Well I've not been able to get to a computer for a while so I'm taking this moment and blogging it!
Things have been pretty busy lately. Two weeks ago I repaired the shed roof, a huge task that was forced by the collapse of the last one. Last weekend my back popped again, which means I've not been able to clear up the detritus left in the garden from the roof fiasco.
Katie was put forward as Head Girl, though she did not make it. On top of this while one of her two work placements is eulogising her to her Head Teacher, the other is making an ill advised character assassination attempt! The school is not bying it.
Richard has been in touch and it looks like he and my family and I are going to see Iron Maiden when they come to Manchester as part of their current tour. I must admit that I never thought, as a teenager in the front row of the Number of the Beast tour way back when, that at the age of fourty I would be taking my teenage children to see the same band.
I've also been able to play a bit of Unreal recently too. Was nice to blast a few people, and I discovered a few new maps too. I'm going to have to download and learn them when I can find the time. If anybody is interested, or thinks they came up against me recently, you can check my stats here; My Stats.
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Buzzard
This is picture was not taken by me. But I'm linking to it in the hope my Mother may recognise it as the bird sat outside her back garden!
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Metformin
I may have spelt the title incorrectly. Ho Hum. Well Lorii went to the doctors again today. Mostly for a check up on her diabetes rather than the still ongoing PID. She now has to take metformin regularly rather than on those occasions when her sugar levels go too high. As this drug gives Lorii bad stomach pains she is none too thrilled. However, it may help her control her weight, which has crept up a bit just recently. She is also in the near future going to get free membership of a gym, to help her control her sugar levels too. So it is not all bad news.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Skype
I just talked to my parents in Somerset for free! Oh, the power of the internet. Phone companies beware. The end is nigh!
On other matters; The kids did indeed have lots of fun in the snow. Jake made a very unusual snowman, it has straws for hair and knife and fork arms. I'll post a picture when I can.
Kate is in her second week of work experience. She spent the first in a funeral home. She found the whole thing fascinating, and true to form was not fazed in the least by the recently departed. This week she has been placed in the Marketing department of my own employers. She seems to have been let loose in Photoshop and is having a wonderful time producing all sorts of art.
On other matters; The kids did indeed have lots of fun in the snow. Jake made a very unusual snowman, it has straws for hair and knife and fork arms. I'll post a picture when I can.
Kate is in her second week of work experience. She spent the first in a funeral home. She found the whole thing fascinating, and true to form was not fazed in the least by the recently departed. This week she has been placed in the Marketing department of my own employers. She seems to have been let loose in Photoshop and is having a wonderful time producing all sorts of art.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Snow
Sorry it has been so long with an update but life insists on continuing in its present interesting vein. It’s funny that when your life is full, or at least busy, you rarely have time to document it. Yet if you have done nothing, you have nothing to write about.
Lorii’s condition persists. The antibiotics are fighting a holding action at best. She went to a clinic during the week to have the coil, which is being blamed for the PID, removed. That was a very strange visit. The place seemed to be staffed exclusively by members of the Women’s Institute. Or, at least, a lot of women of a certain age, all wearing unsuitable trousers. On taking Lorii’s medical history (A very sad sob story) she was offered counselling, which she did not want. Only to be asked immediately after what method of birth control would she be using once the coil was removed? Umm, we will be using the enforced effects of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, you insensitive idiot. Can we have some counselling for the distress that comment caused please?
The days after the coil’s removal have been very uncomfortable for Lorii. The latest course of antibiotics are making her very nauseous and suppressing her appetite. The knock on of that is that Lorii is very tired and feeling pretty low. Still, I am sure that this infection will be sorted eventually; it may just be that Lorii’s diabetes is hindering things, and that with plenty of rest she will recover.
On a lighter note we have replaced the hideous carpet in the front room. Lorii’s parents bought a new one for their place and donated their old one. It was a struggle to fit as most of the furniture is too large to remove without dismantling the doorframe. But with Katie’s help I got the old one out, and the new one in.
