Day 1798 & 1799 (29 & 30/11/2014)

A very busy time with loads of reports that need doing, so little time to relax.

I went to the gym on Saturday and then got a Chinese in s Thomas wasn't well.

On Sunday I put the car thru the car wash, which showed up last weeks damage, which I may see about getting repaired soon.

Then I did a lovely pork roast, yum yum yum.

Day 1797 (28/11/2014)

Home and catching up on stuff in the office, with loads to do.

I went to the gym and did my usual routine again, including a 15 minute swim afterwards.

Day 1796 (27/11/2014)

Last day of the course and once again far too much for lunch but it was lovely.

The course went well so I shall book here again.

Then a long drive home.

Day 1795 (26/11/2014)

Day three of the course and another buffet.

Then in the evening I met up with a friend, Colin Pickard for a curry.

Prawn Puri, no other starter will do.

Day 1794 (25/11/2014)

Day two of the course and another great buffet.

I realised that my shoe was perhaps a bit more broken than I had thought.

In the evening I went to see  Neville's Island at the Duke of York's Theatre.
‎

Despite it only having very poor reviews I thoroughly enjoyed the show and thought it was quite funny.

Day 1793 (24/11/2014)

In London doing a course for the week at The Civil Service Club, which seems much better than some of the other venues I have used.

It is also much much better cheaper and the buffet was much better but far too much for the seven of us.

In the evening I went to Leceister Square to see Richard Herring & Stewart Lee.

Day 1791 & 1792 (22 & 23/11/2014)

Saturday we left Taunton in lovely sunshine to drive to Brighton for Kelly's birthday. By the time we arrived it was misty, pouring with rain and getting dark.

We booked in to the hotel and then met up with Kelly and then went out for dinner and Brighton Marina, which was lovely.

It was great to be with Kelly on her birthday. It is so hard to believe the it was 23 years ago that she was born. I can't remember life before the kids and they truly made us complete as a family and we are so lucky and privileged to be their parents.

We went out for a few hours but got soaked, then came back for the Birthday Cake.

Unfortunately I had to leave before dinner and drive to London for work. Annoyingly I had a slight incident with a wall getting out of the car park.

Then when I arrived at the Civil Service Club the restaurant was closed, so I ended up having a McDonalds.

Day 1790 (21/11/2014)

Really busy as loads to do today, so we can go away for the weekend and then I'm straight off to London for the course.

Slightly embarrassing at the gym today, when I managed to break off one of the pedal mechanism on the exercise bikes. I'm sure it was a fault with the metal as opposed to my weight.

Ironic incident of the day, am I poacher or am I game keeper or am I neither, just a bloke with a somewhat complicated work life.

I was recently told of a group I should join, for people who are in receipt of an injury on duty pension, as the police are now reassessing everyone's pension to save money.

This group were formed to make sure that you know what they can and can't do and to stop them being utter bastards. Given the history of those involved they are scared of being spied on, as it appears the police bosses have been upset by their actions, so you have to be cleared to join the group.

After I was cleared I asked a few questions, then this afternoon I got kicked out as they found out what I did for a living and were afraid I was a spy sent by the police to report back on them.

So now I'm not trusted by either side and once again I haven't actually done anything.

Things just happen to me, you just have to laugh.

Day 1789 (20/11/2014)

Gave a talk in Bedfordshire to some police, it went quite well.

Then a long & tiring drive home, so couldn't face any work or the gym.

Day 1788 (19/11/2014)

Busy day but still went to the gym doing my new routine.

Then drove off to Bedfordshire.

Day 1787 (18/11/2014)

Had a hair cut so feel and look slightly younger.

Doing odds and sods in the office and then went to the gym in the evening whilst my wife went to one of her classes.

Did my routine again, 15 minutes cycling, then the weights and sit-ups (with extra weights), doing 15, 10 then 5 reps (or whatever it is called) then 10 minutes on the cross-trainer then 5 minutes on the running machine. I ran twice again but now for a minute at a time. That might not sound long and it isn't compared to how long I could once run for but a minute is a long time for a fat man to run. The second minute, after recovering by walking fast for 90 seconds, was really exhausting.

Then had another jacket potato with cottage cheese.

Day 1786 (17/11/2014)

A cold & wet winters day.

Quite a bit to do in the office but still found time for the gym for my new routine of 15 minutes cycling, then the weights and sit-ups, doing 15, 10 then 5 reps (or whatever it is called) then 10 minutes on the cross-trainer then 5 minutes on the running machine. I ran twice again for a little bit longer than Saturday.

Feeling better and my little legs haven't collapsed yet.

Just for a change I decided I would have a jacket potato with cottage cheese tonight.

Day 1784 & 1785 (15 & 16/11/2014)

Busy weekend, with Thomas making an early start off to Football and my wife covering someone's shift at Asda, so no lie-in for her on what was supposed to be her day off.

I was doing lots of stuff in the office and then tidied the garden again.

Bloody leaves.

In the afternoon I went to the gym. I was only planning on having a swim but unfortunately it was family swimming time, so the pool was full of kids, so I went to the gym for my new work-out routine. 15 minutes cycling, then the weights and sit-ups, doing 15, 10 then 5 reps (or whatever it is called) then 10 minutes on the cross-trainer then 5 minutes on the running machine, where I went from walking to actual running, twice but admittedly for only short periods. I have always hate running, even when I could run 8 or 9 miles without too much difficulty and I know it won't be great for my knees but it might be effective at helping me lose weight and get fit, so I shall slowly increase the running.

Then I went into Lidl to see what they had as I planned a nice meal for my wife. We started with some small scallops in parsley & garlic butter, yum yum.

Then some pork chops with some other things.

I know this is sort of wasting the point of going to the gym during the week but I really love food so I look forward to the weekends and this keeps me going thru the week.

On Sunday I seem to have knocked my good leg.

I now having matching plasters on both legs and am still taking antibiotics just in case.

Lovely Sunday dinner, with another bottle of bubbly.

Three bird roast from Lidl, very tasty.

Day 1783 (14/11/2014)

The day started with the phone call I always dread. Don't worry my wife & kids are OK, it was my Dad to say something had gone wrong with his computer, AGAIN.

Apparently it was nothing to do with my Dad but somehow some software had got installed on his machine, which was now stopping it from working as it had before. After deleting a few things a running some anti-virus & anti-spyware software it was back to normal - until next time.

Lots to do in & out of the office.

Then off to the gym, where I did 20 minutes hard cycling, 4x 10 lots of weights for the arms then the legs, then 4x 15 lots of sit ups (getting easier), then 9 minutes on the cross trainer and 5 minutes on the treadmill, where I actually broke into a trot, not quite a run but it was a start.

Unfortunately I was quite knackered after it all and slightly unsteady on my feet and I bashed my leg on a machine, which ripped the skin off of my ankle.

It wasn't that bad and wouldn't have been an issue if it had been on my good leg but unfortunately it's on my bad leg, so I had to take a few antibiotics and now I'm hoping that it doesn't get infected.

Day 1782 (13/11/2014)

Lots to do in the office.

Then off to the gym in the afternoon, today I did 20 minutes hard cycling, 4x 10 lots of weights for the arms then the legs, then 4x 15 lots of sit ups (getting easier), then 8 minutes on the cross trainer and 8 minutes of fast walking (I even thought about going into a trot, not quite running).

Will do swimming every other day.

Day 1781 (12/11/2014)

An early start with a meeting about a new database at the Hilton in Aztec West.

Then went shopping and bought some shirts for the courses then off to the gym, where today I did 20 minutes hard cycling, 4x 10 lots of weights for the arms then the legs, then 4x 15 lots of sit ups, then 7 minutes on the cross trainer and 7 minutes of fast walking. Then finished off with 20 minutes in the pool.

Not so knackered today, so I'm probably getting slightly fitter and hopefully slimmer.

Day 1780 (11/11/2014)

More stuff to do in the office and I still have to prepare for some up coming courses.

As I had been so busy during the day I went to the gym in the evening with my wife, whilst she did a class I did 20 minutes hard cycling, 4x 10 lots of weights for the arms then the legs, then 4x 10 lots of sit ups, then 6 minutes on the cross trainer and 6 minutes of fast walking.

Still totally knackered.

I'm building up the amount I do, so I can carrying on losing weight, whilst eating a bit more.

Day 1779 (10/11/2014)

It's wet & dark, quite frankly its like winter and I'm just not enjoying it.

Stuff to do in the office then in the gym. 20 minutes hard cycling, 4x 10 lots of weights for the arms then the legs, then 4x 10 lots of sit ups, then 5 minutes on the cross trainer and 5 minutes of fast walking.

Totally knackered.

Day 1777 & 1778 (08 & 09/11/2014)

A very wet weekend.

On Saturday I went to a get-together in Bristol for past members of Avon & Somerset's  Task Force / Support Group, which were the vans that drove around and used to deal with things. In those days we dealt with things in a fairly positive but fun way,

but mostly only after we had finished out tea and a game of cards.

If I had had a camera phone in those days I would have some great photos now; but one of the reasons they don't have such great fun nowadays is the fact that everyone else has camera phones.

It was great to catch up with people, many of whom I shared so many fun times, talking about the past and what we are up to nowadays. It was also great to hear some other things but I very much doubt that I will be taking up the offer of joining the Masons.

Day 1776 (07/11/2014)

A very busy start to the day, with stuff to do in the office, doing the recycling, paying in cheques, buying cakes, going to the gym and having a business meeting then dropping papers off with my accountant.

Then we all went out in Clevedon for Gary's Birthday.

 

What a great night, as always.