Meet in the Old Royal around 4.00pm - apart from celebrating my 40th it will also be the 30th anniversary of my first Villa game and by strange coincidence Villa are playing Man City on that day at 17.15pm on Pay per View!!!
7.30pm - wherever the Beer Zimmer frame takes me !!!!!!
Chap arrived first around 3.10pm to start proceedings for what proved a somewhat success starved sporting day. Simbers followed soon after to join the beer festivities and Steve who was allegedly doing some Xmas shopping, popped in for a swift Orange Juice instead due to the much used 'antibiotics' storyline!!!!. Steve departed to the shops to return as sober as a garden gnome later on, but was replaced by a steady influx of chaps - Rog, Ian, Dave, Nige and Sponge. The first sporting disaster was England losing to the Aussies at Twickers, although the second half was mightily entertaining it set a precedent for the rest of the sporting evening. The Chaps settled down to watch the Villa game whilst consuming ale at a fair rate - the consumption rate probably doubled after half-time as we were losing 2 - 0 and missed a penalty late on to increase the misery. We eventually lost 2 - 0 and the hat-trick of sporting defeats was completed by the rugby league boys being mullered by the Aussies again. Phil made a fleeting appearance on his way to a 'Church Bazaar' sorry works - do with his better half to buy the old 'get' a pint, and apologies were received from Ted - moving house to Derby and Tone who was 'cementing' Anglo-Euro relations in Brussels!!!!. Around 8.30 it was time to depart to pastures new.
The next point of call was the Reflex on Hurst street - due to it playing music of our era!!. Steve returned armed with camera, but still on the orange juice, etc and we were joined by Aimee, Maxine & Co for a few more beers, (Rog wimped out occasionally by drinking water, what was his excuse??). Loads of beers were consumed as well as much singing and dancing (well trying to!!). Chap was in his element doing his Chesney 'Chap' Hawkes impression, closely followed by Rog & Simbers with a double act, Ian and Sponge with solo performances all of wish left Dave rather bemused. However a good time was had by all. Around 11.00 ish - Ian and Simbers departed for the last train, Rog bailed out also, leaving the rest of the Chaps to head for the Adam and Eve.
I don't remember to much about the A & E due to old age and large quantities of ale catching up with me, but left with Sponge to head home in a taxi. Dave, Steve & Nige ended up at Sharma's for a curry.
Next session - 18th December 2004
