Vicar's Homepage

Glastonwick 2008

I am back recruiting staff for this years Glastonwick festival. (04th-06th July)

I need bar staff and security assistants, 

Details below. 

http://www.cask-ale.co.uk/beerfestival.html

Leave a comment with email address should you wish to join the party,

and I will send on an electronic applicaton.

Staff are paid £5.00 per hour in drinking vouchers exchangeable in Dark star Pubs.  

 

Some of our happy staff last year!!!! 

Amsterdam Style Coffee Shop for Falmer

Albion are planning some unusual diversions for fans at the forthcoming Commuinity Stadium. There is lots more of quirky Brighton in my new Brighton Gallery. Follow the link to Photos.

 

Medical Update

Latest PSA score is 0.86 down 37% on the previous reading. This means in effect the treatment has taken effect. I even managed to dodge the 'digital examination' (Just as well!) It is to early to talk in terms of a cure, but things are going well, and if that level of progress continues I will be very happy. It is now a matter of starting to think ahead again, which after two years of having your life on hold is quite something I can tell you.

Tomato Sauce for the Arse

I have been up in Scotland, back in North Berwick! It was just as I left it a few years ago, a couple of nice bars, more coffee shops per square mile than Brighton, and endless clear skies. It has a large sandy beach and some interesting geology, ie a large volcanic crag overlooking the town and a huge rock out at sea, which is a gathering point for all the local seabird life. (A picture of which is currently adorning the London Underground in a poster campaign for Scotland.)

I found a nice hotel, with a lively bar. Friday night and a very fine dinner in house, onto the bar for a nightcap but found a surprisingly lively bunch of rugby fans, trying to convert me on one side, and a stunning redhead surrounded by four blokes on the other. It turned 'Puddleduck', as was her nickname, was our night security porter, and the head bar girl at the rival proper pub. I saw a lot of 'Puddleduck' over the weekend. Went to Edinburgh, to football (Alloa v the mighty Blue Brazil-Cowdenbeath to the unitinated) and had a spectacular walk along the coast from Dunbar. Very nice, I am heading back for my 50th in November where Ros and I have a room at the Witchery (Edinburgh) for the weekend.

 

Other than that very quiet, feel fine just super tired. Had a nice night out last week went to see Nouvelle Vague, a French act which cover old punk songs in a bossa nova fashion, funny, arty, clever. Enjoyed. Their version of Too Drunk to Fuck will stay with me for a long time!

http://www.nouvellesvagues.com/english/about02.html

Ah! its so much fun this age isn't it. Went to see a specialist about my piles, instead of the nice comfortable chat about surgical options at a later date I was expecting I ended up on the couch with Doc bearing down on me with a hammer in one hand and a pair of pilers in the other, telling me to RELAX!!!!, with an ‘I am going to fix this right now attitude.’ Now I thought in my own comfortable world, this was the surgical procedure, only to have it administered in outpatients without any anesthetic. As a consequence of the battle that followed I ended up in bed for the rest of the day wishing for stronger forms of pain killer.

Finally succumbed to a TV addiction, I have gone back to Series One of the Sopranos, and watching my through the lot with the aid of these new fangled DVD clubs, where you can rent complete series as well as movies, anything in fact. its rather good. Love the show, so well written I am not sure I ever want to walk into an Italian restaurant again.

Tony to girlfriend 'Watta reading'
Girl 'Chicken Soup for the Soul'
Tony. 'You should read Tomato sauce for the arse, The Italian Version.'

Radiotherapy One Year On!

There hasn't been anything posted for a while on the subject, so here goes, I am having some minor side effects form last years treatment, and still feel perhaps a little more tired than necessary. I am working full time quite successfully, but doing the full 9 to 5.30 wonder where my life went. I am still on the radar and my next tests are due in March.

In the meantime I have linked with MacMillan Cancer Support and have joined a focus group. We feedback to the 'system' on our treatment and thoughts and concerns. The main part of the project is we are liaising with Sussex Cancer Network who are developing a brand new support centre at the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton. Our feedback will give the planners a deeper insight of what patients may be looking for, and how we can ease them through their treatments. Lots of interesting and imaginative ideas. For me it is the first time I have met fellow sufferers on a one to one level, and look forward to the next meeting. My main interest is supporting the newly diagnosed through their first few weeks of realisation and assisting them with their treatment choices.

