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

Andrew Lloyd-Webber Give Up Now

This is Turkeys Eurovision song contest entry for 2009, and it gets my vote, and the song isn't bad either.
I think Andrew Lloyd- webber is going to have to go some to beat this if the judges are male from each country.

My Dinner

I walked down to Sainsbury's this afternoon and purchased some Rump Steak. This I cooked tonight with some boiled new Potatoes and Broccoli and some Range dressing "drizzled" over the veg. The Steak I oven grilled, just melted in the mouth and my mouth watered with expectation of the next fork full.

I don't claim to be a good cook, but I know what I like, and repeat dishes I find enjoyable and adjust them with different things until I think they are as good as I can get them, to my taste.
The Steak had Steak seasoning, minced Garlic and salt on it.

No.5

Poorly Pussycat

Last Tuesday night (13th Feb) at 8pm, I was just settling down on the bed to watch Oz Clark and James May on BBC2, so my wife could see another program on TV downstairs.

I was immediately joined by one of our 2 Cats, Tiggy, who seems to always want petting whenever I'm watching TV in the bedroom.

Anyway within seconds I realised the Cat had a lump on her neck, and it was quite prominent. Our Cats are house Cats, having been De-clawed in the States, and never meet face to face, other animals.

So I picked her up and carried her downstairs, and my wife saw me coming and said "What's wrong with the Cat ?" The Cats are nearly 12 years old, I said "You need to feel her neck" and we couldn't believe how we hadn't noticed it before now, and she hadn't been behaving any differently.

The next morning, Wednesday, I'm on the phone to Moreton Hall Veterinary Centre at 08:15 and they tell me they can see the Cat if I can get there for 08:30, I'm on my way ! Teeth brushed, Car started to De-thaw the frost off it, I hastily put the two halves of the animal cage together and find the Cat to put in it. On the way the Cat miaows continuously on the backseat of the Car, and I get there at 08:25

After a short wait the Cats name is called to see the Vet. After an examination and questions asked, the Vet took the cat to another room to insert a needle to take a biopsy of the lump, before returning. "We'll look at it under a microscope, and let you know what it is, by phone, by Friday". "Okay, thank you". Tiggy walks back into her cage, with no encouragement, and we're on our way home.

Thursday afternoon, and my wife and I decide to go for a short drive to get out of the house. We've only gone 500 yards and my mobile phone rings, "You'll have to answer it wifey as I'm driving", Its the Vet "I'm afraid it is a Tumour" our worst outcome. My wife's in tears, shes had the Cats since they were 3 days old and hand fed them, after their mother abandoned them.

So we arranged to have the Tumour removed, if possible, on Wednesday morning of this week. We were told the Cat must not have anything to eat after 7pm Tuesday night, and no Water after 7am that Wednesday.

Wednesday morning we both take the Cat to the Veterinary Centre to leave it for surgery, but I then had to go to work. My wife would have to go back and collect the Cat on her own later that day at 15:30. When she collects Tiggy she is told the Tumour was growing around the Cats jugular vein, so it was impossible to remove 100% of it, and also that tests shows she is in the early stages of a renal problem that can be controlled by medication.

Tiggy is doing fine and behaving like she always has done, and has to go back and have her stitches out in 10 days time.

My Pretty Girl, not looking so pretty.

In the mean time I have to give Tiggy one and a half tablets twice a day, because my wife doesn't want the Cat to get mad with her !

No.5

Woolworths

What now for the building below. Someone told me that Woolworths rented this one and if that's true, it does mean the owner will probably be looking for a new tenant. A suggestion though has been made in the press by a councillor, to level it along with Stead & Simpsons, and make a larger town square.

Lots of family and friends have suggested businesses that they would like to take over this property. The one mentioned most is a Witherspoons pub. Maybe because Witherspoons have recently been advertising a pint of bitter for 99p. When I saw it empty, I thought re-establishing Rollerbury in there on the wooden floor might be a good idea, but there are quite a few concrete pillars, ouch !

This is how things at the back of Woolworths are looking now. Planning applications are being submitted, from the various shops taking up these units, for things like illuminated signs and air conditioning units.

I'm sure "The Arc" is going to look very nice when its all finished, and you might be able to get a pair of Levi 501's in town again.

There will be the obvious initial curiosity when it opens, but when it all dies down, what then in these times of recession for the shops in both parts of town.

Thats why I think the idea levelling the Woolworths building and those up to the market thoroughfare, beside the Post Office, is a good one.

No.5

Credit Crunch (1)

In the present financial climate, someone told me "If you want to borrow money, you have to prove you don't need it".

I labelled this post (1) as there will probably others at a later date.

No.5

Is Darts The New Football ?

I heard, or read, someone say "Darts is the new Football". I do like watching Darts over the festive period, and particularly the PDC (Professional Darts Corporation) competition, as opposed to the BDO (British Darts Organization).

The PDC was set up in 1992 when darts split in two. Although it has a large following, the TV coverage is on subscription based Sky TV (Which therefore probably offers higher prize money) and the PDC has lower viewing figures. This includes the players Phil (The Power) Taylor 14 times world champion (12 PDC, 2 BDO) and Raymond (Barney) van Barneveld, seen in background above, who switched to the PDC and won it at the first attempt in 2007.

