Last of the Summer Wine
Thursday, June 30, 2022
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Tuesday, June 28, 2022
Monday, June 27, 2022
Sunday, June 26, 2022
Saturday, June 25, 2022
Friday, June 24, 2022
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television programme broadcast by the BBC. It's about the adventures of a Time Lord, an extraterrestrial being who appears human, called the Doctor. He explores the universe in a time-travelling machine called the TARDIS.
Doctor Who and the TARDIS
Joined by various companions the Doctor combats enemies, works to save civilisations and helps those in need. Two of his main adversaries are the Daleks and the Cybermen.
Over the years Doctor Who has been played by various actors but my two favourites out of all them are Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker. Jon Pertwee played him from 1970 until 1974 and Tom Baker played him from 1974 until 1981.
The transition from one actor to another is written into the storyline of the the show with the concept of regeneration into a new incarnation. It is a plot device whereby whenever the Time Lord's body is too badly harmed to heal normally he transforms into a new body.
Each actor's portrayal is unique but all represent the different stages in the life of the Doctor. Together they form a single lifetime with a single narrative. Due to the plot being about time-travel it's not unusual for the different incarnations of the Doctor to occasionally meet.
Jon Pertwee
Tom Baker
Doctor Who was one of my favourite television programmes during my childhood and I have fond memories of watching it up until the series ended in 1989. The show has had several revivals since then but for me it was never the same.
THEME TUNE
One of the things I really loved about Doctor Who was the theme tune. It was written by Australian composer Ron Grainer and realised by Delia Derbyshire at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in 1963. It was one of the first electronic music signature tunes produced for television.
There have been numerous arrangements of the theme tune used on television but the main melody has remained the same. The theme was originally written and arranged in the key of E minor and most versions of the theme have retained the use of the original key.
I have two favourite versions of the theme tune, the first is the one used between 1980 and 1985 and the second is the one used between 1970 and 1980.
Doctor Who Theme Tune
1980-1985
Doctor Who Theme Tune
1970-1980
Thursday, June 23, 2022
Insignia Aftershave
Insignia was first launched in 1986 by Shulton Company.
Top notes were Bergamot, Lemon, Basil and Rosemary; middle notes were Pine Tree, Coriander, Jasmine and Petitgrain; base notes were Oakmoss, Patchouli, Musk, Cedar and Tonka Bean.
Insignia was one of my favourite aftershaves during my Senior School Days and I bought quite a few bottles of the stuff! As well as the aftershave there was also a shampoo, conditioner, bodywash, hair gel, talc and deodorant too, and all with the same refreshing fragrance.
Insignia was marketed as 'the all over body programme'.
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Lilt
My two favourite fizzy drinks of all time, Pineapple & Grapefruit Lilt and Mango & Mandarin Lilt manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Now I didn't drink many fizzy drinks during my childhood but Pineapple & Grapefruit Lilt was my go to drink during the late 1980s.
Mango & Mandarin Lilt didn't launch until 1996 but when it did I can remember enjoying this too until it was discontinued in the early 2000s.
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Black Jacks & Fruit Salads
Black Jacks and Fruit Salads are both my favourite sweets of all time. I first tasted them as a child in the mid 80s. I remember I used to buy 10p mixes from the local mobile shop and both these sweets were always included in any mix.
If you didn't already know, a 10p mix was basically a small white paper bag filled with sweets such as toffees, jellies, candy and gum. Usually there would be ten sweets in each bag as each sweet was usually a penny.
Sometimes you'd get half penny sweets in the bag too so that meant you'd get two sweets for the price of a penny.
BLACK JACK SWEETS
Black Jacks are an aniseed flavoured chewy sweet and are black in colour and are squarish in shape. Due to their colouring whenever you eat these your tongue turns black.
FRUIT SALAD SWEETS
Fruit Salads are a raspberry and pineapple flavoured chewy sweet and are half yellow and half pink coloured and are squarish in shape.
Monday, June 20, 2022
Dracula Prince of Darkness
Dracula Prince of Darkness is a 1966 horror film directed by Terence Fisher and produced by Hammer Film Productions. It is the third entry in Hammer's dracula series and the second to feature Christopher Lee as vampire Count Dracula.
This is my all time favourite horror film and I remember the first time I watched it back in the late 80s. I was staying at my Nan's house at the time in her spare room and the film was broadcast late one evening on BBC. I'd gone to bed and was snug and cosy in my sleeping bag and in total darkness when I watched it on the small portable colour television set.
I recall the suspense of not knowing what was going to happen to the Kents as they settled down for a night at the castle, especially knowing that they'd been advised not to travel there. There was an eerie feeling in the castle too as Klove moved about in the dead of night making preparations to bring his master back to life. You knew something bad was going to happen but you just didn't know when and how!
