Monthly Archives: August 2002

The Bank Holiday Weekend

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This weekend and Bank holiday we basically stayed at home. 

The Sunday was the return of the Welsh, (St Brides Major) clay shoot. They arrived at 11.30 and shot the 80 bird layout. After the shoot, there was lunch and much beer and wine. The result, we beat them on the day, but they won the whole overall shoot by six shots. When you think each of us need only have scored half a shot more to win, then you can see how close it was.

The Monday we ran a shoot for the Grendon Underwood football team. There was a lot of set-up and clearing up at the end. I had to show most of the shooters how to handle and shoot with a shotgun. They, never having shot before. 

Canal trip

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No rest at all, up early to do the final touches the chicken dish for the Saturday picnic. At Pitstone by 9.00 a.m for the canal trip kindly arranged by Carol and John Curd. There were twelve of us on board.

The boat was on the Grand Union canal. We took it South going through 6 locks stopped for the picnic and then took it back to its berth.

The day was excellent, the sun shone, a breeze kept the temperature down to a comfortable temperature. The company was good, the different foods provided on the picnic were excellent, as was the wine. The entertainment of opening and closing the locks kept us amused and fit. 

Only bad point was I seemed to miss a hand rail on the boat and fell into the canal. Oh well, can’t be helped, it did seem to provide amusement to all those around.

Back to old blighty

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I was in bed by 2.30 after the blues night and trip back on the El. Now the alarm clock, and phone were ringing to make sure I was awake by 5.30 in the morning. A quick shower and a cup of coffee, and I was at the Blue line El by 6.00. Soaked in sweat from the very high humidity. It was hot and a little rain was falling.

Made the plane in plenty of time, take off was an hour late, we spent much of that time moving from one side of the airport and then back again. Something to do with storms in some direction or other. Chatted with an American on the way back, her first time in England, and a little frightened of flying from some past experiences of turbulence.

Arrived in Heathrow at 11.00 p.m., place was deserted. Took a while to get the car out of the car park, because I could not find the phone to ring the Pink Elephant park. This was not a BT phone, but an internal extension phone. Eventually left Heathrow 12.00, getting home at 1.00 am, before the daughter who arrived in later at 2.00

Thursday in Chicago and more blues

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Today was just finishing up in work. Set up the backups, and added the creation of the SQL to the install scripts.

Supper was at the hotel, in the Trader Vics restaurant. Had some Mae Tae cocktails and BBQed fish for supper. Afterwards headed out on the EL to the Blues club on 2500 North Halstead. Arrived just as the band was starting to play at 9.30. They played three sets of one hour each, and so I left at around 1.30 Friday morning. It was a pretty good evening. Consumed a few glasses of beer, and bought a couple of tee shirts from the club.

Liz and Mike recognised me from the previous evening. Had a few words with them.

Wednesday in Chicago and the Blues

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My time here is coming to an end, just one more day and I will be out of here.

Work wise, just adding the final touches to the release mechanism, though more work must be done to add all the other products later.

For lunch went out for an Indian buffet with Tom and Vikram. It was quite good, spicy but not hot. Because it was a buffet could try all kinds of dishes.

After work did a bit of shopping, bought my self some jeans. I went to Virgin MegaStore to take a look at the DVDs, they were priced at the full US price so I did not buy anything. The selection was large, they had box sets of all kinds of UK shows, Monty Python, Black Adder, Jeeves and Worster (sic), etc. They also had the Collectors Edition of Die Hard, (6 DVDs) at 79.99 + tax. I was looking to buy the DC version of Blade Runner, I might get it from Tower Records next to the hotel, it is a bit cheaper there.

I had supper in the Down Town bar of the hotel again. Meal wise I had, beer and a burger. Tonight was blues night and the band was excellent. It must be hard for them to perform in that type of environment where they do not get a great attention from the audience. They had just got back from Germany, and had spent a night in England. Apparently getting a lecture from the cabby as to why we will never have the Euro in England.

I am afraid I bought two CDs, one by the singer Liz Mandville Greeson, and the other by the guitarist Mike Gibb. Hope they sound as good as they do live. I might go out and see them play tonight at a Blues club on Halstead road.