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"My Family"

Robert Lindsay is a renowned and superb actor - don't get me wrong. But the supposed comedy programme My Family which he stars in is such excrutiating sh*te I can only think he is being paid mega-bucks to do it. It is so completely unfunny and devoid of humour I cannot even raise a smile for the whole of it's 30 minute time slot. And... as for the "comedy" Welsh twat - need I say more.

Rant over.

Eating again...


Cape Town IV - Part 5

Over the next couple of days we made various shopping trips and took "little c" out to Hout Bay where we ate a fish lunch followed by icecream.

Wednesday evening and we trundled off down to Tango's where we had our fave meal - Steak Espedeta or some such name. Basically fillet steak doner kebab style hanging vertically beneath a stand dangling over chips. Divine!

All too quickly it was time to come back to the UK. When we arrived at the airport we discovered we could volunteer to be bumped from the flight and catch the next one 24 hours later. Compensation - £400 each in BA vouchers or £200 each in cash plus a night at a topnotch hotel at The Waterfront. It was right down to the wire... and then the b*st*rds said we were on the flight. What I want to know is how they selected the people that were lucky enough to stay!

Anyway that was that and 12 hours later we were descending through the murk above London and the bumnumbing ride back to WGC on the 724.

Coming soon (hopefully) Cape Town V.

Seconds...


Cape Town IV - Part 4

Easter Monday was the day of the wedding of NS and TS. The ceremony took place at the catholic church in Simons Town just metres from the sea and just off of the coast road. Father A who ministered the ceremony had a voice that reminded me a bit of Roger Lloyd-Pack's character from The Vicar of Dibley (you know the strange farmer character who's name escapes me... Owen! That's it Owen...)

After the church bit - we headed off back over Ou Kaapse Weg down to the wedding reception venue which was at a place called The Range. By an uncanny bit of luck we were on Table No. 1 which meant we got to go up and get our food (it was a buffet) immediately after the Main Table. Of course I went back for seconds - which was of course typically greedy on my part! Photos were taken and we spectated a few baboons playing with parked cars. Eventually we left and when we got back home to Mom's we discovered that N's uncle Joe (amongst others) were visiting.

To be continued...

Lunch at Steenberg Wine Estate


Cape Town IV - Part 3

Sunday lunch saw us at Steenberg Wine Estate where we proceeded to munch our way through a massive buffet... starting with a mixture of fish dishes, followed by a very hot curry, then a full on roast - finally rounded off with a variety of desserts. As you can see - food played a very large part in this fourth SA trip!

Late afternoon and we drove out to visit Ouma (N's grandmother) and discovered that her aunt JR and cousins JER, PR and RR were also visiting. We spent about 3 hours chatting before making our way back to my sister-in-law's where N had to iron her dress ready for the wedding the next day...

To be continued...

Mandela's Cell / View from Robben Island




Cape Town IV - Part 2

Saturday saw us heading off to Stellenbosch to an organic market with some friends and lunch at a wine farm called Vrede en Lust. We also sat down to do some wine tasting and sampled several whites and reds. During the evening we dined at Cubana... a venue that we have been to each visit I have made.

Easter Sunday began early with a trip to Ocean View for a service at JO's church. N and I were surprised when we were called up in front of the congregation so as we could be blessed for our second wedding anniversary. N tried to scarper but she was called back to face the throng.

To be continued...

Cape Town IV - Part 1

The thing I like best about visiting Cape Town this time of year is the weather. After the dark wet winter we get at home it is great to experience some summer sunshine so early in the year. 2009 has been no exception and I am sitting here posting to this blog from my sister-in-law's house in Plumstead.

The journey here was blissfully uneventful and went rather quickly in fact. We picked up the hire car and headed for N's Mom's place... and promptly crashed out - well I did, N went and had her hair done at Maybert's. Day 2 and we met up with MO, JO and GO for a trip across to Robben Island - where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated between 1964 - 1982. Visitor's are taken around the island on a coach which stops every so often for the tour guide to explain various details about the island and famous South African historical figures. The guy we had was irritating and spoke in a deliberate melodramatic style, his voice ascending and descending in a way that began to wear a bit thin after a while. The guide we had at the actual prison (a former political inmate) was actually quite a bit better and explained the set up quite well. We saw inside Mandela's cell and I took the customary photos. Afterwards it was a quick walk back to the quayside where we caught the catamaran ferry back to Cape Town.

Dinner that 2nd evening was spent at the Waterfront at one of the excellent Ocean Basket restaurants where I deftly scoffed a platter for one (or was it two!)

Day 3 - Was predominantly spent shopping (after breakfast/brunch at the Deerpark) for a special braai prepared by my sister-in-law (LAB) and her husband (big C). Little C came with... to the shops and whilst N and LAB did the shopping I pushed little C around in her pushchair. We picked up the Ls (or ARSEY to give them a collective name) at 7pm and brought them back to Plumstead. MO, JO, GO, NS and TS along with Mom and GC also came along to make the evening complete. The chocolate brownie dessert was exquisite well done LAB!

Day 4 - Began with N and I on a mission to pick up some kids toys from a supplier and taking them to Mom's shop at Pinelands. After that it was a quick drive back to rendezvous with LAB who took us to see the cricket at Newlands. South Africa v Australia in a one day international... this was the first time I have been to a big cricket game and I was actually quite impressed. To be honest I have usually found cricket boring but as this was under a limited number of overs it made things especially exciting and naturally the batsman throw caution to the wind when they near the end of the innings. South Africa eventually won which was quite satisfying especially as the Australians are notorious as being sore losers.

Day 5 (Good Friday) - Another late start for me... I always manage to sleep well in SA - mind you I manage to sleep well anywhere these days! After the obligatory quick visit with N to the local shops (accompanied by my niece little C) we had a lunch of pickled fish and hot cross buns... a strange combination but one that is traditional in these here parts. We met up with my father-in-law and his wife A at LAB's and that is where we are now as I write this post...

To be continued...

Cape Town IV - Prologue

The cases are packed... we have checked in on-line... all that remains is to have a good night's sleep ready for the long journey ahead.

Making money from blogs

I was just reading an article about making money from writing a blog... the article cited a blog written by some bloke who drones on about personal development and apparently makes about $1,000 a day. UNBELIEVABLE. So naturally out of curiousity I had to read it (www.stevepavlina.com) - What a load of sh*te eh? Jeezus H Christ... $1,000 a day... A DAY!!! for that b*ll*cks. And every so often he mentions his soddin' book and bangs in a link to Amazon where you can buy the bloody thing - and of course you can make donations to him. I really am missing something here. Then of course there is his wife Erin Pavlina (www.erinpavlina.com) who is a also a con-artist (a medium). Look at the photo - certainly been hit by an ugly stick and no doubt laughing all the way to the bank!

If you wish to make a donation to The Hammond Rants then please feel free!

Rant over.

Star Trek Poster


41 today...

Thank you for your birthday wishes!