Home by the sea...(Who me)?

(Relevance to subject matter will only be recognised by those who know the song…sorry…)!

Still reeling from the Great Concert at HQ, I now realise that the ‘Big 60’ occurs tomorrow, and I am celebrating for the next few days with Mrs S, our two girls and their men folk.

In an episode of Father Ted it is suggested that July 19th is the day that the Ice Age ended. I rather like that…(Mrs Doyle, thanks for the hat tip and the sandwiches…’They’re egg aren’t they…’)

I share my birthday with A.J.Cronin, who wrote the classic story ‘The Citadel’, (I used to go to a pub in Acton, - regularly - and once met John Welsh, who played Merriman in The Duchess of Duke St., and he was rehearsing a part in the play of the book. We had a long friendly chat, and he was a charming, quiet man. We had to watch the play of course, and it was especially good).

Also born on the 19th July are Ilie Nastase, (who shrieked at everyone long before Connors or McEnroe), Vicki Carr, (who used to bear a striking resemblance to Mrs S), and my guitar hero, Brian May of Queen - we are the same age to the day. It was he who started the ‘Electro-K Bass’ desire for stardom and his playing astounds me every time I hear that Red Special’ guitar.

So, to change the words of Auden’s poem a little…

Restart all the atomic clocks, connect the new BT Internet telephone,
Get the dog barking and prancing around with a juicy bone,
Turn up the keyboards and with Phil Collins on drums
Bring out the bottles, let the Family come!

And it will be a great day!

PS. I already have my Senior Rail Card, will get my eyes tested next week, and the next lot of pills are buckshee…!

PPS. The morning after I got home from Twickenham, I got a letter saying I would soon be eligible for a winter fuel allowance too…