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ihaveanalibi
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Name: ihaveanalibi
Country: United Kingdom
Birthday: 6/20/1956
Gender: Male
Interests: Travel. Diving. History. Chess. Books. Music. Opera. Theatre. Good food. Single Malts.
Expertise: Need an Agony Uncle? Try me. "Dear Murph..."
Occupation: Operations
Industry: Government
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
12/18/2005
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We've been back from Malta for a week now and just getting around to writing about it now. We went for two weeks, mainly for the wedding of one of Iris' nieces. It was an evening wedding and reception and very hot! Of course the Maltese are very family oriented so the children all had a part to play too.
Yes, that IS a kilt in the background - Lawrence (groom) is Maltese but his mother is british. His uncle piped them out of the church with Irish pipes.
James stayed with his cousins this trip, so Iris and I got to stay in a hotel in St Paul's Bay for a change. This is Iris' family's "summer home" - they actually live in Zebbug during the winter. That's about as far away from the sea as you can get in Malta - must be close to 10 miles!
This is the view (on telephoto) from our balcony - St Paul's Island, where the saint was supposedly shipwrecked while enroute to his trial in Rome.
Another view at sunset. The bit just past the point is where we swam, water is about 20' deep and there are a couple of ladders so it's easy to get out. James and his cousin enjoyed jumping in from some cliffs a bit further on - too high for me so I just watched them. Iris got stung by a jellyfish near the end of our holiday and it's left a scar the size of a silver dollar on the back of her shoulder.
We went to Mdina (the Silent City, or Citadel) one evening for dinner with Iris' dutch sister in law and her daughter. It's always worth going to and James and Daniella tried to "out-spook" each other.
James won.
There were several more family meals with some superb seafood (Iris would have liked boiled jellyfish just to get her own back but alas...), pizza and pasta. We spent a day on the south of the island visiting friends at Zabbar and Mary fed us rabbit and spaghetti - if you've read my profile you'll notice my favourite meal, and it just keeps getting better! Also went to a birthday party for Dirk, Iris' oldest friend's husband, in Senglea and later played a poker tournament at the waterfront casino in Vittoriosa. Only cost me 10 Euros for about 3 hours of play - there were unlimited re-buys until the end of the first break but I stuck with my original chips and played them out. Eventually went all-in on the button when I flopped two pair including top (queens). Only one other player stayed in, drawing to a straight. He hit it on the river and I went for a drink. Still, it was an enjoyable and pretty cheap night for me.
Vittoriosa celebrated it's Saint's Day with a festa while we were there - I took a fabulous video of the band in the square and the flags and dancing as they paraded the statue on their shoulders - take my word for it cause Xanga doesn't let me upload videos for some reason. It SAYS they're uploading but then I sit there like a numpty for over an hour waiting for it to finish. So you'll have to make do with a picture of the church lit up like a Christmas tree instead.
Iris always likes to go to the markets when she's home and this trip was no different. Don't know why she bothers though, cause as always she loaded two of the biggest suitcases we own with gifts to take from the UK. Honestly, she's like the pied piper crossed with santa claus when she goes home! Anyway, she bought me a pair of shorts. Just cause she liked the care label...
Glad that's cleared up then.
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Been pretty busy of late, the weekend after the Queen's garden party we went to Royal Ascot with some friends. I've not been a big fan of the horses (gee-gees they call them here) when I've been in the past, but Mitch bought a Racing Times and showed me how to check form and walked me through the various bets available to make.
I felt much more involved with everything this time and really enjoyed it. Went down to the parade ring before each race to see how they looked
 
placed my bets while the girls enjoyed their Pimms
and lost every race. I really feel I know what I'm doing now, especially gratifying since even the kids here seem to have it all down pat!!
   
After the races finished there was a concert by the best ABBA tribute band around, "Bjorn Again".
I've tried several times to upload the video I took of them but Xanga just doesn't like it so I'm forced to resort to one off of YouTube HERE. It's the same song I videoed though, and the routine was just as polished. All the little ones were singing along on their dad's shoulders - guess I'd missed just how popular Mama Mia has become with kids now, but even adults will enjoy them. Ahem...even the stage outfits were like the originals....right, moving on...
to Switzerland! Last weekend Iris and I loaded Dawn's things into the car and were up at 3am to shower and hit the road. We've decided that it makes more sense to buy a carnet of "frequent traveller" tickets for the Eurotunnel at £350 for 10 crossings within 12 months rather than single crossings at up to £120 each. Also bought the European break down insurance so we're now set for the year hopefully. We're getting quite the old hands at the tunnel crossings to Calais of late. Anyway, we caught the 6am crossing and were motoring through France headed to Lausanne on Lake Geneva. It was a pleasant drive with some stunning scenery along the way.
  
