes there are cows in the fields, how many people can boast of seeing cows on their way to work? Wlking through the park, you can be lost in another world, as apartfrom office blocks and Gilette Corner off in the distance and sometimes a car or two, you could be back a few hundred years ago, which is fun to imagine. Soon I emerge from the park at the river in Old Isleworth near to the church- sometimes I walk on the river side, sometimes high up by the church, it is stunning to see all this as leave the park. One day I noticed the message on the church sundial- it says 'time passeth like a shadow' that gives rather a melancholy tone to the day as I am all too aware of how easily time slips by.
I then admire the grand houses opposite the river, one of them the vicarage, where my friend the Rev Anna Brooker and her family live; her husband comes from Castle Cary in Somerset, where Phil's father and grandfather lived...
I then walk through past some pretty houses on Church Street, through an elegant square and round the corner past the Swan pub, the dance shop and onto South Street- once or twice a week, I pop into the wonderful deli for a coffee, and then through more back streets with lots of history including a house where one of Shakespeare's friends lived and an old police station, now somebody's house until I arrive at work, ready to face the day. I really am so lucky to have such an inspiring and interesting walk to work.

second homes

Been thinking about second homes for a while know, especially given the temptation at times to get a little place near the sea, in Whitby, or another favourite place, Walton on the Naze...not that we could really afford it, however we have rented other people's second homes. Ideally I don't think people should have second homes, because it creates problems for the year round community, especially when things are quiet out of season. Local people say they can no longer afford to buy properties in their own villages...

Although I'm not sure that I agree with people having second homes, I do believe people should be able to buy a home where they would like to live ie in a village or by the sea, but that they should make that their only home and become part of the community. Local people in small communities should maybe get some assistance to buy or fairly rent their homes and be able to stay and work in the areas where their families have lived, although I don't know how these things would be decided, In London, very few people can live in a part of London they would like to, eg I was born in Chelsea and grew up in Putney, but could I ever afford to live in either of those places now? I don't think so.

Sean and Pom's Wedding

well, as I was saying...we were off to Sean and Pom's wedding; I was very excited, Phil was excited and nervous, as he hadn't seen any of the people who would be there, apart from Sean for 10/15 years. The only person I had met was Sean, who came over to our wedding in 1999. Phil knows Sean, as they were in a band called Doctor Millar (Sean) and the Cute Hoors, about 15 yrs or so ago; Phil came to meet Sean through Mark Huggett who was the drummer in Phil's band in Norwich, Red Harvest. Mark shared a flat with Sean...will do anoter post all about Phil's music stuff later....
Anyway, we got the plane from Heathrow; the journey to the airport was so easy, we went by tube and bus to the airport, practically door to door, for six pounds. A very good start. Going through the airport easy, as we had checked in on line, another thing I had never tried before. Disaster struck when the hem of my lovely, new (and not cheap) linen trousers from Jigsaw came down..very annoying as I had to make the journey with my trousers tucked into my socks to stop me tripping over.
Flight easy, too and before we knew it we were in a taxi driving through Dublin; fantastic, we drove down O'Connell Street, which I thought was great; a huge wide street with amazing buildings, including the post office and a couple of grand department store...hoped we'd have time to explore over the weekend!
We got to the hotel, one that Sean and Pom had suggested, the Harcourt Hotel; the people there were so helpful, definetely the most helpful of the three different hotels we stayed at- the receptionist found me a needle and thread straight away, they even had a variety of colours of thread. The minute we got to our room, the phone rang, wow it was Sean!!! He was so excited we had come, he spoke to Phil and then me; so pleased as well that Phil had brought his violin and his voice! A good night's sleep although mattress was too soft and in the morning I woke up with excrutiating pains in my hip, again, the staff were brilliant, they got me a doctor, who came and gave me a powerful jab-felt very rock star having a doctor come to my hotel room to inject me with drugs....
Then....off to the wedding; more lovely streets to admire on the way to the registry office. The wedding was lovely, Pom was beautiful, in a short, beautifully cut white dress, with daisies on- she had daisies in her hair, too. One of Sean's brothers sang, lots of chatting afterwards, and then we got a lift to the reception out in Bray. Bray was lovely and the reception was at the Esplanade hotel right opposite the sea- we had a really special afternoon and evening; a delicious meal sitting in groups of six- we sat with Robert who had been the Cute Hoors manager back in the day and now runs a project called Blastbeat which is a really positive enterprise involving young people in managing and promoting their own bands. Two otthers we got chatting to were Shane and Colette...very lovely they were too.
Out of the corner of my ear I could here people on nearby tables saying 'Phil's here, Phil's here' to each other...after the dinner it was so exciting, so many people so pleased to see Phil and that he'd brought the fiddle too. It was a massive reunion for all on this special day and I was so excited to be there. Loads of people were on a list to play a song or two, Phil played with most of them, and sang a bit, and towards the end of the night, well, before the disco, Jake got up and sang his interpretation of Whiskey in the Jar vaguely based on the Metallica version with Phil and other musicians backing him. I talked to so many lovely women, Sean's sisters and friendss' partners while Phil was doing his music, and really can't wait to take up the many invitations to visit/stay with people when we visit Ireland again.
Excellent breakfast the next morning and a relaxed chat with Sean; we got the Dart back to Dublin, and had loads of time to explore on the Sturday- a very interesting open top bus ride to the Guiness brewery/museum, powerful views, then a walk around some of Phil's old haunts later in the evening, having many chances to admire the bridges at intervals across the Liffey.
Sadly the next day, we had to return to London- it was one of the most refreshing breaks I've ever had; refreshing and exciting all in one. I can't wait to go again.

