Sunday 6 January 2008

It's all over


On this joyous day of Epiphany when Christmas finally puts away its decorations and celebrates the arrival of the Three Kings, I stare bleakly ahead to the rest of the month of January without the overweaning company of my best friend Mr Booze. Every January is the same although this year I have deferred by six days for purely selfish reasons. As a quid pro quo the plan is that in February I will drink only at weekends (Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday). I will do it of course, I always do; the first three days are the worst and then it's OK. Just so profoundly and utterly dull. I am seeing this evening off with a bottle of 2005 cabernet franc from dodgy Tony in the Veneto region. Delicious. I leave you with a shot of our Christmas tree in the snow and a heavy heart.

24 comments:

cindy incidentally said...

Ron, what can i say? What, indeed can any of us say to your soliloquy
Yes, indeed that is my photo, i think it is very flattering . I 'm wearing my new specs.
And what's more you try pedling this STANDING near the kitchen sink with a 15 month old round your legs.
Happy January to you and all.

Fred Fibonacci said...

Ron. Hope all goes well with the pledge. I'm a Mr Sheen man myself furr-narffur narf.

Peter Ashley said...

Yes Ron, but how will we know? Of course we trust you implicitly, as we always have done at this sombre time of year. That Christmas tree looks like it's moving up over the horizon to get yer.

Peter Ashley said...

Oh, and Cindy- how's Reg Varnish?

cindy incidentally said...

Sadly, Peter Reg has gone to that great bus shed in the sky.Thanks for the inquiry it means a lot.

Diplomate said...

Ron - if it helps, found myself in need of some roast beef and beer about lunchtime Sunday. Called at the Queen's head - had my usual starter, whitebait served in a page from the Saturday Telegraph (interesting article about preservation of pill boxes etc), followed by the most delicious bit of angus rib, all bloody, the lot washed down with a few pints of Oakham Ale's White Dwarf which is a very full sized wheat beer around 1046 og and a fantastic foil for the beef.

Ron Combo said...

Thanks Diplo, you're all heart.

Peter Ashley said...

Did you know, Cindy, that Reg Varnish launched the first cash machine? Thought you should know.

cindy incidentally said...

I didn't but did you know that Chris Farlow is a furniture remover in Stoke Newington. I'd rather remember them as they were, wouldn't you?

Peter Ashley said...

How appropriate, being that Chris Farlow's only hit (albeit written by Jagger/Richards) was 'Baby. baby, baby, you're out of ti---me'. And Ron will remember when the Rank Xerox salesman who came to fix our office copier was Gordon, after his brief spell as one half of Peter & Gordon.

Peter Ashley said...

His surname came back to me just now as I was noting that I need more Wright's Coal Tar Soap. Gordon Waller.

Diplomate said...

That's very spooky, I was just checking the telegraph obituaries for details of some body i knew, only to find that the W of his initials stood for Waller.

cindy incidentally said...

Chris Farlow also di 'Handbags and Gladrags' Just heard Stephen Bishop singing 'On and on' Does anyone recalll it? It's such a good song.Don't tell me he works down your pub Peter.
This is a bt like a Wake sn't it? In that we hope the spirit of the deceased is watching/listening over us as we chat over tea and Bara-Brith (if t's a Protestant funeral) but we just don't know.
Here's to Ron, God rest his soul

cindy incidentally said...

ps Spooky indeed Diplomat,ooh aren't you posh knowing a cove in the Telegraph Obituaries.

Peter Ashley said...

Ooh he is posh Cindy. One of the Diplos of Diplo Hall.

Diplomate said...

Oh - Ron, just thought i ought to keep you posted, I have to go The Queen's Head again Friday night for some whitebait and roast squirrel, I'm reliably informed Geoff has some Newby Wycke Atlantic Class 75 ready for me. I'll let you know how it goes.

Diplomate said...

Cindy - nice picture of Diplo Hall on my blog - Sweat,Steam&Gasoline, i think there's a link on Grappa.

cindy incidentally said...

We're going for a curry tonight, Ron. Can't wait, it's just what's needed after the Christmas finery. Then a snifter down the pub. Cheers.
Dipolmat, i'll have a shuffty.

Ron Combo said...

Just keep rubbing it in you lot, why don't you.

cindy incidentally said...

In the name of God, will you change the bloody photo. It's depressing. Lovely curry by he way.

Peter Ashley said...

And tonight I've had a couple of bottles of Blandford Fly and a few Sapphires with a lovely runny piece of Somerset Brie. Off to Uppingham tomorrow to get a big bit of pig for Sunday and a nice claret to help it down. Probably have a few Bateman's before getting cake and Tiptree Marmalades from Baines.

cindy incidentally said...

I once went out with a bloke who went to Uppingham. He was a Toff as well, infact his dad was a Lord. Trouble was, despite this and the fact he was good looking(not to me however) he was a total pillock. One example, he turned up one night in a banana coloured JUMP SUIT(well it was the 80's) nevertheless that was no excuse and it was bye bye Charlie.

Diplomate said...

Ah Ron - the atlantic class was off so i had to settle for several pints of Elland's White Mountain. Bad injury suffered friday night, leaving the pub at closing time and some bastard trod on my hand, stone floor too, very annoying.

Peter Ashley said...

This must be the most number of comments left on our recent blogs. And Ron's not even getting his face in a glass. And where is Cindy? I bet she's ski-ing in Bertchesgarten or wherever it is skiers go.