Tuesday 24 February 2009

Planning Cozy Weekends & more

Well I've been busy planning some more cozy weekends (and longer) with my friend Jane. We are actually getting together for a weekend at Stratford upon avon a week on Friday but we've been planning further ahead.

We've actually booked four days away at easter, we were actually considering going abroad & looked at flying to Budapest or going by Eurorail to Brussels. However we reckoned Easter isn't the best time to travel, usually crazy delays so opted to stay in this country. Howevere we've put the European destinations on ice for possible future trips.

We've found some good hotel deals its with a group that specialises in luxory hotels and they are offering a great two night deal Bed, Breakfast & Dinner on the first night at a very reasonable price. We've booked a couple of nights (Friday & Saturday) near Oxford & a couple at Kenilworth (Sunday & Monday).

But that isn't the biggest news I'm going back to my favorite American City Chicago in the summer during the taste of chicago festival for 9 nights and Jane is coming with me.

We will be staying at the Ambassador East hotel which is in the Gold Coast area, its quite a old & famous hotel with loads of history built in 1928, many of the old hollywood greats used the hotel and it featured in the film "North by Northwest" with Cary Grant.

I'm looking forward to showing Jane around the City in particular I've a massive love of the Chicago Blues Clubs so I'll finish with a Youtube performance of one of Chicagos great Blues artists John Primer playing at a local club on Halstead called B.L.U.E.S. Maybe we'll get chance to see John while in town.


Well just some May get togethers to organise now.

Wednesday 18 February 2009

6th of the 6th (A big Cock)

I've been tagged by Cactus so here goes.

Here are the rules of the challenge:
Go to your photo folder in your computer.
Go to the 6th folder of the photos.
Go to the sixth picture.[no cheating!]
Put the picture on your blog with a description. Invite six friends to join the challenge.Link them in your blog and let them know they have been challenged.
Here is my 6th picture from the sixth folder :o)


Well my 6th folder was my holidays 2008 folder, the 6th set in there was Kansas City & the 6th photo was this one. I took it on my first morning as I walked around close to my hotel, just thought it strange that there would be a big shuttle cock on the lawn outside this big house. I later found out it was the contemporary art museum, its amazing what crap they do in these places.

Tuesday 17 February 2009

A Long Time Together

I've been busy over the last few days organising a party for my parents as next month they will be celebrating their Diamond Wedding Anniversary. Yes 60 years together & I reckon thats a long time.

Well I've booked a local Club where my Dad is a member for the do & arranged a local catering company to do a buffet. I've had invitation Cards printed which actually has a photo of their wedding on the front.

I've been on the Buckingham Palace website to print off a form to apply for a telegram from the Queen. Apparently you are entitled to one but have to let them know, I've to fill in a form and send it within 3 weeks of the day (March 26th) with a photo copy of the wedding certificate.

Just the invites to send out now and I think we are inviting around 80 family & friends.

My Mum is really looking forward to it but I don't think my Dad is bothered and just going along with it.

Monday 9 February 2009

Politics versus Common sense

Is it just me or do others think everyone involved in Politics whether it be Local, National or International have a complete lack of common sense. Some of the riddiculous decisions made (or not made) just defy logic.

1. Lets start with the "Credit Crunch" Ok its been allowed to happen which is wrong & it is a world problem & governments have to deal with it. Ours like a few others have decided to bail out the banks with astronomical amounts of cash which they have borrowed. Maybe this is or is not the right way but surely if we are bailing out banks with tax payers money certain regulations should be put in place. When I hear on the news that banks like RBS who have taken a "£20 billion payout" are now planning to use "£1 billion" to give their top brass a bonus,surely these bonuses should have gone to the wall as part of the bailout rules. These people should think themselves lucky they have still got jobs & homes to live in unlike many other less fortunate people.
Then totally to rub salt in the wound I understand they are still sponsoring the 6 Nations Rugby, yes with tax payers money.

