Things to miss when crawling home from the pub!

There you are at the pub. It is late and they are about to close. You just finished your 29th half pint and are on your way to number 30. It has been a productive day, but now you need to think about the crawl home. You carefully put on your gloves and knee pads. After running head first into a telephone booth you now also strap on your helmet. Here are a few items to stay away form on your crawl home....or as a matter of fact anytime.

This stuff is really sticky and hard to off your gloves and knee pads!

The Problem With Drinking Beer

You know how the first beer goes down so easily and the second can follow so quickly. So you now have two pints sloshing around in your belly. Let me tell you that is not exactly correct. For what you really have is a pint in your bladder and a second pint trying to work its way into your bladder as well. You will not notice this until you are about one third the way back to your flat. This is guaranteed!

You now have really only one of two choices at this point. Stop at the next pub you see. It should be within a stones throw. Rush in and use their toilet. The Mens is usually in the basement. Then calmly ease up to the bar and order a half pint. Have a moment and enjoy your half pint. Now this is the important point. Make sure you get rid of that second pint before leaving. You should be able to enjoy a nice stroll home.

The second choice. Just go for it. It isn’t really that far. You know you can make it. This is usually my pick of the two. By the time I get back to the building Donna is living in I must look like a three legged rabbit being chased by a rabid fox. I am trying to get the keys out of my pocket while also removing my long coat. I usually try this while wearing gloves. At this point I am breathing and sweating harder than most marathon runners at the twenty mile point. But if you make it you feel like a gold medal winner and you are ready to go celibrate with a nice cold pint. Hell, mabe two!

A day in the life of Dow

Yesterday was a work day for Donna, so that made it a day to play for Dow. After making coffee for and walking Donna to work I was back to start my day of fun. Oh, but first I needed to do laundry and clean the room and make sure the garbage was taken out.

Now doing laundry here is kind of not that much fun. The elevator is out of order. As it has been most of the time I have spent here. Donna’s room is on the 4th floor.The laundry is in the lower ground floor. I grab the laundry bag and go down from floor 4 to 3-2-1-G-LG and a couple of extra half floors in there some where. It is easier to climb Mt. Rainier. It takes three round trips for one load of laundry. Unless you forget your One Pound coins! Then you speak French and make it four round trips.

The washer is a bit on the small side. I believe it’s model is called “ front loading extra small”. You can fit about dozen pairs of Donna’s panties in or one pair of my underware. I think I would start wareing womens thongs if I lived here. You could wash about two dozen of those at one time. At two Pounds a wash that would be a real money saver!

Now the dryer is another story all together. You could fit a camel in it! I am sure some where I have a photo of someone drying a king size bed matress in one. I don’t think they put box springs in at the same time, but they could have if they had wanted. The dryer cost 20p for ten minutes. It takes about 30-45 seconds to dry my pair of underware. I always check before I use the dryer to see if any one would like to use the extra nine minutes to dry their matress, arm chair, or camel.

Then I took a shower and left the room.

It was a day filled with exploring and adventure. I took the bus to Trafalgar Square. I then walked to the Enbankment Pier and caught a water bus to Greenwich. Checked out the Maritime Museum, stood on the Greenwich Time Line and dropped by the Kings Arms Pub for a quick pint.

Then I was off to cross the Thames under water by foot. Yes, a foot tunnel was built in the late 1800’s from Greenwich over to the Island of Dogs. And yes, it does leak. Now I was on my way to catch the water bus at Masthouse Pier when all of a sudden I saw the Ferry House Tavern, standing since 1722. Time for a quick pint and off to the Tower of London. At the Tower I may have been to only tourist who spoke english.

Back on the river bus my next stop was to cross the Millinium foot bridge. But, before crossing the foot bridge I had to check out the Globe Theatre and the house where Sir Christopher Wren lived while St. Pauls was being built. I crossed the river. On the north side was a sign that stated it was 12 minutes to the Embankment tube station. That sounded like a nice stroll. So off I strolled. 12 minutes my ass. I finally arrived 45 minutes to an hour later. My dogs were starting to bark.

I was soon on the tube. Up the elevator at Goodge Street station and was within five minutes of Donna’s “flat” when I spotted a pub. Was I ever thirsty. God must love London. I am sure that is why there are so many pubs around here. Each time you go into a different pub it is a religous experience. A quick pint was enjoyed and then off to the Swan to meet Donna for a pint after work.

