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Hope everyone is doing well.

This week I sketched Dolores O’Riordan – The Cranberries from the priority to-do list.

Photos

Thank you Julie and her friends on their way to see The Bay City Rollers. And thanks to Adrian in Cromer about to eat something crab-related, no doubt. And finally, the number one super guy (he’s wearing a Hong Kong Phooey T shirt) but that’s not why I called him that, it’s because he is, and he’s also Joanne’s husband. Thanks Joanne for sending that in and thank you everyone. Love them.

See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here

If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

As mentioned in the newsletter, we went to Manchester to meet old friends from university to go round the old places, of which there were none. And since you’re our favourite people you get to see us in action.

This is taken at Sinclair’s Oyster Bar, which we used to go to 30 odd years ago, but it wasn’t actually there, it was 300 metres down the road. Afer the IRA bomb of in 1996 they moved it to a safer place.

Saturday

It got worse on Saturday night.

Old people getting drunk and dancing is really cool, that’s what my daughter tells me.

Sunday

It was the start of the tory conference in Manchester, and we went for a pub lunch, accidentally in the thick of it (no deliberate reference there to the Peter Capaldi show). Reporters were everywhere. I could’ve been on telly three times walking back from the pub.

Yes.

Is Rishi Sunak running out of time?

Yes.
What the ‘eck is Liz Truss doing here?

Yes
I powered through it

Monday

Bad technology week this week. The website wasn’t working for a few hours today (sorry)

500 Internal Server Error, it said and ‘See your service provider’
I called our service provider and they did a diagnostic on the flipperty flop and ping a ujamaflip, just to confirm it was nothing to do with them, now go away.
So I had to fix it myself.

Anyway all sorted now.

Tuesday

We got sky broadband, because it’s blisteringly fast and cheaper than BT at the moment. So fast in fact that the telly’s too old to connect to it and my ancient phone is hot to the touch. Need a new telly and phone now. Great financial decision.

Wednesday

It’s our daughter’s 20th birthday today. Happy BIrhtday Jen. I know you’re going to say something like there’s no way you look like you have a daughter who is 20 years old, and you’re right, I look more like her granddad. Here she is today, ready for a night out in Carlisle.

Thursday

I wish Norman would stop scratting the floor in our living room.

The Priority To-Do List

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Dave sent these lyrics in from Iron Maiden, based on the poem by Colerage. Rush also did Xanadu based on Coleridge’s Kubla Khan, which is another classic poem and song.

And by the light of the moon
He prays for their beauty not doom
With heart he blesses them
God’s creatures all of them too

Then the spell starts to break
The albatross falls from his neck
Sinks down like lead into the sea
Then down in falls comes the rain, ha, ha, ha

Rime Of The Ancient Mariner – iron maiden

If you have some favourite lyrics, let me know

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Jeff Goldblum was right ‘Scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should’ Look what I saw wandering around

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

29 Sept 23

This week I coloured in the Flying Scotsman from the to-do list.

Photos

Here’s Sue’s friend, Clarkie, who, I’m told by Sue, is a devoted Showaddywaddy fan, so I’m extra pleased she likes our t-shirt. Thanks Sue and Clarkie. And also thanks to Dave, also, by the looks of it, a devoted Showaddywaddy fan. And finally thanks to Si for buying all those prints and displaying them brilliantly. Love it.

See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here

If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

Coming back from our holiday in Cheshire, it took 5 hours to do 100 miles on the M6. With a lot of time to think about it, I decided on this face for the whole journey

Saturday

This is going to sound bad, but on my way down from Haystacks, a fell in the Lake District, as I was approaching the car park a man wearing sandals with a towel over his shoulder asked me the directions to the infinity pool.

The Infinity Pool.

People on social media are calling small tarns in the Lake District, infinity pools.

The infinity pool this gentleman was wanting was a 90 minute hike up a rock face, and worse still, no prosecco bar when he got there. But wait… let me think…

I think I might be expanding the business.

Sunday

Saw Professor Pat Pending parked up in a lay-by today.

Monday

Monday is bin day. Is there really anything more stressful than feeling confident about which bins should be going out today and then glancing out of the window and people have put Paper and Card when it should be Grass.

Do you stay strong or cave?

Tuesday

We used to live in London, so I did this painting to remember those times.

I think every artist has to do a rainy London scene at some point in their lives, just to get it out of their system, so you can move on. This is mine.

Wednesday

There’s a Cursing Stone in Carlisle. Our name so close to The Cursing Stone, Norman thinks this explains a few things.

I’m not sure why the names are there, I just hope the Youngs in the olden days weren’t baddies and in need of cursing. I’ll try not to let the fact the name is written in very large text and very close to the stone bother me.

Thursday

There are a billion things I don’t understand, one of them is why would someone deliberately cut down this 200-year-old tree at Sycamore Gap on the Hadrian’s Wall walk.

It was one of the most iconic trees in England. Their names need to go next to ours on the Cursing Stone.

As I was writing, this song came on the radio:

Oh, I love to love
But my baby just loves to dance

tina charles

I’m no relationship expert, but I don’t think he’s interested Tina.

Just a quick photo of our holiday last week.

They weren’t smiling quite as much 4 hours later when we were still playing.

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

22 Sept 23

On holiday.

15 Sept 23

I got Chris Squire from Yes done this week.

Photos

Thank you to Ellen, Carol and Barry for sending in these brilliant photos. Love them.

See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here

If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

Apparently finding a ball in a field is the best thing that can happen to you.

Me and Norman are saving the environment. Almost every day he finds a stinky old ball in a field, chews it, and makes it good and slavery. I pull a face, wrestle it from his jaws, and put it in the nearest bin. Environment saved.

