2005 and all that

So. Here we are then. The end of 2005. I did consider doing a big, 'humorous' round up of the year, with hero's and villains and other lists but I'm not sure if I can be bothered. Think I'll start writing and just see how this post pans out. Ohhh, its like you're taking a journey with me.

What is it with New Year? Practically everyone seems to grumble about it, that you are forced to 'have fun', about what an anti-climax it always is, etc. On the whole I agree. Its not so much the occasion itself, its the constant worrying and discussion about what to do beforehand. I distinctly remember having an increasingly bad tempered 'debate' with in the George in Wanstead (ahhh, the George, how I miss you in no way whatsoever) with people who the rest of the year are good friends and am happy to do whatever with but when it comes to New Year I'm we're saying things like 'I'm not going THERE for New Year' and 'You're ALWAYS like this'.

I would like to report that things were different in the brave new world of Canada but of course they weren't, and we all had to meet up in the pub to talk about what we were going to do. And even then we only made the extremely firm not vague at all decision to 'have a wander round Downtown during the day and see what places are doing for the night'. Sigh. Not only that but through circumstances I don't really remember I ended up volunteering to do the wandering, make the decision and buy tickets for everyone.

What the hell was I thinking? I blame Gavin and his Scottish powers.

So on the 31st I found myself walking in the rain going from bar to bar asking them what they were doing, did they have tickets and would people be able to get in after 12. Thankfully Paul Banks volunteered to accompany me on my mission meaning if all went wrong I could at least whisper 'Actually I was dead against this place but Paul insisted'.

Things looked a bit worrying for a while, as several of our first choice places were all sold out. Faced with the possibility of trying to gate crash Gavin's neighbours party (which didn't actually exist it later turned out so thank God we didn't go with that plan) we started to panic slightly. Until I remembered Malones.

Oh Malones. Its like the friend you don't particularly like but you know that they're always up for a pint if you want to go out (I suspect I play that roll for several people I know). Its not a bad place, in fact I've always had a good time there, its just that we've been there lots of times before and of course, being New Year, you want to do something 'special'. Urgh.

But what the hell, they were having a Jazz funk band, their tickets were $10 cheaper than every where else, and, most importantly, they were not sold out. Sold!

I present below pictures of the night. There's not many to be honest and they're not brilliant. I was too busy drinking, talking and dancing which I guess is a good thing.

Early on in the evening Gavin, Paul and me decide to go for a dance. Tragically we've not drunk enough and the floor isn't busy enough for us to really let ourselves go. Actually Gavin seems into it here so maybe it was just me not getting in the Groove.

Simon arrives late as he was working until 11:00. He throws himself into the spirit. Please note, this photo was not staged, he really did drink a pitcher through a straw.

An attempt to take a group photo goes awry. From left to right, Jade's left eye, Keenie, Simon, Aussie Barney and Gaz. Note the girl in the back ground staring straight at the camera. She scares me slightly.

You're certainly no angel Keenie. Though you did bring a load of glow things to give out.

Gavin needs YOU!

After 12 we go outside to pretend to be real men and smoke cigars.

I'm sure you are wondering 'Where's Andy?' Well he was there for a bit of it, he arrived after 12 and had a couple of pints. He spent most of the night watching a play with his girlfriend, her mother and her brother. I make no comment.

I had a good time. I must admit I don't remember much towards the end. I remember dancing, I remember cheering every time Gavin or Simon spoke to me, and I also remember the place closing a full hour and a half before it was supposed to close, much to our annoyance (though to be honest it was probably a good thing). We left about 3:00 I think. The journey home was quite eventful as well. A gang of 12 started on Gavin (He sung 'Why can't we all be friends at them which didn't really placate them), luckily he managed to escape. I myself was involved in an incident involving the pacific ocean, a destroyed mobile phone and looking for my wallet on a beach in the middle of the night at four in the morning. I'm not going to go into details as its too good a story not to save as an anecdote to tell when I return home (I realised the other day that I put practically everything of interest that happens to me on here, so what stories will I have to tell when I return home?) but I will confirm what all of you will be thinking, I was trying to impress girls. And I did end up in the sea. 3 times.

I finally got to bed around 6:00am. It was an interesting end to 2005 and beginning to 2006. The rest of the year has a lot to live up to.

