Restaurants, Punters and Police Officers

Last Monday (May 14th) I spent the evening with Susie and Julia. We shared a meal together at Café Rouge in Windsor.

It was a really lovely evening and late enough in the day for the place to be fairly quiet and unaffected by the Royal Wedding preparations.

The food and service were excellent, as always.

And here we are:

 

Last night (Saturday May 19th, the day of the Royal Wedding), and the early hours of this morning, I spent the night with Laura, Emma and Susie at Pink Punters.

Laura arrived at Windsor a little before 5 pm. I’d just about finished with the makeup and stuff.

At the moment makeup  is taking a bit longer than it used to. The reasons are partly to do with ideas I picked up  from a visit by Esteller and Stacey of Corinthian Spa to Surrey Swans back in September last year. And also from ideas picked up from Lauren at House of Fraser in Guildford in the same month.

The new new things include stuff like:

• using an exfoliating cleanser before doing makeup, as well as at other times
• applying a primer and letting it do whatever it does for 5 minutes before applying any foundation
• applying a little red lipstick with a concealer brush in the area around my mouth and chin before applying any foundation – the idea is that it helps conceal the grey kind of colour that guys get there prior to the formation of bristles
• using a foundation brush to apply the foundation (rather than my fingers)

I’ve also started to use a real brush to apply eye shadow, instead of using the freebie things that come with the shadow. I’ve found that the shadow brush gets thigs done better. The brush holds more shadow and also manages to generate a lot less “spillage”.

Packing a suitcase for the night  was a whole lotless elephantine than has often been the case with previous trips to Pink Punters. There was no need for drab (as in dressed as a bloke) clothing an I knew what  wanted to wear. I guess like all things in life, past experiences can help make things easier. Though I know that sometimes, in some circumstances, past experiences can have exactly the opposite effect.

Anyway, we set of for the Campanile hotel, just opposite Pink Punters, and arrived there at a little after 6pm.

During the journey Laura shared a story that gave me the feeling that it’s perhaps a good idea to have a pair of jeans available at a moments notice. You’ll have to ask Laura for the details, but skirts and climbing ladders come into the equation.

Soon after our arrival, text messages from Susie and Emma confirmed everyone was there and we met up in the bar. We discovered that there are places to sit and sip a drink outside, which was very pleasant on a lovely warm evening.

We decide to eat inside and discover that, thanks to the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex, there is a free small bottle of prosecco for every main meal ordered, so during the meal we raise a glass to them.

Susie thinks she may need 45 minutes to freshen up before heading over the road to the nightclub. So Laura and I feel we have plenty of time to get ourselves sorted. That is until 22:26 when the text from Emma arrives … “We’re downstairs”.

To be fair, Laura did have a problem with a disobedient zipper.

Very soon after that we’re at the entrance, having our bags examined, paying our fees, collecting a pink ticket, walking p the steps, handing the ticket over and buying a drink.

We realise that something has changed.

The steps that used to lead to the upstairs bar have gone. There are new ones, but they are roped off and lead up to the ceiling.

The prosecco can’t have affected us all so badly … so we hunt around. The only stairs going up are signposted “toilets”. We walk up the stairs and, sure enough, we discover toilets.

Susie … or perhaps it was Emma … has a little chat with a security guard. The words closed, refurbishment and champagne bar are floated. We’re a bit disappointed.

We find seats elsewhere, in the outside covered area not far from a very big open fire. Laura goes exploring and discovers some seats downstairs were the karaoke is currently happening. It’s OK, but  the old upstairs area was nicer.

Emma and I reminisce. The pink room that seems to be no more. And whatever happened to the polar bear?

We chat, drink and dance.

The first dance is in the ground floor … middle … main … dance floor.

Later Laura takes us to the lower dance floor.

Oh gosh. The bass gives you an internal body massage. The lights are amazing. Mesmerizing. Hypnotising. It is very loud.

Susie and I retire from the sound a little earlier than Laura and Emma.

We chat a while with another couple. Drink a little.

Susie, Emma and I  dance a little more on the middle floor dance floor. A guy there gives the impression that he wants to lift me into the air … but I’m still sober enough to decline the offer.

It’s a after 4:00 am by the time the makeup is off.

I enjoyed the evening a lot. It’s good to spend time with friends.

It’s rise and shine at about 9:30 am. There’s time to shower and do makeup and dress before we have to leave at midday.

And then, of curse, there are the police officers.

I had an email from someone that works at Guildford Police Station asking if I’d be willing to visit them sometime to speak about transgender things. So that’s all planned for May 31st. I’m planning on visiting there along with friends that I know from Surrey Swans and sharing some thoughts and experiences with people there. I’ll write something here to describe how it goes.

Pink Punters, Wolves and Friends

Last Saturday (August 5th) a few of us spent an evening (and a morning) at Pink Punters.

Travelling light I pack only 1 pair of shoes, 2 dresses, 1 skirt and 1 shirt. That’s in addition to the dress and shoes that I am already wearing. Together with the makeup and all the other stuff that needs to be taken.

The suitcase is by no means small. But quite a bit smaller than I’ve used in the past. And everything fits inside without having to sit on the top to zip it all up.

Laura arrives in Windsor a little after 5:00 pm and says hello to Sally. Soon we’re on the road  off with TomTom instructed to avoid motorways. The traffic is kind and we’re at the Campanile Hotel soon after 6:30 pm.

A text to Paula and to Susie to say that we’re in room 119 and we’ll be at the bar by about 7:00 pm.

The little card says there is a £100 fine for doing anything that impedes the effectiveness of safety equipment. We check the smoke alarm for condoms.

Laura tries a dress on. Andrea unpacks. Laura tries a skirt on. Andrea unpacks some more. Laura tries a dress on. 7:00 pm seems wildly optimistic.

