The Alec and Laura Farewell Tour reaches it's penulatment performance.

This was a gig of two parts. On Wednesday Alec, Laura, Gary, Ellie, Oliver and Laura joined us for dinner at home. We'd asked Alec & Laura what their fave dinner was & both said steak so I went to our local butcher , a proper butcher, and got some rump steak that was absolutely  delicious. My cooking didn't mullah it though by general consensus my attempt  at a rare steak turned out as medium rare, a little peppercorn sauce was requested and so Tara could try it as well I used veg stock instead of beef. I didn't have any as I think a good steak just doesn't need any accompanying sauce however it all went! Tara had a piece of salmon  steamed with a little smoked paprika, we all had home made 'healthy' chips ( cooked in the oven with just a little oil), fried onions  and mushrooms. A great night and a great laugh!
The second part was a BBQ ( they've another to go to tomorrow night!)in honour of A&L with the usual suspects invited plus just a few of their friends. No a huge 'do' by any stretch of the imagination  about 16 of us in total.
Oliver did a sterling job of working the BBQ. The food was very well cooked & delicious, also brought from our local butcher, Gary had brought over some drumsticks marinated  all sorts of goodies and were very good indeed , also an interesting potato salad  with a lemon twang to it and a very nice coleslaw. Ralph particularly  enjoyed the sausages. Unfortunately I dropped a pack of 12 enroute to the BBQ & Ralph was alot quicker than me!
Our dear Alec had been taken down the pub  for a few drinks by his boss as today was his last day until he returns.............Lets just say he was not maybe three sheets to the wind but there was quite a gale blowing him in that direction!
We all had a great evening with Ralph getting fed all sorts of things he shouldn't have been fed not surprisingly the next day he didn't eat much!
I said a few words which I believe hit the spot as some people made some very kind comments to me after. I don't mind admitting here  that it was an emotional night for Tara & I & I'm not too big to say I shed a tear or two. Alec and Laura will be away a long time & of course we'll miss them like mad and worry as well. I believe everyone had a good time as certainly nobody seemed in a hurry to go which was great. We asked guests to bring a bottle which they did in abundance, Alec and Laura's friends  are a really good bunch & it was a pleasure to host this get together.
I tried to take a selfie photo  with everyone  but unfortunately missed out Eilish & Jake, I'll get them another time! I haven't added all the photos here but they all appear on Facebook.
Dare I say a great night was had by all!

Mark & Alec

Tara & Mark



Our resident chef, Oliver.

Mark & Gary

Mark & Bigmon (Jack)

Bigmon, Alec & Dan.

Mark, Ella & Julian

Gary, Alec & Ralph

Alec & Laura.

The Alec and Laura Farewell Tour reaches it's penulatment performance.

This was a gig of two parts. On Wednesday Alec, Laura, Gary, Ellie, Oliver and Laura joined us for dinner at home. We'd asked Alec & Laura what their fave dinner was & both said steak so I went to our local butcher , a proper butcher, and got some rump steak that was absolutely  delicious. My cooking didn't mullah it though by general consensus my attempt  at a rare steak turned out as medium rare, a little peppercorn sauce was requested and so Tara could try it as well I used veg stock instead of beef. I didn't have any as I think a good steak just doesn't need any accompanying sauce however it all went! Tara had a piece of salmon  steamed with a little smoked paprika, we all had home made 'healthy' chips ( cooked in the oven with just a little oil), fried onions  and mushrooms. A great night and a great laugh!
The second part was a BBQ ( they've another to go to tomorrow night!)in honour of A&L with the usual suspects invited plus just a few of their friends. No a huge 'do' by any stretch of the imagination  about 16 of us in total.
Oliver did a sterling job of working the BBQ. The food was very well cooked & delicious, also brought from our local butcher, Gary had brought over some drumsticks marinated  all sorts of goodies and were very good indeed , also an interesting potato salad  with a lemon twang to it and a very nice coleslaw. Ralph particularly  enjoyed the sausages. Unfortunately I dropped a pack of 12 enroute to the BBQ & Ralph was alot quicker than me!
Our dear Alec had been taken down the pub  for a few drinks by his boss as today was his last day until he returns.............Lets just say he was not maybe three sheets to the wind but there was quite a gale blowing him in that direction!
We all had a great evening with Ralph getting fed all sorts of things he shouldn't have been fed not surprisingly the next day he didn't eat much!
I said a few words which I believe hit the spot as some people made some very kind comments to me after. I don't mind admitting here  that it was an emotional night for Tara & I & I'm not too big to say I shed a tear or two. Alec and Laura will be away a long time & of course we'll miss them like mad and worry as well. I believe everyone had a good time as certainly nobody seemed in a hurry to go which was great. We asked guests to bring a bottle which they did in abundance, Alec and Laura's friends  are a really good bunch & it was a pleasure to host this get together.
I tried to take a selfie photo  with everyone  but unfortunately missed out Eilish & Jake, I'll get them another time! I haven't added all the photos here but they all appear on Facebook.
Dare I say a great night was had by all!

