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Jan. 19th, 2007 12:17 amThere was a box of biscuits on the nibbles table today - traditional ones like Bourbon, Custard Cream and Lincoln - and also a big bag of crisps, a supermarket own-brand clone of Walker's Sensations. I don't remember the precise flavour, though I'm pretty sure there was onion involved. Whatever they were, they were very tasty!
Sue #1 sympathised with me over the weather-induced lack of football; her son, who plays semi-pro footie, is getting withdrawal symptoms too. Rachel and I agreed this year's big swap today, which'll allow her to have most of the school summer hols off and me to see the Women's Football World Cup (well, whatever games make it onto BBC3. Boo to being too poor to have Eurosport). She couldn't cover any of the Fridays I was looking for, though, so I've had to book them as hols. No matter, by September I shouldn't need the extra dosh from forgoing my holiday allowance - touch wood. My reputation as a shift swap king must have spread; towards the end of the shift a lady approached me asking if I could cover a Thursday for her. Alas, I already work every Thursday :(
Tomorrow we're going to the County Council Chairman's Burns Night, and everyone has to wear either a sprig of heather or something tartan, so after work I went to The Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop in Gosport High Street. I'd expected them to surely have a tam-o'-shanter or at least a traditional tartan scarf, but no such luck. Although there was plenty of shortbread, the only tartan items were ladies' purses, ladies' shawls and a pink tartan scarf. Fortunately, they also had men's shirts in tartan patterns, so one of those (in 'Hopsack') will have to do.
To the Guildhall in the evening for The News Business Excellence Awards. On the drive there, John told us how he'd put together an impressive Mayor's Football XI to take on the staff of Haslar Immigrant Removal Centre next month, signing up several current and recent local non-league players. Me ma and I have been invited officially to attend, but it's on a Wednesday afternoon. "You've got to be there," John pleaded, so I said I'd take the day as holiday. "Oh, don't do that," he said, in a don't-want-to-put-you-to-any-trouble voice. Doh - I thought you were desperate for me to be there?? "It's a two o'clock kick-off," he added, as if that helped. I gently reminded him that I finish work at 2.30.
The lady I spoke to on Tuesday has lost her Most Tardy New Year Wishes crown. In the foyer before the award ceremony, when we met Pat the County Council chairman, John and Pam from Fareham, Richard from Havant and Fred and Margaret from Portsmouth, they all greeted us with "Happy New Year". Granted, it was the first time in 2007 that we'd seen them, but it still seemed strange being wished Happy New Year this late.
My place card said 'Mayoress of Gosport' - much schoolgirl giggling from my mother - and I was the only person on our table not to get a programme. Either they were running out by the time they did our table, or some snide nicked mine before we sat down. The evening opened with a three course dinner, highlight of which was the main course - an utterly superb fillet of chicken. We spotted Frank Carson, the evening's special guest, and Sally Taylor from BBC South Today, the mistress of ceremonies, when they each passed by our table on their way to sit down. I didn't get to talk to either of them :( but my mother was stopped for a quick chat by Frank on her way back from the Ladies, then at the end of the evening she went up to Sally and said hello while I was in the Gents. Next to me was Richard's pal Ken, who kept us regaled with anecdotes from his time working in a major local factory and his travels, and was impressed that I was a real ale drinker. When people put their charity donations in the envelopes provided and wrote their names on them, I got given the one and only lidless pen. I was starting to think "Someone's got it in for me here."
Pat talked a bit about her Burns Night tomorrow. When Ken asked her "Will Richard be wearing tartan?" Pat said in a stage whisper "Underpants"...
Mark, the editor of The News, was also at our table; as the meal drew to a close he bought a round (as there were 14 people at the table, I take my hat off to him). I'd seen people with Magners in the foyer at the beginning of the night, so, starved of my matchday drinking since Christmas, when Mark asked what I wanted I gratefully requested a Magners. He bought me not one bottle but two - what a gent. A bit later I casually mentioned to Mark "The News Sports Awards are soon, aren't they?" and he asked whether we'd be coming. Fingers crossed for an official invitation, then... Ken returned from the loo saying "I feel privileged and posh sitting here. At the back it's all crowded and hot." Richard explained that we benefited from the open side doors letting air in. "We've got all the nobs here," I added, drawing the riposte "Speak from yourself" from Ken.
Frank Carson did a brilliant stand-up set (for several minutes Sally was signalling to him from the wings to wind up, before he eventually gave way), then he introduced Sally and they drew the raffle together. Frank left the stage and Sally gave us a review of 2006 in local business, with a slide show, before going on to the awards. I'd been afraid they would be a bit of a drag to sit through, but it was OK. Sally just announced each category and called a representative from that category's sponsor up on the stage, then the sponsor would read out all the eight nominees before announcing the 'Highly Commended', 'Runner-Up' and 'Winner'. There were no speeches, just a voice-over reading a quick summary of what each honoree had done to earn their award, then the three honoree companies' representatives had their photo taken with Sally and the sponsor before sitting down. Some companies had supporters' clubs; in several cases the mention of a particular company, or a person from there in the individual awards, would result in big football-style cheers and foot-stamping from a particular section of the hall.
The evening ended with the Lifetime Achievement Award; during the sponsor's speech introducing the winner, John from Fareham released the balloons that had been tied to our table, with the result that they were seen drifting across on the big screen, to the amusement of the whole hall. The winner did make a speech, but kept it short and sweet, then Sally closed the show.