Just think, this time last year I was living in Lytton Road with Jason, Simon and, er, Chris and working at the NEBP with Andy. Paul and Jenny, CJ and Amelia and Ruth and Jon weren't married, baby Ben existed in a form but none of us had any idea he was coming and I was learning French. A hell of a lot has changed this year, and I'm now living in a beautiful country having new experiences every day. Before I go I just want to thank everyone who has supported and encouraged me this year. You all know who you are.

Thank you.

Vancouver Museum

Having time off between Christmas and New Year was great but also a bit annoying. I'm not exactly rolling in cash at the moment and a whole week without work I knew was going to hit me hard. Still, I was determined to at least do a few cheap things on my list of things to do.

So I reach Friday afternoon and realise that I've mainly spent my time either sleeping, going out in the evening or being ill (had a horrible stomach bug/food poisoning thing on the Thursday). 'Damn it' I think to myself, 'I'm going to damn well go out there and damn do something. Damn'.

So I did. Andy and his Dad had been to the Vancouver Museum the previous day and had got two free tickets valid until the end of the year. The end of the year being of course the coming Saturday. This was ideal, something on my list, something cultural and of course something free!

I called young Paul (who is actually old Paul in comparison with the other Paul) and we hit the Museum.

Me by the Crab Sculpture outside the Museum. The crab plays an important roll the First Nations myths about the area that became Vancouver. It is the Zodiac symbol of the date that Canada became a country. All this I read on a very informative plaque.

The Museum was pretty good though a lot of it was being renovated. Annoyingly the parts being renovated were the bits detailing early Canadian history which seems pretty hard to come by here. They did have a great section on the 50s, 60s and 70s though.

Paul stands proudly by his dream car. 'This'll get the dames' he whispers to himself.

I reckon I'll go back in the summer when hopefully it'll be fully open. Until then, thank you Vancouver Museum and thank you Paul. You helped me do at least something with my time off.

The BUNAC Christmas Special

My first Christmas away from home. And by home I mean my family, my friends and of course that little island we call 'The United Kingdom of Great Britain'. Despite this I was really looking forward to it, if nothing else than to finally use that Pictionary set Andy and me blew $30 on a month or so ago.

The morning started with a Andy waking me with an offer of a cooked breakfast. I managed to get across the word yes with a series of blinks and grunts. The previous evening had been, ah, enjoyable. Despite finding that half the pubs and bars shut early on Christmas Eve ('But its Christmas Eve!' we Brits cried, to which the barmen in dozens of pubs replied 'Thats why we're closing early' to mutual confusion on both sides) we had heard that the Railway Tavern, a pretty cool place we had been too a couple of times before, was having some kind of festive sing along. Of course that was all the encouragement we needed for Andy, Richard and myself to don Santa hats and make our merry way down there, frantically texting people to let them know that at least somewhere was open.

Father Christmas and Father

The sing along was fantastic and apparently a regular thing down there. Richard and me shouted ourselves horse demanding that they play 'I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts' (no, it wasn't just festive songs). Sadly they didn't, so we did a quick rendition when leaving. Gavin then talked me into going to the Irish pub Doolin's for a another pint before heading home. This turned into another 3 and so I staggered home at 3:00am Christmas morning.

So I was not on great form when Andy woke me at 9:00 on Christmas day. Still, it was Christmas and I stumbled from my bed to be handed a plate of greasy sausage's and a cup of tea. What more can a hungover man ask for?

After breakkie we decided to go for a pre-lunch walk and took Richard along Kits Beach. He was suitably impressed by the scenery and we all had a nice chat about this and that. I think both Richard and Andy much enjoyed my various theories on why the Beatles would of reformed for Live Aid if John Lennon had lived.

Returning home to find Andy's lady friend Laura waiting outside for us ('When we said we were going on a half an hour walk we obviously meant 2 hours!'). It was then present opening time. This took Laura, Richard and me about a minute each as we only had a present or two each. Obviously Andy had been a very good boy this year has he had around half a dozen open. So we all watched him like proud parents (literally in Richard's case I guess) at the joy on his little man face as he unwrapped everything. I was especially pleased with my presents though. 6 whole bottles of Newcastle Brown Ale from Andy. Oh how I've missed you you beautiful northern bitter you. Also I got some Marks and Sparks English Breakfast Tea from my friend from home Vicky. Tastes of home.

