Paddock Wood turns into a War (and Peace) Zone!...

Paddock Wood yesterday was like going back in time. Lots of WWII Jeeps and armoured cars around carrying quasi military-type personel dressed, mostly, in combat clothing. It's not very often that you drive into a petrol station to be confronted with two men sitting astride a camoflaged gun turret on the back of an American Jeep. One side of me thinks that this is all a bit sad but, on the other hand, where's the harm in it? Basically these enthusiasts are being nostaligic, longing for the days when life was simple, when you knew who your comrades were and who your enemies were. Food was basic but wholesome, the music of the day was big band swing, ladies were feeling more and more liberated, the Yanks were over here and over paid. At the very least these were exciting times, a time of great social change. If this is your thing then you'll be able to join around ten thousand like minded folk at the War and Peace show at the Hop Farm from tomorrow until Sunday. I'm hoping to see a few of the visitors around Tonbridge as, whatever you think of blatent displays of militaria, their vehicles make an awesome sight driving down the High Street. Hopefully one or two of them will show their faces in Mr. Books, perhaps even buy a book or three!...

New crap restaurant for Tonbridge!...

I'm thinking of opening a toilet-themed restaurant in Tonbridge along similar lines to the chain (geddit?!) in Hong Kong and Taiwan featured in this Telegraph picture gallery. Turd themed chocolate ice creams, toilets for seating, baths for tables, urinal shaped serving bowls and this is not a hoax. Apparently the kids absolutely love it. I'll put one at each end of the town (that'd be convenient!) I've just thought of a brilliant name for it as well; french sounding to give it a European twist: Mr. Merd!...

South East beer fest on tonight....

I might go along to the South East Beer Festival over the weekend at the back of Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Club to kill a few brain cells er, that is to say, sample some of the delights from a variety of the area's breweries! Over a 100 different beers on offer from a multitude of independent brewers. Barbeque and good company on a summer's evening. What more can a man ask for?!..

Three lifetimes would be nice....

A lovely old lady, probably in her eighties, in my shop just said "I could do with another three lifetimes to read all the books I'd like to read." To which I replied "wouldn't we all!" How nice it would be to be full of the same zest for life and learning at that ripe old age. If only the body would keep up with the mind!...

War and Peace be with you....

I'm having 4,000 flyers, which is a heck of a lot for me, photo copied at Susan Adams for the War and Peace Show, which starts at the Hop Farm on July 21st. (Scroll down for earlier posting for details.) The flyers are just for the welcome packs for exhibitors and trade visitors to the show! My God, or should that be Meine Gott, how many visitors are they expecting?! Anyway I thought I'd give it a go as, in previous years, quite a few, who just happened to be staying in Tonbridge, have stumbled across Mr. Books in the sleepy little corner of old Tonbridge; so I figured quite a few more would be interested particularly in the military history, aviation and transport books I have in the shop just waiting for new homes! As I'm offering a juicy 15% discount off these books, as an incentive, there's even more reason for them to come. And as it's only a short hop (geddit) from the War and Peace Show at Paddock Wood to Tonbridge then they'll be made very welcome, especially if they're coming to spend large wadges of cash!...

Pavements safe to ride on for sensible cyclists....

Interesting piece on the front page of this weeks Courier about a clamp down on Tonbridge cyclists on the pavement. Not sure whether the story is front page-worthy but that's a different matter. Apparently there have been a number of people cautioned and fined which reminded me of when I was a kid and was nicked for riding on the pavement and without lights in the dark. I tried to reason with PC. Cox (I still remember his name as his daughter was at my school) but he was having none of it, he marched me home to lecture me in front of my parents. I still say that I was only doing the safe sensible thing for a nine year old; after all I had no lights and therefore it would have been doubley dangerous to ride on the road! These days it's much more dangerous on the roads; they have become hugely more busy and often clogged up. That certainly discourages me from letting my kids cycle say across the railway bridge near the station, which they'd have to to get to the cycle lanes around the park area. On the subject of cycle lanes someone was quoted, in the Courier article, saying that pedestrians are always walking on the cycle half of the footpaths. You can't really blame them for that when the cyclist signs are virtually all faded off the paths and too far spaced. What was the point of spending all those countless thousands of council (and therefore our) money on developing cycle lanes in the first place if they are not going to be adequately maintained. In these times of austerity isn't it time to adopt what some Scandinavian and Northern European towns do already: that is, quite simply, to let cyclists ride thoughtfully and respectfully on the pavement. If there are people on foot they go slower or, if it's too crowded, dismount altogether; if there's no one about then they can pick up the speed a bit. There'll always be some people who abuse this, just like some people run along the pavement with disregard for others and some walkers barge you out of their way as if they own the pathway. The vast majority of runners, cyclists and walkers though respect each other. When my children were younger I used to ride with them on the pavement, often right past the Police Station in Tonbridge. Was this dangerous? Come off it: following a kid on a bike with stabilisers for an experienced bike rider does not present a menace to the walking public although, of course, technically I was breaking the law. So what I'm saying then is, like everything, there are times when it's safe and times when it isn't but, on the balance of things though, except on busy town centre pavements at peak times, there isn't usually a problem.
The other question, and allied to this whole topic, is how come there is no cycle path linking Tonbridge to Tunbridge Wells? Many school children would be healthier and probably happier if they could safely cycle between the two towns. Some already do of course but, unfortunately, they are riding illegally on the seldom used pavement between Quarry Hill and Southborough. Surely at least on semi rural pavements like this one it should be made legal since most, in my view, sensible cyclists do it anyway. Sometimes it's the public who make the laws by doing the safe thing which, over time, becomes the norm. I've a feeling that cycling on pavements will be one such case....

Punk Shockers update....

The noise coming from Bank Street Punk Shockers I've now discovered is from local band Bareface who have occupied one of the empty buildings (owned by one of the band members dads, that's nice. Not very Punk but cute! ) Here's a link to their MySpace page if you want to investigate their curious mix of Clash inspired, Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious-esque vocals (and, as I said previously, with a bit of Beatles White album weirdness thrown in for good measure! Hard to imagine yes but actually it's quite a unique sound which has grown on me (like cancer? no nothing like that!) Anyway I've also discovered from my new mates in Bareface, lovely lads as you can see from the pic, that they are shouting, er I mean performing at some big festival over at Canterbury tonight and are also sometimes to be seen at the Forum in Tunbridge Wells. Shit I forgot to ask for a freebie ticket or two. I'm going over there now....

War and Peace Show at the Hop Farm....

