Yes it's Ladies night

It's been an exhausting couple of days - but a lot of fun. On Saturday morning, Pete and I drove to my parents house in Kent (via Bluewater for a couple of hours) for a special black tie event.

My Dad is the current Top Dog in his Masonic lodge and Saturday night was 'Ladies Night'. My Mum had to make a speech to the 120+ present. She was terrified having never made a speech before, but she was witty and sounded confident. Dad made his speech as well and Pete got a mention as he had counted a paltry 4 real bow ties in the room and 2 of those were me and Pete!

We had a great time with some OK food and some excellent music and dancing. Pete and I looked after the raffle at the start and raised an amazing £740! This was far more than I was expecting to raise and all of the profit goes to Guide Dogs For The Blind - a very worthy charity.

We both had hangovers on Sunday, but I decided to go and see one of my nephews play in a football game...the team lost. In hindsight, I should have to gone to see my youngest nephew play as his team won 16-3!  

Here are a few pictures from the evening - the first is me and my Mum. We both lost it at this point and were almost crying with laughter over something very silly. Then it's me and one of my brothers and finally, Pete and I.

Ha, Ha, Shock, Wow #9

Following on from these previous postings, here are four more random items from the 'net for your pleasure and entertainment...

HA

HA

Three guys, stranded on a desert island, find a magic lantern containing a genie, who grants them each one wish. The first guy wishes he was off the island and back home. The second guy wishes the same.
The third guy says "I’m lonely. I wish my friends were back here."

SHOCK

On April 6, 1925, the first in-flight movie was shown.
It was a silent film and appeared on a Deutsche Lufthansa flight
 

WOW

I am preparing a whole blog posting on this guy - but here's a teaser.
I think he is one of the most beautiful guys I have seen!

The Australian approach

They don't much about with stupid sales tactics in Australia.  They get straight to the point...

I got those lonely boy blues

There is something really depressing about eating alone in a restaurant but tonight I did just that.
 
I have ended up in Hereford tonight on business.  This is a rare occurrence thankfully, but I am staying in a sterile hotel on the edge of town. There is nothing close by, not even a pub; so I had to drive into the city centre and as I type this, my food is being prepared. You have to do something when sitting alone - you cant just stare into space!
 
It's depressing being here especially in this dark lifeless town. Oh woe is me!
 
The only good news is that I don't have to go far in the morning as I am presenting at a clients team meeting in the same sterile hotel. I was lucky to be allowed to book it.
 
The major downside will be the 3+ hour drive home. I need to get something positive from this and will catch up on podcasts I think.

And in other news... I went out for a run yesterday in the lovely sunshine and managed to hit a low hanging branch with my head. Stop laughing!  I now have a red swollen mark on my forehead.  I look like a Harry Potter reject.

At the castle

We've had a busy weekend.  On Friday we have 3 people round for dinner - Pete made Carbonnade Flamande (fancy beef stew!) and I made a cheesecake.  Both were very yummy.

On Saturday we met two friends Trudie and Jonathon and travelled to Windsor. We spent hours looking round the castle - which was actually far more interesting than I thought it would be. One fact amazed fact - the Windsor collection has 600 Leonardo Da Vinco sketches!

We had a walk along the river and then went to a working mens club - yes, you read correctly.  Jonathon is a beer fan and had found that this 'club' had a great choice of beers. It was not too bad, but not a place I will go back to! We then travelled to a couple of pubs (I was not drinking alcohol) and decided on a remote pub for dinner and beer.  We arrived to find the place in virtual darkness due to a power cut. It was impressive however as the candles added to the atmosphere - but the food was off and we had to go elsewhere.

To say that history is everywhere at the castle is an understatement. Henry VIII is even buried in the chapel.

I took a few pictures, including a favourite one of a cute fit soldier. Yes, I am old enough to be his father. Shut up.
  

David Testo

Another professional coming out story emerged yesterday.  David Testo, a recently retired US footballer came out publicly.  Welcome out David!

Former pro soccer player David Testo has only one regret about going public with his homosexuality: He wishes he had done it a long time ago.  “I really do regret not coming out publicly earlier,” the 30-year-old midfielder, who also played with the Vancouver Whitecaps and Richmond Kickers of the USL and Columbus Crew of the MLS, told Radio-Canada.

“It’s like carrying around a secret, you know, and carrying around luggage and just never being allowed to be yourself.”

The North Carolina native said he now feels more confident and mature and is ready to speak publicly about his sexual orientation.

Testo said he had wrestled with making his sexual orientation public for a long time. He added that he was also regrets not thanking his partner as he accepted the team’s most valuable player award in 2009.

“The one person I wanted to thank the most, I couldn’t,” he said. “I just didn’t feel comfortable at the time.”

Testo said his sexual orientation wasn’t a secret among his family, friends or teammates. In the interview, he talked about the difficulty of being a gay athlete, both for himself and his teammates.

Yoinked from Twitter #1 - #childrensbooksmademoreexciting

Children's books made more exciting...
 

Bi-Curious George

 

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Bone

 

Paddington Bare

 

Little Red Riding Ho

 

The Bi-Polar Express

 

Charlie Sheen and the Chocolate Factory

 

The Cat In The Hood

 

Peter Porn

 

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Taliban

 

Charlotte's Webcam

 

Posters for 2012

We found out this week that the Olympic torch route passes a couple of miles from our house next year. It will interesting to see what event is planned for that particular part of the route.  And of course, that question that we all ask has been answered: what happens if the flame goes out?!

Last week, a range of official posters were released and I have to say that I was disappointed and underwhelmed.  We had an opportunity to 'wow' people and yet we have some bland offerings.  One of them by Howard Hodgkins looks like a 2 year old baby painted it. And this one by Martin Creed is just boring!

However, there are a couple of interesting ones:

5 on the Fifth - announcement

After 29 months of people around the world sharing their photographs on the 5th of every month, it's with a sadness that I must let you know that the December '5 on the fifth' will be the last for the foreseeable future.

Despite support from loyal bloggers sharing some amazing photographs, I feel that the time has come to mothball this monthly posting. It's not necessarily the end... but for now it's time to try some new blog ideas out.

If you have any suggestions for the December theme, please leave a comment.

Remember...

Remember remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...