Free Bar and Beer Festival??!? A dream come true..

I got home and ate most of the remaining barbeque chicken on Friday and then went up to Sloanes Bar on Whiteladies Rd for a couple of drinks (not too many, I was on-call until 9am Saturday).

On Saturday I got up and had the rest of the chicken in a sandwich and then drove to Surrey. It was absolutely battering it down, which stops me from driving too much like a lunatic anyway.

Sarah cooked me a pasta and pesto meal with some strong cheese (no garlic, as we were obviously heading to the wedding reception afterwards).

The wedding reception was at a hotel in Bracknell, very posh.. and (to my delight) the bride and groom were picking up the tab at the bar!! So obviously I had a few beers to toast the happy couple. There was a very nice looking buffet too, but unfortunately I was still full from the pasta to eat much more (although I think I ate a fair bit of it towards the end, but who knows - I was obviously trolleyed).

Sarah and I stayed the night in the hotel and on Sunday morning, we had a full English breakfast (one of those "help yourself" dealies - ie. All you can eat). Needless to say I ate all I could eat :)

As I was in the area, I thought I would give my mate Mark Pitt a call. He is the author of the book "Book of the Roid" (which is now on Amazon). He informed us that there was a fete type thing happening in nearby Maidenhead and suggested we went (there was a beer festival inside). Sarah drove Mark, Nico (Mark's mate) and myself to the fete and we had a great time there. Sarah enjoyed the dog show, while we enjoyed the many ales and ciders that the beer festival offered (a few casks were drunk dry in the end). We also won a few prizes on the tombola (mostly alcohol).

After a while, Sarah and I had to go back to her parents' and so we dropped Mark and Nico off and met up with her parents for a Sunday meal at the Hungry Horse in Bagshot, Surrey.

They didn't have the first 2 things I ordered, but in the end I managed to negotiate a lamb joint (unfortunately I forgot to specify what potato I wanted, so ended up with mash - which I don't usually like. Although this was OK when mixed up with the lamb gravy and veg).

I had quite an early night on Sunday, as the early morning and lots of drinking had wiped me out a bit. This did mean I woke up quite early on bank holiday Monday morning though.

Sarah and I decided to go to the cinema in the afternoon and I treated her to a meal at Franky and Bennies in Bracknell for lunch. I haven't eaten at a Franky and Bennies for a while (despite there being one in Patchway), but the menu looked pretty fab! I had a starter of crayfish tail cocktail and some garlic pizza covered in mozarella.

For my main course I had a barbeque chicken lasagne (oh yeah, it tastes as good as it sounds). I might have to pop to the one in Patchway soon, there was a lot on the menu that I also fancied.
We couldn't decide on what to watch at the cinema, so ended up sitting through X-men 3 (seemed to go on forever)

After the film, I drove home to Patchway and in the evening I had the last of my mean beanz (jalfrezi) on toast with some cous cous stuff my Mum let me take home. It certainly filled me up.

Today it was back to work time. I had a little argument with the canteen staff. There wasn't much there and I was in a hurry as I needed to be on a conference call with the French soon, so I just decided on cajun chicken breast in a bun with fries with salad. However they didn't have any salad, so I chucked some red cabbage on instead - they tried to charge me 25p extra! The cheek! The situation was resolved when they said they would let me off this time, but next time I will have to pay extra :)

Tasted like shite in the end anyway. What a waste of 2.75 (they didn't even have any fivers, so my change of a tenner was just a crap load of coins).

Tonight England are playing Hungary in a pre-World Cup friendly. I will probably be watching it round a mate's house with a few Stellas.

Another Bank Holiday Weekend afoot!

Well Tuesday after work, I had myself a bowl of muesli with chopped apple and an orange. There wasn't anything else available really.

The muesli I have is some cheap own brand stuff from Asda, incredibly cheap and doesn't taste too bad. Unfortunately is loaded up with quite a lot of sugar which I don't get on with so much anymore (seem to have lost my sweet tooth).

On Wednesday, it was of course roast dinner day. It was roast pork this time and it was fine.

Once eaten, I enjoyed a "dessert" of cheddar cheese and brocholli soup with a brown roll. Muchos tasty.

In the evening I just ate another bowl of muesli due to absense of anything else in the kitchen and then went to my Nan's for her birthday.