Now I've never been to the War and Peace Show which is held at the Hop Farm, Paddock Wood every July but I understand that it's quite phenomenal. That is if you like tanks, weaponry, swing music and every piece of military memorabilia you could imagine. A few of the visitors and exhibitors have been known to pop into Mr. Books in Bank Street, Tonbridge when they're over here and Boy do they know their military books! They come from all over the UK to visit the show but also from all over Europe, especially from Holland and Germany, often bringing their armoured vehicles with them! The show runs for five days from July 21st-25th. One of these years I'll take a stand selling books at the War and Peace Show; I've probably missed a trick as the organisers claim aprox 10,000 visitors through the gates every year. My God that's almost an invasion force!...

Punk Shockers attack ears of genteel Tonbridge folk....

For the past two weeks or so there's been a band practicing in the vacant, even derelict building, almost opposite Mr. Books Bookshop. It's thought that the building may have once been the first Bank in Tonbridge and therefore effectively named the street, Bank Street. What sort of music is been played in this genteel corner of Tonbidge old town? A bit of Vivaldi's Four Seasons perhaps, or a brass band to remind us all of those lazy summer days spent on the Castle lawn? No I'm afraid not. The nearest I can get to describing the musical genre they belong to is Post Punk Soft Rock with some Beatles White Album shit! Someone once said that there are only two types of music anyway: Good Music and Bad. Don't get me wrong, in the right place after a few beers chilling out, I would quite like to listen to them, be entertained by them even. By the way, if you're reading this lads, it definitely was not me who called the boys in blue the other day. Some neighbours, who clearly thought we were being invaded by Johnny Rotten and Public Image and feared for their daughters very beings, did it. Two police cars arrived on the scene to hear their sounds blarting out of the building, two burly coppers knocked on the door several times but apparently no one upstairs could hear them! So off they toddled. It seems that the lads are not committing any crimes as they have permission to use the building. It would have been much more Punk if I could tell you that they'd broken in and started squatting in the derelict bank building but, the truth is that they have a key from one of their dads! They ought to have someone stand outside with a camera to see the genteel folk passing by the building when the band are in full tilt to capture the look of sheer horror and shock as they try to imagine what monsters, what creatures of the dark, the excruciating racket is coming from. For surely nothing, they think, of this world could produce such an ear splitting din! I've never even seen any of the band yet but I really do feel like I know them all intimately. The drummer especially I'd say is pretty competent, he packs a great beat as they say; as is the guitarist who seems to like going off at the odd weird tangent (thus the reference to the Beatles White Album) and I cannot yet decide whether the singer is a bit flat, really crap or quite good but being deliberately flat and crap! Believe you me there's alot of difference. Actually I'm confusing myself! So it's not that I think they are useless and untalented it's just that when you hear the same songs over and over again and then bits of the same songs over and over again it starts to gets right inside you head. In fact I even woke up this morning humming one of their catchy tunes. (And I wish I was exagerating but it's true I really did.) I am going to find out what they're called (suggestions please) and where they are playing though. I think they owe me a couple of freebie tickets by now for all the rehearsals I've had to endure, er I mean enjoy listening to!...

Every little helps to kill our town centre!...

Has the world gone absolutely mad?! First the big super market giants like Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's start selling cheap best seller books and car insurance and now Amazon, who have already turned one traditional market (books) on its head, want to sell groceries online. The internet retailer, who already has a turnover of over £16 billion (yes billion) wants even more, it wants its share of the food market. Amazon is no longer content with just selling books, electricals, toys, white goods and cosmetics it now wants to sell washing powder and tinned beans along with around 22,000 other food and grocery lines. How much extra dosh does it hope to make out of this expansion venture? No one seems quite sure, although if Ocado, the Waitrose inspired online business, is anything to go by they ought to be making a profit in around nine or ten years time! In the meantime probably quite a few small retailers will have gone out of business due to their, almost certainly, fierce price competition. What chance for the small independent grocers? Certainly no chance on price; so that only leaves convenience and service; but I've a sneaky feeling that shoppers will always, in the end, vote with their pockets. If the book market is anything to go by, and I'm sure it is, small independents cannot even buy wholesale what Amazon sell at retail in most cases. That makes life very tricky if you want to compete on price. Having said that surely service, a sense of community and convenience is more important than saving a few quid here and there. Will we see the day when there are no High Street shops left at all, when we all sit at home in front of a computer, on our ever-plumper arses, browsing fewer and fewer, larger and larger online retailers like amazon and Tesco Online who have taken oever the known world. That's if the Chinese business giants haven't muscled their way in by then! Is this what we all want? No bakeries, no local butchers, no fish mongers? No book shops? No stationers, not even clothes shops? Because that is the way it seems to be going from where I'm sitting on this bright Thursday morning in Tonbridge town centre. People of Tonbridge: it is in your own hands; get out to those farmers markets, green grocers and butchers. Don't buy everything online go into town instead, it's much more fun and you actually get to talk to real people, you might even see someone you know....

FIFA: Take a leaf out of Rugby's book for football's sake....

An old mate of mine who I used to work with is from Ghana and although I haven't seen him for a couple of years I really felt for him last night. Watching the World Cup match against Uraguay convinced me that sometimes there is no justice. If you didn't catch the incident it went something like this: in the dying seconds of extra time the two teams were locked together at 1-1 then, after a goal mouth scramble, a Ghana player headed the ball and Suarez, the Uraguay number 9, blocked the ball on the line, saving the goal and his country's certain exit from the tourrnament. Nothing wrong with that? Well I did leave out the fact that he blantantly used his hand to stop the ball, thus resulting in his own instant sending off and a penalty for Ghana which, as it turned out, was the very last kick of extra time. High drama, very entertaining, gripping even, yes to all of these. Then the penalty and Gyan, having played out of his skin in all their matches, having become the hero of all Africa and beyond, misses the penalty handing Uraguay a reprieve which they took full advantage of in the penalty shoot out and thus progressed to the semi finals. I ask you Roland, for that is my Ghanaian friend's name, where's the justice in this? I really am gutted for you. How can the rules allow for such obvious and open cheating to prosper? You can't blame the ref for he interpreted the law to the letter and could do no more than send Suarez off. What should be done then? Well all I'll say is that, if it had happened in a rugby match, where it is usually harder to interpret what may have happened had the cheating not occurred, then a try would have been awarded anyway and Ghana would have been playing Holland in the semis, Suarez would be a disgraced cheat instead of a national hero and rightly so. If FIFA had anything about them they'd reverse the outcome of that match, allow Ghana through and ban Uraguay from the next World Cup, now that would be justice. Come on Holland make sure you beat them now for Africa's and football's sake....

