At the Ministry

Busy weekend!

Friday night was spent about 400m from my workplace at the Thai Orchid in Wallingford, the occasion being an opportunity to celebrate Martin turning 28. Such a pretty young thing, he is too... The crowd was Martin, Jules, Esme and Chris from Oxford and a group of Martin's mates from Wallingford. The food was good (not great) but the company was excellent. Afterwards we wandered back to one of his pal's place in Wo'Fo (gee, I wander if that name will stick). Comedically, this place is directly opposite a shop called Tooth World. To call Tooth World a 'world', is slightly generous. It's a bit like calling indigestion 'life-threatening'. My parents carport is bigger than Tooth World'... Still, as someone for whom denture matters are important part of ones life, it's is good to know that Tooth World is present in my neighbourhood.

Woke up on Saturday with a hangover but happy in the knowledge that I had potentially recruited too more players for Wallingford Cricket Club (I wander if Nick and Paul woke up on Saturday morning thinking 'what have I done?'?. Well, Nick and Paul, it's like the junior campers but instead of a knife you get a big bat. And tea at the innings break.) Then it was off to help with some deliveries for 'The Besom'. The Besom is a group that aims to match people with needs with Christians who want to give. A middle thing-y, if you like. The Oxford 'chapter' is run by my friend Jules (the Jules of the above) and there's a picture of her here. She's a bit of an actress, see? Anyhows, Saturday was spent being a white-van man, including the sitting in a carpark eating takeaways (no copy of the Sun. I'm afraid) and blocking a road to unload furniture.

Saturday night I ended up on the VIP guest list at the Ministry of Sound. Well, ok, it wasn't my name on the list but the name of someone that I knew wasn't going to be there. This was my first experience at the Ministry and it was enlightening... From the marshalling of punters into gender split lines and then through the metal detectors (or was that the beautiful people selection process? The 1000 odd people inside were all very beautiful...), through the tickets and then to the coat check. An hour long queue that passed through the middle of the club and ended with the exchange of my winter coat and jumper and £4 for a wee slip of green paper. £4?? Thieving bastards. The advantage of being on the VIP list was access to the VIP lounge. Where I got to feel smug on the way in, and then got to look at people who I am sure were famous, but sadly for them, I recognised only Emma B from Radio 1. Still, it was a cool place to hang out and get some respite. The main deal of the night was Pete Tong playing a live Radio 1 Essential Mix. Like the Thai Orchid, I thought it was good, but, again, not great. Entertainingly, of all my mates, I was the only ones who was asked by random strangers for pills. And I'm the normal looking one.

MoS was suitably loud, the music was solid and for the first time a long while I camehome to hear the dawn chorus. I'd go to MoS again, but in summer when there are the less clothes to check in... And the old man in me does wonder why it can't start a little earlier in the evening. Boring old bugger I know.

Yesterday was spent with Ron walking through Port Meadow and along the Isis. When I left him, I carried on walking home along the river, something I hadn't done in a very long time. I'd forgotten how pleasureable an experience that is. Very very relaxing...