I pranged the car this morning......I pulled over to the hard shoulder, well browned off, the guy in front did the same. When he got out of the car I could not believe it, he was a midget!
He stormed over to me and shouted "I am not happy"
"OK", I said, "which one are you?" That's when the fight started........
Tuesday 18 December 2007
Monday 17 December 2007
'Tis the season to be jolly.......
The Christmas cards are starting to fall through the letter box, I had a big influx this weekend. From the middle of quite a lot of them fell the mass produced Christmas Round Robin. I have nothing against this an approach for people to update their chums with news, and I guess you could say this blog is a drip feed of the same information.
What I find strange though is that they are all so happy. People go away for numerous holidays in really posh parts of the world, as do their children, all of whom are doing jolly well in their chosen careers. Everyone is in good health, happily married and looking forward to grand kids, and they always end with the obligatory 'do come and visit' invitation.
Well, I'm sorry, but where is all the doom and gloom........
"Hello, welcome to our annual Christmas Round Robin. I hope you all enjoy our annual summary of the year, although we have to say this has been yet another shit one. Rodney was made redundant early on, as part of the downsizing work at the DWP, and being a civil servant you would have thought he would have been buffered from the cock up at the Child Support Agency, but no such luck. Why they are still looking for those missing disks is beyond me, as some Russian IP address based villain has whizz several thousand out of our savings account. Now that money was reserved for our Waynes wedding to Natalie and that has now had to be put on hold, meaning the baby will arrive out of wedlock, so to speak. Darren is fine though, we visited him last week, and he now has a job in the kitchen which should get him extra turkey come Christmas Day. He is expecting to be transferred to a facility nearer to home next year so we are all looking forward to that. The house is still a disaster zone, although the floors and walls have been tiled and plastered. We do have to wait another three months though before we move back in. The stream has been diverted but its all a bit like shutting the door after the horse has bolted. I must admit I will not be sad to see the back of the ruddy caravan. I don't think we will be using it for our holidays again as the memories will be too painful. Still I now have the festivities to plan for, although what with the Christmas Club going tits up and Northern Rock threatening to fore-close on us I am not sure what I will be able to get in. Still its the thought that counts isn't it? So enough from us, you know we would love to see any of you who want to visit us here in Leicester, the inter-racial street warfare seems to have settled down, and we are allowed out after dark once more, so can get to the pub and the Indian takeaway on the corner has introduced a delivery service, turkey madras, sprout marsala and parsnip rice are doing a roaring trade.. Seasons greetings to you and yours. Rodney and Doreen"
Still if the Queen can go public on her Annus Horribilis why not a few more people?
What I find strange though is that they are all so happy. People go away for numerous holidays in really posh parts of the world, as do their children, all of whom are doing jolly well in their chosen careers. Everyone is in good health, happily married and looking forward to grand kids, and they always end with the obligatory 'do come and visit' invitation.
Well, I'm sorry, but where is all the doom and gloom........
"Hello, welcome to our annual Christmas Round Robin. I hope you all enjoy our annual summary of the year, although we have to say this has been yet another shit one. Rodney was made redundant early on, as part of the downsizing work at the DWP, and being a civil servant you would have thought he would have been buffered from the cock up at the Child Support Agency, but no such luck. Why they are still looking for those missing disks is beyond me, as some Russian IP address based villain has whizz several thousand out of our savings account. Now that money was reserved for our Waynes wedding to Natalie and that has now had to be put on hold, meaning the baby will arrive out of wedlock, so to speak. Darren is fine though, we visited him last week, and he now has a job in the kitchen which should get him extra turkey come Christmas Day. He is expecting to be transferred to a facility nearer to home next year so we are all looking forward to that. The house is still a disaster zone, although the floors and walls have been tiled and plastered. We do have to wait another three months though before we move back in. The stream has been diverted but its all a bit like shutting the door after the horse has bolted. I must admit I will not be sad to see the back of the ruddy caravan. I don't think we will be using it for our holidays again as the memories will be too painful. Still I now have the festivities to plan for, although what with the Christmas Club going tits up and Northern Rock threatening to fore-close on us I am not sure what I will be able to get in. Still its the thought that counts isn't it? So enough from us, you know we would love to see any of you who want to visit us here in Leicester, the inter-racial street warfare seems to have settled down, and we are allowed out after dark once more, so can get to the pub and the Indian takeaway on the corner has introduced a delivery service, turkey madras, sprout marsala and parsnip rice are doing a roaring trade.. Seasons greetings to you and yours. Rodney and Doreen"
Still if the Queen can go public on her Annus Horribilis why not a few more people?
Thursday 13 December 2007
'I can see your house from here'
Talk about having ones head in the clouds! Last night I joined a few colleagues in Manchester at the sky bar in the Deansgate Hilton. The bar is on the 23rd floor of the Bechtel tower and for some reason we got out of the lift and turned right into the executive section. Everything was free, as well as the view.You could not quite see Liverpool but I bet it was not by much.The hostess let us into the plebs bit so we could do the 360 degree vista thing, and although it was a pay bar, a view is a view.....the eye candy was definitely better though, as was the selection of ales. Definitely a place to try another night.
Now it got me thinking then about a few sky bars I have visited previously. The Empire State and the World Trade centre certainly had the views, but sadly no bar, and I remember a bar in San Fransisco at the top of a financial institution which was pretty spectacular. Plymouth has a good bar on the top of the Holiday Inn on the Hoe, which has great views over Plymouth Sound.
I also once went to the Top of the Tower restaurant in the old BT Tower in London prior to the IRA blowing it up. The restaurant subsequently shut. Unfortunately we went when the miners strike was on in the early seventies, so London was pretty much blacked out!! The Peak restaurant in Hong Kong was also pretty spectacular although I think HK looks better from the sea than from above.
Final place of note was an Indian restaurant in New York which looked over Central Park but much like London in the blackout, there is not much to see in Central Park at night!! So, for the moment I think the Manchester Hilton takes the biscuit. After all you can actually look down on Granada Studios and the set of Coronation Street!!
Tuesday 11 December 2007
Bing Crosby
The Christmas theme seemed to take me over this weekend, and it all involved London stuff.
I think its true that the majority of Londoners only do the sights and famous places when they have friends to show round. Its all there on our doorsteps but we never take the time to visit. I can't remember the last time I saw the crown jewels, although I know I have. Likewise a visit to Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral or St Pauls are distant memories.
So this weekend we ventured out,and how pleased we were to do so. On Saturday we went to the Winter Wonderland event at Syon Park in Brentford. Now this magnificent estate is 15 minutes away from home, and while I have been to the garden centre loads of times, this was the first time I had formally entered into the grounds. The whole woodland and lakeside environment had been transformed by a subtle array of lights, lanterns, smoke machines and fountains into a truly magical kingdom, and the shrieks of delight from the children indicated what a successful job the staff had made of it all. It took us over an hour to stroll round, and while I will post some photos on here later, I do wish I had taken my pukka kit rather than used the camera phone. Ah well. The trip finished in the palm house which is a classic of its time with its domed roof, giving the appearance of a glass equivalent of the afore mentioned St Pauls.
As if one adventure was not enough, on Sunday we 'did' Hyde Park. After dark the skating rink, and funfair take on a different appearance, one which was wholly devoid of gangs of kids with hoodies, who all too often make funfairs a place of trepidation and intimidation. The traditional German Christmas market was doing a roaring trade as was the mulled wine stall!
A trip then out into Knightsbridge to view the window dressing in Harvey Nics and Harrods completed a very satisfying weekend. Only two weeks to go......bah humbug!
I think its true that the majority of Londoners only do the sights and famous places when they have friends to show round. Its all there on our doorsteps but we never take the time to visit. I can't remember the last time I saw the crown jewels, although I know I have. Likewise a visit to Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral or St Pauls are distant memories.
So this weekend we ventured out,and how pleased we were to do so. On Saturday we went to the Winter Wonderland event at Syon Park in Brentford. Now this magnificent estate is 15 minutes away from home, and while I have been to the garden centre loads of times, this was the first time I had formally entered into the grounds. The whole woodland and lakeside environment had been transformed by a subtle array of lights, lanterns, smoke machines and fountains into a truly magical kingdom, and the shrieks of delight from the children indicated what a successful job the staff had made of it all. It took us over an hour to stroll round, and while I will post some photos on here later, I do wish I had taken my pukka kit rather than used the camera phone. Ah well. The trip finished in the palm house which is a classic of its time with its domed roof, giving the appearance of a glass equivalent of the afore mentioned St Pauls.
As if one adventure was not enough, on Sunday we 'did' Hyde Park. After dark the skating rink, and funfair take on a different appearance, one which was wholly devoid of gangs of kids with hoodies, who all too often make funfairs a place of trepidation and intimidation. The traditional German Christmas market was doing a roaring trade as was the mulled wine stall!
A trip then out into Knightsbridge to view the window dressing in Harvey Nics and Harrods completed a very satisfying weekend. Only two weeks to go......bah humbug!
Thursday 6 December 2007
The Nineteen Days of Christmas
I have had a bit of a result this year. My Christmas celebrations always start with the Varsity match, either by being at Twickenham in person, or in a pub somewhere watching on the TV. From then on its trying to cram as many Christmas do's and celebrations in as possible.
This year they have changed the date of the game. It was always the second Tuesday in December with a 2pm kick-off, its now the first Thursday at 4pm. So I have an extra five extra party days, and spectators at the game can have a much more leisurely luncheon before decamping to the ground. The local residents are not too impressed. They see it as another night of traffic conjestion but hey ho.
The game has lost some of its appeal as a match in recent years, with the professional game depriving both Oxford and Cambridge of the budding and current home international players who used to grace the sides. Nowadays there is the odd colonial cap who is doing a PhD or similar, otherwise it is well meaning under-graduates given the biggest stage in the game on which to perform. As an event though, it continues to get good support from students, graduates and hangers-on from the City. I probably fall into the last category.
Now where is my diary, I still have a few dates to fill up.
This year they have changed the date of the game. It was always the second Tuesday in December with a 2pm kick-off, its now the first Thursday at 4pm. So I have an extra five extra party days, and spectators at the game can have a much more leisurely luncheon before decamping to the ground. The local residents are not too impressed. They see it as another night of traffic conjestion but hey ho.
The game has lost some of its appeal as a match in recent years, with the professional game depriving both Oxford and Cambridge of the budding and current home international players who used to grace the sides. Nowadays there is the odd colonial cap who is doing a PhD or similar, otherwise it is well meaning under-graduates given the biggest stage in the game on which to perform. As an event though, it continues to get good support from students, graduates and hangers-on from the City. I probably fall into the last category.
Now where is my diary, I still have a few dates to fill up.
Wednesday 5 December 2007
Splash it on all over!
As we are now into December I am allowed to talk about or mention Christmas. Its a timing deadline which I have tried for years to drum into the kids, in an effort to maintain some of the magic and mystery of this special time of year.
Department stores and television advertisers would have us believe that the pre-Christmas period starts soon after the January sales, but none of it!!
So off I went yesterday to do a bit of Christmas shopping, and one thing which caught my eye was the number of celeb's who now have their own brand perfume. And what names....David Beckham has called his 'Instinct', WAGS tend to go for their won names as I guess its too difficult for them to be imaginative, so 'Coleen' and 'Alex' mix with Katie Price's 'Stunning' on the shelves of the Chav stores of choice. Kylie Minogue called her fragrance 'Darling' and Cliff Richard has a brand called 'Miss You Nights'. The mind boggles.
So I wonder what other people might call their own perfume, and what I might select for mine?
Tony Blair could call his 'Corruption' and Gordon Brown, 'Sleeze', although 'Sweaty Sock' would give the marketing people an equally big challenge. Gillian Gibbons would probably be ill advised to call her perfume ' Mohammed'. I suggest Gordon might have been more appropriate name, for the teddy, and maybe 'lash' for a perfume.
John Darwin, the missing canoeist, might try 'Spray' or 'Forgetful' and James Hamilton might like 'Vroom'.
As for me, well, 'Mist' comes to mind although I am sure there is already one of those out there. Alternatively, 'Stormy', 'Precipitation' or 'Snowdrop'?
Department stores and television advertisers would have us believe that the pre-Christmas period starts soon after the January sales, but none of it!!
