Footpads

Back up to Clapham for the Festerers reunion and the New Inn was in chaos, as new people had taken over the pub only the day before.  They coped well though and we had a great time.
On the Saturday a few of us walked around Ingleton through the woods up to the top of the waterfalls. I have a new phone, and didn't realise it was on min resolution for the pictures!

At the top we were accosted by the criminals who demand £6.00 before you can walk to the main road, so we turned around and went back.
 I always thought that England was a free country, and I am sick of these thieves posing as companies who will charge you to walk through part of the countryside. Lock them up.


Had a couple of days in Sheffield for the BeerX exhibition, stopping at the Holiday Inn Express (fantastic hotel - just refurbished I think) just opposite the old canal basin.

. There is a great brewery tap on the station platform, with the brewery right next to the tables in the bar, and with useless bar staff. "Oh yes, this beer is cloudy because that is how the brewer brews it". I suppose it is supposed to be flat and oxidized as well!

 I found remains of one old brewery, not part off the police station I think.

The exhibition was at the Ponds Forge centre, All new buildings on an old site.
Even with all the modernisation there were still a few old buildings remaining.

A couple of us went to the Fat Cat and by lucky chance, found out it was Pie and a pint night.  Had a superb Steak and mushroom pie, and flat beer.  Have they not heard of sparklers in Sheffield ?

Racheal Sermani was back at the met for a short concert in the studio with Pete Roe. I love the studio at the Met, it is small and has a great atmosphere.

Animals and whistles

We went to the Grand at Clitheroe to see the Animals and Friends. This is a great venue and has completely changed since I was here for school presentations many years ago. The ever fabulous Stumble were on first and they were on fire - literally. During the last song, the fire alarm went off.  Everybody just ignored it because the music  was so good.

 Cam later told me that one of the amps had blown up, setting the alarm off.
To be honest, after such a set, the Animals were ok, but the Stumble were just so much better.


We had the Big Whistle Folk Festival at the Met mid Feb, but I only got chance to see the fabulous Rachel Sermanni on the Saturday Afternoon as I was too busy making beer!

On the following weekend we set up the 2nd Ramsbottom Beer Festival for the RNLI. This was a bit quieter this year, probably due to being in the middle of the month.  46 hand-pulled beers were on , and we raised £1200 for the RNLI.  Not as good as last year, so next year we will have to do better.

Jack is a dull boy

January is here, and I seem to spend all of my time working.  Hopefully I will earn enough money while I'm busy to be able to work on the boat next month.

End of the year

 Christmas approaching, and it is getting cold.  Rusty is happy though because he has a new house, all expense spared.

In January, I decided that I would see how far through the year I could get before I got a train that was on time.  It is now the end of December, my last train of the year and, 23 minutes late. East coast trains are very apologetic, and consistently 10-20 minutes late, so why don't they just alter the timetable to add 20 mins to the journey ?

I shouldn't really complain because the alternative isn't worth thinking about. 7 times this year I tried Virgin West coast cowboys and they were between 50 minutes and an hour and 45 mins late. Also Virgin Customer indifference departments don't give a toss whether you are delayed.

 If Virgin lose their franchise then good.  Their service is crap and they shouldn't be allowed to run a piggy bank never mind a railway.

I arrived down south and there was a steam train waiting on the other platform.  I suppose those were the days when the train had to run on time or somebody got fired.

Luke cooked a fantastic Christmas dinner, with far too much food. 

We had seafood with seared tuna, peppers, salsa and salad

We had beef and pork and  yorkies and potatoes (mashed, roast, sweet) carrots parsnips, beans, stuffing, etc, etc

and cheesecake and wine and beer and port and cheese....

Even the dogs were stuffed.

Across (under) the channel.

We had sent some beer over to the Brewers of Europe in Brussels, and We took the Eurostar over for reception there with euro MP's, to feed them British beer and show what they would be missing if British brewers were taxed out of existence.



Brussels is a city where the buildings all seem to have been built at random, making quite a different skyline.










In the evening we went to the Grand Place where they had an amazing sound and light show, painting colours on the various buildings in time with music.

We had a couple of beers in some of the bars, which are ornately decorated as if they have been unchanged for years.

All the beers have their own style of glasses just to make it more fun!

Which Idiot ?

It has been a long time since I've been to Union Chapel, so this week I returned to see Thea Gilmore. This was a great evening of music with Thea and her husband Nigel Stonier, playing fantastic moody and beautiful music.

 Playing keyboards and Bass for her is Tracey Browne, who I last saw in a bar in Ramsbottom playing covers. She is now playing her own material and her new CD is superb.  I look forward to seeing her at her own shows.

I suddenly realised my passport had expired, so I had to go to the passport office to het a renewal. Well, that is a jolly day, waiting four hours for it to be ready!

Friday night I went to St Albans arena to see the Idiot Bastard Band, with Ade Edmondson, Phil Jupitus, Neil Innes and Rowland Rivron.  Hilarious and brilliant.

Sunday, and I now have heating as well as light in the boat

On with the Show

I went to the o2 at Islington, once I had found it, above a shopping centre. The support band were called Hound and were brillint.  There were no CD's avilable though, and I can't find any details of them on T'internet because I would like to see them again.

Next came the main event, Sad Cafe. I last saw Sad Cafe in about 1985, and tonight they were as good, if not better than they were nearly 30 years ago.  On With The Show, one of my all time favourite tracks, was perfect.

The end of the week came and I went up to Preston for a live recording of I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue at the Guildhall.  This show sells out so fast every tme tickets go on sale, and I am still amazed that it was the first time for so many of the audience.

On Sunday I managed to get all of the lights wired and on. Now, in theory, I can work on into the evenings when the light (and also my energy) is fading.
 

I got into Manchester a bit early for my train in the morning, so I went for a wander down the canal, under London Road and Aytoun Street before joining Canal Street