While you were away...

And so, we're back, from outer space Amsterdam - and suffice to say, we had a marvellous time! From night-time sleaze-pits to daytime botanical gardens, from promenades along the grachten to schlager sing-a-longs, from FEBO to "happy hour" drinkies and back again...



But what did we miss while we were whooping it up, Netherlands-style?

We waved a sad goodbye to the marvellous Glen Campbell (who I blogged about, in a roundabout way, nine years ago), and also to the divine Miss Barbara Cook (who we saw in her one-woman show Mostly Sondheim way back in 2002):

Barbara Cook - Losing My Mind

In the news it was mainly "business as usual", with the continuing battle about the terms for Britain leaving the EU, and the to-be-expected "willy-waving" threats and counter-threats between North Korea and the US. Meanwhile, anarchic race-hate thuggery re-emerged in the USA (and Trump, as ever, couldn't bring himself to take sides); neither Usain Bolt nor Sir Mo Farah retired on a high in the World Athletics Championships; rumours abounded (well, in the Daily Star, anyway) about a possible engagement announcement for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle; and controversy raged over Health Minister Jeremy Hunt's £44,000 toilet.



We missed the centenary of the cartoonist Dik Browne, creator of Hagar the Horrible, and what would have been the 65th of iconic photographer Herb Ritts...



...we missed the 70th birthday of glamour-pulp novelist Danielle Steel (and the 105th of her predecessor in the multi-million-selling romantic novel stakes, Georgette Heyer), and that of Steeleye Span singer Maddy Prior. And, of course, today is Our Glorious Leader Madonna's birthday - and we daren't forget that - so here's a classic of hers that still remains on the playlist at many a bar in the 'Dam [but probably not in Charlottesville, Virginia at the moment]:

Madonna - Like a Prayer

Is it good to be back? No.