7:10 pm at the bar. Hello Chloe and hello Sonia.

There is no Shiraz so it’s house red for Laura. And no Sauvignon Blanc so it’s house white for Andrea.

Susie and Paula arrive. Emma arrives.

We sip and chat.

Chloe has a cool new phone cover courtesy of Sonia. It has a picture of a howling wolf … maybe a bit like this:

Andrea learns that one way of receiving a new phone cover is to leave the current one on the roof of your car before setting off on a journey. Of course, the new cover is only any use if the phone isn’t inside it’s current cover when it gets left on the car roof. Or at least at the moment that you drive off.

Susie and I reminisce over Sparkle, giggling over the “please can I have a glass of Sauvignon Blanc” experience.

Talking with Chloe, Sonia, Paula and Susie, thinking about the love that people show, and also the apparent hatred.

19:33 … Andrea sends a text to Lucy:

Hi Lucy, we’re sipping things in the hotel bar, Andrea

Conversation continues.

“Is Lucy coming?”

Andrea nods. I sent her a text.

Andrea checks the address book on her phone. Lucy Surrey Swans.

Does Andrea know an other Lucy at Surrey Swans? Is a different Lucy sitting somewhere wondering who is sitting in which bar sipping what things?

Emma comes to the rescue. The number she has for the Lucy is the same as Andrea’s Lucy Surrey Swans. All is well. Or so we think.

19:57:

Hi Andrea, are you and the others at the bar? 

Lucy.

Lucy has a new number … or at least Andrea has an old one.

19:58:

We are yes, I texted your old number :)

Lucy arrives.

We talk of Indigo Girls in Brighton, along with Lucy Wainwright Roche.

And Bruce Springsteen.

Food and conversation follow.

From left to right it’s: Chloe, Emma, Paula, Sonia, Susie, Laura and Lucy.

The camera-girls arm is just about visible in the mirror at the back of the room.

It’s 21:20 and the plan is to change as need be and meet again at the bar.

Andrea suggests 21:30.

Stares of astonishment.

We compromise on a.s.a.p.

In room 119 Andrea takes off a dress and puts on a dress and a belt. Laura takes off a dress and puts on a skirt and a shirt and a belt.

a.s.a.p. for Andrea and Laura is 22:00. The girls at the bar waited very patiently.

It’s cool outside, but dry. The short walk through the car park and across Watling Street. The bus is noticeable by its absence. When it’s there it looks like this:

Handbags are scrutinised. We part with £7 and ascend the steps. Drinks at the bar.

The evening passes quickly.

Dancing. Sipping. Chatting.

The pink room is still pink, my dress is black.

Another dance. Another drink.

Andrea stands at the bar, and, without a word, the girl serving the drinks places a half of Fosters right there in front of her. Magic!

There’s a cis girl with a tiara. Andrea wonders why. The girl points at a badge. Andrea says “Happy Birthday” to the princess.

The friend of the princess wears a dress and a beard. Andrea smiles thinking Eurovision kind of thoughts.

We chat a while. He prefers to not be called she. Is straight. Is not trans. But likes the dress.

“I have a very firm bum. Have a feel.” he says.

He does indeed have a firm bum.

Two other friends of the girl without a beard drop by. No beards. And bums of an unknown degree of firmness.

They dance.

Andrea chats.

Andrea dances. Alone and with the bearded and non-bearded ladies.

Where is Laura?

1:00 am and it’s time for Chloe and Sonia to head back across Watling Street.

We meet Felicia and Kirsten and chat a while. Kirsten is thinking of offering some kind of a makeover before Pink Punters service.

Laura re-appears having had a worrisome hour or so.

Before we know it, it’s 03:45 and time to wend our way back to the hotel. Punters is still busy. Watling Street is extremely busy.

At room 119 Andrea and Laura compare breast sizes. Detachable boobies are easy to compare. Laura’s puppies are considerably larger.

Makeup, dresses and skirts come off, nightwear goes on.

Alarm is set for 10:00. It’s nor far off 05:00 and time to sleep.

At 09:30 a text beats the alarm.

Shower. Shave. Makeup. A skirt and shirt for Andrea. Pack. Check-out. Drive home.

A lovely night with lovely people/

On October Evening at Pink Punters

Nails are manicured Friday evening in preparation.

Saturday morning.

The packing takes a while.

Foundation. Foundation brush. Powder. Powder puff. Powder brush. Eye shadow. Eye shadow. More eye shadow. Eye shadow brushes. Eye liner. More eye liner. Mascara. Blush. Blush brush. Lipstick. Gloss.

Toothpaste. toothbrush.Makeup remover. Razor. Cotton wool buds. Cotton wool.

Perfume.

Panties, panties, panties.

Bra. Bra. Bra. Bra. Bra.

Boob. Boob.

Tights. Tights. Tights. Stockings.

Hair. Hair. Comb.

Shoes. Shoes. Shoes.

Dress. Dress. Dress.

Rings. Earrings. Necklace. Watch. Bracelets.

The suitcase is just large enough for one night as Andrea … though it would hold a weeks worth of stuff for Andy.

And no. I have no idea what was going through my mind when I packed so many bras to accommodate two boobs.

Laura arrives soon after 4:00 pm

We’re on the road soon after.

Sat Nav dictates  a motorway-free route. Nice scenery with a selection of tiny little bridges over canals.

The sound system informs us that Lucy has arrived at the hotel.

Susan arrives soon after.

17:37 and we arrive.

Chloe is outside reception chatting, but by the time we park has moved n to pastures new.

Check-in.

Shave.

Moisturiser.

Undress.

Panties.

Tights.

Bra.

So many to choose from.

