For newcomers

At the bottom of each post there is the word "comments". If you click on it you will see comments made by followers, and if you follow the instructions you may also comment and I always welcome that. I have found many people overlook this part of the blog which is often more interesting than the original post!

My blog nick-name is SIR HUGH. I'm not from the aristocracy - my middle name is Hugh which relates to the list of 282 hills in Scotland compiled by Sir Hugh Munro in 1891. I climbed my last one (Sgurr Mor) on 28th June 2009

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Sunday 21 January 2018

Jazz in Arnside!

Long time no post.

Knee progress has been slow, or is it just me being impatient?

Last Wednesday I saw Mr. P for my nominal six week check up. He was pleased with the amount of bend and straightening I have achieved, and he assured me that the pain I am having at night is still to be expected - in that respect over the last week I have at last been sleeping for decent chunks of the night. The only excursions to the world outside have been those of necessity, for shopping etc., and my life has been a matter of even more routine than normal. But on Friday, and yesterday I actually went out to walk for the sake of it, albeit using the crutches. Friday saw me walk a total of about half a mile, up to the chapel from my house and round the cemetery and back. Yesterday I drove down to the village and walked about a mile there and back along the front to investigate Moochin' About, a new jazz themed café that has opened opposite the railway station. I find that my leg is operating in normal walking mode, rather than stiff and peg-legging, and back at the car I ditched the crutches and had a go just using my walking poles, and I reckon that will now be the way forwarded with gradual increments in distance.

Moochin' About is tiny, sporting one long communal table, and a couple of other minor seating arrangements. I had a good Americano, and an enjoyable ricotta and roasted red pepper toasted panini sandwich. Jazz plays via a hifi system, iPad and Spotify. On entering I said jokingly to the Iranian girl in charge "I've come to hear some Sonny Rollins". Although she was not familiar with that name she was keen to search Spotify and play one of his albums. I mentioned SR's album (vinyl l.p. in my case) Way Out West, and in particular a favourite track of mine: I'm an Old Cowhand, and she obliged by finding it on Spotify. Rollins' style is effortless and on this track he improvises fairly close to the melody. I chatted with the girl and said I would like to be able to play like that. Wisely she said, "Ah, but if you were playing you wouldn't be listening as you are now" which is an interesting point. I have often wondered how much, and what kind of enjoyment professional orchestra players get from the music they are part of creating.

Click to see Moochin's website
Click for youTube link to I'm and Old Cowhand

11 comments:

  1. all good
    meet you 'there' 'asaep'

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  2. Good news re your walking and that cafe.
    Was it the music made you ditch the crutches... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgMBUIIt8TE

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  3. gimmer - a bit enigmatic? presume you meant asap

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    bowland climber - brilliant. That guy can dance as well as Sonny R can play the sax.

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  4. Glad to hear that you're making progress.
    We like to walk to Arnside for a cafe refuel, shall have to check this new one out.

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  5. So glad to hear you’re able to do some limited walking. Thank you very much for the book you sent me - The Secret Life of Cows. Excellent reading! Best wishes for a continuing recovery x

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  6. beatingthebounds - You are always welcome here for a brew if you're passing. Email me at conrob@me.com rather than me publish my address on-line.

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    Ruth - Thanks. I wonder if your approach to cows will differ in any way after reading the book. I certainly will be looking at them a bit more analytically in future.

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  7. 'Asap' sounds urgent but is about as effective as 'mañana en la mañana' as it leaves it up to the recipient as to what to do about it as it is clearly not very important to the sender: asaep adds the 'ever' and thus puts, or tries to put, added urgency and stress that the sender is in 'real' need - not as strong as 'do it now' of course but that does require a degree of authority and coercive power in the sender, whereas both of the others imply equality !
    Of course, either only works if the parties have a mutual interest in the outcome - which I like to think might be the case here: a good pub and good jazz - to use that awful phrase: 'what's not to like' !

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  8. Glimmer - I Googled asaep and it doesn’t appear to be a recognised abbreviation, hence my questioning.

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  9. i'm so pleased to learn that I am ahead of the evil doers in that !

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  10. sorry, that was me

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  11. gimmer - Ok, so I tried your Oxford Abbreviation Dictionary but it is only available on subscription to institutions etc., so next I tried Cambridge, which I hope you will perhaps reluctantly embrace.

    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/spellcheck/english/?q=asaep

    They do show asap but not asaep.

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