![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Sep. 3rd, 2006 06:17 pmTo Basingstoke today for their Mayor's Civic Reception, held in a marquee in the grounds of Basing House. As we entered, it wasn't long before we spotted Maria from Test Valley; I called "Hello, Maria" and waved to her, but she looked bemused and didn't respond, so I went over and said hello and we hugged and kissed. She said that when I'd waved she'd been afraid I wasn't going to give her a kiss... She and Jim then went off circulating, and we sat at the table we were standing by, with Richard from Havant, his friend Lesley and Brian and Audrey from East Hants.
Tony, the Mayor of Basingstoke, said a few words to welcome us all and said the buffet'd be unveiled shortly. My mother wanted us all to go for a walk round the grounds, but I favoured getting our food first. Brian agreed, pointing out that the grounds would still be there in an hour's time but the food might not. Joining the food queue, an oldish man said to me "What are you doing here? You should be at Fareham." He added that Portsmouth Ladies were playing at home today. As he examined the civic badge round my neck, I explained that I was there as Consort to the Mayor of Gosport - he'd had no idea about my civic status. He turned out to be Peter Raynbird, husband of Vanessa.
There were some nice Cornish pasties and mini chicken fajitas, plenty of fruit, and tasty mini scones and white chocolate and blueberry mini tarts. Best of all, the free drinks table, in addition to the usual red and white wine, served a good selection of beer including several REAL ALES! You weren't allowed to take the whole bottle away, you just got a half-pint glassful, but never mind, it was FREE REAL ALE. I had a Fiddler's Elbow and a Bishop's Finger.
Everyone who'd ever received The Mayor of Basingstoke's Award had been invited (that included Peter Raynbird, who'd got his gong for services to sport). Brian told us about someone in East Hants whom he wanted to recommend to the PM for a national honour; talking about MBEs and OBEs reminded him of the old nickname for the OBE, 'Other Buggers' Efforts'. I told him about the Civil Service ones, the Order of St Michael and St George - within the Service the CMG is called 'Call Me God', KCMG 'Kindly Call Me God' and the GCMG 'God Calls Me God'. Brian said he had the DSO, so I couldn't resist telling the story of the old lady I met during a pub quiz. She'd been a Wren during WW2 and, to the question 'In military honours, what does DSO stand for?' she said "Dick Shot Off". That had Brian, Audrey and my mother in hysterics.
Walking round the grounds, we met Charles from the Isle of Wight and his Chairman's Lady, his friend Annuszka. After Annuszka revealed that she was Polish, we talked about all sorts of things for a while but constantly returning to the subject of Poland and the Poles. Eventually I asked Annuszka whether she'd heard of Kasia Kowalska. Her face lit up, she said yes and I told her I was a big fan. Annuszka asked whether I could sing any of Kasia's songs: I said no, but I do have three of her albums. Annuszka asked which was my favourite Kasia song and I replied Jesteś Odrobiną Szczęścia ("a little bit of happiness", in case you're wondering). She immediately told Charles and me that the three of us have to all sing the first verse together at Fareham Civic Day on Tuesday! Thank goodness the Polish lyrics are printed in the CD booklet. Later, among the old ruins, we met Brian and Audrey again. Audrey and I revealed to each other that we both have dentists' appointments tomorrow and are both facing fillings and hefty bills! Audrey, though a senior citizen, still has to pay full price for her dental treatment as there are no NHS dentists available round here and her private one doesn't offer any concessions. Brian mockingly said he had no sympathy for us as we clearly hadn't looked after our teeth...
Back at the Mayoral car I asked John for a Coke from the cooler he keeps in the boot. He said "You can have anything you like" and opened up the boot then the cooler, but then when I picked out a can of Coke he said "I've got you a beer" and tried to take the Coke back off me and hand me the can of John Smith's bitter. (This was less than a minute after saying I could have anything I like.) It took a while, but I managed to persuade him that, on this scorching hot day, I really did want a Coke. John is forever telling us how driving in Basingstoke is his pet peeve; sure enough, he got lost coming away from Basing House. Before too long we found the way back to the M3 and John told us firmly that he was getting his colleague Peter to take us to any future Basingstoke engagements...
