Thursday 27 February 2014

"Season time, cocktails and wine, customers singing drunken rhyme" Name That Tune?

Is it that time again for another rip roaring update. This update we will be exploring the world of Selfies, music memorabilia, crap music awards, crap tv, Saints, six nations rugby and Season 2014. If there is any topic you would like my view on then please add to the facebook page. I'm sure I can give you my unusual view about the topic LOL.

Well would you believe, ITS SUNNY! Well one day anyway LOL To mark this rare occasion myself and Helen went along the Welsh South coast to all the exclusive resorts, Costa Del Neath, Paradiso Aberavon and Playe de las Port Talbot. If you love the smell of rotten egg sandwiches you'll love Port Talbot. That's the smell you get from the steel works, lovely, Bluurgh!
And why oh why when the sun comes out at winter time in the UK do people wear shorts, ITS STILL BLOODY FREEZING YOU IDIOTS!

Come to Wales, the air is lovely.





"Selfies" seem to be all the rage these days with every man and his dog and celebrities taking any chance they can to expose themselves to the wide world through the selfie. Now for the younger generation this is a great new craze but to lonely sad singles like i used to be these were your holiday snaps years ago. My first solo jaunt was to Corfu in 1985. During that holiday all my snaps were of views, my feet in various locations and pics of me pulling different faces with all being taken at arms length. That was 29 years ago. Move along people, nothing new here. Maybe i was a pioneer of my generation or maybe not as I'm sure other sad lonely people like myself have also done the same long before the "selfie" become a word in the English dictionary.

I have a very large collection of vinyl, tapes and CD's and have started again to look for valuable music on any format to add to my collection. Just cause someone lists a vinyl as "Rare" doesn't actually mean it is.
I have a Vinyl of Sex Pistols - "Never mind the B*ll**ks" which only 10,000 were printed so its not exactly rare but it is sort after. I've seen albums that have maybe over 500,00 copies been printed being listed on Ebay as rare, this definitely isn't rare and they are asking £50 for it when the proper book value is maybe £20. Are these people for real? I mean, I've got some Val Doonican and Max Bygraves vinyl and they are really rare. They're rare cause everyone threw them in the bin years ago and no one wants them now, I'm the only person on the planet with them and still can't sell them for 99p LOL.
Just out of curiosity on Ebay i checked to see if anyone was stupid enough to list any Jimmy Saville items and guess what, there is, are they mad? Not just that but there was a Jimmy Saville autobiography that was signed by him on Ebay for auction and there must be two even more stupid people on there than the seller as they were bidding on it, what idiots!
I take myself off to charity shops and record shops and can look through them for hours. The one shop i visited in Cardiff i used to visit years ago and it was a well spaced out record store with all its records in alphabetical order and band order in nice neat racks, now it would take me maybe 2 days to look through all the vinyl, its mad. I couldn't even see the guy who owns it over the counter as the counter was stacked with vinyl. In the one hour i spent in there i didn't even scratch the surface of the vinyl he had in there but i did find some first print original copies of Led Zeppelin II and Ramones - Ramones and got them at a snip price of £12 for both and can easily sell on for £30, "back of the net".

D-Vinyl record shop in Cardiff, its a mountain of vinyl and that's a 1/4 of the shop.



Whilst browsing through the vinyl in second hand shops in Carmarthen and Swansea i noticed that at some point Wales must have had a really heavy link to Greek music, loads of Nana Mouskouri and Demis Roussos but also along with those two giants of Greek music i found one album called "Music from the Greek Islands" in three different charity shops in Swansea along with one in Carmarthen and the icing on the cake in the YMCA charity shop i found an album by 4 Greek guys who were the Greek version of The Beatles with such hits as,  "All you need is Ouzo", "The long and winding pot holed gravel track", "Can't buy me Pita" and "Olive groves forever".

Keep your eye out for these vinyls and get a copy. LOL



Bags for life from supermarkets. I'm all for helping the enviroment but when you purchase a bag for life they are so big you can't just fold them up and keep them in your jacket pocket, oh no, you got to walk to the shop with a large empty bag and the image i get of walking down the street with the empty large carrier bag is Roy Cropper from Coronation Street, oh the shame of it all. Thats it, stuff the enviroment, its throw away bags from now on.

