Merry Christmas one and all!

Hi all

I'm aware that there has been little activity on the blog from me or from Posh - for which we both apologise. But as I'm sure you are aware, we have had plenty going on these past few weeks. Both of us are almost halfway through our respective panto runs and thank you if you are one of the many who have come and seen us tread the boards at our respective venues...or perhaps you're coming to see us in the coming days.

We take a break from the radio show from Christmas eve until Monday 12th Jan....but we're both looking forward to 2009 and more fun on the airwaves of Surrey and Hampshire. We have some big plans for the new year on Eagle...and whilst I can't say much at the moment....suffice to say.....there will be lots of cash to be won to ward off further ravages of the credit crunch!

Have a fantastic Christmas and a very Happy New year!!

all the best

PG

Mr Haver's Tips

One bonus about performing in the Guildford panto, is that I'm having the chance to get to know Nigel Havers. What a nice chap!
Not only does he make our dressing room corridor smell festive with a special smelly candle but he gives out tips as well!!
Firstly, he swears by grapefruit - "one half every morning and you'll never have indigestion", he says. On top of that, Mr Havers, even delivered one to my dressing room.
Then there's the tip on how to get to sleep (offered to me just as we were about to take our bows at the end of a show) "a bit of whisky, with lemon, honey and hot water....plus a hot bath"
Further to these smidgens of advice, I can neither confirm or deny rumours that dressing room 1 (belonging to Mr H) has a tv in it so that other members of the panto cast can watch the X factor while the show is on!!

PG

I have a festive confesssion...

It's not huge and I know I'm not alone but I can’t bear Christmas shopping! Don't get me wrong I love Christmas but the shopping part is a big thumbs down.

This year I suggested to my family that we have a £5 limit on presents but instead of just spending £5 we’d pool the money of the 8 family members that will be with us on Xmas day and spend £40 on one person – a bit like secret Santa – so you could buy one nice present or several smaller ones. This worked for me on many levels...

1) I don’t have a lot of money but I do have 2 close family members & a boyfriend that selfishly thought December would be a good month to be born, so I have birthdays to contend with too.

2) What with panto rehearsals and performance (Peter Pan at The Princes Hall, Aldershot, on case you didn’t know)I won’t have a lot of time to actually shop.

Unfortunately my family didn’t see my plight and now I have 8 individuals presents to supply, birthday presents for 3 and gifts for other friends too...I am not best pleased. I was fortunate enough to have this weekend off from panto rehearsals, so I thought I’d put it to good use; get the tree and decs up at home (done!) and start, and hopefully buy, most of my Xmas presents (not in any way done). It was a very bad idea from the beginning really, as, in the last year, I appear to have developed some kind of dislike to other people. I realised today that, not only could I not do my Xmas shopping with my boyfriend holding me up in every shop ‘to see if there were some good ideas for his family’, I also can’t bear being in shopping precincts with other people milling around looking at what could be a great gift Granny – do they not understand the military timing I am being forced to adhere to to buy these gifts; gifts which should be given with love and a knowing that that family member will glow with a warm heart when you hand over their well thought out present. So when I thought I was about to drag the boyfriend out of a shop and then screech to the heavens that I didn’t have time to look for his family too and when my innards felt like they were about to explode out of my body when the couple in front were pondering whether Granny would like a blue or a yellow oven glove for Christmas, I stopped, took a step back and thought; let’s go to the cinema and after I’ve been to the cinema and enjoyed my Sunday afternoon with the man in my life I’m going to do this all online later this evening . I was instantly filled with a calm serenity and my blood was brought back to a mild simmer – ah the internet what a work of genius.

Happy Shopping

Posh x

It's behind the scenes, oh yes it is!

Hi all

So two weeks into rehearsals for Aladdin at the Yvonne Arnaud and it's all going rather well! Opening night is Friday 5th (This Friday!) and, apart from the odd couple of words, all my lines are learnt and dance moves (mostly!) in place. The cast are terrific and we've had alot of fun in the build up....including Mr Havers insisting on offering me a sherry every time we happen to encounter each other on stage. What a gent!

If this year, with its credit crunches, has all been a bit much, trust me this show will make you laugh and just magic you away from reality for a couple of hours.....so treat yourself!

This week, I get allotted my dressing room and the build up reaches a climax with technical runs (that's when they check if the lights and speakers work!) and dress rehearsals (that's when I find out if my "Demis Roussoss" arrangement still fits me!). I really do hope you will come and see the show - check out our local panto page for some exclusive rehearsal pics and for tickets or go to www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

Posh starts her rehearsals for Peter Pan this week too, so I'll expect we'll here some goss from her on this blog soon too.

Don't forget you can comment on our blogs simply by clicking on the title.

Ta ta for now.

PG

Learn your lines, PG !

Well, that's the first week of rehearsals finished for Aladdin at the Yvonne Arnaud. All has gone pretty well and the rest of the cast are great fun. Mr Havers is, as expected, a true gent and will be great in the show.

There is a problem, however. Surprisingly (not!), yours truly is having a few challenges with the script. Well, not the script so much - as it's very good, and very funny - its more to do with the fact that I am completely hopeless at remembering lines! For years I`ve been used to making stuff up as I go along on the radio show, which is fine, if a little "hit and miss". But now, here I am in a situation (not for the first time in panto!) where everyone else is all read and learnt....and I'm having to resort to extreme - and slightly messy - measures in order to keep up.

You see, I have reverted to an age old mechanism that helps with remembering things like panto lines - writing them on my arm!! Yes it's true - the method that I picked up from various maths and history dates tests at school....now come in handy when I'm playing the Emperor of China!! (note of caution: I, in no way, condone this sort of scandalous behaviour whether at work or school/college - it's just that I'm rubbish!).

