That time of year again

The annual Bricklayers BBQ and music day is nearly upon us.
Here's a blog I wrote 7 years ago - and it's still going strong.

Beer, barbies, bands and birds

3:47 PM, Tuesday, May 29, 2007 

Sunday was the annual all-day thrash at a local pub in Shamley Green.  3 local bands, and a selection of real ale and cider from barrels in beer-tents out the back (and a barbie).   Pretty full bar, and a good atmosphere from 2 onwards.  I remember singing along ("with gusto") to songs from the Kinks, Eagles, Beatles, The Who… all the usual suspects.   I've only really got into pub groups late in life, but it can be great fun.   This was nice in that it really is an annual local village event; everyone is from around there, and lots of kids were enjoying it with their parents.  One tiny tot was cradled in his mother’s arms, wide-eyed and clapping quite well to the beat of ‘One of these nights…’.  Lots of regulars from my normal local The Jolly were there for the day, and we even had the added bonus of bird #1 - a band leader’s girlfriend, who is built as girls are usually only built in Hollywood… 18 !  Jings – can you get arrested for looking at my age? 

Mass exodus to the bus-stop in the evening as The Jolly’s customers, and barmaids past and present, headed down for the quiz night/work behind the bar.  Stopped off first at another local to check on a drinker who had a scary attack last time I was there – good to hear he apparently had no lasting damage.  And guess what - they had a band playing too, so more duets with Snr. Gusto... ole...

Monday – ah, this is when I realise I can’t quite cope as I used to.  It’s the day afterwards when I feel totally rotten and have a head like a punched cabbage, so watched footy and did bugger-all that was useful.  However did see bird#2 – actually six of them, Great Tit chicks that just left my nesting box a week before and were back feeding, making a din and playing tag – don’t they look like they're really having fun?  Discovered they let you get very close to them at this age as I put an extra feeder up on the tree.

Tuesday – bird #3.  Sadly, not Richard’s girlfriend again, but a peacock.  Landed on a conservatory roof opposite, and wandered around – looking a bit dim - for hours afterwards.   See that’s Surrey for you – even the pigeons are posh down here.   I was hoping he would fly over here so the cocky ginger Tom from next door might get taught a bit of a lesson, but he seems to have flounced off now – peacock like, I guess.

Nearly recovered... :-)