22/02/2008 by Steve.

We recently received a subset of ‘official’ photos from a stylish wedding we attended in December, amongst which was this one of Ruby and Louie. Given the situation was posh frocks and lush hotel surroundings, it just seemed to invite a possible caption - any ideas?

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05/12/2007 by Steve.

I feel like a right hero on the home front! In the last two weeks, while Ness has been out at an awards ceremony, shopping (for work) in NewYork, and attending a girly dance weekend in Great Yarmouth, I have pottered on, looking after the house and kids, helping out big time at a school charity event and even paying a visit to Santa at his grotto in Hamley’s. I’m feeling like I’ve racked up a few points on the social credit account and hope to use some up over the next few weeks.

Now I’m not looking for praise. Let me tell you, most ‘at-home’ parents (mums) are doing this stuff all the time. So I’m only doing what’s required. But I’ve just thought - I’m writing this blog entry to tell you all about it. Actually pretty boring! And as I consider that you’re reading this, the question is what have you all been up to?

Neil made a nice contribution a week ago. What did you think of he and Jen’s achievement then? It’s lonely out there on the web when no-one talks to you, you know….

Where are all your stories?

I know that Ness has a whole lot to tell…about said awards ceremony, NY, building her own Santa’s Grotto and an outrageous girly weekend. But I haven’t persuaded her to pass it on to you all yet! Nicky was even at the same weekend, with Ness, and allegedly has the pictures to prove it. But no post yet. (In fact, rather disappointingly, no posts ever from the Elsons).

Rob! Did you all know that Rob gave generously of his time at R and L’s school Xmas fair this past weekend, to host a ‘pub quiz’ in the bar (and many thanks to him too). But Rob, we haven’t heard from you for a long time! What about all the big concerts and sporting events you’ve been attending in your stewarding capacity! Any film gigs? Let’s hear about them.

Paul E - never a dull moment with you mate, however controversial! Entered any quizzes, met anyone famous (who we would know) or tried on any new make-up? I think maybe more words, less pictures though…

Paul, Di - not heard from the Bell End for a while - you must have been doing something. I can’t imagine you staying in all weekend, watching TV. Unlesss it was in the pub maybe! How’s your new job, Paul? What ya you doing with all the spare time, now you’re not travelling into town?
If any of you read this, you must be checking the blog out occasionally. So you’re interested. So are the others. Let’s hear your news. You don’t have to write much, and you don’t have to have pictures. Stir it up a bit with a ‘thought for the day’. Make people talk back. If you visited the blog to look, you could spend 5 mins writing something!

Back to work now…..

Steve

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11/11/2007 by Steve.

Now this week has been a very busy social week. I cannot complain. Music has featured very highly and a family day out rounded it off very nicely.The music events started on Monday with the ‘Audience with Rick Wakeman’ gig. Fantastic it was and details have already been posted by Paul D on this blog. On Tuesday I saw ‘The Fray’ at Hammersmith. For those who don’t know who ‘The Fray’ are, they recently had a hit with a tune called ‘How to Save A Life’ (better know in our gaff as ‘How To Shave Your Wife’!). Good they were, too!

‘The Fray’ say ‘Hello Hammersmith!’

Then on Wednesday I took part in a focus group discussing a new ‘pop opera’ act in the mold of Paul Potts (’Britain’s Got Talent’ winner). An odd musical diversion.

Now on Thursday, I stayed in (!) while Ness went out…to a lady’s ‘Indulgence Evening’ - an event designed to raise money for the school. She indulged very well with the help of a few glases of champagne and struggled all day Friday! Then on Saturday, we had a family outing….

Who’s been to the Lord Mayor’s Show during their lives, then? Asking various friends this weekend, it would appear that most of us have at some time. And that ’sometime’ was probably when we were kids - usually when we were around 10 years old. So in keeping with tradition (which is what parades like the Lord Mayor’s are all about) this weekend was when Ruby and Louie got their (first) London ‘traditional’ experience.

Three lie-ins
We hadn’t actually planned to go. Ness only thought about it late Friday night, as a cheap way to get out of the house on Saturday. It was planned that I would take advantage of the empty house to get on with some work. But when I got up at 8.30am on Saturday (while they all slept-on) I realised they’d never get up town in time, or find a decent position to see it from. So I kicked them all out of bed, got them through breakfast etc….and by 10.35, we were all standing in a good position to watch the parade, behind St Paul’s! So much for work!

In the end, it really was good cheap fun. Thousands of people, hundreds of people in uniforms, odd pieces of miltary hardware, whistles, bunny ears, drums etc. Then we went to McD’s for lunch, paid a visit to the Tate Modern to look at ‘The Crack’ (go to the Tate website if you don’t know what I’m on about). We got home about 4pm, leaving time to ‘veg’ in front of the TV for an hour….

Lots of bands	St John’s Ambulance - on push-bikes!!!!

Don’t stop
But then I was off out again! Saturday night and this time to Wembley Arena, to see ‘Heaven and Hell’ - or ‘Black Sabbath’, in another guise. Although I went with Gary, Paul and Di were also there under their own steam, as were another couple of friends, who we bumped into on Wembley Park platform afterwards. Rock’n'Roll!

‘Heaven and Hell’ say ‘Hello Wembley!’

So what a week! I am definitely staying in all this week….I am… definitely. Until Friday anyway…..

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04/11/2007 by Steve.

