Holiday!!!

Holiday, celebration, come together in every nation!!!

Oh yeah I’m for 2 weeks and can’t wait – a bit of camping it up this weekend, lots of friends meetings and off to Bruges for a hen do – what more could I look forward too!!! – I know lie ins.

Look after PG for me please – I know you will and by the time I get back we’ll be well into September, the kids will be back at school and it will be Autumn looking ahead to Christmas and panto season at The Princes Hall, Aldershot – eek… my how time flies!

Have a great bank holiday weekend and I’ll see you in 2 weeks

All the Best

Posh

Holiday!!!

Holiday, celebration, come together in every nation!!!

Oh yeah I’m for 2 weeks and can’t wait – a bit of camping it up this weekend, lots of friends meetings and off to Bruges for a hen do – what more could I look forward too!!! – I know lie ins.

Look after PG for me please – I know you will and by the time I get back we’ll be well into September, the kids will be back at school and it will be Autumn looking ahead to Christmas and panto season at The Princes Hall, Aldershot – eek… my how time flies!

Have a great bank holiday weekend and I’ll see you in 2 weeks

All the Best

Posh

Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside....

And that, dear reader, is exactly where I am heading for the coming week. Buckets and spades are being packed, cricket equipment and body boards will soon be loaded into the car and furtive glances at the sky looking for bits of blue will be common place.

I love being by the sea - and especially on the south coast. Going abroad is great of course, but there is something uniquely joyous about the smells and sounds of the british beach. I can sit and watch the boats and sandcastles for ages without having any inclination to move on. Add a marmite and cucumber sandwich and glass of wine into the mix, and I'm set for the day!

With the bank holiday weekend coming soon as well as the fact that its just that time of year - hope you're able to have a break of some sort....even if only in the back garden. Enjoy it. Happy hols.

PG

The birds! They are here.......!!!!

Oh yes...the delight, the satisfaction and those lovely little tweetie things that mean no harm in this lovely fluffy world!!

Let me explain dear reader - not some three weeks ago, your writer had noticed that our stuck on bird feeder on the window of Gordon Towers had fallen to the ground below (GT is on the second/top floor). This has happened before, and said bird feeder has been retrieved and refastened. But not this time...oh no. It could be a neighbour (2/1 fav) or a big bird (6/1) or even a cunning fox (10/1)....but it was taken, never to be seen again.

So Mrs G went to the garden centre to find another one - although not the exact style (apparently there are reports that those ones fall off alot!). Having purchased intended item, we returned home and stuck on the new one. But nothing and no one came. Had they been scared away by aforementioned possibilities (2/1 odds still stand)? And, in the end, I suspected that we would never see a fluttery, fluffy birdy ever again on our little feeder. But then, today, at 7.23am.....Mrs G emailed furiously (its a unique style) to notify me that three blue tits were back in residence and feeding happily....

What relief, what joy......we are doing good in the world again.

Feed the birds, tuppence a bag.

love

PG

I'm back...

It’s been a while since I blogged anything, in fact, I think PG pointed out that the last time I blogged was Mother’s Day – so a while ago – and quite a lot has happened since then:
£1000 min has been won (twice) The Mystery Vice has been guessd (several times), Everyday in May, Guilfest and I've been on hols, well I had time off to be more accurate, but here I am back in the land of rather more current blogging and this week I would like to point out the fact that I am cream crackered. Now, when I’m tired one of 2 things happens; grumpiness or losing the ability for my brain and tongue to work together and today it’s the latter. Chivs just popped out to say hello from his studio area and I’m not even sure what I said to him but by the time I’d finished speaking, I think I’d said enough to know I should now shut up, as his face was blank and he had that bemused expression of one who’s been listening to someone not make any sense whatsoever! So if I've not made sense so far, I've got no hope and I can only apologise.
Ah well, the weekend beckons and that means one thing (well at this moment it only means 1 thing, tomorrow it will mean another) SLEEP! I think my eyes being at half mast is just my body telling me that getting up at 4.45am 5 days a week is not the best choice I've made in my career so far - so to all that do same - I salute you and hope you get ample kip over the coming days.