Saturday

Went camping up at Innominate Tarn, here’s a couple of photos my daughter took.

I like the last one, showing The Plough above our tent.

Sunday

Back from camping you’d think I’d have a good night’s sleep, but it was a muggy, humid night. Luckily I had the skills to stay cool.

Monday

It was my daughter’s birthday. Happy Birthday, Hannah. One of her presents was paddleboarding lessons. I have a bit of a storyboard for you.

We’re walking back from a cup of coffee and Norman sees Jake, Hannah’s boyfriend. Norman gets excited and swims out in an attempt to knock him off.

With the job done, he recognises Hannah in the distance.

He jumps on the board and tries to knock her off.

Thinking of Norman’s birthday, I asked the instructor if they do paddleboarding lessons for dogs. No, and don’t be silly, was her expression.

Tuesday

Here’s a painting I did ages ago of a friend’s daughter’s christening.

Wednesday

Did you get excited about dimethyl sulphide today?

I did.

The James Webb telescope has discovered it on a planet far far away, and apparently, it can only be produced by life. Maybe my post on alien life in the universe is wrong. Hope so.

Alone in The Universe

Automatically I drew The Plough, must be my favourite constellation.

Thursday

I made the mistake of going into my daughter’s bedroom and asking what is all this stuff in tubes and jars.

It’s very complicated.

Thanks Russ for suggesting this song by The Heavy. Never heard it before but it’s now on my Spotify play list. Their song ‘How do you like me now?’ has been on various telly programs and is also brill.

This ain’t no place for no hero.
This ain’t no place for no better man.
This ain’t no place for no hero
To call home

short change hero – the heavy

If you have some favourite lyrics, let me know

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Norman insisted on this photo because he thought he was looking good. He didn’t realise I wasn’t taking a photo of him.

I’ve sent this to New Scientist. If Nessie is a thing from that 1934 blurred photo, then this is definite.

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

8 Sept 23

I got one done from the list this week, The Band.

Photos

Thank you Donna for sending in these brilliant photos and links. In the first one, she’s singing an amazing version of True Faith – New Order.

And for all the Neil Young fans – enjoy Old Man. It’s brill

Thanks Donna, and thanks for buying from us.

Give her a like on Facebook or YouTube.

If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

I discovered today, after 30 years of marriage, that Diane has auroraphobia.

No, she isn’t scared of Sleeping Beauty, because that would be silly, she’s scared of the Northern Lights

Which isn’t silly, it’s a very serious affliction if she turns right instead of left out of the house and walks for 1000 miles.

She says it makes her feel weird.

She also has ichthyophobia, another serious one, which you can read about here

Saturday

I need to sell a quadzillion more t-shirts so I can afford one of these and park wherever I want.

Sunday

Went in here, but there was no one there

Monday

I’m not sure my daughter knows what I do for a living, she said to me today ‘Hey Dad, have you got any pencils?’

Tuesday

Did this for a friend yonks ago.

Wednesday

I was living the dream today, drinking cider in a local park on a Wednesday afternoon. And it was me mam’s fault. We had a picnic in the park, she generously supplied the food and drink. She thought she’d got a can of lemonade, but it was cider. I didn’t want it to go to waste.

Thursday

This isn’t me in the park after that cider, this is how a typical Cumbrian tree feels in 28 degrees in September.

I’m not sure which I prefer to complain about the most, the rain or the sun, so it’s safest to go with both.

I drew Tracy Chapman this week and listened to a load of her songs in the process, maybe it was that Cobra earlier, but Fast Car is still one of my favourites

You got a fast car
Is it fast enough so you can fly away?
You still gotta make a decision
Leave tonight, or live and die this way

fast car – tracy chapman

If you have some favourite lyrics, let me know

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After kayaking last week, I saw what could’ve potentially been the early stages of an elephant forming at the other end of the lake. I drove 5 miles out of my way for this photo. This is becoming an obsession.

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

1 Sept 23

Hope everyone is doing well.

I got one done from the list this week, Bobby Moore

Photos

Thank you to Mandy and Jan at Springsteen and Paul and Kim at The Who. Thanks for buying from us and sending these in, and hope you enjoyed the concerts, which I’m sure you did. 

If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

I went kayaking on Ullswater, haven’t been out for ages and it was fab.

Saturday

You may need carabiners and a harness to get to the living room but it’s cheap for a bank holiday.

Sunday

I saw this on a village notice board

I’m not sure about you, but I can’t sing anyway never mind with a mouthful of red hot soup.

Monday

Here’s a painting of my daughter Hannah. She’s 24 next month (how did that happen) so that’s how old this painting is.

To me, she still looks like that, and always will.

Tuesday

Happy Birthday to me Mam.

The 39 Steps was brilliant and hilarious.

I thought it was so bonkers that surely it couldn’t in any way follow the original story which was a spy thriller. But I watched bits of the original on YouTube when I got back and it follows it almost exactly.

Even the joke about the hymn book that saves the hero’s life by stopping the bullet – ‘Well, I’m not surprised Mr. Hannay. Some of those hymns are terrible hard to get through.’

Wednesday

Norman’s got a new friend. I’m calling him The Speed Bump. When he sees us coming along the path, he lies down right across the path until we squeeze passed and then he’s up and on his way. Must be a 2mph speed limit on there. Good work.

Thursday

Posted this on Facebook with the caption: This chicken’s cutting out the middleman

But, as usual, you customers are funnier:

Lisa: How very henterprising ….

Karen: I have high egg-pectations for this venture.

Dave: Brilliant hentrepreneur.

You see, didn’t that just crack you up.

The quote of the week is from Have I Got News for You which I can’t stop watching.

Ian Hislop: Britain was 22nd in literacy and 21st in numeracy.

Paul Merton :And that was out of 20 was it?

