Holidays nearly over so is 2006!!

Spose this is the time to look back on 2006 and look forward to 2007.... hmmm!! well reading some of my early posts for the year it looks like not a lot has changed, my life is still in a rut and just moving day to day, I really need to move on and get some new interests to focus on. Maybe 2007 will be different we'll see.

TV what do we pay our licence fee for? this Christmas was shocking no good programmes, the same old rubbish and far to many reality programmes. The X Factor well that was pretty well sewn up half way through. Sat here tonight to watch some good TV and there is nothing on total rubbish, time to down a glass of red wine and read Dan Brown 'Angels & Demons' what a great book and although near the end I would deffinately re read this one as the story is soooo good. I can't wait to start one of his next books probably 'Digital Fortress' and yes 'J' bought me the whole lot for Christmas so first half of 2007 will be a Dan Brown session.

I watched the Crocodile Hunter tonight or should I say the tribute programme to Steve Irwin and what a great show clearly the best TV this Christmas. Respect to his wife & two Children the guy was a legend and really knew how to talk about animals and really get the children captivated, MSM loved his programmes and cried her eyes out when she heard the news.

In classical mythology. Psyche is the personification of what? 'SOUL' sorry but I was listening to Celebrity Who Wants to be a Millionaire and that the question they are struggling with. Oh and they just quit!!

Anyway what's going to happen in 2007..... well we are talking about selling up and moving on had a quick look online for a new pad but neither of us liked any of the ones currently on offer which means that this could well go in to 2008 as I want a house we fall in love with not just a house that we like. You know what I mean.

A new car yes 2007 will be the year that I buy a new car not sure when though but probably first half of the year I'm sure I will keep you informed on the progress.

There's more but it can wait till next year..... Happy new year to all my readers.

It's Christmas time and.......

It's bloody freezing outside, all of us headed down the beach for an hour with Toby and although the fog has lifted it was very very cold, but the fresh air was invigorating.

All our Christmas shopping was completed yesterday, shops packed to bursting everyone on a mission and bargains to be had, well lets jusy say I found items £20 more expensive in shops, here is an example my brother wants WWF for his Xbox 360 so I start in Virgin price £34.99 okay maybe I'll get it cheaper in HMV £39.99 umm nope, then Game, wow £44.99 are they serious!! so back to Virgin for £34.99. Okay now the worst bit went to Tesco last night to avoid the rush this weekend and there it was sat on a shelf price £24.99 yes people same game for the same system and I thought I got a good deal obviously not. So there it is shop around and you will get the bargains although I missed out this time round.

This weekend is set aside for relaxing and wrapping presents, nothing is a rush but can't wait for the big day, just to see MSM face, kids are made for Christmas aren't they!

Dashing through the crowds in a one horse.......

Planet earth, well I love David attenborough's Planet Earth whilst doing today's blog I watching a pre recorded episode on the Tiger forest in the Antarctic, this forest houses 1/3rd of the total tree population so much trees that it replenishes the worlds oxygen. Well there we have it today's natural world lesson.

Had a cappuccino bought for me today by my big boss, but as with anything it was not a free coffee but a bribe to produce a written report on an event that took place in the office regarding a colleague, although I don't work directly with this person it still felt awful writing this report as I know it's for a disciplinary, I just hope the bosses have some Christmas spirit in them as it knocked a fair bit out of me and if I go in tomorrow to see an empty chair I will not be happy.

I'm officially now on holiday but have contracts to do so will have to pop in tomorrow after my Christmas shopping, not looking forward to going in though for the above reasons although the team involved have asked me to join them for a pint later on, I'll probably pop in for one.

Had bad news tonight, my brother will be working boxing day which is when we are going down for the day, my older sister and her boyfriend are coming up from London, lets just say I tolerate them and the thought of sitting with them all day boxing day does not fill me with joy, now I wish I got tickets to go to Spain as requested by the in laws.

I know this post is all over the place today but I need to get things off my chest, like the visa statement I had this month, I pay over the minimum amount and don't have a huge debt with them but reading it tonight I have realised that I'm a bloody mug, the interest they are charging is obscene and I have rung them every month for the past 6 moths to get the bloody payment protection removed which again appears on my statement.

Lets just say that after paying about £50 over the minimum with the Interest and payment protection taken out I'm actually paying off no more than £50 off the balance, yes that's right folks they calculate it now so that if you pay the minimum amount which most of us do then only a £ or two is actually taken off the balance which means it takes centuries to pay the bloody thing off. So 2008 is going to be Money management year, I am going to shop around for the best credit card and take it out to transfer the balance over giving me 6 mths interest free or at least a reduced rate so that I can be rid of the dreaded thing, a few years back we survived on the bloody things and it came to a head when we were paying one with another but all that is for another time possibly next year when I start the financial onslaught and my free financial advice service he, he.

That's enough off my chest tonight I'm sure more news on some of the above will be forth coming tomorrow.

Rat pack Christmas

Yup secret Santa day today and I got 'It's a RAT PACK Christmas' packed with over 70 tracks from some of the best singers ever Frank, Nat, Dean, Mario and Bing currently blasting out of my laptop speakers. Violins, Piano classic, makes you want to put your feet up close your eyes and be transported back to my childhood.

Christmas has never been my favourite time of year I suppose it brings back so many memories of who I lost, but this year I'm getting in to the spirit of it carols, decorations, mince pies (two this morning). I'm looking forward to putting my feet up and not doing much at all, a bit of this and surfing, catching up on Friends blogs.

Now Frank is singing 'over the rainbow' oh now I want to watch Wizard of OZ no it can wait for Christmas proper. My passion for cooking is growing I felt guilty tonight as I cooked pasta just plain ordinary pasta and used a ready made tomato sauce this is not me, only because I didn't have enough time to do what I had planned which was Pork casserole which would have taken over an hour to cook and with MSM starving I could not let her wait that long so pasta it was. 'J' is talking about doing the Christmas dinner which I have hinted that we all muck in I do the veg, MSM lays the table and 'J' taking care of the rest. Umm we'll see will all this end in disaster well watch this space after Christmas for the gossip.

Weather here is thick fog and living on the coast we get freezing fog which is not nice, you can see the little droplets in front of your face it's that thick, street lamps are nothing but a dim orange glow so it's darker than normal and you cannot see anything past my neighbours house apart from a bank of BLACKNESS and it's bloody freezing bone crunching freezing it cuts through you like a knife.

It looks like no white Christmas this year although there have only been 4 since 1901 so all the wishing for a blanket of snow at Christmas is a little wishful thinking. Not sure I agree how this white Christmas thing is measured, the records state that if one flake of snow is seen on Christmas Day then they record it as a white Christmas, my way of thinking is if there is a dusting of the white stuff then that's a white Christmas not one single snow flake, just hope the person looking out for that single elusive flake has not got dandruff.

