Overdue and Overdrawn

As you may have noticed, I'm quite good at setting myself goals but not quite so good keeping scoring them. In April last year, I blogged to apologise that we hadn't made our quarterly Survey draw for six months so had to do two in one. Of course, I promised faithfully and possibly even believed at the time that I would be a good boy in the future.

The other day, it suddenly occurred to me that once again I'd lapsed and on further investigation, discovered that it was over nine months since our previous draw.

Therefore, this time our Friday lunchtime guests pulled out three forms from the bag. Congratulations to Deryn Preston, E.W.Perry and Mrs. Sloane & Hadwick all of whom were the winners of a free weekend at the Welbeck Hotel. And all they did was fill out our survey form.

From Quick wit to Dimwit in a Keystroke

Beware the perils of Facebook!

(My FB profile picture.)

Last night after a meal out and a few drinks, I decided to have a look at Facebook and returned to a thread I'd been on earlier with people moaning about the continued dark nights dismal mornings.

It's a time of year that I actually find quite exciting as the days gradually lengthen to signal spring on the way, so I thought my 'FB friends' were being a bit maudlin and contributing to their own depression when actually there was great cause for optimism.

Of course, I explained, I was now fired up and armed with the righteousness of alcohol, so when I read that another FB friend had had a 'dans leg,'lost in the post, I thought all her other friends were being a bit over the top with their sympathy about a lost package, I immediately shot back to my athlete 'friend,' 'I hope it's not your running leg;)'

Suddenly a belated consciousness, not to mention a small bit of foreboding kicked in as I re-read some of the other 'Comments,' so I wrote, 'And by the way, what is a dans leg?'

Of course, you've probably guessed already what my befuddled brain initially missed and as my FB friend now explained, it was her son Daniel's prosthetic limb that had been waylaid by the postal service. You can imagine how big and clever I felt then.

Luckily she also has a sense of humour and she tried her best to assuage my guilt but I can envisage a few shaking heads in the FB community and beyond into real life.

I'll lay low on the 'Comments' section for a little while me thinks.

Don't drink and Facebook! It's not safe!

And to Wendy: Please remember to use punctuation in future. Its absence can confuse the stupid! Once again, I do apologise and hope 'dans leg' turns up soon.

Friends Indeed

Rob Clarke, Neil David,Chris Crooke,Michael Uzzell, Phil Clarke, Keith Rostron with son Michael, Ian, Symon Johnstone (stood up,) Scott Glander, Angela Ralph (friend of Mark Norman who missed the group photo)Paul Uzzell, Ross Jones (Angela's partner)



It's always great to see old friends walk through the door, hopefully, though not always to stay with us and one such a chap, a T.T. regular, Ian Neale came in last week, unfortunately, while I wasn't around.



He does a lot of work with the new Parish Walk sponsors, Manx Telecom and often comes to the Island just for the day and if he has time, pops in for a visit.



If you have been a Welbeck blogophile for some time or know our family personally, you will know that when our grandson, Happy was born last April, he and my daughter Lucy had an extended stay in the Special Care Baby Unit. Thus we formed a team for the Parish Walk called, The Scbubies in order to raise a few pounds to help provide a few of the extras that our health service is unable to.



The surprise that Ian had for us last week was that at their annual track day, the lads had managed to collect £200 S.C.B.U. and he was delivering the cheque.



Therefore, I would like to say a big thank you to all the boys and we hope to see as many as possible over here this year or in the future.

This is Phil Clarke taking the bend in what he assures me is classic, pure, Mike Hailwood style. Who am I to argue? Unfortunately, due to health reasons, he won't be with us this year for the first time since the non-TT of 2001. Best wishes and we all hope you get well again soon.

Dolphins Do Douglas Bay

After all the rain and wind, here on the Isle of Man, we've just had a few marvellous winter days and even though it's a little cold to stand around (as I can certain attest to having spent around a couple of hours racewalking training, followed by watching my son, Terence in two separate hockey matches,) it's been very enjoyable.



I'm not the only one to think so by the look of our aquatic visitors partying in Douglas Bay earlier this week.

One of our favourite pastimes, particularly in the summer is to go out on the Foillan Veg, a small boat owned by the Kelly family from Peel. They have a great knowledge of the local wildlife and will take you to look for sharks, whales & dolphins and birdwatching, for fishing expeditions or just a cruise up and down the coast.

Happy Grows Up!

It occurred to me that I haven't kept you very well updated as to the progress of our grandchildren, lately. Nine months after his tragic, yet heart lifting entry into the the World, Harry (or Happy as he was called after the first time I tried to text his name) has long since banished the memory of his premature self, now weighing in at 23lb or so (next weigh-in Thursday.) Mummy Lucy now feels that he is growing too fast, as after a period when she was slightly worried about his progress, he now seems to be notching up new achievements every day. 'It only seems like yesterday since...' she said and I have every sympathy, as I feel the very same about the grown woman sitting before me. Our eldest son, Matthew is now re-established back into his life in Australia after visiting for the first time since emigrating in 2008 and his meeting his own lad for the first time since he was a baby was very poignant and it's not so easy to remain in close contact over such a distance.

Happy New Year But It Will Be Valentines Before You Know It

Many Apologies for leaving a month between Blogs but it's a hard life and squeezing holidays in means that at least something has to give.

I'm sure that you are overwhelmed with sympathy!

Anyway, I do hope you enjoyed your festivities as much as we enjoyed ours and if you really want to hate anyone even more than me, then Sha, Alex and Ampa, our Assistant Housekeeper are still away enjoying their's.

After a quiet start at the Hotel, business starts to pick up this weekend and the following days, we even have a respectable number of guests staying with us.

Yesterday, we completed our Valentines Menu which we will be serving from Friday 10th February until the night itself as a cynical ploy to exploit it as much as we can. No, seriously (viciously back pedalling fearing consequences of Gerald Ratner size proportion s,) not everyone is able to make it on the night itself and not everyone likes to venture out the evening before a 'School Day.'

This year's menu is now on our website:

http://www.welbeckhotel.com/restaurant.html

The cost is £65.00 per couple and includes a red rose and a special box of chocolate hearts made especially for us by Davison's of Peel.

Treat you loved one to an overnight stay and you can completely relax for only £130.00.