Just a test, to see if I can blog by email (1st failed)
Month: May 2010
A busy weekend ……
Eldest to here yesterday, for the local music gig. I thought, when we got there, that it was going to be a bit of a flop. There was just very few people there !! However, it picked up around 09:00pm, and it turned out to be a good night. Although, the headline act did not turn up, and did not let the organiser know. Not good !
Lost of jobs to do today, in preparation for our holiday. We go tomorrow, and are back next Sunday. Youngest is not that happy about going, but fingers crossed it will be okay. He went out with his support worker today, and that seemed to go well, so who knows.
It would appear that England won by the skin of Japans teeth !!! This does not bode well, for when the real football starts !!! Have I wasted a £1.00 on my England aerial ‘bobble’ ????
I downloaded an album for Amazon today, which took me back a few years. I have no idea, what made me think of them, but at one time, they were my favourite band. A band from the 70’s called Be Bop Deluxe. Really did bring back memories of seeing them in the local pub, before they hit the big time. I remember buying their first album, Axe Victim, and playing it night and day. It still sounds good today, although that could be just me.
May get chance to blog by email during the week (if I remember how) on my mobile. Just don’t hold your breath!
Share this:
Tired and working too hard …… (my excuse)
Quiz-nite on Tuesday went very well. That ‘spare part’ feeling had dissipated somewhat. The two people, in the group that don’t usually acknowledge my presence, did this week. That made it a very pleasant evening. However …… getting home at 23:45, and then deciding to have a brandy (or two) is not a good idea. Wednesday morning, one was very delicate to say the least. I should know better, but …… then along comes drama group night, with the eldest at home, and the same happens again !! Whiskey this time, but not as much to drink though, so the old head was in a better condition!
Strange character in the pub though. He was the only one in when I got there, and gave me a very slight nod of the head when I said ‘good evening’ (am I getting paranoid about this …) He just sat there drinking his beer, looking straight ahead. This carried on even after the drama group turned up. It is such a friendly pub, that we tried to include him, but to no avail. Just sat there. Each to their own I suppose.
Work was interesting yesterday. A number of us got presented with an award for excellent sickness record over that past year. A tiepin of all things. even the women got a tiepin !!! No imagination at all. It is a bit of a joke really, as it is supposed to demonstrate our “commitment, dedication and professional attitude” to the job. In fact, it was a celebration of good luck really. Good luck in the fact, that the days when I felt ill, I was not at work anyway. It is hard on people that have to have time off work for life enhancing surgical operations. They get no reward! So to me it seems a little unfair.
My work PC is still out of action. I have decided that when (if) it gets fixed, that I’ll just stick to the lap-top. Makes my desk a lot cleaner. I’ve an interesting job to do tomorrow. It is not really our area of work, but the boss has decided that we can do the work. In the current climate, I’m happy to keep my hand in at anything.
Share this:
Another week done …
Sunday was a long day. Youngest had decided that he wanted some Eastender vids downloading from YouTube. Don’t ask me why Eastenders, as we have no idea where that came from!! So most of the day was spent doing that. A total of 99, eight minute videos to download. It is one of his things. I download them, convert them to wmv format, and he puts them in his own movies !!! It is quite a talent really.
Out again last night. This time for a family meal. K***’s Mum and dad always take their offspring (and partners and grandkids) out for a birthday meal. This year it was a bit later than normal. We seem to be on a theme for the past few years, of Italian Pizza restaurants. It is not my favourite food style, as (to me) it all tastes the same. However, I shared a pasta dish that had some beautiful wild mushrooms in. Mrs H, chose a Calzone pizza (to share), that seems to contain a good 8oz of asparagus !!! Not nice, if you do not like asparagus.
You will note, that I have (again) changed my theme. I though this new theme would liven my blog up a little, and I’m quite pleased with it. I like the way I can add my Twitter and Facebook links. I’ve also added a few more pictures. I did try using Flickr to show off the photos, but it was not what I wanted.
Work went quite well. A lot to do today, but I had very few interruptions. My PC, at work, is still causing me problems. I can work okay, using the laptop, and I’m toying with the idea of dumping the the desktop, and just using the laptop. I will have to think that one through.
