Another year older, another year.........

Bush & Ming waiting for their curry last Thursday in Battersea Wetherspoons

Guess the theme of the surprise party

Many happy returns of the day to Ming "Ming" Tiffany, who is 35 today. Bush has been a busy Bush this week, especially with this being the last full week at Hot Courses prior to her imminent return to the Guardian, which she disliked so much last time that Toto and I had to attend her leaving party just to make sure that she left. Anyway, after much soul-searching, she’s going back for second helpings, and I for one am delighted for her. In addition to preparing to leave, there has been Ming’s surprise birthday party (cheese & wine – wine for Bush, and cheese for the mice) to plan for, which has no doubt taken most of her energies of late.

Just in case you can’t make it, you can email your birthday greetings to ming@thebeeb.co.uk

Many happy returns Ming – you don’t look a day over 36.

Have you seen their trophy room?

Everyone's a winner

Another day, another award ceremony for Borehamwood’s most decorated technical pasta manageress, Elizabeth Huffin Howard.

I am not a man easily impressed (contrary to all rumours), and when Ugo Foods won Watford & North West London Small Business of the Year 2006, I was pleased for Liz, but not overly ecstatic. However, from small acorns do large oak trees grow, and after having come 5th in the Sunday Times Best Small Businesses to Work For awards earlier this month, Ugo Foods are now officially Good Eggs, as they were amongst the 12 UK winners of the inaugural Good Egg awards, no less, presented by Compassion in World Farming. The award ceremony was at the Houses of Parliament last night, with the guest of honour being Ben Bradshaw MP, Minister of State ( Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare). Liz received the award (and made a short speech without notes) on behalf of Ugo Foods and in front of a very proud husband after Google had received their award and just before Microsoft.

Which was nice.

Something for the weekend....

Modesty is all

I would have prefered a Travelodge myself

I was delighted to hear that Bush and Ming have managed a mini-break (how very Bridget Jones) in Bruges, where they stayed in a rather nice hotel, booked in order to compensate for the low cost of the fares on Eurostar. They had a splendid time, I gather, and even managed a private sauna together in the hotel’s health spa, fluffy towels et al. Guess who kept her swimming costume on throughout? Priceless………. (well, probably €200.00 a night)

Vote for Shteeeeeve

Nice hair

I wonder why he came second?

I have been overwhelmed of late by requests to see the election flyers Shteeeeve produced when he ran for President of the Students Union in 1996. Unfortunately, Shteeeeeeve came second in a two horse race to a jock called Tom, although his campaign was presumably not helped by Steptoe’s defacing of one of Shteeeve’s election posters which origionally read "For pride without prejudice, vote Mulholland", which was replaced with the memorable caption "For misplaced pride and irrational prejudice, vote Mulholland". What could have been, eh? Or not, as the electorate dictated.

So, what did happen to David Mitchell?

Matt Holness & David Mitchell, Union Society garden party, 15.6.1996

Mitchell & Webb as PC & Mac, 2007

There are people you meet in life, of whom you know you haven’t seen the last of, as you are pretty sure that they are going to get exposure beyond the realm in which you are aware of them. Well, two such people are David Mitchell and the celebrated Duncan Reed, the latter with whom I was in contact for a while post-university, and the former we appear unable to escape from. The reason I cite the specific gentlemen above is because they were particularly conspicuous by their presence on the pages of Varsity, and on the occasion I took the above photograph of David Mitchell & Matt Holness, I enquired of David Mitchell whether he had ever actually met Duncan Reed, which he apparently had never done so in the three years of sharing the same building (Footlights had their clubroom, you may recall, in the basement of the Union). I therefore introduced the gentlemen concerned, whilst musing that this was probably not going to be the only time these two chaps paths would cross during the course of their future lives.

So, where are they now? Well, last I heard, Duncan was working as a Headhunter for Heidrick & Struggles, although I can find no mention of him on their website. He also contested the 2001 general election for the seat of Oldham West & Royton, in which he came second to Michael Meacher, although the result featured prominently in coverage of the general election as a result of the candidature of the leader of the BNP, Nick Griffin, who Duncan beat into third place. He married a few years ago, and lives (well, he lived) amongst the hookers on Sussex Gardens near Padddington Station. I still think we haven’t heard the last from him, though. I certainly hope not, anyway.

David Mitchell, on the other hand, is a quite different case altogether. Rather bizarrely, I always thought Matthew Holness was the funnier of the pair, and although he has achieved a reasonable level of post-Footlights success, including his memorable cameo in The Office (you can see the YouTube link here), David Mitchell, with his comedy partner Robert Webb, on the other hand now advertise Apple computers. This link will show you how they got there, and if you still haven’t seen arguably the finest sketch from the first series of “That Mitchell & Webb Look”, make yourself comfortable and prepare for a treat. Now we know.

Life in Ilkley

Molly Theresa

I remember your Mama's carpet coat, you know

I sometimes wonder what I do with my days, other that a full day’s work, the quest for a new challenge in the field of employment and planning for the year ahead, not forgetting the wife’s recent birthday. It is in this climate that I find myself, and having a spare moment, I remembered that I had neglected to upload some delightful pictures of Molly McDonald for inspection. Good to see a child in retro prints – 1973 is the new 2007, as they say in Life On Mars.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose

I will get a kicking for this.....

