Happy 90th Birthday Myrtle…

Happy 90th Birthday, Myrtle. I’m very proud of you, you know.  

Proud of everything you’ve done in your life. All the people you’ve cared for; that you have helped. That you have loved. Not only your family, but your wide circle of friends too. 

I love your sense of fun. And that sense of wonder you have at all things new. Your desire to learn, to read, to listen, to study, to understand. 

And your keen sense of humour you have. I don’t think I’ve laughed as hard as I have with you. 

If I just have inherited just a small part of any of your honesty, kindness, and sense of adventure I should feel a very lucky son. 

What I do know is you have given me such unconditional love from the day I was born that I have always felt safe and warm in your arms as a babe and in your smile as an adult. 

You’ve made me the man I am.  And if I don’t say it enough, thank you. 

❤️❤️

Arsenal 3 - 0 Lille OSC…

A first half to forget, then three goals in seven minutes. Timber lobbed, Eze volleyed, Saka rolled it home. Arteta’s substitutes did the heavy lifting. Eight wins from eight last season, two from two this. 

PSG, consider this a polite warning.

Onwards and upwards, my friends.

#ARSLIL 🥅 #Arsenal @Arsenal #UCL #COYG 

Alison Moyet @ Cliffs Pavilion…

Last night Stuart, Angie, Kevin and I went to see the marvellous @alisonmoyetofficial perform her homecoming show at Cliffs Pavilion in glitzy Southend.

It was a largely electronic set, dovetailing tracks from her first two Yazoo albums (Upstairs at Eric’s and You and Me Both) with songs from her recent solo albums the minutes and Other.

La Moyet was in fabulous form: funny, self-effacing and defiant.

Her voice moved majestically from a quiet, chilling whisper to soaring, thunderous, room-filling wonderment. 

I had chills during Winter Kills. “Tear at me searching for weaker seams…”

What a star.

The full setlist:

Alive

Bad Connection (Yazoo song)

Ode to Boy (Yazoo song)

Nobody's Diary (Yazoo song)

Mr. Blue (Yazoo song)

I Germinate

Changeling

Midnight (Yazoo song)

Lover, Go

Winter Kills (Yazoo song)

Filigree

Anyone (Yazoo song)

Other

State Farm (Yazoo song)

Beautiful Gun

Right as Rain

Only You (Yazoo song)

In My Room (Yazoo song)

Encore:

Situation (Yazoo song)

Goodbye 70's (Yazoo song)

Don't Go (Yazoo song)

#AlisonMoyet #Yazoo #CliffsPavilion #SouthendOnSea #TheMinutes #Other

Aunty Dinny…

Myrtle, Simon, Joanna and I all went to see Aunty Dinny yesterday in Barnes.  She was in fine fettle. And told me some funny stuff about my ‘wicked’ grandmother that I didn’t know. So we had a giggle. 90-year-olds have no fear.

ABBA Voyage…

Last night Marcus and I went to the abbasolutely amazing @abbavoyage show in London’s glitzy Pudding Mill Lane. A concert like no other. Hit after hit. We sang, we danced, we laughed, we hugged. Just an amazing spectacle.

And the Swedish cartoons were in fine fettle 🤣

Before the fun kicked off, we both splashed out on the Oceanbird Lounge (£99) for bottomless booze and food. Needless to say, we caned it. Two for the price of one. 🤣

#ABBAVoyage #ABBA #OceanbirdLounge #DancingQueens