As I type this there is a blizzard raging outside! Well okay it’s snowing a bit. There should be a picture to accompany this entry. It is certainly the most snowfall we have experienced since we have moved to Blackpool, and quite unusual if the locals are to be believed. When the kids wake up they will be delighted. Snowball fights are on the cards!
Lorii’s condition persists. The antibiotics are fighting a holding action at best. She went to a clinic during the week to have the coil, which is being blamed for the PID, removed. That was a very strange visit. The place seemed to be staffed exclusively by members of the Women’s Institute. Or, at least, a lot of women of a certain age, all wearing unsuitable trousers. On taking Lorii’s medical history (A very sad sob story) she was offered counselling, which she did not want. Only to be asked immediately after what method of birth control would she be using once the coil was removed? Umm, we will be using the enforced effects of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, you insensitive idiot. Can we have some counselling for the distress that comment caused please?
The days after the coil’s removal have been very uncomfortable for Lorii. The latest course of antibiotics are making her very nauseous and suppressing her appetite. The knock on of that is that Lorii is very tired and feeling pretty low. Still, I am sure that this infection will be sorted eventually; it may just be that Lorii’s diabetes is hindering things, and that with plenty of rest she will recover.
On a lighter note we have replaced the hideous carpet in the front room. Lorii’s parents bought a new one for their place and donated their old one. It was a struggle to fit as most of the furniture is too large to remove without dismantling the doorframe. But with Katie’s help I got the old one out, and the new one in.
As I type this there is a blizzard raging outside! Well okay it’s snowing a bit. There should be a picture to accompany this entry. It is certainly the most snowfall we have experienced since we have moved to Blackpool, and quite unusual if the locals are to be believed. When the kids wake up they will be delighted. Snowball fights are on the cards!
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Heart Attack!
Well this week has proved to be an eventful one too. Lorii found using the bathroom, on Monday morning, so painful she thought she would faint. I quickly decided I would take a couple of days off work, to nurse her, until the antibiotics had started to improve the situation.
Indeed by Tuesday evening Lorii was feeling much better and decided that she would try and catch up on her E-bay selling. I set up a mini photography studio in the dining room, to take the pictures, and Lorii got busy uploading the descriptions. The Evening flew by and before we knew it, it was one o'clock in the morning and we were both pretty pooped. However, when we went to bed Lorii started to suffer from severe chest pain. Not totally sure it was her heart she asked me to call NHS Direct. They wanted to send an ambulance. Being a mother who put her kids first she was not prepared to let them call an ambulance as it may scare them unnecessarily. So waiving their responsibility if she were to drop dead on the spot, Lorii promised to go directly to hospital under her own means; i.e. me.
I woke Katie and explained where we were going and why. Told her what to do in an emergency and got her to repeat it back to me. With strict instructions not to wake Jake unless she had too. (It was his reaction to his mum racing off to hospital that Lorii was most concerned about.) All sorted we got in the car and made the brief journey to Victoria Hospital. We parked the car, and with Lorii leaning on me heavily for support, made our way into Casualty.
We got the trainee receptionist. It really was a farce. With Lorii nearly unable to stand we were made to wait while a numpty was guided through the steps on the computer by an expert. Neither Lorii or I new whether to laugh or cry as this woman hit the wrong buttons on her computer and filled in the wrong info on the forms. Finally though we were sent through to Triage.
The Triage Nurse was very blasé. He informed us that the NHS Direct receptionist had sent through seventeen people that night, and that it was always busy when she was on duty. He then told us to go through to the waiting room and that they would call us through to do an ECG to make sure it was not a heart attack.
Our wait was very brief, and to the sound of low mutters from the other occupants of the waiting room, we were called through by a nurse. Lorii was then wired up to the ECG machine, and had her blood pressure taken too. That done we were left to wait until the doctor arrived. Lorii was very impressed with him. He gave Lorii a thorough looking over, answered loads of questions in a way she understood, and then sent her off to have her chest x-rayed, and have some blood samples taken.
The nurse who took Lorii's blood was a bit brutal, according to Lorii's expert analysis. But the x-ray really caused her to squirm! First they wheeled her bed down the corridor as she weakly protested that, "I can walk you know!" Next as she waited to enter the x-ray room a nurse quietly informed her she would have to remove her bra. You should have seen his eyebrows shoot up, and Lorii's face go red, as Lorii asked him about her piercings!