The only music awards that count are Q awards and NME. The Grammys give out gongs for "Best fart on a backing track" and the Brits make up awards as they go along. For instance, The Global Success award was introduced in 2013 to make sure One direction got a gong and guess what....they got it again this year also to make sure they received a gong, i wonder if it was funded by Simon Cowell. What about when Coldplay went global? What about Adele? What about Mumford and Sons? There wasn't a list or even a vote it was just handed to One Direction. In all honesty the Brit awards are a joke and didn't even bother watching it this year and where was Val Doonican and Max Bygraves for best British male? oh and well done David Bowie. They used to give out lifetime achievement to music award and where's that gone? They offered it to Depeche Mode last year but told them that they couldn't play after collecting it so they declined the award, good on them.
Also Pharell played the Brits out and the headlines the next day were of his style and the hat he wore and was auctioning off, HELLO? Again its nothing new, that hat is 32 years old, Malcolm Mclaren was wearing it all those years ago with Buffalo Gals. Not new I'm afraid folks.


 2014 - Pharell

1982 - Malcolm Mclaren and the Buffalo Gals

Its Crap TV time and guess whats back? Yep, you guessed it, they've wheeled out all the wannabe's and brainless out of the dark from under the stairs for another series of "TOWIE". I only caught the last 3 Min's as it was finishing and it was a couple with speech problems arguing. The orange coloured guy asked an orange coloured girl "Can i have a word in private" 5 seconds later there is 3 different camera angles and shouting at each other about who F**ked who behind each others backs (their words not mine) and showing each other up to be vile people. Who in their right mind would want to show themselves in that light on TV in front of 56 viewers LOL. Desperate to become famous comes to mind.
Also on the topic of TV as i was walking through Cardiff city centre on Tuesday and guess who walked past and next to me, Fungi from channel 4's "Benefit Street". He is now in Cardiff and was walking down the street with young dark haired lady. I was just about to ask for a pic when i saw my bus pulling in to head back to Carmathen, bugger. I googled him when i got home and he is in Cardiff and the lady he was with is his daughter as she lives in Cardiff, old habits die hard he still had a can of Blackthorn Cider in his hand.
Talking of homeless, on BBC Wales there is a programme that airs every year called "Swansea - Back on the streets". Every year a documentary team film for 6 months and air a 3 part series about the down and outs in Swansea. Well, when i was on that same bus that i got on in Cardiff as i was going through Swansea i saw a few of the drunks that are on that programme. I suppose you could say that my Tuesday day out was a bit like one of those Beverly Hills coach tours where they take you round famous celebrities homes only this was the Welsh version where i saw the cardboard boxes of the famous homeless LOL. Its not a funny subject really and i always give change if i have it or buy dog food for the ones with dogs. I always give the same homeless gent in Swansea £5 every Christmas and a tin of food for his dog, "I do allot for charity mate".

St. Christopher helped travellers, St. Patrick helped the Irish, St. David helped the growing of leeks and now just call me St. Kevlar the helper of fallen ladies over 70.
Last winter in the close where i live a lady of 75 slipped on the ice, damaged her hip and couldn't move. I made her as comfortable as i could with a cushion under her head and put my jacket over her, it happened as i was on my way out. I called the ambulance. She was getting very cold and was in agony so i tried to keep her warm but couldn't move her off the ice and kept talking to her to keep her mind off the pain (first time ever I've had to keep a woman talking, usually they don't shut up, that's a joke ladies LOL). An hour later the ambulance arrived and she recovered fine in hospital. Today while i was waiting for my bus another lady fell over her 3 carrier bags of shopping, she was 78. She thought she had broken her arm. Again i put one of her bags that had clothes in under her head and called the ambulance, this time it was there within 5 Min's, good job really as my bus had arrived and if i didn't get on that one it would have been a 2 hour wait for me. The timing of this fall wasn't great if I'm being honest, i mean, what a dilemma, get on bus and leave her there after i had helped her when she fell or miss my bus and wait another 2 hours, tricky LOL. In the end the ambulance crew got there very quick and said it was OK for me to go, PHEW!

6 nations rugby, what can i say. Well done to Ireland they outclassed us in every aspect of the game, passing, field position, mauls, rucks, scrums and tactics, we were so bad and Ireland were amazing and i still say Ireland for the championship but also a well done Wales against France, the frogs don't like it up 'em LOL. Bring on England, not really liking the look of that game, think England could edge it if Wales don't play to full potential but fingers crossed.

Well the season is slowly creeping up on us and i now have everything for the new decor and the plans are all sorted, just the new sofas and flooring when i arrive and its all systems go. I'm not really as excited as normal about the forth coming season. As I've said before its not really a challenge anymore as I've taken the bar as far as i can and couldn't of wished for a better 7 years and have done everything i could with Oceanic. So this is why its having a full face lift (not me, the bar). I've seen businesses around me in the past in Argassi and Kalamaki just keep with the same old same old, year in year out and not really trying to improve just sticking with the same decor and design watching it get more and more run down until its to late to claw back. In seeing this that's why every year i try to improve the surroundings in some way to make them even more comfortable for my lovely customers and to give me a new boost and pride in my work and the bar. I will never let the standards slip and will always do my best for whoever enters the bar. I hope everyone will enjoy the new decor, its taken me ages to find everything and decide how to set it all up but still NO TVS AND NO ENTERTAINMENT with only BRANDED SPIRITS USED IN ALL DRINKS with the best prices in town, its still the same chill out bar with a slightly different look.

