Rattus Norvegicus

Strolling along the boulevards of Plumstead, minding my own business and taking my baby daughter for a sleep, I paused by some wasteland to admire the view (I could almost see the back of our house).

I lowered my gaze and made a mental tut noise at the various bits of old junk, rubbish and, oddly, slices of white bread that had been left strewn around this informal wildlife reserve.

Then I saw the rat. Quite a big one, shouldering its way through the undergrowth. It stopped and caught me in its beady gaze before we both ambled off on our own separate ways.

Unashamed music plugs

Anyone out there interested in hearing some brand new soulful jazz should get themselves down to Straight Up Records inmmediately! Check out the new release from Keith Caden: "Hard to categorise, at times abstract at times danceable...but always full of soul!".

Keith is one third of Coping, a band I'm in with his sister Georgia. We're busy working on songs for a new EP and it's getting exciting.

While you're mooching about, have a look at Lazy Bear Records too. You won't regret it.

Pot Noodle

Just say no. 'Tis the snack of Satan.

New bike (well, almost)

Just got my motorbike back from the menders. After the little prang I had with the twit who u-turned without looking, plus the damage cause by it blowing over in the freak winds of February, the poor thing was looking a bit tatty and had more things dangling from it that Dan Dangler, winner of the All England Dangling Championships for the past forty years.

Not any more though. Looks like a new bike. Even the mileage has been reset (new speedo). True to form, another car driving numpty tried to smear me across the road as they did a left turn with no signals. Luckily my wits hadn't deserted me and I managed to avoid another crash. I don't know if it's just me but there seem to be more idiots on the road these days - AND THEY ARE ALL TRYING TO KILL ME!!!!

That said, another prize specimen hove into view on foot the other day in sunny Woolwich. I was saying goodbye to my lunchtime companion (fresh from a slap up veggie burger courtesy of Star Express) and unlocking the bike when this slope-browed individual speculated aloud that he ought to knock it over as the bike is of German origin. He left us (jaws sagging) with the stunning riposte to "Buy British".

Lovely.....

Post Office

On a recent visit to sunny Woolwich I scooted through the new Post Office at the back of Smiths. Nice big queue! Reminded me of an occasion when I was waiting in the old PO, staring vacantly at the pony-tailed head of the woman in front of me. Something caught my eye. At first, I just though she had mega dandruff. Then I saw some of it move. The hairs on the back of my head rose up in shock. Lice? Nice...

More good neighbours

While I was away my motorbike blew over in the storms. Thankfully, my next door neighbour picked it up and kept the bits that got broken - he had to enlist the help of another guy from across the road 'cos it's a bit of a bruiser. What else can I say but thanks peeps!

Bin a while

Nowt posted recently due to being on holiday. The title of this post isn't meant to be a reference at the current furore over the new collection service in Greenwich. But while we're here, it makes me smile how much vitriol has been sprayed over the interweb about this. And how little understanding about what, I think, is a pretty simple scheme (I'm too bored by it now to go into the reasons why). If people got this wound up about things that REALLY mattered we'd have had a revolution in this country ages ago. Sigh....