RAY WILCOX -´WORKING TITLE´DUE THIS YEAR - Blog

times like these

5/8/2020

It has only been a few days since my last update. Thankfully, the Covid-19 situation in Spain is gradually improving. We were allowed out, as a couple, last Saturday for the first time since 15 March. People here follow the official guidelines and are reaping the benefits. We are saddened when we read the UK newspapers and listen to the UK news and hear about people who don´t seem to care about their safety or that of anyone else. It just dosen´t seem to make sense. Would they jump off a cliff if told to do so? Maybe...
........................................................................................................................................................

all things must pass

4/25/2020

This year started in a positive way for us.

During the first week of March we had tickets to see a charity concert at the O2 arena
to raise funds for the Royal Marsden Hospital. Margaret had also procured tickets to see the Tutankhamun exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery.

We stayed at an hotel in Depford, South London. This is an area well known to me from my childhood. Peckham, where I was born, was rough but Depford was the pits. I didn´t recognise it. It had definitely been gentrified. On the day of the concert we travelled to the O2 to get an idea of the layout and where the restaurants were. We visited the NOW gallery which is opposite the Os entrance and saw the most incredible piece of art called Slices Of Time. There is a pic on the Pics and Poems page.

The concert was excellent and we had great seats courtesy of Margaret. The artists who stood out for us were Cat Stevens, Mick Hucknall and, of course, Eric Clapton.
The major disappointment, for us, was Van Morrison. His performance was poor and he came across as a miserable old git who didn´t want to be there.

The weather had started to take a turn for the worse when we went to the Tutankhamun exhibition in West London. It was great seeing the real exhibits but we felt that they could have been displayed to better advantage. Also, crowd control was poor and the Gallery was like a rabbit warren.

Over the four days we were in London we used the Underground system extensively and it was a nightmare. Covid-19 was lurking in the background but, at that time, not being taken seriously.

A week later, on Friday 13 March we flew to Manchester en route to Warrington to see Mum in Westy Care Home. We were lucky to get a couple of hours with her as the place was implementing isolation procedures.

The following day we checked to see the status of our flight back to Spain on the Monday and it had vanished! Margaret got straight on the case and managed to get us on a Ryanair flight on the Sunday evening from Liverpool Airport. We had two of the three available seats left.

Ray and Pam, Margaret´s brother and sister-in-law were a massive help by following us to Manchester Airport on the Sunday lunchtime, where we dropped off our hire car, and then took us to Liverpool Airport. When we boarded the plane we found that we were amongst only 26 passengers who had turned up for the flight! Once in the air the crew said that we could sit where we liked. Weird. Pic on the Pics and Poems page.

On arriving in Alicante we were hurried through the airport without the need to show passports or any form of ID. Spain was now in lockdown from the day before, 14 March. We have been subject to lockdown regulations since that date. The Spanish authorities have our admiration for the way that they are handling the crisis. Only one person out of the house at any one time, same applies in a car. The police are courteous and in charge.

We regularly watch the UK news and are saddened to see the way that people are flouting the rules. If the UK were on a war footing and bombs were being dropped we wouldn´t see pictures of people sunbathing in parks or having BBQs in the street! This situation is worse because we can´t see the enemy.

We are glad that we are here where the rules are plain and not up for interpretation.

Our next trip to New York was scheduled for the first week in April and last for 17 days. This was cancelled and rescheduled for October. We are having serious doubts as to whether this will happen.

Lastly, on 23 April Lucinda Clarke, writer, and I were due to speak to a group of students at a language college in Valencia about the process of writing a book. Hopefully, this will be rescheduled to a future date.

As I mentioned earlier, Mum passed away on 31 March and her funeral was held on 15 April. Thanks to Ray and Pam for keeping us up to date with arrangements and for ensuring that the day was as they and us wished it to be.

A big, big thank you and love to David and Eileen for their presence albeit by phone.
Our thanks and love goes to Ray and Pam, Lindsay and Mel, Jenny and Willi, Kryshia and Brian, Mandy, Fee and Mark, John and Kate, Jane and John, Avonia, Hilary and Steven, Flash and John, Jenny Lewis, Tim and Josie, Sheila and Tony, Hazel and Phil and Ken and Sylvana.

Special thanks to Katya and the staff at Westy Hall Care Home in Latchford near Warrington.

