I have survived!

I survived the weekend at Potins. Picures to follow shortly...

Hammerfest!

A Saturday afternoon in North Wales. Its 5pm, but more importantly 40 mins till TYR come on. I've just finished my 5th beer of the day and its stopped raining. Bliss at Pontins!

Let the chaos commence.....

This weekend sees the maiden Hammerfest in sunny Prestatyn, North Wales! We will be there, giving it up large at Pontins.... eh.... well as large as can be expected at Pontins.

Tomorrow sees an early start, a four hour drive, and bands that play until 3am. Throw in a few cold beverages and I may not make it back home in one piece!

Let the mayhem begin!

Happy Iron Maiden Day!

Happy Iron Maiden Day everyone!

Hope you all have your tickets booked for Flight 666!

After nearly 10 years of waiting, on Thursday I finally got to see the legends AC/DC live. And they did not dissapoint! Massice stage set, killer track list, this was everything I could have hoped for and more. Even the O2 arena (not our first choice venue) turned out to be a decent find.

They say there is a danger with lookig forward to something so much - that it can never deliever once it arrives. But the band that have dominated my listening for the last decade showed why they are so great this week. With so many comebacks around, its great to see a band that are still as strong as ever.

The moment you've been waiting for...

Tomorrow, its AC/DC....

An egg tastes so much better when you have made it yourself...

...not that I am some kind of chicken you understand...

...that would be weird...

Mondays off

Mondays off are the best!

Rules of toast...

From Encyclopaedia Roseannium

Rosemary’s rules of toast:

Regular (toasted bread)
Served: COLD
Should be well toasted and then left to cool in a wire toast-rack. China or porcelain causes the toast to become soggy. Butter should NEVER be applied to hot toast as this also causes it to become too moist.

Toasted Sandwich
Served: HOT
The bread and the contents are being heated as one entity and therefore should both be served at the same temperature.

Toasted Bagel
Served: HOT
The increased thickness ot the bagel in comparisen to a regualer piece of bread means it can tolerate being spread with butter whilst hot without going limp.

Toasted Bagel Sandwich
Served: COLD
Cold sandwich filling in an open toasted Bagel sandwich should never be put in place whilst the Bagel is hot.
NB: the only exception to this is when the bagel and its contents are toasted as one.

Carrots...

Those of you who get a little peckish but want to stay healthy, please take note. Also good for miners...

I have just found out that since I work for such a wonderful institution, I get Thursday this week off as well as the usual Friday and Monday. That is indeed a bonus! Could really use the long break too so its come at a good time. However, will probably spend it all in the garden getting it ship-shape for the summer. I also have a bike that could really use some tlc. I've had it for 10 years. Surely that is some kind of record?

Aubergine

Just had the most amazing aubergine dish. Surely the king of veg! Any veggies out there should try it...

Steampunk

I have always been a bit of a fan of the Victorian sci-fi authors such as Jules Verne and HG Wells. In particular, I love the semi-Gothic/semi industrial art work that is so often used (not sure if retrospectively or not) to illustrate this period. It tends to be a bit cartoony but dark, and usually includes machinery in some form. Think the League of Extraordinary Gentleman. I have always assumed that this fell under the art-deco umbrella, but turns out it has its own genre called "steampunk". There is some great stuff on the web, including some really innovative designs.

Its amazing how a visual style can some up so much about a period in time. Heavy industrialisation, large population growth and changing civil boundaries. This sense of the moving into the unknown and of the invasion of the usual way of life really comes through. Given the times we are living in, maybe its time for a come-back...

Grand National

I hate horse racing. But come on RAMBLING MINISTER!

Schedule nightmare!

Why is it that they need to schedule the two big TV dates I had this week on the same day!? After missing the first episode of the Apprentice last week (after over a year of anticipation) AND the repeat due to a) its screening in the middle of the night and b) the blessed Beeb moving it anyway, I am desperate not to miss this week. But then there is the England game on ITV. I mean, it isn't going to be a classic. We are up against good opposition and, lets be fair, this is the team that are upset to be missing Emile Heskey. But still patriotic duty and all that. Plus with Sky and Sultana gobbling all the rights you have to take watch you can get on Freeview! So I guess its the first half and then the Apprentice then. That's if I can pursuade the lovely financee...