Newbie but feeling old.

JohnS · Post by **JohnS** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:15 am

I've been lurking around these parts for a while but thought it time to sign up and introduce myself. My first PM with a message of welcome has already arrived courtesy of Dick Ruck - thanks mate

. Dick and myself (John Sedgwick) were in Mid B together during the glam rock and later punk era of the mid to late 70s. As already pointed out in a previous thread this made for an interesting array of hairstyles amongst the inmates. Some 27 years on my own barnet is still somewhat long and unruly but it makes a very effective barrier against the mosquitoes here in west Africa which pack a sometimes deadly malarial punch. Anyway, pleased to be back in the virtual CH and looking forward to trading some banter about the old and the new. Before I go, just two examples of how small the CH world is: 1). On moving back to Scotland a few years ago to a reasonably small and remote island off the west coast, Kim (my wife) and I were invited in for a chat with our nearest neighbour Ruth. I nearly sprayed my coffee all over her carpet when I spotted a photo of Dick Ruck smirking back at me from the sideboard

- yes, it was Dick's mum. 2). In early July this year we took a short break up to Ardnamurchan - 40 miles down a single track road to probably one of the most remote parts of the UK mainland. First night there a large bloke with a ruddy complexion bounds over the fence to invite us all up for a drink. Big bloke with red hair turns out to be no other than Bill Biddell

looking every bit as imposing as when he ran out in the Varsity match in 1982 to win his Cambridge blue. I'll post up some pictures when I get back home.

Richard Ruck · Post by **Richard Ruck** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 11:24 am

Smirking indeed!

Doesn't sound like Bill's changed much then!

Rory · Post by **Rory** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 12:01 pm

Small world indeed JS....
Good to hear you've been living in life's mainstream. West Africa , West coast Scotland,

Can we expect to bump into you in Xinjiang (Western China) in the future....?

Katharine · Post by **Katharine** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 1:13 pm

We are a well travelled lot! Where in West Africa are you, were you? I was VSO in Northern Ghana straight after University, met my husband (British Council) there and taught in Southern Ghana before postings to Pakistan and three separate ones to Borneo!

JohnS · Post by **JohnS** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 1:23 pm

Rory wrote:Small world indeed JS....
Good to hear you've been living in life's mainstream. West Africa , West coast Scotland,

Can we expect to bump into you in Xinjiang (Western China) in the future....?

Oi Rory - wazzup mate? My closest brush with China is ordering some spring rolls from the local takeaway. Seem to remember that you and Dick played in the St Louis Jazz Band with Bill?

Richard Ruck · Post by **Richard Ruck** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 1:26 pm

JohnS wrote:
Rory wrote:Small world indeed JS....
Good to hear you've been living in life's mainstream. West Africa , West coast Scotland,

Can we expect to bump into you in Xinjiang (Western China) in the future....?
Oi Rory - wazzup mate? My closest brush with China is ordering some spring rolls from the local takeaway. Seem to remember that you and Dick played in the St Louis Jazz Band with Bill?

Yup, Bill played alto sax (mostly). Sorry for butting in there.......

JohnS · Post by **JohnS** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 1:33 pm

Katharine wrote:Where in West Africa are you?

The place where Mark Thatch was implicated in the coup attempt a couple of years back - Equatorial Guinea - an unpleasant little despotic backwater in the armpit of Africa. I'm working for the yankee dollar whilst pillaging the planet of black gold. I've also done time in Cameroon, Nigeria and Gabon. If I stop surfing the net on company time they'll let me out in a couple of years for good behaviour.

JohnS · Post by **JohnS** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 1:56 pm

Richard Ruck wrote:Yup, Bill played alto sax (mostly). Sorry for butting in there.......

Dick, have you met up with Bill lately? - he's only up the road in Farnham. My girls were swooning over him - Bill this, Bill that.......made me feel quite inadequate.

Richard Ruck · Post by **Richard Ruck** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 2:16 pm

JohnS wrote:
Richard Ruck wrote:Yup, Bill played alto sax (mostly). Sorry for butting in there.......
Dick, have you met up with Bill lately? - he's only up the road in Farnham. My girls were swooning over him - Bill this, Bill that.......made me feel quite inadequate.

Haven't seen him for about 20 years! What was he doing in Ardnamurchan?

Richard Ruck · Post by **Richard Ruck** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 2:30 pm

Oh, and you mention that Bill was 'bounding'.....

I was chatting to John Cullen (tenor sax and clarinet) after the Carol Concert - he mentioned that Bill had had an arse transplant (or at least a fairly serious hip operation).

Sounds as if he's made a good recovery.

JohnS · Post by **JohnS** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 2:30 pm

Richard Ruck wrote:Haven't seen him for about 20 years! What was he doing in Ardnamurchan?

Same as us - on holiday - by sheer coincidence it was the same week in July. I think Bridget his wife knows or is related to the owner of the Ardnamurchan Estate who own the bulk of the holiday homes up there. Bill and Bridget are themselves estate owners/managers of the Hampton Estate near Farnham.

JohnS · Post by **JohnS** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 2:35 pm

Richard Ruck wrote:Oh, and you mention that Bill was 'bounding'.....Bill had had an arse transplant (or at least a fairly serious hip operation). Sounds as if he's made a good recovery.

Let me rephrase that Dick.......he was bounding like someone who's just had an arse transplant. Maybe it was because he was fuelled by a large intake of the local brew - he can pour some lethally large whiskies.

Richard Ruck · Post by **Richard Ruck** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 2:45 pm

JohnS wrote:
Richard Ruck wrote:Oh, and you mention that Bill was 'bounding'.....Bill had had an arse transplant (or at least a fairly serious hip operation). Sounds as if he's made a good recovery.
Let me rephrase that Dick.......he was bounding like someone who's just had an arse transplant. Maybe it was because he was fuelled by a large intake of the local brew - he can pour some lethally large whiskies.

Good to hear that he's on form!

One of my regrets in life is that I still, to this day, cannot drink whisky. I thinks this stems from an episode at C.H. when Rory and I had a little session mixing cheap whisky and even cheaper red wine.

I think Rory still suffers from the same affliction (I'm sure he can confirm this).

When I sit at the bar of a Scottish pub like Tigh an Truish and gaze at the array of bottles behind the bar I really feel that I'm missing out.

Oh well.......

JohnS · Post by **JohnS** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 4:05 pm

Richard Ruck wrote:One of my regrets in life is that I still, to this day, cannot drink whisky. When I sit at the bar of a Scottish pub like Tigh an Truish and gaze at the array of bottles behind the bar I really feel that I'm missing out.

Time you paid your old lady a visit so we can nip out for a sesh and cure that affliction of yours.

J.R. · Post by **J.R.** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 4:54 pm

JohnS wrote:
Richard Ruck wrote:One of my regrets in life is that I still, to this day, cannot drink whisky. When I sit at the bar of a Scottish pub like Tigh an Truish and gaze at the array of bottles behind the bar I really feel that I'm missing out.
Time you paid your old lady a visit so we can nip out for a sesh and cure that affliction of yours.

He's still in training, JohnS - Believe me !!!