What's Made You Happy Today???

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 19 Oct 2014, 17:29

And the number of motorcyclists in the house is....? Do you have 2 each, one to wear and one in the wash?

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 19 Oct 2014, 17:52

Homemade balti, homemade naans followed by homemade reduced sugar increased nuts spices and oats apple crumble. And a visit to a branch of the John Lewis establishment, which always makes me happy.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 19 Oct 2014, 18:31

Our JL has been made enormous and I can't find anything any more. And if I do find out where it is it's now a three mile walk!

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 19 Oct 2014, 19:56

You should see what's going up in central Brum at the moment. Sign went up last week:

Post by **Feg** » 19 Oct 2014, 21:31

Gill the Piano wrote:And the number of motorcyclists in the house is....? Do you have 2 each, one to wear and one in the wash?

The four of us all ride bikes.

nicolini · Post by **nicolini** » 22 Oct 2014, 15:33

dave brum wrote:You should see what's going up in central Brum at the moment. Sign went up last week:

John-Lewis-Sign.jpg

Is it in Broad Street Dave?

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 22 Oct 2014, 17:57

No, it is above New Street Station in what used to be called The Pallasades but from next September be rebranded as Grand Central Birmingham. Here are some relevant links:

www.newstreetnewstart.co.uk

www.grandcentralbirmingham.com

http://www.johnlewis.com/our-shops/birmingham

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 31 Oct 2014, 20:05

With a box full of records, and a bag full of post, it's Radio Soapbox and.... Bit of Cheerful Charlie Chester at the shop today.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 01 Nov 2014, 17:39

What, you were playing CC???

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 01 Nov 2014, 18:06

Gill the Piano wrote:What, you were playing CC???

We had his old theme music on, Music To Watch Girls By. That was the time on a Sunday afternoon that the old illuminated radiogram was switched back to medium wave for the Top 20 show with Tom Browne. I always used to think CC had a really warm, sincere voice with a hint of cheekiness, my grandmother told me he was considered quite 'near the mark' in his day with 'Stand Easy'.

He was also a songwriter, 'The Old Bazaar in Cairo' was his handiwork, though Clinton Ford sang it.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 03 Nov 2014, 18:42

I only heard The OlD Bazaar In Cairo when it was on I'm Sorry I'll read That Again. And I think they may have made their own words up.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 03 Nov 2014, 18:53

'We'd like to have continued, but the censor cut it THERE......'

Great stuff. Do you realise that is the only song I can think of (clean) that contains the word 'fanny'!

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 04 Nov 2014, 19:33

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 05 Nov 2014, 18:03

A telephone conversation in Welsh. Opportunities to speak it with other human beings are very rare, I think the last time I spoke it was in July, before that last autumn.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 05 Nov 2014, 18:15

Who were you speaking to? Was it like riding a bike? (No, I don't mean falling off and hurting yourself...) Now do you believe you could teach Welsh conversation?

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 05 Nov 2014, 18:48

Was the people whom I used to lodge with in Gwynedd back in 1994 or thereabouts. Not sure I could teach conversation. Like the piano, I'd have to have regular practice before I could provide an honest answer....

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 12 Nov 2014, 18:53

Lots today. Having a grand tour of all the nice suburbs of Brum, seeing a Deutsche Grammophon album of jolly Strauss waltzes and polkas at a charity shop in Harborne for a quid, and a Bing Crosby Christmas album that I picked up in Leeds last month for 20p on sale for much more, seeing the Area Manager in the Harborne bookshop (who came into our shop last Friday) and seeing my friend Sultan Khan, who told my wife to 'look after him' (he never told me to look after her!!!)

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 13 Nov 2014, 17:09

Sultan knows who's in charge...

I envy you your day rummaging - nothing like going to a different shop to see what's new/old!

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 13 Nov 2014, 18:06

Nothing like a damn good farage around, especially in charity shops as you see quirky and different gift ideas you just don't see in the likes of John Lewis. It's Moseley craft market on Saturday and we're going up there for some ideas - and every Christmas in both Centenary and Chamberlain Squares in B-Town there are craft stalls from local artists that compliment the busier (and rather similar each year) annual German market.

I went into B-Town on the bus this morning to pick up Mabel's Christmas present, and no it wasn't any of these tacky music gifts that you see in music stores up and down England.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 17 Nov 2014, 08:25

It's only 7.25 and this website has made me Pharrell Williams happy. And late:

http://shitlondon.co.uk/

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 17 Nov 2014, 18:45

What an excellent site...I might get the books for my friend who is stuck in america to make her laugh.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 17 Nov 2014, 20:04

Unlike a growing group of humans I am in no way a slave to my cellphone with camera attachment but sometimes I see signs and bits of graffiti I wish I could just record for posterity before they get taken down. When I was a kid I saw something on a bench in the market on Windmill Lane, Smethwick, it was a small plaque that said This seat is reserved exclusively for bums. I could not believe it!

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 18 Nov 2014, 17:43

A good piano lesson with Mabel - and being told my confidence is slowly improving (though it will not happen overnight). Next one on 2nd December.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 18 Nov 2014, 17:46

So glad you're getting more confidence. And I love the plaque in Smethwick... Some kids locally have adapted an old NHS vehicle as their gadabout. And in the aperture over the windscreen it says 'AMBIENCE'.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 18 Nov 2014, 17:54

I think I push myself too far. Mabs doesn't do that. Also my nature leads me to invent problems that don't exist. Mabs is not stupid - and seeing she's back on her feet having been on a zimmerframe since July has also made me happy.

