come back to what you know

This isn't the Samhain post I was going to write, but the real one was way too scary (for me anyway!) to dwell on so I posted it early!

Go visit my current "Rent My Blog" tenant and scroll down the left side of his blog to see an amusing Halloweenish cartoon. Brilliant!

I hope you all take the time this evening, as Samhain begins, to reflect. Reflect on any regrets you may have; tonight is the time to put them to rest. And reflect that this world still holds many mysteries for which we have no explanation or at least a solution!... here are a few "true" life mysteries for your consideration...

The Nameless Thing Of Berkeley Square

The U-28 Abomination

The Oak Island Money Pit - Always loved this story...

The Mothman In Sandling, Kent??? And other weird Kentish creatures - that's no more than a mile from Lympne, my old home!

The Blue Bell Hill Hauntings When I was little, Blue Bell Hill was always the setting for the infamous hitch hiker urban legend. In fact it was normally the setting for anything spooky as it was only down the road from us!

And finally... another local one this... all the Ghosts of Pluckley

Happy Halloween Dear Constant Reader...

Blessed Be

That's the kind of Halloween gear I would like to encourage every cute guy of legal age to wear!

EEK! Was going to save this up for Monday, but I got curious. I went searching the net and found this and this... that's other people having the same experience with the Shadow Man... and have scared myself so silly that I just wanna get it out the way now... :o(

The Dark Man of Sharnall Lane

I was only 4 or 5 years old, living in my Nan's house in Snodland with her, my Mum, Auntie Melly and probably my Uncle Graham. The night it happened everyone had gone out, and Melly was babysitting me with her boyfriend, Mick. Now number 9 Sharnall Lane sat opposite a graveyard, and on 2 sides of it was a spooky (for my over imaginative imagination anyway!) disused road leading to a large house that had been abandoned... it was partially obscured by trees and my young mind always pictured it as some old colonial style house with a porch etc (in Snodland? Yeah... right). And to knock it off the rumour was (is!) that the street was built over an old plague pit. So I'll admit... I was always in the state of mind to expect the unexpected...

That night she put me to bed, leaving the door open on to the hallway... the stairs ran at right angles to the hallway down the side of my room. It wasn't more than five minutes later, as I stared lazily out the door into a hallway lit only with the light from downstairs, that he strood into view as if he'd walked down the hall from my Nan's room, not up the stairs. He nearly filled the doorway. He was black... and I don't mean he had a gorgeous chocolate skin hue. He was pitch black, beyond his out line there was nothing discernible... no facial features or clothes... except that is for his bright red eyes. Now like any young child seeing that I SCREAMED!!!! Melly came crashing up the stairs and he strode of out of view down the hall. I told her what I'd seen and she seemed worried. She rushed out and called for Mick and together they checked the other rooms. She came back and calmed me down... a fifteen year old herself but she knew how to sooth me... and they both wandered downstairs relieved. It was just a childs nightmare...

And as they got comfy on the sofa again... he strode back again... now this time I know I was awake... this was no dream... and he stared at me, and it wasn't a disinterested stare, it was a hateful look that still chills me to this day. I know this sounds silly but this time I was too scared to scream. It was the barks of my nan's toy poodle Lucy that scared him away this time. She came charging up the stairs and down the hallway after him. I called for Melly and she came and I told her what happened... Lucy was now sitting in the hallway growling (this wasn't unusual... she was a mean tempered little creature who would growl all day long just for fun). She told me not to be silly... it had been Mick all along, trying to scare me...

I was so relieved, not quite believing her but wanting to believe her.... and I fell asleep quickly after that.. the door was closed this time...

He never came back any other night, but it was a long, long time before I started sleeping with the door even slightly ajar... if I'm alone at anytime I often make sure all the doors in a house are closed before I can settle... sad but all too true...

A year or so before Melly died I was talking with her about something and the subject of that night came up... I laughingly joked to her about how silly it had been for me to think Mick was a demon! She then said something that made me feel rather sick...

"Jay" (for that is how I was known back in the day!) "it wasn't Mick, I just wanted you to go to sleep so said it was. You and Lucy really freaked me and him out!!!"

Whether you believe it was a demon or just my overactive imagination I've actually spoken to a couple of people who've seen the same apparation, but in their own homes... maybe you should sleep with that door closed tonight huh?

