Tyre issues!

My car has been making a terrible noise lately and stopping on the way to Northampton this morning I found that where the type pressure should be 33 for the passenger rear it was actually 7!! Pumped it up but the noise was awful and unbearable to drive.

After the training work I checked it into Kwik Fit and they showed me the problem, the tyre had lost any sort of shape, replacing it should work, they didn’t have a cheap tyre so paid £140 but well worth it. Back to a normal car once again!

Definitely need to keep a check on that sort of thing as it could have been dangerous

Bad Dad

I thought I was doing so well to be picking up Jack from karate today. I got there on time and waited outside the dojo, hadn’t seen him but I was outside the door. Katharine Casey walked past me with Finn at the end and asked why I was there, ‘waiting for Jack’ I replied, ‘but he’s not here’ says she…

I looked in and he’s nowhere to be seen, got on the phone and he answers ‘Where are you Jack?’, “Never mind that Dad, where are you? I’m waiting at Wolvercote Boys club”

The penny drops, he’s TEACHING at karate, not participating!!! Tash is then on the phone to me and she’s got there before me…in the dog house for me!

Up here in Brum..

Working for Peters Books today and decided to come up by train instead of driving and I think I have made the right choice. It’s a longer day but with organisation and once I have found my feet I will be able to leave their offices on time and then catch up with other work for clients. It also means that I can use the travel time more effectively – although updating my diary probably isn’t the most effective use of my time!

Got the 7.36am journey up here, bit of excitement near Birmingham as a fare dodger got caught out and was arguing with the guards, lying git! Really full on day in the office, I hardly spoke to anyone, they’d asked me to get so much done, still not finished when I left. Might do some tonight, haven’t decided yet. I think they like what I have to offer so hopefully my position is secure…for now.

Left around 5.30pm and then wandered through the Bullring to the station and got the 6.33pm train home. Might look at Bicester as it’s cheaper next week. We’ll see.

All in all a decent day, busy couple of days ahead but that’s fine, that’s what I get paid well do to!

The Great Train Robbery

Interesting weekend as it was Gareth’s birthday and we organised (well he did!) a tour of the Train Robbery key areas. We met at the Oxford Services, where Tash dressed up in a boiler suit to look the part and then we went off to Highgate Cemetery in North London. This is where Ronnie Biggs and more recently Bruce Reynolds are buried.

Didn’t really know what to expect but it was some cemetery, incredible sculptures and the like and so atmospheric. Other famous names were there including Karl Marx, Malcolm McLaren, Douglas Adams & even Jeremy Beadle. Some people I’d not even realised were dead!

Highgate is such an affluent suburb of London, really impressed by some of the houses there, very interesting.

Stayed there a while wandering around and then went to Leighton Buzzard to see the bridge where the robbery actually took place, not much there but took some photos and then made our way to Brill. We were planning to have lunch in the pub but it had stopped serving so we let Benson out and then quickly got back inside the car…it was freezing up there and then chucked it down with rain. We visited the farm where they hid out but didn’t venture outside of the cars – we’ll come back and do a walk when it’s nicer weather as it’s so close by

That was it, we then went to Bicester and had dinner before going home and continuing to drink! Charlotte was going out with friends so they were all round our house drinking and getting ready before going clubbing and Tash and I went up and watch the Great Train Robbery BBC series that was on just before Xmas, as predicted, the wines had done her in so she was asleep before the opening credits had completed!

It was a strange thing to say we’ve done but I am glad that we did as it was really enjoyable and interesting.

Another late night

Lovely weekend at the minute – the sun is out, it’s mild and we’ll go for a walk shortly to go and soak it up. I am at the Academy again doing some work in the car whilst Jack plays football.

My Summertown side played Oxford City this morning and got beat 6-3, a little disappointing as we were awful in the first half, I had a real go at this which is unlike me but I was getting so pissed off! Much better in the second half and got back to 4-3 but conceded two really sloppy late goals.

Yesterday was tough, worked in the morning on my accounts, then worked with Tash in the office to tidy that up a bit and after lunch Tash and Jack went to the cinema. I stayed and worked on my accounts again and got there in the end. Still more to do but I am more up to date now. In fact, just finished the receipts entries in the car!