So there I was during the full run (as they say in the trade) of Act 1 on Friday sneaking a look at my scrawl on my arm. I wasn't proud, trust me. And the concerns don't stop there...

You see, I don't have much to say in the first act.....but that all changes in Act 2 (including a major musical extravaganza!), so quite what I'm going to do as we move onto Act 2 this week, I don't know.

Perhaps, I should get one of those brain training games to try and get my memory working better. Poor old soul!

Keep checking back for more panto news - and don't forget you can book tickets to see me and Al in our respective shows by clicking the "local panto 2008" tab on the front page of the website!

all the best

PG

Lights go on.....

As you've probably gathered, it's a busy old time for us Eagle people at the mo. Last Thursday, Posh and I helped switch on the Christmas lights in Woking and now this week, it's the turn of Guildford. We'll be there on Thursday, look out for us on the balcony and Al will be out and about saying hello. Have a look on the lights section of Eagle Radio's website for more details. You can also see us in Farnborough on Saturday - come along and say hello!

Meanwhile the Guildford panto rehearsals start on Monday...and my first job is to learn a song which, as Emperor of China, I will be performing with Widow Twankey (Royce Mills). Now that's going to be interesting, to say the least!! I'll be posting news of how rehearsals with Nigel Havers and co. are going...and any behind the scenes goss.

Bye for now.

PG

Are you doing it for the first time…tips to help you out.

This week on The Peter Gordon Breakfast Show, PG and I discussed an article detailing 6 things women shouldn’t do on a first date.
Today, I thought it only fair that, along with the ladies in the office, I create the equivalent for men.

On a first date men you should never...

1. Text your mate telling him about your date…you’re bound to text your date instead.
2. Dress inappropriately for the date – no suits at funfairs etc
3. Ask the lady to pay. If she offers, I’d still refuse to let her but that’s up to the individual – there are some very independent women out there.
4. Eat messily and get food caught in your facial hair or teeth - yuk - go to the toilet and check immediately
5. Talk about your ex, unless asked and only then be complimentary even if she was a witch
6. Be rude…to anyone..especially those trying to assist in making your date a success be it waitress, cinema attendant, taxi driver…you‘ll look aggressive and mad!

Gents, I welcome any feedback cos let’s face it, Men are from Mars and Women from Venus so how on earth will we know otherwise…also if you’d like to give some manly support and offer tips to your male colleagues, please do.

The original 6 things not to do on a first date for women...

1. Don’t introduce unfamiliar grooming into your routine. Never had a Brazilian wax? Today’s not the day to try it. Ditto for new miracle skin treatments. There’s also the possibility you’ll be left with ingrown hairs, or worse.
2. Don’t wear new shoes. Opt for a cute pair of more down-to-earth shoes that won’t trip you up or give you blisters.
3. Don’t get boozed up first. Guzzling martinis before you meet him is not a good idea. You probably haven’t eaten all day and the combination of stress, hunger and booze is not a good one.
4. Don’t not eat if you’re on a dinner date. Women always think they look dainty picking at a small green salad with just a lemon wedge. Wrong. They just look sad, hungry and possibly eating disordered. Order a normal human-sized meal.
5. Don’t talk too much, nor clam up completely.
6. Don’t play make-believe. When you drop lies designed to impress, it’s pretty much a given that you’re going to get busted.

“Have you got any Quo?”

Hi all

It was good to have Posh back on the show today after a week looking after things for Chivs. But I’m not sure she was that impressed to hear the return of some
Of my old friends on the show. Listeners today (Monday) might have heard me chuck in a sneaky clip of a tune that may well be destined for the number one festive slot!
Yes, that’s right, forget X Factor winners, Gary Barlow and Peter Kay and even, if they releases it for the 100th time, Slade!! No no no – we all need to get behind the song “It’s Christmas Time” by…
Wait for it… Status Quo!!! Oh yes, what a fine piece of artistry, what magnificent use of three chords and what a supreme demonstration of no nonsense, legs apart, hair tossing boogie woogie!
I’m in half a mind to start a “Peter Gordon Breakfast Show thinks the Quo should be number one at Christmas” campaign. But I suspect Posh Al will have something to say on that (not least installing her own Take That campaign!).

But if you do agree the denim clad rock-meisters deserve a bit of a break – post your comments on the blog!!

See you at the Guildford Fireworks on Wednesday and Rushmoor on Saturday!

PG

What is it about some people?

As you may have heard, I’m having a few guests on the radio show this week while Posh makes a bid for Chivs’ mid-morning slot.(He, of course is admiring the trains of the Pyrenees this week)

We’ve already spoken to

Alesha Dixon of course – and it was great to se her. Today it was the turn of Lemar. Now, don’t get me wrong, Mr Lemar is a splendid fellow, a man of substantial talent, who comes to
see us from time to time at Eagle Radio Studio Towers. And he is always and forever welcome. But…

I wish he wouldn’t create such a stir amongst our female members of staff! No sooner had I finished the interview and calmly escorted our guest out of the studio than he was
hurled into a scrum of female adoration. Photos were taken, records were singed amongst much sighing and cooing To be honest, it was a little embarrassing and left me realising that when these popstars
happen to visit places such as ours..they must wonder what’s in store. Well Mr Lemar now knows what he can take away from us here at Eagle Radio – several samples of lipstick and various testers of ladies perfume.

Honestly, some people.

Have a good week.

PG

You’ve gotta have faith…

I seem to keep having to learn lessons about what I do in public! First of all there was the recent “wine bottle” incipient (as documented elsewhere on this blog) and now I have to report to you a religious experience.

