Allys results

We are so proud of her.
3 A*'s
6 A's
1 B

Made up delighted chuffed proud amazed in awe. Best news for ages.

Of witness and sadness

Adele the hairdresser and me get talking about weight, seems a good friend of hers died 8 weeks ago from obesity. 5ft 25stone sleep apmoa and a heap of co-morbidities. She's interested in the web site. Anyway wind back the day. Went to see frank (GP). Top gig as ever new plan starts today. I am loathe to share details at this point as the very mention of them feels like it could undermine the plan. Home and Allys results still not arrived. Ring school, they qare being held as Ally owes 4.50 for a library book. I jump a village cab explain my mission the cabbie hates church schools and wants to quick the doors in. Ally has an appointment so we need to be back pronto. She is stood on the doorstep on the phone to her mum. I think she deserves an entry of her own.

Entertainment

In the barbers a delightfully barmy old boy, is in the chair. He is plum crazy but in a nice way. The lady has had him chunnering for an hour. She's worn out. Adele is a nice lady. Not as counselling as frank but she has the advantage of placement on the bus route. I am on the way to the pharmacist.

Liverpool-Evil-Cabal

Liverpool-Evil-Cabal
I always arrive too late.

French Pics

France 2006

Jul 14, 2006 - 159 Photos

Ambulance

www.capitalrescue.com
Private ambulance just passed us on the M1 at Luton.

Url

www.pevec.hr

The barmen have landed

Bolstered by increased sales the barmen have just brought 4 more barrels of lager up. They could do with tripling the staff as the service is poor. I hope the girls get me a paper. The boat is full of southgate district scouts who appear to have been on a jamboree. They scare me its a uniform thing. I am distracted by a delightful toddler who toddles around the pub. A lot of people are having balance troubles (combination of beer and boat). She is the happiest by far.

On the boat

Made goos progress on journey home. Jean drove well and the weather only marginally interfered. The toll booth traffic jams were mercifully small. I am now sat in Le Pub sipping piss poor lager while the womenfolk shop. I wander what our hotel will be like. I hope its better than the bonsai which I think didn't impress the ladies. We are planning to eat at the hotel I think. Or failing that a local chippy.

Friday in the pm

Off to the supermarket and we enjoy a good lunch. Round the shop and a drink whilst picking up Fridays Grauniad.

Friday

The holiday draws close to the end. St cast le guildo in the evening provided us with a fine restauarant. I ate a thing called a taste of the sea with a. Wild rice and green bean thing going on. Wednesday saw us off to Dinard it looked promising and we started on the beach but the day drew overcast we took shelter in a beach bar. The came down so we donned our towels as headgear and strolled as only the British can to the restaurant. We acted out our own nativity play colin cast as mary as his towel was blue. We hit the Newport again as it was one of the few gaffs offering service continu. It was only occupied by non frenchies still as us unaccustomed to their late dining. I had delicious duck following hannahs recomendation.
Thursday found us in St Malo jean and I wandered the ramparts and streets we met the girls and colin at 7 and went for cocktails at the comedy pub. The comedy pub is still the hoot it appeared on the first time we found it. Friday morning most of packing done and colins gone to st suliac. Ally has a migraine and is being a trouper despite the fact most of the rest of her mates know their GCSE results.

Tuesday beach bum

Blogging on the beach at St cast-le-Guildo. Its a really warm sunny day and am enjoying it here. Monday I went to the boulangerie so late they had sold out of croissants. By way of a bonus I happened across a chappie with a frruit and veg stand so bought the ingredients for a ratatouille. Wandered home then off to dinan. Pleasant walk around the walls bought I was a bit scared at the bits where the walls were low and the drop was a long way. Had a pleasant drink at the weird mans shop. Wandered then got hungry it appeared that most of dinan lunched 12-3 and dined 7-10. We had arrranged to meet the girls at 6.30. Blast. We found the girrls and got a posh take out from adeli home again. This morning off to madame bakers and she tells me something about wednesday and closing. Difficult to work out. Then we lunched and off to st cast for the afternoon and an evening meals.

My how time flies.