Thursday lunch, I just grabbed a quick mushroom mousakka from the canteen with Greek potatoes and salad and then went up the pub.

In the evening I went straight up to Asda and bought myself some essentials (such as two fresh roast chicken, one barbeque flavour and one extra tasty). Then I went home and had one of the chickens (extra tasty) on a bed of rocket and watercress with basalmic vinegar. It was great, and when I go home in a minute I will be tucking into the barbeque chicken. Nice!

For lunch today, of course it is Friday, I grabbed a sandwich from the canteen downstairs - organic salmon, grain mustard and spinach on white poppy seed bread. Fairly tasty, then off to the Orchard for a few lunchtime Stellas.

I'm off to Surrey tomorrow (my girlfriend's boss's wedding reception.. should be some good eats there?)

Hopefully I won't embarress myself like last time..

A New Toy

After work yesterday I drove round Argos and purchased myself some bathroom scales (for 3.29 - much cheapness).

Looks like I was about 105kg, which is obese according to the BMI scale - if you consider I am around 6'1 or 6'2 tall (I'm guessing).

Anyway, whilst round my parents I was served a delicious salmon meal, not quite sure what the sauce was - but it was nice.

The potatoes were apparently Jersey new potatoes or something, they were scraped and boiled and surprisingly tasty (I'm not normally a great fan of boiled spuds, but these were proper).

I went home soon after, as I had left my pager at home and was concerned I might get called out.

This afternoon I had some pasta type things in some kind of mushroom sauce - it was actually quite nice despite the fact I can't remember what it was.

The cheesey bread was pretty tasty too.

Despite the portions being unusually ample, I still fancied something more - however I didn't opt for a soup as a dessert (as it was leek and potato, eew). I instead chose to try the much hyped carrot cake for 70p. I must admit, it was surprisingly tasty - and counts towards your recommended 5 fruit and veg portions per day*

*-probably

A varied diet keeps my tummy interested..

Wednesday night I went to the Patchway Sports and Social to watch Arsenal play Barcelona in the European Champions League Final and I got nice and trolleyed. I had a chicken sandwich before I went, as the soc' can be unreliable with the kitchen (sometimes open, sometimes not). It was open on this occasion, but as I had already eaten I didn't bother.

Thursday lunchtime I went to the pub and had another one of those seafood club salads, with inclusive fruit drink (opted for apple this time). Not all trips to the pub have to result in beer being drank.

After work, I went to the gym (my weight is still teetering round the 104kg mark - which is borderline between overweight and obese according to the BMI indicator) and then went home and had another tin of mean beanz (mexican flavour this time) on toast.

On Friday I grabbed a baguette for lunch before going to the pub, it was a cheese and onion relish roll - but it was quite bland. Once down the pub I had a pint of stella, but given that my mate Matt was on the cokes still, I had a coke for the second round. I went down the pub for a few beers after work, though.

My mate Mike called whilst I was at the pub and asked for some help moving some stuff out of his attic, so I popped round there and had a few more beers and helped him with his attic. When we finished, we sat down and drank some more beer and ate the pasta bake that his missus Michelle had prepared.

Saturday morning I was up bright and early to go to Japfest at Castle Combe. It was very busy and there weren't many burger vans (the ones there were had massive queues). But I still managed to grab myself a hotdog towards the end.

In the evening my parents treated me to a meal out at Bottelinos in Emersons Green. We had tried various other places which were all too busy, but we finally got a table at the Italian.

I had a really nice starter of prawns and avocado. I wasn't sure if you could eat the skin of the avocado, but I did and I seem alright.

Obviously this was all washed down with lots of Stella and wine.

My main course was a tasty seafood fettucini with parmesan cheese and pepper. I didn't have a dessert, I had an Irish coffee instead... and a Stella.

Sunday I didn't go round my parents' for a roast, as I opted to stay and have beans on toast at home. This time the beans were Tikka flavour. Quite nice.

In the evening I went round my Auntie and Uncles, as it was my cousin's 12th birthday. They laid on a spread and it was pretty nice (chilli, curry, etc). Then I went home and watched the latest episode of Lost with Higz and Lee.

Today's lunch in the canteen was chicken and vegetable pie, about the only meat type item on the menu as they are really trying to push veggy stuff this week for some reason.

