The only places worth visiting online nowadays are the sports pages. Even then the spirit of hope and optimism hangs only by the slenderest of threads. Take last night for example. Lincoln City kept us on tenterhooks until the fifth minute of added time before the ten man side got the equaliser (we had all been craving 🙂 )
Even following sport is like riding an emotional rollercoaster. It does help that we can walk away when the big dipper is at its lowest point. Shrug our shoulders and say it’s only a game. I can anyway. Comes from long experience. Necessity. If you let it get to you life would be one long dip.
The one non sporting bit of fun is the occasional glimpse of the Conservative Party conference where the leadership hopefuls spout the same crap that was the reason they were removed from power in the first place. Bless.
We are, this morning, still in Berlin although this afternoon we head to the airport and home. Sat in the hotel in Berlin and looking at all the wars going on around the world you have to believe that humanity has a self destruct button that they periodically bring out of the drawer and press repeatedly, maniacally. Eyes glazed.
The word tenterhook has an interesting origin. Tenterhooks are what herring are hung on during the kipper smoking process. I learned this during a visit to Moore’s kipper smokery in Peel in the Isle of Man. Sadly Moore’s is no more. Went out of business last year I think. Might have been this year. I’m glad I did the tour.
In its heyday Peel was a huge fishing port. You can understand how big an employer the fishing was when I tell you that there used to be sixty or so pubs in the town whereas now they are down to seven: Whitehouse, Royal, Central, Creek, Peveril, Marine and Millers. Our house was a very short walk from the Whitehouse and in reality not that far from any of the others.
Dad and I used to go for pre dinner beers in the snug of the Whitehouse. Probs the best real ale pub on the island.
Seventy one days until trefbash. The event is sold out but I keep tickets to one side for pals so let me know if you plan to come but are laggardly in your registration efforts.
The key thing to focus on now is what to wear. Remember the theme is tropical. A pith helmet would not be out of place but neither would a grass skirt. Only you can decide. Suits need not apply unless they are linen.