10th Anniversary

Today is the 10th Anniversary of princess Diana's death, and I had a look at some old newspapers I had kept about Diana's blossoming relationship with Dodi Fayed, From August 1997 (I don't keep all my papers!) just before the fateful car crash in Paris. The headline I found on this paper turned out to be almost a premonition.

This blog received some press attention today in our weekly paper, and I'm not to happy about it. I didn't write it for it to be copied and printed in the press. Also the grammar could be a bit better.

Anyway, I'm off for a pint, then later tonight, I'll be watching Big Brother, its finals night. Ziggy to win !

No.5

Birthday Party

As I mentioned Monday, it was my Nephew's 2nd birthday Tuesday, which I was invited to starting at 4pm.

I had mentioned as well it was an industrial strike day at work, but when I got to the party, I was roped in to running Greendale Post Office with my Nephew (one of his presents).

He needs a bit more training as yet, because he put all the cash from the till in the letter box. Now I'm sure Postman Pat will be feeling "a really happy man" when he clears the letter box, but my Nephew won't be in business for long if he keeps doing that.

Thanks for a great afternoon, the cake was delicious.

No.5

August Bank Holiday

I got up about 08:30 and went to get a couple of papers, to read about the Ipswich Town reports from yesterdays game, and some milk, from Tescoland express.

Having had breakfast and a read of the papers, went to do the grocery shopping. After putting the groceries away, I headed off for a pint at the local, with her indoors permission, and I think my cat Jack wanted to come with me.

Maybe he'd heard about the fish in the pond up there. Not the busiest of lunches up there, but still plenty of people I know to chat with, sorry if you didn't want your picture published.

I did ask Sarah the barmaid, while she was collecting some glasses outside, Hi Sarah, if I could take her pic to post up on the blog, but she was a bit shy, before I explained the blog thingy.

There were five bikes at one time this lunchtime, but here's Connor's, John's and mine. Hope nobody needs the lifebelt !

Washed the car when I got home, then watched Mr Bean the movie, on DVD, with the wife.

I mentioned Friday about having 3 or maybe 4 days off. The 4th day being tomorrow is due to on going Industrial Action only taking place still in the part of the company I work for. Well never mind I have an Invite to my Nephew's 2nd birthday party at 4pm, and I know where I'd rather be, and it isn't work, bring on the cake and ice cream !

No.5

Ipswich Town V Crystal Palace

Question: Can you name the league football team who's name begins with 5 consonants ?

Answer: Ipswich Town's opponents today, Crystal Palace.

Having left Bury a little earlier than planned, my parents and I, stopped at Morrison's at the Sproughton interchange on the A14 where we had a small bite to eat in the in-store restaurant. I'd never been in a branch of Morrison's, and from what I saw, looked pretty good.

On to Portman road for the 1:15pm kick-off and a very hot, sunny day, and I'm extremely glad that I've put my factor 30 sun cream on before I left the house.

Photo of the players of both teams and match officials entering the stadium, and the Town players applaud the crowd.

The first half ends goalless, the highlight a fine save from Ipswich's goalkeeper, Neil Alexander, from a Crystal Palace freekick.

72 mins and a cross from the left wing, sees Jon Walters head home the only goal in the game, sending Ipswich joint top of the league.

Ipswich's next league game is away at Watford 01/09/07.

No.5

Bury Town

I woke up this morning, went into the bathroom, opened the window blind, and guess what, sunshine ! Am I still in England, I wondered ?

This view as you make your way down Mount road, with the morning sun on your back, lights up the Catherdral tower brilliantly.

Done some shopping in town with the wife, including getting a pair of trousers and a shirt, for our friends wedding in September. Then took a little drive around the countryside out around Whepstead way.

Just before 3pm I went down to Ram Meadow to watch Bury Town V Great Wakering Rovers. Entry cost £6.00 and the man on the turnstile also let me bring my bicycle through for a bit of added security.

The game starts, and its hot out there. Each time there is an injury to a player, the rest of the players rush over to the dug outs to get a much needed drink of water.

After 20 minutes Bury go a goal up. After a cross goes flashing across the six yard box, with no one to meet it, but Wakering fail to clear, and a Bury player turns it in for 1-0.

Just after this Bury's number 3 at left back picks up a knock and the former Ipswich player Gavin Johnson comes on as substitute.

