For PETE'S ARCHIVES CLICK HERE

IF YOU FEEL YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE MOTF THEN YOU ALREADY ARE!-Pete Perry 1969

Latest

What are our Crazy Pair up to NOW?

WELL! It had to happen, didn't it? After pete appearing in Harry Potter and Sherlock Holmes, it was inevitable that our intrepid pair would eventually try their hands at using 'Green Screen' technology, - and that is exactly what they are doing.

Thanks to the help of their Techno Guru RICH SMYTH, their photos and films using this technlogy are now Transport them to different lands and even different times!

Just take a look at the green screen photo above, taken in their ACORN FILM STUDIO, and the result obtained by Rich Below...

BELOW: Pete with Green Screen in Sherlock Holmes

WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!

WELCOME TO THE HEADER PAGE OF MOTF INTERNATIONAL

This web site is The Official home of The Magic Oak Tree Family, including all it's parts and factions, Including Switchboard and The Continuing Adventures of Pete & Nikki.

SO! You can either read each page leisurely and then click on to the next page at the bottom of each page, - or you can use the menu at the top of the page to select each facet of The MOTF.

OR! You can skip all that rigmarole and go straight to The Archives, to find out all about the life of Pete and his previous adventures by clicking on to 'Pete's Archives' (amazingly enough!)

It's up to you, so, welcome from us both, and HAPPY READING! (and listening and watching!)

Love & Peace

PETE & NIKKI

XXX

DANCE FOR FUN

present

ROCK, SING, DANCE

Great night  at The 'Dance For Fun Show' at the Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage, Herts. Fun, laughter and music, with a special moment when founder Doreen Walker took to the stage, sitting in an armchair, as the kids sang 'Grandma we love you'.

We noticed she was holding 'The Secret of Bedside Manor' by some bloke called Pete Perry! LOL.

There was a rousing finale, with all the cast, not only on stage, but all down the aisles too, and streamers and giant flexible balls were tossed into the crowd to be thrown around. 

Councillor John Lloyd, a long-time supporter of the group was there, as was Deputy Mayor Simon Speller, who's wives were presented with flowers, as was Doreen, and our lovely Nikki. It was FUN FUN FUN!

Dance For Fun have danced at Sadlers Wells Theatre, The Royal Albert Hall, The O2 Arena and Disneyland Paris, to name but a few. 

The After-Show Party

 Although The Dance For Fun Show couldn't be topped , The After Show Party came pretty close, with Doreen Walker being dragged up on stage, followed by Yours Truly!

(Luckily we didn't get any photos or videos of that particular event! LOL)

I was coerced by The MC to get up and dance along with Doreen on the stage, and I got a few bemused looks!

(Good job I'd had a couple of Pinos by then!)

Afterwards, Lyndsay Walker (pictured below with us) suggested that I do a number on stage with the dancers at the next show!

At least others were also dragged up on stage, - as you can see from the photo above.

WHAT DO YOU RECKON GUYS?

We enjoyed our bucket of wine too! LOL

* * * * * * *

FOR THE RECORD

By Pete Perry

If you believe I am 'following the sheep' in talking about Climate Change, please allow me to put you right...

We now know that high-octane fuel, as used in aircraft, is a worse pollutant even than petrol, and also coal burning, and any other solid fuel. Industrial pollution of our atmospherereally  started in earnest, way back at the start of the Industrial Revolution,from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840, when heavy machinery and the first factories began making alloys, by the use of furnaces and steam power. 

In fact, when I had to go to work in The London Smogs in the 1950s, (I was 16 years old at the time) you could feel the sulphur burning your lungs. When they introduced the clean air act, I said it hadn't cured the problem, as motor fumes are invisible. My mates said I was talking rubbish, and was making a laughing stock of myself.

HOWEVER! In 1991, almost forty years after I said that, Warren Springs Laboratory, in Stevenage (where I moved to from Walthamstow in 1962), discovered 'Ozone Smog', which is an invisible toxic gas caused by sunlight acting on Motor fumes.

Furthermore, before that, in 1960, when the last trolleybus took it's final journey, to be replaced by the diesel-powered Routemaster, I said it was taking a step backwards, as the electric trolleybus was totally non-pollutant, whereas the Routemaster pumped out carbon-dioxide, nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide.

Again, I was told I was wrong.