X-rays taken we were returned to Lorii's room to await the doctor with the results. When he did return it was with a small cup of indigestion medicine and the news that both Lorii's heart and lungs were fine. However he was still waiting for the blood results to come in, and he would be back with those as soon as he could.
Shortly after this Lorii was moved onto the Observation Ward. This was a bit of a giggle too as the night light for Lorii's bed did not work. Every time a nurse came to check on Lorii they had turn the wards main lights on, thus waking everybody, just to see her!
Lorii and I were both pretty tired by this point. It had been a busy day and was now around five o'clock in the morning. Lorii's chest was hurting just as bad and kept her awake, but I nodded in the chair next to her bed.
Finally the doctor returned with the blood results. They showed that she had a massive infection, but then we knew that. He concluded that Lorii's pain was most likely down to the antibiotics her GP had prescribed. He gave her some stronger antibiotics that had less side effects, as well as some super strength pain killers, and strict instructions to return if things did not improve.
Then, finally, we were discharged. It was eight o'clock in the morning and neither of us had any real sleep. As I had just taken two days holiday, once I had returned Lorii home, I then had to go into work. (Or else lose two days pay) I don't think I was much use to them. But hey! It's their silly rule.
On getting home Lorii's pain was finally fading. Katie had no recollection of the night. On getting up and seeing our bed empty she had assumed that I had gone to work, and that Lorii was downstairs watching telly. She had proceeded to plug herself into the computer, which was where Lorii found her when she got in.
Jake never knew a thing.
Indeed by Tuesday evening Lorii was feeling much better and decided that she would try and catch up on her E-bay selling. I set up a mini photography studio in the dining room, to take the pictures, and Lorii got busy uploading the descriptions. The Evening flew by and before we knew it, it was one o'clock in the morning and we were both pretty pooped. However, when we went to bed Lorii started to suffer from severe chest pain. Not totally sure it was her heart she asked me to call NHS Direct. They wanted to send an ambulance. Being a mother who put her kids first she was not prepared to let them call an ambulance as it may scare them unnecessarily. So waiving their responsibility if she were to drop dead on the spot, Lorii promised to go directly to hospital under her own means; i.e. me.
I woke Katie and explained where we were going and why. Told her what to do in an emergency and got her to repeat it back to me. With strict instructions not to wake Jake unless she had too. (It was his reaction to his mum racing off to hospital that Lorii was most concerned about.) All sorted we got in the car and made the brief journey to Victoria Hospital. We parked the car, and with Lorii leaning on me heavily for support, made our way into Casualty.
We got the trainee receptionist. It really was a farce. With Lorii nearly unable to stand we were made to wait while a numpty was guided through the steps on the computer by an expert. Neither Lorii or I new whether to laugh or cry as this woman hit the wrong buttons on her computer and filled in the wrong info on the forms. Finally though we were sent through to Triage.
The Triage Nurse was very blasé. He informed us that the NHS Direct receptionist had sent through seventeen people that night, and that it was always busy when she was on duty. He then told us to go through to the waiting room and that they would call us through to do an ECG to make sure it was not a heart attack.
Our wait was very brief, and to the sound of low mutters from the other occupants of the waiting room, we were called through by a nurse. Lorii was then wired up to the ECG machine, and had her blood pressure taken too. That done we were left to wait until the doctor arrived. Lorii was very impressed with him. He gave Lorii a thorough looking over, answered loads of questions in a way she understood, and then sent her off to have her chest x-rayed, and have some blood samples taken.
The nurse who took Lorii's blood was a bit brutal, according to Lorii's expert analysis. But the x-ray really caused her to squirm! First they wheeled her bed down the corridor as she weakly protested that, "I can walk you know!" Next as she waited to enter the x-ray room a nurse quietly informed her she would have to remove her bra. You should have seen his eyebrows shoot up, and Lorii's face go red, as Lorii asked him about her piercings!
