Modern Vespa

And three little characters waiting for the cats to come and attack them!

well I am not doing any decorating this year as we are off to Newfoundland on Tuesday

i've spent the morning washing up the dishes from last night's Christmas dinner, which consisted of the following courses:

starter - smoked salmon and sourdough bread (brought back from Sweden on Friday) plus champagne

salad course - herb salad with goats cheese, beets, and walnuts
- japanese salad with seaweed, cucumber, and some little white shreds that tasted delicious

risotto course - risotto with mushrooms and chestnuts

meat course - baked ham, stuffed turkey brazilian-style (i.e. very spicy); sausage stuffing on the side, potatoes dauphinoise

cheese course - stilton and swedish biscuits

chocolate course - chocolate, and lots of it.

we managed to stretch it out over five hours so that our food settled between courses and were able to eat much more than we normally would. it seemed like a good idea at the time but I'm having second thoughts about it this morning

The tree is lovely, Kitty. I bet the characters do not have a long wait before they are under attack.

Genie and Birreh have an amazing time!
That menu looked beautiful
Xx

Lisa thank you! But there's a bit of a Mexican standoff with the kits and the gang lol

Sadly I had to miss it as I double booked myself with my parents and they won.

Well they did make me.

Bill X

καλο ταχιδι, genie

Just reading your menu made me gain 2 kg!

I had such a full on week with not much time to eat anything and I lost 1.5kg

An interesting experience yesterday riding down the A12 on the BM. Lights went red and I pulled on the brakes. Next thing I knew was that the ABS was going crazy, with both levers pulsing and the scooter actually felt like it wasn't going to stop. I kept the brakes on and it eventually did, with the whole scooter across the stop line. Diesel again? I certainly didn't smell any. First time I've had ABS kick in on that scooter. Like I say, when you need it you won't regret having it, I'll never buy a bike without it. Sorry Yamaha (at least in 2016 they'll be duty bound to bring in the TMAX ABS).

I see the Millies are being televised on Monday night, so I'll tune in for support. They always need it, deserve it and earn it, and its been a tough year, the murder of Lee Rigby (RIP) and the jailing of Marine Alexander Blackman for a start. Help for Heroes Christmas cards from me this year - a piddly effort but better than nothing. Have a good night Pepy.

I've just walked to the corner shop in a pair of grey tracksuit bottoms.

I'm really sorry.

Bill X

Yay! Envious!

I must have been very bad recently as I'm just emerging from double decorating duties - ripping up the old carpet in the lounge and dining room and being busy til late with tools, paper and paint Things are now shiny new and paint smelly and I'm knackered. I'd planned to do it earlier but delayed it for a busy work schedule. Add in the loose ends, Christmas decorations, pressies and all that and I'm crawling to the holidays for a rest. Ha, fat chance! It'll be Last Minute City at this rate...

On the down side, I'll be officially at risk of redundancy sometime soon. There's a job for me in the new structure but after three redundancies I'm still just pig sick of the corporate b*%^$*#s that goes with every reorganisation/delayering/cost cutting even if I do understand it. And it always happens at Christmas...

To add to my cheery mood I duly applied for tickets for World Vespa Day next year, and everyone I know who applied at the same time or after me got theirs and I didn't. Somebody in Italy obviously didn't like me. I need to hold out for a second go for a 'lite' ticket (no gala dinner) in January.

On the up side, I sold my ET4 to a riding mates wife on Thursday, so its gone to a good home a little earlier than I thought, and I should be able to knock off for Christmas on Weds night, having got some holiday still to use up

Pom Pom?!

Was a brilliant night mate, my daughter got her picture taken with Tom Hardy, she was on cloud nine all night.....
Some really seriously injured servicemen attended, heart breaking to see such injuries to so many young people.

Merry Christmas everyboddeeee!

Thanks for all the laughs, hugs and great memories this year. Have a great festive break, stay safe, and here's to doing it all again next year, only better

All this time I've known you and didn't realize you were a chav!

