There but for fortune (Joan Baez)

Wie geht's? 

Another update post:

• Still quiet at Maple Grove, rodent wise.  
• Bleak House - up to page 110.
• Autumn - four weeks in and still having 20 plus degree days and around 10 degree nights, so the mild changes continue. Getting darker in the mornings though, and this weekend's forecast has Jacky engaged in crazy talk about needing our first fire of the season.
• Walks continue around the Mitre 10 Sports park during my working week.
• The records* I ordered last Tuesday from Real Groovy arrived after I contacted them. Human error apparently. To be fair they quickly got a wriggle on and I got them yesterday. 
• The Gentlemen - we're up to episode 4 (of 8), but Jacky suddenly isn't fussed - too weird she says. So, I've been catching up on the 2023 Formula One season (Drive To Survive).
• WTWMC True Colours playlist on Spotify has finished investigating songs with brown in the title. Greg is up with the next colour - he's teasing us again and making us wait until Friday! 
• Arsenal F.C. not playing because of the international break.  

Consider yourself up to date on Planet Wozza.

Love and peace - WNP

* I'll add this down here because Noel Forth is probably one of the few people in the universe who will get this: the records in question included an album by Stairsteps (Second Resurrection) on Dark Horse Records. It's a new copy as I've failed to ever find a second hand one. Also in the package was Andy Pratt's Resolution album on Nemperor Records.

Along with Apple Records, Dark Horse Records, Ring 'O' Records, I also collect albums put out on Nemperor Records because of the Beatle connection.

The Beatle connection? Nemperor was set up by Brian Epstein and his American associates Nat Weiss and Shaun Weiss in 1966. It was active as a record label from 1974 to 1986. There were some cool people on the label - Stanley Clarke, Jerry Goodman, Lenny White, Jan Hammer, and others (including Andy Pratt).

It's a pretty big world God, and I'm awful small (Eels)

Maple Grove - east side, about 10 minutes ago.

Wie geht's?

Update post: 

• The rats have taken the bait and all is quiet - nothing is stirring, not even a mouse (Laney sees to that)
• Bleak House - Only on page 71 - the working week means little time for recreational reading
• Autumn - three weeks in and still having 20 plus degree days and around 10 degree nights, so mild changes so far.
• Walks continue around the Frimley streets at lunchtime when I can, and up to the Four Square in Takapau and back, the bridge across the Tuki Tuki is still not reinstalled after a year on from the cyclone.
• The records I ordered last Tuesday from Real Groovy have yet to arrive. Not cool, maan.
• The Gentlemen - we're up to episode 4 (of 8).
• WTWMC True Colours playlist on Spotify is currently investigating songs with brown in the title.
• Family zoom on Sunday continues. Last week - 2 (of 4) - those being Jade and Keegan, could make it. This week the whole crew was on!
• Arsenal F.C. not playing because of the international break. I watched a toothless England lose to Brazil 1 nil.

You're up to date on Planet Wozza.

Love and peace - WNP

I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free. Mankind will surely not deny to Harold Skimpole what it concedes to the butterflies (Charles Dickens, Bleak House)

Wie geht's?

Bleak House is my latest Dicken's epic novel. I'm betting very few readers of blogs in 2024 have actually read this classic, let alone any Dickens.

Come on - show of hands - who's read this?

Hmmm. Just as I thought.

A few years ago, I was like you. Ignorant to the joys of Charles Dickens.

But no longer.

To be fair, it does take me 30 pages on average to get back into the rhythm of his writing. But by then I've laughed out loud plenty of times. He really is a very funny writer.

So, that's me for the next few weeks - enjoying Bleak House.

Just sayin'.

Love and peace - Wozza

Hot meat, hot rats, hot cats, hot rits (Frank Zappa/ Captain Beefheart)

Photo by Alexas_Fotos on Unsplash

Wie geht's?

Rats.

I don't like rats.

I love autumn. 

I love living in the country, without close neighbours. 

I love Maple Grove (our 3 acre lifestyle property with a 5 bedroom villa that is over 120 years old).

But I don't like rats.

Autumn, it turns out, does have a downside, even though I hate to admit it.

It's like the calendar ticks over to March 1st and the local rat family gets the signal to pack their bags and take shelter in our ceiling.

The first hint came a week ago with some scratching above us, so I reset all the bait stations (two under the house, one in the tack shed/garage, and one in the ceiling).

I'll need to check and refill them all this weekend, as the noises above and in the wall behind our bed have yet to abate.

The noises have woken us up each night (once, in our sleep state, we thought it was an earthquake). This is a pain, and needs to stop, and it does take time to get rid of the pesky visitors.

But, to be clear, I still love autumn.

Love and peace - Wozza

The sky cracked its palms in naked wonder (Bob Dylan)

Gracie enjoying autumn at Maple Grove

Wie geht's?

Autumn has officially arrived and my spirits have revived considerably as a consequence.

We have wood ready for April's first fires at Maple Grove, the grass hardly needs a cut (cooler, darker days), leaves are starting to turn, shadows are starting to lengthen, and the garden furniture as well as the shade sails have been stowed until November.

It's all deeply satisfying!

Go here for more of my annual celebrations of autumn.

Love and peace - Wozza

The mystery man got nervous an' he fidget around a bit (Frank Zappa)

Wie geht's?

After finishing Ladder Of Years on the weekend, I picked up the next two on the overdue reading list: Mick Jagger (Philip Norman) and Bleak House (Charles Dickens).

I think these two will go together well. Jagger has always seemed like a Dickensian character to me (especially of late). There is, after all, a lawyer named Jagger in Great Expectations!

I've also been playing Hackney Diamonds (The Rolling Stones album released last year) on high rotate. It's brilliant and Mick's voice is uncannily unchanged after 60 years of performing.

How does he do it? I am hoping that Mr. Norman will give me some clues.

First revelation - Michael Philip Jagger was born on July 26th, 1943. My father was also born on July 26 (a few years earlier). Two more unlike people would be hard to find!

I am totally engrossed. I usually much prefer autobiographies but that seems very unlikely in Jagger's case, but this biography is superb.

Love and peace - Wozza