So I’m off to do some things for Breakfast on Monday and if you like 80’s tunes then keep listening all next week as we have some very special guests joining us at some point on The Breakfast Show in the lead up to the ‘Back to the 80’s’ gig at Charterhouse School, Godalming next Sat.

Have a great weekend and if you’re wondering what the other thing is that the weekend means then you’ll have to listen Monday from 6am!!

Posh

P.S We’re going to have a third blogger join us soon so keep your eyes peeled for who they are – her name rhymes with her job!

Come on Guilfest!

We're talking alot about Guilfest now of course on Eagle Radio. Having been a little sluggish in my enthusiasm to start off with, I am now counting the days.

I love this particular weekend, this year is my thirteenth Guilfest! Amongst the headline acts - Brian Wilson, Athlete and Will Young are in my fest-diary! - there are also some little Gems out of the more 200 bands on site. My tips are Draven (on the rockstage), Simon Friend (Levellers) on the 2nd stage and check out Tristan Seume on the acoustic stage - a sublime talent.

We'll all be there over the weekend - so look out for us and give us a wave.

Enjoy!!

PG

On the road...again.....

So we've done one week of the love tour. Camberley, Farnham, Woking, Fleet and the Wey Valley. The shows saw us in such diverse locations as a castle, a sofa store and a railway station platform. Well, we said it would be a bit different!

Week two starts on Monday and we're looking foreard to meeting more of you and experiencing the wonders of what Surrey and Hampshire has to offer. Cranleigh, Aldershot, Farnborough, Haslemere and Hindhead - watch out, we're coming your way!!

Don't forget to check the love tour pages of Eagle Radio's website for all the pics and fun. There's lots to see!!

As for Posh and I - we still have "our moments" but appear to be able to stomach this "tour life". Let the fun continue!!

all the best
PG

It's all going on!

Firstly, apologies for the lack of recent blogs. Since my return from honeymoon - as revealed on the show - its has been non-stop for both Posh and I. And, before we could say - "YOU'RE JOKING AREN'T YOU?! - the Eagle Radio Love tour starts on Monday......

What on earth are we thinking of.....two weeks of live radio shows on the road across the area....not just the breakfast show, but the whole day!! Do hope you can come and see us....check www.964eagle.co.uk for the tour itinary and all the fun and games that come along with it - including our "alter ego" rock star names!

If you want to follow us on twitter then try @PGRadio and @EagleLoveTour.

So here's to coming and saying hello at a place near you on one of the biggest projects we've ever undertaken.

all the best

PG

ps. if you are an early riser (6-6.30 am) don't forget to visit "Eagle Radio's Early Morning Club" on facebook!

Hello/Goodbye

Hello Everyone!

Just want to thank you all for having me on the breakfast show over the past 2 weeks.
As you know, I’m not really a morning person but do enjoy my odd stint on breakfast. Just don’t tell PG that! Speaking of the big man... He is of course back on Monday morning, fresh from his important business that he’s been looking after. I’m sure you’ll hear all about it when he gets back.

My attempt to hide the fact that the Mystery Voice was won this week has been difficult. In fact within 2 hours, PG was on the phone wanting blood! I conveniently disappeared!
Half term week and thank you to everyone that has been involved with the show in one way or another. Whether you took part in a competition or got in touch for the fun topics of the morning. Some of my favourites included reminiscing about Secret Squirrel, Batfink, Mighty Mouse and Hong Kong Fuey!
We discussed band/singers names made out of food with hilarious consequences! Favourites included Cilla Black Pudding, Susan Boyled Egg, Lemar-mite and Piccalilli Allen!

