Stage 4 Esophageal Cancer

Hi Martin Hi Frank.

Thanks for both your mails .

What to make of the man city game?

Well they looked beatable but these scrapping sides must be horrible to play, still job done, maybe Guardiola wants the f a cup more than his players?

Was Frank McAvennie the first Protestant to play for Celtic?That pallbearer story about Ali Mcoist is shocking. If we can kick racism out of football what about sectarianism or am I being naive through lack of knowledge?

For me 40s and 50s westerns are largely unwatchable now because they depict the indigenous population as savages. A book called bury my heart at wounded knee is a good counter balance. 

I think Hollywood was a bit more rounded in the late sixties and seventies. Little Big Man with Dustin Hoffman was a great dim.

Yes, John Wayne,(right wing republican) was very wooden as was James Cagney and rod Steiger, all actors I like growing up.

The Dambusters was on again over Christmas, it came with warnings about old fashioned attitudes. This was because Guy Gibson had a black Labrador called nigger, not sure if political correctness goes too far at times

What is your favourite current man city player Martin and your favourite player of all time?Same question to you Frank but with Celtic?

My favourite Arsenal player of all time is probably Pires but George Armstrong must get a mention, he's no longer with us, haven't got a favourite Arsenal current player, none of em would get to wear a man city shirt

best wishes

Pete

Hi Pete,

Today’s semi was a damn sight better than the City game. Very exciting. I thought a City vs Wolves final would be good, but maybe Watford will pull the stops out.

I think with old Westerns as with a lot of things from the past, it’s difficult to apply modern morality to them. They got to be taken what they are/were regardless, but there was always an underlying pro-white America. I must admit I did like Rod Steiger in InThe Heat of The Night with Sidney Poitier. And yes PC can be taken much too far at times and in certain circumstances. And talking PCs, mines playing up at the moment, it’s refusing to connect to the Internet so I’m trying this on the iPad.

Favourite City player from the past has to be Colin Bell. A current one is a lot more difficult, there are a few to choose from. But I do like a player with a personality, so Mike Summerbee ran Colin Bell close, so currently it’s probably got to Aguero.

Getting frustrated with the PC, so I better stop now.

 Take care

Martin

Hi Pete and Martin, Rangers used to sign catholics prior to the first world war. I think a large influx of protestants into the Glasgow shipyards in the 1920's may have changed it. In more recent times the first Catholic to sign for them since the 1920's was Mo Johnston who signed in 1989 after agreeing to rejoin Celtic then 24 hours later signed for Rangers. The Orange lodge have just recently announced that members can enter a Catholic church. Anyway, I liked Colin Bell for city and Charlie George for Arsenal. For Celtic Jimmy Johnstone was a brilliant player, seemingly at the Bernabeau for Di Stefano's testimonial the Spanish fans were cheering Jimmy. Yes the good old Western movies didn't make it look like genocide. I remember reading a few years ago that the indigenous Indians helped the Pilgrims survive and in return for the help they were given blankets riddled with smallpox. And the baddies always wore black. Big John Wayne met Kruschev in the Usa and liked him and apparently sent him a case of Bourbon for Christmas every year. I don't pay attention to watching much football these days so couldn't pick good players in the EPL. Well bedtime for me, good night.

Frank

Hi Martin Hi Frank

Remember Colin Bell well, didn't he have amazing stamina?And Charlie George, he lived in a block of flats up the road from me, was a bit of a lad at school, went to a different school to me. Saw him on the upper deck of a double decker once , sitting at the back in his prince of Wales check jacket, no words were exchanged. Just had to look up how old he is, he is 6 years older than me so I must have seen him just as he was leaving school. 

He had a reputation locally, he now shows people around the Arsenal museum, or he did according to the website, just looked!

I also saw Pat Rice in  a fish and chip shop, should've been a Chinese takeaway with a name like Pat Rice but it was definitely a fish and chip shop.

Dunno if you remember John Matthews?HE WAS A CENTRE HALF AND WAS in my year at the same school, don't think he ever spoke to me. He was captain of the school football team, which won wmeverything year on year out and was revered practically as a God. Clever lad too, was in the a stream. Went on to play for Arsenal but never made it big. 

