Geo.

None of your five-bar gate jumps and over sort of stuff

George Harrison was shot almost exclusively in monochrome in 1964; this snap from a Mike and Bernie Winters TV rehearsal in July was taken the week after A Hard Day's Night was released. It was the same week he pranged his new E-Type; I don't know, colour photography, E-Type Jags and Mike and Bernie Winters - it's enough to make any man loosen his tie.

Cease and Desist (aka Hello, Hooray)

This post, from April 2010, was taken down by Blogger yesterday; it contained Alice Cooper's 'Hello, Hooray'. I removed the music and they reassigned the post with today's date.  

We can all be accused of seeing things that aren't there from time to time. And I guess I've often been seen barking up wrong trees or making a hash of the 2 + 2 sum. But surely, not this time: my curry takeaway of choice have, on the front of their menu, a homage to Vincent Damon Furnier aka Alice Cooper. Haven't they? What do you mean it's nothing like the Billion Dollar Babies sleeve? I'll get my coat.

Moving swiftly on, it was good to see The Rooms boutique B & B in Lytham St Annes get a great write up in yesterday's Sunday Times magazine. In its feature on the evolution of the full English breakfast, Andy and Jackie Baker's gaff is praised to the max. We stopped there last year and can honestly say that their breakfast lives up to its reputation as the finest in the country. Andy hits the nail on the head when talking about one of his local suppliers: "Janet comes down here with a tray of eggs that are still covered in shit, straight out of the chicken's arse. You don't get fresher than that." Quite.

Bob

I've just read A Street Cat Named Bob by James Bowen. It tells of how a stray ginger Tom cat, quite literally, saved the life of recovering heroin addict living in sheltered accommodation in north London.

James Bowen's story begins when he first met Bob at a bad time in both their lives - including when they would busk together in Covent Garden, ride London buses & shared a flat - and is told in such a way that it's never mawkish; the redemptive qualities of their relationship comes off the pages very subtly. The book never shies away from the utter desperation and helplessness of a recovering drug addict but demonstrates that by putting purpose, and something to live for, back in your life can be the lifeline you need; you've just got to reach out for it when someone throws it at you.

Seaside Shuffle

It's getting warm; time to go to the seaside. That means hopping on the (steam) train, a walk in the sand, a couple of pints and fish and chips sitting on the harbour wall. Train home.

Gotta go, the train leaves in half an hour.

If you like it, that's fine

  Olympic rings outnumber spectators

This is not a tirade against The Olympics, it's not even me having a pop at everyone in the country pretending to like rowing, cycling and equestrian events*. It's not even me getting upset that swimming pools are now called Aquatic Centres.

I really wish I could raise enough strength to rail against the BBC for having every single TV channel, radio station and website tuned to '2012'. Propaganda doesn't even come close. And, please, don't get me started on what you can and can't take into the stadiums (stadia?), breathtaking opening ceremonies, ticket prices, empty seats, Seb Coe, badminton cheats, Olympic legacies, doping, medal tables, the greatest Olympian of all time, yadah, yadah, yadah.

I don't care. No, really, I don't.

The rest of the population can sit in front of their 52" surround sound entertainment centres and bite their nails to the quick while one man runs a little bit faster than the next or jumps a tad higher than him. I, meanwhile, will be seeking solace in any pub, cafe or drop-in centre that does not have a television. On the other hand, I'll probably just stay at home and thank the Lord that it will all be over in about the same time it takes some drug fuelled flossy to swim two lengths of the baths.

* We do appear to be good at sports that involve sitting down, don't we?