Yours truly and “the girl who left the lights on” * were invited to a “Murder/Mystery party” at the weekend. She went at “Mama Rosa” (a matriarchal Italian character) whilst I went as “Father Al Fredo”, the priest and family friend. As you may know I like to “play the part” when asked, so I duly put on my black suit, black shirt and a dog collar (made from a strip of cardboard taken from her latest packet of tights) and we set off up the A3 towards our destination. “TGWLTLO” declared that she had had very little to eat that day and was rather peckish. It seemed only right that I stopped at the Wisley services to pick up a sandwich to sustain her until our arrival at the party. Which we duly did.

I stepped into the forecourt shop and picked a beef sandwich from the shelf and proceeded to queue for the cashier. I did notice that I was getting some stares (more than usual!) and of course then realised that I was “Father Al Fredo” rather than PG. This got me thinking - when did you last see a priest queue up in a petrol station? Do they dress casualty for that activity…surely they must need petrol or something when on their way to conduct various duties? Anyway, there I was, in the queue with my beef sandwich.

I arrived eventually at the counter...and noticed that the cashier was even more polite than usual, which made me smile further. It was then than it all got the better of me…sometimes I can’t help myself…and this was no exception. As I paid for the sandwich, and was given change and receipt, I looked in the eye of the cashier and said “bless you”.

I then made straight for the car with a wry smile.

My only worry of the whole event is whether imitating a man of the cloth in a garage forecourt is morally wrong – even if it is for the purposes of a party. To that end, thank you for reading my confession and I hope you forgive me!

Have a good week.

PG

* “The girl who left the lights on” – reference to my “companion” who accompanied me to Spain in the summer and proceeded to get us stranded by leaving the rental car lights, thereby running down the battery, in the middle of nowhere, somewhere north of Malaga!

Ooh, it's a worry...

Well in this time of financial crisis and economic turmoil, I thought I would use these words to distract you (after all, on breakfast today, we did mention that a distraction could sometimes get the job done better!). Anyway, I thought a good way to take our minds of the current curtailment of capitalism was to...worry about something else!

For example I am worrying about Sherlock Holmes. Not the actual creation of Conan-Doyle (former resident of Hindhead), but rather the incarnation which will be presented in Guy Ritchie's up and coming film of the great detective. The fact is that the most famous resident of Baker Street is to be portrayed by Robert Downey jr. Whilst said gent may well be a fine actor, I can't help feeling that the result maybe akin to asking someone like Nicholas Lyndhurst to play Kojak. You know they are good at what they do - but maybe not quite in that part! I will be happy to be proved wrong of course, however the revelation that Jude Law is to play the trusty Doctor Watson caused me to stop thinking about the subject altogether, as the worry was becoming a little difficult to cope with!

And then I worry about Johnny Rotten. Once upon a time he used to sing (well in a sort of growlly, shouty way) of chaos in the land and a higher being saving royalty. Nowadays, he's talking about butter. And for a while he talks about butter in strange tartan bed garments (yes, I know its a throw back to the tartan zip trousers of punk days, but he looks too comfortable now!). He's so pretty, oh so pretty...

And finally - at least for the moment - there's a certain yeast extract spread. If you either love it or hate it...are you actually already slashing your potential profit by fifty per cent. And, if you are, how can you be sure the result will be split down the middle anyway?

You see, forget your credit crunches and your sub-prime loans...there's far more important stuff to worry about.

Have a good week.

PG

Wonders will never cease…

It’s Friday! And this week may have been the slowest of my life…

You know when you wake up and think the day you’ve awoken to is the next day and then the sudden dark realisation that Thursday isn’t Friday comes crashing down around your ears…well I’ve had a week like that and I can’t tell you how pleased I am that today is the final day of getting up early until Monday – hooray!

Thanks to Ann as well for keeping me amused and achieving something I never thought possible; she made PG apologise and not just apologise anywhere but live on The Breakfast Show for hundreds and thousands of listeners to hear. For those of you that didn’t hear this minor miracle I can tell you it was a feat and it came about after PG had been particularly rude to our domestic engineer, Wavy Davy.

Wavy had brought PG a cup of coffee and PG had thanked him and then told him to get out of the studio, in fairness to PG it wasn’t what he said, it was more the way he said it – very sniffily – to put it mildly.

Ann took umbridge at this and rang PG to tell him so and make him apologise. He did eventually se the error of his ways and apologise; it took an hour but he did it and Wavy accepted – well done Wave, it takes a big man to take the kind of nonsense PG gives you and you didn’t throw the coffee on him either (as Ann suggested) , a much better solution to my mind!

And well done to PG for using the word ‘sorry’ – it wasn’t that difficult was it?

Hope you’re weekend is miraculous

Posh

I was doing the recycling – honest Guv!

So hot on the heels of my revelation on the radio show that I was spotted in Guildford High Street holding an empty wine bottle at 10.30 in the morning – I get told the real reason for my plight. My impatience!
Let me explain – I like “doing my bit” these days. Recycling has now become part of my weekly way of life. But last Saturday it got me into a bit of a pickle.

Having left my car parked in town on the Friday night – so I could enjoy a woo woo or two – I needed to walk back in to get it and to deliver the two bags of recycling in the boot to the recycling point. The reason the bags were in the back was because I had twice made the attempt to drive to the point during the week…but had chosen peak time drive home rush hour, and, as happens in Guildford these days got stuck in the bumper to bumper queues…eventually giving up and going back home.

