Training in London…x2

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting London twice this week already and had quite a tour of the place actually. On Monday I was at Electric Word which is near the Barbican and when that finished I crossed the Thames and saw a potential new customer, Encyclopaedia Britannica, which was right by Tower Bridge. I finished there at about 5.00pm so I took the opportunity to go by the Thames and get some decent photos.

The offices overlooking the Thames and Tower Bridge are stunning, would be great to work in those, although I’d be day dreaming out the windows all the time…

I was there today as well but this time only to Collins who are based in Hammersmith so none of the scenery but the chance to be part of the hustle and bustle which coming home wasn’t so great because I had to stand for much of the way because of over-crowding. You pay £25.00 for a ticket and stand…not impressed!

London is a cool place much of the time.

		General London VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Lewis and University Offers…

There is general excitement in the house at the minute...Lewis is getting his replies from the Universities that he's applied to. It's been a bit nerve-wracking because Katherine, has received three refusals and she's done better in her exams than he did.

However, he's had two replies and both have provided him with conditional offers, Loughborough (Which he really wants) and Plymouth. Really pleased for him, they are stretching requirements that's for certain but this must have given him the push he now needs to really knuckle down and push on to get the grades he needs. He will only have himself to blame if he fails to get these right now.

I need to help him more with his PE work and will get stuff sorted with him more regularly from now on.

Wow, could be losing my little boy this time next year!!!

How scary is that?

Jack back from Germany, Father Xmas, Night out and lazy Sunday…

Jack had a great time in Germany. Spent a fortune but made friends and came home with plenty of stories. The only problem was picking him up! Got the phone call that they were going to be back at the school at 3.30am. I went and got him but was knackered the rest of the day!

Lazy weekend though in the end. We went to Blenheim Palace in the afternoon so that Jack could see Father Christmas and wandered around the place. Pouring with rain so we didn't venture into the gardens but had a lovely coffee instead!

Tash and I then went out in the evening with Vicki and Geoff and also Loretta and James from the Red Lion. Went to a Oriental restaurant in Hythe Bridge Street called SoJo and it was fantastic. Great food. We had a good laugh, had a lot to drink and ended up at Geoff and Vicki's where we stayed until at 2.30am. Can't remember getting home to be honest as we were playing spoof for some very strong alcohol, I lost one of the games as well

The next day Tash went out with Zoe to London and stayed over the night at some nice spa hotel where they were pampered. I instead was too heavy-headed to move and sat watching TV all day...not a very productive day to be fair...but it was nice to do absolutely nothing. There was no football because everywhere in Oxford it's flooded.

Tash came back on Monday and had a good time, although noticed that we'd done nothing all day...ah well!

		Blenheim Palace VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Just don’t mention the war…

Was up very early again this morning. Couldn’t sleep because of the worry about two items at work so was awake at around 2.20am which wasn’t ideal because I knew that I’d set my alarm for 4.45am anyway!

Why was I up so early? Simply, Jack is doing German at school and his class went off to the German fair and were meeting at school at 5.10am.We was up and about at the right time and I took him down there, a few familiar faces, Mark & Danny, but he’s big mates with Stefan at the minute and was on his coach so he was with him and didn’t even wave goodbye to me…charming!

Tim Selwood retired this year but he was asked to go along with them as well so that means that he’s been involved with all my kids and also me! Some achievement!

Anyway, the house is a lot quieter without Jack around already.

Had a good day of work in the end, shattered though so early night for me.

Christmas Lights in London

Travelled up to London today and had a great day out. Sue and Brendan came up on the coach and we met them in Primark at Marble Arch. Got to London around 11.30am and got the usual parking place on Bayswater Road, Lewis and Katherine went off on their own and we started shopping. Primark was packed and then Jack insisted that we went to Harrods. I wasn’t so keen because of getting a parking space and losing the one we had but he got what he wanted!

Wandered around for a bit in there and it’s such a fantastic place, it’s hard not to be over-awed by it, if only we had some money to spend! Had a coffee and something to eat outside and made our way back to Marble Arch and in fact got a parking place even closer this time!!

Walked up Oxford Street and by this time the lights were up and looking very impressive. Went to a couple of shops but didn’t find anything and then met up with everyone again in St Christopher Place just off Oxford Street and went to the Pizza Express we’d booked. Had a decent meal in there and then went back to the car and made our way home.

Got home in an hour! All in all a lovely day and had a really good time.

 

		Christmas Lights & Shopping in London Nov 2012 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Brighton Graffiti

Went down to see a customer in Brighton today and I do love the place! I park in a bit of a run down area and walk through the narrow streets where there is an array of fantastic shops and also graffiti on the sides of so many houses. I’d love to spend more time down there exploring the place and will have to organise it one day. Below are some of the examples and there is loads more all over the place..

