I've got to thinking about my own mortality this last couple of days.  It's not that I am depressed - far from it in fact, got my whole life in front of me and so much to look forward to.  Next week off on a week's adventurous training to Bavaria and on return a couple of weeks preparation for my youngest daughter's wedding.  Beyond that I have two new grandchildren arriving between November and January and all in all things are looking good.  In 5 - 10 years I should be retired and able to live comfortably on a pension in one of two houses either here in UK or Cyprus so really everything looks rosy.  But, and there is always a but, who knows what really lies ahead for us? 

 

Although I have been in the Army for well over 30 years now the deaths that have hit me the most (with one or two exceptions) have not been the ones caused NOT by active service, but those that have occurred when least expected.  I won't name the individuals because that would be insensitive, but I have known so many young, fit men who have been taken at the most inconvenient and unexpected times.  Whether it was playing squash, driving home from work or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time, the results have been the same - game over. 

 

When we get into our 50s (I am now 51) we seem to attend more and more funerals of our friends, all of whom we expected to be around for another 20 - 30 years.  The bottom line is that very few of us are actually prepared for when the reaper calls - I am certainly not. 

 

We could argue that Michael Jackson (used simply because he is the latest in a line) could have expected his own demise due to the stresses of his forthcoming London concerts and a mixture of prescribed drugs, but in reality of course we all thought that he had a good few years left.  The guy was fit (if not a bit chewed up), because he had to be - all that dancing and round the clock medical attention - he could never have imagined that Liz Taylor would outlive him!

 

So, I have decided that when I return from Adventurous Training next week (if I return) that I should make out a Will.  I have kind of taken for granted that Greta will get everything when I go, but there is bound to be some bloody nausia caused by not having one.  The Cypriot authorities might become arsey over the joint ownership of our house or maybe the children will fall out over what dad would have wanted - I don't know, but I guess it needs sorting.  In the interim period between now and posting a will to my solicitors this will have to do.  I want Greta to have everything and she knows what I want my lovely family and friends to have.  I trust her judgement better than my own.

 

There, now if I should fall off a rock face next week or my heart give out unexpectedly I won't have quite as much stress as I relive my life during the closing moments.  However I am optimistic that I will survive the event and be able to write a will that won't be needed for a few more years yet.  I have far too much to look forward too.  (You got that God?)

 

Now for those few readers who drop by from time to time I hope this has hit a note.  Do you have a will?  Maybe it is time for you to think about what happens to your loved ones when you shuffle off your mortal coil?  Reading this you would think I am advertising for solicitors, but honestly I am not.

 

One final thought.  If you live alone, have no family and few friends and the best that you can come up with is leaving your money to a charity or cats home - remember me!  I might well live to be a 100 years old and I would definitely be grateful to receive a surprise gift from an unknown reader who remembered me in his or her will.  I don't know what the legality of putting an e-mail address or blog name on a will is, but you could try setting the precident!  Scribbler aka, thatcherite99@hotmail .com aka David Hamilton, philanthropist & poet in the North East of England.

 

Regards

 

This is Elliot Morley an elected member of parliament and a thief.  He systematically spent £16,000 of taxpayer's money in claims for a mortgage that he no longer had.  He claimed it was due to sloppy accountancy and had paid the money back.  He isn't alone in fleecing the taxpayer and abusing his position, but so far his is the most serious case, having actually been caught out making what must amount to fraudulent claims.  He has been suspended by Gordon Brown - but in my view a longer rope should have been used.

 

I can't even claim £2.20 for a meal without producing a valid receipt and the paperwork involved means that I don't even bother submitting them most of the time.  How can we have any confidence in our Government (whatever party) when it is becoming increasingly apparent that it is just a Gentlemens Club where the membership greedily put themselves before their constituents. 

 

 

This is Andrew MacKay MP.  Mr MacKay claimed expenses for his "London Residence", while his wife, Julie Kirkbride also an MP claimed full expenses for a residence in London.  A mistake?  Absolutely not.  Just pure exploitation of a poorly managed and closely guarded financial package for the benefit of the Westminster elite.   Hopefully she too will be on her way before long.  I hope the residents of Bracknell show their feelings for this contemptable man when the opportunity next presents itself.

 

 

This is Hazel Blears The Communities Secretary.  The communities secretary told Commons staff her London flat was her "second home" on which she claimed expenses. But when she sold it she did not pay CGT, due on homes the Inland Revenue does not consider a "main residence".  She said she had acted within the rules but knew people were "really angry" and paying it was "the right thing to do".

 

She was accused of changing the property she designated as her "second home" twice in one year - first claiming her Salford home was her second home, then changing it to a London flat which she sold before buying another London flat and claiming expenses on that. It emerged that she had not paid CGT on the reported £45,000 profit she made on the sale of the London flat - her spokesman said there was "no liability" for CGT on the sale.

She said she had acted within the rules of the Commons and the Inland Revenue, but told Sky News she had decided to pay the money anyway after public uproar.

 

Alan Duncan MP claimed £5,000 to have his garden done.  Lovely.

Michael Gove MP - claimed £7,000 for furniture.  Clearly his Westminster salary wasn't enough.

Oliver Letwin MP - claimed £2,000 to lay pipes under his tennis court.  Nice.

 

Health minister Phil Hope is to repay £41,709 in second home allowances following media revelations.   The Labour MP said he had kept to the rules but stories about his expenses had caused a "massive blow" to his integrity and standing with voters.