First choice is a front fastener. Even though this particular bra has an infamy of its own. It has been known to release its captives at inopportune moments.

Two attempts and the fastening is secure.

Pop in the puppies.

Over the past several months Andrea has been dieting.

The fastening is far from secure and the puppies are planning a break out.

Five was definitely an overabundance. But at this moment Andrea is glad that she has a choice.

The front fastener is discarded,  the alternative offers a much higher security level.

In the background Laura coaxes the television into life and paints nails.

Foundation. Powder. Shadow. Liner. Mascara. Blush. Lips. Scent.

Dress. Necklace. Hair. Earrings. Watch. Bracelet. Rings. Shoes.

Texts to Chloe, Susan and Lucy.

The bar. Chloe is already there. Lucy and Susan arrive soon after.

A drink.

A meal.

A change of dress.

A walk across the road.

Down the steps.

Scrutiny of the handbags.

Ticket purchase.

Up the steps. Obediently whispering.

A drink and a seat by a fire outside.

Amanda and Denyse arrive.

At 10:30 the other bars open so it’s inside and upstairs.

Sitting, socialising and picture taking.

Andrea snaps Chloe, Lucy, Laura, Denyse, Amanda and Susan

Then passes the camera to Denyse. “Sit on my knee” jokes Laura. Andrea obliges.

A trip to the pink room.

Bright lights and conversation.

Andrea taking a picture.

 

Of Chloe … taking a picture.

 

 

of Andrea taking a picture …

You get the idea.

 

 

 

 

A girl in wedges looks at my heels.

Do they hurt?

I smile, knowing that they will.

She empathises, and says that wedges are much more comfortable.

We meet the Guy with the Dragon Tattoo.

The book that I read was about a girl and the tattoo was on her back.

This one is on his arm.

It is red.

He is Welsh.

Hence the dragon.

He explains a whole group of people have dragons in all kinds of places.

We take pictures.

Though, sadly, not of dragons.

Would you like me to take one for you?

Pictures are taken and I say hello. Karen is from Sheffield. Visiting friends and visiting Pink Punters.

Heading out of the pink room.

Looking down … the writing on the floor says … “Mind …”

“Mind the step” says the man with the dragon.

Karen laughs and suggests that he’s a t**t.

He smiles in denial.

Susan and Andrea chat a while with Karen and Alan.

Andrea discovers that she is common.

Something everyone has always suspected.

The dance floor beckons and welcomes us with YMCA followed by John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John and a little it of Grease.

The prophecy of the girl with the wedges gradually comes to pass.

Denyse is offered the chance to check that the passing girl is 100% real.

Back upstairs we converse.

People.

Friends.

Partners.

Family.

Babylon 5.

Start Trek.

Voyager.

Borg.

Picard.

Seven of Nine.

Janeway.

Harry Kim.

Battlestar Galactica.

Farscape.

Amanda and Denyse head home … we think.

Chloe heads back to the hotel.

Susan heads back.

Lucy and Laura discover the trans music room.

Before we know it it’s almost 04:00.

Another dance.

A guy asks me who I am.

A girl encourages me to smile.

Another holds ands and dances a while.

You look great she says.

Thank you I say.

A guy she is with takes my hand and we dance a while longer.

I’m always amazed at the friendliness of people here.

Laura and Andrea think Lucy must have headed back so they head back as well.

Back in room 209 Andrea’s phone rings.

Lucy hadn’t headed back.

She heads back and drops by to say goodnight.

After Lucy leaves it’s time to say goodbye to the makeup.

The alarm is set for 10:30 … the phone says that is in 6 hours and 3 minutes.

A lovely, lovely evening, night and morning.

A girlie kind of weekend

My wife, Sally, was away for the weekend, and so was Tina’s wife so we Tina and I planned a girlie weekend.

Arrived at home at about 6:15 pm on Friday to begin preparations before getting prepared. Washing dishes, feeding cats, printing out a driving route.

Phone plays its tune. Katie, my daughter, asks what I’m doing over the weekend. I mention Candygirls. She asks about Sunday and the possibility of visiting her on Fathers day. She’s busy, busy, busy revising for exams at the moment and Hammersmith isn’t far away. We plan a visit.

Phone plays again. Tina is setting off and will be here in half an hour.

Now the real preparations.

Almost 8:00 pm. Makeup is finished and I’m ready. Foundation. Silver and bronze shadow, black liner and mascara, red lips, pink rouge. Long polka dot dress.

Food. A trip to yell.com for a phone number. The man at The Blossoms of Windsor answers.

Sweet and sour chicken, chilli shredded beef, egg fried rice and prawn crackers.

Five minutes later we drive to The Blossoms to collect the food.

Soon after 9:00 pm I change … a shorter black dress. I pick up a bottle of wine and we’re on the road to Candygirls.

About 30 minutes later we’re there. Reception is deserted. Everyone’s watching football (England .v. Sweden).

We pay and head upstairs. Depositing the wine at the bar we have a small glass each. Quoting the number 33 later will provide us with refills.

The bar area is sparsely populated at first, but fills up once the football match is over.

Of course, we’re unable to avoid the lure of the dungeon. It took an amazingly long time to work out how the buckles on those wristbands worked. I checked the area for the absence of whips and paddles and hung around long enough for Tina to take the picture and unbind me.

 

Time flies.

2:00 am and it’s time for home.

Saturday is a trip to Pink Punters. Tina has volunteered to drive there and back … the Campanile hotel rooms are double the normal cost for some reason and Tina needs to head for the South coast early on Sunday. 