So, the bags were in the boot, the car was in town…and I started walking back in to pick it (and them) up on what was actually a pleasant enough Saturday morning…just before I had left the penthouse (and on the prompting by “the girl who left the lights on”) I picked up an empty plastic soft drink bottle and an empty bottle of shiraz (which we had finished the night before….not in one sitting I hasten to add!) and carried them off in each hand…I thought no more of it. Until, as I bodyswerved my way around the town’s upper high street, I was greeted by a shout from the other side of the road – “Alright PG? Still “on it” I see”. It took a couple of seconds to sink in...the empty wine bottle…10.30 in the morning? Walking down the road? Oh the shame of it!! The moment to explain had been and gone. The fact is, there is at least one person (probably more who witnessed it all) who thinks that I was being a little over- keen with the liquor.

And – to cap it all – as I emerged from telling the story on the radio show, our sharp eared (and pencilled) Finance Manager, Barrie the bouncer (and we’re not talking cheques here) quietly observed that my pickle was merely created…not by the inconvenience of recycling, or the traffic issues of Guildford…but due to my lack of patience. Had I stayed with the traffic on those recycling trips, there would have been no bags in the car, no reason to add the bottles to the bags, no reason to carry them on my walk into the town the morning after.

Maybe I’ll do a blog on nosey accountants next time!

Have a good week…

PG

We're Back...

It’s been a month now since PG and I went away for 3 weeks and my how time flies etc etc…

Now we’re back, fully revitalised and ready for anything – good job too as I was in for the shock of my life when PG returned a few pounds lighter and facial hair free… he was probably more shocked that I had taken those lost pounds of his and popped them on myself!

Still that’s what 3 weeks of catching up with friends and having a merry time in Wales will do and I’m not about to complain about that.

We began the week discussing what had happened whilst we’d been away (Separately I might add) the crash of the American Financial Market, the damn yanks winning the Ryder Cup and PG’s freckles joining together in Spain; so an informative start to the week as I’d missed most of those things!

As it progressed with PG’s good mood continuing, he decided to give a clue for The Mystery Voice and don’t you know it, come Friday the prize pack had gone again to Emma Fewings from Guildford who guessed Tony Scott, organiser of Guilfest.

PG was most pleased he had a winner, after missing Dean’s win of the 8 month Mystery Voice Prize pack whilst we were away and so now at the end of this, our first week back, I feel we’re both well and truly submerged back in the world of Breakfast, 4.30am getting up‘n’ all…..

Hope you’re enjoying Breakfast as much as we are…

Good weekend tidings

Posh

Have you ever wondered if they listen?

Today on the Peter Gordon Breakfast show at Eagle Radio, PG and myself were talking about how very common it is to talk to inanimate objects!

I do it all the time – the kettle, the plants, the car – in fact whatever will stay still long enough to listen!

Somewhere in my mind I do think they hear me, they just can’t answer back. After all, a bit of friendly encouragement never did anything any harm did it, that’s the way I see it and it helps me get a few things off my chest at the same time.

Now, before you think PG has finally sent me over the edge, let me just say these conversations only last 2-3 mins max, it’s not like I sit on my sofa talking into space all evening. So I urge you, if you have 5 mins today to discuss some of life's questions with your kettle, then do it ( make sure no one else is around of course), it could be a turning point – albeit either to insanity or a less cluttered mind - but you’ll come away a different person.

Happy chatting

Posh Al xx

Posh’s panto palava…

For those of you that listen to Eagle Radio's Breakfast Show you will remember that last year I played Queen of the Munchkins in Aldershot's Panto "The Wizard of Oz" which was great fun, a real blast but what you may not know is that for the entire run and longer my fellow work colleagues mocked me mercilessly for the publicity shot that had been used in the programme, our website, the posters, basically anywhere that was deemed necessary and I looked like a small cheesy rodent with a crown grinning up at people!.

I was mortified but only really had myself to blame; its my face and I pulled it. So this year I was offered the part of the Mermaid and Mrs Darling & because Mrs Darling only appears briefly the main character focus would be the singing mermaid, which then means all the publicity shots would be of me as a mermaid-think not much on top and a fish tail! I thought about this properly when I was offered the role I would have started going to the gym to prepare myself for the semi nakedness – but no, it got to 6 o clock the night before and I’d forgotten and then was so upset that I’d forgotten my midriff (the least favourite part of my body) was going to be on show for the whole of Surrey and Hampshire that I took to eating cheese and wine for dinner…

There I was standing in The Princes Hall Aldershot when Edward-marketing genius-Haversham produced what can only be described as the perfect costume for a mermaid – but ONLY if you look like Darryl Hannah.

Damn and blast for cheese and wine…I spent a good half hour plastering my face in blue and green make up with the half hearted thought that if my face was covered in glittery make up then it detract from my midriff area…
The results came back today and I have to say the costume doesn’t look half bad but the gym is definitely on my list of things to do for the next 4 months - Darryl Hannah will eat her tail come December…..I hope.

Posh x

Step by step baby…

I can’t believe it – after Take That reforming I didn’t think I could hear anything better, but I have – well it’s not better as my allegiance and fan love will always lie with take That, BUT….I did adorn my bedroom walls with posters of New Kids on the Block when I was 13/14 and now There were 3 boy bands in my life and each represented a different stage in my discovery of boys.

Bros took my virgin boy band’s heart; I joined their fan club, so was a Brosette and I had a few posters on my walls and loved Matt – but it was more of a crush than the fantasy world of New Kids I found myself in about a 18 months later; I was obsessed, as were all my friends; my walls were literally covered in pictures of the band, I used get up extra early on a Saturday and Sunday and watch the New Kids cartoon and I would religiously watch or record anything they were on and I do mean religiously – much to my parents annoyance. My friends and I also had our own little world where we all paired off with different members of the band (I was saddled with Danny; who as much as I really liked him he wasn’t the one for me, that was Jordan, but my best mate ‘baggsed’ him- Gutted) and they were the first band I saw in concert, about 3 times in the end.