Steps, looking like he is about to administer a kicking

Cheap at half the price

Many happy returns of the day to ‘er indoors, who is 32 today. Liz is spending the day at a trade fair in Docklands, and the following day in Milton Keynes, hence the low key celebrations planned for this evening, which are in marked contrast to those enjoyed on Saturday night at that old faithful venue, the Windmill in Waterloo, where to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, black pints were 2 quid. Bearing in mind the public shoe-ing endured by those whose birthdays have historically been subject to my low wit, I thought that you might like to see the photographs I used on Liz’s card to demonstrate that the more things change, the more things change, the more they remain the same. The other picture was taken on Saturday night, before Liz’s guests arrived and prior to England’s inglorious defeat to our friends at the other end of the M4. Credit where it’s due – well done Wales. And happy birthday Huffin

Didn't she do well?

Just in case you missed yesterday’s Murdoch, you can read all about quite how much fun it is to make pasta by following this link, and clicking on the word “more” written in red to see the piece which appeared in the Sunday Times and in which Liz is quoted.

Baked bean salad revisited

Image 606, according to my camera

Sober & Alex at (Black and) Whitehead Court

Good for digestion, apparently

To be fair, lunch was a very last minute thing. Click on the image in order to get the full effect and have a proper look

Priceless (or £4.50 at Waitrose, apparently)

I never saw any evidence of it in three years.......

So, to Al’s for lunch and a photo shoot at Steptoe Towers. Whilst being conveniently placed for the station as well as being bright and airy and fitted with all mod cons, your correspondent never ceases to be flabbergasted at the ambitions of property developers. This is not the forum to bandy figures around re the cost of the delightful property our chum has purchased, but Twickenham is certainly not cheap. Al’s off the sauce at the moment (something to do with “performance” I gather – I made no further enquiries), but we were offered Muller Vitality, a pro-biotic drink or some such thing, which he keeps an extensive supply of in his amply stocked refrigerator. A recurrent motif at Steps’ flat was his adherence to the blue and white of his beloved Chelsea, with the loo brush, J-cloths and bathroom cleaner thoughtfully blending in with his blue & white bathroom tiles, which is attention to detail in anyone’s books.

Alex also introduced us to his delightful lady-friend Rachel, who is not only blessed with extremely long legs, but also a constitution of iron if the fayre provided by our host is anything to go on. We were offered frozen smoked salmon as an accompaniment to our luncheon repast, which I for one was delighted to accept. I though for a fleeting moment how far the two of us had come over the years since our three memorable years of sharing the same rent book, what with smoked salmon being offered for lunch, both with new domestic residences and all that , and for a moment I went misty eyed. Only for a fleeting moment, however, as then the microwave pinged, and an odour resembling Whiskers began to pervade Steptoe’s flat, as Alex had "cooked" the smoked salmon in his microwave for almost five minutes on high, and reduced Pitlochry’s finest produce to the consistency of cat food. It was at this point that Rachel arrived, who promptly announced that she could smell the fish in the entrance lobby to Alex’s block. You can take the Steptoe out of Oil Drum Lane, but you will never take the Steptoe out of Alex. Or the smoked salmon out of the microwave until it’s been properly “defrosted”.

As we were leaving , Rachel announced that they were going the dogs that evening. Sometimes, punch lines have a helpful habit of writing themselves, although on this occasion even I was lost for words as I battled with the first indications of indigestion of the day.

Messing about on the river

The 2006 Boat Race crews (Cambridge came second)

2 bloggers in the Westminster University boathouse

Reynolds, Bush & Liz

Comarde Ralli & Eric

For anyone who has any interest is sporting matters of a Corinthian nature, I am delighted to report that the 153rd University Boat Race is scheduled to take place on Saturday (hurrah) 7th April at 4.30pm, and will be shown live on ITV. The pictures reproduced above are from the 2006 festivities, which brought its usual stream of casualties as is customary on such an occasion, which was and is, as ever, a splendid day out for all the family. Cancel your Easter plans now, and hope to see you there.

Oil Drum Lane

Serial monogamist Steptoe Bacon

Providing the best laid plans of Sober & I come to fruition, we are off to see Al’s new flat in Twickenham for the first time this weekend. Having not observed Alex’s style of interior decoration for quite some time, I look forward to examining photographs of the happy times he spent at University and a collection of Edwardian hunting scenes which no doubt adorn his walls. Or not, as the case may have it.

The mouth of the Thames

Carry on blogging

If you feel that the information contained in this blog is a tad trite, perhaps you might enjoy reading some more heavyweight analysis of the news of the day, as seen through the eyes of the publican’s friend, Sober Dave. Our chum presents his reflections on life, the universe and Tony Blair at the Soberius Tavern, an interactive pub chat for those who do not require beer with their blogs, although I often feel that a swift half helps my digestion of his oft-misguided rants. Enjoy.

You must be very proud

Liz in her party frock

Borehamwood's premier pasta manufacturer

I am delighted to report that Liz’s employer, Ugo Foods, was awarded 5th place in the “Sunday Times Best Small Business to Work For” awards yesterday evening in Battersea Park. Liz was understandably delighted, and arrived home yesterday evening in a state of “euphoria”, brandishing a supplement in which she is quoted and on whose cover a photograph of her employer appears, wrapped in noodles made by Liz herself.

Read all about the delights of Ugo Foods in the Sunday Times this Sunday. And yes, I am very proud.