Ten ways to keep cool in the hot weather....

(1) Drink ice cold orange juice
(2) Dive, er sorry, step carefully into Tonbridge Swimming Pool (it's actually cooler in the inside pool at the moment believe it or not!)
(3) Hang around the chilled foods section at Waitrose all afternoon pretending you can't find the Venezualan goats cheese.
(4) Put you head next to a fan while dabbing you neck with a wet flannel
(5) Take ice cold can of Fosters lager from fridge roll around on neck, face and other body parts, pull ring pull, pour into pre-cooled glass, sit down in shade of a tree in garden, and enjoy! (no this is not an advertisement for Fosters)
(6) Sit with your feet in The Shallows of Tonbridge (oh actually you can't do this since they built the Leigh Flood Barrier) For those old enough to remember they were once a very popular summer picnic beauty spot. Now we have the dog crap ridden Haysden Country Park in their place. Never mind eh!
(7) Stick ice pops down you shirt/blouse
(8) Probably too late to buy an air con unit but you could try. I'm sure that Homebase and B&Q on Cannon Lane will stock them.
(8 and a 1/2) Buy a book (it won't keep you cool, unless of course it's Ice Station Zero or maybe Pingu, but I had to get it in somewhere!)
(9) It's just too hot to think of any more so
(10) that's it....

Beer in the evening...and the morning...afternoon...and night!

For anyone who likes beer and, let's face it, who doesn't?! there's another chance to sample lots of different real ales at the South East Beer Festival on the 16th, 17th and, if you can still stand up, 18th July at the back of the Rugby Club. Now I know the event attracted quite a few fans of the brown stuff last summer but there were alot who thought, probably due to the location, that it was just for rugger boys. Well it's not so tell your friends all about it; and, what's more, it's free entry with, I'm told, very reasonably priced ales. I'm sure that local ale enthusiast, Paul Bailey will have more on his beer blog about it so I'll leave it for him to provide us with more info or at least a link to his site. Last year there were a few negative comments (not mine) on this blog saying that the festival was encouraging people to be be irresponsible drink and too much but, surely, this is nonsense. Better to sample various different, lovingly brewed, beers from independent breweries than to neck seventeen pints of nondescript lager in the Castle Inn before jumping in the river (as I noticed a few lads were after a recent England game.) What is it about hot sunny weather, football and continental blonde beers?! Mind you England's performances at the World Cup were enough to drive even the most sober of people to drink, drugs or drowning but that's a different story....

That goal....

I was down on Tonbridge Park the other day just on a walk and happened to stumble upon a lively looking football match. Only a Sunday afternoon match between a couple of rival pub teams but, nevertheless, a fiercely fought tight dual. The team in white shirts had taken an early two goal lead, but the reds had come back valiantly to 2-1. Then the incident happened: the reds shot from the 18 yard box, a superb strike, and whacked the cross bar. As the ball spun off the cross bar it appeared to go well inside the goal behind the goalie, but then a strange thing happened. The ball then, still in a spin, came back out of the goal and into the goal keeper's hands. All the red team (and most of the whites, but they were staying quiet) knew it was a clear goal as did the small crowd on the touchline nearest the goal. But the referee was having none of it and the linesman had got a fly in his eye just as the ball was banging against the bar. Luckily one really keen spectator had videoed the whole incident so that he could show it to his drinking buddies later on as it was the captain's birthday. (The captain was a bit of a quiet bloke but a brilliant footballer which made up for it.) The crowd were so incensed by the injustice of the ref's decision that they shouted for the amateur film maker to replay the incident. So they all gathered around and waited for him to get to the right bit of the tape and watched as the evidence became all too clear that they'd been robbed of a goal. The ref was a sensible man and knew that he had two choices: stick to his decison based on what he thought he'd seen (and according to the rules of the game) of be pragmatic and thereby avoid a riot. As he watched the, by now, red faced fans beginning to match the colour of their red shirted team he knew that there was only one course of action. After all he could see the evidence right there in front of his very eyes. Because the camera man had a swanky new dvd digital cam corder he was able to freeze the image at exactly the point at which the ball had, so plainly, crossed the line so there really was no problem in him bending the rules to avoid a major crowd control problem. Now if only they'd had that kind of technology available to them for the England Germany game....

Mr. Books is to close....

Mr. Books will be closing it's doors for good not in 2027, as had been originally planned, but instead it will close a year later in 2028. What's he banging on about now? I hear some of you saying. As the meercat says: It's simples! Nick Clegg, George Osbourne, Iain Duncan-Smith and Co. are conspiring to raise the age at which you can claim the state pension from 65 to 66 which means another year of sitting here in my Tonbridge bookshop reading books when I could be sat at home, er, reading books. Apparently we are all living too long and have no right to have more than our fair share of happy workless and stress free days. So, if I only get me three score years and ten in, that's just 4 years that the mean sods will have to pay out. However, if I live to 103 then I'll be laughing all the way to Tonbridge Post Office, that is if my mobility scooter will fit through the doors. I'd actually like to make a sensible suggestion, if you'll allow me to. David Cameron I hope you are listening: Why not make the pension age partly dependent on whether or not you actually want to retire, some will but lots won't, and also allow people with poorer health to be signed off at 65, or perhaps earlier, by a doctor so they can receive their pensions. That way only the fit and really healthy over 65's end up working longer and, since they are the people who will probably want to then everybody's happy. The trade off might be that the longer you are in work then the bigger pension you get when you actually take your well earned retirement. Worth a thought?...

That budget analysis in full....

What a relief! VAT on books was one thing I was dreading for obvious reasons! Hopefully I'll be alright for another four or five years at least....

Football, betting, beer and books....

I'm not a betting man particularly but this morning, as I rode on my bike past William Hill's on Tonbridge High Street, I had a mad urge to go and have a bet on England winning the World Cup. To be honest I was thinking that the odds on this would have gone right out to about 50 to one or at least 20. But no 8 to 1 was still the best price which, if you stop to consider it is pretty crumby. Unless of course they know something we don't. Perhaps the two, at best, mediocre performances by the England are all part of a Fabio Capella and Mafia betting scandal, an elaberate way of increasing the odds on an overall England victory. (Obviously goal keeper, Rob Green, is in on it as well!) Anyway, I thought better of it and decided to keep my tenner bet and spend it on beer and books instead....

For The Queen, England, and St. George....