Tina arrives at about 6:00 pm. We get made up and changed and head out for a meal at Cafe Rouge in Windsor. Parking at the local library is free for local residents in the evening. As I collect a ticket from the pay and display machine the man behind me expresses his amazement that the machine is actually working. As ever, the staff at Cafe Rouge are charming. We order Saumon à la Niçoise and Boeuf Bourguignon, a glass of Merlot and a bottle of Hoegaarden. And I only just now discovered, that to visit the Hoegaarden web site you must be of legal drinking age … so i guess you had better not click the link if you’re not.

Then Coupe Rouge and Crème Brûlée.

A little before 9:00 pm it’s back home to change into another of those little black dresses and we head for Pink Punters.

A308, A332, M4, M25, M1, A5, a little over 50 miles and we’re there.

A lot has changed since last time we were there. The entrance has moved and there are walls and doors were there used to be no walls and doors.

It’s a quiet kind of evening … well, except for the music

Upstairs there are new facilities, including a unisex toilet area. The sign makes me smile.

We smile at a tgirl dressed in not a lot more than tape with the words ‘crime scene do not enter’.

Talk a while with a tgirl from Wellingborough.

Dance bit.

A girl almost trips over a step close to where we’re sitting and has a little conversation with us both. Admiring dresses and expressing frustration about steps.

A party of people head down the stairs towards the dance floor. A girl smiles and waves. I smile and wave back. It’s her birthday she says, pointing ahead at someone who is part way down the stairs. I smile. Come for a dance she says and blows a kiss.

And it’s 2:00 am.

At the exit a girl tells me that I have great legs and makes me smile.

A kinda quiet, but very pleasant evening.

Surrey Swans next Sunday and Sparkle is only a few weeks away.

TV Dinners, Swans and new Friends

Work continues to occupy way more of my time than I’d like it to. But there have been pleasant interludes.

The Christmas TV dinner at Billie and Kathie’s was great. Sally came along as well, and it was really nice to see Tina, Laura, Julia, Nikki, Billie, Kathie, Katie, Jan and everyone else …

The Surrey Swans meeting at the end of November was fun as well. Good to catch up on things with Emma and others. A few new people have been able to get along as well which is really nice … even someone that actually lives in Transylvania has been along a couple of times now.

Several weeks ago I received an email asking for some information about the Surrey Swans group.

I'm very shy and nervous and not very confident as I’ve not been out before … I really want to start enjoying my TV life …

Since then Rachel’s had a meal with Sally and myself and is looking forwards to getting along to the Surrey Swans meeting in January next year. It was really nice to meet Rachel… and a privilege to be one of the first people to ever meet her. It will be really nice getting to know her better.

The hotel is booked for Sparkle 2012 and hopefully a few of us will be able to get along to Pink Punters sometime early in 2012,

Pink Punters, Larry Norman and Johnny Cash

Laura, Emma and I paid a visit to Pink Punters a few weeks ago. It was a usual kind of trip. Laura and I travelled together, chatting and listening to some Johnny Cash and Larry Norman.

Johnny Cash seemed better than I ever remember him being. I still like Larry Norman a lot. Back in 1973 a student friend introduced me to Larry’s music. I bought quite a few of his LP’s. A few weeks ago I bought the mp3’s so now I can listen to them all over again. The lyrics of many of his songs still move me.

After makeup and dressing we called in for Emma and had a meal at the hotel.

Then a bit of makeup tidying and a change of clothing and across the road to Pink Punters.

There are new conveniences (aka toilets) on the top floor. Complete with a very large polar bear (cuddly toy kind of … but huge) behind a glass cage.

Laura mentioned to me a few weeks ago that if you do a Google image search for Pink Punters that I appear there. And I do … as well as Laura, Emma, Nikki and Billie. No sign of the polar bear yet though.

Laura became a bit sleepy as the night progressed.

The barman blamed it on the Budweiser.

We stayed until about 3:30. Another really nice evening.

Pink Punters, Surrey Swans, TV Dinners, Ten Pin Bowling, Fingernails, Life, Death and Ecclesiastes

Since last writing things have been busy in a mostly nice kind of way.

Pink Punters on 4th December with Laura was a really nice evening. For a surprisingly long time we felt a little like the only TV’s in the village … but as the evening progressed more people arrived.

The photographer for the evening took these:

Laura and Andrea

And again …

 

The originals being here and here. And lots of the whole evening being here.

We talked a fair bit about life and the universe and things. Things that matter to us. Where we’ve come from. And the at peace kind of feeling that we have in being able to be ourselves.

It’s kind of interesting … we both see ourselves as transvestites and not transsexuals … and yet we bot feel that the girl in us is much nicer than the guy. Somehow there’s a sense of peace in Andrea that isn’t quite there in the masculine side of me.

There were no unusual incidents in the ladies.

On one trip to the dance floor a guy waved at me for some reason and we danced a little with a few of the girls there. A girl said she liked my dress a lot and asked where I’d got it … and we admired each others shoes.

A guy that had drunk rather a lot … or at least it seemed that way … came and sat beside Laura and started chatting. It wasn’t easy to make out what he was saying. After he put his hand on Laura’s leg a couple of times she explained to him he needed to keep his hands to himself. So he wandered off. No unpleasantness. And … well … Laura does have very nice legs.

We headed back to the hotel a little before 4:00 am so it was a relatively early night as nights at Pink Punters go.

The Sunday before that had been an evening at the Surrey Swans. Good to catch up a little with Billie and Kathie, Tina and Emma and others.

The Tuesday after (December 7th) was a Christmas TV dinner at Billie and Kathie’s. As always … excellent food and company. Nikki was there and had plenty to share about trips to all kinds of interesting places. It was great to see Laura, Julia, Tina and Katie as well as others. I was all red and white.. I’d borrowed a Christmas hat of Sally’s to wear so it was quite funny and sweet to see Laura wearing a very similar one. You know the kind … red with white fur trimmings and a white ball kinda thing hanging from the pointy bit. I think it was Nikki that said something about it being impolite to play with each others balls. We just smiled in an innocent girlie kind of way.