 

 

Albion in and outs!

Here was the final state of play at the end of the transfers deadline.

OUT

Bas Savage (Agent said he could get a much better deal elsewhere. He couldn't.....Err Unemployed!!)
George O'Callaghan (Returned to Ipswich after Loan. Trouble maker. Don't hurry back)
Alex Revell (£150,000 to Southend, shame, but could not get a starting place in the new line up.)
Nathan Elder (£35,000 to Brentford, very disappointed with this, a real talent we could have nurtured.)
Dean Hammond (£250,000 to Colchester. wanted to join a bigger club, career suicide. Pratt!)

IN

David Martot (Loan from Le Harve, good enough squad player. Until end of season)
Shane McFaul (From UCD Dublin, unknown, Until end of season)
Steve Thompson (From Falkirk, undisclosed fee, very solid signing, a natural replacement for Charlie Oatway. Very good business. Two and half years contract!)
Matt Richards. (Back on loan from Ipswich until the end of the season. Pleased to see him back.)
Glenn Murray (£300,000 from Rochdale, highly talented goal poacher with goal every other game record throughout his career. How the hell!! Three and a half years.)
Jonny Dixon (£55,000 from Aldershot, already injured? Two and a half years!)

Signing this week on loan!

Darren Currie (from Luton. A returnee. Bought him three years ago, only to sell him to Ipswich two months later for £250,000. Was due to sign Thursday, but as he is owned by Luton Towns administrators, they had gone home for their tea, when we had the paperwork in place.)

Photo Album of the Wreckage

Check out the photo album Wrecked, click Slideshow and er put the sound on..............

Worthing Beach Gets A Patio

We woke to find Worthing as headline news this morning when the seafront took a direct hit from the timber slick which has been floating along the channel this week. It originated from a cargo wreck off the Dorset coast last week.

Needless to say Worthing beach was full of sightseers when we joined them this afternoon. The timber stretched as far as the eye could see heading Westwards, and made quite a site as the tide had arranged it into unnatural shapes as it washed ashore. The clearance teams were already piling the timber into great stacks to await removal, which looked even more spectacular. Maybe they should leave them. It made the usually devoid of character seafront look really interesting for once.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7198735.stm 

Sculpture on the beach 

Here Kitty* Fetch! 

 

*Kitty is the name of the pub dog!! 

 

In the Lap of the Gods

 

Its 06.00am on the Sunday before Christmas and the Easyjet queue is heading back out towards the door of the terminal, for me the good news is I am not on Easyjet, the bad news is that this means climbing over the Easyjet passengers as not one of them will make enough space for passengers of any other airline to get through. Luton Airport needs some redesign here.

Meanwhile I am heading to Lapland, Enontekio (Pronounce: Eon Tok Yo!) to be precise, courtesy of Canterbury Travel on a day trip to Lapland for the Santa Spectacular daytrip. I took a night last night at the Hilton Express, a short five minute walk away, having stopped in St Albans on route for a pint or two, arriving just in time to miss the restaurant, a problem helpfully resolved by front desk who provided a take away menu. Thus I watched Match of the Day in my room with a take away curry and a bottle of Becks. No problem here. 

Despite the embarrassment of being the only solo traveller on the flight, it was fun, and I soon got into the spirit of things. The three hour flight was punctuated by a good cooked breakfast, and a film (suitably The Polar Express.) On arrival we were escorted to a changing area and provided with suitable clothing for the -9C climate, an over suit, boots, balaclava, hat. It was all there.

 

We were then taken half way to the town of Hetta by bus, and onwards by skidoo and sleigh to a local hotel, where a full buffet lunch was served throughout the day. (Average, but the vegetarian soups were filling and good.) A list of activities was provided and then I was on my own to explore.
Activities included a Horse Sleigh Ride, Reindeer Rides, Husky Rides, Kick Sledging, an Ice Castle to explore, and for the adults Snowmobiles on the lake. Being a non driver I was surprised I was allowed to use them, but the guide explained, Right hand go, Left hand stop, Red Button engine. She then thumped the Crash Helmet onto my head with one distinct slap, and pointed me to my machine. It was really a motor bike on ice, and I loved it, totally exhilarating.