X-rays taken we were returned to Lorii's room to await the doctor with the results. When he did return it was with a small cup of indigestion medicine and the news that both Lorii's heart and lungs were fine. However he was still waiting for the blood results to come in, and he would be back with those as soon as he could.
Shortly after this Lorii was moved onto the Observation Ward. This was a bit of a giggle too as the night light for Lorii's bed did not work. Every time a nurse came to check on Lorii they had turn the wards main lights on, thus waking everybody, just to see her!
Lorii and I were both pretty tired by this point. It had been a busy day and was now around five o'clock in the morning. Lorii's chest was hurting just as bad and kept her awake, but I nodded in the chair next to her bed.
Finally the doctor returned with the blood results. They showed that she had a massive infection, but then we knew that. He concluded that Lorii's pain was most likely down to the antibiotics her GP had prescribed. He gave her some stronger antibiotics that had less side effects, as well as some super strength pain killers, and strict instructions to return if things did not improve.
Then, finally, we were discharged. It was eight o'clock in the morning and neither of us had any real sleep. As I had just taken two days holiday, once I had returned Lorii home, I then had to go into work. (Or else lose two days pay) I don't think I was much use to them. But hey! It's their silly rule.
On getting home Lorii's pain was finally fading. Katie had no recollection of the night. On getting up and seeing our bed empty she had assumed that I had gone to work, and that Lorii was downstairs watching telly. She had proceeded to plug herself into the computer, which was where Lorii found her when she got in.
Jake never knew a thing.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Health
Well life keeps twisting and turning. Been through a bit of a scary time. Lorii is not a well bunny, proper poorly in fact.
She went to the doctors a week ago, with what she thought was a case of cystitis that would not clear up. The nurse she saw was obviously alarmed after examining her, and Lorii was kept in for the best part of an hour as the nurse alternated between treating Lorii and consulting with a doctor. Swabs were taken and questions were asked about when her last smear was. Finally she was dispatched with a prescription for some super strong antibiotics and a triple length appointment to see her doctor on the Friday. No diagnosis was offered.
So Lorii gets home and is straight on to the web. Her symptoms fit two diagnosis; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease or Cervical Cancer. Both are heavy shit. PID leaves you sterile. Cancer kills you. So we have spent the week with our hearts on our mouths wondering what the future has in store for us. Not fun.
Friday arrives and I sit in the waiting room praying that Lorii is going to come back out with a smile and a story about allergic reactions. Well I got the smile, coz she has not got cancer. PID was diagnosed though, so it looks like we'll have no more sprogs. Bit of a shitter that as we had been planing one. I'm not too sure how I feel about all this at the moment though as I'm just so glad Lorii does not have cancer. Right now she is taking so many pills I swear she should rattle. We left the chemist with so many drugs they supplied a large carrier bag. The plan now is we wait two weeks and then it is back to the doctors.
On a happier note we had the delight that is Katie's Parents Evening at school. All the teachers eulogised her wonderfully and Katie's ego is now measured in planetary terms. (I think it is somewhere between Saturn and Jupiter in size at the moment.) For some bizarre reason Katie's French teacher thinks she should go on to work in an embassy or consulate some where. Just sounds like a quick way to start a war to me. She may be good at languages but tact was never her strong point.
Jacob has turned twelve. Next stop and he is officially a teenager! Just recently he has been practising his teenager. His sulks are masterful, though the eye rolls and stamping both need work. Either way I feel he is well suited for the role and will do it well.
She went to the doctors a week ago, with what she thought was a case of cystitis that would not clear up. The nurse she saw was obviously alarmed after examining her, and Lorii was kept in for the best part of an hour as the nurse alternated between treating Lorii and consulting with a doctor. Swabs were taken and questions were asked about when her last smear was. Finally she was dispatched with a prescription for some super strong antibiotics and a triple length appointment to see her doctor on the Friday. No diagnosis was offered.
So Lorii gets home and is straight on to the web. Her symptoms fit two diagnosis; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease or Cervical Cancer. Both are heavy shit. PID leaves you sterile. Cancer kills you. So we have spent the week with our hearts on our mouths wondering what the future has in store for us. Not fun.
