The Race Is On

No the title is not in honour of the great north run, but because of  The Buckets, as always I digress, lets set the scene.........once upon a time in a land far far away.................................

The week had been slow, work just grinding on and on, I didn't have a happy point to look forward to, I had discovered we had been sold a puppy so to speak we had our eldest daughters dog to look after on Saturday, the ultimate pissing machine, coming to stay while they went off on a jaunt, not really sure how we always end doing stuff for her and the tribe when they won't do jack shit for us strange that, but ho hum you can choose your friends but not ....................................continued at sadstrangelittleman.com.

Friday I collapsed in a food coma after having my tea, funny how since I have started eating sensibly (cough splutter...actually yeah I have) if I have a heavy meal its like the wife has asked me to sniff a chloroform filled rag (again), I dragged myself up the wooden hill and was soon ensconced in bomber command (still not loving the mask but boy does it help) the night soon ended with the wife heading off for the puppy from hell (actually he's not but I have to make it look as though I am being put on) the brothers then spend a number of hours doing there best WWE impersonation, and the only reason of unhappiness and issue is the uncontrolled bladder but not to worry you can't blame the puppy if it's not trained correctly!

The youngest was going to a birthday party in Jarrow so I had the bright idea of asking G if he would like some company for a few drinkies an ulterior motive to get us out of the house but at the same time see our friend, Then we found out that the Buckets were playing an impromptu gig at The Voyager and soon some other members of the Tee Hee Club being dragged into the mix the night really was going to be the silver lining to a shit week, we returned all the puppies to their starting blocks and left on time Flux Capacitor fully charged, some fancy footwork (organs sold) to fill the petrol tank (don't ask) and some coin in our pocket (I ain't winning the lottery this week) we headed to our first destination with four stone of Valium as we approached the Tyne tunnel, turn off completed succesfully, and breathing resumed at a normal rate, we proceeded to Sunny South Shields to collect the first part of the puzzle A Shandi and the keeper of the royal flight, we were welcomed by the hounds of hell (actually the friendliest bunch you will ever meet) a quick drinkie poo's (well I'm not the designated driver) well it would be rude not to and a quick tour of the star ship enterprise music system so jealous but pointless as  the family doesn't appreciate my musical choice nor do I care much for theirs!

We set off to meet up with G only to look back at the house to find Loki giving us the Eye because we hadn't taken him....bless, G had moved on earlier so we waddled (well I did) in his wake to the Voyager, two minutes later the gang are all smiles and The Buckets are all ready set up, we were met with the warmest of welcomes (as always) Mr Charlton in full on cheeky chap mode and we fought our way to the bar, a small unannounced gig and the place is full to the rafters, and that's were the truth and fantasy part ways, as always you have to see the Buckets to believe them, this had all the magical ingredients for a cracking night, lots of friends good drink and rockabilly music for the masses, although I got my fingers burned I have been watching the Buckets for years and initially they used to do California Man (by The Move but I prefer the Cheap Trick version) and for years I have/requested/ shouted for it to no avail, just cheek for having the audacity for requesting it, well I got it last night and as they started playing it Mr Charlton requested paying for singing it (4 Jagermiester for the band por favor) ooops I hadn't expected and after the Mrs sent me to the bar for once, I stood there in panic as I hadn't brought that much money with us, we were only intending to have a cheeky little drink with G not a full scale session hahahaha thankfully I wasn't embarrassed at the bar(just) and I didn't mind as they are truly a fantastic band, we only caught the first set (if we had stayed it would really have been messy oh yes) a great set, a snogging competition, somebody yawning (WTF) a game of Kerplunk and a stonking version of The Race Is On, see I do get to  the point at some time, now Smog claimed they were doing the Jack Jones version, well it did my napper in as to why I knew the song (we still think it was used in a film at some point)so I had to look it and .............yes it was the Dave Edmunds version I knew, problem solved I could rest my weary brain, and then all too soon it was over, we were introduced to Mr Charlton's sister  (who was lovely..I don't see the family connection hahahahahahaha) and then we headed off into the night just as the bar was running out of beer, oh dear.

Youngest picked up and another  panic at the Tyne Tunnel averted, we headed home back to Gimpsville to a trigger happy puppy who jumped into my arms (bless him) and another meal ( I had had a drink what did you expect , but on the plus side I didn't have anything else to drink once I got home) we settled down to watch Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back, and then all I can remember is my better half poking me with a stick to get me up the wooden hill, once deposited in bed the land of nod soon returned, this morning I felt actually Ok (I had ditched the mask for a night) and here I am typing up a storm.

I haven't written of late purely as I had other things going on and not in a massively negative way, life just got in the way and instead of me retreating from it I took up the challenge and got on with it, the biggest pain is that Blurb books has upgraded its software to make it easier to upload books to be published and............yes you guessed it I am having major issues (GRRRR) the book is done and dusted just I'm licking my wounds trying to get it printed bear with me incoming!

As always thanks to everybody who comments ,clicks like or generally abuses me, there has been nothing to worry about , normal service has been resumed now lets just see if we can spread the disease and get these numbers back on the up, so here we go the new chapter of Walks With Broken Hoop spread the word the Kid is back and fighting fit, until next time .......Toodles!