tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28762228634355332872024-03-13T16:56:00.017+00:00BlackLOGWelcome to the BlackLOG, this is the story of me, my wife - the long suffering "Mrs B", our cat "McG" and the various friends and acquaintances that we meet through life. It is all based around what happens to us, but is often stretched in an attempt to entertain. I do not deliberately set out to upset people but it occasionally happens (I have a fairly dark sense of humour at times).BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.comBlogger239125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-53198738274900717552015-03-27T10:13:00.002+00:002015-03-27T10:37:55.805+00:00Death, extended life, confusion and disappointmentIt's already been well over a week but I have finally decided that I can't let the passing of my favourite author go without a mention - I was first introduced to his books around 1988 (Thank you Keith Skedd for the introduction to a world of entertainment, close to my sense of humour but way beyond my comic ability ) just after the publication of his fourth Discworld book "Mort". I was smitten with the tag line "Death comes to us all. When he came to Mort he offered him a job." Thank you Sir Terry Pratchett for a body of work that often left me laughing out loud and never once disappointed and lets hope death has offered you Morts old job..... <br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Extended Life</b><br />
On a happier note, this month saw our cat McG celebrate his 20th Birthday - not bad for a chubby little kitten of no fixed ability. He hit a stone in weight when he was 6 months old and has technically been on a diet for 19 and a half years. He has a kill count of 1 (which we strongly expect was a bird that stunned itself by flying into a closed window) so is probably guilty of the crime of assisted suicide rather than cold blooded murder....<br />
<br />
We almost lost him in 2002 when he got crystals in his bladder and ballooned to almost twice his size - a week in animal hospital (fortunately Rolf Harris was no where in sight so we know he wasn't abused) It was touch and go with daily health reports matched only by hourly vet bill updates....happily McG had a much more successful recovery than our bank balance which flat lined and received the last rights twice before finally limping back to recovery - He was worth every penny.<br />
<br />
About 5 years ago, during an annual check up the vet told me to bring him back in a few weeks time when we were ready to have him put down. This second life threatening situation was relatively easy to rectify by changing his diet and more importantly his vet.... <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBNrD_gwSz52GwgcafWAwNQgyr_RjWFDzcsTLM65-YwgklsXFOUlInxCsv9MIOy14zff7KLiLlMOZbLi_HtPczyqx6ZITH3qai3tCxBUoem-MXrA4mjzIUaLpSblq6M8UsmUIXTJrhrMx/s1600/15_03_05-03-34-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioBNrD_gwSz52GwgcafWAwNQgyr_RjWFDzcsTLM65-YwgklsXFOUlInxCsv9MIOy14zff7KLiLlMOZbLi_HtPczyqx6ZITH3qai3tCxBUoem-MXrA4mjzIUaLpSblq6M8UsmUIXTJrhrMx/s1600/15_03_05-03-34-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>McG celebrates his 20th Birthday by <br />spending it in bed...</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Velodrome</b></span><br />
We finally managed to get to the Lee Valley Velopark - which was one of the few Olympic venues we failed to get to see in 2012. It's fantastic and I really enjoyed the evening even if half the time we didn't have a clue what was going on and indeed who was leading. The only time I knew for certain was when Laura Trott (UK's cycling heroine from 2012 ) was on the track - mainly because she was practically lapping everyone else by the time they reached the first corner....<br />
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<b>Some of the race highlights</b><br />
Keirin racing - each rider follows a rotund man on a tiny motor bike around the track allowing the cyclist to slip stream and cycle faster then they would normally....<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Laura Trott gets an honour guard of<br />chubby men on tiny motorbikes....</b></td></tr>
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Elimination race - teams circle the track until a bell sounds at which point the last team past the finish line gets eliminated.<br />
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The Longest race - Competitors have to keep their bike motionless for between 2 and 4 minutes - during that time they are not allowed to cross the starting line or touch the track with any part of their body until the referee starts the race at which point they sprint for a single lap.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2zvFJoH3wHxyeNTSlAWr1ouRXPg7nWZYIFS416x25ySVxEJL6PyU1naVwKJlSV4BjQma-huKVXRU7LGFhI0XN4IPGkobw-jE3vGDLX9rwD5jF-VAa4o781ad7D60iElizKs2wfnS8NMi/s1600/15_02_28-17-29-56_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2zvFJoH3wHxyeNTSlAWr1ouRXPg7nWZYIFS416x25ySVxEJL6PyU1naVwKJlSV4BjQma-huKVXRU7LGFhI0XN4IPGkobw-jE3vGDLX9rwD5jF-VAa4o781ad7D60iElizKs2wfnS8NMi/s1600/15_02_28-17-29-56_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><b>Ready set stand still...</b>.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Eclipse Hoax?</b></span><br />
I've yet to meet anyone who actually witnessed the UK partial eclipse first hand - While Bishops Stortford was admittedly covered in heavy cloud, as the appointed moment approached, came and went, the light didn't dim even a little bit. The only way I could take part was by shutting my eyes but quite frankly I can do that anytime of the day or night...<br />
<br />
<strong style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">C.A.C.T.U.S round-up</span></strong><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Attendees (17th Feb) The 7th film for 2015 – <strong>Focus</strong></span><br />
a good fun romp - a bit predictable but not bad for a Will Smith film...<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Niel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Al</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times;">Penny</span><br />
<br />
<strong style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">C.A.C.T.U.S running totals</strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Niel (9)</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Marb (6)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Penny (6)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Natalie (4)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Al (5)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mrs B (2)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mark (2)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lisa (2)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Photo Finish</b></span> </span><br />
We end this addition with some more shots from the Velodrome and McG<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cycling a very hands on sport...</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rOfr0hKuRMdSpW_CGpzAomyYR9zgAg2U2teZlnnAbHz4GC5k9uEY6VcRllifEFTeIcRMzLqBJj3h-EU-TK4_-fOilliThikwpjUegjatf2ycwcb-sZdK8Zp38cuVjYHxBZ5LtxJBEkBM/s1600/15_02_28-17-39-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rOfr0hKuRMdSpW_CGpzAomyYR9zgAg2U2teZlnnAbHz4GC5k9uEY6VcRllifEFTeIcRMzLqBJj3h-EU-TK4_-fOilliThikwpjUegjatf2ycwcb-sZdK8Zp38cuVjYHxBZ5LtxJBEkBM/s1600/15_02_28-17-39-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Leaders of the pack...</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1WZIGPu8LuNdyYTN9ZIg-ofZ3OuxgoiMeu6A69Jp02tCVnYH2lLRmwY-hNV4GK9eB3gCpTpV6qXYRWbl2QaDnnhyMp0Y3s_Wni3SW-SHs6zHPn_nX_i30ASu4_0YQ_tTlV8v4oLODvIpQ/s1600/15_02_28-17-39-58_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1WZIGPu8LuNdyYTN9ZIg-ofZ3OuxgoiMeu6A69Jp02tCVnYH2lLRmwY-hNV4GK9eB3gCpTpV6qXYRWbl2QaDnnhyMp0Y3s_Wni3SW-SHs6zHPn_nX_i30ASu4_0YQ_tTlV8v4oLODvIpQ/s1600/15_02_28-17-39-58_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>At times it was just a blur </b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsVAW8iuK2Xd0ufjRvrkwxBLQ6HVXJFyj4BK7HdGJAJyYbt8Ulh8HhKbH17Z9ERbkHQwNdK_2tzFhuI-D2frX-lFcxZyjwv5S-SKFECyvlc1yl2UAO_VQbNHcZQ43XnnsRiScv-oyrLgH/s1600/15_02_28-17-40-32_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsVAW8iuK2Xd0ufjRvrkwxBLQ6HVXJFyj4BK7HdGJAJyYbt8Ulh8HhKbH17Z9ERbkHQwNdK_2tzFhuI-D2frX-lFcxZyjwv5S-SKFECyvlc1yl2UAO_VQbNHcZQ43XnnsRiScv-oyrLgH/s1600/15_02_28-17-40-32_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><b>The racing was certainly close</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqop4r0JeFLbGlxFrUBfHCHxR5JhyphenhyphenP-PQn_65R0M7EAEQW2pF-OQlPf7tN9bmYv7tRyhHIzArtHC1Y6uOQ3Wae1hY9vAGWAUtsWoWGV_EXDfrW4CZc22ko2tRROwaz2eciqB7fB5pglb8S/s1600/09_10_24-12-52-56_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqop4r0JeFLbGlxFrUBfHCHxR5JhyphenhyphenP-PQn_65R0M7EAEQW2pF-OQlPf7tN9bmYv7tRyhHIzArtHC1Y6uOQ3Wae1hY9vAGWAUtsWoWGV_EXDfrW4CZc22ko2tRROwaz2eciqB7fB5pglb8S/s1600/09_10_24-12-52-56_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Sermon from the box</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I may have the </span>ageing<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> body of a house cat<br />but I have the heart of a lion..."</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hear me roar...</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbm1tocV-McJk06WGIS702OjrmgoDoq3iTirHwZOLQOS8cQ4j0WIxP37-O3MvmOiU81B_ynKn7veDqbUG-ce40Rr_a97x6Dvr-WjXyqBkzUWhneUNiWuaGUTsoIwom7xhIsoFoFx3BEwkJ/s1600/15_03_04-02-45-24_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbm1tocV-McJk06WGIS702OjrmgoDoq3iTirHwZOLQOS8cQ4j0WIxP37-O3MvmOiU81B_ynKn7veDqbUG-ce40Rr_a97x6Dvr-WjXyqBkzUWhneUNiWuaGUTsoIwom7xhIsoFoFx3BEwkJ/s1600/15_03_04-02-45-24_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The happiest summer for McG was 1997,<br />which he spent spread eagled on top of an Avery<br />in Chesham. Not sure the occupants or indeed<br />the owner were that impressed. I believe they had<br />a party when we moved on...</b></td></tr>
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<br />BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-18544375300767136822015-03-07T00:30:00.001+00:002015-03-07T00:30:31.105+00:00If a deal sounds too good to be true…. bite their hand off<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Deal of the week</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I finally got fed up with the rubbish mobile signal we get at home and paid £100 for a "sure signal" box… It worked brilliantly..... for 24 hours and then it stopped. I took it back for a replacement but the shop had none in stock, so I got my money back. I checked the internet for reviews and happened to read that if you called customer services and threatened to leave they would give you a discount on the box. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> I called and was told that if I upgraded my phone contract they would give me a sure signal box for free. It didn’t sound like it was going to be much of a deal if I ended up paying more per month. So I reluctantly asked what the upgrade was…. For £14 less (yes less) a month, I could have an extra 2GB of 4G data and the same calls and text package, free 12 month subscription to Sky Mobile and a free £100 sure signal box….</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I bit their hand off …..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Result…..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now I just have to hope the replacement box lasts longer than 24 hours…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<strong style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">50 shades round up</span><em> (fingers crossed the final word on the subject)</em></strong><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Great news - the director and writer are at war and the male lead, Jamie Dornan’s wife has banned him from the sequel so it looks increasingly unlikely that there will be a second helping. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is bad news for the woman who got so excited while watching 50 Shades at her local cinema that she ended up in hand cuffs – surely not the best move by the police – The one action guaranteed to give the poor woman multiple orgasms and demanding to be whipped because she had been “A bad little girl….” </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">C.A.C.T.U.S round-up</span></strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Attendees (10th Feb) The 7th film for 2015 – <strong>Wedding Ringers</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Surprisingly good, which was a bit unexpected – probably relief that I was not watching 50 shades.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Niel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Al</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Marb</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Natalie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">C.A.C.T.U.S attendees (17th Feb) The 8th film for 2015 – <strong>The second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Brilliant it made me want to go back to India (we had just returned from India when we saw the original film) – The only problem was that I was laughing so much I missed some of the dialogue. Cinema needs to get with the times and include a rewind, pause and in some cases a delete function....definitely a delete function. </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Niel </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Penny</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mark </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lisa</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Marb</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Natalie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times;"><br /></span>
<strong style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">C.A.C.T.U.S running totals</strong><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Niel (8)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Marb (6)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Penny (5)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Natalie (4)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Al (4)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mrs B (2)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mark (2)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lisa (2)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Photo Finish</span></strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times;">A taster for the next blog - some pictures from our trip to the Velopark in Stratford </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ClP4nlT3EPq2QKopbLqiBPJ6HyGAv5-NS7p3KwL1ENDXUt-pKEQCvY5v07LmVeJeBJcYIT8YHIE-SWYWjd7kYJYQE709KQ59N6NJY0hCKhOidVMajDTu8_BVUN9Hp9I4_qEmRNW7Sikl/s1600/15_02_28-16-09-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ClP4nlT3EPq2QKopbLqiBPJ6HyGAv5-NS7p3KwL1ENDXUt-pKEQCvY5v07LmVeJeBJcYIT8YHIE-SWYWjd7kYJYQE709KQ59N6NJY0hCKhOidVMajDTu8_BVUN9Hp9I4_qEmRNW7Sikl/s1600/15_02_28-16-09-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Jack Bobridge - Australi</b>a </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibctPjEucuCJrFvTdMOCRzCoanUPwWoKn0G2PmBGk2FMDsxUEZh7SRxo6gYm-68CmKmsGBVSAwcL1ZtZMoFURBywenzvuHencmZefsW9UtMBm-X-3leFl546RtHfw1n_ZCS06FCxHqecbD/s1600/15_02_28-15-46-51_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibctPjEucuCJrFvTdMOCRzCoanUPwWoKn0G2PmBGk2FMDsxUEZh7SRxo6gYm-68CmKmsGBVSAwcL1ZtZMoFURBywenzvuHencmZefsW9UtMBm-X-3leFl546RtHfw1n_ZCS06FCxHqecbD/s1600/15_02_28-15-46-51_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Revolution series - Round 5 </b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Vu7PZhOUac6iB9tKYSCCc7QQPGijOHeGF0FM9MGw7JbFjJMLzMo_NyhnsUi1aM_bGXZ7O0bUHcgf2JutTt0qr2cm9DFPK9gEILsrhP9D7R0q36ZbpW4WsbsjKG_VZbq7ihzFDVGZgAUO/s1600/15_02_28-15-41-07_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Vu7PZhOUac6iB9tKYSCCc7QQPGijOHeGF0FM9MGw7JbFjJMLzMo_NyhnsUi1aM_bGXZ7O0bUHcgf2JutTt0qr2cm9DFPK9gEILsrhP9D7R0q36ZbpW4WsbsjKG_VZbq7ihzFDVGZgAUO/s1600/15_02_28-15-41-07_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Laura Trott - who just wins everything....</b></td></tr>
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<br />BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-65016130716771747012015-02-20T16:31:00.003+00:002015-02-20T16:56:51.752+00:0050 shades of sexploitation The C.A.C.T.U.S club hit a new low this week, getting drawn into the media frenzy that is 50 Shades of Grey… My expectations of the film were low, which helped because it certainly lived down to them<span style="color: red;">**</span>. I only managed to stay awake because I was worried that I might miss something exciting… I wouldn’t have.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">** I came close to giving this week’s Blog the title “Fifty shades of beige” but realising that the mere mention of s.e.x sells any old rubbish I took the commercial decision and have sold the very soul of The BlackLOG – don’t worry normal service will be resumed shortly and The BlackLOG will return to its normal beige consistency. After all there is only so much excitement one can take.</span><br />
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The 99.9% female audience turned the atmosphere into a kindergarten, with a loud squeaky buzz of excitement filling the auditorium before the film started. I have to admit that some of the film was funny, although not always intentionally so, because the film script is as badly written as the book it is based upon (Oh damn, further shame. It looks like I’ve accidently admitted to having read the first book of the series). Sadly, the unintentional humour only serves to disguise the main problem with the story. It is basically a tale about grooming because of all the gifts Christian gives to Anastasia: an Apple Mac, a brand new car (albeit complete rubbish compared to the cars that Mr Grey swans around in). Then there is Mr Grey's jealousy over any men in Anastasia’s life and going loopy because she had not told him she was visiting her mum. If this had been set in Rotherham it would have been headline news for sure.<br />
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The showing that the C.A.C.T.U.S club attended was almost full (Mrs B had a ticket but didn’t make it home from work in time – lucky thing). The film was being shown in most of the other screens, which I’m guessing were full too – just for the promise of some mild titillation (As Madonna put it “Sex scenes written by someone who has no idea about sex”). The supposedly hard core counting scene is a good example – Sesame Street does counting much more entertainingly with The Count. Anyone else seen the film? What is your view?<br />
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It is really sad that the previous week’s C.A.C.T.U.S outing to see Selma (The Martin Luther King film) a powerful story about securing equal voting rights – was being shown on only one screen and that was practically empty….If only MLK had thought to drop into the local Selma hardware store to pick up rope, cable ties, duct tape and then groomed his followers, Selma might have done much better at the Box office. I guess MLK had more important matters on his mind than cinema receipts 50 years later.<br />
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<i>The week’s C.A.C.T.U.S attendees (10th Feb) The fifth film for 2015 – Selma</i><br />
<i>Niel</i><br />
<i>Marb</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>The week’s C.A.C.T.U.S attendees (17th Feb) The sixth film for 2015 – 50 Shades of Grey</i><br />
<i>Niel </i><br />
<i>Al</i><br />
<i>Mark </i><br />
<i>Lisa</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><i>C.A.C.T.U.S running totals</i></strong></span><br />
<i>Niel (6)</i><br />
<i>Penny (4)</i><br />
<i>Marb (4)</i><br />
<i>Natalie (2)</i><br />
<i>Al (3)</i><br />
<i>Mrs B (2)</i><br />
<i>Mark (1)</i><br />
<i>Lisa (1)</i><br />
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<strong style="font-size: x-large;">Instagram</strong><br />
Bit of excitement for me when BBCspringwatch liked one of my Instagram posts <br />
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<strong style="font-size: x-large;">Photo Finish</strong><br />
Pictures February 2014 – All taken with the Panasonic FZ150 (can’t remember why I didn’t use either of The Beasts) so a bit fuzzier than normal.<br />
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<b>Anna Calvi at the Troxy</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsuh3JwbgsIPpF-uWoAWXdbDz7FDQbEuXXyJl8xPZ86lOANeshpasbRXqklc2x7baEZgv0vpqo236PAsMW9my9rvlmt7XVP30l84p4EWVYxem3TtMc8_3FEV6ePZiuQeMEmZjsItw-je2/s1600/14_02_08-21-49-22_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsuh3JwbgsIPpF-uWoAWXdbDz7FDQbEuXXyJl8xPZ86lOANeshpasbRXqklc2x7baEZgv0vpqo236PAsMW9my9rvlmt7XVP30l84p4EWVYxem3TtMc8_3FEV6ePZiuQeMEmZjsItw-je2/s1600/14_02_08-21-49-22_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"Sing to me"</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7BeJo91wsOgVvoV3Cki-oF3-mK4-a8t4xzks3e2agRlgbB8W_DsRsSRp4PbtAxbCb2AdG8katQMg9mE93_nnjPGxd7JMvT4qNcsg6jpoAlsIeciKrF8YyuHItcyo2lFicIJoayJ_zWbr/s1600/14_02_08-22-32-28_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif7BeJo91wsOgVvoV3Cki-oF3-mK4-a8t4xzks3e2agRlgbB8W_DsRsSRp4PbtAxbCb2AdG8katQMg9mE93_nnjPGxd7JMvT4qNcsg6jpoAlsIeciKrF8YyuHItcyo2lFicIJoayJ_zWbr/s1600/14_02_08-22-32-28_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"One Breath"</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IyXpTrc5cz6euYucuWy4dPUOlMnBgWHSYW0niJrNwNclqWxqYUJGKHGXITwbYunDhsdXb_mizOOstxVi2eE9fkxZf_bCTjDq6ifQZVcnK9O2TFDrcOlX3o7-x9WMxxlo4ygKRZPnc_3G/s1600/14_02_08-22-07-16_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IyXpTrc5cz6euYucuWy4dPUOlMnBgWHSYW0niJrNwNclqWxqYUJGKHGXITwbYunDhsdXb_mizOOstxVi2eE9fkxZf_bCTjDq6ifQZVcnK9O2TFDrcOlX3o7-x9WMxxlo4ygKRZPnc_3G/s1600/14_02_08-22-07-16_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"Love Won't Be Leaving"</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGtQh3WWOoMpvYeqBGvYzHPl5dW0-Axe3heToqxT4uQBK9smA6NrgEA2O_1aCQgUDirg2nZ9oQhNh0IktIfhJpM5-p1odF7oLt-mx4NAx9jKU4MCkHulajfy4TQyDtl93fHaEYz6w_slA/s1600/14_02_08-21-54-22_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGtQh3WWOoMpvYeqBGvYzHPl5dW0-Axe3heToqxT4uQBK9smA6NrgEA2O_1aCQgUDirg2nZ9oQhNh0IktIfhJpM5-p1odF7oLt-mx4NAx9jKU4MCkHulajfy4TQyDtl93fHaEYz6w_slA/s1600/14_02_08-21-54-22_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"No more words"</b></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18VeXjgP-mvZpX78fCCUlM-9o454fuyXw7Hpibbr81tfCqsh__Df8O9IPaJ93tj2upcEeeonqb5rJq-6VL5SParR9W81ibxcaa4pZN2Rd7FnTc_TIgtpMRxshyeUQLh_slvCBjLfz9i09/s1600/14_02_08-22-00-14_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18VeXjgP-mvZpX78fCCUlM-9o454fuyXw7Hpibbr81tfCqsh__Df8O9IPaJ93tj2upcEeeonqb5rJq-6VL5SParR9W81ibxcaa4pZN2Rd7FnTc_TIgtpMRxshyeUQLh_slvCBjLfz9i09/s1600/14_02_08-22-00-14_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>"Morning Light"</b></td></tr>
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<b>Del Amitri – Hammersmith Apollo</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7C_PKhRCvVTUhKXN-nPCzcZeeKIb7eYSAMO7NwSTdUsgpXv85tMomg-_wFOpgWZU_gCEJuqDHJLzUevTjaSmQbwbO6fODS2b5eUv97WXyfygT7FikJwTKhprkWuojTHsRy-HyMLF9FPZq/s1600/14_02_07-21-12-34_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7C_PKhRCvVTUhKXN-nPCzcZeeKIb7eYSAMO7NwSTdUsgpXv85tMomg-_wFOpgWZU_gCEJuqDHJLzUevTjaSmQbwbO6fODS2b5eUv97WXyfygT7FikJwTKhprkWuojTHsRy-HyMLF9FPZq/s1600/14_02_07-21-12-34_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Be my downfall"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jlyoI9-5ZLT6yOvmUPhMJzg3lXLMYi-y_WCpe5EBlME-J8oDi0NjRkHlxbzZtEyOrt_Ve8PdzC8lQcWn7EXj9EisBGGzSp_SqBve04SWYusxbJWm62h2AQZSfxkobQuHUJu00u367N4B/s1600/14_02_07-21-14-20_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1jlyoI9-5ZLT6yOvmUPhMJzg3lXLMYi-y_WCpe5EBlME-J8oDi0NjRkHlxbzZtEyOrt_Ve8PdzC8lQcWn7EXj9EisBGGzSp_SqBve04SWYusxbJWm62h2AQZSfxkobQuHUJu00u367N4B/s1600/14_02_07-21-14-20_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Behind the fool"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPoD1XwPeCf12bXSssO9vPGwgEj22ueLfPhCEi1x1cg6wlZ4aaVfOTTPhFZ4K981dhbqBX2qTaEBPsJ8ik_dWCwNaknQaC87LbSRWDl8MLg4LJ99-q3IhQbKJ6MlYQ7iXrSAFRV6Koiq2/s1600/14_02_07-22-25-04_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPoD1XwPeCf12bXSssO9vPGwgEj22ueLfPhCEi1x1cg6wlZ4aaVfOTTPhFZ4K981dhbqBX2qTaEBPsJ8ik_dWCwNaknQaC87LbSRWDl8MLg4LJ99-q3IhQbKJ6MlYQ7iXrSAFRV6Koiq2/s1600/14_02_07-22-25-04_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Nothing ever happens"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfIHGoSVmjiDBnJkpG0gjkTo6P-SKXEIHt-XSIWRPkXkjjZKQsVuP4MtjnzR7AYEaDhrFgWI7XgFcAGPSHyF5FIcN4xOZNWNlZUMEmNipSNILDOw4JBi9CRIsWB49_WF17n-FHGPAIb5w/s1600/14_02_07-22-26-47_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfIHGoSVmjiDBnJkpG0gjkTo6P-SKXEIHt-XSIWRPkXkjjZKQsVuP4MtjnzR7AYEaDhrFgWI7XgFcAGPSHyF5FIcN4xOZNWNlZUMEmNipSNILDOw4JBi9CRIsWB49_WF17n-FHGPAIb5w/s1600/14_02_07-22-26-47_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Kiss this thing goodbye"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJp5RSCjiPV6BDhF-516Ge0Y3xzrn6LZJFe7EGpMqJOIyJRFutlSRK-QIZUlAVdSPY_17kEiZGov7O7tRS0RCZsuExr7Z3eHdkkYxM4aTFeTCleen_FFbtF8IaR8SoIYDuWqumhaMuc5E/s1600/14_02_07-22-35-41_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJp5RSCjiPV6BDhF-516Ge0Y3xzrn6LZJFe7EGpMqJOIyJRFutlSRK-QIZUlAVdSPY_17kEiZGov7O7tRS0RCZsuExr7Z3eHdkkYxM4aTFeTCleen_FFbtF8IaR8SoIYDuWqumhaMuc5E/s1600/14_02_07-22-35-41_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Drunk in a band"</td></tr>
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<br />BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-13696244928826242792015-02-10T00:33:00.000+00:002015-02-10T00:48:48.905+00:00Rumours of Fleetwood MacWe had the choice: £200 each for nosebleed seats at the top of some huge arena; or £30 for a great view at one of my favourite venues, The Union Chapel, Islington. The down side being that the £30 option was for Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, a tribute band, rather than the real thing… <br />
<br />
Because we were with friends I didn’t manage to get my preferred seats, as we ate first. A nice little Italian restaurant close by but it suffered from being a little bit slow at serving the food. I suspect this was because it was all prepared and cooked fresh. It was a bit rich though after they had said we could only have the table for a specific period as it was reserved.<br />
<br />
Being a tribute band we were wondering who they would have as support? The answer turned out to be no one. I'm guessing not many support bands are big enough to have tribute bands so I'm not sure where a tribute band would go to get a support act... So it was straight in with Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, during the first few tracks I thought “What have we done?” They sounded a bit ropey. I guess it took them a little while to hit their stride and for the sound man to get the sound desk sorted. The thing with Union Chapel is if the sound guy gets it right you are in for a treat, when they get it wrong it can completely destroys a performance.<br />
<br />
We were sandwiched between someone who obviously felt they were at a proper Fleetwood Mac concert and a group who were determined to turn the gig into a party. They did not make great neighbours - all chatter and giggles one side and tuts and frosty looks from the other. <br />
<br />
Because we were not in our normal seats I decided to take the camera and get some pictures from some different angles. I ran into one of the security guards, who took one look at the Mega Beast with the 600mm lens and promptly asked me if I was with the band. “Yep” I said without missing a beat.<br />
<br />
“Have you got a Photo pass?”<br />
<br />
“It’s in my jacket” I said, without stopping taking pictures, as if I was on commission. All the while slinking further away from him. It worked and my assured replies got me through a potentially tricky situation.<br />
<br />
That just leaves the small matter of telling a couple of porky pies in a church.....Hmmm just as well I don't believe in god otherwise I would be damned to hell for sure....If it turns out that I'm wrong I'll be OK because the god I don't believe in is a very forgiving god.....<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">C.A.C.T.U.S (Cheap As Chips TUeSday)</span></b><br />
The section cataloguing the films shown at Bishop’s Stortford cinema which has a half price policy on a Tuesday.<br />
<br />
<strong>The third film for 2015 Ex- Machina</strong><br />
<br />
An interesting take on Artificial Intelligence. I found the film a bit slow to start off with. Managing to drop off at one point, I woke up to see Mrs B pushing up some zzz’s. It got better and I’m assured by Penny the slow bits were all about setting the scene. <br />
<br />
<strong><em>The week’s C.A.C.T.U.S attendees (27th Jan)</em></strong><br />
Niel<br />
Penny<br />
Mrs B<br />
<br />
<strong>The fourth film for 2015 – Kingsman (the secret service)</strong> <br />
Brilliant spy spoof – everything that the 1960’s Bond spoof – Casino Royal should have been but failed to be.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>The week’s C.A.C.T.U.S attendees (3rd Feb)</strong><br />
Niel <br />
Penny<br />
Mrs B<br />
Al<br />
Marb<br />
<br />
<strong><em>C.A.C.T.U.S Running Totals</em></strong><br />
Niel (4)<br />
Penny (4)<br />
Marb (3)<br />
Natalie (2)<br />
Al (2)<br />
Mrs B (2)<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Photo Finish</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rumours of</span><strong> </strong><span style="font-size: small;">Fleetwood Mac</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F95FC-awEMhWAxfhuwwydddCLnkrEc9-VP1CzoAAPn2JyfIChs3gDMax5NDB3kvWrh4IgSEIGouV_7irCG8llxqbtU4O96eCVrEGCUlLVcejhcs0hYn7eNxcnEVkSEKvb68z4zO95Cnx/s1600/15_01_31-16-40-47_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F95FC-awEMhWAxfhuwwydddCLnkrEc9-VP1CzoAAPn2JyfIChs3gDMax5NDB3kvWrh4IgSEIGouV_7irCG8llxqbtU4O96eCVrEGCUlLVcejhcs0hYn7eNxcnEVkSEKvb68z4zO95Cnx/s1600/15_01_31-16-40-47_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louise Rogan as fake Stevie Nicks<br />
"Seven Wonders" </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1LnDmYIGvCPWb3bGI0UdnUhnvPYeiik5l-4xHLiuaXOaWarcprKcwXmD-zvDfuchWNVrYLg33Sx40CBd3YjI_fbb4oC_NKTxf2n0xFlRXtwwrJ0x5j76JWIyLXPFjiBBeVJozbT_qaKW/s1600/15_01_31-16-45-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1LnDmYIGvCPWb3bGI0UdnUhnvPYeiik5l-4xHLiuaXOaWarcprKcwXmD-zvDfuchWNVrYLg33Sx40CBd3YjI_fbb4oC_NKTxf2n0xFlRXtwwrJ0x5j76JWIyLXPFjiBBeVJozbT_qaKW/s1600/15_01_31-16-45-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amanda Kostadinov as fake Christine McVie <br />
Although she looks a bit like one of my old Dinner ladies <br />
<br />
"Smile At You"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr0kD7cUF2g-BGILswbXmE2nxjFSTqBfuBvbicI956BBTHk_uQ94xUoPId7DVHwtV1qJv2Mn0cAb69J1O2HAvOCV5tAH4NVL0VT5ObLDo9gu-a9ERhxKzcQURrYlRT55BiO65YMXiCHd6d/s1600/15_01_31-16-46-25_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr0kD7cUF2g-BGILswbXmE2nxjFSTqBfuBvbicI956BBTHk_uQ94xUoPId7DVHwtV1qJv2Mn0cAb69J1O2HAvOCV5tAH4NVL0VT5ObLDo9gu-a9ERhxKzcQURrYlRT55BiO65YMXiCHd6d/s1600/15_01_31-16-46-25_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alan Hughes as fake Lindsay Buckingham <br />
shadowed by James Harrison as fake John McVie....<br />
<br />
"Everybody Finds out"<br />
<br />
But probably not until the encore, if they are drunk enough.... </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUe-7XkehUkwyCVW73XxRmiY-4wfL6z_h22cSbzP_MQbmaVPsIqMD3JfeQBiWtBsXJlvu8NAsyOaVX9OkkMil3R5_dULz82qf9wVPHleT2wgbzsEXOC3R67gKeUYZGQfalISksEwTqhDX/s1600/15_01_31-16-47-43_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUe-7XkehUkwyCVW73XxRmiY-4wfL6z_h22cSbzP_MQbmaVPsIqMD3JfeQBiWtBsXJlvu8NAsyOaVX9OkkMil3R5_dULz82qf9wVPHleT2wgbzsEXOC3R67gKeUYZGQfalISksEwTqhDX/s1600/15_01_31-16-47-43_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Would You like chips with that?"*<br />
You have to remember my School days were a long time before<br />
Jamie Oliver's Healthy eating revolution ...<br />
<div align="left">
* No that was not a Fleetwood Mac song, it just went with the dinner lady theme ..</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYua0E8x1h8GOY6sxPMlSX5zsl7Icsx0lo1y05LdZP0Dm2nIeR7IaUkv4-L9sOcaj1xxoHEzze0XtCxci9oLkWEEk5IeVSvc_baqgivST60xKftZczvKswcN6itecq-fsjhLesm5EpXEm/s1600/15_01_31-18-21-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYua0E8x1h8GOY6sxPMlSX5zsl7Icsx0lo1y05LdZP0Dm2nIeR7IaUkv4-L9sOcaj1xxoHEzze0XtCxci9oLkWEEk5IeVSvc_baqgivST60xKftZczvKswcN6itecq-fsjhLesm5EpXEm/s1600/15_01_31-18-21-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Behind The Mask"<br />
Well more of a wig really... </td></tr>
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<br />BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-63673164508441906672015-01-28T19:40:00.001+00:002015-01-29T07:06:25.775+00:00UAE Trip - with some unexpected wildlifeA quiet week this week, so I have resurrected an old section "Show me the Sunny" as well as going back in time in the Photo Finish section.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Show me the sunny</strong></span><br />
<br />
Resurrecting the section monitoring our way to a fortune (or not) with our Solar Panels<br />
(I will update this every Quarter, when we get our tax free payments through) <br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>KW Produced since October 2011 – <b> 13098</b> </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Earned this Qtr - <b>£196</b> </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li>This has earned us approximately – <b>£7,569</b> </li>
</ul>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">C.A.C.T.U.S (<u>C</u>heap <u>A</u>s <u>C</u>hips <u>TU</u>e<u>S</u>day)</span></b><br />
The section cataloguing the films shown at Bishop’s Stortford cinema which has a half price policy on a Tuesday.<br />
<br />
The second film for 2015 was the Oscar nominated American Sniper – The group all enjoyed the film, even if it is a little jingoistic. There was one scene however which was unforgivable for an Oscar nominated film. For anyone who has seen American Sniper tell me if the scene with the new born baby was not a complete embarrassment. Apparently the baby that had originally been booked for the scene was ill and the stand-in failed to turn up…. Personally I feel they would have been better off dropping into the local zoo and raiding the chimp cage… <br />
<br />
<strong>This week’s</strong><strong> C.A.C.T.U.S</strong><strong> attendees</strong><br />
Niel<br />
Marb <br />
Natalie<br />
Penny<br />
Al<br />
<br />
<b>C.A.C.T.U.S Running Totals</b><br />
Niel (2)<br />
Marb (2)<br />
Natalie (2)<br />
Penny (2)<br />
Al (1)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Photo finish</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I will, during the quieter moments of 2015, treat you to the highlights of 2014. <span style="color: black;"> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> my first trip back into the past, I have only gone back a few short weeks to just before Christmas. </span><br />
<br />
Our pre- Christmas trip to (UAE) Dubai and Sir Bani Yas Island <br />
<br />
<b>Dubai</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiND7Udvw1zVCS_0qcQl22gkEntGk-0NaPt7BCP8Pg7MGSoAgrLNQiXkuawNqTNOmFYTHQEozfXrihq4oLuIRh93QFtxK56rWnRnbIgnm6UCLuLiAUQFqJxZUDfZYs0R9XKgg8QAw68AB03/s1600/14_12_17-12-30-12_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiND7Udvw1zVCS_0qcQl22gkEntGk-0NaPt7BCP8Pg7MGSoAgrLNQiXkuawNqTNOmFYTHQEozfXrihq4oLuIRh93QFtxK56rWnRnbIgnm6UCLuLiAUQFqJxZUDfZYs0R9XKgg8QAw68AB03/s1600/14_12_17-12-30-12_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span dir="auto"><strong>Burj Khalifa - </strong></span><br />
<span dir="auto"><strong>The world's tallest building </strong></span><span dir="auto"><strong>with 163 floors.</strong></span><br />
<span dir="auto"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>829.8 m (2,722 ft)</strong></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQc12LHc21V3Exm_Jnf41ireKocyPUE2l4qMyl5GK_Arj2aPrSIpW8RhuN1gHayQ6X-dJM8X7HMn8rxy81pdra-Cg_4O78ClwmDF9EX4BSTXvzIwVWxkUR2l3Yz9AKJI67AsDvcWearIY4/s1600/14_12_17-12-41-40_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQc12LHc21V3Exm_Jnf41ireKocyPUE2l4qMyl5GK_Arj2aPrSIpW8RhuN1gHayQ6X-dJM8X7HMn8rxy81pdra-Cg_4O78ClwmDF9EX4BSTXvzIwVWxkUR2l3Yz9AKJI67AsDvcWearIY4/s1600/14_12_17-12-41-40_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Top Tip</strong><br />
<strong> Make sure you Pre-book your</strong><br />
<strong> tour to the </strong><strong>viewing balconies.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>It's very expensive if you don't book advance.</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiuT81rlAUVdMGkSSyJeXScdF8xap0kzgzxvaiFGbSW0WnCHcTkZr6R1Uaf-4Rqpm2P2wdBDph2E3bC5tN6a_p_wVOfecLCRTc7jMoQA_NxXHfWajgkzTB_4B4GBXB9K38Bcw9DwdyBsN/s1600/14_12_18-17-57-24_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiuT81rlAUVdMGkSSyJeXScdF8xap0kzgzxvaiFGbSW0WnCHcTkZr6R1Uaf-4Rqpm2P2wdBDph2E3bC5tN6a_p_wVOfecLCRTc7jMoQA_NxXHfWajgkzTB_4B4GBXB9K38Bcw9DwdyBsN/s1600/14_12_18-17-57-24_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span dir="auto"><strong>Burj Khalifa view from the Armani restaurant.</strong> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpNpY9nIllYLibM-J7JeVPoIZZsXYtsmF9vXqlsj0CUgvqON-X1jmTUe6JguYzRBa3ZDgHv82Nm5AWQFjB7YHPMVnGsP1Q7GWxdJkg8K-VAiSP9p_wItoa7na4snP1JypKQl7mn2nDQ5V/s1600/14_12_18-08-39-50_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpNpY9nIllYLibM-J7JeVPoIZZsXYtsmF9vXqlsj0CUgvqON-X1jmTUe6JguYzRBa3ZDgHv82Nm5AWQFjB7YHPMVnGsP1Q7GWxdJkg8K-VAiSP9p_wItoa7na4snP1JypKQl7mn2nDQ5V/s1600/14_12_18-08-39-50_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>View from the 148 floor</strong><br />
<strong>top tip book your visit to the sky deck in advance</strong><br />
<strong> It's a bit expensive when you turn up on the day.</strong></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-grtxKV6jggfdNmytI9ED7riCLO57vFl1oBmiGXGphrMfACVLYe-HKC1VuYFmgzZ_D6frnmwmPkrieoiPLx89aSh0ZspHzs7x7CsEOKoZhKTuvq2wrJqNyvcTQHoCOj456nPHiSSMNrGF/s1600/14_12_20-08-30-22_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtiT_l67CVVLs3p0-AjqOKK9KCNSrIWbK6cioSahpgoIBMVw57O5S9lrrTF_cOGXwCBjmXqHxV1c77DelCemP6onUEtxv7cavRlVNIWYGYTuoTahyphenhyphenhuUbUEkAXx8T8YH4Q5OpiqJIIg0l/s1600/14_12_18-16-29-19_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtiT_l67CVVLs3p0-AjqOKK9KCNSrIWbK6cioSahpgoIBMVw57O5S9lrrTF_cOGXwCBjmXqHxV1c77DelCemP6onUEtxv7cavRlVNIWYGYTuoTahyphenhyphenhuUbUEkAXx8T8YH4Q5OpiqJIIg0l/s1600/14_12_18-16-29-19_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Shot from 124th floor using Tilt and Shift Lens</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Shot from 124th floor using Tilt and Shift Lens</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiIyB2K_ACxs2blysgC2WlFr2ggKhkMSZn1N8ozthxGGYjooom2D7uen2kepHV2cLIz9pDx4x9aG0aQ115r3DyrfgBLumKbop_kG3EsLRiJ6YMwakvWBMio31IE8ieD4Ux47D8TKj2BKs/s1600/14_12_19-13-53-17_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiIyB2K_ACxs2blysgC2WlFr2ggKhkMSZn1N8ozthxGGYjooom2D7uen2kepHV2cLIz9pDx4x9aG0aQ115r3DyrfgBLumKbop_kG3EsLRiJ6YMwakvWBMio31IE8ieD4Ux47D8TKj2BKs/s1600/14_12_19-13-53-17_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Aquarium in the Dubai Mall </strong></td></tr>
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If you want to see some more shots from Dubai click <a href="http://blacklogthebeast.zenfolio.com/p528033889" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> </div>
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<strong>Sir Bani Yas Island</strong> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Arabian falconry show</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Falcon fishing in Abu Dhabi</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IG_ZzzHNtYuMrH19JPtTeUD3Qdi7e7BNDCr1Jv1Ks9jym8ylGilAwkx2D2bfYbnfz4c3KAoBUoml_R9S41u0seuBu8psvHV4iEmbY4V0M_uhucAZ2u0vHKKZI-M1ZvDsSbocU15sYEwD/s1600/14_12_21-08-49-24_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IG_ZzzHNtYuMrH19JPtTeUD3Qdi7e7BNDCr1Jv1Ks9jym8ylGilAwkx2D2bfYbnfz4c3KAoBUoml_R9S41u0seuBu8psvHV4iEmbY4V0M_uhucAZ2u0vHKKZI-M1ZvDsSbocU15sYEwD/s1600/14_12_21-08-49-24_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Neighbourhood Watch</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaxxb4aQJbwSq2FUUqb60yD_TifhtUurnyIUUwRrvPqejKHm7a9P0eI-E7JCzYpDIIDXypApj0acxQKpE6GTYiHG39vwK8sBVb_qnLwordpAt8cuQR9ylRUjx7ZzuOReorsUqh46lgfqn/s1600/14_12_21-08-28-33_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXaxxb4aQJbwSq2FUUqb60yD_TifhtUurnyIUUwRrvPqejKHm7a9P0eI-E7JCzYpDIIDXypApj0acxQKpE6GTYiHG39vwK8sBVb_qnLwordpAt8cuQR9ylRUjx7ZzuOReorsUqh46lgfqn/s1600/14_12_21-08-28-33_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span dir="auto"><strong>Arabian Oryx</strong></span><br />
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<strong>It's lonely in Black and White</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-grtxKV6jggfdNmytI9ED7riCLO57vFl1oBmiGXGphrMfACVLYe-HKC1VuYFmgzZ_D6frnmwmPkrieoiPLx89aSh0ZspHzs7x7CsEOKoZhKTuvq2wrJqNyvcTQHoCOj456nPHiSSMNrGF/s1600/14_12_20-08-30-22_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-grtxKV6jggfdNmytI9ED7riCLO57vFl1oBmiGXGphrMfACVLYe-HKC1VuYFmgzZ_D6frnmwmPkrieoiPLx89aSh0ZspHzs7x7CsEOKoZhKTuvq2wrJqNyvcTQHoCOj456nPHiSSMNrGF/s1600/14_12_20-08-30-22_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Dance to the death....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2-9lSsCj3rcXFyk6_qQbj1PfHe4bmvPt1PGx9mHf2DOZTaHJYv8SItrQ_wt3s3Kvz4K_bfBqHWx_CqkwjkBKORn4euClG_Fdo4iF3eKdR5Ir5BRphGQv19-ldJDp1vY5QB5LZwU2jMYO/s1600/14_12_22-17-29-39_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge2-9lSsCj3rcXFyk6_qQbj1PfHe4bmvPt1PGx9mHf2DOZTaHJYv8SItrQ_wt3s3Kvz4K_bfBqHWx_CqkwjkBKORn4euClG_Fdo4iF3eKdR5Ir5BRphGQv19-ldJDp1vY5QB5LZwU2jMYO/s1600/14_12_22-17-29-39_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Doh!</strong></td></tr>
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If you want to see some more shots from Sir Bani Yas Island click <a href="http://blacklogthebeast.zenfolio.com/f972147188" target="_blank">here </a>BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-67916110172664319462015-01-16T09:04:00.000+00:002015-01-16T09:04:22.965+00:00Florida - wilder than you can imagine After last year’s pathetic effort, just two posts - must do better. I have decided to try and get my Blogger mo-jo back on track with more pictures and less massacring of the English language. It has enough problems without my assistance.<br />
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To start the New Year Mrs B and I went to sunny Florida. The trip got off to a fantastic start when we got upgraded to Business Class on our out-bound flight. We thought it had got even better when Avis offered us an upgrade on our pre-booked hire car. I had booked a Mustang convertible which failed to materialise. Would you like a Corvette Stingray instead? The sales girl showed Mrs B a picture –<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhW_BybjduU0gc7pxnpm8vI2J8pAeLBu6hMAJ2NZeSvjnzodmtpTGs-jOzblUnz5XlnmRx8Fav0bnoZUQGm3fo-PLcazF6up8N4WBrAexGQVfJVfuOrV3w09xurz9LpbVuubpGbMbWHduM/s1600/Chevrolet-Stingray.pg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhW_BybjduU0gc7pxnpm8vI2J8pAeLBu6hMAJ2NZeSvjnzodmtpTGs-jOzblUnz5XlnmRx8Fav0bnoZUQGm3fo-PLcazF6up8N4WBrAexGQVfJVfuOrV3w09xurz9LpbVuubpGbMbWHduM/s1600/Chevrolet-Stingray.pg.jpg" height="208" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"><b>Corvette Stingray</b></span></td></tr>
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<b>Mrs B</b> - "Oh that would be fantastic" - all thoughts forgotten about how we would get 3 large bags and a couple of oversized rucksacks into a small space without having to sacrifice one, or possibly even both of us…<br />
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<b>Avis agent</b> – “OK that will be another $200”<br />
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<b>Me</b> - Ouch, are you sure Mrs B?<br />
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<b>Mrs B</b> – “It looks really sporty”<br />
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<b>Me</b> – “But how are we going to get all the luggage in?”<br />
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<b>Mrs B</b> – “You are great at packing cars..”<br />
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<b>Me</b> - "$200 is a lot extra to pay when you can’t supply the car we booked"<br />
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<b>Avis Agent</b> - "That's $200 a day sir"<br />
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<b>Me </b>- "Noooooooo"<br />
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<b>Avis Agent</b> – “My manager says we can do a deal for just an extra "$1,000" for the week”<br />
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<b>Mrs B</b> - "You mean on top of what we have already paid…..Hmmm….. next"<br />
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We ended up with this gas guzzler, an impressive 18mpg <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyWSsFI9cea-RvrfSubHiS-9OLBCRSNJD8MTLFMvtC-Hsh9zRBP_FB1aYSqxYq2Taksj_TW_rYPWUp-wd_uSuxG2X7HuWlltF5AM6Iw1gokuuJIUZ0RnbCICeNfBnAffa2SaX0mX7eQyK/s1600/15_01_09-16-40-17_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyWSsFI9cea-RvrfSubHiS-9OLBCRSNJD8MTLFMvtC-Hsh9zRBP_FB1aYSqxYq2Taksj_TW_rYPWUp-wd_uSuxG2X7HuWlltF5AM6Iw1gokuuJIUZ0RnbCICeNfBnAffa2SaX0mX7eQyK/s1600/15_01_09-16-40-17_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Chevrolet Camaro</strong></span><br />The back seats came in useful for most of our luggage </td></tr>
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Karma caught up with us on the return flight – no upgrade this time but we did get the delights of two (yes two) babies directly in front of us…. Despite not being related and having no apparent time to practice together they treated us to the delights of solos and duets for the entire flight….<br />
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<b><i>"Aaaaarrrgghhh"</i></b><br />
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I would love to have felt sorry for the parents but I was too busy supressing murderess thoughts and trying not to offer my pillow as a solution. Fortunately for my freedom I had to keep the pillow clamped tightly over my ears.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">C.A.C.T.U.S (Cheap As Chips TUeSday)</span></u></b><br />
<i><b>A new section cataloguing the films shown at Bishop’s Stortford cinema which has a half price policy on a Tuesday.</b></i><br />
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This week the delights of “The Theory of Everything” – I particularly enjoyed it as I met the real Professor Hawkins in person last year (you would have read about it if I had been blogging properly last year - try and keep up).<br />