My son has the greatest bragging rights, at the age of about 11, he shook Dennis bergkamps hand, he was warming up before the game, it was at Highbury and came to retrieve a ball from behind the goal, bent down, my son put his hand out and he shook it

Martin, I write all my mail on an I phone, that's why I get loadsa mistakes, the cursor won't do as it's told.

Frank, the guy that lent me that mothers album back in 71 ish also lent me an album called Nantucket sleigh ride by a group called mountain, it's brilliant, got it on cd now.

John Wayne was filming the sons of Katy elder in Arizona when they were testing a nuclear bomb up the road, some distance away. The story goes that a disproportionate number of people working on the film got cancer?That could be an urban myth.

John Wayne talked at a pro nuclear rally in a city in Canada, forget which one, and on the other side of the city, chief Dan George of Josey Wales fame was a guest in the other camp.

I do like the John Wayne film with Maureen O Hara set in Ireland, where he has a massive fight with victor macglaghan, the name of the film is on the tip of my tongue, the something man?

Got to go to morrisons now, hope your computer is behaving Martin, is it the Oncologist this week?

take care gentlemen.

pete.

The John Wayne film I was trying to think of is called the quiet man

Hi Pete & Frank,

This PC is "doing my head in" to coin a phrase. It's supposed to be running on broadband at a reasonably quick speed, but it won't connect. I keep getting an error message. It'll connect via wifi but is noticeably slower. My son has suggested I get a dongle and just run it on WiFi, it may be cheaper than getting a man in.

Talking about seeing footballers in the "street" reminds me of a few instances. When I was at school we were allowed off site when we were in the sixth form, so Fridays we used to go up to the local chippy and gets a bag of chips and some scraps. A number of times we saw John Connelly there, he used to play on the wing for United. Then one day we bunked off school because George Best was opening his boutique locally, so that was quite an event. I just wanted to see his mate, Mike Summerbee. Another City player I used to see occasionally was Tony Book, we used to see him in The Little B (a pub in Sale) on a Sunday evening sometimes. I can remember going to Maine Road on a Boxing Day with my dad and uncle Tom, when we got there we found that the match had been called off, so we went over to Moss Lane to watch Altrincham. Half time came round, and whilst we were standing around and turning about we found Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee and Mike Doyle stood behind us. My dad and Tom has a bit of a natter to them . I just listened being a bit overawed. The final claim to fame was, I don't know if you remember Joe Corrigan who played in goal for City for a couple of years, well he went to our school but was a year or two older than me, but I went out with his sister for a couple of weeks until I got dumped.

I was just about to mention the Quiet Man when another missive hit the decks, well remembered Pete.

I'm afraid my musical appreciation is pretty rubbish. I think I went to see the Hollies once, then Bob Dillon and finally Rod Stewart. The only ones I went to see because I wanted to were The Hollies. To give you a taste of my crap musical taste was the first record I ever bought was My  Brother by Terry Scott. 

When you mentioned nuclear tests, I remember that my Uncle Tom (the guy I used to go to watch City with along with my dad) was in the Marines and he was sent to Christmas Island in about 1956/7 when they were testing the bomb there. He died of cancer in his fifties, and we all put down to being on Christmas Island.

Oncologist on Wednesday, Pete. We'll see whats what then.

Bye for now.

Take care

Martin

Who's pet mouse made auntie squeak

who are glue and couldn't speak

what clever dick was sick for a wekk

my brother

Love Bob Dylan Martin and never seen him, that's definitely one for the locker. I knew a guy, sadly died of cancer, who was a roadie, went to loads of concerts, said rod Stewart was the best act live. He said the friendliest star he ever met was Joe Cocker, used to gave a good drink with the back room staff and was just a terrific bloke. Someone else whose brother was a roadie said Whitney Houston was horrendous to work for. Apparently the staff were not allowed to ask the caterers for a black coffee as she considered the term not useable for some reason. They had to ask for a coffee without milk!!Proper diva behaviour.