Strange then. that they are now replacing diesel buses with electric ones. Believe it or not, I started worrying about what mankind was doing to this planet whilst experiencing the Blitz in the 1940s, when I was only 6 or 7 years old.

During The Blitz, which I experienced in Walthamstow, London, I wondered why The british were fighting with the Germans, not knowing about the political situation. I also thought about all the damage those people were doing totrees, birds and animals, as well as other humans, including some of my friends at school, who were killed by bombs and doodlebugs.

After the war, I played on the bombsites, and was amazed at how plants soon colonised the wreckage we had created, and started to flower, and bringing back bees and butterflies to London. Then the birds would come back to eat the insects, etc etc.

So you could say I was well ahead of the game when people finally started talking about Climate change in the 1980s. Original MOTF Members will remember, on 'The Wall of Sussitaion' at the start of The MOTF in 1968, I drew 'The Girl With Green Hair', who was crying, because Mankind keeps cutting her green hair, and polluting the planet with toxic fumes.

Love and Peace

Pete

For Pete & Nikki's Trolleybus Adventure, CLICK HERE

xxx

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER?

Suddenly, after many years of Pete Perry warning about pollution, Scientists are beginning to panic about Climate Change.

A new report says: 

'With hope dimming that humankind can effectively curb carbon emissions, is it time to strong-arm nature to turn the thermostat down?

To scientists who study geoengineering, this is within the realm of possibility. The idea is to manipulate the climate, by planting millions of trees to clear the air or -- at the other extreme -- creating a mirror of chemicals in the heavens to reflect the sun’s heat away from Earth. Some of the schemes are outlandish, if not downright scary. A small though increasingly vocal band of experts in the field contends the options must at least be explored'.... WELL, IT'S ABOUT TIME!

* * * * * * *



Pete's story in The Walthamstow Guardian

28th March 2018

* * * * * * *

SAVING FORSTER COUNTRY

(Photograph by BRENDAN FALVEY) 

Stevenage Borough Council want to take the Green Belt status off the beautiful Forster Country (Where E M Forster wrote 'HOWARDS END' (which has recently been serialised on BBC 1) and put Housing Estates on the beautiful surrounding countryside.

Pete & Nikki joined a march in Letchworth, Herts, to protest against this, and the further infringement of Green Belt land.

Pete was speaking to the assembly beforehand, and Nikki was dressed as 'The Girl With Green Hair' - that iconic image from The Wall of Sussitation, that inspired the oriognal members of The MOTF in 1968.

The Girl with Green Hair represents Mother Nature, and she has a tear in her eye. The reason she is crying is because humans keep chopping away at her green hair (Trees, shrubs, grass, plants and wild flowers) making it more and more difficult for nature's creatures to make a home for themselves and carry out their natural cycle, and effectively cutting off the ogygen supply that we all need to breathe fresh, clean air...

She is also telling us that one full-grown Oak Tree can have 2.3 MILLION species living in it. This includes birds, insects, tree-dwelling creatures such as squirrels, beneficial bacteria. fungi, moss and host of other lifeforms. So, just imagine - in order to build One House to house One Family, where the Oak Tree Once stood, 2.3 Million species have to be evicted....

Here is where the march is taking place...

PLEASE JOIN US!

SADLY, THE REASON WHY THIS MARCH IS TAKING PLACE IN LETCHWORTH INSTEAD OF STEVENAGE IS THAT WE COULDN'T GET ANY SUPPORT FROM ANYONE IN OUR OWN HOME TOWN.

FORTUNATELY, THE LETCHWORTH GROUP 'SAVE THE WORLD'S FIRST GARDEN CITY' CONTACTED US AND INVITED US ALONG...

Please help us prevent this by signing the petition:

CLICK HERE

* * * * * * *

MOTF THOUGHTS: Nothing is Owned - even our lives are merely on loan to us... Pete & Nikki 2009

Twitter: @PetePerry5  *  email: pete@widgeripoo.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pete.perry3

<PREVIOUS PAGE * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEXT PAGE>

ARCHIVES

Please feel free to browse - there's a lot to see!

* * * * * * *

THE FAMIL ALBUM TWO - Now available by clicking on the image above

xxx

* * * * * * *



Well, we can all dream, can't we?

Love & Peace

from Pete & Nikki

xxx

* * * * * * * 

For THE FAMILY ALBUM

Click Here

ABOVE: Original MOTF Member and drummer for 'Archimedes' PHIL FRANKLIN then and now.