Friday arrives and I sit in the waiting room praying that Lorii is going to come back out with a smile and a story about allergic reactions. Well I got the smile, coz she has not got cancer. PID was diagnosed though, so it looks like we'll have no more sprogs. Bit of a shitter that as we had been planing one. I'm not too sure how I feel about all this at the moment though as I'm just so glad Lorii does not have cancer. Right now she is taking so many pills I swear she should rattle. We left the chemist with so many drugs they supplied a large carrier bag. The plan now is we wait two weeks and then it is back to the doctors.
On a happier note we had the delight that is Katie's Parents Evening at school. All the teachers eulogised her wonderfully and Katie's ego is now measured in planetary terms. (I think it is somewhere between Saturn and Jupiter in size at the moment.) For some bizarre reason Katie's French teacher thinks she should go on to work in an embassy or consulate some where. Just sounds like a quick way to start a war to me. She may be good at languages but tact was never her strong point.
Jacob has turned twelve. Next stop and he is officially a teenager! Just recently he has been practising his teenager. His sulks are masterful, though the eye rolls and stamping both need work. Either way I feel he is well suited for the role and will do it well.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Hawks & Eagles
Wow, I had an awesome day yesterday. After posting a query on a falconry forum a while back, I received an invitation to bring Katie to spend a day, to find out what it was like to be a falconer for real. The idea being that after cleaning out an owls aviary of three weeks worth of guano, of helping with the dead rats and chicks the hawks eat and then going hunting so that Katie was in at the kill, she would be put off from such a demanding sport/lifestyle.
However the day did not work out as planned. The falconer, a very friendly gentleman by the name of Richard Cooper, started by giving us a brief tour of some of his birds. I've been to zoo's with less! He has eagles, falcons, hawks, vultures and even a parrot. He does not stop at birds either. As well as the ferrets and polecats he uses when hawking he has spiders, scorpions, hedgehogs and even sugar gliders. (That's flying squirrels to you and me.)
So after the tour Katie was presented with an owl enclosure that had not been cleaned for three weeks, a bucket and a pressure washer. A girl used to emptying the litter tray for the cat, as well as cleaning out our rats, Katie made light work of this.
Next we moved on to the larder and a collection of dead rats, chicks and birds. None of which fazed Katie, even when Richard pulled off the chicks legs and cut off their toes.
The hawks were boxed and put in the van. Then Richard dealt the line that made up Katie's mind even if he did not know it, "If you are going to hunt hawks you are going to need these too." So saying he extracted two ferrets from their hutch to squeals of delight from Katie. Hawks and cute furry animals? Oh pleeeze!
We then piled into his van and made a short trip to a local farmers field to hunt bunnies. Unfortunately we did not catch any, though that was not from a lack of trying. Katie was given the job of ferret wrangler, and said creatures certainly did their part. A number of rabbits were flushed but they were all very lucky bunnies. One managed to dodge a hawk as it stooped on it head on, and another managed to run nearly the length of the field, with both hawks in hot pursuit, to dive down a hole at the last second. Our lack of success did not detract too much from the hunt though. The anticipation of not knowing what was going to surface, a sprinting rabbit or the snowy face of a ferret was quite exciting, and when a rabbit thumped and ran for it the hawks were incredible. The scenery was stunning too; the field being close to the Pennines with their snow capped fells. We also saw two wild peregrine falcons dispute the patch of sky over our heads.
Once it was clear the rabbits were not joining in our game we headed back to base. Katie was given the job of holding a Harris Hawk while it devoured half a rat. I think Richard gave her this job in lieu of seeing bunnies die in the wild. Katie just stood there grinning as the hawk dismembered the rat on her hand.
As a finale to the day Richard took his newest bird, a enormous golden eagle called Morpheus for a fly in the field in front of his home. The bird is young and provided some comedy moments with some clumsy landings. But once on the wing this bird was spectacular.
So are we going to let Katie keep a Harris hawk? That I still do not know; But she is going to call hers Binky and I'm going to call mine Canth!
