It makes one realise how quickly life passes these days when an anniversary like this arrives. On the one hand, lots of good things have happened over the course of the last twelve months to counteract the bad - far more good than bad in fact. I'm in a great relationship, career is pottering upwards, have had a Big Monster Role at LT and have been to various brilliant gigs (Clockwork Quartet I'm looking at you. Oh, and Bellowhead obviously).

Slightly more vindictively - Mum's neighbour-from-hell got convicted of obstruction in the case of neighbour vs. the emergency services. Probably good for all concerned that there was no contributary factor to Dad's death in the final analysis.

Still, 31/10 - Mum is in Australia with friends; us siblings and in-laws/partners are having a somewhat-morbid dinner party - sure it'll be fine; what with every couple (x4) being asked to bring 2-3 bottles of wine. Going to see if I can slip a bottle of home-brew into the mix :)

Declan has put me onto this bunch: www.clockworkquartet.com, who seem rather good - if anyone's interested I'm considering going to see one of their London shows next month, although I'm slightly concerned that as of last Sunday they've claimed on their Facebook page to only have two finished songs!

1. Can you cook?
2. What was your dream growing up?
3. What talent do you wish you had?
4. Favorite place?
5. Favorite vegetable?
6. What was the last book you read?
7. What zodiac sign are you?
8. Any Tattoos and/or Piercings?
9. Worst Habit?
10. Do we know each other outside of Livejournal?
11. What is your favorite sport?
12. Do you have a Negative or Optimistic attitude?
13. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?
14. Worst thing to ever happen to you?
15. Tell me one weird fact about you.
16. Do you have any pets?
17. Do you know how to do the Macarena?
18. What time is it where you are now?
19. Do you think clowns are cute or scary?
20. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
21. Would you be my partner in crime or my conscience?
22. What color eyes do you have?
23. Ever been arrested?
24. Bottle or Draft?
25. If you won the Jackpot on the lottery today, what would you do with it?
26. What kind of bubble gum do you prefer to chew?
27. What's your favorite pub/club to go to?
28. Do you believe in ghosts?
29. Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
30. Do you swear a lot?
31. Biggest pet peeve?
32. In one word, how would you describe yourself?
33. In one word, how would you describe me?
34. Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you?

We have,

fairly accurate:-
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article6011830.ece - he walked, wasn't "wheeled" as far as I know, but otherwise seems to fit the facts.

Local, most accurate (AFAIK):-
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/4248858.BOURNEMOUTH_WOMAN_FOUND_GUILTY_OF_OBSTRUCTING_AMBULANCE/

Completely speculative:-
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1166090/Patient-dies-woman-blocked-ambulance-car-dispute-shared-driveway.html
...although again the mention of him being "wheeled out". Maybe I should believe the majority of the media reports? I thought he'd walked out under his own steam, but I wasn't there. However, "Father of two" means that two of myself, Katherine, Alison and Paul have something else to wonder about...

Maybe more tomorrow. Mum says she's going to ignore the press, but personally I'll be grabbing a copy of every daily.

Mum's next door neighbour is back in court on the ambulance blocking charge today. No result as yet apparenty, but Mum's already had one reporter on the doorstep asking for a photo of Dad. Currently she's taking everyone's (including her own) advice and declining to comment or offer any sort of opinion (or photo...) After all, the case is about blocking an ambulance - thankfully not about the person who was in it and what happened to them.

More news as it breaks. Wonder if I'll need someone to rush me back into the house under a blanket when I get back to Norwich... 

Well, we've come to the unanimous decision that Series 2 of Squadron Leader Jack Steel and the Starblade will be done, looking to start writing now-ish, recording and editing around June for a release in September this year. We'll probably be doing more "Unsheathed" episodes through the work-in-progress (mainly to let people know how we're getting on and keeping our sound editing skillz up to scratch at the same time!)

Meanwhile click here to see one of our marketting ploys from last year (and note the pride-of-place - thanks to us being the only advertiser not connected to a brewery or pub, and therefore the least controversial to put in pole position!)

Not that I suspect anyone doubted my word, but here...

It's interesting how the news gets distorted though. Not that I'm in any way defending the bitch, but when the ambulance turned up it was because dad was feeling unwell and his doctor had advised him to call the ambulance. He wasn't a "heart attack victim" until about 20 minutes later in the hospital. One of the reasons the ambulance crew were so upset was that he was chatting to them on the way down and they had no idea about what was about to happen.

Against all advice and expectations, Mum's psycho neighbour has pleaded Not Guilty to the charge of impeding the emergency services in the course of their duties. On what possible grounds I have no idea, but it means the case is going before a jury sometime in March. It was apparently a surprise to her legal team as well, since they had arranged for a plea-bargaining type solicitor to be present to negotiate the expected fine for when she pleaded guilty.

I think this is a good thing, it opens up the possibility of a. harsher consequences and (more importantly) b. the opportunity for her to prove exactly how nuts she is to a courtroom full of officials. Of course it could also end in her getting off scot free. 

Oh, and apparently the "news-presence" was up to and including a local BBC TV camera crew...

Things to make you popular #23

"Drunkenly ring your ex-girlfriend at 3am to ask her for her spare key to your house, having lost your own set whilst at a nightclub"

Lauren, you are an absolute lifesaver and to say I owe you one is the understatement of the century...

This Steampunk animation has been around for a while, but I thought I'd post a link having just watched it again for the first time in ages...

http://www.veoh.com/videos/v9108904NzqQs8e