Our Nutty Couple perform 'Nobody Cares About Polaroid Bears' at Wyvedale Garden Centre

AMBITIOUS

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE at ACORN RECORDING STUDIO

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE AT ACORN RECORDS...

Spurred on by the Influences of KEV CRASE and ROBERT KEMP during the making of THE FAMILY ALBUM, and the continued encouragement and help of RICH SMYTH, FRANK W SWAINE and DAN VALAQUEZ, we are approaching the completion of our very own recording studio, ACORN RECORDING STUDIO, so that we can record talking books and other projects, as well as THE FAMILY ALBUM VOLUME TWO...

Now in business!

The next stage: Family Favourites Volume Two, Featuring My Little Princess, Overture to The Tree & The Wall , (an epic version of 'Oak Tree' in several movements) and Polaroid Bears Cabaret Version, with Pete, Nikki and Dan Valaquez, 'The Saints in Paradise' with The Rapides (see credits below) and Dan Valaquez, plus other members of The MOTF... and more songs from The MOTF, including Sal Blues, Jigsaw, A Hymn to My Guardian Angel and That's The Way It Is...

The next two songs to be recorded...

'My Little Princess' was one of the favourite songs in The MOTF, back in 1968, particularly amongst the girls.

Interestingly, it was about a young woman who came to me in my dreams, or astral travels.

Years later, I met her, in the form of Nikki! So we are going to include this on a second MOTF Album.

'The Saints In Paradise' was written later, in 2009, the year I married Nikki, but eventually recorded by Dave Barber of Coda Music, with Pete on vocals, accompanied by The Rapides Jazz Band, in 2014.

The musicians were: Bass: Paul Brownless (now retired from playing due to ill health) Keyboards: Richard White.  Banjo: Sam Hall, and George Winston Howe on Soprano Sax.

The original recording was so full of fun and life, that we are using the original, with added embellishments. 
* * * * * * *

This (below) is the insert for the current album - the final one has now been decided..

The Making of THE FAMILY ALBUM!

Well folks, the recording of 'The Family Album' is going extremely well, taking place in various locations around the country, and mixed at STUDIO 45...

Thursday 11th February 2016

The final Mix!

Yep, The final mix has now started of all 10 songs on the album: Don't Forget To Wind Me Up. Petals of a Child's Mind, Show The Children We Care, Nobody Cares About Polaroid Bears, Speak To Me, Francesca, Oak Tree, Love Love Love, Greet The Morning and Crying For The Children.

So the final stretch has begun, and Frank Swaine and Rich Smyth have been alerted to begin the process of designing the inserts, recording the final tracks and marketing the music.

We will keep you updated!

Thursday 28th January 2016

Completing 'Petals Of A Child's Mind' and 'Don't Forget To Wind Me Up'

Having laid down the main vocals, as well as the instrumental tracks, it was time to bring our very good friend TRACY SLATER (see picture right) in to do the spoken parts and harmonies for 'Petals Of A Child's Mind', as well as some harmonies on 'Don''t Forget To Wind Me Up', and what a great job she did!

Like Amanda Jayne Clark way back in October, Tracy proved to be a source of inspiration too, adding her own touch to the songs, which gives them a very very special 'Family' touch.

Tracy Slater has proved to be an invaluable addition to the whole project, as indeed, so is Kev Crase, who is engineering and overseeing the whole project, together with Robert Kemp.

There was a bit of light relief when, during the playback of 'Don't Forget To Wind Me Up', Tracy and Nikki started dancing around the studio!

Yes, it was that kind of atmosphere, so, hopefully, people will be dancing to the track once it's released!

Thursday 21 January 2016

Well, after a break for Christmas and The New Year, Pete, Nikki and Kev Crase had intended to resume the recordings on 7th. HOWEVER! Pete went down with bad Bronchitis, which almost, but for Nikki's expert nursing skills, turned into the more serious bronchial Pnuemonia, so that session had to be postponed. Then the week after, the 14th, had to be postponed due to other commitments by Kev Crase, so the trio finally got back to work on the album on 21st!

It started very well indeed, as Kev and Robert Kemp had added a superb backing track to 'Petals of A Child's Mind', which was one of Pete's daughter Deborah's (pictured)  favourites.

 Appropriately, the day before, 20th January, was Deborah's 50th Birthday, after undergoing a serious brain procedure a few months back, so there were many reasons to celebrate!