Family tree

I love history and family stuff is even better, today I had an email, yes I take all that back what I was saying yesterday well some of it anyway. A lady asked if certain names were on my tree which cross checking they were, although I cannot confirm 100% at this stage that we are related it certainly looks that way, I had another earlier in the month as well so my family history is growing by the hundreds, last count it was exceeding 1,300.

What I would really like is to see some pictures of them alas this is in short supply but one day I may get a glimpse of some of my distant relatives.

Local history is just as good, I have a picture of my street in 1895 little children playing in a dirt covered street, two playing with a metal hoop. I find this stuff fascinating and it really hits home that you are only on this earth for a short space of time and then you disappear without trace.

Thinking back to my childhood, what ever happened to the freedom that we had, going out on bikes all day with not a care in the world, big adventures, exploring finding new things to do building dens in the local woods. I can remember when I was MSM's age doing comic sales out in the street on a Sunday afternoon.

Talking about Sunday afternoons, last Sunday I watched Waterloo road (1940 BW) with Vivien Leigh what a great film very moving and such a sad end. But that's what Sundays are for Roast dinner and chilling on the sofa watching an old movie but it has to be Black & White, I remember I hated BW films when I was a child now as I get older I appreciate BW even more, probably because it is no longer used.

In contrast

Well back to the rush, noise, stress and work, yup it's Monday again, no rest for the wicked as they say, Mark can you do this, Mark can you look at that, Mark don't forget the meeting, Mark can you show me this!! arggghhhh.

First thing I did this morning was... I'm pulling out of a meeting as I have nothing to say and it's really not related to anything I'm currently doing. Response fine no problem, woohoo!!

Next change voice mail: " I am currently away from my desk I'll be back at 2pm" guess what no voicemails woohoo!!

I think after 13 years working there I am getting the hang of either saying NO or turning things off when I need to get stuff done.

MSM has her Brownie party tonight and she has to take sandwiches with her, although we went shopping yesterday I forgot, and so will be packing her with plenty of Jam sandwiches I'm sure the Brownies will enjoy them better than Ham or cheese, if not well who cares it's the thought that counts.

I finally set rules in my outlook to stop the crap emails coming through and also stop a forward email which has been hacked so from tonight I hope to reduce the crap I get, which should mean ZERO emails as I'm billy no mates and it's either work related or junk, I seldom get an email just to say hi, it's suprising how quickly email turns in to snail mail isn't it years ago people wrote letters asking how you are , giving family updates etc. then junk took over and now email is the same I remember years back when people emailed to say Hi and general chit chat well no more all I seem to get is CRAP well no more CRAP for me.

That's my rant over with today, oh yeah my Archives are working again go BET BLOG it's working!! I may take a little time over the Christmas break to re-read this year to see how I've changed (Grown up)!! he he ;o)

Pause for thought

Out alone today with Toby walking through the country, MSM was playing SIMS and 'J' was cleaning her bedroom so I was delegated to take Toby out for his weekend adventure walks. It was late this afternoon started around 3pm strolled along the bridal path thinking about nothing just taking in the cold air and watching people walking by, couples young and old smiling, children wandering and talking to Toby and giving him a hug. It's the first time in nearly three years I didn't have any anxiety no feelings of panic didn't even cross my mind.

The paths were wet with mud puddles and rotting leaves you could smell the decay of the foliage lying on the ground what a wonderful smell, walking along the path through the rushes and all I could here was the rustling of the dry stalks and the swans flapping their wings on the lake, nothing else pure nature.

The mind is clear the soul is cleansed just for a few minutes of my life I was walking with nature nothing on my mind no thinking, no tasks to do, just walking with a young dog who loves to be with us no questions asked, silence pure silence. What Sundays are made for.

MSM puts up a good front

Well MSM woke up this morning early, running around getting ready for school, quite a contrast from yesterday morning, I had suspisions that this was a front as her class was going to the theatre today to watch Hands Christian Anderson and she really wants to go, I ask her if she is up to the daily grind of school? "Yes dad I feel great" (Sniff) okay princess you can go to school but you must take some medicine first "okay dad" now I smell a rat MSM never agrees to take that stuff it's a running battle normally but not this morning, well I wrap her up and pack her off to school thinking she will be fine and I'll pick her up at 5.15pm

Get in the office early and complete yesterday's project reports only one to do as I spent hours yesterday doing the others, passed it to my boss for her meeting with the directors, she came back beaming and looked at me and thanked me for the reports they were great and the directors loved them and will be moving ahead with all of them! Wow I just spent millions in a few reports.

I then had a meeting with auditors to run through some projects and expalining the processes involved to enable the firm to place audit trails in place but my desk phone started ringing being polite I ignored it, well this went on for about ten minutes I just thought I was popular for the day but then my mobile rings, this I always answer and it was the sister inlaw telling me tha MSM's school are trying to get hold of me as MSM is not very well at all, so I look at the auditors and say "Meeting over I have to leave" I get up and head out the door. On the way I ring 'J's extension and inform her I'm outa there and will see her later.

I arrive at the school to find MSM sat on the sofa outside the office, I have words with the office staff asking why they did not ring my mobile, they inform me that they did and left a message, I proceeded to show her my phone and telling her no message here!! I ask to see the contact details they hold for us and low and behold they have an extra digit arrrgghhhh!! this time I stood there and watched her change the numbers so from now on I should be the first they ring when there are problems.

Anyway..... MSM sat in the car and appologised for getting me out of work, well what could you say to a nine year old apart from a HUGE HUG and a whisper in the ear your far more important than work. ah bless.

So back home and true to form MSM has a hot bath, sits with me on the sofa chilling reading watching tv and not complaining at all. What a rock she follows her DAD!!

Only for a laugh!

Well I did it another thing in my life done, Check! last night was my departments office Christmas party, and we went to jongleurs comedy night, well lets just say the food was bad, really bad and the prices for the drinks was as bad, however the 3 comedy acts we saw were great. although the first act died towards the end the other two were really good.

Today I was house doctor for MSM as she has come down with a bad cold, bless her she didn't complain at all just chilled out fell asleep for a hour and played bamzookie on the laptop whilst I worked from home for 8 hours instead of my usual 4

'J' is going through hell at the moment as her parents leave for Spain in the morning for ever well until February anyway so she is not much fun at the moment and is taking it out on yours truly basically I cannot do anything right at the moment but hey ho been there so many times it's water of a ducks back. I'll go on strike and see who does the cooking, cleaning, washing etc.etc.etc.

Lifes to bloody short for that shit, just get on with it girl !

Is it safe to come out now?