Must go and practice singing along with Kasia.
Tony, the Mayor of Basingstoke, said a few words to welcome us all and said the buffet'd be unveiled shortly. My mother wanted us all to go for a walk round the grounds, but I favoured getting our food first. Brian agreed, pointing out that the grounds would still be there in an hour's time but the food might not. Joining the food queue, an oldish man said to me "What are you doing here? You should be at Fareham." He added that Portsmouth Ladies were playing at home today. As he examined the civic badge round my neck, I explained that I was there as Consort to the Mayor of Gosport - he'd had no idea about my civic status. He turned out to be Peter Raynbird, husband of Vanessa.
There were some nice Cornish pasties and mini chicken fajitas, plenty of fruit, and tasty mini scones and white chocolate and blueberry mini tarts. Best of all, the free drinks table, in addition to the usual red and white wine, served a good selection of beer including several REAL ALES! You weren't allowed to take the whole bottle away, you just got a half-pint glassful, but never mind, it was FREE REAL ALE. I had a Fiddler's Elbow and a Bishop's Finger.
Everyone who'd ever received The Mayor of Basingstoke's Award had been invited (that included Peter Raynbird, who'd got his gong for services to sport). Brian told us about someone in East Hants whom he wanted to recommend to the PM for a national honour; talking about MBEs and OBEs reminded him of the old nickname for the OBE, 'Other Buggers' Efforts'. I told him about the Civil Service ones, the Order of St Michael and St George - within the Service the CMG is called 'Call Me God', KCMG 'Kindly Call Me God' and the GCMG 'God Calls Me God'. Brian said he had the DSO, so I couldn't resist telling the story of the old lady I met during a pub quiz. She'd been a Wren during WW2 and, to the question 'In military honours, what does DSO stand for?' she said "Dick Shot Off". That had Brian, Audrey and my mother in hysterics.
Walking round the grounds, we met Charles from the Isle of Wight and his Chairman's Lady, his friend Annuszka. After Annuszka revealed that she was Polish, we talked about all sorts of things for a while but constantly returning to the subject of Poland and the Poles. Eventually I asked Annuszka whether she'd heard of Kasia Kowalska. Her face lit up, she said yes and I told her I was a big fan. Annuszka asked whether I could sing any of Kasia's songs: I said no, but I do have three of her albums. Annuszka asked which was my favourite Kasia song and I replied Jesteś Odrobiną Szczęścia ("a little bit of happiness", in case you're wondering). She immediately told Charles and me that the three of us have to all sing the first verse together at Fareham Civic Day on Tuesday! Thank goodness the Polish lyrics are printed in the CD booklet. Later, among the old ruins, we met Brian and Audrey again. Audrey and I revealed to each other that we both have dentists' appointments tomorrow and are both facing fillings and hefty bills! Audrey, though a senior citizen, still has to pay full price for her dental treatment as there are no NHS dentists available round here and her private one doesn't offer any concessions. Brian mockingly said he had no sympathy for us as we clearly hadn't looked after our teeth...
Back at the Mayoral car I asked John for a Coke from the cooler he keeps in the boot. He said "You can have anything you like" and opened up the boot then the cooler, but then when I picked out a can of Coke he said "I've got you a beer" and tried to take the Coke back off me and hand me the can of John Smith's bitter. (This was less than a minute after saying I could have anything I like.) It took a while, but I managed to persuade him that, on this scorching hot day, I really did want a Coke. John is forever telling us how driving in Basingstoke is his pet peeve; sure enough, he got lost coming away from Basing House. Before too long we found the way back to the M3 and John told us firmly that he was getting his colleague Peter to take us to any future Basingstoke engagements...
Must go and practice singing along with Kasia.
