Icarus saying happy birthday # 2

Pressies

Well we finally got to say happy birthday properly. Presents and cake have to take second place to tennis but its a family thing and Dan loves it as much as the birthday people. And now look at them, 18 and 16 - hoo, where has the time gone, where indeed. And I was wondering what music could be added to this and there is only one I can think off that would get us all up and dancing. We dance to this in the car - don't ask. Skip the add and turn it up loud - are we human or are we dancer?

Icarus sings happy birthday Abbi # 1

Anything you can do...

Hooo - my Abbi is 18 and such a beautiful girl who puts up with her old dad being a wee bit daft. But that's what daughters do, they put up with us because they know that men are dafter than they are. Oooh but I love my little girl so and she has such plans for herself and boy will she do what she likes because that's how she has been brought up. Brought up to think and be herself and that's a good place to be as far as I am concerned. Happy birthday Abbi, happy birthday you, do you remember when your name was Abbi-boobie-loobi? Probably not but its when you used to call me Dado. X Me and Abbi love this band, The Four Brothers:

Icarus flying home # 31

I can see you there... cheeky minx

Kids these days, they have no respect for cameras. I remember the days when you had to take a film of 20 pics, send them away to get developed and then rue the day when somebody did something daft, like sticking their tongue out. But now, just sitting at my laptop as I am (see pic above) we can just create the instant picture, no hassle and no sense. This picture was taken ten minutes before I wrote this - how's that for speedpic. Think we look similar - its the boss eyes that do it. But even pulling a face she is a bit of a beaut, even if I say so myself. Its been a fraught week but I have come through it and I know that I have made a good decision, which, if truth be known I should have made it before and that is my fault. But you know, life is and has been good to me but we are never stars in our own eyes, just making do and getting on and fronting up our ghosts just like everyone else... Abbi is my star tennis player but my better star girl and she is counting down the days to womanhood and being eighteen: we like this song and we haven't heard it for a while.

Icarus flying home # 30

17

A friend wrote to me about my Monsters dilemma and  she replied, 'her wants are in conflict with your needs never easy plus you get to go on living...' phew. My daughter  Abbi has been such an inspiration on this and she said, 'You are not a bad man so don't let bad thoughts make you feel bad..' Hoooo - how did she get so wise at 17. You wouldn't have known me at 17. I was playing rock & roll and playing football and being the man (laughs to himself). This song says more than I can explain. Who would be seventeen again, not me. Then again 20, or 21, or 51, gotta laugh and I haven't laughed in a long time. I hate letting people down but I realised something very important: there is a part of all of us that wants to give everyone what they want, but unfortunately we just can't, hmm, Nina Simone all over again - see earlier posts. But I can't complain. I wrote to a friend the other day about writing, and I realised that while I am writing under the cosh right now (for reasons) I am actually writing my 31st book. Oooh, if you had asked me once, anytime, I would have said I would like to write a book. But I would never have considered writing so many words...  I am embarrassed to say... I never meant to guv, i just couldn't help myself... once you start well, it just gets to be a habit, know what I mean, snifff... (with 3 fs). This is about being 17 for my Abbi who will turn 18 well too soon and still so wise.

Icarus flying but dropping his wings

 

Plucking live

There comes a time in everyone's life when you have to make a decision and I made one today which made me sigh because at my age they all come with a sigh. I sigh as I listen to Bobby D's son making music of his own and know what its like to be the main guy who is supposed to know everything, when the truth is you are only hitting your own barriers. It takes a lot to be smart but even more to stay on top of it and ahead and thinking constantly and yet there are some who think they can mosie in on your name and do it and it is so hard saying, sorry but this won't do. That has been my past week, a week of not being good enough for needs but seeing the needs of others who need that support which you can no longer give - this is my monster as I write the Monsters book. The problem is in the fixing, once you start to do what you do, you are always fixing. The minute you stop... sigh. I like this track from Bobby's boy. ps - he is playing a Gretsch White Falcon which is the only guitar I have ever coveted...