Well not if you live in Ipswich but that's another awful story if you want to know more then go here. The weather had improved over the weekend allowing us a nice walk on the beach last Saturday before we had to rush around buying birthday presents and a HUGE 6'5" Christmas tree, well I thought our old one was looking a little sad do left it in the loft this year.

Most of Saturday was then allotted to the dressing of the said tree, and low and behold all the lights worked well up until today that is when the main set decided ah that's enough Christmas spirit for this year and went POP!

So now I have to find replacement bulbs or do a dodgy DIY by putting tin foil around the Fuse light, remember those days when dodgy electrics was fixed by grandparents adding a little tin foil to the fuse to get stuff going how dangerous is that!!

So talking about what we did in the past, I always thought that our sending clock back and forth was to do with the farmers but during a conversation today it transpires that I was indeed WRONG and it was introduced in 1906 due to how we worked in those days, now MP's are looking to change over so that summer time goes back 2hrs and then Winter 1hr forward bringing it in line with our current summer time. What are you views on this is it a good idea to keep the traditional summer time all year round or stay as we are, what will it be like having daylight at 11pm in the height of summer. Umm interesting thought.

I am having problems with Toby of late where he is going in the plant pots to bite off branches to chew on, came home this evening to find bits of plant over the floor and a tasty reminder that dogs should not eat plants as it makes them icky, he's fine though running around wanting to play but unfortunately I had to tell him off, not that he cares!

Anyway I'll see if I can post more later if I get the time.

Warnings of tornadoes on the way

That's the local headlines here in Wales, yesterday I held a seminar in our office and lets just say we were shouting out the presentation due to the wind and rain lashing the building. Winds recorded from the roof of our building was 100mph. Unfortunatley I work in the tallest building in Wales although a midget at only 23 floors to some in Cardiff it stands out a mile.

The design of the building means that if you stand in the centre of the office on the top floor you can feel the building swaying, that's because it's built on huge rubber bungs (Earthquake proof) not that we have ever had or will have an earth quake, there again after yesterday I'm not to sure.

This was Cardiff yesterday around midday.

The weather today in contrast was calmn & sunny but they are warning that it's all going to return through the month and it will get worse. Yesterday we were talking about it being the end of the world, that's how bad it was, trees ripped up, walls fallen down. Oh what a crazy time we live in. (Picture taken by richie123098)

Tonight I'm not doing much apart from reading blogs and chilling out on the sofa, nothing major planned for the weekend apart from putting the Christmas decorations up as I'm getting nagged by both girls to put them up as they love this time of year.

Still not finished christmas shopping so I may venture out, oh I'm out tomorrow night for 'J' parents suprise emigration party, they leave this horid weather for Spain in a weeks time where they are sunning it up at 21o lucky gits.

Can I have a moca please

With yet another seminar looming the past few days I have spent getting stressed over nearly everything, and I mean everything. Last night the application I have spent months building was sent via the web to my client, this started at 5pm (Close of business) it went well all working although it did take a few minor changes, then as I had control of his network did a few tweeking to the server and email system which had huge effect on the speed of his network, I must say that working using the anywhere software is fantastic, it's like working on your own PC it's that quick and the view is identical, you would never know you were working on a PC in Scotland.

Tonight I did minor work on V1.2 which went well but not putting a huge amount of effort in as last night was a long 10.30pm session which hit me this morning.

The Christmas season is upon us and now starts the fun party season although I think this year I have only two parties one tomorrow which is a meal in Lagunas the resaraunt attached to Park Plaza hotel, so we will see how that goes, next week it's a comedy night at a club which sounds like fun, I'll let you know how they go.

Anyway time to catch up on all the other blogs I read.

Wind rain and sunshine

Well what a wild night the wind started around 11pm and the rain came at 4am and did it rain the noise on the window was crazy. Got up early this morning well 8.30am but early for a Sunday with glorious sunshine this lasted for about two hours then thick clouds heavy rain and gales, hour later glorious sunshine which stayed with us the rest of the day. Only done the usual Tesco run today and more cleaning so the house now it's all nice and tidy again.

It's late but what the hell

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
Oh shit

2. How much cash do you have on you?
£22.68

3. What's a word that rhymes with "DOOR?"
Poor

4. Favorite planet?
Go to be Mars, actually saw it a while back life changing!

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list?
Don't know don't have any calls me billy no mates

6. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?
French classic phone ring

7. What shirt are you wearing?
Head polo shirt

8. Do you "label" yourself?
No not really

9. Name the brand of the shoes you're currently wearing?
Gola,

10. Bright or dark room?
Dark as it's 11pm small lamp on.

11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?
Good guy, else I would not read his blog

12. What does your watch look like?
Classic roman numerals Rotary.

13. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Reading Angels & Demons, Dan Brown.

14. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?
"Ring me when you get two mins"

15. Where is your nearest 7-11?
God knows never bothered looking, oh there's a garage about two miles away open 24hrs does that qualify.

16. What's a word that you say a lot?
"No worries"

17. Who told you he/she loved you last?
'J' last night before she went to sleep.

18. Last furry thing you touched?
Toby's head.

19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?
Zero, don't do pills, god knows why.

20. How many rolls of film do you need developed?
God about 5 but they are so old they are now probably dud.

21. Favorite age you have been so far?
got to be early twenties when I first met 'J'

22. Your worst enemy?
Don't have any, life's to short.

23. What is your current desktop picture?
MSM & Toby beach silhouette.

24. What was the last thing you said to someone?
"How do you spell Silhouette"

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be?
A million bucks so I can then learn to fly killing two birds with one stone. (excuse the pun)

26. Do you like someone?
Yes, that's all I have to say about that.

27. The last song you listened to?
It only takes a minute girl Take That (Don't ask)

28. What time of day were you born?
Sorry wasn't born with a watch on and I forgot to ask the time. Too busy trying to tell someone it was cols and I wanted to go back in.

29. What's your favorite number?
Eight

30. Where did you live in 1987?
Well I was sharing a house in a posh part of Cardiff.

31. Are you jealous of anyone?
No, what's there to be jealous over

32. Is anyone jealous of you?
God knows no one has ever mentioned it, oh hang on my best mate is but we won't go there.

33. Where were you when 9/11 happened?
I was on the phone in the office when it broke on the internet, lets say the floor went silent and not much work was done that day.

34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?
Kick the shit out of it then demand a refund.

35. Do you consider yourself kind?
Yes, I was a scout and follow the scout law even today. "Be kind and considerate"

36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be?
Too much pain to even think about it.

37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?
Latin, actually. Would love to learn it.

