Crawley

This weekend's work takes me to Crawley in East Sussex. Oooh I am very excited. Back in the day the area now known as Crawley was populated by stone-age, bronze-age and iron-age settlers - all at the same time. They had a great time together and still send each other Christmas cards. However now there is no trace of them and all that is left is a 'New Town' erected in the 1940's. Pah!

Real Beards performing at the White Album Revisited night in Gillingham on Saturday night. These pictures were taken by Parkes on her camera-phone. We played Back In The USSR and it went down well. As it was the opening tune of the night we were able to relax for the rest of the evening with the groupies.

Rock out.

Yorkshire

I spent a lovely couple of days with my father and Liz last week. It was a very relaxing stay with the most energetic elements being a walk along the river at Bolton Abbey and walking uphill back from the pub. I sampled my father's home-brewed grog which was tasty and deceptively strong. Fortunately no-one drank too much of it.

The river hurtles downstream towards Bolton Abbey.

Antipasto with a Yorkshire twist. It tasted beautiful.

Real Beards.

Derbyshire

Parkes and I spent last weekend with my mother in Buxton, Derbyshire. The food was good as always and the town itself and surrounding landscapes were pretty. The pictures below are taken from our walk on Saturday morning.

Mother and son stand before the Buxton Opera House.

The Cat & Fiddle pub on the moors above Buxton. A popular place for bikers like myself to meet, greet and get all oily.

On the other side of the road to the pub - the weather closing in.

Dark and handsome; my mechanical steed shimmers after a good wash and scrub.

Middle-Age Spread

I was undressing last night readying myself for bed when I noticed that my bottom felt very flabby. I looked at it in the mirror and not only was it flabby but there was also a distinctive doggy grin which I have not noticed before. Is this a sign of middle-age spread or just maybe lack of exercise? Maybe I should start wearing hot pants.

Warrington

I like Warrington. It is a very big town and has an honest working-class vibe about it. The people are very kind and there is also a Greggs bakery. Whilst I was busy upgrading laptops in the Barclays branch a young busker with a guitar played in the street below. He had a fantastic voice and played loads of tunes by The Smiths including the one about a ten tonne duck. He made a stack of cash then wandered off into the sunset.

Warrington town centre near the Cockhedge shopping mall. 

Dinner at my mother's. I spent Sunday night in Buxton with my mum and she created this wonderful work of art. The brussel sprout season has started in the UK - get 'em while they're hot! 

At work in London on Saturday with David, Ian and Ashvin. Too many laptops, too little time. 

Deano cracks the jokes with Parkes last Friday night in Jackson's Wharf. 

Telekinesis And UFOs.

Parkes and I enjoyed a very tasty Thai meal in a restaurant in Ramsgate last night. Whilst we were chatting away I decided to mention to her that I think I posses psychokinetic (also known as telekinetic) powers. Parkes found this amusing and it made for a good conversational topic as I (valiantly but hopelessly) tried to move objects on the table from one side to another. Despite my failed attempts I still believe that my brain has many undiscovered powers - all I need to do is find a way of learning how to harness them. If anyone reading this posting knows of any good online literature on this or related subjects please send it to me. Also if anyone spots any paranormal activity in Thanet please report it.

On a similar vein whilst Parkes and I were having a pre-meal pint in the pub last night we saw a report on BBC News 24 relating to UFOs. Apparently the Pope has said that Great Britain is the most likely landing site for an alien craft. Now this report comes as no particular surprise to me and I think they will most probably choose to land in Thanet. We have an airport with the longest runway in Britain to cater for their spacecraft, Westwood Cross shopping center for their shopping needs and of course a selection of unspoiled and pretty beaches for them to kick back on. Watch this space for further updates and remember - the truth is out there...

By the way this weekend I will be working in Warrington, Cheshire. I have never been there before so I am looking forward to my visit.

Newcastle-upon-Tyne on a bright, sunny and mild Monday morning. I enjoyed a couple of beers on Sunday night in a great pub on the quayside followed by two slices of pizza and chips with curry sauce (greedy!). This picture taken outside my hotel overlooking the Tyne. 

This Weekend's Journey...

...takes me to the Byker area of Newcastle. Parkes tells me it was the setting for TV's Byker Grove. Should be interesting.

Real Beards' Live Debut

Real Beards will finally be making their live performance debut at the White Album Revisited night at The Barge in Gillingham on Saturday 25th November. The night is dedicated to songs from The Beatles' White Album and many musicians will be contributing - not just Bill and Berwick.

Keith trying to find some Real Beards tunes on the jukebox in The Derby Arms last night. 

Halloween

...has been and gone. Parkes and I went to the pub in the evening to escape the 'trick or treat' people. I did hear a knock at the door at around 6pm (before we went out) however I was hiding in the kitchen so they gave up and went away. What a sourpuss!