Properly pink after an unexpected burst of August 31st sun. I would pose a piccie, but it'll put you off anything you might be looking forward to.
Where'd that weekend go? Where did August go? Where'd 2010 all of a sudden disappear to?
There are a few different years within the normal Jan to December. The financial year, your own birthday year - for me April 1st + 12 months.
September 1st is definitely that for a lot of people. The NEW SCHOOL YEAR is here !!!
Party on people, it will soon be Christmas and our first year on Breakfast will be over.
Now that really is crazy.
CLP
2010
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...Brekkie Show Thursday morning; fly to Cornwall for 1230; Surfing Sporting Challenge until 1630; Jonny's quiz 1900; dinner with the team 2100 - then bed.
Up at 0515; write links; walk down to bay; do radio show in a field; fly back; rehearse One Show; do One Show; out for a few beers with Alex and the team.
Up at 0600; drop wife and child at airport; pasty, paper and home; Saturday Kitchen.
Pooped but happy.
x
CLP
2010
...my wife and I took our son to see the live show of In The Night Garden, Noah's favourite telly programme - the one staring Igglepiggle, Makka Pakka and Upsy Daisy; after which my pal said when I saw him later: "Many kids there?"
I said no, it was mostly goths and rockers. I give up on him, I really do !
But then again, he's also the guy who reckons he slows watches down. He says it's a proven human condition - for some of us to affect the watches on our wrists in such a way. But then again, he did also tell me Justin Rose had never played in the Ryder Cup before.
Anyone else have friends like him ?
Ho hum, now where's this Cornwall place ?
CLP
2010
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I could watch Mel and Sue forever on telly. They just have the perfect delivery and were delivering perfectly on our house once again last night, as it was time for The Great British Bake Off episode 2.
This meant the whole of the country had to sit through a full half hour of biscuit making, without reaching for the biscuit tin - or not !
We saw the factory that can make up to ten million biccies a day; we saw antique biccie that Sir Ranulph Fiennes bought at auction for four grand - that was the last ration of Scott of The Antarctic; and we saw the raw mixture for home made biccies. Simply - butter, flour and sugar. You want them crispier - add MORE sugar. You want them softer, like a cookie? Add honey to the mix.
Why the Great British Bake Off doesn't get more viewers than X Factor - is something I will never be able to get my head around.
When the show was over by the way, you could press the red button for Paul Hollywood's scone recipe. I believe you still can - be careful out there.
CLP
2010
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There was a big old full moon hanging in the sky to greet me when I took the dog out for a wee at quarter past four this morning. There it was, effortlessly lighting up the world like a huge glowing street lamp. Truly so big and so low, I was mindful not to bump my head on it, whilst also thinking what a marvellous testament it is to remind us of the beauty and simplicity of life.
You may have to pay £32million to hang a Van Gogh on your wall, but you get the heavens, far more breath taking, wondrous and magical all for free.
On a more earthly note, I watched the film Milk last night. Now there's a movie. . . right there. "My names Harvey Milk and I'm here to recruit you"!!!
Also had a cheeky Monday night curry, which didn't seem quite as good an idea when I woke up with heartburn at half past two. I had a pal who was so paranoid about acid indigestion, that he would put crushed up Gaviscon on his food whilst he was eating it. I'm not quite there yet, but I fear I may be on my way.
CE.
2010
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Apparently, the word on the street is that I picked my nose several times on national television on Friday night. So many people have told me - it must be true. I had no idea.
Though I have always been a picker, I have never knowingly been afflicted with the process during one of my past telly runs.
I need to begin to refrain from all off air picking, to prevent any more unintended on air work. After all, 7 o'clock on a Friday is dinner time for a lot of people. I can only apologise.
Right - what's it looking like out there - oooh, shall we all go back to bed until tomorrow ?
CLP
2010
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Alex in the back of the car, after we've been to see the Sly Stallone film with some guest reviewers.
Am I nervous? I would be lying if I said I wasn't.
See you on the telly and then back on the radio - Monday.
Clp
2010
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Tomorrow, I embark upon the first of a ten year run of Fridays on The One Show, you know I'm an all or nothing guy, I said - it's ten years or nothing and they said - try a month and we'll see how it goes but never mind that - I will have the immense pleasure, for however long of sitting askance the lovely Alex Jones for half an hour every week BUT I need your help, she always looks so good - I don't want to let her down. So below are my top five, fave tops.
One whacky shirt, one casual shirt, one slimfit - hey look it's a fatbloke trying to look thin shirt, one light v neck sweater, and the I Love Steve Wright T- Shirt.
Please take a look and give me your advice on which one, you think I should go for...