Last Saturday we were invited out to the Sunningdale Savoy Chorus Gilbert & Sullivan and Christmas Music evening by Anne and David. Two lovely people that Sally met quite a log time ago and I’ve known for quite a few years now as well. I occasionally help them out when they have computer problems and they are so sweet … they absolutely insist on making contributions to what Anne affectionately refers to as my “dresses fund”. The music was very good. The MC introduced one of the Christmas songs as being one of his favourites … In the Bleak Midwinter. This was also one of mine in days gone by. Especially the verses:

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

These days I sit and listen to songs such as this … quietly wondering.

Towards the end of the evening we sat and drank and chatted a while. David and I wondered a little about where everything came from … big bangs … infinite universes … butterfly effects. And decided that really … we have no idea. Life is such a tenuous kind of thing.

Sally and I had some difficult words. I wish I was more Andrea more of the time. Not so much in a dressed up or made up kind of sense.

Yesterday the company night out was at a bowling alley in Slough. Ten pin bowling is not good for a girls fingernails … even when the girl is a guy. But … I scored a lifetime best … and top score of the evening. But … my poor nails. 

On Thursday is the funeral of Michael. His mum is staying with us tonight and tomorrow. There are no words to say. Perhaps there is a God that can help us all make sense of it someday. Over Christmas I’ll have a chance to read the book recommended by Dani that will, perhaps, help me make some kind of sense of it.

Life is such a mixture. It reminds me of a passage in the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible:

To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; 
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; 
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; 
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; 
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; 
A time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; 
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; 
A time of war, and a time of peace.

Or as it is here:

Somehow though, I think the thing is to try and work out some kind of way to have some kind of inner peace in all of this. But I don’t know how to do that.

Pink Punters, Wonder Woman, Cat Woman and Police Woman’s Panties

The Pink Punters visit on Saturday 29th was, as ever, great.

I’m managing to fit everything I need for the night into just one suitcase … not an especially small one … but not huge.

Laura arrived at about 4:00 pm and we set off.

There’d been an accident on the M4, just before the M25 exit, so the trip took rather longer than usual.

Usual kind of start to the evening. Check in. Makeup. Dress. Dinner at the hotel. Change. Then across the road to Pink Punters.

I think we were the first in … at least our names ended up at the top of the first page in the list of visitors for the evening.

We spent a while chatting with each other and then with different people through the evening.

It being so close to Halloween, quite a few people were dressed for the occasion. We met Wonder Woman, for example, accompanied by Cat Woman. There were quite a few cheerleaders around.

Wonder Woman had needed to invest quite a lot of time in putting a red skin on her boots. I never knew you could get such a thing as boot skins.

On a visit to the ladies I was just on my way out when a girl said:

“I can’t see so well … can you tell me what that says?”

My specs are in my handbag … so I can’t see so well either.

But I look in the direction that she is pointing. Stoop down a little and start to read.

“Tonight I am your Police Woman.”

Round about this point I notice the location of the words that I’m reading.

A girl is leaning forwards with her hands resting on the wall … bottom pushed out a little. Jeans slid down enough to reveal the pattern on her panties which are decorated with the words that I’m reading.

My face just a few inches away.

Well … like I said … my specs were in my handbag.

We danced a little. And sat some more and chatted.

Here’s me with Laura:

And again … but I’m not quite sure who we are with:

The Pink Punter photographer did take a picture of us with Wonder Woman and Cat Woman … but it’s not made it to the web site yet.

Talked with a couple of girls at the bar and then later with Paula and Sally.

It was nice to compare some life experiences with Paula. She is a TS. Neither of us really understand “gender” really … but are happy enough just learning to be ourselves. Paula mentioned a work colleague who is also TS but married and usually still inhabits a male world at home … but a female one at work.

Time always passes quickly. At two am all of a sudden it is 1:00 am again.

Eventually … at round about 4:00 am we head back to the hotel. By about 5:00 the makeup is removed and it’s time to get some sleep.

Pink Punters, Pints, Lipstick, Bathrooms and Boobs

Friday had been a Candy Girls evening.

Saturday was a Pink Punters night.

My turn to drive … we set off a little after 4:00 pm and got to the hotel at about 5:30.

By about 7:00 we were all set and headed down to the hotel bar and restaurant and had a drink. Chatted a while with another tgirl then had a bite to eat.

Then back to the bedroom to get changed.

I’ve picked up an addiction from Nikki I think … so here are the hotel corridor shots.

Me:

Tina:

Tina had asked me …

“Why does your shirt say Pink on it when it’s black?”

“The secret”, I explain, “is in the colour of the word Pink”.

To be fair … the Pink did look kind of yellow in the hotel lighting.

But it made me giggle.

The shortest route from the hotel entrance to Pink Punters involves crossing the ditch. Kind of the the Bechers Brook of the tranny world.

Actually it’s just a little dip in the ground … but it is grassy and on a dark evening … especially on the way back … after a drink … and in high heels … well … it is a challenge … and there have been those that have fallen.

Rumour had it that the ditch had been filled in!

In fact … the ditch is there … but the gap is now bridged so the tiny little walk is much less fraught.

The security men say hello and we head up the steps and have a little chat with the lady at reception.

It’s still quite early and the place is very quiet …that’s in terms of the number of people that are there … the music on the dance floors never gets what I would call quiet.

We head to the top where the music is quiet enough to be able to hear people talking without having to use raised voices and buy a couple of drinks … we each have a half of Fosters … I’ve never known Tina to drink lager before … this girlie thing is getting serious

We sit and chat.

