Since we last spoke I have, in no particular order of importance:

1. Been to a gig on a boat, the Thekla in Bristol to watch C Duncan play his songs and ran into a chap from school who I haven’t seen for decades, he was easy to identify as he hasn’t changed or grown, maybe slightly tubbier, as we all are I suspect, I know I am, and what of it, it makes me look sophisticated. Anyway he’s got a small plane and i’ve bagsied a go in it; we’ll have to wait and see. The gig was good and one of my fellow gig goers’ wife just bought 2 Shihzus, his remark was “They don’t bring much to the party”
2. The village this week has its annual onslaught of tourists arriving to plunder and litter our beautiful woodland, shouting and running and perish the thought, enjoying them selves. The landlord has upped his daily wine intake and has lost his bar manager, who walked out; contract issues I believe. I want the bloke to succeed as the pub has not been this busy for aeons, but it’s on a knife edge. After the mother’s day disaster I just hope the Bluebell Walks will be relatively incident free, if the weather is good, hundreds of folks walk through the woods and up to the pub. Anyway I’m off camping so will not be here to see it.
3. The village marquee was put up last night by the elder statesmen of the village and myself and N, many jokes about what a substantial and impressive erection that is were told, mainly by N (until recently in charge of Ministry humour). But one has to marvel at the canvas and rope involved.
4. Been offered a job, not full time, but its a great lead and will involve me having to put my hand into my pocket to pay for ongoing training, but once done could be lucrative. Setting out, its a surveying thing, and the way things are going at my place of work at present, it would be the ideal opportunity to try and make a go of it whilst still working for the man, if it takes off then excellent, i’ll throw in the towel, the pension (boringly) is very good and the usual guy in Worcester who does this type of thing is set to retire soon. M has been very helpful in suggesting which way I go about doing things, I believe I may need a spreadsheet.
5. Camping tonight, Saturday and Sunday, it’s going to be wet, and cold but sunny during the day time, I’ll wrap myself up in a blanket of beer and hash cakes with everybody else as we gaze and cough our way through the noxious smoke of burning painted floorboards in an effort to keep warm. I will return on Monday, worse for the wear and will not recover until Thursday, that’s usually what happens. 23 of us, over the Long Minge (Mynd) in Rattlinghope, if you pop into the Bridges you can buy me a pint, its the least you can do for all these meaningless words I have scrawled over the last 16 months.

There we are, Ive got to dash, the car needs packing, I need clothes and I need to pick up my son from School in an hour, wish me luck and I’ll see you on the other side or at the bar, the Bridges at Rattlinghope, just in case you forgot.