FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD. MARIE GOES TO GIB

A weekend alone for me.

Which was great, uninterrupted footie

all weekend.

Marie has gone to Gibraltar to meet up

with some old shipmates for a weekend

celebration for the closure of

Charles Hole in T' Wall Bar.

Ships visiting Gib from the 70's would

visit the bar, ran by Charles, as

a course of routine.

Charles is as camp as a row of tents, but there

was something endearing about going to

his bar. Getting drunk and singing "Naval Songs"

Am going back to Gib myself soon.

Want to see how it has changed.

SAD START TO THE YEAR

Has been a very sad start to the New Year. 

I went back to Portsmouth

on the 3rd January to see my great

friend Paul who was ailing rapidly

in QA hospital in Pompey.

Sadly 48 hours after I visited, he passed away with 

his family by his side.

Paul had been out many times to France and we were always 

out fishing, or to the bar for a session. 

Always had a brilliant laugh together.

Had known Paul since our days together at

Northwood from 1998.

Am back for the funeral on the 25th Jan, and will have 

the sad duty pallbearer...

(or Paul Bearer) he would get the joke.

Going to be sadly missed, but fondly remembered.

RIP Buddy!

MORE FESTIVE PERIOD AND NEW YEAR

And so Xmas continued.

More eating and drinking.

Eventually the Xmas cake came out,

but not till New Years Eve, where there

were 12 of us having a tapas party.

So that meant more eating and drinking.

We are having a recurring theme here.

We lasted well in to the early hours.

A Happy New Year to all our readers!