Brighton Graffiti VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Bloody Long weekend

I need a rest! Friday I went out with work into Oxford as Jason had organised a tour of the Inspector Morse frequented pubs. There was about 8 of us, although I got there late because of kids football and picking up Jack from a party he went to where he was go-karting and he’d had a fantastic time, but when I arrived at the pub the lads were all steaming!

We didn’t go too far and just stayed in the Eagle and Child, went down to the Randolph and made a schoolboy error of 8 absinthes for over £90, God knows what Darren was thinking of…we then went to what used to be Poo Na Na and that was a laugh. Sadly it was underground so my phone was out of service and that didn’t go down too well with Tash and it was a late finish…1.30am in the end and I was quite drunk by then. But then they’d been insisting that I have double shot chasers with each pint so no bloody wonder!

Headache all of Saturday, but I was fine. Pottered around all day and Tash went out with her mum to get her Christmas present which is a sewing machine this year…

In the evening we went to Risinghurst for the fireworks and the crowd that we have become now is huge, we all met at Paul and Pauline’s and then went to the park and the fireworks were really impressive once again. The kids had sparklers and all that again which they loved and then it was back to Holdy’s and the boys were on the beer! I drove last night and Tash made full use of the fact and got absolutely steaming drunk!

I was a bit worried about today and what sort of state she’d be in but somehow she’s okay – not fair is it, she should be in bed throwing up the number of cocktails she’s had!!

Had Jack’s football this morning and played against Chalgrove Cavaliers and it wasn’t pretty, yet another week where the lads let themselves down, very disappointing and we lost 4-2.

The day today was lovely, cold but so bright in sunshine and we took the opportunity to go to Shotover and gave mum a shout and she came as well, she was a bit fed up because they should have been in Portsmouth but the car broke down on the way there so they were back home instead. We took Brendan with us and went to the sandpit as usual and it was a lovely afternoon. Showed him building dams which was fun and is always a nice memory for me from my childhood.

So very busy indeed, need an early night needed!

 

		Shotover November 2012 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Business up & running…slowly…

So I’ve started then. How have a I got time to write this?!?!?

I’ve now done a couple of days with Raintree and some work for OUP doing exactly what I want to do! Raintree I was working on their e-mail campaigns and creating lists and also working through problems I could see in their current set up so that these work better and they’re updated to the best version of SPIRIT – all benefits that I thought would be the case if I worked for people in this manner!

I did work my nuts off today and produced so much in the time that I was there, but it was also nice to get a break and something to eat which I never do. I think they’re pleased with what I’m doing as see it as a good investment.

During my time there I had a call from Kate G at OUP and she was asking my situation and whether I’d do some urgent work for Nick Hay…can’t be a coincidence because that’s exactly what I was talking to Peter about on Tuesday when he said he couldn’t cope with all the work that’s being sent his way and I said that’s what I could do to help. I stayed up and did the work and over-delivered to impress and impress I did!!!

Nick and Karl were delighted and I advised my situation to them and Kate and straight away have more work they’d like to be action – delightful result! Especially as they agreed the hourly rate I offered, so everyone’s happy!

I was working until 2.00am though as a result and was up at 6.30am for the training visit to Usborne International but it was worth it because emails today were really positive and as I say, they’ve emailed some more work for me to action tonight.

I already have loads I need to do but not going to turn it down am I?

So, as a beginning that’s not a bad start as it keeps things ticking along and gives me some breathing space when it comes to go live in January. Still nervous but it’s given me a real boost to think my work and time is being appreciated.

Fireworks night

We went up to The Plough tonight to risk our lives for the annual test of fear. We joke about the time some years ago when fireworks crashed into the crowd and this year only one did! We went up there with Wayne. Kerry and the girls and we also took Niamh and Laosia and they all went off dare-devils!

Pottered around and caught up with a few people as well, it was bloody cold though, winter is certainly closing in and I am sure there will be a frost tonight.

There was a ton of fireworks going off behind the Plough which was the same as last year and Paul Harvey mentioned that is might be a chap who’s son died around this time of year so every year he sits in his garden and lets off all these fireworks in memory of him. Sad story but nice all the same.

Came back to out house to warm up and get a hot drink and then planned to do the same this Saturday at the Risinghurst display

007 is back..with a bang..

007 is back with a new film, Skyfall, which we went to see this afternoon at Didcot cinema complex. First time I’ve been to Didcot in a long while and they’re making a real effort to improve the place. I was impressed.

The cinema there is a normal complex and we had some special vouchers so bought into the hype for this new film, and it didn’t disappoint. I’ve not been to the cinema is ages as it’s so bloody expensive and off-putting but this was really enjoyable. Lewis has been already so it was me, Tash, Charlotte and Jack. I wasn’t sure if Charlotte would like it but she did.

Very good film, great nods to older Bond films (it is the celebratory 50th anniversary) and the story was plausible. It probably lacked the huge impact scenes but it worked well.

Next up is the Hobbit, looking forward to seeing that but I understand that they’ve turned it into a Trilogy…how on earth can they justify stretching it out that long?!?! Well, I’ll be paying to go and find out I must admit!