However the day did not work out as planned. The falconer, a very friendly gentleman by the name of Richard Cooper, started by giving us a brief tour of some of his birds. I've been to zoo's with less! He has eagles, falcons, hawks, vultures and even a parrot. He does not stop at birds either. As well as the ferrets and polecats he uses when hawking he has spiders, scorpions, hedgehogs and even sugar gliders. (That's flying squirrels to you and me.)
So after the tour Katie was presented with an owl enclosure that had not been cleaned for three weeks, a bucket and a pressure washer. A girl used to emptying the litter tray for the cat, as well as cleaning out our rats, Katie made light work of this.
Next we moved on to the larder and a collection of dead rats, chicks and birds. None of which fazed Katie, even when Richard pulled off the chicks legs and cut off their toes.
The hawks were boxed and put in the van. Then Richard dealt the line that made up Katie's mind even if he did not know it, "If you are going to hunt hawks you are going to need these too." So saying he extracted two ferrets from their hutch to squeals of delight from Katie. Hawks and cute furry animals? Oh pleeeze!
We then piled into his van and made a short trip to a local farmers field to hunt bunnies. Unfortunately we did not catch any, though that was not from a lack of trying. Katie was given the job of ferret wrangler, and said creatures certainly did their part. A number of rabbits were flushed but they were all very lucky bunnies. One managed to dodge a hawk as it stooped on it head on, and another managed to run nearly the length of the field, with both hawks in hot pursuit, to dive down a hole at the last second. Our lack of success did not detract too much from the hunt though. The anticipation of not knowing what was going to surface, a sprinting rabbit or the snowy face of a ferret was quite exciting, and when a rabbit thumped and ran for it the hawks were incredible. The scenery was stunning too; the field being close to the Pennines with their snow capped fells. We also saw two wild peregrine falcons dispute the patch of sky over our heads.
Once it was clear the rabbits were not joining in our game we headed back to base. Katie was given the job of holding a Harris Hawk while it devoured half a rat. I think Richard gave her this job in lieu of seeing bunnies die in the wild. Katie just stood there grinning as the hawk dismembered the rat on her hand.
As a finale to the day Richard took his newest bird, a enormous golden eagle called Morpheus for a fly in the field in front of his home. The bird is young and provided some comedy moments with some clumsy landings. But once on the wing this bird was spectacular.
So are we going to let Katie keep a Harris hawk? That I still do not know; But she is going to call hers Binky and I'm going to call mine Canth!
Friday, January 27, 2006
Bean Slicer
Woohoo! I've got a bean slicer... Okay I know this makes me look sad, but I've been after one of these bad boys for years. That said... Mum, I still want yours when you die!
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Look an eagle!
Well after our recent trip to Cumbria Katie has reaffirmed her burning desire to own and fly a bird of prey. This is down in most part to Karen and her Harris Hawk, Bob. For not only did Bob give a superb display. But Karen sold Katie on the idea, that it is indeed practical to keep a hawk, in the back garden of a mid terrace in Blackpool!
So I have learnt a lot about hawks and hawking over the past week. I even joined a forum where I got a lot of very good advice; Link to Forum
The upshot of all this is a very generous gentleman has invited Katie and I to spend a day helping him with his birds, in Cumbria. He runs his own falconry and has lots of birds, including Golden Eagles, Eagle Owls, Peregrine Falcons, Buzzards and Harris Hawks to name just a few. The idea is Kate helps butcher their food, clean their mess and in the afternoon go hunting. That way Katie finds out just how much work is involved and what it is like when a cute furry bunny meets death from above.
Off topic we have had a small piece of luck. Lorii has diligently been selling all the detritus around the house that we have no room for on ebay. Just recently she got around to posting a large collection of Subbuteo. It turns out one of the teams is very rare indeed, and it has cause quite a stir amongst the officiano. Bidding has been unbelievable, and while most teams sell for around £5 or £10 this team has already reached £86 and the auction is not over!
