What a Grand Day lots Done
Up early as usual,my lovely niece dropped me off at the post office in Layton and had a good laugh with the shop girls, buying stamps.For no reason at all I passed the local Funeral Parlour inquiring on how much it is to get into Carleton Cemetery ( I have a lot of family in there and a lot more pals!) Pricey to say the least so Ive decided I,m not going to die its too expensive ! Registered myself at the local doctors and have secured THREE appointments in the near future and advised ALL my future prescriptions would be free! Next into town and the local library whereupon I renewed my out of date membership,such a lovely young girl on the help desk.Short walk on the Prom when the heavens opened up,THIS,is the Blackpool I knew so well.Walked through the magnificent Winter Gardens once more and sat reminiscing on the long lost days of my youth,queuing up to watch a Vincent Price/Peter Cushing and others Horror Movie (how tame they were considering the scary movies of today) The Galleon Bar is opposite the cinema (Winter Gardens Opera House) and is where I had my very first Guinness and suffered badly ! Needles to say I have never drunk Guinness since ( I was around 15 at the time) Filled with nostalgic thoughts of yesteryear I went into the local Market that was there when I was a nipper and bought a backpack for my camera and the obligatory Wallet.I also invested in a Will and will fill that in later.Quick advice direct from Hervey Bay that the house sale is progressing. My brother still doesn,t like computers but is happy enough to watch football on my laptop ! Next up is a night indoors watching,yes you,ve guessed it, more Football. Tomorrow is show night and hopefully a good one Stay Tuned….
Quiet Sunday Yeah Right
Day started with 6 family members sitting round the table having a ginormous English Breakfast (Thanks Tresha) some nice banter whilst eating ,then, a day of Football finishing off with us watching Blackpool in the play offs and what a great game !Long time since i,ve drooled over a football ( for the Aussies and Americans, the ball is mainly kicked with the feet hence FOOTball !) match and what a cracker it was with Blackpool winning the first leg 3 – 2 courtesy of a hat trick being scored by Cullen ,who no doubt will move to higher leagues due to his masterful skills Happy Day finishing with a few white wines..
Well Sorted and Blackpool Town
Yahoo !! the lovely people at Barclays (yes they are open on a Saturday) have sorted my Internet Banking out for me on my phone (had it ONE week now and I,m getting better )walked into town and its bustling !! Watched a one man band street entertainer and he was brilliant ! Drums/mouth organ/cymbals and owt else,I was mesmerized.The Promenade was very busy I haven,t seen that many people for ages.Sun was shining (yes it was)I walked through one of the many amusement arcades scattered along the Promenade,memories (all good) came flooding back of my happy childhood when we were oh so innocent (yeah right)Blackpool has a new Sea Wall and I have to say it looks great (cant wait for one of the towns stormy days when we used to dodge waves coming over the sea wall ( I now realise how dangerous that action was )
A Bit More on Friday
Our good pal Mark (has a Taxi) picked us up to meet brothers pal and we headed off to the Albion Pub.and what a night it was !! Met up with some good pals from yesteryear and a few new pals ,Starting with a Pint od Stella Artois then quickly oving on to Pints of Cider and finishing the night on Baileys !! Me and ower kid were tipsy to say the least and after a quick call our friend Mark collected us once more.Thanks to Rick/Kath and others for making it a grand night (THIS is what has been missing in my life ) Straight to bed for me and that was it till 9am next day ! Oh ! brothers pal didnt turn up !! So it probably means another night out at the ALBION in Bispham
Bloody Bank Cards !! Free Bus Pass,Doctors Acceptance and a Gold Cash Card
Went to Barclays and the lovely Lisa tried to sort me out !! Got home and I had been LOCKED out..arrrggghhhh!!! SO Back to the Bank on Monday for yet more instructions..Buses are getting expensive with each ride costing lots of £s BUT the Postman ( I used to be one) delivered my free bus pass and a bonus!! the card can apparently be used nationwide,how good is that.Also Doctors acceptance,a right to vote card to be used come the General Election in a few short weeks and a strange Gold coloured cash card from Oz, sent ( I think) by Ann.Jet Lag is still a pain in the bum and I fell into a very deep sleep this afternoon ( I have been in UK JUST one week ) I sleep very well considering past events.The chippy was paid a visit and we had traditional Fish n Chips with an extra Scallop thrown in ( Scallops here are Potato slices fried in Batter).Tonight will be my first Pub visit with ower kid.Mark a great family pal will (hopefully) take us in his cab to the venue.During the Day I had a look at a flat and will check more out in the next few days.Now I have my bus pass I will get out and about next week taking photo,s Stay tuned
Muck ups & Stuff ups