Did you know that by law you must not hail a taxi while it’s in motion and all Hackney Carriages must have a bale of hay in the back at all times? It’s one of the many silly laws that were discussed this week. Thanks for your suggestions.

Besides the above we mused on such drivel as whether it’s acceptable to eat 6 fish fingers in one sitting. Things the Japanese do to relieve while boredom in the toilet, how one can update ones Facebook status from beyond the grave and the merits of a mandarin cheesecake.

You can re-live the above (although why you would want to is beyond me) via the breakfast show podcast! Special Thanks to Producer Tom for making it sound so great!

Enjoy your weekend!
Darren x

Sundays. Best day of the week?

What do you do with your Sunday? For many of us it is a "real" day off, more often than not these days because Saturday has become a "buffer" day - still work to be done for many, jobs get done around the house and home that weren't done during a busy week etc etc. So Sunday is the day when - hopefully - you can have that big sigh as you wake up ( you know the one, that really goes deep into the lungs at the thought of no real pressing matters imminent). This is not the case for all, I know, but you get my point. Of course for us radio gang, weekends during the summer usually mean various local events that we pop up at.......so we occasionally do our fair share of "work" Sunday things too.

But today, as I write this, its a family day for me - "GWLTLO" (girl who left the lights on - see posts below...quite a way below....for explanation) is cleaning and cooking, family round for Sunday roast and perhaps a wander down to the park for a football kick around. The thing is, for me, that's what its all about - nothing big, nothing flashy.......just a bit of fun, food and football. Plus if you can add the "sun" into Sunday, that will always help.

I wish you well - whatever you choose to do.

PG

**Follow PG on Twitter - @PGradio**

What are you saying?

Occasionally, I have the odd thought about whether we exist in different dimensions. For example - and bear with me on this - are the ghostly goings on and "bumps in the night" just very brief crossovers from other dimensions? Probably not. And, yes, I'm probably talking rubbish. But I do think there is a very real "sub-existence" that is going on around us. The "social-networking sub conversations".....

My prime example is the Twitter relationship I have now formed with my colleague Darren "drivetime" Scott. Only today in a meeting, we caught ourselves making reference to a communication we had had via twitter....actually regarding a certain fave pop singer of Mr Scott......and then realised that no one else around us had a clue what we were talking about. So what had actually happened is that we had transferred a chat we were having in cyberspace into a room where we were having a meeting and made a connection again because of it - at the expense of others.

Be frightened, be very frightened. Look around you and wonder if all these people surrounding you are having sub-conversations that you don't know about and never will.

Me? Paranoid?.............Why are you saying that?

;-)

PG

Calling all Dirks

Hello!
Darren here... Filling in for PG for a few days while he attends a “very important business course”. His words not mine!

Now on the show today the lovely Posh Al and I spoke about a variety of wonderful things. You can’t open a newspaper today without seeing a picture of the British soldier who escaped unharmed after a bullet was shot through his helmet... but missed his head! Now either the said bullet managed to highland fling it’s way around the inside of the helmet before piercing through the back and lodging itself elsewhere or the British army are so skint that some soldiers are unfortunate enough to have to wear helmets that are twice the size of their head! Either way... The important thing is that this chap survived!

Elsewhere the name ‘Dirk’ came up quite randomly in the show this morning. Posh and I tried to think of famous Dirks... We thought of 2! But you can always rely on the good people of Surrey & Hampshire... By the end of the show we had...err, 4.

1. Dirk Bogart
2. Dirk Benedict
3. Dirk Diggler
4. Dirk III Count of Norway (We may have been reaching slightly with that one!)

If you can think of anymore... please email: famousdirks@964eagle.co.uk*

Other than that, we had a jolly old time finding out that Posh Al can cook only three of the ten dishes that most of the UK can cook without a recipe book and it’s OK for Dermot in Tonghams brother (yeah right ;0) to fancy Kate Bush in the 80’s... But not now

Kate Bush – Early 1980’s Kate Bush - 2005

*This email address does not exist

How are you?