Its Sunday already. Hannah and Colin arrived on Friday then we scooted to the hypermarket where we picked up an excellent late lunch. I went got two types of salmon and mushroom carbonara. Tres bien. Wentr round the supermaket which was more enjoyable than my last visit. Not as crowded so no panic attacks. I was fine as long as jean or ally were with me. I purchase an sd card for allys camera. Because the one I brought has mp3s on it. I forgot to bring the card reader and the usb hub. I did remember the laptop, the pocket pc the sat nav the blackberry my ipod nano, most eventualities covered. Would like a storage device with viewing capabilities. For viewing images. Need a little speaker thing for the nano too (and more music putting on it).
Friday night we have a barbeque outside. I have to say I generally hate the barbeque. A very efficient way to ruin good food. I like eating alfresco though so we cook most stuff indoors then finish it off. Beer helps wash it down. So to bed.
Saturday great being in the middle of your jols thinking a lot of geezers travelling. We laze around after colin and I go for a walk (and get soaked). I am reading lazy bones by mark billingham good stuff. We go for a nice drive to the cote d'armour stopping off in st briac sur la mer. Very nice seaside village. Then its off to dinard. Drink in the beach cafe. Spendid town then eat at the newport restaurant nautically themed. I have assiete des fruites d'mer. Oysters, langoustines,whelks,winkles,crevettes, and shrimps nice interactive eating. Main course was duo of fish with two sauces served in a very nice way round it off with a citron crepe. Home very quickly all pleased that everton won though colin whop stayed up to watch it says they stole it.
Sunday morning, colin and I head off for a morning walk, head up to mont garreau. I think I overdid it coz I am goosed. Head aching. Jean and I opt for a lazy day at home while Colin takes the girls into town. I have a kip and then laze in the garden and relax. Ring Vineeta to catch up with events round committee and mods meeting.

Friday in the am.

Lying in the garden on my belly blogging in the sun. Finished jpod and hey nostradamus by douglas coupland. Read three english papers purhased on wednesday and thursday. Dissapointed to discover they were all wednesdays. Surfing the web courtesy of the blackberry. It is using the local edge network. I have never used edge. The phone just rang they will be with us in about an hour. (Colin and Hannah) that is. Better get washed and dressed then.

Kens day

So I get to pick all days activities. First off its easy, jean volunteers to to the bakers to save me getting mauled by the savage dalmatian. I suspect the girls think I made it up. But the end of my baguette was wet with dog dribble, though granted it did lack visible tooth marks. I hear dogs barking too, fair nough I am usually alone. Anyway breakfast is good. Then its off to port st jean. Site of the old bridge of the rance. Cracking view both ways but it was bloody freezing. I wore shorts tshirts and sandals. Colin arrives from england tonight with warm threads.
Perseverance is rewarded I am given the dream shot of three frenchies in a horse drawn cart the eldest of whom is cradling a goat. Jean sees the cart but suspects the goat is another of my hallucinatory animals. Pleased to say it was captured on memory card.
Then its off via the recycling bins to Dinan my choice. An historic walled town bit further up the Rance. Two bits really old town and port town. We do both. Lunch was a cock up we get seated in a gaff with two many tables and not enough staff and walk away. We opt for a table outside at the cozy grill. They specialise in a bread bechamel cheese toastie that you add things to. Jean and I do ocean and ally does a goats cheese thing. Waiting for our meals the heavens open and it throws it down. We are rushed inside by very nice staff and served food that was yummy. Rain goes off we go for a wander. Really nice old town with top architecture. When we arrived we did the battlements and a mooched round a closing market. We are generally late whilst en vacance. Wandered around found an internet cafe jean went to a bar while ally and I went in this weird subterranean place. Then a drink, then retrieve the car to go to old port. Mooch around there and have a pear caramel crepe. Home get lost in plouer sur rance and find bridge complete with horse pooh. Home and chill.

Lazy day cont

Got home seriously freaked and a bit post adrenalin rushed. Was still twitching when sat down to roast chicken salad. Soon chilled out and relaxed.

Wednesday lazy day

We were all tired. Got up late, I wandered down the bakers and got a bit nervous about the french speaking. Then got barked at by a narky french dog. He was in my two big to kill easily if it comes down to it category. I managed to keep him at bay by briskly walking and using my baguette as a stave. Back home jean and I decided to take a walk up the hill down to river then along and down past the villages municipal campsite and down the beach. It was nice there. Then back past the mary monument and the graveyard. The rain started then. Back home. French hotdog for lunch. Then of top carrefour in la madelaine for a retail experience. I didn't like it one bit several panic attacks.