When NKOTB ended I was very upset, but they were the seeds of my love for boys and when Take That came along I was ready to embrace them fully and in a slightly more mature manner – no posters on the wall, no fan club membership, just pure and utter adulation and the belief that one day Mark Owen would be my husband (yes I know, me and the rest of the female population!). I wasn’t alone in my fantasy world, thank goodness, my best friends joined me and I can assure you, when they split up the world ended for us – for a few days at least.

I hope you can now fully appreciate and understand why, over the last year or so I’ve got very involved in those boy bands reforming – they were a major part of my formative years & frankly they’re all still as gorgeous as ever…I feel myself regressing already – where are those posters??

Posh Al

A life less ordinary...

After an extremely busy weekend, and two weeks of Love Bus pub quizzes, I was very pleased indeed to have an evening in last night.

I caught up on a few TV programmes including Top Gear which continues to be one of my favourite TV programmes, even though I hate cars – strange! I also watched the highlights of the Federer Nadal final, what an incredible match. I now find myself without the green green grass of Wimbledon to fill my empty afternoons, so will have to do the washing that I’ve put off for a fortnight!

Tonight I’m off to see Evita at the Woking New Vic, so I shall post my review of the show tomorrow morning. I’m really looking forward to it actually, I know the music very well, but it’s one of the few shows I’ve never seen on stage. Plus, it means free wine at the press reception!

Rob Harris

I’m not a festival going kind of gal but...

...Guilfest was the exception.


After years of watching my younger sister getting wet cold and ill during and after the various festivals she decides to attend – I thought they weren’t really my bag and weeing in a portaloo which had been used by hundreds before me was certainly not my idea of fun – however this year is the year of the brave so when PG asked me if I wanted to help out on the Saturday of the festival– I said yes with a big smile on my face and started preparing my first festival outfit! For those of you that heard the Breakfast show last Friday as we broadcast from Guilfest, you’ll know that particular area of planning went somewhat array – white linen trousers and black slip on shoes- not the best idea; Saturday was much better thought out; pink crocs and jeans – good! So as I was wandering around the festival with a little drinky in hand and observing the festival shenanigans I came across Royworld on the Ents 24 stage, very good they were too – loving his voice – moving off from there, Kula Shaker were strutting their stuff on the Commercial Radio main stage and how good they did strut; Crispin Mills with his red jeans on and his rock n roll floppy blond hair…..next up was the Surrey Ad stage where Raygun and The Agitators were performing and perform they did – what a lead guy – very much the showman and the tunes were rocking our poorly attended tent like no other as I sat on our hay bales & wondered how anyone could were such skinny jeans and still be able to mount the front of the stage: one to watch though, so keep your eyes & ears peeled…..All in all I very much enjoyed myself & even the loos were friendly – just!

Verdict; I will be back next year…

Posh

I’m late, I’m late... For a very important date!

I woke up late today and I don’t just mean late, I mean 15 mins before I had to be at work.
So as I screeched round the house putting my pants on & just about tickling my teeth with the brush - my greasy old hair, at this point, wasn’t top of mind, but when I caught sight of myself in the mirror as I sprinted out of the house I knew there was only one thing to be done; to at least try and hide some of my dirty locks– get the hairband! I raced upstairs grabbed the piece of material and ran to my car.

When I arrived at work, just about on time, the hairband was in place. I felt a little groggy but overall thought my appearance was ok considering, until Mr Peter Gordon got into the studio and asked "What on earth is that piece of material on your head?" I replied "what do you think it is – it’s holding my hair back and it’s a band – it’s a hair band!" Stupid boy!

Then a little under an hour later I was told that Wavy Davy thought I looked like "Superwoman, or Wonder Girl or whoever that lady was that used to turn around and change into her costume."

"Wonder Woman Wavy!"

I have to say I was mildly flattered that I was being compared to a 70’s icon – even if it was for my blue hairband, which looks nothing like the golden crown that Lynda Carter wore, but still the comparison was there –until the lovely Wavy Davy said "Only cos of the headband Posh not cos you look like her or anything…"

"Oh Right. Thanks Wavy." I replied, as I scampered off to the bathroom to put my make up on, realising that no amount of slap would help me look like a 70’s icon, but it would make feel human for a few hours at least…

Note to self – get another alarm clock!

Posh Al
x

Lies, Lies and More Lies…

Parents - You can’t live with them you can’t live without them!

And they tell white lies to make you do things they think is right… This morning we discussed things that parents tell you… I mentioned the fact that my mum used to tell me not to pick dandelions because I’d wet the bed, I still have no idea why she told me that; they’re weeds for goodness sake – who cares – maybe it was just my destructive nature at that time; whatever the reason, I did go through a stage of having ‘accidents at night’ so I wonder if that coincided with my dandelion pickings – oh well I didn’t keep a diary of these incidents so I shall never know.

Another thing my mum used to tell me was that the stalks of mushrooms were poisonous, so when I chopped them up I had to thrown them away. She now denies this absolute fib but I have no idea why she told me that and nor does she.

I can understand why parents fib to their children, I would imagine sometimes it’s the only way of getting them to do what you ask, but how telling it is that we all still remember those little white lies & some of them even shaped the person we are today – I still don’t eat mushroom stalks & can’t even look at a dandelion without an accident in the night!

Keep dry!

Posh
x

A Change is a good as a rest…

No it’s not!

