Lymington Folk Club - (Bar Room Blues) Update!

http://www.unique-photography.co.uk/folk/index.html 
http://www.jdrobertsband.com/  


The  4th January 2012 and the Lymington Folk Club, both the date and place will be set in 
my mind for a very long time. Why you ask, well, I met up with some old friends from my 
teenage years and my dearest friend and longest known friend John Dunkinson played a 
small set, by himself and a couple of tunes accompanied with Pete Strong and Pete Jones. 

     His music was uplifting and the icing on the cake for me. But I am pretty sure the rest of 
the club also enjoyed his songs, judging by the applause and the after effect.  John who 
lives in Seattle, USA means I and his other UK friends do not see him very often, and 
because of this it made it doubly good for me.  But must not forget the other artists that 
performed this night, because once again the Folk club produced tunes to the highest of 
standards. 

A very big THANK YOU for this alone. 


Apart from my regular visit and enjoyment of the music at this Folk Club, by the way is 
every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month, it had turned into a re-union of old friends, the 
only thing that remains to be seen is whether or not we will all keep to our departing 
words, 'keep in touch, I'll give you text or call, check you out on Facebook, don't leave it 
another thirty years' you know what I mean. We have all done it at some time in our lives, 
people get separated with life's paths, and then meet up again further down the paths of 
fate. We had a good night talking of the past and of today. This is a sign of good friends, 
you can talk to each other easily, no stopping and faltering and wondering what to say.


John Dunkinson sang some songs in remembrance of a local  character, poet and singer 
songwriter from the area. He has recorded his songs and put them onto a CD called 
'Gypsy'  and subtitled 'In Memory of Rod Legge' Very high quality recording and very 
high standard of music. So I suggest you have a listen to them by visiting the web site on the following link  http://www.jdrobertsband.com/   and if possible support the local characters. 


       Without these people, your villages and towns would be like any other, boring. These 
characters can be like an attraction and a very valuable asset. Look after them while alive 
and if not then at least give them life in their death with some form of acknowledgement. 
Please visit and website and help. THANK YOU, for this.

http://www.jdrobertsband.com/  = for the CD 'Gypsy'

http://www.unique-photography.co.uk/folk/index.html = for the Lymington Folk Club. If in the area

remember to visit. 1st and 3 rd Wednesday of each and every month

Oh, Little Bridge. - A Poem by Gerald Ainger/Cobb

Oh little bridge may I cross?

Where to go I am at a loss,

Back from where I came, Oh no!

It’s your direction I must go,

Oh little bridge you are in my way,

I must pass on this winters day,

Your railings are in need of some paint,

As they are looking a little faint,

Oh little bridge you are a star,

To cross you I’ve traveled far,

Looking across to the other side,

I see secrets you have tried to hide,

Oh little bridge spanning the stream,

To tread your boards is my dream,

Trickling waters bubbling over stones,

Soak my feet, ease my aching bones,

Oh little bridge I’ve changed my mind,

Another route I shall find,

My decision, not one that was rash,

I’ve decide to paddle through the water-splash.

 Dedicated to the village bridge

 in Brockenhurst, UK.

 I spent many a summer evening sitting on it’s railings

 playing the guitar.  July 1997.

Bar Room Blues..

Us at Thomas Tripp, Lymington,UK.    

Doin' Our 'Ting      29 June 2011

         We, John and myself Gerald, turned up at the Thomas Tripp public house,in Lymington, Hampshire, UK, expecting the Lymington Folk Club to be present, and hoping to see some musicians of varying styles. But to our surprise it was not on on this particular Wednesday. Yes you guessed, it was next Wednesday. Apparently every first and third Wednesday of the month. It was a shame because my friend had a music CD, that he and several others had recorded numerous songs written and performed by themselves,  in remembrance of the local poet, musician and character of Lymington. Some of the songs were in part at least written by this local character. I must say that it is very good so if you get a chance to purchase a copy I strongly advise it. All in a good cause I might add. See and visit the web site, it explains all and I say support your local characters. www.jdrobertsband.com     Any way I diverse.....

           We met up with another friend, also in the picture, his name is Pete and he is the one on the left. I personally have not seen him since 1979 -1980, he said the last he saw me was when I had my hair draping half way down my back. And so thinking this then the years would be about right. We all sat down with a pint and having a chat about things from past and present, we, after a short while asked the bar tender if we could have our own guitar session in the back bar, to which she said we could. Of course it was lucky that I had brought two guitars with me.  We all proceeded to have a good evening of music on our own. The memories rushed back from the days of past gone when me and John used to do it regularly. The reason I am recording this is because, as one reason already mentioned, I have not seen Pete for over thirty five years and it was brilliant for this to happen now, we could still talk and have things to say. Conversation did not become quiet or awkward. And now with mobile numbers passed over we should be able to continue our re-found friendship.

