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.

Day 856 (30/04/2012)

How can this be the last day of April, where is the year going. I was aiming to start cycling in April but never managed it once. Mind you as well as being really busy the weather has been awful, so there weren't that many days I could have gone out anyway.

It has stopped raining today but there is flooding all around Taunton.

Lots to do before going away for a few days, spending most of my evenings in Indian Restaurants (at other peoples expenses this week for a change).

Day 854 & 855 (28 & 29/04/2012)

In London yesterday and in went quite well, hopefully as well as helping the charity I may have met a new top notch paying client, who was impressed with the sort of things I do.

Thomas was with my Dad at a charity boxing event last night in Wales, with Thomas being the official photographer.

I'm looking forward to seeing the photo's but Thomas had to go straight out when he came back home as he is watching the football with his friends, hoping that West Ham go back up to The Premiership (It doesn't look like they will unless they win the play offs).

It doesn't seem that along that I used to take Thomas to see West Ham,

but I think it may have been quite a few years as the kids appear to have grown up a fair bit now.

Busy weekend as I have a few presentations to give next week.

Update - Sunday 16:30 - Has anyone started building an ark yet? The rain has been non stop and its also cold & wet. It's supposed to be spring but it's a lot more like winter.

Busy week, away for most of it, staying in three different hotels in three days. Sounds exciting until you have to do it every month, then it's just a pain in the butt.

Day 853 (27/04/2012)

So in less than 3hrs I'm catching a train to London, then 3hrs after that I'm giving a presentation for the UK Innocence Network at their Spring Conference.

So the question is do I put my presentation together now, on the train or should I really have done it a few days ago?

OK I'm sort of agreeing that I should have already done it but I have been busy and now I'm writing this.

Day 852 (26/04/2012)

Busy doing things but just about caught up with outstanding work.

Early finish as went to Bristol to meet up with the guys I used to share a van with. Some may say worked with but there were many times where we were just sitting in a van in the same place for 12hrs playing cards & drinking tea just in case something happened, so worked may be the wrong word.

It is always lovely to meet up with them but it does remind me of how old we are all getting now.

Anyway I went for the gourmet chicken burger. Quite tasty but a bit messy.

Day 851 (25/04/2012)

I am just about back up to date with my work but am out of the office on Friday and for 3 days next week, so no doubt I will soon have work waiting to be done again soon.

I have this empty iPad holder on my desk, I haven't seen my iPad for about week. So much for letting Thomas borrow it for when he was going out.

Update - 21:00 - For the first time in ages I am nearly finished quite early and will be downstairs soon. For the last week or so I don't think I have finished much before 10:30pm

Day 850 (24/04/2012)

Another busy day working but getting up to date and I think my helpers will soon be making a massive positive difference. It will be nice to farm out lots of my work, leaving me clear to do other things for the company and also to spend more time with my family.

When we were having a late lunch today the hail stones were bouncing off the car roof and in the patio. Not exactly an April Shower. I can't wait for the summer.

Slightly surreal moment today as I was listening to James Murdoch at The Leveson Inquiry and had an email from someone within his organisation asking for some advice an enquiry (nothing to do with the enquiry). Doing things legally is suddenly very popular. It will hopefully led to a bit of training in London. I may have to charge them more so I can make a donation to charity to cover the fact that I'm working for the dark side.

Day 849 (23/04/2012)

Busy weekend, so busy I didn't even go to see Michael McIntyre at the Brewhouse on Sunday night, so Kelly and my wife went instead. I have seen him twice before so I didn't mind too much.

Then a late night drive to Bristol to pick up Thomas who had been away for another weekend taking photos at the cricket.  

No paid shots but plenty of coverage on-line.

Busy doing more work all day.

Day 847 & 848 (21 & 22/04/2012)

The weekend is here and I still have so much work to do but I think (hope) things will start to get easier soon, so then I can concentrate on other aspects of the business and spend more time with my family.

Day 846 (20/04/2012)

Went out for dinner last night.

It was really nice to sit down and spend time with the family, I have missed them being away and being so busy lately.

Had a business meeting today, well it was an excuse for tea & cake.

Still loads of work but hoping that things workout with the staff.

Day 845 (19/04/2012)

I arrived in Leicester very late and it was pouring with rain so I couldn't really see the venue but it was very oldy worldy inside. Its is called Rothley Court Manor if you want to visit. It has the look and feel of a spooky 1960's Walt Disney film.

My room even looked out on a little patio with a turret setting. 

I started the day with a health breakfast of smoked salmon & scrambled eggs.

Then off to the conference, which went quite well and which will hopefully lead to some new contacts and opportunities.  

Driving away from Rothley Court Manor it looked less scary but if anything bad happens there my money is on the janitor being responsible, probably wearing a mask (think Scooby Doo).

Home and Thomas is in the paper again.

Might go out for dinner as we have all been busy lately and its nice to sit together and catch up, without having any washing up.

Day 844 (18/04/2012)

Don't worry I'm not getting withdraw symptoms from not seeing Richard Herring for over 24hrs but looking forward to seeing his new show in Edinburgh.

Trying to do lots of work before driving over o Leicester for a conference where I am talking. Hoping it goes well but it has been a tight fit to get my subject into the heading of the conference.

Day 843 (17/04/2012)

Went to see Richard Herring in Taunton, great show again, which funny enough is what he wrote on my programme.

Even my wife seemed to enjoy it but this is one of his least offencive shows.

We picked up my wife's new car today, which is very nice, it even has a head up display like in a fighter jet, showing the speed.

The only problem was we noticed when we got home a chip in the windscreen, so we will have to have a new windscreen fitted which won't cost us anything but is slightly annoying.

So much work.

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.