Month: November 2009

…. and so to bed

/ Tony / Leave a comment

   Eldest is back from rehearsals. Quite a bit earlier than I expected. But guess what !!!! No programme details !!! I’ve asked to go and see them tomorrow, to get the details. If I don’t have them for tomorrow evening, then I do not think it will get done in time. There will be a lot of typing and error checking, especially the children’s name. Parents do get worked up if their offspring do not get a proper mention. I have the design done, and I suppose I could get the scene/act list from the script, but I want to get it right. I’m beginning to get a reputation for this.

   Youngest has just gone to his bed. He dropped off to sleep at around 05:30pm, but that was too early. He had not had his tea, and if he had gone to bed then, then I could see him being awake very early again.

   Right …… need to sleep!

Early start ….

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   That early start, was the youngest. For some reason he awoke at around 01:45. Now usually, when he wakes early like that, he’ll lie in bed with his video playing quietly, and eventually drift off back to sleep. We have leaned not to turn his video off at times like that, as it usually wakes him again. However last night was different. He did not go back to sleep at all. And of course both me and Mrs H lay there, dozing with one ear open, listening for every little noise. Between 2:00am and around 4:00am, I must have been up four times to get him a drink or something to eat. So we are both a little bit tired.

   Eldest is back today, big drama rehearsal today, so lots to do at the village hall. He was there at 01:30, but should be back here around five. He then has to go back at around 7:00pm, and that could take until well after 10:00pm, as it is a full run through dress rehearsal. Hopefully, I’ll get the programme details when he comes home for tea. I get the impression that this panto, has not been as well organised as previous years, and has not gone as smooth as it should have. Time will tell.

   Managed to write my Christmas cards for work this afternoon. When I say ‘write’ what I mean, is that I put my name inside the card, and the recipients name on the envelope. Job done !!! I’ll now just wait for the people that I have missed, like every year.

   Leeds Utd managed a 1 – 1 draw, at Kettering Town today. They could have finished it off a couple of times, but the Kettering keeper (and manager) played very well. Still, we should beat them at Elland Road. Well hope so anyway.

Saturdays come and go ….

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   Youngest was on respite today, so Mrs H and me did a bit of shopping. Mrs H wanted a few things from Asda (wine !!), before going off to Tesco. We got the youngest a few DVD’s that he had not got, and  Leitz Combind100a CD for my Mum. I managed to bag a bargain. A comb binder for £7.50 !! I have had one before, but some of the hooks broke, which made it next to useless. The best price I can come up with, on the web, for the same model was £37.95 !!!!! A bargain or what !!! I also managed to get some laminate pouches too. I have plenty of A5 type, but no A5 or A6 until today. another bargain.

 Roundhay Fox  It was  then off to the Roundhay Fox for lunch. It was great watching all the different people. Mrs H said it was free entertainment. There were a lot of children though. A couple of large parties were in, but the food took only 20 minutes to arrive as expected. That was just about it. A quick look at a garden centre, and it was then time to pick up the youngest. Day done. Not heard anything from the eldest. He is supposed to be coming here for 2pm for a rehearsal tomorrow. We think his friend B** will be bringing him and stopping for tea. Not too sure if S**** will be sleeping here though.

The weekend at last

/ Tony / 2 Comments

   A lot was achieved at work today. It’s getting close to the month end, so there a lot of reporting to do. And, as it is getting close to the end of the year, my stats spreadsheet needs updating for next year. Fingers crossed I have got it right. I really should document the damn thing, but I just never remember. It has grown from a single sheet of weekly numbers, to a 8 sheet workbook. I’m quite proud of it really. No one else has a clue how it works, they are just grateful it does. If I sat down and took it to pieces, I’m sure I could make it a lot easier. Some of the formulae I think could be simplified, and I’m sure I could tidy up the look-up tables, but at the end of the day, it works !

   I started work on the panto programme tonight. Hardest thing was getting the picture in black and white. For some reason my copy of Photoshop Elements 2 is playing up. I have a strong suspicion, that the twain drivers have corrupted, as a few times tonight, the thing has hung up when initialising. I think I may have to reinstall it at some point.