So off I went yesterday to do a bit of Christmas shopping, and one thing which caught my eye was the number of celeb's who now have their own brand perfume. And what names....David Beckham has called his 'Instinct', WAGS tend to go for their won names as I guess its too difficult for them to be imaginative, so 'Coleen' and 'Alex' mix with Katie Price's 'Stunning' on the shelves of the Chav stores of choice. Kylie Minogue called her fragrance 'Darling' and Cliff Richard has a brand called 'Miss You Nights'. The mind boggles.
So I wonder what other people might call their own perfume, and what I might select for mine?
Tony Blair could call his 'Corruption' and Gordon Brown, 'Sleeze', although 'Sweaty Sock' would give the marketing people an equally big challenge. Gillian Gibbons would probably be ill advised to call her perfume ' Mohammed'. I suggest Gordon might have been more appropriate name, for the teddy, and maybe 'lash' for a perfume.
John Darwin, the missing canoeist, might try 'Spray' or 'Forgetful' and James Hamilton might like 'Vroom'.
As for me, well, 'Mist' comes to mind although I am sure there is already one of those out there. Alternatively, 'Stormy', 'Precipitation' or 'Snowdrop'?
Wednesday 28 November 2007
Vote of Confidence
Footie fans across the Country have been gnashing their teeth with some degree of anguish, as a pre-Christmas merry-go-round of managerial changes have been taking place.Its quite strange though how the managers seem to come off best.
Take Ian Hollowords for example. He resigns from the Argyle, and joins Leicester allegedly for £400k per annum, almost doubling his salary. His wife and kids have just moved into a new house in Plymouth, and now have to leave for Leicester. Not ideal. He gets replaced by Paul Sturrock, who leaves Swindon where he has no money, and no prospects as they stumble from one failed takeover to another. There are no indications of his salary package yet but I suspect he will do better from it than previously.
The rumour mill indicates Steve Cotterill will take over at Swindon. He parted company with Burnley a few weeks ago, with an agreed compensation package, so has not been out of work long. Burnley replaced him with Owen Coyle from St Johnstone, North of the border and Derek Mcinnes has replaced Coyle, a promotion from within the ranks.......
So, all the fans have been frustrated, but the managers seem to have sorted themselves pretty well.
A similar situation is occurring in the Premiership. Wigan part company with Hutchings, who took over when Paul Jewell left the club. Steve Bruce has now left Birmingham to take up the reins. Birmingham have acquired the ex-Scotland boss, Alex McLeish, and Billy Davies, sacked from Derby, indicates he would quite like the Scotland managers job. Meanwhile the aforementioned Paul Jewell steps smoothly into the Derby hot seat, and everybody is rockin' and rollin'.
All we have to do now is fill the England job, but wait a moment Rafael Benitez will get the sack tonight if Liverpool lose in the European Champions League, and the roundabout can start all over again.
Take Ian Hollowords for example. He resigns from the Argyle, and joins Leicester allegedly for £400k per annum, almost doubling his salary. His wife and kids have just moved into a new house in Plymouth, and now have to leave for Leicester. Not ideal. He gets replaced by Paul Sturrock, who leaves Swindon where he has no money, and no prospects as they stumble from one failed takeover to another. There are no indications of his salary package yet but I suspect he will do better from it than previously.
The rumour mill indicates Steve Cotterill will take over at Swindon. He parted company with Burnley a few weeks ago, with an agreed compensation package, so has not been out of work long. Burnley replaced him with Owen Coyle from St Johnstone, North of the border and Derek Mcinnes has replaced Coyle, a promotion from within the ranks.......
So, all the fans have been frustrated, but the managers seem to have sorted themselves pretty well.
A similar situation is occurring in the Premiership. Wigan part company with Hutchings, who took over when Paul Jewell left the club. Steve Bruce has now left Birmingham to take up the reins. Birmingham have acquired the ex-Scotland boss, Alex McLeish, and Billy Davies, sacked from Derby, indicates he would quite like the Scotland managers job. Meanwhile the aforementioned Paul Jewell steps smoothly into the Derby hot seat, and everybody is rockin' and rollin'.
All we have to do now is fill the England job, but wait a moment Rafael Benitez will get the sack tonight if Liverpool lose in the European Champions League, and the roundabout can start all over again.
Friday 16 November 2007
Manuel meets Chantelle
I started my working career in an office near East Croydon Station. it was a good time in my life. I worked shifts, I still lived with my student mates in a flat in Balham, gateway to the South, and started playing rugby for Shirley Wanderers.
Croydon was/is a place of high rise offices dominating the skyline, and had the reputation as one of the easiest places to drive into and a little swine to drive out of!! It has one of the largest council estates in the country down the road in New Addington, and all the other inner city suburb planning blight which was synonymous with the sixties. That said, we had a few good runs ashore in the town, particularly after the end of our evening shift at work.
You will appreciate, then, why a smile crossed my face recently when it became known that Croydon was to re-invent itself as Britain's own equivalent of Barcelona. Now let me see, is Croydon by the sea? No. Is its architecture inspired by a classic designer like Gaudi? No. Does it have a footie team who qualifies for the Champions League every year? No. Does it have anything to inspire comparison with Barca? Well, I suspect crime might be comparable.
The architect behind the regeneration is Will Alsop. Previously he has tried to get Barnsley to reinvent itself as a walled Tuscan hill town! His plans for Croydon include a 30 storey high equivalent of the Eden Project, the reintroduction of the River Wandle, presumably with accompanying gondolas from Venice, no doubt to be followed by Croydon bidding for the World Rowing Championships.
Nice try Croydon, but stick to what you are best at, doling out visas to 3rd World refugees (well meaning Brazilians excluded of course) and the invention of the Croydon face lift.
Croydon was/is a place of high rise offices dominating the skyline, and had the reputation as one of the easiest places to drive into and a little swine to drive out of!! It has one of the largest council estates in the country down the road in New Addington, and all the other inner city suburb planning blight which was synonymous with the sixties. That said, we had a few good runs ashore in the town, particularly after the end of our evening shift at work.
You will appreciate, then, why a smile crossed my face recently when it became known that Croydon was to re-invent itself as Britain's own equivalent of Barcelona. Now let me see, is Croydon by the sea? No. Is its architecture inspired by a classic designer like Gaudi? No. Does it have a footie team who qualifies for the Champions League every year? No. Does it have anything to inspire comparison with Barca? Well, I suspect crime might be comparable.
The architect behind the regeneration is Will Alsop. Previously he has tried to get Barnsley to reinvent itself as a walled Tuscan hill town! His plans for Croydon include a 30 storey high equivalent of the Eden Project, the reintroduction of the River Wandle, presumably with accompanying gondolas from Venice, no doubt to be followed by Croydon bidding for the World Rowing Championships.
Nice try Croydon, but stick to what you are best at, doling out visas to 3rd World refugees (well meaning Brazilians excluded of course) and the invention of the Croydon face lift.
Thursday 15 November 2007
Just Coming
I had to laugh this morning when I read of the street in Morda, on the Welsh Border, which had been named Cae Onan. Apparently it means 'Masturbation Meadow'!! The locals think it should have been named Cae Onnen which translates as 'Ash Meadow'.
Oswestry Borough Council who administer such things said there were no plans to change the name as it was 'not something that would be generally picked up on'
Its in the national papers so I guess a few people might now know!!!
Oswestry Borough Council who administer such things said there were no plans to change the name as it was 'not something that would be generally picked up on'
Its in the national papers so I guess a few people might now know!!!
Wednesday 14 November 2007
Tom Toms
I have never got round to embracing the sat nav culture. I guess its part of the macho 'I know where I am going' philosophy which the family would be delighted for me to ditch. Together we have discovered more back doubles, dead ends and dodgy areas than a sat nav could ever get me to drive through.
The Scouse House is not on some sat nav systems, which means we are often talking delivery or visiting drivers in, but I had to laugh last night, when, at about midnight it sounded like the Tardis had landed in Chis.
As I pulled back the curtains, there reversing down the road was a juggernaut, a huge juggernaut if that is not tautology. Silver Cres is just that, a crescent, and when combined with Thorneyhedge Road it will allow you to turn back on yourself along Chiswick High Road. If, therefore, that is what the lorry wanted to do, the sat nav was accurate in its directions. What it clearly did not take into account was the fact the hairpin bend at the top of the road is impossible to navigate in a lorry when a full compliment of residents vehicles are parked up.
How the trucker reversed all that way without damaging a car was a great testament to his driving skills. No sign of Billy Piper though.
The Scouse House is not on some sat nav systems, which means we are often talking delivery or visiting drivers in, but I had to laugh last night, when, at about midnight it sounded like the Tardis had landed in Chis.
As I pulled back the curtains, there reversing down the road was a juggernaut, a huge juggernaut if that is not tautology. Silver Cres is just that, a crescent, and when combined with Thorneyhedge Road it will allow you to turn back on yourself along Chiswick High Road. If, therefore, that is what the lorry wanted to do, the sat nav was accurate in its directions. What it clearly did not take into account was the fact the hairpin bend at the top of the road is impossible to navigate in a lorry when a full compliment of residents vehicles are parked up.
How the trucker reversed all that way without damaging a car was a great testament to his driving skills. No sign of Billy Piper though.
Tuesday 13 November 2007
Kipper Tie
Well what an eventful few days on the property ladder, and I don't mean just Silver Cres. lets start there though!!
So far you will remember that since I put the house on the market there have been two mortage interest rate hikes, a sub-prime mortgage crisis in the States highlighting the Northern Rock exposure, and a subsequent financial market nervousness which has affected house prices and shares. Couple that with the two properties next to mine going on the market for less that I am asking, the plumbing springing a leak, and the toilet seat breaking, and all in all its been a fretful selling process. Can it get worse?
Well, kind of. Last week Transco scheduled to replace the gas in the Crescent, and Thursday was my day. What they do is replace the main under the pavement, and then feed a new pipe into your house through the old pipe. Sound plan if the old pipe can be navigated, but, and you are all ahead of me here I can tell, mine had a 90 degree turn in it so their draw string broke inside the old pipe and they could not get the new pipe out as it was wedged tight.
So, they are now digging the garden up as I speak, they need to install an external box for the meter, and lay new pipe under the front door and into the kitchen. Nightmare!!
Luckily nobody is schedule to view today, but on the plus side, the house next door but one is now under offer, so I am the last man standing so to speak. They are getting divorced so needed to sell fairly quickly so their price was a bit below mine, a situation I was happy with, although my agent may not have been.
Elsewhere on the property ladder our youngest daughter took ownership of her new flat in Birkenhead on Friday, and she and her Brummie boyfriend have been working to get it habitable. Big sister, mum and his family have been doing most of the painting and decorating. I need a bit of isolation when I do DIY, a fact well known to her, so I will get the snagging list and can go and do it at my leisure!!
Her sis is also quite chuffed at the moment as it seems she is about to move into a new rental property in Jesmond in the centre of Newcastle. Jesmond is know as a shrine to the Virgin Mary, where apparently an apperation was seen many hundreds of years ago and a church has stood on the spot ever since. The Liverpool Catholic Mothers will be over in a shot to visit!! She is moving in with a work colleague and leaving the countrified environment of Yarm for the bright lights of the City, Whey Aye Man! Bryan Ferry used to live in Jesmond, not many people know that.
It will be the end of an era as her current house mate is moving in with her boyfriend, so both girls are embarking on a new life challenge.......surely mine can't be too far behind?
So far you will remember that since I put the house on the market there have been two mortage interest rate hikes, a sub-prime mortgage crisis in the States highlighting the Northern Rock exposure, and a subsequent financial market nervousness which has affected house prices and shares. Couple that with the two properties next to mine going on the market for less that I am asking, the plumbing springing a leak, and the toilet seat breaking, and all in all its been a fretful selling process. Can it get worse?
Well, kind of. Last week Transco scheduled to replace the gas in the Crescent, and Thursday was my day. What they do is replace the main under the pavement, and then feed a new pipe into your house through the old pipe. Sound plan if the old pipe can be navigated, but, and you are all ahead of me here I can tell, mine had a 90 degree turn in it so their draw string broke inside the old pipe and they could not get the new pipe out as it was wedged tight.
So, they are now digging the garden up as I speak, they need to install an external box for the meter, and lay new pipe under the front door and into the kitchen. Nightmare!!