These are just a few of the scallywags that we elected to act on our behalf and represent our interests in Parliament.  The fact that they are now forming queues to pay back the expense claims shows only too clearly that they knew that at least morally the claims were wrong.  The fact that the Speaker of the House attempted to involve the police in finding those responsible for the leak shows just how much they wanted to keep this practice under wraps.  Thank goodness for the Freedom of Information Act - an act of parliament that they never thought would come back and bite them in the arse.

Resign, resign, resign.  MPs MUST be beyond reproach when it comes to these matters - not self serving blood suckers dining out on the honest working men and women they are supposed to represent. 

That goes for all of you, Brown and Cameron included.  Time for a major reshuffle.  Let's have some honest men and women in parliament - and more importantly let's have visibility over their expenditure.   Being an MP is a privilege bestowed upon those we choose to represent us.  Don't apologise - it is meaningless.  Reform and resign - be honourable.

Scribbler.

 

 

 

 

What a fantastic night it was last night.  Over 200 people packed the cinema in the Imperial War Museum, London last night to listen to three military poets read from their work.  The first Lieutenant Colonel (JB) Brown, RLC, the second, Major David Hamilton (Rifles) (aka me!) and the well known author of 'Here Bullet' Brian Turner, a  former Sergeant in the US Army.  The event was hosted by Max Hastings and the scene was set by Christine Lamb a war correspondent who has seen more than her fair share of action in Afghanistan and other theatres of operations.

 

Although initially a little apprehensive about reading my work in front of such a large audience I gave it my best and received a terrific reception from them to help me on.  I read four of my poems starting off with a verse about an incident that happened to me when I was a young 18 year old soldier.  The poem is called Springfield Sanger and I will post it below this.  My wife Greta, my youngest daughter, Victoria and some lovely friends were in the audience to support me, which made the event all the more special.

 

The event was followed by a reception to which the audience was invited and I was amazed by the lovely comments I received from them.  I even managed to sell a load of my books "Manic Verse" with an impromptu book signing.  One of the highlights for me (apart from meeting and befriending Brian Turner - a truly gifted man with a heart of gold) was to meet the neice of W H Auden (Anita) and a number of other modern poets who came along to listen.  Not least of which was Wendy  Cope who writes witty rhyme and parodies and was very complimentary of my reading.   A truly inspiration experience and a chance in a lifetime.

Springfield Road Sanger

Yet another stag on sanger, with a further two to go

A Belfast sky to help it drift away.

The sounds of jeering children as they ambled to and fro

Another uneventful Springfield day.

A sanger's made of breeze blocks that a garrand round would skip

but the windows on each side are made from steel.

There is a tannoy in the corner, by your orders, on a clip

Yes, a fortress in the high street seems surreal.

You man the gate to Springfield, at the same time spotting 'Int',

Counting breeze blocks and the ridges on the gate.

Your partner tells you stories, which helps while away the stint

As you view the street beyond the armour plate.

You get used to hearing gun fire, but you never fail to jump

As your senses come to terms that you're not hit.

It only takes a moment, till your heart regains its thump

But that moment takes a lifetime I submit.

Every rooftop hides a sniper, every letter box the same

Every missing brick a killer lies in wait,

Every pushchair bears a pipe bomb, every movement draws your aim

Everybody's hearts are filled with hate.

We all knew about 'the sniper' that had never missed his mark,

And the rounds that he was using, pierced steel.

There were many other stories, each one equally as dark

That the tellers always swore to be for real.

One morning I remember like it happened yesterday

A spiteful crack rang out and made me start.

I felt my body tremble as the round sped on its way

And drew a breath to sooth an anxious heart.

But the moments turned to seconds so the round was not for me

As I told the tannoy whistling on the wall.

“Keep observing”, said the tannoy, “and report back what you see”

That tannoy didn't seem to care at all.

 

Then the gate began a drum roll as a landrover turned in

The driver punching wildly on the wheel

Sensing panic in its whining I unlocked the holding pin

The angry horn continued its appeal.

With menace or with madness the rover barged the gate

And flung me like a rag doll to the floor.

I stood up in sheer outrage, to shout “Can't you flipping wait?”

But the words were quickly stemmed by what I saw.

The two top cover sentries were dismounting from the slot

One comrade helped the other to the ground.

From the centre of his jacket rose a tiny crimson spot

and deep within, I knew – that missing round.

He was just a boy of twenty, staring down in disbelief

At the stain of red that spread like cherry wine,

Clutching at his jacket in the hope of some relief.

His weeping comrade lying, “You'll be fine”.

The scene was quickly crowded and the medics tried their best

To stem the flow and calm the panicked youth,

Now crying for his mother while tearing at his chest

I prayed the words they told him were the truth.

Words can tell this story but perhaps should go unsaid,

The memories remain when etched in pain.

I still see that young man, weeping softly as he bled

Watching as his life flowed down a drain.

Every rooftop hides a sniper, every letter box the same

Every missing brick a killer lies in wait.

Every pushchair bears a pipe bomb, every movement draws your aim

May God free us from the burden of such hate.