Share this:
Where does the weekend go to ……
Well I went to the quiz after all and have to say, at times I did feel a little of the ‘spare part syndrome’. One minute they’re talking to me, and the next …… Or maybe it’s just me. Still quite an enjoyable evening. The rest of the working week went quite well. I still suspect that a certain person had a little moan about me, but nothing was said, so who knows !!!
Wednesday was another night out. Drama group this time, so that was another late night. Made even more so, by the fact that S**** fancied another drink when we got in. so it was getting on for 01:15am when I went to bed. Mrs H said that he was still up at around 03:00am !!!
My hospital check-up well really well. an ECG, Ultrasound and a talk with the consultant, all done within an hour. He wants to see me in about six months. There does not appear to be any change. The rest of the day was spent in York.
Yesterday was spent in the garden. Planting cuttings and things. I cut the grass, which was a bit of a waste of time. Due to the lack of rain since its’ last cut, it had not grown much at all. Our new neighbours cut down a couple of the trees in their garden. We are really pleased, as the amount light coming into the house has increased by at least 300%. Amazing difference !! We are now hoping they are going to cut down the leylandii too. Now that will make a bigger difference.
Me an Mrs H out for a drink last night. R*** is on respite for the weekend, so it was nice to get out for an hour. Of course, as usual, an annoying couple of people turned up. However, it did not spoil the evening.
Share this:
Back to work ….
The rest of Sunday went quite well. Youngest came back in a good mood. It sounds like he had had a good time. Eldest called, but I’m not sure he knew what day it was. Tried to ring Mrs H, but forgot she was working.
Then it was work !!!!! D*** is on holiday for a week, so it was up to K**** to cover some of his work. It’s not fair really, as P*** is the supervisor, and it should be him that runs the show. Still K**** is the better of the two. It’s just a shame she does not get paid for what she does. Still having some issues with some of the routines and procedures. Certain people, think they know what they are doing. I think they are beginning to realise that they know a lot less than they thought.
It was a busy day though. There was a lot of jobs to get through, but I got my head down, and they all got done. I don’t think G***, my colleague that sits opposite me was too happy with me. Lots of tuts and sighing. But there are times when I just need to crack on, and chatting over the desktop is not a priority. No doubt she will have a moan to the boss about it.
Mrs H talked to S**** tonight. She tried chatting on MSN, but he was not answering. I think he was using his mobile to connect, and it does not always show when someone comes online. Anyway, I texted him to say she wanted to chat, and he said she could ring. From what I could make out, he did not get up until 06:00pm, and was just making some food at 10:00pm !!! Mrs H did not look pleased. He does not make it easy !!!
Now, the question is …… do I go to the quiz-night tomorrow ??? Sometimes, I think I’m expected, then other times, I feel like a spare part. I’ll not decide until the last moment, but I’ll be out on Wednesday night (drama group), and may be out on Saturday (?), and definitely out on Sunday, so who knows .
Share this:
… and so to the weekend
An early start to Saturday !!!! Youngest up at 04:00am. What he usually does, is turn on his TV, then turn over and go back to sleep. Not this time !!! He sometimes does, what I call ‘droning’ ie making a continuous groan. That is what he did on Saturday morning. He never really went back to sleep. As a consequence, Mrs H an me were a little tired to say the least.
Tried to watch the film ‘The Boat That Rocked’ last night. What a disappointment. I think we were both expecting a ‘Notting Hill/Four Weddings..’ type of movie. Sadly mistaken. We did not find it funny at all. I used to listen to Radio Luxemburg and Radio Caroline, when younger, and thought that the film may invoke some old memories.
Better night with the youngest on Saturday night. He still awoke at around 05:00am, but thankfully he went back to sleep. He is out with his support worker for most of the day. Surprisingly, we did not have the usual ‘no out’ that we normally get. He either wanted to go, or accepted that he was going. This gave me a chance to get to the pub for a short while. Now I’m playing catch-up, and doing the jobs I should have done whilst I was out !!!
Share this:
Short and sweet
The ubiquitous ‘team’ meeting today. I cannot think of anybody in the office that was looking forward to it. We have to go through this, usually, once a month. The main problem is, that most of the information we receive, is already on the Intranet !! So basically we have a hour listening to stuff most of us know already. Of course we get a ‘thanks for coming’ at the start of the meeting, but unless you are off work, you don’t really get a choice.
