Sunday 21st April 2019

This shed picture above was taken 5 years ago on the 21st April 2015.

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Saturday 20th April 2019

The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether

The Alan Parsons Project

At the far end of your tether
And your thoughts won’t fit together
So you sleep light or whatever
And the night goes on forever
The your mind change like the weather
Your in need of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether
Even clouds seem bright and breezy
‘Cause the livin’ is free and easy
See the rat race in a new way
Like you’re walkin’ up to a new day
It’s a wise thing if you’re clever
Take a lead from Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether
Find the end of the rainbow
Fly wherever the winds blow
Laugh at life like a sideshow
Just what you need to make you feel better
Satisfaction altogether
Guaranteed by Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether
Find the end of the rainbow
Fly wherever the winds blow
Laugh at life like a sideshow
Just what you need to make you feel better
Don’t stop bringin’ the girls round
Don’t start havin’ a showdown
Keep on handin’ the jug round
All that you need is wine and good company

A Dream Within A Dream

Alan Parsons Project

“For my own part, I have never had a thought which I could not set down in words, with even more distinctness than that with which I conceived it
There is, however, a class of fancies, of exquisite delicacy, which are not thoughts, and to which, as yet, I have found it absolutely impossible to adapt language
These fancies arise in the soul (alas, how rarely!) only at its epochs of most intense tranquillity — when the bodily and mental health are in perfection — and at those mere points of time where the confines of the waking world blend with the world of dreams
And so I captured this fancy, where all that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.”

Man City 1 Spurs 0

Phil Foden’s early header as opposed to the goal-laden European encounter, this was gripping, nervy and engrossing in its own way within the context of the title and top four.

It was a game that cranked up almost unbearable levels of tension in the last 15 minutes as City protected a victory that could prove the difference between winning and losing the title they secured with a historic 100 points last season.

As the physical and mental exertions – maybe even the wounds – of the crushing midweek exit to Spurs that ended City’s hopes of an unprecedented quadruple kicked in, Pep Guardiola’s side mined every reserve they have to keep their destiny in their own hands.

City were not at their best but this demonstrated that they possess more than what simply meets the eye. They have heart and resilience to set alongside the obvious quality.

This was the steely side of Manchester City, the day finesse was set on one side in search of the big domestic prize.

It is a fair bet that those conducting the Etihad Stadium clean-up as supporters dispersed into the sunshine will have collected their fair share of chewed fingernails – it was that sort of game with that sort of conclusion.

While City’s fans turned their ire – tinged with mild panic – on referee Michael Oliver, they may also have reason to be thankful he ignored very presentable penalty claims as Kyle Walker looked to have handled under pressure from Dele Alli in the second half.

Guardiola was lavish in his praise of City’s players afterwards. He knew the hazards this fixture presented on a variety of levels and to come through with a vital victory renews momentum with only four league games left.

In soaring temperatures, City’s players needed to shrug off the fatigue in mind and body, the crushing disappointment of such a painful loss, and focus on a game they simply had to win – and do it instantly against a high-quality side who were also playing for high stakes amid the jeopardy of a fight for a place in the top four.

Guardiola showed faith in 18-year-old Foden and was rewarded with that early header, greeted with a thunderous roar by supporters who knew their team needed them.

Lots has been said, unfairly, about the loyalty of City’s fans after the empty seats at the FA Cup semi-final against Brighton (financial restraints and the manner in which they followed their team in droves down the divisions seem to be ignored in the argument against them), but the atmosphere at the Etihad has been superb in the past two games.

They helped City get over the line and push them towards a potentially pivotal Manchester derby at Old Trafford knowing victory there could take them a long way towards a second successive title.

The key contributors on the pitch against Spurs were the precocious Foden, goalkeeper Ederson and the perpetual motion that is Bernardo Silva.

Foden’s introduction was seamless. He played with the fearlessness and joy of youth allied to the winner’s streak that will surely make him a future star for City and England.

Ederson, an outstanding goalkeeper, often drifts under the radar as City’s gems elsewhere take the attention, but this was a match-winning performance as he saved from Son Heung-min, Christian Eriksen and Lucas Moura when Spurs applied pressure.

As for Silva, if any City player could be excused for betraying a hint of lethargy after the efforts of Wednesday it was the Portuguese.

He was non-stop for 96 minutes in defeat and similar in victory. When you add his superb ability on the ball and his constant improvement, he is the full modern football package.

Even Aymeric Laporte, at fault for goals on Wednesday, redeemed himself with a perfectly timed challenge on the rampaging Son when he looked certain to score.

