Sunday 29 January 2012 19:36
I will build my love a bowerNear yon pure crystal fountain
And on it I will pile
All the flowers of the mountain
Will ye go lassie go
And we'll all go together
To pull wild mountain thyme
From around the blooming heather
Will ye go lassie go
The Real McKenzies put on a great show last night. This was the third time I'd seen them and I think I'm actually starting to take them seriously. Once you get past the idea of bagpipes and guitars being something out of the ordinary and just take in the experience, you realise just how good they are.
The next band that I'm going to see is, um, Big Country. After initial reservations, I'm looking forward to it.
This afternoon, still suffering from a hangover, I ventured out to Lidl. I wasn't really up to a trip to Asda. While at the bus stop, I saw James walking up the street. For a second, I considered pretending I'd not seen him, but I couldn't do it. James seemed fine, but I felt awkward when he stopped to talk. I didn't really know what to say and ended up keeping the conversation to small talk. I wanted to ask how Rhiannon's doing, but it didn't happen. He didn't say or do anything wrong; the opposite. I guess that he'd reminded me of the past and a lot of stuff was going through my head.
While shopping, I bought vegetables and I'm now in the process of making soup. I'd spotted some NCG soup in Lidl and it obviously made me think of my second in command. That'd probably planted the thought of making soup in my head.
Saturday 28 January 2012 00:56
Strangely, I've had a most pleasant evening. I'm now having a beer-induced clear out. A lack of space means that I need to take a ruthless approach towards the clothing that I retain. Regrettably, my discarded clothing heap even includes my Sugababes t-shirt.
Well, they were never the same after Keisha left. Although Heidi's still quite fit, if you ignore her accent. My Heavy Tools shirt (that famous Hungarian sports brand) has also joined the heap.
Well, even though it was an XXL, it never did fit properly. Hungarians must be really tiny people.
My fire's almost at the crumpet toasting stage, so I need to cut this short. I have to say though, I mistakenly quoted my newly discovered cheap salt as 29p for 750g. It's actually 27p. Of course, it's entirely possible that there's been a 2p reduction since last week.
Thursday 26 January 2012 21:20
Just realised that I can play MP3s from the Internet through the Nabaztag. Apologies for the example.Thursday 26 January 2012 20:03
I may or may not be going to see a dodgy old band in a dirty pub in Segedunum tomorrow night. After being nagged for weeks by Peter, I finally gave in. But now Peter's wondering whether the pub's too far to walk from Wallsend Metro station. I've suggested a cab, but he's still wondering. So there's a possibility that we may go elsewhere and Howden social club has been suggested. I can barely contain myself.Before I forget, I've put another Polish lift video on YouTube. More may follow.
And another thing I'd forgotten, until I was reminded today. On Saturday evening, I made a new friend; a Lithuanian football manager. He didn't speak a word of English and was quite drunk. Well, perhaps I'm being unkind. He did say to me, in English, Peterborough. Good. I Lithuanian football manager. I'd assumed he was complimenting my home town, so replied, No, Newcastle (I'd also apparently developed an Eastern European accent at that point). My new friend embraced me, saying loudly, Newcastle! Newcastle United! Followed by, Liverpool! Manchester United!
After a while, bored with being hugged and tired of pretending I could understand my friend, I made my excuses and returned to my companions. I've since been told that the correct response would have been Man galva sunus.
Wednesday 25 January 2012 21:35
I know I say this every time we have a uni reunion, but Monday afternoon/evening was just great. Even though we were effectively a man down, the gentlemanly conversation was as good as ever; we seemed to pick up where we left off in August. The only negative was that we ran out of time. Still, I introduced Ian to the Central, which he loved, and we managed to get to the Tuns for last orders. As usual, the two attendees agreed that it still wasn't quite the same without our missing companion and made a commitment to attempt a full reunion.Yesterday, I bettered my discovery that table salt could be bought for as little as 50p for 750g. I found the same quantity for only 29p. There were even larger bags, which would almost certainly have worked out cheaper, but the maths was starting to hurt my head so I gave up trying to work it out.
Monday 23 January 2012 12:11
The other day, one of my children sent this picture to me. I generally don't make much of a fuss about being a vegetarian, but I think the picture says it all.