Here, there and everywhere

1/1/2020

Since June we seem to have been chasing our tails. It has been incredible difficult to plan ahead too far.

We were enjoying coffee and tostada with David and Eileen when my phone burst into life. Westy Hall Care Home calling. The conversation was not good. Mum was on her way to Warrington General Hospital after falling in her room. The hospital confirmed that she had sustained fractures to her hip and arm,
Serious stuff for a lady due to celebrate turning 90 on Christmas Day.

The following morning Margaret spent time on the phone discussing Mum with the doctors at the hospital. Soon after we were looking for flights to the UK. Mum recovered incredibly well. She really is one tough lady and I´m proud to say that she has been more of a mum to me than mine ever was.

We seem to have spent most of the year either planning to go to the UK, being there or having just got back. Many, many hours spent in departure lounges. Ug!

Other business matters in the UK also took up time. It was good to see Avonia and Ray and Pam. A big thanks to David and Eileen, KTF and My Brian, Jane and John, Jenny and Willy, Sylvana and Ken and Mandy for positive friendship during 2019. Also festive greetings to Hilary and Jenny in the UK and Eric in the USA. Also, all the staff at Westy Hall Care Home for looking after Mum. Thank you.

Also in this busy year we managed to go on our first cruise and took in many of the Caribbean Islands we had read about. The ship and facilities were as expected, but, package holidays are not for us.

In December we spent three days in Warrington, mostly with Mum, and then headed for Jersey in the Channel Isles where we spent a peaceful and super Christmas. We spent our honeymoon in Jersey in 1986 so it was good to visit most of the island again.

Lastly, the image below is of a collection of 70 poems I put together to mark my reaching the age of 70 in July. Friends have been very positive about the collection. I still have a few left if you are interested.

I wish you all a peaceful and prosperous 2020.

Good To Me as i am to you

6/30/2019

So, so much to report since 5 March.

David and Eileen Stringer have been a constant support throughout and our love and thanks go to you.
As I mentioned on the Home Page, much of what we were doing was centered on or related to Mum. We visited Warrington twice and enjoyed time with Margaret´s brother Ray and Pam. We also managed to fit in a four day break in London. We stayed in Covent Garden, an area which had passed me by when I was growing up and dossing in Central London. We enjoyed great meals at the Loch Fyne restaurant and the highlight was seeing the musical, Tina Turner Story.

We are blessed with amazing restaurants on the Costa Blanca and we have enjoyed them in the company of David and Eileen, Jenny and Willi, KTF and My Brian. Peter and Anne, Doug and Deidre and Ken and Sylvana.

On the ´we didn´t know that Ray was into the posh stuff ´ front, Margaret and I went to the Altea auditorium to see Madam Butterfly and thoroughly enjoyed it. Over the past few years we have been regular visitors to both Altea and Teulada auditoriums to see operas and ballet, so there!
And no electric guitars, whatever next...

Speaking of guitars, I recently had the opportunity to lock plectrums with Willi. We bashed away and produced passable versions of Knocking On Heavens Door and 500 Miles. Nice.

A few days ago I had a delightful conversation with Jennifer, a lady I last spoke to over 50 years ago. Congratulations on the good news.

I have mixed feelings about the whole social media thing, but being reconnected to friends after many years is a plus.

As I´m writing this I´m listening to a special radio show that I presented on TotalFM on 12 April 2015. So much has happened since then...

On Wednesday I was approached by a news team from a Spanish TV station and asked if I would like to comment on how Brexit was going and the possible effects it could have on expats. I did.

Last but not least. Yesterday, we had afternoon tea with David and Eileen on a beautiful boat moored on top of a mountain near Villalonga. I kid you not...

More next time...

..............................................................................................................................................................................

The Way It Is

3/5/2019

5 March 2019
Mid December saw Margaret and I off on our next adventure to Montreal in Canada. We had the most incredible time and, yes, it was bloody cold.

Our hotel was great, with the advantage of being connected to the the miles of underground shopping malls and walk ways. As usual, we were out and about and were thankful that we had taken Jane and John´s advice about buying cold weather clothing.