PG and I were talking today about things we love that have changed over the years…of course this revolved around food… I kicked things off by saying I had recently had a mint cornetto and the ice cream taste had changed which was a huge disappointment because every Summer this is the thing I look forward to most; literally as the sun comes out on an early May morning I can be seen scurrying to my local newsagent to pick my ice cream treat, and this continues throughout the Summer months (or as long as the sun lasts – it doesn’t taste the same without the sun!).

So here’s my point; if it isn’t broken don’t try and fix it…why would you? It sold well before, it’s been around years so it’s obviously popular, please Mr Walls bring the old taste back my summer won’t be the same without it!

This does however bring me to another change that has unsettled me…why are they remaking My Fair Lady? What a beautiful film it was and still is, with Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle– who cares that Marni Nixon dubbed the songs – it was a beautiful performance & with a voice that burst ear drums – what more could you want?

I can bet your bottom dollar (to quote another great musical film – Annie) that Miss Keira Knightley won’t be singing, which further infuriates me because a) why remake it when it doesn’t need to, be original and b) why cast an actress that can’t sing again?

Go on take a risk Mr Mackintosh and cast a brilliant unknown actress that can charm the birds out of the trees with her singing; her talent alone may then be the reason for many bums on seats rather than just her name & God knows no other West End producer is doing it!

Well now I’ve got that off my chest I shall go and calm down with a nice cup of peppermint tea – I think I need it!

Happy Days

Posh x

Run Posh Al Run…!

‘Run Posh Al Run…!’

Were the guilty cries I heard in my head in Guildford on Sunday when I watched the ladies from Race for Life set off…I was meant to be running you see, but got confused (it’s easily done) and ended up watching from the sidelines as my family all made their way around the 5K course.

I’d been at the race on Saturday too with PG, which was fabulous fun and a real pleasure to meet so many people personally (listeners or not) and also hear some of the touching stories from those that had been affected by cancer and why they felt they wanted to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

It is truly astonishing how many people are affected, either personally or through a close friend or relative, and seeing 7,000 women (and countless more family members that had come along to show their support) in Stoke Park over the weekend really brought home how important it is to find a cure for this dreadful disease.

So I’ve made a pact with myself; to take part again next year and raise as much money as possible; (and also beat my sister’s very good time of 24 minutes!!!) not only for those that are currently living with the consequences of Cancer but for those that may develop it in the future.

Well done to those of you that did a sterling job this weekend; it was great to meet you & shake you by the hand & also to see what can be achieved if you really want to whatever your age – I’ll be patting my own back next year…& hopefully crossing the line at 23 mins & 30secs & ahead of my little sister!

Posh
x

More adventures in News...

So Claire and Saffron have left me alone in the newsroom today whilst they flaunt their stuff arund the Epsom Derby for Ladies Day, goodness knows why I allowed this!

This will be my last blog entry for a while as I'm off another trip! On Sunday night I leave for Kenya where I'll be reporting on the work The Army carry out over there immunising tribes. I'm following Aldershot based 4GS Med Regiment for a week and will be producing a series of special reports on my return. I'm very excited about what should be a great eye opening trip.

This weekend I'll be preparing for the trip, packing my huge backpack and double checking my passport every 4 hours! Enjoy the sunshine this weekend!

Rob Harris

I feel good...

What a shame that feelgood moments are in decline – that’s what we found out this morning – research has shown that they’ve declined by two a week in the last year - Can you believe that? or maybe we have higher expectations on what we need to feel good.

So instead of the odd comment ‘you look good today’ which would have sufficed a year ago, it would now have to be along the lines of ‘you look good today, that top really matches your eyes and brings out the colour of your hair, where did you get it from?’ a little OTT for my liking…

What this kind of survey should do is make us take stock of the simple things in life; the sun being out, sitting in your garden on a Summer’s night, (as I think PG said) the smell of freshly cut grass or the beauty of the Surrey & Hampshire countryside. In fact just to smile at a stranger can make someone feel good – obviously not like a Cheshire cat as you may begin to scare people but just enough for it to be infectious.

That’s my pledge for today; to smile a lot – it will not only make someone else feel good but it may well cheer me up too! Is that too sickly sweet? oh well…

Keep smiling…

Posh Al x

Dreams can come true?

It became apparent at 7.25 this morning that I knew Chris Martin intimately – As I listened to Violet Hill with PG humming in my ear, I realised that I’d dreamt of Chris and Gwynnie last night and all I could remember was all of us in a clean clinical hotel type place with Gwynnie standing there, hands on hips tutting at Chris and looking on and then Chris sticks his face in mine – with all his big hair and says ‘come back soon’ and pinches my bum.

I felt a little affronted at this indiscretion, especially as a) his gorgeous wife was looking on b) I didn’t know what I’d done to warrant such an invite and c) I don’t even fancy him!

Now if it had been any member of Take That then the dream would’ve taken a whole new twist but I won’t go into that now. I wonder if that will ever happen – not Take That… the Chris and Gwynnie scenario?

You see, I have a theory after my Helen Daniels dream of years ago…which is where I dreamt I was a character in Neighbours and I was at Lou and Madge’s house or was it Harold, oh anyway where Charlene and Henry lived – and I was having a conversation with them, then a few weeks later I saw the exact episode on telly and the character whose eyes I was looking through was Helen Daniels – spooky.

So my theory is that maybe I was, in a former life, Helen Daniels and because now it’s happened, I quite fancy a pinch on the bum from Chris Martin…

Right, I'm off to dream

Posh Al x

Stuck in a moment that you can't get out of?

What a weekend, my big adventure was on Friday evening, when after a quick afternoon kip, I went for a nice shower and managed to lock myself in my bathroom. I was there for an hour. It resulted in my having to kick a hole in the door and somehow climb through it.

