Capturing the moment

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"In the evening I will fly you to the moon,
to the top right hand corner of the ceiling in my room,”

The lines are from “’Tis the morning of my life” a belter of a song, I think.

On the left is a picture of the top LEFT hand corner of my room.
(I do not want to infringe Bee Gees copyright)

I like all kinds of music, in fact you might say I have eclectic tastes.

Jazz is my first love – do you remember Anna when I took you into my bedroom at Wynorin and showed you my old 78s? I bet the collection is worth something now:

Louis Armstrong: Savoy Blues/Sweethearts on Parade; Muskrat Ramble/Someday you’ll be sorry; Sydney Bechet: Careless Love/Down Home Rag; Dixieland Jug Blowers: Boodle-Am-Shake/Memphis Shake; Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Blues/Doctor Jazz Stomp; Firehouse Five plus Two: Chinatown/When You Wore A Tulip: Kid Ory: Maryland/Didn’t He Ramble, to name but several… Plus some great British bands: Humph, Ken Colyer, Chris Barber, Crane River etc. I transferred some of these to CD but I still keep the 78s – there’s something romantic about a wax 78 – with that faint crackle and hiss that somehow takes me back to New Orleans.

I like all types of (good) jazz: Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Lester Young, Stefane Grappelli...I could go on – but I hear you saying: Please don’t!
I haven’t had chance to practice the drums for a bit… but the rhythm is still there.

Whilst we are on the subject, I have put the music for my funeral onto a CD:

Fields of Gold by Eva Cassidy; Over the Rainbow by Mardi Gras (a terrific jazz version by a little known American band) and, the first jazz record I ever bought: Get Out Of Here And Go On Home by Humphrey Lyttleton.

I've just realised: CD players have been replaced by iPods and stuff, haven't they? So perhaps I should transfer them to the new technology. Snag is, by the time I shuffle off these mortal coils, the iPod/iPlayer technology may be obsolete. I shall try not to worry about it for now.

Humph tragically died last year. I was devastated; he was my jazz hero and mentor. I last saw him at a concert in Warrington only a couple of months before he died (he was blowing strong at 82 years old, and as witty as ever). When I shook his hand I little realised he had only a couple of months to live.

I don’t like death. It spoils everything. Don’t you think?

Talking about poetry (well, songs are a kind of poetry) I think it offers as valid an explanation of the world and life as does physics (and I am a great fan of physics.)A different explanation.

I wrote a poem about my grandson's first day at school. It describes my feeling at seeing him walk bravely down the path in his new uniform. I think I may include it in my next post.

We have a new inmate/patient/client - his name is John. I don't like the look of him. He has a narrow head. AND he wears flared jeans. Now can you imagine anyone with a narrow head wearing flared jeans! He looks like a very thin pyramid, on the move.

I saw a programme on tv: 'Location, Location, Location'. All about middle-class couples looking for their 'dream property'. You don't call it a house when you get to this level. Like you don't talk about 'going for a job' but 'applying for a position'. Anyway this programme was so boring - I don't know why I watched it. The agent kept telling them about how 'convenient' a house was for the rail station/schools/leisure facilities etc etc.. I suppose it all depends upon your needs: if you live near a station it's handy for a train; if you live near a brothel it's handy for a shag. (Funny, but they never mentioned the brothel). I visited a brothel once. It was advertised as a 'massage parlour' - and I just wanted a massage. It all got rather confusing. I haven't been back.

I was thinking about when Freddie asked me what I really wanted. I know what I THINK I want - but is this the same as what I REALLY want? Perhaps it is enough to know what I DON'T want. What do you think?

By the way, I am back in my old room. They say they are carrying out refurbishing on the rooms at the back of the building - I think they are doing a drug sweep. Well they won't find anything in mine, but there are some pretty dodgy characters in these rooms.

I've had enough of things here - I really have. I am going to do a runner. Not before you've been to see me of course. I know where I can go, but I'm keeping it under my hat for the moment.

And I AM going to vote in this election. I am not saying who for, but I am a Socialist - so I won't be voting 'Labour'.

I'm still glum, Anna. I try to lift myself out of it, without much success. But I am definitely not increasing my medication. I think I need some exercise and Freddie has said I can borrow his bike to go for a spin around the grounds. I'm going to take him up on his offer.

Can't wait for the sound of your high-heels on the green linoleum.

George