TonbridgeBlog asks: Will England be playing in the red shirts today? What's the significance? You may well ask. Call me superstitious but England wore the famous bright red strip when they won in 1966. That alone should be enough to inspire the team, to motivate them to play out of their skins. Forget nerves now boys The Queen, England and St, George need you to play the best god damn game of football you've ever played in your whole lives ever ever ever! Which only leaves the question of where to watch the game? Let me think. Option number One: close shop early go home so I can crack open numerous cans of Fosters lager, be undisturbed and be able to shout at the TV. Bit saddoand lonely though. Option Two: watch on computer in my bookshop. This could be disastrous if (a) computer and/or internet crashes and (b) a railway books enthusiast with no interest in football wanders in mid way through second half and wants, quite understandably, to talk about his area of interest! No this cannot be the option. Which, as it's too late to catch a flight to Johannesberg, only leaves going to the pub to watch with like minded people on a biggish sports screen. But where in the centre of Tonbridge is the best spot? I watched some of the last World Cup games in the Slug and Lettuce but felt a bit out of place there being older than twenty; so what about the Rose and Crown outside bar? Or there's the good old Chequers or maybe the Ivy House. Then there's the Somerhill at the other end of town. Come on help me out here....

Where would you cut wasted spending in Tonbridge?...

As new Chancellor, George Osbourne, lines himself up for possibly the harshest budget in recent memory Tonbridge Blog asks how will this effect Tonbridge? Where will the cuts fall, how deep will they be and where should they fall? What would you do if you were in charge? For example would the new Government have allowed the extravagant new Gateway building at the castle council offices? What about cycle routes? Are they worth maintaining or a waste of time and money? Will the axe fall on the A21 dualling project? What about the Cottage Hospital? How safe is its future? What projects are crucial enough to ring fence? It's likely to effct us all in varying degrees so let's hear some views....

False alarm!...

Just went along to enjoy an hour at the Slade School fete and discovered that it is, er hum next Saturday. Do I feel a berk?! Anyway put it in you diaries for a week's time....

Slade summer fete starts about now....

Lots of school fetes on today no doubt. I shall be finding time very shortly to have a look at the Slade School one. You know the sort of thing: tombolas, penalty shooting, coconut shy, burger/hot dogs, flower stall, bric a brac, throw a wet spunge at the teacher etc. etc. Their theme for the fete is, er hum, the World Cup! In fact it starts at 12pm (till 2-30 I think) so I might toddle off there right now. That queue of people outside Mr. Books will just have to wait till I get back!...

Has Mr. Books finally been locked up?!..

Has Mr. Books finally completely lost it? Is it him being bundled into the back of a riot squad Police van? Many of you, no doubt, would like to think so wouldn't you! No in fact the story as far as can be told with scant information is this: Friday night and all was quiet when I shut up shop for the night around 5pm, (honest guv.) The World Cup was getting into full swing and there was not a hint of any trouble just an average evening in the middle of June. When suddenly.... I wasn't around to witness any of it, in fact I only heard about it this morning but, luckily, a keen amateur snapper and fan of TonbridgeBlog was on hand to bring us a couple of decent pictures of the, let's just say, altercation right outside Mr. Books Bookshop around 6pm. Apparently some travellers had been in trouble with the boys in blue for illegally setting up camp in a field near Barden Lake by cutting a gap in the hedge. How one of them ended up being chased all the way to Bank Street in the centre of town is a mystery but apparently this young thick set fellow wasn't at all pleased and wasn't initially prepared to cooperate fully (or in fact at all) in getting into the van. By all accounts it took several burly coppers to eventually bundle him in. An ugly scene for our fair town to witness I think you'll all agree. Some people have even said that the characters of the childrens' books in Mr. Books window display were covering their faces in sheer terror! Let's see if we can gather some more reliable information. Anyone care to fill in the details....

Tonbridge Carnival in pictures....

Tonbridge High Street was lined with people three deep on a gloriously sunny Sunday afternoon as they gathered to see this year's carnival procession. These pictures, taken with my trusty little Sony Ericsson camera phone, are not the best photos in the world I'll grant you but, I think you'll agree, they do capture the spirit of the day. Stewarded as usual by the Tonbridge Lions, local theatre groups, martial arts groups, schools, hospital leagues of friends, clubs and societies and, not forgetting those twirlers had all made a great effort to entertain us all. I'm sitting here in my shop missing out on all the fun of the fete going on on the castle lawn right now but I'll be putting in an appearance there soon. Marvelous to see such a brilliant turn out from the good folk of Tonbridge who are clearly determined to have a good day in spite of all the economic gloom....

Tonbridge Carnival....

If you missed the Tonbridge Carnival procession then no need to worry some pictures will follow very shortly right here on Tonbridge Blog. It's still possible to see the carnival fete at on the castle lawn which is just starting around about now....

Tonbridge Carnival is tomorrow....

Don't forget to come into Tonbridge tomorrow for the summer carnival, now you wouldn't want to miss those Tonbridge Twirlers now would you?! The procession starts at 1pm (I think) and then there's a fete on the castle lawn all afternoon following it. Will we be celebrating England kicking off their World Cup campaign with a win or will we be biting our nails as those USA boys do us again (just like in 1950 if there's anyone out there old enough to remember?!) Oh and Mr. Books, unusually fo a Sunday, will more than likely be open so you can buy some good novels to read in the times between all the football matches....

Come on England giz a goal....

Football mania hits Tonbridge! What an opening ceremony that was. What? You didn't watch it! Then you missed a treat as the world watched a celebretion of, not just football, but all things African. Will England beat the USA tonight? (anyone know what time the kick off is by the way?) will they win their group (they certainly oughta) will they become torunament favourites? Will Wayne Rooney go on the collect the golden boot for the most number of goals scored across the four weeks? Will John Terry be able to resist the temptation of all those Cape Town girls or has his wife hired a PI to keep an eye on him? Will Dizzy Rascal and James Corden get to number One or will we see a return of Meat Pie Sausage Roll Come on England Giz a Goal? Please God nooooo! The England team must be nervous and excited, but surely they will have no trouble beating the US of A. Will they? But then we remember the 1950 England World Cup match against the amateurs of the States, who, against all odds, managed a flukey 1-0 win and sent our boys home with their tails between their legs? (or was it 1952?) Don't be too on edge boys and remember you can always read a good novel to calm your nerves....

In at the deep end....

