Day 1090 (20/12/2012)

Finished the course that went OK but I did tell the man who booked me that I was slightly concerned about the behaviour of his staff. He wasn't too impressed and it did seem a bit strange some of the things that happened.

Anyway a long drive back in the wet & dark. I got home to an empty house but at least the Christmas decorations were up and looking as good as ever.

Day 1089 (19/12/2012)

More stuff at the course then back to the hotel for a refreshing orange juice & lemonade.

They had these really cute little bakewell tarts at the bar, bite sized honestly, so I had to have a pack of them.

Then we went for a Mexican meal, which was OK.

Day 1088 (18/12/2012)

First day of the course in Hertfordshire and it went quite well with the only real problem being the heating in the room made it sweltering, so we had to have the windows open, which meant it was very noisy with the traffic outside. It was easier having Mick helping me with the handouts and checking on the students.

Went out for dinner tonight but my phone isn't connecting to my laptop, so just imagine a very healthy salad or similar and that's not what I had for dinner.

Lovely bread & olive platter for starters, lamb shank for dinner and a waffle & ice-cream for afters.

Update with the photos.

Day 1087 (17/12/2012)

The lights on the Christmas tree outside were still flashing into the early hours, which was quite a surprise.

I have just posted the Christmas Cards, well before the last day of posting but which cost me £21.30.

Next year I think everyone will be getting an email and for those not on email, well keep this years card and re-use it. It's good for the environment.

Off to Stevenage later for this weeks course. I hate being away and I hate Christmas so it should be a cracking week.

Update - 23:00 - Got to the Premier Inn in Stevenage to be met by the lovely piece of original art work in my room that I may have seen nearly every month for the last 15 years.

I know its reassuring to know what your getting in these rooms but honestly would it have been that much extra work to have bough a selection of paintings. We stayed in the Premier Inn to grab some dinner. Its hard to believe that you can ruin Nachos but these were horrible.

The Fish & Chips were OK but I think we will be eating elsewhere tomorrow.

Day 1085 & 1086 (15 & 16/12/2012)

A day sat next to the printer preparing for next weeks course.

Hopefully tomorrow will be more interesting. Well I will be making a Sunday roast, so I guess that's more interesting but not relaxing.

Updated - Sunday 19:45 - We haven't got the decorations up in the house but we have a little Christmas tree in the garden with some solar lights.

Its really hard to take photo in the dark of flashing Christmas lights, so just take my word for it, its is quite nice.

Day 1084 (14/12/2012)

Busy day doing things.

Got a couple of our iPhones fixed at a great local store.

I had a smashed back plate replaced and a home button repaired for £45, all done in 30 minutes. Very reasonable and very quick.

Then I got a haircut, where there was a table of treats welcoming visitors, but obviously I didn't take advantage of them.

Now trying to get everything ready for next weeks course.

Day 1083 (13/12/2012)

Every year we say that this year we are less organised than ever, that next year we will start preparing for Christmas before December, if only Christmas could be delayed by a few weeks and guess what........

This year we are less organised than ever, we haven't done any Christmas cards or shopping yet and we haven't even got any decorations up yet.

Next year we will start preparing straight after Kelly's birthday, getting the decorations down from the loft and sending out at the cards as soon as its December.

Plus I will definitely clear out our house of all the rubbish & crap as at Christmas our house is to small but really its quite large, it's just that there is no room because of all the rubbish.

Day 1082 (12/12/2012)

Doing lots of things for work that I had meant to do lately, nice to have caught up.

I went out with the guys I used to work with for our regular get together. I love these evenings as I love these guys but I really hate the venue we go to in Bristol. It was once handy for those working in the city but none of us do any more, so why do we meet up there. It far too busy, too noisy and the food is fairly crap.

It is like everyone's second choice but no-ones first choice, so we are all equally unhappy.

Day 1081 (11/12/2012)

A very very cold start.

Update - 16:45 - The ice is still on the cars & the ground, best to stay in.

The Christmas stuff is now down. There are boxes & boxers of it. Every year we end up with more stuff as we get it down so late that my wife has already bought more cards & crackers.

Going out tomorrow night to meet the boys I used to work with for our regular get together.

Day 1080 (10/12/2012)

OK I haven't got the Christmas stuff down yet but its ages away, isn't it?

Things to do but keeping up with stuff.

Day 1078 & 1079 (08 & 09/12/2012)

Busy weekend, must get everything done as I have been somewhat distracted this week.

I must get the Christmas decorations down as well, as for yet another year we are running later for Christmas.

At least I don't have to rake the leaves up this weekend.

Day 1077 (07/12/2012)

Well the Christmas got off to a bad start last night as Kelly had to work late and couldn't come.

Then the service at Yo-Ji was shocking, it would have been forgivable if they were busy, but they were far from that, the place was quite empty. Saying that the food was great and so was the company, with Gary & Elaine joining us.

Having some new tyres fitted to my car today, so I know everything is legal and took the opportunity to ask them to put it on the lift, so I could check underneath but I couldn't find anything but better safe than sorry.

I really must get back to work rather than fighting people who are annoying me but sometimes you have to do what you know to be right.