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I even got to hear his iconic voice – He only managed <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>“Y E S” </i></span>but it was an incredible moment, which would have been a lot better if I had not been so busy biting my lip trying not to inappropriately laugh….<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzgCOB1Pna7puWva2us3VEuIqH5xMYHjVN19ndMtZehdjLAB749DRBW3XHz5xwIqwXhXbWfI4env4jcPg21WfjUKJRYY63nyAOx9YlMUbYPYLgjnELWELfRuCsYSpwInFonByv1xU9qzd/s1600/14_10_17-21-29-39_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzgCOB1Pna7puWva2us3VEuIqH5xMYHjVN19ndMtZehdjLAB749DRBW3XHz5xwIqwXhXbWfI4env4jcPg21WfjUKJRYY63nyAOx9YlMUbYPYLgjnELWELfRuCsYSpwInFonByv1xU9qzd/s1600/14_10_17-21-29-39_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Stephens bid for my photographic services<br />2 and 1/2 oranges - ouch </b></td></tr>
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<b>This week’s C.A.C.T.U.S attendees</b><br />
Marb (saved from Blackwidow 2)<br />
Natalie<br />
Penny<br />
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<b>Almost attendees</b><br />
I'm guessing my new friend Stephen didn't get the text<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Photo Finish</u></span></b><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Sanibel Island</span> </i></b><br />
<b><i> (is it just me - it sounds like a pretentious manufacturer of bathroom suites)</i></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIRmBz8pNm3TkFYeIalh6Va43kcB8tocOes1WMbmiGdylSe2fO6NBriGL0ANJnQ1tJ5NF_U_p1KKBsw-gmCOeIegJByquWIsT1scAlBm4PelB8fJ9AN507bx_KWzByP991iXDLrfNQenq/s1600/15_01_03-18-23-34_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIRmBz8pNm3TkFYeIalh6Va43kcB8tocOes1WMbmiGdylSe2fO6NBriGL0ANJnQ1tJ5NF_U_p1KKBsw-gmCOeIegJByquWIsT1scAlBm4PelB8fJ9AN507bx_KWzByP991iXDLrfNQenq/s1600/15_01_03-18-23-34_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpt2WhUYTxD_9ShBOYDoUnDf1pdmvwaJY6ataDrudWog22VvFw_DMkWvT-iAQtnSinMw3d5JaMVhyphenhyphenlRaXtx7orQ9ts11KNEzrq7gVvT0vIYS89ZJedcBAS8z9edpSZ-m_erx1MXgg3L9Im/s1600/15_01_03-18-44-13_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpt2WhUYTxD_9ShBOYDoUnDf1pdmvwaJY6ataDrudWog22VvFw_DMkWvT-iAQtnSinMw3d5JaMVhyphenhyphenlRaXtx7orQ9ts11KNEzrq7gVvT0vIYS89ZJedcBAS8z9edpSZ-m_erx1MXgg3L9Im/s1600/15_01_03-18-44-13_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fly me to the moon</b></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5MKnguGSzhupVpVLdpueChTMHrkteM8Cu4T-0KXA0OOvIWK2SK2TmldUVYfmpsnmgFSrQCzSVRj33i0bdai4suRcrCf54lOzlERwcbiQ_RjrLJNrhKEA-rSUbytHKNjRSnPG1dhEaAIY/s1600/15_01_03-18-55-46_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5MKnguGSzhupVpVLdpueChTMHrkteM8Cu4T-0KXA0OOvIWK2SK2TmldUVYfmpsnmgFSrQCzSVRj33i0bdai4suRcrCf54lOzlERwcbiQ_RjrLJNrhKEA-rSUbytHKNjRSnPG1dhEaAIY/s1600/15_01_03-18-55-46_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Click <a href="http://blacklogthebeast.zenfolio.com/p460023305" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> if you want to see more pretentious bathroom suite pictures <br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Miami</i> </b><br />
<b><i> If you ever watch "Burn Notice"this has to be said in a fake Irish accent (just like Fi says it: Moi-Am-Me in the title sequence for the show)</i></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Pool at our hotel </b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>South Beach Moi-Am-Me</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGQc-h3lk9N0pEsxzrt4KujW9Xvoig6Qs4A-S-pdpaHXV9MeQwUl-_aynG5rWKxQVC0V_Bq9y9CUcDLY4jdesPiaFZ1XvVlXjN72v85BhWoGAZbbnJBKFOMgP7knyIfgZ8ij27nO4500f/s1600/15_01_07-18-10-08_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGQc-h3lk9N0pEsxzrt4KujW9Xvoig6Qs4A-S-pdpaHXV9MeQwUl-_aynG5rWKxQVC0V_Bq9y9CUcDLY4jdesPiaFZ1XvVlXjN72v85BhWoGAZbbnJBKFOMgP7knyIfgZ8ij27nO4500f/s1600/15_01_07-18-10-08_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>No messing with this lady<br />I think that was blood on her nails </b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjuWYxVbDCETX_1KSKDwlWb_ZpuFemBsnRdK-ezN3tn6tQ7odxLcIKIKEbsdklFqMTBLUFi8YxiafVtDZisz6GdSmdAqA-2D5E8CbFZxsU-NFD6YUetjeT-n919Z-6dtJf8dxsK4pjnPqs/s1600/15_01_06-19-04-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjuWYxVbDCETX_1KSKDwlWb_ZpuFemBsnRdK-ezN3tn6tQ7odxLcIKIKEbsdklFqMTBLUFi8YxiafVtDZisz6GdSmdAqA-2D5E8CbFZxsU-NFD6YUetjeT-n919Z-6dtJf8dxsK4pjnPqs/s1600/15_01_06-19-04-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I'm guessing our hotel had a name change as<br />it is no longer called Tiffany's but the slightly<br />pretentious sounding <br /><br />The Hotel South Beach<br /><br />Thanks to Big Sis for the recommendation</b> </td></tr>
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Click <a href="http://blacklogthebeast.zenfolio.com/p489580708" rel="" target="_blank">here</a> If you want to see some more Moi-Am-Mee pictures<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Florida wildlife</i></span></b><br />
<b><i>(Sadly I heard only 2% of visitors who come to Florida bother with the wildlife. Most people come for the stupid mouse with the big ears and annoying voice….. )</i></b><br />
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<b><i>Great places to visit for wild life</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary</i></b><br />
<b><i>J.N.Ding Darling National Wildlife Sanctuary (on Sanibel island)</i></b><br />
<b><i>Shark Valley </i></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLBWz1aB8V3Nnhbg7DpD0htx_GjVAt6PRl5fhFDsnZ2k86C07bqQwgZM6JB2RMGbCf6mlPaPAwnD69setIh9UBS6pwkmq1SWXWYzr1esjOlzWgLD9Ht2N7oGSBmDty0UTW9Va7ap2cf6g/s1600/15_01_07-08-48-16_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLBWz1aB8V3Nnhbg7DpD0htx_GjVAt6PRl5fhFDsnZ2k86C07bqQwgZM6JB2RMGbCf6mlPaPAwnD69setIh9UBS6pwkmq1SWXWYzr1esjOlzWgLD9Ht2N7oGSBmDty0UTW9Va7ap2cf6g/s1600/15_01_07-08-48-16_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Gators like to get close to the boat<br />Mrs B refused to get in this shot....</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWK8YtCfzz9yrGYhwRAL-oXPJ8CPJhWZq5TNkWw8qPqwoOXQxvaikpoxi9lkidStxPEhZ3YVD3vpYZJBBt532zIBldFnD772dD0RQNwDHBx86NgRGG2ccB5Nt5KrmzM3xsPysobmWgzMUU/s1600/15_01_07-10-42-00_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWK8YtCfzz9yrGYhwRAL-oXPJ8CPJhWZq5TNkWw8qPqwoOXQxvaikpoxi9lkidStxPEhZ3YVD3vpYZJBBt532zIBldFnD772dD0RQNwDHBx86NgRGG2ccB5Nt5KrmzM3xsPysobmWgzMUU/s1600/15_01_07-10-42-00_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>They are so cute when they are small but remember you will <br />need at least a 15ft Bath tub for when they grow older<br /> (available through Sanibel Island bathroom<br /> suppliers to the rich and deluded)</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQ_R4fkhceuvVS6q-lEFkauqwx5IuzGMaVDWKLacPAjzJEOWVV232rIx5VjzlUEjl7Qr7ME7LmTeZZi-RfYasB3hKlRsNWT3d1GP_VfOmmasC1URbQsubePU37NaGxL-TZzgIy19ex0_h/s1600/15_01_07-09-38-32_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQ_R4fkhceuvVS6q-lEFkauqwx5IuzGMaVDWKLacPAjzJEOWVV232rIx5VjzlUEjl7Qr7ME7LmTeZZi-RfYasB3hKlRsNWT3d1GP_VfOmmasC1URbQsubePU37NaGxL-TZzgIy19ex0_h/s1600/15_01_07-09-38-32_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Anhinga</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnMBpitzZisr9qUXbsZBPXTLlFfbWGCKvq0j76-5UOABGOgrhWatiHbiaEBDtu2rhzVvPAXDBJhdHeflvLkCeeWq3OQWcm-NO7dzMTWSLmRaWgH1ysSitirIDH78_n9VQlWRhQN4sVXVn/s1600/15_01_05-15-47-56_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnMBpitzZisr9qUXbsZBPXTLlFfbWGCKvq0j76-5UOABGOgrhWatiHbiaEBDtu2rhzVvPAXDBJhdHeflvLkCeeWq3OQWcm-NO7dzMTWSLmRaWgH1ysSitirIDH78_n9VQlWRhQN4sVXVn/s1600/15_01_05-15-47-56_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mrs B and I got very excited at seeing Raccoons<br />while the Americans around us thought we ere mad <br />make a fuss over just vermin<br /><br />she looks like she is doing an impression <br />of<span style="background-color: black;"> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Cooper" rel="" target="_blank"><span style="color: white;">Tommy cooper</span></a></span><span style="color: white;"><span id="goog_1921313914"></span><span id="goog_1921313915"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></span><br />"Not like that, like this"</b> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo33vzzjxzDYPL5RnaXBr5IWJSWxKwPWnUASdfsOq-aenT89_W3q70xGA9b9JNfyf-3LtUdIOhRVLTWRe24gsqUJDcz53DpZq08Gu7VqdIGdw46jmYHwiNRcOSvU8TbiL3J1BugAL_YdY7/s1600/15_01_05-15-24-59_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo33vzzjxzDYPL5RnaXBr5IWJSWxKwPWnUASdfsOq-aenT89_W3q70xGA9b9JNfyf-3LtUdIOhRVLTWRe24gsqUJDcz53DpZq08Gu7VqdIGdw46jmYHwiNRcOSvU8TbiL3J1BugAL_YdY7/s1600/15_01_05-15-24-59_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Male Brown Anole </b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiRjKJ7RWu-054HGnD3ZAXn1GHV4PV2lVFoDaHgzNabVE5BUzBPUzqGXCipavJ_xLBRlWT0vGE6ddEKz2TCPlE3OQ_4sGwl7oYlB3gFCJ6U7iZ2Nof62P7EwTnEnpRNx_s4pGui9xor96/s1600/15_01_04-17-38-57_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiRjKJ7RWu-054HGnD3ZAXn1GHV4PV2lVFoDaHgzNabVE5BUzBPUzqGXCipavJ_xLBRlWT0vGE6ddEKz2TCPlE3OQ_4sGwl7oYlB3gFCJ6U7iZ2Nof62P7EwTnEnpRNx_s4pGui9xor96/s1600/15_01_04-17-38-57_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Osprey with the remains of a fish<br />big prize for anyone who can work out<br />what type of fish it was.....</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpsOK7gVhX4S71MBFr5mBKoTJLVzk16m73-NVdUEN_VnVmZE9pnXXN9IkG-EVvJxsPqYMevaa6785i_ic7TyrYVcdIWst_PnYNBGNVyuzW5nJx5omh8lO7wTrk8GMAo2YZpTEITi9zaeE/s1600/15_01_04-17-09-51_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNpsOK7gVhX4S71MBFr5mBKoTJLVzk16m73-NVdUEN_VnVmZE9pnXXN9IkG-EVvJxsPqYMevaa6785i_ic7TyrYVcdIWst_PnYNBGNVyuzW5nJx5omh8lO7wTrk8GMAo2YZpTEITi9zaeE/s1600/15_01_04-17-09-51_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Flipper in full play mode </b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQ8a_rKxMVTpa0kWHBge7xcToxkRv-muUHjRpwdK7wUgwZPwu22dwKcwQOrtZHxwqnVt0zVMi71A2QkOakHiXiw9oIDHj7-lloT130zlBXFUuvMgDWrakStSm0JtPHmg9oe_luntEc9y5/s1600/15_01_04-11-48-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQ8a_rKxMVTpa0kWHBge7xcToxkRv-muUHjRpwdK7wUgwZPwu22dwKcwQOrtZHxwqnVt0zVMi71A2QkOakHiXiw9oIDHj7-lloT130zlBXFUuvMgDWrakStSm0JtPHmg9oe_luntEc9y5/s1600/15_01_04-11-48-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bald Eagle<br />surveying his kingdom</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuHbf4atYUaWOY4nBmQron-upnmlhyr5UTml3NdXlGmpkcUgA9ZxCntzHQ78rvw34zTixvc6pm9kD8r099yCrdAWN1SoQKugK8oe_IvLFeUcRwF69qJEkyxLGiSQLNvEvwkYEjcSaRXhQ/s1600/15_01_03-20-26-22_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXuHbf4atYUaWOY4nBmQron-upnmlhyr5UTml3NdXlGmpkcUgA9ZxCntzHQ78rvw34zTixvc6pm9kD8r099yCrdAWN1SoQKugK8oe_IvLFeUcRwF69qJEkyxLGiSQLNvEvwkYEjcSaRXhQ/s1600/15_01_03-20-26-22_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Brown Pelican </b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPybJxJwTjSL4mJHr59RdCclF0hjzInlmWb7lgLQrMyZUF0tar6qmfQzyNL0_dvSq9vhZs-kGRM4oqAvvfQOcWYRVeQrxRkEWa5eF8wyypYbKkW6jeTttC-u1cUQSKJfOqPjved1TtK76/s1600/15_01_03-19-52-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPybJxJwTjSL4mJHr59RdCclF0hjzInlmWb7lgLQrMyZUF0tar6qmfQzyNL0_dvSq9vhZs-kGRM4oqAvvfQOcWYRVeQrxRkEWa5eF8wyypYbKkW6jeTttC-u1cUQSKJfOqPjved1TtK76/s1600/15_01_03-19-52-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Roseate Spoon Bill</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKPBaeCRsPYqGe6HTf49upPn-_NKyp8ln3pXfwUKnFDQmzZ6QjLDap1Qbwtno7L_eRJCSSsbR9DiGIPQQNfhdTXYqjD0PpqvWv3arKqJsCICfndj6LZLP0WlC2kO1CrbZADTBm9PLZ-7Yh/s1600/15_01_03-19-48-33_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKPBaeCRsPYqGe6HTf49upPn-_NKyp8ln3pXfwUKnFDQmzZ6QjLDap1Qbwtno7L_eRJCSSsbR9DiGIPQQNfhdTXYqjD0PpqvWv3arKqJsCICfndj6LZLP0WlC2kO1CrbZADTBm9PLZ-7Yh/s1600/15_01_03-19-48-33_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Little Blue Heron<br />Not sure if it is fishing or just playing with<br />his bath water<br />"Now where did I put my rubber duckie"</b></td></tr>
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Click<a href="http://blacklogthebeast.zenfolio.com/p1010713739" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> here</a> if you want to see more wildlife pictures<br />
<br />
I had always thought that the Everglades were a swamp but it is in fact a very slow moving river.<br />
<br />
Catch you next timeBlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-19589336693753685472014-06-03T10:56:00.001+01:002014-06-04T00:01:02.602+01:00A sad kick-start<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">It has been over 4 months since my
last post (Oh no that sounds way too much like a confession for my liking) and
although I have had a lot to write about I kind of lost my </span><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">b</span><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">logging </span><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">m</span><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">ojo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the weeks turned to months it became more
difficult to find the time and indeed the inclination to break back into my
once weekly routine…. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s been an interesting time and if
I can get back into the swing of things I shall use the next few weeks to catch
up on what we have been doing (don’t worry if you don’t enjoy<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the catch-up , its probably more for me as my blog acts as a diary
for Mrs B and me plus it helps keep my sister informed of what we have been up
to….). The reason that I have<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b>finally broken the silence is to
publish the sad news that our little black cat Mischief has reached the end of
her life.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As sad as it makes me
feel I could not let her passing go unmarked. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost 17 years old is a good age for a cat
but in truth<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b>no time is long enough for a beloved pet. It’s been hard
for a number of reasons: Mischief was so healthy for most of her life (if
you don’t count the bouts of throwing up, that is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are a cat owner<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b>you know it kind of goes
with the territory). She was diagnosed as diabetic in January, which led me
into a whole new world of<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b>twice-daily<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b>injections (at times I
felt like a drug pusher – but bless her she didn’t complain once) at set 12-hourly
intervals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is no easy feat trying to
fit precise insulin requirements into a busy schedule. She also started to
suffer some bladder control problems (not unknown in diabetic cats)…..I learned
a whole new level of patience and tolerance.</span> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwxsycyLZtWHZnYYx0GoS8EfK9bcYfkKrD3tG_Romc_ULYG0xcHEpBNhbxDjbsmpeIkB54CZYwfK3VIGi2MP_7N4x6ub3QkRXAVVNbnHDIKbJycwpQvffPoK92pwLXTaCQVGz_PfkDMux/s1600/09_02_07-12-10-14_Mischief.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwxsycyLZtWHZnYYx0GoS8EfK9bcYfkKrD3tG_Romc_ULYG0xcHEpBNhbxDjbsmpeIkB54CZYwfK3VIGi2MP_7N4x6ub3QkRXAVVNbnHDIKbJycwpQvffPoK92pwLXTaCQVGz_PfkDMux/s1600/09_02_07-12-10-14_Mischief.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> My favourite shot of Mischief </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">full of mystery...</span></strong> </td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The problem when you are so close to
a situation is that you become blind to reality. Mischief had good days and bad
days but in truth she was heading in a downward spiral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I’m grateful that she slipped away
quietly in her own time, I think I would have found it almost impossible to
have taken her to the vets and made the decision to end it all. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">The house is full of her memories at
the moment and the sadness comes in waves…..I know it will lessen as time goes
by but it still hurts.</span><br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDtrcDVqrBAKZmKVKs7kVrhl1AJGz-oXlXIBxLwaW9ShwH0Xzn-PTzPxhqBHLb521GBwBHwy0Qr1HvivBkC3NGevhxZOE2meIj5wOBWEuIc4fwoKyBEEgtSpA_V8jXAbYeuEWY0-FzGGe/s1600/13_10_25-22-50-22_Mischief.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last shot of Mischief </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sitting om Mrs B's Lap...</span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Walking into the kitchen I miss her
little face expectantly waiting for breakfast or dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way she would talk loudly to Mrs B
(almost shouting) when she came home<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></b>from work and her favourite
sleeping places: now very much empty except for her memory. This is the only
home that she had, arriving a few short days after we moved in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was a house-warming gift<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>from Mrs B’s parents, who rarely saw her
after that first occasion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would
vanish about an hour before they arrived and re-appear about an hour after they
left….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were away for a long weekend in
Barcelona when we got the dreaded call from our cat sitters. Despite giving
Mischief<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a fantastic life you always
fear that you could have done more……<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her brother McG, who is pushing 19, is still going, admittedly not
strong, but certainly with purpose. He is the one cat that has been on a
diet since he was 6 months old. He almost died when he was 7 when he got
crystals in his bladder (sadly not the type you can sell for vast sums of money
to cover the vets bill). He was given weeks to live three years ago by our
previous vet, yet pulled through when I changed his diet. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></b><span style="color: black;">Despite
these trials, Mischief still managed to slip away before him...</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjg7GtD-c6WKug48oJVys1PMvcMNWillVNTQwFNFrtqm7n037XQ_unztVqXiAGt_4hytjB3e2fBd9twK8RVENSDPrKeBeJFlf3D00OispqIVUyBNwSBh6Es7tPeEtMJn4fTSRrl0QYPuJ/s1600/09_02_06-17-17-08_Mischief.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjg7GtD-c6WKug48oJVys1PMvcMNWillVNTQwFNFrtqm7n037XQ_unztVqXiAGt_4hytjB3e2fBd9twK8RVENSDPrKeBeJFlf3D00OispqIVUyBNwSBh6Es7tPeEtMJn4fTSRrl0QYPuJ/s1600/09_02_06-17-17-08_Mischief.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mischief<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></strong></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sept 1997 - May 2014<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;">Much loved and very much missed</span></span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"></span></span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-themecolor: text1;"></span></span></strong><a href="http://the-blacklog.blogspot.co.uk/2008/05/cat-hairdryer-big-cupboard.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last time Mischief hit the headlines</span></a> </div>
BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-22119289735178093522014-01-20T00:04:00.003+00:002014-01-21T06:51:19.542+00:00In search of the Northern Lights<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Welcome to 2014 to the late running <strong>B</strong>lack<strong>LOG</strong> - I had planned to go back to weekly postings and to shorten them.... so that's naught out of two for starters.... Oh, well what do you expect for free.... If you are still with me, Let me take you back a few weeks...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Christmas for the Blacks was spent in search of the Northern Lights, taking us the furthest north we have been – into the Arctic circle in fact – just as well we didn’t take the Antarctic route – not sure I fancied being stuck on a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Russian research vessel for weeks on end...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We were in Lapland, which is a lot harder to define than you would first think<span style="color: #cc0000;">*</span>... Lapland seems to refer to just Northern Finland, or parts of Finland and Sweden or parts of Finland, Sweden and Norway and can even include parts of Russia if you are talking to the right or wrong person, depending on your view point . ...we were in the Finnish part.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red;">* A bit like Holland which is in fact the northern part of the Netherlands but is often used (in the UK at least) to describe the whole country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A term not very popular for the Dutch people living outside of Holland. Hang on a second where did the Dutch bit come from???</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On our first night we were issued with a mobile phone which acts as an alarm in case the Northern lights (<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Aurora Borealis</span>) appear.... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To while away the time waiting for the light show lots of activities were laid on for our entertainment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Day light watching –</strong> officially we were told that at this time of year there is no daylight – The sun never makes an appearance above the horizon – although that said from 11am to 3:30 it was like a dull winters day in the UK – the snow covering might have helped – reflecting all that light they <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">don’t have....<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Snow shoeing - </strong></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Surprisingly good fun – for a sport that essentially involves strapping large tennis racquets to your feet and stomping off through the deepest snow you can find…</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHEldS4d_MK1kf8WwpTND6FvWXdbhPin0xcMP5KFGymPX80AMzqEa616UDNDYhyphenhyphen6QpC8dFD07ky-VFHNOHs5aq7UfG-vXTxR6d-J93776u5Rlqsfozl0AFXmHU2YkpNVTTzri8p7jPVQp2/s1600/13_12_22-21-05-07_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHEldS4d_MK1kf8WwpTND6FvWXdbhPin0xcMP5KFGymPX80AMzqEa616UDNDYhyphenhyphen6QpC8dFD07ky-VFHNOHs5aq7UfG-vXTxR6d-J93776u5Rlqsfozl0AFXmHU2YkpNVTTzri8p7jPVQp2/s1600/13_12_22-21-05-07_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The cutest Big foot you will ever see...</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfvSfrnAnP45Jvymd-Xm45ieJSL-Eoo2J-Hvq4StPM6ysJS6bAbp1_FBsGaBikVE70cfPteA5PNdl9yVzHM0iRN_kRDGs-36IVTqte9SV2H8ByQaYrdx0JntTJILlAuIN6rJ3rmJbsqjb/s1600/13_12_25-10-56-48_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghfvSfrnAnP45Jvymd-Xm45ieJSL-Eoo2J-Hvq4StPM6ysJS6bAbp1_FBsGaBikVE70cfPteA5PNdl9yVzHM0iRN_kRDGs-36IVTqte9SV2H8ByQaYrdx0JntTJILlAuIN6rJ3rmJbsqjb/s1600/13_12_25-10-56-48_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Looks like a foot fault to me....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qRkdRZLXixAXUcW5-iB7CDJ6cVbgwY3tv6E2OZTWOwFvhAzPXsWMP3FGUEYix5si24FSmxom3jxwviBid4-yYfXATCxH0SBDUkWJmMtT8HlJHcRc6TbfZOGDQhh1P8it_5hqpxQnS0ul/s1600/13_12_25-11-14-19_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qRkdRZLXixAXUcW5-iB7CDJ6cVbgwY3tv6E2OZTWOwFvhAzPXsWMP3FGUEYix5si24FSmxom3jxwviBid4-yYfXATCxH0SBDUkWJmMtT8HlJHcRc6TbfZOGDQhh1P8it_5hqpxQnS0ul/s1600/13_12_25-11-14-19_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Come on we haven't got all day....</strong></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Snowmobiling - </strong></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not the most environmentally friendly past time but Mrs B and I are big fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one drawback as a group activity, you are tethered to the slowest mover in the group – we heard one horror story of a Japanese couple who averaged around 3 miles an hour (If you have ever seen Despicable Me think…. Dr Nefario.... speeding off at slower than a crawl on his little mobility scooter. In short the sort of non-speed achieved when Mrs B is getting out of bed.... ).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result, the group were<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>over 2 and a half hours late returning…. If I had been on that trip I fear I would have had to have gone all Banzai on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> We discovered one way of getting some adrenalin back into the trip – slow down and leave a large gap to the next snow mobile – then gun the accelerator and hurtle forward at break neck speed…It doesn't make you very popular with the people behind who don’t like the thrill of speed and so get left further and further behind…Oh well no one died and to be honest some of them looked like they needed a bit of excitement in their drab little lives…. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Dr <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nefario reaching almost 2 MPH.</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>"Banzai!"</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Husky dog sledding - </strong></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">0ne thing I learned, the dogs don’t expect to have to do all the work – they don’t mind when they are pulling on flat terrain or a downhill sections – However any<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hint of an uphill section and you see a wash of sad disapproving faces staring back at you if the driver isn't running (really quite fast) behind the sled and helping to push it along…. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>On strike as the felt Mrs B wasn't putting</strong><br />
<strong> in enough effort in the up hill sections....</strong></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Cross country skiing - </strong></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Possibly the most horrific sport ever devised by man….Enough said. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Other than I might have chucked all the toys out of the play pen when I fell over trying to use my down hill skills. I may also have disgraced myself after I fell off the track into deep snow. Just about managed to extract myself only to drop my ski pole down into the whole I had created. The air may have turned a bit blue.... and the little children standing a few yards a way may have turned red... what with all that white snow it was very patriotic... Mrs B and a number of irate parents were not amused....I look at it as early education opportunity for some young ears.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Visit to an amethyst mine</strong> - </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was quite looking forward to this, not sure why – I had visions of climbing down into the depths of the earth with glittering walls….Sadly reality didn’t match my vision – we went down a couple of steps and found ourselves in a wooden room with some rocks thrown across the floor, given some little rock hammers and were instructed to find our own amethyst rocks… I got the impression that they threw some new rocks in between visits and we were there to break them up for local driveways…not exactly unpaid labour, more paid to do it labour….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYtzaMBhSo_Vequ7g14GDu3JJpxqe91C3o_VIna1W8PX1dRUdlkmsnkL2toDIW04VLA-kkIaw50knVwsNsjfLsnPOTS33Pr0EOPh_2wXDfkxjgj4uMTTRdsth8D0UvWAualQw6rt7Mr-a/s1600/13_12_23-13-50-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYtzaMBhSo_Vequ7g14GDu3JJpxqe91C3o_VIna1W8PX1dRUdlkmsnkL2toDIW04VLA-kkIaw50knVwsNsjfLsnPOTS33Pr0EOPh_2wXDfkxjgj4uMTTRdsth8D0UvWAualQw6rt7Mr-a/s1600/13_12_23-13-50-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Looks like a mine...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-6PeiYcM2S5Url8Ovc_Q8qQOAKKKdqUh6N3KqtZVk6DwlmmOymDTcBWrm7F0pTGJmEhY2qYyxVidCD_GZaupO5PQfzGvjh24m05LeFyUA6f81LQPHDzDptK5VpPF0MuR1__VcVc5T3oJ/s1600/13_12_23-13-51-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-6PeiYcM2S5Url8Ovc_Q8qQOAKKKdqUh6N3KqtZVk6DwlmmOymDTcBWrm7F0pTGJmEhY2qYyxVidCD_GZaupO5PQfzGvjh24m05LeFyUA6f81LQPHDzDptK5VpPF0MuR1__VcVc5T3oJ/s1600/13_12_23-13-51-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Feels like a mine...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQKEkqg7vXe7LfZq7BcjRLCTAzTilxjk4iyLW-XBOM_lLQobhVoDXgmMsfPq2CxwTv4E9MMOk-sZPppgBjmR1c9Tc-EWCd5wexLTOMKilUdYRgjAa9mNzNH-Lvgs2BXhDSvJcHT4JldQe/s1600/13_12_23-13-52-25_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQKEkqg7vXe7LfZq7BcjRLCTAzTilxjk4iyLW-XBOM_lLQobhVoDXgmMsfPq2CxwTv4E9MMOk-sZPppgBjmR1c9Tc-EWCd5wexLTOMKilUdYRgjAa9mNzNH-Lvgs2BXhDSvJcHT4JldQe/s1600/13_12_23-13-52-25_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Turns out to be a sweat shop.... for gullible tourists </strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>What do you expect if you book up with</strong><br />
<strong>"Gullible Travels"</strong><br />
<strong>Part of the "Fleese the Punter group" </strong></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>People watching - </strong></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We noticed a couple of women (a mother and daughter) who were pushed around the airport in wheel chairs – not a problem. They also proved to be very loud on the coach and although they sat at the back they<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>managed to project loudly so that everyone knew all about them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We discovered that the mother was a vegetarian<span style="color: magenta;">** </span>who didn’t eat vegetables or fruit …. Which leaves basically….well, nuts I guess – All I can say is she must have eaten a lot of nuts as she was not exactly svelte and sylphlike, unless you happen to count the dance of the Hippos from Fantasia in that category… </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">** It always sounds like an illness to me, and probably accounts for the pale, gaunt<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>look that most people suffering from vegetarianism have.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The daughter was a Vegan<span style="color: orange;">***</span> and had a book with her that translated all her vegan dietary needs<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>into every language known to man. Shame she didn’t take after her mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All she would have needed was a book about nuts….</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: orange;">*** A bit like Mister Spock from Star Trek</span><span style="color: #38761d;">****</span>… <span style="color: orange;">Takes everything a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>bit seriously and wouldn’t know a sense of humour if it whacked them in the face with a custard pie…</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Calibri;">**** But without the funny long ears and death grip – preferring to bore people to death with their dietary needs</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> I did overhear one amusing story (Look, before you accuse me of ear wigging, I did say they were loud…. I would have had to cut my ears off and posted them to the other side of the planet to avoid hearing….Apologies for anyone not on the other side of the plant who heard this first hand). She apparently rang a restaurant in the UK and asked them if they catered for Vegans. She was assured they did and so booked a table….. When she arrived and asked about the vegan options she was informed that all their meat was reared organically and treated humanely before being butchered to death and served still bleeding on the plate….<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Somehow despite illness and being from another planet they managed to get around the town unaided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was really looking forward to seeing if they suddenly needed wheelchair assistance on the way home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly the fates intervened when, on the last day, one of them slipped on the ice and ended up being detained in hospital and so neither of them made it to our flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Confusion set in when my ears discovered they would not suffer the same incessant noise on the way home but sadly my curiosity would never find out about their airport arrangements…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>At last - an alarm…. </strong></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">An alarm went off at 2am one night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our initial excitement turned to bleary-eyed disappointment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly the alarm was not for the Northern lights but because some berk had not opened the flue for his wood burning stove and had managed to fill his room with smoke, eventually setting off the fire alarm throughout the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He stayed in his room, refusing to leave until the local Fire Brigade (at least I think they were local – it took them almost an hour to arrive) came along to have words with him… while the rest of the guests shivered outside waiting for the all clear. I suspect they were not harsh words though as I heard later that the hotel has to pay the Fire Brigade 800 Euros for every false alarm….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6xPkkMABdImD2jIqdl41dviXL4EnuJ5ex4zaMcGECjwTn6KxDbPNy8uNs2c7OJP70EF86S1rrltkHohWDf3otF9vvI2ZRVWZV8wN2zkqVCYO65e7_LvN0hO-kKV6Zm1a1HWoSxv6tZi9/s1600/13_12_23-02-06-04_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_6xPkkMABdImD2jIqdl41dviXL4EnuJ5ex4zaMcGECjwTn6KxDbPNy8uNs2c7OJP70EF86S1rrltkHohWDf3otF9vvI2ZRVWZV8wN2zkqVCYO65e7_LvN0hO-kKV6Zm1a1HWoSxv6tZi9/s1600/13_12_23-02-06-04_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Can't you tell how happy everyone was to have </strong><br />
<strong>the opportunity to stand around in the cold at </strong><br />
<strong>2am in the morning...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Happy Fireman 800 afterall Euros is a sweetener for most people... </strong></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sadly that was the only alarm that we got on the trip - not a sniff of the Northern Lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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Photo Finish </h3>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> A few pictures to end with</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mrs B makes some new friends...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFcjinkttGy7yXVucSnUD-71G9h5WSXk6NdrJN8wXPvAA9YqEq3UZfJAMw6Ndp2pvYpvTRo8ecw2xIc-zjGdj-OzNkl4oE7OM6Tg5z7vL5MWnrSO7aiY23c_CFxnFLD9gbIBkXgl7JzOB/s1600/13_12_24-13-02-10_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFcjinkttGy7yXVucSnUD-71G9h5WSXk6NdrJN8wXPvAA9YqEq3UZfJAMw6Ndp2pvYpvTRo8ecw2xIc-zjGdj-OzNkl4oE7OM6Tg5z7vL5MWnrSO7aiY23c_CFxnFLD9gbIBkXgl7JzOB/s1600/13_12_24-13-02-10_untitled+shoot.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Reindeer make excellent pets...they take you home </strong><br />
<strong>and then </strong><strong>you get to eat them....</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>That's it Rudolph get into the pot.</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Snow Fence...</strong><br />
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<strong>Not sure if it is for keeping the snow in or out? </strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lights but not the ones we were looking for....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Fins were a little annoyed when I told them that while</strong><br />
<strong>Santa might live in Lapland he originated in Turkey....</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>If they want proof - I don't see anyone eating Fin </strong><br />
<strong>for their Christmas Dinner ....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Why Grandma what big ears you have....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Psst - Would you like to buy a postcard</strong><br />
<strong>of the Northern Lights...."</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>No lights this visit...I guess we will just have to come back...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Since there are no Northern Lights to show</strong><br />
<strong>I thought you might like to see our Christmas lights.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>I had complaints from Stansted Airport claiming a number </strong><br />
<strong>of pilots nearly landed in our garden..... Do we get salvage</strong><br />
<strong> rights if they do?</strong></td></tr>
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BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-89401552585905255762013-12-19T13:12:00.000+00:002013-12-22T15:59:12.672+00:00Botswana - Abu camp <br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">With a heaviness of heart<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we reached the fourth and final of our camps, Abu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The heaviness of heart was due to the fact that our Botswana adventure was all too rapidly drawing to a conclusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Abu turned out to be a wonderful camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Famed for being an elephant sanctuary, it provides the opportunity to ride or walk with the small herd of trained elephants (which is a fantastic experience).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having done both I can report that I much prefer the walking rather than the being swayed around indiscriminately and as long as you make sure you aren’t stepped on relatively safe…</span><br />
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Trouble in paradise</h4>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Sadly, we soon discovered that not everything in life is in your control…. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Mrs B<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>first alerted me that there was trouble brewing in Paradise when she mentioned that she had been snubbed by a woman who ignored her when Mrs B<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>had said hello (Safari camps tend to be friendly places) but then said “Perhaps she didn’t hear me.” I next overheard a conversation about some new arrivals who had caused problems at their previous camp…. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I didn’t put 2 and 2 together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">It was only the next morning when we joined our guide and went to get into our Land Rover. There was a German couple already sitting in the front seat – it looked like they had camped there all night (I’m surprised they didn’t use the normal German trick of putting down towels on the seats – sorry for the racial stereotyping, I know some wonderful Germans but these were not of that ilk<span style="color: red;">*</span>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our guide introduced us and the woman looked us up and down and then put her nose in the air as if a bad smell has assaulted her very being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn’t much better…. As we drove off, the warm breeze turned icy cold as it ran over our<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>two new friends, leaving us chilled to the very bone….</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial;">* It must have been a bad batch of Germans<span style="color: purple;">**</span> on the trip because their was another group staying at Abu who moaned about the tribal singing that greets you when you first arrive at a camp. unbelievable, what is not to love about beautiful harmony singing from happy people proud of share their heritage. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"></span><br />
<span style="color: purple;">** More often than not it is my fellow Brits abroad</span> <span style="color: purple;">who are the ones best avoided -</span><span style="color: purple;"> specifically the heavy drinking loud mouthed louts that we often seem to export. I guess it helps to keeps our country nicer for tourists....</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">After that, every time we got to the Land Rover we found the air conditioning units already installed in the front row. (There is an unwritten rule on safari that people take turns sitting in the front seats).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the two days that we had the pleasure of the company of these wonderful people not one word did they say to us. If they didn’t speak any English I could understand it but we heard them chatting away to the guides and any staff who they thought would be useful to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">To offset<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Sour Krauts the staff at Abu were fantastic. We were first greeted by Nathan who claimed that their aim was to make us feel at home…. They came close but I would liken it more to visiting your favourite relatives who make you feel so welcome and look after you so well that you want to forget you have to go home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the whole of the trip I had been bravely coping with man flu but succumbed during one game drive and felt awful – a combination<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of rain and our cryogenic traveling companions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nathan greeted us on our return and, noting my flagging demeanour, arranged for a herbal bath to be run for me and created a herbal and lemon concoction and vitamin booster tablets to help me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What service….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><strong><em>Lizzie</em></strong> – The general manager, was just so calm and friendly that you forgot she was running the ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think of a swan serenely moving against a strong current: you don’t appreciate the enormous effort that is going on below the waterline, to ensure that everything runs smoothly. She seemed to notice everything and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>sorted things before they became an issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>A great example of this was when we booked a canoe trip – the first evening we attempted it, strong winds meant it was not possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The following morning we woke to heavy rain<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and we discussed with the guide that if the rain kept up it would be better to do a walk with the elephants. As it happened the weather cleared and by the time of our afternoon drive it was back to glorious blue skies. I spoke to our guide and asked, as the weather had changed, if he had arranged the canoe trip. His replied that it was not going to be possible. I might be wrong but I believe our German friends had put pressure on him which made it easier for him to leave us with the elephants rather than taking us out to where<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the canoe trips started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I voiced my displeasure: a combination of feeling a bit under the weather and having been worn down by our travelling companions, although not so much that it upset me. I actually found their rude<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>behaviour funny but I knew it upset Mrs B….Anyway, Lizzie must have overheard what was going on and a few minutes later, told us the canoe trip was ready whenever we were………………no fuss, just sorted quietly in the background.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brilliant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">On meeting famous people <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">As we came into the camp we heard rumours that there were some famous people staying. These turned out to be - <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="http://www.sueflood.com/" target="_blank">Sue Flood</a>, a wildlife photographer who has worked extensively with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Attenborough" target="_blank">David Attenborough</a> no less… My excitement reached fever pitch levels amid my fear that my simple photographic efforts would be shown up for what they are – the struggles of an opportunist snapper. As it was Sue was so lovely it didn’t matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I prattled on about various things she never once made me feel awkward or intrusive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Sue was guiding <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Shearer" target="_blank">Harry Shearer</a> (anyone who is a Spinal Tap or The Simpsons fan will be familiar with him) and his wife <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_Owen" target="_blank">Judith Owen</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(the singer). I must admit that I wasn’t familiar with Judith’s work but checked it out when we got home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very impressive. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I </span>was chatting to Harry one night and moved the subject towards Spinal Tap….even insensitive old me could tell he wasn’t comfortable so I abandoned the subject. I’m glad I did as it meant<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we could have a proper conversation and I got to hear his views on the problems in New Orleans where<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he and Judith have had a home for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a Simpsons fan (our house is called Springfield for a reason) it almost killed me not to talk about Mr Burns and some of the other 20+ characters that Harry’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>voice brings to life, however they were so lovely I would have hated to intrude on their holiday….. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><em>If you thought keeping up with the Joneses was hard enough, forget it keeping up with the famous is in a different league altogether -</em> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sue and Judith were discussing Sting one evening, I was about to interject that Sting was the first person I had seen in concert, back in 1989 at the Rainbow Islington when he was touring the Reggatta de Blanc</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><em> </em></strong>album<strong><em> </em></strong>with the Police. I’m glad I didn’t, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>their remembrances were a little bit more personal,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>being from the dressing room side of things rather than the clouded judgement of a 14 year old boy in the 25</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><sup>th</sup> Row…</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The final curtain<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We ended up with a different guide on our last morning as the Germans (I wouldn’t mind but I hadn’t mentioned the war, towels on sun beds or even the 1966 World Cup Final) had complained about having to share with anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that they were willing to pay out for a private tour…. It was just as well because their flight out of Abu camp was an hour before ours which would have curtailed our tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We arrived<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>at the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>airstrip to find there was a problem with our plane and so<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>there was going to be a delay while they sorted out alternative arrangements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plane arrived about half an hour late,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>allowing us the opportunity to drive up and down the airstrip clearing the runway of a family of Wart Hogs who were determined to play Fly Piggy Fly …. A bit like playing "chicken" only with less feathers when the inevitable splatter happens...