Ian HIslop: I don’t know I couldn’t read it.

have i got news for you

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Managed to get a good photo of the blue moon last night

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

25 Aug 23

I got two done from the list this week, Bono and a Mark 1 Cortina

Photos

Thanks to Keith in his Abbey Road T-shirt at Strawberry Field, Andrea, somewhere exotic and Tony’s gallery in his hallway.  Thank you everyone, and thanks for buying from us.

If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

I don’t know if this is even remotely funny, but I find it amusing when someone lives up to their name.

Saturday

Went to a wedding and had a great day. That is code for I drank too much and nearly did my knee in dancing.

Sunday

Because I didn’t do much today because of yesterday, here’s a sketch of Ozzy I did a while ago.

Monday

It’s me Mam’s 84th birthday next week, so while I was in Keswick I went to Theatre by the Lake to buy some tickets and said something absolutely hilarious in the process.

‘Two tickets to 39 Steps. please,’ I said.

‘That’ll be £39, please,’ replied the Ticket Person.

‘Oh, so that’s a pound for each step is it?’

The woman smiled the smile of a woman who wanted to stab me. Although original and amazing to me, I think she might have heard something similar one or two billion times.

Then she said something funny to me as I was about to pay the £39.

‘That’s each.’

Tuesday

Remember the baby wall from a while ago:

Well, I found out what its purpose is.

A woman emailed me and said ‘That’s my Dad’s wall. He’s a milkman and he used to drive his van down the footpath until the residence complained and the council built that wall to stop him.’

So not really her Dad’s wall, more a wall to stop her Dad from annoying people, but I’m happy the wall’s got purpose.

Wednesday

I picked my daughter and her friends up from Manchester Airport at 1.45 in the morning. And that is about as much fun as it sounds. Got back home at 4.45 after dropping them all off. Cumbria is a long way from anywhere. Sat in the corner and sketched this at the airport.

I’ve just started watching the Yellowstone spin-off 1923, and Harrison is the top man in it. He doesn’t look quite like this anymore. Not sure you know, but your face gets wrinkly and saggy as you get older, sorry to break that news.

Thursday

I’m always very very careful to be on my best behavior when walking down this street.

No pooing or weeing, that’s Norman, but equally applies to me, just overall good quality neighbourly conduct. Because in one of those houses, there’s one of those types who is always looking and will report you to the council if you breathe incorrectly walking passed their house. Look

Either that or she fancies Norman.

The quote of the week is from one of our customers, regarding the Mary Earps sketch.

In a world full of Kardashians be like Mary

Clare – Skwiggles Customer

If you have some favourite lyrics, let me know

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Let’s continue the inspirational feel by being motivated by this small bird, who doesn’t give a flying flip about what people think. It’s good to be different, is the message, I think.

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

18 Aug 23

I got two done from the list this week, Buddy Holly and Joe Elliot

Photos

Thanks to Andrew at Bloodstock, Oscar looking cute and cool at the same time, Ian, photobombing and Rick with Rick. Thank you everyone, and thanks for buying from us.

If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

Our garden is mostly fake, because I keep killing things. The only things that look good are the false ones I bought from Amazon for £5.99 and then stuck in the ground. Look:

And that’s quite a good photo, they look less realistic in real life. But I’m not going to apologise for this because I’ve had them endorsed by a flower expert. The stupidest bee in the world spent a least five minutes on the plastic flowers collecting plastic pollen and spreading it around the garden. Next year I’m expecting a good crop.

Saturday

Went for my usual Saturday morning walk in the August sunshine. Here’s Cat Bells from the other side of Derwent Water.

I tried to get Norman to go in the water in the pouring rain for the photo, he’s daft but not that daft.

Sunday

At about 9.00pm, I thought I’d start my yearly ritual by staring out of the window and saying ‘The nights are drawing in’ – and the great thing is I can do it another 124 times if I want.

Monday

My daughter is going on holiday to Greece with her friends at the end of the week and the full Boohoo website came through the letter box today. We had a fashion show and I smiled and told her she looked great. But on the inside I wanted to point out that on most of the dresses she’d forgotten to order the back. And then in the spirit of positive thinking, I was grateful it was that way round and she hadn’t forgotten to order the front.

Eyelashes, fingernails, fake tan, hair highlights. It’s going to be a busy week, and I think my daughter’s getting some things done as well.

Tuesday

I must’ve been going through a Star Wars droid phase at some point in my past, found these photos of old paintings

Wednesday

On our Facebook post today, I describe this as the rarely-seen Giant Treehog…

…and then I started thinking, well it’s massive why is it rarely seen and where would it live, and then I started thinking it’s a growth on a tree that I’ve photoshopped eyes on, so I moved on with my life.

Yes, that’s Norman in the background, he’s scared of growths on trees that I photoshop eyes on.

Thursday

I did some gardening in my shorts and got really muddy legs. I miss having muddy legs. For most of my childhood they were muddy. Don’t tell me mam about the time I went to bed after a football match without getting a bath and we had swimming at school the next day. Didn’t think it was possible to get detention for muddy legs but it is.

Since I sketched Joe Elliot this week, I can’t let the best lyrics from my favourite Def Leppard song go unquoted

Gunter glieben glauchen globen

dEF LEPPARD – rock of ages

If you have some favourite lyrics, let me know

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Traffic Chaos in the Lake District

I was held up for a full 4 minutes by Just Stop Wool protestor this week.

I had to actually get out and persuade the leader that grass tastes better at the side of the road. She went peacefully in the end.

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

11 Aug 23

This week’s one from the list is The Vicar of Dibley

Photos

Thanks to Mark at the Roger Water’s gig, Sue’s son-in-law, Aileen’s arm and her grandson and Lorraine off to Springsteen. Thank you everyone, you’re all brill, and thanks for buying from us.

