Day 875 & 876 (19 & 20/05/2012)

Up early on Saturday to do all the preparation for next weeks course in Preston.

I must also fill out a couple of application forms for things that must be in by the end of the week. annoying extra paper work.

Update - Saturday 21:30 - Busy day doing work stuff, mostly laminates. It is a little bit easier nowadays as I have made them double sided, so in numbers there are now only half the number to do but they take longer to do as they have to be folded right.

Thomas went out for an 8mile run with his mates this morning then spent the day in the pub watching West Ham get promotion to the Premier League and then watching the Champions League final. Kelly has gone to Bristol to see Darren (I know its Derren but it annoys Kelly when I call him Darren) Brown .

Me & my wife went out this afternoon for an hour or so then popped into The Madarin House for an all you can eat buffet on the way back.

This is one of my favorite places but thinking about the gym I limited myself, as you can see.

Day 874 (18/05/2012)

Doing my work and looking forward to my summer holiday, a week away with my wife in the sun in a months time. Until then work, work and more work.

Day 873 (17/05/2012)

Off to London today along with Thomas. I was giving a talk to some journalists at the Guardian and in exchange Thomas was getting to chat to their Head of Photography.

It was nice to be back in 1st class. I did think of letting Thomas sit in the back with the rabble but it was nice to have his company on the journey.

Saw a few sights in London (always a tourist). Funny coloured Barclays Bank and St Pancrass Station with the Post Office Tower in the distance.

The offices of the Guardian were very nice and the talk went really well.

Then time for Yo-Sushi before going home.

Passing the White Horse on the way (OK crap photo but we were traveling quite fast).

Home in time to do some work.

Day 872 (16/05/2012)

Big day for Thomas as he has his driving test today. As a parent I don't know which would be worst, him passing or failing.

I hope he passes so he is not upset but on the other hand I hope he stays safe, which will involve only being able to drive with my sat next to him.

It has been nice having my wife off work for a week, I did spend some time with her (don't listen to her) but she has gone back to work today, so getting back to normal, breakfast in my office.

Update - 13:00 - Damn Thomas came second but it was close, just one mishap at one set of lights. Well all the best people pass second time.

Day 871 (15/05/2012)

Thomas has got a copy of the local paper following the boxing event in Wales the other week, with quite a few of his photos used.

I created a long list of things to achieve this week & decided to have one every week but think clear out garage will still be on there next year. 

Day 870 (14/05/2012)

So my wife is now older than me, being 45 whilst I am still a youthful 44. We went to The River Cottage Canteen in Axminster for dinner on Sunday.

The crab starter was nice but the main meals weren't great. Shame as the food used to be really nice.

Happy Birthday To You, Happy Birthday To You, sing along.

Two strange things on Monday. First a scrap metal dealer was driving around the streets, like a modern day version of Steptoe & Son. They had a really annoying jingle playing over some crackly speakers.

The second strange thing was that I joined a gym and now I feel better already.

To be honest I joined the gym but due to being a bit busy at the moment I have arranged for my membership to start in two weeks time, when I will go in for my induction session.

Day 868 & 869 (12 & 13/05/2012)

Quick bit of shopping this morning but couldn't quite decide which birthday cake to get my wife for tomorrow.

Nice breakfast.

Have done enough work by around 3:00pm to take the rest of the weekend off as a birthday treat, that will teach her.

Day 867 (11/05/2012)

Busy day on a very long report which had to be in today.

I ordered pizza from our local Dominoes tonight, which I must admit is a fairly common occurrence but I thought it would save having to cook and wash up.

When I was ordering the pizza's, when the man read the order back he added coleslaw, which I do normally order but hadn't ordered tonight. I commented that had added the coleslaw but was grateful for him reminding me that I normally order it, so accepted it.

He then asked if I was paying by card or cash. I do usually pay by card but tonight as I had quite a bit of cash on me I said I would pay cash rather than by card.