Mark & Alec

Tara & Mark



Our resident chef, Oliver.

Mark & Gary

Mark & Bigmon (Jack)

Bigmon, Alec & Dan.

Mark, Ella & Julian

Gary, Alec & Ralph

Alec & Laura.

An idiots guide to an Idiot.: Norfolk

An idiots guide to an Idiot.: Norfolk: A night away in Norfolk this week & stayed at the 'Dabbling Duck' in Great Massingham. It was very nice. Some good beers enticed...

Norfolk

A night away in Norfolk this week & stayed at the 'Dabbling Duck' in Great Massingham. It was very nice. Some good beers enticed me to the bar (like I needed encouragement!) and I found the delightful 'Worth the Wait' a local beer brewed  by Beeston Brewery near Kings Lynn. Quite citrusy and refreshing ( you can find me in most gutters at the weekend suitably refreshed) at 4.2% not too pokey for a mid week couple of pints. 
As usual the high spot of a business night away is the dinner and this pub didn't let me down. Asparagus to start, cooked so it was tender but not tough with a hollandaise 'custard' & confit egg and a piece of crisp bacon. Photo is abit dark but I think you can make it out. Main meal was a  steak burger with bacon jam & cheese with dripping chips and a little coleslaw. Delicious and very filling so I missed out on pud. 
Back to my room that overlooked the village green, I'd been up very early this morning so I hit the sack around 10.30pm & slept though until about 8am. A good old Full English Breakfast set me up for the day & off I went.

 

An idiots guide to an Idiot.: London to Brighton Bike Ride

An idiots guide to an Idiot.: London to Brighton Bike Ride: Up early yesterday morning to take Oliver, three work colleagues & four bikes to Clapham Common for the start of the London to Brighton ...

London to Brighton Bike Ride

Up early yesterday morning to take Oliver, three work colleagues & four bikes to Clapham Common for the start of the London to Brighton bike ride in aid of the British Heart Foundation.
Found our bike rack buried in the depths of the garage ( I must clean that out!) and it fitted the car OK. Got to Hemel for 6.30am & set off about fifteen minutes later arriving at Clapham Common at around 7.45am.
A very clear run down the M1 & all through London , it was great! Definitely the best time to travel. I took the attached photo before I wished them luck and pottered off, back home for about 9am & took some more of Gary's stuff over to his & Ellies new abode, back to walk Ralph then a cuppa. Delicious!
 The bike ride took Oliver 4 hours and 20 minutes. Its 56 miles so I reckon that's pretty good going he even cycled up Ditchling Hill near Brighton which looks a killer! His text said they were just getting their van sorted for the return journey & then repairing to a pub for a well earned pint & dinner. He raised the best part of £300 for the British Heart Foundation so a really good effort.

Oliver, Mark, Mariad and Colin.

Sorting bike out before the off. 

Fathers day presies.

