Up North!

Today I have travelled across Lancashire and over to the other side of the Pennines - somewhere I've never been before. It was beautiful and I thank my travelling partner, Ian for taking that route and showing me how beautiful it is. He is himself a Yorkshire man so knew how wonderful 'Gods country' was but hadn't been back for a long time. We found a pub literally on the Derbyshire/West Yorkshire borders called the Dog and Partridge and has a local pint and a ploughmans.

29 years ago today.......

Pippa


I had to travel to Worsley today as part of the print management tender which I am representing as part of the IT team.

On the way up there we passed Nantwich, Cheshire. This is where my first Gordon Setter, Annie was born on this very day 19 years ago.

Pippa, my very first setter (an Irish) was born 29 years ago today as well. This is where my obsession started!



Annie

Well Done Elijah Blue and Summer!

Tilly has just sent me the news that two of Harvey's pups qualified for Crufts at the Gundog Society of Wales show - Chartan Elijah Blue actually winning the dog puppy class!! I'm bowled over - cant wait to see how they do at Crufts next year.

Off on my Magical Mystery Tour of BOC!

Today was the first of my BOC site visits for the Print Management tender. Today it was Letchworth. It was actually a really good experience. It's so difficult to support these plants when you have no idea what they look like and it makes it all so much better if you know the people personally.

Launchpad is no more!!

I came home to the sad and in some ways tragic news that my neighbour Raymond - known to those of us who'd been in this road for ages as Launchpad had been found dead alone in his house. He earned the name Launchpad from his previous neighbour after building a vast concrete base for.....well something - and three years later it was still a vast concrete base so we all speculated as to what it was and came to the conclusion that he was building a nuclear launchpad - and the name stuck.

Why tragic? Well, because he was so incredibly bitter and lonely espeically since his cousin (who he lived with when I first moved in) passed away and even more tragic that if anyone would befriend him or try to help him he would drive them away by being nasty and vindictive.

A lasting memory of him was when on a trick or treat evening he threw a bucket of water at the kids who dared to knock on his door - he really was the original Grumpy Old Man.

Rest in peace Raymond - although I suspect wherever you are you are having a go at someone!

RIP French Champion Amscot Jetsetter

Sadly Harvey's sire Jet died today. He was 13 1/2 years old (not bad for a Gordon Setter) and full sister to the only dual champion of this century Champion Amscot Irresista Belle (Trisca). He lived in France with his owner Francine.

RIP Cool Hand Luke!

Yesterday the world mourned the passing of one of Hollywood's greats, Paul Newman. Today virtually every newspaper had his face printed across the front page. By all accounts this handsome icon was loved and respected by all who knew him and those who only knew his films - and of course his salad dressings :)

Rest in peace Paul Leonard Newman.

Leaving Las Vegas....again!

Our last night in Las Vegas and we met up with my very good friend Nik and her friend Rosie. We met in Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville for lunch and then later at the America bar in New York, New York then onto the bar near Coyote Ugly (who's name escapes me). I got talking to an all american guy who had heard that us Brits are taxed on out TV (well maybe that's what the licence is) and that all pubs have their own brewery out the back LOL!!!

Nik and Rosie left us later on so we gambled and I believe they went onto Rok then off home to Phoenix in the morning!

Again, I'll be so sorry to leave this outrageous town!

The Book Thief

What can I say about this extraordinary book? It's a tale told by Death about World War II as seen by normal Germans who didnt particularly embrace Nazi'ism. I totally enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who likes a clever book with a very serious message.

Reel 'em In!

We decided to check out out old haunt tonight - the America Bar in the New York, New York and as ever it didnt disappoint. I had this wonderful spinach and ricotta ravioli, Alan had a pizaa that could have served a family of four for a week!!

We then went to the casino floor and after days of disappointment I found Reel 'em In - in fact possibly the very same machine's I used to play on when I've been in the NY,NY before - they were the old machine's not the newly created 'classic' - this is the best slottie!