A thoroughly enjoyable film from start to finish and packed with suspense throughout. It was my first introduction to Christopher Lee as Dracula and one I'll never forget.
FILM PLOT
The film starts by showing the final scenes from the first Dracula film, where Doctor Van Helsing destroys Count Dracula by sunlight and only only the memory of Dracula's evil remains.
The main story then begins with Father Sandor preventing some local authorities from disposing a woman's corpse believing her to be a vampire. He chastises the presiding priest for perpetuating the fear of vampires and reminds him that Dracula was destroyed ten years ago. Sandor is then seen visiting an inn where he warns four English tourists, the Kents (Diana, Charles, Helen and Alan) not to visit Karlsbad. Ignoring his advice, they choose to visit Karlsbad but are left abandoned two kilometres away from their destination when their fear stricken coach driver refuses to go any further.
With the castle in view, the Kents soon end being taken there when a driverless carriage arrives soon after they have been abandoned. Upon arrival at the castle they find a dining table set for four people and their bags unpacked in the bedrooms. They are soon met by a servant by the name Klove who explains that his master, the late Count Dracula, has left instructions that the castle should always be ready to welcome strangers. After the Kents have eaten, they settle in their rooms for the evening.
Later that night Alan leaves his room to investigate a noise and follows Klove to the castle's crypt. Klove kills him and uses his blood by mixing it with Dracula's ashes to revive the Count. Later Klove entices Helen to the crypt where she then becomes Dracula's first victim. The following morning, Charles and Diana look for Alan and Helen but are unable to find them and notice Klove's absence too. Charles and Diana leave the castle and soon arrive at a Woodsman's hut. Charles tells Diana to wait in the hut whilst he returns to the castle to search for Alan and Helen. Whilst Charles is gone Klove arrives at the hut and tricks Diana into returning to the castle.
Back at the castle, Charles finds Alan's dismembered body in a trunk in the crypt and as darkness falls Dracula rises. Diana encounters Helen, who, now a vampire, attacks her. Dracula then appears and warns Helen away from Diana. Charles struggles with Dracula until Diana realises that the crucifix around her neck is an affective weapon against vampires. Charles improvises a larger cross and manages to drive Dracula away and him and Diana escape from the castle in a carriage. As the carriage speeds further and further away from the castle the horses pulling it lose control and it crashes knocking Diana unconscious. Charles has to carry her for several hours through the woods before they are eventually rescued by Father Sandor, who takes them to his abbey.
Whilst they are there, Klove arrives in a wagon carrying two coffins containing Dracula and Helen but he's denied admission to the abbey by the monks. Ludwig, a patient at the abbey, is in awe of Dracula and he invites the Count inside the grounds. Helen pursuades Diana to open the window and let her in, claiming that she's escaped from Dracula. Diana gives in and lets her in but Helen bites her arm. Dracula drags Helen off wanting Diana for himself but Charles bursts into the room in time driving the vampires away.
Sandor quickly sterilizes bite on Diana's arm with the heat from an oil lamp, then buts silver crucifixes in the two coffins to prevent the vampires returning. Sandor captures Helen and drives a stake through her heart killing her. Ludwig lures Diana into Dracula's presence where the Count then hypnotizes her into removing the crucifx from around her neck. Dracula coerces her to drink his blood from his bare chest but Charles returns just in time to prevent it, forcing Dracula to then flee carrying the unconscious Diana.
Charles and Sandor arm themselves and give chase on horseback. A shortcut allows them to get ahead of Dracula's wagon and they stop it. Charles shoots Klove who has apparently removed Sandor's crucifixes from the coffins, but the horses gallop off back to the castle. At the castle, Diana is rescued and Dracula's coffin is thrown onto the frozen moat. Charles ventures onto the ice in an attempt to stake Dracula but the Count springs out his coffin and attacks him. Sandor shoots at the ice and it breaks. Diana quickly rescues Charles and Dracula is left sinking into the freezing water and drowns.
Sunday, June 19, 2022
My Second Football Kit
Liverpool Home Jersey
1985-86 Season
I remember getting this kit shortly after starting Senior School in the summer of 1985, I recall it was a Birthday present from my Mum and Dad.
Unlike my previous replica kit, this one didn't come in any fancy presentation box but rather polythene bags with the classic adidas logo printed all over them.
Whilst my first football kit remains one of my favourite Liverpool kits of all time, this kit is my outright favourite. I love everything about it, the shade of red used, the detailed jersey design, the adidas stripes on the jersey & shorts and the socks with those white adidas logos on the sides.
I played football with my friends most evenings after school and I constantly wore this kit. Afterwards I would stand over the bathroom sink and carefully handwash it removing any grass stains and mud. I would then rinse it in cold water and I can remember how my hands would turn blue because the water was so cold. It would then be hung up to try in the airing cupboard ready for wear the following evening.
