Champions Day

Yesterday I had kindly been invited to go to Newmarket Horse racing, by a friend who works for the "Darley" racing yard, for Champions day. It was a bit of a mad rush to finish work that morning and get home and change, before hopefully getting there before the 1st race at 1:50pm but we made it. It could have been a bit warmer and a lighter wind, but it could have been a lot worse too, as there was a couple of spots of rain, but it was mid October.
A look at the horses in the paddock/parade ring and I still had no better idea which one to put my money on, and generally opted to put £5 on one and £2 on another to win. I had planned on backing 2 particular horses in 2 different races, but neither of them won.
In fact I didn't have a winner all day, although I came very close in one race that generated a little bit of excitement, before it got caught on the finish line. My friend only had a place in 1 race that didn't return much.
It was the 1st time I had gone this year, and was a thoroughly enjoyable day." Thanks" to my friend for the ticket, same time next year, or the guineas ? ;-)

No.5

How Funny

I was in my local this lunch time "chewin over the fat" and we were havin' a laugh at the Landlords expence with Arsenal losing. So he says if Arsenal win 6-2 I'll buy everyone at the regulars table a drink. Final score 6-2. He should of had a bet to offset his comment.

No.5

Funny

On Sunday I had lunch at my parents, along with my brother, sister-in-law and nephew. During this time my brother was telling me about a work colleague of his, who had been fishing all week and hadn't caught a single fish.
My brother went on to say that he had come up with a new term for this "Extreme deck chairing". I used to fish a lot, but this tickled me.

No.5

Sir Bobby Robson

On Saturday 26th September it was Ipswich Town V Newcastle United at Portman Road, (Now know as the Sir Bobby Robson derby) and a work colleague had offered me a spare ticket for the match, which i gratefully accepted. Deciding to go by train with another chap from work, we arranged to meet up in the Grapes pub in Bury St.Edmunds after they had finished work. As usual a certain regular, and one of Bury's best known characters was in the pub too, and I couldn't resist taking a photo. (Thanks Corky).

We wandered down to the Railway station with a plan to catch the 15:23 train to Ipswich, but as we passed The Last Day of Raj, Indian restaurant, on station hill, we could see the train pulling out of the station...ooopps. So a quick look at the timetable and the next train is at 16:23 and will get into Ipswich at 17:05 giving us just enough time for the short walk to the football ground for the 17:30 kick off, also live on BBC2. So to help pass the hour a pint in the Linden Tree was had.

Once situated on the train, I got chatting to Ant and Dec (above). They disappeared off to the on-board toilet one at a time to gel their hair !

Arriving at the ground and I noticed that they had already changed the signage above the turnstiles ahead of the renaming ceremony due to take place at half-time of the North stand to the Sir Bobby Robson stand (following his death on July 31st).

Before the game started 40 Ipswich legends paraded around the pitch with the F.A.Cup and the Uefa Cup won in 1978 and 1981 respectively under the guidance of Sir Bobby.
I don't have to much to say about the match as we lost 0-4.
Returning on the 20:16 from Ipswich we got back to Bury at 21:00 and I decided to go and see the band (DirtyTrix) playing in the Grapes that evening. After chatting with one or two people I knew in there, I went and had a Kebab then wobbled home on my Bicycle.

No.5

Sloe Gin

Last year I made some Sloe Gin for the first time. I created it the same weekend of the year as I have this year. This will then be ready in time for Christmas. I've used one 70cl bottle and one 1litre bottle, both half filled with Sloe berries, 100 grams and 150 grams of sugar, added respectively, and 1litre of Gin fills up both bottles perfectly. So it should produce 1litre of Sloe Gin.