Back at Work

Second day back at work today after nearly three weeks off with my poor sore back....it's been really wierd as prior to this, have only been off one and a half days in six years...stupidly really. After the excruciating pain waned, Anyway, re-introduced myself to my wonderful colleagues and prayed there would be no urgent awful incidents or pressing reports to deal with. Amazingly, my charges had been behaving reasonably in my absence and hadn't even missed me.

Things have all of a sudden begun to happen in relation to physio and occupational health - appointments came up for both- physio was today- just what the doctor ordered, literally. The wonderful NHS- I had nearly an hour with the physiotherapist, completely free! Detailed history of my aches and pains, thorough examination of the spine and joints. Prescription? lots of exercise for me to do...this is definitely the right thing and all thanks to the many who have offered me their expertise and advice, but this is the one for me, and even better, no belief system or wierdness involved. Even better than that, he is going to see me every week to see how I'm progressing, check I've been doing the excercises properly and give me more punishing ones as time goes on. He says it's his own thing, physiopilates; should do the trick.

Tomorrow is the visit at work of the man from the occupational health dept to look at my desk/chair/ computer/typing style. Prescription? hopefully a nice new chair with arm/wrist support for my wierd circulation...boss will have to agree as will be expensive, but anyway important to try.
Am psyching myself up to write about my first ever visit to Dublin...it's almost my bedtime now, so it won't happen tonight, but as a little snippet- Phil and I were invited to Sean and Pom's wedding a month or so ago. It was really exciting- Sean is Sean Millar of Dr Millar and the Cute Hoors, Phil was one of his cute Hoors in the early 90s- you can see a clip of their Romance in A flat up on the right of the blog. Phil would be seeing people he hadn't seen for 10-15 years.... abit daunting for him as well as exciting. I had only met Sean before. Once we knew son could come too, -otherwise complicated arrangements would need to be made - we all got very excited and mentally prepared for the trip by playing Metallica's version of Whiskey in the Jar again and again, very loudly...signing off for tonight, on that happy note.

Sunday

Yesterday me, Phil and son, and dear friend Ali La Peche and son, went to the South Bank for the day to look at the Antony Gormley statues and the exhibition at the Hayward Gallery- it was very interesting; yes but is it Art- who cares, it is to us.