Luckily nobody is schedule to view today, but on the plus side, the house next door but one is now under offer, so I am the last man standing so to speak. They are getting divorced so needed to sell fairly quickly so their price was a bit below mine, a situation I was happy with, although my agent may not have been.
Elsewhere on the property ladder our youngest daughter took ownership of her new flat in Birkenhead on Friday, and she and her Brummie boyfriend have been working to get it habitable. Big sister, mum and his family have been doing most of the painting and decorating. I need a bit of isolation when I do DIY, a fact well known to her, so I will get the snagging list and can go and do it at my leisure!!
Her sis is also quite chuffed at the moment as it seems she is about to move into a new rental property in Jesmond in the centre of Newcastle. Jesmond is know as a shrine to the Virgin Mary, where apparently an apperation was seen many hundreds of years ago and a church has stood on the spot ever since. The Liverpool Catholic Mothers will be over in a shot to visit!! She is moving in with a work colleague and leaving the countrified environment of Yarm for the bright lights of the City, Whey Aye Man! Bryan Ferry used to live in Jesmond, not many people know that.
It will be the end of an era as her current house mate is moving in with her boyfriend, so both girls are embarking on a new life challenge.......surely mine can't be too far behind?
Tuesday 6 November 2007
Left here, no, LEFT!!!!!
Our trip through the lanes and byways of Yorkshire was punctuated by the occasional ring road. 'I wonder who invented them' asked SWMBO, talking about roundabouts. So straight home to my Shell Book of Firsts, a volume from 1974, which does just what it says on the tin, almost. Roundabouts in this sense were actually listed under carousels. Still not to be outdone, I searched further and found that the first roundabout was constructed in Paris around the Arc de Triomphe in 1901, closely followed by Columbus Circle in New York City in 1904. The first British roundabout was five years later, in Letchworth Garden City in 1909 - originally intended partly as a traffic island for pedestrians. This was interesting from a wifely point of view, as the first traffic islands had been constructed in Liverpool at the suggestion of John Hastings, a saddler who kept a shop on busy and potentially dangerous corner. In 1862 six islands were constructed across the city.
So the Book of Firsts did have a use after all.
Searching through reference books used to be a regular pastime for the members of the Richmond Monday Club, a group of like minded drinkers who met after work in the Angel and Crown public house. Dave and Jackie, the hosts, had, with our help, assembled a wide and varied collection of reference books. They were just the thing you needed to settle arguments and debates, and included amongst them were, The Book of Hit Singles, the Rothmans Football Year Book, Pears Cyclopedia, The Book of Lists and an atlas. It was 10p a dip and the money went towards the next volume of the collection, usually brought second hand from a junk shop.
I think every boozer should have a library, I wonder where ours ended up?
So the Book of Firsts did have a use after all.
Searching through reference books used to be a regular pastime for the members of the Richmond Monday Club, a group of like minded drinkers who met after work in the Angel and Crown public house. Dave and Jackie, the hosts, had, with our help, assembled a wide and varied collection of reference books. They were just the thing you needed to settle arguments and debates, and included amongst them were, The Book of Hit Singles, the Rothmans Football Year Book, Pears Cyclopedia, The Book of Lists and an atlas. It was 10p a dip and the money went towards the next volume of the collection, usually brought second hand from a junk shop.
I think every boozer should have a library, I wonder where ours ended up?
Monday 5 November 2007
Fanny Street
We have just spent the weekend exploring the Yorkshire Dales. Some of it was by design, other bits were forced upon us by the great British motorway system.
Our main objective was to travel to Whixley near York to visit the latest art exhibition by Neil Simone, a surrealist artist we both like. We have a couple of his prints and thought an original oil might be a good idea. We left Liverpool in good time, knowing the gallery shut at about 4pm. A quick detour to Knutsford allowed us to drop Maxines engagement ring into a jewellers to get repaired, and then off the the M62 for the majority of the trip. Wrong.
J24 -J23 near Huddersfield were closed, so a quick(sic) detour ensued. We went to Harrogate via Halifax, Bradford and other quaint sounding Yorkshire villages, driving across the Penine Way en route. If I hadknown Brentford were playing Bradford we might have taken a break there, but as it was, we crawled along a number of A and B roads along with everybody else who had been diverted off.
We got to the gallery just after 4pm but luckily Neil and his wife were still there and were very welcoming, providing tea and coffee to ease us into the viewing. Sadly for them, we did not see anything we wanted to purchase, but it did give us a few ideas about the pictures we already have, and how the newly positioned piano may be made more an integral part of the furnishings.
Luckily SWMBO had suggested we stay over in Harrogate, so that we did. We had a room overlooking the Styne, a large public space, which had a free firework display. We could enjoy it from the comfort of our hotel room while deciding on which attractions of Harrogate we should enjoy.
A pub full of women dressed as GI Jane, and a very pleasant french restaurant filled the evening and an (average) full English set us up for a cruise back home.
It was quite a coincidence that the Leeds-Liverpool canal seemed to plot a path for us to follow. We picked it up at Skipton after passing close to the Menwith Hill listening station and seeing the beginnings of the new wind farm on the other side of the valley. It is a real shame that high, exposed moorland needs to be exploited by such monstrous structures, simply because height and exposure is their key to successful operation.
Anyway, we enjoyed exploring the basin of the canal around Skipton, and then moved on to pick the canal up again at Saltaire, the philanthropic development of Titus Salt, who built the village to house his mill workers, in the same way as Lord Levelhulme built Port Sunlight on the Wirral to house his factory workers. Salts Mill is now a gallery specialising in David Hockney works as well as home design shopping and an antiques fair. Salt himself was a god fearing man so built his village on strict Presbyterian lines. It does bring a smile to the face to see the local bistro and bar named "Don't tell Titus".
We lost the canal after going from Shipley to the M62, which thankfully was open this time, but picked it up again on the outskirts of Liverpool in Crosby and Waterloo. This is the part of the canal which I used to run along when we lived close by. It looked a bit too obstructed to be navigable now, although plans to open the Western end of the canal to the Albert Dock and the River Mersey may see all that change.
With Tesco now delivering to their major supermarkets in London via the Thames, who knows what the Leeds-Liverpool has awaiting it?
Our main objective was to travel to Whixley near York to visit the latest art exhibition by Neil Simone, a surrealist artist we both like. We have a couple of his prints and thought an original oil might be a good idea. We left Liverpool in good time, knowing the gallery shut at about 4pm. A quick detour to Knutsford allowed us to drop Maxines engagement ring into a jewellers to get repaired, and then off the the M62 for the majority of the trip. Wrong.
J24 -J23 near Huddersfield were closed, so a quick(sic) detour ensued. We went to Harrogate via Halifax, Bradford and other quaint sounding Yorkshire villages, driving across the Penine Way en route. If I hadknown Brentford were playing Bradford we might have taken a break there, but as it was, we crawled along a number of A and B roads along with everybody else who had been diverted off.
We got to the gallery just after 4pm but luckily Neil and his wife were still there and were very welcoming, providing tea and coffee to ease us into the viewing. Sadly for them, we did not see anything we wanted to purchase, but it did give us a few ideas about the pictures we already have, and how the newly positioned piano may be made more an integral part of the furnishings.
Luckily SWMBO had suggested we stay over in Harrogate, so that we did. We had a room overlooking the Styne, a large public space, which had a free firework display. We could enjoy it from the comfort of our hotel room while deciding on which attractions of Harrogate we should enjoy.
A pub full of women dressed as GI Jane, and a very pleasant french restaurant filled the evening and an (average) full English set us up for a cruise back home.
It was quite a coincidence that the Leeds-Liverpool canal seemed to plot a path for us to follow. We picked it up at Skipton after passing close to the Menwith Hill listening station and seeing the beginnings of the new wind farm on the other side of the valley. It is a real shame that high, exposed moorland needs to be exploited by such monstrous structures, simply because height and exposure is their key to successful operation.
Anyway, we enjoyed exploring the basin of the canal around Skipton, and then moved on to pick the canal up again at Saltaire, the philanthropic development of Titus Salt, who built the village to house his mill workers, in the same way as Lord Levelhulme built Port Sunlight on the Wirral to house his factory workers. Salts Mill is now a gallery specialising in David Hockney works as well as home design shopping and an antiques fair. Salt himself was a god fearing man so built his village on strict Presbyterian lines. It does bring a smile to the face to see the local bistro and bar named "Don't tell Titus".
We lost the canal after going from Shipley to the M62, which thankfully was open this time, but picked it up again on the outskirts of Liverpool in Crosby and Waterloo. This is the part of the canal which I used to run along when we lived close by. It looked a bit too obstructed to be navigable now, although plans to open the Western end of the canal to the Albert Dock and the River Mersey may see all that change.
With Tesco now delivering to their major supermarkets in London via the Thames, who knows what the Leeds-Liverpool has awaiting it?
Monday 29 October 2007
Blimey, Dumbledore a gay, what's all that about then?
One of the joys of beach holidays for me is the ability to catch up with a bit of reading. That's not to say I don't normally read, but the two week stretch does give ample time to blast through the bookshelf backlog.
I started this time with the final Harry Potter book. I had been trying very hard to avoid knowing the ending, and think I did pretty well save for some wretched Welsh Blodwyn blurting something out at a party. It was still a shock though when Lord Voltmort piloted a new Dreamliner straight into the midst of Hogwarts. It was like something out of Emmerdale, and without Dumbledore around to save them, the whole school got decimated. No chance of a Frank Sinatra comeback there then Harry boy!!
I am only jesting of course. I would no more give away the ending to this marvellous tale as I would the Mouse Trap. 'Tunnels' is billed as the next big kids book, but having read it, I can't see it being the cult that the Potter books have been, but we shall see.
Three days it took to read Potter, I then proceed to polish off 'Bring me the Head of Sergio Garcia', a book about a good amateur golfer trying his hand on the pro tour, albeit the third tier tour. Tom Cox was the author, and he did a reasonable enough job. It was interesting though to see how he struggled to break 80 on the tour when he had regularly broken 70 in his amateur events. There is no accounting for pressure. I enjoy a good golf book, reading 'Preferred Lies' by Andrew Greig, last year. Andrew revisited his roots in Scotland after a serious brain injury had almost killed him, and he played golf as a means to blend the various parts of his early life together. It did not have any pace to it as a book, but I guess it did the job for him.
Both these books fell short of my favourite 'Final Rounds', the story of a man, James Dobson, and his father touring England and Scotland together playing the courses his father , Brax, played when he was a GI stationed over here. He was in ill health and it was a now or never trip for them both. It was a very moving and interesting book and just pushes 'A Good Walk Spoiled' into second place.
'Merde Happens' was the third book I managed to finish, the story of an Englishman, French woman and an American driving around the USA in a mini. It is Stephen Clarkes third book and probably had enough in it to get me to read one of his others.
I returned home with 'Sleeping Doll' by Jeffery Deaver, 'Relentless' by Simon Kernick, 'Buried' By Mark Bellingham and 'The Afghan' by Frederick Forsyth, still to read I should have started one of them, but no, I picked up 'Homo Britannicus' by Chris Stringer, the history of Human Life in Britain.
Good looking book, well put together it may be, but its a bit like reading an encyclopedia for recreation.I can't handle the history of voles (Mimomys savini and Arvicola terrestris cantiana) in tracking mans movements across the country or learning about the only record of Britains extinct frog (Pliobatrachus). It does mention Kents Cavern in Torquay though, a trip which we as a family did when we lived in Devon. I am intent on finishing it though, but might skip the history of axe heads and a few other bits to get to the exciting parts of the book. That's assuming there are any of course.
I started this time with the final Harry Potter book. I had been trying very hard to avoid knowing the ending, and think I did pretty well save for some wretched Welsh Blodwyn blurting something out at a party. It was still a shock though when Lord Voltmort piloted a new Dreamliner straight into the midst of Hogwarts. It was like something out of Emmerdale, and without Dumbledore around to save them, the whole school got decimated. No chance of a Frank Sinatra comeback there then Harry boy!!
I am only jesting of course. I would no more give away the ending to this marvellous tale as I would the Mouse Trap. 'Tunnels' is billed as the next big kids book, but having read it, I can't see it being the cult that the Potter books have been, but we shall see.
