You are allowed to enjoy this…

I guess you could call this my anti-war song, except there’s no words. The eastern flavour and staccato, almost bolero beats, put in mind fighter jets firing on Baghdad and bombs going off left, right and centre. Ideal music for a war film that’s never been made perhaps? I wasn’t sure of it when I finished it, but The Missus liked it. But if anyone can suggest a better name than “Baghdad”, please jot those suggestions down for me.

I guess you could call this my anti-war song, except there’s no words. The eastern flavour and staccato, almost bolero beats, put in mind fighter jets firing on Baghdad and bombs going off left, right and centre. Ideal music for a war film that’s never been made perhaps? I wasn’t sure of it when I finished it, but The Missus liked it. But if anyone can suggest a better name, please jot those suggestions down for me.

Today we received the final cheque from the insurance company to settle the outstanding bills for the building work (which should have been settled in August). Hoorah! This phase is now over. Remaining claims for “business interruption” are ongoing, though insurance company are making noises to stop payments, despite the shop never fully recovering its previous performance.

This is another piece of throwaway audio fluff for your consumption. Harking back to the old days, this is a sad little piece. Well it makes me feel sad.

Glaciers and tectonic plates move faster than insurance companies. Final settlement for building work is three/four months overdue. Creditors making bad noises. Insurers say: “Payment will be in a fortnight”. Time passes, fortnight comes and goes. I hassle them again. They say: “It’s just gone on the system today – you shall get it in a week or so…” And so the dance of life continues…

Last week I received a letter from Norwich Magistrates Court. It was our compensation payout from Jakeem Nathaniel Browne – the man who crashed into us. £175. That’s all this trouble is worth. The excess of one of the insurance policies is £300 so it doesn’t even cover that. If only I’d got blown up…£1 million payout. Ker-ching!

Today, completely out of the blue, I received a letter from the local Magistrate Court informing me:
“On 19/10/2008 at Norwich in the County of Norfolk, Mr J K B used a motor vehicle, namely a VW Golf index xxxxxx on a road, or other public place where there was not in force in relation to that use such a policy of insurance or such a security in respect of third party risks as complied with the requirements of Part VI of the Road Traffic Act, contrary to section 143 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Schedule 2 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.
Compensation order made £175”
I don’t want to sound ungrateful but that won’t even cover the excess on the two insurance claims made to cover the £100,000+ damage, loss of business and rehousing.
Oh well, c’est la vie, innit?
We are thinking of giving the money to charity as we don’t want this dirty cash.