MS to feature in the 2009 Good Beer Guide

I am able to reveal that the North Sussex branch of CAMRA have confirmed to Lynne that the MS will be listed in the Good Beer Guide. Outstanding!

Culture invades the Malt Shovel

On Sunday evening I sauntered into the MS for my pint when I saw a sight which I have to say I had not seen before in all of the years I have been using the pub.

Of all the things (and people) who might have been laid out on the floor of the top bar I saw - poster sized pictures of famous Parisian buildings and landmarks.

It started because two fracophile photgraphers started chatting about their recent trip.

"In fact I was there only last week", said one. "That is remarkable, because so was I" etc etc.

A most bizarre coincidence

I recently did a website for a client at Barns Green who is a vat consultant. His arch rival is a guy called Martin Pooley from Norwich. From time to time I check out his website.

Yesterday I decided to take a look at web design company that did Mr Pooley's website, and I found myself at the Worthing firm of Big Breakfast Design Ltd.

Looking through their portfolio I felt compelled to click on the Horsham Community Folk Festival. Scrolling down the main page I found myself looking at a picture of the festival's organiser who is no other than Malt Shovel regular Martin Jeremiah.

From accountancy in Norwich, to Worthing and a Malt Shovel buddy in three clicks. Spookey!

Martn Jeremiah

Something for the weekend

Hats off to Marks and Spencer.

Having emailed them they asked me to send my trousers and shirt back to them. They completely agreed that there was a problem with these garments.

This morning's post brought a full refund, and this afternoon I purchased another three shirts.
Hopefully these will last longer than the last ones did.

And what chance do Englands rugby team have against France? Little, in my view.
Ashton will have to go, but I will be happy to eat my hat.

The bugging of MPs has been in the news recently.
If the victim is the buggee, what is the person who places the bug?

The perils of drinking beer - Beware!

The Government has published a health warning to advise you about the perils of drinking beer.
Click on the link to view it.

(Thanks to Mike Cross for bringing this little gem to my attention).

The dirtiest car in the MS car park

Alf and I both drive cars that were once white, but whose paint had turned green on account of the fact that we have to park them under trees. Alf's car was even greener than mine, and that was saying something.

Alf had his car serviced and MOTd. The garage decided that no customer of theirs was going to be allowed to drive around in such a dirty car, so they cleaned it for him. That meant that my car was now the dirtiest one in the MS car park.

I also have MOT an service due at the end of the month, so I decided to clean my car - just to give the illusion that I was a caring owner.

I took the garden hose and prepared to wash it. Problem! There was more water coming out of the side of the hose than there was coming out of the end of it. Time for a new hose which I bought yesterday.

My car is now transformed. It is immaculate inside and out.

This means that Alf' car is again the dirtiest in the MS car park, and I am feeling very smug.

Mike Quick and his Makas

I popped into the MS on Saturday evening and caught Mike Quick and his Makas. (I was wondering about 'Makas', but when they started off by singing a series of Fleetwood Mack songs, the penny dropped). I've seen them several times now and they've always been very good, but I thought their performance on Saturday was particularly effervescent. I shall certainly catch them again.

My son Richard (14) has asked me to take him to tonight's open mic night as he is a keen drummer. Here is a minute of him playing. The performance stopped when he dropped his stick!

Richard Drumming