It’s just as well my brother’s an absolute diamond. Sisters – apparently, we share the same gene pool! I find that utterly amazing. That aside, I’ve decided that all this and that which has gone past for the last two or three years, is just life lessons, condensed.

Interesting week, nevertheless. A trip to Oxford with long-tall-Jenny to see the wonderful Sea of Bees and another to watch Biutiful, Javier Bardem’s latest film. It was the best film I’ve seen in a long time. Go see both.

Next week, I’ll be warming up for a piece for Scottish Kate’s blog around memorable lyrics. Right up my street.

So here’s one of the things that I do when I need a lift, I play a CD by Martin Stephenson and the Daintees entitled Western Eagle. I saw Martin live almost two years ago at another particularly poignant time. His guitar playing is “awesome”, as the sprats would say. There’s a song on this album entitled Right By You and it’s our song, Mama Mackerel and her sprats. We sing the chorus loud and with meaning, often in the car.

A life without love is one without meaning. You know what I mean?

Enjoy the weekend.

Mrs Mackerel

I have to say, on a Friday, if TFI isn’t written by lunch then it’s early evening, glass of red in hand. And MM’s refrain is frequently, you can’t post that it’ll get taken down. To which I usually reply, bloody hell, why?

I’ve posted him before, and I dare say I’ll do it again. So, fingers crossed, here goes. Martin Stephenson is a good soul and, I think, an old soul. His music is deep in me marra’. Download Right By You by the wonderful Martin Stephenson and the Daintees.

Download Martin Stephenson & The Daintees – Right by You mp3 (from Western Eagle)