It was a bit damp on Saturday morning, and the rain postponed the chainsawing that I was going to do so instead I headed to town. I had to go to ASDA but as I had a bit of time to myself I had a wander around the town centre which I always enjoy doing.

As I made my way down the side of the bus station that green grocers was blasting out music which I’ve not known them do before. Annie Lennox’s No More I Love You’s. It was just starting so she was going through the do-be-do–be-do-do-do oh bits so I had to join in loudly. I bet the bloke in front was pleased that he was wearing headphones.

I got to ASDA and I’m not going to sound like a proper bloke here but I bloody love shopping. I’d do it more often if I had the money. I like marching down the aisles, hunting for bargains, glaring at people that leave fridge doors open and tutting at those who block the access to the reduced chilled section with their trolleys.

I need stuff for work so headed straight for the Rustler burger fridge, and the shelves were bare. Just sausage baps were available. I can only assume Mr Rustler was stuck in his lorry on a motorway somewhere. Mr Ginster got my custom instead.

I headed home as Craig was due round. It was the weekend before payday and I was not flush so I’d initially turned down his approach for a meet up but he offered to buy me booze and a curry and I can certainly deal on those terms so happily accepted.

The pre departure music was random even by my standards. Candy by Cameo was first up. At work in the week “3” a classic but largely forgotten 2009 Briney Spears song popped in my head even though I’d not heard it in years so I played that too. It’s a song about threesomes. I pointed out to Craig that he was still in the spare room on the night and I wasn’t planting the seed for a bit of late night action with an as of yet unknown lady. I think he was a bit disappointed.

We were going to meet Dave and Neil so it was off to The Lyndon House. I was asked recently when I last went in there and it really threw me. I want to say this year but I don’t think it is. Time is going so fast nowadays it could easily be last year. With the way time is flying I’m seriously considering not buying a 2024 calendar as it’ll feel like I’ll get 4 months use out of it.

Dave was already in the bar and had got the beer in so that was good. Ken Beckett the 1st person I met when I joined AMCS was in and he came over to say hello. “6 minutes” Dave exclaimed. “I wondered how long it would take you to see someone you know but six minutes?” I am quite well known to be fair.

Neil arrived and we moved onto The Black Country Arms. They had my favourite ale Lemon Dream on but I thought a 4.5% jobbie was a bit much for only my second pint so I opted for a 3.8% called Resplendent Perspective because I liked the name. Unfortunate that had just gone so had to choose again, I gave the wrong number in my panic and ended up with a 5.2% Enville stout. I don’t do stout but it was a good pint. I also had a pulled pork bap which was excellent.

We discussed The Wetherspoons Game which is a Facebook group where you announce the pub you’re in and which table number and then people send food and drinks to you. I can’t be doing with that to be fair as much as I love free food and drink. I do quite like the idea though of picking a random table in St Matts Hall and putting that out there and sitting back and observing as the freebies start to roll in and confusion arises.

We also discussed what our darts nicknames and walk out music would be. I lean towards the dark side of the force so said my name would be Darth Saddler although the lads thought I said Darts Saddler whilst appropriate but wouldn’t reflect my evil tendencies. I also stated my walk out music would be “How Can We Be Lovers?” by Michael Bolton as neither the crowd or my opponent would be expecting it.

We moved onto The Oak Inn and I settled at a reserved table. There is something nice about sitting at a table that is reserved for some one else. Craig commented “it;s reserved for the Mayor”. I’m not Mayor yet but I’ll take it.

We moved onto The Registry where my best friend Swill was, who was on a Quenn Mary’s School reunion event. My mate Martin was alkso there so it was good to see them.

From there we hit Katz as it is the usual end of night venue although when we got upstairs the retro gaming machine had gone. No games of Pleasure Goal. I deduced that The Pools Panel would award me a home win over Craig in light of our form from the last games. We rounded the night off with a curry in Gurka Bhojan which was really good.

Back at mine we did a music quiz featuring songs from 1990. The year I left my hell hole of a secondary school and got my first job. In those days I thought I had the world at my feet but it turned out I’d got the world at my arse instead which is a bit different.

Cracking Saturday though, and big thanks to Dave, Neil and Craig for the good times.