Just 24 hours after bottling, and the Gin is turning the crimson colour that it should, and will get much darker over the next few days. The bottles need turning on a daily basis for the first two weeks, to dissolve the sugar, then on a weekly basis, to mix up the berries and release flavour. Whilst keeping the bottles stored in a cool (not cold) temperature.
Last years batch produced comments like "that's the best I've ever had" and "spot on". So hopefully this years will to.
If you want to give it a go, this year seems to be a bumper crop/harvest of Sloe's for some reason, and its not to late to get some Sloe's in the next 3-4 weeks, before the berries start to shrivel.
Oh, and to strain it off, I use a coffee machine filter, for the clearest result.

No.5

Keith Floyd - Patrick Swayze

Whilst on holiday, in Greece, on the Monday, I was saddened when I had a text, from my brother, informing me of Keith Floyd's death. He was aware that my Ex and I had gone to see Keith, at Bury St.Edmunds Theatre Royal.
It was "an audience with..." style show, and as we took our seats, all that there was on the stage, was a chair and table. On the table though was a bottle of wine and a packet of cigarettes, typical of Floyd.
He had been given special dispensation to smoke, in the smoke free Theatre,before the smoking ban had come in, but doubt he would have been allowed to after.
During the first half he talked about his life, growing up, being in the army, and of course cooking. During the interval Keith had laid on a complimentary glass of wine for every audience member. The Ex being a non-drinker let me have hers.
Second half and Keith opened up to questions from the audience, "what would you choose for your last meal" ironic, "do you regret cooking a puffin".
Anyway, we had been inspired by watching his TV programs to go and see this charismatic man. I actually surprised the Ex (wife at the time) with the tickets, for her birthday. I'm so pleased we went to see him.
Also the same day sad to hear about Patrick Swayze's death on the news. He was my sister-in-laws favourite, and unfortunately her father also died of Pancreatic cancer, so I felt for her that day too.

No.5

Nikiti, Sept 9th - Sept 16th 2009

We departed from Gatwick Airport at 6am, having been picked up from the Moreton Hall Pub at closing time, by a Taxi for six of us. A seventh person who booked independently was also driving down and meeting us there.

No delays and we arrived at Thessaloniki Airport, in Greece, and found our transfer to our hotel (for all Seven of us) a bright Green Volkswagen van, driven by Roberto. Interesting piece of driving us having been up all night, I kept one eye on the road. Anyway the journey took about an hour for the 60 odd kilometers to get to our Hotel/Taverna.

On arrival we crash at a table that will seat seven of us, and order the same number of beers to quench our thirst, before worrying and our rooms. Having drunk our drinks we get our rooms allocated and get rid of our holdall's, change clothes, and head back out to explore the area.

Turning left outside the front of our Hotel we wandered along the sea front, and found this beach bar, run by a guy called Costas (apologises if that's not how you spell it). A few drinks here (and a few complimentary) and we head back to our Hotel to shower and change.

Recommended the Marina (name of Hotel) T-bone steak, I thought I'll have some of that, and so did some of the others, and it just melted in the mouth, well happy.

Next day and the sun is out, so off to get some Sun..she..ine. I've got some tunes on my phone and we're all enjoying them, and I'm reading Tony Adam's auto-biography. A walk along the jetty, and the picture has three of the lads sitting on their sun loungers on the beach. I've also brought along a snorkel and goggles to take into the sea to look at the fish.

Friday (flat out friday)*, and we wander up to "down town Nikiti " high street. There is also a market (not Meercat) going on. We stop off to change up some Sterling into Euros, before having a look around it, then head back to the sea front, about 10 minutes walk.

Now, before we left, it was obviously known that it was going to be someones birthday, while we were out in Greece. Since January it has been a feature of the Moreton Hall Pub regulars, that on they're birthday they must wear the "birthday hat". So it came along with us for Mr Mikey Z's on 9/11. Also the Usain Bolt "pose" appeared in quite a few of our pictures as well. Here we have birthday boy with 1. birthday hat 2. my snorkel 3. his fave team shirt 4. the sea 5. Usain bolt "pose". *(flat out friday) is everyone in football shirts boozing all day. I fall asleep on my bed and miss the lamb kleftico that I've ordered for dinner ! (But i was back out, and the last one home).

