Summer Camp 2026

Pmac 2026 style started last Friday with a detour by Miss Green enroute despite a silly motorist causing issues outside the house just as the car was being loaded and I was trying to get in the car all ladylike in my black skirt and white long socks as we took a series of A Roads to beat the traffic that causes delays using the motorway to get to our destination for six days of fun.

We stopped off a few times for a break and stretch the legs before arriving and unloading in our respective rooms with me way up in the Gods in the attic room requiring two stairways to climb.

Given some business that by co-incidence was moving to a final determination just as I was away I really needed a break beyond just having more child-like totally innocent fun.

The overall theme of the get together was Movies and that was well weaved into things by Alice and out with individual event organizers. 

We did some arts drawing or painting miniatures based upon favourite children's movies we loved so I went for the St. Trinian's Great Train Robbery  where the girls made their way up the railway line.

There was decorating so inspired by a light I used pink icing and aniseed sprinkles to cover the sweer wafer carefully spreading the icing all over. 

I'll be honest and say cookery isn't my strong point but that worked out just fine actually.

Then in crafts we made paper airplanes from card, decorating  where they were judged for travel that was tested in the grounds, decoration and originality

A few jigsaws were made such as this Mr Men one  on a table by several of us.

There was a movie themed Treasure Hunt with clues and some singing of songs from The Sound of Music.

Miss Green organized some games with movie themes as did Alice a day later which I didn't do too badly at given my wobbly lower paws and damaged upper paws.

The All Purr-Puss Nekimimi Music Quiz was run by the resident catgurl which went well given the mice ate the wifi so unlike previous years this all had to done by pen rather print outs with some film related questions.

Jillian run a general knowledge quiz also with links to movies that went well while over three nights storytime happened which was super cool.

A variety of meals were prepared by the assembled although on days where there wasn't any organized activities people fixed their own on the Tuesday we went to a hotel that does meals open to non residents where I really enjoyed the Turkey and Leek pie  with chips and veg.

The cooking standard was one of the finest I've ever experienced.

Thanks to everyone who did something such as organize an event, prepare food, clean up and generally help out as it doesn't happen without everyone mucking in.

Soulling or not?

 

It was announced that the much talked about demixed from the four track master tapes and remixed Rubber Soul seven extracts of which were presented in the expanded late 2023 1962-1966 "RED" compilation would emerged come October 2nd on Parlophone records.

Demixing is when using some really complex computer software you can isolate and then alter spacial position and balance elements in the mix that due to the primitive recording technology used in the mid 1960's had never been possible previously.

This was done to overall great effect in 2022 with their 1966 classic album Revolver which had a shedload of issues with the original stereo mix that might not bug the casual fan but for seasoned listeners and audio fans stuck out like a sore thumb.

It will be available in a variety of forms from stand alone single lp or cd reissues, two record or cd sets with the We Can Work It Out/Day Tripper single and some demo versions of songs on a second disc, a Dolby Atmos bluray with surround sound mixes and four cd and five lp box sets with 88 page booklets and the original U.S. Rubber Soul with original mixes featuring different track line up.

Obviously the bigger sets cost more so you need to way up what you do need and I have a number of copies as it is.

I have the original stereo and mono mixes on lp and cd, the 1986 remix on cd and the 2009 remaster of that on cd so I might only get on cd the two cd full album and bonus highlights rather like I did back in 2022 for Revolver.

Blinded By Science

 We've had yet another hot week here, not as bad as the first heatwave of the summer but certainly hot enough for double windows open, blinds down and fans running for much of the day so we've not been wearing much.

One thing I did was play a unusual record that I own  from 1983.

It's what was called a Mini LP, a new format that Capitol-Emi tried in North America of a record longer than a twelve inch single but with full album art and a proper jacket with spine.

This comprised of two UK twelve inch singles and an extra track that run for just over twenty-nine minutes for a low price.

She Blinded Me With Science with vocal contributions from Dr Magnus Pyke was also released as a edited seven inch single peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100.

This was a big seller in the spring and summer of 1983 and something I liked for compositions such as Windpower.

Surviving the heat

It's a lot hotter out as I type this, dripping, on Saturday than forecasters predicted, fans on, window blinds pulled to keep the heat from the sun out as I get through many drinks with some cooler air coming through.