If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

To continue with this week’s newsletter theme about the street of poo signs (I wasn’t on that street thankfully), but I’d just picked up Norman’s poo and he was dawdling about so I shouted over to him.

‘Come on Mary.’

I call Norman a lot of things and sometimes after he’s done his business I call him Mary Ploppins.

Silly I know, but I turned round and a woman was there.

‘That’s a lovely name for a dog, my grandma was called Mary, why did you call her that?’

Then I had to explain why Norman was called Mary, which I didn’t. And now I have to call Norman Mary when I see that woman.

Saturday

We went out on a friend’s birthday party and drank too much during the day.

For all wives who might be vaguely interested in their husbands, here’s what men talk about in the pub.

1. ‘Well [insert friend’s fave football team] are rubbish, and they’ll do nothing this season.’

2. I can’t remember after that.

Sunday

Yesterday I did my hungover self a favour and told our daughter Jen, who was picking us up afterwards, not to respond to any messages from me during the day. The messages may be something like:

‘Can you pick us up at 10.30 instead of 9.30?’

‘Please pick us up at 11, please, please please.’

She picked us up at 9.30 as agreed, I still feel cack but I’m battling on like a hero as always.

Monday

If this falls over I’d be berried alive

Sorry

Tuesday

I gave you some false information a few weeks ago – the OAP romantic couple I saw when out with Norman are still together. I know you’re invested in this now, so thought I’d let you know. I saw them snogging in the car park behind the butchers. To picture the scene, imagine 9/12 weeks or Fifty Shades of Grey and then imagine the opposite.

Wednesday

Norman’s post-walk chill out

Thursday

I was rummaging around that shed you see above, and I found this picture of Maggie Smith that I painted yonks ago, so thought I’d show you it.

Apart from the above classic Vicar of Dibley ‘Shredded Tweet’ joke, I thought I’d share a couple more great lines from the series.

Geraldine: They’ve come up with a new low-fat communion wafer. It’s called “I can’t believe it’s not Jesus.

Alice: Wouldn’t it be lovely if some kittens were born with pink fur and you didn’t actually have to paint them yourself?

Alice: A painter did once ask me to pose nude for him. He was painting the kitchen at the time.

the vicar of dibley

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Norman insisted I take a photo right here, and he kept saying ‘If you build it they will come.’

He thought it was hilarious, don’t know what he’s going on about.

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

4 Aug 2023

This week’s one from the list is The Spitfire

Photos

Thanks to David, Jan on her way to a Hollywood Vampires concert, and Beth on her way to a Kiss concert. Thank you everyone, and as always, thanks for buying from us.

If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

Being British and Cumbrian, I like to talk about the weather. Here Norman’s complaining because he’s always the one who’s naked.

Lucky for you it wasn’t the other way round.

Saturday

We went to see Mission Impossible at the fancy new cinema with reclining seats. No spoilers, but you’ll be glad to know Tom ran dead fast, he got hot-headed, he ran dead fast again, and got killed in a terrible train crash. Sorry about that, but there is some good news, part of that last sentence is incorrect.

Diane was jealous of that gizmo that makes very realistic masks, because she wants me to wear one that looks like Tom.

I’ve already mentioned my relationship/jealousy of Tom, but if you want to refresh your memory, here it is

Tom Cruise

If you really want to know what I have to go through on a daily bases, look what’s on our kitchen wall.

Sunday

I discovered this painting that I did a while ago.

It’s supposed to be a caricature version of Rod Stewart but it looks more like that guy from Pimlico Plumbers.

Monday

Remember last week I said about the frames we have hanging on our walls with no photos in them, well I’ve rectified the problem with one of them and filled it with Skwiggles sketches.

And kept the Customer Services Manager happy.

Tuesday

This is my favourite place to go.

It’s about a 30 minute uphill walk from anywhere, so you have to put a little bit of effort to get there and it would be very tranquil and relaxing if it wasn’t for a mad thing racing about.

Wednesday

We nearly always meet Norman’s friend Hank in the park on Wednesday. Norman’s had his doodaah operation, but sometimes Hank is just too sexy for him to resist (I think Norman’s gender-neutral). Don’t the youngsters call Wednesday Hump Day because it’s the middle of the week and you’re over the hump.

Norman calls it hump day for a different reason.

Thursday

Every time I see my book in the shop I drag it out of the corner of the back shelf, dust it off and bung it in a prominent position.

Here I am next to the great Hunter Davis. Note: Hunter’s is on sale, mine isn’t, that must be a good sign, mustn’t it?

If you’re in The Lakes and you see it, rescue it from the back and maybe flick through it in the shop, laughing loudly a few times and maybe say ‘absolutely brilliant (hahahaha) I’m going to buy all of these (pause to stitch up your sides) so if anyone else wants one you’d better hurry up.’

Something like that anyway, doesn’t have to be word for word.

Thank you David for sending in these Status Quo lyrics. I’ve seen Quo live but I have a confession, I’ve never heard this song before. And now I have, I’ve discovered it’s a fan favourite online. Which makes me a fake fan. Gutted. Thanks again David for enlightening me and I love the song, especially the live version.

There’s nobody on the end of my line, I’m in time but somebody’s missing
Maybe I can find a hand for my hand, if I find a well for my wishing
Be my friend, be my friend
It gets lonely on a table for two, laughing on your own can be no fun
Even people that are talking to you remind you that you’re really with no-one
Be my friend, be my friend

4500 Times – Status Quo

If you have some favourite lyrics, let me know

Could be daft, meaningful, inspiring, whatever you like

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This one’s for Rush fans from Rushfest this year. Thank you Ian for sending it. Look who’s in it: Terry Brown (producer of Rush’s 1st 12 albums), Nancy Peart (Neil Peart’s sister), Ian in his Neil Peart Skwiggles T Shirt, Judy Peart (Neil’s other sister) and Hugh Syme (designer of all Rush’s album covers and the famous Starman logo). Absolutely brilliant, thanks again Ian.

