Criccieth days.

It is a cold day in April as I write. BS5 has seen dark clouds and hail today and it has not exactly been warm.

However, last week the Llyn Peninsula bagged the warmest part of the UK for a couple of days  and they were days when we were visiting.  As we have on previous occasions, a few of us joined Greg and Anna who take the same house there a couple of times a year in Criccieth .

We joined them for the first half of the week, introducing Boris to his first visit there and indeed, his first time with paws on the ground in Wales. Boris got on well with Toby and Qauddy, as he generally gets on with everyone he meets, being a hound of a kind and easy disposition. Various pictures here from a trip on the train most of the way up Snowdon (from the village of Llanberis), to larks in the sea at Criccieth and a call-in to the village of Bedgellert.

Happy days.

30 years of Prince

When I was a small person and much less gangly than today, I really got into the music of Prince . I liked him because my brother liked him; my brother liked him as did our neighbour and pal down the road, Banjo Paterson - still a good pal to this day.

The first song I liked was 'Let's go Crazy' from the enormously well selling album Purple Rain. After that I just tried to get each album as it came out and countless bootlegs and singles too. It went on through A levels, seeing him with my brother that first time the day I finished my last exam, and on into University and adulthood. A complete soundtrack to my teenage years and beyond. Sign O the Times, 1999, Lovesexy, For You, Prince, Around the World in a Day - all full of memories.

'Prince Rogers Nelson' , who was known in our circle as Ted owing to a potential (but vastly unlikely)  family connection to Ted Rogers died yesterday. He was 57, cool as you like and consistently praised for his breadth of talent and genre-crossing acceptance.

When David Bowie went a few weeks ago it did not really have much of an impression on me - I could have named three songs. But Prince? That really has been a biggie. Much missed and respected. Mountains the 12" will always be a tight and effortlessly stylish tune.

Go Ted , thank you, and keep it funky wherever you are!

Submarines and singing

Last night it was a village hall talk from a Submarine Commander of many years' standing. Tonight it is a recital of John Rutter's Requiem. Quite the cultural double evening for Blog BS5.

The village hall caper was at Welsh Newton, just near Monmouth. It was a very laid back affair in a hall reminiscent of those many scenes in Dads Army. Fascinating stuff from a man with a spectacular but untrumpeted career and in a venue  that was equally interesting. Plenty of reminiscence about men, missiles and the Cold War.

The music at the Wiltshire Music Centre is tonight and we are going as we have a friend performing in it.

Pictures self explanatory!