Everything seems a struggle in this heat, just getting a simple meal for instance so rather than roasting upstairs with the super audio cd player or playing a record, I've been re-reading annuals and comics while keeping up with plans as we're a fortnight from a group break with activities in the British Isles which should be fun.

I was watching a StuView video on YouTube looking at Saturday TV in the past from morning shows to evening shows for "all the family" that cast my mind back a bit to the 70's and early 80's .

Korky's battles with the mice featured on the front pages of the Dandy back then, they robbed him of various things, even his Christmas dinner before now.

Later on Desperate Dan featured on the front cover before the controversial 2000's reset and redrawing of the comic that seemed to lose it's hard core readership without bring over those who wanted edgier content and more reference to mass media such as Harry Hill's tv show and that was before Social Media and Streamed media were a thing.

Could it of survived in the way its stablemate the Beano did?

Not without bringing in newer cartoon strips set in this century for today's children who do read them and the big issue of the visibility of the physical comic in places that sell magazines with the racks in Morrison's very unorganized and messy.

Welcome to July with updates

Wednesday saw what I grew up calling Dominion Day, marking that day in 1867 modern day Canada was formed from parts of British North America.

Other things marked included on Friday the latest changes on Blue Peter, a children's show I remember well.

Friday saw Joel MaWhinney's final Blue Peter show where he attempted to do everybodyelses role on the show!

For this final show he scaled Spinnaker Tower using suction cups as part of Superhero Challenge which was a finger biting watch as he struggled with his nerves at one point.

Joel was Blue Peter's 41st presenter, and he has brought a touch of magic to the show! He first came in as a guest on the show back in 2018, and by December 2022 he was officially part of the team.

Born in Northern Ireland in 1997, Joel isn’t just a magician - he’s a creative powerhouse. Whether he’s making things disappear or stunning stars with his tricks, he’s always is practising to 'wow' the Blue Peter audience.

Joel presented this year His Majesty King Charles III with a BP Gold Badge for his work inspiring people to care for the environment, something like his dad Prince Philip he was doing before it came fashionable.

Joel’s passion, positivism, and love of learning make him the perfect member of the Blue Peter gang taking part in many memorable activities such as absailing, training with the Royal Marines, trying bob sleighing  and the like.

While some new trends on the show aren't to my tastes - I don't think Hacker T Dog as presenter really is good move for instance - I feel he did the job of relating  to and inspiring children explore themselves and achieve well.

Teenbeat: The Beach Boy's rounded off

Melting, heat stroke affected post this week.

In 1974 Capitol started a series two lp compilations that purported to gather together in themes the beach boys 1962-1970 output in eye catching artwork, starting with Endless Summer.

A issue with the first two the use of fake stereo versions of songs although commecially they did sell rather well.

Come 1982 they finished it off with Sunshine Dream that did get cleaner sounding copies of the songs and took us across the 1966-70 period taking in Pet Sounds, Smiley Sile, Wild Honey, Friends and 20/20 their last studio album for Capitol. 

This one was inexplicably not released in the UK so many were unaware of just what it had to offer although like the second one the artwork was by Roy Kohara and somewhat kitsch and cheap looking. 

This is a good companion to Endless Summer  which I have newer better sounding version of. 

Warm memories

 

It's a hot one, the weather that is having just taken stock of record that felt warm to the touch off Royal Meow and put it in vertical fairly tight bit of rack to cool off while being pressed a bit flatter that it might be potentially if not.

Kind of reminds me of the time in August 1988 when I'd gone into Wolverhampton to the HMV store at the Mander Centre buying a copy of the new Five Star album only to bring it home with a bit of prominent warp!

We didn't have a HMV up here then, just lots of independents across this sprawling area. 

I gave this a bit of clean, a disc of hits - all in stereo - by the Everly Brothers, the connection between Country and the Rock and Roll era that came out here in 1975 that was got for me after borrowing a copy out of the municipal library, surviving it's years quite well.

There's been any number of compilations by that duo but this captures most of the hits you want on one disc and certainly beats a two disc volume I tried on Pickwick in the mid 80's.