Jeans day continued.

We head for St Cast-le-guildo. Jeans plan was lunch out beach and looking at the sea. We had been for a holiday there before, it was a nice town and well worth a revisit. Being Clares we took a whacky route. From la ville-es-nonais across the Rance on the old bridge. Via Plouer-sur-Rance, through Pleslin, Ploublay, then across to St Cast. We score a lucky parking space across from the gendarmarie office. We walk up into the town and checkout the restaurants. We find a nice terrace and sit out. Kir Breton is called kir armour here for some reason. Ally does mussels the best ever she said. She ordered the food eloquently to me. I am always in awe of brits who can do it and not sound a complete arse like me. Jean and I opt for set menu. Mine is the 21€ coquille st jacques themed jobbie. Starts off with like a little stew full of scallops followed by a scallop and prawn kebab. Jean has a fish soup with all the trimmings followed by a monkfish and prawn kebab. We do puds too ally and I have sorbets jean does an apple thing.
Then its off to the beach, where I bare my chest proudly. I chucle out loud a lot reading Jpod. That book rocks. After tanning we hit a bar for some cidre. I sit reading the girls go shopping. Then the three of us hit a little supermarket. Off to one of the other beaches down a bloody steep hill. Fascinating array of shells and shellfish gatherers.

Jeans day

We wake about 10 and jean and I wander the village round the corner ville-de-nonais, to the nice little bakery top get pain, pain aux rasines et croissants. Nice shop and very tolerant of my crap french accent. Jean and I sat in garden she's reading me blogging. Ally is getting ready I am reading the weird book Jpod on Allys recommendation iy has me in stitches for sure.

Allys day

Being monday. We arise then head off to st malo. We park in the 3€50 park and ride. We lunch at the cafe south west. Ally has moules creme with frites, jean has salad nicoise and I wanted crab but its off so plump for scallops I'm some top sauce with rice. Washed down with une pichet de cidre tresz bien. The girls wander off shopping I mooch around the battlements and squares looking at the world, and occaisionally catching an image or two.
We meet up again at 4 and wander we end up in a creperie. Ally has a beuree caramel sel, jean some appley thing and I am in. To the rhubarb.
Then via inter marche metro its home to the free bus stop. Free for all would be more accuraqte definiely an adults only full on contact sport. Sod queing get as near to the front as you can and scramble on. I liked it in a sample the local culture sort of way. Didn't seem like many other anglais on the bus with us.
Off home then a relax in the garden phone mum eat tea and watch silent witness.

Last post cont.

Tourists with open mouths sayin wow what's a chitterling? Or shit they really do eat horses and the dick showing his kids the nice aquarium so the lobsters and crabs are live. The other sort of person loofs oh plop I live here and I forgot every sunday morning is this way. We forget a lot of what we need but get lots we dont. Back home via the chinese takeaway stall.
We breakfast melba toast brioche croisssant baguette ham cheese jam (rhubarbor strawberry. We start at 1pm. Jean and I plapy table tennis then I decide to go for a walk ride on the bike. Jean hits the sack I chill. Ally watches dvds. Ally and I play table tennis.
Then its time for a drive firstly plouer sur rance over the old bridge. Spotting a fire engine and supermarche on the way. Then is ba9k over the new bridge qaqnd off to find the chocolate box village of st suliac which clings to the side of the rance. Brits in a major minority. Some germans and some dutch but predominantly French crowd. Find q nice cake shop have a nice walk and have a beer sat outside the pub. Then its back home for a very make do meal followed by a saga length game of monoply. Brought out the worst in all of us. It even rains a bit.

Saturday night sunday morning

Went into st malo stopping at total station for gazole on the way. Bagged a top parking space through a mega fluke. Head off intramuros at eat at a restaurant we have done before. Moules frites with a crepe and some cidre. Then a scary ride home. Thought we were going to get pulled by the gendarmes in the village but he had his hands full with the thousands of hairy rockers who had descended on the village for the rock fest. We find home and so to bed.
Sunday is designated lazy day. Jean and trot to intermarche. I love french supermarkets but this place was chokka with two distinct groups. One was us open mouthed tourists doing amega shop in a

We have arrived.

