23 Days to go…
DJ – Sorted.
Photographer – Meeting booked.
Hotel – Sorted
Wedding night hotel – not sorted – I really need to get on this.
Back – So far so good.
Excuse the no post yesterday. I had a busy trying to sort out various bits and pieces. It started in the morning with a trip to the venue to hear a couple of songs we have selected. Since there is a fantastic grand piano we are going to make use of it and the magical talents of Ben from Los dos amigos. So fair I have been able to remain calm but yesterday really was first time I have felt a bit nervous, especially when he started to play the songs we had selected. It hit the LL too. Needless to say we are both very excited and it is all coming together. The LL spent most of Wednesday preparing the bags and packing up the table decorations. We also had both DJ’s over last night to have a chat and that seemed to go well. I said to the LL “We have done our bit the rest id up to them”.
Have to say a massive respect to Prince Harry. I am sure there are those who will say that he his silver spoon, upper class royal who lives the live etc etc. However turns out he has been putting his nuts on the line by actually being used in Afghanistan and that has to stand for something. How many politicians have sent there kids there?? Of course now that it is known he is there it kind of changes the situation but I hope he gets to complete his tour. I also hope that all the boys and girls out there come back safe.
Talking of writing as we weren’t. I heard an advert for monster the other day. Something like John is writer not a very good one blah blah. If join monster maybe he could find his dream job in Admin….. WTF? Firstly I suspect writing is one of those careers that you just don’t fall into. Like being an Airline pilot. I imagine it is not something you wake up one day and go “Crap!! Wish I had that job in admin I always dreamed off”. Stupid advert. Writing I guess is something that requires an awful lot of talent to actually make a career of it. This in turn requires dedication and commitment. So why you would just accidentally fall into and then think it was wrong is beyond me. Stupid advert.
Right off to change my passwords
Thursday, 28 February 2008
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
Cross that of the list
25 Days to go…
DJ – Meeting booked.
Photographer – Meeting booked.
Hotel – Sorted
Wedding night hotel – not sorted
Back – So far so good.
How crazy is this? You get the phone number of the hotel you want to stay in, in a far a way country. You ring them up and they tell you they have no rooms. However if you use this company in England called first choice they might have some. Strikes me as rather odd but never the less the hotel is now booked.
I spent a busy hour between finishing work and going to Spanish, on the phone, trying to set up final meetings with Photographer and DJ.
Eating like a pig even though there is less than a month to go. This is not being helped by not being able to go to the gym.
Take care, more soon. Big gig Friday at the Reading Uni as part of the Latin American society party
DJ – Meeting booked.
Photographer – Meeting booked.
Hotel – Sorted
Wedding night hotel – not sorted
Back – So far so good.
How crazy is this? You get the phone number of the hotel you want to stay in, in a far a way country. You ring them up and they tell you they have no rooms. However if you use this company in England called first choice they might have some. Strikes me as rather odd but never the less the hotel is now booked.
I spent a busy hour between finishing work and going to Spanish, on the phone, trying to set up final meetings with Photographer and DJ.
Eating like a pig even though there is less than a month to go. This is not being helped by not being able to go to the gym.
Take care, more soon. Big gig Friday at the Reading Uni as part of the Latin American society party
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
The Novel
26 Days to go…
DJ – Has made contact – he was out the country with work.
Hotel – Still not sorted
Wedding night hotel – not sorted
Back – still sore but getting better.
In the vain of all the other B.o.B I will be putting pen to paper and writing a novel…….. ahahahahahah ahahahaha hahahahahah ahahahah ahahahaha hahaha. Can you imagine it. I can’t even write a few paragraphs in this blog with out butchering the English language. I probably spelt most of that wrong too. There is a part of me that wants to work out if I am actually dyslexic or just lazy. According to a test I did the other day I might be slightly dyslexic.Anyway I think we should all contribute to a book with each of us writing a chapter. Bit like the game you played when you were younger and you used to write bits of a sentence on a paper and then piece them all together. I think that would be very interesting and make for a good read.
The LL and I had our first night together alone for a while last night. Was nice to chill out in front of the telly and relax. Kick back and relax.
Sorry short one today.
DJ – Has made contact – he was out the country with work.
Hotel – Still not sorted
Wedding night hotel – not sorted
Back – still sore but getting better.
