The weeks in the life  of our chairman

Below is the eternal unanswered question that Vagabond members ask

Do we drink between walking

Or

Do we walk between drinking ?

THE CONTENT OF THIS PAGE IS  MY OPINION ONLY, AND DOES NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT UPON ANY OTHER MEMBER'S VIEWS OR COMMENTS UNLESS SPECIFICALLY STATED.

Hello again.

Yesterday (Friday) we said cheerio to our houseguests for a week, U.S. Vagabonds Mary Malicki and Connie Stopera, as they set off of on the second leg of their brief visit to Europe. It has been an action packed week from start to finish.

Hannah and I collected them from Heathrow Airport last Sunday at 11:00 am. We were all in the Coach and Horses by 2:00pm!!! Most of the drinking circle were there hanging on a little so as to meet our guests I suspect. Anne had cooked a nice roast lamb dinner after which we sat out in our recently refurbished garden to enjoy a little sunshine and a lot of chat!

On Monday we went to The Black Country Museum in Dudley. This is a recreation of buildings from a bygone era depicting the life of local people within the period of the industrial revolution. They have even demolished some original buildings from the area around and rebuilt them creating a whole village complete with the shops and businesses associated with life then. It also includes a working pub and a chip shop. We also took a canal boat ride into the lime tunnels and caverns. Truly a recommended day out. I would suggest you take a peek on:  www.bclm.co.uk  you won't regret it.

Tuesday we went to Oxford. We used the Park and Ride from Peartree then took an open topped bus trip around the City. The trip was fine but the guide was a local guy with the local accent! All you could hear was "On the left is blurdy blardy, set up by hurdy bumpty in 1609.This went on the whole way round! It was gross!! After that we walked down to Christ Church College and did a visit there. This was extremely interesting. In the dining hall there is a painting where, when you approach it, the head is turned toward you. As you pass it the head follows you and is then looking the other way!!. I mean the head, not the eyes!! The name of the subject? John Strange!!! Spooky!! Mary and I later climbed the Carfax Tower for a panoramic view of the towers and spires of Oxford.

Wednesday we went for a half day visit to the Cotswolds and Bourton On The Water. Never quite made it to the miniature village as a "plethora" of shops got in the way!!! But the motor museum was a must!!

Thursday we set off for a more in depth visit to Stratford Upon Avon, as last time Mary and Connie came, we did the Vagabonds P.T. We visited Shakespeare's birth house and to his grave in Holy Trinity Church. Along the way visited another house, that of John Hall, an eminent physician of his day, who married Shakespeare's daughter, Susanna. A very spacious house even by today's standard.

Yesterday was pack cases and prepare to move on. I introduced Trevor to Mary, who works in the Sheriff's Dept in Vancouver, Washington State, and he asked her if she would tell her boss, Sheriff Garry Lucas, that she had met Trevor Thornton. It was Garry that I asked to send an e-mail to Trevor to see that the internet was really world wide. Mary had managed to acquire just three deputy sheriff stickers. She promptly made an official gift of one to Trevor on behalf of the Sheriff!! I am sure he was over the moon about it!!

Mary and Connie have been collected by Liz Barker and whisked away to Liverpool for a few days before going Eurotunnel to Paris, then return to London for a couple of days before flying back to the States. We really loved entertaining and hosting them and will really miss them. We now have to prepare for a visit from another U.S. couple with whom we have spent a couple of periods with, Mary and Dave McKay from Canby Oregon. They will arrive mid September.

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Now it is walking in earnest in time for the Danetre Dawdle on August 10th. Debbie and Tony are proof walking a section of the 20k route next weekend, whilst I have been checking the routes for another 33 strong group of U.S walkers from Walking Adventures International who we meet each year to walk from Badby to Fawsley and back. This is the first year since 2002 that they have visited due to the exchange rate. So welcome back guys!!

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I will be asking Mary and Connie to share their  experiences in the U.K and Paris with us and perhaps enough content to submit to the V.T.

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A Little Humour

The following courtesy of David Ellard (who else)?

The Koala and the Lizard, a parable for today...

A koala was sitting in a gum tree...... smoking a joint when a little lizard walked past, looked up and said,
'Hey Koala! What are you doing?'

The koala said, 'Smoking a joint, come up and have some.'
So the little lizard climbed up and sat next to the koala where they enjoyed a few joints.

After a while the little lizard said that his mouth was 'dry' and that he was going to get a drink from the river.
The little lizard was so stoned that he leaned too far over and fell into the river.

A crocodile saw this and swam over to the little lizard and helped him to the side.
Then he asked the little lizard, 'What's the matter with you?'
The little lizard explained to the crocodile that he was sitting smoking a joint with the koala in the tree, got too stoned and then fell into the river while taking a drink.

The crocodile said that he had to check this out and walked into the rain forest, found the tree where the koala was
sitting finishing a joint.
The crocodile looked up and said, 'Hey man!'

So the koala looked down at him and said, "how much water did you drink?!!"

Time we had a blonde joke!...

 'Is it because I'm blonde, mommy?'
 
'No Honey, it's because you're 24.'

 

Seize the day…

A man charges into a bank wearing a balaclava and wielding a handgun.
He shouts 'this is a raid - everyone get on the floor!!', and proceeds
to empty the cash drawers.


As he runs towards the door with the loot, a brave customer yanks off
his balaclava. The robber immediately shoots the customer in the head
and shouts.. 'Did anybody else here see my face?'.


The robber notices another customer peering from behind a counter and
goes over and shoots him in the head also.

'Did anybody else see my face?' he shouts again, waving his gun around.
There is silence for a few seconds before a male voice is heard from a
distant corner..

'I think my missus caught a glimpse....'

Another one of those smart-arse quizzes...

SO - NOW HAVE A GREAT ONE

Thanks David.

This from Anne's Sister Valerie.

Arthur is 90 years old. He's played golf every day since his retirement 25 years ago. One day he arrives home looking downcast.

 'That's it,' he tells his wife. 'I'm giving up golf. My eyesight has gotten so bad that once I've hit the ball I couldn't see where it went.'

 His wife sympathises and makes him a cup of tea. As they sit down she says, 'Why don't you take my brother with you and give it one more try.'

 'That's no good' sighs Arthur, 'your brother's a hundred and three. He can't help.'

 'He may be a hundred and three', says the wife, 'but his eyesight is perfect.'

 So the next day Arthur heads off to the golf course with his brother-in-law.

 He tees up, takes an almighty swing and squints down the fairway.

 He turns to the brother-in-law. 'Did you see the ball?'

 'Of course I did!' replied the brother-in-law. 'I have perfect eyesight'.

 'Where did it go?' says Arthur.

 'I don't remember.'

Thanks Val.

Until next time, take care.
 

Very best wishes,  Malc Ogle.