Diana and the Duke

Posted on March 31st, 2008 by bryan.
Categories: General.

We can all sleep a little easier tonight. It turns out that neither the Duke of Edinburgh nor MI6 ordered or carried out the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. I’m glad LJ Scott Baker has cleared up this confusion, because I’d almost been persuaded by Mohamed al Fayed’s allegations that Prince Philip had a secret service control room in Balmoral Castle! The inquest has cost close to £7m of taxpayer’s money, but I’m sure we all agree that it was money well spent.

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A question of inquiries

Posted on February 24th, 2008 by bryan.
Categories: General.

Please, please, please can we get over the death of Princess Diana. Or, more accurately, will Mohamed Al Fayed please learn to deal with and to accept the tragic death of his son and the Princess. We have now had countless inquiries and reports into the events of that night in Paris in 1997, each of which has concluded that the deaths were accidental. But still Al Fayed draws out the affair, with accusations against anyone and everyone that crosses his path.

Is, as sketch-writer Simon Hoggart appears to hint, this whole exercise aimed at clearing the Al Fayed family name? As he recalls, ‘when the Princess died she had just left a Fayed hotel in a Fayed car, and was being driven to a Fayed house by a Fayed driver, protected by a Fayed security guard and sitting next to Fayed’s son’ (The Guardian, ‘A question of inquiries’, 23 February 2008).

It does give you something to think about.

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Bank Holiday weekend - August 2007

Posted on August 28th, 2007 by bryan.
Categories: General.

I’m not the religious sort, but thank God for Bank Holidays! Work has been a nightmare recently - and probably will be until October - so it’s great to have a long weekend followed by a four-day week. And not just any long weekend, but a SUNNY weekend - maybe He is keeping an eye on us!

As with all Bank Holidays, the weekend began at work on the Friday. A group of us went for lunch to Miso in Camden - not bad food and great portions! We didn’t touch a drop of alcohol, but we still managed to giggle our way through the rest of the afternoon. It wasn’t a totally ‘dry’ day though, as I went out for a few drinks after work - OK, so it was probably closer to four bottles of wine - but it had been a hard week.

Graeme and I spent Saturday afternoon getting lost in Epping Forest. This gave us the chance to use the hiking boots we bought for Madeira and to enjoy the sun. It also proved wrong the myth that London is all concrete. We live almost bang in the middle of capital, but it only took 40-50 minutes on the Tube to get to the end of the Central Line and into a different world - suburbs, grass, no heavy traffic, country paths, picnics, etc. We did get a bit carried away though - during our post-walk pint, we got round to discussing possible house purchases! Oh well, apparently the average person spends only 17 minutes deciding whether or not to buy a house.

Sunday was a bit less adventurous - a walk along the Thames from Embankment to Tower Bridge, stopping off to watch the street performers, drink a pint and eat a cheese board! We then headed into Soho to look at the sights (read: ‘the boys’), before heading back to get ready for a Bank Holiday weekend night on the town. Needless to say, we both sat down and fell asleep - but it was the thought that counts!

Graeme put me to shame yesterday (Monday), leaving me at home to watch the World Athletics Championships in Osaka, whilst he went to the gym. I tried to justify this on the basis that I spent the weekend walking through Epping Forest and along the Thames - but, if I’m being honest, it’s because I hate the gym and I am naturally lazy! I did have enough energy to enjoy the sun at Hyde Park’s Diana Memorial Fountain - we were hoping, as we approach the tenth anniversary of Diana’s death, to spot the odd hysterical tourist, but maybe the world is finally beginning to realise that (while she did some good things in her life) she was not a Mother Theresa. We finished the day, and the holiday weekend, at Ed’s Diner - just to add a few extra calories!

As for being back at work today - thank God (again!) for four day weeks!

NOTE: I have got loads of pics to add to the Photo Album - from this weekend and before - but I spilled a cup of tea on my laptop (doh!) and it’s away getting repaired. Unfortunately, I don’t know when I’ll get it back - Sony seems not to care about its customers (unless you’re phoning its peak rate helpline)!

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