In the vain of all the other B.o.B I will be putting pen to paper and writing a novel…….. ahahahahahah ahahahaha hahahahahah ahahahah ahahahaha hahaha. Can you imagine it. I can’t even write a few paragraphs in this blog with out butchering the English language. I probably spelt most of that wrong too. There is a part of me that wants to work out if I am actually dyslexic or just lazy. According to a test I did the other day I might be slightly dyslexic.Anyway I think we should all contribute to a book with each of us writing a chapter. Bit like the game you played when you were younger and you used to write bits of a sentence on a paper and then piece them all together. I think that would be very interesting and make for a good read.
The LL and I had our first night together alone for a while last night. Was nice to chill out in front of the telly and relax. Kick back and relax.
Sorry short one today.
Monday, 25 February 2008
Back to the future
We are down to days now so …..
27 Days to go…
DJ – Still A.W.O.L
Band PAT test certificate – Sorted
Flights Internal Venezuela – Sorted
Hotel – Still not sorted
Last week was an amazing week. A glimpse into the future I hope. The LL had CN for the whole week by herself. How did that happen? Well in order to have 3 weeks Holiday off after the wedding and still fill my commitments to CN, (3 weeks holiday) we had to do a deal where by LL would take a weeks leave and “we” would therefore have CN for the week. I think we (LL and Myself) were a little nervous at first because this longest that the LL would have been alone with her. I think she was worried she would not be able to cope or get stressed out. Let’s be honest kids can be really awful sometimes and I was praying CN would be on a good one and not ‘with the Devil’ for the week. Turns out they both had a blast and learnt a lot from each other. LL did very well and was able to see that you don’t have entertain them all day and to be honest if you fancy a sit down for 5 mins it is ok. Think CN learnt that she really can depend on someone who thinks the world of her and would do anything to protect her. I came home to much hand craft and general happiness. I am proud of them both.
Going back to my insight. It was really nice coming home from a hard day in the salt mines (tm DM). Opening the door and being greeted by my lovely girls. Both refreshed and full of happiness. I then did the daddy bits and was able to spend the quality time with them both……awesome.
My back decide to go on Friday and then was compounded by a ‘sneeze’ on Saturday night which left me in agony and unable to move. However having promised CN a trip to the bowling alley I put on a brave face and we headed off. I did a lot of athletic type stretching to get some mobility back into the spine so felt I could give it a go. So how did it go? 177 and 179. The moral of the story seems to be if you want to bowl well. F*ck up your back so you can’t actually move. That said LL did very well and now has her own bowl as donated by me Mum.
Right of for a kipper.
27 Days to go…
DJ – Still A.W.O.L
Band PAT test certificate – Sorted
Flights Internal Venezuela – Sorted
Hotel – Still not sorted
Last week was an amazing week. A glimpse into the future I hope. The LL had CN for the whole week by herself. How did that happen? Well in order to have 3 weeks Holiday off after the wedding and still fill my commitments to CN, (3 weeks holiday) we had to do a deal where by LL would take a weeks leave and “we” would therefore have CN for the week. I think we (LL and Myself) were a little nervous at first because this longest that the LL would have been alone with her. I think she was worried she would not be able to cope or get stressed out. Let’s be honest kids can be really awful sometimes and I was praying CN would be on a good one and not ‘with the Devil’ for the week. Turns out they both had a blast and learnt a lot from each other. LL did very well and was able to see that you don’t have entertain them all day and to be honest if you fancy a sit down for 5 mins it is ok. Think CN learnt that she really can depend on someone who thinks the world of her and would do anything to protect her. I came home to much hand craft and general happiness. I am proud of them both.
Going back to my insight. It was really nice coming home from a hard day in the salt mines (tm DM). Opening the door and being greeted by my lovely girls. Both refreshed and full of happiness. I then did the daddy bits and was able to spend the quality time with them both……awesome.
My back decide to go on Friday and then was compounded by a ‘sneeze’ on Saturday night which left me in agony and unable to move. However having promised CN a trip to the bowling alley I put on a brave face and we headed off. I did a lot of athletic type stretching to get some mobility back into the spine so felt I could give it a go. So how did it go? 177 and 179. The moral of the story seems to be if you want to bowl well. F*ck up your back so you can’t actually move. That said LL did very well and now has her own bowl as donated by me Mum.
Right of for a kipper.
