Cam Shaft, sounds like a seventies soul singer, and Shaft of course was Isaac Hayes with that classic song released in 1971. We’ve had some hopeful progress on the ‘real’ camshaft, although nothing definite yet. We can’t really follow up a lead that tells us the part is in China, but we are looking at a contact here in Portugal and other possibilities outside Europe, although we really do not want to have to go that far afield, expense to ship being one reason, although a camshaft is small-ish. All the details for Ariel are in yesterday’s blog. We have to get this done in the next month, a race against time to get Ariel up and fixed before the MOT runs out. What’s Dean Friedman got to do with it? His most famous song is called Ariel.

I was up and ready today, ready to attack all the projects I have to get going on, but then my eye thing happened and I had to go and sit down in the front, sunglasses on, soft music playing, and wait for it to go away. Of course, the aftermath is feeling deadened and dull, so I set about cleaning things and then getting out of the house into the fresh air (that is fresh city air). Olivia had to make the post office and I went to Tubitek and picked up Blackfield V (2017) and some CDs, The National – Sleep Well Beast being one. I’m not sure I need to list everything all the time, you just need to come here and see what’s in the shelves. Having said that, I did get a nice second-hand vinyl copy of Gilmour’s On an Island (2006) and a CD of Robyn Hitchcock’s Spooked (2004) at Chico’s (singer in the band Population 5 with ex-Lush member Phil King).

I walked around the streets and found that the tourists are still here even though the summer hols are done. The kids are back at school, but not everybody has school-age kids. We went to buy some more Nag Champa, but he was out of stock, getting more tomorrow. I buy them in bulk, but they seem to go quickly. Next, a well-made coffee and a trip to the supermarket where we bought wine we don’t drink, so there’s something here for people that do. We now have a red, a white, and a bottle of port.

I feel better now and am hoping to knuckle down on Blueburst info, which is now finished, Brian’s Valley of Salt, Arktik Lake, and the mystery project. At some point, I’ll catch up and all these projects will be out and available. All I need is a clear head.

Music today has been Dean Friedman’s self-titled second album, released in 1977. Tony Levin plays bass, Rick Marotta (amongst others) on the drums. A singer-songwriter with thoughtful, sometimes amusing observational lyrics, an engaging writer who carries on with his dedicated audience despite being under the radar to most.

Music Of The Daze