Anne's on the zimmer frame trail again.....

Tepid news....Anne and John are in Peterbrough this weekend....Granite-jawed Essex Man has emerged once more from the primeval slime to wow yet another ageing female audience and we're on a promise for a scintillating post-concert report from at least one of the audience.....so watch this space, if you can bear the excitement!
(ps I looked the man up on Wikipedia...just out of interest and in the vague hope I'd find something in the scurrilous gossip line, but the first sentence says 'David Essex failed in his first attempts at stardom.'.....so hey, enough said, I read no more!) Here's the man himself with his best buddy....I guess he can't afford to be too picky these days, he'll be doing talks on jam-making for the Whitley Bay Townswomens Guild next!

Comedy Festival

Festival Diary here .....anyone fancy anything?

Just to prove it's possible.....

Embedding a video inside the blog instead of posting a link to it that is! I give you Mr Spike Jones and his City Slickers with that old favourite 'Cocktails for Two'

It's Richards Birthday on Friday!!!

It's a question that's bothered sports historians for years.....where on earth did Kevin Keegan get the original idea for that perm? This archive photograph has recently been unearthed and may go some way to solving the mystery....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICHARD

ps other interesting birthdays today

'The Sun' newspaper 1963....Richard the lucky recipient of celebratory silver christening mug....he remains the only one of the siblings that never made it to the font!

Agatha Christie 1890....make of that what you will!!

Blast from the past....

Found this today...some of you may want to wallow in your childhood, some of you may not, but this website is worth a second glance if only for a fun source of retro email cards....jack and jill at buttercup farm, harold hare, original pics from 'look and learn' (ma probably still has some of the originals in that cupboard over the stairs if we took the trouble to look!) Tried to upload a composite pic of a few covers but not to be.....think Brian may have been downloading something large so my puny computer couldn't cope with the strain!

And one you may not all want to join in on....

Chris and I have made a pact.....to go and have a smear test (that's one each....there's limits after all!). But we're planning on mixing purgatory with pleasure and doing a 'ladies who lunch' session after the event somewhere uplifting (ie anyplace they sell strong alcohol and tasty nosh!) Even non-participants (of either gender, though any gents interested should be of strong constitution) in the initial fray could join us for the nicer aspects of the experience.....watch this space.....if you can bear it!

Debut

Finally after many technical problems (it is easier on the David Essex Girls Club!) I am able to contribute...look forward to details of my Autumn Tour among other items.

Hello. Having been suitably chastised for our tardiness we have tried our best to write something however I think we may have gone half way to starting another site. Anyway my legs are hurting having just finished playing football for 40 mins , and the good news is I'm still the youngest player at 41 years and 358 days old ( see I'm no where near 42 ). Still there is wine and chocolate downstairs so I'm in a quandry what to do. Drink or two finger type......... TARA.

Update on web albums

I probably spoke too soon and it's maybe slightly more complicated than I first thought (you may find that the dodgy set of retro images I posted doesn't work, it didn't for me when I tried it at home after setting it up at work)....though not impossible nor beyond our combined capabilities. Tell you what, I'll work on a 'help sheet' for anyone who wants to publish a back-catalogue of holiday photos to bore the pants off the rest of us!

Here's an idea....

Above is an advert for local walks (I'm requesting the actual leaflets tomorrow)...how about a family event, walk along the coast taking in the flora and fauna, picnic midway if the weather glorious, BUT if the weather rubbish, doing the 'real ale experience' and taking in the fish quay on the way. Register your interest and availability via the comments thingy.

Posting a web album of photos

retro samples

Nov 23, 2004 - 12 Photos

I've just discovered how to post an album of photos to the blog, just click on the image above and it should take you to the rest...anyone wanting the details let me know!

Heritage Open Days this weekend

Did you know it's Heritage Open Days Weekend this week? You can find out what's on at the various open-to-visit venues via the local homepage, search for the areas you're interested in visiting. Now me, I think I may check out the Dove Marine Laboratory on Sunday the 10th (apparently this is a picture of it above, though presumably some time ago...check out Lurch with the white hair, beard and gloves glaring at the fountain!....see here for source) I've lived here for 45 years and never made it yet, so maybe this year. The bad news, the Victoria Tunnel in Newcastle isn't participating this time, so no wandering dark subterranean passages....suspect it has something to do with the major building works that effing Northumbria Uni (but I didn't say that....they pay the bills!) is undertaking on both sides of the urban motorway.

Still on the subject of food....

This is a special request to Chris, Anne and Richard (Bex....tell your dratted parents to get their collective arses into gear and join up before we start spreading malicious rumours about them!) I've probably bored you with this idea of mine to write up a bit of family/local history....well I need a bit of assistance in the content department. Dredge the far recesses of your memory and post your recollections of family diners and Ma's kitchen escapades....what we ate when we came home from school or for school dinners, culinary disasters (eg does anyone remember the day she decided to go exotic and cook moussaka using potatoes instead of aubergine?) and any particular favourites that we've never eaten since the 70's? Come on....dish the dirt!!!

WINTER WARMERS

As requested by Mogs, recipe for Fig, Tomato and Caramelised Onion Jam is detailed below. Happy chutney making.

Fig, Tomato and Caramelised Onion Jam

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
600g onions thinly sliced
2 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
55g Sugar
6 large Tomatoes
700g Dried Figs
125 ml Lemon Juice
880g Sugar (Extra)

Heat oil in large frying pan, add onion, cook, stirring about 15 minutes or until onion is very soft. Add vinegar and sugar, cook stirring often about 20 minutes or until mixture is lightly browned.

Meanwhile combine tomato with fig in a large heavy-based saucepan. Simmer uncovered, about 20 minutes until fruit is pulpy.

Add onion mixture and remaining ingredients, stir over heat until extra sugar is dissolved. Boil uncovered stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes, or uhtil jam jells when tested on a cold saucer. Out hot jam into hot sterilised jars, seal immediately.

Makes about 1.5 litres
Storage in cold dark place for about 6 months, refrigerate when opening