General miscellany

For photos which don't belong anywhere else...

One ♣ Zwei ∞ Trois € Cuatro ¥ Cinque α Seis π Zeven © Osam

I have been meaning to do this for quite some time, this being a page or set of pages which covers all the photos that I have snapped over the years that fall through the cracks of the main events.  As I only bought a digital camera as late as 2005 (oh, the excitement), that particular year is the starting point for this disconnected bunch of pictures.  Prior to that, I relied on others' cameras, or else I used a disposable camera (another project might be to get some of those on here, but perhaps it's better for all concerned if they remain where they are...).

The litmus test as I meandered through the random folders on my laptop was that I was repeatedly amused and surprised, and so I felt I must share them.  Since there is no theme running through these, it's probably best to run through them chronologically.

Late 2005

It seems fitting to start with the first one (don't worry, I'm not doing them all), if only because this is the first ever photo I took on my digital camera (my old one, anyway).  It's also a reminder of what our City South flat looked like, our first rung on the property ladder, acquired in September 2005.

Our furniture was still a little minimalist at that point, although we did manage to install a life-size Richard Edwards figurine, in classic reaching for a cuppa pose.

It's 2005, going on 1925, as Avis and Graham Schofield grace us with their presence.

There'll be a few pictures of food on here.  At first, this seems to have been the partial inspiration for the Lessons In Cookery section of my main website that I began doing not so longer after this (photos for which were taken by the more professional Matt).  Here is the construction of a simple chorizo and gouda salad.

Chop some lettuce and miniature plum tomatoes, simmer slices of chorizo sausage with chunkily chopped onion, cut up a block of gouda cheese, and tear a ruddy great chunk of "onions" bread.  Serve.  (The chorizo, gouda and bread will all have come from the Christmas markets which must have been a relatively new thing then.  Now they are old hat of course, albeit still enticing.)

Never mind that, though (you don't win friends with salad, as Homer Simpson once sang).  Here is one of my signature dishes - lasagne.  I will have made it cheesier than a really cheesy thing, and evidently added some decorative slices of red onion.

Oh my god, she still has this blanket.  She does like to curl up on the sofa.  It's strange that she likes dogs since she displays the behaviour of a cat.

This was a sneaky shot of Lynne and her friend Lucia that I took when Matt asked me to (I was chatting to him online).  He is obsessed with physical appearances.

Ok, this is all a bit dull, eh.  It's time for a bit of part action!  Well now, if I'm not mistaken, this is Jonathan and David singing their hearts out during karaoke night at the City Road Inn.  Either that or they have signed up to Fellatio - Basic Lessons 101.

They are actually a little bit crazy, don't you think?  But hey, it's half-11 on a Friday night - they're alcohol-fuelled and they're having a sing-song.

Elsewhere in the public house, a few of my home cronies have assembled - Doylie, Eddie and Claire (awkward now-ex alert!) - Liam is not pictured.

The boys are looking a bit glum.

Meanwhile, back at the oche (or whatever), Lynne is, possibly, massacring Killer Queen.  She has a great voice but this ain't the song for her.  It may not be that, though.  I think I have a video somewhere, though.

Dave and J-No are back in the saddle, seemingly up for some requests from Miss Schofield.

This phrase might not have existed back then (December 2005 in case you're not keeping up), but it looks like a bromance is developing.  They even have matching shirts.

It's all too much for some people.  Eddie, in particular, is not enjoying the racket.

Coming up soon... more photos.

There aren't many photos of me on here, at least not many where I'm not gurning, but here is one, taken just before our 2005 work black tie Christmas do.  This gets wheeled out most Decembers after I made the sensible decision to buy one rather than burn money on renting each year.

I didn't take my camera along, so there are no further photos of the event, which is just as well (although they often have disposable cameras at the tables, which is the stuff of NIGHTMARES).

Christmas 2005

So it's on to Christmas Day itself, the Barlows the hosts, and you don't get much better a host than Sir Graham Barlow, perhaps looking a bit too pleased with himself, although it is late afternoon and therefore alcohol will have been consumed.

Matt looks a bit fed up (presumably hungover) as he half-heartedly points his (more expensive) camera back at me.  (I can't be bothered removing the red-eye for this one.)  Hair needs a cut, though.

Now this is the British way to have your Christmas dinner.  Well, certainly in the North West.  Eagle-eyed viewers will note one of Matt's favourite tipples, Jack Daniels, in the foreground.

Here is the spread, in an unnecessarily arty shot.

All sorts of action going on here.  Matt is the predator hunting down a picture of Graham, but unbeknownst to him Mark has seemingly affixed a sticker saying "I've got a small one".  Such jolly japeries.

Needless to say that Christmases generally blend into one now, and so I can't really recall what happened, but I have to say that people look pretty bored.

At least Matt can find some entertainment with the pepper.

I made my own entertainment - checking out an old photo of the Barlows for muchos comedy value.  [Sigh] That was a different era.

A scrap might have livened proceedings...

...but no, instead we had to witness this.  There are more normal ways of doing this, I'm pretty sure.

The boys look moody in the lounge (I'm assuming Katie has grabbed the camera here)...

...whilst in the boring drawing room, the oldies look at photos.  Shall we go clubbin'?

This how I know that Katie has the camera.  There are worse ones than this, which I can publish upon request.

Good to see Matt retaining his northern roots - yes, it's cheese and biscuits (and pickled onions) time.

I swear we just spent the entire day sat around the table eating and drinking...

...yep, we did.  (I guess that's what you do on Christmas Day.)

And, er, my mum plats Graham's hair.  I think.

Might need to go onto the next page for this.  Beginning to think that Christmas Day 2005 should have got its a page in its own right, but it's too late now.  (It's not.)