Icarus flying home # 29

Monsters

Now here's a strange thing. I lost this post and I am having to do it again. How odd is that, words that just disappeared, whooooo ghostly. Because I was saying there is something quite wonderful in the simplest ideas, like this little couplet from e.e. cumming, isn't it lovely?

i carry your heart with me

(i carry it in my heart)

But since those words were lost there is no point in crying. I can just tip-tap-type and post some more - like these to follow. Now you will recall I have been writing the Bogeyman book. Well this is what my wonderful editor had to say,

I started your manuscript on Wednesday and I finished it this morning. What a great read – it’s lively, engaging, humorous and extremely well resourced. I am delighted with it, and you should be enormously proud of your work.

Yay, this is from my new cd - love it. See the picture, above, I am now writing Monsters as I listen. Books wait for no one

Icarus flying home # 28

Icarus With Guitar

My mate Ness has just sent this new picture of me (well in my dreams). 'Icarus With Guitar' which is my kind of dream - how cool is this picture though? I am still writing with a vengeance, this time its Monsters and I am rattling off the words and glad to see it taking shape. Being as quiet as a mouse though because my Dan is studying for his GCSEs - bless him. It was his last day at school yesterday and he was searched by the police on the way to the park. They were looking for alcohol since it is traditional to have a leaver's bbq in the park. I asked him if he was bothered and he said, 'No, those who wanted to drink had already stashed theirs in the bushes.' Dan's still a water baby though, hates fizzy drinks, isn't much fond of beer or wine and has only had a couple of glasses of Champagne in his life - ata boy, got a taste for it. Abbi is also doing exams. Doesn't know whether to be a tennis playing bio-chemist or a bio-chemist who plays tennis. But she is clear, the science route is her way to go. Rice in the USA have already been knocking on our door, offering a scholarship - and so too St John's, Durham. Such choices, but such changes, I guess we all get our wings in time and theirs are budding already - sigh. Everything is about to change! Mind you, I have been asked to give a 'keynote address' in Australia in November - yay to Byron Bay! I just got the new Steve Earle LP - but here's an oldie with Emmylou Harris whom I really adore.

Icarus flying home # 27

And so, another Saturday night and I ain't got money... what is it about Saturday night? I miss it. having kids and stuff is hard but i used to love it so much. The last time I had a huge Saturday night, a couple of glasses of wine, a band in a bar and a smile of content on the way back to sleep was in Melbourne (blimey) but but that's what having kids is like. A daughter playing international tennis so when she gets a Saturday night its huge. A boy doing his exams and he needs to be grounded so the pub and the bands and the stuff is on hold until I am 65. It is the Brighton Festival coming - open houses, art and folks but the big news is that Brighton has the 'only' Green MP in the UK and is the only city in the UK with a Green council - how green can we be? Well is this not one of the best songs ever written in the world...

Icarus flying home # 26

Chirping birds

Birds, can you believe anything they say? Hmmm, I am not so sure. Today I rescued two of them under a lamppost outside my house. I gave them shelter, food, water and did they say thanks? Nope, just like every bird I have ever known. They take your affection and all that other stuff, then they prune their feathers and fly off just as soon as they like! Birds, huh? Today I set two thrushes free, I wait to hear them singing one starry night because if you have ever heard a thrush sing - mmm - heaven. Starlings are scruffy little birds but this is such a good song - enjoy, I love this song for all different reasons. Today I finished The Bogeyman, I deserve a beer in the back garden.

Icarus flying home # 25

Mandy fly me...

Today I hit 70,000 words, woosh, just like that! Now I just have to make sure the right words are in the right order - harder than it looks but hey, what can I say, tip-tap-tip-tap-typing and the words come and go, dreaming of Michael Angelo... so now I will play a wee bit mandolin and settle down before I have to put it all into 2nd draft - ochone! But tomorrow is dedicated to football and my son man Dan who, to my knowledge has never ever picked up a mandolin or a banjo. Is that odd, because I have both in the kitchen (picture right). But here's Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch & Alison Krauss - ah huh! I need my bed - be my ever lovin' baby... how good are these girls singing, but this is such a man song (hmm):

Come lay bones on the alabaster stones
And be my everlovin baby...