staying at home's not working in richmond

It's all well and good the news outlets showing us deserted city centers due to the Government's Coronavirus Stay at Home advice, but if we are really looking to try and minimise the deaths and infections, restrictions need to be a lot tighter.
I've been traveling to work each day as a key worker, and the roads were pretty empty a couple of weeks ago. They are certainly getting busier and busier now. Below is Richmond, North Yorkshire last Wednesday afternoon, nearly as busy as usual.
Hospital death figures were nearly 1,000 for today, and it is going to get a hell of a lot worse if we continue as we are. However, it wouldn't surprise me if the government was deliberately being lax to sneak in the herd immunity they were after (without adequate testing).
Bastards!

Toodle pip

oh my god it's the church - richmond live 2019

Last weekend l was out and about in Richmond (The North Yorkshire version) and this was one of the delights on offer at Richmond Live. Oh My God It's The Church!
 The Lightning Seeds were pretty good on the Saturday night, despite the downfall before they came on, but l didn't have my recording device on me that day, so this is it.

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richmond live 2018 and the black sheep frederick dickens

As it's nearly time for Richmond Live again, l thought l'd stick these up from last year, as l couldn't get on my blog at the time, so promptly forgot about them.
There was no competition for the band l enjoyed the most, as Darlington's 'The Black Sheep Frederick Dickens' ticked most of the boxes for the type of music l love. An electronic two piece with an operatic type madman of a singer, doing bleak gothic songs about Charles Dickens' alcoholic brother. What's not to like?. l have attached a small part of their set that l recorded.
The last two pics are the albums l bought after their set (One is an Avalanche Records compilation).
Once again...Enjoy.

toodle pip

old plays in richmond

Being the culture vulture that l am, l've been to many plays over the years, at The Georgian Theatre in Richmond, as well as elsewhere.  I've just been looking at some of the old programmes etc and have scanned a few of them below. Try to spot anyone who became famous afterwards!

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targeted by funeral homes

I know l'm knocking on, but there's no need to keep reminding me. Now there's another funeral establishment sending me adverts. This one arrived today from the new place in Richmond.
I think they are trying to tell me something, not realising of course, that they are wasting their time, effort, and money, as l am indestructible.

toodle pip

blair witch comes to richmond woods

I was up to no good around Richmond woods, and came across these rather unusual objects attached to a tree. What for - l've no idea, but some of the locals around these parts have certainly been inbred, so nothing would surprise me. Perhaps it's just a lovely signpost for a dogging site. Purely for research, I'll check it out again at 3am and get back to you.

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august friedrich schenke and mackenzie thorpe's sheep

Mackenzie Thorpe has created many paintings of sheep in his distinctive style, is pretty local (Middlesbrough) and has a gallery in Richmond, North Yorkshire, not far from my home. Even my local pub has some paintings of his, and l do like them.
However, although it's obviously completely different, August Friedrich Schenck's 'Anguish' is my favourite sheep painting, a rather harrowing and distressed sheep / ewe bleating and pining for what one assumes is it's dead calf, surrounded by crows.
I wouldn't want it displayed at home, and l understand humans anthropomorphize, especially with animals, but l think it's captured the extreme emotion perfectly.

To lighten the mood after that, here's some by Mr Thorpe

toodle pip

it's bank holiday monday!

It's Bank Holiday Monday, which means a drunken day out in Richmond with the lads, and Robbo staying over at my place afterwards. Haven't missed it for years and we always have a laugh, but l'm sure it will be messy. The rule is - do it to them before they do it to you.

Here's me at the start of the day

And this will be me and Robbo at the end of the day

toodle pip

the norgaards at richmond, and the clash - complete control

Going out to Richmond tonight with Rocker and Frenchie to catch this mob at The Turf. I,ve seen them before at Frenchie's birthday party, so l know what to expect. Loud and fast songs with punk attitude. Right up my street, especially with my new short haircut!

Drink shall be taken.

Here's one of the songs they do. The Clash - Complete Control. A personal favourite.
"You're my guitar hero!".



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richmond live

The one photograph l took at this years Richmond Live. From the toilets (if l remember correctly) looking towards Richmond Castle. The photograph does not give the view justice.
Drink had been taken.

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the aftermath of the richmond fire

The aftermath of the fire in Finkle street, Richmond (The North Yorkshire one), apparently started by an 18 year old setting fire to a waste bin in the early hours of last Sunday (he is currently being held in custody as his plea for bail was refused).
Photographs are by Gullwing photography, and if you want to donate any money to help the affected businesses, go here.

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the weekend starts here!! - plus rival sons - keep on swinging

The weekend does indeed, start here!!
I'm heading out later around Catterick and Richmond with Robbo and the lads today, then seeing Rocker's band in Richmond tonight (no doubt followed by takeaways and a recording of 'Match of the Day').
Manchester United v Liverpool tomorrow at 1.30pm, (hopefully 6 wins on the trot), then off to see Rival Sons in Newcastle on Monday, followed by a day of doing bugger all on Tuesday, before heading back to Newcastle on Wednesday, and resuming work thereafter.
Admittedly a rather long stretch of the definition 'weekend', but it certainly suits me.



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richmond live 2013 - my brother is lost

A photograph of Richmond Live 2013 (not taken by me) that features my brother wandering around with his pint, as we all lost each other within a short time of arrival, due to chatting to people and getting sidetracked (drink may also have played its part).
I bumped into him again shortly afterwards, despite hiding behind some bushes for half an hour or so.
He's hard to shake off.

toodle pip 

when l was a runner (a long time ago)

A long, long time ago, l used to play football a lot, and to keep fit for it, l also used to do a lot of running. I had always been pretty good at long distance running, so as a bit of a laugh, l used to enter some organised runs with mates.  These included the two Richmond / Swaledale James Herriot runs above, one of which l couldn't be bothered finishing, as it went near my home at the end, and l was going to get a bad time as l had to stop a couple of times due to my shoelaces malfunctioning. Therefore l walked of to my flat, got changed, and went to The Hildyard Arms, not completing the run and missing out on my medal and t-shirt (not that l cared).
The Great North Run ones l did for at least 5 years, and have a mixture of medals and programmes from them lying around.  Before one run, myself and a mate called Rocker went to a late night reggae disco in Newcastle, and were the only white people in there.  We still had a great time, got back in the early hours to my ex girlfriends house in Newcastle, then cracked on with the run the next morning.  I was fine, but Rocker felt like being sick all the way round it.  Now it would kill both of us (especially me with my bad knee).

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richmond live and my brother stopping

It's been non stop madness since last Wednesday, as my brother has been up from Leeds for Richmond Live, but decided to come up early and didn't set off back until today.
My ears are now getting used to the quiet again as he never stops talking, and the house is emptier without all his stuff spread about.  We have had a good time over the last few days, but there certainly has been a lot of ale taken on board.
As for Richmond Live itself, we went through for Friday and Saturday, but stayed in town for a bit on Saturday with other lads, but lost everyone pretty much straight away when we got into Richmond live.  Dazzer ended up heading to the Holly, and Robbo must have gone home early (or he's still walking home now) as he disappeared as well.  Then again, everyone was pretty drunk by then.
Yo El Rey were my favourite band of the weekend, but From The Jam were pretty good as well.  It's a shame my Flip video camera gets distorted sound if stuff is too loud, but there's few videos from it below.
Now it's back to normality (or what passes for normality in my life).







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