 

(c) David Hamilton 2009

We are back from our hols.  It was great.  Thanks to those who dropped by.  Catch up coming soon. x

 

Sunday 22 February 2009. Weather 18 – 21 degrees C. Sunny getting overcast later! Getting closer to Hawaii and the sun is definitely shining. Greta did her mile while I sat in the spa pool heated to 31 degrees, drinking a pina colada. We learnt the Salsa this morning and I do believe we are starting to get the hang of this dancing lark. In the afternoon Greta went to the cinema (deck 4) to watch The road to to somewhere or other with Richard Gere, while I attended the first of two Veterans get togethers in the Wheelhouse Bar. That was really interesting, with a wide range of American Veterans who had seen service on D Day, Korea, Vietnam and a few special forces who had been in areas they couldn't mention – oh and of course me – the token Brit with his tales of daring do. We were each given a microphone and told to say a little about our service careers. It wasn't as daunting as it first appeared and every speaker received a round of applause at the end of their bit. A nice day followed by a pleasant evening in the bar. Despite promising each other that we would attend the cabaret in the evening, after dinner we were both in bed by 9:30. All this eating and drinking really takes its toll.

Monday 23 February 2009. Weather 21 – 23 degrees C. Sunny, scattered showers in the afternoon. We landed at Hilo, Hawaii at 7:30 this morning – Greta and I were both already up in order to catch our first sight of land after 4 day at sea. After breakfast we joined the Hawaii Botanical Gardens trip, which was much better than it sounds. The Botanical Gardens on Hilo cover an area of 27 acres by a beautiful coast line. Consisting almost entirely of tropical rain forest, the gardens with more than 2,500 tropical plants and trees from around the world. Took millions of pictures and just wish we had more time to see more. Got back to the ship at around 2 pm and immediately fell into deep sleep. Greta managed to get up and run/walk a mile and a half – I carried on sleeping. After dinner another early night.

Tuesday 24 February 2009. Weather 23-25 degrees C. Sunny, some cloud in late afternoon. Arrived at Honolulu 7 am this morning. We were up by 6:30 as we had to be ready to leave the ship at 7:40 in order to attend our Pearl Harbour trip. Absolutely fantastic experience. On arrival at Pearl Harbour we had a land tour of the site, museum and book shop, before watching a 35 minute film of the lead up to and events on 7 May 1941. At the end of the emotional show we travelled by US Navy boat to the Arizona memorial. It was a truly moving experience today, with many veterans and family members visibly moved to tears by the experience. The USS Missouri is also docked in Pearl Harbour (the Missouri is the ship on which the official surrender of the Japanese forces took place). We took some great pictures, which I hope to post on my blog today.

In the afternoon after returning to the ship Greta and I went back into Honolulu and did some shopping. Picked up some great Hawaiian shirts and G got a new dress. The natives are definitely friendly and we had our best day of the trip so far – and that is saying something. We sale at 11:30pm tonight and can't wait to visit the Hawaiian island of Nawiliwili-Kauai tomorrow, when we attend the Movies and Waterfalls trip. This island is the setting for films such as Jurassic Park, Lost, Fantasy Island and many others – so should get some great pictures. Even more to follow........

 

Tuesday 17 February 2009. We spent 11 hours on our Virgin Atlantic flight from Heathrow to Los Angeles. I was a bit miffed to discover that there are two classes on the Virgin flights - “Upper Class” and “Economy”. There is no better way of making you feel like low life than to call those in the more expensive seats “Upper Class”. Richard Branson – sort yourself out. Have you forgotten your roots? The flight was OK, but there wasn't much leg room – that had been converted into sofas for the “Upper Class” few, who took up a third of the available space. On our arrival we took the local collection bus from the Airport to the Raddison Hotel, LAX. We had a rear facing view of a new skyscraper being built, LA airport and the California hills in the background. Greta was quick to spot the Hollywood sign about 20 miles away which to me appeared as a small blur. Anyway the camera zoom was able to pick it up. Cost: £0.00. Value: Priceless. We arrived pretty jet lagged after our flight and were too bushed to do anything. Early night watching cable TV....

Wednesday 18 February 2009. (Greta's birthday). Weather: 18 degrees C. Clear sky. Had breakfast in the Radisson – initially served almost raw eggs with my bacon. Complained to the chef who replaced them – told I should have asked for my eggs “over easy”. Blooming foreigners. Greta opened her birthday cards in the hotel room and was amazed to discover that she was 50 years old today. No chance of forgetting it really as every card (bar mine) mentioned it. She had a bit of a weep at some of the comments from her friends and family before packing up for the next stage of our journey. We took a taxi to San Pedro Cruise Centre which is the departure point for the Golden Princess.

The first thing that struck us was the number of invalid scooters and zimmer frames that were being trundled into the departure lounge. It appeared that the average age of a passenger was around 85 – 90. We were lucky enough to be amongst the few that could get on board unaided! The staff at the Cruise Centre were very polite and, dare I say it efficient. Within an hour of arrival we had been checked in and boarded. The luggage turned up in our room an hour after we did along with our personal cabin steward Javier Casiano. The staff are all courteous and cannot do enough for you. No tipping needed as no cash is used on the ship – everything is paid for on your door key/credit card. The pain comes at the end of the cruise when the bills are settled.

As a means of introduction to the ship we were all given a card with various stores, clubs, galleries etc on them. The idea being that we got each section stamped while we oriented around the ship. The cards were then put into a drum during the embarkation party and various gifts awarded to the first 10 drawn out. Obviously we did the orienteering bit – but never won anything. The embarkation party was delayed by an hour due to a late flight, but once underway the entire ship got involved. It was quite good fun, but by about 8 pm Greta and I were once again tucked up in bed, still suffering from Jet Lag.