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

28 July 2023

This week’s one from the suggestions list is The Damned

Photos

Thanks to Linda’s husband and Tracy’s husband and to George who had a random encounter with another Skwiggles customer in an exotic location. Thank you everyone, and as always, thanks for buying from us.

If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

Has anyone seen this?

Diane wanted to watch a nice Disney film, and we hadn’t seen this one before, so we gave it a go. It’s about girl’s getting their first periods and turning into giant red fox-like creatures that destroy half the city…

…now I understand.

Saturday

Norman eats everything, sheep poo, dead things, stuff in bins, even broccoli (and no one does that) – but he won’t eat his monthly worming tablet. Why do they make them taste so horrible? Please dog worming tablet company add some artificial flavourings to it, even if it’s rotten-mouse-behind-the-shed flavour.

Sunday

Saw this sign in the street.

My bike’s slow so I had to go somewhere else.

Monday

I have some bad news. You remember I wrote about this romantic elderly dog-walking couple

Dog Walking Friends

Who I saw snogging passionately in the car park and got a bit splashed on the way passed. Well, I think they’ve split up.

I’ve seen him walking alone with the dog for the last few weeks, but didn’t have the heart to ask ‘Been dumped mate?’ so, as usual, I’ve assumed the worst. It’s good for me though, I’ve just bought a new jacket and don’t want to get slaver on it.

Tuesday

I’ve been watching 1883, the Yellowstone spinoff, and I liked this quote:

‘Freedom is riding wild over untamed land with no notion any moment exists beyond the one you are living.’

Not sure why I took a picture of my telly, but anyway it’s a couple of cowboys riding wild over untamed land with no notion any moment exists beyond the one they are living.

Wednesday

Saw this:

And thought – must be scared of traffic

Thursday

This has been on our wall for 4 years.

It says ‘Live for the moments you can’t put into words’. As you can see, we haven’t had any.

I’ve been listening to a bit of Bob Dylan this week, hence the Bob Dylan t-shirt design. But I can’t just listen to him, because then I don’t get what he’s trying to say, so I have to read the lyrics while I’m listening and in that way I mostly still don’t get what he’s trying to say.

I hurt easy, I just don’t show it
You can hurt someone and not even know it
The next sixty seconds could be like an eternity
Gonna get lowdown, gonna fly high
All the truth in the world adds up to one big lie

Bob Dylan – Things have chnaged

If you have some favourite lyrics, let me know

Could be daft, meaningful, inspiring, whatever you like

Artist

Your name

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It’s summer in the lakes.

This photo of Catbells and Derwent Water has been carefully cropped to give the illusion of tranquility. I’ve cut out the 300 people feeding ducks on the shore.

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

21 July 2023

This week’s one from the suggestions list is the great Don McLean

Photos

Thanks to Gordon, who was at the Kiss concert in Glasgow last week, and to Ellen and Dave. Brill photos, and as always, thanks for buying from us.

If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

Our daughter came home for the weekend, so me, my daughter and Norman (Norman didn’t really have a choice) decided to have a Wim Hof moment and release some dopamine, it’s always good to release the dopamine I’m told.

Not sure if that’s what dopamine looks like but anyway, in the 40mph wind and driving rain, we drove down to the beach and ran into the sea. The tide was out, so this also involved a half-mile jog in my swimming trunks, something you never want to see. I don’t have any photographic evidence of this but as usual, I’ve done an incredibly accurate drawing to show you exactly how it was:

My dopamine has never felt so free.

Saturday

I did a calculation today and discovered that, apart from drawing, the second thing a do most every day is carry poo. The highlight of my day is when Norman poos next to a bin.

Sunday

Did this

And then this

For 5 hours.

Watched the Wimbledon final.

This isn’t strictly accurate because I wasn’t watching two tellies, but you know what I mean.

Monday

You know I love bin day, so much so I’ve already written about it:

Bin Day

Twice:

Bin Day 2

and even worse, we did a video:

Well, big news, I don’t like bin day anymore.

For the simple fact, there isn’t one.

The bin men are (you guessed it) on strike in our area and have been for months. Sometimes they take it away and sometimes the seagulls do.

Tuesday

I’ve got some old wood behind the shed, so I panicked and went outside and started hammering it together for the sake of humanity and all the animals. As you know, I’m from Cumbria but I can’t remember seeing it rain this heavily for 24 hours solid. No one else seems to be making an arc, so it was down to me.

Look Norman, there’s not a lot of space and what benefit are you to the future of the world?

It stopped raining before I had to make my final decision.

Wednesday

The next day wasn’t much better

I needed a wee but Norman wouldn’t come out

Thursday

I was really planning on being totally miserable today until I saw this:

That spoiled my plans.

Everyone loves Don McLean’s American Pie, and since I’ve just sketched him this week I thought it would make sense to quote a lyric from the song, but in all honesty, I don’t know what it means, none of it, so I’ve randomly picked a verse.

Now for ten years we’ve been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rollin’ stone
But that’s not how it used to be
When the jester sang for the king and queen
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me

Don mclean

I’ll leave it up to you to decipher.

If you have some favourite lyrics, let me know

Could be daft, meaningful, inspiring, whatever you like

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It’s not every day you see a giant-sized Snoopy peeping at you over the trees, so thought I’d share it with you

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

14 July 2023

You’ll be glad to know, I’ve got another one done from the list

Photos

More Springsteen photos from Hyde Park came in this week. Thank you to Paul and all his mates ‘The Cuerdenites’, and on the bottom row, Sam (drinking again), Daniel and Karen. Thank you everyone.