One of my strange and bizarre thought patterns occurred the other day. A moment that, had I carried the process through, could have turned into many hours, perhaps days......months,even.
As I walked down Guildford High Street I met a few people that I said "hello, how are you?" to as we walked passed each other on our way to whatever we were doing. And then I thought, "what if you actually replied properly to the "how are you" nicety?".

I suspect the question really came into my mind that day due to the fact that my answer would have been......"well, that's kind of you to ask but I have to say I'm not too good because I have a pretty bad back at the moment, mainly due to the fact that I'm not walking properly because my foot hurts and because I'm now no longer walking very well my back hurts even more and is making my foot hurt more and whilst I've been to the physio, used hot and cold treatment, taken some pain killers and rested as much as I can, it still isn't any better and I think its beginning to give me a headache, which made me remember that I have to go and get some more painkillers for my back, foot and now, of course, my head which is why I'm waking doe the high street and bumped into you!"

And, to be honest, that was just the half of it.....

So next time you say "how are you?" to someone, and don't actually really mean it, just think to yourself carefully, and wonder if you're really ready for the answer!

PG

Two easter weekend thoughts....

1) Should a public transport company have thought a little more about introducing weekend engineering works (causing journeys to take more than double time) at a time when - due to the recession - alot of people havent gone abroad for the Easter hols, but have stayed at home to enjoy what we have to offer here (as mooted by the papers many time over the last few weeks) and end up spending most of the time travelling to the places they're supposed to be enjoying, rather than enjoying being there?

2) Self service check outs in supermarkets - a real time saver, or just fooling you into thinking its all quicker because you're having to do all the work...rather than just waiting in the queue?!

It's good to think.

;-)

best
PG

Reflections on the week to come....

On My own - Michael Mcdonald/Patti Labelle
Here I go again (on my own) - Whitesnake
All By Myself - Eric Carmen
Single - Natasha Bedingfield
Alone - Heart
Alone again, naturally - Gilbert O Sullivan
Left outside alone - Anastacia


Strikes me that these could all be songs to sing on the breakfast show this coming week.
No Posh. She's away.

Ho Hum

;-)
PG

Bright and shiny new things!!

I don't know about you, but I like to live a settled and comfortable life. I'm happy with things. Happy with me. Happy with those around me. Just, happy.

The trouble is these days, people are obsessed with something new - its the new way of "keeping up with the jones's". Increasingly we live emotionally crippled lives and, as a result, feel the need to feast on material things to feel fulfilled. Sorry to be philosophical, but I think you know what I mean and, may even agree with it!!

But occasionally, just occasionally, I make the big leap from my tent into the unknown. I gird my loins ready for something new, and possibly, exciting. Doomed society aside - it does do one good to occasionally look above the parapet, meercat-like. And this week I have done just that.

Let me explain. Firstly....Twitter. Yes I am a tweeter. I like a nice tweet. What a strange phenomenon, though. People asking for advice on what to do and where to go, celebs updating us on when they last put the rubbish out and people pretending to be celebs putting the rubbish out. However, or the most part, it seems like fun. Less intrusive that certain social networking sites and, just occasionally, quite informative. If I'm honest, I have actually been on there for quite a while. I have lain low, just sitting and watching and working out how it all works. In the end, just like everyone does, I'll get bored and tweet for the last time. But I'm liking it at the moment. If you want to follow me I'm "pookiesnackers" and if you want to follow the radio station for things like local news updates and the latest bit of Eagle fun find us at "eagleradio". Tweet you soon!

The other leap of faith has been to order a "salt pipe". Its supposed to help asthma and allergies (which I am so lucky to have as friends on my life fanpage). I will report back on how that goes, once it's arrived in the post!

Here's to new things! As long as I can still stay in my nice comfy armchair!