Thursday 19 February 2009. Weather: 16 – 18 degrees C. Overcast – some sunny spells. At sea. Spent the day walking around the ship. It's big! A total of 17 decks – our room is on deck 10 and we are lucky enough to have an outside balcony on the port side (note the nautical terms that have now become day to day usage). In the morning Greta completed the first of her 1 mile walks around deck 16 – 10 times around the mid section is a mile apparently. Food and drink is everywhere, so while she did that I munched into a pizza, freshly made at one of the many eating areas – this one by a pool and spa. Greta went for a manicure, while I slept off a couple of baccardi and cokes. Out of desperation we joined the happy bingo crowd later in the morning The prizes run into thousands of dollars, but the tickets cost an arm and a leg. A win would have been nice – needless to say, we didn't! In the evening we shared a table with two American couples and a Canadian couple – they were good company. Although there are cinemas, theatres, a casino and numerous bars on board, apart from having a few more drinks after dinner we were back in our room by 9 pm. The sea got a bit boisterous during the night and we were rolling around in our bed, occasionally grabbing hold of the bedside lamps which are bolted down to prevent us falling out! I couldn't help but dream of titanic during my broken sleep and every time we hit a big wave it felt like an iceberg.

Friday 20 February 2009. Weather 17 – 18 degrees C. Overcast – some scattered showers. Up with the larks (seagulls) this morning. We had a good breakfast – again shared with 4 new companions before setting off to take part in one of the many events that take place aboard ship. Greta had decided that we would learn the Waltz which was being taught on Deck 7 (Aft). Unfortunately she had the wrong timings and we turned up 20 minutes into the session. After a few minutes of trying to play catch up, we gave it up as a bad job. Instead we sat the rest of the session out and watched the geriatrics do it without us. Greta and I then did our mile walk around the deck, which took us neatly up to lunch and yet another pizza the size of a dustbin lid. (The belly is coming along very nicely, thanks). In the afternoon we attended a Buncko session – a communal dice game for octogenarians. Actually it was quite good fun, though it had to be cut short because that particular bar was required for some other activity less than an hour into it. Later in the afternoon I managed to slip away to the casino unaccompanied and spent a pleasant couple of hours losing my life savings, house, car and wardrobe at the poker table. When I got back Greta was a bit annoyed and reminded me that she had married a philandering, alcoholic gambler with the breaking strain of a kit-kat. By far the best afternoon on ship so far!

Once we had finished our shouting match we showered and dressed for the first of three formal evenings to be held during the cruise. For those of us that actually had tuxes etc we enjoyed cocktails and aperitifs in the central reception area where we were introduced to the Captain and his officers. Again at dinner we dined with two new couples – one an American, the other Canadian and had a cracking dinner. The American IT guru (Steve) on discovering that this was Greta's birthday treat, managed to get the catering staff to produce a birthday cake, with candles from thin air. It was a really nice thing to do and Greta was obviously embarrassed but thrilled as the waiters and our guests sang Happy Birthday to her. Again, we were last to leave the restaurant and had just enough energy left to make it back to our room for yet another early night. Although there is shed loads of discos, bars and evening activities, we just haven't felt the need to stay out all night just yet.

Saturday 21 February 2009. Weather: 16 – 18 degrees C. Overcast, some sunny spells. We got it right today! Got up in enough time to have breakfast, for Greta to complete her 1 mile trek around the upper deck (while I snoozed) and arrive at the dance class before it started! We had a good lesson on the 'cha cha cha' though it was difficult not to have your feet run over by an invalidity carriage during the side steps! Spent the rest of the morning on our balcony taking in some sun – Greta got a little too much. After lunch we went for our daily Buncko session – we are now able to remember names of some of the regulars, whose cumulative age is around about half a million. Anyway they aren't all ancient, there are actually some people here younger than us – just not too many of them. We are considering taking in a show tonight – but I guess that depends on how long we are at the dinner table. More to follow....

Here we are 600 nautical miles west of LA and enroute to Hawaii.  Problems with internet uploads at the moment and just spent 30 minutes uploading pictures which never took.    Poor, but expensive internet link aboard ship.  Will try to post some pics again later when reception better.  The sea is a bit choppy today and the sky has lots of cloud cover.  Good job there is loads to do on board.  More when we reach Hawaii.  Cya

I'm leaving on a jet plane, but unlike the song I know exactly when I will be back again.  Tomorrow, Greta and I set off on our holiday of a lifetime.  It was a great idea of mine to time it with her 50th birthday on 18th February, lol - that way it doesn't at all come across as a selfish act.  (Try telling her that).

 

Anyway on Tuesday we fly to Los Angeles, before embarking on "The Golden Princess" for a cruise down to Hawaii and Mexico, before returning to LA on 4 March.  It is an exciting prospect and as you can imagine my suitcase is filled with cameras, laptops and all manner of technological stuff to ensure that I can show off our cruise on this blog.  As I have a readership of about 6 though, I don't expect it will become headline stuff.

 

We will be taking a little stowaway with us though - Corporal George Bear (REME), who is a little mascot for my Battalion and he has journeyed to Afghanistan and Iraq in recent years and has also had the honour of meeting Tony Blair.  We hope to be able to tog him out in Hula skirt in Hawaii and take his picture at the captain's table while on the ship.  His story will definitely feature on this blog and on his own monthly newsletter when we return in March.  Keep checking out this page over the next couple of weeks to see how little Corporal George Bear and his best friend Teddy get on.  (Oh by the way, there might be one or two pictures of us too lol).