A great kit and one which holds
so many fantastic memories for me.
Liverpool Squad
1986-1987
Saturday, June 18, 2022
Cadbury's Dairy Milk
Dairy Milk is a Brtish brand of milk chocolate manufactured by Cadbury. It was first introduced in 1905 and contained a higher proportion of milk than previous chocolate bars.
The higher milk content eventually led to the "glass and a half" slogan being introduced in 1928 to accompany the Dairy Milk Bar.
Iconic Cadbury logo
According to Wikipedia, the distinctive purple colour used for Dairy Milk wrappers was introduced in 1914 as a tribute to Queen Victoria.
Cadbury's Dairy Milk has been my outright favourite chocolate bar since I first tasted it as a child back in the late 70s.
I can still remember eating it back then, slowly removing the purple foil wrapper and exposing the smooth and shiny square chunks of chocolate hidden within.
I would happily break off a couple of squares at a time and savour the taste by letting the chunks melt in my mouth!
Friday, June 17, 2022
Ian Rush
Ian Rush is a Welsh former professional footballer who played for Liverpool Football Club. He was a striker for them from 1980 until 1987 when he then joined Italian club Juventus for a fee of £3.2m. He only spent one season in Italy before he returned back to Liverpool for £2.7m in August 1988 where he then stayed until the summer of 1996.
Whilst at Liverpool he made 660 appearances for them and he currently remains their all-time leading goal scorer with a total of 346 goals in all competitions. During his time at the club he helped them win 5 League Division One Titles, 3 FA Cups, 5 League Cups, 4 Charity Shields, 2 European Cups and the Football League Super Cup.
MY IDOL
Ian Rush was my idol during my teen years and I always tried to emulate him whenever I played football with my friends. I had to have the same Nike football boots as him and I remember wearing a curbed gold chain around my neck because he wore one too.
For the majority of his time at Liverpool he wore the number 9 jersey and so whenever I got the latest replica Liverpool kit I'd save my pocket money so that I could get a number 9 put onto the back of my jersey top.
I can remember being devastated when I learnt that he was leaving Liverpool for Juventus and I recall writing a letter to him via Liverpool FC to ask for his top after he'd played his last game for the club.
God knows how many other teenage lads my age wrote to ask for the same thing. In fairness Liverpool did reply to my letter and I received the autographs of a few Liverpool players including Ian Rush's on a piece of glossy paper.
Imagine my delight when he returned back to Liverpool a season later after an unsuccessful spell in Italy.
Ian Rush playing for Juventus
1986 FA CUP FINAL
The highlight of my time being a Liverpool supporter and avid Ian Rush fan as a teen was the 1986 FA Cup Final against Everton at Wembley Stadium. I can remember the build up to the game that day as it was televised and we got to see the players on the team coach as it made it's way to the stadium.
There were red or blue team flags draped over the windows of most houses in my local area and everyone was looking forward to the game that afternoon because they were either Liverpool or Everton supporters. By kickoff time all streets were deserted and everyone was sat in front of the television to watch the game.
The game kicked off at 3pm that day and Liverpool went a goal behind after 27 minutes when Gary Lineker opened the scoring. It was an exciting first half but Liverpool failed to equalize and went into the half time interval trailing. The second half was much better and 11 minutes after the break my idol "Rushie" equalised for Liverpool Then in the 62nd minute Craig Johnston scored a second for Liverpool putting them into the lead and then Ian Rush sealed the victory with a thunderbolt strike in the 83rd minute.
What a match and what a win!
Scoring against Everton in the 1986 FA Cup Final
Liverpool celebrating their FA Cup win
Thursday, June 16, 2022
Chicken & Vegetable Cup a Soup
I first started having Chicken & Vegetable Cup a Soups back in 1985. I used to go my Nan's house during weekday lunchtimes throughout my senior school days and each day she would have a mug out ready for me with one these Cup a Soup sachets and a few slices of white bread.
I loved them because they were quick to make, decent tasting and quite filling with the provided sliced bread. I remember I used to roll up each slice of bread and dunk them into the mug fishing out the tasty croutons.
Once I'd eaten the soup soaked bread usually the soup was cool enough to finish off with a spoon. Sometimes as I'd get to the bottom of the cup I would find some undissolved soup powder which would provide one final kick of Chicken and Vegetable flavour.
My Nan would sometimes go out of her way to ensure she had a stockpile of these soups for me so that I never went short and for that I will always be eternally grateful.
Nowadays whenever I have one of these Cup a Soups I pause for a moment to remember my Nan and all the good times I had spent with her during my childhood.
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
Brut Aftershave
I think most teenage lads in Merseyside during the 80s were given Brut Aftershave as a Birthday or Christmas present. I certainly got a bottle of the stuff one Christmas and it was the first aftershave I used when I initially started shaving back in the Spring of 1988.