</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p>Deja vu (Part 1)</o:p></span></h4>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">As we made our way down the aisle, who should we find sitting in the front seats….? Only our favourite Germans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their flight must have been turned back<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to pick us up …which must have delighted them…. You will not be surprised to learn that they did not acknowledge us as we sat in the seats directly behind them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I waited until we landed at Maun airport before I poked my head through the seats in front and with a big beaming smile and as cheery a voice as I could muster and proclaimed :<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">“</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Can I just say thank you for being the rudest people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And whatever you do please, please don't change because you have provided such great entertainment for us...”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">Finally I got a response from him – when what appeared to be a rather painful smile crossed his face and he curtly replied “Thank you very much.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She, on the other hand, showed no emotion and just continued to move further up her own backside....I’m guessing that was where the smell came from on our first meeting that so put her nose out of joint.. </span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p>Deja vu (Part 2)</o:p></span></span></h4>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">As a bonus to lift our spirits as we tramped sadly through Jo’berg airport on our way home … Who should materialise through the travelling throng but Julie and Gil (from the Kings Pool camp).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so refreshing after the Sour Krauts and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>wonderful to have the opportunity<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to catch up on each other’s Safari stories since we had said goodbye just a few short days before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow it felt more like a lifetime….<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I mentioned in the last post that Julie and Gil had a good sense of humour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank god they did<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We were talking about people we had met at our last camps – yes the Sour Krauts may have got a mention.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Julie – “We met this old couple who shuffled towards us and we thought “Oh no this doesn’t look good”, but fortunately they were really nice…”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Me – “That’s exactly what we thought when we first ran into you guys….!!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Don’t worry, Julie is more than capable of defending herself<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and she gave as good as she got<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We were discussing arranged marriages which seems to be all the vogue for the locals in Botswana<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Julie “It works well because families can make sure that their children don’t marry the really stupid and time wasters in the village. ”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Me “So what happens to all the dumb ones that no one wants?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Julie “Seemed to work out ok for you and Mrs B…..”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Touché Julie, Touché<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>…..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I had promised my favourite café – South Street Pantry - that I would bring them back something from our adventure . I found a wonderful elephant mug<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>which I felt would live happily amongst their wonderfully eclectic range of drinking receptacles …. They had offers to buy the mug from at least one customer, who was a huge<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>elephant fan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They refused all offers and on my very next visit my single shot latte was served in my gift to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine my embarrassment at finishing my drink only to knock it off the corner of the table and watch it shatter into a thousand pieces….. I guess the moral of this story is “Cash in your hand is worth more than bits of mug on your floor"</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">A big thanks to Edward at <a href="http://www.africaodyssey.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" www.africaodyssey.com=""><span style="color: black;">Africa odyssey</span></a> for sorting our holiday itinery out. </span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Mrs B and I are heading off to Finland for Christmas in search of the Northern Lights - so wish us luck. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">If you are interested in more photos from the trip feel free to check out my new Photo site </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;">or if you missed any of the previous Botswana posts </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="http://the-blacklog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/botswana-meno-kwena.html" target="_blank">Camp 1 Meno A Kwena</a> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="http://the-blacklog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/botswana-mombo-camp.html" target="_blank">Camp 2 Mombo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><a href="http://the-blacklog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/botswana-kings-pool-camp.html" target="_blank">Camp 3 Kings Pool</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Photo finish<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span> </span></div>
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Some pictures to end with, if you want to see the full collection from Abu check out my photo page . <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://blacklogthebeast.zenfolio.com/p991029347" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">BlackLOG and The Beast</span></a>.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDienwTYz2k8QD6NtRfG0NktTBc1U5wVQp4ocyVon06vuMcWiW05iNr5JfiXnTGdjP2Zm86MykGhgErMu_OWR2McM3aSPsetAC6x-JH8VAehB8-bXx4BRuIAUh6cgZiEy5wkg2NqwhWV2R/s1600/20131105-13_11_05-06-28-11_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDienwTYz2k8QD6NtRfG0NktTBc1U5wVQp4ocyVon06vuMcWiW05iNr5JfiXnTGdjP2Zm86MykGhgErMu_OWR2McM3aSPsetAC6x-JH8VAehB8-bXx4BRuIAUh6cgZiEy5wkg2NqwhWV2R/s400/20131105-13_11_05-06-28-11_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mrs B reflecting on the perfect holiday</strong><br />
<strong>or would have been if the Bosch air conditioning units</strong><br />
<strong>hadn't shown up to cool proceedings ....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The view from our bed, I'm surprised we ever managed to get up....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mr Burns - "Smithers bring me a new </strong><br />
<strong>Elephant this ones almost full..."</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Try not to get trodden on</strong> <strong>- </strong><br />
<strong>it will smart a little...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Like something from another age....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>I can highly recommend a restorative bath </strong><br />
<strong>if you are feeling under the weather... </strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>But check for Hippos before you get in, they </strong><strong>don't </strong><br />
<strong>like to share the water and have a tendency </strong><strong> to </strong><br />
<strong>pee when confronted....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Judith & Harry enjoying the thrill of the hunt</strong> <br />
<strong>without destroying the prey...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="irc_su" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><strong>Lilac-breasted Roller</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Synchronised Lions</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Watching me watching you....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>No point getting down when it rains best </strong><br />
<strong>just to enjoy the beauty of nature...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Even the flora looks stunning....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Messing about on the river...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Shame we didn't have someone</strong><br />
<strong>to take a similar shot of us...</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Eye got jealous of those lashes....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Young Hyena mistakes the Land Rover tyres</strong><br />
<strong> for food and rushes in for supper....</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Nate - trying to work up a health tonic without alcohol</strong><br />
<strong>I suspect not an easy task for a south African...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lizzy </strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>I can't express strongly enough just how </strong><br />
<strong>brilliant and friendly she and her team were..</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Our new German friend - </strong><br />
<strong> </strong><br />
<strong>She was like a cross between Truly Scrumptious</strong><br />
<strong> and the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang....</strong><br />
<strong> </strong><br />
<strong>While he was like Pierce Brosnan only this time </strong><br />
<strong>playing a Bond villain rather than 007.</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Beautiful harmonies and dancing - what's not</strong><br />
<strong>to love unless you enjoy the miseries of life....</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Really please with this shot which was taken </strong><br />
<strong>w</strong><strong>ithout flash - just the light of a camp fire </strong><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Claire - another member of the excellent Abu staff...</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Sue out to capture anything that nature </strong><br />
<strong>puts in front of her...</strong><br />
<strong> </strong><br />
<strong>I was going to try and convince Sue to change over </strong><br />
<strong>from Canon to Nikon but figure she has already </strong><br />
<strong>made her choice ....Plus she is a professional </strong><br />
<strong>Photographer with a lot more experience than me...</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>No I won't be going over the Dark Side</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE082IoBTf7rYae9IUJDluBYdPO2THcAxml9vtRyWyqrHsNSbg1OeXLufCCkPgP7cX4OqKpKS68wnIwB2t3S_P9-NHtTim_LhNbOcr0KOWay9fYV46ulMTTTpdr2vboJfSdE_-Fg7Ye50O/s1600/20131105-13_11_05-06-55-02_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE082IoBTf7rYae9IUJDluBYdPO2THcAxml9vtRyWyqrHsNSbg1OeXLufCCkPgP7cX4OqKpKS68wnIwB2t3S_P9-NHtTim_LhNbOcr0KOWay9fYV46ulMTTTpdr2vboJfSdE_-Fg7Ye50O/s400/20131105-13_11_05-06-55-02_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>And so our tale comes to an end </strong><br />
<strong>although this look more like</strong><br />
<strong> two tails and a double end...</strong></td></tr>
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BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-39740838507588217962013-12-05T00:46:00.000+00:002013-12-06T08:11:47.407+00:00Botswana - Kings Pool campWe reach the midway point of our trip and it was great to have fresh clothes<span style="color: #b45f06;">*</span> as we made our way to our third camp - Kings Pool. I believe the name is due to King Leopold of Sweden who honeymooned in the area in the mid 1900's. If I'm honest I was a little disappointed in the camp, compared to everywhere else it looked a bit tired. Our outside shower (doesn't everyone have an indoor and out door shower?) was spread liberally across our veranda.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;">* Although with my luggage now safely returned I felt like a pack animal and had a real fear, with all the extra weight, that the small planes we were using might struggle to take off. How embarrassing if we had ended up trundling between camps ....</span><br />
<br />
I discovered the cause on our second night when I woke to hear loud noises emanating from the corner of our now trembling tent. I pulled back the window blind and shone my iPhone torch (fantastic invention) into the eyes of a huge wild elephant.....I decided there was nothing to do but go back to bed, working on the basis that if my world was about to end I might as well be comfortable....So this was why they asked you to stay in your rooms after dark, they weren't kidding when they said wild animals freely wandered through the camps....<br />
<br />
I now know exactly how the 3 little pigs felt with the wolf at the door....(I wonder how the story would have gone if the pigs had built one of their houses from canvas?). By the way I'm not writing this blog from beyond the grave, our world didn't end in a trumpeting, ear flapping blur of wrinkly grey stampede<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">**</span></span> . Proving my soon to be patented ostrich defence mechanism, burying my head under the covers, is a real winner ....What do you mean kids have been doing this for years???<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">** Incidentally if you ever find yourself trampled to death by elephants, do your best to preserve their foot prints</span><span style="color: magenta;">***</span>, <span style="color: blue;">so that CSI Savannah have something to go on in order to catch the miscreant pachyderms and bring them to justice ...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">*** An elephants footprint is just like our finger prints</span><span style="color: red;">****</span> <span style="color: magenta;">only a tad larger </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">**** With elephant numbers on the increase it can only be a matter of time before Apple release a </span><a href="http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/elephants/african_elephant.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: red;" target="_blank">Loxodonta</a><span style="color: #274e13;">*****</span><span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: red;">Touch ID Iphone. It will come in a grey wrinkly finish</span><span style="color: red;"> and have a 7 metre screen. </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #274e13;">***** This will be marketed as a <a href="http://www.planetwildlife.com/information/species/indian-elephant-0?section=scientific" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Maximus</a> for the Asian market and will come with much smaller speakers....Sorry for my pitiful attempts at the Latin based humour, I suspect rather like my English attempts it probably doesn't translate that well...</span><br />
<br />
Considering the high levels of service we had received at our previous camps I'm sorry to say that some of the staff at Kings Pool proved to be a little underwhelming. One lunch time I waited for over an hour and still my order wasn't taken. In the end I had to go up to the chef and put in my order, very disappointing... <br />
<br />
<h3>
On more positive notes....</h3>
Our guide was excellent, possibly lacking a bit of a sense of humour (roughly translated he didn't really get my jokes, but to be fair not many people do), his tracking ability and knowledge of conservation was most impressive. The animals were plentiful and varied, I was just as excited to see my second wild leopard. A little briefer than our first encounter but this was a younger more attractive male. When we came across him he was perusing his lunch menu, which unfortunately for him took flight upon our arrival, running full pelt into the bush. Considering his obvious disappointment he was remarkably calm about our imposition and it was only the arrival of a second Land Rover that finally proved too much for him....<br />
<br />
We also met some wonderful people i.e. they either got my sense of humour or were very adapt at faking it. Julie and Gil proved excellent travelling companions even if it was just for a brief moment in time. It was great to share a vehicle with them on a number of drives (keep that statement in mind if you ever get around to reading the final instalment - Abu camp) taking it in turns to sit in the front seats and generally enjoying swapping banter with fellow travellers. <br />
<br />
It was at Kings Pool that I performed my most stupid act of the holiday<br />
<br />
<strong>Mrs B</strong> handed me a little bottle of spray for refreshing tired eyes.... highly recommended for relieving dust filled eyes... The next time she handed it to me...<br />
<br />
<strong>Me</strong> "Ouch that really stings"<br />
<br />
<strong>Mrs B</strong> "Why are you spraying mouth wash into your eyes??"<br />
<br />
Damn you manufacturers of similar-sized bottles designed for very different purposes...<br />
<br />
That was almost as good as the quote from a Canadian woman who was admiring the wonderful star-filled African skies.... she came out with<br />
<br />
"Oh my god honey this is almost as good as being at the planetarium"<br />
<br />
I had to walk away and stifle my guffaws of laughter <br />
<br />
A big thanks to Edward at <a href="http://www.africaodyssey.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" www.africaodyssey.com=""><span style="color: black;">Africa odyssey</span></a> for sorting our booking out. <br />
<br />
tune in next time for the final instalment at Abu camp...<br />
<br />
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Photo Finish</h2>
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Some pictures to end with, if you want to see the full collection from Kings Pool check out my photo page . <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://blacklogthebeast.zenfolio.com/p396672136" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BlackLOG & The Beast</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIv_rjSspT5gqQTFSg2vEmuhoOeBfY_OSDqNKncH_SpRtZa1PQ5K6AOKRkmVvHo9tRPpiGxVa9HhyphenhyphenU0XUtfoIwpsSyPkks_2tWMoEKfIqgXiCeLgSHhRzFnNyVbC1a6ZJemIq3UVSBJ_Sw/s1600/20131101-13_11_01-17-18-30_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIv_rjSspT5gqQTFSg2vEmuhoOeBfY_OSDqNKncH_SpRtZa1PQ5K6AOKRkmVvHo9tRPpiGxVa9HhyphenhyphenU0XUtfoIwpsSyPkks_2tWMoEKfIqgXiCeLgSHhRzFnNyVbC1a6ZJemIq3UVSBJ_Sw/s400/20131101-13_11_01-17-18-30_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>We came across this beautiful boy </strong><br />
<strong>watching his supper disappear </strong><br />
<strong>stage </strong><strong>left...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaTIPAVcNvst11xVeDOA3Mf5wg0UtnPoDgAqfugdWElbpsiR4x-Psn5ItZm2tCgwS9LSk-gGhwxUw9se__m2eyGTjofMJni5xbIjgOvD70mCgvxakMHN_uF7Xt4LCxVDx8FOD5ChjhpNZ/s1600/20131101-13_11_01-11-30-18_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaTIPAVcNvst11xVeDOA3Mf5wg0UtnPoDgAqfugdWElbpsiR4x-Psn5ItZm2tCgwS9LSk-gGhwxUw9se__m2eyGTjofMJni5xbIjgOvD70mCgvxakMHN_uF7Xt4LCxVDx8FOD5ChjhpNZ/s400/20131101-13_11_01-11-30-18_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The sun taking a last look around </strong><br />
<strong>before heading off for bed....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnws5WRoIYLAedAufUta30gcXpV4wYeJHYfEZr-ZOWljss8WJPX51xGZN3bj6o9N3IF5m8jhVTXljuaUGVYurcFU2EzmeU13bpTcdfc9eKShfxac5CsyIRJxgIL843PqWpf771X1Y6FUq8/s1600/20131102-13_11_02-08-20-42_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnws5WRoIYLAedAufUta30gcXpV4wYeJHYfEZr-ZOWljss8WJPX51xGZN3bj6o9N3IF5m8jhVTXljuaUGVYurcFU2EzmeU13bpTcdfc9eKShfxac5CsyIRJxgIL843PqWpf771X1Y6FUq8/s400/20131102-13_11_02-08-20-42_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Has any one got any wet wipes, things </strong><strong>would appear </strong><br />
<strong>to have got a bit messy around here.....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUmmXe1VlCXL2QAAEPpUvYhMBp2510kDxTqOjbRGN3ZEjUPkTvTzht5rxe2alWtdlTSSfOupDcQ2f-hsZmZHf9-YNxz2yGO_cCvQm8H8AMJ1HCh7p0zqRn6E4BJ71x2mPub9c55M2dqd9a/s400/20131103-13_11_03-02-23-48_untitled+shoot.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Less of a Dragon Fly and more of a Dragon Land...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavuUXRIdR0p_ZqTI4LnBOZkJd1W2SGWv8Ch1K38BFfDW7bu7nqFAYF07UVIaIBCAujNxKCiN52GFKK_i-KPUiNwD_orQuymFlnhZMe6_qGNfiwjrRlZCqMZgK3cIGrO85War3Ve5oRTc3/s1600/20131102-13_11_02-07-12-46_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavuUXRIdR0p_ZqTI4LnBOZkJd1W2SGWv8Ch1K38BFfDW7bu7nqFAYF07UVIaIBCAujNxKCiN52GFKK_i-KPUiNwD_orQuymFlnhZMe6_qGNfiwjrRlZCqMZgK3cIGrO85War3Ve5oRTc3/s400/20131102-13_11_02-07-12-46_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>If you think downward facing dog is a good Yoga</strong><br />
<strong>position you should try the outstretched cat.....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1V0qml5QvKDmCpUWSe1GMP4VMqYT46cMwsIlBxbEAYmdJub-NOFXqceGcbOVoXnEaAYxBbE68yo0ZtEO9sm7gfsGH0DiunGRXi0rAGmGvplkhP0Ml7Qq46Uf_dx1vApAMx84SR2_zhg5/s1600/20131103-13_11_03-02-51-45_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1V0qml5QvKDmCpUWSe1GMP4VMqYT46cMwsIlBxbEAYmdJub-NOFXqceGcbOVoXnEaAYxBbE68yo0ZtEO9sm7gfsGH0DiunGRXi0rAGmGvplkhP0Ml7Qq46Uf_dx1vApAMx84SR2_zhg5/s400/20131103-13_11_03-02-51-45_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Gil</strong><br />
<strong>As a retired eye surgeon, you'd think he would have </strong><br />
<strong>warned me not to spray mouthwash into my eyes.......</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Z197A_ZI7uLDRZmzNbfJt2l-BYaT4-w3B24Jr_CgmlDRNrDOjB-21ODyfyG9f1CIgQ28LWlcqOJ_gX0lEN1tHcayjDMWEtf-6rwfbcvxqVPiIcbxaQDHm1NbV4ZJYhOgLrbFebt6w7N7/s1600/20131103-13_11_03-03-56-44_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Z197A_ZI7uLDRZmzNbfJt2l-BYaT4-w3B24Jr_CgmlDRNrDOjB-21ODyfyG9f1CIgQ28LWlcqOJ_gX0lEN1tHcayjDMWEtf-6rwfbcvxqVPiIcbxaQDHm1NbV4ZJYhOgLrbFebt6w7N7/s400/20131103-13_11_03-03-56-44_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Who says you can't see exactly what </strong><br />
<strong>someone else is seeing...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAKZwRL-Ijq88cXjTwY2AsemMtTMjTUcWwiYQd1EpQ_F6hQjk6msNB0SD3eecAseiz0zZt3OpdbBHgJSk1dGRYGYGVpqxl6Navvxt8v_sle_jPbuZ1v8ic6OSY_pJeQBCyG0-LtJnnff_/s1600/20131103-13_11_03-10-31-29_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAKZwRL-Ijq88cXjTwY2AsemMtTMjTUcWwiYQd1EpQ_F6hQjk6msNB0SD3eecAseiz0zZt3OpdbBHgJSk1dGRYGYGVpqxl6Navvxt8v_sle_jPbuZ1v8ic6OSY_pJeQBCyG0-LtJnnff_/s400/20131103-13_11_03-10-31-29_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>What's wrong with a "little" monkey business?</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQm4NssDKvleF5luIX_-Xj2_Fb0XHw8awYqBbtNP-0qCSBllwmNttF3qGdNz2pkx1ELqtlohVTTItiNfAbVSZvskxU9sCUDt0thogfqYqc19mddUArkil2fwtiyN4X9RcXoKAoZo5Xb7Wv/s1600/20131103-13_11_03-09-44-24_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQm4NssDKvleF5luIX_-Xj2_Fb0XHw8awYqBbtNP-0qCSBllwmNttF3qGdNz2pkx1ELqtlohVTTItiNfAbVSZvskxU9sCUDt0thogfqYqc19mddUArkil2fwtiyN4X9RcXoKAoZo5Xb7Wv/s400/20131103-13_11_03-09-44-24_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>lilac breasted roller</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeVkbP8_zFg5xO97fPXiPpT1ylpJl3pF2WWSJRtfCaS3Mk_x91axoVZ-IrYgQxG9xx8tturhoudl1C5Q5OFYFosnejGL3S_xTxvqaC-Z6E5DUiF5opJmC_vnCOosb23wj8mU8DuttHAfN/s1600/20131102-13_11_02-06-28-07_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeVkbP8_zFg5xO97fPXiPpT1ylpJl3pF2WWSJRtfCaS3Mk_x91axoVZ-IrYgQxG9xx8tturhoudl1C5Q5OFYFosnejGL3S_xTxvqaC-Z6E5DUiF5opJmC_vnCOosb23wj8mU8DuttHAfN/s400/20131102-13_11_02-06-28-07_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>I do like a complimentary buffet breakfast...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYa-cRN8NTpzGKq6XglpoV1En4QM5bmMGG9ImfE_2aO-RUoz2aDQcdkNVteFSF9RMgkrW22Dg2BdQt6O40uT2jc9ZC60-VsvMTDt98hs18RLx68tw9a4ZMrwdEIiRx2R39qaJOqlbvEWi/s1600/20131102-13_11_02-02-37-46_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYa-cRN8NTpzGKq6XglpoV1En4QM5bmMGG9ImfE_2aO-RUoz2aDQcdkNVteFSF9RMgkrW22Dg2BdQt6O40uT2jc9ZC60-VsvMTDt98hs18RLx68tw9a4ZMrwdEIiRx2R39qaJOqlbvEWi/s400/20131102-13_11_02-02-37-46_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Lens caddy </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>"I think for this particularly tricky shot we will need </strong><br />
<strong>the 600mm, at F8 and a 200 ISO and fade in from the right..."</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8u1q8YEjYVZrDTgNDi0xg1aRXV16pZew1scPkHEwVI4mp4yZx3C-Yq2hq7slzC3lcaiLzQLfnvAqawnhIyHNKscE3NURiFg1wTb3JOXLUS-ucvyGiygceuq3x8TQPlEnCj86dD_C9k46/s1600/20131101-13_11_01-11-52-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8u1q8YEjYVZrDTgNDi0xg1aRXV16pZew1scPkHEwVI4mp4yZx3C-Yq2hq7slzC3lcaiLzQLfnvAqawnhIyHNKscE3NURiFg1wTb3JOXLUS-ucvyGiygceuq3x8TQPlEnCj86dD_C9k46/s400/20131101-13_11_01-11-52-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>I'm feeling a shadow of my former self....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigT0RBON_FPo27M2zTlv-_fVNUTS7XfbSEh0O4Nlns1hZ6xHLbkZMBtWJgEQO0EseZyMXxXQgbsmY6of1l-5uWzWOZVfdvALxFpVY-jT40CF1Ujmiwk1vr9dGKrEG3jWKrWKOu48y_4xNv/s1600/13_11_02-16-21-34_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigT0RBON_FPo27M2zTlv-_fVNUTS7XfbSEh0O4Nlns1hZ6xHLbkZMBtWJgEQO0EseZyMXxXQgbsmY6of1l-5uWzWOZVfdvALxFpVY-jT40CF1Ujmiwk1vr9dGKrEG3jWKrWKOu48y_4xNv/s400/13_11_02-16-21-34_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Julie</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>"Jeez, this "pretending that British bloke with the</strong><br />
<strong> big camera is funny" lark is really hard work...."</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6EAUxcERuz3MKtfaEHSqrX_1yUmfMZfFoBhSZFkj3OGVw9EuQBS7VCNPYycFTEwvGkgbCrFFH48DE1OKzIRwu7S03xadXtYIR070oBjF-OhDgmMwBqjA4hVjN1GRRnopn4CwtI4JjSylz/s1600/20131101-13_11_01-10-44-46_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6EAUxcERuz3MKtfaEHSqrX_1yUmfMZfFoBhSZFkj3OGVw9EuQBS7VCNPYycFTEwvGkgbCrFFH48DE1OKzIRwu7S03xadXtYIR070oBjF-OhDgmMwBqjA4hVjN1GRRnopn4CwtI4JjSylz/s400/20131101-13_11_01-10-44-46_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>When we asked to see giraffes I was</strong><br />
<strong>expecting a slightly more lively version...</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOssTefZJTw3UG4zoHwXq0W-stElunSWSjWzy-fCkNtPlZ4u1WXKqK02Bgeoy9HysNyRXjHx7cobHN3OpIPZPdD4O-NqJ5VAjiZzWj67LUgJzMO1Wc3wPZXqF3QXpSr0xvKBf_OKSU5nvV/s1600/20131102-13_11_02-03-48-48_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOssTefZJTw3UG4zoHwXq0W-stElunSWSjWzy-fCkNtPlZ4u1WXKqK02Bgeoy9HysNyRXjHx7cobHN3OpIPZPdD4O-NqJ5VAjiZzWj67LUgJzMO1Wc3wPZXqF3QXpSr0xvKBf_OKSU5nvV/s400/20131102-13_11_02-03-48-48_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Dusty always wondered where he got</strong><br />
<strong>his nickname from.....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QMxDbEn5IwU1vvWDE2b5ZLxz7YxPFns-gGFAu7nIIRfJtRobTQqSNLpp8B7QEeJR9DXbjYguxAF0VXwgga4RrJ6GU0u9WmJX4pPJdqycbdnb-WRCDYil41SGKpMyXzyGcFHcBLvFg6sU/s1600/20131102-13_11_02-11-32-17_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QMxDbEn5IwU1vvWDE2b5ZLxz7YxPFns-gGFAu7nIIRfJtRobTQqSNLpp8B7QEeJR9DXbjYguxAF0VXwgga4RrJ6GU0u9WmJX4pPJdqycbdnb-WRCDYil41SGKpMyXzyGcFHcBLvFg6sU/s640/20131102-13_11_02-11-32-17_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>When the sky is this beautiful who wouldn't </strong><br />
<strong>want to make it a double ....?</strong></td></tr>
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If you missed our first camp <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://the-blacklog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/botswana-meno-kwena.html" target="_blank">Meno A Kweno</a></span><br />
<br /></div>
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or our second Camp - <a href="http://the-blacklog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/botswana-mombo-camp.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mombo camp</a></div>
<br />BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-60895628634222982912013-11-24T18:51:00.002+00:002013-12-05T23:46:22.953+00:00Botswana - Mombo camp <br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After an excellent if ,comparatively, basic start at Meno A Kweno we moved on to a camp at the other end of the scale at Mombo*. This involved a short flight in a 6 seater plane or it would have been short if the plane had not had to make a couple of stops first to drop off guests at other camps in the local area – This gave the flight a feeling of being on a bus journey, all be it one with<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the alarming prospect of losing your last meal as you got buffeted around by the turbulence. This time we made it intact, unlike my luggage which was still missing in action. The latest news I had on it was that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>neither Air Botswana nor British Airways had the foggiest idea where it was. Apparently not a good sign and so the prospects of ever seeing it again started to fade like the orange tan on a low rent wag…. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">* To describe our room at Mombo as a tent is a bit like describing Buckingham Palace as that cottage at the end of the Mall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Possibly the most fantastic day of my life <o:p></o:p></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It started off with your average <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>everyday lions frolicking in front of the camera – like it was an everyday occurrence down Bishop’s Stortford high street <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KVuixVcF3pgayIE_0SzTTj5Geu_FywPutBMpEyZNaQ0pO_yazNjxt2CI_WeHeG7HYFSMZ9TgroSBvmic4P1vH4k6ERodAwZsej-XxyS-22ZOpQ3KL_g6CwPB5IQvV6PYNNGTPNhOm1mz/s1600/20131031-13_10_31-07-25-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4KVuixVcF3pgayIE_0SzTTj5Geu_FywPutBMpEyZNaQ0pO_yazNjxt2CI_WeHeG7HYFSMZ9TgroSBvmic4P1vH4k6ERodAwZsej-XxyS-22ZOpQ3KL_g6CwPB5IQvV6PYNNGTPNhOm1mz/s400/20131031-13_10_31-07-25-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The queen of all she can see</strong> </td></tr>
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</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next we ran into a leopard - the first one we had seen in the wild. My excitement levels went through the roof. Our guide spotted him and told me to get a shot in, in case it was the young male which is quite shy. As it turned out<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>it was the older male (nicknamed Killer, for his habit<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of eradicating any leopard offspring who were not his progeny) who allowed us to not only trail him through the bush but didn’t bat an eyelid when Doc (our guide) got ahead of him and just padded towards us and then passed us as if we weren’t there… simply a magical experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANdFpOPFPJoqJmLnO9roCf9wRXIdSRGnn8cp3yw1ZsPEuBxhI1L4Y1GpXy7nm4E2AKdZdycmNNzNcnYPQzJ0_XU_1tY9uwzdvpxQG7nep3A3gkkmRjoqftk4bP2y0OmKVszW6LjiBGBoO/s1600/20131031-13_10_31-09-55-51_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiANdFpOPFPJoqJmLnO9roCf9wRXIdSRGnn8cp3yw1ZsPEuBxhI1L4Y1GpXy7nm4E2AKdZdycmNNzNcnYPQzJ0_XU_1tY9uwzdvpxQG7nep3A3gkkmRjoqftk4bP2y0OmKVszW6LjiBGBoO/s400/20131031-13_10_31-09-55-51_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>I just hope that's not Killer eating</strong><br />
<strong> someone else's offspring...</strong></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Still floating on cloud nine we went off in search of crocodiles and came across two groups of rival hippos squaring off against each other over a water pool. Doc asked us if we wanted to get off the vehicle, to get some better shots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My feet hit the ground before Doc had finished asking the question and before I had thought through whether being around 10 metres from some rather aggressive hippos was actually sensible. Mrs B was a bit more hesitant and it took Doc to explain to her that while hippos are one of the most dangerous animals when you meet them out of the water, once immersed they feel secure and while happy to attempt to kill each other can’t be bothered to get out and trample innocent bystanders to death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This makes them sound like pensioners, lethal if you get between them and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>their packet of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Garibaldi biscuits but relatively safe once they are ensconced in a Parker Knoll<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>chair, with a cup of cocoa and the Daily Mail. You’ll be fine as long as you don’t succumb to the smell of lavender, extra strong mints and cat pee (probably not cat but out of respect I wanted to give the elderly and incontinent <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the benefit of the doubt).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKggdB8uIrcfGsP2nNraOr7147_TkSirp3M2Gr4DTBP1LOehS4PmK0ZlOncIoJRx1-34IMGL28ZomH_IZ_vFtLl6NIZpcIjjqtx9itw93Nuh2NltyAKMtsPzZVmowQF_Fhvo8Mvpfdmle/s1600/20131031-13_10_31-16-54-18_Botswana-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKggdB8uIrcfGsP2nNraOr7147_TkSirp3M2Gr4DTBP1LOehS4PmK0ZlOncIoJRx1-34IMGL28ZomH_IZ_vFtLl6NIZpcIjjqtx9itw93Nuh2NltyAKMtsPzZVmowQF_Fhvo8Mvpfdmle/s400/20131031-13_10_31-16-54-18_Botswana-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>This is my pool and don't you forget it...</strong></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Thunder and lightning – Is it meant to be frightening….I was loving it…<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To finish off the day as the light faded we ran into a huge storm – We seemed to be at the centre of it all as <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lightening flashed from all different directions and then our guide got excited as we found ourselves being pelted with hailstones (he had only experienced this once before and it was probably the highlight of his day). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I managed to amuse Mrs B and Doc as I chased the lightening around the sky with the camera, desperately trying to capture the perfect flash… It was only after I returned to our room and sorted through the day's shots did I realise what I had captured: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAF7L_e-VyjUzQaeFuivRMgCzyPMWVhQ9dNO3EEbDzRMj0lZocQ6OBCTvzXN_DmYoq5CEGaQBn5we7riAkeS7zlN2qWHSdzog5o3Nh8r98sE96D_XvyEJwUbsvup6JcQJMJ7emM4DigwJY/s1600/20131030-13_10_30-11-58-21_Botswana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAF7L_e-VyjUzQaeFuivRMgCzyPMWVhQ9dNO3EEbDzRMj0lZocQ6OBCTvzXN_DmYoq5CEGaQBn5we7riAkeS7zlN2qWHSdzog5o3Nh8r98sE96D_XvyEJwUbsvup6JcQJMJ7emM4DigwJY/s400/20131030-13_10_30-11-58-21_Botswana.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>You can imagine how stoked I am with this shot....</strong></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">– And for the icing on the cake, my bag had finally had got fed up on its solo travel<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and turned up totally intact….</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Has anyone else got a contender for a better day??? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To Quote Mrs B <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is the only type of holiday I want to do in the future….</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next week it is off to Kingspool but until then I'll leave you with a few more shots </span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p> </div>
A big thanks to Edward at <a href="http://www.africaodyssey.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" www.africaodyssey.com="">Africa odyssey</a> for sorting our booking out. <br />
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<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Photo Finish</h2>
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Some pictures to end with, if you want to see some more check out my photo page . <a href="http://blacklogthebeast.zenfolio.com/p225944453" target="_blank">BlackLOG & The Beast</a> </div>
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If you missed our first camp <a href="http://the-blacklog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/botswana-meno-kwena.html" target="_blank">Meno A Kweno</a> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkirTvZ9aeYvTnsWaMtEdMNkOKLZ8TOCgFShcw2AIbU4_X0_60rQdxb-8FH2qFq4I0oT7tL2XrAZr3w9Kd57E34MyfDeICOCNIND6lqYQuTs7BJLYStAs59i1iNEARKgem24iqf1VEcIEC/s1600/20131030-13_10_30-16-36-17_Botswana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkirTvZ9aeYvTnsWaMtEdMNkOKLZ8TOCgFShcw2AIbU4_X0_60rQdxb-8FH2qFq4I0oT7tL2XrAZr3w9Kd57E34MyfDeICOCNIND6lqYQuTs7BJLYStAs59i1iNEARKgem24iqf1VEcIEC/s400/20131030-13_10_30-16-36-17_Botswana.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Hyena - enjoying the midday sun</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>"Just a bit of sunscreen on my shoulders please..."</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4U5aadnZy5NVBQAdchoym9hk1K34or_Yc0ZHzIcpAZm-U-UZArmpTCcAGfTfoVjyBfd5BNzaf38fZW0WT4Dt3-1X5PlK78pHeCjYl8Ir68LsypJSZprKHaOcz8j0AzGKDRMVTf2hG0u24/s1600/20131030-13_10_30-23-06-10_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4U5aadnZy5NVBQAdchoym9hk1K34or_Yc0ZHzIcpAZm-U-UZArmpTCcAGfTfoVjyBfd5BNzaf38fZW0WT4Dt3-1X5PlK78pHeCjYl8Ir68LsypJSZprKHaOcz8j0AzGKDRMVTf2hG0u24/s400/20131030-13_10_30-23-06-10_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Not a bad sight to wake up to...</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxTYGncBsnpdvCm9eb4Mr8gvGacFEyI39gqBTOSzz5T8iCPJhmSRJBT0jbhieU0WU1LU8LiIej3Df8WI5U7tlFyGKOqL_KGwCX8CLG8x9CshkZCCRvKvxPtvBivwCvDdbLZ74zGo88FVJ/s1600/20131031-13_10_31-00-32-11_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxTYGncBsnpdvCm9eb4Mr8gvGacFEyI39gqBTOSzz5T8iCPJhmSRJBT0jbhieU0WU1LU8LiIej3Df8WI5U7tlFyGKOqL_KGwCX8CLG8x9CshkZCCRvKvxPtvBivwCvDdbLZ74zGo88FVJ/s400/20131031-13_10_31-00-32-11_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Please don't move - it's taken ages to find this shade..."</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-qo2JQp9DyLiu4OP4sWaRT5lgo3CqSdaychGTEceIBAqZzDYTHZ_kekwk2dno8fAa84NdxdUYlF6glqGAG2COooyiisnK290X1eFtbGHky9NTzXCU05yhbBECS0jaz_zXOs7Ud4Zeq5mz/s1600/20131031-13_10_31-01-46-04_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-qo2JQp9DyLiu4OP4sWaRT5lgo3CqSdaychGTEceIBAqZzDYTHZ_kekwk2dno8fAa84NdxdUYlF6glqGAG2COooyiisnK290X1eFtbGHky9NTzXCU05yhbBECS0jaz_zXOs7Ud4Zeq5mz/s400/20131031-13_10_31-01-46-04_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Nothing to see here leopard on a mission</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQP5tcphSeO-qp0YS_nxvvs-dIhd4AMjOw5Li9CPn3kd5vs8QfGA4uDlfxm7puIHiENIV3nSbGN2DGMCNwyBDxMhkHmuJgVqVWp1uhW0v03tJUp4wOdqAUxGbrHA9ZFBOTIm1jKkReMmT/s1600/20131031-13_10_31-06-44-16_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQP5tcphSeO-qp0YS_nxvvs-dIhd4AMjOw5Li9CPn3kd5vs8QfGA4uDlfxm7puIHiENIV3nSbGN2DGMCNwyBDxMhkHmuJgVqVWp1uhW0v03tJUp4wOdqAUxGbrHA9ZFBOTIm1jKkReMmT/s400/20131031-13_10_31-06-44-16_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The rather beautiful lilac breasted roller</strong> </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Z7QnJPDuFzLJTlqcP_CM0s66vFApnP97IcFIpajPlRyEE2zonXVKorhYD1_sNPnC_v756pAs2-QtodXSoechOF71jM9E2LyM4BWtZAIxVVf1v2Fe56AWvyVtJgsaCDxsvDCMZUb0B1l5/s1600/20131031-13_10_31-08-13-34_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Z7QnJPDuFzLJTlqcP_CM0s66vFApnP97IcFIpajPlRyEE2zonXVKorhYD1_sNPnC_v756pAs2-QtodXSoechOF71jM9E2LyM4BWtZAIxVVf1v2Fe56AWvyVtJgsaCDxsvDCMZUb0B1l5/s400/20131031-13_10_31-08-13-34_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Yellow billed stalk - fishing for supper...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7bUv0NDgNizmScGCKdZEe6yFl_nrI5Mf7hhX3r7GxqpRnRxv65KfLv24cE-ioEkd5TFZbRd8TO3bPnZLlBu6ja6KUbLCQJoNFi9-hvj5i7q9AKT3ROSKAFyBUvjKRW0kpkNnLnaf-L8D/s1600/20131031-13_10_31-16-41-53_Botswana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7bUv0NDgNizmScGCKdZEe6yFl_nrI5Mf7hhX3r7GxqpRnRxv65KfLv24cE-ioEkd5TFZbRd8TO3bPnZLlBu6ja6KUbLCQJoNFi9-hvj5i7q9AKT3ROSKAFyBUvjKRW0kpkNnLnaf-L8D/s400/20131031-13_10_31-16-41-53_Botswana.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Doc - keeping an eye on Mrs B</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6BYBInVhyphenhypheneRf4b2Gn1AnIBC7nghaFSakxnS33iUjzE6cML14EfzGvGgSt13_mj3maFgzNSHLk-hmBz-MLxI2s8-aSjpVhsXlxMGmZtERC9_Wi76N2ASdGHGSMt_l8O2gRzSJxRKXXK0r/s1600/20131101-13_11_01-09-56-33_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6BYBInVhyphenhypheneRf4b2Gn1AnIBC7nghaFSakxnS33iUjzE6cML14EfzGvGgSt13_mj3maFgzNSHLk-hmBz-MLxI2s8-aSjpVhsXlxMGmZtERC9_Wi76N2ASdGHGSMt_l8O2gRzSJxRKXXK0r/s400/20131101-13_11_01-09-56-33_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Just a little word in your shell like....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCo5SJhi68jOnoW0EXu8k1fciuaxwcNrZTUSd4fikuEwLvd6QHvxC_i7iUWqKj_kZ9EOxO76pb2w3JqLFtu4Pl6b-R7u9_rZviC6CYQ4_6ai761Ych2P8_V0ywL-1F0dYtfJnfLmVJLrn/s1600/20131030-13_10_30-11-35-47_Botswana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibCo5SJhi68jOnoW0EXu8k1fciuaxwcNrZTUSd4fikuEwLvd6QHvxC_i7iUWqKj_kZ9EOxO76pb2w3JqLFtu4Pl6b-R7u9_rZviC6CYQ4_6ai761Ych2P8_V0ywL-1F0dYtfJnfLmVJLrn/s400/20131030-13_10_30-11-35-47_Botswana.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Classic Delta shot </strong><br />
<strong>confusingly this is the dry season when you get rain while </strong><br />
<strong>during the wet season there is little chance of rain???</strong> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIk3NGBwQxI3z9NUw8CIx2lub8CeESXwDK_D6zxLctnCl49izJYuNQZeZdq8VMuTzHLh7J_Kd0Ifhp7CtdCygZRasPJ6BLXbu0rJhaf7LQIzGOLdIBLCnwEFwbQoUShrk-E8xFn7PepW95/s1600/20131030-13_10_30-10-33-38_Botswana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIk3NGBwQxI3z9NUw8CIx2lub8CeESXwDK_D6zxLctnCl49izJYuNQZeZdq8VMuTzHLh7J_Kd0Ifhp7CtdCygZRasPJ6BLXbu0rJhaf7LQIzGOLdIBLCnwEFwbQoUShrk-E8xFn7PepW95/s400/20131030-13_10_30-10-33-38_Botswana.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mrs B in the co-pilot seat</strong> <br />
<br />
<strong>I just hope her non-flying skills are not required....</strong> </td></tr>
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BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-77181228855459332452013-11-17T18:33:00.000+00:002013-12-05T23:46:54.997+00:00Botswana - Meno A Kwena <br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Welcome to the start of our odyssey into the heart of
Botswana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mrs B and I count ourselves
extremely fortunate to be in a position to make such a trip. My hopes of
posting live were somewhat dashed, however, when I shockingly discovered that
Wifi is not <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>available at every corner
café (I guess the fact there are no cafés in the Botswana savannah was a
somewhat limiting factor – Blimey not<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a
Starbucks within a 1000<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>miles).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So much has happened over the last couple of weeks that I
could blog daily to the end of the year and still not do justice to the
trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead I have decided to break
the trip down into 4 parts covering the different camps we stayed in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Camp 1 – Meno A Kwena<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not the most luxurious of camps but all the better for it
(The showers were posh buckets filled with hot water<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I arrived under a cloud of disappointment
having discovered that my luggage had not made it to Botswana with us. It was
last heard of enjoying a solo trip around the world… My disappointment was
tempered because I had wisely secured all my camera equipment and a spare set
of clothes in our hand luggage…This was at a great personal cost to Mrs B<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>who practically tipped over backwards every
time she struggled to heft her overladen rucksack onto her back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At times like this I truly appreciate Mrs B’s
ability to pitch in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had managed to
get our luggage weight down to a respectable 45Kg only 15KG over our allowed
weight so I guess I should have been grateful that my 10KG hold luggage went
off on its own…. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A huge thank you to Toff and Kiddy, the camp managers, for
making us so welcome at Meno A Kwena<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and
also the two lovely Brazilian girls who waited patiently at the airport<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for us while we tried and failed to find out
what had happened to my luggage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got
chatting to one of them, Helena, at dinner one night and the subject of why she
had come all the way to Africa came up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Helena “I have come to Africa on my honeymoon….” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was about to ask her where her husband was. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, as the words formed in my mouth I
had a flash back to the wedding of our friends Philip and Christian and
Christian’s comment about a couple of gate crashers being not only confused
about being at the wrong venue but also at wedding where there was no bride….