        The other reason is.....John, who now lives in the USA and has visited UK every year, parents still live here, but for various reasons we have not met up for about ten years. So this event has been recorded, by this blog, and linked to others, Blogger, and photographs. So just in case we do not meet again this will always be here.
        We were child friends, grew up together and  learnt to play guitars together but when he went to USA I must admit I felt a little lost. So memories likes this mean so much more, hopefully there will be more. But just in case.                                                
        I had a chat with Pete a couple of weeks later and we might try a guitar duo, at the very least for pleasure and fun...
So for now I say 'Watch this Space'

www.jdrobertsband.com     Dont forget to visit and support, Please..

If I could See for a Day - Assuming I could See Before !!

I will write about this one because of my sarcasm and cynicism. 
My feeling is that if I was blind then how the hell would I know what I would like to see, look at or view. People can describe things to us and there fore will depend on how good that description is and of our interpretation. 
So lets say that I lost my sight when twenty five years old, and have been able to visit and see a large part of the world. I am now forty five and have been blind for .... oh yes twenty years. 
With my vast experience and knowledge, and of course memory, what would I like to see again. Being able to see would also bring into ones mind, thoughts and emotions. So let me think, where and what in this world would be worth looking at and enjoying...hang on be back in a minute,,cuppa time. 

The picture tells it all, Disney in Florida is the place to view and be. It portrays happiness, joy, love and pure magic of wonder. 
A place to forget all ones worries and become a born again child. Run up to a character get a hug an autograph and a photo. 'Everlasting memories' 
Love love and more, enjoy.... 
Not to forget the smiles on every ones faces.

How I became Cynical -part two

The Death of a Tree

Told it was diseased?? Don't look it to me...........

Next Chapter,, trying to find work..  Oh yes easy I hear you all saying.....MY FOLLOW UP......


.......This all depends on your age.. Assuming you are of average or above intelligence, willing to put your hand to anything and is quite capable and willing to learn. One would think that getting a job was straight forward, especially if you listen to all the bullshit that comes out of our Tweedle Dee and Dum Government. After all they are creating a lot of the unemployment by making all these cuts and in turn the government offices/departments and council offices around the country are reducing their workforce to meet the monetary cuts that has been inflicted on them. I go to sign on every couple of weeks and I am constantly told 'companies are taking on the older persons' although they cannot tell me which ones or show any proof. All I hear is more being put out onto the unemployment ranks.. Join the club..
I bet that there are many others out there feeling the same way, we want to work, we want a job, but the system and the companies are saying other wise. I have records, mostly emails showing how many I have applied for and I am not limiting myself to one field. Again how many others are in the same position, and feeling very low and thinking they have so much to offer but are being held back. 
So lets all get together and start shouting, many voices make louder noises than one. If Tweedle Dee and Dum run the country lets start to run Tweedle Dee and Dum..after all Mickey Mouse is in charge here....
Not  having money makes things difficult, not having transport makes getting about difficult,easy to say I know but 'lets not let the bastards grind us down...
Hope you all get the gist of being cynical, but it goes deeper doesn't it !!!!!!!!!!

“The Best Photo I've Taken, Not technically though .....” by Gerry Ainger

“The Best Photo I've Taken, Not technically though I say, do you hear.....” by Gerry Ainger

My favourite photo, as shown was taken while on holiday in Florida. It may not be a technically good photo and professionals would no doubt criticise it for position, its exposure or some other crap that they like to spin. Just to justify their position of being professional. But to me and probably to many others it's what you like that counts. Like music some songs you like some you don't but yours and my likes and dislikes does not make it a bad song. So what ever we say and do we look at our photo's and enjoy them, for mine it is the picture itself and with the memory it brings, enhances the picture, and I don't bloody care what others say, I only hope they enjoy it for their own reasons. So I say enjoy as I will enjoy others... Thanks. 

PS: for the record it was taken while waiting for a bus at Key West to take us to Downtown Disney, with a Ricoh Camera, cannot remember model, A very nice warm day.

“The Oldest Thing I Own is a Violin but not a Stradavarius.” by Gerry Ainger

Well this is an easy story to write, it my mother's 'violin'. She passed it on to me way back in 1970, when I was playing my guitar in my bedroom. She came into my bedroom with violin in hand, she said as I was the only one in our family musically minded I could take over the ownership. She took it out of the case and proceeded to tune it up and the played 'God Save the Queen'. Then handed it to me and said it is yours. It needs a little TLC other wise it is a good instrument. She went on to tell me that she had not played it since 1938 when she played at Southampton Guildhall in the Southampton Music Festival. So I feel she must have been pretty good as she had not touched it for 30 years or more. 
This is one good memory I will never forget. I also have Certificates from 1936 and 1937 where she came first in solo and third in Duet also at Southampton music festival. Yes I was thoroughly impressed and I feel I never attained the same in guitar. But still very enjoyable. By the way this Violin is circa 1929 which is fairly old and valuable as sentimental but not monetary,

A Copy of Certificate, History.

 My Guitar is around 34, not 100 per cent sure. It has been through the wars but still very playable.. Lifeblood of a guitarist,,,still tuning and playing it and not letting one down, still beating.