On 36 minutes, see's the best move of the game, and a slick pass puts the ball through to a Town forward to slots the ball home for 2-0.

Half time and the, so far unused, substitutes come on the pitch to loosen up.

Second half and Bury Town go 3-0 up and put the game beyond Great Wakering. I walk back around the pitch to where I was originally standing near the dug outs, and a while later the full time whistle goes.

This is the guy who reports for Radio Suffolk. He has a very unusual and distinctive voice, he often reports on Ipswich Wanderers home games, and was strange to put a face to the voice.

After the Final whistle, the small crowd filtered away, and while chatting to someone I knew, part of the match day sponsors, Gavin Johnson came back out of the dressing room for a warm down.

I couldn't help but go over for a chat, and a pic. When I asked about seeing tomorrows Ipswich game, he said he hoped to get a phone call about going, from someone tonight.

I left the Ram meadow ground and the river was looking nice around the area where it flows down the back of the car park near C.D. Friends garage behind the Broadway, off Eastgate St.

9 - 5 over for 3 days - or 4

Bank holiday weekend, and whats planned ? Finished this afternoon and enjoyed a couple of pints at the local, before coming home, and having dinner.

The wife has all the weekend off as well and wants to go into town tomorrow - no problem. Last weekend I wanted something to do, like go and watch Bury Town, or Bury cricket, but they were both away, as were Ipswich. Tomorrow Bury Town are at home to Great Wakering Rovers, K.O 3pm.

Ipswich have had their home game against Crystal Palace switched to Sunday, to accommodate Sky TV, and that's where I'll be heading, for the 1.15pm kick off. The wife is off shopping, north of the border, in Norwich with the bride to be.

Monday may see a day out somewhere, and grocery shopping.

I don't want to mention the "or 4" may see you doing my job Wednesday, if you want to avoid long Queues.

Hope to post some pic's from the Weekend, Have a good one,

No.5

Holiday - Web-cam

I mentioned last week I'd booked a holiday, its in September, and the reason for going where we're going (the wife and I) is to attend the wedding of the woman my wife arranged the hen night for in the Linden Tree, Sunday before last. I also went on her fiancees stag night, I mentioned in July.

Well I decided to search the world wide inter web to see if I could find a web-cam in the resort I'm going to, and found one in a beach bar, which has the same name as my best mates nickname, co-incidentally

http://88.247.218.158:81/view/index.shtml

So maybe in September you may see me sitting there, with a cold beer, or recreating David Brent's dance in "The Office" , in slow motion !, due to streaming.


No.5

X - Factor

I haven't done alot today, paid a visit to the pub for a couple, cooked some dinner, and washed the dishes. Tonight though, saw the return of the X factor on TV.
I think that the audition stages of this program are way better than the finals, because there are some seriously deluded people, who think they can sing.
There was one girl tonight who got a "NO" from all the judges and said, in tears " what am I going to do now". Like she thought she was going to win, and never thought of any other career.
Tomorrow my wife is going to Colchester zoo with her friend, who was the hen at the hen night last week. So I guess I'm pushing the shopping trolley around on my own. But then able to watch the football on TV.

No.5

Happy Birthday Mum

It was our Mums birthday today. Every Mum, to a son, is the best cook in the world, but we had a meal in the Linden tree tonight. Washed down with a couple of pints, Lovely
Happy Birthday.

No.5

If I hadn't cut up the wrong card

Last week I was booking a holiday on the internet and got to the point of paying for it and needed my credit card. I got my wallet, took the required card out, started entering the details on the website, and realised it was the old one, and I'd cut the new one up.

I knew it was in the last bin bag I had put into the wheelie bin, so I went to retrieve it, and pieced it back together like a jigsaw, so I could get the expiry date and 3 digit number on the signature strip. Now, I had cut the card into about 10 pieces and it was all mixed up amongst the remains of a chicken salad including salad dressing. (The bin has since been collected, but nobody wants to steal my ID I've got no credit).

Having booked the holiday, including a 2% booking charge, I called my card company to get a duplicate issued. So I call the bank and its "press 1 for this, 2 for that" until I get to speak to a customer service advisor. Hello, I said, I didn't hear an option for "I'm a complete nit wit, who's just cut up their new card, can I have another".

