There’s April gone now. Away on with your below average chilly temperatures and incessant showers. I’m warning you May - my big winter coat is locked away, and there it stays.

Nah. I’ve been enjoying the industrious activity of the birds, looking after their nests and the woods I walk in have been full of song. Love this time of year.

Books

Decent month. ‘North Woods’ by Daniel Mason was much hyped on the bookblogging ‘gram, and I found it well worth a read, though perhaps I wasn’t as emotionally engaged as others were. No such problem with ‘Poor’ by Katriona O’Sullivan, which I listened to on audiobook. An incredible story of how she was born in poverty to heroin addicted parents, overcame homelessness and pregnancy at 15, and rose to the heights of academia. Inspirational; what a woman.

My spiritual/meditative book of the month (there’s always one isn’t there) was the short but incredibly clear ‘Effortless being’ by David Bingham. 59 pages is all you need.

Trip

Had a lovely trip to Scotland this month with family, part of a birthday present for my mam, as we looked into our family roots. My Grandmother was born in Addiwell, about an hours journey outside Edinburgh, so we took a train and visited the small town as well as West Calder. Met some incredibly friendly locals, who were impressed that we’d made the trip; in fact, many of them had Irish roots, so were hoping to go in the opposite directions. At the turn of the century, post famine, many Irish immigrants settled in the area as the local mines and oil factory provided much needed work.

My family are long gone from the area, but I found it fascinating to look at the old birth and death certs, and read about how life was back then. It was a tough existence, and the majority of them died from respiratory illnesses, no doubt as a result of the working conditions. I was able to find a grand uncle and great grand uncle, both called Henry, who died within a week of each other.

It’s one thing reading names on a page, and I was able to go back to the mid 1800’s with my research. It’s another thing to go and tread the same paths, walk under the same skies, and stand in the area where their lives played out. We found the site where their home had been, demolished ninety years ago. It’s funny, when you visit a place like, there’s an intuition that it’s familiar to you. I suppose it’s natural, as their DNA is in us, so they see through our eyes. Geography is literally in our bones.

Such a worthwhile and rewarding trip.

Edinburgh

The rest of the time was spent in Edinburgh, my first time visiting. Such a great city, obviously loved the Georgian architecture (it’s a bit like Armagh in that respect) and the calve muscles got a good work out on the famous hills. Also developed a penchant for Scotch Whisky - how could you not?

Just enjoyed walking the curved cobbled streets, exploring various squares and alleyways. Felt like such a young city (apparently there are 100,000 students in Edinburgh) and it wasn’t peak tourist season, though to small town me it felt busy enough. Great bar and restaurant scene as well (Bennetts was a favourite spot, helped no doubt by a great singer who reinvented old crooning standards on the guitar).

Touristy stuff aside, some art and nature was required, so I enjoyed spending a drizzly morning in Princes Street Gardens, before a quick stop of at the National Galleries of Scotland. Was just a short visit, so I only got to the Scottish art Collection. Many highlights, obviously the ‘Monarch of the Glen’ by Landseer is hard to miss.

Have to go back to take in the International artists, as well as the other galleries, and I didn’t get a chance to hike to Arthur’s seat, so mark me down for another trip to Edinburgh, easily done on a 55 minute flight from Belfast city.

Television

I wrote last week about some enjoyable Australian fiction with ‘Boy Swallows Universe’ but this time it’s a television show from the Sydney suburbs, in the form of ‘Mr Inbetween.’ An early word of warning though - this is the perfect binge show, so clear your viewing decks for a few days. It won’t take long.

Ray Shoesmith is Mr Inbetween, so called because of his dual life. While he is dealing with a brother with motor neurone disease and a daughter he only sees at weekends, and has a new girlfriend he’s getting to know better, the rest of his time is taken up with his work as a freelance ‘enforcer’ - collecting debts for a local casino boss, and his work as a hitman.

It might not sound like the most original of concepts but what elevates it to being a top notch watch is the writing, and the character study of Ray. It’s created and written by Scott Ryan, who delivers an incredible performance as the criminal for hire. I just loved his laconic delivery of his absolutely pitch perfect lines, and when he flashes his shark smile during work hours, you know whoever he’s facing is doomed.

It’s billed as a comedy drama, and it is seriously funny. I particularly enjoyed his discussions with his daughter, (and what a performance from Chika Yasumura) in particular one where Ray tries to be honest and explain about Santa. The banter with his mate Gary is often hilarious, pulp fictionesque at times. The script is so well honed, every word and pause perfected.

What’s also funny is the juxtaposition of that famous laid back Aussie character and vernacular, with some of the more chaotic sequences, when things are most certainly not ‘all good mate.’

It’s also dark, violent, and took a few turns I didn’t expect. You have the usual criminal incompetence, but it evolves into something occasionally very moving and thoughtful, especially about grief and opportunities lost.

But Ray is the star of the show. To say he’s got a skewed moral compass is an understatement - he’s a hitman that doesn’t like killing bugs. And as he says himself, there are situations where violence is necessary, especially when you are surrounded by dickheads. He believes that if you let people walk all over you, how will you ever earn respect? He commits acts of unspeakable violence, but you end up rooting for him.

At just under 30 minutes an episode, with three seasons, it’s perfect binge material. My Aussie readers most likely already know how good this was, as it’s ended now, but for everyone else it’s probably the best television show you haven’t seen yet.

Ripley

My other favourite watch of the month was ‘Ripley’. Initially I thought it would be hard to get the Law/Damon/Minghella film out of my head but I needn't have worried - this works brilliantly.

Andrew Scott gives a wonderfully chilly performance as Tom Ripley, devious and slippery. There were times when I found myself almost taken in by him, as he’s a difficult one to get a read on. Johnny Flynn as Dickie makes him fairly likeable, whilst Dakota Fanning seems smart enough to see through Tom. And Maurizio Lombardi as the detective on the case is a worthy adversary.

Listen, if you don’t like slow and tense, this isn’t for you. Personally, I lapped it up. I loved the fact that it was black and white. It gives it a wonderfully noirish feel, and Italy looks spectacular. Who needs azure seas when you have the clack of heels on cobbles, reflections in puddles, and narrow, deserted alleyways.

There are two wonderful scenes where there isn’t a word spoke for ages and I almost forget to breath. There’s an award winning performance from a suspicious cat too, a shoo-in for any animal awards going. Lucio I think is his name - remember where you heard it first.

Ripley and Mr Inbetween have me spoilt this month.

Podcasts/Music

Been listening to audiobooks this month, so less time for podcasts. But I did catch this one on BBC sounds, as it mentioned a piece of music I’ve always loved and was keen to learn more. I’ll link it here but not sure if international readers (of which I have many, of course) will get it.

Back in 1971, composer Gavin Bryars was sharing a flat with a friend in Kilburn, who was making film about the homeless in London. He found this discarded piece of tape, which contained the voice of an old man, (back then known as a tramp), singing a couple of lines of a song - 26 seconds in all:

Jesus Blood never failed me yet

never failed me

Jesus Blood never failed me yet

Theres’s one thing I know

For he loves me so

Bryars looped this small fragment. He later released it on Brian Eno’s obscure label in 1975, and it was eventually covered by Tom Waits, whilst it’s also been adopted by organisers in the homeless community for charity.

This was such a beautiful little podcast, exploring the impact of the song with Bryars and musicians who provided orchestration and the many who were moved by it over the years.

There’s something so noble, haunting, and poignant about the singing of this unknown man. It gets me every time. I’ve also found a great assurance in it, that he knows everything will be ok.

It sounds like it’s from a hymn, but it’s not familiar - no-one has been able to place it. Perhaps the old man half remembered it, perhaps he made it up.

Beautiful, and that’s where I’m finishing up.

May you be happy, may you be well, may you be free from suffering.