all that jazz

To Windsor to meet Ron and Lizzy and then the others in the entrance to our Jazzy evening. We strolled into what could have been a 1930s scene and found a bar, whilst listening to a singer accompanied on piano.

After a drink we moved to the main street where dancers jived under the street lights and another band were playing, comprising double bass, drums, guitar, trombone and singer.

Later we dined, interspersed with dancers showing us a good time and the band rocking the joint. Then later we found the main dance floor where we bopped until the wee small hours.

cork

Across to Cork, Ireland where I was met by Tony, in preparation for an evening with a few friends. We drove first to the Clarion, which is a new hotel in the centre of the ever changing city. Cork seems really 'European' now, with the extra building, style of new cafes and bars and the quite cosmopolitan mix of people.

Tony and I first went to the Clarion's bar before heading on to the Long Room, where we met the others. Catherine seemed to be in charge and Mark was already experimenting with port and brandy cocktails. I decide to start more gently. Seamus is there, along with Mick, Colm and Ronan and after saying "Hi" all around we get ready to move on to the Ambassadors for dinner. By the time we arrive, Angela has already got the table arranged and we all sit together to enjoy a Chinese meal and catchup on gossip.

Much later, we leave the restaurant and rejoin the busy late night streets of Cork, in our case on the way to the tiny Hi-B bar, upstairs near to a hairdressers and hardly announced except for a well worn mosaic floor square at the entrance. The bar is packed, we start off standing and eventually squish ourselves together around a tiny table to finish the evening. In the morning, I will be on the first plane back to London; in just a few hours.

crackers

I forgot that Christmas Crackers are a particularly British thing. The brightly decorated tube shaped cracker is placed on the table at dinner parties. Two people pull the ends and it explodes. Out falls a small gift such as a bottle opener, set of screwdrivers, fortune teller fish, miniature pack of playing cards or thimble. Also inside is the paper hat and a small slip of paper, on which is a joke or motto.

Here are some examples of typical Cracker humour:

What's ET short for?
Because he's only got little legs.

Why did the man get the sack from the orange juice factory?
Because he couldn't concentrate.

What athlete is warmest in winter?
A long jumper

How do snowmen get around?
On their icicle!!

Customer: Waiter! Waiter! What's wrong with this fish?
Waiter: Long time, no sea

Why is it difficult to keep a secret at the North Pole?
Because your teeth chatter

How do cows subtract?
With a cow-culator

Why did the teacher wear sunglasses?
Because her class was too bright

What is your favourite Cracker joke?

canary

Met John in Canary Wharf, where we headed to a nearby Starbucks, one of hundreds in London and around 4 in Canary Wharf.

We could sit in an underground area between buildings, sip coffee and watch the world go by. Then to a very high building before driving back to Waterloo, from where I caught a train to Woking.

Thursday Thirteen (V5.0)

13 instant things (V5.0) about rashbre

1. This is the earliest on a Thursday that I have ever done Thursday Thirteen;
2. I pulled my first Christmas Cracker this week;
3. I've found the outdoor lights and draped them across some bushes and a tree;
4. I have planned to start Christmas shopping on Monday. I know its late, but there won't be so many people around;
5. I'm planning a video short to include in my January visit to Barcelona;
6. I have been meaning to hire a car for my upcoming trip to the USA for about a week;
7. I ordered a replacement Sky box for the broken one, but was out today when UPS tried to deliver it;
8. I'm visiting Canary Wharf tomorrow and will take my camera;
9. Tomorrow evening I will be part of a surprise party for someone leaving the UK to return to the USA;
10. Friday I plan a trip to the Republic of Ireland, to Cork, to meet Tony, Mark and the gang;
11. is still my favourite number;
12. I have received some Christmas cards, but around half have come from unexpected sources;
13. I plan to write my cards to everyone on Sunday;

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. Leanne's Thirteen!
2. Raehan's Thirteen!
3. Colleen's Thirteen!
4. Carnealian's Thirteen!
5. Jen's Thirteen!
6. Shelli's Thirteen!
7. Barbara's Thirteen!
8. Enigma Chaos's Thirteen!
9. Angel's Thirteen!
10. Running2K's Thirteen!
11. D's Thirteen!
12. Jenny's Thirteen!
13. uzi's Thirteen!
X. (leave your link in comments, I'll add you here!)