 

I've just cleared the memory from Greta's camera today in order to make room for her to fill it during our visit.  I've posted some of what she has taken on this site - to be honest she takes better pictures than I do, despite me spending half a million pounds on cameras and lenses - quite annoying really.  OK, so half a million is an exaggeration, but a lot.

 

Anyway, as you can imagine we are both very excited about the trip - our first ever cruise and I need to ensure this laptop is packed, so that's it for a few days. 

  

Take care all  - I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's day.  x

Yesterday whilst on our way to Bolam's Meat Market in Sedgefield, our attention was caught by a large crowd of onlookers peering over the road bridge at Metal Bridge onto the rail track below.  Curious to find out what was going on we pulled over to see what it was all about.  What a treat we got to discover that the Peppercorn Pioneer was making its inaugral run from Newcastle to York and was about to pass under the bridge in two minutes time.  The one time I was out without my camera!  Anyway having managed to take a quick picture on my mobile phone, one of the "trainspotters" told me that it would be passing under the same bridge at 2 pm on Sunday.  So today,  Greta and I accompanied by two friends (Rob & Jill) returned to the bridge armed with cameras in order to take some better pictures.

 

If there are any trainspotters dropping by my site, I hope they will enjoy the series of pictures of Britain's first steam train since the 1960s.  Below is the picture taken on my mobile phone, with the others posted in my gallery.

 

Regards, DH.

I am thinking of changing my blog title from Scribbler's place to "Grumpy old man's place", because these days I seem to spend more time moaning than anything else.  The latest 'bee in my bonnet' is over the size of my bath.  We bought this little house in July last year and it has lots of little peculiarities and characteristics that make it a nice house to live in, you know the sort of thing, unusual shaped walls, creaking floor boards and unexplained but friendly bumps in the night.  However it also has the fiddliest little bath in the world.  The bathroom is fairly modern and also has a separate shower cubicle - thank god because quite frankly having a bath is no longer a pleasant experience.  I don't know who installed the bath, but they must have been shaped like a figure 8. 

 

Greta and I have always enjoyed sharing a bath, not because we are trying to reduce our hot water bills particularly, just that it is a pleasant and intimate experience we both enjoy (enough detail I think).  Anyway this piddling little bath narrows in the middle making it impossible for one person to spread out, let alone one at either end where some interlocking of legs is required.  So, apart from one occasion when we both became wedged in the bath for 2 hours last August we have not been able to share our bathnight experiences. 

 

We are now on the look out for a double bath - hopefully the credit crunch will throw something up for less than the £1,500 we have been quoted for a replacement.  I suppose we should do it now because in the next 10 - 15 years we will be looking to upgrade to a bath that we can both walk in lol.

 

The following picture shows the scale of the problem.

 

 

Psssst (want to know a secret)?   A little known fact about me is that I love sausage, I mean truly love them.  Wherever I go in the world I always seek out the local butcher in my quest for sausage perfection.  Today it occurred to me that I should share some of my sausage experience with others - after all what is the point of having all this knowledge and not passing it on.  It would be unfair to just state that the best sausage I have ever eaten came from Germany without having first given the great british sausage a chance to prove itself.  So, in future I intend to keep a visual and written record of my on-going search for the best sausage ever. 

 

The good news is that I am about to make a start by reporting on arguably one of the best sausage makers in the North East of England - Bolam's of Sedgefield.

 

Last Saturday, Greta and I paid our first visit to this well known food outlet and were bowled over by the variety of fish and meat products that they offer.  I of course made my way immediately to a counter filled with succulent sausages with a view to buying it out.   Fortunately Greta managed to curb my enthusiasm and insisted that I just bought two of each of the varieties that were on offer - and this lunch time I cooked five different flavoured ones to help me in my research.   I also grilled some of Bolam's own Black Pudding and two of Asda's economy sausages to help in the comparison.  Here's what the grill pan looked like at the start of the session:

 

 

By the way, I didn't all of this myself - I was supported by Greta who managed a piece of black pudding, one black pudding sausage and an Asda special :-)

 

The sausages I tried were:

 

Black pudding sausage (2 links)

Welsh Dragon 1 link

Sicilian 1 link

Leek 1 link

Asda economy pork 2 links.

 

Cooked and on the plate, this veritable feast looked like this:

 

 

Firstly, the black pudding itself (not the sausage).  Normally I have concerns about grilling black pudding as it tends to dry out on the outside very quickly and sets hard on the inside.  Not this bad boy though.  It grilled beautifully with a constant release of succulent juices that kept the pudding moist throughout cooking.  It tasted absolutely gorgeous and was not overpowered like many are with spices and pepper.  The texture was perfect, firm but soft and the blend of cereal used rounded off the pudding beautifully.  I could have eaten several decent slices and had them as a meal in themself - but hey I had a sausage tasting to conduct.  I have had a better black pudding, but this one scores very highly indeed with 8.5 out of my possible 10.  Trust me there aren't many that would achieve that mark.  If you are a black pudding fan - this one is well worth a try.