PG

Mother's Day festivities

Are you celebrating Mother’s Day this weekend? I am, my step siblings and I are doing a BBQ for the folks and the Grannies – that’s our present to them instead of flowers and choccies (which they don’t eat anyway!). We thought this would be a bit more appropriate seeing as they’re always the hub of our family gatherings, which I think they love, but can put a bit of strain on the old purse strings as there’s so many of us. So my step brother and sister will shop til they drop on Saturday for food and drink and I’ll think of some delightful puds and salads to put together; I don’t touch the meat because I’m not a man and obviously wouldn’t have a clue how to use or light a BBQ, I mean no woman does, do they?

My point today is that my family use Mother’s Day as an excuse for us all to get together and it wouldn’t matter if we didn’t do a lot for them on the day, a card would suffice; but I think if we forgot it totally we’d be disinherited. What do you do? Do you celebrate it? And if you do, what are you doing? I know a lot of people think all these days’s celebrating our nearest and dearest is load of old guff and in the main I agree. I’m not a huge fan of Valentine’s Day (although I do insist on a card – he he – so demanding), Grandparents Day isn’t one of my favourites and not because my grandparents aren’t the greatest ever but surely if they’re grandparents they’re a Mum or Dad and those 2 days are covered off already. I’ve also noticed recently that there’s a Children’s Day (is that not everyday anyway?); pointless nonsense & an excuse to spend more money on them if you ask me. I’ve been doing my research and do you know how much the Americans will spend on Mother’s Day alone? According to IBISWorld, a publisher of business research, Americans will spend approximately $2.6 billion on flowers, $1.53 billion on pampering gifts—like spa treatments—and another $68 million on greeting cards! Good grief, I thought we were in a recession!

I would just say this though when you’re begrudgingly buying the flowers and card on Sunday morning 5 minutes before you’re meant to arrive; remember who brought you into this world, wiped your bum and held your hand on the way to school… and put them all back again – only joking – we all know Mums are great and I think Sunday is a wonderful way of showing someone you care, you don’t get that opportunity everyday.

Have a great Mother’s Day

Posh

I marched up the hill....

Further to my earlier blog...on making the decision to look after myself a little more......here's the latest!!

Paul the trainer.....formally of Sydney, Australia (after he was formally of Guildford) is back trying to sort me out! (mypersonalfitnesstrainer.co.uk)
As well as general food advice (which he knows I know, but he has to tell me!)......I am now again to be found pounding the streets of Guildford, all in the cause of shedding some pounds. Paul the trainer's favourite venue is Pewley Hill........a long, very steep road which leads up to Pewley Down! Don't get me wrong, its a lovely part of the area, indeed a lovely part of Guildford. However, the delight of being out in the open air is nullified after you have done the "Pewley Hill circuit" four times!!! The rule is to walk up.....then jog down. By the end of my latest session, I wasn't so much stiff...as waddling. Such an endearing sight!!

Still, in the end......its all doing me good. Isn't it?!!

PG

Whaaattt?

Oh my god a travesty has occurred…something that no sane person would ever agree with; Cheese and Onion crisps are the nation’s favourite… Noooooooo! What about the marvellous Salt and Vinegar, they came a measly third – BEHIND Ready Salted; the dullest crisp known to man unless you dip it into Hummus.

Salt and Vinegar is the gun toting, mouth watering, eye grimacing, tastiest crisp ever. Upon opening a bag of S&V crisps your nostrils communicate immediately with your taste buds, alerting them to the taste explosion that is about to hit them; 'prepare yourself little buddies here come the Salt and Vinegars, and while you’re at it tell Mr Stomach to batten down the hatches, a whole load of flavour is coming it’s way – crank up the alkali'... That is what S&V do to at least 2 of your senses.
The winner for numerous years, Ready Salted, are a paltry comparison and Cheese and Onion, although tasty, don’t command your taste buds like a Sergeant Major on patrol and at times, lets be honest, smell of feet; who wants to eat feet?

