I was humming the Soul II Soul tune to the girls as we got off the metro at Chateau D'Eau to go home. "Anyway you want it....however do you want it, however do you need it...."
it's probably the first time they've heard me singing for the past few weeks.
They stayed in London with me to help me go through my dad's things. And my little helpers did me proud, folding up clothes to take to the clothes recycling bank.
We got through the wardrobes and now there are only shirts left. I have acquired quite a few extra things. Don't know how they will fit into Paris.
Must try and relocate my routine over the next week before I go back to London to continue clearing up my dad's flat. The housing association has given me until to July 19 to get out of his flat.
I have written to the Wandle housing association asking for a bit of flexibility in getting out. The housing association has decided to be callous.
One of the functionaries wrote to me offering her condolences, thanks for your letter explaining your difficulties she said, but get out.
I guess another letter should wing its way to them and I should do my utmost to get out of their hair. What a bunch of clowns. I take the death certificate round to their offices and they can't even be civil enough to give me a decent amount of time to get out of the flat.
My old school mate Chris is coming over to Paris this week. He has just been on the phone and he mentioned that it might be best to be away from the flat quickly.
Well I'll be gone as rapidly as possible. Can't deal with a bunch of clowns. Appropriate that the Star Trek episode I was watching was called Bread and Circuse.
Monday, 22 June 2009
Sunday, 7 June 2009
The Drought
In the waiting room before all the action of dealing with dad's death, I was able to cry some more today. This time because the blub king of tennis Roger Federer finally won the French Open.
I have been in Paris watching finals he has lost abjectly. This year I was in London not watching and he won. So that's 14 and the career grand slam. Now we can watch the tennis at Roland Garros with the Federer monkey off our back.
I am glad to have had at least one jolly (Roger) bit of news this weekend.
There's grim stuff to come but am at least certain that dad was happy with his life at the end. And you can't be unhappy about that.
I have been in Paris watching finals he has lost abjectly. This year I was in London not watching and he won. So that's 14 and the career grand slam. Now we can watch the tennis at Roland Garros with the Federer monkey off our back.
I am glad to have had at least one jolly (Roger) bit of news this weekend.
There's grim stuff to come but am at least certain that dad was happy with his life at the end. And you can't be unhappy about that.
The Unwanted Trip
Of all the trips between Paris and London this is the most painful. I was phoned just after playing football on Saturday morning and told my dad had died.
The team was celebrating coming top of the division and I think they were just about to break out the champagne. But I said my quick farewells not telling anyone of the news.
The middle child went out to a party and we told her and her big sister late in the afternoon. They were distraught.
I was on the train heading to London just on the verge of entering the administration of bereavement. I am upset because I was looking forward to going out for a coffee with my dad on Monday week before work.
He hadn’t called to say he was feeling unwell which he was perfectly capable of doing. And I hadn’t spoken to him for a week. So the whole thing is startlingly sudden.
For someone who had been suffering from prostate cancer, I always thought the demise was going to be in a hospital room accompanied by a bedside vigil until the end.
Preparation time. To hear after a game of football ahead of a weekend of French Open finals was not in the script.
I am not sure if I’m going to sign off from parislondonreturn for a few days or not. There was a heap of tales to tell about the end of the football season and even the tennis.
Not quite sure if I’ll be able to focus on those as there are trips to the mortuary to get to grips with and clearing up my dad’s flat.
Onerous times ahead.
The team was celebrating coming top of the division and I think they were just about to break out the champagne. But I said my quick farewells not telling anyone of the news.
The middle child went out to a party and we told her and her big sister late in the afternoon. They were distraught.
I was on the train heading to London just on the verge of entering the administration of bereavement. I am upset because I was looking forward to going out for a coffee with my dad on Monday week before work.
He hadn’t called to say he was feeling unwell which he was perfectly capable of doing. And I hadn’t spoken to him for a week. So the whole thing is startlingly sudden.
For someone who had been suffering from prostate cancer, I always thought the demise was going to be in a hospital room accompanied by a bedside vigil until the end.
Preparation time. To hear after a game of football ahead of a weekend of French Open finals was not in the script.
I am not sure if I’m going to sign off from parislondonreturn for a few days or not. There was a heap of tales to tell about the end of the football season and even the tennis.
Not quite sure if I’ll be able to focus on those as there are trips to the mortuary to get to grips with and clearing up my dad’s flat.
Onerous times ahead.
Saturday, 30 May 2009
The Neglect
Simply outrageous. Have gone missing from my blog. What kind of commitment is that? Pretty poor is the answer. And what is more I've been channelling my energies on another blog.
Oh cruel perfidies.
The fruits of my blogging loins can be seen at RFI's english website until the end of the French Open.