Three days it took to read Potter, I then proceed to polish off 'Bring me the Head of Sergio Garcia', a book about a good amateur golfer trying his hand on the pro tour, albeit the third tier tour. Tom Cox was the author, and he did a reasonable enough job. It was interesting though to see how he struggled to break 80 on the tour when he had regularly broken 70 in his amateur events. There is no accounting for pressure. I enjoy a good golf book, reading 'Preferred Lies' by Andrew Greig, last year. Andrew revisited his roots in Scotland after a serious brain injury had almost killed him, and he played golf as a means to blend the various parts of his early life together. It did not have any pace to it as a book, but I guess it did the job for him.
Both these books fell short of my favourite 'Final Rounds', the story of a man, James Dobson, and his father touring England and Scotland together playing the courses his father , Brax, played when he was a GI stationed over here. He was in ill health and it was a now or never trip for them both. It was a very moving and interesting book and just pushes 'A Good Walk Spoiled' into second place.
'Merde Happens' was the third book I managed to finish, the story of an Englishman, French woman and an American driving around the USA in a mini. It is Stephen Clarkes third book and probably had enough in it to get me to read one of his others.
I returned home with 'Sleeping Doll' by Jeffery Deaver, 'Relentless' by Simon Kernick, 'Buried' By Mark Bellingham and 'The Afghan' by Frederick Forsyth, still to read I should have started one of them, but no, I picked up 'Homo Britannicus' by Chris Stringer, the history of Human Life in Britain.
Good looking book, well put together it may be, but its a bit like reading an encyclopedia for recreation.I can't handle the history of voles (Mimomys savini and Arvicola terrestris cantiana) in tracking mans movements across the country or learning about the only record of Britains extinct frog (Pliobatrachus). It does mention Kents Cavern in Torquay though, a trip which we as a family did when we lived in Devon. I am intent on finishing it though, but might skip the history of axe heads and a few other bits to get to the exciting parts of the book. That's assuming there are any of course.
Sunday 28 October 2007
Swing low, sweet chariot
Yesterday I strolled down to Twickenham RFC to see them play for the first time this season. Their opponents, Stevenage Town, are top of the league and unbeaten. T's are second having lost unexpectedly to Enfield Ignations. I was, therefore, looking forward to an exciting game.
The Twickenham team which took the field was fairly similar to that which got relegated last year. They have a very young side, with one or two older heads. Stevenage, looked more like the proper rugby team with the right shaped people in the key positions. Their front row were traditional fat popos, they had two tall beefy second row forwards and a quick youthful back row. All their three-quarters looked tricky and there was a bit of pace on the wings.
The game itself was pretty scrappy though. Both teams had periods of the match were they could not command possession, and when they did get it, basic handling skills let them down. Stevenage went on to win 22-11 which was a reasonable reflection and it will be no bad thing if T's stay in this league for a few more seasons to gain some experience, and put on a bit of weight!!
The atmosphere in the club was fine, although opposition teams never stay for as long these days, so that was when it became apparent that the Twickenham demographic has become somewhat fractured. Apart from me and a few other supporters in their late '50s and mid '60s there was a definite lack of older members. The 35-50 age group no longer seems to embrace the club on a regular basis. Sure they may have young families or other commitments, but with plans to expand and rebuild the clubhouse, sustaining the community will become a struggle.
Still I am sure the club has had troughs similar to that which it is in at the moment, and hopefully with the right direction from the top, it will soon climb out of it and start to again become a location of choice on Saturday afternoon. Sunday mini rugby continues to be the strength of the club though, I still haven't checked it out this season to see what the level of yummie mummie is. Another time perhaps.
The Twickenham team which took the field was fairly similar to that which got relegated last year. They have a very young side, with one or two older heads. Stevenage, looked more like the proper rugby team with the right shaped people in the key positions. Their front row were traditional fat popos, they had two tall beefy second row forwards and a quick youthful back row. All their three-quarters looked tricky and there was a bit of pace on the wings.
The game itself was pretty scrappy though. Both teams had periods of the match were they could not command possession, and when they did get it, basic handling skills let them down. Stevenage went on to win 22-11 which was a reasonable reflection and it will be no bad thing if T's stay in this league for a few more seasons to gain some experience, and put on a bit of weight!!
The atmosphere in the club was fine, although opposition teams never stay for as long these days, so that was when it became apparent that the Twickenham demographic has become somewhat fractured. Apart from me and a few other supporters in their late '50s and mid '60s there was a definite lack of older members. The 35-50 age group no longer seems to embrace the club on a regular basis. Sure they may have young families or other commitments, but with plans to expand and rebuild the clubhouse, sustaining the community will become a struggle.
Still I am sure the club has had troughs similar to that which it is in at the moment, and hopefully with the right direction from the top, it will soon climb out of it and start to again become a location of choice on Saturday afternoon. Sunday mini rugby continues to be the strength of the club though, I still haven't checked it out this season to see what the level of yummie mummie is. Another time perhaps.
Thursday 25 October 2007
Prosha
I am feeling very self righteous today, following a trip to my local Tesco. On this occasion I purchased all my fruit and veg loose and declined the use of the small plastic bags which the supermarkets place close to these items for separation.
The lady at the checkout seemed totally at ease with the approach and weighed and priced each selection as if I was in a street market. It saved me using eight or ten bags which I would have immediately thrown in the plastic recycling box, and herein lies the problem.
Hounslow Council have a plastic recycling facility in the car park of the local Sainsburys in Chiswick. As of 1st November, Sainsburys are going to manage this facility themselves. As a result, only plastic bottles will be able to be disposed of at this site. Packaging and plastic bags, film and food trays will have to go elsewhere or be thrown in with the landfill rubbish. The reason?
Plastic bottles have a resale value in the recycling value chain, plastic film and bags have a much smaller market and are consequently harder to dispose of. Sainsbury, therefore, are maximising their revenue from this new venture at the expense of the local residents and the Council.
I have talked about recycling before here and to their credit Hounslow are looking for an alternative site to place their wider plastics disposal facility, but it does make you wonder, as supermarkets create 90% of the plastic packaging, why they should be allowed to restrict the amount they collect for recycling.
Getting back to Tesco, I quite enjoy shopping in the store in Isleworth (pronounced 'i-sell-worth', rather than Tiger Woods home course with is pronounced 'i-el-worth') .As it serves the nearby Asian community it stocks loads of food from the Indian sub-continent and even food from further East, and it stocks it in bulk. Some great smells come from the curry section to which I am regularly drawn. The Sainsburys in Chiswick, by comparison, is much more Anglo-Saxon and is only just starting to stock selected Polish brands to satisfy the increase in demand from our Eastern European neighbours.
There has always been a close tie with the Poles in West London, particularly in Hammersmith where there is a large Polish cultural centre. Their strong catholic ethos also blends well with the high percentage of Irish residents in the area. I long had a Polish cleaner, well before they became de rigor. She was sourced from a work colleague who seemed to act as a gang boss for them. The girls would come to England for a year or so, doss with friends, and earn enough to go back and pay for their University or other higher education courses. These days my Crescent is more likely to play to the tune of au pairs, and builders, all working at a rate cheaper than their more traditional European competitors. Plus ca change.
The lady at the checkout seemed totally at ease with the approach and weighed and priced each selection as if I was in a street market. It saved me using eight or ten bags which I would have immediately thrown in the plastic recycling box, and herein lies the problem.
Hounslow Council have a plastic recycling facility in the car park of the local Sainsburys in Chiswick. As of 1st November, Sainsburys are going to manage this facility themselves. As a result, only plastic bottles will be able to be disposed of at this site. Packaging and plastic bags, film and food trays will have to go elsewhere or be thrown in with the landfill rubbish. The reason?
Plastic bottles have a resale value in the recycling value chain, plastic film and bags have a much smaller market and are consequently harder to dispose of. Sainsbury, therefore, are maximising their revenue from this new venture at the expense of the local residents and the Council.
I have talked about recycling before here and to their credit Hounslow are looking for an alternative site to place their wider plastics disposal facility, but it does make you wonder, as supermarkets create 90% of the plastic packaging, why they should be allowed to restrict the amount they collect for recycling.
Getting back to Tesco, I quite enjoy shopping in the store in Isleworth (pronounced 'i-sell-worth', rather than Tiger Woods home course with is pronounced 'i-el-worth') .As it serves the nearby Asian community it stocks loads of food from the Indian sub-continent and even food from further East, and it stocks it in bulk. Some great smells come from the curry section to which I am regularly drawn. The Sainsburys in Chiswick, by comparison, is much more Anglo-Saxon and is only just starting to stock selected Polish brands to satisfy the increase in demand from our Eastern European neighbours.
There has always been a close tie with the Poles in West London, particularly in Hammersmith where there is a large Polish cultural centre. Their strong catholic ethos also blends well with the high percentage of Irish residents in the area. I long had a Polish cleaner, well before they became de rigor. She was sourced from a work colleague who seemed to act as a gang boss for them. The girls would come to England for a year or so, doss with friends, and earn enough to go back and pay for their University or other higher education courses. These days my Crescent is more likely to play to the tune of au pairs, and builders, all working at a rate cheaper than their more traditional European competitors. Plus ca change.
Monday 22 October 2007
'It was on the line, chalk flew up'.......well actually no it didn't........
I started this blog to record my effort at selling my house, so I guess an update is due. Its still on the market, the price has dropped to reflect the slowdown in the number of viewings, and I am resigned to being its proud owner now into 2008. Whether I do any more work on it is something my work profile will influence, and early signs are that I will be fairly busy between now and Christmas so likely not.
I keep dropping hints at work about being offered a separation package, but the management team just grin inanely, say nice try, and farm me out somewhere else to ply my trade. The share price went up to $119 recently and is now back to about $112, but while the firm is doing OK I can't see any brown envelopes being distributed.
That will, therefore, put my professional sports watcher role on hold as well. Just imagine being in Moscow, Paris and Sao Paulo last week, well perhaps not eh!
F1 is not something I would stay in to watch usually but I was gripped by the drama yesterday, and as Maclaren blew it, so went \Lewis Hamiltons chances of winner the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. I suspect he will get the young sportsman award, and if Ricky Hatton wins in Las Vegas, the major award will be his. Padriag Harrington is from Southern Ireland so I am not sure he qualifies for the top prize, he may have to settle for the International award.
Team of the year is the hardest one to call, have we still got a synchronised swimming team? Talking of which, if one synchronised swimmer drowns, do they all have to?
I keep dropping hints at work about being offered a separation package, but the management team just grin inanely, say nice try, and farm me out somewhere else to ply my trade. The share price went up to $119 recently and is now back to about $112, but while the firm is doing OK I can't see any brown envelopes being distributed.
That will, therefore, put my professional sports watcher role on hold as well. Just imagine being in Moscow, Paris and Sao Paulo last week, well perhaps not eh!
F1 is not something I would stay in to watch usually but I was gripped by the drama yesterday, and as Maclaren blew it, so went \Lewis Hamiltons chances of winner the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. I suspect he will get the young sportsman award, and if Ricky Hatton wins in Las Vegas, the major award will be his. Padriag Harrington is from Southern Ireland so I am not sure he qualifies for the top prize, he may have to settle for the International award.
Team of the year is the hardest one to call, have we still got a synchronised swimming team? Talking of which, if one synchronised swimmer drowns, do they all have to?
Friday 19 October 2007
Michaelangelo and friends
While in St Lucia a few years ago, we were fortunate to spend one night camped out (yes I know I don't do camping but....) on the East coast hoping to see a Leatherback turtle or two come ashore and lay their eggs. It was blowing a gale and bitterly cold, and a two person pod tent is not the most secure.
This year we stayed on the West coast of St Lucia, so imaging our surprise, when one evening the sand started boiling and hundreds of baby turtles started to invade the resort bars and restaurants.....the babies had hatched and been attracted to the bright lights of the hotel, whereas on the East coast they usually head for the reflection of the moon on the water.
Holiday makers were running everywhere to catch the little blighters and throw them into the sea, only to have them washed ashore with the next wave. Only one thing for it, form a chain beyond the breaker line and throw the little darlings further out.....result, hundreds of turtles launched into a new life, hundreds of pounds damage to tourists designer shoes and trousers, but all well worth it.....and the cycle was complete.......the hotel have two more nests apparently so future visitors are in for the same treat.
We were delighted, therefore, to be woken by rangers during the night and had the chance to see a turtle in action. They come ashore, find a spot they are comfortable with, and use their rear flippers to dig a deep hole for the nest. Once satisfied with their construction work, they go into a trace and pop out over a hundred eggs, which look like billiard balls.
