DTPM Memoirs

Spent a traditional Bank Holiday weekend at DTPM with the usual gang, Marcos & Carlos, Steve and Woody and of course Dusan and I.

The evening was dampered by the word that DTPM may possibly soon be closing. Indeed it was quieter than normal and lacked a certain vibe. Do places have a certai shelflife and then thats it?

By 2:00AM I was feeling exhausted and maybe I was just too worn out with work to go out late or I just missed my new fabulous wedding gift linning but enough was enough and feeling rather exhausted we made our way home and enjoyed a night in the best of company. With nothing but one another.

Once in a lifetime you find the person you wish to spend your life with and when you find them you know its for real. We think each others thoughts, can say what the other is thinking and love each other with un-ending love. What else could one want in life?

RIP Lee Noorda

This weekend sadly, my dear American Family said goodbye to the father of the family, Lee Noorda as he lost his battle with Cancer.

Leaving behind Wife Irene, Daughters Pamela & Janet, Sons, Philip, Jeff & Scott.


I have spent many a family moment with my American family and can only wish the family all my love and respect at this difficult time.

Much love Neil & Dusan !XXX

Winter Blues in August!

After what must be the worst English summer on record and after the Met Office recorded it officially the wettest summer in over 300 years, its now feeling quite like November in the middle of August. This morning as I rose for work at 0630 I had to turn on the heating for 15 minutes to take the chill off the house. Even nipping out at lunch time I had to wear my thick wool winter coat. I imagine depression will be up as winter sets in early this summer.

Dusan and I are now actively looking to move ASAP. I am currently rising at 0630 every morning simply to get to the office for 0900. Its too much.

Everybody at the office was in the classroom yesterday. They all agreed, even the new starters that they were worn out and in need of a break soon. The rollout schedule has not even begun and we are all exhausted. Needless to say that with this commute it will get worse as winter begins to set in. I believe we will spend this weekend at home going through the cupboards and throwing out all that we can so that we can make the move as easy as possible. I better get on and look for a flat to buy now.

We also figure that if we are spending £500 between us on Travel per month currently that would only be £140 if we lived in Zone 2. Heating here is £58 for gas and electricity and my old flat was £20 total. Something is wrong with the cost of living in the burbs. Less to say that we dont want to be here and will not spend money on a house we dont want to live in. My father will not like it when he hears we are moving but everyone else seems fine with the idea. In his eyes this is the perfect home and how lucky we are. He doesnt realise that without our friends and with nothing that interests us socially locally its cold, lonely and expensive as well as exhausting in regards to commuting.

Decision made, time to get ready to move. Watch out London. Here we come!!!

Soho Pride 2007, Soho, London

With the weather as bad as it could be, rain and cloud about to spoil the day at the last minute but we manged to rally the troops and Mark had agreed to meet us in the Edge, Soho.

We made our way there and bumped into Dave, Warren, the lovely Sam Vangeen and some others outside Profile and then made our way to the Edge where we hooked up with the other Warren, Antionio and our lovely friend Mark.

We all made our way around through the fairly quiets streets taking in the atmosphere and bumping into more and more friends. Nigel & Grant, Scotty, Lee & Matthew, Carlos & Marcus, then Jason Rosam who dragged us into a restaurant to see Neil Sexton who was dining with Jamie Crick and the lovely Amanda.

It was day spent having a few drinks with some very special friends.

Everyone was asking us when we would be moving back and we have told them all that we aim to be moving very soon. It was weird how everyone was so excited that we would be moving back and how much we have been missed in these two years out in the wilderness of Essex. It was a strange feeling as everyone was excited that we would be returning to the city. Almost as though it was where we belonged. Essex has served us well. We managed to set up a stable home enough to ensure Dusan had a firm base for his application and now that its all sorted we can start to plan our future back where most our friends live, in a city we love and where we feel most at home.

Final Day in Paradise

Well they say that all good things must come to an end and end it in style we did. Starting off with Coffee on the Veranda as the sun started to shine over the horizon and then stoked the BBQ for our lunch outside while I tucked into Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

By 1400 we headed down to the beach as always that was packed as it was a weekend. Locals and tourists alike merging on the sandy pastures of a perfect sandy beach, clear cloudless blue skies and a soft gentle sea breeze to keep up cool. Dusan sat under the Parasol while Harry Potter and I enjoyed the last day of sun.