Well my dear friends its time to say goodbye once again, so untill the next update in two weeks times

Serve All, Love All, Peace All, Kevlar Out!

Thursday 6 February 2014

Breaking News: Sheep learn to float!

Hello, hello, hello, and how the devil are we this fine update. I know its 4 days late but one minute I'm bored stuck in the house doing bugger all watching sheep float past my living room window due to the overly active horrible wet winter weather and the next I have a week full of ups and downs.

So I will try to think of everything in order of how it happened, you see my mind isn't what it used to be these days, in fact I'm sure its getting worse from month to month but lets get the old grey matter working.

Well for the first week after my last update it was basically watching rain from inside the warmth of the house, watching rain on the TV and reading about rain on the Internet.
It is awful seeing all these people flooded out and I feel so sorry for them BUT, they go on TV saying "What are the government doing?"
Now the last time I took any notice of the government they weren't God even though Mr. Cameron thinks he is. The weather is mother nature or if your that way inclined "an act of god", we can't control it, we can't stop it, we don't really know when its going to hit badly, its just forecast. So why are these people asking "What is Mr. Cameron going to do about it?" Hmmm, how about nothing. What's he meant to do? He can't control the weather. You see pictures of pumps pumping water from fields being pumped away in to..... you guessed it, other fields or, this is brilliant, pumping the water in to rivers that are already flooding the fields the water is being pumped out of, it will just flood back in to the fields, DOH!
Many people have bought homes by rivers, surely they had the sense to think "What if the river level rises?" Just look at Paul Daniels the magician, he's been flooded so many times his house may as well be a boat but he still hasn't sold up and moved and do you know why? Cause every time we have heavy rain it floods his house and that's the only time he can get on TV LOL.


 So that was week one after my last update, not very eventful i know. Now then week two had much more going on but as i said a week of highs and lows.

It was a sad farewell to a friend i was in school with throughout my high school years and used to meet up with when he could make it in Cardiff whenever i used to visit the boys on a Friday night out. Jeffrey Preston, the chapel at his funeral was absolutely packed and it was a shame that it took such a sad occasion to meet up with old school friends i hadn't seen for well over 15 years, we will raise a pint to you whenever i am in Cardiff with Tim, Daz and Ian, you will be missed by all.

Monday 27th and its road trip time, well, train trip with my world watched actor nephew Leighton Kyle. We were off to see Depeche Mode in the Birmingham NEC. We booked ourselves in to the Travelodge at Birmingham airport and started off with a few pints in the bar. My great friends Chris and Sandra Scales were also going to the concert and staying in the same hotel, oopsie, this could get messy LOL.
After a few jars and a pizza it was off to watch the gig. Good God, could the NEC be in a more isolated place. No burger vans, no bars, no restaurants, no take aways anywhere near the arena, everything was inside but you pay well over the odds. £4 for a flat pint in a plastic cup, JOG ON! (I don't mean go for a run, jog on means No Chance) Anyway inside we go. The foyer area was really good with lots going on and the decor was good. In to the arena. It was OK in there, been to better but the arena doesn't really matter its all about Depeche Mode. Once again they blew me away. I have been to so many concerts and gigs over 27 years, G N R, Micheal Jackson, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, the list goes on and on but these were still the best and the concert was just as good as the one i went to in Athens but without the huge adventure i had getting there LOL.
Back to the hotel where we met up with Chris and Sandra for a night cap or six. We were talking about games and then got on to Top Trumps where i found out that myself and Leighton had come up with the same idea for a set of Top Trumps but didn't know we were both thinking of the same thing. Keep an out for them, in stores for Christmas 2014, a lovely stocking filler for all LOL.
We had a great time having a laugh and chat till 2am then headed off to crash out before our long journey back.
A big thank you to Chris and Sandra once again. We got on the train and made our way back to wet Wales. Leighton studied all the way back for an exam to get him back in to Uni to do his masters which I'm pleased to say he passed, he can now study to be a master of teaching mime and playing dead, ideal for any actor wanting tutoring of how to get a part in Casualty (the TV show not the hospital area).
We parted at Newport train station and i continued on to Carmarthen.
At Cardiff train station a more mature couple got on and sat opposite me at my table. Once the train set off the lady proceeded to pull a bag up from under the table. I'm sure it was Mary Poppins bag. One after another she pulled Tupperware container after Tupperware container out of this bottomless bag. In total there was 7 containers spread out in front of her and a flask, milk bottle and 2 cups. The containers were:- Bread, Butter, Ham, Cheese, Salad, Tea Bags, Sugar. It looked like i was inside a sales pitch by QVC for Tupperware LOL. She went on to make from scratch a ham, cheese, salad sandwich for herself and her henpecked husband, then made she themselves both a cup of tea from scratch. I had to move my newspaper as she didn't have enough room.
After the cooking show was over she put all the containers back in her bag and went to place it under the table. As she did so she spilt the containers on to the floor under the table. Due to them both being of the more mature years they couldn't gather up the carnage under the table so guess who did? Yeah me but at least they did thank me and offered me a biscuit wrapped in cling film, the thank you was enough ha ha. Please, for anybody who is traveling on public transport like a train or coach, make the tea ready in a flask and make your sandwiches before you leave the house, this will stop any irritation to someone like me and its just much easier.
Talking of more mature people and public transport, i was in Swansea waiting for a bus in to town from my mums and when i got to the bus stop i was the first person there. After 10 Min's there were 6 retired folks waiting along with me. The bus arrived and not one of them said to me "go on dear you were here first", they just all piled on like Monty Pythons Hells Grannies, HOW RUDE! If they had waited i would have said to them "Go on, you go first" but no, they just had no consideration. After all. they are retired, they're in no rush are they. Makes me so angry but i will still allow ladies and more mature people on public transport before me and give up my seat, i will not lower myself to their level LOL.