Friday, 22 February 2008
Another day in Paradise
For the lost couple of days that sinking feeling at work as wriggled its way back into my head. Not least added to the fact that “the company” are refusing to pay my late charges occurred on my amex bill, even though all the right people signed off saying it was ok. Despite the fact too that it was in my opinion their fault. I mean you put a claim in at least 2 weeks before the deadline, only for them to miss that. Not only that but it was me who had to chase them to find out there was a problem with the original claim that caused the delay. By which time I had incurred the late charges.
So their argument is that I should have filled in the claim more than 2 weeks before it was due. A far point on the surface, however bearing in mind I have never filled one in and it involves the most complicated system I have ever known, involving exchange rates. It took me sometime to figure out what I was doing. Plus there is no training offered. To me it is simple you go on business for the company and they pay the hotel bill. As far as I am concerned it should be sent straight to the company, who will then pay it and any dodgy things they can chase up. However this is not the case. I have to pay for it all my company credit card which I then have to claim back. Easy you would think. Well no actually. You see you have to claim the amount using the exchange rate of the day as issued by the accounts department. They then pay the amount, which is no where near the exchange rate that amex have used. So you then have to put in acclaim for the difference. You with me? No me neither. I don’t understand why the you can’t claim for the amount on the amex bill. Regardless of the f*cking exchange rate. That is how much I spent now cough up.
Oh forget the best bit. They only do a run to our India office, where the claims are processed. Once a week. Of course this is all advertised and published so that everyone knows…………not !!
Anyway rant over. I have provided the evidence that I could not fill it in earlier and now it is the lap of the Gods. Chances of me getting them back F*ck all.
In other news. The LL and CN have spent the whole week together while I have had my nose pressed firmly against the grindstone. It has really bought them closer together, not that they weren’t before. The LL had a few doubts about whether she could look after her full time but it sounds like they have had a right good time. Both knackered by the time I get home.
So their argument is that I should have filled in the claim more than 2 weeks before it was due. A far point on the surface, however bearing in mind I have never filled one in and it involves the most complicated system I have ever known, involving exchange rates. It took me sometime to figure out what I was doing. Plus there is no training offered. To me it is simple you go on business for the company and they pay the hotel bill. As far as I am concerned it should be sent straight to the company, who will then pay it and any dodgy things they can chase up. However this is not the case. I have to pay for it all my company credit card which I then have to claim back. Easy you would think. Well no actually. You see you have to claim the amount using the exchange rate of the day as issued by the accounts department. They then pay the amount, which is no where near the exchange rate that amex have used. So you then have to put in acclaim for the difference. You with me? No me neither. I don’t understand why the you can’t claim for the amount on the amex bill. Regardless of the f*cking exchange rate. That is how much I spent now cough up.
Oh forget the best bit. They only do a run to our India office, where the claims are processed. Once a week. Of course this is all advertised and published so that everyone knows…………not !!
Anyway rant over. I have provided the evidence that I could not fill it in earlier and now it is the lap of the Gods. Chances of me getting them back F*ck all.
In other news. The LL and CN have spent the whole week together while I have had my nose pressed firmly against the grindstone. It has really bought them closer together, not that they weren’t before. The LL had a few doubts about whether she could look after her full time but it sounds like they have had a right good time. Both knackered by the time I get home.
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
I just want to go on Holiday !!-
Never count your chickens before they hatch my mother used to say. This has to be a very worthwhile lesson at the moment. Having posted about how stress free the wedding is going, we find ourselves with no Honeymoon and an AWOL DJ with four and a bit weeks to go. Turns out booking internal flights and a hotel is a lot harder in Venezuela then we had thought. Especially if you are outside of the country.
Found this lovely Expedia type website where we typed in all our details and when and where we wanted to travel. Results returned matched our needs. First off I could not book it because I don’t have a Venezuelan ID. Then the LL put in her details and presto it looked like it went through. Booked we thought. Wrong!! We get an email back saying if you really want to book these tickets you need to respond to this email by the date (which had passed). So the LL rang the company to explain that we had only just got the email to be told that she had to fax over her credit card and ID……uuummmmm I think NOT !!! So what was all the put your credit card details in here bit all about then? Now had it been a domestic website I would have given them a right earful and quoted data protection at them, but sadly I fear that means nothing over there.