Helena may have had similar confusion at her wedding only in this case it would
have been about the lack of a groom…. While just about managing not to put my
foot in it Helena recommended the Brazilian Pantanal<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as a great place to see wild life…. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We only had two nights at Meno A Kwena and as we arrived
late (thanks luggage) and were leaving early on our last day we only had one
whole day to cram in as much as we could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We decided to take the full day out option rather than a morning game
drive with a break followed by an afternoon/evening game drive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
A big thanks to Edward at <a href="http://www.africaodyssey.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" www.africaodyssey.com="">Africa odyssey</a> for sorting our holiday itinery out. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Photo finish<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJgyyKDhgolr9esS5Vtfr_TKdjMET_9alAiws_W2ybfTGT27MfBQobcvEhZoQY1ysz1gH_6OgKEXJ0HRVFtGxZnHRx13t0jWHdnfuhmcK-ZoMadX_5jOYvLV0_L1jCx1MoSVSGCjog4hu/s1600/20131029-13_10_29-18-05-01_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJgyyKDhgolr9esS5Vtfr_TKdjMET_9alAiws_W2ybfTGT27MfBQobcvEhZoQY1ysz1gH_6OgKEXJ0HRVFtGxZnHRx13t0jWHdnfuhmcK-ZoMadX_5jOYvLV0_L1jCx1MoSVSGCjog4hu/s400/20131029-13_10_29-18-05-01_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Hippo - This beautiful creature has a bit of a dark secret </strong><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSKQ3ZNQ_O8"><strong>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSKQ3ZNQ_O8</strong></a><br />
<strong>So be wary of the potential consequences next </strong><br />
<strong>time you try and sneak one out ...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGx5czwuaaE7ziXA8DdPzkvLLSOukMv73WdbvMp65z_1sVyCjgR7YxqJbpDUCdXDc2iorD8IAFH1AJ5XnYSY-yYRZuPR4nQge3_sd2uE-XuImTKxsg1clFSvI4uPDAqfIxRf-TUpTdFojU/s1600/20131029-13_10_29-06-02-28_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGx5czwuaaE7ziXA8DdPzkvLLSOukMv73WdbvMp65z_1sVyCjgR7YxqJbpDUCdXDc2iorD8IAFH1AJ5XnYSY-yYRZuPR4nQge3_sd2uE-XuImTKxsg1clFSvI4uPDAqfIxRf-TUpTdFojU/s400/20131029-13_10_29-06-02-28_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Zebra manoeuvres...</strong> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcrr7WKWQ7z_HZSn5V4nNoGaMambJw06TmcRwgvpKnns2efTKiL5E9kr5hfFyaVl52ynX_03KoVALGV64WgAtPX8cpmo_JU4HYJGqx7OFhafppsyqIcntgfj9j4BbQK_bq0dgw6yCgkPf/s1600/20131030-13_10_30-06-09-27_Botswana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcrr7WKWQ7z_HZSn5V4nNoGaMambJw06TmcRwgvpKnns2efTKiL5E9kr5hfFyaVl52ynX_03KoVALGV64WgAtPX8cpmo_JU4HYJGqx7OFhafppsyqIcntgfj9j4BbQK_bq0dgw6yCgkPf/s400/20131030-13_10_30-06-09-27_Botswana.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>A tent with its own private...well tent???</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2yI6GRlGuXtKo2H_1CpmlNJrPgky-Tvo7WvnEMrJDwP3G2ydpT7f-0BHcJHe_VS3ZJe5qDmRCcQp3eMvf4VuZc_Yy5MMVnyWmqT_5UkxCIl3STk5EhoyOYIkrE8lgnz0EldRuemHgITY/s1600/20131029-13_10_29-13-22-01_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2yI6GRlGuXtKo2H_1CpmlNJrPgky-Tvo7WvnEMrJDwP3G2ydpT7f-0BHcJHe_VS3ZJe5qDmRCcQp3eMvf4VuZc_Yy5MMVnyWmqT_5UkxCIl3STk5EhoyOYIkrE8lgnz0EldRuemHgITY/s400/20131029-13_10_29-13-22-01_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mrs B who had a big smile on her face for the majority of the trip -</strong><br />
<strong>it was only the rudest people in the world who managed to dislodge it </strong><br />
<strong>but more of that in a later posting...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfJk5ijdp43GSg84Guk_t-en5uMcp-62cq0DXC7X8vR3JMfcNJdRFzAZEZDx58zTWjgBHmzXKyMDwqkWmkbmz_a8mbAo-PSCBkmT3GKvZF_3YP4rWhiZ8-GuGeja6eNB7YKEKBINaC-E6/s1600/20131029-13_10_29-10-02-27_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfJk5ijdp43GSg84Guk_t-en5uMcp-62cq0DXC7X8vR3JMfcNJdRFzAZEZDx58zTWjgBHmzXKyMDwqkWmkbmz_a8mbAo-PSCBkmT3GKvZF_3YP4rWhiZ8-GuGeja6eNB7YKEKBINaC-E6/s400/20131029-13_10_29-10-02-27_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>A Slender Mongoose who's attempt to eat a whole Zebra</strong><br />
<strong> was going to leave him a long way short of being a </strong><br />
<strong>member of the slender club....</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8_bbVyjUKBMhlQhNdJmcguN_B-fKjPXwLRp9CqDTUtIot1bIzk0iHmfQvcgcRW-JY4_a0THMKe_zKl7S1QdytXPHbkjVUY2Xr2OyTEv43AjVNArWw6M7dbqiBxh3fdON7xbYxFtuw3K9/s1600/20131029-13_10_29-08-31-52_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8_bbVyjUKBMhlQhNdJmcguN_B-fKjPXwLRp9CqDTUtIot1bIzk0iHmfQvcgcRW-JY4_a0THMKe_zKl7S1QdytXPHbkjVUY2Xr2OyTEv43AjVNArWw6M7dbqiBxh3fdON7xbYxFtuw3K9/s400/20131029-13_10_29-08-31-52_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Vulture - looking almost regal....</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJIc7WLHBPDrzBphdy6K5oyfXL4CLNmEPDigbe2sEGSCFRncSKdCh_w7WzkbyNokfpelO_-aB_rahV_cJgCMHIZZVOADFWJ519O510JznUGkc74XZ3NBpTy-xHw9v928p0vRtiO_tuPgz/s1600/20131029-13_10_29-18-13-02_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJIc7WLHBPDrzBphdy6K5oyfXL4CLNmEPDigbe2sEGSCFRncSKdCh_w7WzkbyNokfpelO_-aB_rahV_cJgCMHIZZVOADFWJ519O510JznUGkc74XZ3NBpTy-xHw9v928p0vRtiO_tuPgz/s400/20131029-13_10_29-18-13-02_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Dusk - bringing to an end the first of our Botswana post</strong> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
If you want to see some more pictures from Meno A Kwena then follow the link <a href="http://blacklogthebeast.zenfolio.com/p3236161">http://blacklogthebeast.zenfolio.com/p3236161</a>. Next time we move onto Mombo camp deep within the heart of the Okavango Delta...</div>
BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-49990706334985001512013-10-27T20:27:00.001+00:002013-10-27T20:27:25.466+00:00Holding BlogOh Dear I have been a bad blogger....Nothing from me for over a month and now all you are going to get is a short message saying "Keep the faith..."<br />
<br />
My pitiful excuse for my extended absence was going to be the dog ate my password but since I don't have a dog and McG is not eating like he used to that was never going to work. The reality is that work has been demanding its pound of flesh and we have been so busy on the social front with:<br />
<br />
1. Weddings (3 of them 1 (Italy) and 1/2 (Wales) international and one in Bishops Stortford). <br />
<br />
<br />
2. Concerts. Way to many to list in full but just as an example this week included:<br />
<br />
Monday - Peter Gabriel at the O2 (Thank you fort the ticket Ash)<br />
Thursday - Travis at the round house (Managed to blag a photo pass for this one, my biggest to date - so more of that to come in a future blog)<br />
Saturday - Daughter at the Cambridge Junction.<br />
<br />
3. Cactus nights - To be honest I have used a couple of them to catch up on some sleep<br />
<br />
Rush - so good I went twice - probably my film of the year so far.<br />
Meet the Millers - Nearly as good <br />
The Fifth Estate - good but managed to sleep through some of it<br />
<br />
And now Mrs B and I are sitting in the airport waiting for a flight to Botswana and a 2 week Safari <br />
<br />
I have the equipment - cameras: 4 of them <br />
The Beast (Nikon D700)<br />
The Behemoth (Nikon D4)<br />
Mega Mini Beast (Panasonic F150) <br />
and new to the flock Extenderthon (Fujifilm HS50) a bridge camera which claims to go out to1000mm, it will be interesting to see how that measures up against an SLR with a 600mm lens.<br />
<br />
Wireless enabled PC <br />
<br />
and so the plan is to report from the field.<br />
<br />
only I strongly suspect WI-FI is not a high priority in the middle of the delta. Guess I should be grateful if I can find enough power to keep the menagerie. <br />
<br />
So if you don't hear from me for a while, make space in your diary for some bumper catching up...<br />
<br />
For those of you in the UK batten down the hatches and keep safe (Strong winds predicted tonight )... for the rest of the world just keep safe...<br />
<br />
<strong>Photo finish</strong><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOC_minIhtUD_a46oF_sjYks98GwRyTKoCFpbi4fUxwQi59PrmwsHdNLZ6lAKYAtqz0frFPP77LQELNSQIcOZ9yRrquVqNOw-6b8VsQ968MeurtxNr1h1Vy9vcbLbfK4SRc2fL9LGrgTiw/s1600/McG+feeling+sorry+for+himself.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOC_minIhtUD_a46oF_sjYks98GwRyTKoCFpbi4fUxwQi59PrmwsHdNLZ6lAKYAtqz0frFPP77LQELNSQIcOZ9yRrquVqNOw-6b8VsQ968MeurtxNr1h1Vy9vcbLbfK4SRc2fL9LGrgTiw/s400/McG+feeling+sorry+for+himself.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McG looking like he might be guilty of<br />
producing some of those strong winds.... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-77618445619667053372013-09-22T23:44:00.001+01:002013-09-23T00:25:39.234+01:00V Festival Chelmsford 2014 - Day 2<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Aaaaaaarrrgggghhhh</span></b></div><br />
<br />
After spending yonks' putting the last part of this year’s V-Festival BlackLOG together I went to publish it <br />
<br />
Pmmph <br />
<br />
The blogging equivalent of a spark, a loud bang, a puff of smoke and an acrid burning smell when you plug your favourite electronic device into the mains….<br />
<br />
This was followed by a stunned silence interrupted by occasional bursts of swearing (Think the opening scenes of 4 Weddings and a Funeral, without the alarm clock or mad driving scene )…don’t worry Mrs B was not in the house and I was beyond listening, so no sensitive ears were perverted in the depth of my despair… I sensibly didn’t kick the cats, they would just look disapprovingly at me and then go and crap in my shoes…..<br />
<br />
So the master piece I crafted together is lost forever – the full story of the day never to be heard. <br />
<br />
You will never know how we were kidnapped and forced to watch the Basement Jaxx or about our daring escape <br />
<br />
Instead I have re-load the pictures and will let them tell the story. The blogging equivalent of a silent movie, with a few shaky cards held up to help the hard of understanding. For the best results try and imagine a piano playing in your head by some mad tone deaf old biddy…. <br />
<br />
<h3>The Saturdays - Main stage</h3><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLOIW9eTgHq6QANda0egGYCIMSQ9ATaQOmFOvNZmcTtlh78neP2Uy0szMKVrgJlgvezbkRejZ2xmMwHZP82SNMJrCSNQx-uCvYJMV_xRq0W3h0hFWUiwor6KLfpFQWEJ4KiOkfyPcYUuB/s1600/DSC_2317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZLOIW9eTgHq6QANda0egGYCIMSQ9ATaQOmFOvNZmcTtlh78neP2Uy0szMKVrgJlgvezbkRejZ2xmMwHZP82SNMJrCSNQx-uCvYJMV_xRq0W3h0hFWUiwor6KLfpFQWEJ4KiOkfyPcYUuB/s400/DSC_2317.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Saturdays </strong><br />
<strong>Being a Sunday it was never really their day...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><h3>Scouting for Girls - Main Stage</h3><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJo_pqCJcFbuWksZhMVQiNWGBXWkjn6NSZtXQNeQ2LXVIT1lN_E1pmdfpV7rMRSSNj8_AQpTCZZ3zjrciOv1gd8rBHNCAs-yWIGBTkW63VIn0keE4KqMVzY2i1_w8xyjChdkV-CqL98qlb/s1600/DSC_2329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJo_pqCJcFbuWksZhMVQiNWGBXWkjn6NSZtXQNeQ2LXVIT1lN_E1pmdfpV7rMRSSNj8_AQpTCZZ3zjrciOv1gd8rBHNCAs-yWIGBTkW63VIn0keE4KqMVzY2i1_w8xyjChdkV-CqL98qlb/s400/DSC_2329.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Elvis Ain't dead"</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Look he's over there in the chip shop near</strong><br />
<strong>where Kirsty McColl used to live...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVGoi2BfKIVc2E-Cs8HF6jYxqWlwK6aQ9h0njrDZXe7aF9ENGhCrS9UlB62Vqgq-NgC7tcM_7D_RO-ICYnowfLWpbRmr8gWb0HeX0tS4EJEca9znDxyiXKPflexLY3aLwyZMXUCOR3u7l/s1600/DSC_2371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVGoi2BfKIVc2E-Cs8HF6jYxqWlwK6aQ9h0njrDZXe7aF9ENGhCrS9UlB62Vqgq-NgC7tcM_7D_RO-ICYnowfLWpbRmr8gWb0HeX0tS4EJEca9znDxyiXKPflexLY3aLwyZMXUCOR3u7l/s400/DSC_2371.jpg" vsa="true" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Roy Stride</strong><br />
<strong>Auditions for a part in Harry Potter</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>"Leviosa"</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<h3>Jason Mraz - Main Stage</h3>He's American...errr, don't know much else...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-taO_XF1oZhHAz9beIuuzav_oOf9BlWnJgvTY3o-LTl_sYZi-9INCYU49pEKqvTo9XIuTxt2lSFW2tmTzIhjOsVZfeAWziQPwOp0K4qrV22oaCxRdUSKKgMdJfWhqUpsyk8us-a0agDFh/s1600/DSC_2421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-taO_XF1oZhHAz9beIuuzav_oOf9BlWnJgvTY3o-LTl_sYZi-9INCYU49pEKqvTo9XIuTxt2lSFW2tmTzIhjOsVZfeAWziQPwOp0K4qrV22oaCxRdUSKKgMdJfWhqUpsyk8us-a0agDFh/s400/DSC_2421.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1RZFB7pA4st-2pmAlFMzOjrsM2DluZnoUfLg-t0x-leVEKKHr1mg5V36i8BwdMvQUrPYKhGV9bUKUPeqYMzwKijnX__L76adq14W8yP9JA4FZm8MVxVToocT_zaiOxJkI4y40FA218HC/s1600/DSC_2423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ1RZFB7pA4st-2pmAlFMzOjrsM2DluZnoUfLg-t0x-leVEKKHr1mg5V36i8BwdMvQUrPYKhGV9bUKUPeqYMzwKijnX__L76adq14W8yP9JA4FZm8MVxVToocT_zaiOxJkI4y40FA218HC/s400/DSC_2423.jpg" vsa="true" width="266" /></a></div><h3>Tom O'Dell - Stage 4</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowIxbYeBuYmIrThFWIG08di5LTfGXGjHmBCz2J21AEP0V2QGklAKI3F6ee12nhKO84on3GW_TwoE-Nb1eEU4VtFM47m1Iw2uEx_5bLOKzIrXrdg_yzdwyKZ6tpD3myasVOlEgJl9G2yly/s1600/DSC_2486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowIxbYeBuYmIrThFWIG08di5LTfGXGjHmBCz2J21AEP0V2QGklAKI3F6ee12nhKO84on3GW_TwoE-Nb1eEU4VtFM47m1Iw2uEx_5bLOKzIrXrdg_yzdwyKZ6tpD3myasVOlEgJl9G2yly/s400/DSC_2486.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Grow Old With Me"</strong><br />
<strong>That's easy for him to say, he </strong><br />
<strong>looks about 10......</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><h3>Olly Murs - Main Stage</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0apRSXwSFfTgFy9E1tfAllJOKWKxD_eq59RsevosW600WG8eF3dasOhRGt7NILiJtoomF6yWWZ1pcgJGIixbjsgUYFSoU_EkOfJUJqP9Nxk4DxQEmlHfT2-m9c7m4Qp7LeSLfJhi6Uw7_/s1600/DSC_2685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0apRSXwSFfTgFy9E1tfAllJOKWKxD_eq59RsevosW600WG8eF3dasOhRGt7NILiJtoomF6yWWZ1pcgJGIixbjsgUYFSoU_EkOfJUJqP9Nxk4DxQEmlHfT2-m9c7m4Qp7LeSLfJhi6Uw7_/s400/DSC_2685.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"What A Buzz"</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><h3>The Vaccines - Main Stage</h3>I kind of like them - not sure about Mrs B<br />
<br />
I had gone forward to get some snaps when I received this text from Mrs B...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">" Save me from the Vaccines!!!! ;-( "</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMJsZuVQr06zI4yoAQGMYAdtCzFrYZtBIE2XB1h7ibB9dMLGOZMBkMySjU2qkzXHZkw8hdHBrJSpBHSyDV9Bo_XBvBNT773Yt4e1fdkZKwLposu0PBAQ4imiypS03tXYn20cMWbaGRPiS/s1600/DSC_2725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMJsZuVQr06zI4yoAQGMYAdtCzFrYZtBIE2XB1h7ibB9dMLGOZMBkMySjU2qkzXHZkw8hdHBrJSpBHSyDV9Bo_XBvBNT773Yt4e1fdkZKwLposu0PBAQ4imiypS03tXYn20cMWbaGRPiS/s400/DSC_2725.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Bad Mood"</strong><br />
<strong>Apt for Mrs B</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuKVIZkJ88TcNR-gFIvMI2wgkd5v4VuicJLsMnXnhY345X6Zpck9u3CrbQ5rmAJ-BKP8WjSHHk8XLnF2o2wTZ4wZ584Qsfs0qMb4yrHRb3VkpbV2cSbOMhnQHZDZT3vdkv6Mo_y9MOmHJ/s1600/DSC_2928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuKVIZkJ88TcNR-gFIvMI2wgkd5v4VuicJLsMnXnhY345X6Zpck9u3CrbQ5rmAJ-BKP8WjSHHk8XLnF2o2wTZ4wZ584Qsfs0qMb4yrHRb3VkpbV2cSbOMhnQHZDZT3vdkv6Mo_y9MOmHJ/s400/DSC_2928.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Hands up if you like the Vaccines...</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>No That's not Mrs B...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><h3>Maximo Park</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPNHLeAtotqDpeA0hM2hg6ln1ZTqiPzZC-RBPBP3vnWilWmAz5SZkpbmV9KMep0nPguwAIEcS6Js-sU0_q4zTswqWkENahdD3s8tflVvAo7urW2-CBkU3A5_uDGdkZIhVw7u-822ukfC9/s1600/DSC_3074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPNHLeAtotqDpeA0hM2hg6ln1ZTqiPzZC-RBPBP3vnWilWmAz5SZkpbmV9KMep0nPguwAIEcS6Js-sU0_q4zTswqWkENahdD3s8tflVvAo7urW2-CBkU3A5_uDGdkZIhVw7u-822ukfC9/s400/DSC_3074.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Acrobat"</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXO9wyxYxYut4lGH8x7MaSkx7rkqbQL9XI59sgyEwD4fUCbnfpN631rtGLHlHy6Qilh6LebkYiSDF3i1Hs5kfMMNEfW7ncZhOKRfg80qQqWrjADR9O5i5qnz234XtUvDVq7UTymS62VY6U/s1600/DSC_3239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXO9wyxYxYut4lGH8x7MaSkx7rkqbQL9XI59sgyEwD4fUCbnfpN631rtGLHlHy6Qilh6LebkYiSDF3i1Hs5kfMMNEfW7ncZhOKRfg80qQqWrjADR9O5i5qnz234XtUvDVq7UTymS62VY6U/s400/DSC_3239.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"When I Was Wild"</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_8UFb9zIYkJatMUfF9roxvNzQIK-sYUIer1TZThNcX8aPjTFyH3HmiW5W4d6aVVhlbzm8aKN1AbDN4X8VQBWG6B-R4Wlh8-en5I1xvl_m1Zwfrsu4JqgNBsJYR91tPJ9MRLQq0vJnduV/s1600/DSC_3357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_8UFb9zIYkJatMUfF9roxvNzQIK-sYUIer1TZThNcX8aPjTFyH3HmiW5W4d6aVVhlbzm8aKN1AbDN4X8VQBWG6B-R4Wlh8-en5I1xvl_m1Zwfrsu4JqgNBsJYR91tPJ9MRLQq0vJnduV/s400/DSC_3357.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>I think this is Stephanie Pruitt and her young man</strong><br />
<strong>what a cute couple they make....</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>or it's Craig Baily and his girl....</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>what can I say there were a lot of people there ...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vOn91Cp4Jx5KQqf9yp5KRIK73rcuftm8MueN6f3225omxSUNMTZrDZQtu8OF-iTjmhFCcy5gCBF4ZRUoSuBNAo0F9pqkdmOS94jaGEtwt7D_vPyP1dmtoejsF5QacX0bujO4LJBkI0FV/s1600/DSC_3480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vOn91Cp4Jx5KQqf9yp5KRIK73rcuftm8MueN6f3225omxSUNMTZrDZQtu8OF-iTjmhFCcy5gCBF4ZRUoSuBNAo0F9pqkdmOS94jaGEtwt7D_vPyP1dmtoejsF5QacX0bujO4LJBkI0FV/s400/DSC_3480.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"National Health"</strong><br />
<strong>You might need it to treat the ringing in your ears</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcWvXvjuqT0BwP1DftKy9il-K5Iluw8tymqQxK4jZWZIS35PcH93DXX0j8yFaCJtJl4wjfL4MzTTGqhBu5yTsrVHOAI4qFy0qD_2qoPlFC9C_esc0tSWwD0wcVY96ct8gOX5Fsq_owlXk/s1600/DSC_3612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwcWvXvjuqT0BwP1DftKy9il-K5Iluw8tymqQxK4jZWZIS35PcH93DXX0j8yFaCJtJl4wjfL4MzTTGqhBu5yTsrVHOAI4qFy0qD_2qoPlFC9C_esc0tSWwD0wcVY96ct8gOX5Fsq_owlXk/s400/DSC_3612.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Apply some pressure"</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><h3>Emeli Sande</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSehlsdwfDV2GsUzggHskw4TdBH15bDPK8tm7-_y2Spd2CFIheZolUTVyeUOs2Mix2btHvbZWSUmJF3u18qd0BE6K3tZ4OtcQG-s7oFTC-nMZIdy1OF5q5uEKAarsHXZ5woLWGgga4fOjM/s1600/DSC_3667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSehlsdwfDV2GsUzggHskw4TdBH15bDPK8tm7-_y2Spd2CFIheZolUTVyeUOs2Mix2btHvbZWSUmJF3u18qd0BE6K3tZ4OtcQG-s7oFTC-nMZIdy1OF5q5uEKAarsHXZ5woLWGgga4fOjM/s400/DSC_3667.jpg" vsa="true" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Emeli looks in pain as</strong><br />
<strong>she reaches for those</strong><br />
<strong>elusive high notes...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TVWRXZO2WTyfKQBn9sl_iCXftsziUrVYrz3swZHNGWpRozj3cTs4e072_JZyWmfnaGwdfkUaXgQlM2atjrrsq4ThJryy6ggckRyavMJkzEO5MFzVMPKnQWfQiNGOjlbeQzl2aedIvBoS/s1600/DSC_3708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TVWRXZO2WTyfKQBn9sl_iCXftsziUrVYrz3swZHNGWpRozj3cTs4e072_JZyWmfnaGwdfkUaXgQlM2atjrrsq4ThJryy6ggckRyavMJkzEO5MFzVMPKnQWfQiNGOjlbeQzl2aedIvBoS/s400/DSC_3708.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>It's easy to get carried away at a festival....</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><h3>The Stereophonics - Main Stage</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5XiuQw0xrQsW1cIdlu09R4u-AGGPKW5yCqDjeL0kbzgT9xgCqXm2cX0sM8otEuzWIZuGmyhJeDixJMF1Cqg3-oulGZfmrQhk5PZGKIWqj3SHvb6aIRT5DbYMvNxypsit3M_v4AOBtwpB/s1600/DSC_3869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF5XiuQw0xrQsW1cIdlu09R4u-AGGPKW5yCqDjeL0kbzgT9xgCqXm2cX0sM8otEuzWIZuGmyhJeDixJMF1Cqg3-oulGZfmrQhk5PZGKIWqj3SHvb6aIRT5DbYMvNxypsit3M_v4AOBtwpB/s400/DSC_3869.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Brother"</strong><br />
<strong>in this case the less Richard Jones</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7byqxhEDCRXkWOLh9So2qNurxZW7p0uxnEXUTN4ucUdZDF2ZeiKfWReIu8Ek_XTHn5g5s8SR1eR4z8urFha5IgtHYP3ngtY-3_cb8UFL3meawf6KNE_hHtYM53L9li3-QY5CFzeDva7nc/s1600/DSC_3922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7byqxhEDCRXkWOLh9So2qNurxZW7p0uxnEXUTN4ucUdZDF2ZeiKfWReIu8Ek_XTHn5g5s8SR1eR4z8urFha5IgtHYP3ngtY-3_cb8UFL3meawf6KNE_hHtYM53L9li3-QY5CFzeDva7nc/s400/DSC_3922.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Kelly Jones</strong><br />
<strong>fighting to keep control of his guitar break...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCz4so3MIiaT0jvo08vbA4pzUi6SdzxhjL59b8N5PwUrmDbokBEZg1s4TMveikavsq6hrtVLAd4VM4msI3Ch0jwq9K48zoVxWIUTf1vQ0gbOnDk0emubUjIYkKLooNSX8W1s2YX-hc5PVI/s1600/DSC_3998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCz4so3MIiaT0jvo08vbA4pzUi6SdzxhjL59b8N5PwUrmDbokBEZg1s4TMveikavsq6hrtVLAd4VM4msI3Ch0jwq9K48zoVxWIUTf1vQ0gbOnDk0emubUjIYkKLooNSX8W1s2YX-hc5PVI/s400/DSC_3998.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Pick A Part That's New"</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27sPp-4cDySTnIoTeigzuZAEsMTikSWEnR9mqyhPAzNSoX_XrF3EUy-omJ_Bwwd-ymN8DmXloHLmOU2BnyU80hfUaOD_J__JZoxftTES8kmgGE34GLc4fN044kK8GC4YA5Ihb_Dt72bFJ/s1600/DSC_4017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27sPp-4cDySTnIoTeigzuZAEsMTikSWEnR9mqyhPAzNSoX_XrF3EUy-omJ_Bwwd-ymN8DmXloHLmOU2BnyU80hfUaOD_J__JZoxftTES8kmgGE34GLc4fN044kK8GC4YA5Ihb_Dt72bFJ/s400/DSC_4017.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Local Boy In The Photograph"</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BtHXS5HwwXUTY1votqkdB7QvDS09zFMC8EXksOx1dFruYnKWaMneJmeXptH-Fb69KD049pfIBaKzjDIc8drfXOK7iBUBVS_6-JDYHoBrZythaQR6hk3K61Cuz7C5Q8GlhcHaeoi8nI6K/s1600/DSC_4020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0BtHXS5HwwXUTY1votqkdB7QvDS09zFMC8EXksOx1dFruYnKWaMneJmeXptH-Fb69KD049pfIBaKzjDIc8drfXOK7iBUBVS_6-JDYHoBrZythaQR6hk3K61Cuz7C5Q8GlhcHaeoi8nI6K/s400/DSC_4020.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Superman"</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnkAU47dwHHMvXvi4Ra-SCr5hJiHiqi_w39g7EcI_bwR4-s9rw4Ui9IeGBzMNE4EnbT_HqOVDe7TBCLCc7nFDm34W9J2A5hV0qjhNyK8_hEWvMl1IzcyUkp3PmdHzPRP4duKfR-8ZpCsM/s1600/DSC_4253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnkAU47dwHHMvXvi4Ra-SCr5hJiHiqi_w39g7EcI_bwR4-s9rw4Ui9IeGBzMNE4EnbT_HqOVDe7TBCLCc7nFDm34W9J2A5hV0qjhNyK8_hEWvMl1IzcyUkp3PmdHzPRP4duKfR-8ZpCsM/s400/DSC_4253.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Charlotte Price and friends...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97imbqUmyxPkxhGLaxqFYMPqI16Be1d2wj_ciMGyCzfG5vToOKrB0HlaCj5sIoGWPL2ju4uCChy25aP1xFoYUoscJhrkAETMBe4hmkMNzyy1fgHBAihza5uYCZJ3vqgqlfOJ548UoQE25/s1600/DSC_4261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97imbqUmyxPkxhGLaxqFYMPqI16Be1d2wj_ciMGyCzfG5vToOKrB0HlaCj5sIoGWPL2ju4uCChy25aP1xFoYUoscJhrkAETMBe4hmkMNzyy1fgHBAihza5uYCZJ3vqgqlfOJ548UoQE25/s400/DSC_4261.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Looking at the evidence of similar paint</strong><br />
<strong>this is either another friend of Charlotte's </strong><br />
<strong>or a stalker....</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<h3>Basement Jaxx - Arena Tent</h3>We were tired and wanted to go home to bed.... we ran into some people who had other ideas....<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfN-dYIOcxV64fjaDcsP78lw4IqdK_rl0gISFo17EDhVAuTUsUBTGuNMbTx2Blj54bJ5jU7og-cVMWit1x21wa9MrDedJ2f0kgZsD1nW6mGi_jI02YeO0cMvWqSsOq7FByb9NlufqUnaDo/s1600/DSC_4326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfN-dYIOcxV64fjaDcsP78lw4IqdK_rl0gISFo17EDhVAuTUsUBTGuNMbTx2Blj54bJ5jU7og-cVMWit1x21wa9MrDedJ2f0kgZsD1nW6mGi_jI02YeO0cMvWqSsOq7FByb9NlufqUnaDo/s400/DSC_4326.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mrs B shaking her Basement Jaxx</strong><br />
<strong>What ever the hell they are????</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-V8VbPccs3BXKZHgSv3e3xMDAe7m1CCEfpXowN8PvpobIKGOrIRMDFP9ayKFGvwM_GA1ABi1gP6Q_Gap3JmoEArtIc0LdTKs77ihH9x_tiniNB3jpKqHEBuool7e1uCVV9EWkMPFDiz7/s1600/DSC_4339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-V8VbPccs3BXKZHgSv3e3xMDAe7m1CCEfpXowN8PvpobIKGOrIRMDFP9ayKFGvwM_GA1ABi1gP6Q_Gap3JmoEArtIc0LdTKs77ihH9x_tiniNB3jpKqHEBuool7e1uCVV9EWkMPFDiz7/s400/DSC_4339.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Emma - who may have attempted to kidnap us and </strong><br />
<strong>force us to watch the BJ's....</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQF3RQ2wGH9TS1A85Pdhs1jomUq4APEsC1_zkqPKiyhZTm1AH6aOtX97-E-7plSIiOibfdrTKQeVHO6W82P4AouswwPk1iw2Qclhw4E9SQMN_arV3q3Mj6jN1TMpUuUu_x5vyKfXL2Jq5/s1600/DSC_4307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" closure_lm_574981="null" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQF3RQ2wGH9TS1A85Pdhs1jomUq4APEsC1_zkqPKiyhZTm1AH6aOtX97-E-7plSIiOibfdrTKQeVHO6W82P4AouswwPk1iw2Qclhw4E9SQMN_arV3q3Mj6jN1TMpUuUu_x5vyKfXL2Jq5/s400/DSC_4307.jpg" vsa="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Emma's husband and possible accomplice....</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div>until next time <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-66603016597647035132013-08-28T15:13:00.001+01:002013-09-25T22:49:09.689+01:00V Festival Chelmsford 2014 - Day 1It's been a while since my last blog - just kind of got side-tracked and guess I found it hard to get back into the swing of it...oh well lots to catch up on so I better get started.<br />
<br />
Big news in the BlackLOG household , The Beast (Nikon D700) has a new sibling. He has been joined by The Behemoth (a Nikon D4). For anyone who knows about cameras they will realise that while The Beast is a serious bit of kit, The Behemoth takes seriousness to a whole new level. Think of the un-funniest thing that you know and then subtract the last vestiges of humour left and you are part way to how serious a camera this really is. I count myself a very lucky boy, while I had been planning to get a D4 for some time, my savings plan still had it a good few years (possibly decades) away. Queue conversation with Mrs B about holiday plans...<br />
<br />
Mrs B - "I really want to go on Safari this year"<br />
Me - "I do as well but don't want to go until I get a new camera"<br />
Mrs B - "Well get it then..."<br />
it arrived the next day...<br />
<br />
Now how do I get that Nikon 800mm lens....it's only £18,000...Oh Yeah, that would be in my dreams .... Besides, most Safaris seem to have a 15 Kilo limit on luggage.<br />
<br />
The Behemoth's first task was a real baptism of fire - sneaking into this year's V-Festival. <br />
<br />
Saturday 17th July <br />
<br />
It was a strange V this year - in previous years the crowds start out quiet and gradually build as the day readies itself for the headline act. It was a huge shock to find ourselves early on Saturday afternoon having to fight our way towards the third stage (The Arena) to start our weekend off with the lovely Nina Nesbitt...<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Nina Nesbitt - Arena</span></strong><br />
Fantastic start to the weekend - the girl sure can rock..<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4RBt4vQXnFcFQdkQK6QTyzXRdABr6zhR-6KvdcwYFskSAHCMl3H3eu-WHb2dbqV8LEK7pX2k0ulAzBTb1hV5kVklYqsL7pKhAp9sX9nVZmZzfPxaMtR1d2T8qgRU94veheP40tLxrICw/s1600/DSC_0570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4RBt4vQXnFcFQdkQK6QTyzXRdABr6zhR-6KvdcwYFskSAHCMl3H3eu-WHb2dbqV8LEK7pX2k0ulAzBTb1hV5kVklYqsL7pKhAp9sX9nVZmZzfPxaMtR1d2T8qgRU94veheP40tLxrICw/s1600/DSC_0570.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Way in the word"</strong> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Gabrielle Alpin - Arena</span></strong><br />
Came across as a bit squeaky, the jury is still out...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHw4zsK-ZrfDNYJ6zUJNRbRR51ti9-G9aHVQwAOFccL40ctgI9UqDjRhBvqah7hwdtPwgsrcUKx0mzf37aiEFwzqdO9eUitxWWd_1MAiTwO6yV9HsHuf5thUCLykRinU9Es1r__nvq3KTX/s1600/DSC_0799.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHw4zsK-ZrfDNYJ6zUJNRbRR51ti9-G9aHVQwAOFccL40ctgI9UqDjRhBvqah7hwdtPwgsrcUKx0mzf37aiEFwzqdO9eUitxWWd_1MAiTwO6yV9HsHuf5thUCLykRinU9Es1r__nvq3KTX/s400/DSC_0799.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"The Power of Love"</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">James - Main Stage</span></strong><br />
Still going strong<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6hccAIG9UYKVxs3XEla7u-4fyi_G4G___xKULSp08QznOTrALIWhEeJ6G7KltpzDIpplpIr2nTTFVHBISUJWRUfXDAv_TaYZBBHPPgdPyKVZcAQIHY2AsHKrHIJD4tW-VHeDQ74a0VD-/s1600/DSC_0827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ6hccAIG9UYKVxs3XEla7u-4fyi_G4G___xKULSp08QznOTrALIWhEeJ6G7KltpzDIpplpIr2nTTFVHBISUJWRUfXDAv_TaYZBBHPPgdPyKVZcAQIHY2AsHKrHIJD4tW-VHeDQ74a0VD-/s400/DSC_0827.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong> "Sit Down"</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> Paloma Faith - Main stage</span></strong><br />
Having seen Paloma a number of times I have never been disappointed - not only does she put on a great show but she has the songs and voice to back it up...My highlight of the day<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBx6PK_AUVPnn-rzLjop4L-G3Ne9Ffo-04dndkM-fsHm2AQ_NL2AvHijjPCZPF1AlfM8uJRmGpnKnAFTNTBx7zfPyQ6g3o6ke8dooUTRwG7sH4yZRdzFM3lSKLayl3SPf49UsdJzPEw0b/s1600/DSC_1013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBx6PK_AUVPnn-rzLjop4L-G3Ne9Ffo-04dndkM-fsHm2AQ_NL2AvHijjPCZPF1AlfM8uJRmGpnKnAFTNTBx7zfPyQ6g3o6ke8dooUTRwG7sH4yZRdzFM3lSKLayl3SPf49UsdJzPEw0b/s400/DSC_1013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"30 minute Love affair"</strong><br />
<strong>Is certainly enough time while </strong><br />
<strong>waiting for a Beyoncé set.....</strong> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ1IWE2J8oEmjrpaj936OMibvBLzk6g2wsYFQI3zQjzkri1it1qyQ_ZZgEFj8PAiP6LDIvdlXFEZxBxUnrceBYe1u1ybaxe5ASNDeJR64CBvicxwViaWtV0On4PASx5N2L8_nvQhsHs-aN/s1600/DSC_1019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ1IWE2J8oEmjrpaj936OMibvBLzk6g2wsYFQI3zQjzkri1it1qyQ_ZZgEFj8PAiP6LDIvdlXFEZxBxUnrceBYe1u1ybaxe5ASNDeJR64CBvicxwViaWtV0On4PASx5N2L8_nvQhsHs-aN/s400/DSC_1019.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Do You want the truth or something beautiful?"</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Hmm, Since the truth can often be quite ugly I'm clearly </strong><br />
<strong>going to have to opt for something beautiful..."</strong> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><strong>Of Monsters and Men - 4 Music stage</strong><br />
Surprised to discover they were Icelandic - think <span dir="auto">Bjork</span> only with talent and lacking the annoying voice....<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWrERmw-rC2UdAWAbNk3QncynzwXvHYHUKJf5i_ZNy6Sq30PfBp99zBrm9uTtw0wRLFuEF-8ssc152eXb49tnkFjl4fvVRgNb45rfh4nV9gxtAAsTj37p2Y988H7VYzEpTIjcABhyphenhyphen_b7u/s1600/DSC_1059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWrERmw-rC2UdAWAbNk3QncynzwXvHYHUKJf5i_ZNy6Sq30PfBp99zBrm9uTtw0wRLFuEF-8ssc152eXb49tnkFjl4fvVRgNb45rfh4nV9gxtAAsTj37p2Y988H7VYzEpTIjcABhyphenhyphen_b7u/s400/DSC_1059.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Piano, backing vocals - Steingrimur Karl Teague </strong><br />
<strong>(Touring member)</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxYZpdJQuMdai_6aRa6TT_Uc1HMzGvUO9InYzP9Gtb1miabpC0LQur1JbyKk9QNN2BVboeWlhxevrlIg3OP_MJuHsWXrAXlxcnm6Hn7ZvZ8DrvV1T-qiwE8HHL7JMm7uwdCEwgRRZWU2T/s1600/DSC_1084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxYZpdJQuMdai_6aRa6TT_Uc1HMzGvUO9InYzP9Gtb1miabpC0LQur1JbyKk9QNN2BVboeWlhxevrlIg3OP_MJuHsWXrAXlxcnm6Hn7ZvZ8DrvV1T-qiwE8HHL7JMm7uwdCEwgRRZWU2T/s400/DSC_1084.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>bassist - Kristján Páll Kristjánsson</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkbugJBqHvU5tgVYbXEpSXjCzXcJ1BqBEctn288byduZx_HGYLksxdTkr9-OqB6ayRscDRz-zNIoqIOk7Eoyrry1sa1axVgFKY6mM31u3qZW55r0EiFjYwY3CfNEL4iFufA8A3i2IOJrP/s1600/DSC_1129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDkbugJBqHvU5tgVYbXEpSXjCzXcJ1BqBEctn288byduZx_HGYLksxdTkr9-OqB6ayRscDRz-zNIoqIOk7Eoyrry1sa1axVgFKY6mM31u3qZW55r0EiFjYwY3CfNEL4iFufA8A3i2IOJrP/s400/DSC_1129.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lead singer - </strong><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanna_Brynd%C3%ADs_Hilmarsd%C3%B3ttir" title="Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir"><strong>Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir</strong></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> Labrinth - 4 Music Stage</span></strong><br />
<strong> </strong>Hadn't heard much by him/them so pleasantly surprised<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnKg9TQi0DIX-M421ZCfr5xDB4p8eLVsH9vK_qidR6KpYpyrm9iZWHt6Ebbqak2i9Em3YwwcLECEu0xqkanI7Ocdo53h2iLRo3cRVqpVHFEnahOca3txy_XQUSR_Eh2ExA653KrNPt6xQ/s1600/DSC_1279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnKg9TQi0DIX-M421ZCfr5xDB4p8eLVsH9vK_qidR6KpYpyrm9iZWHt6Ebbqak2i9Em3YwwcLECEu0xqkanI7Ocdo53h2iLRo3cRVqpVHFEnahOca3txy_XQUSR_Eh2ExA653KrNPt6xQ/s400/DSC_1279.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Express Yourself"</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>I did - it almost got me arrested.....</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> Fun. - 4 Music stage</span></strong><br />
A bit poppy but did exactly what it says on the tin, they certainly were fun.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOLmV_c1PFikmuFwUCrxIU0nDgPOgzPFsyg0nU4vLQoDfLEkqhCOJZHj1R16UWjekoJxv4Wf0NKcflkBm8UdN8gsUun0Dq4MHMWCtafZo0o3-1moeIOULpYJ2xI1jo60ZwqahJJMeTE8x/s1600/DSC_1404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOLmV_c1PFikmuFwUCrxIU0nDgPOgzPFsyg0nU4vLQoDfLEkqhCOJZHj1R16UWjekoJxv4Wf0NKcflkBm8UdN8gsUun0Dq4MHMWCtafZo0o3-1moeIOULpYJ2xI1jo60ZwqahJJMeTE8x/s400/DSC_1404.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Nates Ruess </strong><br />
<strong> likes to hit those high notes</strong> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQS-3OyF-6OPbLEPznIZr_NOwqZXsYjEHoyF0Px87YAskl2uT5pFHBbamyU1RcGzpu69t3b_mW0GGLk7bcVMo0EfU0D3BzLRM71hwsM3QWPK-stilUHwoP3HYrRfdvR2kxmkADHJVavCA/s1600/DSC_1638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkQS-3OyF-6OPbLEPznIZr_NOwqZXsYjEHoyF0Px87YAskl2uT5pFHBbamyU1RcGzpu69t3b_mW0GGLk7bcVMo0EfU0D3BzLRM71hwsM3QWPK-stilUHwoP3HYrRfdvR2kxmkADHJVavCA/s400/DSC_1638.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Carry On"</strong><br />
<strong>he certainly will</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtaOoFgQNEbKRN8lkybElrFko3CxjpC7oY2u-WsTDHJOUcFt_7QNJgnkzQK6alRZ18j_N9PPlDi8WXN0KD7s6d10nnAhuhbYgi6_nUln9msuzdTkmphhrw6zBLlB43zIPhsd-oM2Kd7zz/s1600/DSC_1665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtaOoFgQNEbKRN8lkybElrFko3CxjpC7oY2u-WsTDHJOUcFt_7QNJgnkzQK6alRZ18j_N9PPlDi8WXN0KD7s6d10nnAhuhbYgi6_nUln9msuzdTkmphhrw6zBLlB43zIPhsd-oM2Kd7zz/s400/DSC_1665.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Nates does his impression of a Golden Retriever </strong><br />
<strong>with its head hanging out of the car window while</strong><br />
<strong>been driven along at speed....</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeo4W9W8WJyFTBOy1VkiKUm7f3ZvFFwWjVaRsCxdvdwWMv4e1oG9MdptrB91MiEhPUa_Vzt6DnZk1_qC82pCr8Njwnz8iiZnazdZirsdT7F8nLBQhuVgIjRmjSwXU0JoiZXwqNqV2q59w6/s1600/DSC_1802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeo4W9W8WJyFTBOy1VkiKUm7f3ZvFFwWjVaRsCxdvdwWMv4e1oG9MdptrB91MiEhPUa_Vzt6DnZk1_qC82pCr8Njwnz8iiZnazdZirsdT7F8nLBQhuVgIjRmjSwXU0JoiZXwqNqV2q59w6/s400/DSC_1802.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Some Nights"</strong><br />
<strong> you just have to whip your band mates into shape...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Courteeners - 4 Music Stage</span></strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZ06bRyKl0Qa8xNsyvCvI1EBdUsxRC7SgG0tK3z7nBGbCduNEDnCLmH8GDYzjBscldh8VMQ3qwn3z20ojdqDYFYxj-SIeTzlqHo6hC4UpF6PqmrVIImVaLWWQbZ9rDH-nz0cK8m7JJmfy/s1600/DSC_1941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZ06bRyKl0Qa8xNsyvCvI1EBdUsxRC7SgG0tK3z7nBGbCduNEDnCLmH8GDYzjBscldh8VMQ3qwn3z20ojdqDYFYxj-SIeTzlqHo6hC4UpF6PqmrVIImVaLWWQbZ9rDH-nz0cK8m7JJmfy/s400/DSC_1941.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Liam James Fray </strong><br />
<strong>"Good times are calling"</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Are they? I must be going deaf in my old age...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Beyoncé</span></strong><br />
<br />
Now, before any of you die-hard fans out there get over-agitated, remember the following is only my opinion.........<br />
<br />
We made our way to the main stage to catch a bit of the headline act.....only she could not be bothered to turn up on time so we could not be bothered to hang around. Did she miss us?...I suspect not. Did I miss not seeing an over-hyped diva? Certainly not...Mrs B would liked to have watched her show on the highlights of the V-Festival catch-up on Channel 4 but even then the jumped up Prima Donna (No, not Mrs B - how very dare you) decided not to give permission for any of her set to be broadcast...Hmmm. To me it smacks of someone who doesn't want to be found lacking on the talent front. All I will say is that chickens often come home to roost and there is only so much that the majority of fans will put up with before they go off and find someone who is more giving and less self centred.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I think you will agree I managed to capture the essence of her show in my non-picture above.... If not the 5 outfit changes, which I heard managed to eat up most of her remaining set...I guess if you only have a couple of good songs you have to paper over the cracks in whatever way you can....<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Photo Finish</strong></span><br />
Some of the faces in the crowd - the unsung heroes (i.e. us mortals who pay for the whole shebang...)<br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdM6T-f8D7n5MkRZ4apm_rFe3IjxMPxUDFjFAkCwLWTMxFEn3XCsCQ2cKdRa9hioxCkYnD-9VmnUPopJP_bUPMjiChpkQA0uXe5N_g64GchkMjdSIo44M_YAHXTy8SpM801TOy0GqrEKGk/s1600/DSC_1023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdM6T-f8D7n5MkRZ4apm_rFe3IjxMPxUDFjFAkCwLWTMxFEn3XCsCQ2cKdRa9hioxCkYnD-9VmnUPopJP_bUPMjiChpkQA0uXe5N_g64GchkMjdSIo44M_YAHXTy8SpM801TOy0GqrEKGk/s400/DSC_1023.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mrs B makes a new friend, Ben, during Paloma Faith</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHY4EhVUhWf5lx3ijmmC8j2Y0q09C6ZillwyC_j3rkAqqgWCAdNWmQ5-MsVetkCAd_nFyuFP0LwbahgE-tmhaT44a4vQoI8bKkEGjSLidKp9yCfpHzc4UlP0E1EcI6APFINYsIqnGn2MF/s1600/DSC_1028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHY4EhVUhWf5lx3ijmmC8j2Y0q09C6ZillwyC_j3rkAqqgWCAdNWmQ5-MsVetkCAd_nFyuFP0LwbahgE-tmhaT44a4vQoI8bKkEGjSLidKp9yCfpHzc4UlP0E1EcI6APFINYsIqnGn2MF/s400/DSC_1028.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Kati (probably wrong spelling - sorry if it is)</strong><br />
<strong>I suspect you got more out of Beyoncé then we did - sorry to</strong><br />
<strong> diss the Beyonc but life is way too short to pander to Divas...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VeJZY0HjmJ1HahWrk1HDwOOEcdx7NA7jbr6xIlEBale1LG1LHiUjvvdhDY0tgU_e3g_UqPEFMUeZM24EZziapekMhU79QEus_H115HoUW_u_dSVJLSeCsCE4J-iiyTq2vv-p-czd6NgH/s1600/DSC_1038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VeJZY0HjmJ1HahWrk1HDwOOEcdx7NA7jbr6xIlEBale1LG1LHiUjvvdhDY0tgU_e3g_UqPEFMUeZM24EZziapekMhU79QEus_H115HoUW_u_dSVJLSeCsCE4J-iiyTq2vv-p-czd6NgH/s400/DSC_1038.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Not as many costumes on show this year..</strong><br />
<strong>Perhaps Beyoncé had bagged them all...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hgNjKOVGQIvQALuN_JjiJUBJ5Lp3R3YD8-UCuwkvjj_WckK2rjAigRwe9ztAjfHsr-vA5YxICvAVeY33hXknzYEBVxwqZYGttdC7ou4GCLzV9OFFZlWyGn5RATQgK4BYpNz2IMIJvbqQ/s1600/DSC_1048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hgNjKOVGQIvQALuN_JjiJUBJ5Lp3R3YD8-UCuwkvjj_WckK2rjAigRwe9ztAjfHsr-vA5YxICvAVeY33hXknzYEBVxwqZYGttdC7ou4GCLzV9OFFZlWyGn5RATQgK4BYpNz2IMIJvbqQ/s400/DSC_1048.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Making this guy the stand out performer...</strong><br />
<strong>He was carried from one side of the main stage </strong><br />
<strong>to the other, striking poses as he appeared to float across </strong><br />
<strong>the crowd. The poor sod carrying him gets</strong><br />
