Strawbs Xmas party NPL Teddington 2007 Pt1

The day started well, torrential rain and howling gales but Les had arrived safely from way 'oop North in the middle of the night, and parked his mobile home on the drive in readiness for a lunchtime departure.

Wet conditions for our drive up the M3 for the third time in a week after the Fire shows last week and I banned him from breathing in the car as my demister had packed up. Its going to cost £86 to fix so any donations ( ha ha ) will be gratefully received.

Arrived at the Travelodge in very good time despite splashing through a few puddles that seemed almost as deep as the Atlantic, but as that did not prevent Laura and Melinda arriving, so there was little excuse for us, or others from just the other side of the English Channel .

Walked in to the check in had been beaten by a few minutes, by Lindsay and Carole they were hogging the desk and sorting out all their "arrangements". We waited patiently behind.

Sue H had arrived a little earlier and organised the staff by getting everyone on the 5th floor by using the secret password "Witchwood" which had enjoyed a greater degree of protection than those discs lost by Government departments in recent weeks. All but Les it seems, but a quick bit of swapping keys and hey presto he got there as well.

Bless Sue she had spent weeks canvassing Witchwood for taxi requirements, but in the few days before the event spent more days re-arranging them following events of the week before where we had received an invitation from Sue & Neil for those at the Fire gigs, for pre party drinkies and nibbles before heading to the NPL. ( Fine
and generous hosts they were too )

Then having agreed a meet time we found out poor Paul B had succumbed to some lurgi and wouldn't be there or Heather…..but just by coincidence Jakki found two others so after thinking about rearranging taxis for less, magically we were then back up to number. Except that is for Ali ( we were leaving at 4.30) who at 4.20 phoned me to say finding the Travelodge, after a horrendous trip down, was a bit of a problem. Scrambled instructions of how to negotiate the Feltham high street were given, hoping she made it – she did by the skin of teeth and all the first party for taxis were ready.

Voila ! – two taxis arrived on time – half set off only for Lindsay to phone a few minutes later saying where is our driver (it seems he went "walkabout" ) so we phoned the company organised another in five minutes time ………then the original one turned up !!! So back to cancel the third one. There was heavy traffic on the airwaves.

Oh I missed the bit about squeezing Sue in the taxi and I'm not insinuating anything. ( but if Pete thinks he had trouble getting stopped by the police) – Where was Mike, Aka Batman when this was going on - no idea. Perhaps he should have been with us trying to push Sue in with a dress stiffed at the widest ( the bottom – of the dress !!) by an unbending stout wire ( oh if only I carried wire cutters about all of the time oh how it would have been a bit easier).

Somehow we managed to get both Sue and her dress in to the taxi and we sped off to the previously announced destination. Oh except that we forgot the number of the house we should have been at…………….we were just about to run a way like naughty schoolchildren knocking on a door for a Halloween trick or treat, when a friendly face appeared at the door ………… and we got in for our nibbles.

The inclement weather mean't we didn't do our fancy dress parade down Teddington high street which had to be cancelled and we quickly ordered yet more taxis.

Was it still only 7.00 o'clock ??? Phew ! Nigel's Story continues on Part 2

I have been driving now for some thirty four years, and have never been stopped by the police yet. Until now.
Isn't it typical that the first time I get pulled over by the police I happen to be in fancy dress!! !

Was driving through Bushey Park on the way to Teddington, when all of a sudden there was a blue flashing light behind. Slowed down so that he could overtake and arrest whatever villain he was after, but, no. The villain was me.

If you were at the NPL, you can probably imagine my embarrassment at being asked to step out of the car. If you weren't there, I'll have to fill in a few more details. - I was dressed at Lara Croft! Not only was I embarrassed at being in drag (complete with socks stuffed inside a bra), I was also armed to the teeth (toy guns), with holsters strapped to my thighs. In most countries the police would probably shoot you first and then ask questions afterwards if you happened to be "packing heat."

The policeman was fabulous, and thought the whole thing hilarious. He had only stopped us because we had a light missing, but he had to breathalyse me. Mainly just so that he could tell his mates that he had breathalysed Lara Croft. Quite embarrassing to be standing at the side of the road being breathalysed, whilst you are in drag. Passers by probably thought I'd been stopped for soliciting. Glad to say that the results from the breathalyser were Zero, but it's worth pointing out that at this time of the year the police are quite keen on stopping and breathalysing.

So a quick warning, Don't Drink, Drive and Dress in Drag.

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Sue as Grace Darling ( or The Lady With the Lamp - Florence Nightingale - take your pick ! )