I'm on-call until Saturday morning this week, so no gym for a while. But no beer either.

Health Kicks

Monday night I went to the gym on my own, and as my half of the fridge was empty, I went down Asda afterwards. I got myself some Hovis wholegrain granary bread, some salad, butter, prawns in cottage cheese and some other sandwich fillings. Should keep me fed until the weekend. The fridge is looking quite healthy now (especially as Higz has filled it with his Lost diet contents).

When I got home I had a sandwich using the prawn cottage cheese and salad. It wasn't too bad - might do that again some time.


Tuesday I went to the Orchard pub for lunch, but again intending to go to the gym in the evening I decided against a pint. I actually ordered myself a seafood club salad with a fruit juice included in the price (6.50).

It was surprisingly filling for a salad, it had lots of chunks of fruit in it and lots of tuna and prawns. Tasty.


When I got home I had myself a mexican chicken and salad sandwich and drank some of my "innocent" smoothies and went to the gym.

Shouldn't really have eaten before the gym, but managed a fair bit of time there.

Quite a few of my mates are cutting down on boozing/eating and a few are starting to exercise a fair bit more too. I don't know what has started this trend, but if I ever start talking about quitting booze - umm - give me a slap. Hard. In the face.

I am eating a little healthier than I used to though (err - don't count last weekend's pizza anyway).

Today is roast dinner day in the canteen. One of my faves too. Roast ham. They even had some good vegetables out too. Fair play.

I am not going to the gym tonight, as it's the Champions League Final.. Arsenal vs Barcelona! So I am going up the club to watch it (and get drunk). I had better shoot off home so I can have a sandwich first - food at the soc' is quite difficult to obtain :(

Joys of the FA Cup Weekend

After work on Wednesday, I went to the gym with my Dad. I was planning on (finally getting round to) doing a food shop, but because of the thunder and lightning I ended up looking after my parents' dogs (they get upset during thunderstorms or fireworks displays), as my Dad had to go to work and my Mum was out with some of her friends.

I nicked some bread off them as compensation and used this to toast up and serve covered in some Heinz Mean Beanz (Sweet Chilli flavour this time, but I have several other flavours in my cupboard still to try). The dogs just milled around the downstairs of my house until my Mum came to collect them, but by that time I was too knackered to go out. I did, however, clipper my head to grade 1 - which was satisfyingly short.

Thursday the weather was quite nice again, so I only had a baguette for lunch before toddling up the pub to sit in the sun for an hour. The baguette from the canteen contained bacon, turkey, cranberry sauce and salad. I didn't drink any beer up the pub, as I fancied going to the gym again after work. Unfortunately, once home I couldn't be bothered to go anywhere and just had some marmite on toast to fill the gap.

As usual on Friday I didn't have a proper meal for lunch, I just had a salmon and prawn organic roll from the canteen and went up the pub for some Stella. After work I met up with Chris and we went to his mate's 30th birthday party at Almondsbury Sports and Social club. We stopped at the Swan Inn first, for a lasagne and some beer - although turns out there was food at the party too.. which was obviously a bonus!

Saturday morning I woke up at around 8.30am (the joys of hangover) and couldn't get back to sleep, so I had some muesli and played around on my computer for a few hours. Around 1pm Lee came round and we went up the Patchway Sports and Social to watch the FA cup final and drink some beer. It was a great match (bad luck, Hammers) and as usual I got pretty drunk. Lee invited me to a party, but I was too tired from the night before - so I just went home and ordered a pizza from Dominos. I justified this to myself, because I had no food in the house and I was obviously unable to drive anywhere. I chose to try a Full House Dominator. From what I remember it was very nice, but that was 15 quid gone in an instant. Imagine how many beers that would get you? (assuming 2.50 each, it would get you 6 - that is science for you)

The pizza must have been good, because apparently I offered a slice to my housemate Higz (who is on an interesting Lost-based diet.. available on eBay) and he was tempted. Fair play to him for turning it down though. I doubt I could be that strong.

Anyway, I was in bed by 9pm on Saturday and I didn't wake up until 11am the following day. I walked round my parents in the afternoon and was treated to a dual-meat roast dinner, pork and beef! The veg was pretty good too, although I didn't know quite what to make of the asparagus tips - never had them before and they were slightly strange.