38. Would you move for the person you loved?
Yes without a doubt.

39. Are you touchy feely?
Oh yes best way to be.

40. What's your life motto?
Lifes to short live it to the max.

41. Name three things that you have on you at all times?
Mobile Phone, Car Keys, wallett

42. What's your favorite town/city?
Mahon, Minorca

43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
Chips and hot dogs down the beach today, it was cold and needed the warmth tasted good though!!

44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
Friday, work related though does that count?

45. Can you change the oil on a car?
Yup, as long as I can use a pit don't like doing it lying under the car got a mouth full once as the plug came out to easily and caught me out.

46. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?
She was married with two kids

47. How far back do you know about your ancestry?
In the process of doing it and so far 1795

48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy?
Week last Friday for the ball.

49. Does anything hurt on your body right now?
Not really just sore fingers from filling this in.

50. Have you been burned by love?
Yeah, cooking tea tonight, grabbed the saucpan handle and it was very hot, I love cooking.

I Tag:
Anyone who has about an hour to waste and wants sore fingers.

Oo edits we love em!

Well after making a mistake on my blog last night I had to make a quick edit, umm thanks Dan for pointing this fact out. Boy will I be in the dog house, anyway been to the beach today, Bloody freezing but it was sunny and apart from MSM throwing a wobbler over Toby not doing what she wanted him to do but hey we all have our off days and today was MSM's.

Rest of the day I tried my hand at ironing, this I have not done in years, I'll do the cleaning, washing and cooking but not that, but the pile was growing due to us doing more fun stuff, so I helped out well I tried any way.

Not sure what we will be up to tomorrow seems the UK is about to be hit by BIG storms so it may be staying in relaxing on the sofa watching an old black and white movie.... now that sounds a good idea.

And another week gone

Apart from being lost for words this week it's been pretty ordinary week really, nothing to out there, Christmas is well under way in Town and the weather is really freaky being so warm, dull and overcast but warm.

Tried to do a little Christmas shopping tonight whilst MSM was at the theatre watching Hans Christian Anderson play, I managed to get umm three presents, New Take that CD for 'J' don't know why, got Tracy Beaker book for MSM as she really enjoys watching the T.V programme.

Gave up at 7.45pm and headed to the pub that 'J' was at celebrating a Friends 30th had a quick pint and went back to pick MSM up and headed home, now sat here watching some crap on T.V Sky three all about Chavs, what the hell is that all about.

Anyway nothing special planned this weekend so I'm looking to chill and walk in the country and the beach.

Time to check out a few blogs back soon ;o)

Lost for words

And that's exactly what's wrong I just can't think of anything to put down here. Work is the same as ever and well not much has happend since Friday. Oh what a thrilling life I lead.

Another thing I've now done in my life

Last night was my departments awards ceremony, the theme was a mascaraed ball, here is the mask that I wore.
It was a good night and I accomplished another thing in my life, that was to be hypnotised, although I did not volunteer to do this. The start of the act focused on the audience and me being naive did exactly what the hypnotist ask and lets just say two of us in the audience had to go on stage as our fingers were locked together and as hard as I tried to separate them it just didn't happen.

What's really weird is that I can remember everything which I thought being hypnotised you wake up remembering nothing, talking to a colleague he said the same, we could here understand yet had no control over how we behaved. So what did we get up to well first we were a boy band and we were on stage and had to kiss women in the front row on the cheek of course well luckily 'J' was in the front row and I headed to her first but managed to get all the others as well.

Now comes the 7 year old playing with his toys and being asked questions and replying in the tone and language of a seven year old. Weird! Then I was told to be Robbie Williams 'Live' on stage well seems that went down a storm and the crowd went wild, bare in mind I have two left feet and can't dance to save my life the comments after and looking at a video mobile I danced like I have never seen before and it did look pretty impressive even 'J' commented to her Friends that I had no chance if they asked me to dance then told me how gob smacked she was. God help me on Monday!! there were lots more like winning the lottery only for the hypnotist to burn the winning ticket and watching a few of us going from jubilation to dispare and threats to kill the hypnotist. Our goodbye stunt was to be the teletubbies, umm. At the end he asked us what would we like help with? I opted for giving up smoking it worked great until today where I have had three which for me is the norm so that didn't work. Never mind.

So here is the List of achievements so far:

Appear in a newspaper.
Appear on T.V
Rock climb
Abseil down a cliff face
Camp under the stars
Race go karts in a pro race and beat the pro's.
Ride a motor bike
Paint ball
Drive a car on a race track at over 140mph
Pot holing
Go down a coal mine
Canoe race
Sail a yacht
Be hypnotised

What I would love to do before my times up:
Ride my mountain bike in Australia
Travel around America
Fly a plane/Helicopter
Go up in a hot air balloon.
Be a radio DJ for a day
Do charity work in a third world country
get a tattoo

I'll probably add to both lists as I have never listed them and I know I have/want to do more. So there we are the night I got hypnotised.

Grey ol day

Well I sit in my little home office completing file transfers to a client, and ponder what I have achieved today. Well got stressed at the office even though the person who stresses me is out is not there, the email he sends me get me going just by the tone, I'm really at my end and I think I have to make a move before I crack up. I love my job and most of the people I work with but there are elements creeping in which are telling me that I am well under appreciated and people really do not know what I do until I'm on holiday and shit hits the fan. Recognition goes along way not being used and abused because they can.

Anyway, I sit here listening to my old faithful PC chug away while I try a piece of software out on it this machine is now over 10 years old and is still going strong even though I have not switched it on since June. Poor thing must be really sad as I used to be on it 12hrs a day 7 days a week for many years, now like me it's semi retired. Yeah right still got bills to pay.

As you can tell today's post is a real mix of feelings but that's the way I feel today a bit mixed should I stay or should I go. Now that's the big question.

Second Life cont.

Okay now I'm not amused, took a tour of the place tonight and landed in a well lets just say porn has hit that site as well. Seems people can now establish business's and I had to land in the wrong sort, I was chatted up offered things well lets just say I left it there.

This site is a defo 18+ DO NOT LET the kids play it.

And you pay using their currency. Enough said.

Second Life

Well with the BBC news last night talking about the hit website 'Second Life' I decided to investigate. so here's me in my second life although only 24hrs old. Bit of a hunk aren't I he he.

Well this is supposed to be a 2nd life so a little 6 pack and pecks won't go amiss. The game it's self is not great and it don't half suck the juice out of the PC this is the first site that has caused my new PC to struggle and slow right down.

Met new people mainly the U.S as that's where the site originates, you can talk to people in public or IM them which is good, although I'm always a little scared when talking to strangers what with all the news these days about chat rooms etc.

But hey that's me in my next life the name is 'Justa Cleanslate' so if you join this place look me up and say hi!! oh and you will get lots of people asking you how you make money on it, I just reply I don't need money I won the lottery. he he well it is a 2nd life and who knows!!

