Week-end with "M"

South Bar and Crowd - Picture by South West Four

Just spent a lovely week-end with friend and fellow activist "M."

Swung by on Saturday afternoon on my way back from a week with my sister and her kids on holiday in pretty pretty Tenby. An hour or two of chat was followed by another hour or three hanging about with John and Peter at Tower Porsche.

Then back to M's place and dinner with her friend and neighbour Simon. We'd met briefly back in January and it was good to meet him properly. The chat ranged from Palestine to MacDonalds to cycling in London and the delights of Stoke-on-Trent...

Sunday M invited me to her Quaker meeting, which was a first, and an interesting one at that. If I was religious I'd probably become a sort of bad Quaker.

After a really quick lunch we headed off to the Metro Weekender mini festival on Clapham Common. I've not been to a festival for over a decade, but our business was strictly business - working behind the bar for the Worker's Beer Company. I've not done bar work since 1985 and even then it was collecting glasses rather than pulling pints.

M had never done bar work either so we were both a bit nervous before the start of our six hour shift at 2:30pm. Fortunately we were with a good team and the prices for the drinks were in round numbers which made the maths easy! The festival crowd were good natured, patient, and friendly and I don't think I made too many mistakes. But it's hard work and today I'm exhausted and a few fingernails are aching from having to open every can we sold.

Defeat in Southern Lebanon

The invincible IDF at work in Southern Lebanon

As always, Gary the war-nerd explains the situation clearly and makes a convincing case.

His predictive record is second to none, and puts "respected" pundits to shame.

Stunning!

I've just heard about Andy Murry's shocking victory over Roger Federer in Cincinatti.

Needless to say I missed it, expecting a routine Federer massacre.

Hummmm The U.S Open might be interesting...

Murry vs Henman

I'm very lucky in having some of the kindest neighbours in the world. Fully equipped with cable TV, they know I like watching tennis and were kind enough to tape the whole of the Murry vs Henman match from Cincinatti. The cassette was waiting for me on the doorstep last night, along with a brief message on a yellow sticky.

Watching the beautiful match, which may well have featured the best British men's tennis played for 60 or 70 years, I was reminded of Mark Nicholas' comments from June:

But there is no Tiger Tim any more, never was really. Instead we have Tantalising Tim, a marvellously gifted and flowing sportsman from an age of touch and feel, slice and drop, even serve and volley that the baseline's heavy-hitters and grunters have blown away. Let's face it, he even looks a bit square. You know, tennis shorts and shirt both pristine white and so last century against the board shorts and singlet vests that are increasingly de rigueur. Maybe, the tale of Henman to Nadal is in the wardrobe.

Gosford House

Apologies for the lack of posts - I've been very busy for the past three weeks visiting family in Bristol and and Cardiff, my friend Dave in Edinburgh, and working in London.

Up in Scotland, this fine house happened to be open as we drove down the coast looking for anything interesting. It's home to the charming and very knowledgable countess of Wemyss who showed us her vast collection of old and grubby master paintings, some of which seemed fake to me, but Dave was more impressed. No doubts about an amazing Roman eagle carved out of marble, and a Sergeant portrait.

Tower House

This is a ruined 16th century Scottish tower house just off the coastal road SE of Edinburgh. Not exactly spooky on such a bright cheerful day, but evocative none the less.