Next morning, and its raining, my friends still felt that they had to go and smoke outside, just like our legislation's here. So here is Steve (Meercat) having a ciggie under the phone box in the rain. Possibly in his Pyjama trousers and flip-flops, across the road from the Hotel.

This view looks back from the harbour to our Hotel (centre) just behind the trees.

The sun going down, around 7pm, from the terrace of our Hotel, across the Marina which is being newly built.

Everyone has gone to bed, and I just have a little wander around the front of the Hotel. On the road I spot a Cricket about 2-3 inches long. I've got my camera in my pocket, so I try and zoom in with it, to get a picture to show everyone. After I've Zoomed in, I realise I need to get a bit closer, and stoop down a bit, at which point the Cricket jumps up into my hair ! I scream like a girl and brush the Cricket out of my hair, and it drops back onto the road. At which point a "stray" cat, darts out of the bushes, grabs the Cricket in its teeth (with a crunch) and runs off ! And I never got a picture.

The last evening we are there, all seven of us spend it with friends relations and their friend's. From left to right, Paul, Julia, Craig, Mikey, Cliff, 2 ppl i don't know, Pat, Me (No.5), Stephen (Mini)and Stephen (Meercat).

Happy Days !

No.5

Nikiti - Halkidiki - Greece

I only have to work 4 hours tomorrow (Saturday) morning, then I have 2 weeks off work, and during this time I shall be spending 7 days with 6 friends in the above named place, on the Greek mainland.
Its just a small village located on the middle peninsular of the 3 in the Halkidiki region, and we have rooms at Hotel Marina, a small Taverna.
Hopefully it will be a great place to chill out and relax with friends, after my divorce 8 weeks ago, but during the week there we have an England world cup qualifier and 1 of my friends has a Birthday.

No.5

Poo

I left for work this morning, and joined compiegne way, near the railway bridge, to go into Bury St. Edmunds around the Sugar beet factory down to Northgate street.
I straight away became aware of a nasty smell, and thought "that isn't a sugar beet factory smell" and realized that the articulated Lorry in front of me had about 20+ tonnes of manure in the trailer.
So when I got to the dualled section of this road, I thought I'd pass the Lorry and get ahead of the Pong, and moved into the outside lane. Half way alongside the Lorry a stone hit my car windscreen and put a big chip in it. I now wish I'd stayed behind the muck and put up with the smell.
Got Auto glass coming to repair the screen, hopefully, next week. Under insurance policy with only a £10 excess and no loss to no claims bonus.

No.5

Hanging Baskets

Each year I make a couple of hanging baskets, and this year has to be my best attempt yet. The two are both identical, and each contains two scarlet cascading begonia's.

No.5

Colchester

I travelled down to Colchester to work today, because they were short staffed, and when I got there, they said we'll put you in No.5.
Well that gave my mates a great laugh when I told them, and I didn't see a pair of white stilettos all day, maybe I wasn't far enough into Essex.

No.5

Lotto

I was out of routine on Saturday, down to not having to work and a large amount of Lager in the Moreton Hall Pub on Friday night.
At about 11pm I realized that I hadn't bought my Lotto ticket for that nights draw. I do the same numbers for both Wednesday and Saturdays draws.
So I put on Teletext to look for the result. . . . .

I saved myself £2

Phew

No.5

Lance Armstrong

I think this guy is the greatest sportspersons ever to compete at the highest level in their game. Having won his seventh Tour de France in 2005, after beating cancer, came out of retirement at 37 to ride again in this years Tour, coming a creditable 3rd overall, and making it onto the podium in Paris today.

Lance now plans to ride for Team Radioshack, in next years race.

Respect.

No.5

Friday 10th July

Got picked up at 08:30 by my Bro' and we headed down to Bury St.Edmunds railway station, to catch the train to Cambridge at 08:55. Having got into Cambridge at about 09:40, we took a leisurely stroll towards the high street. Passing the "Regal" Wetherspoon's pub, with the doors open, we decide to go in for the 1st Beer of the day, at 10:00 After one in there, we left and a couple of doors down See's us stood outside a bar called "All Bar One" and my Bro' liking the continental Beers they sell in there, See's us ordering a 2nd. Left there and wandered through what was the Lion Yard (I have no idea if the name has changed) down to the Archor Pub.