So my second new card arrives a couple of days later, and with it is a booklet about the card, terms and conditions. Normally they go straight in the re-cycling bin, but I decided to look at it. Inside it said that my card company had a travel club in partnership with the company I had booked my holiday with, and that it wouldn't charge the booking fee if using this card. Well I had been charged £17.14, so I called them and asked if I could have the fee back, which they said yes and refunded me. Which I wouldn't have known anything about, if I hadn't cut up my new card by mistake, result.



No.5

Favourite Sunday Roast

Yesterday my wife went on a hen night for a woman she works with. My wife had done all the arranging for this do, which was in the Linden Tree at 5pm if any of you should happen to have been in there too.
It had to be on a Sunday as they're all shop girls who generally work Saturdays who were going, and it also involved them trying out make-up for the wedding, and getting ready to go out, so this gave me the day to myself.
So I stopped at the Moreton Hall pub for a pint, then cycled over to Horringer and stopped at the social club where I watched some of the Chelsea V Birmingham match. Then I went to mum and dads house where I had been offered a meal.
When I get there mums doing my favourite roast, Pork, with apple sauce, Yorkshire pudding and all the vegetable trimmings. It was delicious, thanks mum.
Cycled back home to Bury about 7:30pm and just missed the rain. I couldn't write this then because I fell asleep.

No.5

Theatre Of Dreams

What need I say, it is still as special as the 1st time my parents took my brother and I, to the Crystal Palace game back in 1980.

Portman road. 2pm today, and my father and I arrive 1 hour before kick-off of the 1st game of the 07/08 season against Sheffield Wednesday. Dad hadn't been to a game for years, and when asked when the last time was, he replied "It was the game against Villa when that little striker got lots of verbal abuse". He was referring to Dean Saunders, which must have been approx 7 years ago. A situation which was to repeat itself this afternoon with Francis Jeffers after his decision not to join Ipswich due to their refusal to meet his pay demands, and joined Wednesday instead. Chants similar to "Francis Jeffers...greedy Bar steward..." rung around the ground.

1 hour before the start of the game, and the warning on the back of the goal reads "Please be aware of flying footballs during warm up". Its the 1st time I've seen this, and it reminded me of a game when Alan Shearer ran out on to the pitch before the game had started, and hit a powerful shot at goal, that drifts wide. Well my brother and I had seats just to the side of the goal, and the ball he hit came flying towards us. Now, my brother goes to punch this ball back, but he only manages to deflect it into the face of the woman sitting in front of us! I don't remember any apologies, I think we hoped she hadn't noticed the flight of the ball. So the sign on the goal isn't as stupid as it seems.

3pm. Kick-off time and the players are ready to start. 37secs later, and we are celebrating Alan lee tucking away a penalty, its 1-0 to the SuperBlues, and the chant of "We are top of the league" starts. Which hopefully will be heard often around Portman Road this season.

11mins and Gary Roberts hits a cracking volley to put town 2-0 up.

20mins and Alan Lee hits a low shot for his second of the game, and Town's Third.

60mins and Pablo Counago sidefoots home a pass, to make it 4-0, at the North Stand end.

89mins and Clarke, for Wednesday, gets a late consolation goal, after Town fail to clear the ball from the previous shot, to finish the game 4-1.

Thanks again to Mr.B for letting me have the season tickets while away on holiday. Also Thanks to Dad for going with me today and driving. Hopefully you enjoyed it as much as I did. Poor old Francis Jeffers though should have stayed on the team bus.

No.5

Kings Forest - North Stow

I decided last night, that this morning I would load my bike in the back of the car and take it over to The Kings Forest, in North Stow, for a bike ride. So at 08:15 I headed off.

On the way there I needed petrol and stopped at the Tollgate garage. I went in to pay, picked up a Sun, BFP and a bottle of Lucozade, and went to the till.

"Pump No.3 please" I said. Cashier presses a few buttons on the till and says "I've got nothing for that". Presses a few more buttons and realises he's charged another customer for their petrol and mine ! £20.01 worth, and has no way to charge me now, or didn't know how. I only had 65p on me, so I couldn't leave any money, and just paid for papers and drink on my card, I wish I'd put more petrol in now.

I later called and spoke to the cashier to make sure it wasn't going out of his wages.

Pulled in here and put the bike together. To get the bike in the car involves unclasping the front brake, taking the front wheel off with a quick release lever, and removing the seat and stem with an Allen key, and just folding the rear car seats down. Takes about two minutes.
It is always advisable not to take any valuables and leave in the car because anyone watching you, cycle off, will know you will be gone for a while. Burn your Cd's and leave the originals at home.