Boring really

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   Today was one of those days that just happened. You know the type of day I mean, when nothing really happened !! Everything went without a hitch. I got all the jobs done that I had to do, with time to spare, and even had chance to write up by ‘to-do’ list for tomorrow. Boring and much the same tomorrow.

   I got the posters printed and laminated. S**** was supposed to be dropping the disc, with the tickets on, up at the directors house. Either he was going to drop them off, or Mrs H was going to do it. However, neither of them realised the disc was there (on top of his wallet), so it will have to be tomorrow now. Fingers crossed, that I get the programme details soon, but I can see them turning up at 11:00pm on Sunday evening. They will need them as soon as possible though, as the first performance is Wednesday, so I’ll not have much time. It should be okay, if I can find a template for a single fold, double sided A4 booklet !!

Success !!!!!!!

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   Paid my car tax online at last. I just have to hope that the disc comes through by Monday. A maximum of 5 working days they say, so bearing in mind that Government working days now include Saturdays, the latest it should arrive is Tuesday.

   We had our ‘Road Show’ today. It was quite good, very much as expected really. We got an overview of where the service is now, where senior management wants it to be in the future and a reality check on where it will actually be !!! It was interesting to find out the type of information that was available to staff, that our manager is not disseminating.

   Just about ready to go to the pub now. It’s rehearsal night, and the drama group usually head off to the Red Lion at around 10:00pm. I’ll be in from just before, and I think it is my turn to buy a round. As it is a Sam Smiths pub, a round is not too expensive.

Stuck for a title ……

/ Tony / 1 Comment

   The IT testing went okay. It took a lot longer than anticipated. I ended up doing two sessions, 9:30 until 12:00 then 13:30 until 15:00. Once again, the problems were at this end. Things that should have been done that hadn’t been done. Files in the wrong place. Wrong data paths. Mind you, the upgrade was run differently this time. There was a lot more for me to do. Last upgrade, the client was installed on the server, and the software house dialled in and did all the work. This time it was done from a local PC. Lessons have been learned, I hope. What I think is needed, is a concerted effort on both sides to communicate more. Next time I will insist on a project plan, with a detailed list of tasks and responsibilities. Next time, I will take more of a lead.

   I’m more than a little pissed off with the DVLA. I want to pay my car tax online, but because my insurance runs out at a similar time, the DVLA will not let me. They say that some national insurance database, has not been updated with my new insurance detail. So that means a trip to the post office in the next village. I though technology was supposed to help and make things easier.

   Tesco ‘green’ points are a funny thing. You get loyalty points for every bag you reuse. So basically, you take your own bags. A couple of weeks ago, I was shopping for a number of things, and unfortunately, forgot to take my bags into the store. Because the car was parked near to the store exit, I declined the offer of disposable bags, and put all the shopping back into the trolley. When I checked my receipt, I noticed that there were no ‘green’ point, so I toddled off to ‘Customer Service’ to query this. The very nice lady at the counter told me that I could only have the points if I re-used bags, and that the cashier would need to count how many bags I re-used. Totally bizarre. You should have seen the look on the Customer Service lady’s face, when I asked for 6 plastic bags to put my shopping in !!!!

A reasonable start

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   The day went quite well. No major disasters. A couple of annoying things, but nothing too dramatic. I’m down at the IT department in the morning. Really looking forward to that experience (not). I don’t know what it is about IT people. They are all nice guys, but I could not spend all day with them.

   I managed to design the panto tickets and poster. The graphic I found looks quite good. I just hope the like it, and that there are not too many changes. From what I understand, they need to go to print this week, so if i need to make any changes, I’ll have to be quick. They have not given me any ticket prices, so that may mean an amendment to the poster. I will have to wait and see. Eldest is coming up for a rehearsal tomorrow night, so he can get some feedback then. I suppose the main criticism will come on Wednesday, when the director sees it. Wonder if they will need something for a t-shirt.

That was the weekend that was ….