Outside of which you can watch people hiring Punts. I so hoped to see someone fall in, but unfortunately nobody did.
Feeling Hungry my Bro' suggested a Noodle bar around the corner he knew of called Dojo. A bit like Zen, in Bury St.Edmunds.

In here I ordered, for a side dish, six New Zealand Mussels marinated in Chinese spices, and as a main dish, seared Duck strips with seasonal veg with Ho Yo Min tossed in a sate sauce with wok fried noodles. My brother had the same main dish but with a side dish of mini spring rolls.
This we washed down with a bottle of Marcel Hubert dry red wine, between us. Total bill £33.60 without the tip. Well worth the money.

Heading back towards Cambridge station we called in another pub, which was offering a deal on wine on a black...oops.. chalkboard outside. Unfortunately upon ordering said red wine, we were to be told they had run out, so 2 beers were ordered instead, before catching the return train to Bury.

No.5

Breakfast

I am the self titled "worst chef in the world" but I try, and a few things go OK.
Inspired by TV cookery programs such as River Cottage, Something for the weekend, F-word, and Saturday Kitchen, I decided, in an intoxicated mood, after having all 5 of my 5 a day, to buy a Mackerel to have for breakfast, while in Asda last night.
With no clue on the best way to cook it, or what to have with it, I searched on Google for a recipe, and found this very simple one.

• Heat frying pan, with no oil, on medium/high
• Place Mackerel skin side down, and put lid on pan, cook for 1 minute
• Squeeze fresh lemon over Mackerel, replace lid, and cook for another 1-2 minutes
• Serve with a couple of slices of buttered brown bread

The importance of a lid on the pan is to keep in, as best you can, the smell of fish that will end up filling the whole house. The use of the lemon does 3 things

1. adds to the flavour of the Mackerel
2. helps stop the Mackerel sticking to the pan
3. neutralises some of the smell

Done !

I decided to eat this alfresco to further reduce smell in the house, with a lot of interest from my Cat.

No.5

My Day, Today.

Got up at 7am, and after ablutions, I made a sandwich of wholemeal bread which I mayonnaised, added peppered ham, mustard, cucumber and tomato. To take to work.
Switched on the TV and sat and watched Breakfast news whilst eating a bowl of fruit 'n' fibre. This is the only time of day, approx 1 hour, I get the TV remote control. I always have to mute the sound though, if Lorraine Kelly comes on, what an awful sounding voice she has, always on about a kilt or something, I have no clue.
Cycled to work on my bike, which allows me to leave the house much later on a school day, listening to The Style Council, on my Walkman phone. I love anything by Paul Weller.
Got set up for the day at work and the morning went quite quickly. Come lunchtime and I popped out for a pint down "The Grapes" with the lunchtime regulars, before returning to eat my sarnies.
Hit the wall about 2:30pm when the hops in the beer took effect, and started to wonder if the customers had no homes to go to.
5:30pm, shut that door ! No work till Monday ! Biked home, listening to The Style Council, again, changed my clothes and headed to the Moreton Hall pub, and a catch up with my mates on their week, and mine !
About 8pm, and the soon to be ex-Mrs, calls me and arranges to pick me up and go to Asda to get some groceries. 10pm and I'm almost locked in the Asda customer toilet, as the beer wants out, and have to get the lift down because the staircase is shut off.
10:30pm I'm cooking a stir-fry with chicken and hoi sin sauce. Nice !

No.5

Rolling Stones-Beast of burden

Only Mick could get away with those trousers and dancing like that. Keith and Ronnie are so freakin cool.