Reading the Tonbridge and Malling Council glossy rag, Here and Now, I noticed that the swimming pool down by the river is 100 years old this year. Well, they are stretching it a little as the lido, build in 1910, bears virtually no resemblance to the current all mod cons one. Apart from the fact that it is on the same sight and there's water in it! What struck me reading this article was the fact that that they actually had first and second class bathing meaning that the first class bathers didn't have to mix with the poorer folk even though they shared the same water, they had there own cublicles by the side of their bit of the pool and paid more for the priviledge. It tickled me to discover that a woman, who was joining in a Daily Mail backed national campaign, mounted the diving board to protest about mixed sex bathing and was promptly pushed into the pool below, fully clothed presumably, by another bather. I wonder what she'd make of modern day lycra bikinis and banana hammock speedos! Anyway, apparently Duncan Goodhew will return to the pool on July 10th to mark the centenary of the pool with a family outdoor party. (Is he a Tonbridge man or something?) So now you know....

Recharging my batteries in Hay....

Well it may not be everyone's idea of a relaxing few days off but it is mine. From Sunday to Wednesday I was "detoxing" at the Hay on Wye Festival. I say detoxing because that is what it feels like: you're surrounded by authors, actors, famous people who are just sitting all around on deck chairs, in the cafes and bars just like you are. Then there's all the talks, which are mostly fairly cheap (between £4 and £8) and sometimes free; you learn that some authors may be great on paper but boring to listen to (Anthony Beevor, Helen Dunmore for example) and that others are just a delight to both read and listen to like Simon Armitage and Andrea Levy. Sometimes you realise that you are becoming part of that days news when you hear, as I did, Sir Ian Blair (ex-Commissionaire of the Met) giving his first hand opinion of the shooting of the innocent Brazilian man, which partly led to his own sacking by Boris Johnson. And then there's the town of Hay itself, with it's thirty odd bookshops (one of them a converted cinema housing over 200,000 titles!) then there's the street food: home cooked curry, crepes, smoothies from stalls in and around the Castle; the music, the comedy, the weird and wonderful people milling around the narrow streets. You look up and you see the wonderfully picturesque scenery all around you as the Brecon Beacons beckon you to walk up them, to breath all that lovely fresh Welsh air. My first visit to Hay gave the inspiration to open my bookshop in Tonbridge so every year that I can I try to make it along there for a few days of recharging and detoxing. A kind of working holiday but actually, for me, more enjoyable than most normal breaks....

Life in a sleepy corner of Tonbridge Old Town....

Work, work, work and more work this week and, unlike most of you, I'm still at it. Yes I'm in my bookshop in a sleepy little corner of Tonbridge Old Town beavering away serving customers, pricing up books and, hopefully, flogging a few. I did manage to finish Lady Chatterley's Lover in between all this work and it's probably among the top ten books I've ever read. Quite apart from the fact that, in reading it, you are reading a part of publishing history with the court case in mind and all the controversy over the book, it is a literary masterpiece. If you want to read about a type of love (mostly physical) defined then you'll be hooked and, even if you don't, the book is a piece of poetry in prose. In a nutshell I liked it, it was a hit and I'm amazed it's taken me all these years to get around to reading it. I've hit a quiet spell in the shop and it's only 11am; has everyone gone away for the weekend? Everyone come back, especially if you got paid yesterday; Tonbridge needs your money more than any other town! Keep the comments coming in; I'm in for an exciting weekend so more on that next time; tell everyone what you're up to....

PS. I like the idea of the castle area of Tonbridge being called Tonbridge Old Town, might be a good marketing ploy if you are listening at the council.... thought not you are all probably off to your holiday homes on the coast by now....

A woodland walk, lovely food and a cooling swim....

Flippin' boiling hot weekend wasn't it! Shouldn't complain really but that's what us Brits do best after all. But come on though it was a bit too sudden and a bit too, well, hot. I always think that if it keeps you up at night then it's just too warm. It was my birthday on Sunday so I got to decided that we were all going out as a family. Only thing was, what do you do on a scorcher of a day like that? Didn't want to go that far so opted for one of the 14 walks from the Tonbridge Civic Society's aptly titled "14 Walks." We plumped for a shortish one, because of the heat and so the kids didn't get too fed up, Going from Bidborough village to Southborough and back a slightly different way. The walk is supposed to start from Southborough but, hey, I'm just a rebel like that and decided it would work just as well, being a circular walk, from any point you liked. The 14 walks all have pretty clear instructions and a handy map on the back of each sheet; and you even get a useful plastic sleeve in case it's raining (not bad for £2.50; incidentally available in Mr. Books!) I didn't care what I looked like as I tramped off wearing my long shorts and carrying my walkers staff which I'd had made at the Penshurst craft fair a few weeks back. Off we trundled up the footpath rising steeply at the back of Bidborough Common, which I think is part of the Wealdway; when you look back from there you get some wonderful views, like a picture postcard shot, of Bidborough Church High up on the next hill. I won't go through the whole walk but it's certainly worth doing if you like the shade of woodland on a hot day, we took some pictures of a twisted, half-subsided tree route, which was like something out of an Arthur Rackham illustrated fairy story. It's amazing how out in the wild you can feel and yet be so close the the main roads and the towns. The rest of the weekend was a lovely meal cooked by my wife, using some of the fresh veg i'd bought from the Shipbourne farmers market a couple of days before, rather a few too many glasses of wine (well it was me birthday!) and then, on Monday, finding that I had a free day, doing gardening, washing the car and other jobs around the house. As a treat in the afternoon I went along to cooooool off in Tonbridge Swimming Pool. What a great facility that is to have a open air pool on a day like yesterday; actually, believe it of not, the water temperature was noticeably cooler in the inside fitness pool than in the outdoor one. My God it could have been an August day in the summer holidays instead of a normal work day in May; the place was pretty packed, and who can blame them. Mind you the inside pool was more or less empty so I did most of my swimming in there and sat and read under the shade of a parasol outside the rest of the time. Ah the simple pleasures in life, who needs computers when you've got fresh air and a good book?!..

Feeling hot hot hot....

It's official. The hottest day of the year at 500 degrees C. Shake out those shorts, get those linen short sleeve shirts from the back of your wardrope, dust off your sandals, turn the air con to maximum, wipe down the sun lounges, get down to Homebase for your barbeque charcoal, Sainsbury's to stock up on cans of coke and ice cream, buy a season ticket for Tonbridge outdoor swimming pool, stock up on paperbacks cos Summer here we come!!!!

Something to read Y'Ladyship?...