The photographer heads our way and takes a picture:

The original is here. 

There are loads of pictures of the evening here.

We chat a while about all kinds of things. I remember mentioning that one of the sociological differences that seems to exist between tgirls and ggirls is the way that ggirls never seem to visit the bathroom unaccompanied. I’m using the term bathroom in an American kind of way here.

We head for the dance floor for a bit.

Then back upstairs.

My turn to get the Fosters.

The bar is a little crowded and I’m standing behind three girls who apologise for being in the way. But I manage to perch at the end of the bar and p[lace an order.

“Mind your head” I hear.

Being a little over 6 feet tall without heels … and I guess a little over 6 feet 4 inches with them … I need to duck down under one of the beams.

“At least it’s padded” says the girl. “I’m ok” she says “way too small to hit it”. She has what must be six inch heels on … takes them off and says “see … I’m really tiny.”

I pay for the drinks and turn round to see where Tina is.

Nowhere to be seen.

I look here. And there.

Maybe Tina has paid an unaccompanied visit to the bathroom?

I put the drinks down on a table and sit down.

Just a minute or two later I hear a voice:

“Excuse me … are you waiting for somebody?”

It’s one of the three girls that had been at the bar.

“Well yes … I guess she’ll turn up in a minute or two.”

“Well … we were wondering if you’d like to come and join us” she says.

I collect the drinks and move tables.

We’re all surprised that Tina should disappear without the drink.

Very mysterious we all think.

We all introduce ourselves … Dawn … Emma and Annette … and, of course, Andrea.

They’re a little amazed that people travel from Windsor to get to Pink Punters.

After a while Annette mentions that she is Emma’s mum.

Emma explains how strange an admission this is … “you said I shouldn’t call you mum out here … and it’s been really hard getting used to calling you Annette when you’re my mum.”

Dawn is Emma’s cousin. I think.

Tina arrives.

She was sitting in an alcove at the end of the bar … hidden from sight almost … and had been wondering where I had gotten to.

Ah well … all’s well that ends well.

Emma and Dawn spot a tgirl sitting alone at the bar and invite her over … Erica.

“Can I ask you a question?” asks Emma.

“Sure.”

“Why are you drinking half pints and not pints?”

“Well I guess it seems more lady-like” I say.

But then tell the story that when my daughter Katie had asked what I drink when I go out on a girls night and I told her the same thing … she said I ought to tell a few of her friends that.

Dawn agrees with me though … half pints are much more lady like.

Emma vows to have a pint when the next drinks are ordered.

I’m not sure if Annette or Dawn gets them. But sure enough, Emma has a pint.

She looks at my red lips and asks if I’ve got the lippy with me still.

I nod.

“I’ve never tried red like that before” she says. “Will you put some on for me?”

At this point I think it wise to warn her that I’ve never put lippy on anyone else's lips … not ever … and she could end up looking a little clown-like.

“I’ll take the risk” she smiles.

I take my glasses off'. And I think I’m more nervous than Emma as I start painting the bright red liquid.

Here’s the result. It’s a lot harder to paint someone else’s lips. Honest.

 

“You look a lot better without your glasses … you should keep them off” she says.

Then everyone seems to be trying them on.

Emma:

And Annette:

No one can see a thing through them and they make their way into my handbag.

As time passes the drinks have an effect and a trip to the the ladies is needed.

“Do you err … well … which one do you go to?” asks Emma.

“The ladies” I say.

“Come on then” she says. Emma and Dawn head for the stairs taking a hold of my hand and drawing me along.

Another difference between a girls visit to the bathroom and a boys visit is that boys tend to get in there and then get out. To girls it’s a networking opportunity. And it’s almost a must to powder your nose or gloss your lips or brush your hair.

We brush hair a while.

Back up the stairs we step outside a while for a cigarette break. I just take the opportunity to chat some more.

It’s a cold night … but there are log fires.

A friendly couple take a picture of Emma, me and Dawn. I think I should have powdered my nose while I was brushing my hair.

Back upstairs and we continue talking.

Dance a while.

Visit the bathroom a few more times.

It was at one such visit … on the way out … lagging a few yards behind Tina and Emma … the place is a little crowded and there’s a group of girls waiting in an orderly kind of line.

“Hi” says one girl as I mosey along towards the exit.

“Hi” I say.

She introduces herself and I introduce myself.

“I was just admiring your shirt” she says.

“Well thank you” I say.

“Well … to be honest … it was your boobs I was admiring.” she smiles.

Well … unaccustomed as I am … I say the first thing that comes into my head … “… well … they’re not real.”

Not the smartest response, I know.

She smiles and looks me in the eye.

Places a hand firmly on each boob and begins to jiggle them around.

“They’re real.” she laughs … good naturedly.

Like I said … the ladies room is on a totally different planet than the gents.

Back upstairs again and a kindly couple take a group picture.

Annette … Erica … Tina … Emma … Andrea … Dawn.

 

 

I quite like Emma’s ring … though she says that Annette says she’s a real chav

A little more dancing and talking.

Dawn says Emma and I look like sisters … similar hair.

Emma says … “Well … thanks!”

A little before 3:00 am Emma, Annette and Dawn head away. We say our farewells. They are such lovely people!

Kim drops by to say hi. She’s at the front of the Pink Punters picture below:

We talk a while. Like a lot of girls that I’ve talked to here she says she likes the place because you can dance … talk … have a great time … and there’s no trouble … no fighting … just people allowing themselves to be themselves.

Anna (on the left in the picture) sits with us a while.

We all head downstairs for another dance … the music is more my kinda style at the moment … a little more oldie-worldie … re-makes of YMCA and  stuff like that.

Before we know it … it’s almost 4:00 am and we decide to call it a night.

