Out for lunch today. It was the annual Xmas lunch of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales, which is based in Welshpool. Nine of us met up at the Royal Oak, which has benefited from some serious investment over the last year or so. And who should join us for a 'small' glass of red but Wales' answer to Terry Wogan, the great Roy Noble. His Radio Wales afternoon programme was 'on the road' today, and being broadcast from Welshpool. Needless to say I nobbled (which seems the appropriate verb) Natalie who was organising things and fixed up a 'chat slot' on the programme for moi. Shameless - even if I say it myself.
Anyway, back to the dining table. I don't know how we got onto the subject, but we began to discuss our respective inside leg measurements. It seems that both Roy and I are 29 inch men. Roy said (with what level of knowledge or authority I know not) that this is the Welsh average. We should have launched 'The 29 Inch Club' there and then. I was thinking about this later on in the day, and wondered whether I was absolutely sure about my own measurement. It could be that it depends on which leg. Now this is not so daft as it sounds. I have spent many years walking across the mountains of Wales, as most sheep farmers do - and it could easily be that differing lengths of leg have 'evolved' to facilitate easier traversing of the slopes.
The short legs have always been an issue for me. Such a low centre of gravity made me impossible to tackle when I played on the wing, and I used to score tries for fun - the only winger in Midlands rugby who actually sidestepped out of the 'gap'. Team mates used to refer to me as the original brick ****house. But I could never do pull-ups without a weight on my feet - though I've never found this to be a serious career hindrance. The only real problem is in church when people sitting behind me think I am about 6 feet 4 inches tall. I'm the only person who isn't any taller when I stand up. In fact I have a friend of 6 feet 4 inches who is the same height as I am from from the gusset up (OK, you come up with a better word - within this blog's bounds of decency).
First question Roy asked me on air was whether I'm still farming. I responded by saying "Yes, and I intend to carry on until all the money's gone". I know its an old one - but the timing seemed quite good. I then went on to do a campaigning broadcast on behalf of the CPRW. Roy Noble is a top man. And it was a splendid lunch - much enjoyed by all.
6 comments:
Many of us believe that the Roy of Roys is more than a mere answer to Wogan, especially since the latter became a caricature of himself.
- Frank Little (74 cm IL)
Frank - you are right. Reprimand accepted. I have short changed Roy. I aplogise unreservedly.
do we get a picture of said legs
Glyn....get the "29 inch leg club" set up on Facebook!
Wonder what Cairns is?
21 inch??
I had no idea that I qualified for membership of so many clubs. Several of my ancesters, on my father's side, would have qualified as well. Perhaps I could become President of one of them.
I'll ask Cairnsey what his measurement is. He may look on the '29 inch leg club' as aspirational!
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