Strange day today..off to the bank coz Ive stuffed my Barclays website up and been locked out SO off to the bank and the lovely Lisa .It appears I stuffed up because my PIN number hadn,t arrived in the post and I tried to use my old password!!! Back to Barclays tomorrow and eventually sort it out.Went for a walk around the very splendid Winter Gardens and sat in awe as I reminisced on how this place played a huge part in my younger life.Next tickets to go and see The Small Face musical Play and at $40 for a top show in the Blackpool Grand Theatre ( good seats too) who can complain ? For my Australian friends Blackpool has fantastic shows during the Summer Season and even more in the Winter.This town was once the Entertainment Capital of England.Chatted with my daughter while sat on Blackpool Promenade and it was a beautiful day.Holidaymakers looking rather warm with the temp at 21C !Still cant get used to me new phone and while I thought I had sent a pic of Blackpool tower it came out suspiciously looking like my thumb !! I have seen a Flat that may suit me and I am doing an inspection tomorrow.Night time,me and ower kid settled in to watch a pathetic Man Utd win a cup match! Ower kid was SO funnu you ,d think he was on the pitch ! Forgotten what an intense supporter he was (is) In his youth he was a brilliant Goalkeeper and at the ripe old age of 70 still runs up & down ladders carrying rolls of felt and buckets of boiling bitchimin !! I get tired just watching.Day ended with a couple of glasses of iced Baileys…As soon as I can mastr this bloody phone I will add the odd pic…patience is NOT my virtue !!
D – Day and a look around Town
Went into Town buying bits and bobs averyone saying how warm it is ! I,m still cold ! Lunch time was a bit like a scene out of the Vicar of Dibley ! Went to the Market and had a bacon balmcake with Tea (lovely) got home and Tresha served Pork Pies ! hadn,t got the heart to say Ive eaten 10 minutes after finish Brother Brian bought Meat and Potato Pies home and Oh Dear I couldnt refuse after him buying them !!! Today I got the papers for the house sale (all 15 pages) I had to initial all of them with just ONE full signature and BINGO House Sold !! I re scanned them and sent them off as a Zip file and all being well after building/white ant inspection June the 23 rd will be pay day..Roll on finalization !!
Radio,s.Doctors and House Selling
Brrr its bloody cold (but I love it!) Day started off with me going to visit the local community Radio station and I was impressed with the set up and the people involved,however I cant play the music management require,thanks Don and Alan for the “looksee”.Next a visit to the local Doctors for registration and what an arrogant receptionist (you know the type that thinks we are unworthy!) I,ll let that go for the meantime.It saddens me learming today our house in Hervey Bay has been sold, some good memories from that base but now it is time to move on,me in UK and Ann in Queensland.I wish her a bright happy future and maybe our paths will cross one day.To all the wonderful friends I have met and made in Hervey Bay I wish you all ell and its been a pleasure being in your company.Also please do not believe all that has been written about me in bad taste.So long Hervey Bay hello Blackpool
Bloody Banks !!! Bus Passes and Radio Business
After spending over 2 hours at RBSon Saturday last I returned this morning to finalise the transaction BUT they couldn,t find the paperwork !!! and asked me to come back later !!! NO chance! Next the Yorkshire Bank but I had to make an appointment in a couple of days ,No Thanks .Natwest too busy…Barclays Bank computers were down,,so off I went to get my Blackpool Borough Bus pass (free travel around the Fylde Coast) got that NO problem.Next up sign on at the local Doctors and will return the forms tomorrow..Back to Barclays Bank and BINGO they processed my account in no time at all.I now have a British Bank account.Back to base for a bubble n squeak dinner and a quick call to the Fyldecoast Radio Manager and will meet up with him tomorrow.Days so far are full on unlike the quietness of Hervey Bay.Over next few days I will search around for a flat
Fun Day.
First British Sunday for along while starting off with one of Tresha,s amazing full English !! Relaxed Sunday morning watching end of season football matches THEN Kirstie & Harriet took me to buy a phone and we had an hilarious time in Currys and kept the sales people on their toes eventually walking out with a brand new phone and a PRINTER under me arms,such fun.Then the girls took me to the famous Notrianni,s Ice Cream parlour and took it across the road to the Prom (Kirsties friend recently back from Australia knowing the places I have been too,lovely girl)got home,more food and sat at the table like a family,wonderful ! Shortly after granson Mark turned up and took me to the Pub in Thornton (Bay Horse?) where all 6 of us chewed the fat about nothing,point being it was great to have so much family input.After 3 pints of proper Cider I was taken back to base and wandered off to bed in a happy state after having a great day Thank you everyone xx
Watch me play Didgeridoo
Geoffs Life After Work ! 