Oh , I nearly forgot, it was Fathers Day as well. Got a box of red wine from Oliver ( a very nice looking Cabernet Sauvignon), a vinyl Quo album from Alec which is great ( The 1982 Album celebrating 20 years of Status Quo) and a text  from Gary saying I'll get my presie when they are back. So that's Sunday then!

Springwatch

The latest  series of the BBC's Springwatch has now finished & I for one think the series was great. A  friend of our good friends in Kent who probably knows more or at least as much as the 3 presenters added together hates the programme & I do get why. There's certainly an element of dumbing down to encompass everyone and there is afew daft things done or said. The trouser rubbing for instance (you'll only get that if you watch it) and of course a similar dumbing down happened with another of my faves Time Team. I believe it is one of the reasons that Prof Mick Aston left the series. I appreciate sometimes you just have to keep re inventing things to keep them fresh & continue to get more viewers but in my humble opinion the Time Team formula worked & didn't need tinkering with. On the whole I found Springwatch  fascinating programmes & I look forward to the next series.

An idiots guide to an Idiot.: Berkshire Arms

An idiots guide to an Idiot.: Berkshire Arms: Had the chance of a night away with the Memsahib which is always nice but had to tackle the dear old M25 on a Friday afternoon ,only got hel...

Berkshire Arms

Had the chance of a night away with the Memsahib which is always nice but had to tackle the dear old M25 on a Friday afternoon ,only got held up for about half an hour but it seemed longer. Reached our destination in the village of Midgham  about 4pm. The sun was shining, the beer garden beckoned , as they do and of course we gave in . Greene King London Glory was my tipple and very good it was too. An amber beer with a good hoppy taste, 4.1% so ok to have a couple I think!
Late afternoon turned to evening and we repaired to our room to change for dinner. Table booked for 8pm though we were able to sit down a little earlier, all the staff were great. Efficient and friendly, I stayed on   London Glory mainly because it was good but also their other offerings  were IPA that I can have anywhere really and Purple Reign that wasn't on. Memsahib had bitter shandy but then went onto coke.
Our starter was an easy decision, baked Camembert  and what do you know , they actually had gluten free bread for the Memsahib, things are looking up! This was really good & very filling! To the mains then. I was nearly my usual predicable self & had fish and chips but in a moment of inspiration I went for the chicken and chorizo pie with sweet potato chips and veg. Another plus point for this establishment was the fact that T had a choice of  at least half a dozen items to choose from!  Doesn't sound like a big deal? The next time you're out check how many vegetarian & wheat free dishes are on the menu.
T plumped for the fish pie which looked and smelt delicious. Well, we thoroughly pigged out on the mains but of course it would have been rude not to at least peruse the pud menu.   We were both pretty stuffed so a nice brandy liquer  coffee seemed like a good idea.....which it was. Replete and now tired we called it a day & went to bed. Of course by next morning we were hungry again and tucked in a full English for me & poached  eggs on wheat free toast for T. Then home to load up the car to take some more of Garys gear over to his new abode while they are away. However on returning home I found a cupboard I hadn't looked in with more of his stuff still to go. Bugger!

The afore mentioned London Glory.

Very good pie.

Fish pie.

Both Liquer coffee's quaffed!

    

An idiots guide to an Idiot.: 12th June 1916

An idiots guide to an Idiot.: 12th June 1916: Still continuing my search into our ancestors involvement in World War One. I've downloaded (at a cost!) the regimental diaries of both ...

12th June 1916

Still continuing my search into our ancestors involvement in World War One. I've downloaded (at a cost!) the regimental diaries of both of the regiments my Grandfathers served in to see what they might have been doing 100 years ago today.
G2104 Private Alfred Gowers 2nd Bn The Middlesex Regiment.
'In Trenches.Battalion relived by  2/Royal Berkshire Regiment at 4pm withdrew to Henencourt Wood camp in Divisional Reserve.'
The 2/Middlesex had been in the trenches around Ribert since 8th June.Henencourt was a rest area for troops behind the lines around the Somme area.
D1901 Private William Morgan 1st (Kings) Dragoon Guards.
The Regiment had been at Sericourt ( Pas de Calais area) since 11th May and nothing is noted in the diary for 12th June. They would remain here until the end of the month when they moved for the great offensive on the Somme.