It was about 4pm when we arrived and Dawn immediately showed me her balcony overlooking the lake, the French town of Evian (where the bottled water comes from) on the distant shore and the Alps beyond. Actually, the Alps are all around!
I was also quite content with the hammock and the cold beer she provided! We went out for a wander along the lake during the evening and a meal, taking the new subway - the pride and joy of Lausanne as even Geneva doesn't have one! It's not quite like London's underground, having only a handful of stops, but it's clean, quick, cheap and efficient. As you'd expect in Switzerland. What you don't expect is the "audio" announcements. Each station has it's own "sound" as you pull in - there were marching troops, roosters crowing, running water - can't remember what all but it was.....unique!
Sunday morning we wandered into the town for coffee, pausing to admire the architecture as we went.
   
The shops were just as you'd imagine as well....
Left around 11am and made our way back to Calais for an early evening crossing and home in bed by midnight. Iris and I both worked late most nights last week trying to get caught up, much less ahead, in our last week before going to Malta tonight for two weeks. Friday night we met some friends at a tapas bar in Hammersmith - I didn't get there till nearly 10 having worked as long as possible, then downed about 6 ice cold mojitos in a row with a few tapas....did I tell you about our week?
Saturday morning we drove to Reading and picked up Kaya and Rebe, who'd spent the week with their dad, and drove them back up to Stockport so we could see them all - Tabby's much happier up there now, and the girls are doing well at school, so it's only a hardship cause it's so far away (about a 4 hour drive if there's not much traffic).
 
It was great to see them all, Beau Lily is a good baby, didn't cry once while we were there and reminds me of Savannah when it comes to her food! Took Tabby, Dave and the girls out for dinner and drove back home that night, arriving about 1am cause they'd shut the motorway down to one lane through Birmingham without any advance notice. They only do things like that to p*ss me off, I'm convinced, since we'd decided at that time of night it would be silly to bypass B'ham on the toll road. Lesson learned.
James has been in Wales with his Dad this past week, he got home yesterday excited about learning to surf and with a new interest to save up for!
In other news, Abigail and Sasha have the opportunity to move to London and are taking it. If everything goes through they'll have a real nice 3 bedroom house near where Iris used to live (she's jealous now cause we looked in that area and couldn't afford the prices!). I've told here when she gets moved in we'll take them to one of Iris and James' favourite restaurants in London - Pagliaccios - that is just around the corner from where she's moving. It'll be nice to have them nearer as well and James can introduce Sasha to lots of kids he went to school with that still live in the area.
While James was away I also played poker at the club a couple of times, won quite well one night and the next lost about half my winnings. Good fun though. Still waiting for the beginners fencing class to begin - looks like it'll be late September now.
That's been our month, now I've gotta go make Iris a cup of coffee (I got up early cause my neck and shoulders have been hurting, probably from all the driving lately) then we have to pack cause we've got to be at Heathrow at around 6:30 this evening for the flight to Malta. Found my membership card to the Casino there - might have to give it a visit while we're there - never played poker in a casino before and feel I at least know as much about cards as I do the gee-gees so I'm READY for it!!
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| Once in a lifetime you get the opportunity to do something you never expected to ever be privileged enough to take part in. Less than once in a lifetime you get the opportunity to do TWO things on the same day of such rarity. Last Tuesday was such a day.
 