On Christmas day we walked the streets and headed for Mount Royal in temperatures of minus 15 degrees. We enjoyed an incredible Christmas dinner of Afghan food. On Boxing Day we saw a performance of Cirque Du Soleil, which originated in Montreal. We had a great day out in Quebec and were lucky to have a tour guide who was really on top of his game. On the Thursday after Christmas we went to the Notre Dame Basilica and experienced an incredible light show. Canada is an amazing country and I´m sure that we will be going back.
On our return to the UK we went to Warrington to spend time with Margaret´s Mum. Since our return home to Spain the time has literally flown by. We have more short trips planned for the near future and are looking forward to our Caribbean cruise with David and Eileen in November.

Just to take a step back to the New Year. Margaret and I promised each other that we would share our time with people like ourselves, who would enrich our lives and, hopefully, we enrich theirs. I think that we have just about made that promise a reality.

More next time...

..............................................................................................................................................................................

You´ve Got A Friend

11/19/2018

19 November 2018

As I mentioned earlier, we have concentrated on helping Margaret back to full fitness but this doesnrt mean that we have been housebound. Far from it. We have discovered new restaurants in Javea and have visited our favorite stretch of beach just north of Denia.

The pic on the left is David and Eileen Stringer. They are good people and dear friends who understand the meaning of friendship and truth. I hope they have a wonderful Christmas in the sun.

Steve and Marsha have just returned to California after a two month stay in Denia. I know that they enjoyed themselves and hope to repeat the experience next year.

I recently underwent a cataract replacement and will probably have the left eye repaired in the New Year. The procedure nearly didn´t happen because I managed to poke myself in the eye with a piece
of wood whilst doing a bit of DIY for Margaret. Me and DIY are not a good mix!!!

So, our lives are now picking up a pace again and the diary is full of stuff to do before we arrive in Warrington on 30 December to see the New Year in with Margaret´s mum Helen.

It was great meeting up with a friend of Margaret´s, Jane Dooley. The pair hadn´t met for 34 years and we spent a lovely couple of days with Jane and her partner John.

They had been sailing the oceans for a couple of years and are now safely home in Canada.

We hope to catch up with them during 2019.

here Comes The Sun

5/19/2018

Since my last Blog on 23 April we have, once again, experienced how efficient and friendly the Spanish health system is. Margaret met with the Head of Oncology at Denia Hospital and this was followed by an appointment with the doctor in charge of radiotherapy at Alzira hospital. Margaret started her 25 treatments of radiotherapy on
16 May.

I had my six-monthly PSA check and everything is good.

Once again, thanks to all our friends across the world for your love and support over the past few months.

More next time...

.............................................................................................................................................................................

night nurse

4/23/2018

Since my last Blog post our lives have been filled with hospital appointments and focussing on getting Margaret better. Having been told that her operation was a complete success, we are now waiting for her radiotherapy appointments, which is a normal part of the post-op process. So, I´ve included pictures of other events which occurred during this period.

This beautiful Samoyed is Kota.

Kota was the beloved pet of Marsha and Steve Glance, our dear friends who live in California.

Sadly, Kota passed away a few days ago.

Margaret and I are constantly amazed and delighted by the thoughtfulness and generosity of people we know in Spain.

We were in Denia a few days ago when one of the girls who work in Pikolinos shoe shop, called me on my mobile. She asked if we could make our way to the shop as they had a present for Margaret.

When we arrived these beautiful flowers were waiting for Margaret.

A big thank you to Elia and Ana.

No page would be complete without a picture of Marcus and Giorgio, our beautiful Siamese boys.

We talk about them and miss them every day.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

some days you gotta dance

1/26/2018

Since my last update we have continued to experience the most incredible weather in Spain. This September will see us celebrating our 13th year here and I can´t remember when a January has been so mild.

We have just returned from a short trip to the UK to spend time with Margaret´s mum in our house in Warrington. The cold weather was the first shock, maybe we are becoming acclimatized to conditions in Spain, so it was an opportunity to breakout the jumpers.

We spent a great morning with Avonia, Margaret´s friend from way back. I hope she is able to visit us here before too long. Also, Margaret has reconnected with Jane, a friend from those distant early nursing days in Warrington.

Just before we left Spain I started to experience the sensations which I knew meant that a cold was on its way. We were most concerned that we would fall prey to the flu virus which is still wreaking havoc across the UK and other parts of the world. Thankfully, just a cold. Margaret is now in the middle of it so I´m doing my best to play nursey nursey.

