Day 1017 (08/10/2012)

At the weekend me & my wife said we must start going to the gym again after a weekend of indulgence. We then realized we couldn't go on Monday as we had arranged to take my parents out for lunch.

Oh well, I think I may have to give up cheese, biscuits, cakes & crisps and not eat after 9pm, well for a few days anyway.

Update - 17:45 - We had a long(ish) lunch at Oake Manor Golf Course, the soup was a bit watery (I didn't have the soup, it was my Dad) but the rest was fine.

Start my diet now and going back to the gym tomorrow.

Have work to do but spending a lot of time plotting the down fall of others, which is quite fun and takes me back quite a few years when I was a bit crueler and a lot slimmer. In some respects these people should actually be glad they upset me now and not then.

At the moment I have sent off a few emails to a couple of government agencies whose role is to investigate the very things I'm complaining about. When I read the emails it's hard to believe that these things weren't investigated when I brought it to their attention. I think their failure to act may have been a bad decision on their part.

My emails raise questions over the potential of offences and wrong doing which really should be investigated. That way I have not actually accused anyone of anything, so no libel here then.

Day 1016 (07/10/2012)

So yesterday (Saturday) we had a nice breakfast at the hotel.

Then we went to Cliveden House a National Trust property which is also an expensive hotel but had a bit of a detour as we had a flat tyre. We had a lovely walk around the grounds before going back to the hotel to get ready for my next treat.

Apparently my wife couldn't get us into The Fat Duck as there is a really long waiting list and we didn't know we were going away for the weekend until only a few weeks ago. But Heston Blumenthal also has a pub, The Hinds Head opposite The Fat Duck, which is just the best pub food in the world. Again they did a Happy Anniversary card for us and we started with a glass of Champagne.  

 

I had the Ham Hock and Foie Gras Terrine with Piccalilli and my wife had the Soused Mackerel with Cucumber, Pickled Lemon and Horseradish.

Then I had Pure Bred Hereford 10oz Ribeye, Bone Marrow Sauce and Triple Cooked Chips whilst my wife had Fish Pie with ‘Sand & Sea’.

Then I had the Chocolate Wine ‘Slush’ with Millionaire Shortbread and my wife had Lemon Scented Quaking Pudding, Citrus Sorbet, which was like warm Horlicks Pannacotta, unreal and lovely.

Then we shared the cheese board with a glass of port each.

On Sunday after recovering from the night before we went to Grays Court, another National Trust property.  

Then home to normal life.

Day 1015 (06/10/2012)

So yesterday (Friday) my wife drove me on my mystery weekend. I was slightly concerned when we came off of the M4 at Slough but we stayed in Maidenhead at The Thames Rivera, which was quite a nice hotel on the side of the Thames. Our room over looked the Maidenhead Rowing Club and we were able to watch them all going out rowing.

I thought we were just staying at the Hotel for dinner and was looking forward to a few Tapas but we went out for a late sitting to The Hand & Flowers, a 2 Micheline Star restaurant in Marlow run by Tom Kerridge, one of my favourite chefs. It was very dark and we didn't want to use the flash for the photo's but believe the food was unbelievable, checkout the menu of the website but basically we had some white bait which came with the bread before your starters.

I had the Crispy Pigs Head starter, which was the porkiest pork I have ever eaten, whilst my wife had the Scallops.

Then I had the Venison and my wife had the Hake.

The afters was unreal and was really special as they had written in chocolate "Happy Anniversary" for us.

Day 1014 (05/10/2012)

Last night we went out for dinner at Edwardo's at The Brewhouse.

The food was nice, as always.

The idea was that we were dropping Kelly off so she could go and see Bridget Christie and we would pick her up later. Half way thru the cheese board we gave in and agreed to go to see the show. It wasn't that I didn't wan t to see Bridget Christie, I just wasn't in the mood to see a show.

The weren't many people in for the show, so we were asked to move forward. She was quite funny but not the finished article yet. Towards the end of the show I ended up on stage as a token of a Misogynist (I'm not, I believe women should be treated as if they are equal, don't worry its a Richard Herring joke).

Today my wife is treating me to a long weekend away. It's a bit of a mystery tour as she hasn't told me where we are going but I'm sure wherever it is will be lovely just to be together without the distraction of work.

Day 1013 (04/10/2012)

Doing a few things in the house today before going away again for the weekend.

