The Journey to Excellence                   Friday 23rd Feb 2007

 

Up for it were:

Yupmeister, Dasher, Mid week Tone, Pedro, Stubbee, Mr Tahoohigh, Dan the man, JayCee, Malc Jay, Craigee 50/50, Granpop Bill, Ali Gee, R G Bargee, Keithee's up for it, Matt Silver Bear, DCeen, McCeen, Beardee, Richee-Lionel, Picasso and Carling Real ale.

 

Spikelett dropped out at the last minute with the lergy. Mr Tahoohigh’s insurance gamble with ‘morethan’ also failed to mature.

 

Most of us gathered at Newcastle bus station at 6ish to take over a minilink up to the Plough at Bignal End. After a meandering route through Chesterton and neck-end we followed Pedro off the bus who then proceeded to set a good example of ‘how not to cross a road behind a bus’.  It was a sign that he was due to retire the following week and didn’t give a hoot any more!

 

The lesson was soon forgotten as the pumps came into view at the Plough.  Moonshine was on tap along with Oakhams Inferno; an excellent replacement for Mr Tahoohigh’s favourite Bishops Farewell which had run out earlier.  Mister and Master Tahoohigh arrived a short time after and immediately settled into the inferno.  It was so good, even the master himself couldn’t detect any difference from his beloved Farewell.

 

Light ales were in abundance which was excellent news to most of us except Pedro, but then that didn’t matter.  He had to make do with Guinness ! Ha Ha.  DCeen and McCeen were spotted getting dropped off by JCeen-her-jag and immediately disappeared into the lounge area in the hope of getting served quicker. 

 

An hour later we forced ourselves up to venture to the Swan. The rain had stopped thankfully (well it would, wouldn’t it?).  Beardee arrived in a right tizzy. ‘I thought I was dead’, he uttered as he explained his journey with Jackie ‘Stewart’ who had dropped him off.  Ali and RGee chilled in the corner, amused by Beardee’s tale, and recovering from a long 50 yard walk down the bank from the bus stop. They were up for the festival but not the curry tonight.  ‘They couldn’t be bothered youth’.  Or was it that Ali Gee had heartburn as a result from eating too many pies?

 

Carling Real Ale joined us for the first time, after releasing his hold of Pedro.  Pedro was taken for a mug as his sister invited herself along for a free pint (in a mug of course), to continue the family trait, before returning home across the road before it was her round.

 

Beardee was still trembling as we prepared ourselves for the stroll to the festival.  A flurry of cap exchanges followed, taking us back to last year’s trip when Mid week Tone donned his cap and took the paparazzi by surprise.

 

A chorus of ‘Oh come all ye faithful’ bellowed out across the road as Pedro’s sister opened her front door to wave Pedro off, and breathe a sigh of relief.  At least I think she was waving.

The football club didn’t seem quite as busy as last year, maybe because there was a gigantic gazebo set up outside which Keithee took a liking to. The infamous Ibstock Bricks could be seen supporting the casks. Nice to see Silver Bears favourite on again.  Pork pies were in short supply cus Ali had eaten them.

 

After Keithee had finished caressing the gazebo, we set off to the offie before descending on the Royal.  19 of us had made it.  The meals and service were cracking, and miraculously, we managed to catch the bus back to Castle with smiles on our faces; well most of us did.  Back in Castle, the usual fragmentation took place.  Beardee dragged Yup, Stub, and Pop into the Bulls Vaults for a quick dram before taxiing home, from what I can remember.

Twas yet another excellent night out.

 

Regards

Yupmeister