If you’ve been to a concert, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

See more lovely faces in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

As I was going to a Kiss concert on Saturday, I obviously listened to Kiss songs all night, just to warm up, had a few beers and in the morning discovered yet another ideas list I didn’t understand. I always write down things that pop into my head on Google Keep, a lot of it is complete rubbish. Tonight was no exception. Here’s what I wrote.

‘The pointless gate – Highlight the futility of being hemmed in’

(not a clue what I was thinking)

‘It ain’t a crime to be good to yourself’

(this is a Kiss lyric, probably to justify that third extra beer.)

‘What’s the word for a noisy sketch’

(eh?)

‘Sirius Black – magical high altitude rain cloud’

(haven’t got any Harry Potter T-Shirts yet, but I don’t think this idea is going to make the cut)

‘Anyone who says an onion is the only vegetable to make you cry, has clearly never been hit in the face by a turnip.’

(Tim Vine joke, don’t know why I wrote it down.)

My Google Keep app is full of this meaninglessness. Thought I’d share it with you.

Saturday

We arrived in Glasgow in the middle of the TRNSMT festival and instantly felt like that bloke who choose the wrong chalice on Indian Jones and the Last Crusade

The streets were filled with teenagers, mostly girls wearing hardly any clothes. If you were a teenage boy you would’ve loved it, but me and Pete, ancient fathers with daughters of a similar age, started saying things like ‘I wouldn’t let my daughter out like’ and ‘She’s just wearing her undies’ so before our ancient features started crumbling into dust…

… we headed out of town to Argyll Street where old men wore Kiss T-shirt and we could discuss the virtues of Paul Stanley’s solo album in peace.

Sunday

We were slightly hungover and we did something we’ve never done before. We didn’t have a Wetherspoons breakfast. I know. I don’t know what’s happened to us, and I think we’ve got above ourselves a little because we went to the M&S Cafe instead and belittled the fools in Wetherspoons. It was lovely and quiet with a nice big cup of coffee.

Monday

Norman got fat shamed. We took him to the vets for his yearly jab and she said he had a little bit of chub on his ribs.

This was brilliant for Noman because his dream in life is to be really fat, but then he realised I didn’t share his long-term goals, so he’s on a diet.

Tuesday

We went on two long walks with half rations. If you think that’s cruel, well I’m on the same regime, I’m so glad the vet didn’t pinch my belly on Monday after the last couple of weeks

Wednesday

If I’m admitting to stupid ideas then here’s another one, my idea for a quiz. Who are these famous characters?

Number 1:

Number 2:

Number 3:

Add your answers to this very difficult quiz here:

Number 1 is:

Number 2 is:

Number 3 is:

Submit

Thursday

I saw a man who was just carrying a dog’s lead. So in the spirit of friendliness, I said to him ‘Wow, an invisible dog.’

I wish I hadn’t.

‘No, I haven’t got a dog, never had one in fact. My friend left this lead at my house, on Tuesday, no it wasn’t Tuesday, it was Monday around 9 just before it started raining, which I really appreciate because my garden needed it and I don’t like to use the hosepipe because, you know what happened to Thames Water…’

It was at that point that my soul died.

Luckily, a year later when I finally got away, these lot cheered me up.

We had another lyric suggestion, that I had to do some research on, because I’d never heard of the band.

But we did nothing, absolutely nothing that day
And I say, what the hell am I doing drinking in L.A. at twenty-six?

bran van 3000

But when I heard it, like whoever sent it in (thanks) said I would, I knew it, but didn’t know where from. Then I did some more in-depth research (googled it) and it’s from the Rolling Rock beer advert in 1999. Here’s the ad to jog your memory – Rolling Rock

I’ve added a name to the box below so I can tell who sends the suggestion in.

If you have some favourite lyrics, let me know

Could be daft, meaningful, inspiring, whatever you like

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Look another Skwiggles T-shirt photographed with its superstar. – Noddy Holder. Thanks John for sending that in. You can just see the tee on John’s son on the left. Noddy liked it, I’m told.

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

7 July 2023

I’m claiming that I’ve got two done this week, with this one

Max from Stranger Things running up that hill with Kate Bush singing, so that’s Kate Bush and Stranger Things from the to-do list ??

Photos

Thank you to Rich and his band Hodgson Kain for all wearing their Skwiggles T-shirts and to Karl and his mates at the Madness gig at Delamere Forest. Brill x

If you’ve been to a concert with your Skwiggles T-Shirt, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, or a friend or a stranger or anyone, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

See more lovely people in Skwiggles T-Shirts right here

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

We went to Edinburgh to see our daughter. We always meet a load of nice people in King George V Park, the reason we get on is that their dogs are as bad as Norman. That’s the way to bond. But there was one guy who wasn’t quite as friendly.

Norman was sniffing around behind a bush and I heard this person shouting at me:

‘Watch out mate, my dog will rip your dog to shreds.’

I panicked and raced round the bush to see what was happening and was confronted with this terrible scene. I don’t have a photo but this sketch is close to what I remember:

I assumed he must’ve been joking, but the man continued: ‘You’re lucky he likes him, or that would’ve been carnage. Yours is the right colour, if it was a black lab he would’ve had him etc etc.’ He went on about the gruesome capabilities of the smallest whippet I’ve ever seen.

Thought I’d better share this. Black lab owners in Edinburgh – be careful.

Saturday

We went to Portobello beach, and look at this, I’m not wearing a Skwiggles T-Shirt, absolutely disgusting.

