Tap... tap... tap.... Is this thing on....?
Uncle Bernie here. I'm not usually found at the controls of the blog engine, but brother Bunting has asked that I summarise the run up to the new year in sparkling prose.
Trouble is... my short-term memory is shot to pieces after forty years on the laudinum, and I spend must gigs with my eyes shut tight to prevent my eyeballs from popping out.
Well, here goes... The main theme running through the gigs in December was illness. I have seldom seen such displays of stoicism as would compare to the lads bravely soldiering on through dysentery-like symptoms, simply to keep the patrons of our various haunts entertained.
That said, there's a lot to be said for the curative effects of the best-looking-bar-staff-in-Exeter (c) at the Bowling Green. On this occasion, nobody was afflicted too badly, and spirits were high as we dusted off the Christmas single, managing to get the whole place singing, even without the aid of the panto-style lyrics board.
By the 22nd of December, the Exe Valley was well and truly submerged. I always thought that if Stoke Canon ever made it onto the national news, Tessa would have something to do with it. However we hoved bravely through the rapids that were once the main road, amidst soggy ITN reporters and degraggled refugees in dingys and got to the Whipton and Pinhoe Labour Club well on time. I had, by this point, eaten a whole packet of 'Vocalzone' lozenges, so my voice was in great shape. Pity the same couldn't be said of my pants.
New Years Eve. Well, there lies a tale. Markie 'Mark' Williams had taken to his bed some days earlier, and was a sorry sight as he limped into the Racehorse, and collapsed on a monitor. We considered setting up a temporary field hospital in the kitchen, but sadly it was full of canapes.
The lad did good though, seeing in the new year by boshing an entire bottle of Jamesons (I swear - we should have shares) and kindly donating an extremely expensive stratocaster to some drunk girls after losing his glasses.
Good work - bring on '13.
x
