So said Boris Johnson many times , although the jovial, blond haired serial shagger is still considered by most of the popular press to be lining himself up for a shot at our Dave, once the next elections are out of the way.
I have very rarely dabbled in politics, and my comparisons with Boris Johnson are fairly limited, my hair is grey for a start. It does seem, however, that this may be changing as I have recently been informed that I am Chairman elect of the Wallasey golf club seniors section. At the moment the nomination is unopposed although one is usually assured of the majority of the house when endorsed by the outgoing member, as I am.
If successful in March, I will join a line of illustrious Wallasey members, many of them ex-captains, who have held the one year office. The benefits are wide and varied. I get automatic selection to all the inter-club matches. These include Sandiway, Southport & Ainsdale, Heswall, Chester and Mere.
I get to tee off first with the opposition chairman, captain or senior golfer, the title varies from club to club, and, I get to address both teams as part of the after dinner 'entertainment'.
This speech usually consists of thanks to the host club, my playing partners and the staff. If playing away I then announce the result of the match, and finally tell a story. It's this last bit that is thwart with danger. Will it be risqué? Will the home chairman tell my story just before I stand up?should it be a joke, an anecdote or a parable? I will have eighteen such opportunities so hopefully will get the formula right by the end.
It's a huge privilege to be asked to take on the role, given I am a soft Southerner and a relatively new member of the club. I look forward to being elected, and serving the Senior section, and wider Club membership during my year in office, with humour, humility and hospitality. Can't say fairer than that, and gentlemen, that reminds me..........
Friday, 31 October 2014
Thursday, 30 October 2014
In at the deep end
SWMBO arrived back safely in London at the weekend after her second trip to Tanzania to help train dental nurses as part of the Bridge to Aid scheme. She was based in the NorthEast on this occasion which allowed her to see some of the Serengeti as she was transported there. Zebra, monkey's and wildebeest were in evidence, but whether one of them was Alice is still unclear.
We then hot foot it to Alexander's christening where the poor soul was submerged in a bath of freezing water by the minister. He was christened at the same Russian Orthodox church as his sister, by the same minister, and it was still hard to watch as this little body was thrown about in gay abandon. Her cousin Ava was looking on and wondering if she had the same fate in store when she comes to getting baptised.
The reception was in the Hole in the Wall in Chiswick and I regaled the gathering with stories of a fireworks party I attended at the same venue, many years ago, when a helicopter firework came adrift and shot into the bar severely burning on of the lady punters. Not nice. Doom Bar was £3.95 a pint. It's £2.80 in the local in Oxton Village!
SWMBO and I then departed for Scouseland leaving the girls to go to Legoland. On arriving home SWMBO was presented with her brand new redecorated bedroom which a friend of mine, Peter, and I had totally rebuild while she was away. She seemed to like it although there does not appear to be enough space for all her clothes to fit back into it, it seems like a clearout may be in order.
Strangely enough I found a rugby shirt from the Protea's club in Zimbabwe which the Wildebeest had given me years ago. Its funny how ends tie up sometime.
We then hot foot it to Alexander's christening where the poor soul was submerged in a bath of freezing water by the minister. He was christened at the same Russian Orthodox church as his sister, by the same minister, and it was still hard to watch as this little body was thrown about in gay abandon. Her cousin Ava was looking on and wondering if she had the same fate in store when she comes to getting baptised.
The reception was in the Hole in the Wall in Chiswick and I regaled the gathering with stories of a fireworks party I attended at the same venue, many years ago, when a helicopter firework came adrift and shot into the bar severely burning on of the lady punters. Not nice. Doom Bar was £3.95 a pint. It's £2.80 in the local in Oxton Village!
SWMBO and I then departed for Scouseland leaving the girls to go to Legoland. On arriving home SWMBO was presented with her brand new redecorated bedroom which a friend of mine, Peter, and I had totally rebuild while she was away. She seemed to like it although there does not appear to be enough space for all her clothes to fit back into it, it seems like a clearout may be in order.
Strangely enough I found a rugby shirt from the Protea's club in Zimbabwe which the Wildebeest had given me years ago. Its funny how ends tie up sometime.
Friday, 10 October 2014
Boys will be boys
News that the London School of Economics rugby team have been suspended from playing for one year by their student union really does signal the end of amateur rugby as I and my peers know it.
In these times of political correctness and positive discrimination, one would have expected a group of men who are targeting high profile and influential roles in society to be a bit more aware of the potential uproar their advertising flyer could have caused.
I found some of the comments amusing in the way I found student rag mags a good way to pass an underground journey in the '70s and '80s. Some of the comments I suspect were also close to the truth. Sadly one has to be so careful these days about going into print with potentially female ( or other minority group) comments which could be taken as not too complimentary.
The event did remind me, however, of the way one traditional rugby club embraced the ethos of new player induction, and the ladies were fully supportive. The team in question had their pitch and clubhouse on the edge of the village, and after the first away game of the season, new members of the club were dropped off on the ring road in just their birthday suit and trainers. They then had to run through the village to the clubhouse while the coach went several miles round the village to reach the same destination. The players were encouraged to get there first, by most of the female population who turned out on this notable date to cheer them on and check out the new talent! The police turned a blind eye as several of them played for the local team themselves!!
So farewell banter and innuendo based comment, LSE alumni such as John F Kennedy and Ed Miliband can rest easy knowing that the LSE student union, in the capable hands of Nona Buckley-Irvine, will make sure these sort of sexist escapades become a thing of the past.
Its interesting thought that the LSE student union newspaper which reported the progress of the issue is called 'Beaver Online'. Maybe she should be looking to rename that!
In these times of political correctness and positive discrimination, one would have expected a group of men who are targeting high profile and influential roles in society to be a bit more aware of the potential uproar their advertising flyer could have caused.
I found some of the comments amusing in the way I found student rag mags a good way to pass an underground journey in the '70s and '80s. Some of the comments I suspect were also close to the truth. Sadly one has to be so careful these days about going into print with potentially female ( or other minority group) comments which could be taken as not too complimentary.
The event did remind me, however, of the way one traditional rugby club embraced the ethos of new player induction, and the ladies were fully supportive. The team in question had their pitch and clubhouse on the edge of the village, and after the first away game of the season, new members of the club were dropped off on the ring road in just their birthday suit and trainers. They then had to run through the village to the clubhouse while the coach went several miles round the village to reach the same destination. The players were encouraged to get there first, by most of the female population who turned out on this notable date to cheer them on and check out the new talent! The police turned a blind eye as several of them played for the local team themselves!!
So farewell banter and innuendo based comment, LSE alumni such as John F Kennedy and Ed Miliband can rest easy knowing that the LSE student union, in the capable hands of Nona Buckley-Irvine, will make sure these sort of sexist escapades become a thing of the past.
Its interesting thought that the LSE student union newspaper which reported the progress of the issue is called 'Beaver Online'. Maybe she should be looking to rename that!
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