I knew I wouldn't be able to better that for a story to tell, so I won't even try! Have a good day!

Rob Harris

A Grand Fantasy Weekend ?

We had £1000 min winner today – Sandy from Yateley answered all 10 questions correctly and bagged the £1000 – well done Sandy I say, but it got me thinking to the question PG always asks me ‘If you won £1000 what would you spend it on?’.

Now that IS a good question….so in Al’s real world; it would have to be either start saving for a deposit on a house or pay off a debt – oh dullsville!

Now my fantastical world is much more interesting; I live in New York just like Carrie Bradshaw et al (guess which film I saw last night?!) and I would spend my £1000 on a designer handbag and if I could walk in them, some Manolo’s – it may tip over the £1000 mark if I’m to do it properly but what’s a few hundred between me and my bank manager. Alternatively I could take the £1000 have a little flutter and see what rewards I could reap from taking a leaf out of Las Vegas’ book, but I’m not the gambling kind I’ve decided, I like mine a dead cert as they say and what I have just realised is that the exchange rate is so good I could get 2 of each – right I’m off to take my bite out of the Big Apple…

Have an enjoyable weekend – I’m going shopping and happy spending to Sandy – it is after all her money I’m dreaming of frittering away in my fantasy world!

Posh x

PS Go and see the film; its fun and full of brilliant ways to escape the routine of your normal life…

Back from the Big Apple...

So, after ploughing through my 400 odd emails, 395 of them spam, it feels like I never went to New York! Had an incredible trip, saw 6 Broadway shows, ate tons of food and drank some lovely beer/wine. How lovely it was yesterday morning when my alarm went off at 4.30am - "hurrah" I shouted!

However, I've returned to work to find out how busy Claire, Saffron and Clem have been on the newsdesk in my absense, providing you with some fantastic local news.

I also have some exciting news which I can't share with you just yet, but involves me getting back on a plane and travelling many miles to produce some special reports for Eagle Radio - stay tuned for more!

Rob Harris

Questions & Answers

Ah, the bank holiday blues – I have them today - after a very relaxing weekend doing not much apart from enjoying Brighton beach, I was sorely disappointed not to be able to nod off last night.

After a dose of the sea air, I was hoping to be able to crash and burn at about 9.30pm but alas "No" at 1.30am I was still wide awake and asking all of life’s questions…

What are my top 10 things to achieve before I’m 40?

Would taking a year out and helping those less privileged than myself be a life changing experience?

Or shall I just stick it out and attempt to buy a house – potentially a life changing experience; the amount of money I have to save I’d be on the poverty line!

Was Rainbow really as crude as the You Tube videos would have you believe?

And why oh why does my cat pull socks off the radiator and meiow until you get up & pay her attention at 3am – I’M IN BED!

So these questions and more were circling my brain like a pack of vultures circling its prey…I eventually I dropped off at about 3.30am & my alarm went off at 4.15am so not the longest nights sleep but I certainly put the world to rights in my head… now I just need to find meaning of life…well that should be easy…!

Happy snoozing

Posh x

Busy doing nothing...

I’m looking forward to the bank holiday weekend immensely, and why would that be I hear someone ask? Because I’m doing big fat nothing! I have from Saturday night until Monday night with have nothing planned and I can’t wait.

It's going to be one of those weekends where I catch up with life – which appears to have escaped me in the last few weeks – doing paperwork – dull as dishwater but necessary – clean the house, do some washing and clear the garden of all its weeds that have sprung up from nowhere. All very pressing tasks and some may say dull but these are the issues that have been rattling around the more empty parts of my brain and thus making me worry.

Call it a girl thing, but I do believe an organised house leads to an organised mind – hence why I’m so scatty! Now, don’t get me wrong, all work and no play makes Posh a dull girl so I may even treat myself to seeing Indiana Jones on the big screen after I’ve decluttered house & mind– who says the life of a radio presenter is all glitz and glamour – mine’s certainly not and I love it – bring on the mundane I’ll be a lot saner for it!

Have a relaxing Bank Hol

See you Tues

Posh x

It's worth giving everything a go once...

Today I’m mostly thinking of Mushy Peas! I honestly thought that a more vile looking and tasting substance did not exist…they look like, actually I can’t say what they look like as it’s too disgusting and not something I want to contemplate at this time in the morning but I think we all know what I mean…and the thought of eating them turns my usually iron stomach to a wibbling mess…

However I have been proved wrong…on a little excursion to Weymouth a few weeks ago I was very lucky to be treated to a chish and fips supper and was asked if I’d like the aforementioned Peas…I turned my nose up and grimaced which drew cries of ‘What you don’t like Mushy Peas???’ Yuk yuk yuk I said…anyway to cut the ensuing conversation short, I conceded, under duress, to at least try a teaspoonful… ‘I’m 30’ I thought… 'I might pass away tomorrow and I’ll never have tried mushy peas!’ and I have this weird mantra that I should try everything at least once…

So, out they come, sitting in separate bowl (a personal request as I couldn’t have them contaminating the lovely fish) and my spoon is placed, with trepidation & slight curiosity if I’m honest, into the green mush.

Oh how it looks like green lumpy frog sporn…and into the mouth they go…and do you know what? the strangest thing happened; the mushy, lumpy, slightly vinagrey peas hit my taste buds and I actually enjoyed them – the texture took a while to get over but the taste was really enjoyable!

So off I went and woofed down the whole bowl to myself – much to my families disgust and slight smugness. Mmm maybe I’ll try Ravioli next - my new top most revolting food….

Have a good day

Posh x

Filling the void...