When the pizza's (& coleslaw) arrived I went to pay but the delivery driver said it was OK as it had been paid for by credit card.

So the question is did I get tonight's dinner for free as the man on the phone had already hit the "paid by credit card" button when submitting my order or do they have my credit card details on file as a regular customer.

Day 866 (10/05/2012)

Nice breakfast and then home to catch up with work.

I had an idea last night, that if only we had gone to a book-makers in 1987 and put on a bet for a couple of 19yr olds from quite different families still being married all these years later then it would have paid for our stay and meal at the hotel and maybe paid our  mortgage as well.

Day 865 (09/05/2012)

25yrs of Mr & Mrs Smith.

It's hard to believe that it is 25yrs, it certainly doesn't seem that long but I can't remember not being together and am glad we got married when we did; although to be fair, as I always remind my wife, we could have been
married for 40minutes longer if she had been on time.

We went away to The Abode in Exeter for a night away and a nice meal.

Obviously we hadn't eaten since the wedding.

Day 864 (08/05/2012)

The day in between my Dads Birthday and our Anniversary and a few days before my Wife's Birthday, so we are taking my parents out tonight for a nice meal at The Globe in Milverton. We are also going away for a day to our favourite hotel in Exeter tomorrow, The Abode.

Doing all of this family stuff means I have less time to do my work, so quite busy again.

Update - 23:00 - Lovely meal at the Globe with Mum & Dad.

25yrs ago tonight I was thinking about my forthcoming marriage, I was young, fit, slim and had my whole life ahead of me. What the F**K happened.

Day 863 (07/05/2012)

A fairly full weekend of work, cutting the grass, trips to the tip and trips to the garage and also visiting my Mum & Dad or joint shareholders as I like to refer to them (family joke).

Thomas was showing them the photos he took at the boxing event the other week, from which he has had fairly good feedback.

Went to see Stewart Lee with Gary & Kelly last night at the Hippodrome, it was brilliant.

Have a few reports to go through today but will pop over to Mum & Dads to sing Happy Birthday to Dad. Looking on the bright side for Dad only 1 more year until he gets a free TV Licence.

Update - 18:30 - Went over to Mum & Dad's to see him on his birthday, obviously there was cake involved.

Strangely me & my brother had bought my Dad identical Birthday Cards.

Spooky.

Day 861 & 862 (05 & 06/05/2012)

The weekend is here and I have things to do but am going to try and sit down and relax with my wife for some of it. Although it's quite cold out it's not raining at the moment, so I might try to cut the grass as its looking a bit long. Still looking forward to the garden being done and the sun being out so I can relax out their.

Day 860 (04/05/2012)

Had a meeting with a client in the Potters Bar area in the morning. It was quite nice to have a reserved park space, making me feel important but as I had been told it was dress down Friday I looked more far from important.

Before the meeting started one of the people who I was meeting, who I have known for around 10yrs and am reasonably close too, said he not impressed that I hadn't bothered to bring a note book or pen to the meeting. I explained that I had my iPhone that I could make notes with but didn't point out that without my glasses on the presentation he was about to show me was mostly just a fuzzy haze.

The meeting was over by 10:30 so I drove home fairly early but was too tired to do much work. Nice to be home with the family again.

Day 859 (03/05/2012)

Spent the day giving a talk and then drove a few miles from Watford to Potters Bar for the third hotel of the week and to meet up with a colleague before tomorrows business meeting.

Had a nice meal curtesy of his company credit card.

I can recommend the soft shell crab, the lamb rump and the white choccolate brulee.

Day 858 (02/05/2012)

Gave a talk in Preston in the morning that seemed to go OK then had a long drive non stop drive to Watford.

Hotel number two of the week, for an overpriced and not very impressive meal.

The cheese board was the best part of the meal.

Day 857 (01/05/2012)

Its May already, how did that happen.

It's raining, again.

Long drive up north in a few hours.

Nice curry in the evening.