The same thing is happening for the hotel. I guess we are very lucky in that we have family over there who can sort this out for us, but it is very frustrating. Problem is as it is not a popular destination. You can’t walk into a travel agent and book the trip through them. Well not the main ones anyway. My task today is to try and find out if we can somehow book through a reputable agent in some way.
As for the DJ who knows but the couple who have booked him for the 29th are in a worse position than we are, I think. So we might need to find a new one
Found this lovely Expedia type website where we typed in all our details and when and where we wanted to travel. Results returned matched our needs. First off I could not book it because I don’t have a Venezuelan ID. Then the LL put in her details and presto it looked like it went through. Booked we thought. Wrong!! We get an email back saying if you really want to book these tickets you need to respond to this email by the date (which had passed). So the LL rang the company to explain that we had only just got the email to be told that she had to fax over her credit card and ID……uuummmmm I think NOT !!! So what was all the put your credit card details in here bit all about then? Now had it been a domestic website I would have given them a right earful and quoted data protection at them, but sadly I fear that means nothing over there.
The same thing is happening for the hotel. I guess we are very lucky in that we have family over there who can sort this out for us, but it is very frustrating. Problem is as it is not a popular destination. You can’t walk into a travel agent and book the trip through them. Well not the main ones anyway. My task today is to try and find out if we can somehow book through a reputable agent in some way.
As for the DJ who knows but the couple who have booked him for the 29th are in a worse position than we are, I think. So we might need to find a new one
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Future is so bright I got wear shades
The future is strange, wondrous and to be honest a totally scary thing. After the debacle with the Job future my attentions have now been drawn towards the future of CN. This has mainly been bought on by two TV shows and the real physical evidence that she is changing. Sunday night we watched a program called building a new life in the country and on it the family had decided to move to Scotland and buy a house and business for a better life for their family and in particular their son, who was both physically and mentally disabled. Sadly the boy died during the making of the program which in turn had me a little worried. The other program was grand designs, in which the couple in the program were building a new house in the grounds of their current estate. When complete the current house would be made available to the son who I guess was mentally disabled.
So what the hell does that all mean. Well CN’s future is something we will have to think about very carefully. We can’t just assume that one day she is going to grow up, leave the nest and start a family. That is not to say she might not but it is very unlikely. So we have to make provisions for her. These all depend on how she will be able to cope on her own. Will she need to go into care or will she stay with us? Maybe a bit of both? It is really really scary. Luckily the one good thing about this country is the support offered to adults with special needs but I am still very wary of it all. I am not really sure what we are going to do. Finding her a job is going to be very hard. Unfortunately people will see her physically before getting to know her and what she is capable of. Anyway me an the LL were talking about the programs last night and how nice it was that the families were making provisions for the kids. I guess that is something we are going to look into. All also helps that the LL Uncle also has Downs Syndrome, like CN,and is living full and active life in a country not nearly as geared up to helping him as here.
The other thing that shocked me is she is becoming a woman and all that entails. So far nothing to serious but there is signs. Believe me it is scary. We need to figure out how to explain all the changes her body is going to undergo and that might be a little bit more difficult than normal.
So what the hell does that all mean. Well CN’s future is something we will have to think about very carefully. We can’t just assume that one day she is going to grow up, leave the nest and start a family. That is not to say she might not but it is very unlikely. So we have to make provisions for her. These all depend on how she will be able to cope on her own. Will she need to go into care or will she stay with us? Maybe a bit of both? It is really really scary. Luckily the one good thing about this country is the support offered to adults with special needs but I am still very wary of it all. I am not really sure what we are going to do. Finding her a job is going to be very hard. Unfortunately people will see her physically before getting to know her and what she is capable of. Anyway me an the LL were talking about the programs last night and how nice it was that the families were making provisions for the kids. I guess that is something we are going to look into. All also helps that the LL Uncle also has Downs Syndrome, like CN,and is living full and active life in a country not nearly as geared up to helping him as here.
The other thing that shocked me is she is becoming a woman and all that entails. So far nothing to serious but there is signs. Believe me it is scary. We need to figure out how to explain all the changes her body is going to undergo and that might be a little bit more difficult than normal.
Monday, 18 February 2008
Striiiiike !!
