Day 216 & 217 (31/07 & 01/08/2010)

Skeleton was very good last night. If get a chance to see it then do. It won't be on at any big cinemas as they have not get a distribution deal so you have to check out local theatres etc.

I wore my glasses and the screen looked clearer.

Got things to do today, plus got to go to Exeter to try and get Thomas's Apple fixed.


The screen has a two inch wide rainbow on it, which looks good but stops you from seeing all the screen. Thankfully its still under guarantee as I don't fancy spending another £1,000 this week.

Update - Sun 09:30 - Well we had a nice meal last night at the Pink Garlic in Taunton. We hadn't been there before and it was very nice.

However the staff had heard people saying Happy Birthday to me so after the meal they turned the lights down and sang Happy Birthday to me and presented me with a little cake with a candle.


It was only slightly embarrassing. A few other people in the restaurant joined in with the singing and the round of applause and must have thought I was a regular (as opposed to extra large haha).

BTW the drive to Exeter appeared to clear the fault with Thomas's computer. Not to annoying then. They cleaned out all the dust, which probably caused the fault then I ended up spending loads of a few extra Apple things (all for work obviously).

Day 215 (30/07/2010)

Hopefully should get the courtesy car today.

Going to the cinema tonight to see Skeletons. It should be good as there is a Q&A with the Director and one of the actors afterwards.

Update - 13:30 - Well I now have a Mercedes.


I know it's not exactly a sports car or an executive limo but it is a Mercedes, courtesy car.

I have heard from my insurance company that it is likely that I am going to be held liable for the accident. I have pointed out that this is more than a bit unfair as I wasn't even driving but was sat at home at the time.


I now have my glasses but the world is still fuzzy and a strain but perhaps that is just reality.

Day 214 (29/07/2010)

Arranging to get my car to be repaired.

Not been in the mood for work since my Birthday. Perhaps my body didn't expect to still be working at age 43.

Downloading some interesting stuff from the internet and apparently its going to take about a week but it might be worth it. It's not a film or music but some stuff for work thats in the news.

The download has settled at around the 24hr mark, so at least thats better and it might be interesting (hope so after 24hrs of downloading).

Day 213 (28/07/2010)

Well we had a great evening; however it started rather scarily about 2 minutes after I took this photo when someone nearly crashed into us.


The Clifton Sausage was very nice and a pleasant change from curry.


Then my brother had made me a lovely Birthday Cake.


I can't get into the work frame of mind today, though I must as I have loads of things that need doing.

Don't think we will be doing an Orange Wednesday today as there is really only Inception on, but it's over 2hrs long and we would have to go to the 8.30 screening. I'll be asleep well before it finishes.

My hand is not so painful today but still uncomfortable.

Update - 17:15 - Shit day but could have been worse. Last night I noticed a little scratch on my front bumper but I no longer have to worry about that as now you can't even notice it.



See you can't notice the scratch on my bumper.

No-one was hurt and I didn't even loose my temper, it's only a car. I haven't mentioned who was driving but it wasn't me.

The funny thing was when I got a lift to bring the car back to save K***y driving it back, it was parked next to another grey Peugeot and I was thinking "well that looks OK", then I realized it was not my car, mine was the crumpled heap next to it.

Oh well, we live and learn.

Day 212 (27/07/2010)

Its Happy Birthday Cake Day.

Looking forward to my Cake and seeing my brother and his lovely partner later at The Clifton Sausage.

Lot of cards reminding me how old I am and lots of nice presents.

Day 211 (26/07/2010)

My last day for a while of being younger than my old wife.

Busy week as I am way all the following week. Things to do and plans to make.

BTW saw Sherlock Holmes last night, very good.

Update - 09:30 - Two things really pissing me off this morning.

Firstly a farmer must be spreading something awful on nearby land as it smells awful with the window open and it's too stuffy to keep it closed.

Secondly genetics and parents. I love my parents but the pain in the joints of my hand today is so bad I couldn't even butter my toast or write the time of my Dr's appointment down.

Why has my Mum given me this. Why couldn't she pass on Ginger hair or the Eden ability to drink like a fish.

Really luckily it's my left hand so it's not as if I use it for everything I do, Oh I do, you utter bastard joint pain. Lickoly I con stil tipe :-().

Update - 17:15 - Two sickly people off to the Doctors.


Thomas wasn't well so we both got appointments at the Doctors.

I explained about the unbearable pain in the joints of two of my fingers and that whilst I occasionally have numb stiff joints this was the first time that the pain had been intense and had left me unable to use my hand.

