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.
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Berlin is awash with rain as we sit on the tarmac waiting to depart. THG and I are in row 3 ready for a fast getaway. I wouldn’t really have gone for row 3 as it is just behind business class and they pull the curtain across right in your face. There weren’t many free options when I remembered yesterday to look and reserve seats. Being a proud bronze member of the BA Exec Club (!) I can book seats six days befroe the flight is scheduled to depart.
The question on everybody’s lips now is whether we will get across to Kings Cross in time to catch the 19.06. Fingers crossed eh?
Watching Band of Brothers on the in flight entertainment. Figured it would be a playful thing to do having taken off from Berlin. It isn’t really on the inflight entertainment. They don’t seem to do that sort of thing anymore. Certainly not on the Berlin flights. Short haul. Everyone brings their own. Swat I did. Downloaded all ten episodes whilst sat in the departure lounge. Airport wifi fair play. Didn’t seem to have a fair use policy. Just “don’t do illegal stuff”. I didn’t.
Now I have my laptop open, phone propped up on the screen showing BoB Episode 6, an empty plastic cup that that formerly contained diet coke. How restrained is that? I’ll wait until we are settled in to a Northbound train out of London Kings Cross before asking for a gin and tonique.
Looking down I see nothing but cloud. It would be quite nice to see how much progress we were making towards our final destination. When will we be over the channel. Away from German fighters harrying Allied Bombers on their way back from dropping their destructive load on the Axis capital.
Now watching Arethra Franklin in Amsterdam. BBC iPlayer downloads. Had it on the phone for some time. She’s got a helluva voice. Feels a bit antiquated being offline, albeit only for ninety minutes. Wtf’s all that about?
“When my soul was in the lost and found you came along to claim it.” A classic line.
That’s in the same league as “the devil will drag you under with a soul so heavy you’ll never float”. Totes different sentiment obvs.
Going to see Paul McCartney in Manchester on the Sunday after trefbash. This might well be our last opportunity to see one of the greatest musical talents that ever lived. The fact that we have been able to see him at all feels somewhat of a privilege. We didn’t get to see Mozart for example. He died young 🙂 The old waltz and quickstep lifestyle musta taken its toll. This’ll be my fourth timetoi see Macca if I remember right.
Last call for rubbish. If you didn’t understand the context that would be a bit of a strange statement. The trolley is making its way down the aisle to the rear. Just leaving town.