Sam and Meredith came to visit and after wandering the market we headed for the Maritime Museum and the Observatory...



Ships ahoy!!!! Sam and Meredith somewhat inland...



The little people know... that when little people fight...



Honestly you can't take Americans anywhere!




I love Greenwich!



Legs astride the meridian!

After listening to Marshall on Gayborhood Radio cry because some bastards broke into his car, quite probably because he had a Gayborhood Radio sticker in his window, I thought it was time to check out what's happening in Gay World.

Our new vows have been released ready for Decembers onslaught of awfully over the top homo "weddings" (gals it ain't a wedding until we are totally equal with the breeders) proving once and for all; gay people are just as dull as straight people. Hurrah! And hey look Northern Ireland, famous for it's hospitality ("we don't like the blacks, the whites, the gays, the Catholics, the Protestants, the British, the Irish... and we really don't like the police"), takes the modern world in it's stride. "You can't get married here" YAY! Look I'm agreeing with a Sinn Fein councillor. The world has gone mad...

Sulu comes out. Maybe now those slash stories can stop focussing on Kirk and Spock! Yay for George!

In not so shocking news most actors in Czech gay porn are straight. Well that's fairly obvious... why do you think we like them so? Straight men like to watch women having sex with each other. We like to watch straight men having sex with each other.

Least theres no executions to report today huh?

'Ahead of William's visit, Charlton manager Alan Curbishley - the second longest serving manager in the Premier League - had warned the prince would be put through his paces.

Mr Curbishley said: "Being landed in south London with a group of people that he perhaps doesn't know too much about, we will try to let him enjoy himself.

"If we can get a pair of boots that fit him we will see what he's got."

Footballers and their managers... the stuff their come out with is just classic...

So just some BBC News stories of interest (to me)

Chimps are horrid or so claims this unscientific study of just 29 chimps... 29 chimps doth not a good study make. I hate seeing this sloppiness in the media. Fine it indicates a possible underlying trend in captive chimpanzees that's worthy of further study (although not in my opinion). But I hate it when it's reported in a way without any analysis of how this study is not very representative.

But beavers are nice (down boys, not that kind of beaver... you disgust me!). Yay for reintroduction of species... if only because I love the idea of more species diversification, especially large mammals (mmm... boars)...

Antarctic turmoil. Now I don't know if we should feel bad that these species will die or not... change is good for evolution and are we responsible or not. Ok I think we are causing some global warming (I'm not one of those crazy people who doesn't believe in global warming and thinks we all can keep on doing what we do without any consequences). But part of the warming could also be that we are living through the end of an ice age. Yes guys and gals... the Earth has always been historically warmer than it has been for the last few thousand years...

Oh yes. It's finally happened. Staying in hotels when you are gay is often an interesting experience. You get the whispered "You both know it's a double bed don't you?" and the occasional raised eyebrow. But never have I been called Miss Kay before.

Jim's just got the confirmation for our Lochgoilhead trip and it's for Mr Niven and Miss Kay... JOY! They may just get a little shock...

PHWOAH!



Thanks Tottyland for the shirtless pics of Tom Welling!

Rosa Parks is dead. May she rest in peace, she shall never be forgotten. She showed us that standing up (or sitting down) for what you believe in, even in the face of oppression and convention, isn't always futile. Nuff said.

The National Archives begin to release public information films. Pretty funny, and rather interesting.

Work is driving me up the wall... can't I become a man of leisure, who's only decisions are "What colour trunks should the pool boy wear?" And if you don't know the answer to that by now Dear Constant Reader then start paying attention! ;op

Please visit the current tenant of my Rent My Blog section on the right, he won't be there much longer and you'll miss out on some laughs if you don't check him out now!

I'm thinking, given that I'm really not being a proper Wiccan at mo, that I'll post a little in the lead up to Samhain about what it means to me to be Wiccan, and how I could be a little better at it. Ok a lot better!

Today has been awful. Our three strongest players, as it were, were away leaving us newer people to try our best to pick up the slack. Doing my work plus some others really stressed me out. Felt so good to get out till I got to Waterloo East. "Please note that the 18:38 to Dartford will be comprised of 4 coaches not 8". One sentence that spelt 15 minutes of living hell... I hate trains, and managed to fall (quite dramatically) on to some poor unsuspecting lady when the train moved... :o( I am soooo sorry innocent lady.

