ball bags for men

What  the modern man on the beach should be wearing nowadays.  The ball bag pouch (two versions available!!).
I think l managed to pull it off (Fnaar) in Ibiza.

toodle pip 

henry and nessie's funerals

Rather sadly, l have just been to two funerals within a week of each other at St Anne's church in Hipswell, Catterick.  One was for a friends mother l knew (Nessie, Podge's mum), and the other was for an ex serviceman who l knew from drinking with in my local pub (Henry Jennings).
Nessie had cancer, and l called in at her birthday party in Richmond on 9th August, as everyone knew it would be her last, seeing as she was given about two months to live six months ago.  She looked well, was in top form, but sadly died two weeks to the day afterwards. lt was all back to the sunny Unicorn beer garden afterwards, and she would have laughed at the cd getting stuck as she was carried out of church,as she was certainly a character. The picture of her drinking a pint is from the aforementioned birthday bash, making the most of what life she had left.
As for Henry, he was a man who rose through the ranks in the army (Royal Signals), but was captured during the war in Korea, and spent nearly three years in a prisoner of war camp in the 1950's, which he described as a very harrowing place (to put it mildly). Sadly for him, his wife and children suffered early deaths, and he developed Dementia in the last stage of his life, but after he died, was bought up from his care home in Eastbourne to be buried at Catterick (where his home was).

He is also commemorated in a painting smashing up his radio set before being captured, a copy of which is still displayed  in Hunters wine bar, and is used as the cover of the above book.
Both services were kept short, with only the one song/hymn, which in both cases was 'All things bright and beautiful', but in Henry's case, it was back to The Wine Bar (Hunters) afterwards.
Everyone grows old and dies, but it was a great idea to have an early picture of Henry larking about on the back of his order of service, to remind people that he was once a young, good looking man with a wicked sense of humour and fun.
It's a cliche to state that funerals put things into perspective, but that's not going to prevent me from stating that it is true, so try and enjoy life. In the great randomness of the Cosmos, most things aren't worth the hassle of worrying about.
Or to quote Bobby McFerrin - Don't worry - be happy.

toodle pip

ibiza

Part of the reason for not posting recently.  I've been in Ibiza!
Photos and more information will follow.

toodle pip

best tattoo ever

I like my new tattoo, but also have a nagging feeling that l should have gone for this one.
What an inspired idea, and it helps that old Brucie was pretty cool (and very hard) back in the day.

toodle pip

hello hello - l'm back again!!

Did you miss me - while l was away?
Did you hang my picture on your door?
I'd better stop there before l get too identified with Gary Glitter.

Anyhow, after my extended break, l thought l would get straight back into the swing of things with an amazing photograph of a baby clutching the surgeons hand from within the womb.  The 1999 photograph is called 'The hand of hope', and is by Michael Clancy, but the staggering thing about the picture, is that the baby was not born until  four months after.
A follow up on the story can be found here.

toodle pip

the comparative size of continents and countries, plus the afterlife

Most people have probably seen the comparison of the map of Africa with other countries (above) by Kai Kraus (which is here), but Business Insider have done some more, which can be found here, and some of the comparisons are certainly surprising, with China being 12 times the size of Texas for one.
It's a big old (insignificant) world.
Arthur C Clarke said 'Either we are alone in the Universe, or we are not.  Both are equally terrifying', which l don't actually agree with, because unless an evil alien force comes to conquer us, l believe we will all just live and die, with no consequences regarding any kind of afterlife.
And l'm happy with that.
Now watch me get struck down by a thunderbolt thrown by God.

toodle pip

the bradley watch - feel the time

As part of my job, l am sometimes tasked with buying watches for the visually impaired.  These are normally talking watches of various designs, and l have used them myself to find out the time when l am in bed without having to switch on a light.
Although these Bradley watches do not speak the time, they can be understood by feeling or looking at them, and they also look pretty cool, so l can imagine plenty of hipsters wearing them in the future.
As for me, l don't even own a normal watch, as time doesn't rule me.  l don't need a watch to 'feel the time' as l can do that through the cosmic vibrations around me (and all that kind of stuff), but l'll admit that if these were cheaper, l would consider parting with my hard earned money for one (and l am also far from a hipster).
More information about them here.

todle pip

yugoslavian record covers

It's easy to mock other countries tastes in music and LP sleeves, so l might as well do so.
Here are some tasteful albums from Yugoslavia, and if they have pipped your interest, more can be found here.
The covers themselves are enough for me, as l dread to think what they would sound like.

toodle pip

david moyes, the chosen one, has left the building

So, David Moyes, The Chosen One himself, has been unceremoniously dumped, and now it's a case of who will replace him.  Louis Van Gaal is the one l'd put my money on, but what the hell do l know, as l would have kept Moyes on for at least another year and let him have a clear out and replenish the squad in the summer, as some of the players, especially the senior ones who should have been stepping up to the mark, have been taking the piss.  Despite Moyes's failings, negativity, and post match comments about playing well when the team obviously haven't, he has proven himself to be a good manager over the years, and Manchester United are not a club that should be taking knee jerk decisions, and should have gone for the long game (and risen above all of the negative press he has recently endured). It was also pretty distasteful the way the press had obviously been briefed in advance about the departure, and Moyes then had to wait until Tuesday morning for his sacking to be confirmed.  Not classy at all, and it just tarnishes the clubs reputation.
If anyone is interested, the banner above is now on sale at ebay, but l have a sneaking feeling the winning bidder won't be paying up, unless it is a consortium of Liverpool fans who are planning on displaying it next year, if the worst happens, and they win the league.
Bloody football.  At least we haven't been relegated.

toodel pip

bloody rats

Whilst letting Mr Parrot out in the garden the other day to catch some rays, l wandered over to the overgrown and usually (at the moment) rabbit run, and idly leaned on it, passing the time by wondering if any rats still came over from the fields at the back of the garden, like they have in the past.  Then l noticed something from the corner of my eye - a big rat that was a bit sleepy or dazed.  I managed to kill it by whacking it over the head with a shovel, and then threw it into the farmers field (as you do in these circumstances), and although l felt a bit sorry for it and didn't want to particularly kill it, l also don't want to be having loads of rats by the house.  At least it wasn't as big as the one above, but l might have to keep a look out in case his mates start gathering, and invest in some rat poison. Then again, l may just build myself a rat trap like in the gif below.
One of the many joys of living out in the wilds.
Watch this space.

toodle pip

how to use the internet

I've forgotten where l downloaded this from, but it's pretty much on the ball.  I guess my internet actions, like everyone else's, depends on how l am feeling, although l certainly didn't start a blog because l was angry.
Mad maybe, and certainly 'a bit' crazy, but not angry.

toodle pip

the oscar pistorius trial

The Oscar Pistorius trial is still ongoing, with the evidence being challenged by both sides, but l've got a sneaky feeling that if it had been me killing my girlfriend by shooting through the bathroom door (when she was meant to be in bed with me), l would have been banged up by now, whereas Oscar might just get away with it because of his fame, relentless sobbing, and the no doubt bucketfuls of cash used for lawyers to plead in his defence.
If only he had invested in a sign like this on his bathroom door, then everything would (probably) still be hunky dory.

toodle pip