
Watched the Les Dawson appearance on Parkinson video earlier. I like good comedians but there are very few around nowadays. My first live encounter was in 1962 when the Corporals’ Mess 3 Para booked an up and coming Jim Davidson; a great night as you can imagine and my introduction to the Fokker joke!
I suppose affinity with comedians is in the Liverpool family blood as some one once remarked ‘You have to be a comedian to live there!’.
I have seen Ken Dodd, Freddie Starr and Jimmy Tarbuck live. I remember heckling Tarbuck and he gave me back a great put down – made my night!
Another encounter was with a comedic hero of mine In Malta where we were on a two year accompanied tour (spent most of the time training in Cyprus). Frankie Howard, who I think lived there, visited the CO and the three of us had a long chat accompanied by a nice bottle of wine or two. A very intelligent man and well worth listening to.
There is evidence, day by day, of what a caring and supportive group we have. I must confess I was unimpressed with some of the name calling between personalities recently. It is a free speech blog and must remain so but personal attacks are not on. It is rather childish.
I like to laugh and will strike up conversations with total strangers; sometimes I do it because a person appears to be lonely or to make a joke in passing. Today at the hospital I spoke to two old dears, they laughed, possibly thinking inwardly – ‘daft old bugger’, but I don’t care. Amazing the number of people who have little or no social interaction. It’s true – ‘Laugh and the World laughs with you – Cry and you cry alone.’
Lots of old songs come to me out of the blue – the latest earworm was ‘Tomorrow belongs to me’ from the film ‘Cabaret‘ I played it again on You Tube and it is a really unsettling scene. I am beginning to think we are headed for a National Socialist, Fascist government the way things are looking. I was imagining our Karens and their partners singing along.
Visiting my daughter some years ago we had a good chat and a few drops of vino. Her friend who is a minor league singer and actress (Bar Mitzvas and Weddings a speciality) and a line or two in a few telly ads plus a presence on Utube with cover songs.
About 28 and a lovely girl. I started on some of the old songs and was surprised and delighted to find she knew the words to them all and we had a great night. I would not recognise an Ed Sheeran song if I fell over it.
Oh, and I have just had my latest telly licensing letter with this in Red Letters:
Official notice investigation opened
Not long before it will be taken by Council Tax or another tax.
WE HAF WAYS OF MAKING YOU PAY
Lately I have taken to watching videos of people renovating abandoned houses in Ireland, France and a well developed smallholding in the North East. Amazing range of skills from the men and very supportive wives,
My DIY skills are practically non-existent but I make a reasonable labourer so it is a joy to watch those who can, do. I plan to spend a lot of time back this year at the farm in France.
My friend also bought a large house in a nearby village but in three years or so, apart from some costly professional pointing, it is still in need of a lot of renovation. I cleared the head height brambles and other growth from the large garden but it has all grown back in the meantime. I think he paid around £20k for a place that could be converted into two self-contained flats or kept as a three/four bed town house.
The sites I follow are – The Irish Homestead – Domaine Sauvage, Diego Leon (not the footballer) and Our Smallholding Adventure.
© Gillygangle 2025