I had never thought to see the crowds at the gates from inside the Grand Entrance at the palace, much less to be ushered through the inner courtyard and two ground floor rooms to the large formal gardens. I decided not to wear a morning coat so bought a new suit that I at least will get more use out of. I later thought I should have gone in "national dress" as it was also permitted. I'd have been the only one there in boots and stetson, although for the later coup it might have been more appropriate had I dressed as a full Native American.
The day was wet but there were plenty of marquees (and more than one Marquess I gather) in which to drink hot tea, iced coffee or lemon barley and sample several small sandwiches and cakes. All of very high quality, the miniature scones in particular actually had the strawberry jam on top in the form of the Royal Crest. There were two military bands playing at opposite ends of the garden and separate marquees for diplomats and Royals. Even here, we were put firmly in our place as "not of the right sort"! Still, we had interesting conversations with others of our station, including several Bishops.
It was interesting seeing the troop of "Beefeaters" in full regalia, including swords and pikes. What was more interesting was seeing who had the real power on the day over these retired but impressively armed military men - a gentleman in a morning coat and top hat carrying an umbrella!
Finally, my moment came. It was risky, as no cameras were allowed so Iris grabbed a shot on her cellphone. At the bottom of the garden is a large lake. With the Queen, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and Camilla, Princess Anne and Princess Michael of Kent no more than 50' away I ran up my colours, so to speak....
Okay, so it wasn't Boston Harbor but it was the best I could do in the (pomp and) circumstance!
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Something happens in Britain when the sun comes out - somehow the beer tastes so much better that you just can't get enough of it! Although I'm thinking perhaps I am nearing that point. Soon, if the weather turns then.
These are the girls that took me out for my birthday recently. Lucky, lucky man! Of course, that's Iris in the red skirt and Dawn is number 3. The other two are friends, one from Malta and one from Greece.
Just realised we both look like we're in mourning here! Had a great lunch in a pub outside Loughborough, where we had gone to pick up some of Dawn's things. She just finished her PhD and is now working in Switzerland for UEFA, the international football association (kind of like the NFL). Iris and I will drive over soon to see her and take her things to her. Any excuse for a roadtrip!
A week or so later we went down to Weymouth to see friends over the weekend and while wandering through a nearby town saw a couple of interesting plaques on the buildings:
This plaque was directly above me as I drank my coffee outside the local Costa.
Also had a wander on the beach and dipped our toes in the water. It was freezing!
I had a couple of back to back meetings at two of my distant prisons so stayed away one night. Found a new hotel when I'm in that area - just my sort, a historic country house conversion. This one is Elizabethan and has royal connections - much of the furniture comes from Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace.
I enjoyed a pint of Adnams - the local beer that I like so well - in this chair. Unlike King Edward VII I then stood up and walked away from it - he died in this very chair. I suspect I enjoyed my respite there much more than he did. I also had probably the very best steak sandwich and chips (fries) at the bar of this hotel that I have ever had. My room was huge, with a separate living area and even had a small kitchenette area. I'll definately use this again. Interestingly, since I mentioned the brewery, Iris knows the Adnam family and has worked with them on sustainable development. She managed to get an MBE for the Chairman last year in the Queen's Christmas Honours List.
After my second meeting I had to stop and take this picture - it's just outside the prison on the side of the road.
This past weekend we drove down to Devon to see some other friends for the 4th of July. Iris is God-Mother to their daughter who celebrated her first birthday on the 4th. Her dad is American so it was a double celebration with much barbecue and beer. I'm now fat, happy and sunburned. Detox AND liposuction beckon!!!
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My sister did a post on 15 books that "stick with you", for one reason or another. Thought I'd do the same simply cause I love to read and it indulges me!
 The Hardy Boys - this was my first volume at probably 8 years old. I ended up with the entire collection and believe my nephew had them after me. Of course Franklyn W. Dixon was actually a whole group of ghost writers who also wrote the Nancy Drew series as Caroline Keene. Is nothing as it seems?
 Around the same time I checked this out of the school library and was captivated. I've read bits of it since and am appalled at some of the attitudes of the time, for instance trying to kill the whale shark. I dived in Thailand and desperately wanted to swim with a whale shark but didn't see one. Black tipped reef sharks, turtles, leopard sharks, barracudas - plenty. But not a whale shark.
 Who didn't read this in the early 70's? Very cool. Girls liked boys who liked beatnik poetry.
 I've read this book numerous times, lent it out and lost it, replaced it and read it again. It's about time I dusted it off and read it once more.
 The first western I ever read, I now have all of Louis L'Amour's books and read them often. Iris refers to them as my crap books....but her mother used to read them in Malta years ago as well!
 I was reading this at Blytheville AFB on gate duty one night when a drunken cowboy started taking potshots at me. I went straight into the gutter and never even considered shooting back. John Wayne was ashamed and forever avoided me after that.
 .LOTR? Never got into it. This, on the other hand, was my introduction to the world of SF and fantasy. I was knocked out by the graphic good vs evil plot.
 History is always good. I love this book.
 The Discworld - an alternate flat world resting on the shoulders of 4 elephants who are standing on the shell of A'Tuin the great space turtle. What's unbelievable about that? Worth reading just for the footnotes.
 An account of the Battle of Lewes in which Simon de Montfort takes his brother in law King Henry III and Prince Edward hostage and up to beyond the Battle of Evesham a year later when Edward, having escaped and raised an army in London, trapped his battle-wise uncle and his army in the forks of two rivers. Simon supposedly said on seeing Edward approach "He comes on well, he learned that from me. Let us give our souls to the Lord for our bodies are surely Edwards". Families, eh?
 "The small boys came early to the hanging". Surely the best opening line in literature? The only book that has ever made me spontaneously cheer. If you've read it, you know when.
 Bill Bryson. He and I have lived parallel lives for the past 30 years. This was the first of his books I read. I could have written it myself the previous summer when I did exactly what he did except he got it into print first. Bugger. I love every one of his books. I think he spies on me. It doesn't make me paranoid if it's true.
 Has this book made a difference to my life? Oh yesh....
 Okay, so nobody knows. But we're all curious. I like this explanation better than hellfire and brimstone. Thought provoking and comforting in its own way. Also a good read.
 When I was a teenager I wanted to be a lighthouse keeper. Never got around to it, but this young fellow did. Having read it, I still want to be a lighthouse keeper but that's like being a typewriter repairman these days. Missed opportunities....
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