Spooky months end

The first thing to say this week is there will be no scheduled Monday  Blog tm this week as I'll be away across the weekend so unable to put anything together before then and in light of things across the last few months I certainly could use it.

Things this time of year do get a bit spooky, so spooky they mave give the would be photographer the shakes with all those ghosts and spirits from the past and present being around before you bring in the crowd from Hogwarts...

All Hallows was our thing back in the day but from the 80's onwards that shifted to the American preoccupation with and customs centred around Halloween such as Trick of Treat.

Progress is being made with that missing files restoration we referred to a couple of weeks back, recopying some from compact disc where I have it, getting those I haven't from download stores in either regular cd quality or better than HD quality.

While legacy cards may reflect the realities of those times when sd cards of even modest sizes such as 32gb were expensive and players were more limited in terms of the sorts of files they would play so they tend to be Mp3's (or lossy 256kbps M4a) there's no reason in 2025 for a new card to start with anything other than lossless as the default and in time a new card will be established.

Spooky weekend

 

We're kind of getting ready to be off later on today for a Halloween meet and party so between wen dealing with the unexpected this week I've been sorting out my costume, other clothing like proper traditional little boy shirt, tie and short trousers for a meal and things to bring for party food.

Having a good number ghoulish bats isn't a bad idea either to hide amongst the trees or in old garden sheds for treasure hunts and the odd giant spider.

There are lots of decorations up around here as I noticed going out across the week and I'm sure a ghoulish time will be had.

Meet Joel on Friday

Spookiness is very much in the air this week providing a much need respite from more challenging adult concerns this week in a very fast moving period in our countries political history.

Regular readers of this blog know I'm a superfan of Blue Peter from a very early age and so today I'm reporting on it.

On Tuesday it was announced County Down, Northern Ireland magician and social media star Joel Mawhinney has been appointed as the newest presenter of the BBC's Blue Peter.

The 25-year-old content creator, who was born in Bangor, becomes the 41st host of the long-running CBBC children's show.

Mawhinney will start in his new role on Friday 11 November, co-hosting alongside Richie Driss, Mwaka Mudenda and Henry the Dog.

He effectively replaces Adam Beale who left the show on July 15th as the third presenter.

He said: "Becoming the 41st Blue Peter presenter is a surreal and - dare I say it - magical experience.

"I've always loved making people smile with my magic and I want to do the same for the Blue Peter audience.

Having seen him fill in during the summer months on the show I am sure he'll succeeed on what is the shows 64th year that was marked earlier in the month..

Spooky preparations and music

While I should be off at the end of next week for some spooky fun that I'm sure will include making Pumpkin Lanterns other things are on my mind like Monday's Covid booster rocket I'm due for that I had expected my GP Practice to contact me about but they didn't so I booked mine at the local Pharmacy electronically like you do.

Also as a twisted spin leads to problems getting a good fit in short trousers to avoid the about to fall down feeling I now have a pair of braces to hold them up.

Just feeling them takes me back in time and I feel so much that young boy in what are quite short short trousers just like it was 1974 all over again.

In halloween colours this four compact disc box set should be with me today that takes in the main works of the French composer Maurice Ravel in a set of acclaimed recording from the early nineteen eighties a few of which I have on record from the days I listened mainly to them.

This set apart from obviously being a bit more convenient adds a few more works such as his Paino Concertos and Schehérazade that at one point I had a record of on Decca's Jubilee series and is recorded digital as most recordings from the early eighties onwards were.

There's a lot happening in the politics with polly tricks galore but I'm leaving that stuff to the grown ups!

 

Halloween time

It's that time of the year boys, we have but a week of it but it is super fun.

It's halloween weekend and with a whole load of other unwanted stuff this year it's a good excuse as any to put on a bit of show and enjoy something that will take our minds off of things and let us relive our childhood likes.

These three will be on my door at least in part for my entertainment as much as that of the neighbourhood's boys and girls this year as well as a broom stick and candy will be left in bags for picking up while we look out and wave through the windows as they play trick and treat in costumes.

Even Snoopy gets in on the act!