hope Is GOOD!

My friend hope is a hero!

(Update; Changed the vid, other one wouldn't play!)

Doctor In The House!

Sunday, dawn, 13:30, (I'm a musician, this is dawn!)
Eldest wakes me, "Coffee?"

"Huegha"

"Coffee then!"

Typical Sunday 'morning' for me, 'cept Eldest is over excited.
She just got her schedule for medical college.
And can't wait to tell me all about it.
And bleary-eyed as I am, even though it was my turn to drive the BandWagon last night, and hence was sober on returning home, (but it was still a late night!)
I can still see,
She's like a lottery winner!
(And in a way she is!)

Our baby is going to Medical School!!!!

It's one Sunday less at home,
One Sunday closer to college,
One Sunday closer to being a doctor!

Me? I came from what could only be described as the slums of Limerick.
Mrs. Map though, she came from what could only be described as 'almost' the slums of limerick. (She married below her station!)
And here we are, our first born going off to one of the most prestigious medical schools in the country.

We are so proud. (D'uh!)
And so is she, for she knows her history, and from whence she came.
She never knew her Grand Daddies, or they her, but both of her Nana's hearts are swelled to bursting!
And her sisters are proud as punch.

Big changes for all in the Map house.

I'm not trying to take credit, but when a couple of kids from the 'wrong side' dig their way out, meet, fall in love , marry, have mega brainy kids and try to make the next generation better?

(Movie out soon!)

:¬)

Stew D'Oh!

I'll be back soon.
I'm trying to set up my recording studio.
It's taking time.
And concentration.
And time.
(Did ya see what I did there? 'Stew D'Oh'?)

I have all the pieces,
I've had 'em for a while.
Putting everything together is a pain,
AND a blast!
The manual is MASSIVE!
And leads and wires all over the place!
One page at a time 'Sweet Jeebus'!
But we're getting places.
Only 467 pages to go.
(I did manage to record 6 songs so far!)
Now, how to mix, and master!
Watch out world, gaurd your ears,
For a new sound beckons!

:¬)

UPSNDOWNS!

So why did I think I could have a week of good?
Ma took to her bed again,
But for once, she actually talked about it.

She said she had 'a turn', a moment on her own, when she thought she might actually be going to die.
And she was on her own.
She said she was so terrified, not of the thought of death, but of being alone when it happened.

It's rarely that Ma is on her own, and because she is still a very independant woman, even at the age of 85, my sister, her carer, the odd time will go out sometimes with her partner for an hour or two. Ma is the first to tell anyone how capable she is of looking after herself.

But Ma got what I think was an anxiety attack, she thought she was going to die, die all alone, and when sis didn't get home at the appointed time, this obviously escalated the situation. Poor Ma. And poor sis who had to take the brunt and handle the situation when she arrived home after one of her rare nights out.
She is frightened,
She is scared,
My Ma,
And my sister.

And me.

What a week.

More Celebrations.

The youngest is 12 today.
(I still think of her as the baby!)

She celebrated yesterday by throwing a cookery party with a group of her best buddies.
The house was a bit mad for a while, but they were having a grand ol' time.

Helena had been planning it for a few weeks, so I'm really glad it all went off well.
Everybody got to make lots of sweet and savoury goodies, and what they didn't eat for the party they got to take home.

(They did leave some goodies for me though!)

It all go in Chéz Map this week!

Happy Sunday all.

I Got A Feeling...........

Someone is happy!

Proud Parents!

KateNap passed all her exams with flying colours!
She got the highest marks in the school.
For the past 10 years!
Ma & Pa Stew are more than a little happy!
College places out on Monday, but things are lookin' good.

(Pop over and congratulate her if you have a minute, she would be delighted.)

Can you SEE my smile?

Goin' Back To The Country!

Spent most of the morning listening to country music.
My first music love.
And I've been a bad lover to her.
I've neglected her.
And have forgotten how fun she was to play.
So, this guy has decided it's time to get a country band together.
It'll take a while, but I've already recruited my favourite picker (Jonathan) at his gig tonight (where he made me do 2 Elvis songs!)!
I didn't expect to be singing, but I had a ball!
I need a drummer, and a bassist. And maybe a fiddle. And a piano.
I have a drummer in mind already.
Fuckit, I'm goin' back to the country!
Watch this space.

(Fuck, he's even got my name!)

When We Started The Voyage......

A man is still up to his tits in paint and wallpaper paste!

In the meantime, a song for all my friends, but in particular Charlie, just because, and the lovely Gypsywoman, who celebrates her birthday today! (Pop over and give her a kiss!)

This is Christy Moore, backed by Johnny Duhan (from Limerick, and the composer of this wonderful piece.)

Enjoy.

August 6th 1925

Lucille Ball, my favourite comic actress was 14 years old.
Andy Warhol was 3 years from being born.
The original 'Phantom Of The Opera' starring Lon Chaney, was a hit at the 'movies'.
As was 'The Goldrush' starring the wonderful Charlie Chaplin.
And my Ma was born.
Ma celebrated her 85th birthday in her usual style this weekend, (lots of whiskey!)

I hope to fuck that I have HER genes!

Happy Birthday Ma, I love you, but you know that!

A couple of her faves.

Changing Rooms.

This week I am mostly painting.
And wallpapering.
For my children are getting older.
And swopping rooms.
And what once was cute, is now 'OMG'! I can't believe I picked that colour!'
And one's children want a more 'mature' look.
One wants 'Brown walls, and a pink Georgian wallpaper on one wall, with a chandelier'!?
And another wants 'All white, mainly, minimalist like, but with MEGA multicoloured stripes on a contrast wall'!?
The other one couldn't care less. She's off to college in a few weeks. Hence the frenzy in room swop!
At the moment my house looks like a badly organised jumble sale!
Chaos!
That's not good for my brain.
My brain likes order.
I fear I may be BORG!

(Or just old & grumpy?)

Resistance IS futile!

Two Songs That Quite Possibly Changed My Life. (2nd Attempt!)

Two completely different songs.
Two completely different artists.

The first was the one that made me want to sing.
The second was the one that made me want to get up on a stage and sing in public.

I know a lot of you will like JT, not so sure about Mr. Numan! :¬)