ahh... it is one of those perfect summer afternoons. After a morning of yard work trimming hedges, mowing grass and, erm, disposing of a rather large dead bird from under the hedge (ewww), we got a few hours' relaxation as the sun broke out. It's what would have been a perfect English summer day, say thirty years ago back when the English had something other than alternating rain versus stifling heat all summer long. 'Cept now it occurs at 55 degress N. Latitude here in Copenhagen.
Susan and I are kicking back on the terrace with a couple of gin and tonics, listening to Amy Winehouse's Back to Black as Malcolm delights in his Splash Rocket Sprinkler, a rather ingenious and inexpensive Chinese import to keep the kids cool, wet and happy on a summer's day
Amy Winehouse is very interesting: a 23 year-old, Jewish Londoner who sings and swings like it's Ju-Ly on the South Side... good god, where did she get those chops as a singer? Her voice is somewhere between Shirley Bassey and Lauryn Hill, without a trace of self-consciousness or modern instrumentation. It's like a particularly tasty slice of my music collection, between old-school soul and tasty ska circa 1964. Could she be any cooler? I think not.
I raise a glass to her. Happy Canada Day, y'all.
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