My case for Salt and Vinegar must come to a close and I will end by saying; what is wrong with our nation? We’ve turned into a bunch of feet eating pansies!

Enjoy your weekend and spare a thought for that lonely packet of Salt and Vinegar crisps sitting on your local's shelf when you sip your pint - they'll wake you up before you go go!

Posh

And these birds can sing!!

It maybe that you have heard our "Early morning shower" competition (6.15am) when you are required to guess the song that Posh Al and I are singing....in the shower! I have to say, to warm up for my part in the competition, I am now increasingly using the inspiration given to me by our feathered friends in the trees. Unfortunately, I will never be able to reach the high standards of melody and divinity that the blackbird or song thrush possess! But I have reached one particular conclusion.....

Having been involved in early morning radio for many years now, I have noticed that the birds are taking less and less holidays - or, at least, time off! Once upon a time you very rarely heard any early morning "tweeting" or "twittering" (other social networking is available) during the months of December, January and even into February. But, once again, this winter - despite the fact that its certainly been colder than recent years - I have heard Richard Robin, Tommy Tit and Bobby Blackbird chirping away like there's no tomorrow. I'm sure they all used to get up a bit later than I did. I wonder if you have noticed this too?

This leads me to ponder over the possibilities that there is now an early bird, "bird club".....where all our little winged wonders gather just that little bit earlier to confuse us human early birds. They're probably all laughing at us. Come to think of it, I am sure that was a little chuckle I heard coming from the top of the silver birch this morning......

tweet, tweet!!

PG

Breakfast Banter Brits Blog

So I didn’t go to or watch The Brit Awards – Tsk tsk from PG – he went, had an awesome time by all accounts and when he came in the next morning, couldn’t believe I hadn’t watched my boys (Take That) in action. To be honest I couldn’t believe I hadn’t either and was especially gutted when everyone was talking about it the next day and said although they were miming they looked Hot with a capital H! Never mind though, I was at something much more important; I was out with some girlfriends having some very delicious food and some even more delicious conversation and when the girls call, you gotta go to them and have some girly time – even if it means missing the fabulousness (if that’s a word) that is Take That – sorry boys.

You see this is one of those areas where men and women differ and neither will ever be able to understand the other. A man would happily give up time with the blokes down the pub to stay in and watch, lets say Girls Aloud, strutting their very attractive stuff, or Kylie pouting in her 6 different outfits and looking gorge! But women would never give up their girly night out for 4 hot men singing their pretty hearts out – well maybe they would but only if the girls could come round and watch it with them! It would be a fate worse than death to cancel and besides, girls really look forward to spending time with their best girl mates whereas men really don’t care about being with other men & it’s a conundrum to them why it’s so important to women.

The only advice I would give is; men – don’t question it, don’t force us to do anything else instead, just know that this is something that makes us who we are – it’s in our genetic make up to spend time chatting with friends – even if it mean missing Take That at The Brits, the Girls are more important.


Posh

Let's play..."Who's in the jacuzzi with PG?"

Well, what a boon it was! There I was heading off down the M4 for a weekend of rugby and revelry wondering how I got lucky. A twist of circumstance meant that I had two nights in a plush welsh hotel and tickets to the big Wales/England six nations game at the Millennium stadium. My first ever full rugby international!
But as well pulled into Cardiff, things just got better. The hotel looked out across the bay, had the look of somewhere that people like Pierce Brosnan stay.....and just happened to be the place where the England players were staying too. So there I was having chats in the lift with various players, having the chance to say good luck to Martin Johnson and just being aware that this sort of luck just doesn't come around that often in life!

But the "piece de resistance" was to be found elsewhere. In the spa, to be precise! Let me explain....

