President Pachiderm?

So the US Presidential elections are almost upon us. Finally. It seems almost inconceivable that I was writing about this way back in my entry of 9th January this year, and still we have a week to go.

In the meantime it seems as though America has limped along on the world's stage with a lame duck President (almost a matching pair with our waste of skin that passes as Prime Minister) who is politically just waiting to die.

For what it's worth I hope Obama gets in, as not only would it prevent the septegenarian psychopath McCain from continuing Bush's 'good work', it would also give some of the more red of neck members of the land of the free, home of the brave, a little food for thought, and prove that America is actually still moving forward in terms of progressive thinking. It would be an act that proves that there is more to Presidential policy that building pseudo concentration camps in Cuba for those who dare to question the relentless onslaught of the New World Disorder that the alcoholic cowboy has peddled ever since the aircraft/building interfaces in New York eight years ago.

This time next week we'll know whether we're going to have a historic coloured President or a historic female President (let's face it, McCain's health isn't great so he's a good shoe in for your 2009 Dead Pools), so until then, I'm going to worry about something far more important.

For the second time in my life I'm best man at a wedding, this time my friend Nick, who I've known for thirty years.

My speech is written, nice and short as requested by the groom, and I'm looking forward to sharing this happy day with Deborah, Tavis and Keziah.

Then we have Halloween, of course, so I'm sure I'll be back with something to say about my favourite day of the year then.

A Fair Affair

It's always a pleasure to share something that is important to you, and this weekend I got to do just that.

I was born and brought up in Nottingham, home of not only Robin Hood (think Michael Praed, Jason Connery, or Errol Flynn, please, but for god's sake not Kevin Costner), but also the largest travelling fair in Europe, the world famous Goose Fair.

When I was a wee small lad, I remember my Dad taking me down on the Sunday morning to watch the carnies dismantle all of the rides, and then when in my teens going en masse with my friends to ride the white knuckle rides and see who would be the first to balk at a challenge, or more likely, to recycle the candy floss or hot dogs that we had shovelled down our necks.

This year I took Deborah, and Tav and Kes, up to Nottingham to experience their first Goose Fair. Inevitably it rained, for it wouldn't be a proper Goose Fair without at least a brief shower, but fun was had by all and we cam away with all manner of stuffed toys of various shapes and sizes.

The greatest pleasure for me, though (aside from pointing out the Cock on a Stick stall where I had once worked one year when in my teens), was introducing Deborah to the gastronomic delight that is mushy peas and mint sauce.

Delicious beyond belief, and best served in a polystyrene cup with lashings of mint sauce and eaten in the chilly autumn air with the sounds of people laughing, screaming and eating all around.

Wonderful, too, was meeting up with and introducing my friend Steve (not quite my oldest friend, but he does have a couple of years on me - *waves at Steve* ) to the clan. Equally fantastic, and all the more so due to it being a complete surprise, was bumping into my old friend Martin, with whom Steve and I had been in our first band some twenty years ago.

All in all a great weekend, and another chapter written in the happy and fun life that I have found myself living these last couple of years.

Now all I need to do is find some AAA batteries so that I can try out the air guitar thingy that Steve bought for me........