So I'm in Burnley, Lancashire idly doing some personal shopping, mooching about the town centre there. It's a beautiful autumnal day, and on my way back to the car park I see this building on the opposite side of the street, orange and brown in colour, standing out against this crazy (for England) blue sky. These colours really speak to me and I have to get a photo of this. I whip out the old IPhone and start snapping away using exaggerated photographer's poses. What you don't see is that, on the pavement below, out of view, are six very buffed, tattooed and pierced builder types, who have just come from the local pub, after a (probably well earned) lunchtime drink - as is the British working man's custom.

"Oi" shouts one, good naturedly. "What are you taking a picture of?"

"Oh, just the building. I love the contrasting colours" says I, in all innocence.

"You must be gay" says he, to great applause and much side slapping. I say " Yeah, that's me, Mr. Gay." and go on my way muttering " Pay me no heed." (No offense to my gay friends, of course since, they'll even use this term to deride their ilk).

Anyway, later I have to stop at the Tesco supermarket to pick up food in order to sustain the band for this current 3 day recording session, planned for our 'off' days during the tour. However, I am not parked in the store's actual parking lot, but across the road in a private car park. So, I've got many bags of shopping and decide to take the store's grocery cart (or trolly in the Brit vernacular) over to the vehicle. I get to the slip road leading from the store when suddenly, the cart just jams to a halt. It won't move, no matter how much I shove and push. It's like I've hit a force field or one of those canine electric fences. Turns out that there actually IS a sensor on the trolley wheel which activates a brake if you attempt to remove the thing too far from the store. Amazing! So I'm forced to get a grip on all the bags and struggle with this unwieldy load to my vehicle, feeling even more like a stranger in a strange gay land.

Do you ever have days when you feel out of sync with your environment? I need the safety and sanctuary of a stage and / or tour bus - my comfort zone. The real world is bewildering sometimes.

Later ~ A.P.

P.S. I still think the colours in this photo are fab.

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