Walks with Ralph

Up early this morning, after a leisurely breakfast Ralph told me it was time for a walk. Unfortunately summer seems to have buggered off again so we left the house in rain, it had just about stopped when we got to where we were going to walk around the Pitstone  Hill area near Ivinghoe. 
Always a pleasurable walk around this area no matter which route you take, we went from Pitstone Hill car park toward Ivinghoe Beacon took a right just as the path starts going up, followed the fields on the permissive footpath , through Downs Farm across the road & turning right back along the fields to the car park, about 45 minute I suppose. There was a couple of cyclists out & a couple of runners & in the distance a group of youngsters probably doing their Duke of Edinburgh's award or such like.  There was a few Skylarks chirruping away for all they were worth high above the fields, its a beautiful sound, tried to get a photo but as you can see results weren't very good, the photo of the Crow is alittle better. 
Ralph busied himself on the walk sniffing here and there & paying little attention to any wildlife, he's always interested in people though, I'm sure he thinks he knows them!

Looking towards Ivinghoe Beacon

      The Ralphster investigates!

                                                    

 

                                                            'Wot! Me?'

 Interesting collection of flowers on the edge of the fields.

                                            


Young Crow I think.

                                        

                              


                             

  Walking back towards Pitstone Hill with Ralph in the foreground. 

                                            

Skylark.

                                                  

Poppies.

An idiots guide to an Idiot.: Dinner

An idiots guide to an Idiot.: Dinner: Self and the Memsahib had dinner out last night which was bit of a treat. Didn't go far, just ambled down to a local hostelry the weathe...

Dinner

Self and the Memsahib had dinner out last night which was bit of a treat. Didn't go far, just ambled down to a local hostelry the weather was warm so it was very pleasant. Just had  main meals I chose an old favourite of fish and chips (with mushy peas of course!) and Tara had a grilled Halloumi salad. I was full up on mine but Tara had a Mint Madness Sundae. A couple of pints of Old Speckled Hen as well made for a nice evening. Couldn't believe the heating was on & apparently unable to be switched off as all the hotel heating would go off, with the temperate at about 23c it wouldn't have been a bad idea but what do I know!
 Returned home & sat in the garden with a beer for a while, something we haven't done in ages. Sat there until it rained and then joined Oliver & Laura in the front room. They were watching a programme about Jamie Oliver in Italy, always thought he was bit of an oik but warmed to him in this programme.  

                                                     Old Speckled Hen and Hooch.

                                                             My dinner.

                                                              Tara's dinner

Tara enjoying a Mint Madness Sundae even though it was Friday.

Golden Valley

Had a very pleasant walk with Ralph today at Golden valley on the Ashridge Estate. The outward walk takes you along the bottom of the valley then the inward walk goes up to a track/roadway that once went round the whole estate. Alot of this track is in disrepair  though volunteers are making a very good job of repairing much of it, you eventually come to a bridge from which there is a great view of Ashridge House, now a management college. This top path is very shady and cool today as the temperature hit 21c , we also heard a great squawking and kerfuffle with a large raptor of some kind (bigger than a Kestrel or Sparrow hawk so a Buzzard maybe) crashing through the tree tops being mobbed by Magpies and Crows. No doubt it was after their young, it my have had something in its talons but it was difficult to see, Ralph with his nose to the ground as usual didn't bat an eyelid and missed it all! There are a couple of photos from another visit to Golden Valley. Great from sledging in the winter as well!  

The Alec and Laura Farewell Tour begins!

