In preparation for the forthcoming inevitability, I decided to hold a party.
Tea on the lawn at Tewkesbury Abbey was pretty cool. The sun shone for the first time in weeks and it was brilliant. Picture the scene a cross between a parish church fete and a cocktail party. We had a very modest marquee (courtesy of the Boys Brigade!) and loads of bunting - with cup cakes on no less...how cool is that. There was an overall cake/french fancy theme and pink seemed to be the colour of choice. I am afterall the campest straight man known to many!
It was a fantastic afternoon with friends I hadn't seen for ages. Not only that but as much pink champagne as I could drink - I mean really. We had high tea like the Ritz with cake stands with fine cut sandwiches, cakes (including french fancies obviously) and full cream tea. Each cake stand was capped with an attractive picture of me in some silly hat.
Oh and I nearly forgot dress code was striped blazers and cravats - fantastic!
Check out the pictures - they-re great...http://www.flickr.com/photos/giraffehouse/
...and one final point was the band who played brilliantly and the singer was gorgeous - truly fab!
Saturday, 13 September 2008
Friday, 12 September 2008
Rt Hon Al Jo - my mate
Had a great time today as we opened a new facility. I was responsible for looking after Rt Hon Alan Johnson. This meant that I had to ensure that he was at the right place at the right time. What a thoroughly nice bloke! He spoke reasonably off the cuff when it was his time to give the speech and also unveiled a plaque - perfectly done.
We had a bit of a close shave when he had three sets of people to see and he also needed to use the facilities. We cleared the corridor and posted a guard on the door. You wouldn't think that getting a Secretary of State to the toilet would be so tricky! Took five people.
The rest of the event was a dream and there was loads of time for Champagne. Not only that but I received a thank you - cool!
We had a bit of a close shave when he had three sets of people to see and he also needed to use the facilities. We cleared the corridor and posted a guard on the door. You wouldn't think that getting a Secretary of State to the toilet would be so tricky! Took five people.
The rest of the event was a dream and there was loads of time for Champagne. Not only that but I received a thank you - cool!
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
To Infinity and Beyond
So just come back from my second trip to Downing Street in three weeks. Is this a habit? Was delighted to accompany Adrian Sudbury (leukaemia patient) to hand in his petition about educating 17/18 year olds to be blood, bone marrow and organ donors. Felt a bit like an extra but was delighted to be able to be the senior face of the Charity at a meeting with Ed Balls.
Loads of security, loads of pics but also loads of rules to stop us making a boob. Ed Balls received the petition, but could not stand on the doorstep to No.10, less we think he may be measuring up for curtains following Gordon's departure! So we got to go in and up the magic staircase with the pics of all the previous PMs - there was Harold Wilson, Churchill, Lord Palmerston and Earl Grey - yep he really did exist! And at the top of the stairs a picture of Anthony Charles Lynton Blair - looking smug and mischievous. Did he ever believe that things would turn out as they have with GB?
So meeting with Ed Balls (nice man) followed by a brief tour of a bit of No.10 - amazing art, even more amazing carpets and decoration and yet more amazing silver collection - Turner, Whistler and Archibald Knox amongst them. Finally a chance to get a half decent pic of my in front of the big door with the number on. 3 weeks ago the pics ere dreadful and I was covered in shadow - today, spot on....well done Steve, you do take a good picture.
Just makes me want to be an MP even more - bum!
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
A Baroness to Behold
Was happy to meet with Baroness Tonge today. The day started pretty strange in that I knew she was coming but I found her perplexed and looking lost as I drove through the town. How could I leave her standing all confused on the corner of the road, so I pulled over my mini and offered her a lift - ever the gentleman! This had two consequences, one that she arrived nearly 40 minutes before we expected, and secondly she had to sit in our reception area for 15 mins. Now our reception area is grim - really grim - I mean what with the packing cases and the lack of legroom, not to mention the descretion not employed by the receptionist, it is the perfect incentive to meet with your visitors as soon as they arrive!
