Day 1812 & 1813 (13 & 14/12/2014)

Cold & frosty start to the day. I took all of the laptops & stuff from the course back to the storage unit and then a busy day catching up with all the stuff that had come in during the week.

On the way back from town I drove past a house down the road from us which appears to have had a gas explosion overnight.

I was driving so didn't take a photo but found the news report anyway.

After a week away from the gym I went for a 30 minute swim in the evening.

Update - Sunday 18:00 - Lovely roast beef dinner today.

Yum Yum Yum

Day 1811 (12/12/2014)

The course finished with everyone passing the exam (well its not that hard and they have access to the internet) and they all deemed quite happy.

One of those on the course was quite high up in the West Midlands Police, a police force I'm currently in dispute with, so when he asked about doing courses for them I told him that I don't think I would be welcome at his force given our history, which surprised him.

As I had said this in front of the man who runs the policing department at the University I told him about my recent issues but he told me that he already knew as someone from the Metropolitan Police had phoned him to tell him all about me and what had happened this year.

Well that's nice of them, the utter C**TS. I really do hate the police nowadays, the sooner I have nothing to do with them the happier I will be.

I should say the guy at the University said he told them that it was nothing to do with them so they would carry on using me for my expertise and that they thought there would be two sides to the story.

Then a long & tiring drive home.

Day 1810 (11/12/2014)

The day was a bit split as I had to give a talk in the morning to a group of younger student on a policing degree course at the University.

Then it was back to my course for the day.

Then out for a curry.

Looking forward to going home tomorrow evening.

Day 1809 (10/12/2014)

Another day of the course and did not quite manage to catch up as we had a few interruptions and had to finish early as it was an open evening at the University and they wanted our room.

We went to a Chinese buffet for the evening which was nice

but not as nice as the one in Taunton.

Day 1808 (09/12/2014)

My day started with the same breakfast and we are still trying to play catch up on the course but thankfully we have 5 days with this one.

Off to CoCo's a Caribbean restaurant in Preston tonight, for jerk chicken which was quite nice but the place was more a cafe than a restaurant.

Day 1807 (08/12/2014)

The morning started with a healthy breakfast

OK there was a bacon sandwich afterwards but it started healthy and it wasn't a full cooked breakfast just a bacon sandwich (with a sausage as well).

The off to the University of Central Lancashire where we are running the course this week.

It was a bit of a pain as we had a few problems and some of the students didn't turn up but it should be OK for the rest of the week.

In the evening me and Kevin went out to a nearby Italian for dinner. I had the calamari and then a lasagne.

  

Day 1805 & 1806 (06 & 07/12/2014)

Busy weekend getting ready for the course next week in Preston and catching up on the report that should have been in a week ago.

I'm not doing too well at scrabble at the moment.

On Sunday I made a lovely dinner with some lamb cutlets but I couldn't have any wine with it as I had to drive to Preston in the evening.

The drive to Preston was a nightmare as the motorway was closed only two junctions before I needed to get off and I ended up on a 30 miles detour.

Day 1804 (05/12/2014)

Bit like yesterday as I'm really busy but I just can't get the enthusiasm to write the reports for a client.

In the gym and doing other work stuff.

I have never watched "I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here" before this series but it has been quite good and Ant & Dec are fantastic as always but it just seems wrong when you hear Vicki Michelle talk in her normal voice.

It really only sounds right when she speaks with a French accent.
  

Day 1803 (04/12/2014)

Really busy but I just can't get the enthusiasm to write the reports for a client.

In the gym and doing other work stuff.

Day 1802 (03/12/2014)

A very cold start, winter draws on as they say.

I was speaking to a guy I know who works at the BBC and who has contacts at The Guardian. I told him about my interesting year, so I may be appearing in print to tell my story.

The man came to repair the windscreen.

Then off to the gym and then work.

Day 1801 (02/12/2014)

I didn't get to have a lie-in with my wife this morning or our usual Tuesday breakfast as I had a meeting in Newport with some guys who have a really useful website.

On the way back I booked my car in to get the scratches repaired and then noticed that I had a chi on my windscreen.

I am really busy at the moment but just can't get the enthusiasm to do my reports.

In the gym in the evening with my wife.

Day 1800 (01/12/2014)

It's December, so a new picture of Kylie on the calender.

Not very Christmasy but lovely as always.

It was a busy morning doing work, popping into my parents to see Aunty Carol, then doing the recycling (where I got told off by the staff for speeding) then to the gym, then back home to tidy the garden before carrying on with my work.

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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.
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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.