Day 842 (16/04/2012)

Great to see Gary & Elaine yesterday, lovely dinner & great company as always.

Then off to see Richard Herring with Gary.

It was a great show, which is just as well as I'm seeing it again tonight in Taunton.

Thomas is happy as he is in the Western Daily Press today with a nice large photo.

Hopefully he will earn something from it.

Day 840 & 841 (14 & 15/04/2012)

Feeling old with the kids (I know they are young adults but they will always be the kids) both away for the weekend.

Kelly is over in Oxford for the weekend, seeing some people she knows and thinking about her next project no doubt.

Thomas is in Birmingham at the cricket, Warwickshire v Somerset, taking photographs and hopefully doing some networking and getting a few good contacts.

I am sat at home working. There are so many reports that need doing but I had to sort out the presentation & things for the days presentation tomorrow in Bristol and a short presentation on Thursday in Leicester. The Leicester job is a bit different and might be interesting. After the presentation tomorrow I am having dinner with Gary & Elaine then seeing Richard Herring at the Tobacco Factory with Gary, which should be good.

Day 839 (13/04/2012)

Eventually got my new i-pad after a few issues with the delivery company.

Playing DrawFree is so much easier on an i-pad than an i-phone but my drawing are still rubbish, my wife does very well to guess them.

So unbelievably busy at the moment, hoping that the new staff are able to make a real difference soon.

I heard today about the death of a guy I had known at work from Bridgwater in 1986 & 87, he was only 55. We weren't friends but it's still sad as he was a nice guy.

Day 838 (12/04/2012)

The old computer has now gone and the new computer has arrived & very quick it is in comparison.

But I ended up spending all day re-installing everything. 191GB of photos & music took quite a bit of time.

Still trying to catch up with the back-log & still got a cold.

Day 837 (11/04/2012)

My cold is still here.

Looking forward to getting my new really fast computer today. Not looking forward to re-installing all the software that I need on it. Could be a long day.

Day 836 (10/04/2012)

Back to work and had to order a new computer, hopefully it will be ready by tomorrow lunchtime. Trying to do some work on my laptop but its just not the same.

Have made another trip to the tip, slowly getting rid of things we don't need or want. At this rate just another 5 or 6 years and the house & garage will be tidy.

My cold is still here, so not feeling at my best.

Update -16:00 - I have had loads of emails from someone who was on last weeks course asking lots of questions about how I did things. He was saying how it was really important as he needed to know as that's why he went on the course. I did feel like saying that if he had paid attention during the course instead of talking then he might of understood more. He is on his 6th email today and clearly didn't read what I put in the first one. I know if I read this one I will just tell him to F**K OFF.

Counting to 10 and thinking about being a serious businessman instead of a grumpy old man. It's no good he should just F**K OFF.

Day 835 (09/04/2012)

Bank Holiday Monday, pouring with rain and I was full of a really horrible cold. Lots of sneezing and a streaming gooee (it sounds right but I couldn't spell it) nose.

We went out to more garden centres but ended up going for a test drive for a new car for my wife. We found one, only a year old but very nice.

It even had a head-up display on the windscreen like a fighter jet but no machine guns, unfortunately.

Day 833 & 834 (07 & 08/04/2012)

The weekend is her and I am going to cut the grass and start setting up things in the garden.

Plus I must catch up on some work but my computer has now completely died.

Update - Saturday - Cut the grass with the new lawn mower and jet washed a few old things in the garden that we are going to keep.

Thought I would include a photo of the bloody silly gnome that my wife bought for the garden. She has already named him Norman The Gnome.

Update - Sunday - The Easter Bunny paid me a visit.

Went to a friend of a friends 60th birthday party which was nice. They had a very posh marquee at the venue, which apparently won an episode of Channel 4's Four In A Bed.

Had nice roast pork rolls.

Got back and had the start of a bad cold.

Day 832 (06/04/2012)

Like a middle aged middle classed couple we went to a garden centre on a Bank Holiday. I saw the size of the spade and thought we should have tea & cake but that was just the usual size.

Can't wait till the garden is all sorted but it wont be for a while.

Thomas was at the cricket taking photo's, which were being used by the local paper on the live updates.

Then we all went out for dinner.

Day 831 (05/04/2012)

Spent a few hours trying to get my computer working but ended up visiting the guys who help me out who fitted a new power unit.

I have a few laptops but I like my proper computer and need it to do my work.

Spent most of the day just updating my accounts and printing off the work that had come in whilst I was away.

Day 830 (04/04/2012)

Last day of the course in Bristol. It went quite well but it was so nice to get home.

Day 829 (03/04/2012)

Nice touch at the venue this morning, with little easter eggs on each desk.

Went out for dinner again and no I didn't have two afters. I went for the cookie explosion.

Looking forward to going home tomorrow night.

Day 828 (02/04/2012)

In Bristol for this weeks course, nice venue with quite good facilities but not a great internet connection.

Went out in the evening for a meal.

No I didn't have two afters, I was with some people from the course.

Day 826 & 827 (31/03 & 01/04/2012)

Weekend but not exactly relaxing as I'm still preparing for the course this week. Printing off loads of stuff and making sure all of the material is up to date.

Update - Saturday 20:45 - Got a Chinese delivered as we are all busy.

I know there was far too much food but it is for tomorrow as well (and maybe the day after that as well).

Update - Sunday 12:15 - Just about finished preparing for next weeks course. Quickly went over to see my parents. They always have a nice flowers in their garden, and this is just the driveway.

I can't wait until our garden is finished off with flowers and some patio furniture. (I'm not going to mention the gnome or mushroom that have recently appeared in the garden courtesy of my wife).

Day 825 (30/03/2012)

Busy catching up and preparing for next weeks course in Bristol.

Day 824 (29/03/2012)

Spent the day doing a presentation to Private Investigators in Manchester and then the evening sat in traffic on the M6. What a nightmare journey back with one hold up after another. Back at 10pm and knackered.

Day 823 (28/03/2012)

Gave another presentation this morning and then drove over to Manchester, to a much better hotel, although it only has half the TV channels of the PremierInn, but I did love the set up for the lone businessman in the restaurant. A table for one with a TV & headphones.

Nice Indian Sharing Platter for starters. I know I didn't have anyone to share it with but I was hungry.  

Day 822 (27/03/2012)

Up north (again) but it was only a short day and I was finished by lunch time, which was nice. If I was nearer home I could have spent sometime with my family but being 3hrs drive away meant I got to relax a little in the hotel and catch up on my work and emails.

More of the same tomorrow except in the afternoon I will be in Manchester and a much nicer hotel (hopefully).

Day 821 (26/03/2012)

It seems a lovely day out already and its only 9:00am but I have lots of stuff to do as am going away later and have three talks to give this week.

Day 819 & 820 (24 & 25/03/2012)

Really impressed with the efforts of the fundraising on Sports Relief to raise over £50 million last night but I find myself asking the question where were all the sportsmen & women putting themselves out, it seems to be comedians doing nearly all the hard work.

Today has been mostly cutting grass and tidying up a garden or two.

I gave the patio a quick going over with a jet wash, it really cleaned them up and brought out the different colours. I might do it again with some detergent before we buy the new patio furniture.

I'm really looking forward to spending a few evenings this summer sat out there with a glass of wine relaxing.

Updated - Sunday 21:45 - My body aches after yesterdays gardening exercise. Thankfully when my garden is done it will take very little maintenance.

Nice dinner today, had a salad with other bits and pieces.

Working away this week, not looking forward to going away again.