Am I having a life changing experience

Not sure what's going on here, am I a new man? I sat yesterday morning watching BBC 1's cookery programmes and admired one of their kitchens, also the children's snack foods they were cooking, so much so that whilst shopping today I picked up some of the ingredients.

Whilst back home I sprayed the oven with new CIF oven cleaner, note I have never found an oven cleaner that removed dirt without a good SCRUB, anyway whilst it done what it said on the container we decided to take Toby for a walk in the country, alas the rain is here and the tracks were very muddy which MSM loved splashing around in her welly boots, yes she is nine but it was great seeing a young lady just making a mess of herself. Toby however was dripping wet and full of mud and he seemed to love it also.

Well got back about an hour later and stripped off, well took my top off anyway, 'J' got excited but I had to let her down gently that I did not want to mess up my top when cleaning out the oven, so picture this. Me topless with yellow rubber gloves on and I shout out "Who's next" he he.

So started to wipe out the oven and WOW no scrubbing needed this CIF is fantastic and well worth £5. In no time at all the oven was sparkling clean and ready for COOKING. Then whilst in the cleaning mood I moved the kitchen around to allow more room for preparation again this went well and I have now got a fab area of worktop to prepare and serve food.

For the evening meal tonight I decided to do a little American food, at least I think it's an American sort of meal I'm sure Joansy will put me straight if it's not. Very large set of BBQ ribs freshly cooked from Tesco's served with sweet potatoes and corn on the cob, and it tasted FAB!!

But that's not all whilst the dinner was cooking MSM and I made Brownies so she can take them to wait for it Brownies tomorrow night, so they we are I'm off cooking and I did enjoy it. Oh and I cleaned up after myself so the kitchen is nice and clean again.

Hmm what's next I wonder........ 'Life is getting better' ;0)

ORANGE.CO.UK

Well spent two hours last night down a work colleagues house setting up their email system, they took advantage of the FREE broadband from Orange, which on the face of it sounds really cool 8MB of free Internet access.

Well lets just say to date I have not failed an IT task especially one as easy as configure Microsoft Outlook to collect email from a POP & SMTP servers, well Orange beat me! two hours later and you guessed it NO EMAIL to their outlook.

Configured the settings as per orange instructions, no rocket science here but it just would not connect to the server saying it does not exist, rang their helpline and as ever I pretended not to know anything about IT so 'Dave' talked me through the process I just double checked what I had done thinking I must be having an off day, well he told me nothing I had not already done.

'Dave' then decided that he had had enough and cut us off. umm so sorry M&R but I failed or should I say Orange failed as they have complicated the whole email thing.

For the record fsmail cannot link to Microsoft Outlook nor can orange.net email system but the rekon that .orange.co.uk can, well let me tell you Orange it can't and for god sake stick with ONE email system not three it's not big and not clever it's bloody confusing.

Oh and your instructions are showing how to connect to fsmail which YOU CANNOT connect to via a third party service. NOB ENDS.

So if you are tempted to jump to orange to take advantage of the free offer DON'T it is rubbish. It got so bad last night that I offered to host their email on one of the servers I rent at no cost to them, they were really nice about it and would not here of it, but if they cannot get it sorted by Wednesday next week then I'll set them up.

Today I think I have had a knock on effect from the episode as I have been in a foul mood not talking to anyone and feeling really depressed and I think it's to do with last nights episode, I think I just can't take failure or I put myself in such a position that I beat myself up mentally if I fail a task, it's wrong I know but since being ill I find it hard to just say oh well never mind I can't do it ask someone else.

If anyone has any ideas on how I can change from where I am I'm all ears, I just want to get back to the 'Fuck that' attitude again or not beating myself up when things are not going as they should. argggghhhhhhhh!

Sitting here with the Jungle celeb thing on, why am I watching this crap it's not good to waste our lives watching this shite!! now Dan this is being in a foul mood. LOL ;o)

Taking praise

Okay I now know that I am not very good at accepting praise, that long arduous project has been sent to the client using MSM and Microsoft remote assistance, well that's a weird experience in it's self, working on a computer network in Scotland from my home office here in Barry. Wow technology today eh! anyway, it all went well .dll files placed in the right place and launch the application. It worked first time, placed an icon on the desktop pc's and tested each machine (10) all using the remote assistance.

Then I left them get on with testing and me poised to step in and correct any faults, I get a call on my mobile at 7pm it's the client in Scotland, oh no I thought what's wrong is this going to be a long night? well the answer was NO they rang to sing my praises and that the application is far and beyond what they originally asked for, he was singing my praises for over 20 mins in the end I had to excuse myself as I just could not take anymore.

So after all this time fretting about the project it was all unfounded and they love it, oh and they wants me to sign a three year support contract at £45 per hour with two hours a week guaranteed pay regardless if I actually do any work hmm £90 per week and no work can I refuse that?

So at the moment I'm feeling good.

Whilst on about my own business I had an email a few days ago asking if I would take over a website contract starting January 07, this is good news as I love doing web work especially ad campaigns and graphic design for me it's stress free work so of course I'm seriously looking at this project. Oh boy my other job are not going to be happy as they want me back full time next year and as my projects were coming to an end next year (or at least one) I told them I would consider their offer.

Anyway lots to think about and some large decisions to make but it can wait I'm going to soak up the praise from today's launch as tomorrow it may all crumble. (hope not) ;0)

Any blog experts out there......

I still cannot get my archives to work on this BETA version.

Chilling!!

Hey it's Sunday and I'm chilling, no not cold but just 'Hey man' chilling. Anyway reading a book at the moment called 'Billy' which is Billy Connolly's official autobiography written by his wife Pamela Stephenson. It's a great read and really covers his childhood in great detail and you wonder how this guy ever survived the life in a tenement in Glasgow, well worth a read.

Walking on the beach today with the wind in my face it really is getting colder, I was all wrapped up and dressed for the winter with my winter coat and scarf on, Toby didn't care he was in his element running around the sand and rolling all over the place.

Weather today overcast with a little sun, windy and cold. No rain though Ye Ha!

Good to see Dan coming out of the woods finally and starting to blog again. I'm now ready for the next working week what ever that brings.

Have a good evening everyone and catch you next week ;0)

Winter is here urghhhhhh!!

I hate winter especially when it's raining, see here in Wales we tend to have much more rain fall than other parts of the UK, today it's been dull, grey, cold and windy. We managed to go for a walk in the country and avoided the rain fall by just a few minutes. By 5.30pm it was pitch black outside so not much to do after 5pm.

Wanted a simple meal tonight so decided to have a hotdog, onions and sweetcorn (don't ask). Now I'm here sat watching UK X Factor which is okay trying to think of things to put here.