Get Leanne's Thursday Thirteen code here!



The purpose is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! Why not do this too? Then leave me a link as a comment or trackback and I will update my entry a link to yours, and you can continue the chain!

Tag: Thursday Thirteen

Dibley dinner moment

I found myself with a Vicar of Dibley situation today, where I'd arranged to be involved with two separate Christmas dinners, one at lunchtime and the other at the Wheatsheaf in Virginia Water in the evening.

Maura had arranged the lunchtime session and a small group of us sat together swapping stories about our plans for the next two weeks. And then in the evening, Sue and Pauline had arranged a long table in the Wheatsheaf and about fifteen of us enjoyed the evening together, with crackers, scrumptious food and a live singer. The pub was very well decorated for the season and we all enjoyed one anothers' company until the realisation of how late it had become.

rsst awhile

Pondering the reason this blog goes wrong, I discovered align="left" with a picture seems to confuse Microsoft. I shall be less inventive to improve the display on Windows XP.

Meanwhile, other inventions abound.

sky darkens

Looking into the sky yesterday, I thought initially it was clouds filled with snow that were forming, although with a temperature of 12 degrees Centigrade, it seemed too warm.

The clouds were actually from a major oil fire at a massive oil storage facility about 60 miles away in Hemel Hempstead. There were three types of container ablaze comprising aircraft fuel, petrol and diesel. The fire has 150 firefighters still trying to combat the fire a day later.

By today, the smoke clouds at 5000 feet have cleared in our area, but yesterday the clouds spread across a large part of Southern England and were easily visible from satellites.

sky die

I still have one electrical item die every day. Yesterday evening it was the Sky Plus box, no doubt in preparation for the Christmas season. I will call their helpline to see what they say, but I suspect something drastic has happened as all that works now is a little red light which informs me it is 'OFF'.

Christopher Robin joins the lost boys

Is this focus groups feedback, political correctness or guerilla marketing?

The Disney Corporation are to make Winnie the Pooh's Christopher Robin a girl?

Huh?

Now I know its fashionable to be a girl with an ambiguous moniker (Jo, Chris, George, Mel, Jules and so forth).

According to various sources, including the BBC, Christoper Robin, a key part of the A.A. Milne Pooh bear storyline, is about to be written out and replaced by a girl. OK, nothing wrong with adding a girl to the story, but why zap Christopher Robin?

Milne's English granddaughter, Clare, is trying to reclaim the rights from Slesinger, but Milne's widow Lesley doesn't think he would have minded this change.

Disney says that the series will target preschool children quoting, “The young character will elicit physical, cognitive and emotional responses from the viewing audience and will also address them directly". You can also let Disney know your views via their own comment facility.

And the milk picture above along with a further adventure of Christopher Robin lost in the Hundred Acre Woods comes from Whatever.

Tag: Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh, Disney

bust bus

I posted a few weeks ago about the demise of London's Routemaster two person bus (the one with the open platform to hop on and hop off). The last day was yesterday and it was even a top news story on Radio Four's Today programme, complete with interviews with the decision makers.

The appropriate eulogy is at this gem of a site which has a systematic review of the last journey. There will still be red buses in London and a few tourist Routemasters. But an icon has gone.

The old joke, "Whats red and lies in the gutter?"

Boom boom.

Tag: London, Routemaster, bus, London Transport, No159

friday soiree

Tonght was party time with an oriental theme, in a huge marquee outside a stately home near London.

We had bindi dancers, a bucking camel, a sumo wrestling den and dodgems.

There was a Chinese inspired dinner and a mainly open bar. The dance floor was packed from after the dinner and the chill-out tent was strewn with cushions and people taking it easy.

I admit I back-posted this on Saturday afternoon when I regained consciousness.