Tapping my feet #15

You will have to excuse me for the sporadic posting of late but when the sun shines the blog takes a back seat (it's turned into a proper summer and we are not used to it in Blighty).

Took the morning off today for an emergency trip to the dentist - a front crown broke last Sunday.  - I go private and British dentists are about the most expensive in Europe I believe, so I was prepared for some damage to the wallet. When he said it would be £530 for a replacement I took it in my stride as I had half expected even more. Then the bad news: I have three front crowns, another one also has a crack and, yes you guessed it, it makes sense to replace the good one in the middle too because it is likely to go soon and they are difficult to match (yes, I know, perhaps he saw me coming on that one). You can do the maths. The one good thing about dentists is at least you are sitting down when you hear the bad news.

After that I thought I deserved a quick charity shop trawl to refocus my thoughts. I picked up a few bits including this Shalamar 12". Dating from 1979 I really should have had it in my collection already, I have always been partial to their blend of disco and soul and have most of their other 12" singles from that era. A bargain at 50p (which is about all I can afford now after that trip to the dentist!).

This one sounded good as I was playing it on yet another warm summer's evening with the windows open.  

Shalamar - Right In The Socket 1979

Buy Shalamar The Ultimate Best Of

      

A flake with that sir?....

… Sorry, can you speak up, or turn Greensleeves down!

It’s summer - really! - sunshine and warm evenings and everything.... including the Government silly season. Keen to cash in on the good weather (and an ‘historic’ British sporting achievement), first our esteemed leader suggests Andy Murray should be knighted (really?), and then the powers that be come up with a seasonal, headline friendly, law amendment: ice cream vans can now play their music for a whole 12 seconds rather than the miserly 4 seconds that was currently allowed; except it won’t come into effect until later this year i.e. after the summer is over. Doh! Thinking about it I can’t remember hearing an ice cream van’s delicate(?) chimes at all this year. The first year ever for me, I reckon.

Picked up fair haul of 45s at the car booters today. A seller was impressed at my dedication as I proceeded to appraise every single, er, single in the box he had for sale. A right old rag bag was in the box, but I was pleased to find, among some other bits, no less than three Rolf Harris Stylophone singles complete with booklet. A fair few of the singles were sleeveless and after a while the seller said I could have all of those for nothing as they probably would be too scratched to play. Thankyou very much said I. On getting them home I can say that most of them play OK and with a bit of a polish will be perfectly serviceable, and there are a few little nuggets in amongst them too.

This was one of the sleeveless ones, quite catchy I think, and perfect for the weather we are enjoying.:

Blooblo - Ice Cream Man 1976

By way of a bonus (a flake, if you will) here is a short video snippet of the sun reflecting off the record as it spun round:       

Alan Whicker (1925 -2013)

BBC obituary

The Evasions - Wikka Wrap 1981

It had to be done.

RIP Alan. Top bloke.