The roar from City fans that greeted referee Oliver’s final whistle was a reflection of the importance of this win and its symbolism.

Friday 19th April 2019

To One in Paradise

The Alan Parsons Project

If I could see the sky above
And my mind could be set free
As wild white horses reached the shore
I’d stand alone and oversee
And if the bush before me burns
Should I turn my eyes away
And still the voices I can hear
As clear to me as light of day
I believed in my dreams
Nothing could change my mind
Now I know what they mean
How could I be so blind
Cold sands of time
(Winds that blow as cold as ice
Sounds that come in the night)
Shall hide what is left of me
(Come from Paradise)
I’ve been through times when no one cared
(Words that were mine)
I’ve seen clouds in empty skies
When one kind word meant more to me
(Shall last as a memory)
Than all the love in Paradise
I believed in my dreams
Nothing could change my mind
Till I found what they mean
Nothing can save me now

To One in Paradise

Edgar Allan Poe 1843

Thou wast that all to me, love,
For which my soul did pine –
A green isle in the sea, love, –
A fountain and a shrine
All wreathed with fairy fruits and flowers
And all the flowers were mine.

Ah, dream too bright to last;
Oh, starry Hope! that didst arise
But to be overcast!
A voice from out the Future cries
‘On! on!’ – but o’er the Past
(Dim gulf!) my spirit hovering lies
Mute, motionless, aghast!

For, alas! alas! with me
The light of Life is o’er!
No more – no more – no more
(Such language holds the solemn sea
To the sands upon the shore)
Shall bloom the thunder-blasted tree,
Or the stricken eagle soar!

And all my days are trances,
And all my nightly dreams
Are where thy dark eye glances,
And where thy footstep gleams –
In what ethereal dances
By what eternal streams

They knocked down the porch today Easter Friday 2019.

Old and Wise

Alan Parsons Project

As far as my eyes can see
There are Shadows approaching me
And to those I left behind
I wanted you to Know
You’ve always shared my deepest thoughts
You follow where I go
And oh when I’m old and wise
Bitter words mean little to me
Autumn Winds will blow right through me
And someday in the mist of time
When they asked me if I knew you
I’d smile and say you were a friend of mine
And the sadness would be Lifted from my eyes
Oh when I’m old and wise
As far as my Eyes can see
There are shadows surrounding me
And to those I leave behind
I want you all to know
You’ve always Shared my darkest hours
I’ll miss you when I go
And oh, when I’m old and wise
Heavy words that tossed and blew me
Like Autumn winds that will blow right through me
And someday in the mist of time
When they ask you if you knew me
Remember that You were a friend of mine
As the final curtain falls before my eyes
Oh when I’m Old and wise
As far as my eyes can see

If you didn’t care what happened to me,
And I didn’t care for you
We would zig zag our way through the boredom and pain
Occasionally glancing up through the rain
Wondering which of the buggers to blame
And watching for pigs on the wing.

You know that I care
What happens to you
And I know that you care
For me too
So I don’t feel alone
Or the weight of the stone
Now that I’ve found somewhere safe
To bury my bone
And any fool knows a dog needs a home
A shelter from pigs on the wing

R Waters

Alone

Edgar Allan Poe

From childhood’s hour I have not been
As others were — I have not seen
As others saw — I could not bring
My passions from a common spring —
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow — I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone —
And all I lov’d — I lov’d alone —
Then — in my childhood — in the dawn
Of a most stormy life — was drawn
From ev’ry depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still —
From the torrent, or the fountain —
From the red cliff of the mountain —
From the sun that ’round me roll’d
In its autumn tint of gold —
From the lightning in the sky
As it pass’d me flying by —
From the thunder, and the storm —
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view —

Thursday 18th April 2019

The Raven

The Alan Parsons Project

The clock struck midnight
And through my sleeping
I heard a tapping at my door
I looked but nothing lay in the darkness
And so I turned inside once more

To my amazement
There stood a raven
Whose shadow hung above my door
Then through the silence
It spoke the one word
That I shall hear for evermore

Nevermore
Thus quoth the raven, nevermore

And still the raven remains in my room
No matter how much I implore
No words can soothe him
No prayer remove him
And I must hear for evermore

Quoth the raven, nevermore
Nevermore
Thus quoth the raven, nevermore

The Raven

Edgar Allen Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—
Only this and nothing more.”

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
“’Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;—
This it is and nothing more.”

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;—
Darkness there and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore?”
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!”—
Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
“Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—
’Tis the wind and nothing more!”

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door—
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as “Nevermore.”

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—
Till I scarcely more than muttered “Other friends have flown before—
On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.”
Then the bird said “Nevermore.”