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   Another weekend over. Eldest was up for his drama rehearsal tonight. He should have been at the village hall for 7pm, but the bus failedLeeds Christkindelmarkt to turn up (hmmm). He did not want any food, as he had been to the German Christkindelmarkt in Millennium Square. It is an annual thing, and is very popular. Of course there are many who like to complain that it is ‘very expensive’ and ‘ a waste of money’, but I sometimes think, that it is just because some people are simply used to an English type of market.

   I have been asked to do both a poster and the ticket design for the panto. I did the ones for the Wind in The Willows play in the summer, and I think I did Snow Queen & Wand them too well. This time the panto is The Snow Queen, and trying to find a graphic to put on the tickets is difficult. All the images of a ‘Snow Queen’ seem to be mainly ice blue and rather too serious for a panto. However, I did find one, which I am going to work on. Wish me luck, I think I might need it on this one !!

   Work should be interesting this week. Fingers crossed, the software testing should go ahead on Tuesday. I really do not have a lot of faith in our IT department having everything in place. Most of the problems we seem to have with our main system, is due to a lack of understanding by our IT. However it always is the same …… the software house blame our IT, and our IT blames the software house. Then we play this ‘cat and mouse’ game until our IT realise it’s their fault and blame the software house for not being specific enough. Come on guys, you’ve been doing this for over ten years now. Is it not time that you worked together?

   Youngest had another Sunday without any medication again. Another day of laughing and good humour, with no incidents at all !!!! Mind you as Mrs H said, he could not have done without it yesterday, and we both know he will need it first thing tomorrow !!! So was Saturday’s issues a left over from Friday ???

Saturday comes and goes

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   Eldest got home at around 1:30 this morning, and it was about 12:00 when we managed to get him up. Apparently, the party had not been that good, and had ended around 11:00pm. However a friend of his mate got very drunk and they felt obliged to get him home. Hence the very late night.

   My Notification of Intended Prosecution came through this morning. It looks like I could get away with going on a ‘Speed Awareness’ course. Hopefully, that will mean I don’t get any points on my licence. It will still cost be £60.00 pounds though, the same as the fine.

The end is nigh ……

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   That of course refers to the weekend being nigh. It seems to have been quite a long four days. I think the late night on Wednesday did not help, although, I did not feel as tired on Thursday morning as I did this morning. I suppose it’s catch up.

   Eldest came home tonight, which was a surprise. When I say ‘came home’ what I really meant, was that he arrived about 7:30 had a bowl of soup, and got changed into his fancy dress outfit (a pirate, Johnny Depp has a lot to answer for) before going out to a party, with his ‘best’ friend in tow. We have no knowledge if he is sleeping here tonight, or what he is doing tomorrow. I am supposed to go with the flow. Now I don’t know whether it’s my autistic tenancies, but I don’t do ‘going with the flow’. I like, nay need, to know what is happening. I always have been like that. Even as a youth, when we went out for the evening, I always needed to know which pubs we were going to, or at least where we were going to start. I need to be able to follow a plan.

   I tried to buy my car tax online again today. Only to be told, that as my insurance is due to expire soon, I have to go to the Post Office to buy the disc. Now that is 21st century Britain for you. Here I am, debit card at the ready but without any success. so now I’ll have to make a trip to the nearest Post Office, next Saturday. I may try again, mid week. My new insurance starts on the 24th, so I’ll try then.

   Not heard anything about the speeding yet, although it is probably still early. I’m not sure how long they have before they inform you. I hear it can be up to 28 days from the date of offence. I think it will be a £60.00 fine and 3 points. Just wish I knew.

Is there a point ….

/ Tony / 2 Comments

   I have begun to question the relevance of this blog. I started it on here with good intentions. I had previously had a Google Blogger blog, but found that a little too restrictive, in the fact that you had to login to your account to post. I then tried the Microsoft Live blog and found that too simplistic. When I found WordPress, I thought this is one I can work with. I use Windows Live Writer to post, and now can post by email from my smartphone, which is pretty cool.