Day 1076 (06/12/2012)

OK I haven't got the Christmas stuff down yet or finished the report for the University but I have at least changed all the light bulbs that had gone over the last year or so. I know I am incredibly lazy but I have been spending a lot of time annoying people in the Met & the West Midlands Police, trying to at least get a sorry out of them.

The trouble with being a bit paranoid and upsetting people who don't like to be upset is that you are never sure if people are after you or not. Today at the gym I had to ask the staff if there were any visitors from Birmingham or London in, as there was one man in the gym paying me a lot of attention. They assured me that this man, who had been starring at me and following me around the gym was a local, so I guess he wasn't following me but just really fancied me. Trouble is he did look a bit like an ex-service man, so I wonder.

Well it's nice to know that you still have it when you middle aged and carrying quite a few extra kilo's. If only he had seen me in my prime.

Saying that if anything strange does happen to me over the next few weeks I have an idea who will be behind it. So anyway I thought I might include a photo of some of my friends.

 

They are all very nice guys who I may have helped over the years (I have) and who may owe me a favor or two (they do).

Day 1075 (05/12/2012)

Busy morning annoying the West Midlands Police. Later in the week I shall be annoying the Metropolitan Police. It might not make me any friends (it won't) or any money but it will cause them a few problems and at the end of the day that is thanks enough for the attitude that they have adopted.

Today I must finish a report for a University, go to the gym, change about a dozen light bulbs and get the Christmas stuff down from the loft.

Busy busy busy.

Day 1074 (04/12/2012)

Slightly annoyed that the two groups I am taking legal against appear to have joined forces to belittle my claim. This may be a mistake on their part as if the had said sorry and paid my costs I may have settled but now I feel the need to really annoy them and if there is one thing I'm really quite good at its annoying people.

So after Christmas my New Years Resolution, as well as including the usual, will be to cause as much havoc as I can for those two organisations.

Anyway very sad morning as I went to the funeral of my first Sergeant, Miles Elder.

I look back at my time in the Cadets with great fondness but I really hate funerals and always end up crying. You can't help but think about the obvious.

One strange things was that his daughter read out a poem, "The Life That I Have" by Leo Marks,  which she said her father has always kept in his wallet. I have kept the same poem in my wallet since I was about 18 or 19 since I first heard it on a tv programme.

The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have is yours

The love that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have is your

The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is your and your and your

A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause
For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be your and your and yours

Day 1073 (03/12/2012)

Feeling slightly inpatient today as I should hear back from the people I'm taking legal action against. I'm hopeful that they are going to make an offer to settle rather than ask for yet another extension or play bully boy tactics and want it taken to an expensive court case, which they can afford but they know I can't.

Anyway it's cold but dry today. I've done my work and now to the gym.

Update - 21:30 - Got a very dismissive response from one of the groups I'm taking legal action against. Hopefully it was just their opening shot as it really annoyed me, so now want them to pay for their mistakes.

Just generally feeling annoyed and won't be doing anything free for them ever again and will take every opportunity to slag them off from now on.

Oh and how good is it that we have a new generation of royals to look forward to. More reasons to avoid newspapers & magazines until the glorious revolution.

Day 1071 & 1072 (01 & 02/12/2012)

I shaved as soon as Movember was over and what a relief it was. I will never attempt to grow a mustache again.

Obviously I tried the Hitler / Chaplin mustache but it was never going to be any good.

Lots of work to do today but tidied the garden again. Hopefully that is the last of the leaves.

I wrapped up a few of the plants against the frost but don't know how much good it will do.

Must finish some reports as I have a meeting to go to tomorrow, which is a pain but there is usually a lovely buffet there.

Update - Sunday 21:00 - Kelly was in London yesterday and came back with some Krispy Kreme doughnuts for us.

Had a meeting in Bristol today. I would rather not go as its work stuff on a Sunday but partly only go because there is always a nice buffet with a large slab of Wensleydale & Cranberry Cheese.

Shock horror, only Cheedar and Red Leicester today. I made a complaint, it may have ruined my day.

Day 1070 (30/11/2012)

The month is nearly over and I think it is quite clear who was able to grow the best mustache.

I can't wait until midnight as I shall be shaving the bloody thing off.

Loads of work to do at the moment. Suddenly swamped with things that need doing.

Day 1069 (29/11/2012)

Finished the course in Preston and then a long drive back down south.

I love getting home and getting in to my own bed. No matter how nice the place you stay at its never home but I don't look forward to the journey as I know its going to involve being sat in traffic for a while.

Day 1068 (28/11/2012)

The second day of the course is over and I can't wait to get home.

Spent an hour on the phone trying to stop the bank from continually refusing my card as a suspected fraudulent payment when I was trying to make a payment to my Tesco's credit card, a thing I that I have done every month around the same date for around the same amount for the last 4 or 5 years.

Going out for an Italian later then work to do.

Update - 22:30 - Went to a nice & fairly posh restaurant in Chorley called Pinocchio's. I had the calamari for starters.

Then the slow cooked pork belly followed by the lemon cheese cake.

No nice dinner tomorrow night as I will be driving home, so will only be able to get a sandwich at the services.