Once in her trace, we were able to stroke and take photos of the turtle, and on our particular trip there was a seven year old girl with her dad, so she had the honour of using the number clicker to count the final egg total.
We only witnessed one female on the night we were there, but the following night eight came ashore. The rangers were telling us that since they have started to use the experience as a tourist attraction, the number of turtles lost to poachers has dropped dramatically. That's good news as they have enough natural predators without human intervention.
This year we stayed on the West coast of St Lucia, so imaging our surprise, when one evening the sand started boiling and hundreds of baby turtles started to invade the resort bars and restaurants.....the babies had hatched and been attracted to the bright lights of the hotel, whereas on the East coast they usually head for the reflection of the moon on the water.
Holiday makers were running everywhere to catch the little blighters and throw them into the sea, only to have them washed ashore with the next wave. Only one thing for it, form a chain beyond the breaker line and throw the little darlings further out.....result, hundreds of turtles launched into a new life, hundreds of pounds damage to tourists designer shoes and trousers, but all well worth it.....and the cycle was complete.......the hotel have two more nests apparently so future visitors are in for the same treat.Thursday 18 October 2007
Who have you come as then?
Can you believe it? As part of my recent Algarvian tour, I and my fellow tourists dressed one night in Hawaiian shirts, and on another night in our room mates clothes. Yes I know we are grown men, but rugby players never change, even if its on golf tour. Strange as those evenings were, nothing compared with the middle night when we had to dress as favourite Englishmen. Now we were fore warned about this to allow costumes to be prepared and carefully assembled, but I went for the sheet and two belts approach for easy packing.
So as I appeared at the designated bar, dressed as T.E. Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, who did I spot drinking there already? Yes there was another T.E. Lawrence! Now there were only eight of us on tour, and the other six had chosen Ozzie Osborne, Robin Hood, James Bond, Dick Turpin, Tommy Cooper and Harry Hill. So what are the chases of two people in that small group dressing the same?
Worst of course was to come, as tour rules dictate that when one Lawrence misbehaves and gets fined, both do. We therefore spent all night checking we were both drinking with the correct hand, were addressing the day captains in the correct manner and performed any cunning stunts in a timely and well presented manner. Gosh, was I pleased when mid-night arrived and one could revert to normal!
So as I appeared at the designated bar, dressed as T.E. Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, who did I spot drinking there already? Yes there was another T.E. Lawrence! Now there were only eight of us on tour, and the other six had chosen Ozzie Osborne, Robin Hood, James Bond, Dick Turpin, Tommy Cooper and Harry Hill. So what are the chases of two people in that small group dressing the same?
Worst of course was to come, as tour rules dictate that when one Lawrence misbehaves and gets fined, both do. We therefore spent all night checking we were both drinking with the correct hand, were addressing the day captains in the correct manner and performed any cunning stunts in a timely and well presented manner. Gosh, was I pleased when mid-night arrived and one could revert to normal!
Monday 1 October 2007
They swim in the sea, we eat them for tea.......
Interesting weekend just past. Our oldest, Tim and his girlfriend Lili, used the house for an engagement party. Interesting guest list which included my present and past wife, and her two ex-husbands!!
Tim, as an only child, seems to have masses of siblings, and all were present for the big event. It all went off well, I think. I behaved myself and got to bed about 2am......not too bad.
They are planning to get married twice, bit like me really! The first will be in Brazil in February 2009, the second in England later in the same year. There seems to be huge interest in going to Sao Paulo so i think they will be surprised by the turnout. It will be Summer there so the combination of a wedding and holiday seems spot on to me.
Talking of holidays, I am just off to St Lucia, to defend my 'Sir Vivian Richards Pro-Am' title around the tricky but very picturesque St Lucia Golf Course. I won it last time with Jeff Crowe, the New Zealand cricketer, and two local members. Jeff is a cousin of Russell, and had just come back form seeing him get married. Jeff plays of 2 so we were quids in really compared with some of the team members. Ian Botham, Sir Gary Sobers, Tony Greig and Chris Cowdrey were playing, as well as the host, and it was a sound day out all round......I am told there is a fair bit of development going on at the moment around the course, and Jack Nicklaus is building a second 18 holes nearby. It will be interesting to see the new club house as well.
I am also playing in the 'Todgers Trophy' overseas edition when I return. This year it is in Portugal, and it is the annual tournament for Twickenham Rugby Club. In true rugger tradition, we have to go as famous Englishmen. That should irritate the Welsh amongst us.
They got knocked out of the Rugby World Cup on Saturday didn't they? To Fiji of all people. The QFstage is now quite interesting. I would take Argentina and South Africa to go through and meet in the semi, which then conjures up potentially four games in which anybody could win. On their day England can beat Aus, and France can turn over NZ. An E v F semi could go either way, as could the SA v Argie one. So we are suddenly looking at an Argie v England final! Who would have thought it a week or so ago?
Tim, as an only child, seems to have masses of siblings, and all were present for the big event. It all went off well, I think. I behaved myself and got to bed about 2am......not too bad.
They are planning to get married twice, bit like me really! The first will be in Brazil in February 2009, the second in England later in the same year. There seems to be huge interest in going to Sao Paulo so i think they will be surprised by the turnout. It will be Summer there so the combination of a wedding and holiday seems spot on to me.
Talking of holidays, I am just off to St Lucia, to defend my 'Sir Vivian Richards Pro-Am' title around the tricky but very picturesque St Lucia Golf Course. I won it last time with Jeff Crowe, the New Zealand cricketer, and two local members. Jeff is a cousin of Russell, and had just come back form seeing him get married. Jeff plays of 2 so we were quids in really compared with some of the team members. Ian Botham, Sir Gary Sobers, Tony Greig and Chris Cowdrey were playing, as well as the host, and it was a sound day out all round......I am told there is a fair bit of development going on at the moment around the course, and Jack Nicklaus is building a second 18 holes nearby. It will be interesting to see the new club house as well.
I am also playing in the 'Todgers Trophy' overseas edition when I return. This year it is in Portugal, and it is the annual tournament for Twickenham Rugby Club. In true rugger tradition, we have to go as famous Englishmen. That should irritate the Welsh amongst us.
They got knocked out of the Rugby World Cup on Saturday didn't they? To Fiji of all people. The QFstage is now quite interesting. I would take Argentina and South Africa to go through and meet in the semi, which then conjures up potentially four games in which anybody could win. On their day England can beat Aus, and France can turn over NZ. An E v F semi could go either way, as could the SA v Argie one. So we are suddenly looking at an Argie v England final! Who would have thought it a week or so ago?
Tuesday 25 September 2007
An Ounce of Sense from Brussels
The last topic headline reminded me that I was going to comment on the decision by the faceless ones in the EU to allow the UK and Ireland to continue using their imperial measurement system. A great result for common sense, but sadly its a decision which Steve Thorburn will be unable to celebrate.
Steve was one of the original 'metric martyrs' and was charged with selling banana's by the pound. he received a conditional discharge, but died of a heart attack about three years ago. His colleagues I am sure will have raised a pint to him, and no, two half litres of lager and a packet of crisps does not have the same ring to it, does it?
I was always intrigued that the pop band 10cc got its name from the average capacity of the male ejaculation, but I don't think they would have made it big as 0.352floz. No chance the Rolling Kilogrammes lasting 40+ years either.
There are a few things I am glad we have lost though. The 400m has a much better ring to it than the 440yds, and decimalisation in 1971 certainly made adding up easier. What exactly is a twelve times table?
My favourite comment on metrication though comes from the radio series of ' I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again' . A English girl asked President de Gaulle if it was true that a 32AA bra cup would become an 81. 'Mais Oui' replied the President, ' I always make zee mountain out of zee molehill'
I'll fetch my coat!
Steve was one of the original 'metric martyrs' and was charged with selling banana's by the pound. he received a conditional discharge, but died of a heart attack about three years ago. His colleagues I am sure will have raised a pint to him, and no, two half litres of lager and a packet of crisps does not have the same ring to it, does it?
I was always intrigued that the pop band 10cc got its name from the average capacity of the male ejaculation, but I don't think they would have made it big as 0.352floz. No chance the Rolling Kilogrammes lasting 40+ years either.
There are a few things I am glad we have lost though. The 400m has a much better ring to it than the 440yds, and decimalisation in 1971 certainly made adding up easier. What exactly is a twelve times table?
My favourite comment on metrication though comes from the radio series of ' I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again' . A English girl asked President de Gaulle if it was true that a 32AA bra cup would become an 81. 'Mais Oui' replied the President, ' I always make zee mountain out of zee molehill'
I'll fetch my coat!
Thursday 20 September 2007
Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps
Two bottles of white wine, a bottle of Vodka, two cases of Heineken a bottle of chilled champagne and three good quality pizza's. These are amongst the items populating the dressing room of Amy Winehouse as part of her 'Green Room' contract clause. Not bad for a girl in re-hab.
I have no time for Amy, but it did get me wondering what I would have in my green room if every I found myself accepting a Mercury music award, or similar.
Clearly a case of Fullers London Pride would feature, with, maybe a barrel of Doom Bar, from the Rock brewery near Newquay. I don't really do spirits, but I would probably share Amy's taste for white wine (Napa Valley Chardonnay, or Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc) and Champagne. I think a finger buffet curry would take care of the eating department as fish and chips would go cold and soggy.
Then there are the add-ons, the boys toys.......Scalextic is ageless and I noticed it is celebrating its 50th anniversary, so a four lane job would need to be accommodated, with proper racing cars, not the mickey mouse ambulance/police car/family saloons they have recently introduced.
A TV showing Argyle winning at the old Wembley would be playing in the corner, and Who's Next, the album, would be blaring from the speakers. They were undoubtedly the best band I ever saw live, and while its not my all time favourite album, but it would get me in the mood for the acceptance speech!!
Now then, favourite albums, and singles, I feel another blog entry coming on....stay tuned.
I have no time for Amy, but it did get me wondering what I would have in my green room if every I found myself accepting a Mercury music award, or similar.
Clearly a case of Fullers London Pride would feature, with, maybe a barrel of Doom Bar, from the Rock brewery near Newquay. I don't really do spirits, but I would probably share Amy's taste for white wine (Napa Valley Chardonnay, or Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc) and Champagne. I think a finger buffet curry would take care of the eating department as fish and chips would go cold and soggy.
Then there are the add-ons, the boys toys.......Scalextic is ageless and I noticed it is celebrating its 50th anniversary, so a four lane job would need to be accommodated, with proper racing cars, not the mickey mouse ambulance/police car/family saloons they have recently introduced.
A TV showing Argyle winning at the old Wembley would be playing in the corner, and Who's Next, the album, would be blaring from the speakers. They were undoubtedly the best band I ever saw live, and while its not my all time favourite album, but it would get me in the mood for the acceptance speech!!
Now then, favourite albums, and singles, I feel another blog entry coming on....stay tuned.
A thousand words
Here is an interesting blogger add-on, it shows peoples photo downloads as they happen.....your own little slide show.......not sure if you need a blogger account for it to work.....
http://play.blogger.com/
http://play.blogger.com/
Tuesday 18 September 2007
Le Bateau dans Bordeaux
So The Philanderers rugby world cup tour continued at the weekend, with a fine few days in Bordeaux. Fine was the key word as the weather cracked the flags and a few glasses were raised to the outstanding performances from the teams of the Northern hemisphere......hmmmm!
The Ireland v Georgia game was a cracker with the local and neutral in the crowd cheering on the Georgians, who should have won. It was just their self belief and a sense that they weren't used to winning which ultimately cost them. England were, of course, England but the Tongan win over Samoa gave them a bit of a hand, so a quarter-final spot should still be on the cards.
But enough of the rugby. Bordeaux is an excellent place for a long weekend. It seemed bigger than Lille but had many of the attributes, good food, chic filles and plenty of wine. The city sits about eight miles up the river Gironde so it came as a shock to see a ten storey cruise ship in town the first morning. A trip to the harbour area though quickly enforces the long term use of the city as a port, not least when the German Atlantic fleet used it as a base during the Second World War. The Cockleshell Hero's, a team of Royal Marines, are remembered for their sorte up the river in canoes, when they destroyed a number of German cargo and war ships. Two of the twelve survived and returned home via Spain and Gibralter. The others were either drowned or captured and executed.
