It’s been a while since we heard from Daft Old Duffer, so were chuffed when he got in touch today with his thoughts on the National celebrations. In his own words. Ed
Being a bloke who doesn’t get out as much as he used to, I felt a bit left out of all that’s going on at the moment. So I thought I’d have a go at getting at least a bit of a feel of it all.
My first attempt, I must admit was rather a failure. Not having any machine guard mesh I tried to make my Olympic torch out of some corrugated cardboard, spraying it with some gold car enamel bought from Halfords.
Not the best idea
That worked not too bad, but when I tried to mount a Calor camping gaz container in at the top – just like the real thing – it turned out a touch too unstable to be entirely safe.
Then I remembered seeing Princess Whoever it was carrying the Olympic flame off the aeroplane in a miner’s lamp dangling from her pinkie and I thought, if she didn’t feel an idiot, no reason I should. I’ve got an oil lamp ready in the kitchen against the start of the inevitable power cuts so I gave that a quick polish and lit my eternal flame in that.
Round the block
I put it in my motor and drove around the block with it.
Then I drove back home and trotted round the garden a couple of times, stopping twice to turn the flame off and relighting it. Just like I’d seen on the telly.
So that was the torch carrying bit taken care of. Didn’t do as much for me as I expected, to be honest.
Still, never mind, I’d done it, so hooray for the Dunkirk spirit sort of thing.
Getting into the spirit of things
That left the Jubilee, which was a lot easier.
I rooted out my watering can and filled it with nice cold water.
Then I stood in front of the telly, watching the procession, waving my little plastic union flag in one hand, giving the occasional cheer and pouring the cold water over my head.
That was much better. Felt just like the real thing. Especially when I saw Prince Phil and Charley wearing their Admiral Of The Fleet uniforms and knew old England was Safe In Their Hands.
