Classic Mallinson

Thanks very much to KE, TC, AM and everyone else who contributed to my leaving cover.

Before you ask, I’m not going to elaborate on any of the cover lines; what happens in Dubai stays in Dubai.

What I will reveal, is that “kerfuffle” should read “kafoefel” – proving that every magazine needs a sub.

Friendly conversation XLIV

TC: Do you want your g&t Cullen strength, Mallinson strength, or Henderson strength?
TM: Mallinson strength, please. You´re drinking Cullen strength, I take it?
TC: Actually, I´m drinking Cullen plus.
TM: Hectic.
KE (takes a sniff of TC´s drink): Is there any tonic at all in there?
TM: Let me have a sip…
KE: Okay, I´m not even going to taste it.
TM (sips drink): Actually, I rather like it.
TC: That´s because I´ve trained you well!

Friendly conversation XLIII

TM: When you guys leave, I´m going to cry. I´ll just sit quietly at my computer and do my work, but there´ll be a constant stream of tears running down my cheeks.
TC: Tears of milk, ha!
Hendog: Tears of Heineken, more likely!

Friendly conversation XLII

TC: So we´ll have just a couple of pints at the IV then?
TM: And by a couple you mean…?
TC: I know it should be two, but I actually mean a few.
TM: So not a sub´s couple then.
TC: Not a sub´s couple. Except if you´re the sub.
TM: Huh?
TC: Your sub´s couple of pints is a dozen!

Friendly conversation XLI

TC: I´m having a beer first, but please choose some wine for later.
TM: Okay.
TC: Oh dear, I´m sensing it´s going be an out til five…
TM: More like out til five hundred dibs!

Friendly conversation XXXI

TC: I think we should make an effort tonight. Wear something nice, okay?
TM: Okay.
TC (turning to G): Do you think we´ll be allowed to wear shorts?

Last week pizza, this week thousands of dibs

Had a disappointing response to my offer of free pizza. But Rustum´s thoughtful analysis of the state of Cape Town pizzerias is a deserving winner, even if was, ahem, the only entry. Dude, I´ll email you details of how to claim your Butler´s. It´s my pleasure to help feed the starving artist. 

But this week, there´s a much better (potential) prize on offer. Every morning on the way to work – well, to be fair, those mornings I get up in time to catch the silver bullet – TC and I are confronted with the secret sound on Dubai 92. Our first guess was “scrabble letters in a bag “, but we discovered that had already been suggested and was the: “Wrong answer, stupid!” TC is convinced the secret sound has something to do with lettuce, but I´m not sold.

Although we´re pretty much stumped, I still fancy getting my hands on 47,000 dibs (and rising), or even part thereof. Here´s what I propose. You, my friends and readers back home and other places, submit your guesses as to the provenance of the secret sound via the comment box. Click on the links to hear the pesky sound and see a list of previous wrong answers, stupid. TC and I will select the guess we reckon is most plausible, then
I´ll text it to the station and, cross fingers, take the call from Catboy and Geordiebird.

If we happen to win, and I just know we will, what with all you creative geniuses working on a sound solution, money is split equally three ways. One third for the winning guesser, one third for the facilitor (yes, that´d be me), and one third for my morning chauffeur. Believe it, because it´s true. And yes, clicking on that last link will lead you to a gratuitous Corné and Twakkie video. Maybe I´m just missing home?

Healthy challenge, day XVIII

Didn´t have the healthiest day. I did drink one g&t at the Irish Village after work. But only one. And one g&t upstairs while watching Frost/Nixon with TC. But only one. So that makes one g&t. And it was with slimline tonic, which makes it only half a g&t, right?

In my defence, I did seriously think about going for a swim. But considering Thursday is the weekend in this part of the world, and that I have exercised for the last five days in a row, I think a little slackitude is allowed… Back to yoga tomorrow though!

Achievement of the day: Not smoking at the Irish Village. 
Inspiration of the day: My Ollible cousin, who is on day 4 of quitting smoking himself.
Match of the day: g&t 2, Trinny 0

Healthy challenge, day XVII

Had my first group pilates class, which went okay. I think one of the reasons I prefer yoga though is that you can look in the mirror to focus (and check that you´re doing the posture correctly).

When I walked out of the pilates studio, the ground was all wet, which left be a little bewildered. At first I wondered if they were washing the car park? (“Classic Mallinson”, as TC would say.) But then I felt the gentle rain on my face, and was grateful for this unseasonal gift. Nothing beats Jozi thunder storms, but it was still pretty good. Pity I missed the hail though, I was busy scooping my stomach in or whatever at pilates.

Weather of the day: Hail in Dubai.
Pilates phrase of the day: Scoop your stomach in.  
Achievement of the day: Still did not smoke, although was final, final deadline.