Once I had grappled with the massage chairs(!), had my little swim in my new Hawaiian style swim shorts and generally made myself feel virtuous by doing a small amount of exercise, it was time to chill out - or rather warn up - in the jacuzzi. This particular oasis was in fact rather busy, but nonetheless I found myself a little bubbly space, lay down and let the watery feeling ride over me. It was at this point that I started tuning into the various conversations that were going on around me. To my left there were a group of girls talking.....the normal sort of stuff.......but one, in particular, had a recognisable accent. I would venture to have called it "regal". As I looked around I realised that I was in the company of the Queens grand daughter! Well of course, with the international rugby stars, come the partners and wives. With Mr Tindall in residence, Zara was there too!
Well that was that, I decided I had my story for the weekend, I quietly gathered myself and slunk away into the changing rooms.
Forget "The Early Morning Shower", lets play "Who's in the jacuzzi"!!

PG

There’s snow business like snow business...

Ooh what a week! I hope you’ve all enjoyed the snow as much as I have. I know it’s been a nightmare for a lot of people but it’s sooo pretty, in a rather apocalyptic winter wonderland kind of way and I’m also hoping this may mean we’ll have a long hot Summer – although I won’t hold my breath after the disaster that was last year.

This kind of snow takes me back to when I was growing up and we always had a white winter and a sunny Summer –in a word ‘seasons’ - and I tell you what, I don’t remember taking a week or even a day off school for it; I wonder what’s changed this time? Or maybe I’m just looking back with rose tinted glasses! What I do know is, this is one of the few times when I felt that working in radio was genuinely helping the community and not just entertaining people; I know we help with travel on a daily basis & we have features like The Bulletin Board but we had so many calls from parents, teachers and event organisers and our website had 60,000 hits in one morning that it was humbling to know so many people were relying on us to get it right & depending on a service we provide. So I genuinely hope, in this rather uncertain week we’ve managed to help you get from A to B safely, given you as much up to date information as possible & even informed you of a few top tobogganing places!

Anyway, besides the snowman sitting on the balcony outside the office and the fact my cat has proceeded to relieve herself everywhere but the garden, I’ve had a good week in radio and I hope you’ve had a good week wherever the snow took you.

Posh

MMM cheesecake

Mmmm Cheesecake….

On the breakfast show today PG and I discovered that a chef in Mexico had created, with 55 other cooks, a new world record by cooking the world’s largest cheesecake weighing 2 ton – it was deocrated with succulent strawberries too. This giant cake used nearly a ton of cream cheese, the same amount of yogurt, 772 pounds of pastry, 551 pounds of sugar and 331 pounds of butter-if you can believe that and it took 66 hours to cook. It was then divided into 20,000 slices and given out around Mexico City - ahh nice...

Now I don’t know about you but I love Cheesecake with a capital L and funnily enough indulged in some of the divine dessert over the weekend – it was chocolate – which to me is always a slight let down in flavour; I much prefer an original cheesecake lightly peppered with some kind of additional flavouring, lemon, blueberry or maybe even the American Cheesecake which is slightly thicker and creamier…ooh my mouth is watering… After hearing about this amazing feat PG has tasked me with the opportunity to find a new world record that PG and I can break live on The Peter Gordon Breakfast Show and that's where you come in. I would like to challenge you to think of something for us to do and we’ll attempt to create a brand new World Record based around your idea! I’ll keep an eye out for some kind of bizarre challenge as well – not too horrid though – and we’ll keep you updated as and when we’ve decided what to do - how exciting, PG and I might go down in the annuls of history.

Happy Thinking

Posh

Enough is enough!!

Who would have thought it. Finally, after all this time, in the dying mists of the first decade of the 21st century, I've done it! I'm going to lose weight...and, with the help of panto, have already started. The thing is, for me, as for so many, its not about diets or even too much exercise......all that stuff just puts me off. No, what I've actually decided to do is just be sensible. Well, most of the time....