Well yet another “Middle Manager” takes his place in our office. Now not only do have way to many chiefs and not enough Indians but they have built his office right in the only place we did actually have a hint of window. It is really remarkable the amount of these managers we now have and yet still have fundamental problems in actually doing the work. Hey hoo.
Another weekend flies by and now we are down to 5 to go. This weekend was about trying to sort out honeymoon hotel and internal flights. See you can’t book them unless you are a national which is a bit weird but not for Venezuela. We also finished off the stuff for the Registrar.
Saturday night was bowling night and what a lot fun it was too. The LL had only bowled once before and bless her, the best score she got was 45. This time however was a lot different as she had gotten some advice from someone the last time which really seemed to help. Good advice it was too she started Strike, spare; strike so had cleared her best by the 5th frame. CN was well on form with her usual dibbly dobblys down the middle but greeted every ball with the same enthusiasm as a strike. As for me I decide to try hook bowling and faired no worse than I usually do so I might play like that from now on. Wonder if there is a league about?!?
Another weekend flies by and now we are down to 5 to go. This weekend was about trying to sort out honeymoon hotel and internal flights. See you can’t book them unless you are a national which is a bit weird but not for Venezuela. We also finished off the stuff for the Registrar.
Saturday night was bowling night and what a lot fun it was too. The LL had only bowled once before and bless her, the best score she got was 45. This time however was a lot different as she had gotten some advice from someone the last time which really seemed to help. Good advice it was too she started Strike, spare; strike so had cleared her best by the 5th frame. CN was well on form with her usual dibbly dobblys down the middle but greeted every ball with the same enthusiasm as a strike. As for me I decide to try hook bowling and faired no worse than I usually do so I might play like that from now on. Wonder if there is a league about?!?
Friday, 15 February 2008
The chips are down
Well today finds me in somewhat more of a chipper mood. Seems the cards are not being pushed in the wrong direction after all. I managed to have a chat with the boss lady and she agreed that maybe my talents (don’t laugh) would be better used on other things. Still feeling a bit weird and not completely motivated but getting there.
In other news. Still waiting to see if we can sell my Uncles house. It is now on the market and has been for a week. Hopefully it will go quickly but bearing in mind the down turn in property market at the moment I am not sure we will get full whack for it.
Booked (well we will see) the hotel for the honeymoon but I am not convinced it was a proper company. Haven’t paid anything but it is a company in Dubai.
And finally…….. England finally won a cricket a match woo hoo.
In other news. Still waiting to see if we can sell my Uncles house. It is now on the market and has been for a week. Hopefully it will go quickly but bearing in mind the down turn in property market at the moment I am not sure we will get full whack for it.
Booked (well we will see) the hotel for the honeymoon but I am not convinced it was a proper company. Haven’t paid anything but it is a company in Dubai.
And finally…….. England finally won a cricket a match woo hoo.
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
The Trouble is !
You know sometime you just find yourself pondering the things that maybe you missed out on. I have to be honest and say that I am feeling very demoted at work. Just seems that I can’t see the wood for the trees, hell at the moment I can’t even see the trees for the fog. I really don’t know where I am going now. I have never been a great planner in life. I have a rough idea but that has all it has been a rough idea. Now to some that might seem reckless but I believe there are 2 types of people in this world. Those that plan and those that don’t. Planners are the types who have everything mapped out. I am going to do this and then that and in five years be here with that and such like. The one’s that can actually answer the “where do you see yourself in five years” question. The non planners are more you know what lets see where this adventure takes us. Let’s play the cards as they lie and see where we end up. Both methods have there merits and both pitfalls.
I am now discovering that maybe I feel like the cards aren’t playing for me at the moment. Don’t get me wrong they are good cards and I am only talking about work here. Everything else is going great. I feel that maybe the cards are being pushed in the wrong direction. What the hell am I talking about?? Not sure really but that is how I feel at the moment and that is the problem with my way.
I feel like for years I have been busking this job. When I was a kid if you had asked what career I would see myself in I never thought it would be this. I often think I am not even clever enough to be doing this and have no desire to learn more. Yes I did go to college to learn this stuff and in my early career I was keen and eager but now I am being moved away from it and what I started doing I am finding it a little uneasy. If I had a rigid plan I would be exactly where I wanted to be. However the problem with rigid plans is when they go wrong you are kind of stuck and I have found people like that tend then get stuck in the “What the hell do I do now”.