So thats the RWC embraced for the moment, next stop Paris for the semi's if L'Angleterre manage to make it!!
The Ireland v Georgia game was a cracker with the local and neutral in the crowd cheering on the Georgians, who should have won. It was just their self belief and a sense that they weren't used to winning which ultimately cost them. England were, of course, England but the Tongan win over Samoa gave them a bit of a hand, so a quarter-final spot should still be on the cards.
But enough of the rugby. Bordeaux is an excellent place for a long weekend. It seemed bigger than Lille but had many of the attributes, good food, chic filles and plenty of wine. The city sits about eight miles up the river Gironde so it came as a shock to see a ten storey cruise ship in town the first morning. A trip to the harbour area though quickly enforces the long term use of the city as a port, not least when the German Atlantic fleet used it as a base during the Second World War. The Cockleshell Hero's, a team of Royal Marines, are remembered for their sorte up the river in canoes, when they destroyed a number of German cargo and war ships. Two of the twelve survived and returned home via Spain and Gibralter. The others were either drowned or captured and executed.
So thats the RWC embraced for the moment, next stop Paris for the semi's if L'Angleterre manage to make it!!
Monday 10 September 2007
Lookalikes
Sir,
It has been brought to my attention that I bear an uncanny resemblance to ex-England rugby coach, Jack Rowell. This similarity was re-enforced on my recent trip to Lille, when a complete stranger engaged me in conversation and addressed me regularly as 'Jack'
I wonder if we are by any chance related?
Me and Jack
Sir,
I am concerned that I have been compared to a young Ian Botham, the ex-England cricketer and Sky Sports pundit. I wonder if by any chance he and Jack Rowell are related?
Ian and Jack
Sir,
Who is Paul Allott? Could he be their love child?
Vive La Difference
Well, a fun weekend in Northern France has just passed without too much incident. Two towns, Lille and Lens, did their best to entertain 35,000 England rugby supporters in a fairly football dominated part of the Country.
It was disappointing that the promise of large screens in the town square did not materialise, and I understand that is likely to be the same in Bordeaux this weekend. As home to Begles RFC, though, I will be expecting a bit more awareness of the needs of the travelling fans.
Not withstanding that, hundreds of French, Argentine and English fans packed ' Le Pub' in the centre of Lille old town on Friday and enjoyed an excellent start to the tournament, as the Argies provided a day 1 upset and beat Les Bleus. It proved to be the only upset of the weekend, as Wales and Scotland both overcame shaky starts to win, Ireland stuttered to victory over Namibia, and England won, but with little conviction in Lens.
Lens is a mining town which now finds itself falling on hard times.the centre is dominated by the huge marshaling yards which must have been a hive of activity during the height of the coal excavation period, a period which was ended by cheap importation from Poland and other Eastern European countries. There is little evidence of the old trade, save for a statue in the grounds of the university, and a protected area, much like Saltaire in Yorkshire, which shows the layout of the old mining community, with streets and facilities as they were many years ago.
All the bar staff and local people did their best to welcome the invading hoards, although the riot police seemed extremely disappointed that they had no Sang Anglais on their batons. Our guard of honour at the station as we left Lens for Lille in the evening was truly out of Monty Python. My colleague, Stan, took his life in his hands as he marched along the line straightening their hats, and ensuring they were carrying their rifles at correct angle before bidding then a fond farewell.
Stan it was who introduced me to the term 'Barringtons' many years ago. He was a swift drinker in those days and would go to the bar between rounds for a livener, as we were drinking far too slowly for his liking. Such action is referred to as getting a Barringtons, and is named after James Barrington-Dolby, who would provide the between rounds summary on the boxing, for the BBC. That was in the days when Eamonn Andrews used to do the commentary.
I notice that EDF are one of the main sponsors of the Rugby World Cup. After drinking all that continental lager I suspect Gaz d'France might have been a better choice. C'est la vie.
It was disappointing that the promise of large screens in the town square did not materialise, and I understand that is likely to be the same in Bordeaux this weekend. As home to Begles RFC, though, I will be expecting a bit more awareness of the needs of the travelling fans.
Not withstanding that, hundreds of French, Argentine and English fans packed ' Le Pub' in the centre of Lille old town on Friday and enjoyed an excellent start to the tournament, as the Argies provided a day 1 upset and beat Les Bleus. It proved to be the only upset of the weekend, as Wales and Scotland both overcame shaky starts to win, Ireland stuttered to victory over Namibia, and England won, but with little conviction in Lens.
Lens is a mining town which now finds itself falling on hard times.the centre is dominated by the huge marshaling yards which must have been a hive of activity during the height of the coal excavation period, a period which was ended by cheap importation from Poland and other Eastern European countries. There is little evidence of the old trade, save for a statue in the grounds of the university, and a protected area, much like Saltaire in Yorkshire, which shows the layout of the old mining community, with streets and facilities as they were many years ago.
All the bar staff and local people did their best to welcome the invading hoards, although the riot police seemed extremely disappointed that they had no Sang Anglais on their batons. Our guard of honour at the station as we left Lens for Lille in the evening was truly out of Monty Python. My colleague, Stan, took his life in his hands as he marched along the line straightening their hats, and ensuring they were carrying their rifles at correct angle before bidding then a fond farewell.
Stan it was who introduced me to the term 'Barringtons' many years ago. He was a swift drinker in those days and would go to the bar between rounds for a livener, as we were drinking far too slowly for his liking. Such action is referred to as getting a Barringtons, and is named after James Barrington-Dolby, who would provide the between rounds summary on the boxing, for the BBC. That was in the days when Eamonn Andrews used to do the commentary.
I notice that EDF are one of the main sponsors of the Rugby World Cup. After drinking all that continental lager I suspect Gaz d'France might have been a better choice. C'est la vie.
Thursday 6 September 2007
Let The Games Begin
Well, the Rugby World Cup actually, and I can't wait. Although I am somewhat disillusioned about the style of the game at the moment, there is no doubt that this tournament could be the best yet.
Firstly its in France, so its actually possible to pop over for the day to watch some of the games, secondly the All Blacks look like they might have peaked too soon again, and finally, all the groups , are primed for big games and possible upsets.
Stan and I are off to Lille tomorrow and then travelling up to Lens on Saturday for the England v USA match, one Les Blanc should win. The tournament kicks off on Friday night with France v Argentina, a potential banana skin for Les Bleu, but one I see them avoiding. My spread bet is on them at +14!
The following week there are four of us in Bordeaux for the Ireland v Georgia game. If you want a craic, then the Irish are going to provide it, and I can't wait to hear them cheering for South Africa as they play England on the Friday.
Saturday before our match we will be watching Wales v Australia where brother-in-law, David will be pitching for an upset. And upsets are potential all over the place, Ireland v France, Ireland v Argentina, England v Samoa and Scotland v Italy. Wales and Aus should make it through their groups OK.
One has to feel for Portugal having been drawn in the same group as New Zealand though, the spread for the highest scoring game is 128-132 and guess which one they have in mind?
My smart money is on there being a few red cards this time round, and with the spread 1.4-1.8, Samoa v Tonga could cover it all on their own. That really is a match I will try to see, albeit on the big screen. From Englands point of view its good they play both teams after they have played each other. They will be so beat up they just might be running on empty.
Jonny is crocked already, Ashton has done his best with limited time, and its payback time for Farrell. So its England for the semis then anything can happen!!!!!
Oh yes, I got offered tickets for the England v South Africa game yesterday, face value £170, train and match tickets and two nights hotel in Lille are costing that, so I politely declined!!!!
Firstly its in France, so its actually possible to pop over for the day to watch some of the games, secondly the All Blacks look like they might have peaked too soon again, and finally, all the groups , are primed for big games and possible upsets.
Stan and I are off to Lille tomorrow and then travelling up to Lens on Saturday for the England v USA match, one Les Blanc should win. The tournament kicks off on Friday night with France v Argentina, a potential banana skin for Les Bleu, but one I see them avoiding. My spread bet is on them at +14!
The following week there are four of us in Bordeaux for the Ireland v Georgia game. If you want a craic, then the Irish are going to provide it, and I can't wait to hear them cheering for South Africa as they play England on the Friday.
Saturday before our match we will be watching Wales v Australia where brother-in-law, David will be pitching for an upset. And upsets are potential all over the place, Ireland v France, Ireland v Argentina, England v Samoa and Scotland v Italy. Wales and Aus should make it through their groups OK.
One has to feel for Portugal having been drawn in the same group as New Zealand though, the spread for the highest scoring game is 128-132 and guess which one they have in mind?
My smart money is on there being a few red cards this time round, and with the spread 1.4-1.8, Samoa v Tonga could cover it all on their own. That really is a match I will try to see, albeit on the big screen. From Englands point of view its good they play both teams after they have played each other. They will be so beat up they just might be running on empty.
Jonny is crocked already, Ashton has done his best with limited time, and its payback time for Farrell. So its England for the semis then anything can happen!!!!!
Oh yes, I got offered tickets for the England v South Africa game yesterday, face value £170, train and match tickets and two nights hotel in Lille are costing that, so I politely declined!!!!
Tuesday 4 September 2007
I Never Fancied Jackie
Mention of the Bash Street Kids reminded me of the new BBC4 programme which is about to start, Comics Britannia. What a great opportunity to re-live ones childhood through the classic titles they will feature.
Much of the programme will link the influence of the US artistic community on Comic culture, but I was never really into Batman and Wonder Woman, although there is a joke in there somewhere!!
The Scottish art house, DC Thomsons, provided most of my childhood entertainment with the ever popular Dandy and Beano characters. They were the Red Tops of their time, and featured Dennis the Menace, afore mentioned Bash Street Kids, Minnie the Minx , Roger the Dodger and the sadly missed Lord Snooty. We had a lad at school, David Finnegan, who was called Plug due to him having bucked teeth!
Desperate Dan inspired one of the longest remembered jokes; How many Cow Pies can he eat on an empty stomach? One, of course as then his stomach will not be empty....groan. He also inspired a chain of pubs to introduce the Cow Pie into its outlets well before gastropubs were the trend.
The Little Pub Company traded as Mad O'Roukes and had outlets mainly in the Black Country with such names as The Little Upton Muggery, The Little Pack Horse, The Dry Dock and the Tipton Pie Factory. Many are now in private hands but still show the particular blue glazed wall tiles which were a standard part of the decor. I have a fine collection of mugs from a number of the outlets from my days in Sandwell, deep joy.
I have been sidetracked. If Beano and Dandy were the Red Tops, then The Beezer and Topper were the broadsheets of the comic world in the 60's. Pop, Dick and Harry was the cover strip for the Beezer, and the Numskulls were a strip ahead of their time. The comics merged and eventually the titles disappeared in 1993. A character caller The Topper does exist in the Dilbert strip but I suspect that is co-incidence.
As I got older I started to read the Rover and Wizard, and The Victor and Valiant these publications merged strips with stories and introduced sporting and adventure heros like Alf Tupper, as The Tough of the Track and the great Wilson, an athlete and cricketer who played for Leasford and ate magic moss to keep him young and fit...if only I could find its source!!
Finally there was Tiger and the untouchable Roy Race, as Roy of the Rovers. His strip is still reproduced today in many football fanzines, and for a footie player to be referred to a Roy of the Rovers is still considered the ultimate accolade although in modern changing room it might be thus: Roy des robots d'exploration, Roy de los exploradores, Рой роверов or Roy van de zwervers.
Many comics died out or were absorbed into other titles during the 1990s. You can find out where yours went, here
Friday 31 August 2007
Rhys Jones, could you do this....