Got home, and while washing up listened to Bad Weeds SF... and that cheered me up! I won the "Guess the weight of the pumpkin" contest... woo... can't wait to find out what I've won...

Jim has set me a challenge. In an effort to Jae-ify (my new word) the flat, he wants me to buy a piece of art (pictures please!) to have in place by mid November when he will be back from the States.

So Dear Constant Reader... can you suggest any good art retailers here in London that I can browse around? Said art must be child friendly...

Hmm... I should be at Kentish Town station right now, but I can't be arsed.

Hooligans a.k.a Green Street. A movie about the "Firms" of football supporters. Jim liked this movie a lot. I have to say, although it wasn't bad and Charlie Hunnam makes for pretty good eye candy, it was just another movie set in Britain glorifying macho thug culture. YAWN! Do 90% of the movies set in Britain have to have the same boring plot?

The Brothers Grimm. Not too bad, shame the plot kind of starts to get going but then gives up 3 quarters of the way through and we're left with an average ending. Does remind me just how scared I used to get reading some fairytales!

THe Fog (2005). Some reviews I've read of this say "It's so bad, it's good". Now as a seasoned aficionado of crap horror movies I have to say... it's not. It is just awful. It's not even close to being Friday the 13th Part 3. NOT EVEN CLOSE. The plot (and considering we all know the plot already this is a pretty amazing achievement) doesn't really go anywhere. It is a nothing sort of movie. If you have to go to this then you may well be saved by one thing and that is a certain hunky actor is in it... Tom Welling...

Joined the latest must have geek tool craze today... I downloaded Flock. It's not that bad, only did it to see if this blog worked ok on it. Check it out.

Have you visited Atom films yet? I love that site, some brilliant films to download from there!!

Also get some classics from the Archive. Bets now being taken on how long before Google takes that over?

Jim and I have spent the day being very lazy... got some pirate DVDs after lunch at the Cutty Sark and have vegged out with them... reviews tomorrow... bet you can't wait huh? :o)

You so would, wouldn't you?

Jae The Fairy Godmother of Half Naked Men Doth Grant A Readers Wish To See His Royal Highness Prince William In A Little Less Clothing...




If that's not enough to keep you royalist then there's no hope for ya!

*Click on the rent my blog link... you'll make me very happy*

Remember when you first discovered the internet? Do you remember the years before Google (BG)? I'd forgotten... but thought I'd go look up some old friends to see how they are doing.

I was at school the first time I went on the web and the first page I ever saw was shown to me by Pete (you popped my internet cherry!). That site is one of the strangest on the web. Reverse Speech is an interesting if slightly weird site about reversing peoples speech to reveal hidden messages (urban myth? NEVER!).

Another golden oldie still going strong is Total Obscurity. HILARIOUS! I actually feel bad I'd forgtten about it. It's that good!

Then there was the first blog I ever found, Mister Alan. I found it after I had been blogging for ages. Strange but true. I started blogging after reading about it in the Guardian and didn't even get into reading others blogs for about 6 months. Through commenting there I discovered Karen who became a firm favourite.

Oooo.. and back to school again... who remembers the Death Clock? Why was everyone so interested in it? Not an IT lesson went by without it...

Hmph. Well Kev left a comment about it and Jim pointed out an article in the Evening Standard about it (by Peter Tatchell no less) so it must be a pressing topic... cruising is back on the agenda. I thought people were finally over their obsession with the fact gay men have sex, but the recent murder of 24-year-old bar manager Jody Dobrowski has brought the subject up. That's not to say he was cruising, but that's the suggestion some are making.

Cruising. Cruising has been part of gay life for a long time. Before the bars, before Stonewall, before Boy George and before AIDS there was cruising. Now just because something has a long history doesn't make it right. But it certainly means we should treat it with a little respect when considering it's merits and pitfalls.

Even where cruising occurs in public (hey there platform number 10 at the Gare Du Nord!) most straight people don't even know it's happening. So it's not like it's affecting anyone else. As long as no one gets their cock out where others might see it (THE SHOCK! THAT MAN HAS A PENIS!) then I can't see why cruising is even an issue. As a liberal (dear Americans to me liberal means libertarian not far left!) I firmly believe that grown ups should be allowed to do as they please. Sure it might upset those worry warts who sit at home and care about what other people are getting up to without them, but then again I'd support anything that upsets them.