It’s nice not to have to struggle down and up the ditch.

The end to a really nice evening.

While, Mathews, KJV1611, Potties, Candy, Punters and Leonard Cohen

On Friday Chris While and Julie Matthews are playing at The Ram Club in Thames Ditton … not so far away from Windsor … and I hope to get along. I already have a ticket for the gig they are doing in Maidenhead on the Sunday … so twice in 3 days. Maybe I should become a groupie?

The weekend after it looks like Candy Girls on the Friday and Pink Punters on the Saturday.

All is quiet on the King James Bible Believers front. I am soooo tempted to pass on on a link to this wonderful web site:

http://www.pottytrain-dogs.com/ 

in order to help free up some of the web masters time. But I said I wouldn’t pester any more.

And here are a few pictures taken at a recent Leonard Cohen concert in Helsinki … taken by one of my most favourite people:

I’m reliably informed that Mr Cohen has quite a … well … effect upon some people. Wouldn’t you agree E?

A lovely thought.

Andreas Outings and Being Different

Last week was the first time in what seems ever so long that I had a trip out as Andrea. It was to a monthly TV Dinner at Kathie and Billie’s.

The food was excellent … as was the company.

Nikki had news of a recent trip to Pink Punters … an evening of champagne, good company and dancing. I was envious.

It was great to catch up with Tina, Julia, Tania and Katie as well as Billie and Kathie and everyone else.

I’ve heard really nice things about Femesque and am need of a change in hair and also makeup hints and tips are always welcome. So I hope to pay a visit sometime soon.

This coming Sunday, being the last in the month, is a Surrey Swans day. So that’ll be nice. And there’s a chance of a visit to Candy Girls with Tina in October.

I’m frequently challenged at my own attitudes to things and to people.

As a t-girl myself I have developed … or maybe acquired … a set of preconceptions.

Yet the transgendered “scene” challenges these fairly frequently.

Most t-girls that I’ve met are keen to express femininity in the way they dress and makeup.

Of course there is a particular kind of view of femininity here. And it’s not the only one. I’ll call this particular view of femininity “t-girl femininity”.

There are people in the transgendered community though that have a different view of things. People with beards … less makeup … stubbly chins … an unconventional dress sense.

There are t-girls who will only venture out into public because they feel they will not be spotted. And others that can’t venture out for fear of being spotted.

And there are ways in which a transsexual perspective on things can be quite different from a transvestite perspective.

When I go out I accept the fact that some people will spot me as a transvestite. But, something I learned from Fiona Floyd quite a while ago … that’s what I am. And so it need be no big deal. And yet …  it depends on who notices and how they react.

It is, I think, about accepting differences. People being able to accept transvestites like me as just being different. Just as I must accept other people in the transgendered community as being different. And all kinds of other people as being different.

Different isn’t bad. It’s not always easy. But in itself it isn’t bad.

Wet Knickers, Little talc coated rubber things and Pink Punters

09:30 am and I wake. Not early … but not late either … well … it is Saturday (8th May 2010).

The “Bodygroom - Rechargeable Male Body Hair Trimmer” is all recharged and ready to go.

I’ve used it a few times now. I believe it’s not as effective as waxing … but a whole lot less painful. It’s also not so good as a BIC disposable razor either … but a lot faster and easier … and less prone to little cuts and nicks. Well … apart from the last time I used it. Ouch.

Today is mishap-less.

Tooth brushing.

Shower.

Coffee.

Remove the clear nail polish. I pretty much always wear this these days … reduces the number of tears that I shed due to nail breakages.

Paint on the Rimmel Hot Gossip whilst half watching people cooking and eating on television. Two coats takes about 15 minutes. Followed by a coat of clear polish. Followed by a wait.

A little while messing on the computer. Another coffee.

The SatNav is with Katie … so it’s Google maps to get directions to the hotel.

Ring … ring.

“Hello.”

“Hi. Andrea?

“Yep.”

“It’s Billie. I just printed out the room reservation … how many rooms did you book?”

“Two doubles. It comes out as 2 bookings for 1 room … not 1 booking for two rooms. I mean … two bookings … each for a different room.”

“Ah … that’s ok then. See you later.”

14:00 and I search out a suitcase and start looking through clothes.

Of course I have given this some thought already.

Decisions … decisions.

I really do need a bigger wardrobe. Or less clothes. It depends on who you ask. 

I remove a stack of things so that there’s enough room to slide the clothes along the rail and see what there is.

It’s just one evening. I know.

So … well … maybe … but then again … maybe.

In the end … the suitcase contains … a short black dress with sequins at the top … a not so short velvety black dress … a short black skirt with little pleats … a short black denim skirt … a not so short purple dress … a white jacket … a shiny black shirt … a not at all shiny black blouse … a black t-shirt … 3 pairs of black tights … 3 pairs of tan tights … two pairs of shoes.

And then there’s the rest: 4 boobs … a black bra … a white bra … a strapless bra (I know … more bras than boobs and more than enough boobs for one persons chest) … 3 pairs of black knickers … a black nightie.

And there is still: foundation … face powder … powder pad … brush … 2 shades of eye shadow … liquid eye liner … eye liner pencil … mascara … more mascara just in case the first one is empty … eye brush … blush … blush brush … red lipstick which is more like lip paint … pink lipstick … gloss.

And more: watch … rings … necklaces … earrings. Makeup remover. Eye makeup remover. Makeup removal tissues. Nail polish. Cotton wool balls. Nail polish remover.

Toothbrush. Razor. Toothpaste.

Hair. The hair is really important!

Comb.

Handbag. Camera. Purse.

It’s a fairly big suitcase.

15:15 I load the car and head for the petrol station and cash dispenser.