A poem written by Rhys’s father, Stephen
Now God wanted a football match
And to play it up in heaven
But first he needed players
And select his first eleven
Georgie Best, big Brian Labone
The legend Dixie Dean
Alan Ball and Bobby Moore
All made it in the team
He needed one more player
Someone who would be quick
From up above he looked down
And saw Rhys there in his kit
So Rhys was taken up above
God took him by the hand
To play the game he loved so much
Where sponsorship is banned
There is no cheating either
asGod is the referee
There are no mega wages
And the transfers they are free
The games are live on telly
You don't have to subscribe
The players all stay on their feet
Cos no one takes a dive
So Rhys plays now so happily
To the angels in the crowd
And every time he hits the net
They roar his name so loud
Have fun my little blue boy
You’re safe and in God’s care
‘Till it’s time for me to get my boots
And join with you up there
Now God wanted a football match
And to play it up in heaven
But first he needed players
And select his first eleven
Georgie Best, big Brian Labone
The legend Dixie Dean
Alan Ball and Bobby Moore
All made it in the team
He needed one more player
Someone who would be quick
From up above he looked down
And saw Rhys there in his kit
So Rhys was taken up above
God took him by the hand
To play the game he loved so much
Where sponsorship is banned
There is no cheating either
asGod is the referee
There are no mega wages
And the transfers they are free
The games are live on telly
You don't have to subscribe
The players all stay on their feet
Cos no one takes a dive
So Rhys plays now so happily
To the angels in the crowd
And every time he hits the net
They roar his name so loud
Have fun my little blue boy
You’re safe and in God’s care
‘Till it’s time for me to get my boots
And join with you up there
Thursday 30 August 2007
Don't dubbin the toecaps, Mum.....
I am having a Glenda Slag moment today, triggered by the latest front page expose of David Beckhams knee injury.
Ah that sweet David Beckham don't you just love his tattooed torso and stunning good looks, wizzing down the wing for England. I would love to massage his groin strain anytime...............David Beckham, what a big girls blouse, calls himself a footballer, with his metatarsal of a girlfriend and dodgy knees ( no connection there for sure) the States are welcome to him. Beckham, you Yank.(geddit!!).
Metatarsals now they are strange little bones aren't they, discovered by your average football player about 4 years ago when the bones featured in the Bash Street Kids Christmas Annual. Since then the players have been going over like nine pins. 'Desperate Dan' Rooney, Steven 'the scouse' Gerrard, Gary 'Trotsky' Neville and, oh yes, 'break it like' Beckham himself have all had damaged meta's.
Well I have the answer, give them some proper boot like I used to wear. Our Jackie Milburn, Tom Finney, Dickie Dean and Billie Wright never had such injuries, and why? Proper boots. ......... now wheres that hammer, the nails are coming through my feet again......
Tuesday 28 August 2007
Hammer and Sickle
I have just spent the Summer Bank Holiday reconditioning a shed in my back garden.
A shed is an integral part of a married mans armoury, and it will show definite strength of character if, when asking for either of our daughters hand in marriage, the individual concerned can appreciate a regard for garden sheds, and the understanding of all that they represent. Otherwise it might show a lack of understanding for the need to retreat, at certain times during a relationship to maintain ones sanity.
I am lucky enough to have three sheds. One is appropriately called a bike shed, and by its very nature is long and thin. Apart from room for two, maybe three, bikes it also houses miscellaneous tools and decorating materials.
In the main shed I have incorporates a work surface, vice and storage racks onto which I place items which I might just have a use for ten or fifteen years down the line. The drawers are full of half used packs of nails, balls of string and rusted hand tools, many inherited from family members or neighbours who are having a clear out. Old tools I find are a bit like business cards, not always welcome but once received, rarely thrown out.
It is disappointing that my shed does not have a window, although I have installed power so I can read long into the night or watch the TV from the battered old armchair which sits majestically in one corner. It is these three items which form the fundamentals of life in the garden shed so that when in residence, either through choice or as a tactical withdrawal, home comforts can be close at hand. Mobile phones have even meant a walkie talkie system is not now needed for those 'any chance of a cuppa tea?' type conversations.
The third shed I have is actually a Wendy House, and it was part of the furnishings and fittings which came with our purchase of the bigger house. It was this shed I was refurbishing. The weather has taken its toll on it, so part of the floor, the bottom side panels and the decorative entrance all needed repair or replacement, and a coat of paint. It now looks almost new. As we have no young children to make regular use of the Wendy House, it is used to store garden chairs, games and golf stuff.
Its greatest asset though is that it has an upper floor, which in times of great stress can be furnished with a mattress and used as an overnight sleeping venue.
It has already been put to the test by number two son who holds the world record for losing door keys and has therefore been known to kip in the shed until such time as somebody comes home, when asked how it was, he replied 'okay'.......oh the joy of youth.
A shed is an integral part of a married mans armoury, and it will show definite strength of character if, when asking for either of our daughters hand in marriage, the individual concerned can appreciate a regard for garden sheds, and the understanding of all that they represent. Otherwise it might show a lack of understanding for the need to retreat, at certain times during a relationship to maintain ones sanity.
I am lucky enough to have three sheds. One is appropriately called a bike shed, and by its very nature is long and thin. Apart from room for two, maybe three, bikes it also houses miscellaneous tools and decorating materials.
In the main shed I have incorporates a work surface, vice and storage racks onto which I place items which I might just have a use for ten or fifteen years down the line. The drawers are full of half used packs of nails, balls of string and rusted hand tools, many inherited from family members or neighbours who are having a clear out. Old tools I find are a bit like business cards, not always welcome but once received, rarely thrown out.
It is disappointing that my shed does not have a window, although I have installed power so I can read long into the night or watch the TV from the battered old armchair which sits majestically in one corner. It is these three items which form the fundamentals of life in the garden shed so that when in residence, either through choice or as a tactical withdrawal, home comforts can be close at hand. Mobile phones have even meant a walkie talkie system is not now needed for those 'any chance of a cuppa tea?' type conversations.
The third shed I have is actually a Wendy House, and it was part of the furnishings and fittings which came with our purchase of the bigger house. It was this shed I was refurbishing. The weather has taken its toll on it, so part of the floor, the bottom side panels and the decorative entrance all needed repair or replacement, and a coat of paint. It now looks almost new. As we have no young children to make regular use of the Wendy House, it is used to store garden chairs, games and golf stuff.
Its greatest asset though is that it has an upper floor, which in times of great stress can be furnished with a mattress and used as an overnight sleeping venue.
It has already been put to the test by number two son who holds the world record for losing door keys and has therefore been known to kip in the shed until such time as somebody comes home, when asked how it was, he replied 'okay'.......oh the joy of youth.
Friday 24 August 2007
Crikey!
So once more the country rejoices to the news of record 'A' and 'O' level results, OK I know they are called GCSEs, but they are 'O' levels to me. So what is really happening on our education system that every year results seem to get better and better. Are the examinations easier? Is the pass mark being artificially lowered so that 45% correct now means you get an A? Do teachers coach rather than teach these days, and is internet plagiarism and assignment co-operation leading to learning by rote.
Teaching is a peculiar profession. Many times I have been involved in discussions about the difficulty of teaching children, and I would be the first to admit that more and more parents acquiesce all moral and disciplinary responsibility to teachers. Teachers in turn are restricted in the disciplinary measures they can use, and hence the education system turns out, or fails more and more 'latchkey' kids as I would call them. The tragic incident in Croxteth yesterday being the extreme result of such a breakdown.
Going back to basic education though, worryingly the latest figures show that the number of children with adequate English and maths qualifications is dropping and is approaching a level of less than 50%. Now if we are producing that level of numeracy and grammar after 11 years of teaching a child, then the system really does need looking at.
I have referred before to the levelling of the educational playing field under the Blair administration, maybe the old adage that a teacher with 15 years experience really only has one years experience duplicated 15 times, is coming back to haunt us. I don't know the answer, but parental control, discipline at school, and respect for other people, have to be drilled into our kids at an early age, and re-enforced as they grow up. Only then will educational standards be judged as having improved and such improvements will be universally welcomed and applauded.
Teaching is a peculiar profession. Many times I have been involved in discussions about the difficulty of teaching children, and I would be the first to admit that more and more parents acquiesce all moral and disciplinary responsibility to teachers. Teachers in turn are restricted in the disciplinary measures they can use, and hence the education system turns out, or fails more and more 'latchkey' kids as I would call them. The tragic incident in Croxteth yesterday being the extreme result of such a breakdown.
Going back to basic education though, worryingly the latest figures show that the number of children with adequate English and maths qualifications is dropping and is approaching a level of less than 50%. Now if we are producing that level of numeracy and grammar after 11 years of teaching a child, then the system really does need looking at.
I have referred before to the levelling of the educational playing field under the Blair administration, maybe the old adage that a teacher with 15 years experience really only has one years experience duplicated 15 times, is coming back to haunt us. I don't know the answer, but parental control, discipline at school, and respect for other people, have to be drilled into our kids at an early age, and re-enforced as they grow up. Only then will educational standards be judged as having improved and such improvements will be universally welcomed and applauded.
Tuesday 21 August 2007
The Crystal Maze
Work took me on a magical mystery tour for South London yesterday, as I travelled by train to Crawley and Three Bridges. The Northcote Road area of Clapham Junction has changed out of all recognition. While the street market still exists, and the Northcote Arms is still on the corner, its clientele now consists of yummy mummies and City types rather than poor students and bed sit dwellers. The Bank was a bank in my day, its now a gastropub, and there are the obligatory coffee shops, cheese and butchers outlets. The bakery I used to live above is now a designer breadshop. I wonder if the cockroaches still live upstairs??
On then through Balham, gateway to the South, a picture of which sits on my lounge wall to remind me of the times. We had good fun in and around Bedford Hill, and Devonshire Road. We were not quite on first name terms with the working girls, but the fact that the Bedford Arms is now owned by the Soho House group shows how that area is well up market too now. That said, you did used to be able to buy Chocolate Oliver biscuits in the old fashioned Cullens store in Balham High Road.
Thornton Heath has two great Youngs pubs, The Fountains Head and the Lord Napier, the latter is a big band and jazz pub in the Glenn Miller style. I must schedule a trip back there when Argyle play Crystal Palace.
I brought my first house in Norbury, and Tim was born in Mayday hospital just outside Croydon. I always thought it a strange name for an A & E department!
The train then swept in and out of Croydon giving me just a glimpse of the old IBM office that I first worked in and the Porter and Sorter featured previously in this blog. Croydon is still one of those places which is easy to get into but a nightmare to find your way out of. Just as well then that I was on the train.
Croydon has not changed much since I worked there thirty years ago, although it does have a tram now which goes from Wimbledon to various locations in South London. I took it once from there to Addington and walked on to Shirley Wanderers RFC for their 50th anniversary celebrations. The clubhouse was a bit like Croydon, in as much as there were the same old faces there from the mid '70s when I played regularly for them.
Rugby was a great game to play in those days, but watching the two matches at the weekend, I am beginning to think that its days are numbered. Their big chap runs into our big chap, then we do the same. Flair and enterprise seem to have disappeared.
I don't enjoy rugby league as Ii feel I am watching the same game every week, and with a few exceptions union seems to be going the same way. I do hope the rugby world cup will revitalise my enthusiasm for the game, or once again during a crackingly good social weekend, the match will become the low point.
On then through Balham, gateway to the South, a picture of which sits on my lounge wall to remind me of the times. We had good fun in and around Bedford Hill, and Devonshire Road. We were not quite on first name terms with the working girls, but the fact that the Bedford Arms is now owned by the Soho House group shows how that area is well up market too now. That said, you did used to be able to buy Chocolate Oliver biscuits in the old fashioned Cullens store in Balham High Road.
Thornton Heath has two great Youngs pubs, The Fountains Head and the Lord Napier, the latter is a big band and jazz pub in the Glenn Miller style. I must schedule a trip back there when Argyle play Crystal Palace.
I brought my first house in Norbury, and Tim was born in Mayday hospital just outside Croydon. I always thought it a strange name for an A & E department!
The train then swept in and out of Croydon giving me just a glimpse of the old IBM office that I first worked in and the Porter and Sorter featured previously in this blog. Croydon is still one of those places which is easy to get into but a nightmare to find your way out of. Just as well then that I was on the train.
Croydon has not changed much since I worked there thirty years ago, although it does have a tram now which goes from Wimbledon to various locations in South London. I took it once from there to Addington and walked on to Shirley Wanderers RFC for their 50th anniversary celebrations. The clubhouse was a bit like Croydon, in as much as there were the same old faces there from the mid '70s when I played regularly for them.
Rugby was a great game to play in those days, but watching the two matches at the weekend, I am beginning to think that its days are numbered. Their big chap runs into our big chap, then we do the same. Flair and enterprise seem to have disappeared.
I don't enjoy rugby league as Ii feel I am watching the same game every week, and with a few exceptions union seems to be going the same way. I do hope the rugby world cup will revitalise my enthusiasm for the game, or once again during a crackingly good social weekend, the match will become the low point.