I’m still reeling from the fact that PG and Melanie (GPAC date no 3) have hit it off…we had an absolutely brilliant week last week with Give Pete a Chance and now it’s all over I feel a little empty inside…but that’s mainly because I like interfering in PGs love life and dammit I can’t do that anymore…

So what can I do to fill that void…? I’ve decided today to think about the songs I used to snog to at the school disco or the Merinden Hall, Frensham when me and my best friends threw parties for anyone that would come along…the one song that springs firmly to mind was New Kids on the Block when they did a cover of Neilson’s classic – ‘I Can’t Live if Living is Living is Without You’ ( I used to lurve NKOTB) or, as PG said this morning, ‘Crazy for You’ by Madonna.

I can still remember the absolute joy at being asked to dance by a young gent, that shall remain nameless, placing our hands on each others shoulders and swaying from side to side like never before…I thought that was the best it could get and then…we kissed…wow…fireworks!!!…oooh a little wet, aaah soft, ooh his hands getting lower, aaah my necks getting stiff & what on earth is that…

Then the music stopped and said boy moved onto my best friend and I moved onto his…well he was a better kisser after all!

See you tomorrow

Posh Al x

Wasn't It Good? (Oh So Good)

A little tired this morning, but that's for a very good reason.

Last night I went to see 'Chess - In Concert' at the Royal Albert Hall, a special performance of the 80's musical, introduced by Sir Tim Rice!

Real musical lovers will appreciate how excited I was, the rest of you will just laugh at me and then resume your bad mood because the football season's about to end! There was a lot of celeb spotting going on, but the whole evening was incredible, great performances from Idina Menzel, Marti Pellow and Josh Groban.

So that's not the end of my excitement, because early tomorrow morning I'll be heading along the M25 to Heathrow for a trip to New York! I wish PG all the best with his dates as 'Give Pete a Chance' continues, and also hope that Posh picks a goodie to join him in bed!

I will be back at the end of the month and give you a good run down of my American adventure!

Rob Harris

Naked Woking...

Summer's finally here and Woking Park's been lucky enough to host me and the dog in the afternoons to make the most of the warm weather.
I would like to add, I remain fully clothed when I'm in the park, unlike some guys who live by the embarrassing English rule that one must remove ones top, whether one be a scabby teenager, or whether one by an old man with moobs. Most unpleasent whichever you may be, so please think twice before removing t-shirts.

After a few pints down my local tonight, the most exciting part of my weekend will be watching Speed Racer at the Imax at Waterloo, really looking forward to that. Then I have to start thinking about packing ahead of my trip to New York next week - yay!

Enjoy the weekend weather and the inevitable smell of BBQ's around the area!

Rob Harris

A Posh Al never forgets...

I’ve failed…miserably…all I can do is apologise … and the only thing I can blame it on is an ailing memory…I have to say I didn’t think it would get me this quickly, although it’s been creeping up for years.

I even bought a book called ‘Intelligent Memory’ some months ago but have forgotten what most of it said, something about testing your memory on a daily basis, but how can you do that when everything is made so easy; calculators, predictive texting, that funny little paper clip that pops up on your computer to help you write a letter, they all conspire to make you forgetful and thus the worst has happened (well according to the computer man who told me off this morning) I forgot to blog yesterday...

See you tomorrow

Rob Harris Recommends...

After a lovely long bank holiday weekend I can pass on some Rob Harris recommendations. There is a much wider choice of garden gate locks available than I ever realised, growing your own herbs can be fun for about 10 minutes, Stardust is a really rubbish movie, but Iron Man is brilliant, and The Trout pub in Oxford has the best pub garden I've seen in ages.

Now it's a day full of realising it's Tuesday and not Monday, so I'm celebrating by going to buy a bike this afternoon and sitting in another pub garden, but this time in Woking.

All that before I'm off to Single Spies at The New Victoria tonight - I shall post a review tomorrow. Enjoy the sun!

She's So Vain...

This morning we not only found out that Brits consume nearly twice as much alcohol as our continental colleagues but also stay in the pub for twice as long – with an average arrival of 6.14pm and staying until 10.14pm!

I scoffed at this as if I’d never done it myself - "What, Stay in the pub for 4 hours? Never!"

It didn’t take long to realise the hypocrisy of my thoughts as I recall spending most of my young adult life in pubs for that long (in fact probably double that time) and by 2.14pm today, I'm wondering where my first drink of the bank holiday weekend is coming from!

And then my thought turned to the Breakfast Show this morning and the words of our Crew Ride recipient echoed in my ears (He’s 8) "Today at school we’re looking at what alcohol does to the look of your inside body as well as your outside body"

Well if nothing else I’m vain so maybe tonight I’ll give the booze a miss!
It takes an 8 year old to tell you these things sometimes!

Happy Bank Holiday weekend love Posh Al x

X marks the spot!

After being hooked to The Apprentice last night, playing that guessing game as to who's going out, and arguing with the other half over who it should be (actually we both agreed with Alan last night!), I thought I better start considering who to vote for in the local elections today.

I live in Woking, so will be one of the thousands walking to the church hall to cross a box with a stubby pencil. I worked my way through the mountains of campaign leaflets that had come through my letterbox over the past months and went to bed. I have a new digital radio alarm clock, so it took me about an hour to set my alarm for this morning!

Today for us Journo's is always the calm before the storm; tomorrow will be incredibly busy but exciting as the results start to come through. Of course, I hope to be able to bring you the latest from 6 tomorrow morning, plus Claire and Saffron will be journeying round the area all day to broadcast your views on the results.

That means a relaxing afternoon for me, pizza for dinner, a cross in a box and then early to bed. Happy voting!

Rob Harris, 96.4 Eagle Radio Head of News