Andy opening one of his million presents

Me with my only, but great, present

It was then that the 'BUNAC Christmas Special' really kicked of. We were supposed to be having a proper Christmas lunch around the Ralphs'. Technically Simon and Keenie live there too but I like to see it as Chris and Debs' place, with Keenie the petulant teenager and Simon the friendly old grandad... who has a Swedish girlfriend. About 12:30 (lunch was to be served around 2:00) I received a panicked message from Debs saying that their oven had decided to break down on the one day of the year they were having 14 people round for a meal. It had been working perfectly fine the day before. Can you think of a more hackeyed sitcom plot? Maybe if we had to look after a baby as well, with a strange suggestion that the baby's Jesus (doesn't that happen loads in Christmas specials?) it would of been the ultimate Christmas sitcom.

Thankfully no baby appeared and instead the Landlord came round with the key for the flat downstairs. The tenants there kindly allowed debug to use their kitchen and the meal was back on. Dinner was saved and we all learnt the true meaning of Christmas.

An attempt to get everyone in the photo. I failed.

The rest of the day was a mixture of beer, Christmas songs, darts, great food, Secret Santa (thanks for the 'List of Things to Do' photo album Debs, it was very sweet of you) unwrapping and finally the most complicated game of Pictionary ever.

Ohhhh, Gavin's getting warmer...

At the end I returned home, happy and full of Christmas cheer. God bless us, everyone!

The day wouldn't of happened without these two... well Debs mainly. Thanks so much for a fantastic day.

Chris

A couple of days before Christmas I was on the bus on 4th heading to 'Kitchen Korner' (actually, I don't think they spell Korner with a K, such a lost marketing opportunity). 4th Avenue has loads of shops and I usually look in the windows of those who have people I know working in them. I see them, they don't see me... Jade in the bakery, Paul in the Coffee Shop, Hannah in the Nik-Nak shop and Chris in the trendy winter clothing shop. This particular night on the bus and didn't see anyone though did notice that Chris' shop had a dummy that looked like him. 'How amusing' I chortled to myself 'That they have a shop window dummy that looks like a member of their staff'.

After visiting KK I strolled up 4th, or rather walked quickly as it was raining, and stopped off in Hannah's shop to buy my secret Santa present and saw the lady herself. After encouraging me to spend more than my limit on the present she casually mentioned that Chris had been pretending to be a shop window dummy an hour ago when she had passed his shop. An hour ago. I rushed up there and sure enough Chris was there still, modeling many of the excellent products they sell. I tried to get his attention waving a mop I was holding (don't worry, this was not the secret Santa) but like I guard outside Buckingham Palace he didn't flinch. Until I jumped up and down that is.

He stayed there and I left him to it. Andy later went up and took the above picture. I asked Chris why he was doing it later, but he some managed to avoid the question and just said he had stood there for 3 hours. Sir, whatever you were doing, I salute you.

Merry Christmas

Bloody hell, talk about 'camp as Christmas'

Its Christmas Eve as I write this. Fittingly its actually really quiet in the internet cafe, nothing is stirring, not even a mouse... Its my first Christmas away from home, so I'm excited and a bit sad as well. Excited as we're going to attempt a massive Christmas dinner tomorrow for around 12 people. Well, I say we're attempting it but its really Debs who has kindly offered to do most of the work. In fact when I asked how I could help she said 'stay out of my kitchen'. Its just like being back home!

The Batcave (as Andy and myself affectionately call the flat) is now fully decorated with an extremely colourful tree. Presents are under it though they are mostly for Andy. I know, feel sorry for me.

Mr Bull Snr arrived yesterday and has overcome jet lag to get into the spirit of the season. Him and Andy went on a father and son bonding trip this morning to the off license. He's seeing all the sights!

Tonight we're going to the Kings Head, British themed pub (though its run by a German and doesn't seem to reference Britain in any way) to welcome in Christmas with a pitcher or two of Winter ale.

Wherever you are, I hope you have a great time over the next two days. To all my friends and family, I miss you all loads and will be thinking of you tomorrow. And for those of you I don't know, well, you have a great season too.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

Are you hanging up your stockings on the wall?

ITS NEARLY CHRISTMAS! Yes, I'm sure most of you know this but it didn't really hit me until last Thursday. I was walking home from work after taking a bus I don't normally get, listening to my Ipod. A Franz Ferdanand track was playing and annoyingly for some reason it didn't copy of to the ipod properly, so half through it suddenly cuts. Irriating yes? Well normally but last night it cut and Slade's 'Merry Christmas' started.