Late night in the end yesterday, we took Bella fro a walk and then sat round Sue’s and drank a lot of wine, I then made some rude updates on Facebook and Twitter and we then watched a film at home, Bridesmaids – it was good enough. But when Tash went to bed I watched the last episode of Dracula and then instead of bed got onto the Xbox and GTA5 – what a mistake that was…finished playing at 3.30am! Not very clever…

Great game though, loving it. I can’t imagine what it must be like online

Very busy week indeed…

So it’s Friday evening, 9.00pm, and I am sat in the Peers Academy car park working and waiting for Jack to finish his football training. We’re down here at the minute because of the awful weather we#re experiencing, everywhere is flooded.

So why so busy then??

Monday – brand new client. Worked at Peters Booksellers in Birmingham as part of a lead in from Teresa Morris. Was nervous and meant I didn’t drink at all the night before for Liam Carroll’s 18th Birthday party. Anyway, made it up there fine and enjoyed the day, they definitely need me up there and I was able to book in three more days over the coming weeks so that was good

Tuesday – this was the first of the My Finance Centre training sessions and was at St Albans. I have been fretting about this for so long and was dreading it but the two sessions went well and hopefully that will continue to be the case for the others that I have ahead of me. 13 in total!

Wednesday – I was working with Raintree and had a part in their Sales Team Conference, it was fine and the usual thing. But in the evening I took Lewis back up to Huddersfield. It worked out perfectly because I needed to be in Warrington on Thursday so I slept in Lewis room, he was on the floor. Nightmare sleep, loads of students coming home pissed up at all times through the night making so much noise! Before then, I picked up a Chinese takeaway from Summertown and then we drove up there and I made a wrong turn for some reason so we got their 30 mins later at 10.45pm. I said he could go off with his mates but they weren’t around.

Thursday – left him to stay in bed. Had a hug, gave him some money and then went to Warrington, 90 mins away, for another MFC training session. Bit cosier this time as they don#t have the facilities there and this time Jim Austin was involved. It was fine but I need to polish up the act a bit ahead of the sessions next week I reckon. No idea what Jim thought of my delivery and style – will have to find out one day!

Friday – finally got to work from home. Busy again though but nice not to have to go all over the place

We have a student this week, a lad called Oliver who is from Germany, really nice lad, 27 and an absolute giant. I didn’t think he’d stay because of the size of the room and bed but he was fine with it and he feels comfortable coming down and chatting with us or reading so he’s fine. He’s had to return to Germany today because his grandmother died, expectedly, so he’s going back for the funeral. A shame but he said it was a bit of a relief for her so they’re all okay with it happening. He’ll be back sometime next week

So that’s my week. Probably missed out loads but there you go. I think we have a full on weekend as well, Tash wants me to complete a load of jobs…no rest and all that!

Grand Theft Auto 5

Jack got this for Xmas on his Xbox – I think I have played it more than him now. I keep staying up late and getting hooked on it. Really enjoy it and have spent hours on it and still only 11% through, amazing!

Anyway, saw a lovely car and posted the following on Facebook – but behind the joke there is some seriousness, I really did have the urge to walk across and pull the driver out..who says video games corrupt you?!?!?

“Been playing Jack's Grand Theft Auto 5 too much - instead of admiring this Lotus in Summertown I wanted to drag the driver out & shoot him, speed off and beat up some whores. I went to Costa Coffee instead...”

Confusing Hygiene Notice

I was at Catch Up today in Norfolk training them and went to the toilets and came across the following notice…not the most obvious thing you’d expect to see pinned to the mirror in what is quite a nice office apartment:

Back to Work with a bump

So it’s been two days back and it’s been hard work. Had such a great time over the Xmas break and could easily not work!!

Yesterday I worked from home and it was okay, loads of data work and today I travelled into London to see Ruth Miskin and train with them. Really good session that we all enjoyed. I was pleased that they were so positive – doesn’t happen too often! It was an early start and I drove into London for once, I won’t be keen to do that again in a hurry I must admit.