Oh work stuff, I have officially been asked to return full time, that all happened Thursday morning whilst having breakfast with the department manager, I managed to change the subject as at 8.30am I was in no fit state to give an answer, although at the moment I'm not ready to go back full time I want to give MSM a little more dad time before I get caught in the 12 hour day routine.

My other business, the software application is now ready for launch and I'm currently typing up the release notes and instructions for the staff who will be lucky enough to use it. And if you know anyone who wants a purpose built computer application then give me a shout I'm ready for the next contract.

Anyway, time to read other peoples blogs so tara for now ;0)

Thursday where's Mon, Tues, Wed gone?

Oh my I have lost a week, back in work, Monday was an okay day easing back in to the routine, Tuesday was a day from hell STRESS!! that's all I have to say about Tuesday. Wednesday well early start as I had my last seminar until December, had the company car (Vectra 2.0i) picked up colleagues and drove to hammersmith in London where we stayed over for the night.

Met my sister at the hotel last night as she lives in the big smoke had a few drinks well more than a few and went to bed at 2am. Left London late this morning and drove home where I crashed put on the sofa.

Now well not going to do much just read my emails and do this blog and that's it just chilling on the sofa watching some crap on the T.V

All good, apart from my head ooooo ;o)

Half term nearly over

Well what a great week, the weather has been great, crisp, cold and sunny!! and I have had the best time with MSM, she has kept me away from the computer so only been working evenings which is great and the dreaded project is now nearly complete with the file transfer test Wednesday which worked 100%

I have a selection of images over the past few days, lets just say I have had plenty of fresh air and walking for miles. I'd forgotten what is right on my doorstep.

Tonight is Barry's round table firework extravagance which is huge and is by far the biggest firework display around, the local chemical factories like DOW Corning donate £1,000's of pounds for this event, last year the total spend was around £50,000 and boy for over an hour the display goes off all to music. And it's down on the beach so the reflections on the water is fantastic. Although due to it being by the sea it's always bloody freezing!!



The medeavil village about a mile down the road, in the summer there are people who live there on weekends and dress and work in costume.















MSM and Toby, just don't ask as the dog hates MSM riding ahead and I had to sprint to keep up with her, no more bike when I'm walking she nearly killed me!!











think this speaks for it's self.















And this is what half term has been all about relaxing, walking and taking in these views. Well I must take everything back about Barry, there are some great spots and it's a 10 min walk away and before we had the dog we hardly ever went. Now we are there every week!! how kwl is that. Time to get another dog!!









Today we also gave Toby a bath as we went down the beach again today and the tide was way out so he got soaked on the wet beach here are some pics of 'J' and MSM oh and the star Toby..








And Toby all dried and looking GREAT!! and before you say he looks like an old man he's 4 months old!!

Before I get in to work

I better update my blog, the half term is going great, Monday MSM and I went to my mums to see how they are, I have not been there in months, as you can tell we're not a close family, well it was interesting me being brought in to family arguments and trying to talk sense to my step father now that was an experience not to be repeated.

We enjoyed the day and I can make a mental note that I have visited and not to be done until Christmas, oh and then I have my sister to contend with. (We fell out many years ago) that one for another day maybe Christmas!! oh I wish I bought tickets to go to Spain.

Tuesday, Wayne (work colleague & friend) rang to see if MSM and I wanted to join him and his 9yr old Son Joel on a walk around the lakes, great idea it was overcast but nice so piled in the car took Toby as well and MSM's bike.

We walked for over two hours through woods and moors it was fab, have not done a walk like that for years. Poor Toby was knackered and I ended up carrying him for the last hour poor mutt. Work rang in the afternoon for some help so I had to log in from home for a few hours doing some normal stuff. But so far all good.

Today well I had nothing much planned except popping to B&Q for some bathroom ceiling paint as I have got mold starting to appear over the shower area already (12mths since I finished the bathroom). So after MSM cooked dinner with me just supervising (Scrabbled egg, Croquettes and spaghetti hoops). I started painting the ceiling, only got half way when the sister in law pop's in for a cup of tea and a chat then another knock on the door and it was my brother and his new girlfriend. So a house full this afternoon but we all had a good laugh and I do like my brothers choice in women! even though she was only sixteen but there again my brother is only eighteen oh those were the days!!

Anyway MSM's half term is going well both of us are having a great time and bonding again I think we are now joined at the hip!! all good ;o)

Oh and Dan the Essex man, where are you mate not heard from you in a while are you okay? I think you got all your fans worried.

What a weekend

Well it's been a few days but I have been really busy, and getting over the trip to Scotland, oh how I love that place. Anyway Friday was good especially as I found out that I had 9 days holiday to take, I thought that I only had 3 days so to get an extra week is well lets just say brilliant. Also I managed to book this week off as it's MSM's half term, last week for those in England!!

So I'm officially on holiday, nothing planed just going to do what ever we fancy, 'J' has to work so it's father and daughter team.

Saturday was wet and miserable so I popped over to my friends house to sort out his laptop and connect him up to BT wireless broadband, well lets just say that his new laptop is not very good so I had to bring it home so that I could up date the drivers etc. Went back later in the day and finished the job also gave each family member their own log in area and email systems so they were chuffed.

Today was in contrast a very nice and sunny day so we had to take a walk with the dog, and yes we hit the beach again and this time I took some pics so here they are MSM, 'J' and Toby down the beach this morning. At last you get to see places that are just a 10 min walk from the house!!



MSM and Toby getting their feet wet.















And the action shot!













Due to the nature of these images please note that it's a crime to steal images and these are under copyright. Thanks.


This one is my favourite, the sun was just in the right position. I think I should do photography more often. I have a B/W version now on my PC's and MSM has a printed version on her wall she liked it so much.









And here's the view of Barry Island from Nells point.















Not sure what I'll be doing tomorrow but I will take the camera out again, so where ever we go I'll have a pic for you. As they say a picture paints a thousand words, hopefully we'll be blessed with more sunshine like today. Here's hoping anyway ;0)

I'm still here ....

I could have sworn I put a blog here oer the weekend, or maybe not! anyway The weekend was really good, Saturday we took 'J' car for an MOT and popped in to Ikea for breakfast and it was really nice at only 95p each a real bargain, then dropped MSM off at the baths as Brownies were doing their swimming badge, 'J' and I took the dog down down the beach and had an hour just walking in the warm sunshine hand in hand which was really good best day I have had in a long time.

Sunday well it was raining really hard so not much in the way of outdoor activities today so apart from usual Tesco shopping. But before I put the items in the fridge I decided to clean and defrost, well after 10 mins and not much ice melting I decided to try and knock more off by using a hammer, oops big mistake next thing I Know a lot of hissing and the cloud of gas, yup I had made a hole in the fridge element, next thing I new we were in Currys spending over £200 on a new one.

