Al Goodwin

As I wind up the French leave (I'm in Paris with my partner Elisabeth and my two girls Alicia and Clarisse) It's been hectic and it was only yesterday my daughters four cousins left for the countryside.

I've been surrounded by children ranging from 6 months to 8 years old, had sleepless nights since Saturday and it has taken its toll on all of us.

Last night was better, although I laid awake the whole night caressing my baby daughter so as to maintain the calm, a 01.48 wake up, comme d'habitude for some mummy love ( for baby Clarisse, not me)

The whole night I was thinking where the fuck did the last year and indeed the last decade go and what was all that about.

I hit the noughties in my mid thirties and was getting tired of the party party lifestyle of youth, my first wake up call was early 2000 when my friend and co writer decided to leave this world at 37 he himself was at the bar getting a round in. (see previous blog here)

The next big thing for me was 9/11 and me thinking that now the world is really fucked, Madrid followed and obviously living in London as our christian soldiers went marching off to war, I knew the tube would be next and it was some 4 years later mind and by men with Yorkshire accents like me. Still remember getting a call on the mobile late one night and hearing "they've got Saddam" and we all know what became of him and the followng follie for the Iraqi people.

With that unjust war still going on for oil and the greed of the west I hit 40 and instead of a mid life crisis I found myself once again lost in music and on the road to becoming a father. These were the two things I was missing in my life and to be honest, bloody obvious.

I was to get nowhere by seeing life crystalised through a pint glass and then home to smoke a joint.

I can't not mention losing my other musical sidekick Duncan and he only made 35, a clear warning that too much of anything is too much for anyone.

So during the noughties en bref  I lost two of my closest friends but my perpetual grief was saved by music and my two somewhat unexpected daughters arriving in 2006 and 2009.

The wars are still raging but I am at peace with my muse and new responsibilities, both at times so inspiring but the clash can be frustrating;

All calm again here, my eldest daughter Alicia is attempting to climb a avery high bed and Clarisse is downstairs watching mummy and mami (granny en français) prepare lunch.
This afternoon I laid a parquet floor at my sister in laws appartment (I say sister in law but Elisabeth and I are not married) New years eve will not involve drunken hugs and spliff burnt carpets but a glass of champagne or two with snails and not a frogs leg in site, I've never come across one in my 13 years as an anglo/francophile.

All in all one hell of a decade, I've got direction and the music is flowing as my girls continue to grow and inspire me.

Maybe 2010 will be the year of a life change for me, it's in my hands and yes I'll need some help, if you are reading this then I know it's coming;

Love and music.

Happy new year. Al..........