It felt like a right of passage, no shave was complete without the burning sensation of Brut aftershave on your face afterwards. The scent of Brut seem to last forever and according to the fragrantica website it's top notes are Anise, Lavender, Basil, Begamot and Lemon; middle notes are Geranium, Ylang-Ylang and Jasmine; base notes are Oakmoss, Vetiver, Patchouli, Tonka Bean, Vanilla and Sandalwood.
Brut will always remain a firm favourite aftershave of mine as it reminds me of my time in senior school and in particular those early days of shaving.
Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Golden Brown
Golden Brown was released in 1982 by the Stranglers and was the second single from their sixth studio album La folie. It made it to No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart, the band's highest ever placing in that chart.
This track has always remained one of my all time favourites and I especially like it's distinctive use of harpsichords and 6/8 time signature.
Whenever I hear it I'm reminded of days spent on holiday at my Aunty and Uncles house during my childhood . I recall tea and toast some evenings in their games room. The coal fire would be crackling away whilst I messed about on the snooker table and my two Uncles sat jamming away on their guitars.
I remember the amazing aroma of cakes and biscuits being baked by my Aunty for afternoon Tea every Sunday and I recall those early morning walks in the countryside with my cousin, his Lurcher and the family Springer Spaniel.
Great memories triggered by a great song!
Monday, June 13, 2022
Cherry Bakewells
Cherry Bakewells by Mr Kipling have been one of my favourite cakes since childhood. I remember during the 80s my Mum would send me to the mobile shop for essentials like bread and milk and every once in a while she'd tell me to buy a box of Cherry Bakewells too.
What's not to like about them, shortcrust pastry, raspberry jam, frangipane, almond favoured fondant and a glazed cherry on top. They were definitely favourites in our house that's for sure.
Occasionally we'd have a Bakewell Tart instead. Basically the same thing only a lot larger, without the glazed cherries on top but equally as tasty as the Cherry Bakewells.
Sunday, June 12, 2022
Danny the Champion of the World
I was first introduced to Roald Dahl's story writing during my time in Primary School back in the early 80s. My teacher at that time, Miss McMurdo read three of his story books to us; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach and Danny the Champion of the World.
Not long before she had read Danny the Champion of the World to us, I'd stayed with my Aunty and Uncle in Skelmersdale. Whilst there I had been on several early morning woodland walks with my older cousin up at the Beacon Country Park and so listening to the story in class afterwoods, as my teacher narrated Danny's adventure into Mr. Hazel's woodland estate in search of his missing Dad, I envisaged him walking through woodlands similar to the one that I'd walked through only weeks before.
Being able to see that woodland in my head made the story feel more real to me and I as I continued to listen I was completly enthralled. Due to this, for me Danny the Champion of the World was the best of those three Roald Dahl stories we had heard and is is probably why it has remained my favourite book ever since.
Danny illustrated by Quentin Blake
THE STORY
Danny, who's Mum died suddenly when he was only four months old lives in an old caravan behind the service station and garage that his Father William owns and operates. Him and his Father are very close and enjoy many pastimes together such as kite flying and making go karts.
Danny learns that his Father is an avid poacher and is poaching pheasants from the local Wood which is owned by the obnoxious and wealthy gentleman named Victor Hazell.
Soon afterwards, Danny awakes in the early hours one morning to discover that his Father hasn't returned from his latest poaching trip. Worried, Danny nervously takes a car that had been repaired at the garage and sets off to look for his Dad in the nearby Wood.
Unaware that the Gamekeepers leave after sunset, he sneaks into the Wood and eventually finds his Father incapacitated with a suspected broken ankle in a trap which has been set for humans. Danny rescues his Father and drives him back home.
Whilst his Father recovers at home, he and Danny realise that Mr Hazell's annual pheasant shoot is approaching and so they devise a plan to humiliate him by poaching all his pheasants just before his self-aggrandizing shoot.
To do this they hide sleeping pills in raisins which the pheasants will eat and they then scatter them in Mr. Hazell's Wood. Soon they succesfully capture 120 pheasants and Danny and his Father take a taxi to the local vicarage where they hide the birds.
The following day the sleeping pheasants are delivered to Danny's Father's garage by the Vicar's wife in a specially made baby pram. The birds start waking up and flying out of the pram but don't go far because they're still sleepy.
During the comotion a raging Mr. Hazell turns up and confronts Danny and his Father accusing them of stealing his pheasants. With the help of the local village policeman, Danny and his Father are able to shoo the sleepy birds over Mr. Hazell's Rolls-Royce damaging the paintwork in the process.
As Mr. Hazell leaves disgraced many of the pheasants start waking up completely and soon fly off in the opposite direction to Mr. Hazell's Wood.
The book ends with Danny's Father hailing Danny as "the champion of the world".
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