I'm reading Lady Chatterley's Lover at the moment. It's amazing that I've never read it before now but then you can't read everything can you. I've seen the film of course but that's not the same thing as seeing the actual beautifully structured words of DH Lawrence. It's all the better for not being a bog standard Penguin paperback; in fact I feel quite decadent reading the copy I have which is the 1929, privately published, edition. If you don't know it was printed in Florence first and then Paris; not because it was cheaper to have books printed in Italy or France but because it was banned from being published in Britain. Amazing when you consider what a literary legend it has become. In fact the book wasn't published in Britain in it's unexpurgated form until as late as 1960 after the famous court case to decide its fate. The copy I have has plain brown cloth-covered card covers with no title lettering on them. Nothing to reveal its identity so that a gentleman, or a lady, could sit on a train or a bus without giving the game away that they were reading pure, unadulterated filth! Almost as seedy as drinking cheap wine concealed in a brown paper bag! I haven't got to the real juicy bits yet but, when I do I'm sure that I will only be mildly shocked by the goings on between 'er Ladyship, Connie, and Mellors the gamekeeper which are of course tame in comparison to what we can now watch every night on TV. What I can say already though is that it's quite clear that the book is as much about observations of the changing relationships between the upper and lower classes as it is about, and I quote, "this sex thing..." So if you walk in to my bookshop and see me deeply engrossed in an innocuous looking little book you'll know that I'm reading one of England's literary masterpieces and, if I don't give you my immediate attention, you'll know which bit of the book I've reached!...

Retro 66 Barbers turns Blue....

I see that Retro 66 Barbers at the North end of the High Street in Tonbridge is no more. I hasten to add that it hasn't actually closed but merely changed its name to Retro Blue. They have had a paint job inside and a new shop sign erected with Union Jacks replacing the Modish targets. It all looks very nice and fresh but what was the point of all that then? I'll leave you all to ponder on that one as I don't want to start wicked whispers....

Quiet before the storm?...

Not alot going on this week in Tonbridge. Someone mentioned a fire but I must have missed that one; so do tell more if there's anything to say on that subject who ever it was. Other than that a very quiet week. Maybe the quiet before the storm! I get the impression that there's uncertainty in the air as people wait to see what kind of effect the new Government will have on the country and, more importantly, them individually. People are slightly worried about their jobs and what the intended cuts in spending and services will mean. Seems to me that there's more talk than action at the moment as all the new ministers start to blame the outgoing government for all the world's woes. It is unsettling but what can you do? Probably my best advice is to get on with life till we know more and, of course, you could always lose yourself in a good book till it's all settled down!...

Go and see Men of the World....

I went to see an absolutely brilliant play last night at the Trinity Art Theatre in Tunbridge Wells (yes even I stray over the border sometimes!) It was The Hull Truck Theatre Company's "Men of the World" written by John Godber, about drivers from a fictitious, and very northern, coach company. It was full of typical Godber observations of the lives of northern working class folk as they endure a long coach trip to the Rhine with old folk from Yorkshire on, as one of them put it, "the crinckly run" seen through the eyes of the drivers. There are only three actors in it and very few props (mostly suit cases, hats and scarves) but they play about forty people by the use of clever switches of head gear and instantly changed facial contortions! Maybe it's because I'm a northern lad me self that I thought it was superb and laughed out embarassingly loud on several occasions throughout the two hour production. If you have ever seen Godber's most famous play, "Bouncers," you'll enjoy the gritty atmosphere, the one liners and the darkness and the sadness of it all; but also the happiness, the sense of cameraderie and the uplifting spirit underlying the play. Yes it was sort of "Bouncers" but with coach drivers doing the observing but, nevertheless, it stood out on it's own and was still fabulous. For me one of the best lines of the night is when a clapped out older character, during a spat with one of the younger drivers, says in a defiant tone: "Wallis Arnold came and told me they wanted me to work for them!" In other words his version of "I could have been a contender!" Ok not funny at all out of context so you'll have to go and see the play yourselves; and you can because it's on for the next two nights as well....

More on Farmers Markets....

The reason Tonbridge Blog didn't mention the fact that Tonbridge hasn't got a farmers market anymore is because I have mentioned it many times in previous posts and, to be honest, I got a little bored of hearing myself say it. The commenter who mentions it is right though; it is a crying shame that someone on the council can't help instigate one. In my view it would have to be weekly because there lies the success of Shipbourne's wonderful little market. Quite apart from the fact that it is in a lovely rural setting, which probably helps, if the market is weekly it loses the novelty-shop status and becomes part of your weekly routine. Fruit and veg, meat, bread and cakes for the weekend, every weekend. What could be better? It's about time that someone from Tonbridge and Malling Council went along to Shipbourne to see what's possible. As a footnote to this I also understand that Rev. Mark Brown, the Vicar of Tonbridge parish church, is keen on the idea of something similar around his church. Now that would be a nice setting....

Farmers markets....

Called in at the Shipbourne Farmers Market early on this morning. Every time I go there I'm reminded of how wonderful it is. Stalls across the church pews and spilling out into the path ways leading to the door. In season, and bought by me this morning, are sprouting brocolli, spring onions, raddishes, spring greens and lovely fresh asparagus. What could be better! Then there was the mushroom magic man with his punnets of mixed fungi for my risotto this weekend, the cheese from local Penshurst farmer, the fresh baked bread from Rusbridger's of Southborough. I didn't buy any meat or fish this time because it would have had to have sat all day in my car but I could have had some beautiful steak and ale pie and freshly made sausage rolls. I could see them there beckoning me to take them home. You go to Sainsbury's if you want to, I'll stick with traditional local produce. I love that kind of shopping....

Twittering...

Just about to have a cuppa. Tired and bored. When will something happen.... er sorry I thought I was on twitter!

Two Baby faces in charge of our nation. Gulp!...

During the run up to the election I did come out and say that I agreed, for the most part, with Nick. So how do I feel then seeing him actually take the office of Deputy Prime Minister in a historic alliance of the Tories and Libs? Well pleased from one point of view; it is, after all the first time the Liberals have held any kind of cabinet post since the last coalition government which was during the last world war. But I am mightily pissed off that Cameron has been given the keys to Number 10. Not because he's a Conservative (which is bad enough) not because he's a toff, an old Etonian, a backward step to the 1950s and before perhaps, not even because of his smugness and emphasis on the sort of dark ages back to basics view of the country. No none of those things; and not even because he's so arrogant that he could end up harming our special relationship with the USA or bringing about a nuclear threat by standing up to countries like China, the emerging world super power. So what is it about him that's really made me wake up feeling low low low this morning then? I'll tell you and it might anoy many of the rest of you: he's the first Prime Minister in my life time who's younger than me. Now that really hurts! Time will tell whether the baby faced upper class prick (no offence Dave) is up to the job or not. With Clegg's help he might just pull it off. These are very interesting and uncharted waters. Hang about. Nick Clegg is even younger than Cameron? Now I'm really in a bad mood!...