At 1800 we made our way back to the Villa and said goodbye to the friends we had made on the beach and stopped at the supermarket for a last bottle of wine and some final bits and bobs. Then came back to enjoy the last two hours of sunshine and a bottle of champagne we had left chilling all day. Steak and Salad dinner followed before we packed our cases and prepared for our final night in front of the television. Our friend Rob whom we met in the week in Villamoura sadly had to work this weekend so we didnt get to say a final goodbye, but we will in the words of Arnie - "Will be Back!"

Its been a perfect 10 days winding down, enjoying the company of your true life partner and just relaxing in the sunshine with good food, cheap drinks and fabulous weather. Its times like this that I remember why I named this blog so. We really are truly Lucky Bitches! xxx

Sunburnt or Alergies

It would seem that Dusan likes to spend his weekends in search of medical help. Exactly a week after we ended up at the hospital today we got back from the beach and he came out in a rash. It had been appearing in small patches over the week but by last night it was over all of his chest in little red blotches. As we came in from the sun he started to itch and so after a shower we drove into Almancil in search of a Pharmacy. Unlike in the UK there are signs everywhere over the Algarve pointing you to the nearest Pharmacy and they are illuminated with huge flashing neon crosses (Unlike a Boots). Why do they never have the International Pharmacy Sign in the UK? Have I ever mentioned how much I hate boots? Over priced tosh where they have now stopped stocking branded goods and only sell Boots Brand of an inferior product. Hey Ho. The first two Pharmacies were closed so we drove into Quinto do Largo, a much larger tourist area where the shops are likely to open later and found a late night Pharmacy and an English speaker where I was able to purchase some Camomile Lotion and seek medical advice from the Pharmist. I was right as she suggested that it was either an alergic reaction to the sun or to the sunscreen and that he should put the Camomile Lotion on twice a day and apply direct to the skin before sunscreen. Almost instantly the itching stopped. So we will need once we get home to seek further advice. We are hoping its the sunscreen and that Dusan's skin is in need of a branded Sunscreen such as Dior, Calvin Klein or Dolce & Gabbanna and that his allergic to something that costs less than £25 a bottle. Infact I had to laugh as we rubbed the Camomile Lotion over his body he said "Oh no, I smell like a cheap Soap". Memo to Molton Brown - "When are you going to start to make sunscreen?"

Today is our last day. Its been blissfully relaxing. We have enjoyed a BBQ virtually everyday out by the pool on the Terrace. Have spent some time everyday on the Beach. Visited Albufeira and Villamoura and most importantly spent ten gorgeous days together on our honeymoon!

Finally, some get well words to our dear friend Trish who has slipped a Disk, Poor Love. Get well soon!

Beach Life Algarve

Woke around 10 and spent first hour with coffee by the pool then headed off to the beach for about 6 hours. It was boiling and we both have a lovely colour. Dusan, being naturally Mediteranian is even darker than I am.

Came home to a BBQ dinner of Steak and Salad and then some Big Brother before chilling with some Portugese wine and my loving man!

The lattest pics are attached. As for the the Surongs, well if its good enough for David Beckham its good enough for us eh?

Vilamoura Vs Magaluf

Last night after a near full day in the sunshine, split between a BBQ lunch at the Villa and then spending the afternoon down on the beach that we would venture out from the safety of the complex and see another town. Vilamoura is 2 towns west on the coast and is home to a Marina, dozens of restaurants and according to Google one of the Algraves only Gay Bars, E Bar. Unfortunatly E Bar did not have a web site so we made our way over, parked the car and wandered around the Marina. At 1900 it was fairly busy but seemed as though it turned rapidly from being a quiet Marina to something that resembled Magaluf as thousands of burnt British people transended on to the streets smothered in Burberry, football colours or aftersun lotion.

The Marina front restaurants all had queues outside and it has as much alure by then as a Motorway service cafe or lets say a restaurant in Harlow's Harvey Centre. Not very appealing. So we headed off the beaten track and found a really nice Portugese place that was far less touristy.



When I studied Business Studies & Tourism they did tests on us all to see what sort of a tourist we would be. Apparantly I dont like to be too far away from civilization but the idea of mixing with thousands of drunken Brits in Karaoke bars was far from appealing.