Two Years On

Two years on and I'm still blogging occasionally. Now and again I think about giving up and shutting it down, then something else comes along to mention.
Today I had my fingerprints taken by the police, in connection with the forged Euro's I impounded, that I blogged about recently.
The Police have an idea who it was and they wanted a copy of my "dabs" to see if they could find the culprits on the notes.

No.5

Joke

A Man walks into the Post Office with a Girocheque, and he's trying to sign it.
Man "This pen doesn't work"
Counter clerk " nor do you !"

No.5

Take a Walk

Today, my brother and I walked to Thurston from the Moreton Hall area of Bury St.Edmunds, and back again, after two drinks in the Fox and Hounds.
On Friday, at work, a black gentleman came to me wanting to cash 1450 euros in 50 euro notes into sterling, worth £1167. Straight away the feel of the paper wasn't right and the colour was a bit off (talc powdery). So I told the gentleman I needed to go and scan the notes. This is what we call the "walk away test" and see if the customer leaves. Well he didn't so I had to go back and speak again. Beside me was a genuine electronic note scanner so i fed the notes in one by one and each one registered as a dude. He made out as if he'd been given them as payment and had no idea they were fake. By this time another man in the queue had joined him (without waiting to be served) and no doubt he had a pocket full of fake notes as well, and was waiting to see if his mate was successful. Anyway I told him I was keeping the notes, and we passed them on to the Police, who told us that they had been successful in cashing some at a bank in town.

No.5

It wasn't a Wednesday either

I served an elderly gentleman at work today, and after we'd finished he moved away and I started to serve another lady. The elderly gentleman then came back again searching for his walking stick. "Its hooked over your arm !" the lady told him.

No.5

Ok, so I was bored

A lady I know, came in the pub the other day, and I manipulated her keyrings.

Just don't go taking her clubcard points !

No.5

I love Bury St.Edmunds

We don't have hard hitting headlines about MP's expenses and worldwide flu epidemics, in our local newspaper. We have 2for1 cream tea's. I love Bury St.Edmunds - Priceless !

No.5

Bressingham - Dad's Army Day

Today, I went with by brother, sister-in-law and nephew, to Bressingham near Diss. It was a "Dad's Army day" related to the TV series, with some of the surviving cast members arriving on an old London routemaster style bus. The cast members sitting and signing autographs.

Right beside the the autograph signing table, was the entrance into the exhibition centre, which my father had been invited to display a selection of his wartime wirelesses (seen below) dating from the late 1930's to the early 1940's. Also pictured are the accumilators that wirelesses of this period were powered by.

While we were there, we took a ride on one of the steam engines that runs around the grounds of Bressingham. A ride on the merry go round horses, and I took my nephew round in the dodgem cars, and I have to say, a bit of skillful driving on my part, to only get rammed once.

Now the guy pictured below was wandering around all day, with an official looking clipboard, looking important and like he was organising events. But his suit was just wrong, with his trousers tucked into his socks, NO !

No.5

Local MP

I met up with two friends at 11am yesterday and we walked into town for breakfast in the North End Cafe in St.Andrews street. After we'd eaten we called into William Hill betting shop to place a bet, on the Millwall v Leeds match, before going to watch it in the Queens head pub.

Once in the Queens head we were joined by four more friends to see the game with us. One friend being a Millwall supporter we were following them and they won 1-0. Another friends son was playing in a charity football match at Bury Town football ground, in Ram meadow car park, and we made our way down there to see a bit of that game.

There was a £2 entry fee to see a Bury Saturday league XI playing against a Bury Sunday league XI, and my friends son was in the Saturday league side. In the Sunday league side was also somebody I knew, and I also knew some other spectators, and our local MP David Ruffley was there giving his support (Beige Suit).

The game ended in a not very exciting 0-0 draw.

No.5

The Old Joanna

Today, a Piano was positioned in the doorway of what was the Woolwich building society, or the Market cross for those older readers, in Bury St.Edmunds.

A guy sat across the road taking photographs of anyone who stopped to plink on the keys. Occasionally he would join them and show them a few notes.