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
“Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of ‘Never—nevermore’.”

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking “Nevermore.”

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o’er,
But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
“Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—
On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—
Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

“Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting—
“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!

Wednesday 17th April 2019

Man City 4 Spurs 3     away goals SPURS WIN!

Fernando Llorente was the hero for Spurs as his late goal send Spurs through to the Champions League semi-finals on away goals, despite losing 4-3 to Manchester City on the night. Pep Guardiola recalled Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva to the starting XI after missing the first leg.

And it was the Belgian who was involved in the build-up as City got off to a perfect start. He played a one-two with Sergio Aguero before playing it out wide to Sterling. The winger cut inside Kieran Trippier far too easily and curled a stunning strike into the far corner, leaving Hugo Lloris absolutely helpless.

It was far from ideal for Spurs, who had watched their one-goal lead evaporate within four minutes of the first whistle, but it took them just three minutes to get back level. Lucas Moura drove forward from midfield but his pass was cut out by Aymeric Laporte. The French defender made a rare error, fluffing his clearance, and Son slotted underneath Ederson from the edge of the box, with the Brazilian also not covering himself in glory.

Spurs then could see the semi-finals waiting for them in the distance when they took the lead just minutes later – and it was another dreadful Laporte error that led to it. The defender took an awful touch, Lucas Moura pounced onto it and Tottenham came forward again. Eriksen cleverly found Son at the back post and found the far corner in emphatic fashion.

City were shellshocked by their sudden collapse but refused to lie down and within the space of two minutes of this frenetic contest, they were level at 2-2 on the night after just 11 minutes of play. Bernardo Silva found himself in acres of space at the far post and the Portuguese’s effort deflected off Danny Rose to trickle past Lloris to level the scores.

Those four goals inside the first 11 minutes broke the Champions League record but the teams were far from finished.

Just nine minutes later, De Bruyne was played in down the right flank and he sent a dangerous cross across the face of the goal. It evaded everybody except Sterling, who finished with aplomb past Lloris.

After the interval, City came out of the blocks quickly and Tottenham struggled to cope with the wave-after-wave of attacks. It wasn’t long before Lloris was forced into action with a stunning save to deny De Bruyne after the Belgian had rifled one towards the top corner.

The Frenchman could do nothing to stop the next shot facing him, though. And after seeing his team-mates get on the scoresheet, Aguero decided it was time to get in on the act. The excellent De Bruyne went on a storming run through the middle and threaded a precise pass into Aguero’s feet. The Argentine didn’t even hesitate, thundering a ferocious effort into the roof of the net to give City the lead for the first time in the tie.

Spurs couldn’t believe it, having been 3-1 up on aggregate with two away goals and soon Pochettino’s men rallied. Llorente headed straight at Ederson before Son’s shot was blocked by the Brazilian. From the resulting corner, Spurs got back in front in bizarre fashion when Llorente bundled home Eriksen’s delivery. The decision went to VAR for a possible handball but after a minute’s deliberation, Cuneyt Cakir allowed the goal to stand.

Guardiola sent on Leroy Sane late on in search of a winner while Spurs attempted to shut up shop with Ben Davies and Davinson Sanchez coming on in the dying moments.

City thought they had won it as Sterling netted in injury time, but a VAR review ruled out the effort after Aguero was adjudged to have been offside in the build-up.

Tottenham survived to edge this classic Champions League tie and secure their place in the Champions League semi-final for the first time in their history.

Eriksen: “I think I’m the luckiest guy on the planet today. We thought it was over at the end but thank god the referee gave it offside. Goals, goals, goals, drama everywhere…it was crazy. It was rollercoaster, we went 2-1 up. We gave them a lot. It was a weird game to play because you couldn’t expect anything. After today, we’ll take a deep breath. We saw them in the game yesterday, it’ll be fun to go back to Ajax.”

Son: “This competition, I never saw such a game before. It was a tough game, crazy game. but we’re very proud of our team-mates. It was madness… we got lucky thanks to VAR but thank you and it was a good decision! I think it was most important to fight together for 90 minutes. To be honest I’m emotional, I don’t know what I’m saying!”

“An incredible game that leaves City’s quadruple bid in tatters. The question that will run through the minds of the fans in here tonight is: If not this year, if not with this team, when will they conquer Europe?”
11 minutes ago
Spurs celebrations at the final whistle. Absolutely incredible. They’ve witnessed history tonight.

Tuesday 16th April 2019

I was doing the Chimney Sweep activity when a piece of the brush stuck in my thumb. I could not get it all out and the brush broke too. It was a bad start to a long day.

Monday 15th April 2019