Dog of the Day really does brighten up my day (see the link on the left side of screen). This is a Pomeranian dog. I don't know if they normally look like this or whether this particular dog has had a demi wave.

Painted Faces

You live in Kent. You want faces painted at your child's party. And secretly you want a touch up yourself. Well check out the link www.annieface.co.uk . Some super painted designs to fire the imagination.

The End Of Summer

The end of August marks the end of summer in my books and may I say what a crappy one it was too! However let's not be down about the prospect of autumn and winter as they are not all about cold weather and dark days. Here is a list of things I really enjoy about autumn/winter;

1) Hearty winter dishes such as casseroles, stews and hotpots with lashings of creamy mashed potato.

2) Autumn and winter vegetables such and cabbage, brussel sprouts, parsnips and brussel sprouts (I like brussel sprouts).

3) Heavy and strong winter ales fresh from the pump. Grrrrr.

4) Wearing my favourite Tesco brown fleece with jeans. Also wearing big furry hats outside.

5) Seeing the sea being whipped-up into a frenzy by the cold winter wind. Then finding a warm pub to enjoy a pint of winter ale (see point 3)

6) Tits on my hopper.

7) Waking up on cold Saturday morning under a snug duvet knowing that I haven't got to go to work.

8) Mince pies and Christmas cake. I like these bits of Christmas - not a great fan of the rest of it. However maybe that will change with the patter of little feet.

9) "I'm a celebrity - get me out of here!!" Sorry, I know my stock has just plummeted.

10) Toasting my hairy hobbit feet in front of a real fire in our living room. Kaaapow!!

Wantsum Jazz Festival

Parkes and I didn't really know what to expect. However when we arrived at just after 4pm we were treated to foxy jazz, real ale (oooh), bright sunshine and a cooling northerly wind. This festival was executed on a small scale and was perfectly proportioned for the numbers that turned up.

The first band we saw was the Electric "Arkestra" Experience who played a number of arse-wiggling stompers. Soon after we returned home to grab some warm clothes and feed Beth (who was tired of arse-wiggling). We then returned to the cliff to sample the delights of the voice of British soul music, Omar. It was a cracking set and thoroughly enjoyed by those who braved the cold northerly wind. I am glad Omar agreed to play this gig - he probably didn't need to and it was good for Ramsgate and Thanet. By the end of the set I think everyone was happy.

At the end of the evening Parkes, Beth and I had a groove to some saucy tunes then desperately tried to find the loos. We found them and all was dry.

Parkes looking resplendent with pint in hand.

Dr Edward Gadd. Professor of Boozology. Seen here with son Stan.

Parkes doing it for the Irish.

Drinking grog on a clifftop. Strings and Beth (under blanket) soak up the jazzy-vibes.

Bank Holiday Jazz

With the weather set fair the Wantsum Jazz Festival promises to be a roaring success. We'll be popping to the east cliff on Sunday to enjoy John Altman and the jazzy soul of Omar. Hopefully Beth will enjoy herself too. Talking of Beth, she gave me my first smile at 5am this morning. Her whole face looks like one of the smiley-faces on a packet of Jammy Dodgers. Smashing.

Let sleeping babies lie. This picture was taken by Rachel and captures Beth dreaming of wiggle bears and warm milk. It certainly sounds good to me!

I cannot believe how much press-coverage this wally-face gets!! I was perusing the El Pais website, the electronic version of the Spanish broadsheet newspaper, when up popped his pasty mug. I hate the British media's obsession with junk-celebs devoid of character, charm and talent. That includes the Beckhams, Jordan, Paris Hilton, Lily Allen, Girls Aloud and David Cassidy. I am disappointed to see that the Spanish press haven't got better things to report. Sorry Pete.

Facials

Beth smiled in earnest for the first time this morning. Parkes had just changed her nappy and this must have pleased Beth as she hadn't passed anything of note for a few days.

Cousin Ella helps out with the baby-sitting.

Beth celebrating the anniversary of Elvis' death.

Ladies: Introducing...

...Charles Oniye. He is 41 years old and lives in Beckenham, Kent. He holds down a steady nine-to-five job. He has brown eyes and and silver hair. In his spare time he likes fishing, snorkelling, scuba diving and deep sea diving. He rides horses without a saddle. On warm summer evenings Charles likes listening to jazz and eating fresh sea fish. His mother still insists he wears short trousers but Charles secretly puts on his tight leathers before hitting the town.

Beth has had a funny old week. She is drinking stacks of milk and staying awake all day....and all night. She has taken Parkes to the brink of insanity. Bless her little cotton socks, she is still a little cutie.

Dining in Thanet

Parkes, Beth and I went to lunch on Saturday with Dean and Sarah. Although the company was splendid the food wasn't and rather overpriced. This leads me to a quick round-up of the local restaurants which Parkes and I have recently eaten at:

Melins Restaurant on Harbour Street, Ramsgate. Italian/Mediterranean food. Food nicely presented but poor in quality and expensive. My pizza was more soggy than one of Beth's nappies.

The Akash on High Street, Ramsgate. Indian food. Beautiful curry and other special sub-continent dishes. The food is very tasty with clean flavours. It has rekindled my love of curries.

Prezzo on Albion Street, Broadstairs. Italian/Mediterranean food. Lots of menu options but the food came undercooked (not cool when it's prawns) and the service in an practically empty restaurant was atrocious. Maybe that is why it was practically empty.

Well that is my beef over for today. Remember, if Parkes and I dine at your restaurant we deserve decent service and decent food. I didn't work my clackers off all week to be fed slops.

Wantsum Jazz Festival 2007

We met Gary and Dunc on the streets of Rammers handing out flyers for this year's Wantsum Jazz Festival. It looks like being a special weekend with Omar dropping his smooth melodies on Sunday 26 August at the bandstand on the east cliff. And best of all it is FREE. What more could you want on a Bank Holiday weekend!!

Parkes told me that she had tried to give up eating cheese once. She told me her attempts failed and she went to the yellow stuff like a baby to a teat. Life wouldn't be the same without cheese. It also has many uses e.g. the picture to the left shows a Triceratops being tempted from the undergrowth by a lump of brie.

What a lovely weekend! There is nothing better than the seaside on a glorious summers day. No reports of any shark activity. Parkes, Beth and I were on our way to meeting Kirsty and Nicole + kids on the beach. Everyone seemed to be having a gooood time.

Goin' crazee in the heat!!!! Ramsgate beach is a veritable playground on Saturday. There seemed to be lots of couple petting which was quite off-putting. Also some body-building bloke walked up and down the beach in a pair of tight blue speedos - properly chewing cloth. That was unnecessary as well. The sea was quite cold but there were lots of folk swimming and cooling down.

Beth and Parkes on the beach. Beth wanted feeding and Parkes duly gave her a bottle and a cuddle. She has not been enjoying the heat much this weekend but this week promises to be a little cooler and hopefully she'll be more comfortable. She also produced an enormous, green, snake-like poo last night whilst in mid-nappy change. It was phenomenal.

King Keith has been complaining that he is missing his beer buddy which, of course, is very nice of him. However he has made himself a dummy version of myself to take to the pub with him. I can't see the similarity at all.

Walkerswood Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce. Available from Tesco. If you want your bum to burn tuck in.