The Doctor said (no word of a lie) "yeah I have got a numb joint on this finger, god knows what it is"

I would hope that in the many years of training to become a Doctor that they might cover joints and the human body but apparently not.

I have to take ibuprofen and see if it helps.

I'm guess it will be more useful than the Doctor.

Day 209 & 210 (24 & 25/07/2010)

Simon Callow was very good.


It was a one man show all about Shakespeare, his life and his work. It was very interesting and entertaining but the theater could do with air conditioning as it gets very stuff in there, so I always feel sleepy. Luckily I was sat next to Kelly who nudged me awake when resting my eyes became snoring.

I don't know if I have ever mentioned it but I hate driving. So today I have to drop Kelly in Yeovil, then this afternoon pick my parents up drive them to the airport then go and pick Kelly up. I reckon I will be driving for nearly 4 hours today. What utter joy.

Update - Sat 12:15 - Decided all drivers in Yeovil except me are utter ****s. We were in a 60 zone stuck behind some tosser in a red Renault doing 42mph. Then two vehicles pulled out in front of me at roundabouts.

At times like these I wish I had a shut-gun and a get out of jail free card.

Update - Sun 17:45 - Went to the Brewhouse with Kelly to see Tapes and Ashes. They are an improvised electronic music band. Imagine Jean Michel Jarre but without a tune. Check it out and think about me sitting thru 50 minutes of it.

Thanks Kelly really appreciated it but please don't get me any of their cd's for my birthday, it's not really my cup of tea.

Day 208 (23/07/2010)

The Chinese was nice and as usual we have enough left over for the next few days.

I must get some work done today and this weekend as I have done anything but do paid work all week (well I have only done a few jobs).

Off to the theater to see Simon Callow tonight.

Update - 15:00 - Sat having a cup of tea and a raspberry yogurt. Thomas had a bag of crisps and my wife had a large bit of cake :-(

Still avoiding crisps, biscuits and cakes. Only had the one slice of birthday cake. Can't wait for Tuesday and will have more.

Day 207 (22/07/2010)

Got things being delivered today but have to pop out about 4 times to take people to work etc. What are the chances of me being here when they knock at the door. I may cry if I don't get my software and monitor :-(

Update - 17:30 - Well my office looks like a chavs front room, the monitor is a bit too large for the room.


I think if I went for the next size up I would have done away for the need for curtains. It's a good job I don't like looking out of the window as now I can't.

I have chosen my glasses, I picked the ones that my wife laughed least at.

Just viewed Kelly's college film on youtube. I can appreciate the technical skill but think if that's what she was thinking about she needs treatment and I might take away all the sharpe knives. No wonder it took them so long to clean our bathroom up afterwards. Good work by the actress and all involved but you are all clearly in need of care.

Might have a Chinese takeaway tonight.

Day 206 (21/07/2010)

Feeling like an alcoholic who fell of the wagon and had a can of shandy, I must remember that I don't eat crisps.

Obviously my new regime is working so well I must have thought, diet what diet.

Having real problems with Microsoft Office, should I waste money and buy the latest edition or download the free and very good www.openoffice.org but then appear to not know what I am doing at work when asked to work with Microsoft Office.

Update - 11:30 - Well two things, firstly the garage phoned to do a follow up call on how we rated their service. Needless to say they didn't want to talk to me only my wife. This is despite the fact that she has never booked the car in to the garage, she had never taken the car to the garage, she has never collected the car from the garage and she has never paid for any work to be carried out by the garage.

You would have thought if they wanted feedback on their crap service it would be best to speak to someone who dealt with the garage rather than just the person who owned the car.

Secondly I have downloaded the free open office but also ordered a new Microsoft Office. It would not of been so bad if I stopped there but yesterday they all had lovely really large monitors and my wide screen 22" monitor seemed a bit small. So I thought I would go for a 26" wide screen monitor. It will be like sitting in the front row of the cinema.

Update - 21:00 - Orange Wednesday. I can full recommend Toy Story 3 in 3D it was great and all the adults were laughing.

You might have heard it was sad, well it was but I didn't cry. You just don't expect that sort of ending from Pixar and in 3D the machine gun attack on Andy's family was even more horrific, clearly a comment about gun control and illegal wars, well done Pixar.

Had to change my facebook photo, as I had to send a link to it to a lady for work. She is German and my current photo is me and Richard Herring, with him in a Hitler Mustache.

Day 205 (20/07/2010)

Early morning and a few hours drive to Farnborough for a bit of a corporate day and a few hours watching the plans go by at the air show.


Honestly it was hard work, well avoiding the free booze and cakes was hard work. I forgot I was not eating crisps so I had a few with my buffet which was gorgeous.

