She's quite the mediator/A smoother operator you will never see

Friday 15 May - Sorry, I'm starting with a rant (skip rant). Just what is it with MP's expenses? I travel to work, at my own expense. I feed myself, at my own expense. I don't expect my employer to shell out for either, or to subsidise a second home nearer my place of work. OK, MPs effectively have two jobs, one in their constituency and one at the Houses of Parliament, and for some MPs these are a significant distance apart. But if I was going to another part of the country on company business, I would get travel and a hotel paid for. It's not rocket science. Parliament should designate a boundary within which the MPs constituency and the Houses of Parliament are considered 'local' i.e. no expenses are paid at all. Outside of that boundary 'remote' MPs get travel expenses between their constituency and London only. Parliament already has a canteen, so there's no need for meal allowances. There should be an apartment block (run like a hotel so they book in) for remote MPs to stay in. For those MPs who want a meal or a drink (at their own expense of course) the apartment block could be equipped with restaurants and bars and the profits from these could be used to offset the cost of the apartments. These guys and gals are clever enough to be running the country; they should be able to sort this out. Rant over.

So, Friday night at the Roman Bath and it's heaving with the detritus of the York racing crowd, blokes in their suits and women in their big hats and bigger heels, all blathered and falling over. We, on the other hand, are here to see Scandal, a covers band but one that we really like. The band are: Ian Mann (rhythm guitar and vocals), Ady Ingleby (bass), Alan Hopwood (drums), Jamie Reynolds (lead guitar), and not to forget Paul Hopwood working the lights. Scandal are, IMHO, one of the very best covers bands I've ever seen and I throughly recommend them to anyone who gets the opportunity to see them.

Dedging through my memories on Saturday morning I managed to note down the following list of tunes I heard (at least in my head): Dr. Feelgood (I Can Tell), ZZ Top (Gimme All Your Lovin', La Grange, Jesus Just Left Chicago, Sharp Dressed Man, Tush, Pincushion), Lynyrd Skynyrd (Sweet Home Alabama), Cream (Badge, White Room), Hendrix (Hey Joe, Voodoo Chile, Purple Haze, Red House), Bob Dylan (All Along the Watchtower), Willie Dixon (Hoochie Koochie Man), Stevie Ray Vaughan (Look At Little Sister), BBM (Can't Fool The Blues), Gary Moore (Cold Day in Hell), Bob Seger (Rosalie), and Thin Lizzy (Cowboy Song, The Boys Are Back in Town). The Bob Seger one was a surprise to me as I always thought that it was a Lizzy song, but I live and learn.