Prague Property

This week’s entry for Friday Ark and Carnival of the Cats is another guest cat Hattie. I knew her as a beautiful little kitten back in 1990. She is still going strong although she is suffering from the usual problems that befall an elderly cat.

Hawkwind commenced its Space Days tour last night at the Wulfrum Hall in Wolverhapton last night. Going by the reviews on the Hawkwind yahoo group it was a great night, some technical glitches notwithstanding. The set concentrates on the 70s glory days; there is nothing from their last album take me to your leader, and only a few songs from after 1979:

The Black Corridor; Aerospaceage Inferno; Space Love (a new song); The Awakening; Orgone Accumulator with You Know You’re Only Dreaming in the middle section; Paradox; Robot; Abducted; Alien I Am; Master of the Universe; Time We Left; The Age of the Micro Man; Lighthouse - performed by Tim Blake; Arrival in Utopia; Death Trap; Damnation Alley; Sonic Attack (sung rather than recited); Welcome To The Future.The encores were Flying Doctor and Silver Machine

It sounds wonderful. I’ve never heard some of these songs performed live before. It’s also great to see Tim Blake back and playing with the band again. He was with the band the first time I ever saw the Hawks at the Electric Ballroom in Camden back in December 1979. I was also concerned that Alan Davey’s departure would leave hole that would be hard to fill. Mr Dibs, who used to be their roadie and who has guested with the band before sounds like he is filling the bassist role admirably.

Roll on the 19th!

I discovered Glendalough a few ago, well not really discovered as I was taken there by friends. The drive to Glendalough is about one hour from Dublin. There are two main routes to get there, one by heading south out of Dublin towards Bray and just following the signs after you pass the [...]

Terry Pratchett, the author of the wonderful Discworld books, has announced that he is suffering from a rare form of early onset Alzheimer’s. In a statement posted on the website of discworld illustrator, Paul Kidby, Pratchett calling the diagnosis “an embuggerance”. However he is taking the news “fairly philosophically” and “possibly with mild optimism”. He expects to meet most current and, as far as possible, future commitments.

Earlier this year Pratchett underwent medical investigations after he started having problems with hand-eye coordination and dexterity. An MRI scan showed some areas of dead tissue and the suggestion was that he had suffered a “mini-stroke” some time in the past few years, and that he was now living with its legacy.

Although I am no fan of the fantasy genre I wish I had not resisted reading Pratchett for so long. The Discworld is a delightful creation filled with a host of wonderful characters (I have a soft spot for Gaspode the talking dog – it must be tough having licky end, a disease normally confined to pregnant sheep!). His books are the perfect antidote to a dull winter day – that and a nice glass of Christmas cheer….