In Memoriam
Paul Figgins
So Farewell then Figs
Our long time friend
He was a cricket man
a wicket keeper
of some regard
In a famous best man speech
'Bowled a maiden over' and
'Tickles to leg'
Both Raised a chuckle
It's what he did
Like all great batsman
An unexpected stroke
Ended his Innings
Classy but too short.
E J Thribb (17½)
Saturday 20 August 2016
Thursday 18 August 2016
A sign of distress
The Country is grabbed once again by Olympics fever as team GB are once again demonstrating how government funding can make a difference if channels to the right people.
We have had some strange medals too: trampolining, rugby sevens, wind surfing ,tennis and golf, none of which are long term Olympic sports.
I am also enchanted by the modern pentathlon, which is alleged to mimic a typical battle. Jump on a horse and ride to war, swim a river to join in and shoot and fence to survive, then run like hell to get to the next gig. Really well thought through!
The thing that has got my goat though is the number of people in the crowd, the athletes and support staff who hold the Union flag the wrong way up. The wide white stripe should be on the top at the flagpole end, or by the white tape if hand held.
It is flown the wrong way up legitimately to indicate a ship is in distress, team GB seems fine so let's fly the flag accordingly.
We have had some strange medals too: trampolining, rugby sevens, wind surfing ,tennis and golf, none of which are long term Olympic sports.
I am also enchanted by the modern pentathlon, which is alleged to mimic a typical battle. Jump on a horse and ride to war, swim a river to join in and shoot and fence to survive, then run like hell to get to the next gig. Really well thought through!
The thing that has got my goat though is the number of people in the crowd, the athletes and support staff who hold the Union flag the wrong way up. The wide white stripe should be on the top at the flagpole end, or by the white tape if hand held.
It is flown the wrong way up legitimately to indicate a ship is in distress, team GB seems fine so let's fly the flag accordingly.
Monday 15 August 2016
Figs didn't make it
In the two weeks since my last post, Figs had continued to improve with his arm and leg gaining more mobility and his mind getting back on track. he was doing crosswords and watching the Olympics although he was struggling to pick his horse racing tips as the print size was a bit small for him. He had a heart assessment appointment at Herrfiled Hospital booked for next week when they thought he might have some sort of procedure to help his heart function.
All this was conveyed to me in a phone conversation we had on Monday. On Thursday morning I got the sad news that he had passed away in his sleep. Marion is devastated but has her sisters and close friends there to help her through this difficult time.
I first met Figs in the mid seventies when he joined me to work at IBM in Croydon. We have been friends ever since. He was a reasonable goal keeper in his youth but he dislocated a knee in a game and that put pay to that sporting pastime, so we started playing golf together. We were both members of Wyke Green golf club as we became neighbours in Chiswick in West London, and he moved in with me for a short time while between girlfriends.
It was then that we hatched the plans for a mega barbecue, to be named Le Limacon after the slug population which infested the Silver Crescent flat when I first moved into it. Invitations to these events were valued, and each year we introduced a different theme. We had pub sign parties, music albums parties, a Hawaiian shirt 'do' and many more. I won't say we chased the same girls but the barbies were certainly a useful way to meet the fairer sex. Indeed SWMBO and I first met face to face at one such, all those years ago.
For many years Figs and I also went to Lord's together usually on the Saturday, but once we did all five days of an Ashes test which the Aussies won on the final morning. That tradition stopped when Figs got his gig at the Wimbledon tennis championships, and he was still working for them right up to the end.
He could be a stubborn individual and was particularly fussy about his drinks presentation. In my personalised Monopoly set, there is a property called Figgins Way, which summed him up really!
He certainly lived a full and frenetic life, and I am very proud to have been a part of it for nigh on forty years, he will leave a large gap in my life. SWMBO and I had our annual 'do' at the weekend, it's not called Le Limacon anymore and it has moved to the Wirral. The timing was poignant and I think Figs would approve of it as a fitting memorial. Rest in peace matey.
All this was conveyed to me in a phone conversation we had on Monday. On Thursday morning I got the sad news that he had passed away in his sleep. Marion is devastated but has her sisters and close friends there to help her through this difficult time.
I first met Figs in the mid seventies when he joined me to work at IBM in Croydon. We have been friends ever since. He was a reasonable goal keeper in his youth but he dislocated a knee in a game and that put pay to that sporting pastime, so we started playing golf together. We were both members of Wyke Green golf club as we became neighbours in Chiswick in West London, and he moved in with me for a short time while between girlfriends.
It was then that we hatched the plans for a mega barbecue, to be named Le Limacon after the slug population which infested the Silver Crescent flat when I first moved into it. Invitations to these events were valued, and each year we introduced a different theme. We had pub sign parties, music albums parties, a Hawaiian shirt 'do' and many more. I won't say we chased the same girls but the barbies were certainly a useful way to meet the fairer sex. Indeed SWMBO and I first met face to face at one such, all those years ago.
For many years Figs and I also went to Lord's together usually on the Saturday, but once we did all five days of an Ashes test which the Aussies won on the final morning. That tradition stopped when Figs got his gig at the Wimbledon tennis championships, and he was still working for them right up to the end.
He could be a stubborn individual and was particularly fussy about his drinks presentation. In my personalised Monopoly set, there is a property called Figgins Way, which summed him up really!
He certainly lived a full and frenetic life, and I am very proud to have been a part of it for nigh on forty years, he will leave a large gap in my life. SWMBO and I had our annual 'do' at the weekend, it's not called Le Limacon anymore and it has moved to the Wirral. The timing was poignant and I think Figs would approve of it as a fitting memorial. Rest in peace matey.
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