To be honest, as per usual, I'm a little late to the "responsibility" party. As a diabetic (type 2) I've, for some time, been getting my head around the fact that I need to knuckle down and do something about weight, eating the wrong foods, cutting down on sugar and just trying to balance everything out a bit. And, finally, I think, probably, for most of the time....I've got there. I have opened the door (with a "welcome to getting your head right" sign above it), walked in, hung my coat on the "get on with it, man!" hook and made myself comfortable at the "actually I'd like to live for quite a few more years yet" table. And, do you know what? It's not that bad. The chair feels quite comfortable. I actually feel quite good. I'm thinking about other things like trips away, what book to read next, what on earth have the banks got us into? That sort of thing. Once upon a time it was "curry or chinese tonight?" or even "shall I have have half or the whole packet?".

Everyone is different of course. Thank whoever's responsible for that. But if you're still thinking about giving something up, I've discovered that its actually not about that at all. It's about deciding by yourself something that YOU want to do.....no lifestyle gurus or even doctors needed. Its a control thing. In a positive way. And don't get me wrong, every biscuit, burger, bag of chewy gum sweets will be a challenge to say "no" to. But, it's my decision now to say "no". And thats the way it is. Nothing more, nothing less. Sting once wrote the line "everybody has to leave the darkness sometimes". And I'm just settling into the sun room!!

Good luck with whatever you need to do.

PG

What a buffoon!!!!!

Well, that's panto over for another year! Aladdin has left The Arnaud.67 shows, 8 weeks (including rehearsals) and I even lost half a stone! Good grief.....

There are many stories I could tell of course, such alot happens in these shows, on and off stage! But I will simply hold my hand up to the one occasion when I actually lost control entirely in front of a full house and my thespian colleagues. It was the word "buffoon" that set me off. Something about the word did it. It raised its ugly head during a scene in the show where I am on stage all the time, but actually have little to say. This is dangerous as it gives me more time to look and think at what others are doing. In this case, one of them said the word "buffoon" (its still making me chuckle now).....then another one did.....then another one did.......and then even Mr Havers did!!! Well that was it......the shoulders started rising and falling, the tears started flowing down my cheeks and the rest was simply embarrassment. I then became know for the rest of the run a chief "corpser" (to corpse is to giggle on stage!)....and I was fair game for anyone who wanted to have a go at making me laugh. Luckily, I was on my guard and nothing quite took me over in the same way again.

But really.....a grown man (well physically anyway).....dressed in a silly golden gown......with a hat that looks like a space ship.......laughing at one silly word. What a buffoon....!

PG

It’s time to be resolute about my resolutions.

Whilst I sat in the dressing room at The Princes Hall, Aldershot waiting to go on for the bench gag in Act 2 of the panto, I decided to make notes on some potential resolutions for 2009. I came up with quite a list; I’m not sure why, but clearly I was telling myself something needed to change about my life!
When I wrote my list, whilst listening to ‘What time is it?’ being sung for the 36th time, I was determined that I would change certain aspects of my 31st year so as to enrich my life and develop my character, challenge myself and make me a better person!

As I sit here now, rapidly approaching the 8th day of January, you probably won’t be too surprised to learn that I’ve still not started any of my resolutions; lose weight (eat healthily and exercise) learn a new skill (dance, a language,) and be a better and less lazy cook (i.e. actually cook).

Somehow the New Year, that I thought would be so productive and change my life for the better, appears to have foxed me and actually all that happened was that one day changed into another and didn’t miraculously give me a new and more inspiring life – I think this might mean that I have to change things for myself – DAMMIT!
That was the conclusion I came to last night and as yet still only one thing has changed – I ate a healthy breakfast and haven’t snacked on anything, yet, at least one thing's going to plan. Later tonight though I plan to look for a local dance or Yoga class and may even stretch to finding an evening class in French. I shall let you know how I progress next week; it will be slow but that’s better than not at all and at least I know my limits.

So good luck to all of you that will stick wholeheartedly to their New Year, life changing resolutions and I will do my best to stick to mine and my life will be enriched for it I'm sure

Happy New Year

Al x