I always feel quite forlorn when I come out of Mabs' house.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 19 Nov 2014, 18:03

You should feel encouraged and be itching to go home to practise!

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 19 Nov 2014, 18:49

Gill the Piano wrote:You should feel encouraged and be itching to go home to practise!

I do that anyway - usually the kettle goes on and I read notes over a nice cup of rosie. It's just Mabs is so encouraging and generally lovely. My homework piece is ten bars in as she's explained it all to me, though I'm guessing I'll get a stonker over Christmas.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 25 Nov 2014, 09:43

Reconciling my differences with someone whom my wife and I fell out with earlier this year - so lovely to be friends with her once again. Because life really is too short for silliness and animosity.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 25 Nov 2014, 16:54

Lovely. Me; turning up at a church to tune to find that a) the piano was in a good mood and b) the heating was on!

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 25 Nov 2014, 17:41

Wish I was a piano tuner....I did Keep Fit today and didn't feel jaded at all, which is very very unusual. They got fifteen carols as well!

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 26 Nov 2014, 15:49

Fifteen? From memory? Blimey, you're good.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 26 Nov 2014, 18:56

Gill the Piano wrote:Fifteen? From memory? Blimey, you're good.

Oh nonononononononono. Sight read. That's even better!!

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 26 Nov 2014, 20:10

Going to Wolverhampton. Finding the best Waitrose I've ever been in there. Tootling around the city centre, there are loads of empty shops as the news has often articulated but the news hasn't articulated the number of crafty arty shops with quite affordable things in. Going in this shop: http://www.nathanrosemusic.com/ chatting to and playing for Nathan himself, he's a lovely bloke and also an LCM examiner. He told me he always bends over backwards to make his candidates feel relaxed so they are less likely to suffer with nervousness and panic. Black Country common sense!! Letting him know not all music teachers are like him and Mabel (ff) Then finding two more shops that sell sheet music. On the whole, quite a happy day.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 27 Nov 2014, 09:36

New day, new thing to make me happy. Putting the finishing touches to my first go at being a music producer, a 'mix' of Christmas songs you just do not hear on the radio, in the malls, and generally bandied about at this time of year. Starting with three different takes on a medieval English carol in Latin, and ending with some Run DMC. You just do not hear Dora Bryan's Christmas single, you certainly do not hear Paul Robeson or Gil Scott-Heron....and as for Thomas Sterndale Bennett.....come to Oxfam Books and Music Moseley tomorrow for its world premiere!

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 27 Nov 2014, 18:00

Wish I could, but I'm winding up pianos...it's gone berserk. They haven't had the piano tuned for seven yeas but it's VITAL that it's done before Christmas...

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 28 Nov 2014, 20:46

Well, the happy peeples of bee thirteen seemed to like this one, which is on my CD:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU4dLGwfsqY

A young Welsh girl new in Brum came into the shop today enquiring about volunteering. She is from a Welsh speaking area of the South West but does not speak it. Hope she does Fridays, I can teach her some Cymraeg

but I'll have to refrain from using northernisms...allwedd rather than agoriad etc.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 29 Nov 2014, 19:23

TOLD you you'd make a Welsh teacher. Now's your chance to practise.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 29 Nov 2014, 19:51

Gill the Piano wrote:TOLD you you'd make a Welsh teacher. Now's your chance to practise.

Steady on!! She's not even had her references checked yet!!!

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 29 Nov 2014, 20:44

Pfffft. Details...

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 29 Nov 2014, 23:06

Not seen them meself yet, I don't even know her name. It's down to Shazia to check them out when she's back next Tuesday, she was off with something her kids picked up at nursery.

Hopeitsafridayhopeitsafridayhopeitsafridayhopeitsafridayhopeitsafriday.........

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 30 Nov 2014, 16:54

Getting together all the stuff I need to make some musical Christmas decorations, some crotchets, quavers and crotchet rests made from unsaleable sheet music glued onto cardboard, cut out, embellished and threaded through with some cotton to hang on the tree. I think Mabel might like some done too!

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 30 Nov 2014, 19:33

They go for a few quid each usually - you could sell them in the shop. Pics please...

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 30 Nov 2014, 20:18

Of course, I'll post some pics but here's a thought, I could do some clefs too!

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 30 Nov 2014, 20:56

Clefs and notes would be better than rests - yer average punter might not know what a rest is.

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 04 Dec 2014, 15:36

I had to walk down to Sainsburys and I was feeling extremely jaded and negative, but hearing the second greatest Rastaman that ever lived (the first was of course Marcus Garvey) blaring out of a couple of workmen's radio singing this song filled me with positive energy and even had me singing along. Jah Ras Tafari....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFGgbT_VasI

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 04 Dec 2014, 17:44

Ain't half got big woodworm where he is...

Post by **Feg** » 10 Dec 2014, 17:32

A successful morning shopping

What idiot decided to give birth on 23rd December? Not only do I have to deal with Christmas but a birthday as well. This year, it is her 21st!

Gift purchased = happy parents.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 10 Dec 2014, 23:16

If you'd hung on another couple of days you'd only need to get one present!

dave brum · Post by **dave brum** » 11 Dec 2014, 12:26

Seeing a genuine Klezmer band in town yesterday. I have loved Klezmer for years.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 12 Dec 2014, 19:26

Don't know what it is; I'll have to goggle it!