So that is my thoughts on this Wednesday morning. Where did my dreams do? I think we have them. Mine was to become a pilot, but somewhere along the way it got lost. See if I had a plan I would have maybe achieved that. Instead I got side tracked and pushed around and now find myself thinking about why that didn’t happen. Was it really something I wanted? Am I being dreamy in think that I could achieve that? Who knows and only time will tell.
Hey ho I guess it is time to go. Rice Crispy cakes for all. !!
I am now discovering that maybe I feel like the cards aren’t playing for me at the moment. Don’t get me wrong they are good cards and I am only talking about work here. Everything else is going great. I feel that maybe the cards are being pushed in the wrong direction. What the hell am I talking about?? Not sure really but that is how I feel at the moment and that is the problem with my way.
I feel like for years I have been busking this job. When I was a kid if you had asked what career I would see myself in I never thought it would be this. I often think I am not even clever enough to be doing this and have no desire to learn more. Yes I did go to college to learn this stuff and in my early career I was keen and eager but now I am being moved away from it and what I started doing I am finding it a little uneasy. If I had a rigid plan I would be exactly where I wanted to be. However the problem with rigid plans is when they go wrong you are kind of stuck and I have found people like that tend then get stuck in the “What the hell do I do now”.
So that is my thoughts on this Wednesday morning. Where did my dreams do? I think we have them. Mine was to become a pilot, but somewhere along the way it got lost. See if I had a plan I would have maybe achieved that. Instead I got side tracked and pushed around and now find myself thinking about why that didn’t happen. Was it really something I wanted? Am I being dreamy in think that I could achieve that? Who knows and only time will tell.
Hey ho I guess it is time to go. Rice Crispy cakes for all. !!
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
Monday, 11 February 2008
It was Sunny
While Monday rolls around like a sharp poke in the eye with a blunt stick the juggernaut that is the wedding glides on. After a few weeks of mostly inactivity or laziness, if you will, last week saw us crack the whip and start sorting out a number of the minor things we need to. Among those the details of the day, food, drink and flowers are now pretty much sorted. The LL is also going town to the venue today to discuss the table lay out. Shock of the week was my shoes. See you should always check the price before buying. Although they are very nice and feel very comfortable I was not ready for the price, but I will be wearing them for not only the wedding but for evermore after, so I guess it will work out ok.
The really nice thing about the Wedding is it has been rather chilled and with out stress (fingers crossed that continues). We have both been able to sort things by remaining calm a sorting things in a logical manner. We are both of the opinion that this something we want and therefore should not be a stressful. Don’t get me wrong we have had our moments but like most things that involve cost but even this has been sorted with out too much bother.
It feels good knowing that we have both sorted this out together as a couple which is how it should be.
Saturday was cracking day here (no doubt that was the summer) and we decide to walk the 2 miles to the flower shop, which was ace. Sometimes this town can really look pretty and sometime, let’s be honest not. That night we had to say goodbye to a couple lovely friends who are moving to Italy for a better life. Like all Latino things what turned out to be a bit of dinner and a chat turned into a fiesta and very late night which was lovely, apart from getting up at 9am to tidy the house for a friends of the LL who was coming at 10. Not helped by me setting the wrong bloody alarm and it going of at 05.45. Never the less the visit was very good; she bought a whole bunch of books for the LL to help study and Chocolate brownies.
Watched a movie with Kevin Spacey and Kate Winslot called the “Life of….(somebody who’s name I forgot)” but it was actually a very entertaining film predictable but very good.
Duty Ginger beer this week so lots of fun for me.
Laters
The really nice thing about the Wedding is it has been rather chilled and with out stress (fingers crossed that continues). We have both been able to sort things by remaining calm a sorting things in a logical manner. We are both of the opinion that this something we want and therefore should not be a stressful. Don’t get me wrong we have had our moments but like most things that involve cost but even this has been sorted with out too much bother.
It feels good knowing that we have both sorted this out together as a couple which is how it should be.
Saturday was cracking day here (no doubt that was the summer) and we decide to walk the 2 miles to the flower shop, which was ace. Sometimes this town can really look pretty and sometime, let’s be honest not. That night we had to say goodbye to a couple lovely friends who are moving to Italy for a better life. Like all Latino things what turned out to be a bit of dinner and a chat turned into a fiesta and very late night which was lovely, apart from getting up at 9am to tidy the house for a friends of the LL who was coming at 10. Not helped by me setting the wrong bloody alarm and it going of at 05.45. Never the less the visit was very good; she bought a whole bunch of books for the LL to help study and Chocolate brownies.