Lots of weather bad traffic and good driving we have arrived. Jean is tired. The house fantastic. Ally is besotted with a local cat who I know Jean will hate. We are next the end on an exclusive 15 property development. With a lovely patio and a view of horses and the river rance. Bakery around the corner. Missed the shops and need diesel so plan is meal in st malo if we can pick up diesel and provisions on the way that's good. Wake jean at 8 allys in the shower, ring my mum and Bea (in a hopeless attempt to score brownie points).

Brioche Doreen outside Caen

The rain has been torrential on and off most of the way down. Was hoping for poule frites or steak hache, I would have settled for a hot dog but we had to make do and mend with something cold. I had a bizarre "pizza" where someone had taken the tomato out and replaced it with a cheesy mustardy sauce. Jeans off to the car for a kip allys in the queue for our pudd so I blog and people watch. You can tell the english they are the loudest and the most rude. A particularly nasty git is a cockney bad mouthing his kid in a very humiliating way. Ally is helping me brush up my french.

Calais in the dark dont

We arrived at 11 local time in the rain. A closed bridge crap directiopns and a crap navigator meant we drove round down town calais till we eventually saw the bonsai and then around a bit more till we found the road in. We were then relieved to find a parking space and we were let through a coded door by three french squaddies in full battle dress into what looked and smelt like their barrack block. I cunningly spotted the french word reception and hastily translated it. We were in the 36 euro b+b bonsai next door wasw the no frills hotel cap at 26 €. The bar open till three was populated by off duty squaddies playing snooker. We had two adjoining rooms sparsely furnished and tatty. Reminded me of the nurses home but with less care in the decor. A pleasant side effect of institutional living is that you can kip anywhere you can shave shower and shh........ The ladies however were less impressed. I am under instructions to book them in the the 110€ gaff and me in 26€ bargain doss house. We went to the bar 12€ for a demi and grand and a smirnoff ice. And so to bed and so to breakfast. It was everything the girls expected. Lacking only jambon and croissants for me. Sliced brioche and nutella did for Ally and for me melba toast was a treat.
We set off in a torrential and have driven through the same on and off all morning. 40k from pont du normandie now.

M25 was pants

Arrived late at Dover main culprit J29 to Queen Elizabeth bridge and carriageway improvements after that. No problemo says the sea france dude. Only 7.50 each as well. Couldn't get the 19.30 haad to get the 20.30

Motorway services

Lunch at the gaff on the M6 toll road. Now on the M1 headed south passing watford gap services wanting to get past the M25 as early as possible. Jean hates driving as much as I like being a passenger. She usually sleeps when I drive. It must be hard for her now. I am strangely relaxed and feel drowsy.

On the road again.

On the M6 headed south. Good news is the current security alert (critical). Picture for people airbound seems worse. Late call from Mentorn finalising the New York gig. Looks like the fifth to the tenth at the moment. Souns like fun going to Brookhaven hospital, and seeing jane deville-almond. Anyway tonights plan is dover by five over to calais and a kip in the very cheap hotel bonsai in down town calais.

icLiverpool - Sweethearts' big day

icLiverpool - Sweethearts' big day They are more famous than me.

Test post

Just lost one.

Spatial-Literacy.org | familyname

Spatial-Literacy.org | familyname
Fascinating stuff.

Spatial-Literacy.org | esociety | profiler

Spatial-Literacy.org | esociety | profiler Intersting Mr Bond.

Structurae [en]: Chateaubriand Bridge: Images

Structurae [en]: Chateaubriand Bridge: Images A bridge near where we are going

The wedding

Dave and Marias Wedding

Jul 11, 2006 - 99 Photos

Dave and Maria

  

Paddys wigwam

  

Wedding day

So the big day dawns. I am of course hopelessly unprepared. Get up late and start looking for maps of Brittanny on amazon. Par for the course. Arrive at mums find her pacing up and down. She makes me a bacon butty by way of calming me and has a brandy to calm her. She is stalking Ken the newsagent to get a fresh loaf. Profanities are the order of the day. The dog attacks a packet of her allsort treats drenchingv them in doggy saliva. I have to eat one handed to avoid cross contamination. Dave rings in a lot of a state. I remain strangely calm. Not sure of best manly duties. Don't get bladdered in the afternoon is Jeans order. More likely to get bladdered by the strike of noon. Mum resorts to tipples of brandy to calm her nerves. I am treating the gig as a professional one and will not imbibe till speech is done. I am on my own now with the dog childhood memories come flooding in. How disturbing it isn't helped by the old fotos mum has out.

