Gijón: Juan and Parkes sharing the love.

Gijón: Afternoon drinking on Saturday afternoon. The cider was flowing and so was the chat in the sunshine. From left to right: Strings, Parkes, Nicole, Justine, Sarah and Kaiser King Keith.

Gijón: How to pour cider Asturian-style. Well most of it everywhere and I got a very sticky sleve. But hey ho.

Toasted Teacakes Of The World - Unite And Take Over

The word this weekend is 'buns'. I don't normally bother with Easter buns but this weekend I really fancy a hot cross bun with lashings of butter. I will try and get Parkes involved in the proceedings. More news to follow.

The secret T-shirt sender has been uncovered. Many thanks K for the kind thought and the super T!

Provisional Thanet Easter Beer Festial Ale List

List courtesy of the official beer festival site. Shining through like a beacon is Darkstar's Six Hop Ale which is beautiful but might be gone by the time I get there. Also there is a beer called Ian which must be sampled based upon it's smashing name. Robinson's Old Tom sounds like a cracker too - I like this brewery.

Brewer Location Beer ABV
1648 Sussex St Georges 4.4
Abbeydale South Yorks Broomstone 3.8
Acorn South Yorks Madness 4.4
Adnams Suffolk Bitter 3.7
Adnams Suffolk Explorer 4.3
Arundel Sussex Arundel SB 4.5
Ballards Hants Best Bitter 4.2
Bank Top Lancs Mild 4
Batemans Lincs Eggs-B 4.2
Bath Somerset Gem 4.1
Berrow Somerset Silver Berrow
Blindmans Somerset Wet Your Whistle 4.8
Brains Cardiff Bread of Heaven 4
Breconshire Breconshire Brecon County Ale 3.7
Brewsters Lincs Daffy's Elixir 4.6
Broughton Peebles Exciseman's 80/- 4.6
Burton Bridge Staffs Top Dog Stout 5
Butcombe Somerset Brunel IPA 5
Cains Liverpool Dark Mild 3.2
Cairngorm Highlands Sheepshaggers Gold 4.5
Caledonian Edinburgh 80/- 4.1
Castle Rock Notts Harvest Pale 3.8
City of Cambridge Cambs Parkers Porter 5.3
Clarks West Yorks Classic Blonde 3.9
Coach House Cheshire Gunpowder Mild 3.8
Copper Dragon North Yorks Challenger 4.2
Cotleigh Devon Tawny Owl 3.8
Cotleigh Devon Golden Sea Eagle 4.2
Country Life Devon Golden Pig 4.7
Daleside North Yorks Blonde 4
Daleside North Yorks Old Legover 4.1
Dark Star Sussex Spring Equinox 4
Dark Star Sussex Six Hop Ale 6.2
Dark Star Sussex Critical Mass 7.8
De Molen Netherlands Engels 5
De Molen Netherlands Donder & Bliksem 5.7
De Molen Netherlands Pek & Veren 8
Dorset Dorset Steam Bitter 4.5
Dorset Dorset Jurassic 4.7
Downton Wilts Mad Hare 4.6
Elgood Cambs Thin Ice 4.7
Elgoods Cambs Cambridge Bitter 3.8
Enville West Midlands Nailmaker's Mild 4
Everards Leics Sunchaser Blonde 4
Everards Leics Tiger Best 4.2
Everards Leics Original Premium Ale 5.2
Frog Island Northampton Natterjack 4.8
Fullers London Gales HSB 4.8
Fyne Ales Argyll Avalanche 4.5
Goachers Kent Fine Light Ale 3.7
Goachers Kent Crown Imperial Stout 4.5
Hadrian & Border Tyne & Wear Gladiator 3.8
Hampshire Hants Proposale 4.3
Harviestoun Clackmannanshire Bitter and Twisted 3.9
Harviestoun Clackmannanshire Schiehallion 4.8
Hawkshead Cumbria Lakeland Gold 4.4
Hawkshead Cumbria Brodies Prime 5
Highgate West Midlands Irish Whisky Ale 4.4
Hogs Back Surrey TEA 4.2
Hook Norton Oxon Hooky Dark 3.2
Hook Norton Oxon Old Hooky 4.6
Hop Back Wilts Crop Circle 4.2
Hopdaemon Kent Golden Braid 3.7
Hopdaemon Kent Skrimshander IPA 4.5
Houston Renfrewshire Tartan Terror 4.5
Inveralmond Perth XXX 4.4
Isle Arran Isle of Arran Arran Ale 3.8
Itchen Valley Hants Pure Gold 4.8
Kelham Island South Yorks Easy Rider 4.3
Kings Sussex Mother-in-law
Larkins Kent Ian 4.3
Larkins Kent Porter 5.2
Leeds West Yorks Best
Loddon Oxon Gravesend Shrimpers 4.1
Loddon Oxon Bamboozle 4.8
Marston Moor / Rudgate North Yorks Rudgate Battleaxe 4.2
Marstons Staffs Jennings Golden Host 4.3
Matthews Somerset Bob Wall 4.2
Millis Kent Strawberry Surprise 4.1
Millis Kent Old Kentish Ale 4.8
Moorhouses Lancs Pride of Pendle 4.1
Mordue Tyne & Wear Ponytail ?
Naylors West Yorks Pinnacle Mild 3.4
Nelson Kent Nelson's IPA 4.8
Nelson Kent Purser's Pussy Porter 5.1
Oakham Cambs Haka 5.7
O'Hanlons Devon Dry Stout 4.2
Orkney Orkney Skullsplitter 8.5
Ossett West Yorks Fine Fettle 4.8
Otter Devon Otter Ale 4.5
Phoenix Greater Manchester Double Gold 5
Purity Warwicks UBU 4.5
Ramsbury Wilts Gold 4.5
Ramsgate Kent East Kent Pale Ale 4.1
Ramsgate Kent No Tomorrow 8
RCH Somerset East Street Cream 5
Ringwood Hants 78 4.2
Ringwood Hants Old Thumper 5.6
Robinsons Cheshire Old Tom 8.5
Salamander West Yorks Mud Puppy 4.2
Saltaire West Yorks Yorkshire Pale Bitter 3.8
Saltaire West Yorks Amarillo Wheat 4.4
Saltaire West Yorks Cascade Pale Ale 4.8
Sarah Hughes West Midlands Dark Ruby 6
Shardlow Leics Narrowboat 4.5
Shardlow Leics Rev Eaton 4.5
Sharps Cornwall Doom Bar 4
Skinners Cornwall Heligan Honey 4
Skinners Cornwall Figgy Brew 4.5
Springhead Notts Liberty 3.8
Springhead Notts Sweet Lips 4.6
Springhead Notts Bitter 4
Stonehenge Wilts Sign of Spring 4.6
Swan-on-the-Green Kent Fuggles 3.6
Swan-on-the-Green Kent Cygnet 4.2
Taylor West Yorks Landlord 4.3
Three Rivers Manchester Manchester IPA 4.2
Thwaites Lancs Lancaster Bomber 4.4
Titanic Staffs Anchor 4.1
Titanic Staffs Iceberg 4.1
Titanic Staffs New World 4.5
Tower Staffs First Swallow 4.5
Tring Herts Side Pocket for a Toad 3.6
Triple fff Hants Moondance 4.2
Triple fff Hants Witch's Promise 6
Ventnor Isle of Wight Pistol Night 4
Wentworth South Yorks WPA 4
Westerham Kent Finchcocks Original 3.5
Westerham Kent Grasshopper 3.8
White Horse Oxon Village Idiot 4.1
Whitstable Kent East India Pale Ale 4.1
Whitstable Kent Pearl of Kent 4.5
Whitstable Kent Raspberry Wheat Beer 5.2
Wickwar Glos Cotswold Way 4.2
Wickwar Glos Long John Silver 4.2
Wooden Hand Cornwall Black Pearl Stout 4.5
Wooden Hand Cornwall Cornish Mutiny 4.8
Woodenhand Cornwall Pirate's Gold 4
Wyre Piddle Worcestershire Piddle in Colchester 4.2
York North Yorks Centurions Ghost 5.4

