Made it, Egham Silver Band part 2

I did promise the band members on Saturday that I would pop in their photos, computer locked me out last night so I had to split the entries.

Egham silver Band

Old age does not come alone

So, for me the day started off with great excitement as Woody the woodpecker arrived not quite on schedule, but as promised and Mrs b quick as a flash managed to capture him for posterity.

The day was the annual celebrations to mark the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215 at Runnymeade which is very near to Egham, so we decided to take time to see what was happening in the town.

The day's events were officially opened by the mayor, Cllr. David Parr, who was led into the town centre by the local Egham Silver band ( I will add more pictures of the band later).

Moves are afoot to try and get the route for next year's Olympic torch relay amended to pass through the site of Runnymeade to to its great historical significance.

Next stop was the local station to get the Southwest train up to London, today it cost £25 in total for four return tickets plus the Underground, whereas yesterday it cost me £21 odds for myself for the same trip.

Into the Underground and then we popped out at Piccadilly Circus, took a walk through Golden Square and into the street at Broad Street where William Blake , poet, engraver and painter was born on 28th November 1757. Only a stones throw from Carnaby Street which no longer has the same mystique as in the 60's / 70's and on into Oxford Street which was mobbed with tourists and shoppers.

While the ladies shopped Willie and self rested in a local hostelry and watched the world passing by.

Next stop, our destination was the what was arguably London's "grand dame" hotel, Claridges, for afternoon tea. The Hotel started life in 1812 as Mivart's when it was owned by James Mivart, then in 1854 it was bought by William Claridge who ran it till 1893 when it was acquired by the Savoy Group.

The hotel is lovely inside with many fine examples from the art decor period of restoration, and still provides a rare combination of traditional elegance and modern comforts.

For me, as a birthday treat, it was different - a selection of sandwiches, scones and pastries washed down with bubbly and fresh teas - accompanied by fine musicians - very nice and a great opportunity to "chill out". More pictures to follow when I get home and after I have got over my run to Risley on Monday.

Rain follows us everywhere

Made it London in one piece despite having two hours to relax and chill out in the lounge at Edinburgh airport - Sparky would be proud of us !!! But flight was good, on time and as we approached ran through a big rain cloud. By the time we got to Eagham we needed tea rather than anything stronger.

Just as well I was not at home as I was expected to join in the fun and games at the SESLTA gentleman's dinner at the Original Hotel Roslin - where I believe the boys did have a good evening.

Up bright and early this morning to catch the train (slow one) up to Waterloo Station and being a nice day took myself for a slow stroll to my meeting up in "The City", in the Willlis Building - this was the summer meeting of EPIC (Ex Police in Industry and Commerce) where we had six excellent speakers during the day and some opportunities for networking.

BUT - despite the fact that they have officially declared a drought in East Anglia, parts of Wales and south England, it rained here. There I was, peering out the 15th floor restaurant expecting sun, but it was pouring / chucking it down.

Anyway, to cut a long story short made it back on a faster train to Eagham, then made it to the house for a well deserved session with the feet up.

While out and about the "girls" has been birdwatching and had the pleasure of several visits from a lovely woodpecker to the feeding trays, but they were not fast enough on the camera to get a photo.

Prince Philip and wee Camryn Denny have their birthdays today, and I share mine with the Queen tomorrow so we are going to pop up to London again seeing as how there is to be a big Trooping of the Colours - in my honour - NOT. We had a brief presentation from the Dep Commissioner of the City of London Police who is having his first official ride out tomorrow - they have even named a horse after him - Jack.

Will the sun ever shine for more than 10 minutes

Wednesday night and chilling out as advised by Bob McDonald on East Coast FM, where we visited on Monday - totally coincidental that he told me to get the slippers on and open a bottle of red - man after my own heart.

Had a go at their chat room, but got a bit lost with all these modern abbreviations folk use on the net and texting - is the art of writing in plain English lost.

The Dolphin Restaurant and Bar are going to sponsor a few shows for East Coast FM - over the next few weeks / months.

Weather has been unbelievable, we are watching Andy Murray playing tennis at Queens, and here it is pouring buckets - good for the garden so all my bedding plants (from Euan at Damhead Nurseries) are settling in well.

Big treat (NOT) today as I had my first visit back to see Cruella for five months - dashed sore to say the least, but as she says she was not there to polish, but to work !!!! found lots of knots to untie and knead out, etc. Am I looking forward to the next session ???

Had umpteen phone calls from a "chappie" in India wanting to take control of my computer today, hopefully he was not one of the poor souls who were trampled with the elephants in Bangalore today - Mrs B says they get very excitable when aroused during the mating season but I cannot speak from experience.

All booked up with BMI for my flight to London tomorrow night, off to a meeting of EPIC on Friday in "The City" and then get my dumps on Saturday and see where we we end up for afternoon tea (watch this space) - but I do plan to take a camera and if I see the Queen I will wave at her.

Surprise visit to East Coast FM. Haddington -

the plans for the day were literally up in the air from the moment I got up - no rain again, still dull - but warm enough to head for the big City minus parka, gloves and balaclava !!! after all it is only the 6th of June. (from the clocks it might even be the 7th somewhere in the world)

Brief visit to the Dental Hospital to get another tick in the box and it was down to meet RGB at The Mercat Bar, where Plan A changed to Plan B and then Plan C - which was a trip to Haddington to meet Ian Robertson and the crew of East Coast FM.

This is one of the latest local community run radio stations being set up around the UK and is proving to be very successful despite still being an online service to computer listeners.

We met with Ian and two of the volunteer DJ's, Tony Conlin and Jim Anderson for a blether, gather facts about the station which will hopefully be going onto the airwaves very shortly (when Ofcom gets round to issuing the licence). Jim even managed to get RGB to take part in a live interview, not that he took much persuading . Seem to have lost that photo into the ether - some interesting facts from the station which is receiving hits on the website from all over the world where listeners can also have a wee peek at the live webcam and try to match the faces with the many dulcet tones.

They ran a competition on behalf of teh Dolphin Inn who will be s

29 + 2+10 =2800 if you drink in the Dolphin Inn, Whitecraig

Where else would these sums add up like this ?? but of course to make sense you take a darts team who fund raise all year for a charity and you finish the year off with twenty nine pairs of willing feet, dressed up in assorted costumes and they walk ten miles just for that good cause.

This year the lads and lasses worked hard and after this afternoon's walk they presented Carolyn Thornton, Fundraising Manager, Scotland for "Make A Wish" with a cheque for the tremendous amount of £2800 - NOT BAD for a wee pub - very well done.

Carolyn was delighted to receive the cheque and told the group that with the money "Make A Wish" would be able to send three families away to Euro Disney, Paris, for a holiday / break.

As you can see the team, this year being the best turn out so far, were lucky enough to get a reasonable day for walking, not too hot, and dry - despite the weather forecast, so it was a weary band of "bonnie looking chookies" who eventually made it back to the Dolphin Inn for a hard earned "cool drink".