Friday 30 December 2016

Day 2559 (30/12/2016)

I got around to doing a few things in the office and then went for a swim, and also spent some time in the steam-room and jacuzzi. If I do that for a few weeks I will be ready to go upstairs to the gym.

Friday night was burrito night as Lee was doing the cooking :-)


(I didn't eat it all, some of that is tomorrows lunch)





Day 2558 (29/12/2016)

One of the Christmas presents from my wife.


I can take a hint, so have bought a motorbike and will grow a beard. 

At lunchtime I managed to get in for a haircut, as my hair was touching my ears, so it was too long.


 

I got my new i-Phone :-)


Back in the office and doing some work but thankfully not too much on at the moment.







Wednesday 28 December 2016

Day 2557 (28/12/2016)

My wife was back to work and I started clearing out my office of all the stuff that had been hidden in there, so I could get to my computer.

Thankfully for the first time in years I don't have any deadlines or pressing things with work. Hopefully this time next year things will be even better.

I planned to make a pie out of the left overs but this year made sure I bought the right pastry.


It was actually quite tasty.


My wife and Lee finished decorating the last two ginger bread tops.



Thankfully no more talented or close people have died today.



Day 2556 (27/12/2016)

Christmas seems to be over already.


In the afternoon we all went to Bristol to drop my mother-in-law back home.

Age is an awful thing but sometimes the kindest thing might look (and feel) like the cruelest thing. If I get so bad large areas of my life are no longer in my memory and I quite clearly can't look after myself, then please kill me.

Awful news in the evening that Carrie Fisher had died following her heart attack a few days earlier. Another talented person taken far too early. If the worlds was full of Donald Trump's & Tony Blair's then their would be no point in living. We need these artistic talented people who shake things up to make life worth living.

2016 has been an awful year for good people dying far too early. I hope 2017 is a year when more politicians than artists die. The world would be better for it.



Day 2555 (26/12/2016)

Boxing Day.

It was an early start to take Thomas to Bristol so he could get back to London as he had to go back to work.


In the afternoon we went over to my Mum & Dad's for a buffet and fun.

Gary & Elaine had bought me the Kylie calendar (as my wife had forgot).


In the evening it was announced that Liz Smith had died. Sad but she was old and had had a full life.



Day 2554 (25/12/2016)

Christmas Day.


As much as I complain about Christmas I really enjoy all being together and having fun as a family.




The dinner went well and the company was great.



Lee bought us some ginger bread to decorate, which was great fun.



Then we did Christine's annual quiz, which was good bit me & Thomas lost.


Time for a few cheese & biscuits in the evening.


At the end of the day there was really sad news of the death of George Michael.

A terribly sad loss.



Day 2553 (24/12/2016)

Christmas Eve.

Thomas arrived in the early hours.


Then Lee arrived early evening. It is so nice to all be together.

Sad that Rick Parfitt for Status Quo died today.



Friday 23 December 2016

Day 2552 (23/12/2016)

Just about all of my work is done , so its fairly relaxing now.

Put my wife's giant gnomes out if the garden after putting in fresh batteries so they light-up.


In the evening my wife picked up her mother to spend Christmas with us.



Thursday 22 December 2016

Day 2551 (22/12/2016)

Just about finished work and went into town to do some shopping.

Had a nice paella with my wife in the evening.

 
 
 

It was lovely.




Day 2550 (21/12/2016)

Another busy day in the office.

Still not allowed to start the Christmas chocolates, so having the nuts instead.


Looking forward to a break.

Tuesday 20 December 2016

Day 2549 (20/12/2016)

A busy day in the office but I finally got that bloody distance learning course finished (I know I said the same last year).

I am nearly finished in the office and am even planning to do my Christmas shopping tomorrow.




Day 2548 (19/12/2016)

A really busy day in the office.

My wife bought a new tree to save time.


It didn't.

Actually as always I had nothing to do wit the Christmas decorations; normally I'm away but today I was in my office until really later and then I felt ill so had to go to bed :-(



As always my wife made the house look lovey.




Saturday 17 December 2016

Day 2546 & 2547 (17 & 18/12/2016)

The weekend is here but I still have loads of work to do.

This is the least organised we have ever been. We still don't have the Christmas tree down from the loft, let alone up.

We popped into Bridgwater and had a drive thru Costa afterwards and had Christmas cups.



In the evening my wife went on her Christmas do, whilst I carried on working. I think she had a good time.


I made a nice pork roast on Sunday, with a cauliflower cheese.

 
 






Day 2545 (16/12/2016)

Another busy day, with lots of reports that need doing but other stuff to do.

I bought some more stuff for the food bank, to make it up to the full amount I had meant to spend.




Day 2544 (15/12/2016)

Another busy day in the office but in the evening I went to Bristol to give a talk to The Bristol Cable, a group of independent investigative journalists.


I hadn't really checked the address beforehand, so didn't realise it was what we used to call the "front line" in the jungle. The last time I had parked a vehicle in this street was in around 1991, when I had a full firearms team with me and we were going after someone who was wanted for shooting another drug dealer. Whilst I was sat in the van I had so much stuff thrown at me that the van was rocking and was dented from front to back (pebble dashed).

It wasn't scary it was actually quite funny but when we all had to leave (I wouldn't say retreat but others might) I couldn't drive forward (the road was now blocked), so I had to reverse at speed but couldn't see behind me (it wasn't that type of van) and had lost both wing mirrors during the incident. I just put it in reverse, tried to keep the van straight and waited to hit something and was quite surprised when I didn't.

Anyway the areas has completely changed and it was fine.

On the way home there was an accident on the M5, so I had to sit in traffic for an hour.


When I got home I was able to discus my wife's latest purchase.





Day 2543 (14/12/2016)

A busy day in the office but I met up with a friend for a coffee to catch-up.

Apparently the pain in my fingers may be due to gout.

Well there goes my work class street creed.

I don't really care that much if it is gout, as I know my lifestyle has changed and as I will be home from now on, instead of flying off everywhere and staying in hotels all of the time. I will be able to be more healthy and regularly go to the gym, so I should just get better anyway.




Day 2542 (13/12/2016)

Lots to do in the office but at lunchtime I went out to buy so stuff for our local food bank.



I phone them beforehand to see what they are short off and then go and buy them some stuff.

It is just disgusting that in a civilised country people are forced to use food banks to feed their families. If you are in a comfortable position yourself, then you should always try to help others who may not be as fortunate.

In the evening I made a nice chilli.


 



Day 2541 (12/12/2016)

Just a busy day in the office.



Sunday 11 December 2016

Day 2539 & 2540 (10 & 11/12/2016)

A cold wintery weekend.

Most of Saturday was spent in the office catching up with work. In the evening we had some of the leftover Chinese.

Sunday was again spent in the office, sorting out the presentations for some of our trainers up coming courses; hopefully very shortly I won't be involved in the training at all, apart from profiting from it and giving the occasional bit of advice when I discover a new technique.

Did a nice lamb roast in the evening.


 

With a rice pudding for afters (OK I cheated a bit as it was tinned rice with added milk and fresh nutmeg).





Day 2538 (09/12/2016)

A busy day in the office but I had to go out halfway thru for some blood tests (for my bad fingers).


Actual the least painful blood tests I've had in a long time.

In the evening we had Chinese as my wife had been in Bristol seeing her mother.