While the song was playing I walked past 3 houses in a row all with elaborate Christmas decorations up. 'Christmas is only a week and a bit a away' I thought to myself and suddenly I was in a great mood. I got home shocking Andy with my good cheer (I think he thought I was drunk). Could it get any better? Why yes it could because my good friend Hannah had sent me a package containing... The Christmas Edition of the Radio Times! Andy and me both cheered when we realised what it was.

Some of you maybe wondering why we were so excited by a TV listings magazine for a country I'm not currently living in? I think the reason is that we rely on so many small 'triggers' to make us realise that Christmas is here - Slade and Wizard on the radio, the drunk business man asleep on the tube wearing a santa hat, the extra space given to Woolies for toys and, of course, the special double edition of the Radio Times. Ahhh, Christmas.

So now I'm excited and looking forward to that time of year when you think that maybe, just maybe, things will start getting better. Andy and me bought a tree Monday night and decorated it while a wee bit tipsey so it probably needs to be properly decorated again. There are three presents underneath it, 2 of which are mine and the one for Andy is from my friend Aimee. Its embarrassing for him really. Course his Dad is coming to visit him... and his girlfriend will get him a present... still at this point in time I win!

Oh, I've made progress on my list, I ate Sushi on Saturday night. Went with Australian Hannah who hadn't slept the previous night and had worked all day which made conversation fun! Really, it did. I then ate Sushi again Monday and Tuesday lunch times. I think I can safely cross that one off the list. All being well I'll get some of the free things done on my list between Christmas and New Year as I'm not working then. They have to be free as not working means I'm going to be cent-less.

Simon's all growed up

Another Birthday! This time not a double 21st, oh no, but a single 22nd. Yes it was the turn of increasingly old Simon to feel the cold touch of mortality on the 2nd of December. Yes, I know that this post is stupidly late, but I wouldn't be me if I was late with everything to do with birthdays.

It was a bit of a double celebration as it was one of the last times Simon could go out before Christmas has he is more or less working every single evening in December. And why? To earn a fat wedge of cash all to make sure a young Swedish girl doesn't run off with a richer Brit, as Swedes are wont to do (is 'wont' a word? It sounds as if it is and I have a definition... maybe I've just invented one like Shakespeare used to do all the time). Of course I'm joking. She wouldn't do that to him. She's too nice. OR IS SHE?

Simon and Swedish Ellie

Sorry. We went to a place called 'Mark's' just off of Broadway. Its a nice enough place though there seemed to be a wedding reception on at the same time as we were. This did mean we had the benefits of a wedding disco without having to go through all the parlarvar of getting married. When 'C'mon Eileen' came on I almost cried. With joy of course.

Beers were drunk, firm commitments to have a Canada reunion in Brussels in 2007 were made and there was an incident with a coat I won't go into here. It was all good fun and I think it distracted Simon from the fact that he is one step closer to oblivion.

An attempt at a group shot with most of the group not really wanting to be in it

Paul shows off the curtains, Alan shows off his tongue. We've all got things we're proud of.

She does exist after all!

Chris (left) and Debs (right)

Taxi for Mr Bull!

The Bill arrives much to the bewilderment of Simon. Yes, that doesn't include service.

The next birthday I'm celebrating is Jesus', I hope you can join me in that. Oh, I'll probably drink a pint in Jason's honour on the 23rd as well.

Homesick

On Saturday for the first time since being here (that I can remember anyway) I felt homesick. It was the product of a few things I think. I suppose the fact that Christmas is coming has made me think about home. I've also just finished reading a book about British science and engineering (which a couple of times practically had me saluting while singing Land of Hope and Glory). On top of this I had been writing various Christmas cards for family and friends back home. Then at lunch time I got a phone call from Scott, Hannah, Steve, Aimee and Vicky who were at the traditional pre-Christmas meal and piss-up that we do together every year all rather... 'merry' shall we say. It was very sweet of them to call and it meant a lot to me. I realised just how far away I am.

The day before a friend of mine had been saying how she was a bit depressed as a good friend of her's was leaving. She said how it hit her 'while sitting on the beach watching the sunset to which I replied 'Wow, what a nightmare' (don't all you back home just miss my sarcasm and disregard for your feelings to make a cheap joke?).

With that in mind Andy and me decided to go for a walk along the coast. And it was fantastic. The sun slowly set turning the sky a vivid purple. The buildings looked golden in the dying light. Slowly the city lit up and it looked like New York or something. And I realised that yes, I do miss family and friends, but hopefully they'll all be there when I get back. In the meantime I have this beautiful place to enjoy. Suddenly, all was right with the world once more.