Ring … ring.

“Hello.”

“Hello. Andrea?”

“Yep.

“Hi it’s Nikki. Where are you?

“Just about to set off … be there in an hour or so.”

“Ok. We’re in room 105 … Billie and Laura have room 107.”

The low pitched conversations that we girls have still make me smile.

Due to a fairly complex set of circumstances I am driving Sarah’s car rather than my own. The radio was stolen a while back … so I’m making use of an MP3 player and earphones. Mostly Indigo Girls and Chris While & Julie Matthews.

Did you know … Indigo Girls are one of Chris While & Julie Matthews favourite things? Well … now you do.

Windsor and Eaton Relief Road. M4. M25. M1. A505. A5. Watling Street. Penn Road. Campanile Hotel. The journey is straightforward enough.

Check in at reception. It seems everyone has arrived.

Nikki is out shopping.

Shave. I know I did it once already.

Shower. And that too.

Damn. I forgot to bring moisturiser!

Knickers and tights.

Stockings are nicer … but fastening suspender belts can get me hot and bothered. And holdups … well … sometimes they don’t. And the black dress is a little on the short side.

Strapless bra. Boobs. Just one pair.

Foundation. Fingers to smooth it on.

Ring … ring.

“Hi Nikki.”

“Hi Andrea. Where are you?”

“In the room.”

“I’m shopping. See you in a bit.”

Pat on the translucent powder. Brush off the excess.

Pale blue eye shadow at the tops of my eyelids.

Grey shadow at the bottom of my eyelids and a little under the eyes.

Liquid liner on the top eyelids. Liner pencil on the bottom.

Brush it a bit to blend it.

Ring … ring.

“Hi.”

“Andrea? It’s Laura. Where are you?”

“I think I’m next door … well if you’re in room 107 then I’m next door.”

“What are you doing?”
“Makeup … how about you?”

“Same … see you in a bit then.”

Blush and lips.

Hair.

I decide on the purple dress.

Nikki arrives and decides to pop next door to see how things are going.

Black shoes … the ones with the shorter heels … only about 3.5 inches.

Nikki gets back.

“They’re watching Doctor Who.”

Nikki showers and starts touching up the makeup.

We cat about all kinds of things … including nails and how to strengthen them.

Zinc … we have heard … is good for nails.

Nikki says it’s also good as an aphrodisiac.  And it seems she is not alone.

 

Knock … knock.

Laura and Billie arrive and we head for the hotel bar whist Nikki finishes the touching up. Of makeup.

A little while later we are eating. Here’s Billie and Nikki:

And here is Andrea and Laura:

Laura whispers.

“I wet my knickers watching Doctor Who.”

I remember hiding behind the couch from the Daleks when I was a kid.

But knicker wetting is a totally different ball game.

My choice of words is sometimes unfortunate.

Actually the truth is not so frightening.

During the Doctor Who watching session Laura had been laying on the bed clad somewhat scantily it seems.

The bottle of water was somewhat squishier than expected and in taking the top of it went … well … splish and splash.

And hey presto … Doctor Who becomes a knicker wetting experience.

Time to get changed.

Nikki requests a photo stop en-route to the bedrooms.

A little posing at the bottom of the steps.

A guy at the door asks if we’d like a picture with everyone in it.

We nod.

“See you later” he says … “I’ll be wearing a stripy top.”

Here’s one of the pictures … Billie, Laura, Andrea and Nikki:

 

Nikki took this one of me:

And I took this of Nikki:

And here’s Laura (spot the belly button):

Laura took these:

Back in the room.

Purple dress off.

Short black dress on.

Powder the nose.

Nikki gets out a talc coated little rubber thing.

Dress I mean.

She says that tonight we’ll fasten the belt before applying the stuff that makes it all shiny.

The dress goes on.

Then the belt. It’s a lot easier than the last time we tried this …. which was a four girl effort … though Emma was actually only videoing the event.

The shiny making stuff was a spray last time. This time its in a bottle.

 

In moments all is shiny.

 

9:30 pm and we head down the hotel corridor.

The music from the floor above is loud enough for Billie to suggest that we go see what’s going on.

Upstairs it’s party time in preparation for heading over the road to Pink Punters. Laura beckons us on:

This is the tricky part. Names.

“I’m … and this is Mary … and this is …”

… signifies my not so good memory.

We’re invited to share in a drink and stay and talk a while.

Laura and … compare stocking tops. Again … is my not so good memory.

Can you tell which legs belong to Laura?

Katie arrives in a stripy top … looking not even vaguely like the guy that took the photos just a little while ago.

 

Eventually we head across the road.

 

 

It’s a normal kind of evening.

A few drinks.

Some dancing.

Talking.

Lucy arrives … one of the girls from the party upstairs at the hotel.

She makes encouraging noises … we really ought to be downstairs dancing.

Her shoe size is the same as Billie’s … and Billie can’t help but try them on. Here you can see one shoe on Billie and one on Lucy … which leg belongs to which person?

Lucy and I share unhappy experiences with holdup stockings. There are times when they just don’t hold up.

A few more people from the party pass by and stop and chat a while.

Here’s Katie:

Matthew and Lucy:

A fairy and a schoolgirl:

An Andrea and a schoolgirl:

I have a dress just like that one, courtesy of Ann Summers … this is me wearing it at a Trans-Femme photo session in June 2008:

Andrea and a fairy:

These were taken by the Pink Punters photographer:

The originals of these two are at here and here. There are a whole lot more Pink Punters photos of the night here.

“What time does it get light?”

Well … at 05:10 am, when we left, it was light.

A short trek across the road … a wave to the receptionist at the hotel.

Makeup removal and eventually some sleep … but not a lot.

A nice, nice evening.