<strong>my award for unsung hero of the weekend...</strong> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjah-m3iHLRYycpREvunt0Ztorvxk_SZ5RPzual3rwyUPsVyuvYF2sodm0YkgolZWhmxq1p9RJxufN55wIsxsZD5ftAoMBcuwAFBeQN-lBax4qonviuOv5_BtQnTwJVWX_szyaqQk1P51Gp/s1600/DSC_1161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjah-m3iHLRYycpREvunt0Ztorvxk_SZ5RPzual3rwyUPsVyuvYF2sodm0YkgolZWhmxq1p9RJxufN55wIsxsZD5ftAoMBcuwAFBeQN-lBax4qonviuOv5_BtQnTwJVWX_szyaqQk1P51Gp/s400/DSC_1161.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mrs B relaxes between finding new friends...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUCsjuhYS42YU25VJzDMEDoLrLepWxYSd3MykkTyvc9kcd5F7rauH_sdTIhjOx3iHBRfJC8X0kJKfhD1sPjpfKdng7z44-iTmLGD3CTq0erxQFbAgX1Nivv4HNNY6TZm-_CcmrLxsy34h/s1600/DSC_1316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUCsjuhYS42YU25VJzDMEDoLrLepWxYSd3MykkTyvc9kcd5F7rauH_sdTIhjOx3iHBRfJC8X0kJKfhD1sPjpfKdng7z44-iTmLGD3CTq0erxQFbAgX1Nivv4HNNY6TZm-_CcmrLxsy34h/s400/DSC_1316.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mrs B gets carried away with the festival spirit... I leave her for</strong><br />
<strong>a couple of minutes and she is adopted by a new family. It was</strong><br />
<strong> touch </strong><strong>and go if I was going to get her back...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_7ukLFMwji494pVWFqAToygmLUib5F2kTPKYUvRZobkZfP_apRHf1wDQA69icTFh8Exv63G68amrcpnCV7zptUN41GCqW_pnIuvKgtZ9xGBX7elJV0tB3rsD9UDMQmSjAjjc27g0l7IS/s1600/DSC_1359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_7ukLFMwji494pVWFqAToygmLUib5F2kTPKYUvRZobkZfP_apRHf1wDQA69icTFh8Exv63G68amrcpnCV7zptUN41GCqW_pnIuvKgtZ9xGBX7elJV0tB3rsD9UDMQmSjAjjc27g0l7IS/s400/DSC_1359.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mrs B demonstrates symptoms of early onset</strong><br />
<strong> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome" target="_blank">Stockholm Syndrome</a></strong>,</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz15dcEovOwWzlAqyA02ia3a87Hn61Yn_v58EOwtiLV8VWhMlF6-idd2XicNq_L0heUiad56X6Px5uTSEV8lg54WQMmJ3z9ulruahxq4mhTH5snU9Nvzce5jzjiCTJO8gG9lqC9crYu4Lq/s1600/DSC_1729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz15dcEovOwWzlAqyA02ia3a87Hn61Yn_v58EOwtiLV8VWhMlF6-idd2XicNq_L0heUiad56X6Px5uTSEV8lg54WQMmJ3z9ulruahxq4mhTH5snU9Nvzce5jzjiCTJO8gG9lqC9crYu4Lq/s400/DSC_1729.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Zyana and friend who were certainly more </strong><br />
<strong>attracted to The Behemoth than to me...</strong><br />
<strong>Just as well I managed to win back custody </strong><br />
<strong>of Mrs B I don't think they were looking </strong><br />
<strong>to adopt me any time soon....</strong> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKXJT9zJkNUpTmCN_69fgYaa9zd9SoHYjiArO7fPJMMEKT4uZSkK9t2FxNPmnXnu0SlPAwRBzRUl0havA0yDIj-_n11i43LRqF73lYBi-lBM8DGLsybKwsJl_l9LvLKQgbDW4a4Exw0IZ/s1600/DSC_1732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNKXJT9zJkNUpTmCN_69fgYaa9zd9SoHYjiArO7fPJMMEKT4uZSkK9t2FxNPmnXnu0SlPAwRBzRUl0havA0yDIj-_n11i43LRqF73lYBi-lBM8DGLsybKwsJl_l9LvLKQgbDW4a4Exw0IZ/s400/DSC_1732.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Kath - thanks for negotiating Mrs B's release...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkVPtvkE9_lmipfhgVbIx3kvwwnTD3BkpEila6xVKSjCuhOmI-hFj8rnJsVTxXmvSvO2hnXkXBgQ3q8SZTFTufMUuvaqbOfnbx98E8WX23bOwJcEFnciuiCkIEy6UkbgdaeKIp4rmnbXa/s1600/DSC_1745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkVPtvkE9_lmipfhgVbIx3kvwwnTD3BkpEila6xVKSjCuhOmI-hFj8rnJsVTxXmvSvO2hnXkXBgQ3q8SZTFTufMUuvaqbOfnbx98E8WX23bOwJcEFnciuiCkIEy6UkbgdaeKIp4rmnbXa/s400/DSC_1745.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Can't remember her name but anyone who can dance</strong><br />
<strong> the Charleston is OK in my book...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVh0385K6S4MsGLf58nfCWetExv9tOFXV6earCQj5jOPakf4uE2MGz_xtbeItJZl5HZmPCnFdEGCyiddgO8WZlF4AC0tzx6naNRrX1fxAz_zOThFfUu3KZ-6FTH6mdyndzzw476hS9cBF/s1600/DSC_1753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVh0385K6S4MsGLf58nfCWetExv9tOFXV6earCQj5jOPakf4uE2MGz_xtbeItJZl5HZmPCnFdEGCyiddgO8WZlF4AC0tzx6naNRrX1fxAz_zOThFfUu3KZ-6FTH6mdyndzzw476hS9cBF/s400/DSC_1753.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Look no Camera - A rare shot as the other 99% of the time </strong><br />
<strong>it was glued to me like a second skin....</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>"Mrs B can I have it back now? I'm</strong><br />
<strong> suffering from withdrawal symptoms "</strong> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zE54DVrcTm7v2WnijvlWRsQ8FtOzLCsq3MYa6qRQI8_0q9rkIJqo5W0p_0AMa9JKubFb5fMZiTkEUO8w2JVb_e_ie29HRRGyxwzID9UWAAIQafr4YBqYEXkgR7rHZZ-phQIi4vU_jQXO/s1600/DSC_1834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9zE54DVrcTm7v2WnijvlWRsQ8FtOzLCsq3MYa6qRQI8_0q9rkIJqo5W0p_0AMa9JKubFb5fMZiTkEUO8w2JVb_e_ie29HRRGyxwzID9UWAAIQafr4YBqYEXkgR7rHZZ-phQIi4vU_jQXO/s400/DSC_1834.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Walk like an Egyptian..."</strong><br />
<strong>I'm sure the Bangles didn't play this year's festival</strong> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Tune in next time for day 2....BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-56621887431124379182013-07-22T23:20:00.002+01:002013-07-24T17:12:09.880+01:00Worlds worst bag man hits Washington D.C. You know when someone's going on a trip people often say - "Can I come along and help carry your bags?" Well, with Mrs B's recent broken ankle incident, I stepped up to the plate and offered my services on her business trip to Washington and Chicago. It would have gone very well if I hadn't managed to come down with a bug the night before we flew. Poor Mrs B ended up limping around doing my packing....Oh, the shame....<br />
<br />
While Mrs B was in Business Class, trying every broken ankle trick in the book to get me upgraded, I remained lolling in cattle class stewing in my own misery. I thought for one glorious minute that I was going to get four empty seats to myself and be able to lie flat out.....Only some guy decided to rain on my parade and shortly after take off decided to switch seats<span style="color: red;">*</span>...Aaaarrrggghhhh - I would have thrown up on him but I just didn't have the energy..... I managed to watch half a movie and avoided eating anything that airlines laughingly describe as food. Not my finest flight.....<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">* I heard a wonderful anecdote on the Danny Baker show recently, about a man who was desperately trying to switch seats with anyone on his flight. Was he trying to avoid someone? Was he trying to sit with someone? Well I guess you could say it was the latter....</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">You see he was desperate to sit with himself... </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">What do you mean you want more of an explanation? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">OK...If I must. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">The gentleman was on the large size and had booked himself two seats, unfortunately he checked in late and was issued seats 2f and 21A....I'm guessing while he was big he wasn't that big. </span><br />
<br />
For the first two days in Washington I hardly managed to eat a thing and just took on some water. On the first morning I managed to do some work before being driven out of the hotel by the maids. I did some light sightseeing. The Whitehouse, Washington Memorial (or at least the scaffolding around the outside) Lincoln Memorial and Capitol Hill. Mrs B was tied up with a works dinner and had arranged for me to dine with the WAGs of her business. While the WAGs tucked into their steaks, fish, lamb etc I managed to nibble at some lettuce leaves...Deep joy... The conversation went OK until the subject of her Maj came up. No, not Madonna, but Queenie. The general opinion around the table was that Queenie's life was one of the most difficult imaginable....While I have a certain amount of respect for the Royal Family I'm afraid I could not let it stand. I pointed out that someone living in the middle of a council estate might disagree. The argument stayed civil but I believe it brought my WAG career to an abrupt and somewhat premature end.....<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whisky Tour</span></strong><br />
<br />
Still, when you are a blogger you are never alone - I remembered that a fellow Blogger used to live in Washington - Racheal King from the excellent "<a href="http://www.livitluvit.com/" target="_blank">LivitLuvit blog</a>" that I have followed for a number of years. I wrote to her and asked if she had any good tips as a Washington D.C. resident for a non-touristy tour. Racheal didn't let me down and came up with some fantastic reference points around the city. I had of course not taken into account that Racheal is a huge Whisky fan and the majority of those reference points were whisky-related....An interesting tour for a non-drinker to take but I enjoyed it just the same. I also strongly suspect that when Racheal gave me the names she didn't expect me to do all of them in a single afternoon/evening and all on foot. I happened to use my ski tracks app to plot my trip, which reliably informed me that I managed to cover just over 15 miles and passed about 600 Starbucks and 2 independent cafes - Come on America, Starbucks should not be the only choice....<br />
<br />
Next time - we take on Chicago <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Photo finish</strong></span> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxxH55MCdRrrywSQjkgzyywwg7x79-azcprsCgzNB-ddnIQHSaQ4p1cSU35y0Qgqjfw8Bn_ofAIUs2SmcEd9hyPmOAXuyMCmCwCdDhLRubQmmOtVuAOepnX3zckTjJoI0Z5RmEuNJdLo2/s1600/13_06_12-21-39-27_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxxH55MCdRrrywSQjkgzyywwg7x79-azcprsCgzNB-ddnIQHSaQ4p1cSU35y0Qgqjfw8Bn_ofAIUs2SmcEd9hyPmOAXuyMCmCwCdDhLRubQmmOtVuAOepnX3zckTjJoI0Z5RmEuNJdLo2/s400/13_06_12-21-39-27_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Is it me or does it look like someone has nicked the top</strong><br />
<strong>of the white house.</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_vSBn8nN20x_2r7wjBzwccyIni3h-OFyoEeyS3mG9XOU7u_hv4uP5r1SYVunEFKRwV0JdyjVaGEFy8LnnBSt8Ag-yH2zRjBL6jchdAzh5jFo7p5sJWiD0fmCHO-BpvcEZZb89DmHAsef/s1600/13_06_12-21-44-28_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_vSBn8nN20x_2r7wjBzwccyIni3h-OFyoEeyS3mG9XOU7u_hv4uP5r1SYVunEFKRwV0JdyjVaGEFy8LnnBSt8Ag-yH2zRjBL6jchdAzh5jFo7p5sJWiD0fmCHO-BpvcEZZb89DmHAsef/s400/13_06_12-21-44-28_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>How do they know?</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxBQ2VxbbR1LLKm-JcNCsNvjXZIv-vSwknYgOdupuEqh97HJOrVYgCvpI-QzvtY8GAESQmn3UQGd-xdppsTRf9h_mYugzvTeLObVbsUtbX2oPNkw61V8vfLlcupuYNTsk6LcRcUgbpscn/s1600/13_06_13-21-00-52_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQxBQ2VxbbR1LLKm-JcNCsNvjXZIv-vSwknYgOdupuEqh97HJOrVYgCvpI-QzvtY8GAESQmn3UQGd-xdppsTRf9h_mYugzvTeLObVbsUtbX2oPNkw61V8vfLlcupuYNTsk6LcRcUgbpscn/s400/13_06_13-21-00-52_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>If I wanted rain I could have stayed in Britain...</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jiKxjdJpfezc9n-i7CFh2HkAnuKNp8zWErvtDTALz6wMk2ZXB-7wQDNgwqXglrzLWesbYGGyn_qwLK4VQ-hcTP6vWw7AFp9FJ2nf1lE_xpaxnOI1e3Ya7GHR1Rou1Pk5boRddaRwqQ0I/s1600/13_06_13-22-04-51_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jiKxjdJpfezc9n-i7CFh2HkAnuKNp8zWErvtDTALz6wMk2ZXB-7wQDNgwqXglrzLWesbYGGyn_qwLK4VQ-hcTP6vWw7AFp9FJ2nf1lE_xpaxnOI1e3Ya7GHR1Rou1Pk5boRddaRwqQ0I/s400/13_06_13-22-04-51_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>One of the few coffee shops to survive the Starbucks virus</strong><br />
<strong>I think I even saw a Starbuck franchise setting up within a Starbucks </strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpNmeFZbyNQMa7L3xcfTmQ2yAXINK0C_Jj359-gK2GLCZGrN4r5iybnhtLrQYnxEswIHZIfZ8iILufLZeTrT_f51H03xN14MhojIGdrcD1ZY4ErhOdXnsl8OWnpuVrQWPAshCJEhUOA_v/s1600/13_06_13-22-09-40_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpNmeFZbyNQMa7L3xcfTmQ2yAXINK0C_Jj359-gK2GLCZGrN4r5iybnhtLrQYnxEswIHZIfZ8iILufLZeTrT_f51H03xN14MhojIGdrcD1ZY4ErhOdXnsl8OWnpuVrQWPAshCJEhUOA_v/s400/13_06_13-22-09-40_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>One of the locals who was impressed </strong><br />
<strong>with the size of The Beast.</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUjSJ-OkUNySrxLr73c7OxfXsjdPIv5NdXQkWRXsV47PYDDaPVlgjBktMCe3MSZP0zb6yfh_FoBB2PDvEq0dchKnIsJdlUgzloPBwenSYeNB3Wj0dmkVK_NlUSmVsVjV-bjvV_yJtANXP/s1600/13_06_13-22-16-11_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUjSJ-OkUNySrxLr73c7OxfXsjdPIv5NdXQkWRXsV47PYDDaPVlgjBktMCe3MSZP0zb6yfh_FoBB2PDvEq0dchKnIsJdlUgzloPBwenSYeNB3Wj0dmkVK_NlUSmVsVjV-bjvV_yJtANXP/s400/13_06_13-22-16-11_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Rachael King Whisky Tour </span></strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Part 1 Jack Rose.</span></strong></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-JI2AG1wGL75_P3HApvGV487JUUT3YXuwkTtSo-x18L3Y2IDy7xPcm5yCGrIU_79qXFO0oe4pzPfDOl24EJBRWmVxK50GPSd_VKZv04vHdbKavAoY1jI6h-LWzLw9Rkjl6RjnfS0t_T7/s1600/13_06_13-22-50-16_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-JI2AG1wGL75_P3HApvGV487JUUT3YXuwkTtSo-x18L3Y2IDy7xPcm5yCGrIU_79qXFO0oe4pzPfDOl24EJBRWmVxK50GPSd_VKZv04vHdbKavAoY1jI6h-LWzLw9Rkjl6RjnfS0t_T7/s400/13_06_13-22-50-16_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Rachael King Whisky Tour </span></strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Part 2 Solly's</span></strong></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-NGiphyun4h0cGxPDeYfv8nlDf93rBy-vEO45e0IMaWFav3q4hjDXvak62nn-WCXXzrB6lbJ1jnL3bYB9bDT1rHzvzBHNu3BLGmAUoLT3bS34i1_XHfe-yvWgQqF3L2kbeexsfPALzJb/s1600/13_06_13-23-29-43_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-NGiphyun4h0cGxPDeYfv8nlDf93rBy-vEO45e0IMaWFav3q4hjDXvak62nn-WCXXzrB6lbJ1jnL3bYB9bDT1rHzvzBHNu3BLGmAUoLT3bS34i1_XHfe-yvWgQqF3L2kbeexsfPALzJb/s400/13_06_13-23-29-43_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Rachael King Whisky Tour </strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong>Part 3 Next door to Bens</strong></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xihPEXxaHj_DoHffnbaAGuun4BIngG_nt1HveLL6VLe0ppWzOPcIUMz-YAJWn0xoLSqIA6mOb_7qkjBQC5dCrUX_5rng7CdRzYJogMTI-ZaREVkwYWy8-RXVDwHNUiNWQCX4PWorA5fA/s1600/13_06_14-00-22-06_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xihPEXxaHj_DoHffnbaAGuun4BIngG_nt1HveLL6VLe0ppWzOPcIUMz-YAJWn0xoLSqIA6mOb_7qkjBQC5dCrUX_5rng7CdRzYJogMTI-ZaREVkwYWy8-RXVDwHNUiNWQCX4PWorA5fA/s400/13_06_14-00-22-06_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Just how good would the Whitehouse</strong><br />
<strong>look if it had this on top. </strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9aT5yIZmv2qNbuJCmaS764_hf3yht0QR6Wyh3Hfz7VdNKW5VOhTadV0kpbmNbpshiSsL7IOE-zVHT-7lVvGN_wEmrWpgOKmb_cRxFcD9xNw4pfU6x9uRidePKiaLVbLkM2Br9oLZFKFl/s1600/13_06_14-01-16-07_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9aT5yIZmv2qNbuJCmaS764_hf3yht0QR6Wyh3Hfz7VdNKW5VOhTadV0kpbmNbpshiSsL7IOE-zVHT-7lVvGN_wEmrWpgOKmb_cRxFcD9xNw4pfU6x9uRidePKiaLVbLkM2Br9oLZFKFl/s400/13_06_14-01-16-07_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>H street, glowing like the end of the world </strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3SimQhqorwnwJ7ZFTx8LsoQchcaIyraqqoMCuJyIvVvjZs7A_4I_Tn9r2m9OxvbXZxpGPyzWPLKOCw3ADReelMCIl_R2FV0BooAS0qzKicHkJmku2XFlkYebLAU19IqaXsEXiQeaqscB/s1600/13_06_14-01-17-18_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3SimQhqorwnwJ7ZFTx8LsoQchcaIyraqqoMCuJyIvVvjZs7A_4I_Tn9r2m9OxvbXZxpGPyzWPLKOCw3ADReelMCIl_R2FV0BooAS0qzKicHkJmku2XFlkYebLAU19IqaXsEXiQeaqscB/s400/13_06_14-01-17-18_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Rachael King Whisky Tour </strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong>Part 4 Rock & Roll Hotel.</strong></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Hzghai4NycU1QfDxZLP2TLfkRc0AsFgdKrMkxNeG2CsavKIpptu5Ts1nf215ySbAs4iiBnICy62YORXOq_YLeDjjwRq3TEn5INYqqKNvictfg1_MOgfOquvmxYPv-VPfOG7E-G580V7Y/s1600/13_06_14-01-46-49_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Hzghai4NycU1QfDxZLP2TLfkRc0AsFgdKrMkxNeG2CsavKIpptu5Ts1nf215ySbAs4iiBnICy62YORXOq_YLeDjjwRq3TEn5INYqqKNvictfg1_MOgfOquvmxYPv-VPfOG7E-G580V7Y/s400/13_06_14-01-46-49_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Rachael King Whisky Tour </strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong>Part 6 if you are still standing after this lot you </strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong>are a clearly a functioning alcoholic.</strong> </div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58tzFwHWhGdlDDROgqj_x811XreF_-HXFbUMYGauYiQmPoPhbbiCA22xQy2EcS5K4XkvKKNnRfqU0bq271UtnNNveAlUXWotTcBsp6HE8yTK9TQTLflA2FIKTvTBbImFkd5pMudKk5pNk/s1600/13_06_14-01-49-18_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58tzFwHWhGdlDDROgqj_x811XreF_-HXFbUMYGauYiQmPoPhbbiCA22xQy2EcS5K4XkvKKNnRfqU0bq271UtnNNveAlUXWotTcBsp6HE8yTK9TQTLflA2FIKTvTBbImFkd5pMudKk5pNk/s400/13_06_14-01-49-18_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Sunset on H street</strong> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5JJ-MA0yc7q4myiWYjKkzwdJPXKdkFBKt2dpmiDQ3fsHttIqcg5Y82OndZYkOsy4NQcmt223j_UXRU_i1NLnyivKyI7aCGP1V1JntkGbV9y6L1PK79D2RnPZoM0y9lrc4zK40gKcd_tF/s1600/13_06_14-01-56-46_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5JJ-MA0yc7q4myiWYjKkzwdJPXKdkFBKt2dpmiDQ3fsHttIqcg5Y82OndZYkOsy4NQcmt223j_UXRU_i1NLnyivKyI7aCGP1V1JntkGbV9y6L1PK79D2RnPZoM0y9lrc4zK40gKcd_tF/s400/13_06_14-01-56-46_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Two of the friendliest cops you could ask to meet.</strong><br />
<strong>or were they just checking how far I had gone on the </strong><br />
<strong>Whisky Tour. </strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5fQ4sGyQDXObYw3PB6l9LzZVLul7z35mk5O9wb53Wzz0v-pPcWE_vIUKj5zqaCZe8WauUVcHU1kE6S4sEPZNd4-da5JOOW8z9S-Fp9NUx6XeF5L76P5siKrG0yee6ZbwnDDqygsrzxvW/s1600/13_06_14-03-10-59_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5fQ4sGyQDXObYw3PB6l9LzZVLul7z35mk5O9wb53Wzz0v-pPcWE_vIUKj5zqaCZe8WauUVcHU1kE6S4sEPZNd4-da5JOOW8z9S-Fp9NUx6XeF5L76P5siKrG0yee6ZbwnDDqygsrzxvW/s400/13_06_14-03-10-59_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" /></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Washington is so friendly that even the homeless have </strong><br />
<strong>the opportunity to watch TV in relative comfort....</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong></strong> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZy8BX4YLODrbieGKrI0JOiCflzKKRQPJ86aLGA8-aHAGBNvI1XSPbIbC4v6SpT8YG6Z0sInQ_rLHhENPoorbBqdurFuY5aCQRr35GRy85ItOIXwExVRQz5uha6GdwjAj4mleHoZ0Utnqs/s1600/13_06_14-18-15-22_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZy8BX4YLODrbieGKrI0JOiCflzKKRQPJ86aLGA8-aHAGBNvI1XSPbIbC4v6SpT8YG6Z0sInQ_rLHhENPoorbBqdurFuY5aCQRr35GRy85ItOIXwExVRQz5uha6GdwjAj4mleHoZ0Utnqs/s400/13_06_14-18-15-22_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>This Guy has clearly not seen Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds</strong>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-49483667790858656422013-06-26T00:03:00.000+01:002013-07-04T10:25:59.616+01:00Golden YearsThis week a real treat for you with a sort of guest Blog <br />
<br />
With just a little help from me, Mrs B put together and delivered the following speech for her parents 50th wedding anniversary, I was equaly impressed and immensly proud. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94TT9PcBCiBYa9cYGTK1KrIMxAGdktx3AncLAxSEd-dnWxS2Yn0ul9xTMm7e6C31T21pnGmictk6yrm5NjccZ4swvlg432eZiT1eoxDjd1u3TNsKLMLtp7gqDdeDqA8JTXGS7lAt_y3vr/s1600/13_06_01-14-57-47_Mike+&+Vera+Golden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh94TT9PcBCiBYa9cYGTK1KrIMxAGdktx3AncLAxSEd-dnWxS2Yn0ul9xTMm7e6C31T21pnGmictk6yrm5NjccZ4swvlg432eZiT1eoxDjd1u3TNsKLMLtp7gqDdeDqA8JTXGS7lAt_y3vr/s400/13_06_01-14-57-47_Mike+&+Vera+Golden.jpg" width="400" xya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mrs B holds the audiance in the palm of her hand.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>I think they were afraid what other details might come out </strong><br />
<strong>of her little red book.... </strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thank you all very much for being here today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know it means a lot to Mum and Dad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we are here to celebrate your Golden Wedding Anniversary it seems fitting and a tribute to your 50 years together as a couple to say:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Mike and Vera, Mum and Dad - This is your married life!” [Present red file]<span style="color: red;">*<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;">* For those of you not familiar this is a homage to the famous "This is your life" TV program where generally famous people were ambushed by </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eamonn_Andrews" title="Eamonn Andrews"><span style="color: red;">Eamonn Andrews</span></a><span style="color: red;"> /Michael Aspel in the UK and </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Edwards" title="Ralph Edwards"><span style="color: red;">Ralph Edwards/</span></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Campanella" title="Joseph Campanella"><span style="color: red;">Joseph Campanella</span></a><span style="color: red;"> a program from the golden age of TV i.e. wholesome family entertainment guaranteed to bore the life out of anyone under the age of 70..... </span></div><br><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Obviously we have undertaken a lot of arduous research, seeking out facts and memories from family and friends – well, we asked Uncle John, who said (and I quote) “Blimey Nicola, I’m 76 years old – I can hardly remember what I had for breakfast, let alone what happened 50 years ago!” So apologies in advance for the errors and omissions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmeA5D1-nuedGLwXgd4XfQbhf_LtkmniUDM2BiXIZL68VjQGkW76acw_Iz1a__jeYweDXrwY_yns23vIwzk0KI3MkByn9doPBczZh1-jFzWpUcNUsQijZ1xxANWVSFs6jKhs0LU7_UzfV/s1600/13_06_01-15-00-39_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGmeA5D1-nuedGLwXgd4XfQbhf_LtkmniUDM2BiXIZL68VjQGkW76acw_Iz1a__jeYweDXrwY_yns23vIwzk0KI3MkByn9doPBczZh1-jFzWpUcNUsQijZ1xxANWVSFs6jKhs0LU7_UzfV/s400/13_06_01-15-00-39_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" width="400" xya="true" /></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Johnny Beeling suffering from long and short term memory </strong><br />
<strong>loss </strong><strong>for the record he had toast and jam for breakfast and was </strong><br />
<strong>in </strong><strong>black</strong><strong>& white in the 1950's.....</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let me take you all back to a time when everything was in black and white (Don’t try and claim otherwise, I’ve seen the photo’s) and much simpler. There was no WiFi (mum I’ll leave you explain what that is to dad), broadband was what large people held their trousers up with and phones were as mobile as the telephone cable allowed.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>1959</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You met (we think!) in 1959 at the St George’s Youth Club in Deal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was it love at first sight???</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lots of dates between the young couple followed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have it on very good authority that Dad’s Vespa scooter may have come under close scrutiny from an anxious father - Ray, Grandad Beerling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can certainly relate to that level of fatherly scrutiny over a boyfriend’s mode of transport………. when Niel arrived for our first date in a beaten up old mini, Dad walked round it kicking all four tyres before sucking in his breath, tutting a few times, while rubbing his chin (Who says men can’t multitask?) He then asked, rather imperiously, if it was safe for me to go in!.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It probably would have been before Dad ruined the tracking with all that unnecessary kicking.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Clearly though, Grandad Beerling didn’t put Dad off too much because he eventually decided to propose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dad – did you propose on bended knee?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mum - were there tears?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you actually say “yes”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only ask because that’s more than I certainly ever did!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Very curiously and some would say somewhat suspiciously there is absolutely no information (public or private) about the respective stag and hen do’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can only assume therefore that they were so debauched and drunken that all involved are sworn to life-long secrecy!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>1963</strong></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And so the big day came on Saturday 1 June 1963 and we are thrilled to have at least some of the wedding party here today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In preparation, Mum had made her own wedding dress and the wedding cake – a strong indicator of two of the hobbies that have been a constant presence throughout her married life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWM8bSy5L5yGOMG_EyYLdCyTClh1dIDRdVsWHUuwQo7kuN2QgfDuUVE2JdJx2yQi7BbOB4qCXuu3fZCbhBLyaREDwOA7_t_mVo-Ts4Luzuk3d0IRkcwLmGpBgaKOlHxQhkMyLjTEIkYMUa/s1600/13_06_01-12-18-07_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWM8bSy5L5yGOMG_EyYLdCyTClh1dIDRdVsWHUuwQo7kuN2QgfDuUVE2JdJx2yQi7BbOB4qCXuu3fZCbhBLyaREDwOA7_t_mVo-Ts4Luzuk3d0IRkcwLmGpBgaKOlHxQhkMyLjTEIkYMUa/s400/13_06_01-12-18-07_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" width="400" xya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>If you make your own cake for your own</strong><br />
<strong> event is it an auto-cake-ography?</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Yet another spectatular </strong><br />
<strong>cake from Mrs B's Mum ....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsd3z7BSZ2_TAvlsZ-dmM6ARcrXmWodd90CfZX01TIlRT5JpgYLHSYEqsgZqanM7StiS3bq1mvoV2LmNBLqxZPrQAOL_eaNsybIuwTkeupRXtJcZt8chnKBPX2UsrlNabEWkox94Yit9W/s1600/13_06_01-12-24-50_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQsd3z7BSZ2_TAvlsZ-dmM6ARcrXmWodd90CfZX01TIlRT5JpgYLHSYEqsgZqanM7StiS3bq1mvoV2LmNBLqxZPrQAOL_eaNsybIuwTkeupRXtJcZt8chnKBPX2UsrlNabEWkox94Yit9W/s400/13_06_01-12-24-50_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" width="400" xya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Yes those are real sugar flowers....</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dad probably cleaned and polished his car – LuLu, an Austin 7 – the first of the, very many (perhaps near 50) cars to take them slowly though life. I Don’t know where Jacqueline gets her taste for speed from – it certainly wasn’t from dad.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You honeymooned in Seefeld in Austria before returning home to start your married life together in your first house in Wingham, which you bought for the princely sum of £1,750!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, yes – that was the all-in price…….how times have changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You moved in with Kim, your black Labrador – the first of your family pets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now, Dad was working in the Canterbury branch of the Westminster Bank, at the beginning of his long and distinguished career in banking.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>1966</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And it was while living in Wingham that I was born in <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1966 and the two Clarkes became three.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>1967</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In 1967, we went on our first static caravan holiday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Caravanning, another thread that has run quite constantly through much of your married life. Oh Yes, many family holidays have been spent in caravans in wet and cold England – and no, Jacqueline and I have not been traumatised by that in any way……honestly!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>1968</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In 1968, following Dad’s transfer to Sevenoaks branch, you moved to your second home, in Borough Green.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am reliably informed that this house was bitterly cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so it should be no surprise to learn that, nine months after a particularly long cuddle (to keep warm, obviously!) Jacqueline was born in 1969 and the three Clarkes became four.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>1970</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Borough Green, we moved to a brand new house in Iwade in 1970, when Dad transferred to Sittingbourne branch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We said goodbye to Kim and hello to a tragically short-lived spaniel, Megan, and then to the infamous Bess, a beautiful Dalmatian. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>1973</strong></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Did you know that Iwade was the centre of the “swinging” scene of North Kent?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither did Mum and Dad, apparently, and as soon as they found out, Dad had just enough time to change cars before they scarpered!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the way to Clacton-on-Sea in Essex in 1973. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just as well Dad had transferred to the Clacton branch, otherwise it would have been a long old commute ……………<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>1974</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In 1974 the family grew again when we acquired our first cat – Porgy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, Dad is not a cat lover but even he seemed taken with that big bundle of ginger and white fluff in the pet shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Porgy soon ruled the house and Bess carried many scars on her snout to prove it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Porgy's favourite mode of transport being to attach himself to Bess's snout and hanging on with all four claws.... </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>1975</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was from Clacton in 1975 that Dad first decided that towing a caravan was the way forward for our family holidays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hired a caravan using that as an excuse to purchase the trusty Vauxhall Viva that was tasked with towing us slowly to Yorkshire?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In motoring circles this became known as Black Friday, with long traffic delays reported up the entire East coast….<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Clacton was a great place to grow up as kids – we had Butlins and the seaside on our doorstep and much use was made of both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>1976</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1976 and Dad’s career moved on again, which meant the inevitable new car and a new home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dad’s job was now in the Brighton Area Office of the Natwest Bank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our house move was eventful though because apparently in the Natwest staff manual, at that time, there was a rule that stated that an employee could not buy a house that was bigger (or was perhaps more expensive) than their manager’s and so Dad was not allowed to buy his original choice of house in Brighton.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as well Dads boss wasn’t a Yorkshire man, living in a shoebox, otherwise we might have found ourselves living in a paper bag inside a septic tank<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>………..<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As it was we ended up moving to Lindfield in West Sussex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But family life here was great – we lived in a cul-de-sac with a wood at the end of it and Jacqueline and I have lots of very happy memories from this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>1979</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We reach 1979 and Yes, you’ve guessed it – Dad’s career progressed again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, to the Natwest branch in Dorking and so we moved to Tadworth in Surrey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was here that Mum and Dad had enough space to accommodate the first touring caravan that they owned. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was during this time that Mum first became involved with the Girl Guides, volunteering to help when my sister and I joined the Tadworth troop (I’m guessing Dad was turned down because they could not find a uniform big enough to fit him). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is testament to mums generosity of spirit that she continued to support the movement long after Jacqueline and I had left. There being no volunteers, willing to take up the baton and without her continued backing the group would have folded.</span></span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11UDrqI9LQ98FjPsCeSuv6y8sfq_RedAuc-lcgr4oVL9s6bILVsLRPhkCPC5bNF4k80gB2XzZ4jk_f5JhjuTt3D7xUIGXp2UoOlg47GEIJZdT-FowSVIGBbXEYXtRSd2VUOD03YD727Mp/s1600/13_06_01-14-44-47_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh11UDrqI9LQ98FjPsCeSuv6y8sfq_RedAuc-lcgr4oVL9s6bILVsLRPhkCPC5bNF4k80gB2XzZ4jk_f5JhjuTt3D7xUIGXp2UoOlg47GEIJZdT-FowSVIGBbXEYXtRSd2VUOD03YD727Mp/s400/13_06_01-14-44-47_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" width="400" xya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Vera and her amazing clever hands</strong> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This was also the home of the terrible twins, Bunter and Misty, two highly strung and very energetic Springer Spaniels, after Bess departed this world, having broken her last, highly charged and very fragrant round of wind!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jacqueline and I have very special memories of this home as it was our last before we flew the nest in 1990 and 1993 respectively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I remember Tadworth particularly as a home that Mum and Dad entertained from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are consummate hosts and for me, the best example of that, was when they hosted our wedding reception there in 1994 (oh yes, 19 years ago!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>True to form Mum made and decorated our wedding cake while dad went out and changed their car. Most people would have been content with just washing the old one… </span></span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrlC1nUenyrlah4wBxl_6Qof_bAHj_EnG4UG6aCw2ZMMRMadS74LKvZKcXypr9Vnj4ihjZhuLccFkrZVDJC4VTYZ5bETN_seT3ugbZNgSkNSjrnQwdy9mY7yb5OvJdkxj0AARURd-4SOgy/s1600/13_06_01-16-04-03_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrlC1nUenyrlah4wBxl_6Qof_bAHj_EnG4UG6aCw2ZMMRMadS74LKvZKcXypr9Vnj4ihjZhuLccFkrZVDJC4VTYZ5bETN_seT3ugbZNgSkNSjrnQwdy9mY7yb5OvJdkxj0AARURd-4SOgy/s400/13_06_01-16-04-03_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" width="400" xya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>still surviving after 19 years - but since Mrs B just burst </strong><br />
<strong>into tears when I asked her to marry me and </strong><br />
<strong>didn't actually say yes, are we</strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 9.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">actually legally </span> married? </strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mum and Dad lived in Tadworth for 25 years, having decided that the family needed to stay in one place to allow Jacqueline and me to finish our school exams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While here, Dad moved to specialise in internal audit and fraud, (I wonder if anyone ever thought to investigate where the money came from for all those new cars?).</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKAvykSPZgDVVqsRwU15z48gb8-scDIfQ-j3CL50sjTpFAgRww__vgqWsuR3k_JxLgsLJ-1DVtNX6E2ndoPUhPGgaPHH8rsbNXOVYvfCY00prEPikmbikU3Ax9iSqdHPfN_wDd7wAcXHD/s1600/13_06_01-15-01-24_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKAvykSPZgDVVqsRwU15z48gb8-scDIfQ-j3CL50sjTpFAgRww__vgqWsuR3k_JxLgsLJ-1DVtNX6E2ndoPUhPGgaPHH8rsbNXOVYvfCY00prEPikmbikU3Ax9iSqdHPfN_wDd7wAcXHD/s400/13_06_01-15-01-24_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" width="400" xya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mrs B's Dad fears the game is finally up and asks for</strong><br />
<strong>49 other cars to be taken into account....</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>1995</strong></span></span> <span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This was a career move, which, when combined with raising two teenage daughters was no doubt, a challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He returned to Dorking branch as Senior Manager, from where he retired in 1995, replacing his passion for banking, with golf and no doubt a perfect excuse for yet another new car.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>1997</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In 1997, Mum and Dad became Grandparents to James. There may even have been a cake in celebration!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mum and Dad were a massive source of support to Jacqueline during this time in her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know I am biased, but I have to say that they are the proudest Grandparents (and rightly so) who do a wonderful job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<strong>2004</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yet another house move in 2004 to Bucks Green.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was very much Dad’s venture, post retirement, and he had to work pretty hard to convince Mum that Queen’s Cottage could be a real home for them both and Max, their hugely loveable but boisterous springer spaniel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How right he was though and since then they have really improved the house and nurtured the garden with many hours of labour and love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have made time to fully immerse themselves in local life – they help organise and contribute to fetes and garden shows. They entertain a lot at Queen’s Cottage too and together are a real testament to the adage that a busy life is a fulfilled life.</span></span><br />
<br />
<strong>2010</strong></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mum and Dad’s family continued to evolve in 2010 when Jacqueline and Matt married and they are now the proud step-grandparents to Lucy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know they both get a huge amount of pleasure from seeing how happy and settled Jacqueline and James are and watching the next generation grow and mature.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>And so, to today</strong>.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mum and Dad – you are the incredibly strong backbone of our family – and Jacqueline and I are very happy and proud to be here today to celebrate your Golden Wedding Anniversary with your family and friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Congratulations!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s enjoy the cakes that I wish I could say I had made and decorated but, of course, no-one does it better than Mum and it would simply not be “an event” if we didn’t have one of her creations at it! [Raise glasses] Mum and Dad.</span></span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIG82XR3rLzi7T7FCxfiwKIiFkCgQv92-FH_YRdzMiqIPr5HvNU8n_JlYfo58gVXiHG6T5mWK3DLUN1H40CourvRxEoRUc8v81ADbuDpZOsDxUgVNJxjBAUwgNx87V4rinea38VrbY6_OJ/s1600/13_06_01-15-03-24_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIG82XR3rLzi7T7FCxfiwKIiFkCgQv92-FH_YRdzMiqIPr5HvNU8n_JlYfo58gVXiHG6T5mWK3DLUN1H40CourvRxEoRUc8v81ADbuDpZOsDxUgVNJxjBAUwgNx87V4rinea38VrbY6_OJ/s400/13_06_01-15-03-24_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" width="400" xya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mrs B's Speech went down rather well....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBqJN-qxq5aUwqZswFb6jLIBhyWAqCSJ9rqE08QcaSpa2zgM96eNtW4dVc-zazHBBpPAE-uUgWobzEv4hlkezGFjfMqpRGgJhyphenhyphen7CUYXb9JST7L8srxSPgLQDOQiuGuKf1Bww8q4MSJa-F/s1600/13_06_01-15-19-32_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxBqJN-qxq5aUwqZswFb6jLIBhyWAqCSJ9rqE08QcaSpa2zgM96eNtW4dVc-zazHBBpPAE-uUgWobzEv4hlkezGFjfMqpRGgJhyphenhyphen7CUYXb9JST7L8srxSPgLQDOQiuGuKf1Bww8q4MSJa-F/s400/13_06_01-15-19-32_Mike+%2526+Vera+Golden.jpg" width="400" xya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>That's a cut....</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">A link to more of the party pictures will appear hear shortly</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next time I take you overseas to Washington D.C.</div>BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-80004626055307459872013-06-10T01:22:00.000+01:002013-06-10T09:00:49.958+01:00Chick flicks and chocolateAnother day another concert Photo pass, although a little bit more contemporary this time – Yes folks I’ve broken out of my 80’s artist rut but I’m probably not heading for the big time….. A big thanks to my friend Al who sorted out the pass for a recent gig at the Garage in Highbury - <br />
