'Last weekend' at the Shady Oak.

Saturday 25th March. 2000


What is it about the Moonshiners? Every pub we camp at on a regular basis ends up either being sold or the owners move out. Are they trying to tell us something?

Anyway - the sun was out, which just goes to show how wrong the weather forecast was. I couldn't resist parking the trike in front of the magnificent blossom for a photograph.

The tiger coloured trike hides amongst the trees............NOT.  

I soon had the caravan set up, and wandered down to the Shady for a swift pint. By the time I had downed my beer, a few of the others had turned up. Kath was seen sporting a rather new tattoo. All good stuff, as they say.

"Shay thare - d'ya know what this is?"..........Yup........It's an arm.

We decided to erect a primitive 'cooking shelter', using a strange looking poncho type thingy that Roy had purchased earlier. This 'tent with a tit on top was soon transformed to a 'tent with a tit sticking out of the top'

The tent with a tit on top is now a tent with a tit sticking out of the top.

  This wonderful structure was put to good use later in the evening when we all managed to gather under it whilst eating the curry that Gaz had made. The poppadoms and naan breads that Joy supplied went down very well. I dug my old iron balti dish out of the caravan, removed most of the rust and proceeded to feed my face. I survived the meal, but sadly, the balti dish has gone to a better place.

  During the afternoon, some of the largest hailstones I have seen in a good while bombarded the pub but it wasn't long before the sun was back out. One of the 'canal boat' folks was standing outside with a beautiful hawk. This guy even named his boat after the bird.

The bird.  The boat.  The castle on the hill."Oh my.  What a large pecker you have..........and you've got a big beak as well."

 

 

 

The rest of the evening was spent in the Shady, doing what comes naturally to us Moonshiners - drinking. It was after consuming a few pints of Theakstons Mild that a strange transformation occurred. There I was, minding my own business, when suddenly I changed into the "Beer Monster". Luckily someone managed to grab a camera.

For the last time - "NO - I WON'T TELL YOU ABOUT THE HUNNY"...........now bugger off.

Fortunately, for me, the effects were not permanent, and before long I was back to my ugly self. Some folks were of the opinion that the "Beer Monster" was less hairy and better looking.

There was also a little 'something' lurking in the pub grub.

Waiter, there's a fly in my soup..................but the spider on the salad has eaten it.


It's a pity the Shady is changing hands. I only hope the new owners will make us as welcome as the last ones did, I would hate to see the place go the same way as the Admiral Rodney.


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