Yes it is true, I have fallen off my 30 pubs a day pace. I guess I will just have to come back.

Win the Prize!

Where is Donna?
Guess where Donna is and win the big prize! I need the exact location. Time of day and day of the week needed to win. Good Luck!!

David thinks he has won the prize, but he did not list the date and time. The contest is still open!

So here we are, getting all wound up at 7:pm. We just had a fabulous dinner of spagehtti, bread, and a lovely red wine dinner. We are now getting a little on the edge watching some Brit TV about people losing stones? They seem to be losing weight. Are they taking the stones out of their pockets?

I have some real issues about how Donna and I spent our day today. We had coffee in the room. Then we had coffee and a crossiant at Donna’s favorite coffee spot. Then we walked down to the Thames river where we had a cup of coffee and a plater of chips (thats’s fries for you who don’t speak english).

We took a lovely boat ride up the Thames and then a cold, dark, and lovely boat ride down the Thames. We then took the Northern Line ( the tube) back to Goodge Street station. Stopped by the store for bread and wine and then ran for the room trying not to wet our selves in the process. By the way, we made it!

Now, about the issue I have with this day. Did you notice any pub stops. Nooooo. Not a single pub stop today. Yes that means 60 pubs tomorrow. Even at a half pint per pub, that is a s--- load of beer! I had better get an early start. I am going to go ahead and buy knee pads and gloves for the crawl home. Wish me luck.

Enjoying a live concert at Camden Locks.

We did a little shopping at the Camden Street market and then enjoyed a free concert! We are having a totally fab time. The Chinese New Year started to day and Donna and I went to China town and had a lovely meal of calamari. spicy prawns and cajun chicken. On the way back to the flat we stopped for a quick pint. Now I am all partied out and need my beauty sleep. Over and out.

No one told me London is so dangerous!

Well if you haven't read Donna's blog already, then here is the BIG news! She recieved her first pay check and and then was robbed! Not once, but like six or seven times. She went to check her balance at the ATM and then was going to take me out for dinner and a wild night of pubbing when all of a sudden the ( plug your ears kiddies) damn ATM wouldn't give her card back. We finally left with the card stuck in the ATM and I went and bought dinner and wild and crazy pub times.

Welllllll, the next day we went to the bank and found you she had been taken by one of the many highly trained thieves of jolly ol' London. They had taken her for 500 pounds cash and over a 1000 pounds in purchases. Needless to say, not only was I upset by having to pay for the previous nights expences, but now I am having to deal with my wife who is acting like a liger (Yes, that is liger. They are known for their strength and mystical powers.) who just had its young taken from it. Those poor people at the bank. I am sure they thought all the Roman and Greek gods had gotten together for the tempest of all times. You see, they don't know my wife like I do. I sat next to her in the managers office smiling, patting her leg and hoping Scotland Yard would not be coming to take her away. I had no money for bail. I had spent it on dinner the night before and well, Donna didn't have any money because she had been "stuck up". I am sure the person or persons were armed with like, bazookas.

The good news is this was fruad against the bank and Donna is covered. Now for some real news!
I have finally figured out how to have a beer in 30 pubs a day. I am her for 20 days so 600 pubs. That just will just about cover London.

Look at it this way. 30 pubs in an eight hour pubbing day. That is a pint every 16 minutes. after about six hours (+/-) you find yourself doing a lot of crawling between pubs. The streets of London are kept tidy, but are not all that clean, vomit, urine, etc. So, I have decided that if you only drink half a pint at each pub, not are you able to hit 30 pubs a day, but it is not as hard on your pocket book or the knees of your trousers! Cheers!!

When Donna Is Away at Work Dow Will Pub (a little)

Been Busy. Been Sick.

I have been busier than a cat covering up mess. There are so many pubs here I don't think I am going to be able to get to all of them in three weeks! But I will give it my best. I caught Donna's bug and was out of pubbing for a day. Hope I can get back into the grove tomorrow.

The Phantom of the Opera was fabulous. Dinner was great. Donna did have a couple of coughing attacks during the play. Had there been an empty seat I would have moved, but I was stuck.

Every one over here are so excited about Obama over here. Can you blame them We just had dinner at an Italian diner and our waiter (from Italy) is very excited about Obama and how the world feels about him.

