Two Men, No Dog

Apart from our, so far failed, plan to get an electrician in I’m also intending to get a plumber in to sort out our constantly failing boiler. They are coming around at 8:30 this morning, so I take over the speed walking of the dogs this morning and do that before they arrive.

They were very good. They seemed to know what they were talking about and were very thorough but as I suspected it’s a big job. We need a major re-piping job as well as new boiler. Sceptical as ever, L questions there credentials, such as if it was just a one man and his dog outfit.

Nope. Two guys, no dog, they even have their own van and lots of positive comments on MyBuilder.com, which would have taken a gargantuan amount of time if they’ve written them all themselves. I said I’d let them know but I suppose it has to be done. Can we afford it? Of course not.  

It’s dog training tonight and I’ve already had a couple of texts asking whether the Lad’s at training tonight. He's such a charmer. 

There is no squash again on Thursday, my opponent seems to be getting more ill rather than better. I do manage to get a cycle in though. Lunch is in the Yard on Pride Park where apparently they start doing pizzas from next week.

(Wednesday 11^th April)

Cowboy Builders

Tuesday is foul weather wise, so I don’t cycle and take the bus instead but still get soaked in the process.

We have an electrician come and look at some power sockets that haven’t worked for years. The resulting cables we’re had to string from the hall to the kitchen are a potential chew hazard for the Lad. Problem is the chap won't touch it. He says all our electrics contravene current safety regulations. He’s probably not wrong, we’re had a succession of cowboy builders and plumbers bodge it, now we just need another one to bodge the sockets but clearly not him obviously. Alternatively we can go for a full rewiring I suppose.

Tonight I’m off to see the ‘Vaccines’ at Rock City. In a moment of madness L has signed up to this one too but is clearly now regretting it, judging by the long face, as we head off to what will turn out to be the gig of the year so far. In my opinion anyway. 

First up are Dream Wife, an all girl band from Brighton, who I would say show definite similarities to Honeyblood but with more members. So obviously they appeal to me. They are a bit rawer and more punk rock than Honeyblood but no less riotously excellent for that.

We weren't actually sure we'd see the Vaccines again after what has been a turbulent year or two for them which included the loss of their drummer but here they are. They’re back and with a corking new album in 'Combat Sports' which is a real return to their roots after perhaps going off track in parts on their previous two records. 

In front of a long ago sold out Rock City, the band show that they have clearly got their mojo back. Their performance positively fizzes tonight aided in no small part by such a cracking selection of ridiculously catchy tunes. It is a set bookended the two excellent singles so far from the new record. The ferocious ‘Nightclub’ to open and the bouncy lively ‘I Can’t Quit’ to close.

In between Justin Young and co set a blistering pace, rattling off the numbers in very quick succession barely taking a breath. Sixteen of which have been listed as singles making this more of a greatest hits\non-hits tour than an album tour for ‘Combat Sports’.

Everything from their début single ‘Wreckin Bar (Ra Ra Ra)’, the perhaps slightly irritating perfect pop of ‘Teenage Icon’, the brooding ‘Dream Lover’, their big ‘hit’ (number 32 you know) ‘Post Break-up Sex’  through to the traditional mass sing-along to the lovely ‘Wetsuit’ and that's just the first fifteen minutes. 

Their ode to Amanda Nørgaard naturally brings the house down and there’s even an outing for non-album single ‘Melody Calling’. Meanwhile the new music fits in seamlessly with ‘Out On The Street’ and ‘Take It Easy’ particular stand outs.

In all the Vaccines rattle through 19 songs in just over an hour. Then return to do another three including a wonderfully seductive ‘All in White’ to close.

Then I take L to the pub to drown her sorrows.

(Tuesday 10^th April)

All Grown Up

I stay home this morning so that I can deal with British Gas who arrive to have a look at our recently broken thermostat while L heads off to the parkrun at far flung Rosliston on her own. She says making it there on her own, even without the help of that nicely irritating woman on my iphone, makes her feel all grown up.

British Gas aren't terribly impressed with our electrician’s hot wiring of the old thermostat. Tell me about it. We’re not terribly impressed with our electrician full stop but the BG man doesn’t want to hear my sob story and quickly fits a new one just to shut me up.

The jobs soon a good’un as they say and I take the dogs on park. Then I meet L at John Carroll where she has headed post-parkrun for Pilates. I’ve just come for a hot shower because obviously we don’t have one at home any more. Turns out she’s in the shower as well, so we could have saved water and shared. Instead I share with a couple of families who appear to have just turned up at the leisure centre purely to shower their offspring.

Then it’s Derby v Leeds, a tasty reintroduction for Steve McClaren’s first game back. McClaren has been apologising profusely for the last few days about pretty much anything he can think of that might have been his fault. Yep, probably even Brexit, Donald Trump and the making of the new Bridget Jones film are all down to Steve.

So a contrite McClaren doesn’t quite get the hostile reception he probably deserved just an indifferent one. The indifference is then eased by a rare Derby goal and an even rarer 1-0 win.

(Saturday 15^th October)