This One is for her.

Next week, we have invited our dear friend TRACY SLATER (Pictured below) to add a talking part, and to join in the backing vocals.

Pete, Nikki and Kev also lais down a little number called 'Don't Forget To Wind me Up', which was originally written by Pete in the Seventies, to be included in Pete's as yet unperformed Children's Christmas Musical, 'CAROL & THE CHRISTMAS TOYS'.

MOTF Member Aitch, an old friend of Pete, Nikki and Kev's, had already laid down a great backing track for this, so all Pete had to do was add the lyrics. They are hoping for Nikki and Tracy to add backing vocals next time.

So there you have it so far - for previous recording sessions, READ ON...

Thursday 17th December 2015

This week, an old MOTF favourite, PETALS OF A CHILD'S MIND was started, and there is a great story behind this one...

in The Summer of 1969, Pete and his housekeeper of the time, Carol Austin, took Pete's gtwo daughters, Vivien and Debbie to The local park, Shephalbury, in Stevenage, as it was a nice warm Summer's day.

The grass was full of daisies, so Debbie asked Pete to make a daisy chain, which he did.

Debbie then took the daisy chain and put it on her head as though it were a Princess's tiara.

Carol, half to herself, muttered, 'Petals of a Child's Mind', which inspired Pete and Carol to write the song.

It is a dreamy child-like song, and Pete has laid down the vocals, with Kev laying down a preliminary accompaniment, which he and Robert will add to, until they all meet up again on 7th January 2016, due to the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Then they will be joined by Tracy Slater, who has agreed to add a child's spoken voice to the track, as well as adding harmonies, possibly along with Nikki and Tracy's daughter Emily.

WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED IN THE NEW YEAR....

Thursday 10th December 2015

Having put 'Speak To Me' to bed after last week's recording session, (apart from the addition of flutes and mixing), we started on another late-comer to The MOTF's repertoire this day.

'Crying For The Children' is an environmental piece, which came to Pete in a dream in The Eighties, soon after the demise of 'MOTF Switchboard' Magazine.

The treatment We, Kev and Robert have given to this song, (which was originally worked on with our good friend Aitch), is a real break from tradition, with Pete's vocals carrying the melody against a bleak, chilling, wind-whistling background.

There is still work to do the following week on this, but it is coming along nicely... A CHILLING MESSAGE FOR US ALL...

Friday 4th December 2015

Many original members of The MOTF, way back between 1968 - 1971 will remember Pete ('Uncle Pete' as many called him back then) saying to them 'Speak To Me' when he noticed that they were worried or concerned about something, - and sure enough, many did, with Pete telling them, 'Before I say anything, please remember that advice is for USING, - not necessarily for TAKING, - as I can only advise you on what I would do in your circumstances, because only YOU know the whole complexities of your situation. I cannot possibly put myself in your shoes... so I won't, - in fact I have no right, - to object if you choose to do soewthing else...'

Later in 1970, as 'Oak Tree International' was drawing towards the end of it's existance, Pete wrote a song about this, and called it 'SPEAK TO ME', -  quite appropriately!

Well, today, after reviewing all the songs recorded so far, and the seven that are ready for the final mixing down, He, Nikki and Kev started on this one, hoping to complete it, and maybe a couple of others, next week.

It is an important part of the whole story and concept of The Magic Oak Tree Family, so we are hoping it will meet with everyone's approval...

Thursday 26th November 2015

We almost completed a re-imagined version of the song Pete wrote in 1968, 'Love, Love, Love', with Pete on main vocals, Nikki on backing vocals, and Rob and Kev supplying guitars, plus strings.

Thursday 6th November 2015

Vocals and some of the backing laid down for 'Greet The Morning', with Pete, Kev Crase and Nikki... now awaiting further instrumentals from Robert Kemp and Kev Crase...

This was written by Pete in 1970, and one of the last songs ever performed by 'Oak Tree International'...



OAK TREE, POLAROID BEARS and FRANCESCA are now all completed and ready for the final mix.

Monday 26th October 2015

Members of The Appropriately-named FIRESIDE FAMILY, AMANDA JAYNE CLARK, together with her Daugher LORIEN and Son SKY travelled down from Wales to join us in the studio to help us record a new version of the old 'Switchboard' Classic 'Show The Children We Care'

- and what a session it turned out to be!

We started at 9 am, and continued through to 6pm, and completed the whole track, - so that is another that is ready for the final mix.