We had fish and chips in 50mph winds whizzing down the Firth of Forth. The bloke further down the beach opened his mouth and got most of my chips. It reminded me of holidays as a child in Anglesey or Weston-super-Mare.

Sunday

Went to Stockbridge market, to check out the local artists and decided if I really wanted to be a millionaire I needed to swap art for paella. The queue at the paella stall was massive all day. We had some, it was delish.

Monday

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

Thanks for the photo Hilary and the inspiration for a t-shirt this week. Absolutley love Hitchhiker’s Guide.

Tuesday

I watched a little bit of The Ashes yesterday, for a moment it got a little bit exciting. If you think cricket is boring then you’ve probably seen me about 30 years ago on the local pitch. If you want to know more, click below

Cricket

Wednesday

I became 57 today, but luckily I have done a lot of research into this, and a tonne of calculating to come up with this complex equation.

A friend sent me this T-Shirt (as if I need anymore T-shirts)

Also got this card with cheesy jokes, I like this one the best:

Thursday

Also got this one today, that I might get future inspiration from

I’m going to see Kiss in Glasgow Saturday night, so the only lyrics I could think of were these.

I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day
I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day
I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day
I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day

kiss

If you have some favourite lyrics, let me know

Could be daft, meaningful, inspiring, whatever you like

Artist

Your name

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Thanks to everyone who bought the motor neurone disease T-shirt last week, we’ve made £223 so far including gift aid, so that’s brill. Here’s Dave who was doing a triathlon of weight lifting, cycling and walking/running each day for 7 consecutive days. Some of it in his Skwiggles T-shirt as you can see.

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

30 June 2023

Got one done from the suggestions list this week – Mott the Hoople

A slightly modified All the Young Dudes album cover to include Ian Hunter.

Photos

Thank you Tony, all the way from a cool-looking bar in Playa Blanca,  Steve, with all his Skwggles T-shirts (thanks for buying so many), and Sam getting drunk in his back garden. Thank you all of you xxx

If you’ve been to a concert with your Skwiggles T-Shirt, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, or a friend or a stranger or anyone, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

Actually updated our gallery page, for the first time in ages. so if you want to look at more unbelievably lovely people in Skwiggles T-shirt …

…click right here

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

General attempt to make Norman look silly

Saturday

Just another normal day in my town

Becoming a Scout leader is a genius strategy for recruiting the younglings. Note also, he’s got his own brass band for the Imperial March. Vader knows what he’s doing.

I was beginning to worry though, when he looked at me I did feel a constriction in my throat.

Sunday

Went for a long walk along the side of Bassenthwaite Lake and it got warm so I felt the need to stop at The Pheasant Inn for ‘refreshment’. I had a beer, Norman got to lick the sweat off my face. Win – win.

Monday

There were a load of cows in a field walking in a line to a water trough, and I saw a woman watching them, so I started a conversation, in the only way I know how, by saying something inane.

‘Wonder who decides when to go?’ I said, looking at the cows.

‘Well, it’s the one at the front, obviously. Cows are herd animals,’ she replied, in a tone that was bordering on stern.

‘That guy must be the bossy one then,’ I continue, foolishly.

Well, it’s not a guy is it? They’re all female.’

(FYI – I know cows are girls, because I’m not that thick. I was using ‘guy’ in the cool non-gender specific way, like my daughter does when she says ‘Hey guys’ to me and Diane when she walks into a room – over explaining over)

‘I hope there’s enough in the trough,’ stop talking you idiot.

‘Well, it’s plumbed in, look there, so of course there will….’

I moved on, and made a mental note to improve my small talk on the subject of cows.

Tuesday

Not sure how this defibrillator works

I actually prised the door open to see if the telephone was still working. It was, but there was mould on the receiver and the flies didn’t like me being there.

Wednesday

The best Customer Services Manager in the Universe had a birthday today. Love you xxx

As always, I picked a photo where she was wearing a Skwiggles T-shirt

Thursday

I watched Mad Mad Fury Road and it reminded me of our town’s bypass on a Saturday night.

We got a lyrics suggestion last week, I didn’t put a box for a name so don’t know who submitted it, but they were apologetic it was Robbie Williams. No need, totally agree with these lyrics. Thanks for submitting.

I’m contemplating thinking about thinking
It’s overrated just get another drink in

robbie williams

If you have some favourite lyrics, let me know

Could be daft, meaningful, inspiring, whatever you like

Artist

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If you live near me, keep your children indoors if they look ‘juicy and yummy’, Roald Dahl’s Enormous Crocodile has moved into the neighbourhood.

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

What do you say Rooster?

23 June 2023

Hope everyone is doing well.

Got two done from the suggestions list this week – Field of Dreams and Steely Dan.

Photos from Springsteen

Here’s a few photos from the Bruce Springsteen concert at Villa Park last week. I was a bit gutted because I never saw anyone in a Skwiggles t-Shirt, although I got a lot of emails, so people were there.

Thank you Gordon, Sarah, George and Martin.

If you’ve been to a concert with your Skwiggles T-Shirt, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, or a friend or a stranger or anyone, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

Here’s some photos of us at Bruce. I think we’re singing Born to Run on that photo, luckily it wasn’t a video because the vocals needed a lot of work, well Pete’s diid

Saturday

I met a comedy genius at breakfast in Birmingham. The man who guides you to your table. He spotted our Springsteen T-Shirts, and said:

‘Follow me, I’ll show you to your table, I can’t go very fast because I wasn’t born to run.’

We laughed and when we got to the table

‘Enjoy your meal, hope you’ve got a hungry heart.’

We chuckled again.

Now that’s funny, obviously, but nothing compared to what happened for the next hour.

Next customer.

‘Follow me, I’ll show you to your table, I can’t go very fast because I wasn’t born to run.’