Let me point out though that the fridge was over 13 years old and we have been talking about replacing it for ages so in a way I did it a favour. New one arrived Tuesday but it's going back as it's damaged.

So it's Wednesday now and I have just come back from a seminar in Scotland what a blast left sunny Wales on Monday morning arrived in Glasgow 30 mins later pouring with rain no bother, headed over to Glasgow Hilton and settled in, went to see a good fFriendof mine in the evening they live on the other side of Glasgow so the taxi fare was well over £50 round trip but well worth it, it's always a pleasure meeting up with them and the hospitality is always top notch.

There were comments made by my colleagues that I had left behind but hey if I'm in a place where frFriendsive I will ALWAYS make time to visit stuff what people think. Anyway I love Scotland and the people I find really frfriendlylways up for a drink or two or three, well lets just say we started drinking Tuesday night after the seminar at 4.30pm and finished at 3am this morning. My alarm went off at 5am as we have to be at the airport 2hrs before the flight, well as you can imagine 2 hours sleep was not a wise move, I felt like shit and I thought I was going to be ill in the airport and on the plane, but I arrived home at 10am no work so basically chilled out for the day, it's now 10pm and I think it's time for bed as it's back to the office tomorrow.

Thanks guys for a fantastic few days in lovely Glasgow can't wait to get back in a few months.

It's crunchie Friday!!

Well Friday already, what ever happened to this week, saying that this year? is it me or as you get older the days go quicker? umm food for thought.

Okay been thinking more about replacing my car but not sure what to get, I quite fancy the Seat range either a Ibiza or Leon but I would have to have a 1.9 TDI version I feel a quick visit to the Seat garage sometime this weekend just to get an idea on the costs and range, I promise that I will not buy one honest!!

Hey guess what, I have finally got that bloody application to work, yes your reading this correct the bloody thing is working. I need to fine tune stuff but it's working and does what it suppose to do, yea me.

Anyway I have to follow 'J' to the garage tomorrow as her car is having the first MOT test, booked in for 8.30am that means breakfast at Ikea, I have been told that their breakfasts are really tasty.

MSM is then going swimming with Brownies to do her first badge so tomorrow looks like a busy day, also MSM has a birthday party my god I will have to get her a diary for Christmas and show her how to use outlook!

All good. ;o) oh and is only 11 weeks to Christmas???

So what happend to Mon-Weds

Okay so this week has been a bit of a blur, loosing my temper in a meeting, not clever but hey ho! car going on the blink well it stalled at the car park barrier and it took 10mins to get it running again, although over the past few months it's been happening a lot and I think it's time to trade in.

I'm still trying to get the application working and it's not well it is but not as I would want it but to be honest I have had enough of this stuff and it's time to let go and move on, I fancy picking up on the family tree I started earlier in the year, I managed to go back to the 1700's on my Grand mothers side. I want to travel to Devon where they lived and find out more about them. I know they lived in a small village which is still there and the location means that there is no development.

I watched Jeremy Irons last night and seeing what he uncovered I think I can do the same and like him I may find out why I love Devon so much and the country, I have found out the my family were all farmers and also servants to a large house in the village. As I type this I can just see myself travelling there on weekends and staying in the local B&B. Oh how cool would that be. But I must get rid of these contracts first, then work out how to subsidise my income when I walk away from the contracts as I don't want to go back full time .

Anyway, it's wet and windy outside and I'm struggling to put stuff down at the mo as Toby is biting my hands as I type so it's getting more painful by the minute. get off dog,

Quiet day

Well it's Sunday evening and after the past two days adventures today was relatively quiet and without Major events, MSM had a lay in and didn't get up until 10.30am and we had to get out and do shopping so she was under pressure to get washed & dressed, the usual Sunday trip to Tesco and weekly shopping complete without much fuss.

Late this afternoon we decided to take Toby down the lakes and also let him meet his cousin Bailey, well as with all Lhasa's they have a great temperament and no issues they were best of Friends from the start walking together and enjoying each other company, although Toby does like children and will stop if a small child walks past and he'll wait for a fuss from them so a 15-20 min walk took well over an hour.

So that's it for now see ya ;o)

Friday 13th .5

Episode 2.

Got up nice and early and took some garden waste to the local dump, this being a different story that I may tag on to the end of the flat tyre saga.

Anyway all of us piled in to my car and we headed down to Evans Halshaw in sloper road Cardiff (Just check out their customer service page). who are now the main dealers. We enter the show room and and head for the parts and service department, young girl at the desk I start talking telling her all about last nights flat tyre and that the car is stuck in a multi storey and we need the correct fitment to undo the locking nuts.

She looked blank at me, I showed her the little box with only one fitment present and explained that this is what was given to us 18mths ago when we bought the car, again she looked at me with dull eyes and a blank expression. My patience now near it's end I look at her right in the eyes and said "I NEED THREE MORE OF THESE TO UNDO MY LOCKING NUTS" she then proceeded to ring the parts department and talk to a chap about the problem, she looked at me and said sorry we don't have them and cannot get them either. But if you bring the car in we will drill them out for you.

Wrong answer, I stood in the showroom which now had a fair few customers looking at cars and said okay, how do you propose to get my car out of the multi storey car park with a flat tyre and bring it over to you. Her reply, I notice from our records your car is due for a service, shall I book it in now while your here.

Okay I think your getting the gist of this, in a nut shell they wanted me to bring the car to them and the cost would be as follows:

£65 per hour labour. (x2 hours)
£30 + VAT for a new set of locking nuts
£55+ VAT for each tyre (We need 2)

Well lets just say I'll be having words with a friend of mine that is quite high up in the Pendragon group who own Evans Halshaw, and guess what I didn't even use that to get better service.

Evans Halshaw you have by far the worst customer service I have ever seen and beating Renault Cardiff by a long way, and if you ever ask to be on my national approved garage network I'll give you service that you deserve, oh and your application on my desk well Monday it will be in the shredder.

Anyway what next, well I rang my good freind Wayne to ask his advice but no answer umm then looked in front of me and who should be in the car in front but Wayne (How spooky is that), anyway we have a chat and he suggests getting a chisle and giving it a few taps to see if that loosens it but go to Halfords and pick up the self healing and inflation stuff and bring it round later and I'll have a look, cheers mate that sounds good.

Get to halfords buy the stuff to do a temporary repair and pick up a new set of wheel locking nuts. Cost so far £40 Get to the multi storey and apply this stuff, 10 mins later I'm off driving 'J' car no more than 30mph heading for home. As I get in the house Wayne's on the phone ready to come over mate? oh yeah lets go.