Bargains and great cakes in Tonbridge....

On a totally different and, more importantly, totally unpolitical note, I went to both the Angel centre Flea market and the old lady, er I mean Country Market in the scout hut this morning. I have been a bit naughty this year and haven't been able to make it along to them as often as I'd like but it was worth it. I had a chat with the delightful ladies on the cake stall who always charm me and make cheeky comments, flirt with me and flatter me. They'll do anything to sell their Victoria sponges! Actually I bought a chocolate cake, some flapjacks and some sausage rolls; all home made of course. And I picked up some lovely smelling fresh bread which is supplied by Rusbridge's family bakers of Southborough. Then I picked up some damson jam (because they didn't have any strawberry) and tried to buy some fresh, in season local asparagus but, alas, it had all been sold earlier! Instead I went along to the Bishops greengrocer and bought two bushels instead. That's tonight's meal sorted out then. If you get time it really is worth going along to both these traditional style markets because, as I've said before in this blog, if we don't support the local traders then they won't be local traders for much longer. The Flea market, in the Angel Centre every Friday, is a dream if you're into browsing old treasures and especially if you like to buy antique jewellery. Once I bought a 2,000 year old Roman coin there for £3 which I thought was a bit of a bargain!...

A personal message from Nick Clegg....

Dear Mark,
Last night was a disappointment for the Liberal Democrats. Even though more people voted for us than ever before, even though we had a higher proportion of the vote than ever before, it is of course a source of great regret to me that we have lost some really valued friends and colleagues and we have returned to Parliament with fewer MPs than before.
It's clear that many people were excited by the prospect of doing something different. But when it came to the vote, they decided to stay with what they knew. In a time of great economic uncertainty I can understand that.
But that's not going to stop me from redoubling my efforts and the Liberal Democrats efforts to show that real change is the best reassurance that things can get better for people and their families.
Now we are in a very fluid situation with no party holding an absolute majority. It's vital that all political parties and all political leaders act in the national interest and not for narrow political party advantage.
During the election campaign I said that whichever party gets most votes and the most seats, if not an absolutely majority, has the first right to seek to govern either on its own or by reaching out to other parties. And I stick to that view. It seems this morning that it is the Conservative Party that has more votes and more seats though not an absolute majority.
I think it is now for the Conservative Party to prove that it is capable of seeking to govern in the national interest. At the same time this election campaign has made it abundantly clear that our electoral system is broken, it simply doesn't reflect the hopes and aspirations of the British people.
So I repeat again my reassurance that whatever happens in the coming hours, days and weeks I will continue to argue not only for the greater fairness in British society not only the greater responsibility in economic policy making but also for the extensive real reforms we need to fix our broken political system.
Thank you for all your wonderful support and work through the campaign. It has been a privilege to lead such a magnificent team and we will carry on the campaign for a fairer Britain.
Best wishes,
Nick CleggLeader of the Liberal Democrats

Ah, wasn't that nice of him to find the time to write to me personally!...

Mor on election....

I'm not sure what this says about the people in Tonbridge and Malling constituency so draw your own conclusions. Hard working and dedicated local candidate for the Green Party, Steve Dawe, got 764 votes. Mike Easter wasn't that far behind with 505 votes. Who's Mike Easter? He was our National Front candidate who was openly calling for no immigration and forced repatriation; on his election leaflet he complained about how many of the current government ministers have an eastern European "look" about them. Was he trying to say Jewish? I'm still not sure because obviously he couldn't spell it out. Thank God and Winston Churchill that we will never find out quite how he would have executed his policies....

Liberal Landslide....

What the heck happened there then?! All that hype, all those hopes and expectations riding on Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems. What do we get in Tonbridge and Malling? An increased majority of over 18,000 which is 35.4%. The Liberals did take over the number 2 slot from Labour, who have been in that position since 1997. See the result here on the Telegraph site. So will Liz Simpson have gone home to her bed happy in the early hours of this morning? I doubt it because, like me and many others, I rather suspect that she was hoping for a major upset in this True Blue consituency. But it just wasn't to be, in fact the vast majority of people up and down the country vote the same at every single election throughout their whole lives. Even sadder it's usually what their parents voted before them; that's just the way things are and that's why it is so difficult to cause a massive upset. Clegg did his best and, let's face it, we all thought that he'd started a huge bandwagon. It still might prove true as his party does now hold the balance of power and he's now in a position to push for electoral reform as a condition of who he supports in the important Commons debates to come. Interesting times then but it could have been so much more so....

I agree with Nick!...

Well at least I think I do. On the other hand is it a wasted vote in Tonbridge and Malling? Aren't the Tories going to get in anyway however I vote? Aren't Labour number two in this constituency? Do I even know what Proportional Representation is? Can I even spell it correctly?! Shouldn't I be getting on with selling books rather than writing this drivel? Oh dear, it's all so confusing. Actually I've already cast my vote and it was all a bit of an anticlimax as the act of voting always is (excepting maybe the first time you do it. (The exciting part comes in the early hours of tomorrow when the picture of the likely victors starts to develop.) And yet as I said in the last posting it is so vital. No you can't force people to vote; that, in itself, might seem like a good idea but it is totally undemocratic. No, all you can do is sell your party's ideals and policies and hope that this will persaude the electorate to go out and vote for you. I didn't vote specifically for Nick Clegg any more than I might have voted for Gordon Brown or David Camoron, I voted for Liz Simpson and, more improtantly, the Liberal Democrat principals of fairness and freedom. To be honest I would have liked to have met Ms Simpson as I didn't feel that she was all that vocal in the most closely fought election of the last fifty years. Then I don't suppose that they consider Tonbridge to be a key marginal seat. Should that matter though as it's unlikely she'll be standing again, assuming she doesn't get in that is? Tactical voting. Who cares? Vote for you principles I say! So I don't agree with all that Nick Clegg says or does but his party is the closest to my political and social convictions. I'm a centrist, I believe in balance, and if that means a coalition of all the best from the various parties working together then so be it. Even the picture above is right smack in the centre, just like me. There you go I've come out. I'm a Liberal and I never thought I'd admit it!...

Put a X in the box....