After dinner we found the E-Bar only to find it doesnt opne until ten. We spent an hour looking for it then Dusan spotted an Adult Store and popped in for directions. What no porn you say?

As it wasnt even open we headed back to a much more appreciative Villa without the crowds of drunks and screaming brats. We did laugh at how many family's we saw where there was Mum, Dad, 3 Teens, a Baby and two Grandparents or even four in massive groups and all they do is argue.

What the Algarve desperately needs is a gay only resort. Where's my business manager? There is one in Quarteira the next town down so we may head there later, after of course we have gone a shade darker by the pool or on the Beach. Blissfull way to spend ones Honeymoon! :-)

Spencer Gasson Vs Harry Potter

Yes my friend, Spencer, that is a Harry Potter book and I am happy to say I love the HP series. Have been sat for the past hour on the double bed inflatable on the pool reading book 7. Blissfull way to spend the afternoon after we had cocktails down at Julias beach at Noon.

Will head back down to the beach after lunch. The BBQ is stoked and we have chicken with Potatoe Salad and Vegtables for lunch. Infact since we arrived we have eaten Al Fresco and not bothered with restaurants at all. With Buffalo Steaks available for under 2 Euro's and all the BBQ food likewise we have stoked the Barbie daily and have been enjoying our private Villa Terrace and pool instead.

More details and photo's soon but until then, much love my friends

Neil & Dusan x

First Pictures from the Algarve (Removed - Email for Copies)

With my half the size of a Whale at the moment I was surprised that Greenpeace didnt pull me into the Ocean yesterday and shout "Save the Whale". So after much editing I have approved the following pictures for publication and will order more Hot Rox and buy a decent gym membership. Aim to loose a stone by Halloween! Seems reasonable dont you think?

Woke to partial cloudy skys and so just catching up on emails. They promise sunshine by Noon and it looks like its breaking through already. High today 29 degrees of Fabulous.

Heatstroke and ER

The day started out quite well. Woke to unbroken cloudless skys and heat of around 32 degrees. We went to the Beach for an hour first thing and then came back and stoked the BBQ and made Buffalo Steak and Salad for lunch. It was too hot to go in the sun between 3 and 5 and so we read with the shade of the Umbrella and enjoyed a dip in our private pool or a relaxing chill on the double bed inflatamatic matress that we bought with us. If you fill it with enough air you can actually stay dry on it and read in peace.

At around 530 we went down to the beach and stopped for a cocktail on the way. All was fine for about an hour then Dusan went all queer on me. He looked blank and was dissorientated and I had the feeling he was affected by heat stroke. A very nice young man, Mario Helped us to walk him back up the beach but his body weight was too much and I had to run to the Praca to ask for help. The first aid guys checked his pulse and decided that he needed to be checked out at the hospital. So much for our one month anniversary. Thank goodness, he was okay and just a little dehydrated and we had to jump a taxi back from the hospital. In my panic I didnt think to pick up extra clothes for him and as we departed in Hospital he was wearing nothing but Trunks. Bless him. Even the nurses were asking, Did you not bring him some clothes.

Got him home and slept for a good few hours sleep and then woke to a cloudy morning. This cleared by mid day and thankfully Dusan was feeling much better. We managed a few hours on the beach but kept him hydrated and finished the day with BBQ as the sun set and watching some TV before bed.

Felt a little sad at missing Brighton Pride but made up for it by spending quality time with my beloved husband.

Sorry to hear you missed Pride too Spencer. Been too long matey. Lets meet up soon. Will be planning the Wedding Celebration at a London location soon so hope to see you then if not before! Are you going to the RVT Sports day?

Much love

Neil & Dusan xx

Brighton Pride Vs Portugal

For the past ten years I have not missed a single Brighton Pride. Its is the event of the season, but this year it was a decision between a weekend in Brighton or taking our honeymoon. With Mikey being housebound since he was hit by a Taxi last week. We decided that as the original group was no longer going to Brighton, would we perhaps be better off going on our holiday early? Save the £400 of Hotel and food and drink for three nights and instead we were on the 0730 flight from Standsted to Faro.

So here we are not only our first holiday together but actually our honeymoon and the weather is gorgeous!

So sorry to all of you that I will miss you this Pride Season, but we will celebrate with you all soon. Now that Dusan has his Leave to Remain we will plan the Big Party for everyone and hope to see you all there. For now, Goodnight.x