So did everyone have a good night on Saturday? It would appear so. Another bash at the Usual Suspects entertainment HQ lingered on until 4am so I guess we were all enjoying ourselves! For the benefit of those who, unfortunately, could not be there, you missed a great chilli and lots of beer and wine. Other highlights included the letting-off of a rather large firework in the back garden… and Paul D just letting-off. There was also a rather surprising impromptu performance by Rob - with only a frankfurter for a prop!

Thanks to every one who helped out:

- Food provided by Ness.
- Firework provided by R and P
- Frankfurters provided by Sainsburys
- Fresh air provided by God

Finally, a pictorial record of the event…

Cheers, Steve

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23/10/2007 by Steve.

While Louie was sitting eating breakfast yesterday, he noticed we had a visitor lying comfortably in the sun, on our shed roof! Bold as anything, there was a fox, in broad daylight, in the middle of the morning, watching life go on around. There are builders working next door and even all their banging and crashing didn’t faze him in the slightest!

Now THIS morning Mr Fox is there again! So I grabbed the camera and thought I’d give you all an opportunity to meet him…

As he could become a pseudo-pet, any suggestions for funny names that don’t begin with Basil and end in Brush?

(By the way, Louie was eating breakfast in the middle of the morning because he got up late….it is half-term after all!)

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07/10/2007 by Steve.

The process of undertaking a decorating or home improvement project always seems to be the same. First you identify a need - maybe the living room looks a bit tired and it needs a lick of paint. Or you want to change the use of a room for practical purposes.

Our well-presented garden…the way it was

Next come weeks of discussions about how the improvement will be implemented - colour schemes, drawing of plans etc. If it doesn’t lead to a potential divorce, this can produce results over time. But the plan is never finalised until you…..START THE JOB!

Starting the job. Hmmmmm! When is the right time to start the job? A degree of commitment will be required, so when will you be clear to get started?

All kinds of excuses offer themselves up: you’re going on holiday; you have been working hard and need a break; you haven’t got the money etc.

But then one weekend, for no apparent reason, the day has come. A positive attitude has overcome you. You know you will get the job done by Monday! And it will be wonderful and you will soon be inviting your friends round to show of this greatly improved part of your property.

By 10am, the tools are all out and the job is underway. DIY! The great British weekend pastime…

But by 2pm the next phase has normally started. It’s the bit where, having started at long last…you really wish you hadn’t! Surprise, surprise! Clearing all the old stuff out is harder than you expected. Those people who put the old wallpaper up didn’t intend it to come down!

Just keep saying ‘it’s got to get worse before it gets better’

Or in our case….THE PEOPLE WHO BUILT THE GARDEN-DECKING ACTUALLY DID A REALLY GOOD JOB. Remodelling our garden was not going to be a quick job!

And at the end of the weekend? I haven’t got all the decking removed, I’m knackered, the garden looks like a building site and I have a ton of wood to get rid of!

Anyone with a lorry having a bonfire party in the next few weeks….?

Is it too late in the year for a BBQ?

Posted in Work | 2 Comments »

24/09/2007 by Steve.

Bumping into an old aquaintance is one of those little moments in life which could be considered priceless. Such an event can never be planned so the surprise itself is significant. However the ripples from such a meeting could extend far beyond the moment itself.

This thought is on my mind because on Saturday I met an old colleague from my very first job. I probably haven’t seen him for 20 years or more. He recognised me through a shop window. At first I just saw some strange old bloke waving at me from the outside (my mind was elsewhere, lusting after an array of unaffordable equipment in the music shop). My first thought was ‘Who’s that nutter?’. But then that wave of recognition crashed over me and he no longer looked old - he looked exactly the same as I remembered him when we were both 20.

I went outside, we greeted each other and quickly talked through old and current times.
‘I saw Dave from ‘Security’ at a reunion 10 years ago’, he said.
‘I still see Jerry about twice a year’, I added.
Etc etc.

We compared family - mine was actually there, complete - the second-wife and two semi grown-up kids (we couldn’t have imagined a posse like that back then!) His wife is the same girl who I had known as just his girlfriend - they have been married now for 21 years! And they have two kids of the same age as our two….

A similar event occurred a couple of weeks ago when Vanessa met an old colleague in a shop. He came rushing round the end of an aisle and they both immediately recognised each other. Same old Michael, he was, always a story to tell, camp as ever and resisting 40 with a vengeance. It was like they had been working together just last week.

And after your chance meeting? You swap numbers and emails. You even get in touch and go out for a drink. But where does it go from there? Maybe it depends on who you meet, and when…

I think most people would enjoy bumping into an old flame. The spotty-faced youth that she remembers will have turned into a successful and wordly adult- a potential chance to impress not to be missed. Unless you are out with your wife at the time, of course!

Conversely, if you are unfortunate enough to have a ‘previous’ spouse out there somewhere, what would you do if their face presented itself to you out of the blue? It would be embarrassing enough if you were on your own but imagine if your current wife was with you!!! Would Wife 1 still pass as good-looking enough for your current standards? Has she aged well? And while Wife 2 might like to get to know Wife 1 better (for the purposes of comparison on ALL levels) you would probably rather curl up and die.

And finally, some people meet accidentally under some very unlikely circumstances. You occasionally hear stories of people walking down a street on the other side of the world and recognising an old neighbour. Given the billions of people in the world and the miles between them, it’s amazing that it happens at all!

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