So before I launch into a tirade against intefering bastards can someone come up with a convincing argument (please note convincing means it doesn't mention religion and is not "I just don't like it" extended over a paragraph or five [BANNING SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE IT IS SOMETHING I DON'T LIKE AND SHOULD BE BANNED*]) against cruising. Why should two people you don't know NOT meet up for random sex (and let's say it's safe sex... if they have unsafe sex I can see a certain argument regarding public health being allowed)?

*except people who wear blazers and jeans together, they should all be banned...

Before leaving for the station ensure you have your money/tickets with you. It may be helpful to know where you are going, why not check National Rail to find out.

Once at the station head towards the ticket machines, or the booths. If you have a ticket/Oyster card head to the platform. When the queue is large it can be helpful to pay by cash rather than selfishly using a card to pay and holding everyone up. As you move away don't block others when staring stupidly at the screen showing which platform to go to. Move to the side.

When heading towards a platform... KNOW YOUR SPEED. If you are slow, or just stupid, walk close to the side (signs will tell you which side to stick to, but as a rule keep to the left) that way more speedy people can get past you. Is that your mobile phone ringing? Learn the skill of answering and walking... it's far better than stopping and blocking the way of everyone else. Did you know it's possible to talk and walk? Weird. Bear this in mind if transferring between trains as well.

Trains have doors. These can be opened usually by pressing a button (some do have handles). These buttons are generally round, and surrounded by flashing lights when operable. Apply pressure using a digit (these are located on your hand). VOILA! The door will open. Isn't that better than standing there like a lemon blocking the way of the guy behind you?

Allow people off the train first. Strangely walking into people moving in the other direction will impede your progress. Allowing them to pass will mean everyone gets on the train quicker. If a seat is free take it, if not move to the centre or the ends of the carriage as far as you can go. I know it's tempting to stand near the door, however for some reason no one has yet developed the ability to walk through you.

If the train is particularly busy, and you are getting to know your fellow passengers rather too well, keep your quips to yourself. I'm sure "It's like a tin of sardines in here" was funny in your head, but it's not going to cheer anyone else. Reading a newspaper in this situation is also not advisable, unless you do wish to be punched in the face.

Don't stare and when talking with someone else try to avoid involving the whole carriage in your conversation... talk at a normal level, your ears still work on a train.

When leaving the train do so quickly and don't stop as soon as your feet touch the platform, often other people will wish to get off the train behind you. Why not move away from the train before you ponder your new surroundings.

Have your tickets ready... barriers are so much easier to get past with a ticket ready, it's really dumb to wait till you are at the barriers before finding that ticket.

Leave the station... you have reached your destination.

So let's have a look... and start with something good!

An article from the Houston Chronicle. It's always reassuring to see that there ar still some people in the world ready to say that codifying anti-gay laws is equivalent to racial discrimination and religious discrimination. Americans need to understand that they stand on the brink of something... they can either continue down the path they are heading on which will most certainly lead to further militarism and discord, or they can reaffirm their belief in liberty and let their gay and lesbian fellow citizens be free (even if you don't like the idea of homosexuality).

Hatred tends to lead to things like homophobic violence. Sadly it appears to have happened yet again. And if any of you read that and think "Well he was on Clapham Common" please leave this blog immediately. It's weird, but you never hear of gangs of gay men attacking and killing straight men, despite a lot of us finding the idea of straight sex DISGUSTING. Strange that, huh?

We need to keep pushing... just a little more and we shall finally make it... We are lucky that we have some people behind us, see here. Equality isn't that far away!!

Headed to Westenhanger yesterday with Jim to see the family. They have a new cat called Tinkerbell who is way too soppy. I liberated my CD collection from the room formerly known as my room (now David's room, yes Uncle David, he who was married not two months ago has sought asylum at Folks Wood Way).

Went to Kalala for dinner with Mum, Tony, Beth and George, David and his three daughters Rachel, Margaret and Alice plus Rachel's boyfriend Tian, and Zoe, Ray and John. After dinner headed to Chambers with the latter three and Jim and met up with Laura for drinks and chat. Cool!