Friday 17 August 2007
Oxymoron
I have had serious toothache this week, and anybody who knows me has been keeping well clear. Grumpy is not in it. To indicate how bad the pain was, I have been popping painkillers like smarties, and I am normally so against them you would not believe.
To a certain extent its my own fault. I knew I needed some treatment, so went to see my regular dental practise, knowing my usual dentist had moved away to start his own.
I found his replacement did not do NHS treatment, and after assessing my dental needs, two fillings and a crown, he quoted almost £400. He also took great delight in showing me his gold fillings and saying they were the way to go and I should have them. I took an instant dislike to the guy, and thought if I was going to pay that amount of money I would rather give it to somebody else.
He was also arrogant and rude to his dental nurse, but I am informed this is not unusual. My wife is in the trade and knows a thing or two about it.
So, I thought I would find a practise taking on NHS patients and rang the local NHS patient assistance line (PALS). They gave me a few names, but before registering with any of them I lodged a piece of wheatgerm in the damaged cavity and pierced into the nerve.......hurt or what!!
So now I am patched up. I found a very pleasant Polish dentist in Acton who assessed me, although he declined me as an NHS patient as the work was not worth his while for the fixed fees he can claim from them. He did quote £250 though and made no mention of crowns, just standard fillings. I mentioned the fact that I played for London Polish RFC in my youth, in Balham, South London and that seemed to help the relationship. he said he could see me on the NHS for checkups and other 'minor' work, so that was a step int he right direction.
The Polish connection reminded me of my embarrassing moment on the H22 bus after a recent rugby match when I engaged a young lady in conversation. She was not too keen to talk and said she did not understand as she was Polish. I then impishly asked her was she a plumber or an electrician....she got off at the next stop!
Talking of teeth, a few weeks ago there was an article about a chap who had crashed his new £125,000 BMW into a lamp post when he took his girlfriend out for a spin in it. Apparently she distracted him while he was driving and he was quoted as being relieved when, on impact, she had screamed!
To a certain extent its my own fault. I knew I needed some treatment, so went to see my regular dental practise, knowing my usual dentist had moved away to start his own.
I found his replacement did not do NHS treatment, and after assessing my dental needs, two fillings and a crown, he quoted almost £400. He also took great delight in showing me his gold fillings and saying they were the way to go and I should have them. I took an instant dislike to the guy, and thought if I was going to pay that amount of money I would rather give it to somebody else.
He was also arrogant and rude to his dental nurse, but I am informed this is not unusual. My wife is in the trade and knows a thing or two about it.
So, I thought I would find a practise taking on NHS patients and rang the local NHS patient assistance line (PALS). They gave me a few names, but before registering with any of them I lodged a piece of wheatgerm in the damaged cavity and pierced into the nerve.......hurt or what!!
So now I am patched up. I found a very pleasant Polish dentist in Acton who assessed me, although he declined me as an NHS patient as the work was not worth his while for the fixed fees he can claim from them. He did quote £250 though and made no mention of crowns, just standard fillings. I mentioned the fact that I played for London Polish RFC in my youth, in Balham, South London and that seemed to help the relationship. he said he could see me on the NHS for checkups and other 'minor' work, so that was a step int he right direction.
The Polish connection reminded me of my embarrassing moment on the H22 bus after a recent rugby match when I engaged a young lady in conversation. She was not too keen to talk and said she did not understand as she was Polish. I then impishly asked her was she a plumber or an electrician....she got off at the next stop!
Talking of teeth, a few weeks ago there was an article about a chap who had crashed his new £125,000 BMW into a lamp post when he took his girlfriend out for a spin in it. Apparently she distracted him while he was driving and he was quoted as being relieved when, on impact, she had screamed!
Wednesday 15 August 2007
The Police are looking for a motive
The housing market seems to have ground to a halt here in Chiswick during August, and it got my cousin and I thinking of the estate agent speak for such an event. There is in fact an estate agents calendar.
- January - market is slow sir, no money about after Christmas
- February - too cold, not many people looking
- March - a lot of people away what with Easter and the skiing season
- April - good time to put the house on the market, it should pick up with the weather
- May - not a good time to be buying, would have to move in August during the holidays
- June- a window of opportunity
- July - people saving for their holidays
- August - people on their holidays
- September - back from their holidays and start of a new school year, not a good time to look
- October - evenings getting darker so people less keen to view
- November - saving up for Christmas
- December - Christmas
They also have aspect speak,
- South facing garden, full sun
- West facing garden, nearly South facing , sun in the evening
- East facing garden, sun in the morning
- North facing garden, beautiful views
We have seen a few properties with a view to buy but I am reluctant to put a bid in until our place is under offer. The prices continue to amaze though. Emma,our youngest daughter, has just offered on a one bed flat on the Wirral for less than £70,000. A two bed in Chis is hard to find for five times that.
Anyway, we press on and hope for a change in fortune shortly.....at least the inflation rate reduction looks like it might delay a further interest rise for a while......lets just hope the financial markets don't go into meltdown on the back of the USA mortgage crisis.
Tuesday 14 August 2007
Rent a Caravan
The weekend had quite an Asian feel to it. First of all the Indian cricket team did a job on England at the Oval, a gig I had to turn down on Friday, due to work commitments (yes really). The thought of fish and chips and champagne did have a certain ring to it but unfortunately the number 12 shirt had to go to somebody else.
The match was, therefore, followed on teletext, the internet and test match special (TMS) on BBC Radio. England were always struggling to win after
losing the toss, and yesterday the match ended in a draw giving the Indians a 1-0 series win.
The match was, therefore, followed on teletext, the internet and test match special (TMS) on BBC Radio. England were always struggling to win after
losing the toss, and yesterday the match ended in a draw giving the Indians a 1-0 series win.I suspect a few of them would have like the match to finish inside three days so they could have taken themselves to the London Mela, billed as an Asian Glastonbury, which took place on Sunday in Gunnersbury Park. Her indoors and I wandered along to see what was what.
I was not sure what to expect although I did anticipate that the food would be conker and a fe
w sitar's would be in evidence. I was spot on on both counts.
w sitar's would be in evidence. I was spot on on both counts.The amazing rotating barbecue certainly took centre stage and rather outdid the traditional rack and cardboard approach of the old school. They both produced excellent food though, and the smells drifting over West London were mouth watering.
There was an interesting arts and crafts market and shoes and clothes stalls had made their way up the road from Southall and were doing a brisk trade mostly amongst the Chiswickians I have to say though.
So, what of the music? Well the boy band B Tex were pretty good I thought, as were some of the dance groups on the smaller stages.
The sitar players just sat there and did their own thing, I guess they are the Asian equivalent of Leonard Cohen or Mike Oldfields Tubular Bells. Music to zzz to.
The main stage had the big name Asian bands playing and seemed to get the crowd going, although it was mostly the chaps who did the dancing. They do suffer from the British band malaise though in that they all seem to sound the same......put a collection of songs by Razerlight, The Kooks, Twang, The Killers The Arctic Monkeys, The Kaiser Chiefs and a few others together and they would be very samey. The Scissor Sisters greatest hits album has had to be delayed as they only have one track for it so far!!
So definitely worth a visit but whats this dagger business all about
.....hells grannies Indian style?
Monday 13 August 2007
Lollipop ladies
You can tell its the school holidays by the fact that it takes half the time to drive to work in the morning than it usually does, so I was pleased to see a report by the Institute of European Environmental Policy supporting vehicle exclusion zones round schools, to encourage parents to walk children to school, or to use public transport. It worked OK in my day. The doubters, of course, will say that the traffic levels are just too high to allow children to walk or cycle to school.
I suspect there is more chance of their children suffering as a result of obesity than from being knocked over on the way to or from school. Parents deny kids exercise at every opportunity, and pamper to their need for sugary and salty meals because they are convenient. many families also justify a second car, usually 4 x 4, just for the school run.
I will say this. Parents drive their children to school because the roads are too dangerous because parents drive their children to school. End of.
I suspect there is more chance of their children suffering as a result of obesity than from being knocked over on the way to or from school. Parents deny kids exercise at every opportunity, and pamper to their need for sugary and salty meals because they are convenient. many families also justify a second car, usually 4 x 4, just for the school run.
I will say this. Parents drive their children to school because the roads are too dangerous because parents drive their children to school. End of.
Wednesday 8 August 2007
ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh stayin' alive
I have been ridiculed about my clothes sense before. Farah slacks were banned by the kids some years ago, and I have had dated round collared shirts flushed down the toilet by well meaning house mates. I still keep a pair of loons in the wardrobe hoping one day to be able to do the waist up, and all my 'interesting' designer stuff is now reserved for the golf course.
At the moment its the latter, and I am hours away from owning a white linen suit for goodness sake. As if that is not bad enough, my cousin is skinnier than me, so it won't even fit!!
All this could be put seriously in the shade now as a result of some action my cousin Mike has asked me to take. He has suggested I might like to help him bid up his items on e-bay. Its a common practice. you put the item on for 99p to keep the listing charges to a minimum, then get a chum to bid up to somewhere near your target price. Sometimes it works, sometimes it backfires.
At the moment its the latter, and I am hours away from owning a white linen suit for goodness sake. As if that is not bad enough, my cousin is skinnier than me, so it won't even fit!!
Now the lad who walks round Twickenham before England international matches wears a white suit so maybe he can make use of it, but he may have to look to change his outfit to blend in with the ridiculous new kit which the rugby team have just appeared in.
For the last World Cup England launched the lycra tight rugby shirt which may look fine on Kieran Bracken and Josh Lewsey, but it does nothing for the fuller figure, which many rugby fans possess. The 'Old Farts' produced a traditional cotton variant to overcome this marketing gaff, but how they will recover this situation I dread to think.
I suspect even the Orange Order, or a girls majorette troupe would be embarrassed to wear this new kit, the players do look like they have just participated in Mr Rugby 2007 and forgotten to take their sashes off. Come on RFU sort it out.
Monday 6 August 2007
+ 1
We went to an after wedding party on Saturday evening. The bride and groom probably did not realise how lucky they were to have me there, although to be honest they probably did not know I was. I don't do evening wedding 'dos'. I am OK with people jetting to a beach in the Caribbean, or having a small private event in a registry office and a party later, but if its church, reception and evening, then if I'm not on the 'A' list for the whole day, I would rather do something else.
The entertainment for the evening was the Beatles tribute band ' The Blue Meanies'. They were not in the class of the Bootleg Beatles, but they had main staged at the Matthew Street festival in Liverpool last Summer. This fact generated much discussion , as the suits in Liverpool health and safety departments have decided that to have the festival this year would just be too much of a risk to the general public.
Liverpool, you will recall is due to be the City of Culture in 2008, and this huge annual festival embraces the memory of the Beatles and all they gave to the City. To cancel it now before the biggest year in Liverpool cultural terms, is definitely like shooting oneself in the foot.
Yes there are large scale earth works going on in and around the Pierhead and other parts of the City, but with bands, stewards and other volunteers already in place, as well as bands booked and tourists arriving any time, surely a bit of imagination could have been used?
The entertainment for the evening was the Beatles tribute band ' The Blue Meanies'. They were not in the class of the Bootleg Beatles, but they had main staged at the Matthew Street festival in Liverpool last Summer. This fact generated much discussion , as the suits in Liverpool health and safety departments have decided that to have the festival this year would just be too much of a risk to the general public.
Liverpool, you will recall is due to be the City of Culture in 2008, and this huge annual festival embraces the memory of the Beatles and all they gave to the City. To cancel it now before the biggest year in Liverpool cultural terms, is definitely like shooting oneself in the foot.
Yes there are large scale earth works going on in and around the Pierhead and other parts of the City, but with bands, stewards and other volunteers already in place, as well as bands booked and tourists arriving any time, surely a bit of imagination could have been used?
Local businesses, celebrities and press representatives are striving hard to save something from this bureaucratic mishmash, and I for one hope they succeed.
While the Sunday and Monday of the Bank Holiday weekend are very Beatles oriented, the joy for me is to explore the stages and bars on the Saturday and clock the tribute bands who are not The Japanese Beatles or whatever. The Blue Meanies is definitely a good shout for a Beatles tribute, but I like some of these:- Nearly Dan
- Banned on the Run
- Urythmix
- Dread Zeppelin
- Pink Fraud
- The Pretend Pretenders
- Me2
- No Way Sis
- The Rolling Clones
- The Beautiful Southwest
- Dire Fakes and
- The Coorz
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