Armageddon ? I Think Not ...

...Ok coming home from work last night there was this all-pervading smell of alcohol in the air (passive drinking - now there's a thought...) This morning - alcohol and urine (passive peeing - saves getting up in the middle of the night !!) The "Manchester United Evening News" would have us believe that last night in Manchester was a cross between 9/11, World War 3 (and 4) and the Last Days of Sodom and Gomorrah. When you actually talk to an on-duty copper who says "Not much different to a normal New Years Eve", it does tend to put it into perspective a bit - 42 arrests out of 150,000+- small percentage - one stabbing - OK not good - but it happens on the streets of Manc almost on a daily basis. But then again if we didn't moan about something - we'd only moan. One lovely quote in the MUEN from the Marketing Manager of the Triangle shopping precinct - "It has had a negative effect for us in terms of footfall" - what a pompous ass (allegedly) - my heart is bleeding heavily for you - obviously you do loads of trade on a Wednesday - be thankful it wasn't a Saturday eh ??

Don't forget - up our way tomorrow - our local Sassenachs (and often the "invaders" from Oldham) have a chance to even things up a bit in the "Beer and Best Behaviour Wars" during the Whit Friday band contests - let's see the Evening News "bull" that up for Saturday's early editions - with all-day opening it's just not the same anymore - a couple of years ago they had to have a two-hour "close-down" of Mossley pubs on the Whit Friday afternoon - on police advice .... I'll be waiting for the owner of (just an example) Mossley Wholefoods coming out with the "negative footfall" quote - it won't happen (and if it did it certainly wouldn't make pages 1,2,3 and 4 of the MUEN !!) So as they won't get the publicity that the Triangle Shopping Centre got .... I give you ..

http://www.mossleyorganicandfinefoods.co.uk/

(our veg box arrived today - as it does every Thursday - and they do good bottled beer as well !)

In prep for tomorrow night - I'm drinking 37 bottles of White Lightning and using the punch bag - actually we've been out for a bit of a stroll (including a quick tincture at the Dysarts Arms) !!!

Some exotic barbed wire for starters ...



...and here's Derek - the Heyheads Dalmatian - who got slobber all over my lens the friendly "chap" !!



..and finally - through the hedge - some bowls at Carrbrook ...



I guess me and Mrs Smiffy will have another wander tomorrow evening - it'll be strange not to have a contest at the "New Bridge" in Mossley this year (two differing stories here - one = no-one to run it; and two = police didn't want it - you tell me....) We'll certainly go for a Millstone Brewery-related contest...can you guess where this might be ??
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