Fancy a quick beer ?

An early evening sms from Paul enquired as to wether we would be free for a beer later that evening, in the neighbouring village of Westoning. After checking with Pippa I was quick to reply with the standard 'that wld b gr8t c u L8tr'. We set off around 8pm to meet up in the Chequers which had been closed for a couple of months, so I was anticipating a newly refurbished and envigourated pub, but nothing was different, I think they just forogt to open the front doors for a while.

Paul, Suze, Mark and Nikki all arrived about 10 minutes after us and the topic of conversation was very soon weddings, weddings weddings, but noticing that Nikki was on fruit juice started Pippa & I thinking and within 10 minutes, Nikki couldn't contain her good news. Indeed she did have another baby inside her tummy, and there coming out date was the day before Pauls wedding, this may pose a slight challenge to Mark the father to be, but also the best man on the day !

Several drinks later, and I don't think we quuite hit double figures, we leapt into our waiting cab and made it home just before midnight.

The Chequers could almost be described as Graham's local, but unfortunately he had not been in when I called him earlier and had no response to the text I sent him. I was later to find out that in fact he made it home, shortly after we arrived at the pub and he was slightly miffed that six of us had been on 'his manor' without any of us 'knocking him up' and asking Sue if he could come out to play. Life plays cruel tricks of timings now and again, this was one of them.

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Parents, meet the parents

You can choose you friends but you can't choose your family, was a line that circled slowly around my mind, like an OAP lost on the M25.

Pippa & I had chosen to spend the rest of our lives together, but could our parents spend at least one day together without causing problems. There was no way we were going to leave this potetnial flashpoint to the wedding day so we organised a sunday dinner meeting at Sopwell House, sort of an ice breaker.

Both sets of parents met at our house for coffee in a very relaxed 'meet & greet' session. This passed exceptionally smoothly and after two cups of finest Tassimo coffee, we prepared to leave for Sopwell House and the first 'extended family' meal.

Buffet is such an 80's word, which should have been left in the 80's with Bananarama, however the multiple-choice food concept is as valid as ever it was, it just needs updating with a new name 'Choice-Dining', 'multiplate', 'dyna-menu' or 'MVSE' (multi-visit sustinace experience) they all work for me. There were three good reasons for choosing buffet in the brasserie over the more formal restaurant, and they were (1) The theatre & interaction of getting up and down to choose you food gives an immediate topic for conversation and gets people to discuss things like "What do you think that is", the visual menu laid out in front of you is just dying to be discussed (2) The formal atmosphere of fine-dining is not conducive to stimulating conversation, especially on a 'first date' style occasion as this (3) The price, fine dining has a subtle way of making your credit card develop mild asthma within your wallet, I can almost here my little Visa card coughing now as I read out the phrase fine-dining.


The meal passed without incident, although I did find myself with a lump in my throat on more than one occasion, firstly when I saw a newly-wed bride & groom parading on the lawns, knowing that in just 16 weeks time we would be in the very same position. Then upon paying the bill, to discover that my mum had been drinking £7 glasses of wine, a lump the size of Norwich started to block my airways. Knowing full well that Asda currently have a number of acceptable wines on offer at below the £4 mark and also some amazing multi-buy offers.



After the meal, Pippa's parents set off on their 3 hour journey home to their thatched cottage in the country, with Boris, the Blue Great Dane, squished into the back of the 4x4 they crunched their way up the gravel driveway toward the M25.

Boris is no ordinary dog, he weighs over 30 stone and is just short of 17 hands high. Even in the world of great danes, he's a biggun !

Goodbye Glasses

Pippa has been wearing glasses for about as long as she has been wearing a bra, and the time had come for one of these long standing appendages to go. I wasn't keen on it being the bra, however much I appreciate the work of Charlie Dimmock on Ground Force, I do not want my future wife swininging free & easy whilst she mows the lawn. So laser eye surgery was on the cards and today was the day when Pippa was to go under the optical-knife.

Michael & Vinni's for Dinner

A very civilised evening in the sleepy village of Bartlow. Champagne, copious bottle of wine and the medieval christian tration of playing pass the pigs on 1st April to ward off evil spirits.

If you have been enthralled by the tales of 'passing the pigs' then feel free to enjoy a virtual 'pass the pigs' simulator at the follwoing web site : www.fontface.com/games/pigs/