‘Oh yeah, it was the start of the summer
It felt just like it was the start of forever
Oh yeah, it was the start of the summer.’
(Ash, ‘Oh Yeah’ (1977))
The summer started with sadness at certain situations; there was nothing more to say.
It felt like I’d aged a lot…
Thankfully I had the distraction of being a very proud judge on a reading for empathy awards panel, meaning I had myriad books to read in a short space of time. The majority were hugely enjoyable and it was nice to force oneself to read for pleasure, especially when one’s response was being considered so carefully. It was a real honour to be able to enjoy some real quality literature and I know it will stand me in good stead both in the day job and the night job, plus in understanding other life situations needing a deeper understanding of why people act the way they do.
Around this time, though, things started to look up: firstly, Gomes signed permanently, and anyone who knows me understands how much I like him for how he treated us at the Hug-A-Thon he did last season but also he really impressed me on the pitch so it felt like there was more cause for optimism this summer. Here is a player who clearly really ‘gets’ us, as you can tell from his several films and posts and it’s a joy to see. Similarly, Signing three players from Barcelona in less than a year shows how things are changing, even if there’s still a long way to go, and all of them seem to feel loved by us, so much so it’s a new home for them (more of which later…)
Then came Father’s Day, and a reminder of what’s important: my first thing by the brilliant Hally and a hugely enjoyable trip to the new luxurious Everyman cinema in town, for the engrossing Mara/Dona documentary which made re-question whether or not he could have been the greatest ever were it not for the lure of the white line. Finally, the wonderful Fourth series of Gomorrah which I genuinely believe is one of the greatest things I’ve ever watched on TV – more on which to come – and Stranger Things 3 which had mixed reviews but we really enjoyed.
Talking of stranger things that have happened, the most surreal moment of the summer came on Crosby beach (on the hottest day of the year, no less, when the stadium plans were also revealed) as the past and future collided… somewhat controversially.
Preseason had been filled with glamour friendlies in luxurious locations between Europe’s finest. One such example was Chelsea beating Barcelona in Japan with the help of a goal by someone formerly of this parish. How surprised I was, then, that 48 hours later I took my kids for a picnic and a paddle on the sands near ours and who should be camped out in a windbreaker with his mum and her dog but said midfielder. I sneaked a little picture but really couldn’t believe that he was really there.
As we went for a danger-riddled walk over the hazardous quicksands for a paddle in the sea, it was even more unexpected that who else should be strolling down for the same experience but our Ross and I couldn’t help myself but ask for a photo with the kids who love meeting players but don’t really understand the relevance. I totally understand some fans’ resentment at the circumstances around his departure, but I’m really not bitter and try not to hold grudges (empathy?) so put him at ease that I didn’t want to talk about the Blues because I can only imagine how some fellow fans, had they recognised him on the promenade that day, might have spoken to him.
Anyway, he was a real gent with the kids and it was an honour to meet him but I’ll boo him just like any other opposition player when he lines up against us in December.
As I said, that evening the news broke that Dan Meis was ready to unleash on the world his years of work on Bramley Moore, and how the world fell in love with his designs. It was the little things that meant a lot: the brickwork, the tunnel walk, the myriad other touches you only noticed on the umpteenth watch of the video. That you could then go inside the stadium and see the views from different points, made it even more real… then, of course, the plans for Goodison were revealed and that caused more divide but still highlighted how special, how considerate this club of ours is, vis a vis the supporters’ dreams as well as its environmental impact and its local community’s future, something our near neighbours have shown a blatant disregard for.
We expect nothing less.
Trips down memory lanes and promenades etching postcards; spending warm summer days painting outdoors and enjoying nature close up; reminiscing via the help of the very brilliant Blossoms song, the stand out music video of the summer as I’d never seen Teen Wolf in the cafes and casinos of the Prom before… these really were the things.
Moving on, a wonderful trip to Manchester for the new musical ‘Amelie’ which was clever, gorgeous and whimsical in every way the film was… if not more so. I realised I’d not watched the film since before the kids were born which was amazing given how resonant the themes of the film, and the characters’ (Amelie’s and Nino’s) quirks were to my own: the romanticism, then noticing little things, the kneeling down in front of every passport photo booth they see. The show got it spot on and reminded the present author (and most of the audience for that matinee) of what a beautiful little story that fabuleux destin really is. To emphasise the point, we had a great day visiting murals, drinking in cool establishments, seeing old faces and new heroes and wondering if life could always be like this.
Later in the holiday, for the first timewe took the ferry across the Mersey to see the excellent Star Wars exhibition over at Spaceworld.
On the way there, I got all emotional when looking at the Bramley-Moore Dock area and imagining how it will look in a few years’ time and how that’s what my kids and grandkids will know and hopefully love.
On the way back to the train, we wandered through the graveyard of the church of St Nicholas and, seeing this, I realised it’s now exactly twenty years since I moved to the city.
Part two coming soon…