Well on a sour note, the British Museum said no to my offer to volenteer. They obviously don't know who I am. They have not seen the last of me. They only want long term volunteers. Talk about picky.

My nose is running like a river and I have no tissues.

Still in London

Donna in her room

That is right I am still here in rainy, windy, cold London. I lied it was sunny ......for about an hour! This is starting to remind me of the Northwest.

We took the bus (#19) to Harrods where we purchased two lead crystal wine glasses for Donna's room. They are much nicer than the coffee cups to drink our Spanish Red Mesa Wine out of. You take take the #14 back and it will drop you off right in front of Donna's place.

Living large in London

Hello All,

Guess where I am now. You probably guessed it by the title. That's right, jolly ol' England!

I am over visiting Donna at her place of blogging. We are having a great time, but not what I would call wild and crazy. We have seen a movie, Slum Dog Millionaire, gone food shopping, listened to a guy in drag singing in a pub, had a beer in a pub, borrowed a bed and table, had bread, cheese and box wine for dinner, and have been having to sneak into Donna's room. Yep, more to come. By the way Donna may get deported for breaking so many rules! These Brit's should have known to do a complete FBI, CIA, NSA , TSA, and Interpol background check on her. They never checked with me! I chould have filled them in!

Donna is Skyping with Kate as I type. We are pretending we don't know each other when in the building that she lives in. We don't want any one to know we are a couple. Then they might check her room and find the bed and table. Oh, and the pillow.

I bought a brand new watch today.Four puonds 87 p.It is really cool. I will post a photo of it. Now Donna is telling Kate how we need to borrow some silverware.

Donna's TV is so cool! Every thing is doubled on the screen. When you watch soccer you have twice the number of players, but they are playing with two balls!! Double the excitement!!

Well, I better go. We are about to go up and sneek me into her room. Hope we don't get caught!!

Boston Layover

Yes, you all can thank me for keeping my postings short and to the point. I just read Donna's last posting. Good God! Is the woman writing a book!

Today I am in Boston. It is a lovely day outside. At this time it is 16 degrees, cloudy and to make it absolutely perfect the wind is blowing about 20 mph off the bay. I am about to go to Dunkin Donuts for my breakfast, a Boston Cream and a medium coffee. Some times I go out to the edge of living large and have cream with my coffee, but I feel like a black today!

Lucky for me my flight is running about 2 hours late, so that gives me time to get back over to Dunkin Donuts for lunch.

I sure hope all of you following my blog are finding it as exciting and interesting as I do! I now have a camera, so I hope to be posting some really cool photos. Later!!

My Oh My!!

Looks like Donna may start having as much fun as I am having. She now has a TV. I hear it sort of gets four stations. I get about a million, but only watch about four. Well I will be over checking up on her soon.

Adious

Things got just a little too crazy last night. I am in Boston. Last night I was up until midnight watching Oklahoma and Flordia State play for the college title and reading. Waaayyyy past my bed time. OK I know that is only 9pm Portland time but it seemed really late. Did I mention that I had a small bag of chips and a diet root beer while watching the game. I know what you're thinking,"This guy is out of control!!!"

There is no way my wife could be having this much fun in London. She dosen't even have a TV.

Well I better sign off. I feel the stationary bike calling my name!

Wow! The cats have been out playing. Just got back from Vancouver BC with my daughter. We got lost, stuck in the snow and ended up with really wet feet. The high point was the hot fudge shake on the way north and the hazelnut shake coming back south.

On our drive we saw 10 eagles, three deer, one dead barn owl (now missing a wing), a huge flock of trumpeter swans, and hawks to many to count. Hope all of you enjoyed watching TV this weekend.

We are giving some serious thought to playing scrabble later. Yes and we may have a cup of tea while we play. Later

Things are crazy around here!!

Yes things got wild around here last night after Donna left for London. Yea, we ate pizza and watched the Rose Bowl. OK now hold on to your head......later we played Scrabble. Madeline won and I was a very close second with her boy friend from Arkansas coming in a distant last. I think I was asleep by nine. Had to get up at four for work and get the boyfriend, Nate, to the airport.

Things are about to get wild again. You probably guessed it. We are about to take down the Christmas tree. Then who knows what! Maybe go out to Gustav's for dinner/happy hour. My fingers are starting to cramp up from all this typing. Gotta go.