Its seems unbelievable Martin. Over the weekend the pain in my right hand side has got worse, it hurts when I lie on my back now but they can't do anything for me?The cancer is going about its business and I've just got to let it?Its a desperately sad situation really. I got a scan on the 16th and the oncologist on the 23rd but it's all downhill now!!

Thers nothing wrong with my brother, I have always thought that Ernie by Benny Hill is very clever and listenable.

I think you've got the bragging rights having dated Joe Corrigans sister and the George Best thing I has also got the wow factor. 

I have met the dreaded Jimmy Savile twice, both times he had pulled over in his rolls Royce. My nan

thoght he was a true gentleman, this would've been in the late sixties before all the bad stuff came to light.

I think that I have already mentioned that I saw Chris Hughton in a shop, the very next week I saw Jermaine Defoe in the same shop.

Stillhavent seen Line of Duty, got 2 episodes to watch tonight.

Best Wishes

Pete

O jeez Pete, can they give you anything else for the pain? Will further chemo or radiology help? Roll on the 23rd. Do you have anyone at the hospital you can call. I've been given a couple of numbers at the Churchill I can ring for help and advice, or even get me in to see the doc if things start to go a bit pear shaped. Can Macmillan help?

I missed Line of Duty last night, my wife wanted to watch Victoria and the recording didn't work so I hope I can find it on iPlayer. 

Into to work tomorrow for the morning. It's funny really, I quite look forward to going in, never used to.

Hi Martin

Sorry, never meant to mislead you, the pain is controlled with morphines, gabapentin and paracetamol.

I can function. The point I was trying to make which I obviously didn't do very well is that I ca. feel the cancer progressing and how sad it is that it's just left to spread because there is nothing they can do for Me.

Was you ever a reader?Did you like a good book? I can't concentrate too well anymore but used to be an avid reader, loved Dickens and Victor Hugo and years ago read a book called Cancer Ward by Solzhenitsyn , it is one of my favourite books though I think since the fall of the iron curtain it's not read much anymore. Not sure I'd want to read it now for obvious reasons.

The walk by the river has gained a bit of momentum again, dealing with my ex is probably harder than negotiating brexit, ha ha, see what happens

Git a bit of a light week this week, prayer meeting tomorrow evening, music night round a mates house on Wednesday and exploring Christianity on Friday ? Oh yeah, and maybe a walk by the river, negotiations are ongoing.

Glad you're looking forward to work tomorrow Martin and you said you are going down the local for a meal on Wednesday?Any other plans ?

Mever saw the Wolves game, went to church both morning and evening and had a nap in the afternoon, sounds like it was a great game though. My mates a wolves supporter, he's crestfallen as I am because I wanted wolves to win for him. Watfords next game is Arsenal at home so that's another easy 3 points for Watford!

Enjoy work tomorrow Martin

Best Wishes

Pete

Hi Pete,

Don’t worry, I’m just concerned. Will further chemo or radiation not work? 

I was, and still am a reader. I like to read when I go to bed but often these days it’s only for a couple of pages before my eyes started to drop. I read a lot on holiday, normally get through a couple of books a week then. I’m afraid most of the books I read are certainly not classics. I thoroughly enjoy Stephen King, and have probably read a lot of the old horror stories by the likes of Poe and Lovecraft. I used to like the old science fiction stories as well - Asimov, Clarke etc. As a kid I used to read a lot of westerns which led onto a passing interest in American history, but not very deep. My taste in books is a bit like my taste in films - escapist.

Despite the pain, it’s great you’re getting out a lot. I hope your walk by the river finally comes to be. 

No real further plans for me other than work on Thursday as well. We’ve got my younger daughter and her family coming down on Friday for a few days as it’s half term. As a Christmas present we’d bought her eldest, Ollie, a morning as a junior keeper at the Cotswold Wildlife Park which we know he’ll thoroughly enjoy. Apparently he wants to be a zoo keeper when he grows up, at the moment anyway. So obviously we’ll be going over there with him. 

Watford’s tail will be well up for the game against Arsenal, and with Arsenal’s poor away record, your fears may be well founded .

Anyway, take care Pete, and try and rest easy. Are you able to get a reason night’s sleep these days (or nights)?

cheers for now

Martin