#08 July
Well, I'm back from my Summer holidays - of which more in a moment - but first, a catch-up of everything that's happened since my last blog entry.
When I wrote blog 7, I hadn't seen the day's news. It wasn't until a couple of hours later that - inbetween watching the cricket - I happened to be flicking through the pages of Teletext. The front page didn't grab my attention at first, appearing to be the usual run-of-the-mill top story: terrorist attacks in some foreign land, hundreds injured, many feared dead... What did make me take notice was the precise location: Sharm al-Sheikh. Before then, those two and a half words had only made me laugh for sounding like a bizarre milkshake. But then they suddenly reminded me that that was the same resort that Tom and his mates were staying at. I don't mind telling you that it scared me sh**less. Thanks be to God that they all managed to come away completely unharmed, albeit shaken up, despite the fact the bombs exploded only yards away from the pub they were in at the time.
After coming home on the next available flight, Tom came down the pub for a couple of drinks down at the Tollgate. Frazer, Adèle and Elyse joined us, and Mandeep and Alan/Adam/Alanwade managed to pull themselves away from the lure of Robbie Baker's party for an hour to say hello. What a fool I was for daring to organise something that clashed with such an important event on the social calendar.
The Friday before all this, myself and Frazer managed to lose all our funds on a race night. It was all for charity, so at least someone will benefit from our foolishness, but the decision to buy the horse that had both won the previous race (and so was unlikely to again) and use up all our spare cash on it was probably not the most sensible. My bank balance was alreday suffering, and the only other credit I held was with Blue Sqaure - that is, until I'd placed my bets on this year's Mercury Music Prize:
- £10 freebet on the Go! Team at 16-1
- £2 on Antony & The Johnsons at 16-1
- ...and a whole £1.25 - oh yes, there's big money at stake here - on personal favourites Maxïmo Park at 10-1
As I said, I've just got back from a week-long holiday in Jersey. It was a nice, relaxing week, and as a result I've got very little to say about it. Other than it would be nice to visit again, but probably only when I'm 65.
Finally, in more exciting news: Another drain on the inheritance. I've finally got round to getting myself a car. Laugh if you must, but the 1993 Ford Fiesta LX is one hell-of-a motor. Alright, maybe not with only a 1.1 engine - but a car is a car, and at £300 you can't complain. It may be grey, but I don't care. My uncle is bringing it over to my house tomorrow morning and then I'll be hitting the road. Or crawling to the petrol station, at least.
PS: This week I've managed to get copies of the albums from Rilo Kiley, Death Cab For Cutie (they were on an episode of The OC, OK?), Editors, Hot Hot Heat and The Strokes. So expect some reviews at some stage or another. Either that or a selection of obscure lyrics.
