Photo-a-Day  (Wednesday, 20th June, 2018)

Lots of talking points. Grab that bottle Ron, it may be a money back prize.

Look like Garry's been for a walk up the canal again!

Wonder if there's a message in it?

Reading of DTeases' impecuniosity yesterday, I hope this isn't the level he's been reduced to.

Just another example from our 'throw away society' as per usual.

There might be a message inside it

Is it a message in a bottle!

If there is a message it's more likely to be 'up yours'!

The only message from this bottle is .....please dispose of responsibly.

Call the Police

I'm more for drinking from a glass myself Poet, can't stand today's fashion for drinking beer straight from the bottle, horrible!

Poet, in years gone bye one of the most essential weapons in the regular vault goer's armoury was 'A Good Sob Story'.
A good sob story was essential for those occasions when Last Orders was still a long way off and finances were stretched to the limit. There were men in those days who had practiced this art to the extent that they could bring a tear to the strongest eye.
Also there was such a thing as a 'Latchlifter'. A Latchlifter was just enough money to get you through the door and buy your first drink after which you relied on the generosity of your friends (If you still had any) to get you through the rest of the evening.
It was all a delicate balancing act that could have dire consequences if you got it wrong.

When we were little we'd have taken that back to the shop and got threepence for it!

Subtle arts indeed DTease but much more honest than the knavish craft of 'minesweeping'.

I once asked the reason why drinking from a bottle was the preferred method of today. Apparently it's a safety measure - its a bit more difficult to drop a noxious substance into a bottle than a glass, or a can for that matter!

I'm not sure as to why I should like your Photo Ron, but perhaps the following quote from Vaughan Williams could go some way towards providing me with the reason: It looks wrong, and sounds wrong, but it's right.

Hope my rhyme fits in with your Photo.

His last farewell? 'neath fleur de lis
Come now parading monsters bleak.

Our shipmate, Reuben, old and frail
For him our cries on port-side rail.

To you, our God, o'er seven seas
Our prayers for help; "Save Reuben, please."

Good grief Veronica, how sad is that?

Ron. Please excuse my inadvertent use of the word 'should', in my previous post; I like your photo. Thanks.

'Full fathom five thy father lies;
Of his bones are coral made;
Those are pearls that were his eyes:
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange
sea nymphs hourly ring his knell:
ding dong....... Ding dong, bell'
Shakespeare
Poor Reuben! Sorry Philip!

Hi DTease , I knew one long ago who had got it to a fine art . He would always arrive first at each opening hour, you will remember for sure the service times then, buy a gill and get his place by the door - no one else got a chance . He would leave each session utterly legless! Forgot to mention , he lived only 80 yards from the pub . Chaps coming in would say pint there , can’t remember his name . He would cross his fore finger indicating a gill would be fine , but always got a pint . This was repeated until this session
was over and begun again at the next, in the
exact same way . Can’t even remember him speaking to anyone except for a nod and raise of the arm of acknowledgement. He would scrutinise raceform , lifting his head only to drink , or accept another pint .
He was part of the furniture , like the wallpaper , but what a character. It was so funny watching him trying to return home going up the road , only to return for same again . I can see him now and still think ,
you nailed it there lad , good luck to you , whoever the devil you were . God knows how and when he put a bet on ..

I would never drink beer etc from the bottle, you'll never know if rats have been scurrying over the crates and bottles in the brewery stores or pub cellar and dribbling urine continuously over the caps. I have witnessed this many times in pubs around Wigan and Districts so know it can happen.

I've heard that too Veronica, I'm told they also hold the bottle with one finger bunging the top to prevent substance spikings.

I see Ron took this on the Wigan Flight.
Could it be that some drunken nonchalant ship of fools with a lax Captain and a tipsy navigator has recently passed through?

So The Bard of Avon was accustomed with the sea, as well, was he? Veronica - it looks as though ye and I are in good companye.

My word, Veronica, all that Swiss air must have gone to your head.....what a poet! That line, "Full Fathom Five" reminds me of a sixties song, "The wreck of The Antoinette".....was it Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch? Anyway, I loved it and thanks for reminding me, Veronica! x.

I think the trick was Dave, never to ask outright for a drink. As you say you had to sit near the door with an empty glass in front of you and pretend to be studying the Racing Page, knowing full well that sooner or later a kind-hearted Regular would send a drink over. The benefactor would be well aware of what was going on but he would send the drink over anyway.
It was also important for the receiver to acknowledge the generosity of the benefactor and by doing so setting up the situation for the next time he needed a drink.

Cyril, you are so right. The Brewery may clean the inside of the bottle but does anyone bother about the outside?

Poet, there could be a note in it saying "Geedubya and Big Bertha wos 'ere"

I must admit I do like a bit of Shakespeare Irene! He is the Master after all! All those stirring speeches and sonnets and quotes from the plays - makes for some fun as well! Only t'other day in our Prodution on P-a- D if you've caught up! Yes the air did go to my head on the Bernini Railway - in fact I think my head is still up there in't clouds! xx

Never mind dirty bottles what about ring pull cans? At one time they were ring pull but for various reasons they made them were the metal was pushed into the can along with any dirt/disease on the can yuck.

Ron are my eyes deceiving me - is there a lilac tinge to the photo? Or have I been drinking too much 'Lilac Wine'?