Preparations for Life

My apologies to everyone for being so tardy the past week or so on updates. I have received your angry emails and comments and will strive to meet all further deadlines as to not disappoint my readership.

Here are some excerpts of emails that I have received:

"Colin, you are lazy and I hate you"
-Mom

"Colin-you suck. Canada needs updates"
-Stephen Harper

"Colin, did you borrow my book on public speaking? I need it back right away."
-Iggy

"Colin, can you pick up some courgettes for tonight?"
-Heather

Mmmmmm courgettes. And aubergines. And coriander.

I started getting prepared for big things in life this week. The big day is arriving soon- Wills and Kate are getting hitched and I won't be here to celebrate. I don't think that Spain will party as hard as the Midlands, so Heather and I are going to make our own party, and for us to party we need to be supplied. For cheap:

What can you get at Wilkinson's for 4.50 that equals mad party?

Jealous? Who wants to come to my wedding party. I think it will be on May 2nd. It also includes steak from the meat auction. The fee is you have to put money in my royal bank. Minimum donation: 4 pence.

On the other end of the happiness spectrum of life plans, we are getting ready for the apocalypse too. With Libya being bombed, Northern Ireland's troubles starting again, and Japan facing tragedies, we need to make sure we are safe and have a plan. In order to sleep calmly at night, we sought out a shelter in Manny and we found it. Here is the entrance to the 1953 completed NATO owned nuclear bomb shelter in Manchester.

Looks safe. Hmmm?
Actually, it was just part of an underground Manny tour that Heather and I went on with Felicia. It was really fun. We walked around the city center and got a little lesson on the construction of some of the canals, and how they were used as shelters during the blitz in WW2. We went down quite far underground.

Then down farther......

Then down farther....

....and ended up in the bomb shelter circa 1941.

Because Manny had no underground rail system, they had to think outside the box and quickly drained an underground (just covered up) canal. So as the bombs were dropping, they 'cleaned' up this canal and started shoving people in there at night--in the dark of course. It was muddy and cold and would have been so freaky with bombs dropping overhead.

Need a hand?

 I wonder how many rats live here?

Myself, I always thought of the blitz as the London blitz and never really thought about the rest of the country being affected by the Luftwaffe.
The tour guide was quite good, but I tend not to believe most of what guides say as it is usually quite sensationalized, but he did say 1000's of people died in the Manchester area during the blitz.

A room with a view please.

This is what is left of the postings of the rules. Here is a link to some from London's tube.

Click here to see the sleeping arrangements. That's close quarters.

So, I didn't get the chance to finish the pics from last week's walk around Salford and Castlefield. As promised:

Blast-er from the Past-er

One of these beauties was with me for a whole year. I can only dream of being together again.

Manny Cats!

I don't know what this cat's name is, but it is my favorite in all of Manny. If you want to pet it, just head down to Castelfield, find the Gladys Emily, and pet away (I've been back).



In honor of Nofx, his name is Fat Mike.

In other news, I joined a softball team and it is really fun. We practiced the last two weeks. It's kind of funny, but the practice is much harder than I ever have done in Canada. We run laps! It's softball for gosh sakes! It is held on the grounds of a cricket club. The funny bit is we run and practice for two hours each time, then proceed right to the pub in the cricket club for a pint or two. Quite convenient. I'm very happy to have joined up. Games start on Saturday.

Also, Jen and Jaryn arrived safe and sound on Monday, and we have already been having a stellar time. I'm sure there will be a lot of stories for next week.

OK peoples--keep it real.

CC