I think this may have been part of the summer arts festival St.Edmundsbury put on in the town.

No.5

The Counterfeit Stones

Yesterday afternoon my Brother, Sisiter-in-law and I went to Felixstowe to see the Counterfeit Stones at the Spa Pavilion.

After a couple of pints in the Buregate Pub (you can see one of the ferries leaving Harwich in picture above) and some time in the amusements, we headed along the seafront to The Alex (or Alex's cafe).

The Alex is just in the picture on the left hand side (along with the Spa Pavilion in the centre) and there I had DingleyDell sausages, mash and onion gravy for dinner.

The 7.30pm start time approaching, and we are cutting it fine. An usher shows us to our seats (in the front row !) and we are literally the last to arrive in a full theatre. Just in time as the pre-show video starts to play.

The band come on, led by Nick Dagger, and dressed to look like their respective Rolling Stones band member, starting in the line up with Bill Hyman, until he later left.

In this video clip (apologies for the crackling) you can make out me singing along to the song.

No.5

Cashew No.5

Cashew No.5 please. I had a good laugh with the same four guys I went out with on 30th of May last year, and blogged on the 31st.

We met up at our local, then got a taxi to the Dog and Partridge in crown street. Mr P. you are a good transport organiser.

A couple of other friends met up with us at the D+P before we called in the Queens Head, then on to the Kings Arms.

After the Kings Arms I had a Texican burger, at £4.39 each !, before 1 last beer in town in the Grapes. It didn't look quite like the picture below, but was tasty.

Tomorrow, I'm going to see the Counterfeit Rolling Stones, at the Felixstowe Spa Pavilion with my Brother and Sister-in-law, and hopefully get some pictures of it, from the front row !

No.5

So...

...my bet nearly came up at 1-3, if Richard Wright hadn't saved the penalty Cardiff were awarded, I'd have been £66 better off. Never mind, hopefully thats the Keano! affect already. Great scoreline 0-3 away.

No.5

Ipswich Town sign Roy Keane !

What a signing this seems. I think it is a major coup for Ipswich Town Football Club, and can only mean some quality players will follow him to Portman Road.
I just hope the two year contract, Roy has signed, will be seen out, and beyond. With premier league football back at Ipswich.
Click here to see the press interview.
Being a betting man, Ipswich are 9/2 to win at Cardiff tomorrow (the last game to be played at Ninian Park) by any score. This is generous odds in any two horse race, so looking to predict the correct score, Corals are offering 66/1 on 1-3 and 100/1 on 1-4, so I've lashed out £1 on each of those two scorelines.
Get 'em goin' Roy !

No.5

This is not a joke

Yesterday.....A man walks into the Post Office with a Parrot on his shoulder. When its his turn to be served, he puts it on the letter scale and it weighs 214 grams, and says to the member of staff serving him "He's 30 grams over weight !" Anyway, he did transacted what he went in for and left, with said Parrot.
How strange.

No.5

Overheard

I was in the Grapes around noon today, and a man came up to the bar beside me to get a pint of Greene King IPA. He handed over £2.50 and walked off without his 10 pence change. The barmaid said "Is this a tip" to which he replied "This ones for Eddy" but he came back and took his 10 pence. I realised what he ment, but he did also say "4:40 at Pontefract"
So I left to get some lunch and put £2 to win on this horse, and I also text a friend the Horses name. At 5:30 I found out it had won at 4/1 so I got a tenner back, and my friend had done it too at 9/2 with a bit more than £2.
Thank heavens it won, but what a way to win a few quid.

No.5

Me, Juvenile ?

I was offered a ticket, by a work colleague, for yesterdays Ipswich v Watford match, and as other plans had gone wrong, I accepted.

I was going to go to Cambridge, and meet up with my Bro and his mate from Cambourne and watch the Rugby, but unfortunately my brother had had a full industrial wheelie bin go over his right foot at the printers he works for, meant he couldn't do it on crutches.