 

 

Despite years of research I have never come across black pudding sausage before, so this was a first for me.  A light mahogony in colour when uncooked, once grilled they look similar to  the smoked sausages found on the continent.  The obvious giveaway being the soft texture and slightly sweet 'black pudding' aroma that they exude when you release them from their wrapping.  I was bowled over by their flavour.  The black pudding was distinct, but they were definitely sausages as opposed to just a black pudding.  They would grace any table and I rate them 8 as a sausage or, if I were a black pudding purist, they would score a slightly higher 8.5 as a pudding.  Obviously my black pudding sausage experience is extremely limited, but I imagine they would be hard to beat.  Delicious.

 

  The Welsh Dragon.  This is the cheapest of the sausages that I bought at Bolams (two links for 35 pence).  A very nice pork sausage, slightly spiced to bring out the flavour it was a very nice sausage.  Succulent and flavoursome, the skin held throughout grilling without end bursts or skin tears.  It browned nicely and sliced into solid sections.  Being pork it had a large fat content, this was borne out by the fat in the grill pan - not in the cooked sausage which was delicous and porky.  As a basic pork sausage - another 8.

 

The Sicilian.  Also pork based this sausage was appropriately named the Sicilian because of its spicey (almost mexican) flavour.   This particular variety was highly recommended by the French butcher's assistant at Bolams - and an apparent favourite with their regular clientelle.  Another very good sausage, though perhaps the spices might not be to everyone's taste.  A thoroughly enjoyable eat, I scored it a very creditable 7.5.

 

Leek.  I don't know what it is about leek in sausages that makes them so great, but this particular leek sausage was my favourite of today's selection.  You could smell the freshness of the sausage above all the others - even before cooking.  The cooked sausage looked and tasted absolutely delicious.  The flecks of leek persisted through the skin even after cooking making it easy to identify over its tasty brothers and sisters.

I scored this sausage a hard to beat 9/10 and award it "Scribbler's Sausage of the Day".  Well done Bolam's Leek Sausage.

 

 

The ASDA pork sausages (2 x packs of 8 for £1.50).  These are a perfectly respectable pork sausage and ideal for breakfasts and feeding the kids.  Good value and I score them a regular 6/10.

 

Unhappy with this blog?  Am I wasting valuable blog space?  Let me know by leaving your comments below.

 

Cheers for now. x

 

I see the News of the World, quickly followed by the BBC and other media are at it again.  The News of the World in its ongoing policy of stirring up racial tension has seen fit to  publish a video in which Prince Harry converses with fellow officer cadets (3 years ago), in which perceived racial remarks were made.  This of course was quickly picked up by other media in order not to miss out on the sensational story and thus the lie is perpetuated.

 

Anybody who has served in the Armed Services will immediately recognise the conversation as "banter" - dry but friendly rhetoric between individuals sharing common experiences.  This type of conversation which can appear acerbic to the uninitiated has been going on since the dawn of civilization.  Similar conversations would almost certainly have been heard in the camps of the Roman Legions and those of Boudica and every where else that bodies of men lived and worked together. 

 

The News of the World understand this, as does the BBC, but always on the look out for a story, they are willing to risk the reputation of our honourable Prince Harry and the reputation of our Officer Corps for the sake of a few dollars more.  Quite frankly it sickens me to my stomach.

 

Equally deplorable must be the individual (somebody close enough to be permitted to video the Prince and his friends) who felt compelled either by spite or greed to release the video and story to this scurolous rag.  Shame on him or her.

 

Isn't it about time that our media companies showed the common sense not to report stories that they know have no relevance to the issue that they are attempting to exploit?  Let's face it, Prince Harry is a decent young man and very definitely not a racist.  Our Armed Forces are leaders in equality and diversity, with a policy of stamping out racism through education.  At the same time we are pitting them against a ruthless and fanatical enemy who take every opportunity to exploit stories of Western intollerence to further their own recruiting effort. 

 

Well done the News of the World and all who perpetuate the lie. 

 

DH

 

(For those who didn't see the story - From the BBC Website)

 

Prince's apology for racist term

Prince Harry has been forced to apologise for his behaviour in the past Prince Harry has apologised for using offensive language to describe a Pakistani member of his army platoon. The News of the World has published video in which the prince calls one of his then Sandhurst colleagues a "Paki" in commentary he made over filming. St James's Palace said he had used the term three years ago as a nickname about a friend and without any malice. In a separate incident highlighted by the paper, the prince is heard calling another officer cadet a "raghead". The prince had to apologise in 2005 for wearing a swastika armband to a party, which offended many Jewish people. The video obtained by the News of the World shows Harry while still an officer cadet at Sandhurst military academy. It was filmed in front of other cadets at an airport departure lounge as they waited for a flight to Cyprus to go on manoeuvres. The newspaper said the prince had called the soldier "our little Paki friend". 'Extremely sorry' Meanwhile, during a faked call to the Queen, as the Commander in Chief of the British Army, the prince says: "Granny I've got to go, send my love to the Corgis and Grandpa." He finishes saying: "I've got to go, got to go, bye. God Save You ... yeah, that's great."

 

 

 

CREDIT CRUNCH

To Gordon Brown in whom we trust

(The man who ended 'boom or bust').

Sir,

I'm certain that you must concede

It's Leadership our people need.

Why are you being so ignoble

Telling us the problem's global?

While taxes were obtained through stealth

You blandly squandered Britain's wealth.

You sold our gold and spent the cash

Does that not now appear rash?

