A Blog according to Moickel

Howdy Partners

Last saturday The Family attended a choral practice of well know Gospel and spiritual music which featured a lesson from the Alabama 3. It was an evening of weird and wonderful happenings some of which took our breath away. We all met in the Clutha Vaults in Glasgow or as it was known that night, an annexe of the Church of Elvis the Devine (EK hillbilly chapter). It was a great turnout and it was heartening too see so many of todays' young people so willing to let D. Wayne into their hearts. Some photographic evedence has surfaced from the east and I would like to try and piece together the evening using these images.

First up, I, of course, set a ridiculously high standard in western wear. The bootlace tie is courtesy of Pat Big. All the way from Alabama by the way!



Well my friends, I fear the Devil was moving among us as Young Steve was captured buying a drink....in a pub....with money...HIS money! You can see the shock on the young executives face


We then left the pub and went to the gig, which was excellent. After the gig we went to the after show party with Dwayne and The Spirit in attendance.
Unfortunatly it seems we were a bit too drunk to record any of that on film. The next photo we have is of me giving The G man a "wee" glass of wine...geddit? wee glass of wine??

This happened at Young Teds place where he did a lot of this

I did a lot of this (I'm 45 you know)


It was a splendid evening with some of the more foolish members of the Family getting no sleep at all.
To finish, we have photographic evidence that the art of serenading is not lost!


Lets Go Back To Teds Moickel

REAL MEN DO LUNCH!


What with winter looming and the dark afternoons approaching a man's thoughts turn to food. Good, wholesome, warming food that will stir the soul and keep hapiness in your heart . With this in mind, executive Pat and I have come up with an idea that might just catch on....
On Saturday afternoon we held the inagrual meeting of The Pat n Mick Luncheon club . This stirring occasion was brought on after a wee refreshment in a bar called Failte in Glasgow city centre. Having just watched young Paddy mcCourt waltz all over St Mirren Park our hearts were soaring as we stepped blinking into the sunshine of St Vincent Street. A descision was made that we had to eat...and it had to be Italian food. After a small discussion on the merits of various Italain eateries in the area we sauntered gaily across the road to Paperinos and purused the menu. The very place! "Let us sally forth Executive Pat, and eat ,drink, and be er...get merrier!"
During the meal, and after some lovely red wine called Siroe, I could see a germ of an idea forming in Pat's eye....."we should do this more often!" he mused. "Why don't we..." I said...."form a LUNCH CLUB" we cried in holy unison!
And Lo! it was born.
The next minute on the agenda was rules, yes, there must be rules. And so after much wailing and gnashing of teeth the rules emerged.
Rule 1. The Lunch Club shall only take place when Celtic are playing away
Rule 2. The menu will only be Italian
Rule 3. The lunch club will only take place in Glasgow (This may be ammended0
Rule 4. Attendance will be by invatation only

Now, when we say invatation only, we will not be sending out cards, and women are welcome as long as they pay up their share.We envisage this Club will convene at short notice and probably once a month or so. If you read this and wish to join us I can be found at The Bonnie Prince Charlie most friday nights and am easily bribed
For the first meeting we had some nice bread and olives, with a balsamic vinegar and olive oil dip to start. For the mains, I had mussells with chilli and garlic, while Pat had Spagehetti vongole. Washed down with a nice dry red wine, with expresso to finish.
Overall, a nice restaurant, friendly staff, and the food was great. Maybe a wee bit pricey, but we are worth it!
As time goes on and we get organised I will publish fotees of the grub for Bryan.

Moickel Soprano

Well, they said it would rain and it did! Not as much as forecast and the Friday night and most of saturday was dry but very muddy underfoot. I thought the bands this year were really good. On the Friday I set an impossibly high standard which the other bands had to work really hard to get close to.Everyone was in a good mood all weekend and we almost ran out of cider and beer until we remembered the cool bag full of it in Alisons' tent.happy days!
Here we see two sides of the festival life
The bucket does what the Bucket does

Pat goes down the cheese and wine route (executive all the way)


First you brush....

Then rinse with cider..!

Occasionally Paul and I would creep up the kids and pull these faces! Oh the jolly japes!

We had some real hillbillys on site. They kept asking people if they had any spare teeth

Steve,Andy and Gav pose for fotee (on the right is Craig , son of the late, great Christine)

A fotee of the food for Bryan

Another great Dalmallyfest made possible by the hard work of Bert, Tony, Lesley and countless others who do it all for no reward, except me telling them drunkenly that I love them at two in the morning.
This is Bert flanked by Pat and some other idiot

And 24 cans later...

Muddy Moickel

I am getting old, very old...

The Wickerman Festival reared it's twiggy head last weekend and most of the Family managed to make there way down to Kirkcudbright to join in. The line up was not as good as recent years (no A3) but it was still pretty good with The Human League, The Zutons, The Magic Numbers, Dreadzone, Utah Saints and most suprising of all, Candi Staiton (yes, she of Young Hearts fame) alll turning in very good sets. Idlewild were also good with Pearl and the Puppets also keeping the flies away with a quirky wee set.
Here is a photo of the Summerisle stage where the main bands played

The Hillbillys were joined this year by the Mallaigians, a crowd of drunks and fish gutters from the end of the road town of Mallaig. If you thought we like a drink you should see these guys in action!!!! Their entire diet consists of cider, vodka, and crisps, or potato chips as they say in the colonies.
Here is a wee photo of me and Viv at Mallaig central on day one

A few of arrived on the Thursday and got a wee bit of practice in for the main event. i.e. put up the tents and drink till dawn. After a breakfast of cider and crisps we got right in about it on Friday, when most of the other attendees turned up.
EK Hillbillys in action

Not long after this photo was taken I was struck down by a mystery virus.I'll let our friend from the Church of Elvis the Devine explain "and after two two days of drinking with the malliagians i get an inkling just to go on home.So I'm walking to the campsite, head hung low, G man under one arm, Riggs under the other, and I let myself into my tent, winding my way into my sleeping bag and listen to the sweet scupltered rhymths of Ted calling me a lightweight....etc...etc.
The bottom line is I was horrifically overserved. I really really wanted to go the dance tent but my legs had already gone to bed. Thanks to the G man amd Brian I got to bed safe and survived to endure the next days' embarresment as everyone and their dog popped by my tent to point and laugh at this old man curled up in the foetal position.
Here is a photo of a food bar for Bryan

On saturday I had the longest and probably worst hangover I have ever had. It lasted till about eight o clock at night by which time I was upright again. I managed a few drinks and that was it. Watched the main bands and was tucked up by 0ne am. Apparently most people had an early night as we had to be off the campsite by 12 the next day.It was great to meet the Mallaigians and I think we have some things in common with these people. All in all it was a blast but I wish I had cut back a bit on the cider, or the vodka, or maybe the tequilla, or it might have been the wine, or the lager or maybe I should have ate something, or maybe it was.....
Anyway, Mallaig now looks like a much better place to visit in the future...or is it MAAAlaig.....???


Night Night

P.S. Thanks to Viv for the photos!
Moickel creepy old man

On Thursday I and the rest of the Family will be attending the Wickerman Festival festivities near Dumfries in the Southwest of God's own country. Unlike Bryan's latest trip, (follow the link http://my.opera.com/BryanCox/blog/), it will not be 36 oC and we will not have battery operated blenders. We will have tents and booze and.....well that's about it really. I am incurring the wrath of the current wife by taking our camera, in an attempt to post some photos of this event. Don't hold your breath.

Moickel