The tournament which is held in Alexandra Palace, has crowds holding up humorous placards like "The bloke behind me can't see", and some wear fancy dress. Then you have Sky TV commentator Sid Waddell, with his own unique brand of commentary with comments like "Tungsten tickling" and "He's meaner than a scrapyard Dog", is a cult figure.
Me, well I'll be watching the Manchester United v Chelsea Football game this afternoon.

No.5

Sloe Gin (Update 2)

I acquired some Coffee filters I had been wanting to use to filter the "stewing" Sloe's from the Gin, having asked around, and refusing to pay for any, as I don't have a Coffee machine, I finally got some.

With a filter placed into a funnel, the liquor was poured, and some berries from the bottle, ended in the filter during the straining.

Once strained, I returned the Sloe Gin into the bottle it had been stewing in, after the bottle had been cleaned.

Found a small glass in the cupboard to sample a small drop. This was the bottle containing the berries I picked first from on the housing estate, before going to Culford for a second batch, which are still bottled.

This is a lovely, warming, drink in the evening after dinner. One I'm looking to enjoy, and repeat next year in more quantity, due to people asking for a drop.

I have been challenged to a competition, by a friend, involving my Sloe Gin against his spiced up Mulled Wine, to be judged my the pub regulars. If it happens I'll blog the result of it.

No.5

Stanningfield Walk

Saturday 3rd of January, and I've arranged to go for a walk with my Bro'. My Sister-in-law drops us off in Stanningfield, just off the A134 Sudbury road, with the plan to walk back to Bury St. Edmunds.

A bit of Suffolk countryside in Stanningfield, and walking by houses with the smell of log fires burning, makes you wish you were sat beside one.

I should have taken more photograph's along the route we walked, but weaving our way along the public footpaths we work our way to the Rushbrooke Arms, which we call in and have an Old Speckled Hen.

Leaving the Rushbrooke Arms, we walk back up to the public footpath and a man shouts at us "Oi, the public footpath is between the two fields, this is private" we are possibly about 200 yards from where the man says. The Ordinance Survey map (to our error) shows where it is on a scale of 1:50,000 so you might be a few feet out sometimes, Get Off My Land !

We came round a corner on a road in Rougham and there was as a sign warning us of four guys in the road singing " that's neat, that's neat, I really love your Tiger Feet". Sorry about that !

Getting near Rougham, on the bend of the A14, between there and Bury St.Edmunds, we pass the fields the Pigs are grazing in, before going under the underpass onto the Moreton hall industrial estate.

We hobbled to the Flying Fortress, by which time I've got a small blister on my heel, where we congratulate ourselves on making the journey, and I brag I could do it all again if I'd laced my boots a bit tighter and hadn't got said blister. Total distance was approximately (wow 13 letters, I thought wheelbarrow was the longest word I knew) 8 miles.

Having parted company, I called into the Moreton hall pub and took this pic of the sun setting.

I've since filtered off, one of my two bottles, of Sloe Gin, and "Pow" it hits you in the face.

More to follow....

No.5

New Year

New Years Eve and I finish work at 3pm. I Got home and can't be bothered to go out (totally unlike me !).
So I stay home, with the wife, reading Lee Sharpe's autobiography, that someone had lent to me along with Roy Keane's that I'd already finished, thanks Sue. Anyway I must have read about 80 pages and didn't have a single beer, Seeing the New Year in.
New years day, and I went to my parents in Horringer with my Brother, Sister-in-law and nephew. Bro' and I called in the Six Bells, just after 12pm and sampled some bitters, before returning to theirs for lunch at 1.30pm, of roast pork. After lunch I helped to rebuild a Lego fire station I'd made back in June for my Nephew to play with, that had taken a bit of rough play. We all had some sandwiches for tea, before going home in the evening about 7.30pm. I went to bed about 10pm, as I had to work today, and I still felt bloated from Lunch and tea, it felt good though. My mum does the best roast dinner.

Happy New Year Everyone, for 2009

No.5

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, to family, friends, and blog readers both old and on a new P.C. for the first time.
I hope Father Christmas brought you everything you wanted, and you have a great 2009.
I'm going to bawl now watching Noel's Christmas Present on Sky One.

Best wishes,

No.5

Virtual Shoplifting

This is when you load up a shopping cart on a website, then you don't finish check-out, and not pay for anything that you put in it, and log off.
I have noticed with one website (Amazon) it says items will remain in the cart for up to 90 days. Does this possibly mean that the last one (or however many items) could sit on a shelf in a warehouse, gathering dust, until the time runs out or you go back and pay for it ?
This could be like reserving yourself something until you can afford it, if its like one of those "must have" Christmas presents.

No.5

Great weekend....

