Apologies.

[Roger Kettle]

Sorry I've been a bit quiet lately but, with my week's holiday starting next Thursday, I've been trying to get ahead with the stupid stuff I do for a living. This time next Friday, I hope to be finishing off a delightful meal in my favourite restaurant in Sao Raphael (Cue Rob Baker to illustrate this with a photograph---he loves this part of the Algarve as much as I do). It's one of the few downsides of my business that holidays are difficult to take. If I want to take time off, then I have to make sure my scripts are suitably in advance---nobody else writes the strips I'm involved with. Hey, I'm not complaining! That's just the way it is and I've been doing it long enough to realise this.
What else has been happening? Well, there is the possibilty of an interesting Beau Peep commercial outlet which is in its embryo stage. I'm not going to say too much at the moment because these things have surfaced before, and then disappeared without trace, but some positive talks have been held. You lot will, of course, be the first to know if anything concrete happens.
By the way, I tried that "art test" on the other thread and notched up the standard two out of ten. I have absolutely no idea what "art" is. It's certainly not what I produce----I pride myself in writing trivial nonsense---but there's an argument that the finished product by Andrew and Roger Mahoney comes into that category. Who knows?
For dinner tonight, I had spare ribs, baked potato and salad.
That's all, folks.

[Diane CBPFC]

And how are your bowel movements?

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

And how are your bowel movements?

As Roger said, Diane - we will be the first to know if anything concrete happens.

[Joan]

Morning, Roger. Well, it will be your morning, or at least Saturday when you read this.  I, too, have been quiet recently, (no doubt you all noticed the lack of wittering on around here, or maybe not) but not for reasons of productivity.  Unless you count shoveling and shifting about a tonne of topsoil in a wheelbarrow with a flat tyre productive.  Just been a bit busy with one thing and another, so shock, horror! not much time spent on the computer, or at least socialising on the computer.

I'm sitting here on Saturday morning, with my second cup of coffee, waiting for Elaine to call so that we can go for a walk and maybe coffee afterwards - at this rate, it'll be lunch.  We're going down to the beaches this time, as they've been doing hazard reductions in the bush and it's not very nice, not to mention can be dangerous (falling branches, etc).  Here's a picture of where we're going:



except it won't look like that today.  We've gone back to winter here.  It's only 12C at the moment - cold for the middle of spring - and there's a strong southerly wind chill factor as well.  Threatening rain as well, so not looking promising.  Maybe we'll just go for lunch like we did last week when it was pouring and blowing a gale.

I would never describe what you do for a living as 'stupid', Roger. In fact, quite the opposite - don't know how you come up with a new one every day.  My brain feels quite scrambled just thinking about it.  Hope you have a lovely time in Portugal - I'm very jealous. As I said somewhere else, I've got very itchy feet at the moment - will just have to be content with what I've got, unless we win Lotto.

Hope there will be some photos. 

Just had a message - looks like after lunch for our walk.  Maybe it will have warmed up by then.

1pm - WRONG!  The heavens have now opened.  I know we need the rain, but why can't it fall at the appropriate time, ie the middle of the night.  Ah well, I suppose we'll just have to settle for a nice warm cafe somewhere.  You can tell I'm being very productive today.    I did prepare dinner - drumsticks and wings in special bbq sauce and I'm now going to start scanning in some more of my Contiki photos.  Is it a sign of age that I'm becoming so nostalgic?

[Joan]

 

Oh God, I've missed you lot!  Peeps has already made me laugh out loud this morning with a video he posted on Facebook and now you two made me cackle.  Good for the soul. 

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

We missed you too, Joan. Lovely picture. Looks a bit like St Andrews. Did you notice there's a dead man on the beach who's been killed by a wayward football? Was Malc in the area at the time by any chance?

[Joan]

We missed you too, Joan. Lovely picture. Looks a bit like St Andrews. Did you notice there's a dead man on the beach who's been killed by a wayward football? Was Malc in the area at the time by any chance?

Not that I know of, TT.  Maybe it was a very good kick - think you could manage 900 and something km, Malc?

[Malc]

With my osteoarthritis I can't kick 19m never mind further. I have to say the old bad back has really become a bit of a bind this year. I've put on weight since I can't run any more. When I take a running step now, it's like my spine is made of wood blocks with no padding inbetween. The vertebrae seem to clack down on each other.


But mustn't grumble.....

[The Peepmaster]

And how are your bowel movements?

I had a letter in the post this morning from the NHS saying I'm going to be sent a kit for doing a bowel cancer test!

The NHS is Scotland is amazing. They phone me up to check that I'm still a non-smoker, invite me to have regular blood-pressure tests at the local clinic, and the other day they wrote enclosing a form for me to complete. letting them know my daily alcohol intake!

I never had all this in England.

[The Peepmaster]

Oh God, I've missed you lot!  Peeps has already made me laugh out loud this morning with a video he posted on Facebook and now you two made me cackle.  Good for the soul. 

Here's the video I posted:

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

I'll give that  .

[Roger Kettle]

Excellent, Nige!

[Malc]

It is funny.
Here's an interesting point, though:
If it featured a young couple (or two young men) doing the same thing, would we find it funny? I think not. Why? Because we could conceive of young people doing precisely that, perhaps influenced by the video.

We know that old people wouldn't do it, it's the juxtaposition of youthful actions and old characters that makes the gag work.

Do I overthink these things?

[Roger Kettle]

That's a good point, Malc. It WOULDN'T be funny if the stunt was being pulled by a couple of young guys. Having said that, it might still work if it was done in an intentionally sick-humour way by the likes of Rik and Neil from "The Young Ones".
You're right. We DO overthink these things.

[Vulture]

And how are your bowel movements?

I had a letter in the post this morning from the NHS saying I'm going to be sent a kit for doing a bowel cancer test!  I had this about two years ago! Sending the completed test through the post seemed a bit vulgar, though!

The NHS is Scotland is amazing. They phone me up to check that I'm still a non-smoker, invite me to have regular blood-pressure tests at the local clinic, and the other day they wrote enclosing a form for me to complete. letting them know my daily alcohol intake!

I never had all this in England. I have a battery of tests every six months or so. But then again, my family history is rife with heart attacks/thyroid/diabetes/anaemia!