This should be publisized on facebook and Twitter …… we shall see !!!
Share this:
A new era (or any other cliche)
So here we are. A new Government and a ‘new’ type of politics. For my money, it has been clear from the very start, that Nick would be Dave’s stooge, and dance to any tune. It most probably will be different at national level, but Leeds has had a Tory/Lib-Dem coalition for the past few years, and you only have to look at how they handled the refuse dispute to see the way things could go.
Enough of politics. Well enough from me for the time being.
I just noted, in the local press, that a group of ‘angry residents’ are complaining that a phone company have put a temporary phone mast close to their gardens. I have to ask myself, how many of these people have mobile phones of their own, and how many of their kids have them !!!!
Quiz-night last night. We did quite well for a change. Still no win, but it was our highest score. Eldest is at home with us for a few days. He was supposed to be directing the village play this year, but has been let down by people who say yes then say no. He emailed everyone last week to say he was going to have to cancel the play. Everyone who had committed were disappointed, so a meeting has been arranged to see what can be pulled out of the fire. I have a strong suspicion, that he will not be directing again.
Share this:
An interesting week ….
Now the real face of politics will show itself !!! The ‘behind closed doors’ deals will start. All those standards that people voted for, cast aside in the selfish struggle for “power”. Yet again, the public voice of this country will be ignored.
On a more positive note …… Leeds Utd are on their way back to the top! They don’t make it easy though. At one point, I actually thought they were going to lose the damn match. That would have been the finish, I think. All in all, at the end of the day, they won, and that is all there is to it. I have to say though, it is my considered opinion, that ‘Mad’ Max Credal has to go !!! At such an important match, to be sent off for ‘afters’ is totally uncalled for. Simon Grayson must really consider whether Max is right for the team now. After all, it could have been so different.
A big well done to Chelsea. Their result was more a cricket score that a football score. And they did keep the ‘other’ team from the top.
Share this:
Late nights …..
Two late nights in a row !!!! I’m getting too old for this. Tuesday was, as usual, quiz-night. I had no intentions of going, as I sometimes feel a little out of place. Don’t know why, as I’m always made very welcome. No wins on anything though, and the quiz was quite difficult. P** bought me another pint. She got me one on my birthday. I think I need to buy a round next week. In the end, it was gone midnight, when I got in.
Last night, the eldest was up for his drama rehearsal. The usual pub was closed, apparently, Sam Smith’s pubs around here have to close one day a week. The Red Lion is usually closed on Mondays, but with the Bank Holiday, they opened, and closed on Wednesday. So we ended up in the other pub. Quite a bit more expensive, and a little bit clique. Still, it was a very enjoyable evening. We got in about twenty past twelve. S**** wanted to use the PC, so we had a small whiskey, which made it around one o’clock when I went to bed. He stayed up a little longer, and I think he was listening to an audio tape in his room for a while afterwards.
Share this:
Still tired …
Youngest was back from respite yesterday, and he seemed to be in great mood. All set for an early(ish) night, when he started to be ill. For no apparent reason, Mrs H told me that he looked like he was choking on something. Then he was sick !!!! A bit of a mess. After cleaning him up, he settled down in his own room. Of course, neither me or Mrs H slept well. We both seemed to have that ‘one eye and one ear open’ kind of sleep. However, there were no further incidents during the night. He did wake up at around half two, but as usual, he put his TV on (very quietly), and went back to sleep. Seemed fine this morning, and for the most part, he has been great.
So today was gardening day. Just outside the living room window, we had a patch of what was loosely called a lawn. In all honesty, it was a patch of moss and weeds, with a few blades of grass thrown in. I/we managed to get it down to bare, almost weed free soil, over the past couple of weeks. I had collected all the leaves, last autumn, and bagged them up. Mrs H then spent a good few days last week, digging in these leaves, which were now starting to rot down. A couple or three bags of cheap compost on top, and we have the makings of a half decent bed of shrubs. Just got to keep it that way now.
I also managed to give my car a vacuum out too. Now there’s a challenge !! I am of the opinion, that our Dyson, is the only one that does not utilise it’s famous ‘cyclonic suction’ to its best. Well, it does not do cars well at all !
So what with the gardening, the car valeting, and the other jobs I got done today, it has been a long day.
From the keyboard of Tony 