"Terrific In Teal"
"Star Crazy"
"Blooming Marvellous"
"Fat'll Do Nicely"
"Wright on!"
Jonny, me and a circus school.
What an interesting combination. Stilts - me, tight wire - Jonny (that killed me, I actually thought I might be good at that for some obscure reason).
The decider was the trapeze. Now there have been some moments on the sporting challenges, but the trapeze is right up there with them.
Nobody won, it's just that one of us lost a little less than the other.
Video up later tonight.
About to head off One Show shopping for shirts.
CLP
2010
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Dr. Hugh is my hair man.
Herr Doctor, they might call him in zee Deutschland.
He is such a dude. A hairdresser in the sixties first, and now a proper prof of the nut. No need to worry about losing your hair for 90% of blokes - if they can be bothered to do something about it.
I last saw Hugh, four years ago. I honestly had no idea it was as long as that. I thought perhaps two at the outside.
And no problems to report, he assures me. I was worried again recently - my computer keyboard has been bespeckled with loose locks for the last couple of months, but he says the substitutes have come off the bench and it should all be fine.
Phew, Hair Doctor - here's to Hugh.
Clp
2010
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Spent the vast majority of yesterday at Â鶹Éç TV Centre with The One Show gang.
S'gonna be great, especially if last night is anything to go by. . . Alex and Jason looked like they'd been doing it for years.
Already been through what's on the agenda for Friday, and even talked about Christmas!
I forgot how far in advance telly has to work. Right, more sit ups and salad and steamed fish - and let's see if I can get back down to my fighting weight.
Anything that starts with a twelve will do - as long as it's not followed by the word ton, that is.
Clp
2010
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Today we declare it: National Don't Put It Off Any Longer Day. . .
Whether you do it today, or book to do it today! Just do it either way.
I'm gonna get my hair cut today, I'm booking to see the dentist today, I'm booking to have a full on MOT - blood pressure, cholesterol, probes, the lot - they can do what they like to me - it's time, folks.
I'm gonna go home, after this, and I'm gonna sling out a load of old clothes and tomorrow I'm gonna go and buy a couple of nice new shirts. I'm gonna join my local golf club. I'm back off the dairy today. I'm red meat only at weekends from today.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, cats, dog, hamsters, guinea pigs, goldfish, hamsters and budgies - morning budgies...Today is the day in every way!
CLP
2010
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Now good people of the blog - all this talk of the pitching of tents this week has catapulted me back to a childhood of nights under the stars...but no further away than our back garden.
I think ten nights in a row was the longest we managed before Dad insisted we move the tent for the sake of the grass. When we did exactly that, I remember almost preferring the new rectangle of much paler grass that lay beneath.
The new trend of staycationing was very much alive and kicking in Warrington forty years ago - way before the Sunday supplements cottoned on to the economical craze claiming it as their own. In fact, that was before there were Sunday supplements and the arms of paperboys were still in their sockets.
When we weren't in our tent were filling the inflatable dinghy mum bought us up with water to use as a paddling pool. It was a good few years before I even realised dinghy's were meant to go in the water, not the other way round.
More water in industrial towns for kids to play on ! That's what I say Mr. Cameron - and what about a bit of tax relief on anything over a two man tent whilst you're at it.
Toodle pip you lot.
Have a weekend. Good or bad - just make sure you have one.
Clp
2010
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Yesterdays sporting challenge was football, more specifically - penalties. Now, this was one of the more important ones because I THOUGHT it was one either of us could win, one where NEITHER of us were favourites - and they are the ones that make the difference when it comes to the final tally.
However I was led to believe - we were taking penalties against David Seaman, when in fact - although David was there, ultimately Johnny and myself would be taking penalties against each other, something Johnny seemed almost over keen to be the case. It then transpired that Johnny used to be a goalie - at which point, once again, I felt the bitter tang of defeat heading my way.
When I pointed out to Mr Saunders that this, once again, seemed to swing matters somewhat considerably in his favour, along with the fact that David Seaman commented to me "EES DUN THIS BEFORE", he - of the Sports Locker and six feet four inches in his stocking feet - replied:
"Yes, but that was years ago."
Well what is that supposed to mean ? If a pilot hasn't flown for a few years, he still has infinitely more chance of landing an aeroplane than say - a hot dog seller.
Dearest bloggers, is there anything I can do to stave off such sporting skulduggery ?
CLP
2010
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It's merely a suggestion, and no more, but if you should ever have the chance - be it through financial means or otherwise - try your best to secure a house that is south facing.
The sunset has to consistently be the most dramatic, breath taking and rewarding part of the day to behold.
Tonight is simply spectacular. The blackness of the trees in the foreground, the almost too bright but distant sky, and the low indigo cloud not sure where it should be - and settling somewhere in between.
