The Night Watch

Shine, shine, the light of good works shine
The watch before the city gates depicted in their prime
That golden light all grimy now
Three hundred years have passed
The worthy Captain and his squad of troopers standing fast

The artist knew their faces well
The husbands of his lady friends
His creditors and councillors
In armour bright, the merchant men

Official moments of the guild
In poses keen from bygone days
The city fathers frozen there
Upon the canvas dark with age

The smell of paint, a flask of wine
And turn those faces all to me
The blunderbuss and halberd-shaft
And Dutch respectability

They make their entrance one by one
Defenders of that way of life
The redbrick home, the bourgeoisie
Guitar lessons for the wife

So many years we suffered here
Our country racked with Spanish wars
Now comes a chance to find ourselves
And quiet reigns behind our doors
We think about posterity again

And so the pride of little men
The burghers good and true
Still living through the painter's hand
Request you all to understand.

(Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Palmer-James)

The Night Watch

Shine, shine, the light of good works shine
The watch before the city gates depicted in their prime
That golden light all grimy now
Three hundred years have passed
The worthy Captain and his squad of troopers standing fast

The artist knew their faces well
The husbands of his lady friends
His creditors and councillors
In armour bright, the merchant men

Official moments of the guild
In poses keen from bygone days
The city fathers frozen there
Upon the canvas dark with age

The smell of paint, a flask of wine
And turn those faces all to me
The blunderbuss and halberd-shaft
And Dutch respectability

They make their entrance one by one
Defenders of that way of life
The redbrick home, the bourgeoisie
Guitar lessons for the wife

So many years we suffered here
Our country racked with Spanish wars
Now comes a chance to find ourselves
And quiet reigns behind our doors
We think about posterity again

And so the pride of little men
The burghers good and true
Still living through the painter's hand
Request you all to understand.

(Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Palmer-James)

Patrick Swayze

Patrick Swayze is reported to have died aged 57 of pancreatic cancer.

The BBC obituary is here.

Probably best known for his roles in 1987's Dirty Dancing and 1990's Ghost, Swayze's career had recently been boosted by his portrayal of a grizzled FBI Agent in the TV series, The Beast.

Patrick Swayze

Patrick Swayze is reported to have died aged 57 of pancreatic cancer.

The BBC obituary is here.

Probably best known for his roles in 1987's Dirty Dancing and 1990's Ghost, Swayze's career had recently been boosted by his portrayal of a grizzled FBI Agent in the TV series, The Beast.

Long day ahead

Today is going to be a long day. I am starting it completely shattered, having had a poor night's sleep.

I was late dozing off and woke up more than once. In between times I had what can only be termed 'anxiety dreams' and they repeated on a theme all night. I kept dreaming that we were about to move house and that having finished the packing, the removals van had arrived and we were behind schedule. It was at this point that I would open a door and find an entire new suite of rooms that we hadn't even touched. Invariably they were hugely cluttered and we had to try frantically to pack them up. It became apparent that I was trying to pack up the contents of every room I could ever remember living in throughout my life and no time to do it.

With various minor alterations this theme repeated all night and even in the last part, which came back after I'd got up to pay a visit and dozed off again, fully aware that it was only a dream, I couldn't do anything to alter it.

I left work early yesterday because it was games night. I don't think I can afford to do it again today.

Long day ahead

Today is going to be a long day. I am starting it completely shattered, having had a poor night's sleep.

I was late dozing off and woke up more than once. In between times I had what can only be termed 'anxiety dreams' and they repeated on a theme all night. I kept dreaming that we were about to move house and that having finished the packing, the removals van had arrived and we were behind schedule. It was at this point that I would open a door and find an entire new suite of rooms that we hadn't even touched. Invariably they were hugely cluttered and we had to try frantically to pack them up. It became apparent that I was trying to pack up the contents of every room I could ever remember living in throughout my life and no time to do it.

With various minor alterations this theme repeated all night and even in the last part, which came back after I'd got up to pay a visit and dozed off again, fully aware that it was only a dream, I couldn't do anything to alter it.

I left work early yesterday because it was games night. I don't think I can afford to do it again today.

Not a good time for entertainment

Hmm.

Today is not a good day in the entertainment world, is it? First we hear that Patrick Swayze has died, then it is announced that Keith Floyd has died, too.

Now I see that Kathryn Joosten, possibly best known as Mrs Landingham in The West Wing or Mrs McClusky in Desperate Housewives has lung cancer.

A couple of others have gone in recent days, too.

Not a good time for entertainment

Hmm.

Today is not a good day in the entertainment world, is it? First we hear that Patrick Swayze has died, then it is announced that Keith Floyd has died, too.

Now I see that Kathryn Joosten, possibly best known as Mrs Landingham in The West Wing or Mrs McClusky in Desperate Housewives has lung cancer.

A couple of others have gone in recent days, too.

Dr Johnson

I was going to change the subtitle of this journal to the marvelous definition of a rant in Dr Johnson's dictionary:

High sounding language unsupported by dignity of thought

But once again, I am defeated by the office browser. I may change it at home tonight, or I may not.

Dr Johnson

I was going to change the subtitle of this journal to the marvelous definition of a rant in Dr Johnson's dictionary:

High sounding language unsupported by dignity of thought

But once again, I am defeated by the office browser. I may change it at home tonight, or I may not.