So I have learnt a lot about hawks and hawking over the past week. I even joined a forum where I got a lot of very good advice; Link to Forum
The upshot of all this is a very generous gentleman has invited Katie and I to spend a day helping him with his birds, in Cumbria. He runs his own falconry and has lots of birds, including Golden Eagles, Eagle Owls, Peregrine Falcons, Buzzards and Harris Hawks to name just a few. The idea is Kate helps butcher their food, clean their mess and in the afternoon go hunting. That way Katie finds out just how much work is involved and what it is like when a cute furry bunny meets death from above.
Off topic we have had a small piece of luck. Lorii has diligently been selling all the detritus around the house that we have no room for on ebay. Just recently she got around to posting a large collection of Subbuteo. It turns out one of the teams is very rare indeed, and it has cause quite a stir amongst the officiano. Bidding has been unbelievable, and while most teams sell for around £5 or £10 this team has already reached £86 and the auction is not over!
Monday, January 16, 2006
Shattered
I've got this cough. Just as I'm about to drop off to sleep I start hacking. :( It's 6.30 in the morning and I've not slept all night. I have to leave to work in 45 minutes and I'm feeling pretty glum. I cannot call in sick as employment laws dictate that if I don't return after paid holiday my employer does not have to pay my for the said break. And, unfortunately, my employers are tight enough to enforce the rule. Ho Hum
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Red Squirrel
Well I'm back from a fun week at Center Parc in Whinfell Forrest, Cumbria. Though it would have been better if Lorii and I were not both suffering with heavy colds.
We had lots of fun Badger watching (The real things not our dog.) squirrel spotting and flying hawks. Katie has really been bitten by the hawking bug, and is now determind to become a falconer.
I have turned forty. Thank you to all who sent me cards and presents. I am now patiently waiting for my life to begin.
We had lots of fun Badger watching (The real things not our dog.) squirrel spotting and flying hawks. Katie has really been bitten by the hawking bug, and is now determind to become a falconer.
I have turned forty. Thank you to all who sent me cards and presents. I am now patiently waiting for my life to begin.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Tomorrow never comes....
Well tomorrow is my fortieth birthday. I've been around that long? Bloody hell! Not sure how I feel about it. I didn't like turning thirty, but I've been experiencing nothing like the dread I went through in the run up to that. Perhaps that's because my life seems so sorted at the moment; Loving partner and family, stable job ect. I expect to be very busy from tomorrow so I'm not sure when I'll next post. I'll let you know how the big day went then....
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Mirror Ball
On the way home from work I noticed the Rollercoaster was all lit up, pretty unusual for this time of year. So with Jake keen to try out his new camera I took him straight back as soon as I got home. We both took pictures of the 'coaster. But this picture of the giant mirror ball has come out much better than I had expected.
Monday, January 02, 2006
This year and last...
Well here we are at the start of a new year. It seems to me that I should either start making a few more entries or quit all together. So while this is not a New Years Resolution lets see if I can improve….
So to bring things up to date;
My parents came up to visit just before Christmas. We really enjoyed their company and I hope they can do it again some time. It’s a big trip though and, what with fuel prices, it is never going to be something done very frequently. Unfortunately with Badger having a total rest order from the Vet, he had to go and stay with Lorii’s parents while my parents’ dogs were around. Shadow and Breeze had a great time on the beach, though I fell climbing the sea wall and hurt my back.
My back has been very slow to heal. The immediate bruising and stiffness cleared up as expected, but I live in fear of sneezing. Every time I sneeze it is as if someone is sticking a knife in my spine. The Doc thinks I may have bruised my Thoracic Ligaments, but said if the pain does not go in two weeks to return. Well it has been more than two weeks so I’ll be making another appointment soon.
Just before Christmas both Lorii and the kids were struck down with very heavy colds. While the kids losing the last week off school is no major drama, Lorii too ill to organise Christmas was. In the end it all got sorted, though we missed the deadline for the last post on the card front. The children, as always, got some great gifts. Jacob got a remote control Dalek, and a battery charger to ensure the intergalactic invasion does not get put on hold. He also received a digital camera, so I can see him posting lots of pictures on Flickr too. Katie got lots of cool clothes, including a Harry Potter scarf that she lives in, as well as some oriental style pyjamas that she is happy to spend all day in. Lorii was given some Channel 19 and I got OSX 10.4 for the Mac.