<br />
While Ian Siegal and his support David Migden (Vocals) with Joe Gibson (on Guitar) are not the biggest names in the music industry they play decent blues music and provided an enjoyable evening out. I had not come across David Migden (An American singer who hails from deep down south. At times I felt like I had drifted into an episode of True Blood – only without the bloodsuckers, shape changers and fairies… ) I was blown away by his voice – why not check it out <span class="watch-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" title="Chocolate Jesus with David Migden & Joe Gibson"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMod4pPsjbc" target="_blank">Chocolate Jesus with David Migden</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Cactus (Cheap As Chips TUeSday)</strong></span><br />
I’ve probably mentioned it before but Tuesday nights is CACTUS in Bishop’s Stortford. You can see any 2D Film for £3.25 and 3D film for £4.50 (boo hiss) which is a really good deal but it does sometimes end up with either seeing rubbish films you would never pay full price to see or watching films in extreme discomfort …. The last two films have fallen into the latter category (poor old Mrs B with her enforced working from home has got dragged along to both of these).<br />
<br />
First up was “The Great Gatsby”. Fortunately we managed to avoid the 3D version but due to a cock up on the booking front, i.e. I didn’t realise how popular it was going to be, saw us stuck in the second row. I’m very much a ‘back of the cinema’ person, where you can watch the whole screen unfold before you. It was bad enough having Leonardo de Caprio looming menacingly above us – I’ve only just stopped having nightmares of looking straight up his nostrils (someone should really tell his agent that he got to that age where nostril hair removal has become a daily necessity not just an occasional hobby) and that was only in 2D. I swear if we had been in the same seats for the 3D version I would have been scrapping mucus off of me for the rest of the week….. along with my nostril nightmare I found myself with a ricked neck from not just looking constantly up but having to swing my head from side to side to try and capture what was going on. It felt like I was watching a tennis game played at Hogwarts…. Such a shame as it took the gloss of an enjoyable film.<br />
<br />
This was followed by the new Star Trek movie – This had been out for a while so no need to book in advance but the gods of the Silver Screen had conspired against me once again – the latest showing of the 2D version was about 5pm so the only choice left was the 3D version. Deep joy, a few drop outs because of the film being 3D but Mrs B decided to brave it, along with our ex Fireman friend Mark - who turned out to be a complete Trekie nerd. He pulled out details such as who the mother of JT Kirk’s offspring was and pointing out where Jim’s middle name Tiberius came from…. I would tell you but you would only go and claim I was a Trekie Nerd. I really liked the film, but struggled to see what 3D brought to the party. Yeah, there is a depth of field to the picture but the foreground ends up looking like some cheap cardboard. Things get a little better if the 3D film happens to be a medical drama, with half the people in the audience turning green and barfing it actually starts to look and smell like a hospital waiting room in the throes of an epidemic…. <br />
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Late breaking news - as I have managed to take so long completing this blog we have seen another C.A.C.T.U.S film. This one was particularly painful for me - The Big Wedding - which is a RomCom just not a very good one. I had hoped I might get away with not seeing it and have a week off the choice being Hangover III (sensibly no voted for this one) or this... Sadly the Chick Flick girls Al* (I can't be cross with her as she secured me the photo pass) and my Italian friend Elena (being foreign she doesn't know any better) voted for this one. All the males on the C.A.C.T.U.S kept their heads down and even Mrs B decided to give it a miss....It started off OK, a little smutty even for my taste but not too bad. Sadly it got progressively worse until I managed to save my sanity by falling asleep. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">* Al is the inspiration behind this weeks Blog title, happy to turn up to any film as long as it is action, horror and adventure free</span><span style="color: blue;">**.</span> <span style="color: red;">and is accompanied by lashings of chocolate... I of course never indulge unless Mrs B :- </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span><span style="color: red;">A) is not around...</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span><span style="color: red;">B) is not likely to find out that I have over indulged again </span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span><span style="color: red;">C) Has already read this blog before the late breaking news secion was added</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span><span style="color: red;">D) is unlikely to re-read the blog....</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="color: blue;">** I was going to be cruel and say comedy free but Al insisted on us seeing "I give it A year" a few months back which turned out to be a complete winner....</span><br />
<strong style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></strong><strong style="font-size: x-large;">Flat lining, speeding to an early exit</strong><br />
Some sad news this week. My favourite ever skis, my “Head 1400i XRCs”, have bitten the dust – these sweet little rides propelled me to 75.9 mph a couple of years back, in Chompoluc (Italy) – my fastest ever recorded time. In truth I had been eeking them out for the last couple of seasons but felt I could have got a little longer out of them.... if only I had not been drawn in by the guy in the repair shop who claimed he could get the ski base almost as good as new (I had visions of 80+ mph)…. Like a fool I believed him (a real recipe for being duped, really, really wanting the impossible to be possible) so I guess I should not have been surprised when I received a call saying the last rights had been administered and the 1400i’s had flat lined during the final grinding process (I had asked him not to put them through a machine but to do it by hand) – …. At least he had the good grace not to charge me for taking my skis off Piste and onto Ski heaven….sniff, sniff… <br />
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A real treat for you next week - Mrs B will be contributing the speech she gave at her parents’ Golden wedding anniversary party.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Photo Finish</span></strong> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf8YbTsErKlJztrU2pRgKUTI8AodFL9N4Xn_-SZb40Atj4OVuDHCtYPXCPmnbAEap5lx5ZTg-VY-L0PLz8OBliIY-U-WdehE3ha1lT1LQfzecl7PzXcjjAaGEjl33R3QEqyObJOd4Kk0K/s1600/13_05_08-22-39-43_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf8YbTsErKlJztrU2pRgKUTI8AodFL9N4Xn_-SZb40Atj4OVuDHCtYPXCPmnbAEap5lx5ZTg-VY-L0PLz8OBliIY-U-WdehE3ha1lT1LQfzecl7PzXcjjAaGEjl33R3QEqyObJOd4Kk0K/s400/13_05_08-22-39-43_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" yya="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Al - if you want to see this shy retiring creature </strong><br />
<strong>use Chick Flicks and chocolate to entice her out... </strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HEM831whp5iyeuGeoll1JF8m5T10rJfIx6HZFt2HDFCLoi-E_OARj63jQ6qheJgj2Tx1YHknhPbITH49N2pCFd1T9fhHSdQqhfCvG4zNnTJzLu6Af06UUwEfwb5hFjMGSNNezBJYc9Ir/s1600/13_05_08-22-39-47_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HEM831whp5iyeuGeoll1JF8m5T10rJfIx6HZFt2HDFCLoi-E_OARj63jQ6qheJgj2Tx1YHknhPbITH49N2pCFd1T9fhHSdQqhfCvG4zNnTJzLu6Af06UUwEfwb5hFjMGSNNezBJYc9Ir/s400/13_05_08-22-39-47_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Richard - Al's Husband and Ian Siegals manager</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPHWWdcXkILbeJFC1KDA4dcWDTVw-fjMSS4upo2ysQahcJy5FTSfrgn7X4-nx3dmFQ8G1Bi_XC_I7gwptiVwIhkhLBjyv7ovDSaHCts53NVBBECDbtXCuMHf5JjaKk-osfJerrw_-n0jv/s1600/13_05_08-19-50-50_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPHWWdcXkILbeJFC1KDA4dcWDTVw-fjMSS4upo2ysQahcJy5FTSfrgn7X4-nx3dmFQ8G1Bi_XC_I7gwptiVwIhkhLBjyv7ovDSaHCts53NVBBECDbtXCuMHf5JjaKk-osfJerrw_-n0jv/s400/13_05_08-19-50-50_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Joe Gibson providing guitar backing for</strong><br />
<strong>David Midgen....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhlsucKbtSG8N_tC8KeB6czZEX_cyG_y-UxgOrnNqZG0_FOIdSNZ95FWqP6LDDQsHipH9pWWXXjDmuCgbjKFShSySs10xCv1PLuQZHxwbe84XeXCgwBgi2FLFmdEQ6PCL70Taub-oHv_l/s1600/13_05_08-20-01-25_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhlsucKbtSG8N_tC8KeB6czZEX_cyG_y-UxgOrnNqZG0_FOIdSNZ95FWqP6LDDQsHipH9pWWXXjDmuCgbjKFShSySs10xCv1PLuQZHxwbe84XeXCgwBgi2FLFmdEQ6PCL70Taub-oHv_l/s400/13_05_08-20-01-25_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>David Midgen</strong> <br />
<br />
<strong>Like you have drifted into an episode of True Blood – </strong><br />
<strong>only without the bloodsuckers, shape changers and fairies…</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAvsfVspcMF5X3ikmjr5R2BX395xC8x4N5ZBhz2f0UYNgQJg3T9k2lujoQuciLUPu3gtZGpsZOu4xoVKc7y4vd_myM9FDBICjZ60pEetwOD4VqonT_-qWX1rPESh5DSq_6HjCe6LN3Lio/s1600/13_05_08-20-46-40_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAvsfVspcMF5X3ikmjr5R2BX395xC8x4N5ZBhz2f0UYNgQJg3T9k2lujoQuciLUPu3gtZGpsZOu4xoVKc7y4vd_myM9FDBICjZ60pEetwOD4VqonT_-qWX1rPESh5DSq_6HjCe6LN3Lio/s400/13_05_08-20-46-40_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Looking like Brian Jones a </strong><br />
<strong>member of </strong><br />
<strong>The Mississippi Mudbloods</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Ian's Current band</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlS4ge5YkdrPFYANzrhgMDWS8timR6vLGtNlG6CEjTs1C7d56hyphenhyphencsDYcPa2MUuLE18zh-u1sro4nhIO5o6HVUHMHIOlI25ZeRbLTziylpC49qdo36_K8QU6HaU9C3Q3c51Aax52e0_WChY/s1600/13_05_08-22-22-22_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlS4ge5YkdrPFYANzrhgMDWS8timR6vLGtNlG6CEjTs1C7d56hyphenhyphencsDYcPa2MUuLE18zh-u1sro4nhIO5o6HVUHMHIOlI25ZeRbLTziylpC49qdo36_K8QU6HaU9C3Q3c51Aax52e0_WChY/s400/13_05_08-22-22-22_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Ian Siegal</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1Wwcuk0L6d8G3PZMK84SQj8_dGW_0dF6unH-422TwCyfMlS41xgTqcORDlUn0bNucvCNStB5lMdisemy5BAUYEChqNVAwjMq2VlAaLNv2MC00PU9WXVfE-FzoaOuOdmYqRGH9vw8jGry/s1600/13_05_08-20-55-36_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1Wwcuk0L6d8G3PZMK84SQj8_dGW_0dF6unH-422TwCyfMlS41xgTqcORDlUn0bNucvCNStB5lMdisemy5BAUYEChqNVAwjMq2VlAaLNv2MC00PU9WXVfE-FzoaOuOdmYqRGH9vw8jGry/s400/13_05_08-20-55-36_untitled+shoot-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Ian Siegal</strong><br />
<strong>up close and personal</strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSO4rmo931ORls2g2bvAEJlhvfzJqLHRl84SkTjhyphenhyphenE_gozm6sU7teuzIFrc5Tv0F_5H6P76AU7jc_fjaQIQIzzINKFW8KX_bh0Z59HbOQQImGXhB3YcQanjqtQGIw7Hwf5rycby4BiGC1I/s1600/13_05_08-19-56-21_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSO4rmo931ORls2g2bvAEJlhvfzJqLHRl84SkTjhyphenhyphenE_gozm6sU7teuzIFrc5Tv0F_5H6P76AU7jc_fjaQIQIzzINKFW8KX_bh0Z59HbOQQImGXhB3YcQanjqtQGIw7Hwf5rycby4BiGC1I/s400/13_05_08-19-56-21_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>For those of you who have never had the </strong><br />
<strong>oppertunity to work in the pit...</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dZ1S3VqDFZgVmcSoTplflepFrp6DACmVHmlR-zcN-L47OffsqNZxG8dvEkzCcAlo__VgomAqPLIfMvAyidz59qWv0_X70Sg-vGKocMdDanfSNv5328gvL14kd7eiwT5tcDOxDBsF1nhi/s400/13_06_08-19-22-53_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>My skis stripped of their dignity </strong></td></tr>
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Until next time <br />
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<img height="63" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf8YbTsErKlJztrU2pRgKUTI8AodFL9N4Xn_-SZb40Atj4OVuDHCtYPXCPmnbAEap5lx5ZTg-VY-L0PLz8OBliIY-U-WdehE3ha1lT1LQfzecl7PzXcjjAaGEjl33R3QEqyObJOd4Kk0K/s400/13_05_08-22-39-43_untitled+shoot.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 410px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 2076px; visibility: hidden;" width="96" /><img height="63" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf8YbTsErKlJztrU2pRgKUTI8AodFL9N4Xn_-SZb40Atj4OVuDHCtYPXCPmnbAEap5lx5ZTg-VY-L0PLz8OBliIY-U-WdehE3ha1lT1LQfzecl7PzXcjjAaGEjl33R3QEqyObJOd4Kk0K/s400/13_05_08-22-39-43_untitled+shoot.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 379px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 1839px; visibility: hidden;" width="96" /> <img height="63" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLf8YbTsErKlJztrU2pRgKUTI8AodFL9N4Xn_-SZb40Atj4OVuDHCtYPXCPmnbAEap5lx5ZTg-VY-L0PLz8OBliIY-U-WdehE3ha1lT1LQfzecl7PzXcjjAaGEjl33R3QEqyObJOd4Kk0K/s400/13_05_08-22-39-43_untitled+shoot.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 383px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 3787px; visibility: hidden;" width="96" /> <br />
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BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-46559880221818340202013-05-17T21:44:00.001+01:002013-05-18T16:18:17.063+01:00Mrs B gets plastered <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After spending a week swaying awkwardly from side to side while trying to walk, I finally persuaded Mrs B to visit A&E. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She had been attempting an amazing bicycle trick, which involved taking her right foot out of the peddle clip while simultaneously and with an elegance that unfortunately failed to defeat gravity, toppling to the left. Frankly it could do with a bit of work as the end result was little more than a very sore and swollen ankle. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hey , you, yes you, sniggering at the back….If you think you can take on this tough little cookie, be warned - Mrs B's pain threshold is remarkably high. Some regular readers may recall that a couple of years ago she managed to walk around on a broken leg for two weeks. This time it was a week’s worth of excruciating pain on a broken ankle. With the broken leg Mrs B got away with a few weeks in an air boot – but this one is a bit more serious and she finds herself encased in a full plaster cast, facing the possibility of six or more weeks on crutches….. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYNAKhvfs4gTlNTpxB_2_RzXFr1ccwyh1mAs3aYqmGdSBgtLdWwIS7F3_bCT9ckR2aT3zZM7wERxOOOvMA4B3r-etsVl3Tm9OKtymH0yEgKhyl0N_Y9nxYQb_F4dc43TezDBPLHXGgH1ws/s1600/13_05_17-17-05-31_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYNAKhvfs4gTlNTpxB_2_RzXFr1ccwyh1mAs3aYqmGdSBgtLdWwIS7F3_bCT9ckR2aT3zZM7wERxOOOvMA4B3r-etsVl3Tm9OKtymH0yEgKhyl0N_Y9nxYQb_F4dc43TezDBPLHXGgH1ws/s400/13_05_17-17-05-31_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A less than happy Mrs B with her new footwear...</span></b><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">I'm not sure it will catch on as a fashion statement.</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZFK2761fJ5Umds0UcrB04uHdlBsrPa6p6JhLnAVoyJZJ-ZaacAKQXFyZtAY5oGiPyCj58zHQdpsYhsSbEVwT-m8HUyby5q_dSSpBHr_uRx2eHMw5VIL-xgVoL_5pzrXqjqMuQGWh7sKU/s1600/13_05_17-17-05-08_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ZFK2761fJ5Umds0UcrB04uHdlBsrPa6p6JhLnAVoyJZJ-ZaacAKQXFyZtAY5oGiPyCj58zHQdpsYhsSbEVwT-m8HUyby5q_dSSpBHr_uRx2eHMw5VIL-xgVoL_5pzrXqjqMuQGWh7sKU/s400/13_05_17-17-05-08_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">On a positive note at least her cast matches our <br />Coffee Machine so it won't clash with our kitchen...</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So no need to have the Kitchen revamped then.</span></b></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">Bishop's Stortford Music Festival</span></strong> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After three days of glorious sunshine, this year’s Bishops Stortford festival returned, a bit like Glastonbury, after taking a year off. The organisers had decided, probably wisely, not to take on last year’s dual challenge of the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympics. It opened promptly at 11am on Saturday morning and the inevitable rain arrived shortly afterwards. Mrs B bravely decided to rest her ankle, leaving The Beast and me to venture forth alone. It was far from a lonely event though as I ran into numerous friends and acquaintances.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">Photo Finish</span></strong><br />
This weeks photo section is dedicated to the Bishops Stortford Music Festival and sees The Beast back in action. I didn't get to see as much as I would have liked, as I didn't want to abandon Mrs B for the entire weekend. So did a couple of late afternoon/evening stints.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Saturday</span> </b></div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ghost of Samantha</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wx45Edd3p7rbNfHAY5GHN79mUpWRPX06u7dVWvtqvFoRtqGfHAv8V2aB1-loaOAzk4giKk1GtcfEe8_HeZrWKDnMGd0DAmEG_hW02jyGJN2_C2rcFOfntBQxwsijsqPEta3rhrdTUrl7/s1600/13_05_04-18-33-34_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wx45Edd3p7rbNfHAY5GHN79mUpWRPX06u7dVWvtqvFoRtqGfHAv8V2aB1-loaOAzk4giKk1GtcfEe8_HeZrWKDnMGd0DAmEG_hW02jyGJN2_C2rcFOfntBQxwsijsqPEta3rhrdTUrl7/s400/13_05_04-18-33-34_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Samantha<br /><br />Singles include</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1401686092"></span><span style="font-size: small;">Einstein<span id="goog_1401686093"></span></span></a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb854Yxj5MA" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">Teacups</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">reminds me of a poor man's Kate Nash</span></span></b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"> Randoms</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5DBf7zpkSM51Ky0YYeX7HegqeZVOIUXMnFkAkkXkSmJyJmX07g6z4o2iZ9i89jWPwL7GVUwTI4hDh5fELrHCub_gnWGdPZUpknKck_BtLxswlninJDxz-4kWAbsKgZLbQEoAyvv-mmuV/s1600/13_05_04-18-33-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5DBf7zpkSM51Ky0YYeX7HegqeZVOIUXMnFkAkkXkSmJyJmX07g6z4o2iZ9i89jWPwL7GVUwTI4hDh5fELrHCub_gnWGdPZUpknKck_BtLxswlninJDxz-4kWAbsKgZLbQEoAyvv-mmuV/s400/13_05_04-18-33-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Randoms<br /><br />Not a music group, just a bunch of people who saw<br />The Beast and asked if I would take their picture.<br /><br /> They then just wondered off, not asking what<br /> I was likely to do with the shot . OK so they didn't <br />make the local paper but there is a good <br />chance they will be seen around the world.<br /><br />If you want to adopt any of them, all you have<br />to do is supply a name and as much<br /> beer as they can drink.....</span></b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Ash</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHUdqhZaZqnu87u83PFp1aCXfMXFoWT3bbYfDxZ2bKv3x8rcRS_2ORtxksU2Xy8WscOiRZwuOAlw_CQ4MoDIOS7UFsSway11Xyne6a7eqJksm-dLA3V86Up58lFmvZxj_M36OCJZr_RUR/s1600/13_05_04-18-59-00_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHUdqhZaZqnu87u83PFp1aCXfMXFoWT3bbYfDxZ2bKv3x8rcRS_2ORtxksU2Xy8WscOiRZwuOAlw_CQ4MoDIOS7UFsSway11Xyne6a7eqJksm-dLA3V86Up58lFmvZxj_M36OCJZr_RUR/s400/13_05_04-18-59-00_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our friend Ash<br /><br />Although he hasn't released any singles<br />he is currently "single". For anyone interested he<br /> has all his own teeth - some of them in his mouth....</span></b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Fred's House</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-08BP0Vbxu2xJgWZiN2zP8NhTDJ-DdHCNb068nzmheXf4v0XsFDu61_lnZW6p1OIIC3Szr5XWdXg3Botf2-0ZWr-K4fUIXcZCbCnX6hscOg4ghuuBV0lsT8GRPWvSdCb_M99fUO1rTCHv/s1600/13_05_04-19-08-37_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-08BP0Vbxu2xJgWZiN2zP8NhTDJ-DdHCNb068nzmheXf4v0XsFDu61_lnZW6p1OIIC3Szr5XWdXg3Botf2-0ZWr-K4fUIXcZCbCnX6hscOg4ghuuBV0lsT8GRPWvSdCb_M99fUO1rTCHv/s400/13_05_04-19-08-37_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Vix - lead singer<br /><br />check out the following songs<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpJbbwjuPzI" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Fine Life</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC_hu7y2_qs" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Waterloo Sunset</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDZWeMoucVg" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Someone Else's Road</span></a></b></span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Death by Sexy</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can check out their video</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_W7hauW0cI" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Sixteen</span></a><span style="color: red;"> </span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> A catchy little number</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXmWmmalJJNGpVNuWbqgK7jwqorgZJKTm3qVB94-EkX6eNPB-vxe31_z-Km6n7IszQzwdmjH7cboWtjD0W9UZXMVBq3BcprlAM-uzYgKLguYJlL1blqi2w8zb5VTQAMqORNjpfRONbGxI/s1600/13_05_04-19-38-19_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXmWmmalJJNGpVNuWbqgK7jwqorgZJKTm3qVB94-EkX6eNPB-vxe31_z-Km6n7IszQzwdmjH7cboWtjD0W9UZXMVBq3BcprlAM-uzYgKLguYJlL1blqi2w8zb5VTQAMqORNjpfRONbGxI/s400/13_05_04-19-38-19_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Jimmy - Vocals and Guitar<br />I'm guessing he is the Death part of the band...</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XXPFGl35N2J9GT3L4NWn_wFlkL6mcxTX8lKb2DhY-Y33s078Pdfl8Nsqp4XQacr2_RblMOLxF0M2MaB1jUPhj032LudIVbXMuxXwhQoUDKc_xxklViOI_OudD41QMVv9H1nAzpRoMv4n/s1600/13_05_04-19-41-08_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XXPFGl35N2J9GT3L4NWn_wFlkL6mcxTX8lKb2DhY-Y33s078Pdfl8Nsqp4XQacr2_RblMOLxF0M2MaB1jUPhj032LudIVbXMuxXwhQoUDKc_xxklViOI_OudD41QMVv9H1nAzpRoMv4n/s400/13_05_04-19-41-08_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Charis - Bass</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXapuCRjmGuLEEil_uVJ9i0uzNANVean520vWQBcg9CLxzPL5bY8MZMTFzkCsy1CQh2ZyJpyj02Dq8O-PyOpl6p9XrauDyHjcc4d5yqAUzauO9iJ7SNWyFT0wURLr8dsBphwjzoRmo0liR/s1600/13_05_04-19-35-28_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXapuCRjmGuLEEil_uVJ9i0uzNANVean520vWQBcg9CLxzPL5bY8MZMTFzkCsy1CQh2ZyJpyj02Dq8O-PyOpl6p9XrauDyHjcc4d5yqAUzauO9iJ7SNWyFT0wURLr8dsBphwjzoRmo0liR/s400/13_05_04-19-35-28_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sarah - Synth</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1gWTQp9WiKy_T9ND6HZfKjGDLx5Ws1xbognzLcxT-9BFHGKPeX0h6gF-jXqNIch6CDLi56jPLVepqRjwJsNaBIi3-4xxXPtflV8SmUmb-68VrHmg8zOBwqTHWtAAZ3VfUq5gSqDDvdBr/s1600/13_05_04-19-39-27_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1gWTQp9WiKy_T9ND6HZfKjGDLx5Ws1xbognzLcxT-9BFHGKPeX0h6gF-jXqNIch6CDLi56jPLVepqRjwJsNaBIi3-4xxXPtflV8SmUmb-68VrHmg8zOBwqTHWtAAZ3VfUq5gSqDDvdBr/s400/13_05_04-19-39-27_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Belle - Drums</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzF6vIb6DFyb5jFgKUmId7p-XZ-2W5n774YexjoUwwtpIP5ibw25W6rXsWLZM4vqIl2OdwH0ps4uDcwBgs6BhJLHDWV2H3qoD5lLdLCuGj3DfPoh6dOa5G25FpE4Ln0Xrtg1KBpcr78Sg/s1600/13_05_04-19-35-23_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZzF6vIb6DFyb5jFgKUmId7p-XZ-2W5n774YexjoUwwtpIP5ibw25W6rXsWLZM4vqIl2OdwH0ps4uDcwBgs6BhJLHDWV2H3qoD5lLdLCuGj3DfPoh6dOa5G25FpE4Ln0Xrtg1KBpcr78Sg/s400/13_05_04-19-35-23_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hazel - Guitar</span></b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Broken Chords</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFITsVkHmQd6njndO0YFJbbZhBrGZWVTnk_-VhaUuYgIZdE8gH4GatiQqE3nJ0FOXkgEmRX97wgFL214JvNoROD-wG1AvJE27bMmZqFx3RFZMDZOJQ_zNGVx5Ibbq6oS4HAqcSARriUbTG/s1600/13_05_04-19-46-30_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFITsVkHmQd6njndO0YFJbbZhBrGZWVTnk_-VhaUuYgIZdE8gH4GatiQqE3nJ0FOXkgEmRX97wgFL214JvNoROD-wG1AvJE27bMmZqFx3RFZMDZOJQ_zNGVx5Ibbq6oS4HAqcSARriUbTG/s400/13_05_04-19-46-30_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h1 id="watch-headline-title" style="-ms-text-overflow: ellipsis; -ms-word-wrap: normal; border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">
<span class="watch-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" style="-webkit-user-select: auto; border: 0px; cursor: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="The Broken Chords - Son of a Gun"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Joe - Lead Singer</span></span></h1>
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<span class="watch-title yt-uix-expander-head" dir="ltr" id="eow-title" style="-webkit-user-select: auto; border: 0px; cursor: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="The Broken Chords - Son of a Gun"><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI65BQiKTFA" target="_blank">The Broken Chords - Son of a Gun</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><strong>A little on the heavy side for my liking.....</strong></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Sunday</span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Benjamin Bloom</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRWisQiTVD544H7iXxX4uFrRR4PFx_TJzf0JC-aeZ1oxYgQ_St-hrl52bdT-u-ZfxocBPGiqWzkIejed2vE2fc9cbbu5p-CnB6teVTJjn2BNOYUK_udl92lSrkKUzI0w2AJsrY4oDv7qw/s1600/13_05_05-20-32-58_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRWisQiTVD544H7iXxX4uFrRR4PFx_TJzf0JC-aeZ1oxYgQ_St-hrl52bdT-u-ZfxocBPGiqWzkIejed2vE2fc9cbbu5p-CnB6teVTJjn2BNOYUK_udl92lSrkKUzI0w2AJsrY4oDv7qw/s400/13_05_05-20-32-58_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Benjamin discovers self brain surgery<br /> isn't as easy as it first looked....<br /><br />Probably best not to try this one out at<br /> home...even with <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22350814" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">NHS 111</span> </a>as a safety net</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Christians</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The headline - unfortunately I didn't stay for long. While I have always liked the Christians' Music I associate it with bad times. I was listening to one of their albums when one of our cats ,Byron, was killed. I thought I would have got over it after almost 20 years....but sadly no it brought back too many bad memories...So I took a few shots and left after a couple of songs.....Shame - good singer and some great songs</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQB7fmmxyVNKLHXD6pQaC6AJJ9y7jtDk-C4BR0wY-NnwbE6RImcQSf-SdB0Yirq5isJLcUpSQA5mH6MJs1X6eu08VY3vC_PuxSPS4amDpCMcFUh_Ap486iH4_rCcWtrIviN3FJN4-ELau5/s1600/13_05_05-21-18-37_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQB7fmmxyVNKLHXD6pQaC6AJJ9y7jtDk-C4BR0wY-NnwbE6RImcQSf-SdB0Yirq5isJLcUpSQA5mH6MJs1X6eu08VY3vC_PuxSPS4amDpCMcFUh_Ap486iH4_rCcWtrIviN3FJN4-ELau5/s400/13_05_05-21-18-37_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Garry Christian<br /><br />The sole remaining Christian brother<br /> from the original line-up....</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1XeQ2PQbLCyti105QryTfiLg1Jmc4n9m7vqJdrfB4uFJMxiciuAYRFTDhmd-Njl0QKPn-B9wVAFP1FGef4bImyUqmOCy_ezmlu77opZw8GlwSOin7CceV03UCPZmC8Hx07Ma4xUnaMYG/s1600/13_05_05-21-23-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih1XeQ2PQbLCyti105QryTfiLg1Jmc4n9m7vqJdrfB4uFJMxiciuAYRFTDhmd-Njl0QKPn-B9wVAFP1FGef4bImyUqmOCy_ezmlu77opZw8GlwSOin7CceV03UCPZmC8Hx07Ma4xUnaMYG/s400/13_05_05-21-23-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hits include<br /><br />Forgotten Town</span></b><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"> - </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Sounds like Bishop's Stortford</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">Hooverville (And They Promised us the World)</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><span style="line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Harvest for the World</span></span></b></span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> And in the end</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHRXSOICPy-6NyGrHyiEhq0ViEyNvfRFKMyaOvtWYw3eOS6AgUYDHoHJeyZT4BbH-gxMJ16l_wnDWUaUXT5lRRlUBKwebs7tgIqZRMy2TfdPYy0tLO_YhXLPiZ_hxkzHbVjZQvqIoYnj-/s1600/13_05_05-21-29-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOHRXSOICPy-6NyGrHyiEhq0ViEyNvfRFKMyaOvtWYw3eOS6AgUYDHoHJeyZT4BbH-gxMJ16l_wnDWUaUXT5lRRlUBKwebs7tgIqZRMy2TfdPYy0tLO_YhXLPiZ_hxkzHbVjZQvqIoYnj-/s400/13_05_05-21-29-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Time for bed said Zebadee - even though<br />Florence had not made it again this year....</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Catch you next time.....</span>BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-66688787479414514622013-05-01T23:25:00.001+01:002013-05-02T09:04:39.049+01:00105,000 miles that have helped save the planet - feel free to thank me.For the last 15 years I’ve been doing my bit for the environment and sharing driving duties with my colleague Peter. <br />
<br />
We have a very different approach to the commute: <br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Driving styles</span></strong><br />
With the brick, sorry I mean Volvo, Peter has adopted a steady tank-like approach to our journeys. The tank chews up the road as it grinds slowly to and from work. While I have a more, how shall I put it – “accelerate, pedal to the metal, decelerate<span style="color: red;">*</span>” style. While Peter joins the back of a queue I tend to work my way along and find the gap… There is always a gap. The motorist who left it does not always realise it but they soon learn….<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">* requiring the remaining two pedals to be forced even harder to the metal - often with both eyes shut, working on the basis that if you can’t see something, how can you possibly hit it? A philosophy that has worked moderately well so far…</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>You can normally tell when I've driven </strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>through your neighbourhood….</strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Navigation</span></strong><br />
I am very much a SatNav man with its built in traffic alerts, while Peter (as you may have read) is committed to the paper map. There are pros and cons to both approaches. I am the first to admit that SatNav does not always get it right and adding to that is the variable that I often believe I know best and override its instructions. Sometimes this works and sometimes it goes spectacularly wrong, adding what can seem like hours to a journey. After 15 years of what is a pretty well trodden path, the SatNav can still surprise us. Just the other week it produced a new work around route to one particular section of our journey. It’s a shame it didn’t suggest it years ago, it could have saved us a lot of time…. <br />
<br />
Peter’s map-based approach is much simpler but has the disadvantage of not showing traffic. That is not the main problem with it, however. You see Peter’s maps are all Essex-based and only one of our routes takes us through a tiny little bit of Essex: when we decide to go down the M11. This leads us to an even bigger flaw with Peter’s maps - they are early 16th and 17th century when the M11 was not even a sparkle in the eyes of Chapman & Andre (who, according to Peter , are the creators of the finest Essex maps ever drawn – The Tom Tom of their day).<br />
<br />
If you are interested in maps and have not yet been commited to an asylum why not check out Peters Map web page - <a href="http://www.oldessexmaps.co.uk/">www.oldessexmaps.co.uk</a><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Cars</span></strong><br />
During the 15 year period: <br />
<br />
Peter has used a Volvo Estate which, other than changing colour every few years, appears otherwise unchanged. Peter assures me, however, that the shape has evolved as well, although for the life of me I’ve never noticed. A brick is a brick no matter what fancy shape you attempt to make it. At times I have a sneaking suspicion that it might still be the original Volvo with multiple re-spray jobs and number plate changes. <br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Volvo Sport, it has taken years of Swedish </strong><br />
<strong>research to hone this special aerodynamic shape. </strong><br />
<strong>Cutting through the traffic like a pensioner</strong><br />
<strong>chewing a Tesco’s value steak….</strong><br />
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While I have brought to the party: <br />
<br />
<strong>Vauxhall Astra Sport</strong> – It had an excellent turning circle and…..well that was it really….Oh yes when it had a puncture I drove for about 5 miles before I realised, by which time there was no actual tyre left. This speaks volumes about the car, especially when you consider the handling, which, if anything, improved slightly after the flat (evidently the Astra Sport had aspirations of being a Reliant Robin)….<br />
<br />
<strong>Citron AX</strong> –Used as a station run car by Mrs B and only very occasionally (possibly just the once in fact) used for the car share commute. A tin can on wheels, so bad that no self-respecting Salmon or Tuna (Sardines are far less fussy) would be seen dead in it….. <br />
<br />
<strong>VW Golf Mark IV</strong> - While it is now aging it is a turbo GTI and probably still the fastest car that I have owned. Thankfully the brakes have proved as good as the accelerator over the years… This is the only car that has been involved in an incident while we have been commuting. When someone reversed into us while we were stationary, waiting for a road blockage to clear. <br />
<br />
<strong>Convertible Mini</strong> – The first time I drove Peter in the mini it was a nice warm, sunny day in early September and I had the roof down. Peter eyed the car suspiciously before pulling out a large woolly hat (Where’s Wally? style) and long scarf. For those of you old enough, think Tom Baker as Dr Who. If you are not old enough, shame on you. Check him out on Google, after all that was what it was invented for. If you are really awkward, too old for Tom Baker and don’t know what on earth this Google thing is… then think of the longest scarf you have ever seen and then double it….To this day Peter won’t allow me to drive with the roof down, even on the hottest of days, claiming “too much of a draft and too uncomfortable”. This is very hard for me to take, especially because, when he is not in the car I work on the premise: if it’s dry and above freezing, the roof comes down. I should have purchased a sun visor with the words “I would have the roof down but my passenger won’t let me…” After I replaced the Mini he declared it one of the worst cars he had ever been in. Mainly because, despite it being a Mini Cooper, it was very under-powered and so I had to thrash it to within an inch of its existence to get any response out of it…. <br />
<br />
<strong>Convertible BMW</strong> - The last two cars have been 1 series Convertibles. After so many years of me ribbing Peter about having the same brick, I have at last provided him the ammo to fight back. The fact that both cars have been black with a red leather interior has hardly helped my cause. My claim that one was petrol while the other diesel, thus making them entirely different cars, falls on deaf ears…. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Entertainment</strong></span><br />
Peter’s music taste ranges from Classical music to Meat Loaf, or, to be more precise, Meat Loaf – “Bat out of Hell” (……original version only). <br />
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<br />
<br />
I tried playing him the revamped orchestral version….it went down the same as when I tried him with “Bat out of Hell II” and indeed “III”. Neither were acceptable in the slightest (Mrs B, often says, “You shouldn’t mess with a good thing”<span style="color: magenta;">**</span>). Since I can take about an advert’s worth of Classical music and “Bat out of Hell” was never going to sustain more than a couple of trips (even though I have no problem with it), music was clearly “out”.<br />
<br />
** Which apparently covers almost everything in life …. Except for her constant, if futile, efforts to improve me….. <br />
<br />
It was a similar story with radio. We did go through a stage of listening to The Archers but Peter got fed up with my constant moaning (sometime working up to a proper whine – it got to the point where I would refuse to listen to the signature tune and would turn the radio off for as long as possible). A compromise was reached and Peter decided it would be more peaceful to listen to the Sunday omnibus…. <br />
<br />
So with music and radio out of the question what would be our entertainment? Our saviour turned out to be audio books…. <br />
<br />
During our time together we have got through:<br />
<br />
Seven (the entire series) Harry Potter books – all excellently read by Stephen Fry. <br />
<br />
Most of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series <br />
<br />
Lord of the Rings at least twice<br />
<br />
And hundreds of classics – Dickens, Tolstoy etc<br />
We have a rule that once a book has started we have to finish it….. That has not always proved to be a good or enjoyable thing. For instance:<br />
<br />
The Castle by Franz Kafka. A book so dire that Kafka could not finish it himself, deciding he would rather starve himself to death instead. We didn’t know this until the book stopped mid sentence, which was both a blessing and a curse – since it was the end of our suffering but with nothing to show for it…… <br />
<br />
The problem with being a passenger is that you do not always stay awake for the entire journey and so whole swathes of a book can go missing, making future chapters a complete mystery as you struggle to work out what the hell is going on. Not so bad when the driver can fill in the gaps but extremely worrying when neither of us can remember what came before…. <br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Our most memorable journey</span></strong><br />
We have various routes to and from work, one of which involves going through a ford. On one occasion when we approached the ford we noticed the water was higher and running much quicker than normal. As Peter inched down towards it I jokingly said “I’d go for it”. Peter assumed I was being serious and in we went. About halfway across, with the car moving sideways as much as it was moving forwards we were both getting extremely nervous…Somehow the car made it to the other side and just about dragged itself out – if it had been a dog it would have found the closest human being and vigorously shaken itself. It was a good 3 years before Peter ventured near that ford again….. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>If only we had thought to time Peters moving</strong><br />
<strong>sideways in the ford we might </strong><strong>have broken </strong><br />
<strong>the Volvo land speed (well water speed) </strong><strong>record...</strong></td></tr>
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<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">All things must end</span></strong><br />
Sadly, our car sharing days are rapidly coming to an end as Peter has opted to take early retirement. No doubt literally driven out of the firm by me…. <br />
<br />
If you ever find yourself with a car-sharing opportunity remember, while it is not an easy option to take it can work as long as you follow some simple rules:<br />
<br />
Work out departure times that suit both of you – and remember some days it is just not going to be practical to car share.<br />
<br />
It is always the driver’s prerogative i.e. the driver gets to decide which route to take – this is not as easy as it sounds especially when there are many variations of a route, as on our journey.<br />
<br />
If one of you needs to get home in a hurry, remember: the traffic will inevitably go against you. On the whole it is probably quicker with my style of driving but sitting stationary in traffic is a great leveller. <br />
<br />
Talking books is the way forward but a word of advice: don’t, no matter how much your car-sharer begs you, attempt to listen to Kafka. Also, it is probably a good idea to record the trip, that way if you happen to miss any of the book during the journey you can always catch up on it later….<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Advantages of Car sharing</strong></span> <br />