My weekend was very unhassled, as I'd wanted. Apart from having to watch football on Saturday that is. Apparently, Liverpool weren't supposed to lose. Yesterday afternoon, I was able to spend a most pleasant couple of hours in my new most favourite pub.
I've failed to mention previously that it's a Samuel Smith's pub, so the beer is very nice ... and cheap; a pint of Taddy's only £2.07. While at the bar, I engaged in conversation with a gentleman from Liverpool. I thoroughly enjoyed our comparisons of Bootle and North Shields, and Netherton and Middlesbrough. I mentioned at one point that one of my ex wives was from St Helens and my new friend burst out with woolly-backs, they hate Scousers you know! The need to return for food cut short our dialogue, so we shook hands and bade farewell to one another.
This afternoon, I shall be having beer with another gentleman from Liverpool. My mate Ian has a meeting in Newcastle tomorrow, so he's staying over at my house. I'm slightly worried about being able to cope with my early start for work in the morning.
Thursday 19 January 2012 22:50
Last night, on my way home from the station, I called-off at my local to buy tickets to see the Real McKenzies next weekend. It'll be mental, but good. And, a few minutes ago, I bought tickets for Madness, a racecourse gig. I need to remember to get tickets for PUSA too; I keep forgetting and only just remembered. They're not playing local, so I've a choice between Manchester and Liverpool. Liverpool probably. Possibly.The Lake Poets are playing at the Sage in April, but I've spent too long pondering and the tickets have sold out.
It's been one hell of a busy week and I'm so pleased that tomorrow's Friday. A quiet, restful weekend I think. I may dust off my fez.
Tuesday 17 January 2012 22:27
It must've been the thought of a long day in Preston today, but I forgot to mention something last night. It wasn't important, but now I've remembered ...Arriving home yesterday morning, I caught a Metro from Central Station to Gateshead Interchange. While walking to my bus stand, a man came up to me. He was holding a box of some sort, wrapped in an orange carrier bag (Sainsbury's?). Knowing that he was going to ask me for a cigarette or some change to replace his mislaid bus fare, I mentally prepared my response (I don't smoke and have no loose change - or, on a hassled day, get a job).
Anyway, he completely caught me off guard by asking, do you know anyone who'd want to buy a laptop? I hastily declined his offer in view of the CCTV coverage and the strong probability that he'd just nicked the laptop from Argos.
Afterwards, I briefly regretted not asking him the price. Speaking of bargains, I was amazed to find this very evening that you can buy 750g of table salt for only 50p. Since I've never bought such a thing in my life, I'd expected it to cost a couple of quid. For food purposes, I still have my ancient container of sea salt, but I needed table salt for an experiment with dye. It's on occasions like this, with no real understanding as to why salt would be needed, that I question my decision as a teenager not to take an interest in science.
Well, time to do some housework.
Monday 16 January 2012 21:47
Last night, walking across the town square, everything looked very European. And quite pretty too; a little bit of snow and it would've been post card material. The beer at the end of my walk was also very nice.
Another item from yesterday was the criminal misuse of the apostrophe in a tweet from the BBC. I was almost stirred into composing a letter of complaint.
Lastly, while on the subject of grammar (and Europe), and after intending to do so on several occasions, I've (somewhat clumsily) captured a video of the lift with a Polish accent. I'd contemplated going to the third (top) floor and back down again to record a lengthier video, but was concerned that someone might enter the lift.
Wednesday 11 January 2012 20:55
On my way home from the office this evening, I called into Asda for some essentials. Forgetting what I'd needed, I bought a book and some Double Maxim instead. Whatever I'd thought was so important probably wasn't anyway.I'm now faced with a decision as to whether to read my book or look at boats on eBay. Either way, the fate of the Double Maxim is decided.
Tuesday 10 January 2012 21:39
My unplanned long weekend ended today, with a meeting in Preston (lovely). Saturday evening was spent in Sunderland, after a lengthy search for a new source of firewood (which ended at a spookily deserted farm). Sunday afternoon was spent in the Tuns, watching the Sunderland - Peterborough match (I only fell asleep twice).Yesterday afternoon involved, in a very deja vu kind of way, a walk into town, chips from Visocchi's (arguably the best chips in Gateshead), followed by a quiet Erdinger in the Bridge. Now that Double Maxim can be purchased in Spoons in Gateshead, there was a minor detour on the return journey home.