   I intended to post everyday, and to post on a theme. The theme notion quickly went out of the window as I could not think of a theme that I felt I could write about. However I am still thinking on that one. It quickly developed into a kind of online diary and a place to have a whinge.

   How do I take this further ? Do I develop a theme on which to comment ? Do I stick to what I have been doing ? Do I become a ‘social commentator’ on the issues of the day ? Or do I just pack it all in ? Any ideas ?

   I would like take this opportunity for a little moan. Well not so much a moan, more a frustration really. We have started buying white bread for my pack-up, from a northern baker based in Bolton. This bread comes wrapped in waxed paper, as opposed to the usual plastic bag.

   It started when, I saw it priced at 2 for £2.00 in Asda. I bought 2 loaves and also a granary loaf wrapped in plastic. After about 4 days, the plastic wrapped bread was hard and starting to mould a little, but the white bread was still quite soft. I remember from my college days, that one of the tutors used to say that plastic causes bread to sweat, hence the mould. However, bread wrapped in paper breathes and as a consequence, keeps longer. I’m not sure of the science around this, but it seems to be true.

   So lets bring back bread wrapped in paper.

   Was that a moan or a social comment ?

Fault …

/ Tony / Leave a comment

   So it’s my fault. It always is my fault. Doesn’t matter what happens, it’s my fault. I stand here accused, and I admit my guilt !!! But the question is…… why is it always my fault ??? There is no answer to that. I’m the scapegoat …… I’m the one who is always in the wrong place at the wrong time … ergo mia culpa !!!

   On a more lighter note, returning to work was as much as I expected. It never fails to amaze me how many half-wits one Council can employ !!! When will you learn that you cannot take people on face value. You need to dig a little deeper.

   Oh, and why do Saga keep sending me letters ? So, okay I insured my car with them once. But that was three years ago now. Hello, I’ve not insured with you the past two years … do you not get the picture ?

   Hereby endeth today’s rant.

What a bummer…….

/ Tony / 2 Comments

   I took the eldest back to his flat tonight. For some reason, I went via Headingley. I normally shoot down the motorway and then cut through estates to get to the city centre, so I don’t know why i went the way I did. Anyway to cut the story short, I got caught by a speed camera !!!  There I was, pontificating about the van driver, not using the bus lane when it is okay to do so, when the camera flashed. It flashed twice, so hopefully the van driver got caught too.  I came home via the motorway. Doing 70 all the way home, with cars flying past at God only knows what speed. No-one there to stop them, in the dark, wind and rain. Somehow seems a little unfair.

Home again

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A ridiculous amount of rain this morning in Whitby. Made packing up the car a bit of a damp experience. The rain did not stop until we reached Pickering. Had a walk round, then onto a Garden Centre nearby. No purchases though.

Lunch at the White Horse at Deighton. Then back home to await the return of the youngest, and to wake up the eldest.

Saturday – Whitby

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A longish walk from the appartemnt to Sandsend. All along the beach. Lunch in the Hart Inn. It was quite a small place, but very busy. Managed to get a small table in corner, so that was quite good. We had a prawn sandwhich and a bowl of chips between us. It quite ample, with a nice pint of Greene King IPA to wash it down. Weather was great walking there, but it cooled down on the way back, with just a few spots of rain.

Not sure where we are going to eat tonight. Will decide later.

Four days off … yaaaaaa

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   I know what you’re think. Does this guy ever do a full week of work ? Well we’re having a couple of days away at Whitby. Just me and Mrs H, a kind of belated Wedding Anniversary break. Should be good, although the weather does not look that great. Then that is it until Christmas. I don’t even have enough time saved up for a flexi day.

Late post

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   Yesterdays post was slightly late in uploading. I posted it by email, from my Nokia E71, whilst sat in the pub, at around 10:00pm. Unfortunately, there are many signal black spots in the pub, and if you are not in the correct seat, nothing gets sent. I also turned my phone off when I got in so the post did not go until 6:30 this morning. I shall continue later in the evening.

Another let down ….