Whizz bang DNA
We had a really interesting meeting which included understanding her views on the Palestinians and the Holy Land - very akin to mine. It is great to know that people think the same as you sometimes....anyhow she did a tour of the premises and seemed very content that we knew what we were doing and would be a great Charity to support - our DNA extraction seemed to greatly excite her (it is pretty whizz bang). Much was achieve and all without even a cup of coffee to oil the wheels...that's international diplomacy for you.
Whizz bang DNA
We had a really interesting meeting which included understanding her views on the Palestinians and the Holy Land - very akin to mine. It is great to know that people think the same as you sometimes....anyhow she did a tour of the premises and seemed very content that we knew what we were doing and would be a great Charity to support - our DNA extraction seemed to greatly excite her (it is pretty whizz bang). Much was achieve and all without even a cup of coffee to oil the wheels...that's international diplomacy for you.
Monday, 14 July 2008
OMG - what have I done?
My bum aches...
...and my back and my legs and thighs...and don't even get me started on my ankles.
I've been climbing mountains. Well one mountain actually, Scarfell Pike in the Lake District. I mean what silly bloody fool would do that?
Back in February, when the days were short and the weather poor I agreed to take part in the 3 peaks - simple. Just climb the three highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales and Bob's your Father's Brother. So July comes around and off we go to do some training.
All seems pretty simple, arrive in the Lake District for 12midday and we will take a gentle stroll up the Pike walking and talking as we go, so as to aquaint oursleves with the mountain. What we are not told is how steep, long and rough this particular mountain is. It takes us hours to ascend, all the time listening to the endless advice and comments from our mountain guide (or rather our mountain goat) who neither breaks into a sweat nor loses his breathe at all...ever! You try holding a conversation when you can't put one foot in front of the other, let alone espouse the wisdom of backpack size or the relative merits of waterproof trouser manufacturers.
Still we made it both up and down...but boy did we pay for it.
Now walking around is fine today..though bending is not. Luckily had no ocassion to visit anyone on the first floor of Charity Tart's building today - maybe the end of the week before I advance to that. All in all then it looks as though a little more training may be required!
Oh and BTW when we actually do climb Scarfell as part of the challenge it will be in the total darkness having already climbed one mountain and have another to go, all within 24 hours - utter and total madness...bonkers!
...and my back and my legs and thighs...and don't even get me started on my ankles.
I've been climbing mountains. Well one mountain actually, Scarfell Pike in the Lake District. I mean what silly bloody fool would do that?
Back in February, when the days were short and the weather poor I agreed to take part in the 3 peaks - simple. Just climb the three highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales and Bob's your Father's Brother. So July comes around and off we go to do some training.
All seems pretty simple, arrive in the Lake District for 12midday and we will take a gentle stroll up the Pike walking and talking as we go, so as to aquaint oursleves with the mountain. What we are not told is how steep, long and rough this particular mountain is. It takes us hours to ascend, all the time listening to the endless advice and comments from our mountain guide (or rather our mountain goat) who neither breaks into a sweat nor loses his breathe at all...ever! You try holding a conversation when you can't put one foot in front of the other, let alone espouse the wisdom of backpack size or the relative merits of waterproof trouser manufacturers.
Still we made it both up and down...but boy did we pay for it.
Now walking around is fine today..though bending is not. Luckily had no ocassion to visit anyone on the first floor of Charity Tart's building today - maybe the end of the week before I advance to that. All in all then it looks as though a little more training may be required!
Oh and BTW when we actually do climb Scarfell as part of the challenge it will be in the total darkness having already climbed one mountain and have another to go, all within 24 hours - utter and total madness...bonkers!
Thursday, 10 July 2008
Now I've gone and won an award!
Award ceremonies...I love them!
In another world my alter ego has won an award and been runner up in two others - cool hey? What for I hear you cry - actually I don't but hey a boys got to have dreams. My theatre programmes and publicity materials which I design in my spare (?!) time have been listed in three categories at the National Operatic and Dramatic Association Awards (London region).