Well Alec and Laura have been saving and working hard for about 5 years and now they are really going round the world! Tickets booked (first stop Thailand) onward round East Asia & Australia for Xmas I believe. Wow!
The jabs they've needed and insurance has cost them the best part of £1000 each but as I've said to them both its better safe than sorry. This was the first part of what I've called their Farewell Tour because over the next couple of weeks all the people who love them want to wish them well & Bon Voyage and why not!
The brilliant thing about this dinner was that it was a complete surprise for Alec and Laura. They knew they were going for a meal with Laura's Mum Kathy but had no idea that waiting in the restaurant would be me, Tara, Gary, Ellie, Oliver, Ella, Julian, Tim ,Beren & from Laura's family Seamus, Pat and Ann.
A great time was had by all & Lina and her staff at Chez Jerome made the night very special for us, even down to bespoke menu's for our party photographed here.

 The food , as usual was really good, I had Poached Asparagus & egg with Hollandaise sauce for starters and for main Tenderloin of Pork with creamy port sauce, potatoes and veg. Pud was Vanilla Crème Brulee  (but in my excitement I forgot to photo it!) washed down with a couple of bottles of Pedigree Ale.

  Their countdown has really begun now. We'll miss them both terribly and hope they have loads of great adventures and a brilliant time!

An idiots guide to an Idiot.: Saxon

An idiots guide to an Idiot.: Saxon: Just brought our tickets for the mighty Saxon playing at the Shepherds Bush Empire on 5th November. I think this will be the fourth time I&#...

Saxon

Just brought our tickets for the mighty Saxon playing at the Shepherds Bush Empire on 5th November. I think this will be the fourth time I've seen them and they are always good value, one of the first NWOBHM Bands (New Wave Of British Heavy Metal) they are still going strong. Support acts should be good as well. Firstly 'Fastway' featuring former Motorhead guitarist Fast Eddie Clarke. Haven't see them before but expect they'll be good and then Girlschool who I last saw about 35 years ago! Should have seen them last year supporting Motorhead but with Lemmy's demise the gig was cancelled so am really looking forward to seeing them this time round.
The Shepherds Bush Empire is a delightful venue. It's a grade II listed building built in 1903. Such luminaries as Fred Karnos Comic Troupe featuring Charlie Chaplin played here in 1906, with a capacity of 2000 its one of the smaller venues and all the better for that. You can actually see who's  on stage without needed a giant screen!
Our tickets cost £31 each, the first time I saw Saxon at the Lyceum Ballroom off the Strand in London,I believe in February 1980 the ticket cost £4! Bizarrely we actually met Lemmy, Fast Eddie  and Phil 'Philthy Animal' Taylor of Motorhead at the bar! We saw and spoke to them just before everyone else realised who they were, to this day I still don't know what Lemmy said to me but he clasped the back of my neck in a friendly gesture & it made my evening!
Last time we saw a gig here ( also Saxon Feb 2015) we had dinner at the 'Defectors Weld' a gastro pub on the corner of Wood Lane and Uxbridge Road right on the green so very near the Empire. Good food as I recall so I reckon we may do the same again, we've got a while to decide mind you.

Saxon at the Shepherds Bush Empire, Feb 2015.

Mark, Tara, Kevin & Paul at the Saxon gig.

Battle of Jutland

With the 100th anniversary of this major naval action of World War One I was interested to find that one of my Great Uncles (George Gowers) was a Stoker Petty Officer aboard HMS Southampton, a light cruiser which was Flag Ship of the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron commanded  by Commodore William Goodenough. The Southampton torpedoed the German light cruiser Frauenlob causing her to capsize taking most of the ships complement to the bottom. Great Uncle served in the Royal Navy until 1922.  This is a photo of HMS Southampton.

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Boots

I seem to be fated with naff walking boots. So far I haven't had a pair that lasted any longer than 9 months before they are letting in water & this is walking through wet grass not swimming the Channel! Karrimore are my nemesis, just had a full refund on a pair that lasted only 3 months! Wouldn't touch that make again. On Number One sons recommendation from a friend of his I've gone for Salomon boots. The waterproof bit is Gore-tex which even I have heard of as being good. More than I'd usually spend (£95 down from £130 then another 15% off) but maybe that was the problem.  As June has started incredibly wet & cold they may get alot of use. Stay tuned.