Once Rafael Nadal has completed his romp home, I'll be back to my first love.
Oh cruel perfidies.
The fruits of my blogging loins can be seen at RFI's english website until the end of the French Open.
Once Rafael Nadal has completed his romp home, I'll be back to my first love.
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
The Beginning
A few days in London and the highlight was the latest Star Trek movie. The idea is how Jim Kirk became the dynamic captain of the Enterprise with his band of heroes.
Utterly brilliant especially since I have just acquired the DVD set of the original episodes. There was only one inconsistency in the film. But there you go you can't have it all.
Had to go and see the film at Screen on the Hill and it took ages to get back home especially with Tooting Broadway closed for maintenance after 10pm.
Oh well it's only north to south London.
Tuesday was a jolly affair at the Guardian. The Speaker of the House of Commons decided he had to resign after being fingered as the gatekeeper to the junket that is an MP's life.
They've been claiming for moat clearing, having their light bulbs changed and their mortgages paid by the taxpayer.
And Michael Martin, the Glaswegian boy pauper who's risen to one of the most prestigious posts, is the one who's been offered up for protecting the indefensible.
All quite a barrage of reactions and speculation. Left me dazed on the train back to Paris. In fact slept. Clearly going out late and then working on the perpetual slush fund that is the mother of all parliaments left me dazed and in fact I went to sleep.
No more London for a while, it is tennis galore for the next few weeks as Roland Garros comes to town.
I am growing weary again and I must finish as I am watching Balance of Terror - the first time the Romulans make an appearance in Star Trek.
Pleasing unity about that as there were maverick Romulans doing terrible things to the universe in the film I saw on Monday night.
No element of overacting. Really no overacting. Brilliance of the then and now.
Utterly brilliant especially since I have just acquired the DVD set of the original episodes. There was only one inconsistency in the film. But there you go you can't have it all.
Had to go and see the film at Screen on the Hill and it took ages to get back home especially with Tooting Broadway closed for maintenance after 10pm.
Oh well it's only north to south London.
Tuesday was a jolly affair at the Guardian. The Speaker of the House of Commons decided he had to resign after being fingered as the gatekeeper to the junket that is an MP's life.
They've been claiming for moat clearing, having their light bulbs changed and their mortgages paid by the taxpayer.
And Michael Martin, the Glaswegian boy pauper who's risen to one of the most prestigious posts, is the one who's been offered up for protecting the indefensible.
All quite a barrage of reactions and speculation. Left me dazed on the train back to Paris. In fact slept. Clearly going out late and then working on the perpetual slush fund that is the mother of all parliaments left me dazed and in fact I went to sleep.
No more London for a while, it is tennis galore for the next few weeks as Roland Garros comes to town.
I am growing weary again and I must finish as I am watching Balance of Terror - the first time the Romulans make an appearance in Star Trek.
Pleasing unity about that as there were maverick Romulans doing terrible things to the universe in the film I saw on Monday night.
No element of overacting. Really no overacting. Brilliance of the then and now.
Thursday, 14 May 2009
The Strike Latest
There's been a strike at the radio station. The technicians were off. And so eventually was I. No programmes. None of the listeners were to be told about Barcelona's Copa del Rey victory or Manchester United's surge to the English title.
Oh so what. It's only 200 odd redundancies. The early cut allowed me the chance to go and have afternoon tea with the missus and collect the boy from creche.
Well 'twas truly domesticated. Praise be to industrial action.
Oh so what. It's only 200 odd redundancies. The early cut allowed me the chance to go and have afternoon tea with the missus and collect the boy from creche.
Well 'twas truly domesticated. Praise be to industrial action.
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
The Vote
Actually the vote whether to go up to the top division has been more interesting than some of the games that we played in the top division.
Anyway the figures have come through. Six for going up, nine against and eight abstentions. Well you can't argue with democracy.
These things shouldn't have been put to the vote. Either you go up or you go to the salt mines. So there we go. No promotion and an overwhelming Corinthian ethos.
It has to be said it is very impressive that the diehard mentality can exist chez moi so late in life. I'm a bit sad that we won't be testing our collective capacity at a higher level next season but given that I plan to be away for about five weeks in January, it is easier to talk about going up but you've got to put in the hours.
Anyway the figures have come through. Six for going up, nine against and eight abstentions. Well you can't argue with democracy.
These things shouldn't have been put to the vote. Either you go up or you go to the salt mines. So there we go. No promotion and an overwhelming Corinthian ethos.
It has to be said it is very impressive that the diehard mentality can exist chez moi so late in life. I'm a bit sad that we won't be testing our collective capacity at a higher level next season but given that I plan to be away for about five weeks in January, it is easier to talk about going up but you've got to put in the hours.
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