Normally I would get the train but I needed to go to St Albans in the afternoon for a meeting so took the plunge. The weather has been awful and true to form it pissed with rain all the way there and also caused an accident on the M40 before the M25 which meant everything was a standstill. Finally got passed it but driving in Central London was an eye-opener. I am confident and comfortable driving anywhere but I realised after 20mins that my jaw was aching and I’d been clenching my teeth so tightly and concentrating…

It was a good plan though because it meant that getting to and from St Albans was so much easier

Got home and collapsed. Nice dinner and then worked on my laptop in the front room and watched a couple of programmes that Tash wanted to catch up. There was a second part of a drama called The 7:39 which was about a romance on a train, for some reason Tash then gives me stick whenever these sort of stories are on and accuses me of having a secret life and it would be so easy for me to do what’s on the TV. I have to take it but it’s a shame!

Anyway, meant to get an early night but stayed up watching the news and then played Jack’s GTA 5 – it’s addictive I have to admit and it was soon 1.30am…time for bed I think!!

So, back into the routine all too soon but with the target of the Thailand holiday on the horizon it’s all worth it

Happy New Year 2014

So another year and Christmas has passed us by – another year closer to my pension, and I guess death! Something cheery to consider there!! It was a good year and the posts on this blog with attain to that, I;’ve not done many updates over Xmas period so best do some catching up now..

It had a familiar feel and ring to it this year, we were out on Xmas Eve down the White Hart which is now a community pub and then to the Richardsons for a couple of drinks and then home by midnight so not particularly drunk or out of order!

Xmas Day on the other hand was an absolute riot!!It started off lovely and serene, up around 8.00am with the kids and their opening which was great, some lovely presents this year, if a lot of clothes! Sue popped round and we took Bella for a walk before stopping there and more presents, quick shower and change and then to the White Hart again, only for a couple and then back to Sue’s where the drinking was out of control – what a great day that was…what we can all remember. Quiz with Gareth being the host and we won, lots of dancing and madness. Me, Gaz and Paul still dancing at the end around 2.00pm and had to be kicked out.

Boxing Day was nice and easy because we didn't have to entertain or go anywhere so we took it easy and wasted the day in front of the TV.

On Friday we went to Bristol with Wayne and Kerry and that went really well. The weather looked horrendous but once we were there it improved and we spent the time walking the shops before going to their outdoor ice rink. It wasn’t the biggest but it was fun. Nice meal and then back to the Days Inn hotel I’d booked. Dropped the kids off and we went to the pub I knew about from the last time and had a huge, lovely pudding!

Next day we went to Weston Super Mare – didn’t know what to expect but it was pleasant enough town and we walked along the water front after a huge fry-up breakfast and then made our way home

Did other things on the remaining days until New Years Eve, in the day time we took Mum and Grandma to the Cotswold Lodge for afternoon tea as Grandma’s present. She’s getting more and more forgetful and harder to speak with. It’s such a shame but she is 94!! She seemed to enjoy herself and it was a nice afternoon.

In the evening we went to Anne and Rob Dennis and spent the night there. It was fine but quite quiet which was a bit of a shame and the people that were there in the early part of the night made their excuses to leave just before midnight which struck me as odd. We made the best of it though and ended up very drunk again! I think we left around 2.00am but I didn’t wake up the next day until midday!!!

So it’s been a fun break, it’s been really hard to get back into any sort of routine and it’s still not sorted yet, I’ve been working the last two days but have got hardly anything done. Have taken the chance to watch a couple of movies with Jack – Kick Ass 2 today in fact and that was really good.

We’re out tonight with the family for Nathan’s present to us – a meal at the Opium Den which I’ve looking forward to and then tomorrow we’re meeting Mum and Louise/Trevor and all at Milton Keynes as a Xmas catch up. Should be interesting, only going to Pizza Hut but it will be good to catch up with them all.

Oh, we have also booked our holiday for August, we’re going to Thailand as a family but also taking mum along as well. She is thrilled and delighted so we’re looking forward to that, I just need to work my bollocks off to get the money in time!!

So, hopefully 2014 will be as successful as 2013 has been with my work, I can’t see how it can be as this year has been