The Problems I Have
Aye, the problems I have in life. They may be small niggly things but they still bug the hell out of me. Last week it was the hunt for the new Rolling Stones single release for the International Record Store Day event. It was a very limited release and in the whole of Northern Ireland there was only one store to get any copies. It was up in Derry/Londonderry and I just thought it was a wee bit far to go. It’s just as well I managed to get 4 copies off the internet then, wasn’t it. I won’t be selling them but I will maybe trade a couple of them for other such Stones rarities. Wait and see.
Another one of my niggly little problems was shaving soap. Where the hell does one purchase a tub of shaving soap in their home town? Nowhere apparently. I tried all the big and small chemists I could find. I even went to my Turkish Barber where I occasionally go as a treat to get a real wet shave and facial massage (well worth every penny including the tip I always give the guy) . He wasn’t able to help me either, but he did direct me to the Turkish Barber Wholesaler. I followed his directions but had no joy in locating said establishment. So no joy there. Then, I just happened to be in the next town over from here. A place called Newtownards (no doubt if you are from here at any time in your life you know where I mean) Guess what? The very first chemist I went into, BINGO, there it was sitting on the bottom shelf in plain view for everyone to see (especially short people). Another problem solved. I think though, that the next time I am up in Belfast I will get a few tubs from the store that I know sells it. Nothing can beat a hot wet shave with a beaver brush (can it Michael?)
Ongoing with the niggly things in my life. I have been decorating recently. The hall / stairs and landing are looking very well at the moment. Except for the space where there should be two pieces of wallpaper. No, I haven’t run out of paper. I just ran out of me. On Sunday past I was determined to get the papering finished and went hell for leather at it. I went a wee tad overboard with the leather bit and ended up not too well as a result. This meant that the rest of the day I had to sit / lie down and take things easy. Also the same thing the next day as things like this take their time to get out of my system. Then on Tuesday I had a hospital appointment (hence being in Newtownards) which took up most of my day . So, today I am feeling totally refreshed and I am going to attempt to get those two feckin’ pieces of paper up even if it kills me!
To keep on with these wee tiny annoying niggly things ongoing in my life. I read a lot and apart from being a member of the local library I also support the local charity shops by buying the odd book or six from them. I was in one of the better selection charity shops the other day and saw a book by a particular author that I enjoy. I had not read this particular book so I picked it up and went to pay for it. Upon getting to the till I noticed the price on the book dustcover. I was astounded. Normally I would pay between £1.00 - £2.50 for a hardback book. This one was priced at £4.25. It was not in perfect condition but I paid for it anyway as it was for a charity that I would support anyway but in future I will look more carefully at the cost before I go to the till. I have noticed over the past couple of years that all the charity shops have increased their prices on all their product. Now they have done it with the books section as well. Maybe the answer is to be a meanie and stop going into the shops or to just keep on going in and never mind the cost. What does one think out there in the ether of net space? Eh
Changing tack to better things in my life. I attended the AGM of our bowling club recently. As it was the AGM there were elections to be held for the committee for next season. All current positions were duly vacated and the elections began. Chairman / Vice Chairman / Treasurer / Secretary etc etc. Out of the four positions listed above yours truly is now the proud holder of not one but two of them. Vice Chairman and Treasurer. I should be proud of the fact that I am the only member to hold two positions but maybe not. I don’t quite know yet how much work is involved but no doubt I will be finding out soon enough.
Last month was my birthday and I think I mentioned that I got a digital radio. Since I got this I have been listening to stations that I would not normally have listened. One of these channels is 6Music. Whist writing all this gack I was listening to said station and was pleasantly surprised to hear Frank Zappa being aired. Now there is an artist I would certainly love to hear more of on the radio. He has enough material out there to warrant a programme of Zappa / Mothers music. After all, you can take a degree in the Works of Frank Zappa’s Music (although you have to go to Italy do actually do the thing)
Enough, enough. No more mumbling gack for now. I think you have enough to be contending with for the moment. Should you wish to comment, as always, hit the title bar above. New commenters always welcome. If you don’t want to then you must have niggles of your own.
