HOME BREAD

The new bread machine has made it's debut.
Pretty good start as well.
Sun dried tomato and parmesan bread, which was
delicious, especially when hot.

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY CAKE

Marie's latest effort was for

Mikhail and Natasha.

Their birthdays are over the same weekend.

NEW COCK, AND HE's A BEAUTY

Sadly, Rolf the Cockerel passed away at the 

weekend. No apparent reason.

Seemed fine in the morning, but in the 

afternoon he wasn't moving, so we bought

him in the warm, but he died overnight.

He laid in state for a few hours, before

interment at a simple service near the

compost heap.

So a replacement was needed to keep all
the girls in check.
So from the other side of Lamballe,
I give you "Sid" our new Silkie Cockerel.

He's settled in well and will be up to
performing his duties very soon.

THE GRAND SOUTH OF ENGLAND TOUR

I went back to Trowbridge for Paul's funeral,

then headed back to Pompey to catch up with

a few old shipmates.

Marie then joined me in Pompey before we both  

went down to Weymouth for the weekend

of Jock Rennie's leaving the Navy run.

It started on the Friday in Weymouth high street at 1200hrs.

Hell, the first hour was exciting as the host was adrift.

But it picked up and Friday was a real laugh.

Saturday being the main day, we all dressed up

in our King of Tonga T-Shirts to pay homage

to our hero.

I had learnt the Tongan national anthem, and sang

it with such passion that I closed my eyes

to avoid crying.

In the afternoon we decamped to Portland and the

famous Green Shutters Pub.

Many a night I have spent in there over the years,

but my first visit for 22 years.

More drinking, a bit of dancing, and more drinking

till we retired around 2-30am.

A damn fine weekend.

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!