Joining a gym (sort of)

Good news: Sonia has won a month's free membership of a gym for her and the person of her choice. Yet more good news: I'm the lucky other person!

As with all free offers, there are some hidden costs. I've had to buy a pair of trainers and some jogging bottoms as my old kit is "not presentable"...

We started on Friday 20th Jan and have been going 3 times a week. I'm enjoying the cross trainer and rowing machine but the stairmaster is a treadmill. I know it's good for me. The gym in question has a swimming pool, sauna and steam room. Not been swimming yet but use the other 2 at the end of each session.

I'm feeling the benefit of regular exercise by not getting out of breath when I get to the top floor at the Branch Office and after 6 visits have lost about 1.5kg. Let's see how it goes at the end of this free month.

Save us from the slebs!

It’s Saturday night and the TV is full of slebs. They’re live and they’re taking over!

The run up to Xmas was bad enough with dancing slebs versus wannabe singing slebs to fill the Saturday night schedules but now, in between adverts containing slebs trying to sell us stuff, there’s soap slebs singing at us followed by slebs on ice.

But now it’s not just Saturday night TV, during the week we have another outbreak of fat slebs trying to lose weight on camera while on another group of channels they’re being kept under 24 hr observation in an enclosed environment with a wannabe sleb thrown in to test the pack’s ability to sniff out a nonsleb. But they couldn’t so she’s now “officially” a sleb too! On who’s say so? No one asked me.

And to make it worse, I don’t read the tabloids so I’ve no idea who most of these slebs are and what they’re supposed to be celebrated for doing.

"happy new year?"

Yesterday was the first day back at work after the holidays and it's business as usual with a full set of "ins":

• e-mail in-box,
• in-tray and
• in-desk for those who don't know how to put things in an in-tray.

Lots of jolly stories from colleagues about snow and Xmas and what they got up to on hogmannay.

Afternoon was a not enjoyable as went to meet departmental management to discuss potential budget cuts. Looks like 25 jobs to go in Environment department where I work plus merger with colleagues in what's left of Culture & Community after they go through horrendous cuts. The results can be read on branch blog at: Nottinghamshire UNISON: NCC Budget Cuts 2006-2008

Snow driving and parking for beginners

I realise that many in Scotland will laugh at what passes for deep snow down here but the hill outside our house has been the scene of many balletic displays of driving as people realise that they are not going to get up it as their usual short cut. They slide back down and then do a pirouette before gingerly driving back out to the main road.

I can't gloat too much as my car slid off the drive on Wednesday morning. I'd been shopping and had reversed into the drive onto fresh snow. I locked up, walked round to the boot and took the first bag of shopping to the back door for Sonia to take into the house. As I turned to go back to get the next few bags, I saw the car sliding down the drive into the road! I ran through the snow while trying to get the keys out of my coat pocket with my gloves on...just a mild bit of panic going through my mind and few expletives were uttered to warm the cold winter air.

Luckily the car stopped sliding when it reached the gutter at the end of the drive so it only slid about 6 ft. I jumped in and got the engine going and then had to reverse it into it's usual spot in front of the bay window. Once it was on the level I went back to emptying the boot. Sonia missed all this and was wondering why I was taking so long to bring the rest of the shopping in!

Xmas snaps 2005

Here's a few snaps from this Xmas to amuse you all.

First off is the family all gathered together at one end of the living room after the presents had been opened and they are all still smiling. I'm not in my smart clothes after a slight altercation with a glass of bucks fizz and tiddliwinks golf.

After a few drinks had been imbibed, some of us let our hair down - others had to borrow someone else's to let down...

After driving home through the snow, we found our guiding star on top of the xmas tree (a quality hand made effort)

We woke up today to about 2 inches of snow with more on the way for tomorrow. Here's a couple of snaps of the garden from the warmth of the back bedroom.

Hope you are all well and have a good hogmannay. We're off out to a friend who Sonia convinced that the idea of a party at his house was his idea...

Christmas Day

Xmas evening, and I'm full of food and alcohol.

Have spent the afternoon dozing through Shrek and Toy Story 2, starting with bucks fizz at 9.30 a.m. might explain some of it but the wine and port with lunch certainly helped.

Everythings gone a bit quiet: niece disappeared about 7 with her boyfriend to see his family, my sister, brother-in-law and nephew went home just after Dr Who, Mum, Dad and Sonia are watching Eastenders having just watched Corrie, and I've temporarily moved out of the living room to use my Dad's PC while my share of the brussel sprouts do their thing.

Interesting selection of presents for all concerned. I think everyone liked what we got them, I like mine. looking forward to reading Schott's Almanac and the Christie book: Grandma Made Me An Anarchist. Got the usual joke from my mum - "if you give me the wool I'll knit you one".

Time to head back to the chocolate liqueurs as the winds of change have passed.

Hope your Xmas was as peaceful and relaxed as mine.

Odd Xmas stories

Rampaging Santas take too much Christmas spirit

A gang of drunken Santas has caused mayhem in Auckland, New Zealand, throwing bottles, robbing stores and assaulting security guards in protest at the commercialisation of Christmas. Three men were arrested on Saturday night for disorderly behaviour and possessing offensive weapons. Police said that identifying the troublemakers was difficult as the 40 men and women were wearing the same outfit.

Some more odd Xmas stories:
Blindfolded Santa Hanging From Noose At Home Upsets Neighborhood
Forlorn Lover Leaves Diamond Ring In Unlocked Car
Murderous Santa Display Draws Stares
Christmas shoppers beat up Santa
Turkey who dodged death at feast
Police carol singers seize drugs
Apology as Santa makes pub stop
Argentina's taxmen get Claus out
Weird ritual of the burning goat
Santa Claus 'shoots' crying children
Santarchy

Welcome

Welcome to my blog.

I'm planning to put up links and photos that reflect my interests or just amuse me as well as rambling on about things.

Hope you enjoy it.