Sad week with the two funerals in Manchester of Fiona Bone & Nicola Hughes.

I went to a few funerals of colleagues during my time, which were smaller than the Manchester ones but were still full uniform affairs with outriders and the force flag on the coffin etc.

Whilst one was for quite an elderly man who had retired but stayed at work in another role, the other two were for a lady who died in a car crash chasing a stolen car and a man who died in a mountain climbing accident while on holiday. Both were only in their 20's, I knew them well and I cried at both, as I always do at funerals.

A friend of mine, who is the same age as me, no longer goes to funerals, having gone to quite a few work & family ones in the last few years. I can understand that but still think that a funeral is a place to show your last respect.

Day 1012 (03/10/2012)

Well to catch up with yesterday, our room at the Park Plaza in Cardiff was very very nice.

We had a nice meal before going to see the show.

Jesus Christ Superstar was really really great (though a bit loud and too quick) with everyone having good voices and it being brilliantly brought up to date. OK not every-ones cup of tea but I really like musicals.

One comment I would make is that the hair they have given "Jesus" does make him look like the boss from the IT Crowd.

See what I mean.

Anyway on the way home we popped into to see Brian & Stella and ended up staying for twice as long as intended, catching up & chatting about things.

Then home to catch up with my emails.

Day 1011 (02/10/2012)

Today we are off to see Jesus Christ Superstar in Cardiff.

I love musicals and remember listening to this one at an early age as my uncle Brian had it on 8 track cassette (remember those) which used to slot into the side of his reel to reel machine.

We are staying in Cardiff overnight, in hopefully a nice hotel and the popping to see Brian & Stella on the Wednesday on our way home.

So Wednesday's entry should have a few photo's of all of this.

Day 1010 (01/10/2012)

I eventually finished updating all of my training material & putting it together for the University to assess and posted it off. Fingers crossed that it goes thru easily & quickly. Either way its going to cost me a few £1k's but should be money well spent.

I went thru a car wash today. I always remember as a child having to get out of the car when my mum & dad put the car thru a car wash as I was scared of the noise, water and being attacked by giant whirling bits of blue foam.

Nothing has changed, except I'm now just too lazy to get out or clean the car myself, so I just sit there thinking if this goes wrong I could be decapitated or soaped to death.

Looking forward to seeing Jesus Christ Superstar in Cardiff tomorrow.

Day 1008 & 1009 (29 & 30/09/2012)

Bit of a mixed weekend doing work and family stuff.

Had a lovely curry from Saffrons, it went down a treat.

 Usually we have all of the left overs on the Sunday but I was starving and may have finished mine (I did it was lovely) so had to pop into Tesco's to get myself one to eat. Thought I would also get a bottle of wine.

My Mum made us a couple of fruit pies for afters, which will be nice.

Busy week ahead doing family stuff.

Day 1007 (28/09/2012)

Annoyingly I got to the train station in plenty time for the 9:05am train to London only to find out it was cancelled and the train I had to catch was 30minutes later and stopped at loads of extra stations.

I like to treat to myself to first class travel on the train as the seats are much nicer, you get free drinks and nibbles but most of all there are a lot less people to be bothered by. There are so many positives to be taken by paying the extra £7.50 (if you pick the right train and buy your tickets a few weeks in advance) for this luxury.

I usually try to eat a whole fruit cake slice by slice on these journeys but was gutted to learn that they have replaced to fruit cake slices with muffins on the tea trolley service. I preferred the fruit cake but still insisted on eating a few muffins as this is a perk of fist class travel and I always try to eat & drink the difference between the price of standard & first class travel. Usually I end up in credit.

The talk went quite well in London. It was not my usual sort of audience (I must remember I am a trainer and not a comedian) but they all seemed to enjoy it and laughed at the right bits.

Luckily as they were running late they re-jigged the running order and I was moved to after lunch instead of later in the afternoon and was able to get away a couple of hours earlier. This left me with the problem of trying to catch an earlier train or staying at Paddington and enjoying long at Yo-Sushi.

Luckily there is always the Bagel stall, so a couple of nice bagels eased the choice of coming home early & missing the Yo-Sushi I had been promising myself.

 

Home nice and early and slightly stuffed from the day, so didn't have dinner.

I was looking forward to relaxing in front of the telly but Kelly took me out to the theater to see a one-man show of Fever Pitch, which was actually quite good, but only because I'm a man of a certain age so knew most of the things that were being talked about.