Category: old blogging

Frankly, if you’re not listening to Global House Connection on this warm summer evening, then there is something very wrong with you. Live, every Sunday, 7pm to 9pm BST.

Some of you may be aware that I’m a bit of a fan of Cook, the purveyors of the finest gourmet ready-prepared foods. It seems that Marks and Spencer are going to launch a range of similar products under the range name "Cook", much to the annoyance of the proprietors of Cook, particularly as they have no links with M&S and will not be supplying the meals.
It seems from their website (and notice in the window of their Chichester store) that they do not plan to fight this. Surely there must be some grounds on which they can stop it? Do they own the copyright in the name "Cook" when used to brand gourmet ready meals?

Bug on a wire.

FC Kahuna’s Hayling is an excellent song, and I quite like the simple message in the vocals. But who would ever be glad to be in Hayling? It’s a bit of a deadend place, to say the least. Or is there another, more desirable, Hayling?

From weakness to strength – you have to admire the strength of these two.

For some reason, I’ve woken up in a very negative mood today. Not a bad mood, you understand, but a negative one.
I recognise that one of my greatest weaknesses (don’t make me list the others – or at least don’t list them for me) is that I need fairly regular reassurance. Everyone seems to think that I have oodles of self confidence, and can walk into any situation and deal with it. But that’s a bit of a front, and sometimes I get as nervous and apprehensive as you can imagine. I guess I’ve just developed a strategy of putting on a confident (and occasionally brash) façade because it is the only way to get through a lot of business and social situations and thus to move forward in life.
So I need reassurance. I need people to tell me that I’m doing ok, that what I’ve done is good (and, for that matter, to make positive suggestions if things need to be changed). In relationships, I’ve always had a need for my partner to let me know that they are still thinking about me, that they still feel for me, even if they are far away. And sometimes it’s good if friends just come along and show me that they still want to be around.
It doesn’t always need words. In fact, it is probably better unspoken. Actions say much more.
And I know it isn’t terribly attractive. As I say, I do view it as a weakness. It isn’t a good thing.
But it is a part of me.

Well, I’m glad I went out to see what all the funny outfits were about. I’ve just witnessed a parade, one of the best things I’ve seen in Chichester in years.

When I got down to West Street, the Cathedral Green was cordoned off, the road closed, and a fairly large crowd had gathered. On the green were some large coloured paper globes, like outsize IKEA lamp shades, on tall poles, each representing one of the planets and the sun. Also present was a brass orchestra from one of the local schools, whilst, overhead, the falcons put on a stunning aerobatic display to keep everyone amused, calling to each other as they flew around the spire and bell tower. Didg music played from the Market Cross.
As it got dark, in the distance you could hear drums, and eventually two huge paper models of goddesses came into view along East Street, illuminated from within. These were preceded by the percussionists and about a dozen brass musicians. By this time the crowd was huge and people were pouring out of the pubs to watch. The goddesses were followed by a huge crowd of schoolchildren, maybe three hundred or so, carrying lanterns in the shapes of the moon, stars, planets and rockets, lit white, orange and blue. The parade made its way very slowly along West Street, round the bell tower and onto the green, the children passing between the goddesses and sitting on the ground beneath the illuminated planets whilst a fire was lit beneath the sun. A 30-voice female choir first played those garden hose whistle things (making a sound like whistling fireworks), then sang as all the brass instruments played together and the rhythmic rumbling of the percussion continued. Finally, as the voices died away, white and cerise fireworks streaked across the roof of the cathedral, to cheers and applause from the crowd.

Absolutely fantastic – and brilliant to see the city streets full of people of all sorts enjoying themselves in a funky and relaxed way – the closest Chichester ever gets to having a cosmopolitan and continental feel. I’ve got some pictures, but it was a bit gloomy, so I’m not sure how they will come out when I get the film processed. If there are any good ones, I will post them here, of course.

I honestly can say that I wish you’d been here to see it. It was great.

My horoscope today tells me that I want to hold hands with someone.

There seem to be some strange people walking around the city this evening, including a large group of mostly overweight girls, all wearing black with lilac coloured silk sashes, and purple hats that made them look like bit part players from Thunderbirds (and about as animated). They were followed by a couple where the man was clearly much older than the woman, but she succeeded in making herself look nearly as old as him by having a florid red complexion and a hairstyle that looked like something from a seventies fondue party.
I guess all of this could be related to the wedding cars I saw going up Orchard Avenue earlier. Then again, it could be something to do with the Festivites, as another bunch of people in black with sashes and silly hats has just gone by. This time they were mainly older men, and were carrying drums. Hmm. I think I may amble down to where the road is closed by the cathedral this evening and see what the heck is going on.

I think I’ll stay in this evening. Yesterday was a little excessive, so I’m going to give my body, and especially my liver, a rest.