I am blown away. It's moments like this I should remember when I don't get it sometimes.
CLP
2010
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I've been offered some strange deals in my time, but none more stranger than yesterday - when somebody offered me a car - in exchange for persuading Rolf Harris not to retire.
Now obviously I think it was a joke, but here's the thing: A) I had no idea lovely Rolf was even thinking about retiring - which would be a real shame; but B) I wondered if the car might be an Australian car? Then I got to thinking, have the Australians ever made a car ?
In fact - as good as they are to have around - what have the Australians ever made ? The boomerang - ok, we'll give them that and the didge, yes, we'll give them that as too, plus I suppose, yer regulation beers...but now I'm struggling.
So my band of Breakfast Show Blog Bravehearts - is it possible for us to come up with The Top Ten Aussie produced objects together.
Who knows - even the top fifty ?
Made in Australia - really ?
CLP
2010
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Now you really don't want your life to become like a fortnights holiday, where you suddenly realise you only have two days left, and you'd better start having some fun.
Or like you're running a marathon and holding back for a sprint to the finish, but it's no use because everyone's already too far ahead of you.
The older I become the more conscious I am of mantras like these on a daily basis. It's like you have take your advanced driving test for life, and look at the cars ahead as well as - if not more so - than the one in front.
So come on, it's Monday! A whole other day to play catch up, become part of the game, or do whatever it is you have to do to tick this day off as a win.
CLP
2010
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Just driving round the M25 thinking, "Here I am being me again."
Always me, never anyone else and this is it. Imagine being someone you don't like, and having to be them instead. That must be unbearable.
The more I think about this, the more it's making me feel slightly weird. "So I'm me - and that's it - tomorrow, the day after, next year - the whole shooting match. I will only ever see through these eyes and hear through these ears, and there you are."
Well I'd better start coming to terms with that, hadn't I ?
So here's to you and here's to me and here's to all of us - 'cos that's all there is. Going for a lie down in a dark room.
Roll on the weekend.
CLP
2010
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P.S. If you've got a few minutes to spare, why not watch this week's swimming challenge with Sharron Davies.
That's not a phrase you expect hear too often, but that's what I heard today.
Book ll is finito and I have one more chance to say, "I didn't mean to say that - I meant more this."
That chance is today and tomorrow but then no more. So - bacon sarnie and cup of tea it is, and down to a bit of light reading.
"Please be what I hope I you are dear book."
CLP
2010
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...and wandered downstairs to see the wonderful sight of little green light green light on our coffee machine telling me it was ready to rock.
I selected my capsule - strength eight - popped it in. I went next to froth my milk - forgive the expression - and there in front of me, between me and the frothing canister, was "a new accessory" and don't we all love a NEW and UNEXPECTED accessory???
My wife had ordered it and it arrived yesterday - a glass chocolate shaker. It's only a small thing, but it represents so much potential joy.
I love a good bit of accessorising - what say you ?
CLP
2010
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There should be a law on putting anything at all that is not toothpaste into anything at all that even vaguely resembles a toothpaste tube - just to protect the weary riser on any given day.
This morning my experience of actually brushing my teeth with my wife's face cream is the best argument yet I have ever encountered for the luxury that is the his and her sink situation. If I were one day to have my own sink, I would have around mine nothing but a guard of honour of various toothpastes as the vanguard of my bleary eyed no risk strategy.
There would be no discarded hair clips, no nail files going rusty against the porcelain, no hair bands filled with - HAIR and definitely no used waxing strips hanging forlornly over the side.
BUT ANOTHER THOUGHT HAS SINCE OCCURED TO ME
Was this an accident all, or is my wife's Ameliesque way of subliminally beating me up into a new bathroom suite - following on from her last year's genius "cup of tea in bed for a new kitchen stunt" that she pulled.
Huh ? Huh ?
What are we saying here.
CLP
2010
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My mum used to say, "Oh stop wittering," when one of us was going on about something perhaps a little too much for everyone's good. I wonder where she picked up such a wonderfully nonsense word from.
"Mither" was another, "Munty" was in there too: all with meanings I was one day to find out, few in the rest of the world had yet discovered.
Our family also used to use some rude words innocently, yet banned other words for little or no reason at all. As this is a family blog, I will have to curtail any more in depth explanation of what those may have been.
But back to wittering. I'm off to witter some more on the radio now for a couple of hours. Wish me luck and don't worry there's always a record not too far away. Ha ha.
CLP
2010
P.S. How good are we at Athletics? How good is Sherlock? And how beautiful is the new Ferrari 458 as featured on Top Gear last eve?
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