Watched a movie with Kevin Spacey and Kate Winslot called the “Life of….(somebody who’s name I forgot)” but it was actually a very entertaining film predictable but very good.
Duty Ginger beer this week so lots of fun for me.
Laters
Friday, 8 February 2008
So whats been going on
So here I am back in the land of blogging. Not that I actually went anywhere I just didn’t feel much up to writing anything. It has been a weird couple of months. Much of which has put me in a reflective mood. More on that later.
Wedding plans are going great guns. All the big stuff is sorted and we are now into the finer details of what is hopefully going to be a big arsed fiesta. Looks like people are also looking forward to it as it will combine various elements of both a western union (no not the dodgy Nigerian thieving scam bank) and a Latino wedding. Latenglish if you will. A phrase I have coined. We are very excited and the more things we tick of the list the more excited we get. We took CN up to the hall the other day along with one of the other bridesmaids for a practice walk down the aisle. Both did very well. CN will be carrying the rings and there is a thought that at the end she will present me the rings with her favourite phrase..”Happy Birthday Daddy”
Talking of CN she has settled very well into her new school. It really was a good move. You see inclusion works up to the point where to include them you have to exclude them. Make sense?? Not really!! Allow me to explain. In order to include her in main stream they kept having to take her aside and working with her so that the others can focus on the curriculum and tests, which means she was actually being excluded. Better?? Anyway she is very happy with the new school and is very happy to go. No longer do we get the stress of if I have to take her in after an appointment she creates hell, well cries a lot. She just walks in now with a bye bye Daddy.
The LL is busy trying to hold down her job and studying for her ACCA exams. Some good news the other day. ACCCA has acknowledged that her degree and Masters does actually count to one of the exams so she doesn’t have to do the long arsed theory one. She is also busy teaching Spanish, which I am attending but not in her class. She had trip down to London a couple of weekends ago to vote against the President (Chavez) who put this amazing bill together about reform and more money to the poor and oh by the way you will also not be able to vote me out clause. Thankfully he lost. Politics is a big part of our lives and feel slightly embarrassed about always bitching about the country but having never voted so how can I. Believe me that will change and don’t even get me started on the state of the country... I will rant another day.
Sadly my Uncle passed away and that is the one thing that really made me sit up and think a lot. You see it was sudden but not unexpected. For many years now he has been struggling with alcoholism and became almost a recluse. Not helped by firstly looking after Gran in her last years, especially when she was very ill. You see going through his stuff I found some Diaries and started reading them. They go back to the early 60’s when you would have been a young man. He was full of life and very popular and started to make me think. How does that happen? How do you go from that to ending up alone, a drunk and dead at the bottom of your stairs with no-one around? It is really sad. Doubled by the fact that After Gran died we had a bit of a falling out and as usual as I was about to go over when he died. So now I feel even worse. I know I did make the effort before but it did become more difficult and I should have swallowed my pride and just popped over every now and again. I guess the moral is don’t put of until tomorrow what you can do today. I really should start living by that.
In other news I am now helping a local band Los Dos Amigos (who are playing at the wedding). I was originally helping out another band the awesome Rubbersnake (I work with DM from the band) but they always seem to play on nights I can’t help. So I have become a bit of Roadie/Manager/Promoter type. I guess helping out where I can. My Guitar playing is getting better but is now really down to practice. Have a little band myself but we are all just learning so we are at the same level and taking it slow. We have no visions of conquering the world but hopefully one day we can play a gig. Talking of which I have played 2 now. One was at the Spanish school in front of 50 strangers, one song (but we all have to star somewhere). It was the Spanish version of the little drummer boy. The LL played too but I have never done anything like that before so it was very nerve racking but we got through it. The 2nd was with DJ Brunex from Los Dos Amigos. At friends house and was more songs and I had to do better as he is obviously very good. I kept up and we did a set to about 15 people.
Right that is the catch up done I will try and be more regular as well as blogging more often… Badadish… Thank you I am here all week, I really am.