I have been adding some more dishes to Kevlars Cookery Classes and this week i have made Cockles and Smokey Bacon Lardons with Laverbread on Wholegrain toast and a Ham & Chorizo sausage stew. The first dish is a traditional welsh dish where you fry off the bacon, then add the laverbread (seasweed) and finally stir in the cockles while still on the heat, toast a nice thick slice of freshly backed wholegrain bread and put the fried mixture on top mmmmmmmmmmmm, lovely. The stew is simple, boil off a joint of ham, then shred the ham, add the chorizo and whatever veg you want and bring to boil and simmer with 2 veg stock cubes. I must by now be in line for a TV chef programme, blimey, if Jamie can get one cooking his grannies recipes anyone can LOL.

The traditional welsh dish i made.


Its 6 nations time and the first weekend was an absolutely amazing weekend. Wales beat Italy, yes it was a rubbish game but Wales started slowly last year but if I'm being honest i don't think its our year. France beat England, HOORAY! I do have to say England played amazing to come back but you can never write the French off, i think England thought it was in bag and eased off, silly boys. Ireland beat the pants off Scotland but i don't think Ireland played as well as they could have. For me i reckon its Ireland or Frances 6 nations to lose but we will see. As my favourite detective would say "Just one more thing" Why are England the only team to come out for a second half wearing clean jerseys? Bit wimpish isn't it? "Muuuuum, my tops wet and dirty, I'm cold and wet, can i have another one?" LOL

I'm now keeping myself awake at night with ideas for the bar going over and over in my head. Its the only time i think about it, weird i know but it just springs in to my head. The inside design is sorted but i keep on changing the seating design i want and then other things on the island come in to my head about who i have to see when i arrive and what things i have to take care of. It just goes round and round then my head hurts. Doesn't take much with a brain as small as mine ha ha.

TV is as boring and rubbish as ever but there is one programme that has been a must watch for me. It was first filmed in welsh for S4C called "Hinterland". It was then filmed again in English and i think was shown on BBC1 Wales only which i thought was a bit naughty by the BBC as its better than any of the other rubbish they show on the national BBC channel and 36 other countries have bought it to show but the Beeb won't show it to all the UK. If you like dark thriller detective series then you'll love it. Try to find it online and give it a watch. Really good story lines.

My medical study is still on going but only 2 more visits to go and that's it, all done till next winter but in saying that i am looking forward to going back to Toys R Us next winter as i quite missed it this Christmas as i enjoy the work but i will be back next Christmas so look out toys, I'm coming to get yah!

Well that's everything I've done since my last update. I'm sure I've done more but my grey cells seem to have lost the plot and lost my memory, oh well, what was i saying? Ah yes, that's it and its time for me to make my tea, I'm making Ox Liver and onions with a nice Zinfadel rose wine. Doesn't have the same ring about it as "I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti"

So until another fortnights time all that's left to say is

Serve All, Love All, Peace All, Kevlar Out!