The planes were really loud but I only had my phone with me and it was so sunny I couldn't see the screen, so my pictures are crap.



More importantly I picked up a few good freebies.


I missed out on the cowboy hat but quite happy with what I got.

Did a bit of business and will probably do some training for a company I met there.

Just realised that technically I might have agreed to work for a US military contractor. My hypocrisy knows no bounds. I may have to make a donation to Liberty & Greenpeace to cleanse my sole.

Day 204 (19/07/2010)

I remembered to get my suit from the cleaners.


Now I can go to the corporate thing tomorrow looking like a tramp in a suit rather than just like a tramp.

Other stuff done and to do - posted acceptance card about 4 weeks late but must do some sort off urgent reports and fill out the insurance forms for the camera.

Still no biscuits, cake (other than Fridays Birthday Cake) or crisps (and there is an open pack of Pringles calling my name). Looking forward to next Tuesday as we will be going out with my brother and his lovely partner to a nice restaurant as it will be Happy Birthday Cake Day again.

Just think if I was the Queen then I could have two Birthday Cake days a year, lucky cow.

Update - 20:45 - Have completed one very long report and a few other bits.

Came across this today,


sort of funny and hopefully not rascist.

Day 202 & 203 (17 & 18/07/2010)

Had a good time at the Indian last night.

Thomas concentrating on poring his lager (I think it's in his DNA)


The food was very nice but the table could have been bigger or we might have ordered less, I cant decide.


Kelly and Aunty Kim went for the kids ice-cream in the penguin toy


Done a couple of short reports already, hope to get another three done today then will have a day off tomorrow and tidy the garden.

I must get my suit out of the cleaners as I need it for Tuesday when I am attending a corporate event (free lunch!).

Update - Sun 09:00 - I did another two reports yesterday and must send a few emails out today.

Apart from the one slice of Birthday Cake I have still managed to avoid all other cakes, biscuits and crisps. If I can only keep this up for another 5 or 6 years I should then be in a better shape to start doing some exercise (or not).

Must tidy the garden. The wind over he last few days have taken all the leaves from the trees in the park and dumped then in our garden. It's like Autumn already.

Must get my suit from the cleaners tomorrow, should set a reminder on my phone.

Update - Sun 19:00 - Being teased by my brother and his lovely partner who are having the perfect in every way Elise Rayner over for Dinner.


It's annoying when people ask me what I want for my birthday as I don't really need or want anything; however dinner with Elise would have been great.

Day 201 (16/07/2010)

Its Birthday Cake Day.

Thank god (who doesn't exist) its been a hell of a week but the day has finally arrived, it's Happy Birthday Cake Day.

BTW Happy Birthday Thomas. He's taller than me and now getting to be nearly as old as me. Looking forward to the Indian Restaurant later and the Birthday Cake.

Update - 18:30 - The big even that we have all been waiting for.


And very nice chocolate cake it was.

Oh yeah and here's Thomas wining a tenner on one of the many scratch cards he had for his birthday.



Off to the Raj Poot later.

Day 200 (15/07/2010)

I can hear the cake calling out to me, eat me eat me. Damn you cake, my will is holding strong, for now.

Update - 18:45 - My staff making the most of the ipad.


Still resisting the cake but I can't hold out forever.

Day 199 (14/07/2010)

Well its Orange Wednesday and we plan to see Get Him To The Greek with Russell Brand. The kids both said it was great so hopefully us oldies will enjoy it.

Have to take the wife's car to the garage today. I hope they fix it all properly and don't tel me something else is broken. I might have to be a bit strict with them.

Still no biscuits, crisps or cake yet, though only a few days and I will have to eat cake, just to be polite.

Update - 13:15 - Heard from the garage, they clearly think I have mug written on my head. They are saying that the filter is blocked on the fan that's why it is not blowing out much air.

I pointed out that it was working when I dropped it off and it was not working when I picked up so it seems unlikely that the filter clogged up whilst the car was parked up and being worked on by their mechanics.

Think I might have to take it elsewhere and pass on the bill to Renault who I will then take pleasure in annoying. I wonder if the domain wellingtonrenaultrshit.com is still available.

Update - 13:45 - I have decided its a conspiracy against me. A friend has just popped round with a sponge cake she has just made.


The house is now more full of cake than ever. My will power is holding but only just.

Update - 14:05 - Garage are convinced the filter is blocked and offered to do it all for free if I paid £15 for the part. I refused and said I would have the car examined and then advertise the faults that were found with their workmanship.

I know I should have just paid but I am convinced they have done something to the car. Now I must find a mechanic who I can trust to find out what they have missed.