With a couple of hours left in the Village I was taken aside by an Elf, (Yes Really) and explained in no uncertain terms Santa was waiting for me, and I was going whether I liked it or not. (Surreal: A menacing elf!!). It was the best bit of the day, another ride into the wilderness for 5 minutes and then left in the middle of nowhere beside a fire pit and another couple of elves. I was slowly losing contact with reality.

 

Eventually I met the man himself, and we had a long chat about climate change, and its effects on the local area. We are 20 degrees warmer than usual, and the last snow was 10 days ago. It is the warmest winter since 72, but this makes his job easier as the kids struggle with the climate at -30, even fully protected in their suits, and usually arrive in some distress. I have to say Santa had a suspiciously English accent.   

Finally Souvenir time. What could be better than a full sized Reindeer pelt? A bargain at 60 Euros, a perfect Christmas present. Thus after around four and a half hours in the village it was time to head back to the airport. I was met there but one of the directors of Canterbury Travel, a charming man with a long following white beard, and allowed onto the plane early to meet and chat with some of the crew. Clearly one of the advantages of possession of a dead Reindeer, and managed to lock it away before the kids got onboard.

Another three hour flight back into Luton, (Film:Elf, running on a theme here!) A comfortable flight with a Belgian crew on a Thomas Cook A320. Fair legroom. The only complaint I heard all day was lack of Veggie food on the flight. We missed the Northern Lights due to cloud cover, which was a shame, but otherwise a truly lovely day, which will stay in the memory for Christmases to come. Ros and I will be looking to do a four day adventure safari in the future. 

A night back at Luton and straight back to the office for my final shift before Christmas, with Rudolf still in tow. (John whats in the bag? Rudolf? Oh my God!!!!!!!!)

(The guy on the right seemed familar)

 

(When I applied to be a Lap dancer, this isn't what I had in mind.)

 

Life on the Backyard: Encore

A faster than expected trip back to Kokrobite by another private taxi, and after a week on the road I was back at Big Millys. I was soon sitting in my room without either electric or water supply but very happy to be back This would have bothered me enormously two weeks ago, but now it is just one of those things that happen in Africa. Not to worry, it will be alright tomorrow. A large bucket is promptly delivered to wash from.

There are still a number of the regulars here from last week so it didn't take long to catch up. Sadly things came to a head with my Ghanaian friend and the kids. We had lunch at hers, a take away we bought in the village and settled round to eat.  She lives in a very Spartan couple of rooms with no furniture save a mat on the floor. A case has arrived since last week, apparently from a local charity, full of clothes. Pots and pans lay in the other corner. (There are no cooking facilities.) It is in other words grinding poverty. She has told me she has considered trying to get to Europe by boat. It is little wonder she is desperate for money to have a chance to set up a business.

I do not have funding available to help her, though the thought of somehow sponsoring one of the kids is in my head. However after showing me the dress she is going to wear to the airport to say farewell, I am aware the children are now calling me Daddy, at her encouragement. It is a hard decision but that leaves me with no other choice than to again make it clear again I am not offering direct assistance, and that I really did have to leave. With the level of attachment the kids are being encouraged to make  I decide against offering to help and head for the door. I walk up the street with the eldest child screaming for me to come back, arms extended. It is painful in the extreme. 

On a lighter note Puppy Dog Eyes was back at the bar last night and delighted to see me. (You have come back for me!) After all the stress with Ghanaian Friend I was pleased to see her too,  and she joined me and some Irish friends for the evening. It turns out she is one of the local hairdressers, there are many in Ghana, she has a solid job and a skill. Essential here.

I shop for last minute souvenirs from Olivier the artist on the beach, and buy a few beads, some of which end up in my hair courtesy of Puppy Dog Eyes. I try on a shirt but it is too small. An hour later there is a knock on my door, without asking another larger version has been made, I feel obliged to buy.

 

And thus it became time to leave Kokrobite for now. No sign of my Ghanaian former friend or her lovely kids, but I went to the beach to say farewell to the traders. Puppy Dog Eyes was of course present for the grand farewell, and we swapped farewell gifts and it wasn't long before I had another weeping Ghanaian in my arms. It wasn't this difficult last week. Fortunately the taxi back to the airport had some uplifting music or I think I would have been gubbing too. 

I had imagined the airport in Accra to be a mass of humanity, it was tidy, well organized, and the customs people felt obliged to knock out a tune of my tiny souvenir drum. It has been an immense experience, and I look forward to coming back.