It's a bird your Majesty ma'am......

Continuing the best of british summer, here we are at Royal Ascot on the opening day of the new grandstand, along with her Majestay and about 80,000 lesser peeps in fine suits and silly hats :-)

This was a memorable day, we had a great time. Susan's hat has a stuffed bird on it - really !

Picnic before going in, here's champagne charlie knocking back the good stuff (you can't take it with you, as the saying goes, but in this case you really can't take drinkies in)


On a different day (of course) at Lords Surrey-Middlesex T20 game we bumped into another ex-RMer Andrew Wise, Terry's right hand man - now doing well for himself at Harwell - enjoyed recapping the inside track with hindsight and all that :-)

Oi ! Who painted my dog ?

Go England......I hope these dogs won't need a swift respray in a few weeks....:-) Saw these dogs at the Hollybush, Osney - surely it must have seemed a good idea at the time....... :-)) It's world cup time, any betting tips welcomely received, especially good ones. Australia to reach the semis ? Isn't Betfair wonderful.

Ding Dong Daddio Davidson

Thx for the gig Louis, thoroughly enjoyed it :-)) Here's Doug playing a dep gig with the Ding Dong Daddios, jump jive swing band - what a hoot !! such a laugh :-)) check it out www.dingdongdaddios.com - Louis Jordan sort of thing - photography a bit dodgy soz - gig was at the Retreat...........always such a great crowd there. Doug's good pal Louis knows more songs than anyone, including lyrics - how do you do it ? Great to catch up again after a few years since Louis and the Preludes :-)

All Thespians, Horseracing and Cricket

Susan discovers cherry beer and a great pub/fringe theatre venue in Little Venice called the Canal Café Theatre www.canalcafetheatre.com - has some great writing and comedy in a little theatre above the pub, only 5 mins from Paddington station. Cherry beer seems to help the comedy along, apparently. Quality pub/night out - give it a go :-)


Here we are at the Epsom Derby last week - Doug is on a long losing run right now.......however the Derby is an institution of an event so still had a good time - and there was the usual Davidson family get together including the crew who last met up entirely by accident at the Melbourne cup last Nov. Susan's friend Emma was nearby at the Derby but we missed her and Brian - doh Nevertheless great weather and a fine day.


The Rose Bowl - you have to love this ground - cricket is great this summer so far, and after all cricket is a decadent waste of time :-) Hampshire have a great team of course. Sunshine, wine the sound of leather on flesh..........we are Middlesex members, but shhhh.......Hampshire are a fine team. Susan painted the pavillion red with a glass of wine that went everywhere - I think you can just see the pink tint in the picture....:-)