Its just petty but that's me. It could be the withdrawl symptoms from the lack of biscuits.

Update - 14:20 - Started a Facebook Group called Wellington Motors Renault are CRAP now I just need thousands of supports and a press campaign and I wont have to pay that £15.

Update - 21:00 - Well Get Him To The Greek was funny but very rude, I am shocked that someone let my kids see it.

I have to finish a report about a lady who started her own cake making business. Its like Cake pornography.

Its a conspiracy to test my will power.

Day 198 (13/07/2010)

Its has been raining for about 12 hours and is just lovely. I hope the sun comes back, I was getting use to it, like being on holiday but with better toilets.

I did lots of things yesterday but not much work and have loads to do. I am going to have to explain to a few clients that they are now at the back of the queue as the training and main client must now take priority, as they provide the most money. I wish I could do it all, not just for the cash but I do enjoy the work (mostly) and don't want them to lose out but I do need to have some time off and to be able to finish at a decent hour.

Still no biscuits, crisps or cakes despite my wife's best efforts. Getting over the shakes but still have an emptiness in my tummy. I think if I can only last a year or two I might have cracked it.

Update - 21:30 - Had a long chat with another client today about the fact that I would have to stop doing their work as there are not enough hours in the day.

I just hope that now that I have jettisoned two large clients that everything that I think is going to happen is going to happen or I will cry.

I could not carry on doing everything I was doing and had to give up something but as always you just hope you have gone with the right ones.

If it all falls thru I will have to collect trolleys at Tesco's.

Still no biscuits, crisps or cakes. I am having more fruit but its just not the same as a bar of chocolate or a few hob nobs.

Day 197 (12/07/2010)

Busy week, apart from shed load of work that needs doing.

Take my suit to the cleaners for its annual clean, sort out my wife's car (again), visit to the dentist, Orange Wednesday, fill out the insurance form for the camera, start tidying garage so we can have the electricity meter changed, pay in some cheques, book some hotel rooms for work, avoid all biscuits, crisps and cakes.

I think there are some other things but can't remember them yet.

Update - 12:00 - Car booked in.

Sent an email to Bristol Airport;

-----------

Your rude unhelpful security staff.

I appreciate the world we live in and the threat that the government say that terrorists are but if you insist that I have to take my shoes off and walk along your floor then have it cleaned. Some passengers were in bare feet walking along a floor that was filthy and covered in a sticky brown substance resembling s**t which the rude security girl (I know its a patronising term but she deserves it) said was just kids sweet.

I stand more chance of dieing after catching an infection from your filthy floor than I do from a terrorist attack.

Also when putting my possessions thru the x-ray machines it would help if your staff stopped chatting to each other long enough to clear the empty baskets, so that things can move along the conveyor and not get held up until members of the public clear the empty boxes, so that your rude useless staf can carrying on chatting to each other.

If there is a terrorist attack at the airport I hope someone will tell your staff as they seem too busy talking to each other to pay attention to anything else.

I have flown from many airports and your staff are amongst the rudest and your floor is the dirtiest.

------------------

It does make me think that if there was a terrorist attack at an airport and they decided to machine gun just the security staff, how many people would complain.

Certainly if it happened in Bristol Airport they probably wouldn't even bother cleaning the floor afterwards.

Update - 15:00 - Booked the car in, booked a haircut, dropped my suit of for cleaning, paid the cheques in still not had any biscuits, crisps or cakes.

Can you get patches to help with the symptoms of missing biscuits and cakes.

Day 195 & 196 (10 & 11/07/2010)

It would have been nice to of had a lie-in but I had to get up early to give back the courtesy car and pick up my wife's car, which was finally repaired on Thursday afternoon.

When I got to the garage I could see that they had not cleaned it and also tried to charge me for the examination to find the fault.

I pointed out that they must have a blind garage man, who must have cleaned someone elses car twice as mine was still dirty and that I wasn't paying for the examination to find the fault this time as I had already paid last month for a deaf mechanic who to failed to hear the fault, despite the car sounding like an old London Cab.

Thank god (who doesn't exist) that I got a few quid off as the total bil awas around £1,000. Words fail me.

Then had to drive Thomas for about an hour to a festival where he is spending the weekend.

Loads to catch up with now I'm back.

Update - Sat - 21:00 - So my wife is in Bristol seeing her mum, Kelly is working all day at an outside performance of some Shakespeare and Thomas is at a festival for the weekend.

I have spent to day going thru a few hundred emails, arranging my work, loads of which came in whilst we were away and updating my blog, twitter and websites (all work).