Arrive at his house and he looks at me and says can you take a look at my new laptop in a bit I can't get it to work properly, "My pleasure" so he brings out the chisle and a hammer and hits the nut TWICE and wey hey it comes off. He then looks at me and says shall I do the rest? knock yourself out mate, so off he goes around the car knocking off all the nuts and replacing them with my new set.

I then grab his laptop and say see you in a bit, I drive down the local tyre company and get two new tyres and tracking done at a cost of £75 INC VAT. Umm I thinks I have just made a huge saving by trading talents Wayne knows all there is to know about cars and I know very little about computers.... Oh and I fix his laptop problem and bung on a few programmes that he would love, saying no more but you need these to do Spreadsheets and typing letters get my drift. Then jump in the 'J's' now spiffing car and deliver his pride and joy.

Both parties extremley happy just by trading knowledge. Now that's more fun than parting with lots of cash. So £115 Inc VAT to get a flat tyre sorted out or go to Evans Halshaw and spend in excess of £210+VAT what a bargain.

Oh and the garden rubbish well that's for another day...

Friday 13th

Normally I'm all good with Friday 13th but this evening was hell, Pick MSM up from grandparents with Toby in car great with them living in a caravan park well until next month when they emigrate, anyway all good MSM and Toby went for their walk and we departed in good time to start cooking tea, then the mobile rings in the car (Hands free) it's 'J' "where are you" oh I'm just on my way home to start tea why? "Oh I have a flat tyre" okay where are you? "In multi storey" okay I'm on my way (dum dum dummm (Super hero voice)). So speed through traffic like and emergency vehicle damsel in distress!! (30mph and no traffic as I was going against the flow). Arrive in 15mins (Not bad as it's 10 miles away) now that's quicker than the AA.

Anyway pull up along side her car with a screech of brakes just for the effect, I shouted to her "Switch off the engine and leave the car quietly" (In my police officer voice) people everywhere looking over and the now red faced 'J' exited the car.

Got the tools out of the boot and the crappy thin wheel they now call 'Space savers' yeah right just to cut costs! started taking the nuts off and remembered she has alloys which needs special adaptors, grabbed the adaptor box out of the glove box popped the lid only to see 1 adaptor and 3 empty spaces, hmm it can't be this is a new car and never had a wheel changed it must be one fits all so I try and free this bugger but no joy I then decide to check out the rear wheel to see if this little sucker fits that bolt and low and behold it does.

Okay flat tyre with a big stud sticking out so no chance of pumping back up just to get home, tools missing only thing we can do is lock car up for the night and head for the garage in the morning to get the missing adaptors! yeah and do you think that's going to be easy after two years..... we'll see.

To be continued.............

Hey it's Thursday

The most idiotic thing I have ever seen happened to me yesterday on my way to the Cardiff Seminar that I was holding, I was following a Que of traffic through the outskirts of Cardiff not far from the issue I covered last week, when I glanced to the left and watched in amazement a car under taking me on the pavement. That's right folks this chap had come off the road crossed a wide grass verge and drove full lengh of the road on the bloody pavement!! and as ever no police/traffic wardens in sight. The chap crossed back over the grass verge and waited, and waited and I passed him looked in my rear view mirror with a smile as no one would let him in.

The seminar went well, I had the big boss sat in and he came up to me at the end and congratulated me on a great presentation and he wants to know more about what I was discussing, I have agreed to meet him for coffee in Madison's to discuss the project in more detail, this is nice as normally I go through department mangers not normally direct to directors. Oh and the share price of the company rose by 44p today that has to be to do with my presentation yesterday!! go me, now they need to pay me more.

Thursday, well back in the office and trying to catch up on my email, I have sub folders which I try to use as I get so many emails a day that I have to prioritise them, well my MUST do folder has now topped out at 230 unread emails and the total in my in box stands at 1,320 all unread and the oldest is three weeks old. umm I thinks I need to address this by switching of my email.

I must say the biggest regret I have was introducing Microsoft version of email, it was a big mistake even though it was over 10 years ago now, who would have thought that email would be the biggest problem in our working days, I must find a new solution to the problem, and I have tried a blackberry but could not get on with it.

Tonight I was meant to be working on the dreaded project although I have finally worked through the problems and I can now move forward and complete it although I'm still many hours away from completing just the basic operating system, then comes the best bit moulding it to the way the company I'm building it for want it.

A friend of mine who I have not discussed here in a few months came over to me today and told me that her husband had slept with another woman last weekend and that she is now going to be a single parent, for those not sure where I am going with this you will need to go back to Jan/Feb 2006 to say I was shocked is an understatement, this poor girl has been through the mill this year and I would say the 2006 has not been good to her, however she looks great and although a difficult time for her I think she will be very happy with her new life she is about to embark on. I'm sure I'll have more on my special friend in the coming weeks and months.

Anyway that's enough for tonight but probably more for tomorrow. bye for now ;o)

Hey it's Monday

Well what a weekend, great great great, nothing major happened but having a dog that is now allowed out of the house has made us get out of the house and hit the country. Saturday and Sunday spent a few hours walking down country paths watching horses, birds (Feather kind) and walking hand in hand with 'J' it was great and I'm up for it again next weekend.

And MSM has asked for a mountain bike for Christmas, yippee I can get out on mine now fresh air mud, rain bring it on.

Today well I have another seminar tomorrow but it's in Cardiff which makes it a little easier with no travelling. Although being on home territory all the BIG bosses are going to sit in, hmmm.

Today was the usual hectic day at the office, school run un eventful apart from MSM being last out of school at 3.35pm (School finishes at 3.20pm) home some food and getting ready for Brownies. Oh is our family becoming like one of those you see on TV, out and about on weekends, clubs and societies after school.

Bought Norton Antivirus tonight at a cost of £50 but I think I have managed to break the agreement by using it on this laptop and my power house up in the office, lets see how that works out.

An old business friend rang tonight this is the chap I was working with doing librautomotive, I have not spoken to him since August, I had an email from him telling me that he has had a stroke and his heart condition has taken a turn for the worse, seems he went against his word and took on a project that I had brief contact with (web design) it seems he went from being a consultant to working full time 9-5 travelling all over the place and within 6 weeks he was in hospital fighting for his life. Well I had a few words to say to him but all good and he is on the mend and now looking to kick start a project together, our projects are always stress free and easy work from home stuff, he has the dosh and I have the ideas so thinking cap back on and see what project I can dream up this time.

I wish I thought up the juice bar thing that Chris Evans blog was talking about I saw one on Saturday whilst in Cardiff a simple idea but a Q a mile long, this chap has a turnover of over £70 Million in 12 months. As they say the simplest ideas are normally the best. Go check it out.

Anyway it's time to stop and close up shop for the night. Se ya ;0)