The New Year was seen in at the Paparazzi restaurant on Gynn Square. The food was stunning and Karaoke was laid on for afters. I embarrassed myself with a rendition of Queens ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ and unfortunately there is video evidence. Lorii’s sister Mel, who was back from Australia for Christmas, led us all in a chorus of ‘Sweet Caroline’ and the video of this too is tainted with proof that I cannot hold a note in a bucket.
As I write this Lorii is accompanying Mel to the airport to return to Oz. At some point the family has got to get back into the nine to five swing again. But with my fortieth birthday and a trip to Center Parcs looming on the horizon I’m not sure when or how…
Have a happy new year everyone.
So to bring things up to date;
My parents came up to visit just before Christmas. We really enjoyed their company and I hope they can do it again some time. It’s a big trip though and, what with fuel prices, it is never going to be something done very frequently. Unfortunately with Badger having a total rest order from the Vet, he had to go and stay with Lorii’s parents while my parents’ dogs were around. Shadow and Breeze had a great time on the beach, though I fell climbing the sea wall and hurt my back.
My back has been very slow to heal. The immediate bruising and stiffness cleared up as expected, but I live in fear of sneezing. Every time I sneeze it is as if someone is sticking a knife in my spine. The Doc thinks I may have bruised my Thoracic Ligaments, but said if the pain does not go in two weeks to return. Well it has been more than two weeks so I’ll be making another appointment soon.
Just before Christmas both Lorii and the kids were struck down with very heavy colds. While the kids losing the last week off school is no major drama, Lorii too ill to organise Christmas was. In the end it all got sorted, though we missed the deadline for the last post on the card front. The children, as always, got some great gifts. Jacob got a remote control Dalek, and a battery charger to ensure the intergalactic invasion does not get put on hold. He also received a digital camera, so I can see him posting lots of pictures on Flickr too. Katie got lots of cool clothes, including a Harry Potter scarf that she lives in, as well as some oriental style pyjamas that she is happy to spend all day in. Lorii was given some Channel 19 and I got OSX 10.4 for the Mac.
The New Year was seen in at the Paparazzi restaurant on Gynn Square. The food was stunning and Karaoke was laid on for afters. I embarrassed myself with a rendition of Queens ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’ and unfortunately there is video evidence. Lorii’s sister Mel, who was back from Australia for Christmas, led us all in a chorus of ‘Sweet Caroline’ and the video of this too is tainted with proof that I cannot hold a note in a bucket.
As I write this Lorii is accompanying Mel to the airport to return to Oz. At some point the family has got to get back into the nine to five swing again. But with my fortieth birthday and a trip to Center Parcs looming on the horizon I’m not sure when or how…
Have a happy new year everyone.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Happy Christmas
Well I have had Unreal for a year now; and have spent over 186 hous online playing. No wonder I've not gotten anything done! Well I'm going to keep playing and wishing for Unreal 2007!
Happy Christmas every one. :)
Happy Christmas every one. :)
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Awards
Well what with the holiday and all I forgot to post this pic of Katie. She picked up four awards in the end, and we are all very proud of her achievements.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Holiday
Well the family has just got back from a great midweek break in Center Parcs Whinfell Forest in Cumbria. The whole package was fantastic and we all had a brilliant time. The weather was very cold and frosty which made the trees look stunning. The pool complex was huge, warm and the children were addicted from the start. So much so we had trouble convincing them to try out the other facilities. In the end we tried falconry, fencing, archery and willow weaving. Lorii was very proud of her conical plant trellis. The Lodge was huge and well appointed; we certainly enjoyed having a dishwasher again. The food at the restaurants in the Village Centre was good and very filling. One of the main highlights for me was that cars were banned from the forest from Tuesday to Thursday; so I was free to drink. Bliss! In fact we had such a great time we are planning our return in January! Where I get to celebrate turning forty!
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Magic Moments PhotoBlog
Magic Moments PhotoBlog Well seems my picture of a train in snow has been blogged by someone else. I have no idea if this blog is viewed a lot and if my view count is going to soar. Only time will tell...
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