Yesterday was a good day. It involved beer. Jim, John and I caught the bus to Wotton-under-Edge. It left slightly early and arrived about 4 minutes late. This was due to a mum, kids and a granny not being able to buy the ticket they had budgeted for. The driver was Polish and although his English is very good it took nearly 5 minutes to sort out. The mum, kids and granny eventually got off to await a bus run by a different company. Why oh why can't the public transport in Bristol (and surrounding area) get their act together and issue tickets that can be used on any bus no matter which company actually operates the route. Rant over. On then to the day out. Arriving in Wotton-under-Edge we immediately headed for the pasty shop. Purchased the same from the warm oven and scoffed them whilst heading for the Falcon Inn. John also purchased a doughnut but don't tell Beryl. Started off with a Timothy Taylor Landlord 4.3%. A nice, tasty and refreshing beer. Before leaving to catch the bus to Dursley we tried a pint of Laurie Lee 4.5%. A debate was then held. Did we have enough time for another pint or even a half. Well, Will Power came into the pub and sat at our table. He raised several points but then clouded the issue with facts. The result was that we left the Falcon Inn without the benefit of a further drink and headed for the bus stop. Will followed us out of the pub, onto the bus and into the Old Spot.
Got to the Old Spot at about 14:15 hours (or 2:15 am in old money). Went to the bar got an Old Ric 4.5% and joined Ken, Richard, Phil and Roger. Ken raised an interesting fact. He thinks that Old Ric and Laurie Lee are in truth exactly the same beer. Just with different names. It was about this time that Will Power decided that he would fare better away from our company. So he just up and left. Thus leaving us at the mercy of some lovely beer. Good old Will! The conversation soon got around to Jim's, Richard's and Pete's forthcoming trip to New Zealand. Richard admitted that he had had a very bad week. Not being able to sleep due to worrying about not packing an essential bit of kit, clothes, electronics, hair laquer, foot powder, elbow grease or any one of a countless number of things. Jim and the rest of us tried to reassure Richard that he had nothing to worry about. As long as he remembered his passport, tickets and money all else could and would be overcome. After 30 minutes or so of this soothing talk Richard brightened up (nothing to do with the beer of course) and agreed that he had nothing to worry about and a small smile spread across his lips. Almost immediately Richard started to worry that he had nothing to worry about. A sad state of affairs that resulted in the nameless man ordering a GRAZING BOARD. A Selection of meats, cheeses and fish served with olives, oils and breads. Great to share! I didn't have any myself so can't testify as to the quality. It looked good though and it seemed to soothe Richard's brow. By now it was time for another beer. Tried a Durdle Door 5%. I was now beginning to enjoy myself very much. Ken had brought John a new contraction thingy that he had invented. It is designed to fit around water pipes in the loft. It produces a very weak current that in turn heats up a wire wrapped around the offending pipe thus preventing the water in the pipe from freezing. Apologises to Ken if I got any of that wrong. As always I am willing to update any of my posts with more accurate info.
The next beer to try was a Dark Star Bitter 5%. Followed by some more conversation in which lots of things were put to rights. Why can't the government hire us as consultants. Our fees would be nowhere near the astronomical prices charged by some consultants. All we would require would be a few beers, a grazing board or two and a free bus pass. Oh! Forgot we have bus passes. However, we would require one for Richard who got caught up in the great age related pensions disaster of 2009. Now that Will was nowhere to be seen we finished up with a Elmo's Fire 4.4%. Beryl arrived shortly afterwards for a glass of wine and to drive Jim, John and myself home. Good old Beryl. A true star and saviour of the beer drinker. Perhaps we should get her a sainthood. Although, I rather think that John would have something to say about that! The last time we all visited the Old Spot it was Richard who forsake his normal beer ration and drove Jim and myself home. Perhaps it is not too late to get a sainthood for Richard also. But thinking about it saints can only be created once the incubant is dead. And that way Richard would never get his free bus pass. Oh well back to the drawing board.
So homeward bound. Had too much beer to comtemplate a trip to the Staple Hill Oak for a Thursday night curry. So I stayed in and just had time to have a nap before it was time for bed. The boys are visiting St Georges Hall tonight so I just might go along. After all I have a bus pass. Sorry Richard. Thus ends this story of Allan the Blog. Watch out for more exciting tales of beer drinking and beer abuse. Only kidding about the beer abuse.
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