A couple of schoolteachers I know are feeling a little bit down at the moment. Firstly, they have to put up with the unusually cold weather that Ireland, like everywhere else, is experiencing at the moment. Secondly, they have to stay home from school until Thursday as all national and secondary schools in Ireland will be closed until then. Despite this, Mary and Dave have been putting a brave face on it and this weekend they decided to build a couple of snowpeople in their backyard. As you can see from the photo*, both of them seem to have big smiles on their faces, but there appears to be some tension between them as well. The fellow on the right seems to be a lot more content than his companion. The reason for his happiness may be due to the nice cold bottle of Bud he’s holding in his hand. His lady friend seems to be giving him the cold shoulder for now, but I’m sure he’ll melt her heart before the night is through (cold hands, warm heart and all that). Of course, it’s possible she may be stone cold sober, so let’s hope he’s got a few more bottles on ice or she may end up getting cold feet. Mind you, she looks like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, although I can’t help thinking she could think of something to say that might break the ice
Dave and Mary aren’t the only ones who’ve been affected by this cold snap. On Saturday I came downstairs to find that the cold tap in the kitchen wasn’t running. We still had hot water and the taps upstairs were running, but by that night they had also dried up. It seems we’ve got a frozen pipe somewhere and there’s nothing we can do until the temperature increases outside and the thaw comes. For some strange reason, we seem to be the only house on our estate suffering from the cold conditions as the others I’ve spoken to all have running water. So, we’ve been making do with big bottles of mineral water from the local supermarket and the kindness of our neighbours next door. Last night, they allowed us to traipse in and out of their kitchen with different vessels full of tap water. You know, it really is true: you don’t miss your water ’til your well runs dry. I’ve always taken access to running water for granted. In fact, I’ve even been guilty of abusing it over the years. It’s only when you have to make a cup of tea with mineral water and have to find alternative methods of cleaning yourself that you realise the vital importance of this most basic of commodities. Oh well, at least we still have electricity and the internet and this allows me to present these songs to you in recognition of these unseasonable weather conditions that we are experiencing here in Limerick and throughout Ireland at the moment
You Left The Water Running – Otis Redding
Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan
A Hazy Shade of Winter (Simon & Garfunkel cover) – The Bangles
Winterlong (Neil Young cover) – Pixies
Will There be Enough Water? – The Dead Weather
First Snow of the Year – Hawksley Workman
The Nights Are Cold – Richard Hawley
Like a Coat from the Cold – Guy Clark
Cold Water – Damien Rice & Lisa Hannigan
Ice Ice Baby (Vanilla Ice cover) – Ben Kweller
The Thin Ice (Pink Floyd cover) – Luther Wright & the Wrongs
Comfortably Numb (Pink Floyd cover) – Roger Walters & Van Morrison
High & Dry (Radiohead cover) – Jorge Drexler
You Don’t Miss Your Water (William Bell cover) – Otis Redding
Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow – Frank Zappa
*Thanks a million for letting me use the photo, Dave!
Town Full of Losers 