Jae's brief return to Folkestone gets 14 people to a dinner. Never knew I was popular!



John, Zoe and Ray, thanks for coming to see me guys!



The service was very fast, amazing Tony and Mum.



Aren't they cute???




Unlike George, my brother.

 
 

Laura! One of the original hardc0re 3!

I want an iPod! Ok my iPod nano is awesome but now I'm into podcasts I wanna watch video podcasts... *sulks* Go on, last Halloween I got a normal iPod as a present... how about it Dear Constant Reader?? No??? *really sulks* And the BBC says...

Daily Hot Guys. A blog title that I think speaks for itself. Inside Stephen is nicely designed (reminds me I need to do some work on this site!!) and interesting.

Sparkletack I love this podcast, an brilliant insight into the history of the Bay Area.

Lindsay works with me.

Don't you hate shitty days? The kind of days when things happen that piss you off but there is nothing you could have done about them?

First off work was boring, and there was lots of it to do, and everyone seemed a little snappy today. Which was stressing me out. Then I caught the train home and stood next to a lovely (thankfully defaced) sticker from the National Front "Homosexuality Causes AIDS The Queer Disease".

Yes a little homophobia is always gonna put a smile on my face as I plot the painfully slow deaths of each member of the NF.

Then I got home, dropped my iPod off and decided to go get some money out before the bank decided I couldn't have anymore. Joy! The cash machine allowed me money! Wandered back home, and just as I got to the bottom of my street two boys stopped me and attempted to corner me, and then proceeded to try to rob me. Guys... please. I'm twice your height. Did you really think it was gonna succeed? What was going through your head? I'm not stupid! Kicked them away and proceeded home thinking "What a shitty day".

I'll admit it, I'm a Google boy. I know, it ain't cool to like Google anymore. But I do. I have nothing to hide, as it says in my byline, what is the point of being discreet? So Google me up baby!

On the other hand Yahoo lost it's charm for me years ago. It just got too... busy. The site was horrible and cluttered. So I stopped using it. Bt their latest beta site is great: Yahoo Podcasts. Businessweek has a good story on it. As I'm just starting to get into Podcasts so this is darn useful me. Come on Google, Podcasts are so in! Why not connect Google Talk up to Blogger for hours of podcasting fun! :o)

Let me get something off my chest. I hate smoking. I hate coming home from a night out smelling of smoke. I think that public smoking is a selfish and incredibly rude habit. Tell me something Dear Constant Reader, why do people think they have the right to smoke around me? Because Dear Reader... they do. I hate to say it but if obnoxious people have the right to stop me in the street just to say "God you are tall aren't you?" and if I have the right to get stupidly drunk and irritate others then why don't smokers have the right to be selfish and rude??

The idea of banning smoking is so illiberal it hurts. I loved the fact in San Francisco I could go out and come home still smelling fresh. But is that worth someone else losing part of their freedom? No it's not. This Government has done quite a few good things, especially for us moxes. But it has down far more bad things... plans for ID cards, ASBOs, a massive increase in police powers and caused a panic in the face of a terrorist threat from inside our country (despite the fact this country has a long history of fighting internal terrorism and hasn't had to panic before...). Banning smoking is just another sign of this behemoth of a Government taking our freedoms away "for our own good".

If people didn't like people smoking near them they should turn round and tell them that. If your friends smoke around you without taking your feelings into account dump them!! We don't need more legislation... we just need to be a bit more proactive.

A good majority of my readers have come here looking for porn. Don't be shy, it's nothing to be ashamed of. If you like the Brent Corrigan look, why not head over to Boyfunk. Brilliant site with loads of lovely lads.

And that way you can stop sending me emails requesting porn pics! It's a win/win situation!

Just been to see Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit. It was typical Wallace and Gromit fare, not awesome but enjoyable in it's way. If you've seen any Wallace and Gromit before then you will not be shocked by the plot. But the kids loved it, so really good to keep the little horrors quiet for a while... Animation can't be faulted.

So I'm just back from my first trip to the United States, and have to say it's been interesting.

