New Boots & Panties

Well- after about five years of talking, it seems we're finally going to get new shirts. Well done Mr R for getting off his backside and taking this on.

Of course, this does throw up a number of potential issues- not least of which is the shirt design. Despite being designed by committee, somehow the original shirts turned out pretty well (the odd typo not withstanding- Kieth!) but we did get bogged down with individuals providing their own logos (or not). Whilst not being superstitious, it may be wise to resist that this time round as, with the exception of the Old Sun, none of the businesses featured is still trading. We probably need to keep this fact away from any potential sponsors!

Furthermore, new shirts will mean, for the majority of us, choice and choice brings a need for decisions.
Which of us has not been through the excruciating exercise of getting ready to go out with the "Uvver 'Alf"? We grab whichever jeans and tee shirt are clean (or least dirty) and then sit and wait while they decide what to wear. This can take several hours while they try on the entire wardrobe because a) they have a choice and b) they're worried what everybody else will wear.

Over the years, we've proved that decision making is not our forte. Witness the annual fiasco of agreeing tour dates or even selecting dishes for the Xmas meal. This can take weeks and half of us still forget what we ordered when we get there.

Will we now be ringing around on a Tuesday to see which shirt everybody is going to wear on Thursday? Who will be arbiter? Will anybody who wears the wrong shirt be forced to ride a different route or sit on the other side of the pub? Perhaps we'll have to have separate whips for the ale.

Then there'is the matter of accessories. Again, taking the lead from the Uvver 'Alf, will we not need new shorts and shoes to go with our shirts? If so, remember Mick's recent advice and buy black not red shorts!

There's so much to worry about; I 'd go and contemplate this over a coffee, but I'd have to decide between cappuccino, latte, espresso, Americano............