Beyond the obvious of being green – No not like the Jolly Green Giant, although that might be quite cool….<br />
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<br />
Over the last 15 years, Peter and I have averaged around 100 journeys together each year. At 70 miles each round trip this adds up to a fairly impressive 105,000 miles. <br />
<br />
On the basis that we drove alternate journeys, it works out at approximately 52,500 miles less wear and tear on my cars and me as the driver. (Peter might argue the point but I find it is far more relaxing being a passenger.)<br />
<br />
Putting that into pounds, shilling and pence, car sharing has saved me around 3,500 miles a year. Taking current diesel prices into account (£1.42 a litre) and with a 44.2 MPG return on my current car, this works out at 360L – which equates to a saving of over £500 for fuel alone in the last 12 months. <br />
<br />
No Photo Finish this week - The Beast is having a rest<br />
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Catch you next timeBlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-22270130895613625692013-04-21T21:56:00.002+01:002013-05-26T21:56:11.486+01:00When you are tired of money....<br />
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When you are tired of life, I am reliably informed, Dignitas and Switzerland have the answer. If, however, you are just tired of having money forget Dignitas. You still need Switzerland but can substitute Dignitas for Zermatt or probably any Swiss Ski resort. Half a litre of bottled water (as it was open when it came to the table it might well have been from a tap) and you can wave goodbye to almost £10. I knew it, we should have diced with poverty and gone for the full litre bottle….. A round of three drinks - one beer, a G&T and a fruit juice cocktail (What can I say, I’m clearly not a cheap date) - and you are heading well over the £40 mark. Thankfully we went on a fully catered basis (getting a cracking deal with over £1,000 pounds off each….)and so escaped with enough funds to be able to afford the luxury of only having to eat dry bread and English tap water for the next six months (It’s just a shame that I’m not eating bread at the moment….let’s hope good old English tap water has retained some of its nutrients on its way through seven other people.)….. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Zermatt is a fascinating place, with the only motor vehicles allowed in the town being of the electric variety. The result is fleets of electric taxis which are like enclosed milk floats delivering you to your destination with all the dignity of a pint of milk. Albeit a pint of milk which has been mugged and left destitute on a door step – probably not the doorstop you had intended to arrive at but as far as you could go before your bank foreclosed on the journey …. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The whole of Zermatt is dominated by the Matterhorn. During the day it is almost impossible to avoid sight of it, except for when the clouds move in to obscure it. It is truly an impressive peak which stands, apparently alone, etched starkly against the skyline. It is only when you see it from the Italian side that you fully appreciate how fortunate the Zermattians are. On the wrong side of the border it stands at the end of a run of smaller peaks. This makes it barely identifiable as the Swiss icon. I’m guessing that the Swiss had enough money, when the earth was being designed, to bribe the architects so that they got a real money spinner.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our bedroom’s outlook not only included the deluxe Matterhorn view (I suspect you have to pay extra for not having it) but it also overlooked Jensen Button’s (the F1 driver) new chalet which is nearing completion. Sadly Jensen was not there to oversee the work and to invite us to stay with him next year. Probably just as well as if I’m honest I was not that impressed with the outside of the chalet and quite frankly it would have to be bloody spectacular inside before I even considered that free all-expenses paid holiday with Jensen. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We had a shock one morning when we woke<span style="color: red;">*</span>. We thought the Italians had got their own back because it looked for all the world like they had worked through the night and dug out the Matterhorn’s foundations forcing it to shrink dramatically. Sadly it was just an illusion. Apparently the Swiss have invested in an emergency backup peak for when the main version gets lost in the clouds. No wonder Zermatt is so expensive.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: red;">* Well when I say “we”, it was of course me who woke. Mrs B spends most of the mornings fighting the effects of the coma she drops into every night. The effort renders her pretty much deaf, dumb and blind until at least her third gulp of tea. At this point an invisible ER crash team shock her back into existence and normal service is sometimes resumed.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Welcome to polite society</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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For all the money that is sloshing around the place it became apparent that while money can buy you a lot in life it can’t buy you manners. I found this out the hard way when I got wiped out by a rather ignorant out of control Australian. I had come through a rather narrow tunnel and moved over to the side to stop and wait for the group I was skiing with. The next thing I knew my legs were taken out from beneath me and I found myself sprawled out in the snow. I looked down the hill to see a dishevelled shape spread-eagled across the slope with both skis off. He turned and glared at me, then started accusing me of cutting him up. Before I could even reply, Jonny, one of the group we were with, skied over to him and ripped a strip off him for being totally out of control. While I had shot through the tunnel at some speed (I have two speeds while skiing - flat out<span style="color: purple;">**</span> or stationary) I was in full control. My companions told me that the Australian guy had been all over the place on the preceding slope and had only just made the tight turn into the tunnel. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">** No not flat out as in sprawled across the slopes….</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Me </b> - “Ok, It would be nice if you apologised for wiping me out”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Ignorant Aussi</b>e – “Why should I apologise to you mate, you were in my way”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Me</b> – “You are aware that the uphill skier gives way”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Ignorant Aussie</b> – “You should have got out of my way”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Me - </b>“I’ll put your rudeness down to your embarrassment”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Ignorant Aussie</b> – “What have I got to be embarrassed about”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Me </b>– “Well I would certainly be embarrassed if I skied as badly as you”<o:p></o:p></div>
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That didn’t go down well and he was last seen sloping off, whinging just like the Aussies accuse us whinging poms ) of doing. Clearly a class act from start to finish. I guess I should be grateful he wasn’t South African, I would have been afraid to go into the bathroom in case I got shot.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Speed </b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Yet another ski holiday full of “Doesn’t your wife ski well” comments…. Only it was slightly worse this time, as my only ski ability – speed - was brought into question…. While I didn’t break my personal record of 75.9mph from Champoluc from last year, I managed a fairly respectable 65.2mph. Speeds are recorded courtesy of “Ski tracks”, an app on my iPhone. I was informed my registered speed was highly unlikely, being equivalent to speeds the downhill ski racers obtain. In my defence though, when I compared the app against a car speedo, it wasn’t far adrift. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now it’s true, it is all straight line speed with none of that wimpy turning thrown in. This straight line approach (I hesitate to use the word style) does allow me to keep up with much better skiers than me, certainly in good conditions and on well-groomed pistes, much to the surprise and possibly horror of some of them. This year’s guide, Chris, certainly tested my metal by throwing in an additional twist…. He liked to take as much air as possible, even from the most innocuous of bumps. It wasn’t a case of “Swiss Air” but more like “Chris Air”…. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ll leave you with some shots from Zermatt and some of the fantastic food that we were served….<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Photo Finish</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Loads of pictures this week - I was having difficulty leaving shots out. Hope you don't get bored.</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Zermatt Views</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXuRw9EmlQfjCK884Hmwzwxbf3mM-FmWSlpcFMwGmoZLyoJ9TNg18VsqV9VeKDrAnS3ebvl8MNC4_aTozZu7MOy_tV9gaUdCMIiYq8GHM8UGFW23Hq3Vehf1MiM_gF6irqYer5eAsqQTB/s1600/13_03_31-14-43-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXuRw9EmlQfjCK884Hmwzwxbf3mM-FmWSlpcFMwGmoZLyoJ9TNg18VsqV9VeKDrAnS3ebvl8MNC4_aTozZu7MOy_tV9gaUdCMIiYq8GHM8UGFW23Hq3Vehf1MiM_gF6irqYer5eAsqQTB/s400/13_03_31-14-43-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Classic Matterhorn Shot...</b> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAw9FICMgYurxUVJxHHsZI0Omp4foRrzwECF3tqFFMxN0861EXS0Z1FL4VZZ4tu1vLrImsldzV58l_eswCavXfCf2mtXALchHiSivFAn_nGWC1X6E6F5Qadp6dan-p6mobq4BtFsCjt8G/s1600/13_04_01-06-28-37_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAw9FICMgYurxUVJxHHsZI0Omp4foRrzwECF3tqFFMxN0861EXS0Z1FL4VZZ4tu1vLrImsldzV58l_eswCavXfCf2mtXALchHiSivFAn_nGWC1X6E6F5Qadp6dan-p6mobq4BtFsCjt8G/s400/13_04_01-06-28-37_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The view from our balcony....With Jensen's little pad in-front<br /><br />"I said no Jensen we are going to hold out for a better offer..."</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77GoBON5h5jnw_xLu92BaBT5pxk4bX4lmKPsdEXSbeOwgL2aE3lT7tJHE50Ktsg5cbqBwORCuY7U19iS-7_ZFP2y5yNl15Rtmr32JFlKDyKCiZjLB1d1IekhaK0JzmNRdp-NySBFwGgKR/s1600/13_04_01-12-15-32_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77GoBON5h5jnw_xLu92BaBT5pxk4bX4lmKPsdEXSbeOwgL2aE3lT7tJHE50Ktsg5cbqBwORCuY7U19iS-7_ZFP2y5yNl15Rtmr32JFlKDyKCiZjLB1d1IekhaK0JzmNRdp-NySBFwGgKR/s400/13_04_01-12-15-32_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Inverse clouds, always look impressive.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Ed-MAOQqoFeNjO3CSS0zYVCbBj7wk_dl7eF54TiLnKPjWjIi8mq6RNOSXYCBVgLFzB9NzI5UljGz2dDUZOs_EmMqXpe6-6egkqUSy3kDQJr4y4I9iNCKR_33GRfdpbo8kpuCTaH85-U5/s1600/13_04_01-12-15-34_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Ed-MAOQqoFeNjO3CSS0zYVCbBj7wk_dl7eF54TiLnKPjWjIi8mq6RNOSXYCBVgLFzB9NzI5UljGz2dDUZOs_EmMqXpe6-6egkqUSy3kDQJr4y4I9iNCKR_33GRfdpbo8kpuCTaH85-U5/s400/13_04_01-12-15-34_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>You certainly can't fault the beauty of the Alps....</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcKEgbz07ewlN2k-f_nSr0spIXL8RuZynUcFt2e2Erbt1HXxSALKNf3hDo-oTihdY0Y7lzp9ltYSWt2uKQS_0ithnu2d8JqxR2aaV6etGn9t2qEYxwnYA9Vi_N2nYs8lVkEfyEgCSynjS/s1600/13_04_03-10-39-31_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcKEgbz07ewlN2k-f_nSr0spIXL8RuZynUcFt2e2Erbt1HXxSALKNf3hDo-oTihdY0Y7lzp9ltYSWt2uKQS_0ithnu2d8JqxR2aaV6etGn9t2qEYxwnYA9Vi_N2nYs8lVkEfyEgCSynjS/s400/13_04_03-10-39-31_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Matterhorn, another day <br />another angle....</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEyzeojmDaWkFhFDYILVaKe-xkZGkbL-oyd7BFuV43V8dSnh08BdA0CcWuPQ8fGPh2v_G6KAFjQ4ARvYPPv-9hCJ7KA1QwGQXJvXrrEuLZcfx-k7cI_piPkmx4iDvSOaltCu0_k6cieRI/s1600/13_04_03-10-59-21_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEyzeojmDaWkFhFDYILVaKe-xkZGkbL-oyd7BFuV43V8dSnh08BdA0CcWuPQ8fGPh2v_G6KAFjQ4ARvYPPv-9hCJ7KA1QwGQXJvXrrEuLZcfx-k7cI_piPkmx4iDvSOaltCu0_k6cieRI/s400/13_04_03-10-59-21_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The scene of our £10 bottle of water mugging....<br /><br />No one came to our aid as we failed to prevent<br />the waitress from rolling us over and<br />emptying our wallets.....</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>I wasn't sure whether to file this under food ....it looks like a<br />slice of mint Viennettafrom the 80's.. which probably explains <br />the freezer burn around the edges.....</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXROFVrWw6s0Gs5TPcObpHXgApto9YNLKUaMwYRy-xSvISFhj0d70EKcWg0lzFYDDX9YYDW-PiN0u9CzHuSdZu2rRmBdOwhd2Jg2FtAYIrHcB96T7qYiEHk43W15LwW142XcrrCMuQEFt4/s1600/13_04_06-12-20-23_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXROFVrWw6s0Gs5TPcObpHXgApto9YNLKUaMwYRy-xSvISFhj0d70EKcWg0lzFYDDX9YYDW-PiN0u9CzHuSdZu2rRmBdOwhd2Jg2FtAYIrHcB96T7qYiEHk43W15LwW142XcrrCMuQEFt4/s400/13_04_06-12-20-23_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Matterhorn meets Deer Horn<br />neither walked away.....</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The Swimming Pool at our Chalet...</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK318QZcqrwyzHiMBS3px6x3EYcBb4wRXyWoKAXXtti8Uqvw-VmmhalkY2tG-OBtWxPSypaBwreJX1Sn03nEVIBio-N8pKUJZRJ6cfP3h0oHOVM4vQUVhIdaiKTJvK7EchSVW2zcpVK6jM/s1600/13_04_05-10-27-55_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK318QZcqrwyzHiMBS3px6x3EYcBb4wRXyWoKAXXtti8Uqvw-VmmhalkY2tG-OBtWxPSypaBwreJX1Sn03nEVIBio-N8pKUJZRJ6cfP3h0oHOVM4vQUVhIdaiKTJvK7EchSVW2zcpVK6jM/s400/13_04_05-10-27-55_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Chris reflecting on the Matterhorn .....I told you you just <br />can't get away from the damn thing.....</b></td></tr>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Cast</span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xr5YwhSEvhpd-1hBJJmNFD11Tot0EilsZ7J_FPsbEdFk4H7H6eH7G9HBk8hqeM6JtXHu7Kyw2Zs-tAKfUIXQ_VFFLPVuO6cn_1fWRsOdlfwKAmx5NIsB0eSH0KVjbnPn23067C03r1nB/s1600/13_04_06-16-45-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xr5YwhSEvhpd-1hBJJmNFD11Tot0EilsZ7J_FPsbEdFk4H7H6eH7G9HBk8hqeM6JtXHu7Kyw2Zs-tAKfUIXQ_VFFLPVuO6cn_1fWRsOdlfwKAmx5NIsB0eSH0KVjbnPn23067C03r1nB/s400/13_04_06-16-45-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Jonnie - He spent the first three days of the holiday on death's <br />doorstep. It might have been longer after he questioned my<br />speed accuracy. However he earned a reprieve after he gallantly<br />defended my honor from the rather rude Australian.....</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FRXM2F6gmuW2jxkSOwvyoJL35Q_pz9WQ7wlxWh3OIBYLPXFQYPUSs_UCPJGj4xRPLOkhcNxe1U7e5DEFRgiZZ5Z2n-ikmJhfJYAwnyeTa4iqYP8lnfpJbzeY1nVMw_DpH9xBIiSQHvYD/s1600/13_04_05-20-03-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9FRXM2F6gmuW2jxkSOwvyoJL35Q_pz9WQ7wlxWh3OIBYLPXFQYPUSs_UCPJGj4xRPLOkhcNxe1U7e5DEFRgiZZ5Z2n-ikmJhfJYAwnyeTa4iqYP8lnfpJbzeY1nVMw_DpH9xBIiSQHvYD/s400/13_04_05-20-03-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Our host Megan...</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHaRrSAkQ34j6n_iarNXXBE1GWXr32a7HuCaJgW7kpu4gdcY_Wzwxyx7A__Hzs4yR8E7MwJ0lDWXKkDzJ0EwU36EFbqYqQmx60jLBPY1kH1Z5dteQ2ZSgjQiQwjRasC7QOHV3z5oVlZExR/s1600/13_04_05-19-29-26_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHaRrSAkQ34j6n_iarNXXBE1GWXr32a7HuCaJgW7kpu4gdcY_Wzwxyx7A__Hzs4yR8E7MwJ0lDWXKkDzJ0EwU36EFbqYqQmx60jLBPY1kH1Z5dteQ2ZSgjQiQwjRasC7QOHV3z5oVlZExR/s400/13_04_05-19-29-26_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lee our chef for the week.....</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpH8FcGxxobJqWz37f4D4mXABz4SGw-gFraTc-I9qCQZHL2te3_lIbi4V8cvRieqaPK8JDP60zpPHCcUBtK1hsQTjvos8X7EwmLZQ0tspm8tw8uPdgdDM1R8Ezb-ZG5YbKjDI0jbEO6oH/s1600/13_04_04-12-25-44_Zermatt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpH8FcGxxobJqWz37f4D4mXABz4SGw-gFraTc-I9qCQZHL2te3_lIbi4V8cvRieqaPK8JDP60zpPHCcUBtK1hsQTjvos8X7EwmLZQ0tspm8tw8uPdgdDM1R8Ezb-ZG5YbKjDI0jbEO6oH/s400/13_04_04-12-25-44_Zermatt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Liz - Jonnie's long suffering Nurse maid..</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLLRn_iiQzZEYXF8P-hFGmjYoI9TaYks1UQ3Yk26Gwlc4wkWSH7yHd3stqbZgO5M3qiDoHm7KyZ8KRIfJEiNQL-JNzaEhf8SHVkQVGruxkSCcF4fxWrCdopQNqtLhlKbNVIuG8mRZTd2N/s1600/13_04_02-09-34-50_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLLRn_iiQzZEYXF8P-hFGmjYoI9TaYks1UQ3Yk26Gwlc4wkWSH7yHd3stqbZgO5M3qiDoHm7KyZ8KRIfJEiNQL-JNzaEhf8SHVkQVGruxkSCcF4fxWrCdopQNqtLhlKbNVIuG8mRZTd2N/s400/13_04_02-09-34-50_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Chris - Mrs B, Craig,Louie, Bob and Liz</b><br />
<b><br /></b><b>Throwing some shapes...</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQR0m5suDpN7T3qlDfT7nmWOs1G3kQS0FzD3kJShitS8HOz7-CKdGb9zNRz_Wltxc0n8F3Lrvror_qvsIIvuNPdr9XDBfbsitutr4uwYUmImX6bfr5szSjpPd21JhCBmNFiEh46n8h4JVd/s1600/13_04_06-16-49-02_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQR0m5suDpN7T3qlDfT7nmWOs1G3kQS0FzD3kJShitS8HOz7-CKdGb9zNRz_Wltxc0n8F3Lrvror_qvsIIvuNPdr9XDBfbsitutr4uwYUmImX6bfr5szSjpPd21JhCBmNFiEh46n8h4JVd/s400/13_04_06-16-49-02_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lee<br />does his Monty Python Impression<br /><br />"Just one more wafer thin mint....."</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>The Skiing</b></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjWQdGizKeFgHkbV7AJ7uzYvQeD0GuNLgq3rtmIjblYfRLSMmPJzbUOVei6Spyu5P6ezQxl5-hW2MaG7s2chHCwgIt7g6TjpqmreewcZm0jwpqPJPoHKXA6jZR-BK868fQAUSnOc6bwsIl/s1600/13_04_02-10-15-19_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjWQdGizKeFgHkbV7AJ7uzYvQeD0GuNLgq3rtmIjblYfRLSMmPJzbUOVei6Spyu5P6ezQxl5-hW2MaG7s2chHCwgIt7g6TjpqmreewcZm0jwpqPJPoHKXA6jZR-BK868fQAUSnOc6bwsIl/s400/13_04_02-10-15-19_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mrs B graceful as ever</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFSQqDmOTDSDMPFlIG2FGDZ9vTY18U7AQOzamfLNNnp6N-GV-SJagCV_HiS2gl74_YHAfdRWp_1YgfxIxb-ApLcd39DMSdAcw0iD30S6DFGCJ1EiIUwNEXiq2mEsWXEwivH3T5652sw1S/s1600/13_04_03-14-01-19_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFSQqDmOTDSDMPFlIG2FGDZ9vTY18U7AQOzamfLNNnp6N-GV-SJagCV_HiS2gl74_YHAfdRWp_1YgfxIxb-ApLcd39DMSdAcw0iD30S6DFGCJ1EiIUwNEXiq2mEsWXEwivH3T5652sw1S/s400/13_04_03-14-01-19_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A combination of speed but little style<br />leaves me a mere shadow of Mrs B...</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgzR8Nl20nM5gy_h-i2MqFH09zP_GBZw3MXpQl7wgTFaYyT5rRCqNza3MuDcmcoJsVIM2fCXsosXm79dERxj0i92ITwuwocYxjlxoVwm307SodS1ZoZ55GuhUnh1FSAuJTUJVwJiSLICb/s1600/13_04_04-11-26-08_Zermatt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgzR8Nl20nM5gy_h-i2MqFH09zP_GBZw3MXpQl7wgTFaYyT5rRCqNza3MuDcmcoJsVIM2fCXsosXm79dERxj0i92ITwuwocYxjlxoVwm307SodS1ZoZ55GuhUnh1FSAuJTUJVwJiSLICb/s400/13_04_04-11-26-08_Zermatt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Although Mrs B is not always so graceful....</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27MBXA3DTT9Wq2x3djg3ijfvNqzqO0SfdqqTM4l38Sw4J_axMfyExBaCbu6u66GmvErxYPc5-DU0vpMvzC6OnmiziBWMNd6DoY7xjlbYUZ3E52lGG6Iovclu1apqhJZgTbyUqRbvojnU4/s1600/13_04_04-11-26-09_Zermatt-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27MBXA3DTT9Wq2x3djg3ijfvNqzqO0SfdqqTM4l38Sw4J_axMfyExBaCbu6u66GmvErxYPc5-DU0vpMvzC6OnmiziBWMNd6DoY7xjlbYUZ3E52lGG6Iovclu1apqhJZgTbyUqRbvojnU4/s400/13_04_04-11-26-09_Zermatt-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Down.... But not out</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVmBpaDIwyeaOkG7C0Ivtx_db0JydAzh-1F5owCJ3J_O5V4DYyGZlX2uK_T9aa52Axk5F6wrmP32oES-6w3DcYR6DmjuyNfB4euQHljmHAWpiFtE1sUk7C9Xsv_kvDXSOXkaLizRn30yI/s1600/13_04_04-11-32-37_Zermatt-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVmBpaDIwyeaOkG7C0Ivtx_db0JydAzh-1F5owCJ3J_O5V4DYyGZlX2uK_T9aa52Axk5F6wrmP32oES-6w3DcYR6DmjuyNfB4euQHljmHAWpiFtE1sUk7C9Xsv_kvDXSOXkaLizRn30yI/s400/13_04_04-11-32-37_Zermatt-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>and soon back on her feet.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7w7Irnok22KZnuzrGbq58kZYYutK7IR1CcqRzG_9hgqKjt_FSEfNtbC-tbmH_3NGC-HY1jwcA1mQaNboI1ZQdBGNPSM_hzkO-rkcATb1G2SdjQaodMNthaUomJiWc545f1JBUxZm5FZrq/s1600/13_04_05-13-16-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7w7Irnok22KZnuzrGbq58kZYYutK7IR1CcqRzG_9hgqKjt_FSEfNtbC-tbmH_3NGC-HY1jwcA1mQaNboI1ZQdBGNPSM_hzkO-rkcATb1G2SdjQaodMNthaUomJiWc545f1JBUxZm5FZrq/s400/13_04_05-13-16-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Chris Air </b><br />
<b> safety demonstration <br /><br />"Emergency Exits can be found, here on the left and right"</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSZoojxylVaPVc9ku1q9f3JP6PxOCt_WILDfiHLzXB7Q7ywSK33teP47aGADqTffC6wurmH7WdjvNnmrw0Vrgkc1RalCRJSGIWax0qz04CbnQ-MvE9BiMBxLESTvIn_Hw3k0K8D3A81A-/s1600/13_04_02-14-42-41_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSZoojxylVaPVc9ku1q9f3JP6PxOCt_WILDfiHLzXB7Q7ywSK33teP47aGADqTffC6wurmH7WdjvNnmrw0Vrgkc1RalCRJSGIWax0qz04CbnQ-MvE9BiMBxLESTvIn_Hw3k0K8D3A81A-/s400/13_04_02-14-42-41_untitled+shoot-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><b>Chris preparing for landing .....</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjS9q8fEawlnVvMXX49E7DFwTuOpZzVUpZdkwQ5JEAWc5ZSeKijdzswZ9NZ9apPlBXTm9RkGpLdLLVE_2S_FOkoNbsKt0Ktam7kSOa31gW989yrZm-_HdomkGIMHsgPgkxuGBEa-kD2K_d/s1600/13_04_06-15-11-05_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjS9q8fEawlnVvMXX49E7DFwTuOpZzVUpZdkwQ5JEAWc5ZSeKijdzswZ9NZ9apPlBXTm9RkGpLdLLVE_2S_FOkoNbsKt0Ktam7kSOa31gW989yrZm-_HdomkGIMHsgPgkxuGBEa-kD2K_d/s400/13_04_06-15-11-05_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oh no looks Like Megan is catching the Air bug....</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Posh Nosh</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 17px;">I can confirm the food tasted as good as it looked</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkeXO98KQTwik9B-fAe0HZEmtcczZsAVbFQI3CjZipcMh7WBy1u2DMW0wJABTl-D55kzTWa02c5d2GVaiuhk1zWD3BOKQrxhE_WdOFCOujzN_i7_B_GhBt9lkOXJZvxWnFuLEYyPKfIcM/s1600/13_04_06-20-07-40_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKkeXO98KQTwik9B-fAe0HZEmtcczZsAVbFQI3CjZipcMh7WBy1u2DMW0wJABTl-D55kzTWa02c5d2GVaiuhk1zWD3BOKQrxhE_WdOFCOujzN_i7_B_GhBt9lkOXJZvxWnFuLEYyPKfIcM/s320/13_04_06-20-07-40_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fillet steak with a pepper sauce</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD433azShyphenhyphenYBzUHFlSunrtVRdWnT7s95_4RT2WyfrWmwrFhiXPy7PUoBri8jbFZsxxpsv-ybzpwWlVXN18_NOiKTMPp7lOsQLa0P9uXwANU0LP7dfWdbRPBXA3Ad2aimEcmlHCRcxt65oQ/s1600/13_04_06-19-40-31_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD433azShyphenhyphenYBzUHFlSunrtVRdWnT7s95_4RT2WyfrWmwrFhiXPy7PUoBri8jbFZsxxpsv-ybzpwWlVXN18_NOiKTMPp7lOsQLa0P9uXwANU0LP7dfWdbRPBXA3Ad2aimEcmlHCRcxt65oQ/s320/13_04_06-19-40-31_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Thai salad</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8Z9Anw54YV8_dIuexpHRdE23wXYZ0HuDw5Dnr7tNnGUOcPTO3um4FbaLTwknKp956JRdzfO4sShPlwWPT3AGJxWD7mJm3x5S0eD0rjdbyHjQmZB0EBUw_iHmIk7qZBBaRD3PR-OcMCzH/s1600/13_04_06-19-03-49_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8Z9Anw54YV8_dIuexpHRdE23wXYZ0HuDw5Dnr7tNnGUOcPTO3um4FbaLTwknKp956JRdzfO4sShPlwWPT3AGJxWD7mJm3x5S0eD0rjdbyHjQmZB0EBUw_iHmIk7qZBBaRD3PR-OcMCzH/s320/13_04_06-19-03-49_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Posh prawn cocktail</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhddw1xRA8UTlRAYcyf7KFf3wY0urYYAAck3Hs8tEd1-LxVVBMycaD2wpZXJLtX1k6ymSiEzKheTyn8rW1qWrtUWq-meyTbi-NVoPuBr8uLMD8j-7a9uuWkLenkVdGEspLMeEFuYZKFEhfe/s1600/13_04_05-20-28-53_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhddw1xRA8UTlRAYcyf7KFf3wY0urYYAAck3Hs8tEd1-LxVVBMycaD2wpZXJLtX1k6ymSiEzKheTyn8rW1qWrtUWq-meyTbi-NVoPuBr8uLMD8j-7a9uuWkLenkVdGEspLMeEFuYZKFEhfe/s320/13_04_05-20-28-53_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lemon posset</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlx1A9ECNjgvkwEinF4ymt7omueW8F425NbvWWA4nvi33BW6ATP1zctF0sxmCbBZ_7_Xrkzu4sV4bNVq0X0OGewgnXyotGTKrJRB0zKqos7h4jmn6bA1MoP5CwBGbQDO3ijkLgRiZHvKb/s1600/13_04_05-20-03-34_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlx1A9ECNjgvkwEinF4ymt7omueW8F425NbvWWA4nvi33BW6ATP1zctF0sxmCbBZ_7_Xrkzu4sV4bNVq0X0OGewgnXyotGTKrJRB0zKqos7h4jmn6bA1MoP5CwBGbQDO3ijkLgRiZHvKb/s320/13_04_05-20-03-34_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cod on a minted pea rissotto</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgilKZOkYT98HWT7Tlb36eqh9DcVFJF_aD_j2-3WlAy4sz2Qn9E158D3SDHgq-I0ixr4scqBxDRdPAH8FTrMmLcla_CH7xZ1L-asTEVIue-xzdK4eiPnD_83X5IK0u19jx36LqliPLX-DHt/s1600/13_04_02-20-21-42_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgilKZOkYT98HWT7Tlb36eqh9DcVFJF_aD_j2-3WlAy4sz2Qn9E158D3SDHgq-I0ixr4scqBxDRdPAH8FTrMmLcla_CH7xZ1L-asTEVIue-xzdK4eiPnD_83X5IK0u19jx36LqliPLX-DHt/s400/13_04_02-20-21-42_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Eton Mess</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dcbbA691xsFROrlKIFYy2j0B-UG-5-RXFYrquu1vWX50hdcE8TZo0nN6Bu-bZ8nmEzERY632fSXQ4ZClB4exO4rnPOJnkZmlgp2p4pxBDKB5HCKSCHYxO4wrAEzha-S8a0lQRIT2_huy/s1600/13_04_02-18-54-36_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dcbbA691xsFROrlKIFYy2j0B-UG-5-RXFYrquu1vWX50hdcE8TZo0nN6Bu-bZ8nmEzERY632fSXQ4ZClB4exO4rnPOJnkZmlgp2p4pxBDKB5HCKSCHYxO4wrAEzha-S8a0lQRIT2_huy/s400/13_04_02-18-54-36_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Classy canapes</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMndRRr74wTNRsDLWNK7Uq-OqEmGbaRYQMbpIxQ0Z8MOL4mh91FYK4f5mBD8PzajRYQvhSnFDnEnZsw5z5p194v4XlSSuhAY1rDOzVu6v8GdGkoWPFyecd7Z4SIo0f7-829d9d2CZYMuS/s1600/13_04_02-19-18-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinMndRRr74wTNRsDLWNK7Uq-OqEmGbaRYQMbpIxQ0Z8MOL4mh91FYK4f5mBD8PzajRYQvhSnFDnEnZsw5z5p194v4XlSSuhAY1rDOzVu6v8GdGkoWPFyecd7Z4SIo0f7-829d9d2CZYMuS/s400/13_04_02-19-18-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Goats cheese bruschetta.</b></td></tr>
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BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-24747479106522090892013-04-10T22:32:00.000+01:002013-04-11T09:38:03.554+01:007,000 hits and counting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I’m not sure what has been happening recently but one of my old blog posts has gone viral, getting over 7,000 hits in just a week.</div>
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It’s an innocuous little piece called “<a href="http://the-blacklog.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/hot-sauce-collection-and-reults-of-blog.html" target="_blank">Hot sauce collection</a>”. Who would have have thought that there were so many members of the "Sauceratti"....I bet they were disappointed with my efforts, nothing smeared in odd and unprintable places .....<br />
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It has now over taken my previous record holder “<a href="http://the-blacklog.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/getting-in-touch-with-your-inner-tranny.html" target="_blank">Getting in touch with your inner tranny</a>”<span style="color: red;">* </span>which tells about a trip to the theater to see the Rocky Horror show. Being the shy and withdrawn individual that I am I found myself striding through the streets of Windsor in nothing more than fish net stockings, a Basque and hiking boots. (Even in my sober state I realised stiletto shoes would have been a step too far….) In my defence, you only have the opportunity to be a Rocky Horror virgin once in your life and since I didn't feel I could pull off the gold lamé shorts that Rocky wears, it had to be Frank n Furter…. As I remarked at the time, it was to some relief that I failed to convince as a woman….</div>
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<span style="color: red;">* This says an awful lot more about what people spend their time looking for on the internet than I really want to know....</span><br />
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The hot sauce post has now reached over 17,000 hits and is almost twice as popular as the Inner Tranny ,one and leaves my third most popular post: V2009 –Day one trailing by almost 15,000 hits…. which, rather embarrassingly, would probably have meant it would have lost its deposit if this had been an election. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Red Nose day</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Congratulations to the members of our local Everyone Active gym - Grange Paddocks - who raised over £700 for Red Nose Day. This involved people dressing in wet suits, red noses and even a Tommy Cooper Fez, while cavorting around for 12 hours’ worth of classes….Personally I thought the exercises looked easy compared to lugging The Beast around for a couple of hours…. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Photo Finish</span></b></div>
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In honour of Grange Padocks efforts to raise money for Red Nose day The Beast got behind the scenes for an almost exclusive report.... </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5nXKFF9yeDFr2uZjmdRHod26ZnymKu4wYlL5L8bJt7GthSiF5AHez8XjrJ5JV5cbEdWmrz0OkqF-DhflJWRlPcBhkxmzgERud-r0-S5lCE2VMZV1CZS9OUxS6RZpe6AeVE6mE_G3BRyn/s1600/13_03_09-12-36-26_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5nXKFF9yeDFr2uZjmdRHod26ZnymKu4wYlL5L8bJt7GthSiF5AHez8XjrJ5JV5cbEdWmrz0OkqF-DhflJWRlPcBhkxmzgERud-r0-S5lCE2VMZV1CZS9OUxS6RZpe6AeVE6mE_G3BRyn/s400/13_03_09-12-36-26_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hear no evil, see no evil and see no more evil ...<br />apparently speak no evil was on holiday...</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxBIzZnv52QvdFCBZZQlbN0aEW6E0aAV1FuWn0BpPUeFleLRMryHhZ0iZ65cNdV7xhFfIbteLQuuYaAStUUmvXrbl45sXJ7yR934W29UgqpM-apumWxIgADkgPa2ENRH64Iav4sn4B4tF/s1600/13_03_09-12-14-18_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxBIzZnv52QvdFCBZZQlbN0aEW6E0aAV1FuWn0BpPUeFleLRMryHhZ0iZ65cNdV7xhFfIbteLQuuYaAStUUmvXrbl45sXJ7yR934W29UgqpM-apumWxIgADkgPa2ENRH64Iav4sn4B4tF/s400/13_03_09-12-14-18_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I'm not sure if Brenda has a <br />bad cold or if she has started <br />drinking heavily ....</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVP6XGHpsSKAn1duyg7ov8rEjxtKIct3Q4xUwRDMpSrkx7GwrYQJAt_XfymzehTqu9pAcoMFHKIpIRteD106IYNF-9qwohvf37rFLIh9n9xZUGrVKLpYu1lishzD7HuGjaZC4aWN6xOASU/s1600/13_03_09-17-22-03_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVP6XGHpsSKAn1duyg7ov8rEjxtKIct3Q4xUwRDMpSrkx7GwrYQJAt_XfymzehTqu9pAcoMFHKIpIRteD106IYNF-9qwohvf37rFLIh9n9xZUGrVKLpYu1lishzD7HuGjaZC4aWN6xOASU/s400/13_03_09-17-22-03_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Look at that s<span style="line-height: 1.2em;">ymmetry down the </span><span style="line-height: 19px;">center</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>of the room like poetry in emotion.....</b></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfM_XGj7JLWqyB1SfqCqnmhUtACtLAkhivNsKhloqdW5cqYYh-bRSuRNErGlruJB4i1kX1G0fCa3APJ2WNam2FpCx9cJaLqG4ur4rtgvYEt1UjbClcly1OXOx2I7u3C4iLjLyvAxXrFqrs/s1600/13_03_09-17-36-07_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfM_XGj7JLWqyB1SfqCqnmhUtACtLAkhivNsKhloqdW5cqYYh-bRSuRNErGlruJB4i1kX1G0fCa3APJ2WNam2FpCx9cJaLqG4ur4rtgvYEt1UjbClcly1OXOx2I7u3C4iLjLyvAxXrFqrs/s400/13_03_09-17-36-07_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">If Bev ever gets bored doing combat</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> she can always get a job kicking down doors.</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaPrX9jDTyMT7Pf4uLOBqikArxKfX4GYizx9PQYQ7J-H3kKKAytL2DdIf_Y_TeDtXzsOTNo1qUZsE8M-VYfZZstihBCssAMYLOU830IRQ5gSKqKrDOwZ1JjGLybMLRZ39lyuSWnZlo0o7/s1600/13_03_09-17-55-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaPrX9jDTyMT7Pf4uLOBqikArxKfX4GYizx9PQYQ7J-H3kKKAytL2DdIf_Y_TeDtXzsOTNo1qUZsE8M-VYfZZstihBCssAMYLOU830IRQ5gSKqKrDOwZ1JjGLybMLRZ39lyuSWnZlo0o7/s400/13_03_09-17-55-13_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>DJ Daz<br /><br />Mixing it up.....</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dpznke-sbiBXkb3MNwUs9F-AW4ZTEPB1XHCbqB2ATe3OOsCPwTwL84sNcteIcnyMIeY_HxKJJt8SBNzLtj2e2BsuGuiHyfuBpGIZFfq0vPbgUsE9xpHEwanB7Z2Dy59PULAxBhCiRcGo/s1600/13_03_09-17-51-05_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dpznke-sbiBXkb3MNwUs9F-AW4ZTEPB1XHCbqB2ATe3OOsCPwTwL84sNcteIcnyMIeY_HxKJJt8SBNzLtj2e2BsuGuiHyfuBpGIZFfq0vPbgUsE9xpHEwanB7Z2Dy59PULAxBhCiRcGo/s400/13_03_09-17-51-05_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I phoned the local gym and I asked if they could<br /> teach me how to do the splits. <br /><br />They said, 'How flexible are you?'<br /><br />I said, 'I can't make Tuesdays <br />or Thursdays.'---------</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3MTWxjmtUyBRHzN-zPUprGtZut7MEdWV-8W-6wxatUpPko7wRlGwuxrizbPUAJt7KXnp3l5wIUgPwLtx9rNFzbFluuWPNIE_HDV1n92W4br_XKJHqnUOD8JFVYk1e7ILPpScEs2b6C0n/s1600/13_03_09-12-13-27_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl3MTWxjmtUyBRHzN-zPUprGtZut7MEdWV-8W-6wxatUpPko7wRlGwuxrizbPUAJt7KXnp3l5wIUgPwLtx9rNFzbFluuWPNIE_HDV1n92W4br_XKJHqnUOD8JFVYk1e7ILPpScEs2b6C0n/s400/13_03_09-12-13-27_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">What every Health-club needs <br />a good supply of cakes....</span></b></td></tr>
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Tune in next time for our Ski strip to ZermattBlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-86385676790397597372013-03-24T19:09:00.000+00:002013-03-24T22:55:40.582+00:00How to fail to make it into a Hollywood film....Plus a 4th concert Photo pass<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Paloma Faith – (Cambridge Corn Exchange)</span></strong><br />
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When I booked the tickets Mrs B was not due to have surgery just a few days before, however, having missed out on Paloma’s set at Somerset House in 2012 (being in Hong Kong with work at the time) she was determined to attend this one. Unfortunately it was standing and not seated and so I valiantly gave free reign to Mrs B to stand where she wanted…..She chose a spot at the back and within a short while a group of tall people came along and stood in front of us….I was struggling for a view so Mrs B can’t have seen anything at all. I could tell she was not 100% as she was not in the mood for moving. The show was good although the sound quality was not a patch on the Somerset House gig and I only had the Mini Mega Beast with me. There was definitely a party atmosphere though as it was the last night of Paloma’s Tour. <br />
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Pictures with Mega Mini Beast <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVQctvJ0z3tsfOUAxhucM8arbjkZLh_U5tsJiwFLaGXmqNmJidePpVApYOChRhQgBc7WahgkiwoOwle-mEilpGWYLHzN4i08SFdHRBEqpS2CAlS1f4EtmrCUGYHO_-ZPfCZxFBA2lLxjL/s1600/13_02_18-08-25-51_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVQctvJ0z3tsfOUAxhucM8arbjkZLh_U5tsJiwFLaGXmqNmJidePpVApYOChRhQgBc7WahgkiwoOwle-mEilpGWYLHzN4i08SFdHRBEqpS2CAlS1f4EtmrCUGYHO_-ZPfCZxFBA2lLxjL/s400/13_02_18-08-25-51_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Do You Want the Truth or </strong><br />
<strong>Something Beautiful?"</strong><br />
<br />
Can't I have a bit of both?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyCHsv5fOcThXDGHtu3q8bFVtWLSxJcchwwmDP70WY1E-4f8wDe1nxEyj_FFbZZTxoZGAFAiKjoua1XeHOoKzLieFcRNZscIoIq-dYfiuRxy-NHS6_N37ailWzg1sD7_ET-L_hUjwllqW/s1600/13_02_18-08-22-19_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyCHsv5fOcThXDGHtu3q8bFVtWLSxJcchwwmDP70WY1E-4f8wDe1nxEyj_FFbZZTxoZGAFAiKjoua1XeHOoKzLieFcRNZscIoIq-dYfiuRxy-NHS6_N37ailWzg1sD7_ET-L_hUjwllqW/s400/13_02_18-08-22-19_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"My Legs Are Weak"</strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Al Lewis - (<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">St Pancras Old Church</span>)</span></strong></div>
My 4th Official photo pass and thanks to the generosity of FK, Al’s Manager, I was given free reign at a rather charming venue “St Pancras Old Church”. <br />
<br />
Being such a small venue it was interesting to see a different approach on the door with attendees being ticked off a list rather than having to produce tickets, giving everyone the feeling that they were on the guest list.<br />
<br />
The support was the lovely Lottie Mullens – I was chatting to her after her set when FK piped in:<br />
<br />
<strong>FK</strong> - “Careful he’s a stalker” <br />
<br />
Lotte laughed. <br />
<br />
While I said “Thanks FK, I’ve been called a lot of things but never a stalker”<br />
<br />
<strong>FK</strong> -“No not you ”<br />
<br />
<strong>Lottie</strong> - “That’s good to know”<br />
<br />
He was talking about the odd guy who had been trying to get Lotte’s phone number just as I arrived <br />
<br />
Lotte did a blog diary a few years back about the problems faced by females trying to make it in the music business. The rights of which have been purchased by Hollywood so it might be making its way to a big screen near you soon…..<br />
<br />
Extract from Lottie’s diary <br />
<br />
<strong><em><span style="background-color: orange;">THE SIDE-BOOB HUG</span></em></strong><br />
<em><span style="background-color: orange;">Apparently Madonna never hugs anyone – it’s a firm handshake or nothing. Unfortunately when you’re an aspiring nobody you have to be a bit more compliant otherwise people think you’re just cold. </span></em><br />
<span style="background-color: orange;"><br /></span><em><span style="background-color: orange;">There’s a bizarre over-familiarity in this business – I wouldn’t hug or kiss my bank manager. It all seems to be part of the 'we’re friends therefore we do business' culture – designed to lure you into a false sense of security.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="background-color: orange;">I’ve often tried to be business-like and go in for the handshake but guys nearly always disregard it and pull me in for an awkward sweaty hug. The new breed of pervy hugger seems to have sussed that this is a potential groping opportunity and that if he (it’s always a he) extends both hands towards your armpits he’s likely to get a fingerful of breast. </span></em><br />
<em><span style="background-color: orange;">Prime suspects are middle aged record label executives chancing their luck, or the lone fan that turns up to the gig two hours early hoping to catch you at sound check and ‘hang out’ for three hours while you wait to go onstage. They know where you are – MySpace and Facebook have told them.</span></em><br />
<br />
<strike>Unfortunately</strike> fortunately I won’t be appearing in the film as I didn’t attempt to hug, kiss or molest Lotte in anyway. <br />
<br />
Mrs B, having been to Paloma Faith the night before, was excused and given the evening off, so I invited along my Italian friend Elena. She took her role as Mrs B’s substitute surprisingly seriously to the point where she only just made it for Al’s set. Having gone the wrong way when she left St Pancras Station and taking a very long route to the venue….I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of driving through London. So far I have avoided paying the congestion charge and on all but a very few occasions have found free parking close by. It pays to research the internet before setting off for a new venue and checking the local parking signs when you arrive, even at venues you know fairly well. It is not beyond the specialist skills of local councils to change parking rules between visits. I’m convinced that this is an underhand attempt to increase revenue…. As it was I found free parking about 30 meters from the venue, which proved of great relief to Elena, who was worried that she would face a second long walk of the evening. <br />