Anyone who remembers the original, with Steve Charles and Lucy Sian Clark on lead vocals and Amanda Jayne (Yes, the very same!) and Lucy Sian Clark on backing vocals will be in for a pleasant surprise.

 This time around, Pete takes on the lead vocals, with Amanda Jayne and Lorien providing backing and added vocals, whilst Nikki has added a speaking part.

We don't want to give too much away, but there are various styles in there this time, from Rock through to Gospel, which defies any 'pigeon-holing'!

* * * * * * *

 All instrumentations are supplied by Kev Crase and Robert Kemp of 'Unhinged' and 'Stormchaser'.

The atmosphere during recording was electric, with everyone putting in their two-penn'orth, and getting inspiration from each other....

All the old songs from the Sixties are being recorded, 'Oak Tree', 'Nobody Cares About Polaroid Bears'. 'My Little Princess', 'Francesca', 'Petals Of A Child's Mind', 'Jigsaw', 'Falling', 'Love Love Love', 'Greet The Morning', 'That's The Way It Is', ''Speak To Me', 'Sal Blues', as well as  some later compositions, 'Show The Children We Care', 'Crying For The Children' and 'The Saints In Paradise'.

Already on board for this project are Rich Smyth, Katie Brookes, Dan Alvarez, Kev Crase and Robert Kemp (see picture below), Amanda and Lorien Clark, Tracy Slater, and others.

 LATEST UPDATE:

OAK TREE, FRANCESCA and NOBODY CARES ABOUT POLAROID BEARS are ready for the final mixdown.

Now we are starting work on SHOW THE CHILDREN WE CARE, plus two songs that were written by Pete in 1970, but were never performed, JIGSAW and THAT'S THE WAY IT IS... in fact, Pete sang them for the first time at STUDIO 45 recently, and Nikki commented with a 'WOW!'

 SO EXPECT TWO SONGS THAT ARE UNIQUE, AND VERY DIFFERENT TO ANYTHING YOU HAVE HEARD BEFORE!

 On top of all this, there are exciting plans afoot to increase the effect of The MOTF Worldwide, with a new website, blogs, and merchandise... involving original Family Member Frank Swaine and Rich Smyth... Here's a taster of what's to come... 

FOR MORE ABOUT THE MOTF AND THE ALBUM

CLICK HERE

xxx

* * * * * * *

SERENDIPITY part TWO!

THE OWL AND THE OAK TREE

By Pete Perry

Throughout my life, The Oak Tree and the Long-Eared Owl have played an important part in my life.

When we lived in Walthamstow during The Blitz, every bird seemed to leave London, - except for a long-eared owl that lived in a hollow in a huge old Oak Tree at the bottom of our garden in Brettenham Road.

That memory stayed with me all my life, - but it doesn't end there...

Before our film company, FILMART STUDIOS, formed by myself, Derek Soall and Cyril Smith, settled upon that name, we tried out various names for our company.

Firstly it was my idea to call it CAREFREE CARTOONS (see picture) and then THREE OAKS was suggested by Cyril, ( who worked at Halas and Batchelor who made the feature-length cartoon film 'Animal Farm') and finally, FILMART STUDIOS was suggested by Derek (who worked at Pearl and Dean, who made most of the cinema adverts of the time)

When I moved from Walthamstow to Stevenage in Hertfordshire with my wife Dorothy in 1963, we lived at 22 Longfields, which was in the OAKS CROSS area. Even the name Stevenage is significant.

Stevenage began as a Saxon village in 7th Century Hertfordshire. It was called Stith ac, which means strong oak. In those days trees were used as meeting places and perhaps one large oak used in that way gave Stevenage its name. 

Whilst at our home in Longfields, we were often visited in the garden (above) by a Long-Eared Owl, as though it were still protecting us, and when we moved to Great Offley, where I was Garden Steward at Offley Place, there was a large Oak Tree in the field behind our cottage, and another in the grounds by Offley Place, which was, at the time, a training college.

(See picture, left,  of Vivien in The Rose Garden)

Also, at the extensive gardens that I maintained on the estate was often visited by - yes, you've guessed it, - a LONG-EARED OWL, which lived in the Oak Tree!

 From Offley, we moved to Blackpool, Lancs, where my first wife, Dorothy, hailed from. She wanted to be near her father, who had recently had a heart attack.