Saturday 7 January 2012 01:50
While on the subject of nabaztags (of whatever generation - mine's a 2.5), I think that it's a demonstration of their coolness that there are so many servers to support them following their demise (in terms of the support from their parent company). I loved Nabisdead.com, which was the only real alternative, but I have to say (sheepish expression) that I've gone back to the official Nabaztag.com server, now that it's up and running again. Well, I realise that its reincarnation is founded on a desire to attract people to Katotz , but , at the end of the day, I'm not planning on an upgrade until I know the company's stable. I love the concept, but still feel uncomfortable about Violet's abandonment of their first (?) product. If that makes sense.Anyway, who'd buy a new product (karotz) knowing what'd happened to its parent (Nabaztag and Nabaztag/tag)?
Time for sleep/shower/coffee (not necessarily in that order).
Saturday 7 January 2012 00:34
I may need to acquire luminous ears for my Nabaztag. I am, though, resisting all temptation regarding the purchase of a Karotz (effectively a mk 3.5 Nabaztag).
Just received a text message from my second in command. Apparently, the Universe is a dull place this evening so I'm going to have company from around four in the morning. That'd be warp factor three, I'd imagine; too far to transport.
Right, back to eBay ...
Friday 6 January 2012 20:52
Wine and eBay aren't a good combination you know.Thursday 5 January 2012 21:10
I swear I'm developing pyromania. I've already committed many of the potentially useless useful pieces of wood I'd salvaged over the past few years to the stove. I now also find myself noticing random bits of wood while out and about. Perhaps more worrying, I'm looking forward to replacing a broken fence post at the weekend; solely because I can cut up the old one for firewood.Tuesday 3 January 2012 19:56
Well, that's the end of another year. I'm back home now and regrettably back to work tomorrow. The two hour train journey home this morning took an horrific six hours, due to the high winds and a power failure at Retford. Three bloody hours I was stuck there. A weird coincidence too, since I was once stuck there a few years ago for pretty much the same amount of time, although I was travelling in the opposite direction (and missed a meeting in London). Still, I've had a nice break so didn't get hassled by today's delay.I really enjoyed Christmas Day, though it wouldn't have been too different to most people's. Saying that, it was great to have the Nabaztag connected to the old server again. On Boxing Day, I decided it was time to replace my recently deceased fridge. I found a real bargain at the Argos outlet too, only fifty quid.
We briefly visited No Place, just because of the silly sign, and had a look at the JCB cow sculptures on the bike path near Beamish. I'd not been there in years and was surprised they were still intact. There's now also a cool new bike-inspired seat, in memory of a dead cyclist. It's worth taking a look.
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We then went out for a drink with Deb, staying out much later than we'd planned. Well, we'd not expected to find bars open until midnight, so we'd started early. I think we were the last people in this one at closing time.
The following day was spent in York, with hangovers and newly emerging colds. Despite the mild suffering, or maybe because of it, the day was really relaxed. The picture's rubbish, but I've not taken any off the camera yet.
Wednesday saw our return to Peterborough, which also involved pretty awful delays due to a couple of nasty accidents on the A1. Thursday and Friday were, for me anyway, spent nursing my cold. But that did mean that I was fit enough to spend New Year's Eve in Charters as planned. My worries about being the only people there were unfounded (we'd bought tickets numbered 001 and 002) and the place was packed. I'm still not quite sure how I ended up as number two though.
Apparently, the front man from the band that evening used to be famous, but I've forgotten his name. They were surprisingly good though, not at all what I'd expected. We also amused ourselves playing with phones, although I'd no memory of this until I looked at the pictures on my phone the next day.
It seemed to work best with only three pictures, but this one wasn't too bad. We also spotted Elvis again, but while attempting to capture his image, somehow managed to snap a picture of another dead celebrity.
The evening ended very pleasantly, listening to the birds in the early hours. Again, I'd forgotten that until the following day. Earlier in the evening, since the weather was mild, we'd stopped in the square for a little while. People were dancing and the music was live and good, but we left when my bladder told me it was time to move on.
Later, on New Year's Day, we discovered a great little pub, converted from old almshouses.
Then, yesterday, we had a long walk along the river (on our way to buy ginger). Sadly, some scary work's been done to the old willows.
I should probably have an early night tonight.
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