Thanet Easter Beer Festival Film

I think the theme for this year's beer festival film will be based upon tasting as many different types of beer, cide and perry as possible. Taking part will be Dean, Sarah, Keith (and hopefully Nicole), Parkes and myself. Parkes was pregnant this time last year and is looking forward to being able to sample more beers than she could last time around. Skol!!

T-shirt

Late last week I received a spanking new CAMRA T-shirt in the post. It's great but I do not know who sent it to me. If anyone can shed any light on this please let me know so that I may thank him or her.

Parkes, Beth and I enjoyed a long walk on Sunday, taking advantage of the decent weather before the predicted deluges. Beth doesn't look like she is enjoying herself but she seemed to have a good time to me - chattering and cooing her way around Ramsgate.

Beth seems to be developing a Edna Everage-style lip curl.

Only two weeks now until (1) the Easter holidays and (2) the Thanet Easter Beer Festival in association with CAMRA. WOOOOOO. I am so excited. Easter is such a lovely time of year as you know days will be getting longer and warmer. I am reliably informed that beer festival preperations are going well and we should have ourselves a belter. 200 different beers means you would have to drink 100 pints (in 1/2 pint glasses) to taste each one - too much beer for me but I reckon Kaiser King Keith could get have a go.

We still haven't sorted out the filming arrangements yet. Slack.