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Remaing pictures with The Beast<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzlC4HDFbZjMXj6sENGcAzug_T1-sRF6ya_ZkwFlSt2M9Gn6M9OLSy4oQ45HtGq9R7Rmv8V9EtbWd4FC9uBEngQlyWA3HzmjfQ148lqje1SXtdOsfwhXjagDSk_jz7Wb8RCghPEjjftmk/s1600/13_02_18-20-20-37_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzlC4HDFbZjMXj6sENGcAzug_T1-sRF6ya_ZkwFlSt2M9Gn6M9OLSy4oQ45HtGq9R7Rmv8V9EtbWd4FC9uBEngQlyWA3HzmjfQ148lqje1SXtdOsfwhXjagDSk_jz7Wb8RCghPEjjftmk/s400/13_02_18-20-20-37_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>St Pancras Old Church</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7R5RdEz6aAZ_GTk-2sbG10C9dM1dIwb2CSPF7S6KwtnGrVnBWq_IkhHTEw6Nd6WXkD1cJphCkMGVcsGOYD_ct4zLvFK25rd_ZAhZ9cx70YtkjO3JYeEQncXh3shLkUnH_P8hyOTFiylU/s1600/13_02_18-20-17-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7R5RdEz6aAZ_GTk-2sbG10C9dM1dIwb2CSPF7S6KwtnGrVnBWq_IkhHTEw6Nd6WXkD1cJphCkMGVcsGOYD_ct4zLvFK25rd_ZAhZ9cx70YtkjO3JYeEQncXh3shLkUnH_P8hyOTFiylU/s400/13_02_18-20-17-54_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>If your names not on the list you are not getting in....</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggS5ybQT_Z0eqTdDabYxb-AFMZ0TRKIcUAhJwWrejhrWo_Xy4KeMmRuv14FoCvS9OgKILCaSIcxnnvi3mBlInaJ9SEYh7ry4qV2ay6ZVRmSkfi7y9QScqw72tY5DHVe2xyt7fEhgKz_MEf/s1600/13_02_18-21-07-33_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggS5ybQT_Z0eqTdDabYxb-AFMZ0TRKIcUAhJwWrejhrWo_Xy4KeMmRuv14FoCvS9OgKILCaSIcxnnvi3mBlInaJ9SEYh7ry4qV2ay6ZVRmSkfi7y9QScqw72tY5DHVe2xyt7fEhgKz_MEf/s400/13_02_18-21-07-33_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Lottie Mullans </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>"Can't Find The Words" </strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVcIaEGvfdPzECavq3PWpL98qlFIMFnKit677rCnnktX8aV9wcdINWkj9wQ09t9yTkjM86sSqtDVX7blNFIUorE3tA4hxEPQI0I-G7eTZ1C1C_o26F7OPqDRWCcmZlRGXU-w2sw1tCdgcJ/s1600/13_02_18-21-57-41_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVcIaEGvfdPzECavq3PWpL98qlFIMFnKit677rCnnktX8aV9wcdINWkj9wQ09t9yTkjM86sSqtDVX7blNFIUorE3tA4hxEPQI0I-G7eTZ1C1C_o26F7OPqDRWCcmZlRGXU-w2sw1tCdgcJ/s400/13_02_18-21-57-41_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Al Lewis</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>"Battles"</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpyTl5pK1r6z2Qbr3GxFRTkalFrKQh9jrMltCV7jiDnJ0d9Mlbw-y3GbrlDPf4Hlx-upMVlu9zSG7C7Gln6cLS50umv_cRa_qlUrJo4JCuVeC-lJkW7up_Uh5VI_Cf2U0kzTw4gKuS4Wa/s1600/13_02_18-22-54-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpyTl5pK1r6z2Qbr3GxFRTkalFrKQh9jrMltCV7jiDnJ0d9Mlbw-y3GbrlDPf4Hlx-upMVlu9zSG7C7Gln6cLS50umv_cRa_qlUrJo4JCuVeC-lJkW7up_Uh5VI_Cf2U0kzTw4gKuS4Wa/s400/13_02_18-22-54-35_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"The Truth In Growing Old"</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>You get inconvenient hair in</strong><br />
<strong>all the wrong places....</strong> </td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Kaiser Chiefs - (O2 Academy Brixton)</span></strong></span><br />
I got it wrong again – it was the anniversary of Mrs B failing to make it to see Kylie – who happened to be playing at a venue only about 25 minutes from her desk. When I booked the tickets for the Kaiser Chiefs I forgot that it was Mrs B’s ‘even busier than normal’ busy week. Despite it being half way across London Mrs B made it in time for the encore…..I had a much better time of it, being able to use my O2 mobile account to skip to the front of the rather lengthy queue. As a bonus I even managed to sneak in The Beast….<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfLVQ8RGrAnwgxnb1P4S7XErPeS646cXimh5-rbRZ0dqbxMHw2kzUyg78CZdrPyY7YnUGyPAx1_4eqVBO3tJ-PRZd5IQAiVkF12bSFhRdEuj75mJW8LuCr0acJ13_nbwHjFeIdv8rXBfWu/s1600/13_03_01-23-02-40_Kaiser+Chiefs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfLVQ8RGrAnwgxnb1P4S7XErPeS646cXimh5-rbRZ0dqbxMHw2kzUyg78CZdrPyY7YnUGyPAx1_4eqVBO3tJ-PRZd5IQAiVkF12bSFhRdEuj75mJW8LuCr0acJ13_nbwHjFeIdv8rXBfWu/s400/13_03_01-23-02-40_Kaiser+Chiefs.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"My Place is Here"</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcoA9vx7RVH_Tlfmlakh9aHs4tNxCIPnJM8UG7ToI-TaQh36ig-0NQ89L_XcdQJPgjXghHdWTmwp9DEoyi0eBxJ7LakFk4n9VOApK9lbO7kV6wrSxE6zdavK4UVg17MMN1MWQ0CSKr_-K/s1600/13_03_01-23-05-54_Kaiser+Chiefs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcoA9vx7RVH_Tlfmlakh9aHs4tNxCIPnJM8UG7ToI-TaQh36ig-0NQ89L_XcdQJPgjXghHdWTmwp9DEoyi0eBxJ7LakFk4n9VOApK9lbO7kV6wrSxE6zdavK4UVg17MMN1MWQ0CSKr_-K/s400/13_03_01-23-05-54_Kaiser+Chiefs.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Never Miss a Beat"</strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmosPwrAolhQS5W3dXycmLJB5vHB-5uL5SI5rHg_esXkwr6p1-2JeKEfJpoX_dAUAkVK-wRM1GX6ISQ9AXcW_TWNhkuMNYnntDGzoxdlf6rDoeqNrzIsSAOd617xoiJiQOSqHKOjxFSPx/s1600/13_03_01-23-21-10_Kaiser+Chiefs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmosPwrAolhQS5W3dXycmLJB5vHB-5uL5SI5rHg_esXkwr6p1-2JeKEfJpoX_dAUAkVK-wRM1GX6ISQ9AXcW_TWNhkuMNYnntDGzoxdlf6rDoeqNrzIsSAOd617xoiJiQOSqHKOjxFSPx/s400/13_03_01-23-21-10_Kaiser+Chiefs.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>"People Need Light"</strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">AmDram</span></strong></div>
<br />
Through work I went to a one act play followed by a magic act and musical interlude. Unfortunately copyright meant I was not allowed to take any pictures of the play – apparently you are allowed to take pictures during rehearsals but there is a rather hefty fee involved for taking pictures during production, even at an amateur level…. <br />
<br />
The play started off rather promisingly with the first three characters being more than competent. In fact the lady playing the character of a cleaner was brilliant. It had the effect of making the remaining actors look worse than they probably were…..Think Helen Mirren or Meryl Streep turning up at your local kindergarten’s Nativity play as the third, surprisingly large, sheep whose every movement had you convinced that it was only a matter of time before it ended up at a local restaurant served with two veg and some mint jelly….<br />
<br />
The magic show was marvellous, with money from the audience magically disappearing (No I don’t mean the entrance fee) and then then magically re-appearing from inside a lemon. If only the magician had used an onion I’m sure he could have reduced the transfixed audience to tears…..If you like a magician with balls, this was the show for you, hundreds of them spilling out all over the stage floor…..and then, with the untimely drop of a stage prop flap, the illusion was shattered as the secret of the ‘sawing a woman in half’ trick was laid bare in the best traditions of Tommy Cooper. Unlike the great man himself our magician didn’t die on stage (Sorry Tommy, harsh but fair) but rose above his misfortune and laughed in the face of adversity…. I’m afraid to say The Beast and I were laughing too hard to capture the moment for posterity. <br />
<br />
The musical interlude….Sorry Diana you were correct we should have left after the magic show but then I would not have got to sit next to one of the actresses and keep a straight face when I asked why she was not singing in the show.<br />
<br />
Her response, “I can’t really sing” <br />
<br />
It took all of my will power to stop myself saying “It’s a shame that line of thinking didn’t stop you when it came to the acting”. But hey who am I to judge? My acting makes Sylvester Stallone look like an Oscar contender.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQF3CZAfH4AzDS3CuV_patLaSWAAZSZYbr90fCiloOu4BARXNQU3H99AA8TA21NFPzUrnLjZmxWHpOE1-dFywSOCzFEKxVrxd60I7T7SFdUmQShfPRKn_QNzPBy2yoaZqL6JHBb6ftKUkz/s1600/13_02_22-22-12-42_untitled+shoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQF3CZAfH4AzDS3CuV_patLaSWAAZSZYbr90fCiloOu4BARXNQU3H99AA8TA21NFPzUrnLjZmxWHpOE1-dFywSOCzFEKxVrxd60I7T7SFdUmQShfPRKn_QNzPBy2yoaZqL6JHBb6ftKUkz/s400/13_02_22-22-12-42_untitled+shoot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>When life gives you lemons </strong><br />
<strong>sod making lemenade </strong><br />
<strong>Pull money out of them.....</strong></td></tr>
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Sorry for the extended break - sometimes life gets in the way and I find it difficult to find the time to put the <strong>B</strong>lack<strong>LOG</strong> together...hope to catch you next timeBlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-71625010839386748072013-03-04T20:09:00.001+00:002013-03-05T06:40:18.970+00:00I find Thai often repeats....I've been a bit tied up and so haven't had time to get a fresh <strong>B</strong>lack<strong>LOG</strong> out. <br />
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Since I happened to get talking to a young Thai lady, while I was waiting for Mrs B, at a Kaiser Chiefs gig I felt I could slip in an old favourite of mine, from a few years back.... I showed the blog to the young Thai lady, who found it amusing but was confused by the reference to Ting Tong under the Thai bride section (Oops, I had forgotten that it was in there.....). How do you explain <span id="goog_2052933875"></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Britain"><span id="goog_2052933868"></span><span id="goog_2052933859"></span>Little Britain<span id="goog_2052933860"></span></a> <span id="goog_2052933876"></span><span id="goog_2052933869"></span>to someone not from the UK who has never seen the show.... I mumbled something about a very English centric comedy program, I needn’t have worried as she had met Matt Lucas on her travels and had seen the show, just not the Ting Tong sketch… I guess like <span id="goog_2052933894"></span><span id="goog_2052933887"></span><span id="goog_2052933881"></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Germans">Fawlty Tow<span id="goog_2052933890"></span><span id="goog_2052933891"></span>ers<span id="goog_2052933888"></span></a> <span id="goog_2052933895"></span><span id="goog_2052933882"></span>(I mentioned it once but I think I got away with it…) not all episodes are shown in every country….<o:p></o:p><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_2052933864"></span><span id="goog_2052933865"></span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275838941853681554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJrcnzk2fxWb20sIppckxqj0PRrlOD5Cy6bYUFrgHDdTWp_PfEDfy_EPMXiNlxGrKo80mDjoh-mO_THrfSf87ORg0L2nd9n4VqMBseoLM4wDKOW-obJPT3ZVnQMFt5eoYq3mEacjDkjYQ/s400/Thailand+-+reclining+buddha.JPG" style="display: block; height: 299px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Looking forward to a relaxing holiday</strong> </td></tr>
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Mrs B and I accidentally booked a trip to Thailand (well not exactly true, but it is reminiscent of a fantastic line in the Film “<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094336/">Withnail and I</a>”,when Withnail (played by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001290/">Richard E Grant</a>) exclaims “We’ve come on Holiday by mistake”). What we did was realised the problems of booking a late deal to the Far East. Booked one Saturday to leave the following Saturday, chances of getting any inoculations<span style="color: #00562f;">(1)</span> from our local doctors, zilch, cost of inoculations from private clinics, more then the cost of the holiday itself. <br />
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<span style="color: #00562f;">(1) The cats were not impressed that we missed out, they still get their annual jabs. I pointed out to them that it gives Mischief the opportunity to bite the vet, while McG gets to fill the surgery with his fur. It always looks like a dozen cats have been shaved in there,after one of his visits but miraculously he still seems to leave with more fur then he started. All Jesus could do was fill a few baskets with uneaten bread and fish, while McG could probably fill the Albert Hall (you don’t get to read about that in the Bible now, do you).</span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFFR56DgatEwsLMlKRXZDGrTqWZw4iqxZs8bHF5dEv209G5seyQKC3zG6jujIiCZ1LqgjBfGeg9EjAmb61CvMQ8KDLZDm18JXfgInv4Ca-MNyp6SDfpIf5Nw0gceiTgO_RGyjtH3fzJ5A/s1600-h/Today+I+would+like+to+eat+vet.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275838941423031122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFFR56DgatEwsLMlKRXZDGrTqWZw4iqxZs8bHF5dEv209G5seyQKC3zG6jujIiCZ1LqgjBfGeg9EjAmb61CvMQ8KDLZDm18JXfgInv4Ca-MNyp6SDfpIf5Nw0gceiTgO_RGyjtH3fzJ5A/s400/Today+I+would+like+to+eat+vet.JPG" style="display: block; height: 392px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 336px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Today I will be mostly eating Vet.....</strong></td></tr>
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I looked on this holiday as an opportunity to lose some weight, very quickly and with very little effort. In order to maximise the effects of this "Thai diet" I had planned to eat at the airport<span style="color: #00f800;">(2)</span>. While Mrs B had busily filled her suitcase with summer clothes, I opted for cases full of DVD’s, cause by my reckoning, after eating at the airport I would be bed bound for 5-6 days. I then expected to emerge for just enough time to eat some of the local delicacies before returning to my sick bed for the rest of the holiday. <br />
<span style="color: #00f800;">(2) A recent report had indicated that eating at airports is like staying in hospitals, extremely bad for your health</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvIgkdjLhmQJ7QTChwjCQdaqYHVzwaVwuWPJIWirBeSN_-P-CquoN4HUuftShCHY7Z_nR6ioZAoXlvVoS6wxOqc4eBYXf66SFIBLLDuArz13s65at_D36CUoGE7jCdzNvWBf8UPTMjoZn/s1600-h/Thai+food.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275838937904278338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvIgkdjLhmQJ7QTChwjCQdaqYHVzwaVwuWPJIWirBeSN_-P-CquoN4HUuftShCHY7Z_nR6ioZAoXlvVoS6wxOqc4eBYXf66SFIBLLDuArz13s65at_D36CUoGE7jCdzNvWBf8UPTMjoZn/s400/Thai+food.JPG" style="display: block; height: 283px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>I remained disappointingly healthy, despite some reckless eating</strong> </td></tr>
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<b>The stress diet</b> My carefully planned Thai diet failed to materialize. I had complimented my eating at the airport by eating on the plane and at some of the dodgiest looking road side restaurants that Thailand had to offer. Despite all this effort I remained as fit and healthy as anyone with an aversion to vegetables, fruit and exercise has a right to. I now had to pin my hopes on weight loss through stress. If the stress at the start of the holiday was anything to go by I would have the worlds top super models begging for my secret.<br />
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<b>Level 1 stress</b> - mother arrived to look after the cats, spends most of the day standing in the way saying “Can I help?”. "Yes! Get out of the bloody way…."<br />
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<b>Level 2 stress</b> - now running short of time to get to Heathrow.<br />
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<b>Level 3 stress</b> - car takes the opportunity to lift our spirits by winking at us with the low tyre pressure warning light (indicating a possible flat).<br />
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<b>Level 4 stress</b> - M25 grinds to an inevitable standstill.<br />
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<b>Back to level 3 stress</b> - as we found no tyre problems when we reach our parking destination. <br />
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<b>Return to level 4 stress</b> - as we attempted to pick up our tickets. We could not find anyone prepared to admit to having heard of the “Diamond departure pick up your discount tickets here you cheapskates desk”.<br />
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<b>Level 5 stress</b> - time ticking away, find a desk with a slightly different name but with no one minding it, a little note saying “popped to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKEA">IKEA</a>, back next month.” Eeeekkkkkk. I laughingly suggest to Mrs B that we are probably expected to pick up the tickets from Gatwick. <br />
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<b>Level 6 Stress</b> - Mrs B opened the covering letter, given to us by the travel agent (not much better then Estate agents really, they just don’t get huge commissions for doing very little for you except inconvenience you at every opportunity) - huge alarm bells start to ring – Pickup point <b>"Gatwick !!!!!!!" </b>Stress levels reached breaking point, hearts stop and a sickening feeling started to build. If this had been the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_Enterprise">'Enterprise'</a> you would have heard <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/gallery/tos1/tosscottie1.shtml">'Scottie'</a> proclaiming “she can’na take it Captain, she’s breaking up”. Stress levels beyond measure. <br />
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The woman eventually returned from Ikea with just a badge saying “I spent 4 days in an Ikea queue and all I got was this bloody badge, so what’s your problem?” She picked up the crumpled heap of human devastation that was the Blacks and said. “It’s OK, your travel agent wrote the wrong Airport and pickup desk name <span style="color: #007cfa;">(3)</span>, easy done, here are your tickets, now bugger off.” (You know where you stand on a package holiday, none of this customer service malarkey). <br />
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<span style="color: #007cfa;">(3) This just goes to prove it does not always pay to read the instructions. Just ask anyone who has ever attempted to assemble flat pack furniture. You feel so much better as long as you put it together, without referring to the instruction sheet. You then don't have to worry about the missing 'flange angle screw retainer' that is always missing, along with the most vital instruction on the sheet. This leaves you guilt free to combine the additional screws (that don't acutely belong in the box) with one part hammer, two parts brute force and a good sprinkling of four letter words, to complete the task. OK, it will always stand at an odd, best to refer to it as a rakish, angle. What do you expect? This is after all flat pack furniture you have purchased. Like Fast Food, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airfix">Airfix</a> model kits and Internet Brides, it was never going to look like the glossy picture that enticed you to make the purchase in the first place.</span> <br />
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We finally made it to Bangkok and just had one final hurdle, the journey to our hotel. Now the brochure quoted a transfer time of 2.5 hours, the travel agent 3, Kuoni Holiday Itinerary got it up to 3.5 and the tour guide who met us at the airport quoted 4. About 6 hours later we reached our destination <a href="http://www.circleofasia.com/Cha-am-Thailand.htm">Cha Am</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJ5cBpmdlDoMuS-ve3-YsU1PmtkFbtO8VdOyZp3yDYbHKVcUwDXrrmk1otq0l8OTk_5bhBkS6IWpMLm2L93ZFmNr6bHeVkP_khSvxfUIInAXc1zNymMyvCfGW6zUq53n97a6AriG9OGgR/s1600-h/Thailand+swimming+pool.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275838935441999170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJ5cBpmdlDoMuS-ve3-YsU1PmtkFbtO8VdOyZp3yDYbHKVcUwDXrrmk1otq0l8OTk_5bhBkS6IWpMLm2L93ZFmNr6bHeVkP_khSvxfUIInAXc1zNymMyvCfGW6zUq53n97a6AriG9OGgR/s400/Thailand+swimming+pool.JPG" style="display: block; height: 253px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><strong><em>The hotel swimming pool,Cha Am</em></strong></td></tr>
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<b>Suntan</b><br />
I always find it interesting that when in sunny parts of the world, anyone without much of a suntan looks like they must be new arrivals. After over a week and a half I still looked like I wouldn't be arriving until a week next Thursday.<br />
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<b>Fellow Hotel guests</b><br />
The usual bunch of sock and sandal wearing Brits, a couple of miserable Germans (the original Sour Krauts), hoards of little Thai people who arrive at the pool at about 7 in the morning, stay for about an hour and then vanish for the rest of the day. Then there was Gavin. I never actually spoke to Gavin, I just happen to know that he was called Gavin because that is what was emblazoned on the only shirt he wore. It was a rather fetching polyester number in grey and blue with red piping. The shirt also informed me that Gavin worked for a well-known photo processing company and served as a warning to give Gavin a wide birth. I duly obliged.<br />
<b>Fake paradise</b><br />
With any purchase in Thailand you are never sure what you are going get, other than there is a 99.9% chance that it will be fake. This ranges from the obvious CDs, DVDs and fashion items (don’t worry, this does not apply to me) to the less obvious. I speak of fake bridges and rivers. Our day trip to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanchanaburi">Kanchanaburi</a> and the famous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bridge_on_the_River_Kwai">bridge on the river Kwai</a> proved this. Not only did the bamboo and wooden bridge of David Lean’s film no longer exist, but we were over fifty years too late. (In my defence, I couldn’t get Mrs B out of bed.) The river was actually called the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mae_Klong">Mae Klong</a> during the war and not re-named Kwai until the mid sixties. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alec_Guinness">Sir Alec Guinness</a> must be spinning in his pint glass..<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx5m9jKM0Y11C9h6XMnfHdo6SBCvXcbDJPfR-gvAjlWlL_-qjjpOgBo9CYxi0dvXdzcpVwAy9O4ZZCSU3b3XmOnjKSetNEGlQSSV7Vb9mOIFL3XoatM-NpzXACP_RHKh_v_fiDJ0Hj2Amc/s1600-h/River+Kwai+Bridge.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278790407338408402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx5m9jKM0Y11C9h6XMnfHdo6SBCvXcbDJPfR-gvAjlWlL_-qjjpOgBo9CYxi0dvXdzcpVwAy9O4ZZCSU3b3XmOnjKSetNEGlQSSV7Vb9mOIFL3XoatM-NpzXACP_RHKh_v_fiDJ0Hj2Amc/s400/River+Kwai+Bridge.JPG" style="display: block; height: 196px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>According to my made up statistics there is</strong> <strong>only a .1% chance that this is not a fake sign.</strong></td></tr>
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<b>Thai language</b><br />
As anyone who knows me will testify, I am more than capable of crucifying the English language, let alone a foreign tongue. Sadly my attempts to master the Thai dialect sank my linguistic inabilities to new depths. At one point I found myself meowing at bewildered Thai’s with an accent that even McG would have been proud of. Judging by some of the looks I got from the locals, you would have thought I had said “Your great uncle’s pet elephant has left his nostril hairs all over my fridge” or more alarmingly “If you want to have access to my bank account, just leave your grandmother’s left shoe under the Water buffalo wearing the green pyjamas”. I eventually reverted to my normal tactics of speaking to foreigners very slowly in English at high decibels and with a funny accent. (Always works for me, although Mrs B gets that glazed over expression that reads, “God I wish I was anywhere but here”.) For the last few days of the holiday I attempted to play it safe, sticking with “hello”, “thank you” , “That gorilla looks like it might be related to you!” and “Has your wife not heard of <a href="http://www.ciao.co.uk/Immac_Sugar_Based_Warm_Wax__70947">Immac</a>?”.<br />
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<b>Thai massage</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqgSJ7A6D5glXIcn-KgYxVIvLywOn8NLTBCENy5sCwy656JzmZ49ck4Dh6fs_D3TediDblySbj3qNhbpxp2Sh_d7laDOnypW_jDoePpU09RadlFmgo8WCNc1zPytPy8WvsvpUTXETLWcC/s1600-h/My+Masseuse.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278790394486422306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCqgSJ7A6D5glXIcn-KgYxVIvLywOn8NLTBCENy5sCwy656JzmZ49ck4Dh6fs_D3TediDblySbj3qNhbpxp2Sh_d7laDOnypW_jDoePpU09RadlFmgo8WCNc1zPytPy8WvsvpUTXETLWcC/s400/My+Masseuse.JPG" style="display: block; height: 340px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 336px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mrs B's Masseuse was much sexier than mine</strong> </td></tr>
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It was very noticeable that when Mrs B and I booked a massage, Mrs B quickly selected the slightly more attractive of the two (but when you are comparing the back end of a hippo with the back end of a rhino it doesn’t make a lot of difference). Part way through the massage I regretted accusing my masseuse's uncle’s elephant of shedding in my fridge. I must admit the left shoe proved very useful for keeping away the legions of cats that followed us around, sadly I never did find a home for the damned Water Buffalo which had to be abandoned at the airport. I believe it did OK, with the Green Pyjamas it looked like a slightly slimmer than usual American tourist and was adopted by a well to do Thai family ..... <b><i><br /></i></b><br />
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<b>Thai taxi drivers</b> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2NjCvkj6UnMZy5IN6ORDacAonjsUgNDjfRdAy4hzCZ1MbFegyML0aQ57vku5uYVK-4Z_lLVY6CPA1M-hyezXU7OwKhy-_na2ikryx_nIkkWdKChPZmpE6nH14DdjPrJrecOlgzYWTX6A/s1600-h/Thai+taxi.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278790397905652946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW2NjCvkj6UnMZy5IN6ORDacAonjsUgNDjfRdAy4hzCZ1MbFegyML0aQ57vku5uYVK-4Z_lLVY6CPA1M-hyezXU7OwKhy-_na2ikryx_nIkkWdKChPZmpE6nH14DdjPrJrecOlgzYWTX6A/s400/Thai+taxi.JPG" style="display: block; height: 301px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Magical Mystery Tour - It's always much more fun </strong><br />
<strong>when the taxi driver can't see where he is going.....</strong> </td></tr>
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Despite my aversion to taxi drivers, Mrs B and I found ourselves having to use the local scrapheap-challenge offerings that passed for motor vehicles for hire. The first taxi we used appeared OK on the face of it - a little too many dials on the inside and additional skirting on the outside for my liking, but it had working seat belts, air-conditioning and the engine had a throaty roar (which quickly became an annoying humm when sitting in the back of the car for more than 30 seconds). The driver even quoted a decent rate to take us back to our hotel, so we did not even bother attempting to barter. The next taxi we took was a whole different ball game; the driver quoted a ridiculously high amount for the same trip, so I set about beating him down. Just as I got him to the amount I was willing to pay, Mrs B chimed in with a counter-bid. This caused confusion for both me and the taxi driver and resulted in a bidding war which ended with us paying more than his original asking price. To make things worse, when we got into the taxi it looked like we had found out where the first taxi had obtained all his extra dials from - this car had been stripped of everything - except a few seats and a steering wheel. I would love to know if he was still building the car or had stolen it a couple of nights before and was in the process of stripping it down.<b><i> </i></b><br />
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<b>Thai Glue</b><br />
Mrs B and I (at huge expense - something like £1.50) invested in a beach bag, which promptly broke within a day. Since I was determined to extend the bag’s life to the end of the holiday, I purchased a Thai version of superglue. The picture on the packaging showed a huge elephant glued upside down to the underside of a palm leaf - now you don’t get much more reassurance than that. I certainly can’t complain about the sticking power of the product. I was, however, a little disturbed when the tissue that I used to wipe up some of the excess glue started to smoke. I can assure you, any plans of experimenting with the product by attempting to stick my fingers together went out the window after that. <br />
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<b>The Thai toilet incident</b><br />
Mrs B censored the true horror of this story. All I can say is - think of <a href="http://www.fugly.com/pictures/10744/trainspotting-toilet.html">the worst loo in Scotland</a> (as portrayed in the film “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trainspotting_(film)">Trainspotting</a>”), take away the flushing mechanism and toilet paper - then you might just start to get the picture. I will either face years of therapy to get over the incident or alternatively blank it from my mind. I think I’ll choose the latter. Far cheaper and I certainly never intend to revisit that toilet even under hypnotic conditions.<br />
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<b>Thai Brides</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkLsqnBk0yRq_dgd4C3BQ9Edva2w9CJXh9KuXrbQtX7mkiRIZvj1tMh3ffWWRfm7phOluSz-_dPkvVYJigLNC4D2QOpJZR_vJ8s0kcN1-77GawE1woywzZd0ZqGPBk3oVoh4QzQ6eBKttY/s1600-h/Ting+Tong.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278790406572212002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkLsqnBk0yRq_dgd4C3BQ9Edva2w9CJXh9KuXrbQtX7mkiRIZvj1tMh3ffWWRfm7phOluSz-_dPkvVYJigLNC4D2QOpJZR_vJ8s0kcN1-77GawE1woywzZd0ZqGPBk3oVoh4QzQ6eBKttY/s400/Ting+Tong.JPG" style="display: block; height: 336px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 354px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Ting Tong - I'm sure she is just </strong><br />
<strong>very close to her favourite uncle </strong></td></tr>
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It is with a morbid fascination that we saw so many old English Guys (many sixty plus) wandering around hand in hand with young Thai girls. At one stage we were considering bringing back a Thai Bride kitten for McG (at 9 years of age it puts him in the correct age bracket) but then remembered that we have had him neutered, so it would probably have been more cruel than anything.....<b><i> </i></b><br />
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Next week it should be back to the normal shoddy service featuring Al Lewis, AmDram, Paloma Faith, Kaiser Chiefs....BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2876222863435533287.post-67699693427529696462013-02-17T14:52:00.000+00:002013-02-17T14:52:45.855+00:00Social Comment and a new keep fit programme is launched <span id="goog_1998554356"></span><span id="goog_1998554357"></span><span id="goog_1998554362"></span><span id="goog_1998554363"></span><span id="goog_1998554364"></span><span id="goog_1998554365"></span><span id="goog_1998554372"></span><span id="goog_1998554373"></span><span id="goog_1998554374"></span><span id="goog_1998554375"></span>Poor Mrs B has been in the wars – she popped into hospital for a fairly routine op to remove a small lump (No not me, I’m classed as a large lump) and came out looking like she had gone a couple of rounds with a world heavy weight boxing champion. After going for a wander in the middle of the night, too soon after the general anaesthetic, she managed to feint….. <br />
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fortunately her glasses and face broke her fall <br />
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– Ouch … <br />
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Don’t worry, she is on the mend, although she is extremely grateful that she doesn’t suffer from hay fever, thanks to the number of flowers that have been arriving – The front door has been like Heathrow airport at times, with flower delivery vans stacking around the house waiting for the opportunity to make their final delivery approach….. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Social comment </span><br />
I had a request to bring back the “Show Me The Sunshine” section – cataloguing our way to a small fortune<span style="color: red;">*</span> through our investment in Solar Panels. Since our panels are currently suffering from S.A.D (Seasonal affective disorder) it is too depressing to report, as we watch our investment burn (if only, any sort of heat would be a blessing at the moment) a hole in our pockets. Still it was always a long term investment and we still have a contract for another 23 years…. <br />
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<span style="color: red;">* Reminds me of the old joke – “How do you create a small fortune – start with a large one and let me invest it for you….”</span><br />
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So instead I am launching a new section which allows me to make wild and sometimes outrageous statements on the understanding that “It’s just my opinion”. I might have to put a lawyer on a retainer – Sis you’re not doing much at the moment so you have got the job – As long as you can find your Guildford Law school graduation certificate – I don’t want anyone dodgy……While I have known you all my life there were a couple of years before I arrived that I can’t account for (this is possibly a very unsubtle way of getting it out there that you are my “older” sister). <br />
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In honour of this I’m also rebranding the comments section of the <strong>B</strong>lack<strong>LOG</strong> as “Your Social Comment” - go on knock yourselves out.<br />
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Casting my eye around the universe what shall I start with…..?<br />
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Let me see….<br />
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Middle lane drivers….<br />
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Smokers who huddle around doorways and force you to breathe in the vile stench …….<br />
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People who don’t acknowledge you when you hold a door open for them……<br />
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Choices, choices, choices…… <br />
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Hmmmm…… <br />
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Oh, I Know <br />
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Argos <br />
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I hate Argos<span style="background-color: white; color: orange;">**</span> (The Shop, not to be confused with Argo the film, which has proved a bit of a surprise and a triumphant return for Ben Affleck, who in my opinion has not done anything worthwhile since Goodwill Hunting). For those of you outside of the UK (or too posh to use the high street) Argos is a retail shop that makes you feels like you are in a Bookies. Instead of selecting items off shelves you flick through a catalogue (a bit like a racing form book). You then fill out a form (like a betting slip) with one of those quarter size pens that only exist in Bookies (and Argos). You then take your betting slip up to the counter and <strike>place your bet</strike> make your payment. You are given a slip with one of three zones on it - A, B or C - and have to make your way over to the correct collection point. The Item you selected appears on a conveyor belt and is delivered (if you are lucky) to the correct zone. The wait can seem interminable, especially as you will be waiting around with lots of people in shell suits and slippers – It’s like being in the green room of the Jerry Springer or Jeremy Kyle show.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: orange;">** Sadly sometimes the only place you can get something quickly is Argos </span><br />
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I came up with a great way of avoiding waiting around with the “guests” – I put my order in and then went out and had a coffee. The plan was to stroll back in, go directly to the counter and get out quick…..only the <strike>Jeremy Kyle henchmen</strike> Argos servers had other ideas…. I think they worked out what I had done and left me hanging for twice as long as usual before they strolled over to look at my ticket and even then they pretended that it hadn’t appeared on the magic belt yet. <br />
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That taught me a couple of valuable lessons – <br />
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Learn to wait for things and never use Argos (or Ikea<span style="color: purple;">***</span> for that matter) again…..<br />
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<span style="color: purple;">*** Where you queue to get into the car park, queue to get into the shop, queue to look at the items, queue to pay for the item, queue to exit the building, queue to queue to exit the car park ….put the bit of flatcrap together and then shortly afterwards queue to deposit it at the recycle centre that used to be a dump but has now gone all upmarket on us and requires a doctorate (in putting square circles in triangular holes…) to work out which bin everything should go in…</span> <br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Is it OK to?</span></strong><br />
I created my first and possibly only tweet this week, when I tweeted <span id="goog_1998554370"></span><a href="http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-last-leg"><span id="goog_1998554367"></span><span style="background-color: red; color: white;">Channel 4’s Last Leg’s</span><span id="goog_1998554371"></span></a> <span id="goog_1998554368"></span>“Is it OK?” section.<br />
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<strong>BlackLOG65</strong> - "Is it OK for Oscar Pistorius to fall back on a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blade_Runner"><span id="goog_1998554349"></span><span style="background-color: red; color: white;">'Blade Runner'</span></a> <span id="goog_1998554350"></span>defence and claim he thought Reeva was a<span id="goog_1998554360"></span><span style="background-color: red; color: white;"> </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replicant"><span id="goog_1998554354"></span><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: red;">replicant<span id="goog_1998554361"></span><span id="goog_1998554355"></span></span></span></a>….?"<br />
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The show for once (and probably quite rightly) decided to take the moral high ground and not include any OP jokes… <br />
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Not for the first time I find my comedy timing was off and explains why, other than because I’m not particularly funny, I’m not a comedian…. <br />
So I guess the answer to the question is a larger than life “<span style="font-size: x-large;">No</span>”….<br />
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In honour of the show (which is well worth watching by the way), other Is it OK’s in Mr and Mrs B’s world this week:<br />
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<ul>
<li><em>Is it OK to claim that Mrs B was in hospital for a face job?</em></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><strong>Absolutely not</strong></em> </div>
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<ul>
<li><em>Is it OK to claim that I’ve been beating her again?</em></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><strong>No – because: </strong></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><br /><strong></strong></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><strong>1). If I had beaten her it would be the first time; and </strong></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><strong>2). She would kill me – she can be quite feisty if provoked.</strong></em></div>
<ul>
<li><em>Is it OK to try and get your overweight cat to exercise by tempting him with food….?</em></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>This is a tricky one – while it is great to see McG moving about</em></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em> – the </em></strong><strong><em>effort he expends to get the food is minimal. See Photo Finish </em></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>(which </em></strong><strong><em>has been re-branded for this week as 'The Last Picture Show' </em></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>as </em></strong><strong><em>it is </em></strong><strong><em>video and not photographic) below as evidence.</em></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Last Picture show</span></strong> <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwSgE0IletIYB1a9vWIyB_keyrwZ6A1IWjMMY_i0Q1f7fE1ZvN4LVef6fvRmkFIuCokHJ1G0afb4NUfWhnhRA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong> The Kittyball workout</strong> </div>
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The Kittyball workout is the result of years of extensive research and development (i.e McG has taken years to work out how to get a treat out of the ball). <br />
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It should not be attempted by the faint hearted (Was Mrs B’s face <span style="color: #274e13;">plant</span> a result of the anaesthetic or was it a sneaky go on McG’s Kittyball)<br />
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It should not be attempted without first paying large sums of money to the developers of this Programme “<strong>B</strong>lack<strong>LOG</strong> lose your pounds, dollars sense enterprises” (While this won’t help you in any way - unless you want to get your needle through the eye of a camel<span style="color: blue;">****</span> - it will help swell my bank balance.)<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">**** The other way was far too complicated and what’s a bit of camel spit and a kick in the chipmunks</span><span style="color: #38761d;">*****</span> <span style="color: blue;">between friends </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">***** Which ironically end up looking like a camels toe for days afterwards – don’t try this without losing your common sense first </span><br />
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Hope to see you next time....BlackLOGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13214821496023051754noreply@blogger.com12