I can't remember much about what my old marketing director said when I worked in newspapers not so very long ago. In fact, for the most part, I thought he was a bit of a burk and, to be absolutely honest, I can't even remember his name, but one thing he said during a presentation struck a chord with me and stuck in my mind. He said that if we, as a newspaper could capture the zeitgeist then we'd be onto a winner. I'm not sure that we ever achieved it but, nevertheless, it was a great goal to aim for. Capturing the zeitgeist, or spirit of the age, is what politicians try to do at election time and, for me, Nick Clegg has managed to achieve this. Who the hell would have thought that there'd be young and old people in the streets chanting "I agree with Nick!" as the Lib Dem leader meanders through the crowds up and down the country. Ok the TV debates have had a big impact on this and some people don't think that Clegg should even have been allowed in them at all. But he was and he seized his opptunity to try and change the political map. TV has, afterall, effected much of the rest of our lives and now it's at last managed to engage a largely turned off population into politics again. I really hope that something dramatic does happen at this election, whether it's a hung parliament and the parties are forced to cooperate more closely with each other; or whether it's an outright Liberal victory the outcome will be concessions to the voting system towards proportional representation and a shake up of the old establishment. It won't destroy the established order (it's too strong for that) but it but it will prune it and allow for new growth. Now I'm back talking about the Tonbridge garden show! I'm not at all sure that my vote will make any difference in Tonbridge and Malling but I've pretty much made up my mind which way I'm voting. If enough young people, that's mainly 18-25 year olds can actually be bothered to go out and exercise their democartic right there could well be a major upset even in this Tory stronghold of a constituency. Who knows. But to not vote at all I just cannot understand that when, not so long ago, people in this country died for the right to vote, woman of all ages, especially, were denied the vote as little ago as 85 years. People around the world are still coerced to vote a certain way or else their votes are fiddled and deliberately miss-counted. So go and put a X in the box on Thursday; it's as easy as that but it adds up to so much....

Spring Tonbridge into life....

There was something missing last weekend in Tonbridge and I think I know what it was. The May Day Bank Holiday w/e seems to always have a buzz about it in the town. But why not this time then? Well, I'll admit, that book lovers were catered for with my own little effort the West Kent Book Fair (in case you missed the plugs;) post card collectors were in Seventh Heaven at the Post Card Fair at the Angel Centre. But, that only a tiny proportion of the overall population. I never thought I'd say this but there was still something missing: I think that something was The Tonbridge Garden and Home Show. People who have lived in our fair town had, in truth grown a little tired of it and had stopped going altogether; at it's height the event used to attract around 15,000 extra people into Tonbridge. If the previous organisers are honest they would admit that they had grown weary of laying on the event year after year. It needed the fresh impetus of the new show organisers; so it was a bit of a curious decision not to go ahead with the show this year recession or no recession; surely they don't want anyone to sneak in there and set up a rival event. I even thought about putting the word out and latching the event onto the book fair so it must have crossed the minds of other more seasoned organisers. That said it's their shout really so lets wish them luck for next year and bring some life back to the town centre next May....

A well earned Chinese takeaway....

Despite the Gods being against me the West Kent Book Fair went ahead on Sunday as planned. Mercifully most of the booksellers, some of whom had travelled two hours to get there, managed to set up before the Heavens opened up.... and stayed opened up all day until about 4 o'clock! I reckon that at least a hundred potential visitors decided not to bother because of the dreadful weather but, despite that, many of the serious buyers still turned out so most of the seasoned sellers went away reasonably happy. Personally I had a good day at the fair and in my shop, which I opened up on Sunday as well. I do know that it could have been alot lot worse; the Craft Fair at Penshurst, being largely and out door event may as well not have bothered opening at all on Sunday so I was told yesterday by some of the traders. (I think they made up for it on Monday though from what I saw.) How ever many people turn up to the book fair I always feel a little frustrated whether it's 30o, 500 or even a thousand I always want more and feel that there's alot there for the paltry entrance fee of 50p. But then I would say that wouldn't I! In all it was a great day and I went home happy, knackered and hungry. I certainly enjoyed my Chinese takeaway (from the Daily Rice, where else?!) that night and felt I'd earned it....

What's on in Tonbridge this weekend?...

Well quite a lot really. You've got the Book Fair at Tonbridge School (which I organise, so I had to mention that didn't I) the there's the scarecrow trail for the kids and, probably, one or two grown ups too! The Tonbridge Garden and Home Show, which is normally held this May Bank Hol w/e has been shelved till next year apparently, so don't go along to the park expecting to see that. Let's face it it does need livening up a bit doesn't it! If you fancy a bike ride or short drive to Penshurst there's the Weald of Kent Craft Fair on till Monday, expect to pay about a fiver though, which always seems a bit of a rip off to me when you're going in to spend money anyway. Then, a bit further afield, there's the new Kent Fair at the Hop Farm which, when I first saw the event advertised, I thought was the Kent Show and they'd gone and replaced the Detling venue but that's not true at all. Not sure what that's like but could be worth the short drive or cycle or even walk if you fancy it. Then there's the election. You could stay in and watch every development of the campaign trails or you could get out and do some canvassing and flag waving. Then there's shopping and all the usual things you might do on a weekend. Whatever you do this May Day w/e enjoy yourself and remember you won't get it ever again so in the words of someone clever: Sieze the day or, in this case, days!

Football Fever....

Never mind all this election fever what about footy fever. Just a thought but did you realise that the World Cup is next month!!!! Place you bets now on a England victory. When Capelo took over the helm I had a feeling so went to several bookies in Tonbridge to see what odds I'd get on an England torunament win. Even then the best was only ten to one. I doubt whether you'd still get that so there must be a heck of a lot of money riding on it. The bookies will no doubt be biting their nails a bit by now....

Election fever update....

I saw this morning that Sir John's mob were out in force on the big bridge with True Blue Balloons and blue leaflets with which to accost passers by innocently going about their shopping. Still at least they weren't Chelsea fans! Haven't seen any Labour or Libs, perhaps they go for a later start or have given up the chase! On a slightly darker note I had the National Front leaflet drop through my letter box yesterday. The photo of the candidate makes him look like a nice old gentleman but my God he must be bitter and twisted inside. Does he really think that he's fooling anyone with that right wing fascistic garbage? You'd think that someone the age of 75 would have seen enough of the world to know that these sort of policies are dangerous and deliberately provocative and, if they ever did anywhere, belong to a completely different age. The Dark Age. Still I guess that's the price of democracy that we allow people like him to stand and spout their racist spillage....