The City of Gold, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah the City of Gooold

A stone telling a story about Vancouver, the rain and a duck.

Interactive Ian

Just to let you all know I've added to the sidebar a direct link to the 'Things I want to do in Canada before I go' post so you can all easily access it and keep track of my progress. Its now standing at 36 things I've got to do, with still only 3 of those done. Better get my skates on!

I plan to add a Movies for Movie Night and Good Book lists as well. I'll explain those once I do them.

Sir Terry!

At last, someone has seen sense and made the great Terry Wogan a Kinght of the Realm. Its about time too. For making Eurovision not only bearable but actually fun alone he more than deserved it.


Well done Sir Terry. Now if they only get round to making Bruce Forsythe a Sir then they'll finally be some justice in the honours system.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4503018.stm

Granville Island Brewery Tour

Ahhhh beer. Isn't it great? Way back on the 12th of November Andy and me decided to finally do one of the many things people kept recommending us to do. Looking at the various options we decided that the one we fancied most on a rainy Saturday afternoon was, da-da-da-da-dah, the Granville Island Bewery Tour. We had heard about in hushed, referential tones and were mightily looking forward to it. The call went out to our fellow BUNACers, we were doing the tour and would anyone like to join us. Before you could say gottle of gear a crack team assembled consisting of Simon, Debs and Ellie, all eager to sample Granville Island's finest. Well, Simon was at least, the girls came along for the ride.

The Granville Island Brewery is located surprisingly on Granville Island. The Island isn't really an island at all, more of a piece of land that sticks out into False Creek near Downtown. Granville Island is unusual though as it is one of the few places that has no planned grid structure, and is completely random just like home is! The Island has a massive food market, a kids market full of toys, lots of little shops, a few bars and restaurants and a theatre. Its a fantastic place to while away a Saturday. Which was lucky for us as when we got to the Brewery all the tours were fully booked until after 4. With just over two hours to kill we began to explore the Island.

First up was the fantastic food market. The sheer variety of stuff on sale was amazing. They even had proper sausages for crying out loud.

Ellie, Debs, Andy and an apparently grumpy Simon enjoy the market

'Do we have any smoked pigs ears left darling?'

Sadly we couldn't find the festival. Even now I sometimes lay awake at night imagining what could of been.

The only slight downer was that the Island was home to a large number of Seagulls. I've always been nervous of seagulls ever since I saw one eat a savaloy whole in one gulp (I story I've told many times because it still amazes and frightens me). Imagine how worried when came across this sign...


I think its time we realised that Humans and Seagulls might not be able to live in harmony for much longer. A storm is coming...

After the food market we amused ourselves in the Kids market for far longer than 20 somethings should be able to amuse themselves in a place for children. I've no photos of our time there. Not for any legal reasons. Oh no. Anyone who says that's the case is lying, etc.

Finally 4 o'clock came round and we excitingly assembled in the Brewery Bar. While waiting we got a 'sleeve' of their Winter Ale which is fantastic. I think I have said it before on the blog but on the whole Canadian, or BC beer at least, has an undeserved poor reputation. The choice and flavour of the beers here is very good. They tend to be largers rather than ales but they are good largers so that's alright. The Winter Ale though is a fantastic ale. It has this lovely chocolate-y after taste and is a great beer to drink in a bar or pub on a cold winter's day. We then went on the tour.

The Brewery is officially a micro-brewery and on top of that most production has now moved to a bigger premises just outside Vancouver so the tour didn't take very long. We got to sniff one of the vats which made us all very light headed and got to taste the hops they use before they are processed. Its was pretty interesting but to be honest the best bit of the tour came at the end with the samples.

Oh yes, the samples.

We were given small glasses of around 6 beers, each one with its own distinctive flavour. On top of this where we were sitting were two empty places which the tour guides generously served with beer anyway. Also Debs wasn't really drinking so it fell it Andy, Simon and myself to put BC beer through its paces. I'm happy to say it passed with flying colours.

'Honestly officer, I've only had the one... maybe two'

We soon got chatting the rest of the people on the tour and proceeded to order a few more drinks. Well, we were so comfortable. By the time we, ah, rolled out of the Brewery it was about 8 o'clock. We went home and decided to eat in the pub down the round. About half 9 I realised that I should go home before I did anything silly like drink more and spent the rest of the evening watching 'A Hard Day's Night' on cable. All in all an excellent Saturday!

Course the best thing about the day was that Andy and me finally proved so many people back home wrong. We could organise a piss up in a brewery after all!