I took on a top job on Blackpool Corporation, in charge of a gang of three men, where we created carpet bedding schemes, and created a woodland garden, which featured a huge oak tree, in which lived - a long-eared owl!

Ironically, considering we had moved there out of concern for her father, Dorothy died suddenly in June of that year, soon after I had finished the woodland garden (See picture, Left: The last picture taken of Dorothy and our daughters in the woodland garden, May, 1967, a month before she died)

Apart from being devastated at her death at the age of only 31, I was left to bring up my two little daughters on my own for four years, apart from a few months, where firstly, my two sisters helped out by looking after them whilst I moved from Blackpool back to Walthamstow, and then on to Stevenage, and taking them on holiday, which I could not afford to do myself, and a month when I fell ill, and our friends and ex neigbours Marjorie and Ken Gollop cared for them.

Moving back to Stevenage, I set out on a four-year campaign with local MP of the time, Mrs Shirley Williams, (see picture, left) to introduce a One Parent Family Allowance, so that other single parents wouldn't have to struggle as I had done.

I pointed out that, at that time, if a woman was widowed, she recieved a widows pension, whereas a man left with children rto raise,got nothing, as The State assumed his family would look after his children whilst he went out to work to earn money.

I was not prepared to do that, as I wanted to bring my OWN children up, and Mrs Williams admired me for that, and set up a working committe, whilst I wrote reams and reams of information for them to sift through.

I even explained how difficult it was for me, with two little daughters to get them to a toilet whilst out shopping, (Do I take them into the Gents, or wait outside the Ladies, and ask a woman to take them in? Either way, it would be risky!) and so I suggested 'Baby Changing Rooms', available for parents of either gender,  in every shopping centre.

Since then, these basic facilities are available all over the world (see picture, Left, of such a facility in Iceland.)

Ironically, these came into effect in 1972, soon after I married for the second time!

Whilst in Stevenage, in 1968, a teenage member of my gang on Stevenage Corporation, Philip Undrell, took an interest in my problems, and offered to help me clean my council house up at 39 The Oundle, (which again, was in the OAKS CROSS area of Stevenage) as the previous tenants had done a 'moonlight flit!'

He brought his friends, Roger Moores and Alan 'George' Nash around to help, and very soon, as the news spread that a 31-year wise old hippy had moved into Stevenage, dozens of young people turned up for advice on drugs and other personal matters, and to help me out with the children as a thank you.

After a few months, one of them suggested that, as we were like a family, we should call ourselves THE MAGIC OAK TREE FAMILY, and spread my philosophy on compassion, the environment and World Peace to as many people as we can, and to help people out, as we all helped each other. I came up with a symbol for the newly-formed family (See picture, left).

I also drew a mural on the largest wall in the living room, and mambers of 'The Family' helped me paint it in. I was full of meaningful symbols to do with The Family philosophy...



Soon after The MOTF was formed, one of the members remarked 'Wouldn't it be great if we could turn the whole World into one big Family, and end Hatred, Jealousy, Greed, Envy, Prejudice and War forever, and bring Love & Peace to The World?'

Since then, and with the help of The Internet, The MAGIC OAK TREE FAMILY (MOTF) now has members all over the World.

Soon after I moved in with Nikki at her small flat, we moved to a larger flat in OAKS CROSS, before finally moving to our present address, where a small OAK TREE SAPLING was growing (a new start maybe?)

Now, - moving on to the present time... 

Whilst in Lister Hospital Stevenage awaiting an Angiogram after a heart attack, I was getting somewhat fed up, as my procedure had been delayed twice.

One morning, I unplugged myself from the monitor and wandered over to the window of the ward.

THERE, ACROSS FROM THE HOSPITAL, I SAW A LONG-EARED OWL SITTING IN AN OAK TREE!

I texted Nikki to tell her about it, and she agreed that this was a good omen.

Soon after I had read her text, a member of the Cardiac team came over to me and told me that I was going down to the cardiac suite, - and this time, it would DEFINITELY proceed!

I was discharged to go home the next day, after a full week in hospital!

 BELIEVE WHAT YOU WILL, BUT I KNOW THAT SOMEHOW, THE OAK TREE AND THE OWL HAVE A HUGE INFLUENCE ON MY LIFE, AND GUIDE ME ON, AGAINST ALL OPPOSITION...

ABOVE: Pete in The Sixties, when he weighed only SIX STONE!