My colleagues spare season ticket was their daughters under 20 ticket, which works out at less than half price, but I decided to try my luck at getting in without paying for the upgrade. I'm 39 soon, so it was a bit of an ego boost to get in without being challenged with a juvenile ticket.

The players used to run out on to the pitch applauded by the crowd to music, boosting the crowds enthusiasm. Now it is like a funeral procession to the halfway line, then both teams shake hands, where in a child's voice, it is announced no one is allowed to swear or make racist comments, the latter understandable.
Anyway the game ends 0-0, but Ipswich appeared to have more possession and more goal scoring opportunities than Watford, just couldn't score. I was impressed with Jon Stead's performance and think he was "our" best player.

No.5

Dangerous Territory

I decided to have a look in Debenhams new store in Bury St Edmunds today, having decided the novelty factor must have worn off by now, and their would be fewer people in there.
I entered the main front doors, and looked for the "men's" department, and to my surprise this is on the ground floor. Usually this is up or down a floor and the "women's" clothes are on this level, which I've wondered if its due to pushchairs and buying powers.
Anyway I wander through noting Ben Sherman, Fred Perry, Jasper Conran, Red Herring plus many other brands. I pass Sketchers shoes and then I've entered my uncomfortable zone.
I'm on my own and I've now left "men's" and I'm in Bikini's and womanly stuff, I'm a Deer caught in headlights.
Where's the door ? shall I turn back, past the shop assistant, who I'd noticed had nothing to do ? Is there an escalator to take me out of this department ?
I keep walking, daylight, there is the door, keeping my eyes looking straight ahead, I don't need a thong !

No.5

Cattle Market Opening

On Thursday 5th March the Cattle Market development finally opened. I took some pictures, but when I got home Thursday night, I found the Camera cable nowhere to be seen. So I have been unable to blog it till now, using photographs, until I was able to locate the cable at my wife's friends house.

Working in close proximity to the Cattle Market development, I've seen it rise from the ground. I can't believe the photo below is dated 06/06/2008 to where the building is now.

On Thursday the offical opening was at 10:30, and in my lunch hour I took a quick walk round the new square, before a quick pint in the Grapes got me back to my senses.

I always feel uncomfortable taking photographs in unusual places, I feel self conscious of people wondering "why is he taking a picture of that". This was reiterated, when the man in the foreground wearing a baseball cap in the picture below, came up to me and said "Do you work for the council" ? "No" I said. "Well I think it looks bloody awful" he said.

I didn't stick around to hear any more, and I haven't been back since. Not in case he's still there, but because it is having its desired effect at the moment, and there are to larger crowds for my liking.

But on opening day, Debenhams were already offering 25% off.

And another thing, someone is going to get hurt in St.Andrews street, the amount of muppets who cannot read the signs at each end of the road that say "Pedestrian Zone" and tear down there at 30 mph is unreal.

No.5

Market Thoroughfare

Work has started on removing the link between The Post Office and Stead & Simpson above the Market Thoroughfare. This is just a small gesture on the link between the Arc shopping centre and the old town centre shops that was promised.

Anyway the Arc starts to be opened on Thursday 5th March, it does look nice through there, but how long will it be before the 1st closing down sale ?

No.5

Playing God

My wife decided that today was the day to say goodbye to Tiggy. The aggressive tumour had grown back and was causing the Cat breathing difficulties, trouble eating and was affecting her right eye. The Cat had spent the morning laying in the sunshine in the bay window watching the world go by, and had had some Tuna to eat.

My Wife couldn't face going to the Vets herself, so I made the short journey with her to Moreton Hall Veterinary Surgery. While I stood at the reception desk, a man and his young daughter also stood waiting behind me. The young girl pointed out our cat in her pet taxi to her dad. Please don't want to look closely at her, I thought to myself. I didn't want to have to explain why we were there.

Called soon after arriving into a side room, a vet and a nurse, very professionally, undertook the reason for us being there, with one injection to a front paw.

This is one of the last pictures I took of her sitting at our back door. "Sleep well" were my last words to her.