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The IT testing is not going ahead as planned. It would appear, that the software house is still having problems. Now the question is, are the problems based at the software company, or are the problems at our end ? If you consider, that the software company have not had problems with anyone else, it kind of sends out a message. Also bearing in mind that our last two updates had similar problems ……

Did not get to run this evening. I went to see my mum on the way home, so it was about 6pm when i got in, and I really did not feel like it at that time. I’m not sure how this is going to work. It would probably be better, if I ran in the morning, but that means getting up 45 minutes earlier. Whilst I could get used to that idea, I just need the impetus to start.

Not heard anything from the eldest today. It is cheap drinks Dry Dock night at the Dry Dock pub in Leeds, so he may have gone there for the evening. He is supposed to be coming home tomorrow, for his drama group. He has missed the last two sessions, so he needs to get his act together.

Youngest has been fine for the most of the evening. However it  sounds like he is starting to wind up a little. Probably tired.

Why idiots ?

/ Tony / Leave a comment

   It was one of those days again today, when the idiots seem to have the upper hand. I tend to lose it a little, when my so called colleagues (of whom I am forced to respect) have a ‘could not give a toss’ attitude. For example; we have a number of pre-printed standard forms. These forms are in boxes on an unused desk. They are marked up with the name of the form, and recently, I have put A4 labels on the boxes to explain what is in each box !!! You would think it be easy ….. form XXX goes in the box labelled form XXX. Is that too much to ask ???? I don’t think so. so why does someone put form XXX in box labelled form YYY ??? Rocket science ???

   When I said it was an unused desk, I forgot to mention, that this is the desk that they make the tea on. The only reason they make the tea at this desk, is that they always make the tea at this desk !!!!

   I cancelled the renewal of my car insurance today. I rang up, and told them I did not want to renew when the cover expired. The guy at the other end, asked me if he could see what deal he could offer me. I said no, I had got a better quote at £50.00 cheaper. Okay he said, and left it at that. I thought to myself, that he certainly did not fight for that.

   Youngest had a bit of a ‘episode’ tonight. No idea what kicked it off, but it took quite a while to bring down. To be honest, I don’t think he has fully calmed down yet. It is like he is a different person from the weekend. Mrs H gave him his medication, which I don’t think he needed, and I don’t thin k it did any good really.

   I got a facebook email from someone who used to work with us, must be at least three years ago now. I posted a friend request way back in April 2008, and she has only just logged back into facebook. I really liked her, but most people thought she was a bit odd (well she is Australian), and were surprised when she emailed me a few weeks after she left. I got comments like ‘I did not know they were that good friends’ … believe that if you will. What those people will think now, when status messages from her pop up on me profile. Interesting times ahead.

Only four days …..

/ Tony / Leave a comment

   Well the ‘run’ did not happen. I did not think it would. I’m going to have to break this in gently, if it is going to have any effect. I shall see how I feel tomorrow when I get in.

   As the title may indicate, I have only four days to work this week. I’m off on Friday and following Monday. Mrs H and me are going to Whitby for the weekend. A belated anniversary break. It should be good, just hope for some reasonable weather.

   Youngest has now gone two days without any medication. We have had no problems to speak of at all. There has been a couple of times when he has got a little upset, but nothing like the scale that it has been. He has eaten and drunk a lot more than usual, and has been quite a happy lad. We now wait to see how he is when he gets home tomorrow night. I’m going to suggest, that if possible we miss out his medication tomorrow, when he gets home from school . I am beginning to suspect, that it may be the medication that could be at least part of the problem.

   Eldest is in Manchester at the Eddie Izzard gig tonight. He went to Hull, of all places, on Friday. Got back around 2pm today. That was a bit of a surprise. He never mentioned anything, when Mrs H rang him yesterday morning. I guess he did not think he needed to. I was a bit surprised at Mrs H’s response when I told her. She more or less accepted it, without any fuss.

   As a part of my Geeky nature, I have installed Google Chrome on my PC. Eldest has been using it for a couple of weeks, and he seems quite happy with it. I have been faithful to Firefox for a couple of years now, as I find the add ins quite useful. I’m not too sure how many Chrome has, but the bare bones browser, is certainly fast at first start up.