Have been good and not had any crisps, biscuits, chocolate or cakes, so far.

Update - Sun - 10:00 - Apparently Thomas is having a good time at the festival, hopefully he can get a lift back, otherwise it will be a pain picking him up when a few thousand people are all leaving at the same time.

Update - Sun - 18:00 - Picked up Thomas who had a good time. The air-conditioning in the wife's car is like a sickly asthmatic child chewing an ice-cube, so the car is gong to go back to the garage.

Still not had any crisps, biscuits, chocolate or cakes but did finish off a lovely bottle of champagne stuff, which was a present from my brother and his lovely partner. Thinking I should not do anything for the rest of the night apart from watch the world spin around.

Day 192 - 194 (07 - 09/07/2010)

Dublin trip.

We flew from Bristol, with the usual humourless gits at the security gate. We went with Ryan Air, obviously people only fly with them for the reason of price not customer service.


It was all work, honestly;


Dublin was great. We did a few touristy things, including a guided tour on the top of an open double decker bus;


and saw lots of great things, including;





Disappointingly I later went to the shop but they don't, neither of them.

We stayed at a nice hotel but the advertised WiFi was not good enough for me to log on and do my blog.

The food and the drink, I can't recommend Dublin enough.

Time for a diet and to detox.

Day 191 (06/07/2010)

Hopefully should get the ipad and the car today.

Looking forward to Dublin tomorrow.

Always fancied going to Holland but what reason can I have to go there on a business trip? Any ideas grateful received.

Update - 12:30 - Well we had a nice arrival today.


Senior (oldest) member of staff opened our new ipad.


I tried my best to set it up but gave in and gave it to the newest (youngest) member of staff to set up.

It seems really good if only I knew how to use it.

Update - 13:00 - My happiness at the arrival of the ipad was short lived, not that I have actual played sorry worked on it yet but the garage just phoned to say the alternator has gone on the car. At this rate we could have kept the tyres and bought a new ****** ******* ******* car.

Update - 16:30 - It would have been F**KING cheaper to buy a new car. They have now phoned as when they were replacing the alternator something else was broken which now needs replacing. They apologised and said they would stay with the 2 hour quote for labour and try to come to an arrangement on parts.

As the car is now un-drivable they are give me a courtesy car, which I park at the airport for a few days.

Update - 17:00 - We now have a new car for a few days;


I think its a Renault, can you tell.

Day 190 (05/07/2010)

Desk looking clearer, feeling good.

Got to take my wife's car to the garage later, if its less than £600 will feel even better but poorer.

Update - 16:00 - Well I have not had to pick up the car as the garage phoned to say that when they had taken the power steering motor off they realised that another part was broken and they now have to order that. Great even more expense.

Update - 17:30 - Happy, just heard my company ipad will be here within the next 2 days, just in time for me to be way in Dublin. Must tell the kids not to play with it until I get back.

Day 188 & 189 (03 & 04/07/2010)

We went out for a meal last night to congratulate the kids finishing their exams etc.


Just for a change we went out for a curry.

Early start on Saturday. I took my car to the garage for two new tyres and to get the tracking done. A great way to spend money, own a car. Still it was a lot cheaper than my wife's car is going to be on Monday.

Hoping to get all the really old reports done today then spend time with the family tomorrow.

Update - Sat 18:45 - Well I have done one of the old reports and was just starting the second one but now having a well deserved break;



Update - Sun 21:15 - I have finally finished the 3 really old reports that had been hanging round, one since May. That's 16 reports in the last 4 days. Now up to date but I have about 7 new ones waiting to be done before I can go away with a clear desk.

Still time for a cup of Tea and some Sticky Toffee Pudding & Custard.

Day 187 (02/07/2010)

Getting thru my work. It will be so nice to have it all finished so I can catch up on a few other things.

Day 186 (01/07/2010)

OMG July is here already, the year is flying by.

Its been a very busy and very interesting year so far. More changes happening with work soon. Must get back out on my bike and join a gym soon.

So Thomas had his school prom last night. He didn't want to go "Black Tie and DJ" like everyone else so picked out a nice little number in grey. He looked really smart.


He always looks good, unlike me, as I just looks like a tramp in a bad fitting suit when I attempt to dress smartly.

Him and his mates were let down last week by a chap with a Hummvee but thankfully our friend Simon stepped in at the last minute with his Jaguar.


The car dates from 1967 and if you know about cars there are lots of interesting facts about it but I have now forgotten them all.

I will stick some more pictures on facebook later.

Rather embarrassingly I have 12 jobs waiting to be done, some of them were sent to me in May. Oh well I don't think I could have done any more.