Acknowledged for your frugal bent

As Chancellor you overspent.

Your qualities are less defined

To cope with problems of this kind.

Your policies have not proved sound,

Our sterling hurtles to the ground.

Still you bemoan what's yet to be

While Europe rubs her hands with glee.

Print your paper and spend away

Ignore all wisdom come what may.

Your legacy is soon to come

- Crisis managed by rule of thumb.

D Hamilton

Jan 2009

Hi all. I have been away over Christmas and New Year (in sunny Qatar of all places) and get back to the UK on Saturday 3 Jan.  Sorry for not dropping by and wishing you all a Happy New Year individually, but time has just been taken up by other things - you know like enjoyment etc.  All the best to you all, will be updating my blog in the next wek or so.

 

Cheers for 2009.

Every time a member of the British Government or a UK analyst or UK economist opens his mouth to announce how bad the recession is likely to be - the worse he makes it.  This is borne out by the run on the FTSE over the last couple of weeks (dropping sharply after each announcement) and the subsequent plummet of the pound against the Euro and the dollar.

 

We all recognise that this is a world economic crisis, but from the way the UK opens up its books to the rest of the world - is it any wonder that they use the opportunity to score off us?  The short, medium and long term impact of British openness will undoubtedly  result in the UK being the hardest hit during the imminent recession.  What is more Britain is likely to take longer to recover than the rest of the world.  They of course hold their cards much closer to their chests.

 

It may be commendably honest for a well paid politician, banker or economist to announce how badly we are doing or might do - but, at the end of the day the loss of a million or two for them has less impact than the loss of £100 pm (in real terms) for the majority of us.

 

For Christ's sake please stop saying how bad it is going to become, because in doing so you are perpetuating the  problem.  I want to hear more up beat messages from those in the know - and what is more so do the markets.

 

Pull your fingers out and start managing things a little better you morons - what you say is rapidly ruining us.

 

From today's BBC website:  "

Measured against a basket of currencies used by major trading partners, the pound is now at a 13-year low.

The pound hovered near a six-and-a half year low of $1.4555 and traded at 85.40 pence against the euro, also close to a record low of 86.62 pence.

Sterling has fallen sharply in recent weeks amid fears about a UK recession.

Investors' conviction that the UK will suffer more in a recession than the eurozone - and UK rates will therefore fall further to spur growth - has contributed to sterling's dismal run. "

I made the Sunday Times magazine today - as part of an article on soldier poets.  I wonder if it will help boost my book sales - can't do them any harm I suppose.  If you are not a Sunday Times reader but are interested in seeing the article, then here is the link:

 

 

It is part of a much bigger piece, the link for which is here:

 

 

Regards to all.

 

Great news.  Last night my eldest daughter gave birth to a little girl - my first grand daughter, now making a complete set.  Absolutely fantastic.  It makes going back to the UK that little bit more worthwhile.  Well done Beth.  xxxx

I cannot listen to Don McLean's 'Vincent" and watch a slide show of the magnificent sketches and paintings of  Vincent Van Gogh without being moved.  There is just something so powerful about that song when it is portrayed in this way.  There are numerous examples of it being set to pictures and I wonder just how many people have actually taken the time out to tie the two together, or even made the connection with the lyrics?  Anyway if you haven't or even if you have I am sure you will enjoy the 3 minutes or so show that is on the video link above this entry. 

 

Treat yourself, take a break, watch the show and listen to the lyrics.  Feel free to comment, I would be interested to hear if it moves others the way it moves me.

 

Cheers for now.

I attended the RAF Akrotiri Fashion Show last night (26 September 2008).  The models were all either wives of servicemen or employees in the Garrison.  They were fun to work with and produced an excellent show which was enjoyed by hundreds of wives from across Cyprus.  I have posted a mere snapshot of some of the images in my latest album. 

 

Cheers.

A friend of mine, let's call him 'Bob', seems fair because it is his name, asked me to photograph Episkopi Fete this week.  It was a great job to be given as Epi Fete attracts around 5,000 visitors during the one day event and seemed an excellent chance to show off skyeye-cy to the ex-pats of Limassol.  It also enabled me to practice time-lapse over a 5 day period whilst the event was being set up.  I have posted some pictures of the Saturday event in a new album, appropriately entitled "Episkopi Fete".  Please take a look if you get the chance.

 

Greta also had part share in a stall for the day where she sold (or hoped to), the scarves that she has been knitting so diligently for the last 3 weeks.  It was a mixed day in terms of successes and I gave away a small number of flyers and business cards to potential leads.  Hopefully during next week the phone will ring "off the hook", but I doubt it.  I don't mean to be a pessimist, but after a serious let-down by a not so well known hotel, for whom I had worked almost the entire month of August, I have become increasingly synical when it comes to contracts and agreements.  Still I am learning all the time and still smiling (sometimes through clenched teetch), but often just smiling because I can.

 

On the plus side we met several old friends who passed across our stalls and it was great to see an old Army Pal (Mark), who had left the Army a year ago and by all accounts is doing nicely for himself in Paphos.  He has set himself up working for a dog charity there and is currently organising a concert to raise funds.  Amongst the local pop stars (Zorba et al), he has even managed to secure Belinda Carlisle for an evening concert.  Hats off to him - the Black Mafia strike again.  (He's a former Royal Green Jacket - affectionately known as The Black Mafia by their sister Regiment and others).

