Tuesday, 8 October 2013

Milestones



Joining the Army 1978
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
First posting as an Officer
First parachute jump

First solo flight
Skippering a motor yacht in the Caribbean


First visit to México.  The Federales, seeing me dressed like that arrested me moments later suspecting I was up to no good..
Skippering a Nich 55 in the Solent

Qualifying as an Ammunition Technical Officer

First Mercedes
First business
First son propped up on pillows in my first Ferrari in the garden of the first house I ever owned outright.

Second son eating the first ice cream delivered out of my new machine outside the new shop, 2013



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32 comments:

  1. sarah toa8 October 2013 at 16:10

    Let me guess, that first icecream was a peak experience ...
    This is quite lovely Hippo. Happy journeying.

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    1. Hippo8 October 2013 at 16:28

      You're almost as lovely. Stay with me a few days and you'll be calling me Mr Whippy.

      Sorry, I know you don't like sexual innuendo so forget I said that and you know I would never take a whip to a woman. Although I might be tempted to cover you in ice cream and make the most delightful sundae...

      Delete
    2. Janice Grinyer8 October 2013 at 23:12

      good god no wonder you are so prolific...

      Delete
  2. Nota Bene8 October 2013 at 18:45

    You're very good to have kept all those pictures...firsts are pretty important at any time of life; he looks happy with that ice cream

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    1. Hippo8 October 2013 at 20:22

      I only found them in the recent move. I lost all the albums. these were stuffed in an envelope concealed in a cookery book!

      Delete
  3. John Going Gently8 October 2013 at 19:44

    Your life story would make a bloody good film.....
    Jeremy Irons could play you as an old man

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    1. Hippo8 October 2013 at 20:25

      Only if he has put on a lot of weight recently!

      I went to the theatre with him and a party of friends in the Eighties. He looked as old then as he does now.

      Delete
    2. megan blogs8 October 2013 at 21:42

      I agree with Johnthedogs. When are you writing the book? I should like an autographed copy, please.

      Delete
  4. Carol8 October 2013 at 22:06

    What a great post Hippo :)

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    1. Hippo9 October 2013 at 12:25

      Glad you liked it Commander-in-Chief (C in C, geddit?)

      Delete
  5. Nigel Peace8 October 2013 at 23:39

    I think I can pick you out in all the army photos. In your first posting as an officer, the look on your face looks to me like "I cant believe I am still getting away with this ... " From you previous blogs I know that must have been one of the fondest times. Pink has a song called "Good Old Days" - the lyrics are here .. http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/pink/goodolddays.html .

    You are definitely making "good old days" for yourself and family today.

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    1. Nigel Peace8 October 2013 at 23:43

      I looked at the lyrics again - man - are song writers lazier today - a lot of them seem to be all chorus and not much verse. Maybe I am just getting old

      Delete
    2. Hippo9 October 2013 at 12:30

      If you llok at the officer sitting next to me, Captain Alan Inions, he looks exasperated. I was smirking becuase he had just muttered, 'For fuck's sake, get on with it! How hard can it be to take one flaming photo', eloquently expressing the way we all felt in the baking sun.

      Delete
  6. Helsie9 October 2013 at 01:02

    A terrible shame to lose all your albums. For heaven's sake don't lose these precious photos. Scan them and then put them somewhere safe, your boys will want them some time in the future.
    BTW how's the toe? I for one want to see a progress photo !
    PS. and write on the back of the photos what they are and who is in them and which one is you.There may not always be someone around to point these things out!

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    1. Hippo9 October 2013 at 12:35

      I'll have a good dig around. I know there is another envelope stuffed with salvaged photos and negatives. I will start scanning them and posting them on line. Computer hard and back drives stuff up occasionally, laptops get stolen, photos are lost or damaged. Putting them online at least add another layer of safety.

      The toe. Not too good, I am afraid but it is hanging in there (literally). I promised Columnist no more gruesome pics and I can understand why he found them uncomfortable, I can't even bear to look at my toe!

      Delete
  7. Cro Magnon9 October 2013 at 06:05

    Some great pix there. Quite a number of my relations were 'shocked' when I didn't go to Sandhurst. God knows why they ever thought I would, it had never been in the game-plan. Thumbs-up for Mr Whippy!

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    1. Hippo9 October 2013 at 12:36

      I don't know, I could easily imagine you as a crusty old Colonel sitting in his favourite arm chair in the officer's Mess!

      Delete
  8. Elsewhere9 October 2013 at 06:38

    How about a contest? Pick out Tom on the army pictures and win an original... ... ... , vacuum sealed by Tom himself.

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    1. Hippo9 October 2013 at 12:41

      Not a bad idea! I think Nige may have a head start since we worked together in Angola but since I will be judging, I can always unfairly penalize him to give everyone else a chance.

      Delete
  9. columnist9 October 2013 at 07:05

    Let me be the first to congratulate you on your new ice cream machine!

    In days of yore I would have loved having such an object, (though doubtless loved the effect quite so much), but happily my only concession to a sweet tooth has long since departed.

    Great pictures, to be treasured forever by you and your children.

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    1. columnist9 October 2013 at 07:06

      ...though doubtless NOT loved the effect so much...

      Delete
    2. Hippo9 October 2013 at 12:48

      I have also given up sweet things but have to confess, it is lovely experimenting with ice cream récipes. I now use less than half the sugar recommended and for my vanilla ice cream use real vanilla pods. Pretty soon I may really live up to the name of my restaurant, Fat Hippo's!

      Delete
  10. Anonymous9 October 2013 at 07:12

    Now that is an impressive list of firsts and seconds! Did Second son go back for seconds? Did the Mexican authorities ever release you?

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    1. Hippo9 October 2013 at 12:57

      And thirds, fourths ad nauseum!

      Once the Federales realised I was actually visiting México to take the Belizean team to compete in the Copa Americano in México City they let me go. We played the opening match against Columbia in the Aztec stadium and scored the first goal of the tournament. Columbia beat us 5-1 and after two more similar results, we were knocked out in the first round but, what an experience! So that was another first, managing a national football team and taking them to a regional finals. In those days there was nothing I could do wrong. Then I got married. After that, there was nothing I could do right.

      Delete
  11. ADDY9 October 2013 at 11:43

    Great photos and memories with each one.

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  12. Retired job.9 October 2013 at 14:21

    As everyone else has pointed out, some great photo's. Love the Merc and ice cream machine although only the Merc wouldn't affect health/waistline.

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    1. Hippo14 October 2013 at 11:57

      Nonsense, I had to starve myself to buy the Mercedes!

      Delete
  13. BadPenny9 October 2013 at 18:05

    Lots of exciting firsts there. The first ice cream ,looks very well received !

    ( husband is a yacht skipper )

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    1. Hippo14 October 2013 at 11:59

      The ice cream is delicious!

      Sometimes I get the urge to climb onto a yacht and just start sailing Westwards.

      Delete
  14. Kev Alviti9 October 2013 at 22:12

    Great history of pictures there! Mine would be less intersting I feel (first peugeot car).

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    1. Hippo14 October 2013 at 12:01

      You do yourself down, Don Kev Alviti. What about photos of your first hit?

      Still no news on the new arrival?

      Delete

Please feel free to comment, good or bad. I will allow anything that isn't truly offensive to any other commentator. Me? You can slag me without mercy but try and be witty while you are about it.

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