Byse Byse
Posted :: Wednesday 4/21/2010 3:12:00 AM
Aaaaargh Disaster Strikes
Indeed. A mega disaster of hugemongus proportions has befallen me. This is the sort of disastrous thing that when it happens there is nothing else that could happen that would or could match the seriousness of said disaster. I will try and explain in words below, without smudging the words with tear stains.
It all happened in a fleeting moment of neglect on my part although I didn’t do it on purpose so don’t blame me. (ok blame me as I was the only one there and had no one else to blame it on or shout at at the time) (and there was a lot of shouting of the not good kind went on, believe me)I was at the top of my ladder trying to hang a very awkward piece of wallpaper. I had all the equipment I needed with me to hand, papering brush / damp cloth / paper smoothing tool / trimming knife. After a lot of grunting and groaning and sweating and heavy breathing I managed to get the piece of wallpaper in position. All smoothed out with the paper smoothing tool and the excess paste wiped off with the damp cloth and then brushed firm. All I needed to do was trim the paper. No problem, I had my trusty trimming knife at hand. I trimmed the paper and brushed it again just for good measure. Then it happened. Disaster. My knife fell off the ladder tool tray and hit the floor. I heard a crack but thought nothing of it. That is until I got down off the ladder and picked my knife up. Then I noticed that the blade was snapped. No problem, as this was one of those retractable knives with a snap off blade. It was just a question of sliding the blade up to expose a new one. Then I noticed a wee tiny piece of plastic lying on the floor. Upon inspection I realised that it was part of the slide mechanism for my knife. Double Disaster. Why? I will tell you in the next paragraph after I shed another tear and blow the snuffles away. This is really too hard for me to go on with but for the benefit of providing entertainment for you lot I feel that I must. Here goes.
The knife in question is no ordinary run of the mill trimming knife. This is a Stanley Gold Plated slim snap blade knife. Why Gold Plated? I hear you all ask. It is gold Plated for a very good reason. When I was in the retail tool trade many years ago I was presented with this Gold Plated knife to commemorate me selling so many Stanley Tools in my shop. I had just become a 5 Star Dealer (which was a big thing in those days) and the MD of Stanley tools presented me with this knife. It has been my favourite trimming knife ever since. It has helped me decorate two houses at least twice over. I have had it now for at least 25 years, maybe longer. And now it is broken. I am going to go out and see if I can purchase a knife similar to it so that I can rob the slide out of it. Yes, I do get very attached to inanimate objects especially one that has served me so well in the past.
Apart from this major disaster the decorating is coming to a home run now. I am just about to start papering the stairwell and landing. Job done. Although there was an incident the other day. My brother paid me a visit and he walked from the front door to the lounge and sat down. (I was taking a rest from hanging wallpaper at the time) I said to him ‘Well what do you think of the paper?’ He replied quite candidly, ‘What paper?’ I was taken aback at this comment. After all my hard work over the past couple of weeks he says this. I had to take him back out into the hall and point at the walls. He said it was nice. NICE! I want more than nice. I want wonderful, excellent, brilliant , fantastic, super and other such adjectives. Not just nice. Then again maybe I am expecting too much for my handiwork.
Other things that have happened this week. My next door neighbour (whom I don’t exactly see eye to eye with) got a skip delivered the other day. He was getting rid of his garden rubbish and other stuff. I went out and helped him fill it with my rubbish (although he wasn’t aware of this as it was done under cover of darkness) It saved me a trip to the dump anyway.
We, our family, are invited to a wedding this week. It is my sister in laws wedding and we are all wondering how the day will turn out. It is going to be a marriage ceremony at the Town Hall with the Registrar followed by a blessing at the Church followed by the best bit of any wedding. The reception. Now this reception is certainly going to be different to any other that we have ever attended. Why? Because it’s going to be held in a Chinese restaurant. One of those where you can eat as much as or as little as you wish. It doesn’t matter because you pay the same price anyway. I’m looking forward to it just for that if not anything else. (I am looking forward to the actual wedding as well just in case you were wondering) I will let you know in the next blog if there were any mishaps, family arguments / fights / drunkenness etc etc
Comments on any of the above always welcome. Should you have experienced something similar with an inanimate object that you have treasured for a long time please let us all know. All other gack please let us know by hitting the title bar above. Go on, don’t be shy.
Happy Easter Eggs
Posted :: Monday 4/5/2010 10:13:00 AM