British Library-led partnership chosen to run UK PubMed Central

British Library-led partnership chosen to run UK PubMed CentralLooks like good news to me.

Agm hotels

7089454 nightingale hotel
Green park hotel
New holiday inn express speke airport

Thursday in the AM

Off into sefton suite via the ironing shop at the top of the road. Stop at simply coffee where an feb screams at me. I opt for scrambled egg on toast and sausage and bacon and black pud by inhalation. I call a cab and wait while blogging. Need to get a good haircut before the wedding. Gonna go for what gareth jones calls the high and tight look. Ear hairs need trimming too with the right backlighting I have a ook of yoda once more. I am turning into my father. Marinaded some chicken in prep for tea.

Noodles were good

I had a 47 wet - emein Ally had a 42 dry both excellent free green tea tenner the lot. Best vfm I have had in an age. Got home ally and I had a really good talk. Made tea and we ate in the dining room. Worked hard in the evening. Catching up with people and touting for work. Pitched my book idea to an editor. Got DVDs and VHS from rachy wonder how she's doing.

speech details aide memoir

Maria

Dave

Bridesmaids Rachel, Leanne. Kelly

Flower girls Chloe and Sophie

Groomsmen John and Billy

Bride and grooms mums Dot and Kathy

 

 

 

 

 

On the train again

When I first started my nursing career nearly 30 years ago I used to get the train to fazakerley. Now I am at that station again this time bound for central to meet ally. Had a productive time at work this am. I am continuing to learn every day. I need to brush up my bandster stuff and it has always been the area of most mystery to me.
Rice lane kirkdale sandhills moorfields centra jobs a good un

The best mans duties including best man speech and best man speech wedding

The best mans duties including best man speech and best man speech weddingSome pointers here then.

The best mans duties including best man speech and best man speech wedding

The best mans duties including best man speech and best man speech wedding So this is what I have to do - Dave please look and opine. Speech will of course be short and to the point

Au revoir Incapacity Benefit

So I have taken the plunge jumped off incapacity benefit after doing the humiliating "permitted work" its what us disabled folk can do and still claim benefit. Helps us get out the house feel good and earn sweetie money. Money which the taxman takes a big chunk of as well. I have been earning the maximum of 81 quid or working 16 hours for a while and turning down work and money making opportunities. So I spoke to Jean and we decided to give it a shot. Deep down I was uncomfortable with claiming incapacity whilst sunning on a beach in brittany thoughI guess even we dolescum are entitled to holidays.
So I am testing the market for a start up business, I do a bit of nursing, a bit of writing , a bit of speaking, spose I could take pictures too if I was that way out. Hmm store that thought for later. Good thing is I am not looking to make a killing just more than 85 quid a week (incapacity benefit. I think I will feel a whole lot better about myself too.
In society today we are often judged by what we do - usually one of the first questions people ask. I now need to think of an answer, I must ask me mate Jane Deville-Almond, independent nurse consultant and freelance journalist - sounds good. I probably need a website too. But for today I am still permitted so I am off in to see Lesley and get a handover whats going on, prior to her leave.
Nerves about Dave and Marias wedding come up - will I look an arse with my speech (yup), probably. Hope it all turns out well for them must ring him today to see if there is anything I can do practically.

Indian doctors offer to maim beggars in TV sting?|?Oddly Enough?|?Reuters.co.uk

Indian doctors offer to maim beggars in TV sting?|?Oddly Enough?|?Reuters.co.uk

icLiverpool - Tokyou Noodle Bar, Berry Street, Liverpool

icLiverpool - Tokyou Noodle Bar, Berry Street, Liverpool Ally do you fancy this for lunch today?

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Anti-obesity vaccine' developed

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Anti-obesity vaccine' developed