Wedding plans are going great guns. All the big stuff is sorted and we are now into the finer details of what is hopefully going to be a big arsed fiesta. Looks like people are also looking forward to it as it will combine various elements of both a western union (no not the dodgy Nigerian thieving scam bank) and a Latino wedding. Latenglish if you will. A phrase I have coined. We are very excited and the more things we tick of the list the more excited we get. We took CN up to the hall the other day along with one of the other bridesmaids for a practice walk down the aisle. Both did very well. CN will be carrying the rings and there is a thought that at the end she will present me the rings with her favourite phrase..”Happy Birthday Daddy”
Talking of CN she has settled very well into her new school. It really was a good move. You see inclusion works up to the point where to include them you have to exclude them. Make sense?? Not really!! Allow me to explain. In order to include her in main stream they kept having to take her aside and working with her so that the others can focus on the curriculum and tests, which means she was actually being excluded. Better?? Anyway she is very happy with the new school and is very happy to go. No longer do we get the stress of if I have to take her in after an appointment she creates hell, well cries a lot. She just walks in now with a bye bye Daddy.
The LL is busy trying to hold down her job and studying for her ACCA exams. Some good news the other day. ACCCA has acknowledged that her degree and Masters does actually count to one of the exams so she doesn’t have to do the long arsed theory one. She is also busy teaching Spanish, which I am attending but not in her class. She had trip down to London a couple of weekends ago to vote against the President (Chavez) who put this amazing bill together about reform and more money to the poor and oh by the way you will also not be able to vote me out clause. Thankfully he lost. Politics is a big part of our lives and feel slightly embarrassed about always bitching about the country but having never voted so how can I. Believe me that will change and don’t even get me started on the state of the country... I will rant another day.
Sadly my Uncle passed away and that is the one thing that really made me sit up and think a lot. You see it was sudden but not unexpected. For many years now he has been struggling with alcoholism and became almost a recluse. Not helped by firstly looking after Gran in her last years, especially when she was very ill. You see going through his stuff I found some Diaries and started reading them. They go back to the early 60’s when you would have been a young man. He was full of life and very popular and started to make me think. How does that happen? How do you go from that to ending up alone, a drunk and dead at the bottom of your stairs with no-one around? It is really sad. Doubled by the fact that After Gran died we had a bit of a falling out and as usual as I was about to go over when he died. So now I feel even worse. I know I did make the effort before but it did become more difficult and I should have swallowed my pride and just popped over every now and again. I guess the moral is don’t put of until tomorrow what you can do today. I really should start living by that.
In other news I am now helping a local band Los Dos Amigos (who are playing at the wedding). I was originally helping out another band the awesome Rubbersnake (I work with DM from the band) but they always seem to play on nights I can’t help. So I have become a bit of Roadie/Manager/Promoter type. I guess helping out where I can. My Guitar playing is getting better but is now really down to practice. Have a little band myself but we are all just learning so we are at the same level and taking it slow. We have no visions of conquering the world but hopefully one day we can play a gig. Talking of which I have played 2 now. One was at the Spanish school in front of 50 strangers, one song (but we all have to star somewhere). It was the Spanish version of the little drummer boy. The LL played too but I have never done anything like that before so it was very nerve racking but we got through it. The 2nd was with DJ Brunex from Los Dos Amigos. At friends house and was more songs and I had to do better as he is obviously very good. I kept up and we did a set to about 15 people.
Right that is the catch up done I will try and be more regular as well as blogging more often… Badadish… Thank you I am here all week, I really am.
Wednesday, 6 February 2008
It's a Record
1 - Go to Wikipedia's random article page. The first article you get is the name of your band.
2 - Go to the Random Quotations page. The last four words of the last quote is the album title.
3 - Go to Flickr's Interesting photo page. Third picture, no matter what it is, is your album cover.
4 - Put it all together to make your album. Either crop it to CD cover size, or just use the raw image itself ... the only rule is you're only allowed to add the album title and artist title.
Thanks to Barry Lu for the picture of "The white cloud"
2 - Go to the Random Quotations page. The last four words of the last quote is the album title.
3 - Go to Flickr's Interesting photo page. Third picture, no matter what it is, is your album cover.
4 - Put it all together to make your album. Either crop it to CD cover size, or just use the raw image itself ... the only rule is you're only allowed to add the album title and artist title.
Thanks to Barry Lu for the picture of "The white cloud"
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