2. Staying with the banks bail outs & the debt the loans are causing the country creates the question how can it be paid back. I've only heard two solutions, higher taxes or lower public spending. Ok these are probably the only options available but why does it need to be one or the other. The problem is ours today not that of future generations, it is morally unfair to laden people of the future with the debt created today. The quicker we can clear National debt the better then we can all hopfully prosper. I believe the government are not always doing whats right but are just making decisions based on getting votes.

3. To change the subject recently we have had a number of Wild cat strikes with British workers complaining about foreign tradesman been brought in. The arguments for foreign labour in certain trades is that the British labour wasn't avaiable which in some cases is true.
However for this I blame Government lack of common sense for this, not just today but over the last 20 years.
Why ? Well there has been a massive lack in apprentiships with the silly push to get everyone to university. Yes we need good Electricians, Joiners, Plumbers, Welders, Fitters, etc if the country is going to prosper, lets start encouraging it. And despite government policies you can't learn these trades in a 12 week wonder course.

4. University is great & I don't deny anyone an education but surely sending the majority of the population is pointless as there are only so many suitable jobs to go around at the end of it. In fact I'd go as far as saying its a big government ploy to keep the unemployment figures down.
I would like to see a scheme where people going to Uni are sponsored by companies who in turn guarantee jobs if exams are passed. I understand over 50% of youngsters obtaining a degree do not use it to get a job & end up having to take low paid jobs that are available.

5. Local Government are no better when it comes to common sense take the recent bad weather, a few days of snow and many local councils run out of salt to clear the roads (f**k me it is winter), what a shambles, now remind me what do I pay council tax for ?
And of course the side roads & pavements have not been touched many of them just sheet ice causing many accidents.
Surely it would be worthwhile giving people out of work & claiming Job seekers allowance a minimum wage for a couple of weeks to keep our streets clear. In fact it should be compulsary for them, they are getting paid to be looking for work. I'm sure the cost would be covered by the lower work load our hospitals get with less broken limbs from people falling on the ice.

6. And of course International Politicians show no more signs of common sense, lets just look at the new American President, I've just read where he as had to apologise because a number of his team are convicted Tax dodgers, no doesn't that fill you with confidence.

7. And while on the subject of Obama, I laugh everytime he suggests closing Guatanamo Bay, yes he wants other countries to take the inmates. Hell yes just what we need a few international fanatical terrorists, think we should take a few, lol. Actually thinking about our government we probably will.

I could go on but I'll end my rant for today.

Wednesday 4 February 2009

Nice Weekend

Just reporting from my weekend away with my friend Jane. I was actually down in Swindon to play Table Tennis in the Veterans National league and took the opportunity to invite Jane along to watch & spend a couple of days with me as she lives just over an hour away.
Drove down Friday and as arranged met Jane at a service station about 10 minutes from our hotel where we stopped for a coffe.
We moved on to our hotel (Marriott) which was very nice. Jane produced a nice suprise, she had read my blog post about "The Photos" CD I wanted and had bought it as a present, that left me feeling chuffed.
In the evening my TT team mates contacted me when they arrived so we drove to their hotel and had a meal with them. Jane obviously hadn't met them before but soon made friends with them.
After the meal which was a "3 course eat what you want" we made our way back to our hotel for a nightcap before calling it a night.
I must admit I was worried with Jane would be bored at the TT & I would play badly and look a idiot. However from the playing point of view she seemed to inspire me and I managed to go unbeaten all weekend (10 wins) and my team finished 2nd gaining promotion.
Jane seemed to enjoy it and was getting nervous during some of the close games, other players also made her feel welcome which is nice when you don't know anyone.
Saturday night I was a bit tired so we decided to eat at our own hotel, we both had a nice steak with a bottle of wine to wash it down.
We said our goodbyes and went our seperate ways following Sundays matches just beating the bad weather that hit the country later that night.
Must say once again I loved Jane's company & can't wait for our next meet up (hope she feels the same), thats planned for early March.