...apart from one thing.
I left work Friday lunchtime, and after a quick pint in the Grapes, I had a bet on a horse for the first time in weeks. It won at 14/1 so my £2 returned £30, nice start to the weekend. Friday night and I had an invite to a party at a friends house, the couple who got married at Smeetham hall in July. They had a lot of drink left over from their wedding, and wanted to use it up, so there I was until midnight.
Saturday I had a couple of lunchtime pints, before returning home to watch Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports 1. Then at 5pm I went off to another friends house (who supports QPR), to see the QPR v Wolverhampton match live on TV. After the game I went into town with the intention of getting a Kebab, but ended up in the Grapes first, listening to the live band that was performing there, before going to Charlie's Kebab shop in St.Andrews street, and then home to bed.
Sunday I again had a couple of very quick pints, before returning home to the disappointment of the weekend. Ipswich losing to Norwich live on Sky Sports, and my phone starts beeping with messages from friends enquiring what the score is, knowing full well what it is.
Monday sees me going to Cambridge and grocery shopping with the wife. Wishing I had the whole week off, and didn't have to go back to work in the morning.

No.5

2008 MLS CUP: New York Red Bulls vs Columbus Crew

I follow this team "Columbus Crew" and have a subscription to MLSnet.com for $19.99 a season to be able to see some games live on the internet. Finally I have an alliance to a team thats won something. "The Crew" are "2008 MLS Champions"

15 men went to mow....

It should have been 17, but 2 people who had paid for their ticket didn't come. It was the whats becoming annual fixture between Ipswich Town V Queens Park Rangers (until 1 team gets promoted or relegated) where an increasing group of regulars from the Moreton Hall Pub make the journey to Portman Road. Last year it was only 12 in size.

To start the day, and line our stomachs, we had agreed to meet up in the North End Cafe, on St.Andrews Street in Bury St.Edmunds. After a fry up, mug of tea, and a bet on the score on today's game at William Hill, we made our way down to the railway station to catch the train to Ipswich.

Once off the train we made the short walk across the road from the station into the Station Hotel, and I see something new in all the 22 years I've been going into pubs. In front of the curved window is a burger grill and they started cooking in the room, and it stunk. I think I preferred the olden days of cigarette smoke, than grease, in Pubs.

After leaving the Station Hotel, we all went on to the Golden Lion, a Witherspoon's pub (pictured above) in the centre of Ipswich. In a Witherspoon's pub the beer is cheap, and the Golden Lion was no exception. They had some bitters on in a beer festival at £1.69 a pint, and lager from £1.89 a pint, so more than one round was purchased in there. On the way to the ground 3 of us in a round together stopped off at the Black Horse for one more.

If Carlsberg done signs, it'd probably be the best sign in the world !

Of the 17 tickets purchased, 11 of them were for the away section of the ground, as we have a small number of QPR fans in the pub, and hence the reason for the annual trip to this fixture. The away section is pictured here in the far end of the Cobbold stand, from my seat in the North stand.

For as long as I have been going to support Ipswich, the North stand has always been called the same, but a suggestion, on Facebook, has been made that it be changed. Now I would normally be horrified at this apart from the fact the name suggested was the Sir Bobby Robson stand. This I would be happy with as he was the manager who brought us the most success on the football pitch, and went on to achieve so much in the game, a true gent and legend, who is now battling Cancer for the 5th time.

The players of both teams lining up to kick-off the 2nd half of the match (picture taken through the window in the bar in the corner of the North stand). The game ended 2-0 to Ipswich, after 2 second half goals from substitute John Stead. After the game we all met back up in the Golden Lion again, before going back to the station to catch the train back to Bury St.Edmunds, and a final pint and regroup in the MHP before going home.

No.5

Belarus v England

After work tonight, I got changed and went back into town, to see Belarus v England. I had not made any arrangements to meet anybody I knew, and headed down to the Queens Head public house, in Churchgate street, where I hoped and expected them to have Setanta Sports TV channel, that the game was going to be shown on.

Kick off for the game was 7:30 pm, and I wandered through the front doors of the above mentioned pub at 7:15pm. I couldn't see anyone I knew in there, but got myself a pint, and took up a space at the bar where I had a good view of one of their six(6) flat screen TV's.

I'm more than happy to walk into a bar on my own and not talk to a soul (except for asking for a drink), if that's what I want, but struck up a conversation with a guy called Rob, who's job had brought him to Bury St Edmunds, and who was staying in the Angel Hotel, and had been directed to this pub by the Hotel staff, to see the game.

After a fairly reasonable game in which England won 3-1 with goals from Gerrard and two from Rooney, I made my way to the Angel hill to await my lift home, and took a picture of the Abbey gate illuminated in the darkness as I waited.

No.5

Beefy In Bury

Sir Ian Botham was in Bury St Edmunds at 10am this morning, on part of his walk to raise money for Leukaemia research.

The walk is Sponsored by Marks and Spencer, and it was outside the store, in the Buttermarket, that the cricketing legend, set off to walk to, and around, Ickworth Park, with members of the Public.

I managed to duck (cricketing term) out of work and get these photo's on my phone during my teabreak.

No.5

How Much ?

I was asked today "How much would £50 of Euros cost ?"

My Reply was "£50". and I get a blank look.

So I explained to the lady that she would get 60 Euros for her £50.

Anyway she toddles off, and comes back a bit later with her money, and the deals done.

Look out Malta...

No.5