Well today's lunch was a quick canteen visit and consisted of some lamb based stew type thing with cous cous (which I love) and salad. It was OK, but I am thinking of heading up to the Swan in Almondsbury one day this week for lunch - as their lasagne was absolutely lovely on Friday.

Also, should probably do some more shameless plugging of my mate Mark's new book. Available now on eBay (limited edition signed copies).

How to fix a Grumbly Tummy

Monday night I went to the gym for the first time in a week (I don't go when I am on-call) and had quite a good session. When we finished, Dad and I went back to his where Mum had cooked us both a meal. Cottage (or Shepherd, I can never remember the difference) pie with broccholi and carrots.

On Tuesday, I went up the pub for lunch with every intention of drinking coke. However the barmaid saw me and Matt coming and said "2 stellas?" and we both said "Yes". The pub's kitchen was being renovated, so anything from the carvery was a no-go. So I had a prawn sandwich. It was very tasty.

After work my Dad gave me a lift down town so I could have a drink with Wendy in Clifton. We met at Bar Humbug on Whiteladies Rd and I had a few drinks of Staropramen and ordered a salmon and avocado baguette - which was very nice (it's been a while since I last ate avocado, I had forgotten how much I liked it).

Props to my housemate Higgy, who dropped everything to come and pick me up from Clifton later on that eve!

So today I wasn't feeling great in the morning, but managed to drag myself to work and my tummy grumbled all morning - but I resisted the temptation to go down to the canteen for a fry up and instead waited until around 1pm before going to the canteen to get my weekly canteen roast (today is was turkey and the portions were generous).

My mate Matt shaved his bonce grade 1 stylee last night. Might have to equal him tonight and do the same, perhaps even better it with a grade 0? We'll see, I haven't bought these clippers just to gather dust in my bedroom.

Happy 21st Nath!

Thursday night I got home and enjoyed the rest of my quorn spaghetti bolognaise (just as nice re-heated, I tell thee). As I was on-call last week, I didn't really get up to much. Just lazed around and played Football Manager.

With regards to food, I have mainly been eating cereal (I really need to go shopping!) - although I managed to eat a fair bit at Nathan's 21st birthday party on Saturday night! His girlfiend's Mum laid on a proper nice feast. The whole thing was actually a pretty good gig, shame I had to stay sober - but at least I could offer my services as designated driver.

Sunday I went round my Mum and Dad's, where I enjoyed a nice roast pork dinner with sausagemeat stuffing and veg and stuff - 'mazing!

Today's lunch in the canteen was a fairly poor effort, vegetarian chilli and rice - followed by onion soup :-/ Still, I am off to the gym in a minute and my parent's have offered me tea round there afterwards - so things are looking up!!

Quorn Spag Bol?!

As I have been on-call this week, I haven't been up to much. Just slobbing around the house after work, really.

Got home on Tuesday and made myself a couple of Chinese chicken and salad sandwiches - which went down a treat. On Wednesday (roast dinner day, of course), I had roast lamb for lunch in the canteen with carrots, roasters, sprouts and red cabbage. The lamb was a bit crunchy and fatty, but good portions - so can't complain too much..

When I got home on Wednesday evening, I was fairly hungry so I decided to make use of the Quorn mince that Sarah had left in my freezer. I also used up the rest of the mushrooms I had left in my fridge and also chopped up an onion.

One of the good things about Quorn is that you can cook it from frozen (unlike minced meat), so that was quite cool - I just dumped the 2 packets of Quorn mince in with the mushrooms and onions and heated it up in the pan (obviously whilst I boiled the spaghetti, which incidentally was supposed to be out of date in 2004 - rubbish, it was perfectly fine!!).

I then added 2 bottles of Dolmio Bolognaise sauce and stirred up togethor.

Naturally, I spiced things up with some ground black pepper, ground chillis, mixed spices, garlic and stuff.

I mixed it all up and served it on the spaghetti (a little too much in retrospect).

A touch of parmesan on there too, lovely jubbly!


Actually, I am quite looking forward to going home (from work) - as I know there is still a load of this stuff left and I am quite hungry.

I didn't bother eating anything for lunch, as it was such a nice hot day we went up the Orchard to sit in the sun and drink some stella.

Summer is well and truly on it's way.

Right, I'm off home to eat the remains of yesterday's Quorn spaghetti bolognaise and slob around for the evening.