The last concert...

 Thursday night, I went back to Union Chapel to see Lau playing.  What a crazy night.  Aiden and Kris now seem to be watching Mart as if they're worried what he is going to do next!

Back up north in the freezing fog, and we went over to St Helens to see the Family Mahone. Absolutely, definitely their last gig.  A real shame because they are just so indescribably good entertainers, amazing music, and so utterly funny...

"Are you ready to rock?"  
Cheering from the crowd
"Well, we're a folk band so you might as well $$$$ off now!"

A great entertaining night, with Donal headbutting a guitar, Jock Mahone playing in the second half, and Kat Mahone singing "You scumbag, you maggot, You cheap lousy faggot" to DJ as if she really meant it!

What!, December already ???

Working down south again, but managed to see the last 15 mins of Vin Garbutt playing at Hitchin Folk Club at the weekend.  Very Funny.

I've decided that I must get to see the boat (and maybe get some work done on it) in the very near future.

While "stuck in the south and a long way from home, where the air tastes of smoke and the beer tastes of foam" I have planned out all of the wiring and plumbing.  Now the boat is sealed, I want to get the floors down, then I can make an accurate plan of the walls, and start some serious fitting out.

Food, Beer and puppies

Busy, busy. Working Down Salisbury area for a couple of weeks, still I managed to get some great food where I was stopping at the Swan at Stoford.

At the weekend I was working at Bury Beer Festival which was good,

and then Lady P's dog had Puppies on the Saturday night.  Why do they always decide to have puppies at 4 in the morning, why never at a quarter past two on a Sunday Afternoon?

:-(

I was supposed to see Lau in Ely this week, I had tickets and everything, but I ended up working instead :-(.

Thursday went down to Manchester to judge at the Manchester Beer Festival.  Fantastic festival with all of the beers on handpump.  Had a wander down the Irwell Riviera and had a couple of pints while I was in the area.

Managed to see KAN at Bury Met on the Friday night.  They started later than I thought, so had time for a quick bite to eat in the Automatic, which was very good.

A bit of colour, and a long way to pay for sex...

Finally got to see the boat again (remember the boat ?).  Painted !  And looking resplendent in the Blue/Green twotone colour.

There's no hope for a lasting peace on the Leeds Liverpool though...

Can't stop though, because I'm on my way up to Aberdeen to see the Family Mahone.  It is a long way to Aberdeen.  You forget what the distances are in Scotland, but 350 miles, and I'm starting from up north!

The Family Mahone were superb as usual, and we had a fantastic night drinking Brew Dog beer and listening to drinking songs.

Got back to the Travellodge, and my room had no sheets on the bed.  When I asked at reception I was given another room.  There were already people in bed in this room.  When I asked again at reception for a room with bedclothes, and no other people in the bed, I finally got a room, with an offer of sex from some russian prostitute working out of the Travelodge Foyer, which I declined. All I wanted was a bed to sleep in - too much to ask? Just remember, Travelodge don't give a toss once they've got your money.

I was disturbed half way through my shower in the morning by somebody hammering on the door.  I was then informed by the (rude and obnoxious) member of staff at the door, that if I turn the shower up to hot, it sets off the fire alarm, so I have to have a cold shower!  That explains what happened in Nottingham, somebody must have dared to have a shower!

Lesson learned - never stay in a Travelodge.  Nobody has recieved a reply to the (many) complaints from Nottingham, but I have still wasted my time complaining to Travelodge.  You never know, one complaint might not just be tossed in the bin.

Spent a couple of hours in the morning wandering around the docks of Aberdeen. The beach has been spoilt by some idiot building "Sunset Boulevard" pleaseure beach.  It should be "Sunrise Boulevard" don't they know the sun sets on the West coast!

Drove back home, but took a small detour through the lakes to have a fun drive through the lakes in the rollerskate, and a quick pint in the Old, as we haven't been there for months.

Mods, Beer, and a lack of fire...

I went up to Nottingham on Wednesday night for judging at the Nottingham beer festival the following day.  Called in at the Trip to Jerusalem for a couple. Supposed to be the oldest pub in England - but I think quite a few places claim that. I seemed to pick a scooter club night, as there were dozens of scooters, from ancient to  new.


Continued on to the Castle Rock Brewery Tap, and had a couple of superb beers there.

4 AM.  The fire alarm goes off in the Travelodge.

 Outside it was like a Brewers convention. No sign of the staff though.  The Fire Brigade turned up, made sure the building was safe, and we went back in.  Still no sign of the Staff.  Travelodge obviously don't give a toss for the safety of their guests.  We have all paid up front, so why should they ?

Nottingham beer festival, and quite a huge selection.  Unfortunately all of the beer was far too cold to taste, and a lot was not very good.

On the way back to the train station, I noticed the pub on the canal was the called the Fellows Morton and Clayton.

Another good musical week.

Went to Union Chapel in Islington for the first time.  What a great venue. I suppose churches are designed for accoustics, so not surprising, the sound was superb.  Saw Judie Tzuke with her daughters supporting.  I haven't seen her for thirty years, and she still has an absolutely fantastic voice.

Back up north, I picked up the double glazed units for the front door, but didn't have time to do anything with the boat. I've decided to dump the horrible plastic mains inlet, and ordered a rather snazzy stainless steel inlet plate from t'internet to add "no Plastic" to the "no Brass" theme. Hopefully I can get the shell sealed soon, then I can wire up a couple of lights and get some work done in the evenings.


Saw Adrian Edmondson and the Bad Shepherds on Saturday night in Manchester. Troy Donockley didn't fall off the stage this time though...

Had a great curry in the Mogul restaurant in Whitworth later to round off a great evening.

Sunday, and I'm travelling down south again, but stopping in the Sun at Hitchin I found Dave Swarbrick playing atthe Folk Club there.  Playing fiddle tunes rediscovered form the 16th Century to as modern as the victorian times, he proved that an evening drinking beer and listening to music is an education as well as a pleasure!

Mousetrap, Good beer, Bad Beer

Spent a day down at Elgoods brewery in wisbech judging beer.  It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it! All the Beer was superb - a good testiment to the brewers in the East of England.
Had a wander around the brewery, and met the two brewery cats.


I think it should be made into Law that if you have a brewery, you have to have a cat.

 Amazing to see the copper sheets that used to be used to cool the beer down.  this must be worth a fortune these days if you weigh it in!
 


Saturday night, I went in the Hare & hounds and had two awful beers.  The staff didn't care. typical of so many pubs these days, they are so proud of having more beer pumps than anyone else, they don't care that they don't sell enough to keep the beer fresh.

Darby gave me the Stainless strips for the boat and they are the business!  All I need is a bit of time on the boat to fit them!

Scouser has managed to move the boat so that it is on the deck.  This will make it easier to finish the painting.

Saw Chris While & Julie Matthews at the Met on Friday, then after travelling down south for work on Sunday, they were on at Hitchin Folk Club as well!