As a reader of newspapers and magazines like the Economist I knew that there was a lot of poverty in the US. But this still didn't prepare me for just how obvious it was in San Francisco. There wasn't even an attempt to hide how many homeless people there are, let alone deal with the problem. Coming from London, which has plenty of homeless people, I was still completely disgusted. But from reading the San Francisco Chronicle it looks like the Mayor is at least taking things seriously.

The Americans I met were more friendly, generous and polite than I had expected (and yes I had heard they were amazingly friendly). Sure as a British person it was very off putting to have cashiers smile at you, and to see people greet strangers on public transport. But it was quite warming nevertheless.

California is just as beautiful as I hoped. America in general impressed me. Other than the abject poverty I saw, the only other complaint I have is the severe lack of cute men. Maybe I was looking in the wrong places, but eye candy was seriously wanting.

And finally... I can't believe men really do wear cowboy hats without any sort of irony. SCARY! ;op

AH! I am so fat. My stomach has doubled in size while I've been in America. This is not an exaggeration. I blame far too many hotcakes. No wonder Americans have a reputation for being overweight. Their food is just too scrummy.

So from tomorrow I am going on a diet. Fruit, veg and lots of water. This time last year I lost loads of weight but have put it all on thanks to being in a relationship. Time to get back in control of my diet. NO MORE LUNCHTIMES DOWN THE CAFE/PUB.

I'm missing San Francisco. The weather here is RUBBISH!

Ok... time for a site update I think... when Jim wakes up (he's still on Pacific time) I shall grab the lovely new title design he's made for me and put it on the site (It's a homage to "Wish you were here" the best travel programme ever!) and I may even do a little redesign. Shocking or what... haven't had my own design in years. Also... I have been getting quite into podcasts so there will be a new links section for them... first up the funniest and most interesting podcast I've found so far... "Bad Weeds San Francisco" Check 'em out. Corkey is hilarious!

I'm kinda bored of posting these...



Mmm... Muir Beach.



California... home to a race of small druids???



What a name...



Pride!



Is this one of Jim in the Japanese tea garden? I can't remember... I'm losing track of what I posted. God, how many pictures did we take... this one is number 170...



That's the last of them... Thank God...

When near bears ensure you suspend the food from a wire at height.



Jim likes driving in his car



This is known as the Golden Gate Bridge. I was disappointed to find it wasn't made of gold... ;op



Jae still doesn't quite believe he was in a car on the Golden Gate Bridge.



Muir Woods were gorgeous but I think they are best left to your imagination... only so many amatuer pics of huge trees one can take...



It's a deer! I promise!!



Jim... you are soooo smooth!



Jae Wants To Live Here.



This is Jae Kay reporting from the Pacific coast of California



You sexy thing you!!!

Within moments of arriving in San Francisco Jae makes new midget friends...Aww....



Pier 39 seals...



Jae has a bit of a thing for the Transamerica pyramid...




Ooo... that rocks famous, I think...



Drama!




Jae get's shown his new hotel room...



Jae struggles to make new friends in the exercise yard.... strangely that all changed when he got to the showers.



Jim does take lovely photos...



Castro Street is a little bit poofy



Jim spent hours taking this photo while I stood staring in terror into the tunnel surrounded by giant sharks...



This was only a little one...



I love what you've done with your hair...



The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence... nuff said!

Yesterday we headed up to Castro for our last American breakfast at Orphan Andy's. Hotcakes... how I shall miss you. Anyone know anywhere in London that does hotcakes? Bought the Spartacus guide at A Different Light. Love that book, but it's always sold out in London. :o)

Walked up to the panhandle and Golden Gate Park via Comix Experience. The park was a disappointment even if the Japanese tea garden was lovely and the botanical gardens primitive plants were enchanting!

Got a cab back to Castro and had a few (many) drinks at Harveys, and a fajita at La Tortilla . The most massive fajita I have ever seen in fact!! :o)

Rushed back so Jim could buy an air soft handgun.

Off to airport in 2 hours. :o( Goodbye San Francisco, it's been a blast!

