Blogs are like people; when we grow old, it’s as though our birthdays lack importance. Maybe that’s why I’ve not posted on here much. Twice, since the last birthday, and even this old cynic feels that’s not enough.
Sommar. The programme on Swedish radio where a few chosen are invited to talk for an hour and a half and play music that’s important to them. I listened to the one with Mikael Wiehe, formerly of Hoola Bandoola Band, from my teens and early twenties. Progressive rock, if that’s even a word in English. He even ended up writing a massive hit for Lasse Stefanz in his old age. They are a dance band, one of many who tour Sweden, playing the kind of music that ‘us progressives’ used to look down on. We all grow old though. Mikael has led an interesting life. I can’t list it all here, but I was touched by his shopping expedition in South Africa after seeing Nelson Mandela installed as president. Basically, you never can tell who has done what in the past, just by looking at them.
The thing I’m most proud of doing this year was catching Freakier Friday in the cinema on the day it was released. This was to make up for my dismal performance in 2003, when Freaky Friday turned into a mummy failure. In the end we had to buy the DVD, and even that got delayed. And Daughter and I sort of felt it was almost all right to be back in an actual cinema this time. We might do it again.
We liked it, by the way. Freakier Friday, that is. As sequels go, it was very satisfying. But then, Jamie Lee Curtis was right in telling the studio that Freaky Friday was what everyone asks her about.
Not much television to report. Daughter – yes, her again – discovered that Channel 4 are showing two seasons of the Swedish version of Taskmaster, Bäst i test. We have enjoyed that. Not that we know many of the celebrities, but when they have made fools of themselves for long enough, we part as friends. And she has discovered what a Gotland accent sounds like.
Over the weekend we began listening to Christmas music. You know, the calm, beautiful piano versions. Daughter, yes again, discovered she’s not the only one who starts in August, either. And then we accidentally watched Richard Osman’s House of Games from last Christmas, which was very jolly, even though we had watched back in December. We couldn’t remember who won, or what most of the answers were, so no problem there.
Thank goodness for old age. Seventeen today.
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