Takeaway

This man or woman, lives across the road from an Indian restaurant and a Kebab shop. So their appearance can't be down to malnutrition, or is it. This is on Station hill opposite the Last day of raj, reflected in the window, and appears 'armless.

No.5

The Fish Is No More - Sadly

The subway under the road near the Moreton Hall Pub used to look like this, until last night. Which I blogged on Sunday 4th May 2008.

Now it looks like this. The Artists have had a health and safety conscience to point out the wet paint factor on both sides of the tunnel !

What a mess it looks now. Art or Graffiti ? was my question from my original post. Its neither now, Vandalism !

No.5

Cattle Market Car Park Name

I read that they are going to call the Car Park by two names, Cattle market / Arc. It struck me that Arc Park is an anagram of Car Park.

No.5

How not to play dead!

Sound is equired, to understand this.

This Week

This week I have had a weeks annual leave. One or two people have said "not another week off !". But apart from Christmas day and boxing day, I haven't had any leave since the beginning of November, and after 15 years with my company they give me 6 weeks holiday (I am not a school teacher).

Today, Thursday, I had lunch at my parents, and Mum cooked a leg of Lamb which was so tasty. After which, dad, drove us over to the Ipswich branch of Makro.

This is on the Euro park just off the A14, on the exit after you've gone over the Orwell bridge. You have to be VAT registered to be able to shop in here. It ranges from garden, car accessories, electrical, clothes, food, office, anything for businesses. I purchased some screen wash for my car, and some Turkish beer (Efes) for a friend.

After a couple of beers in the local tonight, I decided on a taste test on 3 different brands of cat biscuits on my cats. Having put 10 biscuits on each plate, sadly in funny faces, I put each of my 2 cats one at a time in front of the plates, they sniffed each and walked off !

The plate on the left is Go-Cat Chicken, Duck and Rabbit, made by Purina, a box of 375g costing 93p from my local Tesco express. The middle plate is Joe Jill's made by Joe Inglis Chicken and Rice 1Kg reduced from £4.49 to £2.99 at Sainbury's. And the right hand plate is Sainsbury's complete Salmon, Shrimp and Tuna at £1.05 for 950g.

Result: While tapping away at the keyboard, my female cat, the poorly one, has been out to the Kitchen. Now the left plate, was nearest to the kitchen door, and the 1st one she would come too. The Go-Cat has all gone. The 2nd plate has just 4 bits left, and the 3rd, maybe the face was too scary for her ?

I think to make this test fair, I need to reverse the order of the plates, and make the Sainsbury's food look less Scary.
No, I haven't had to much time on my hands !

No.5

Officers Club Designer Underpants

I walk past this shop quite frequently, its a couple of doors from where Woolworth's used to trade, in Bury St.Edmunds. A couple of weeks ago the dummies in the window didn't have any clothes on at all. Then last week they were all fitted with their current designer underpants, or rather the shops bags, around their middle.

I wondered whether a complain(s) had been made about their bulge. But I do know the shop maybe going the same way as Woolworth's as the writing on the shop window suggests. A chap I work with joked about going in and asking to try a pair on.

No.5

Poorly Pussycat (2)

Warning: Don't scroll down if your eating a meal or squeamish.

On Thursday 22 January I blogged about a lump I found on my wife's Cats neck. More surgery has now been done.

On Friday the Veterinary Surgery called and the young vet, who had not been comfortable in trying to remove the Tumour, said that we could take Tiggy to their partner practice in Stowmarket, where a more experienced Vet would try and take it all out.

This was scheduled to be performed yesterday. So we left the Cat with them at 08:30. We got a call at 12:40 from the Vets to say it was taking a long time and the Cat would have to be kept there overnight.

We got a call this morning from them at 09:00 to say that we could collect her. She had to have a drain put in to stop fluid from building up where the Tumour was.

You can see the drain hanging below her neck, while being rewarded with some Tuna. The drain has to remain in until Saturday.

No.5