A free lunch??

I was intrigued to see that Coldplay are offering their new single as a free download - for the next few days. I guess it highlights the role of the single in the modern music scene, i.e. a tool to promote the album.

The single is called Violet Hill, and it's OK. It's from their soon to be released album called "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends".

I've got no idea what that's about, but since my iTunes library is currently organised by album name there's a weird juxtaposition as Coldplay fade out and Vivaldi's Trumpet Concerto strides in gustily.

I think the 'Viv' will be more enduring, but Violet Hill is growing on me the more I listen to it.

Tagging #2

OK, so I'm playing now...according to my rules! (Well, you didn't really expect me to conform that much, did you?)

AnneDroid's challenge:

Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

1 - I was born in Australia

2 - I've always had a Scottish accent

3 - I have brown eyes

4 - I once had to stand and watch as a mechanic almost drove my car into Crail harbour (while my so-called friends - including the Fish Wife - were laughing their heads off!)

5 - I can juggle - with 3 balls and only 1 trick - but it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks

6 - I have a degree in theology

7 - I'm happy with my life (but still endlessly restless)

And just for the sake of completeness - HGF's final question "What was I doing 10 years ago?"

Actually very similar to what I'm doing now.

Married to the Fish Wife (for almost 10 years at that time)

Playing with Dolly D - when that was still considered acceptable (by her!)

Doing the same job

Preparing nurture group studies

Living in the same house

Trying to conquer our garden

One significant difference - I was getting ill more often then, until I changed a few things in my life to sort that out. But more of that another time... or maybe in another place?

Tagging

What is it with blog-tagging? I've managed to get tagged twice this weekend.

My first instinct is not to play - but that seems to be a joyless response (although it is an approach that I've adopted before!).

I don't mind playing - up to a point. But I'm not going to tag anyone else. If people want to play after seeing soemthing here then that's fine...

So first to HGF's tag (Anne Droid's might follow tomorrow)

Five things on my to-do-list for today

• Write a nurture group study on Ehud (Judges 4);
• Have breakfast together as a family
• Go to church
• Do some calligraphy
• Get out into the garden (and do some work)

If I were a billionaire...

... I've never thought about it. I'd probably worry more though!

Three bad habits (only 3??)

• Grumpiness
• Accumulating books at a greater rate than I read them
• Impatience

Five places I've lived

• Melbourne
• Irvine
• St Andrews
• Thurso
• Perth

Five jobs I've had

I've really only ever been a bean-counter (in various guises!)

Five books I've read recently

• John Smith by Andy McSmith
• Praying in Color by Sybil MacBeth
• Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
• The Incarnate God by John V Taylor
• Keeping the Sabbath Wholly by Marva Dawn

(not quite) Friday photo

To pinch a line from Lucy - tell me what you see...

Engaging with St George's Day

At this time each year, the spirea arguta blossoms in our garden. It seems so full of life and vitality as it froths over the surrounding plants. Until today I hadn't made a connection between this plant and St George's Day - and I still haven't really.

But there is a connection for us with 23 April each year. That was the day that the Fish Wife and I got engaged - 20 years ago today. The spirea is called "Bridal Wreath", so there is a tenuous connection.

We tend not to celebrate anniversaries - and I certainly don't celebrate St George's Day. But it is worth reflecting that we've now spent more than half of our lives together and for me our relationship is as frothy and lively as it was when we first met as students in St Andrews many years ago.

on bald patches and new growth

No - I'm not getting treatment for the top of my head. I like it the way it is - as long as I've got a warm bunnet close at hand at all times (especially when the wind is coming in from the North Sea!)

Anyway, I was in the garden for a while today and after cutting the grass, I spent five minutes raking out the moss and thatch from a wee square in the middle of the garden. The lack of any actual grass growing is quite scary. It's also very frustrating, since it seems to grow very well where it's not wanted - in the flower beds, veg beds and in the gaps between paving slabs!

Tonight as I was reading Lins' entry about his voice diagnosis and Fiona's entry on Head Space, I realised that there are times when we need to take some radical action to sort things out. Whether it's decapitating Mr Potato Head, getting steamin' every night, or decimating your front lawn, maybe we all need to take time to identify the things that prevent us from doing the best that we can.

Think about my old back from time to time as I set about sorting out the grass (or lack of it) in the garden - and also the metaphorical thatch in my 'tattie heid'.

It's a braw, bricht, moonlicht nicht