Doomsday

Doomsday, what a film! Probably almost done at most cinema's now but go catch it if it's is still on.

A tour de force of a film which really shouldn't work but does. It's sorta Mad Max meets 28 Days Later meets Escape from New York meets Excalibur with other film references thrown in for good measure, if anything it's a perfect homage to those movies. can't say I've enjoyed a film so much in ages! And Rhona Mitra, what a leading lady... schwing!!!

May

Well May has been a different kind of month, an eventful one to say the least. It started off at break neck pace with Gary's visit back and day trips out and mucho beer! It's always a massive drop when Gary goes home though as I rarely see him these days, I kind of wish I had the money to go over to China more.

Then came the ending of an unconventional relationship I've had for a good for months, it was something I really enjoyed and to be honest I'm sad at its passing, perhaps more sadder than many past relationships have made me. It still hurts too, because it meant a lot to me.

The rest of the month has been filled with appointments, outings and interviews and has generally been really busy.

Oh and I've also embarked on adventures with somebody else. its early days yet but she's funny, genuine and very caring, and a stark raving mad Scots girl !!!

The month of May certainly hasn't been dull, a roller coaster of emotions, tears and smiles.

Sheesh I've just realised I don't often do personal blogs these days on here!

Beer Fest !

Though I've been in Newark a while now I've never been to one of the beer festivals here, the truth being I've always heard mixed reports. I'm not really a real ale sycophant either, though I do like it, I don't sample it with train spotter enthusiasm and diagnostics. Sure I worked in a brewery for many years and I do know a good pint but I've never been fanatical about real ales.

I have to confess to liking the tradition side, the fact its still alive and well and part of our heritage and culture.

This year was the 13th Newark beer festival and I really didn't fancy going but at the 11th hour and such a shitty week beforehand I went down and met up with some friends, I'm really glad I did too because I enjoyed it immensely, so much so I went Saturday night too.

There were hundreds of beers to choose from and you got to keep your commemorative glass tankard too after paying the entrance fee, which wasn't much. The whole event had some great music on and was very well organised and set up with lots of hard work from the camra (campaign for real ale) volunteers.

Saturday one of my fave local blues bands 'Booba dust' were on and I watched them whilst sampling some very weird and wonderful ciders!

And here is Booba Dust below in full boogie!

Mr Sunshine ~ 2 (Skegness)

Here are a few more photos of Gary's visit over. We went over to Skegness mid week as our craving for fish and chips (we had red snapper fish) took over. We also took my friend James with us. It was a really warm day, that was when we managed to get there, I fell asleep in the back of the car and Gary who incidentally knows the way decided to use my sat nav and we ended up going via Boston, adding about 30 mins to the journey!

It was a good day, pretty much a boys day really, video games, junk food et al. Oh and lots of competitive Mario Kart in the amusement arcade on the pier. Skegness isn't the best of places but it will always hold that nostalgia for me.

James IS Bowser!

Gary IS Mario

Gary and James prepare to race!

Ice cream and blue skies !!!

Mr Sunshine ~ 1 (London)

My friend Gary came over from Hong Kong from May 2nd - 10th to visit his family ... and me of course. Yep I know that was ages back but it's been a busy kind of month with lots of twists and turns! I've nick named Gary Mr Sunshine because last year he came back at roughly the same time and it was glorius sunshine then for a week.

Anyway, we had a great week, as ever with Gary it was very regimented with early starts and his thirst for shopping is positively feminine! We had several days out including London, Lincoln and good old Skegness for fish and chips and an ice cream on the beach.So here are some of the photos from that lovely sunny London. I must add we did do Camden in London too but I've posted plenty of Camden photos before, so this time you get more cheesy tourist ones! Our route took us down to Oxford Street from Kings Cross, then into the seedy environs of Soho with its fab cd and comic shops before going through into China town and Leicester Square. After that it was just around the corner to Trafalgar Square and through the horseguards HQ and parade ground, down past Big Ben, along the Thames and back on the tube at the Embankment up to Camden for several hours heavy duty procurement of goods! An exhausting day to be sure.

I really liked this silhouette style one of Nelson watching a distant plane trail with the sun in front of him.

The London Eye

Big Ben

National Gallery