List of stuff to do before I leave Canada

Things done: 33
Things to do: 15

Below is a complete list of things I want to do in Canada before I go home back to Blighty. Its important I have this list as I know well my ability to procrastinate and fritter away this gift of life that I've been blessed with. Without this list I'm sure I would return to Britain with little more than tales of putting together Ikea beds. And after the 10th time of telling most people become bored by that story.

Now I'm not totally sure I actually want to do everything here, but I thought I'd write everything that had occurred to me about what I could do here.

Please feel free to add things you think I should do under comments. I will update the list as I do things, and the score at the top should show my progress. Some are pretty long term and so I guess I won't be able to say I achieved them or not until the end of the year. Already I'm thinking of an end of year review with some kind of graph.

For those of you in Vancouver let me know if there are any of these that you want to do as well and maybe we could do them together. Ahhhh.

The list is in no particular order, I wrote things down as I thought of them.

Things I want to do before I go home (by Ian, age 25 and a half... and then some)

1. Visit Museum of Anthropology (UBC) - DONE
2. Take brewery tour on Granville Island - DONE
3. Visit Vancouver Art Museum - DONE
4. Learn how to ski or snow board
5. Visit local mountains in Winter time - DONE
6. Visit local mountains Summer time to hike and see view - DONE
7. Learn to dance
8. Take part in an amateur dramatic production
9. Take Seabus to North Vancouver - DONE
10. Explore North Vancouver - DONE
11. Visit China Town - DONE
12. See Dr Sun Yat-Sen Garden in China Town - DONE
13. Eat Sushi - DONE
14. Establish Wall of heroes in apartment - DONE
15. Trip to Whistler in Winter - DONE
16. Trip to Whistler in Summer
17. Bike round Stanley Park - DONE

18. Explore off sea path in Stanley Park - DONE

19. Visit Victoria - DONE

20. Get a Sea Plane somewhere - DONE

21. See Wreck Beach in the summer - DONE

22. Visit Vancouver Museum - DONE

23. Whale watching tour - DONE

24. Kiss girl on lips in Canada - DONE

25. Cable ride to Grouse Mountain - DONE

26. See a Hockey Game - DONE

27. Visit Seattle

28. Visit Science World - DONE

29. Go to gigs, gigs and more gigs

30. Hold movie nights - DONE

31. Join library - DONE

32. Guitar lessons

33. Meet lots of 'real' Canadians

34. Volunteer for something

35. See Whitecaps game - DONE

36. Polar Bear Swim on New Years Day - DONE

37. Travel around North America on big trip

38. The '7 Dates and 7 Nights' experiment.

39. Visit Bowan Island

40. Eat in The Gotham restaurant

41. Visit Toffino

42. Visit Okanagan - DONE

43. See Banff - DONE

44. Learn how to Kayack - DONE

45. Hire boat for the day - DONE

46. See Jasper - DONE

47. Spend a day on the beach in the sun - DONE

Tumbling Tower

I'm a bit behind with the posts. I keep starting them then saving them as drafts to return to later. Consequently a 'piece' I wrote on one crazy Saturday here is now a week and a bit late. Still, I don't work to deadlines. I do this stuff out of the goodness of my heart. So STOP COMPLAINING! Whats that? You only read to humour me? So the joke was on me the whole time.

Anyway, for those of you back in the 'yookay' this is a nice post to remind you that the grass isn't always greener. I spent last Saturday night (well, the Saturday before last now) playing Tumbling Tower, the Toys R Us rip off version of Jenga. Oh, we watched Gremlins first though.

I quit my job and left everything behind for this?!?!?

Tension mounts...

Careful Paul! Andy can't even watch.

21 today! Ok, it was last Thursday and Friday

Just a wee post to wish Chris and Debs happy 21st birthdays for last week. I was going to this last weekend but, ah, forgot. Still the thought was there. Kind of.

We went to the Spagetti Factory for cheap pasta and all the bread we could eat then to a few bars before finishing in our old favourite Malones who had some kind of Latino funk band on, they were cool. A good time was had by all.

All of us out for a meal to celebrate Chris and Debs entrance into adulthood. Its ok,Andy and me took Chris to one side and explained what happens to a man's body once he reaches 21. He seemed to take it well enough. In the centre of the photo ladies and gentlemen, a drunk Andy Bull.

The Chuckle Brothers, the next generation.

Tonight its Simon's birthday. Does it never end?