Turtle Recall

Watching the 'Life In Cold Blood' Attenborough programme on Monday night I was amazed at how far male turtles would go to grab the attention of a good lady turtle. A gang of males harrassed a mating couple as they glided through the open ocean hoping to get their chance with the female. It amounted to reptilian thugery.

Talking of hairy moments, King Kaiser Keith very kindly picked me up from Dumpton Park station last night and he was sporting his latest fashion accessory - a smashing goatee beard. He has been nurturing it over the last few weeks and it is now quite long and prominent. It is difficult to talk to him and not look at it - much like a lovely pair of bosoms.

The Elves Have Left The Building

I spent a lovely weekend with Parkes and Beth and didn't really want to go to work this morning. However a couple of things troubled me over the weekend;

1) Whilst Parkes and I were attempting to start my motorbike over the weekend I confused the 'choke out' with the 'choke in'. As a result the bike wouldn't start until Parkes pointed out (30 mins later) that I had the choke lever in the wrong position. It then started without a problem.

2) Secondly I have started shouting at the television (whilst watching programmes - not when it is switched off). There seem to be more and more TV people annoying me these days.

This seems to me like the start of my old age mental deterioration. I wonder how deep the rabbit burrow goes?

This weekend I will be spending time catching up with my daughter and lady. On Satters we'll be going swimming, shopping in Tesco and going for a nice walk to enjoy the sunshine. On Sunday it's Mothering Sunday and we'll be heading to the Hungry Horse in Thanet for Sunday lunch.

This week Parkes brought something shocking to my attention. There is somebody else on the Web who thinks they are "King Keith". This other dude holds a pub music quiz in Thanet as well! After mentioning this to the REAL King Keith he said he would be now know as Kaiser Keith. The King is dead. Long live the Kaiser.

We did manage to take two pictures whilst with everyone in Gijón. This is one of them. It is taken from the Playa de San Lorenzo looking towards the old fishing village of Cimadevilla. Our hotel was located to the left of the shot. Looking back (with rose-tinted glasses) it's a really nice city and I would definitely like to go back.

In March Parkes, Beth and I are flying to Asturias again but this time we'll be hiring a car and venturing an hour south to Astorga in the province of León. El Camino de Santiago passes through both Astorga and the City of León.

The aliens have landed but Beth seems unimpressed. We had a very nice weekend all in all. Parkes enjoyed her Take That musical adventure. Beth and I visited the Ramsgate Brewery, had a wee tour and bought some knockout beers. My particular favourite is the one that is being brewed for the Thanet Easter Beer Festival (about 5 weeks away). It reminds me of Christmas cake (really must sort my taste buds out). Parkes, Beth and I took a lovely walk on Sunday around Pegwell Bay and enjoyed the mild temperatures, whispering trees, whooshing sea and chattering tits.

Where's Winter Gone?

It seems that only a few weeks ago it was November and I was buttoning-down the hatches for a long winter of commuting. It's almost as if King Keith has waved his magic wand and we have been propelled into the future. Whilst I don't want to wish my life away I do prefer the lighter nights which are well and truly on the way! Brilliant!!!!!

My Open University course is causing me some grief. The course itself is great and I am thoroughly enjoying studying the coursework. The trouble is the timescales involved for submitting assessment papers are too aggressive. I think I will just keep studying on my own and bugger the assessments/exams. I didn't really want the qualification anyhoo, I just wanted to improve my Spanish.

This weekend promises to be a nice relaxing one. Parkes is camping it up at some Take That musical tonight in Bromley and I am babysitting and studying. On Saturday Beth and I will be doing some daddy and daughter stuff. On Sunday I will be washing my bits.

Three Score Years And Ten

Last Friday it was my birthday and the completion of my first 35 years on Planet Earth. It has been great fun. My sister and I were raised by two wonderful parents. I did okay at school and managed to get some qualifications. I found a decent vocational skill and earn enough not to have to worry about not being able to go for a beer on a Friday night. I have a wonderful partner and daughter and mates that I can call true friends. I feel very priviledged and lucky. Who knows what lies waiting during the next 35 years? Will there be 35 years? Maybe more, maybe less, who knows. All I know is what I have learnt thus far - never take a single day for granted and live life to the max! Bravo!!!

Back Again

Spent a good weekend with the crew in Gijón. The city is a nice place with lots of bars and big surf crashing down upon the beach. Pictures were taken by Deano on his super camera and I will try and get them off him soon.

This weekend Dean, Sarah, Justine, Darren, Bal, King Keith, Queen Nicole, Parkes and I will be checking out the scene in the northen Spanish city of Gijón. The weather forecast looks smashing and with such a collection of tinkers in our group it promises to be an excellent adventure.

Beth at the controls of her new baby-walker. It's a cracking thing that makes lots of noises and encourages her to make walking movements. I might have a go myself when I get home.