HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKEEYRAT, ONLY TWO YEARS AWAY FROM THE BIG '5-O' BROTHER . . . . ANOTHER DELIGHTFUL LITTLE GATHERING AT THE MOUNTAIN RETREAT . . . . OLD BIKES, OLD CARS, OLD BLOKES AND YOUNG LADIES, A PROPER PEOPLE COCKTAIL MIX . . . . FANTASTIC DINNER, CRACKING CONVERSATION, BEAUTIFUL BEER, WICKED WINE AND TERRIFIC TREATS AS USUAL AT THE HOUSE ON THE HILL . . . . THE CHOP IN ITS LATEST AND COOLEST INCARNATION.

AND 'NO' KIDDIES, THE TREADALLY ISN'T SOME JOHNNY-COME-LATELY, LET ME ON THE BANDWAGON, HIPSTER DIPSHIT, SCENE-STEALER, CASH-IN, THE CHOOK'S BEEN COOKING WITH THESE SAME BASIC INGREDIENTS SINCE 1986 . . . . THAT'S RIGHT, WELL BEFORE THE ENTIRE SIXTIES/SEVENTIES THING BECAME THE 'RETRO FAD DE JOUR', SOME OF US HAVEN'T CHANGED A FUCKING THING . . . . IT'S THOSE OF YOU OUR AGE, WHO WERE THE SILENT, DISDAINFUL, SNIGGERING MAJORITY BACK THEN WHO HAVE DECIDED IT'S NOW SAFE AS MILK AND THEY CAN JOIN IN . . . . WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING MOCKED AND SCORNED AS IDIOTS AND RETARDS FOR HOLDING ONTO AND PURSUING THE SHIT WE'VE ALWAYS LOVED, BELIEVED IN AND HELD IN HIGH REGARD . . . . YOU CAN CHECK YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR TO ENSURE YOU'RE LOOKING JUST SO, BUT YOU CAN'T CHECK YOUR SOUL . . . . MAYBE ONE DAY YOU'LL FOLLOW YOUR HEART WITHOUT BUCKLING TO THE SHALLOW, PISSWEAK DICTATES OF "WHAT WILL MY FRIENDS THINK?", CAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN STEERING YOU SO FAR . . . . MAYBE, BUT I DOUBT IT . . . . HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKEEY. XX