Signs of the times

I don't do politics on here and have no plans to start now.

But I was amused by some of the lighthearted placards on display at the "People's Vote" march in London over the weekend. (I wasn't there but do follow these things because I'm sad).

For example, I don't know where Rick Astley stands on the United Kingdom's impending departure from the European Union but I'm sure he would raise a smile at this effort. 

In contrast, I'm not convinced that Ginger Spice would feel quite so enamoured by "her" sign.

Blackadder fans certainly would enjoy this one.

And dog-loving brave Leavers might raise a whimper in defiance of this mutt - before wisely running off.

Definitely an angry Remainer.

So what was the best placard on show?  Well, by common consent, there were two.

Magnifique. 

This is how it feels to be Tommy

We had a little trip back in time on Friday evening with a visit to Manchester for a surreal gig.

Do you remember the Inspiral Carpets? Of course you do.

If not, this might prick your memory.  (I've censored the naughty word that rhymes with duck). 

They were huge in the late 80s and early 90s when their lead singer, Tom Hingley, looked like this.   

And this was him on stage on Friday night.

He now plays under the banner of "Tom Hingley & The Kar-Pets."  And he's still brilliant.  Indeed, he and his band gave it their all for an hour and a quarter and didn't miss a note.

Afterwards, Vanessa got to meet her hero, now dressed in a "Tommy Hingley" tee shirt (can you see what he did there?)  And he signed a copy of his life story (what he can remember of it), the aptly entitled "Carpet Burns."

Vanessa and school-mate/bridesmaid/all-round-fab-gal Jane (who introduced me to the future Mrs White) attended their first ever gig together at the age of 16.  It was at the G-Mex, also in Manchester.     

And the headline act was the Inspiral Carpets.

Where did those 27 years ago? 

Do you know this squirrel?

I’m on my own tonight, which means I get to watch exactly what I want on the telly i.e. not Strictly Come Dancing.

Vanessa has gone camping with Jamie and assorted others, and I was expected to be there.  However, as luck would have it, Charlotte has just left on an overnight Brownie trip and needs someone to be here to collect her in the morning.  Re-sult!!!

I must say, I don't envy what she's doing.  Around 100 of them have gone to The Deep in Hull to sleep under the shark tank.        

Can you imagine? 

To be fair, Charlotte will have to imagine as she has a theory that what she can't see can't hurt her.

So she's packed a specially-purchased eye mask.

I think the sharks will be more scared than her.

In other news, the culprit behind a recent spate of thefts in our back garden has been caught in the act.

Jamie likes to do a bit of bird watching and made me buy some big tubs of suet cake to attract more of his feathered friends to our house.

He got very excited the other morning when he woke up to find that one of the tubs had gone.  It had been half full and was therefore quite heavy. 

"Maybe it was an owl or even an eagle that swooped and carried it away!" he speculated.    

Unfortunately, after school yesterday, I had to break some bad news. It wasn't an owl or an eagle that stole the suet.

No, it was this character who I captured scarpering off with another one for his lunch. 

Cheeky b*st*rd.  I will, of course, be passing the evidence to the local constabulary and trust he will be swiftly apprehended. 

For those about to rock

Earlier this year, I asked readers to suggest names for the band Jamie had formed with his school mates.   

They eventually settled on The Aire Heads in acknowledgement of the district - Aireborough - in which Guiseley is located.  Plus it's fun, which is even more important.

They have been putting some serious time in ever since and are now edging towards their first public performance.  But where to play?

Elland Road and the First Direct Arena are probably a bit too big.  Our dining room is certainly a tad too small. And they're too young to book a pub.  So, the assembly hall in St Oswald's Primary School seems like a good option. 

Having secured the secured the agreement of rest of the band, this morning he scooted off to school clutching a letter for the headteacher.

It read as follows:

Dear Mr Sheppard,

I would like to do a Friday performance with my friends: me (Jamie), Euan, Francis and Sam.

We are in a band called The Aire Heads and will perform a song I learnt in guitar lessons, but slightly different, with lyrics I wrote myself.

We won't need a backing track but would like to use the school drum kit if possible.

Finally, I would like to say thank you for his amazing opportunity.

Yours sincerely,         

Jamie White (on behalf of The Aire Heads)

He's at his grandma's for tea tonight so I don't know what response he received.  But hopefully he'll arrive home with a new reason to practise really hard.