LOVE & PEACE TO ALL

XXX

* * * * * * *

KIDS PLAYING WITH MATCHES -

 That is the way I see the Human Race,

- AND THIS IS WHY...

* * * * * * *

 I was born into a world where one World War (The first) had ended just 19 years previously, and the Second World War was about to begin in just another two years.

 King Edward Vlll had abdicated, and his younger brother Bertie (George Vl, see picture on the right) had been thrust into the role of King.

So I was born into this world of uncertainty, in the middle of The Great Depression, which was world-wide.

In this country, across Europe and in The USA, people couldn't find work, and the poor had to rely upon hand-outs and soup kitchens. (Sound familar?)

Indeed, things were so bad for my parents and two older sisters, that when my mother discovered that she was pregnant in August 1936, she tried to abort me, and even fell down the stairs, as she was so weak with hunger, weighing only six stones! 

Despite this, I hung on and was born 10 months later on 30th June 1937, weighing in at 10 lbs, which almost killed my mother. (There was no NHS in those days!)

In the First World War, they had started bombing cities in The UK with Airships, and in the Second World War, they had developed the V1 Flying Bombs, and the V2 Rockets.

It ended with The USA dropping of The Atom Bomb on Hiroshima, and everyone was horrified at the sheer atrocity of its destruction, as nobody was really sure how powerful this evil weapon really was!

KIDS PLAYING WITH MATCHES!

We have mined the good Earth for precious metals, precious stones, chalk, slate, coal, peat, and other so-called 'Natural Resources', without knowing why Nature laid them down in into the good Earth the first place, - and we wonder why the holes we leave behind under our feet collapse, and sink holes open up in motorways and on housing estates after periods of heavy rainfall!

KIDS PLAYING WITH MATCHES!

We are extracting every ounce of crude oil and gas from rocks beneath our feet, and deep in the sea bed, - again, without knowing why Nature took billions of years to turn rotting vegetation and animal remains into what we child-like and petulant Humans call 'Natural Resources' - as though it was put there for our sole use. IT WASN'T!

WHAT IF IT WAS ACTUALLY PUT THERE FOR SOME GREATER PURPOSE, SUCH AS - TO PROTECT THE EARTH FROM CLIMATE CHANGE, OR TO LUBRICATE THE CONTINENTAL TECTONIC PLATES TO PREVENT SUPER-EARTHQUAKES?

 A BIT LATE NOW, ISN'T IT?

KIDS PLAYING WITH MATCHES!

Not only do we burn oil in the form of petrol in our motor vehicles and other forms of machinery, we also turn other by-products into plastic, which never rots, and chokes animals and birds to death when they become entangled in it.

We also allow it to spill it out to sea and in our rivers, coating sea creatures and sea birds in crude oil and threatening their very existence- so not only are we using up something which nature may have had a Grand Plan for, we are also polluting our air, oceans and rivers into the bargain, - and killing our fellow creatures on this planet... 

KIDS PLAYING WITH MATCHES!

Politicians, after they have been found out misbehaving, or making genuine mistakes, have a habit of re-iterating that old worn-out phrase, 'There are lessons to be learned'. Well, - that is all very well and good if, indeed, they DID learn lessons from their mistakes and misdemeanors.

The trouble is, they never DO!!

We have suffered air, water and soil pollution through the misuse of oil and other chemicals, we have caused suffering and even death from oil-soaked wildlife, whilst the practice of fracking, common in The USA has been proved to cause earthquakes, as well as water pollution - AND YET POLITICIANS, INCLUDING THE UK GOVERNMENT, INSIST THAT FRACKING IS THE 'ONLY WAY FORWARD\!' 

(See our environment page)

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?

KIDS PLAYING WITH MATCHES! 

 * * * * * * *

 * * * * * * *

CLICK HERE FOR NEXT PAGE

CLICK HERE FOR NIKKI & PETE'S YOUTUBE VIDEOS

* * * * * * *

CLICK HERE FOR NIKKI & PETE'S WEDDING ADVENTURES

* * * * * * *

* * * * * * *

BUY PETE PERRY BOOKS BY CLICKING HERE

* * * * * * *

Email Us Today and let is know what you think!

Email Pete at pete@widgeripoo.net

* * * * * *

FOR PETE & NIKKI'S ACTING PROFILE,

CLICK HERE

WATCH THE SAINTS MUSIC VIDEO

CLICK HERE