Happy Holidays

In a few hours time, the McGill extended clan will venture forth to the sunny climate of the Algarve,in a villa for 10. Thoroughly looking forward to it although the prospect of a 230am wake up bomb is not the best way to start ones summer break. To offset this nagging sore,there is the beautiful holiday task of choosing one's reading companions for the poolside hours.



I have yet to say much on my reading habits but they are considerable but sadly infrequent. To pick a series of books pretty much likely to last 7 days but not to number more sexy bikinis than Lisa is taking and therefore exceed the 20kg is allowance is a headache. I have settled on 3.

You have to take a new one.One you have had your eye on for a while but never quite got round to.Step forward this year The Assassination of Robert Maxwell...clue pretty much in the title.Then 2 old favourites that havent had an airing for a while..All The Presidents Men,Bernstein and Woodward,a fantastic book that would have been a top work of thriller fiction if it hadnt been just so damn accurate and factually compelling. Then step forward Jerome.K.Jerome.

If you have never heard of JKJ let alone read Three Men in a Boat,you generally havent lived. Written in 1889 it contains a comic storytelling genius seldom repeated in the modern world. I generally laugh bellyache style when I pick up,it contains paragraphs and pages of modern wit and merriment that you cannot comprehend are over 120 years old. This holiday however,I am clutching the follow up,Three Men On The Bummel.Classic comedy in the Black Forest including a passage where of unknown unaccompanied solo tandem bike riding that is the funniest thing I have ever read.

That early start already is a bit more attractive.

I shall return fully refreshed and with blog thinking coming out of my ears so be warned.

Guildhall Part 2 Jo and Demitris

Anyway, tickets firmly in Lisa's handbag, we made our way to The Guildhall for an evening of comedy. The last time we were in such an abode was in Edinburgh, just before festival,c 7 years ago ,i wore a loud shirt and sat in the front,didnt laugh much and got picked on.

A man like me does not make the same mistake twice,so we settled for a comfy table for 2 , about 30 yards back right and a plain light purple number to deflect any attention. The wife looked gorgeous as well.

Opening act was a strangish fellow Demitris Deek. An impresive array of comedians including the superb Stewart Lee are listed on his my space blog, http://www.myspace.com/demitrisdeech and I hope he can get some lessons first. Yes it was a preview night but rather disconcerting that he kept referring to his notes...Frank Skinner he aint but some promising material, needs to increase his stage presence and stop mumbling. Likeable but not main act material yet.

This honour was left to Jo Caulified who didnt disappoint. Fair happier in the limelight, dare I say that some of her male counterparts dont allow her on the shows I watch, she flowed freely as the Becks was doing, and provoked tears of laughter from Mrs McGill, particularly when ripping into us men. Fair game I suppose but also some good topical material, local banter,audience interaction and plain old fashion jokes rounded off an excellent evening.

We hope to be back again to our new found venue favourite.

Gloucester Carnival

Fair to say Notting Hill and Rio it wasnt but still a worthy effort by the good people of Glos as the Carnival crawled its way through the fair city of Gloucester yesterday. J and me had a wander down albeit my main purpose was to pick up my Guildhall tickets only to find the box office shut, but more later of that.

A variety of things went before my eyes, probably the highlight is shown . They did range from the sublime to ridiculous but its all the fun of the fair I suppose. My personal low light was the dance troupe who had clearly spent hours on their outfits, choreography and were making a decent fist of it, only to be let down in my opinion by the head instructor at the front gamely hanging onto her box of fish and chips as she called the numbers.

I have seen many a sight on Brunswick Road but I shall take that one to my grave. We left shortly after.

The Guildhall Experience

A fraught and hectic week so excuse the lack of material...nice to get a minute. L is at a candle party so can unwind a second.

I urge my fellow citizens of Gloucester to turn their social scene to the Guildhall on Eastgate Street.

Lisa and I are having a well deserved night out a week Saturday where we will be hitting the comedy scene with a couple of pre Edinburgh fringe warm up acts, most notably Miss Jo Caulfield. Now you and I will know her as the one who doesnt say a lot on Mock the Week but I am sure in her own solo slot she will not shut up about about dating, or relationships, or sex. She won't shut up about her Scottish husband or her Irish mother. She won't shut up about her drunken friends, or their ugly children, or her ideas for Dragon's Den inventions, or her plans to solve the economic crisis. (that was her own publicity material by the way)

Anyway,looking forward to it.

On further inspection however, coming attractions to this perceived strange ,slightly cult (small attendances) venue next to the soon to close C&G,include The Beat,It Bites, Sham 69 and last month Athlete were on stage, not bad . Sadly Midge Ure is there later in the year for what is described as seated only concert which sounds about right.

Death in the family

On this the first day of the second half of the year, I regret to announce the demise of the rabbit. Gave me a nasty shock I can tell thee when I opened the hutch this pm. RIP Pablo