We drove around a fair bit during our stay and it was either raining or blowing a gale. What stayed with me, most of all, was how grey everything appeared to be. People in the shops and on the streets seemed to be browbeaten, rarely was there a smile to be seen. Such a shame.

Just read that Neil Diamond has retired from concert performances because he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. We saw him twice, a superb artist.

I was awake early this morning, sniffing etc, listening to the BBC Radio 2 Chris Evans Breakfast Show. The main reason was that Squeeze were playing live. The other guests included Gary Oldman, up for an Oscar for his role as Churchill in the current blockbuster. Evans was asking Glen Tilbrook of Squeeze about their new album and how many of the old landmarks in London have vanished. Tilbrook mentioned that he´d seen the Beatles film A Hard Days Night at the Odeon cinema in Peckham, sadly no longer there. Oldman chipped in that he had also seen A Hard Days Night at the Peckham Odeon. I couldn´t chip in but I had also seen the same film at the Peckham Odeon, around the same time as they had.

Small world, aint it.

More next time...

..............................................................................................................................................................................

it´s only rock n roll ...............

1/8/2018

8 January 2018

This blog is about my short career as a presenter on TotalFM 91.8 (formally 96.5) based in Javea on the Costa Blanca.

Back in 2014 my first novel, Lock-Down Blues, had just been published and I was doing book signings and radio interviews. A friend mentioned a newish radio station operating out of Javea so I contacted them and asked if they would be interested in an interview. They said yes.

The interview went well and, afterwards, Margaret and I went for coffee with Wendy Williams, who owned the station with husband Chris. We were discussing music and books and I offered the opinion that a radio show which played blues, R&B and rock would go down well with the listeners on the Costa Blanca. Wendy thought about it and asked if I would be interested in presenting such a show. I laughed and said that I had absolutely no experience as a radio presenter. She smiled and said that the technical aspects could be easily learned, was I up for it? I answered with a nervous laugh and said yes. I spent time with some of the presenters and they were great.

The first Lock Down Blues Show was on Sunday 8 February 2015. I arrived early and watched/listened to Chris Williams present his show. My three hour show was due to begin at 1pm. I sat in the chair and readied myself. As my signature tune, The Rides ´ Talk To Me Baby` started, Chris casually informed me that he was off to meet Wendy for lunch and was sure that everything would be OK.

OK!! I´d imagined that he would be babysitting me. Wrong...

Apart from losing the 3 o´clock news, which is still out there somewhere, all went well. Chris and Wendy came back as I was ending the show. Chris said that they had listened and it was a fair debut. High praise.

Margaret said that, apart from too many ´ums` and ´sniffs`, it was a good start. I soon realized that I loved doing it and that there were no restrictions on the types of music I played. Over the years I described my music as an eclectic mix of blues, R&B, rock, jazz and folk. Of course, it gave me the opportunity to promote the music of my favorite American band, The Grateful Dead.

Apart from a break when we had to deal with my diagnosis of prostate cancer and the subsequent surgery, I presented a total of 40 shows.

Four weeks into my first series of shows I arrived at the studio and listened to Chris present his show from a hotel room in South Africa. I was amazed at his ability to be able to make it happen.
Some annoying windows started to appear on the screen where the music was listed to I diligently clicked on the x in the top right hand corner to make them disappear. After my second click, Wendy rang to tell me that my clicks were cutting Chris off, ruining his show. I immediately stopped and sheepishly waited for my show to start. The following week Chris was great but his mum, who was visiting from the UK, took great delight in reminding me of my mistakes. Chris has taken great delight in reminding me about it over the years.

I was lucky to be able to interview great guests, which included a rock band, a yoga teacher and a doctor. They were all so interesting, making the interviewers job easy.

My shows included regular features, the best being Steve´s Grateful Dead Storybook. Steve and Marsha Glance are great friends who live in California. Steve is a massive Grateful Dead fan and knows so much about them. We decided that it would be great if he could provide stories about the Dead tracks which I loved playing. He agreed and it was a highlight of each show when I got to read out a story before introducing the track. Superb.

My last show, number 40, was a five-hour extravaganza on Sunday 15 October. After a dodgy start, technical hiccups, everything went well. The highlight for me was when, thanks to Chris Williams expertise, Steve was able to present two Grateful Dead tracks live from California.

The last track I played was the first track I´d played three years before, The Rides ´Talk To Me baby`.