‘Enjoy your meal, hope you’ve got a hungry heart.’

It was word for word.

Next customer, the same, next customer the same.

Everyone in the restaurant started whispering to each other: ‘He’s said it again, same thing exactly.’ And they started repeating. The whole restaurant was now involved. Here’s the full 60-minute comedy script.

‘Follow me, I’ll show you to your table, I can’t go very fast because I wasn’t born to run.’

‘Enjoy your meal, hope you’ve got a hungry heart.’

‘He’s said it again, same thing exactly’

After three cups of coffee, two slices of toast and a fry up, there was two ways to go: my god that’s irritating or my god that’s comedy genius. I chose the latter. The power of repetition. The man had a winning formula, there was crowd participation, brilliant.

Sunday

On Father’s Day I forced everyone to go and see Into the Spiderverse. We web-slung (is that a word?) through a load of multi-verses, with a billion different Spidermen, women and pigs. Well I did. 30 minutes in, I looked along the row and the family were all asleep.

By the way, ignore the snoozers, it was good.

Monday

After a busy weekend, felt a bit like this

Tuesday

Today was our wedding anniversary, 31 years married to this character

She’s only ever punched me once in 31 years. It was supposedly an accident. I may have said something irritating (can you believe) and she said she was doing a pretend punch just for fun which got a little too close and gave me a pretend burst lip with blood that wasn’t pretend.

Wednesday

I don’t paint that much anymore because of the Skwiggling commitments, here’s one I did after a trip to New York years ago. As you can see, it rained. Big fat rain that we never got in the UK until this year.

Thursday

I was walking in the park and someone shouted ‘Yey, look…’ I was thrilled someone was so please to see me ‘…it’s Norman.’ I walked down the street ‘Hello…’ I look up ‘… Norman, what you been up to?’ Across the river ‘Hey Fido, look there’s Norman over there.’ Norman has got loads of friends, all of them really enthusiastic to see him. I am an extension to his lead.

One of my favourite songs is Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel. As with a lot of Peter Gabriel lyrics, I’m not entirely sure what he’s trying to say, so you have to make up the meaning yourself. Here’s what these lyrics mean to me: Peter’s surrounded by nature, eagles are flying out of the night, he’s just packed in Genesis and his heart is telling him – stuff all that, you’re free, let’s go. I like the mysterious, reassuring person who says ‘Grab your things, I’ve come to take you home.’ We all need that mysterious person in our lives.

I was feeling part of the scenery
I walked right out of the machinery
My heart going “Boom-boom-boom”
“Hey”, he said
“Grab your things, I’ve come to take you home”

peter gabriel

If you have some favourite lyrics, let me know

Could be daft, meaningful, inspiring, whatever you like

Artist

Your name

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I saw this photo online this week that I’m very jealous of

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane

16 June 2023

Got three done from the suggestions list this week – Gary Rossington, Steven Van Zandt and, of course, Beyonce.

Tiny explanation on that last one in case you think I’ve gone mad. That’s Beyonce’s hand after she says ‘If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it’ I hope that in some way explains it. If not, move on and we’ll never talk about it again.

Look at these photos

All these amazing people have been to see Pink this week (in their Skwiggles T Shirts). Thank you Simone, Joanna, Andrea, Carina, and another Andrea. Bet you had a great night and thanks for buying from us x

If you’ve been to a concert with your Skwiggles T-Shirt, or just have a good photo of you in your Skwiggles T-Shirt, or a friend or a stranger or anyone, let me know and I’ll put your lovely face above.

Our Diary

Here’s the key points from our week

Friday

I can’t stop listening to podcasts about AI, and how we’re all going to be out of a job, because we’re useless bags of flesh scheduled to be terminated by Arnie-like robots. So I tried out some AI art to test the water before I snapped up all my pencils.

I typed in ‘Angus Young from AC/DC in a squiggly style’ (squiggly spelt the correct but uncool way) into openart.ai to see what it came up with. Bear in mind, if it came up with something great I wouldn’t have shown you. Here it is:

It’s a good effort, but phew (for now). Love the guitar but not sure what that squiggly monster is in front of him.

Saturday

I went out with some old friends from school for a couple of beers. We’ve known each other since we were 8, and stayed friends, mainly because we couldn’t be bothered making any new ones. We usually meet in the pub which is great because we can’t remember what we talked about last time, so we can say the same things every time. Makes it easier.

Sunday

Slow morning, then it got hot and I decided to have a slow afternoon and that completely tired me out so I relaxed in the evening.

Monday

These signs make me feel nostalgic for the times when children did kick a ball about.

Tuesday

I did this picture using Artrage on my iPad for a friend’s daughter’s birthday.

Wednesday

I told you I was obsessed, here’s what Openart.ai came up with when I typed in ‘Angus Young as Mr Blobby’. It’s a little disturbing.

Thursday

Took Norman down to the lake

Don’t worry it got away.

I’m not sure I told you this but I’m going to see Bruce Springsteen today, so guess what, here’s one of my favourite Bruce lyrics. I was 20 when it came out, and my only wish is that I was 16 and it was the last day of the summer term. Doesn’t matter, still love it.

Well, we busted out of class
Had to get away from those fools
We learned more from a three-minute record, baby
Than we ever learned in school

bruce springsteen

If you have some favourite lyrics, let me know

Could be daft, meaningful, inspiring, whatever you like

Artist

Your name

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I have to leave you with Don and Carrie who were sitting a few rows away from each other at the Roger Waters concert last week and they noticed each other’s Skwiggles T-shirts, so they made friends and took this photo. Absolutely love it.

It’s not a romance, they’re both married and I’m not Cilla Black, so there isn’t going to be a Skwiggles wedding.

That’s it for now. Have a great week. Come back soon.

Ian and Diane