Thursday 27th August
Just realised am two months in and have been asked by a few people whether I miss work – I absolutely do not – the people sure but not the near constant micro stress. Really love not thinking about work, worrying where the next job will come from – the cash flow. All Imran and Mike’s challenge now.
Up at 9 ish today and my ōura says I slept well despite a mid evening nap while Carla spent an hour on the phone to Dan. Used the scratch cream on a table top swhich worked well then cycled to Post Office to deliver yet another sold item on eBay. Home via Waitrose – Carla was ironing – mainly my stuff bless her – so added a couple of things to my packed Kenya bag – made a rather nice greek salad for lunch then took my Brompton off to Surbiton as am giving it to Emily now I no longer need a folding bike (used it for commuting and to go to Boat). As I no longer do neither only fair she gets the use of it – I electrified it with a switch kit so bit of a dream to cycle.
There was a bloke on train eating a Maccy Dees – looked bloody lovely.
I was offered a deal on a BA Amex yesterday – 60k Avios if I sign up and can spend £6k in first three months … challenge accepted – 60k Avios will cover a couple of flights to Europe.
Also forgot to say on Tuesday when I was looking through and binning paperwork I came across an old programme from the Gang Show – 1975 back when I was a Scout – I think I left when I was 14 or so (Elephant memory Chris can you remember why I left the Scouts was it because I was bone idle and going through my cannot be arsed phase?). This is a real piece of childhood nostalgia / memory – I remember there was always one song ‘Three Cheers for the years for the joy and and happiness found with all the fellows around, three cheers for the years we can stay together and while together we stay on top of the world’ cannot remember rest. Anyway in über home from yellow box I chatGPT’d the gang show so for anyone interested …
ChatGPT said this:
The Gang Show was created by theatrical producer, choreographer and lifelong Scout Ralph Reader in 1932, originally as a fundraiser for a Scout camp swimming pool. What began as a collection of songs, sketches and dances became a British institution. Reader’s London Gang Show appeared at the Royal Variety Performance, inspired a 1937 feature film and, after Reader took the idea into the RAF during the war, spawned Scout Gang Shows across Britain and around the world. Its signature song, We’re Riding Along on the Crest of a Wave, became virtually an anthem for the movement.
That makes the date of our Roehampton Three Cheers ’75 particularly interesting. Reader’s original London Gang Show had given its final performance only the previous year, in 1974, so ours was being staged right at the end of the original era rather than as some much later revival. The programme contains several genuine Ralph Reader/Gang Show numbers, including The Little Black Bag, Fiesta Time, Nobody Wants to Know You, Don’t Do It Nellie and Song in My Heart.
Even more intriguingly, there appears to have been a direct link between the two companies. Janis Harrison and Philip Spillane, who appear in the cast of Three Cheers ’75, also appear in the cast list for the final 1974 London Gang Show. That show also contained The Britishers and The Doctor and the Little Black Bag, both of which reappeared in our Roehampton programme the following year.
So this looks rather more interesting than a local Scout concert that happened to borrow the Gang Show name. We were performing genuine Gang Show material, with people who had apparently been members of Ralph Reader’s final London company, only months after that famous original production had come to an end. Quite a pedigree for a show I remembered simply as something I did as a 13-year-old Scout.
Also found this:
I vaguely remember you had a few weeks to read 10 books from a list of more and at end of each you answered questions. One of the approved books was ‘Stig of the Dump’ which I had already read so I didn’t read it again but could answer the questions – I think my cousin Jeff was appalled and thought me an awful cheat – I think it was an early sign that I would always ‘work smart not hard’ – one of my many talents is that I am expeditious.
Anyway – Isabel definitely has the same talent … based on what she told me recently re: her DoE Silver and how quickly she got through her CIPD 5 as well!
Delivered Brompton then walked with Emily and Crumpet to the river.
Em went home from there and I walked along to Kingston.
Passed our old house – you wouldn’t usually be able to see it from river but building in front has been demolished.
Stopped for half of Asahi at the Bishop.
Popped into Waitrose looking for chicken spices – they didn’t have any so walked to station for train back to ‘loo.
It was a journey of just missing trains so waited at Kingston for 15 mins then 30s for Northern line then 1 minute for my beloved Elizabeth Line train.
Home to yet another eBay sale so packaged up and walked to PO to post.
Made Carbonara tonight – yum.
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