A rather pleasant evening all round - and the nearest I'll ever get to attending the Oscars :)
Sue #1 sympathised with me over the weather-induced lack of football; her son, who plays semi-pro footie, is getting withdrawal symptoms too. Rachel and I agreed this year's big swap today, which'll allow her to have most of the school summer hols off and me to see the Women's Football World Cup (well, whatever games make it onto BBC3. Boo to being too poor to have Eurosport). She couldn't cover any of the Fridays I was looking for, though, so I've had to book them as hols. No matter, by September I shouldn't need the extra dosh from forgoing my holiday allowance - touch wood. My reputation as a shift swap king must have spread; towards the end of the shift a lady approached me asking if I could cover a Thursday for her. Alas, I already work every Thursday :(
Tomorrow we're going to the County Council Chairman's Burns Night, and everyone has to wear either a sprig of heather or something tartan, so after work I went to The Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop in Gosport High Street. I'd expected them to surely have a tam-o'-shanter or at least a traditional tartan scarf, but no such luck. Although there was plenty of shortbread, the only tartan items were ladies' purses, ladies' shawls and a pink tartan scarf. Fortunately, they also had men's shirts in tartan patterns, so one of those (in 'Hopsack') will have to do.
To the Guildhall in the evening for The News Business Excellence Awards. On the drive there, John told us how he'd put together an impressive Mayor's Football XI to take on the staff of Haslar Immigrant Removal Centre next month, signing up several current and recent local non-league players. Me ma and I have been invited officially to attend, but it's on a Wednesday afternoon. "You've got to be there," John pleaded, so I said I'd take the day as holiday. "Oh, don't do that," he said, in a don't-want-to-put-you-to-any-trouble voice. Doh - I thought you were desperate for me to be there?? "It's a two o'clock kick-off," he added, as if that helped. I gently reminded him that I finish work at 2.30.
The lady I spoke to on Tuesday has lost her Most Tardy New Year Wishes crown. In the foyer before the award ceremony, when we met Pat the County Council chairman, John and Pam from Fareham, Richard from Havant and Fred and Margaret from Portsmouth, they all greeted us with "Happy New Year". Granted, it was the first time in 2007 that we'd seen them, but it still seemed strange being wished Happy New Year this late.
My place card said 'Mayoress of Gosport' - much schoolgirl giggling from my mother - and I was the only person on our table not to get a programme. Either they were running out by the time they did our table, or some snide nicked mine before we sat down. The evening opened with a three course dinner, highlight of which was the main course - an utterly superb fillet of chicken. We spotted Frank Carson, the evening's special guest, and Sally Taylor from BBC South Today, the mistress of ceremonies, when they each passed by our table on their way to sit down. I didn't get to talk to either of them :( but my mother was stopped for a quick chat by Frank on her way back from the Ladies, then at the end of the evening she went up to Sally and said hello while I was in the Gents. Next to me was Richard's pal Ken, who kept us regaled with anecdotes from his time working in a major local factory and his travels, and was impressed that I was a real ale drinker. When people put their charity donations in the envelopes provided and wrote their names on them, I got given the one and only lidless pen. I was starting to think "Someone's got it in for me here."
Pat talked a bit about her Burns Night tomorrow. When Ken asked her "Will Richard be wearing tartan?" Pat said in a stage whisper "Underpants"...
Mark, the editor of The News, was also at our table; as the meal drew to a close he bought a round (as there were 14 people at the table, I take my hat off to him). I'd seen people with Magners in the foyer at the beginning of the night, so, starved of my matchday drinking since Christmas, when Mark asked what I wanted I gratefully requested a Magners. He bought me not one bottle but two - what a gent. A bit later I casually mentioned to Mark "The News Sports Awards are soon, aren't they?" and he asked whether we'd be coming. Fingers crossed for an official invitation, then... Ken returned from the loo saying "I feel privileged and posh sitting here. At the back it's all crowded and hot." Richard explained that we benefited from the open side doors letting air in. "We've got all the nobs here," I added, drawing the riposte "Speak from yourself" from Ken.
Frank Carson did a brilliant stand-up set (for several minutes Sally was signalling to him from the wings to wind up, before he eventually gave way), then he introduced Sally and they drew the raffle together. Frank left the stage and Sally gave us a review of 2006 in local business, with a slide show, before going on to the awards. I'd been afraid they would be a bit of a drag to sit through, but it was OK. Sally just announced each category and called a representative from that category's sponsor up on the stage, then the sponsor would read out all the eight nominees before announcing the 'Highly Commended', 'Runner-Up' and 'Winner'. There were no speeches, just a voice-over reading a quick summary of what each honoree had done to earn their award, then the three honoree companies' representatives had their photo taken with Sally and the sponsor before sitting down. Some companies had supporters' clubs; in several cases the mention of a particular company, or a person from there in the individual awards, would result in big football-style cheers and foot-stamping from a particular section of the hall.
The evening ended with the Lifetime Achievement Award; during the sponsor's speech introducing the winner, John from Fareham released the balloons that had been tied to our table, with the result that they were seen drifting across on the big screen, to the amusement of the whole hall. The winner did make a speech, but kept it short and sweet, then Sally closed the show.
A rather pleasant evening all round - and the nearest I'll ever get to attending the Oscars :)