I have been presented with the most bizarre solid silver Egyptian pedestal which is The F Leslie Cowham Trophy for Programme Design (Souvenir Class) - what a citation? I'm chuffed to bits. The programme was for Oklahoma! and was a gooden...
...and to top that it comes with a bottle of Champagne - proper fizz. Life is better already.
In another world my alter ego has won an award and been runner up in two others - cool hey? What for I hear you cry - actually I don't but hey a boys got to have dreams. My theatre programmes and publicity materials which I design in my spare (?!) time have been listed in three categories at the National Operatic and Dramatic Association Awards (London region).
I have been presented with the most bizarre solid silver Egyptian pedestal which is The F Leslie Cowham Trophy for Programme Design (Souvenir Class) - what a citation? I'm chuffed to bits. The programme was for Oklahoma! and was a gooden...
...and to top that it comes with a bottle of Champagne - proper fizz. Life is better already.
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
The Glitz of the Awards ceremony
OK so really cross as my post has just disappeared and I need to start allover.
So just come back from the Charity Tart's annual outing to the tartiest event of all - the Institute of Fundraising's Annual Awards ceremony. Held at a central London Hotel (OK Edgware Rd) - the event brings together charity tarts from across the country.
Starting with a Champagne reception - well more of a sparkling wine reception really. Really not to Charity Tart's standards. I mean don't these people know the difference? I bet the conversation went something like this:
"OK so shall we have Champagne or sparkling wine"
"What's the difference?"
"Well...about £7 I think"
"That's good then - sure no one will notice the difference"
I mean I say...it tasted as though the wine had been doused in honey to create a kind of tepid meade rather than a crisp dry cool glass of bubbles.
So suitably fed up the evening progressed. The endless round of award categories for people you have never heard of continued. Made better, however, by my fellow tarts constructing a betting game on each category using matchsticks (hard to get hold of in these non-smoking days of hotels). We placed our bets and soon a system developed - never bet on the first announced and go for the current causes of the moment. So there were prizes for flood relief in Yorkshire and Prostate and Breast Cancer - all wholly predictable.
Lifetime acheivement went to a bod from theNational Trust who had worked there for 16 years (!) and the award for best up-and-coming fundraiser went to the prettiest nominee with the shortest skirt - fickle, moi?
All in all a reasonable night - thank goodness it's only once a year - I don't think I could stand the excitement more often...and who was that celeb doing the intros...Breakfast sport presenter - when?!!
So just come back from the Charity Tart's annual outing to the tartiest event of all - the Institute of Fundraising's Annual Awards ceremony. Held at a central London Hotel (OK Edgware Rd) - the event brings together charity tarts from across the country.
Starting with a Champagne reception - well more of a sparkling wine reception really. Really not to Charity Tart's standards. I mean don't these people know the difference? I bet the conversation went something like this:
"OK so shall we have Champagne or sparkling wine"
"What's the difference?"
"Well...about £7 I think"
"That's good then - sure no one will notice the difference"
I mean I say...it tasted as though the wine had been doused in honey to create a kind of tepid meade rather than a crisp dry cool glass of bubbles.
So suitably fed up the evening progressed. The endless round of award categories for people you have never heard of continued. Made better, however, by my fellow tarts constructing a betting game on each category using matchsticks (hard to get hold of in these non-smoking days of hotels). We placed our bets and soon a system developed - never bet on the first announced and go for the current causes of the moment. So there were prizes for flood relief in Yorkshire and Prostate and Breast Cancer - all wholly predictable.
Lifetime acheivement went to a bod from theNational Trust who had worked there for 16 years (!) and the award for best up-and-coming fundraiser went to the prettiest nominee with the shortest skirt - fickle, moi?
All in all a reasonable night - thank goodness it's only once a year - I don't think I could stand the excitement more often...and who was that celeb doing the intros...Breakfast sport presenter - when?!!
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