Tom Hardy. Phor.

Bill the Chav.

Hell no

Just a regular woolly hat

tom hardy. ooooa

sorry to hear about the possible impending redundancy b_b however having survived so many already, it sounds like you'll be okay. i hope the new job title doesn't mean a pay cut.

our faculty is undergoing major restructuring as well, but by the sound of it, it's going to involve the 'redeployment' of a number of antiquated managers who were happy to run their departments as though it was still 1989. i won't be sad to see the back of any of them.

Hope you guys all have a wonderful holiday. Just booked my trip northbound out of Heathrow. Hope there's no fog ice or storms!

On another note:

Bloody hell. Remember watching that Guy Martin film TT3D Closer to the Edge? I think I'm going to go back to riding a 125cc right now...

I took my W800 round the Island twice, Doug. No idea what speed I did over the mountain as I was too scared to look down at the speedo.

Problem is, as matey found out you can easily round a bend on Snaefel and find a camper van doing 20 mph.

I'd love the chance to do a flat-out circuit on closed roads...on something like a C90!

Thanks Genie. No, it shouldn't, but you know how these things go - it'll mean twice the work for the same money! (three jobs are rolling into two)

That said, am speaking to a recruiter tomorrow morning about another job, with rather nice salary hike

impressive...

My beautiful daughter and some geezer called Tom Hardy....

Christ I feel so ugly.

My buddy Nick met him at a book signing earlier in the year and fell in love with him.

Birreh !

Ha, Tracey had to settle for a picture with Robin Windsor (Strictly Come Dancing). He was a nice bloke, spent half an hour outside waiting for Deborah Meedon and chatting to Tracey and Danielle.

He always comes across as a nice guy. (The Mrs watches Strictly and all the support shows so I get to know the dancers and celebs by osmosis)

Bill, the trick is to only have fan photos with people uglier than yourself. Finding someone that fits that description is a challenge for me, but...

[URL=http://s1226.photobucket.com/user/gedsfamilyphotos/media/odds/63762_10152305917370515_304913864_n.jpg.html][/URL]

You didn't tell me that you're a Replicant mate.

Birreh !

Nah, never seen c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate.

This was the final two in the UK lopsided face competition.

I can see the family likeness, but she seems to be coping with it...

I once walked to the corner shop in pyjama trousers with Scottie dogs on (in my defence, I was quite ill) and one of the neighbours tutted at me!

OK bye all.

I'll be absent for the next couple of weeks doing things somewhere else.

Take care all and have a happy festive Jesus present turkey type period.

Birreh !

Happy festive Jesus present turkey type period to you too Mr Bill Dog Sir...

And the same to you, bill.

However, I always got the impression you were continuously somewhere else.

Now I'm confused.

Buon viaggio Billiamo!

Here is the huskyteer residence's tree. It is quite minimalist and cost £4 from IKEA. It's flat pack, naturally, so I carried it home on the scooter like a GIANT PIZZA.

I love the "tree" Alice and anything with Daleks and/or scooters gets my thumbs up. In fact, I've had my daughter's wind-up Dalek and Tardis stocking stuffers out a few times to make sure that they still work. Ever vigilant!

What a good Dad! Sounds like you'll both have fun on Christmas morning

Edit: I've just remembered that genie heading overseas means an orange Vespa rucksack in my near future

I remember you saying that the wait would make you forget about it then you would be excited all over again. You know yourself.

Christmas seemed so far away when we placed those orders!

I am having a miserable week as my gear isn't getting a chance to dry out between soakings. Perhaps getting the rest of the cards posted will cheer me up.

I finished work for Christmas yesterday! Woop woop - I am soooo happy to be out of there for a while, I was starting to have a sense of humour failure. And today was sunny and dry with clear blue skies, so what better way to break out than a ride on the GTS, with coffee and cake at a country park cafe thrown in (somehow tastes better mid week?!). I feel better already...

I don't finish until 5pm on Monday......boooooooo