 

 

We've had rain up here in the Troodos hills; in fact we have had rain 3 times in the last fortnight.  It generally lasts for about 30 minutes and for that brief spell there is a feeling of relief that at last the drought is over.  Unfortunately however that is not the case and the little downpours on Kalo Chorio will not replace the empty reservoirs and bore holes of the entire island, but every little helps.

 

Thank you to all my regular visitors and those new friends who have added this week, I really appreciate the kind comments of support that you post irregularly.  I know I don't always post a response, but I do try and take time out to read your blogs every couple of days or so. 

 

Well that's all for now, got batteries to charge and kit to prepare in readiness for the burst of business that is bound to come from Saturday's efforts (lol).

 

Catch you all soon.

You might recall that in my last post I said that 'God' might want to keep some things to himself?   Well.............     Hadron Collider halted for months

Advertisement David Shukman heads deep underground to take a look at the LHC's tunnel The Large Hadron Collider near Geneva will be out of action for at least two months, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (Cern) says. Part of the giant physics experiment was turned off for the weekend while engineers probed a magnet failure. But a Cern spokesman said damage to the £3.6bn ($6.6bn) particle accelerator was worse than anticipated. The LHC is built to smash protons together at huge speeds, recreating conditions moments after the Big Bang. Scientists hope it will shed light on fundamental questions in physics. Section damaged On Friday, a failure, known as a quench, caused around 100 of the LHC's super-cooled magnets to heat up by as much as 100C. The fire brigade were called out after a tonne of liquid helium leaked into the tunnel at Cern, near Geneva. Superconducting magnets are cooled down using liquid helium Cern spokesman James Gillies said on Saturday that the sector that was damaged would have to be warmed up well above absolute zero so that repairs could be made. While he said there was never any danger to the public, Mr Gillies admitted that the breakdown would be costly. He said: "A full investigation is still under way but the most likely cause seems to be a faulty electrical connection between two of the magnets which probably melted, leading to a mechanical failure. "We're investigating and we can't really say more than that now. "But we do know that we will have to warm the machine up, make the repair, cool it down, and that's what brings you to two months of downtime for the LHC." Setback The first beams were fired successfully around the accelerator's 27km (16.7 miles) underground ring over a week ago. The crucial next step is to collide those beams head on. However, the fault appears to have ruled out any chance of these experiments taking place for the next two months at least. The quench occurred during final testing of the last of the LHC's electrical circuits to be commissioned. The LHC has been in construction for some 13 years At 1127 (0927 GMT) on Friday, the LHC's online logbook recorded a quench in sector 3-4 of the accelerator, which lies between the Alice and CMS detectors. The entry stated that helium had been lost to the tunnel and that vacuum conditions had also been lost. The superconducting magnets in the LHC must be supercooled to 1.9 kelvin above absolute zero, to allow them to steer particle beams around the circuit. As a result of the quench, the temperature of about 100 of the magnets in the machine's final sector rose by around 100C. The setback came just a day after the LHC's beam was restored after engineers replaced a faulty transformer that had hindered progress for much of the past week.

The tunnel I am referring to is the Large Hadron Collider which was switched on today beneath the Swiss/France border.  On Wednesday next week scientists intend to smash two beams of particles into each other at near light speed.  This, the theorists have deduced is how the universe came into being - known as the big bang theory. 

 

These special "mass creating" particles are injected into a tube some 27 kilometres in length and harnessed and accelerated by electro magnets.  A second set is set in an opposing direction and at various points in the chamber it is hoped to record their collison.  By all accounts it is going to be one hell of an impact - albeit on a much smaller scale than that which generated the universe "and everything".  Well at least we hope so, because the reality is that nobody really knows what to expect - especially the physicists who are behind the experiment.

 

Last year a leading physicist attempted to prevent the machine being switched on.  He saw inherent risks in the process, such as the generation of tiny black holes - you know the sort of thing, star eating monsters that suck everything around them into their mass, growing larger and stronger by the millisecond.  Anyway he was shouted out of court and the experiment will now go ahead - unless God decides that he wants somethings to remain secret - in which case I recommend staying away from the Alps for the next 7 days or so.

 

On the BBC website "Have your Say" page I am amazed at the number of people who are all for the experiment, shouting down those who are against it.  They argue that man has only got this far as a result of science - and let's face it, that is true.  However, not since we dabbled in nuclear fusion has such a risky experiment been undertaken  (or at least openly reported).  Did you know for example that the brains behind the nuclear bomb weren't certain whether or not exploding atoms would cause a chain reaction to normal atoms - but they summised they wouldn't.  They even took bets on it!  Thank goodness (I daren't say God, because he might be unmasked next week) the right side took the money on that occasion.  I reckon similar bets are being taken in Switzerland and elsewhere right now on whether or not they end up reducing the planet to the size of a small apple.  If you think about it, it is worth the bet to say that they won't, because you can't lose.

 

If you haven't read up on this subject then I recommend the following link on the BBC website for an informative brief on the project:

 

 

If it all goes pear shaped anything you or I have ever done (or anyone else from the dawn of time) will cease to have existed.  The destruction of a planet is the loss of history itself and nothing ever happened.  What a fantastic conclusion to the meaning of life.  Just nothing.

 

Anyway, I for one look forward to reporting how it all went sometime next week and joining the happy throng of gloaters shouting "I told you so".  I've got nothing to lose.

 

Catch you all later (maybe)!