Monday morning. Got up early, and picked up aMustang convertible from the Hertz rental place around the block from us. Looked gorgeous, and we headed out of San Francisco and over the Golden Gate Bridge with the wind in my hair. Just needed a headscarf and we could have been Thelma and Louise. Was soooo cool. Went to Muir Woods which is the home of one of the last strands of original Redwood growth. Those trees sure are tall. Some appeared taller than Canary Wharf. Is Canary Wharf taller than 200 feet? Amazing. As we headed back to the car park along a hillside trail we cameupon two wild deer grazing right next to the path. :o) Lovely! Drove down from the woods to Muir Beach which is very pretty and we got our first (and possibly only!) glimpse of the Pacific Ocean proper. Magnificent.

Deciding not to head back to San Francisco we drove further north getting lost once or twice, but eventually ending up in Napa Valley which is Californias wine country. I have never seen so many vineyards in my life!! It was very beautiful.

Since almost day dot of my relationship with Jim, he has talked about Stag Leaps wine. So we spent some time looking for it, and eventually found the ranch. Did somewine tasting and settled on some wine to buy, which was quite lovely.

Headed back to San Francisco regretting leaving the top down only slightly as it grew chillier. Chillier by California standards anyway. It fell below 20 celsius! We have been blessed with great weather I have to say! Seeing some of the outstanding Californian countryside was brilliant.

Had a meal at Lou's Blue Bar, tried some Buffalo Wings (HOT!) didn't finish as portions were too big!!! Jim has taking a bit of a shining to some "air soft"guns we saw in a Spy Shop (no cameras allowed... it's a secret!!), and has spent the hours since then planning on getting them through customs (they are legal but they look and feel like a real gun!)

Todays our last full day... so better go have another adventure!

Saturday night and we got cab to the Chinatown Gate (after the streetcar we were on stopped as the driver refused to go any further...). Wandered up and down in search of a restaurant, until we settled on the Empress of China. Good food, nice views over San Francisco and some of the nicest Asian waiter arse I've ever seen.

Sunday. Had breakfast at the International House of Pancakes. YUM! Then went to the Aquarium of the Bay. Really good. Slightly worried by the six foot Sevengill shark!!! Wandered in search of Buffalo Wings,but gave up and caught the streetcar to Powell and our usual line F to the Castro. Yesterday was the day of the Castro Street Fair!!! A bit like Soho Pride, only far better. Got cruised within five minutes as had wandered too far from Jim. Stayed far closer after that. Had a tarot reading with a gay psychic who told me that Jim and I were about to go through a rough patch while moving his hand ever further up my leg. Cruised and sexually abused by a gay psychic within mere moments. Yeah, sounds like a gay event!!

Headed back to Powell where... Jim bought me an iPod Nano!!!!!!! :o)

Quiet night really, most of which was spent searching for a restaurant with power! Got a McDonalds as was hungry at which point fishermens wharf's power returned!! GRRR....

Friday morning, and we were awake so early!! We left the hotel and decided to walk to the Castro. Up Hyde we wandered, which is one long hill! We walked and we walked, until we made it to the Mission. Deciding we were too hungry to go, we stopped at It's Toms Diner and had a proper American breakfast. Ok. I concede, maple syrup does go with bacon and hot cakes are better than our flimsy pancakes. I apologise to every American who I've told otherwise.

As we had to go to Alcatraz and were now running late, we braved a MUNI streetcar. Easy to use, but Americans treat public transport more as an informal gathering than a way of getting anywhere. Loud, chatty... nice but quite disconcerting for a Brit! Got back in time for our ferry. Headed over to Alcatraz which was AWESOME! Really felt the atmosphere, and the history, there. Walking round the exercise yard with the mist rolling over us was actually rather spooky.

Got the ferry back, dropped our stuff off at the hotel (the Argonaut!). We caught the streetcar straight to the Castro. The huge pride flag flying in the sky signalled that we had arrived. Pride flags flew everywhere. It's truely a brilliant place. I wish Soho was half as good. And it felt so bitchfree. Porn was sold openly unlike here where it's hidden in dark corners (even Virgin on Market Street had gay porn there for all to see!). Had drinks at Harveys, Moby Dick and Badlands. Then we went to Orphan Andys for a nice meal. Caught a streetcar to Powell and took a cable car to the hotel. COOL!

Today went up to Market via a cable car, this time with me clinging on the side for dear life. Jim is soooo evil sometimes. ;o) Headed to Orphan Andys for breakfast,had some drinks at Harveys then went shopping near Powell. I've got new clothes! Cheap too!!! :o) Also got Monk season 2. Great!!!