Soma!

Last night was the work Xmas party. We weren't having a meal this year as good at previous iterations has been pants. Rather we were in Tiger Tiger, a nightclub in the centre of Manchester. The place has a reputation for having dreadful bouncers and expensive drinks and so it was to prove.

I was dressed 'dapper' so the bouncers were fine to me, but they were being a tad overbearing with a few lassies and it had just reached 7pm. Ohhhh my, I thought as I ascended into hell....I thought it was meant to be the other way! One floor was already mobbed and crap music was pumping hard. I remembered why my cronies and I loved the underground dance scene rather than the pap for the masses.

It was fine in the big room that had been reserved for us though, although the music was just a bit loud to hold a proper conversation. I avoided the bar.....I'm partial to a fine craft beer or a wee whisky but refuse to pay £5.50 for a bottle of mass produced pish! Luckily, the company was good albeit getting progressively tiddly. Food came at 8pm and a few of us circumnavigated a plinth to get further up the queue for the 'hot buffet'. The only choice I had was some 'wild mushroom' pasta....hmmm the sauce tasted like cheap mushroom soup with a metallic tinge and the mushrooms were as wild as Rosemary's mother! Pasta was chalky and cheap. One mouthful was all I managed, but Joe happily took my plate off me and munched the lot.

I headed off for the 2nd last train and it was full of piss heads. An older drunken couple sat beside me and a bunch of pissed up men sat behind. I bet myself that the men would get off in Hattersley. Fortunately I had a new podcast on my iPod so put my ears in to drown out the world. Unfortunately, the podcast must have been playing in my pocket all night and the battery went dud by Ashburys. I won my bet though.

I woke up at 10am this morning and didn't get up until mid-day. Wow....first time doing that 'forever'. I needed that! After food, I cleaned my Brompton and my commuting bike. The gunk on the jockey wheels was a disgrace and it took me double the time to get everything looking shiny and free from dirt.

I then got my running kit on and headed to Glossop. I'm racing tomorrow so took it easy....just a leg loosener. I had fun, leaping over puddles, 'winding windows down' on a descent and generally being silly. The deli' was really Christmassy....and Sarah gave me a friendly welcome. I love that shop for Saturday treats. Yummy...some Smelly Apeth cheese purchased for tomorrow's lunch, bread and some top quality pasta!