There are many miles of trails to cycle. It is expected for cyclists to give way to walkers, horse riders and forestry vehicles, but I never came across anybody all morning. I have a cycle helmet and had intended to take it with me, but in my excitement and rush to go, forgot to take it with me. It did get me thinking about how few people I'd seen (none) if I fell off. These are the views of some of the trails I cycled today

In some of the open areas of the forest, are these piles of "spooky looking" tree roots and branches. They look like a pile of bones or carcases.

I came to this observation platform, and a sign on it said "Do Not Climb", and the child in me came out, so I had to do it.

After looking in all four directions for a park ranger, to tell me off, up I went !

As I mentioned I didn't see anyone during my time there.

These trails around the forest all run in a grid pattern, so when you leave the car, it is worth remembering as you turn left or right down different trails, your bearings to get back to the car, to save you having to go round in circles.

Back at the car, it was such a pleasant morning I didn't want to leave the countryside so I sat and had a drink and quick read of the sport section of the newspaper, football starts again tomorrow, before I headed home.

No.5

Colon Cleansing

I keep getting regular spam e-mails advertising Colon Cleansing from 2 or 3 different companies. I have never had so much concern over my butt.
Now one company suggests that I could lose up to 20lb in weight if I had this procedure done, and if their claim was true, if I had it done to me, and lost that much weight, I'd go about 9 stone (126lb) if I ran around in the shower and got wet.
I have seen treatment like this on T.V and I'm sure they were using black Coffee (don't try this at home!) which made me wonder, whats better? caffeinated or decaffeinated.
(No pictures available for this post)

No.5

Fed The ducks

Usual story today, in as much I had to go to the Discount Warehouse Store in Anglian lane, where I got 4 candle light bulbs for £1, then Sainsbury's for groceries.

I was sat in the back garden reading yesterdays Sun newspaper at 10am when I heard a motorbike pull up on my drive. It was my mate Steve (Buzz) who I hadn't seen since about April. So I got the kettle on and made us a brew, it was great to catch up with him. We often meet in town on a Saturday, usually in the Kings Arms, before going on to the Grapes to see the Live Band they have on. But I have been a bit put off lately with stabbings and beatings, in Bury St.Edmunds ! Buzz was approached and threatened walking up Hatter Street at about 8pm one Saturday to meet me, a guy said he'd put a knife in his back, charming.

After the shopping thing, and putting the groceries away, the wife and I took some old bread down the Abbey Gardens to feed the ducks from the bridge. There were a few people gathered on the bridge and watched mainly my wife throw the bread into the river for the ducks. She did get a laugh from some of them as well, when she said "they won't get fat its weight watcher bread". I had to go find some shade beneath a tree as it was 29/85 deg and I'm Fair skinned.


No.5

Fish Pond

I have loved fish and fishing, from the very first time my dad and mum took my brother and I, to the lake in Ickworth park, with a rod and reel, and a 1/4 pint of maggots. If I remember rightly we only caught one Roach, but I was "hooked" on the sport from that moment.

Being one who likes to socialize in hostelries. When a friend said he was going to the "States" for 3 weeks holiday and was concerned about his pond, after a previous holiday, and lost fish due to a hot summer, I offered to call round and feed the fish, and keep the water level topped up.

To me this is not a chore, it is a pleasure. I could spend hours beside water, just staring into it looking at the fish, feeding.
This is a photo of the Koi carp taking some of the fish flakes today.
I did wonder though, if I put one of the 10Lb+ Carp from the Moreton Hall pub pond, in his, whether he would mention I might of over fed his fish ?

No.5

Have You Ever Noticed...?

I took these two photographs on different days, at different times of day, for no real reason, but look at the cars.

Yes, there is a lot of black, silver and white in both, but there are more blue cars in one, and red cars in the other. I've noticed before, that there has been a lot of one predominant colour of cars, but didn't realise I had caught this fact on camera until last night.

You can also see the new position of the town centre mail box since its relocation, from the corner of the Woolwich/marketcross building. Which you couldn't get to behind the watch battery stall on a market day.

No.5

Greene King's latest brew

I brought this bottle of beer being produced by our local brewer. Usually G.K. brew this at 3.6% ABV but they've boosted it to 5% ABV, and a fine drop of beer it is too.

No.5