It said some interesting things to us, and was a pleasure to look at and think about various things; what made it art for example. Everyone enjoyed it- we had fun spotting the different statues dotted around the city skyline, and then underwent the being in a cloud experience- that was really quite powerful you were completely lost and could only see as far as your own hand if you stretched your arm out...son lost Phil in there, on purpose, and we had fun from the outside watching Phil find his way to the glass to see out. It was fun being with a lot of strangers in that situation, enjoyed it as much as the big sun in the turbine hall at the Tate Modern a few years back; the boys looked at things together which was good as they had each other and are of an age not to be tied to their adults. We enjoyed wondering about and finding out different things about the sculptures - the concrete people in the allotment that looked like they were made of wood; the spiky geometric sculptures with a space the shape of the sculptor inside. I loved the Mother's Pride exhibit- reminded me of when a friend used to send me letters in bizarre casings- once a letter sandwiched between two varnished pieces of toast-the postman always knew the were for me, even if there'd been no name on them.

After that we were hungry, and originally going just me and Phil and the boy, and then plan to go to Yo! Sushi afterwards which is always fun but Ali l-P and son not too sure. It could have been a wierd but ok feasting in separate places and then meeeting later for the train journey home; luckily once they had peeped inside Yo! Sushi and spoken to a helpful waiter, they wanted to eat with us, it was lovely - we had an adults table and a boys table- we all feasted, mmmmm, and had time for another stroll- glorious by the Thames in the late afternoon sun, no horrible hurry for the train, all in all a perfect day - train journey home quick and easy. Thought about creating statues of my family and friends and dotting them around the place- maybe a cluster in Whitby by the Abbey, maybe a couple on the Brentford skyline.

tipetty tap

Tonight is Friday night...Friday night is tap dancing night. Fantastic in every way, if you disregard my efforts.
Starting tap dancing was particularly exciting as I have wanted to do this since my teens. I can't remember why I didn't do it then, I wish I had, when I had a fresh young brain, as it's hard to get one's head round the moves and routines now; what the brain wants to do does not seem to communicate effectively to the feet.

Ideally doing tap would have meant just owning the shoes and being magically able to tapdance.
Anyway it was really exciting getting my first pair of tap shoes and made me feel like I could do it until I tried. It is really hard- harder than giggling at the back of the streetdance class and sort of getting by, a bit...very hard, nearly as hard as learning the violin.
Luckily I have a partner in crime, Sue- we've been doing tap for just over a year and are of a similar standard- we cry on each other's shoulders when it's all too much.

Anyway...the teacher, Rose, is brilliant- She's a rock 'n roll Tinkerbell; you would not mess with Rose, she looks like she hangs out with Lemmy & co...yet she is dainty and elegant; a rocker with bleach blonde hair, pink at the ends, tattoos, a leather jacket with cannabis leaf badges and appears to be completely scatty although this is deceptive- you have to be extremely sharp minded to be able to tap dance well, and to communicate to others of very mixed abilities from week to week how to do it...the class is different every week- some people just come for a week or two, and lose heart, some have been coming for years; the variety in age is even greater than in streetdance class where I am one of the oldest, if not the oldest there... I would say in tap that the youngest are in their teens, and I am possibly about two thirds of the way along to the eldest. The more experienced ones of course are excellent with rubber legs that know how to do everything. Again a camaraderie between all. We laugh and joke with each other and with Rose, and we dance to excellent music. I don't know if in your mind's eye you have an idea of the sort of music one tap dances to? maybe showtunes, maybe jazz...Well, recently we tried a dance to Walk This Way by Aerosmith/Run DMC, and one we've been working on for a few months is Good Golly Miss Molly by Little Richard! I can do nearly all of that one now....although completely falls apart when I try to demonstrate this at home- Phil says I look like I'm trying to put a cigarette out on the floor...The class can be a bit chaotic; the more experienced dancers arrive about half way through the beginners' class, some clutching mysterious looking cases which contain their shoes. Rose has it all under control- the small studio is packed by now, but we still work on stuff that beginners can manage - just! She can also do amazing balloon designs!- see link up to the right.

It is brilliant, especially at the end of the working week, I can stamp out all my frustrations with a satisfyingly loud clickety clack, laugh with friends and then go home again to my family, food, wine and comedy on the telly. Bliss.