Tuesday, August 29, 2006

The World's Shortest Ghost Story


Not, I hasten to add, my own creation; It was first told to me over thirty years ago as a joke.


Two strangers were talking.

"I do not believe in ghosts" said one.

"Don't you?" said the other as he vanished.



Other people's camps - Smoke Ghost
Other people's camps - Smoke Ghost a photograph by Colonel Blink.

WAXHAM BURNING


Burn All Pirates, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

These images come from two bonfires at Poplar Farm, Waxham this year.

(Sometimes called "Norwich-On-Sea" Poplar Farm, Waxham provides a low cost anarchic camp site. (a kind of rock festival unencumbered by bands)
Occasionally, usually at the weekend, there are communal bonfires. These are images from two held this year.

One Of Tiny's Waxham Bonfires no2

There is nothing better than a communal bonfire and an ample supply of alcohol for letting ones hair down. Perhaps they should be supplied on the National Health.

One Of Tiny's Waxham Bonfires no5

The first image of the burning guy : After a day and a night of gale force winds and heavy rain, the sun almost came out. This was the second gale in five days and the kids were going stir crazy stuck in the tents. On the day after to lift their spirits we let them build a bonfire in the shape of the Black Pearl complete with a 'guy' representing Captain Jack. By next morning another wind had sprung up and we saw more tents blown down.

The other images are of one of the regular weekend bonfires; this particular one made by one of the most persistant bonfire builders known as Tiny. Tiny is a Waxham regular and "character"; he has his name for the same reason Little John was called 'Little'. He is also a fine singer of off-colour songs and has a love of bonfires that borders on pyromania.

One Of Tiny's Waxham Bonfires no8

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Not (flag)Waving But Drowning

Anyone else notice how as soon as England were so soundly knocked out of the World Cup all those boring articles about the flag of St George being reclaimed from the BNP stopped appearing in the broadsheet newspapers? In times like these of course, it does not help the cause of little Englander flag waving that the flag of St George is a crusader cross and therefore like a red rag to a bull to anyone from the Middle East.


Within a week of the English Soccer team dropping out of that tournament all the flags disappeared and we returned to our natural state of being embarrassed by any outward signs of patriotism; prefering to leave that sort of thing to the non cricket playing lesser breeds such as the Americans, the Scottish and er the BNP.

End Of Empire

Monday, August 21, 2006

It occurs to me

It is not all beer and skittles leading the life of a hedonist