ALL
se, challenging Al to some form of water-themed competitive challenge that didn't involve cabin boys and locked brigs. Al, being a seasoned matelot and therefore of the senior part of the Senior Service to the namby pamby Fleet Air Arm (late employers of the aforementioned Phil), looked his loafing winged nemesis square in the eye and recalled the immortal words of the late Humphrey Bogart: "Come on then you big girly wuss-wuss, let's make it interesting", which as anyone who knows Al even slightly can confirm, invariably involves enough booze to kill a horse, three jockeys and the stable cat. Phil rose to his full stature of quite-a-bit-shorter-than-Al and, artistically smoothing his eyebrows, suggested each party bring a bottle of champagne and race over 10km on the Ergo, winner-takes-all. Al, correctly assuming that Phil had the measure of the wrong man (namely one portlier, considerably more asthmatic and actually capable of feeling pain) gladly took up the gauntlet and went off to knock out Phil the Pelican's teeth. No sooner had news of the glamorous wager broken than every man-jack in the room wanted a slice of the action.
The Sean Parry Classic pub golf went off without a hitch on Saturday. All players finished the course, including the stag himself. Who exactly won and what the final scores were are lost in the mists of time, but we are reliably informed that a good time was had by all.
Autumn nears and the scent of harvest is in the air. Mellow fruitfulness hangs heavy over the land as summer enjoys its last hurrahs. But before we all pack up the lawn chairs and baton down the hatches for the grim onslaught of winter, there's glory to be had, and it's Otter-shaped.
The plan is to get an Otter entry in every class (other than Lifestock and Standing Corn, unless some of you have been hiding your animal husbandry under a bushel of wheat, so to speak. All smock-wearing tractor drivers step forward now, or forever hold your potato riddler).
Ah, the drowsy river on a gentle summer's day. The far off song of leather on willow, the gentle chirruping of tits as they flit through the hedgerow, Pimm's in a tall glass and the lazy splash of swans dappling the water.Fellow dragonboaters,
All set! We’re in for Marlow; had my confirmation this morning. We have 2 teams – The Chertsey Otters and The Even Nicer Chertsey Otters. Hope everyone is running and training and eating chicken.
There are still training slots available on 2 June on the river in Marlow, but inconveniently timed. One at 1730 and one an hour later. I know some of you were keen to do this. It costs £100 for the hour and we’d need at least 10 people. Methinks is going to prove too difficult, but let me know if you are keen and we’ll see what sort of response we get all in all.
[Editor's note: this would also seem to run counter to the Otters' ethos of 'just turning up and winning']
Gazebo:
We can hire a Gazebo and patch for the regatta day itself which will be super if it looks like rain. I suggest we get one per team which will cost a couple of pounds each.Any objections let me know! We’re not allowed to take our own, due to pesky revenue-collecting rules…
Fancy Dress:
If you are keen, don’t think this will interfere with our winning power and are willing to take the lead (cos I’m not!) , please go ahead!
Okidoke. Till Philippi. Per aspera ad Marlow. Etc.
K
No problem as long as you promise NOT TO STAY FOR THE QUIZ
Cheers Tony
Yours Sincerely
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Cable
Sent: 31 March 2009 21:19
To: .Crown Hotel
Subject: FAO Tony: Chertsey Amateur Beer Festival
Dear Tony,
I don't know if you've heard of Chertsey Otters RFC, but it was founded in your pub (see potted history below). The latest endeavour of the club is a strictly amateur brewing competition (http://chertseyotters.blogspot.com/2009/03/st-george-beer-challenge-try-your-hand.html), which
What we lack, however, is venue to do the tasting and have the prize-giving. Now, you might think it's a bit odd to contact a pub and ask the manager if we can bring unaffiliated ales onto the premises for the purposes of a beer competition that doesn't involve Messrs Youngs or Wells directly. But bearing in mind that the only person tasting these beers - many of which stand a good chance of being unpalatable swamp juice - is the hapless out-of-town brewer; and that everyone else will be drinking your own fine selection of chilled beverages; and those no doubt in pretty alarming quantities; and that you are nothing less than a benevolent and sainted individual, I thought I'd ask anyway.
The plan was to do the afternoon of Sunday 26 April, with a good chance plenty of people will stay on for the quiz afterwards. Appreciate if your response combines 'direction away from' plus a command related to procreation. Fingers crossed, eh. What do you reckon?
All best,
Ichi
PS Promise never again to bring up the fact that the crab is an animal.
PPS Or mention that Wales came fourth.
1. Brew your own beer, to be ready on or near St George's Day (23 April).
2. The starting recipe to which all competitors must adhere is attached as an image (click on it to see it reet big - it's dead easy to do).
3. You may enter solo or form teams, but not with professional brewers.
4. The results to be judged by a professional brewer (he's the bigger of the two in the photo). A minimum of 5 bottles must be submitted.
5. No lager.
6. Your beer must be christened.
Handy contacts:
