As Time Goes By

2012-02-09T19:22:00.000Z

Our cupboards are so poorly stocked that I am eating Golden Grahams for pudding tonight. Actually, it is probably better than I would normally get. In the freezer there is also a box of Creme Egg ice creams so the evening might turn out okay after all.

A colleague told me today that he went to get fish and chips for dinner last night and found that the chip shop was open, but had RUN OUT OF CHIPS for the evening (it was just before half six). Not run out for the moment with more cooking, but actually completely run out, yet still stayed open. He left without buying anything, but not before seeing another chip shop attendant successfully persuade someone who ordered sausage and chips into having two fishcakes instead (not even the sausage he originally requested), absolute madness.

2012-02-08T19:42:00.001Z

I have found a happy medium on the breakfast - half shreddies, half cheerios. Works until 12 and not too heavy for 8 in the morning.

This week our evenings are disappearing in a haze of social activity, which is like the days pre-Ollie so great fun to be back.

Also, we just did new CRB online applications and it took less than 10 minutes for BOTH of us. So there does finally appear to be some steps forward being taken by the shambles that has been the CRB application process in the past.

2012-02-05T20:44:00.002Z

Having been thoroughly underwhelmed by the fleeting snow we had in Exeter (here and gone in a few hours due to rain all afternoon), I went to Morrisons after all for our newly instated weekly shop. Too busy, may have to re-think the timing of the trip - 25 minutes touring the car park just waiting for a space. I was not the only annoyed driver.

The rugby this afternoon was a great match with Wales taking a much deserved victory. While they should have had a man sent off in the second half, in the first half there were some bizarre refereeing decisions which should have seen Ireland with one sin-bin and Wales with at least 5 more points. So when they stormed back against the creaking green defence I was overjoyed. George North was immense.

I just have to remember that my boss is an avid Irish fan so will have to go careful with my teasing.

2012-02-04T11:11:00.000Z

Having spent a week trying to convince myself otherwise with larger and larger bowls, I have to concede that Honey Cheerios just don't keep hunger locked up 'til lunch. They never made the claim in fairness, but they were on offer and taste nice but it is not ideal when my stomach is angling for lunch by half ten in the morning.

I still love my job, even though the honeymoon easy workload period has long gone. Working really hard and still enjoying it, there must be something wrong with me.

I have lost my house keys which is fairly annoying, as it also has work keys on, and given the snow that looks set in at the moment and the fact that most of my colleagues live far outside Exeter (ranging from Honiton to Bridgwater to Keynsham), if the road network fails us I might be having to try and break into the office on Monday morning.

Han has a bizarre idea of taking Ollie outside to experience the snow. Given that he won't like it, it is nearly -5 outside and he won't like being wrapped up to within an inch of his life, I don't see the point. Of course, I will have no say in the matter so momentarily we will be stepping out into the cold.

Another bad point about the snow, we really need to get some food into the house if we plan on eating in the near future, and it seems unlikely that our car is going anywhere, so I suspect I will be braving the cold to walk to the supermarket on my own. This of course if the general public haven't panic-bought the whole of Morrisons in the last 24 hours, I didn't really think it was going to snow in the South West so did no planning for the conditions at all.

This is my trusting nature being shafted again by the incompetence of Carol the BBC Breakfast weather lady (she never quite gets it right, after 5 years I really should switch over in the morning but the Daybreak set is too bright for my eyes when I am in the process of waking up/feeding a generally gluttunous 13 month old).

2012-01-28T20:00:00.000Z

We have watched our two Lovefilm picks for the month. Given how little we are able to get out, and how crap television is in general, Lovefilm has been a valuable addition to our lives, and is significantly cheaper than Blockbuster. In fact, the ease of online film renting and viewing is probably why Blockbuster is struggling.

A Good Year was definitely worth a watch. An unchallenging film, but that is about all we can cope with by the time the evening comes around most of the time.

The Air I Breathe was rubbish, extremely depressing and took ninety minutes to say something it could have done in 20.

Anyway, win some, lose some and we will await our next arrival in the post.

2012-01-23T21:06:00.001Z

In a reflection of the ongoing deterioration of terrestrial television, and our ongoing insistence on watching too much of it, tonight we watched the last half hour of a Don't Tell the Bride we had seen before. Desperation.

Except, there was a good moment in the speeches, where the groom said with a totally straight face, "before meeting my wife, I was a drunken sex pest", cut to slightly confused frowning bride and mother-in-law, clearly trying to work out the background to such a statement. It made me laugh out loud as a totally unexpected comment and moment.

I had to watch Ollie and put him to bed on my own last night as Han was out at the Cathedral at a prayer evening. I put the Mighty Boosh series one on, because neither Ollie or I could sustain interest in the Antiques Roadshow for more than 5 minutes. Amazing, Ollie loved it and I enjoyed remembering just how many classic moments are packed into each episode.

There was an advert for a new Noel Fielding comedy starting on E4 this week. Not to judge a book by its cover, but it does not look great, a watered down Mighty Boosh, he needs his comedy partner to maintain the humour, otherwise it really is just an androgenous emo talking nonsense (which just isn't everybody's cup of tea).

2012-01-20T19:29:00.001Z

Ollie is doing some teething, it won't be too long until he has a full set at this rate.

To this end though, he has got classic 'teething nappy rash', so it is Metanium at the ready at every nappy change.

I have just shared a quick bath with him, then Han tied to dress him while I also dried and dressed.

Metanium applied, he scampers across the bed to escape getting dressed as is his tendency and sits down on my planned evening wear.

I am now sat here with a David Bowie T-shirt on which has a nice baby-sized yellow bum print on.

2012-01-19T21:11:00.001Z

We are watching Sex and the City movie - seriously. I am as accommodating a husband as exists surely (I have never seen a single episode of the TV series though, so it may be better than my masculine instincts incline me to believe - will do a short review sometime).

Han met me for lunch in town today as she was between work meetings and Ollie was at the childminders. We ate in Cafe Zest in House of Fraser, which as per House of Fraser, was overpriced but nice, and there was hardly anybody eating which was a pleasant surprise given the general busi-ness of the rest of Exeter city centre at lunch time. It is too small a town for the number of people that want to be here.

5 minute reflection, Sarah Jessica Parker is annoying.

2012-01-18T19:26:00.001Z

Insurance in general is not a humorous area in and of itself.

However, I was doing some work today with Ecclesiastical, who insure many churches all around the country among other things. I was looking through some marketing material they sent over for a specific product line I needed, when I saw that they do 'faith insurance'.

It made me smile anyway.

2012-01-15T15:24:00.001Z

Informed opinion of Dunelm Mill - good value but too busy, and a nice jacket potato.

My human alarm clock was reliable as ever this morning, turns out 6:30 - 7am is a good time to wake up everyday of the week.

Just a couple of months until we get a whole weekend on our own, we might even be able to sit in bed on a Saturday morning and read the paper. Bliss.

I am spending this afternoon transferring annual events from 2011 to 2012 calendar, then comparing new calendar to Hans diary to make sure we have some free time left this spring.

I was gifted The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan for christmas (in top three of my favourite writers) so while Ollie is having his afternoon nap I will do a bit of reading with a cup of tea. I think there is snooker and darts on today as well, the most relaxing background sports available on free TV. Classic Sunday.

2012-01-14T11:33:00.002Z

Dunelm Mill is apparently now open in Exeter, this has been an exciting development for my wife, who more and more is finding increased fulfilment in procuring home furnishings. I am ambivalent but if it makes her happy, I will live in a land of cushions and heart-shaped ornaments.

I have heard mention of a new sofa purchase as well, so much for the tight constrains normally suffered in the months shortly after christmas...

2012-01-14T11:24:00.002Z

One of the frustrations of working in the insurance industry is the ever-changing requirements of the FSA for us to continue operations. This is because the banks messed up and everyone else in the financial services suddenly found they were going to be punished as well.

Yesterday was a good day, after 2 months in my new job, I finally had enough observation material to be 'competent'. This with almost 5 years experience in the industry and being better qualified with specific vocational qualifications than most of the people in the office. Still, better than being declared incompetent in my review, though such I might have framed the write-up for comedy value - 'Following review, Ben has been declared incompetent'. Maybe I'll fail a random spot audit and become incompetent in a few months.

I had an eye check-up at 8:45am on a Saturday morning today. This would have been unheard of even 13 months ago, today my living alarm clock made sure I was up with plenty of time to spare.

2012-01-13T20:16:00.000Z

This morning, a guy brushing his teeth on the way up the hill - ridiculous.

2012-01-11T20:14:00.002Z

One benefit of my new job is that it is near enough to walk - this means I leave the house at about 8:30am and get back by 5:30, which is pretty amazing in terms of commute times.

It also means that while walking I get to see funny things.

Yesterday while walking home a jogger overtook me then sprinted across the road to get through traffic while I stopped and waited (green cross code observed as ever), only for him to step on an uneven bit of pavement and fall really hard. However, knowing he had a crowd he rolled forward and jumped up to carry on running. A couple of people had done sharp intakes of breath with the fall, and I did think he must be hurt, but the extreme move pulled off to carry on made me smile.

Today, the same jogger overtook me on the same section of pavement and fell again. I didn't laugh, until a fellow observer who I didn't notice yesterday suddenly said to fallen man "you need to watch where you're going mate, that's two in two".

Amazing.

2012-01-09T21:05:00.002Z

Well, a slightly different christmas and new year this year compared to the last. Obviously a key bonus this year was that I didn't go 10 days across christmas without a drink in case of a sudden need to drive, and were able to go away to our family for christmas.

This year, Maesteg, and all the wonders that it brings. As it turns out, "please do not buy Oliver ots of big toys - we have to drive home and our house is not very big", translates to families as "how many awkardly shaped, awkwardly sounded toys can I gift this year". The drive back down the M5 was a rear-view mirror looking through a sit-on fire engine, a bike that Ollie has no hope of riding in the next couple of year, it is huge, and lots of noisy, fluffy sing-a-long teddies and games. Incidentally, why is it so rare to find a childrens musical toy that remains in tune for a whole song? The only thing more annoying that overtly jolly children song singers, is when they suddenly go off tune halfway through.

With it being 12 months since young Oliver arrived, Han is back to work 2 days a week, and he is learning how to rush to a childminders at 8 in the morning, but seems to be developing a lot in terms of speech and movement with other children to copy (any hope of coherent speech from Hannah ended with the pregnancy, brain and body seem to have closed down critical faculties to focus on embyonic growth instead - might pay for that comment later).

All told, we are a happy little unit, TIME seems to pass me by in a haze of work then baby then wife, so many demands so little time. I must get better at keeping up with friends, with getting weekend away, with reading, with writing (I think this every year). Still, my new job is going extremely well, Han is enjoying a bit of Ollie-free time while missing him at the same time (women are a constant source of paradox, no revelation I am sure but still an ongoing soure of astonishment and amusement at times).

Must put some newer photos up soon, a baby's development outstrips anything I was expecting.

Exciting Times

2011-10-20T11:18:00.005+01:00

Oliver is learning new things all the time. My mum told me on the phone last night that if he is anything like me, he will soon be entering a stubborn phase for the next 3-4 years (it seems there is always a more testing phase around the corner with this raising a child malarkey).

Ollie likes to explore cupboards, which used to have exciting things for babies in, but have all had to be re-arranged.

If he is naughty, he gets put in a box.

He likes to go shopping, but solely on the grounds that he is given something to eat while looking at all the wonderful food we could buy.

And he likes to write his own name in Celebrations (or this might be a set-up, Han took the photo).

At the moment he has five teeth, and is going through a clingy phase, which means even less rest for tired mummy and daddy than we have become used to. To think, we used to get out of bed no earlier than 10 or 11 on a Saturday morning. Still, all good fun.

2011-03-20T19:01:00.002Z

This is Oliver.

It has been an amazing, inspiring, challenging and difficult few weeks. All of these feelings have been interchangeable or simultaneous. The difficulty isn't even the interruption of sleep, although that isn't fun obviously, what we didn't fully understand until the arrival of a child was the incessance of need and constant demands on time and energy that all roll together. For the first couple of weeks when I was off work, the days just mixed together, it was an all hands on deck effort to identify and provide whatever Ollie required.

Then going back to work to a difficult and stressful work environment (a separate story for another occasion), and returning home to get back to another stressful environment without a break. I can fully understand how it drives people apart with the sudden and total change in life dynamic. That said, it has also been the most rewarding time in my life.

Han and I have had a testing few weeks, but every time you are at a low, you get a smile or an hours peace while he suddenly sleeps, and it is all totally worth it.

As you see in the picture, Oliver is now smiling back and meaning it (not just wind), he is a joy to interact with and it is inspiring to watch him studying the world and taking things in for the first time. Already he has seen the sea, Darts farm, Budleigh, Dawlish, next week he is off to Bristol Zoo - his diary is busier than mine by a long way.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Separately several people have given me these words over the years, and it is overwhelming and affirming to see new life and be responsible for its development. Good times.

2011-01-10T15:54:00.002Z

We were blessed with the arrival of a baby boy on the 3rd January who we have called Oliver Dylan Richards. I will upload some photos when I have more time (18 years?).

Weighing in at 8lbs 12oz, Han was very pleased to have him out into the world.

After the difficulty of labour comes the hard bit, raising a son. All good clean fun though.

2010-12-29T12:43:00.001Z

Still nothing.

Han fed up of being pregnant, not being able to sleep or get comfortable, or also go out for too long from the house in case it all kicks off.

I'm finding it very surreal just waiting for something so big with absolutely no indicator as to when it is going to happen. Could be five minutes, five hours, five days...

2010-12-20T08:40:00.002Z

Snow days are still as unexpected and fun as ever, even if I have to use a days holiday to stay at home today (trying to get in would be just stupid - it really isn't safe).

Gritters stuck on Haldon Hill, so even Pinhoe road is not properly clear. I walked over this morning to check (if it had been all fine, I was going to try and ramp the car through the 8-10 inches of snow on our road), but there was barely a car moving, which gave Exeter a very nice sense of peace.

I just hope Han doesn't go into labour in the next couple of days or the drive to the hospital really is going to be fun and games.

Golden Grahams

2010-11-25T21:49:00.002Z

A few weeks back we were in Tesco and I saw Golden Grahams for the first time in years, my favourite childhood cereal. They were withdrawn from the UK market for a while due to having too much sugar (I think I read that somewhere a while back when I googled them).

Hence much excitement at their triumphant return. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) my wife worries about my diet much more than I do, expressed her concern, and rather than annoy her we walked on to the next aisle. After a few days of expressing my disappointment Han said she would get me some, so the next time we went to the Tesco Extra in Pinhoe (only larger stores have them), I sat in the car because Tesco on a Saturday is a hellhole and read the paper. Han returned over half an hour later and had 'forgot' them.

I work in Truro more than I would like, where there is also a large Tesco which I often have to buy my lunch from as Premier Inns do not provide packed lunches (more's the pity). I bought some on my last day in Truro last week for a treat (at £2.60 for 375g it really is a treat as well - extortionate). Halfway up the A30 I realised I had left my shopping by my desk. I contemplated turning the car back round but thought better of it after a couple of minutes of churning it over.

This week my colleague has been in Truro, and was back today with my shopping. I dislike this time of year intensely with the going to and returning from work in pitch dark, and tend to look forward to going to bed as a sort of semi-hibernation phase of the year. Tonight will be the first time in a while I will be looking forward to getting out of bed in the morning...

2010-11-20T17:57:00.002Z

I don't remember the last time I have driven down the A30 without rain and mist making it near impossible to see the road.

Gutted driving back this week as I had bought a box of Golden Grahams for our Saturday morning breakfast and only realised after about 20 miles that I had left them back in the Truro office. Had the briefest consideration of turning back round for them but common sense prevailed. Had Sugar Puffs instead, nowhere near as good.

Town is off the agenda for the next few weeks. I am finding myself increasingly intolerant of busy crowds, even though I do really love christmas the shopping experience seems to get worse every year. Babies R Us was equally overwhelming, just how much of the crap on offer do we need to buy (we have been given a lot by some very generous people, but the shops would suggest it is never enough).

At least Spurs beat Arsenal, unexpected but a good start to a weekend if ever there was one.

2010-11-17T19:30:00.002Z

I am meant to be driving down to Truro tomorrow for another couple of days.

Today's weather may have reduced the likelihood of my safe arrival. Half of Cornwall washed away in flooding - it is Ottery/Hull all over again. Our fence stayed up through the gales though, so every cloud...

This is our last free weekend until my work christmas meal and christmas begins to take over. I have just about finished the shopping given the priority shift happening at the end of the year.

We have caved and started putting the heating on of an evening, but have still stayed strong in the mornings. The 9% bill increase is not going to hit us, we'll reduce use by 9% instead to counter it.

In a rash of not saving money, I did order the latest Interpol, Arcade Fire and last 2 Eels CDs last week. Because I'm worth it.

2010-11-14T15:38:00.002Z

Roof and fence fixed.

Forecast for the middle of next week - gales.

How to test a repair job...

2010-11-14T09:56:00.002Z

The perils of owning your own house (outstanding mortgage aside for a moment).

I am working away in Truro a fair bit over the next couple of weeks. The past Thursday and Friday I was away (driving down the A30 in the worst conditions ever). Han called on Friday morning, I thought just to chat, but it turned out the storm had taken out part of our fence and some of our roof.

Fortunately, the damage is not severe, and my dad is a roofer and on his way to fix the roof this morning. It is just a pain in the backside to sort out, especially from 100 miles away when I had a mental image of hughe holes in our roof with the inclement weather continuing across the weekend.

Good things - watched the Rugby and darts with Jake yesterday, probably the best I have ever seen England play in rugby.

Now, to go and tidy the various pieces of fence from our neighbours garden in the pouring rain.

2010-11-06T14:33:00.002Z

Due to the deadly mix of busy-ness and laziness, I don't turn on my PC in the evening as much I used to, with the real downside that EVERY time I turn it on it seems to want to do updates. An IT worker friend suggested Vista was known for not being the fastest system and forcing the user to accept every update under the sun, but I am getting very fed up with the slow pace of things starting up. Can I justify the expense of a new PC with Windows 7 which we use at work and is really good? Need to put in some groundwork with Han first I think...

Han has compiled a list of jobs that must be done by December 27th, this morning I have knocked one off - fix shed roof. A surprisingly simple task that still provides the repairer with a real sense of masculine productivity (marriage is an erosion of machismo through compromise, obeisance to the other half, and one does not get as much 'man time' as they might prefer).

To further undermine, tonight it will be Stricytly come dancing (though I did get a bottle of ale in Sainsburys earlier to protect myself from the sheer campness in case it is contagious).

2010-11-04T21:40:00.003Z

There are only two realistic candidates for the apprentice this year, but it is still fun watching the dross get whittled down. Paloma was the most annoying person since Melissa, so for two weeks running I have been happy with the choice, something I am definitely not used to.

In discussion at NCT on what to do if things are delayed and how to get labour going, I had to brainstorm with another couple, we had the usual ideas - sex, long walks, curry. The group leader suddenly chipped in with 'have you got nipple tweaking down?'. Cue semi-awkward laughs/silence and bizarre mental images of the group leader kicking off her labour with a bit of light nipple play...

2010-10-28T18:31:00.002+01:00

Half term week.

My last full week of holiday until some time next year, so I have been catching up with sleeping, almost finishing christmas shopping and doing reading without thinking about work or exams.

Randomly, I have been asked by Exter uni to go and make a presentation to the 'student body' on insurance, the skills needed to be successful in it, and how to go about getting a career sorted. I don't think I will do it, as it is 10-15 minutes at the front of a lecture theatre which I could very probably live without, and don't especially think I have anything insightful to say, but still nice to be asked I guess.

Tomorrow we may end up at Clarks outlet centre in Street, but this very much depends on how motivated we are. We got into town early this morning for the farmers market, then Han wanted to go to a special christmas sale at Boots which only kicked off at 3pm leaving us 5 hours to kill, which was a real drag, but we got through it somehow.

2010-10-21T17:32:00.002+01:00

Both exams done.

I opened the paper on Monday and spent 5 minutes thinking in expletives about the distance between what I was reading on the exam paper and what I had spent the last 4 months reading. There didn't appear to be all that much similarity between the two. I might have scraped that one, if I failed again I might stop trying to qualify and spend the little free time I get doing something else.

Today's paper was much simpler. I am very good at maths, and cruised Maths and Further Maths A-level. Today was basically insurance stats, and stats exams are up my street. 99% sure I passed by miles.

Now, I have a pint of County Best from the Exeter Brewery (Devon is blessed with some good ales), and the first Interpol album on (still an album I return to when I'm happy, sad, whatever, I can sing it word for word pretty much which I am sure the neighbours enjoy).

Just for once I can get home and not think "which chapter I am reading tonight?".

I had my appraisal last week. Bear in mind I seem to have been in constant need of a holiday for most of the last year, probably the worst year of work of my life, non-stop with little reward. I was half thinking that a bad appraisal might force me to get off my ass and do something different. Actually it was fine, but one amusing point was that my appearance came up.

This was before the appraisal proper had started I thought, we were ordering lunch when my line manager commented on my beard (or near beard) and unkempt hair. We had a little laugh about it, then at the end of the appraisal, I found a point for development as 'personal impact'. This means, beard or shaved, regular haircut, and making sure my tie is all the way up at all times, is any job worth that?!

I haven't shaved since on principle.

2010-10-14T21:57:00.002+01:00

Forgive the absence. My life is a sea of revision, NCT, darts and busy weekends.

We are away in Wales for the weekend, then I have two exams next week, for which I feel entirely underprepared which is impossible given the hours I have put in, then a week off, taking the last few days of available holiday before christmas and the madness begins.

Wish me luck..

Worst Parsnip Ever!

2010-10-09T20:34:00.000+01:00

Never pull things out of your vegetable patch unless completely sure what it is, this one is a waste of time.

2010-09-18T17:23:00.002+01:00

Today we started (and managed an awful lot of) christmas shopping. What is the world/our marriage coming to??

Actually, we wanted to get it all done before December starts for obvious reasons, and our weekends are disappearing into the ether of Hans diary quicker than I absorb what is happening when.

Next weekend. Abbfest. Can't wait.

2010-09-08T20:20:00.000+01:00

Within a fortnight of our return, Han was pining for the beach so for our Bank holiday expedition we drove down to Lyme Regis. As it turned out, so did the rest of Devon so parking was a barrel of laughs for 45 minutes.

Standard car park 'looking for a space' procedure - drive down a line, round the end then back down the other side. Lyme Regis its wisdom lets you drive down a line looking for a space, then as you go to weave round you realise they have left no gaps so the only way back is to reverse (which is near impossible given that people have generally followed you), or attempt a three point turn in a minute space with a 'family' car rather than sporty. Finally, we found a space down a side road that was near but not in residents parking.

Well worth it. The view on Lyme Regis is amazing. Though more for the landscape than the many attractive topless ladies that were around in Nice but this was a moot point.

Thereis a bit of everything. An arcade which we 2 pennyed for a bit then I got Han to accompany me on a Rambo shoot-em-up game which was amazing. There is also a castle and lots of cool tunnels and old architecture. We go to Budleigh quite a lot but I think Lyme Regis has supplanted as best local beach. Shame the weather is slowly turning...

2010-09-08T19:44:00.003+01:00

Reasons for the abnormal delay in holiday posting - Han was 30 on Sunday, the celebrations have been many and ongoing, and she has tended to have the camera so I thought there was little post in a full update with pictorial evidence of our continental trip.

We were in Nice for our anniversary week, 3 years that have had an awful lot in them but still have somehow contrived to fly by. Monte Carlo, where the yachts were many and all of them extravagantly priced. We will take away the long walks on savage hillsides, the mass of Ferraris, and being ripped off for lunch at a beachside restaurant (we didn't really mind, it was an experience).

Things I experience in Nice that I won't forget would include witnessing the most absurd driving I have ever seen. Far too fast in a city centre, people using horns at all hours to communicate, and the stupidest parking you are ever likely to see.

Here, and this is not the worst, two cars have parked across a zebra crossing, and on the corner of a very busy crossroads. The worst was someone who literally locked their car up in the middle of the road and walked off into a cafe for food, I couldn't believe my eyes.

I did enjoy the best pizza, ravioli, gnocchi and icecream I have ever tasted, and this includes holidays in Italy. It was just incredible, and Old Nice especially was somewhere I could while away the rest of my life exploring happily. It was the best week off I have had for a very long time.

2010-08-22T17:46:00.000+01:00

We are just back from an amazing week in Nice with friends. I will upload the photos and do a proper post at some point this week but for now have a few jobs to do before work tomorrow (boo!).

2010-08-12T20:20:00.002+01:00

Normally the night before Han is getting back after a few days away I am up late into the night clearing the house up after a week of takeaway, piling washing up and washing around the house. This time I am all done (I did have to do a load of washing up and general floor clearing of newspapers and glasses), and it is only just quarter past eight.

As a reward I am going to watch American History X, which if it isn't my favourite film ever, is right up there amongst them.

2010-08-08T15:21:00.002+01:00

Han is away for the week with DCYC. While I love my wife, it is nice to sometimes get some space for a few days.

I have spent the weekend clearing some reading on a statistics module (I am having to delve into a hidden memory of standard deviations and co-efficients of skew, it is not a pleasant experience). I can also clear some episodes of Family Guy and King of the Hill that have been sat on the Humax for a while as Han doesn't really like them. I also need to pack for Nice, finish my last essay on said statistics module, and get my entries sorted for exam and re-sit of June exam, one day after the other in October. I would love to clear the diploma and get some units towards Chartered Status as post New Year I don't think I am going to have to much time to study towards more re-sits.

Our tomatoes have started coming through, which I am quite chuffed about. They will be sat in bowls of water for the week in Nice and I will be hoping they don't all ripen and die while I am away as tomatoes and their intensive watering regimen are a pain and it would be very frustrating to get nothing for my hard work this year.

Also this week I have a darts match, am going to watch Exeter City on Tuesday and (might) visit Han for the evening to catch up with everyone on Girls camp. Looking forward to a holiday, but have to earn it with a few hard yards first.

2010-08-07T15:20:00.003+01:00

On the drive up our Passat passed 100,000. We were in motion when it actually ticked over and I couldn't stop in the hard shoulder so I took a picture when we were next sensibly stationary.

While in the Lakes we - played bowls with Yates, Webber, Wren and Williams. I think was on a losing side every time, which was annoying as I spent 2 years playing bowls as my summer games option in sixth form. We visited Grasmere which we didn't manage to do last year (we won't be doing Keswick again in the near future, it is great but just too far). We heard some great preaching, had good discussion, and most of all had good fun and made some good friends.

The scenery is worth the drive alone. Han wants to do Derbyshire and the Peak District, I think due to Pride and Prejudice but I may have that wrong.

I was back to work this week, and even with the week off I found myself counting down to 5pm each day. It is so busy and draining at the moment, I fell like I am just treading water until our next break.

2010-08-07T13:56:00.000+01:00

It was our good friend Amys birthday this week.

We went for a tapas and wine tasting evening (which we intend to repeat in Nice), at the Pebblebed vineyard in Topsham. It has been in the news (locally) a fair bit recently after winning some backing of one of the Dragons Den people. Don't ask me who as I don't ever watch it, but the owner was a very nice man and explained each wine as he poured.

We had a 2008 rose, 2009 rose, their sparkling wine, and their most recent white (apparently the UK is better at grapes for rose and white than red, which I didn't know before the evening). Sandy also made these amazing cakes, which the owner said a few times she should go into professionally, and after tasting them I would be loathe to disagree.

2010-08-07T13:18:00.003+01:00

Don't worry, I am alive, we have been on our first holiday of the year to Keswick (to Nice next Sunday for our second break).

Keswick is worthy of a couple of posts as it was packed full, and I have just enough photos to warrant it.

The deal with Keswick, for the second year in succession Han was asked to play flute in the 18-30s stream at the Keswick convention. We went up with a few other Belmonters. I was doing the boring stuff like making coffee and pushing the hoover round the creche, Han was playing music etc. We also had to lead a discussion small group with the intention just of getting to know each other over the week, and helping each other on the obstacle course that is life's faith journey.

Exeter to the Lake District is about 350 miles, which doesn't sound too bad except the M6 has Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, Blackpool and a host of other Northern towns that mean it is near impossible to get a clean run through.

To this end we stopped at a Bed and Breakfast in Worcester on Friday night to break the journey. As we arrived at about 7 (which travelling Friday rush hour time through Bristol is an amazing run), we went for a pint. I asked the B & B owner which of the two establishments in close proximity was the best for ale. He replied 'Do you want quality or quantity?'. As I was with Han I confirmed the former, to which he suggested The Bell Inn.

It turned out to be one of those silly new pubs where beer is over £3 and the interior has been re-done in sallow pine. I tried a beer I'd never had before then we went next door to the White Hart.
It was much better. Price and seating more comfortable and a Hook Norton ale later we returned to watch the last of The Mentalist, which I would go on about but I don't think many other people are bothered with.

Next morning, an excellent breakfast then we were underway.

2010-07-18T21:09:00.002+01:00

It turns out that I am not too good at clay pigeon shooting. Success rate of 1 out of 8, it is much harder than Mario v Sonic at the Olympics where I can regularly hit 100%. Also, as a gun amateur (this being the only time I have ever held a gun), I kept forgetting to hold it tight to the shoulder so today my arm is slightly sore due to recoil. Still, it is not as bad as I thought it would be, the weather was on our side, and we had a good laugh with my colleagues so all in all a fun Saturday.

Today, an amazing lunch at the Lazy Toad, Brampford Speke. I would recommend it to anyone, this is the second time we have visited so we will probably look for another recommendation for out next sunday lunch out as Devon has an embarrassment of riches with decent country pubs so we will explore somewhere new.

2010-07-15T18:40:00.002+01:00

Heskey - non-event international retirement ever? Or does Andy Cole take the prize. Ridiculous.

This weather is some good news for the garden, which was starting to generally wilt.

Just 6 work days left before our week off, can't wait.

On Saturday, as a work social, we are going clay pigeon shooting. At last something which I can take some decent photos for the blog. We are going to South Molton to do it as well so there should be some nice North Devonshire scenery into the bargain.

2010-07-14T19:11:00.002+01:00

Worst start to a work day ever yesterday.

Mobile rings just as I pull into car park at work. It is Han asking if I have seen her car keys (which I had at some point that morning having had to get something out of the car before going to work). Moment of dread as I realise her car key is in my pocket.

Bad for me as I now have to get home and back in about 20 minutes, bad for Han as she has 10 minutes to plan an assembly as all her planned stuff is locked in her car.

I got to St Michaels too late for the assembly, and got to work 25 minutes late as well.

Awful.

Still, today was better.

2010-07-13T20:41:00.002+01:00

Blogger keeps trying to make me download Google Chrome. Any thoughts?

I've had two recommendations that it is worth it, but my PC always suggests updates that only seem to slow everything down (the same two people have also said that Vista, which came with the PC, is a waste of time and the slowest system around).

Just listening to some Dylan, and wishing I'd made more of an effort to go to the Hop Farm Festival with friends a couple of weeks ago. Roll on Abbfest, no names like Van Morrison or Dylan on stage, but still always one of the best days out of the year.

2010-07-12T18:45:00.002+01:00

On Friday night we had takeaway Curry from Chadnis. It is the nicest Lamb Bhuna I have ever had, and fairly regularly I try and twist Hans arm into allowing the takeaway purchase to creep into our evening meal arrangement. Tonight we've had takeaway Pizza so I will probably have to wait a little while before I am allowed again.

The Jolly Porter has climbed into 3rd in the table of the Heavitree league. A win today might see us begin to threaten an actual promotion push. Game on...

2010-07-11T15:19:00.002+01:00

We have just realised that in 6 weeks we will be in Nice, hopefully sat on the beach with Jake, Amy, Sandy and Nom with some form of wine or cocktail in the sun. It is bizarre how fast the year is passing by, and the 27th December being D-Day means we have lots of 'clearing the house out' jobs that need doing.

It might finally mean I get a book case given I am still living out of boxes on this particular score. Last night I finished reading Integrity by Jonathan Lamb. I should read more Christian books than I do, I am better at regular bible reading than has been the case in the past, but it is nice to supplement with good bible commentary and insights. The only problem is that Jonathan Lamb is secretly in love with John Stott, so he gets him to write the foreword, references his books throughout, and I end up thinking that I might as well have just read a book by John Stott (except he just references Lamb throughout instead, it is a big conspiracy to fool the reader into thinking they are both great writers and preachers I think).

To push things on a bit exam-wise, I am doing another module for October as well as a re-sit, if either fails I might well give up as the time invested is too much to repeat over and over.

2010-07-09T19:25:00.002+01:00

Friday night. Completely free. We have used up our Lovefilm allocation for this month.

Julia and Julia. Pretty good for a romantic comedy. I did develop a crush on the female lead.

Ghosts of Girlfriends past. Awful. Although I do like Michael Douglas and he did a funny turn.

On our lovefilm list I have tried to mix up the genres so Han and I both have a fair chance of getting films we like, and of course there are often films we both enjoy.

Let's hope next month I get a fairer representation.

2010-07-08T21:25:00.002+01:00

I don't mind who wins the world cup final, but watched both semis in parts.

When he scored the headed winner, Carlos Puyol looked remarkably liked Sideshow Bob, and that was the main thing I remember about the match.

Our car is dirty. At head office, if I park out of shade it is like sitting in an oven when I drive back up the A30, if I park in the shade, the seagulls seem to take it as a personal affront. This time I went for the shade.

At Laurens. I quote - "I think Cristiano Ronaldo is a victim of the fact that he is a tosser". Brilliant.

2010-07-05T18:58:00.001+01:00

Just about to leave for darts.

After a storming first week we have lost two on the bounce.

This week at home to the Huntsman Inn from Ide. It is a must win.

Also, Truro tomorrow morning. Not ideal as it means a late night is followed by an early morning, but the mileage will be good. Just hope the weather is okay going down the A30 at 7am.

2010-07-04T13:48:00.002+01:00

In the end I didn't manage to get my jobs done.

We did go to homebase, and bought the decking stain needed to repair the damage wrought by a hard winter, but the instructions were not to use if rain was imminent. So we went to Exmouth instead and sat on the beach.

I like Exmouth more than I realise. We are very fortunate to live so close to the sea, and have a good range of coastal towns within very easy reach. We laid in the sun for an hour or so (the parking was so extortionate I only had enough cash on me for 2 hours so we were working against the clock). A round of crazy golf was fun as well, though Han beat me by one shot which tarnished the afternoon. At the end I did win a free round though, so £2 saved next time we have a free Saturday afternoon and an inclination to be beside the seaside.

Afternoon closed with a pint of lager shandy at the Powder Monkey, a drink which was just what the doctor ordered on such a balmy afternoon.

Then, John Allans 60th. A good night.

Jobs for today:
Must cut hair and shave. At the moment I am a passable Aslan.

2010-07-03T12:10:00.000+01:00

My company gives 48p mileage allowance. This is pretty good as mileage goes.

This month I have had to drive to head office and back (Truro) quite a few times. It is a 180 mile round trip, which means I get a cheque for £72 each time (you get taxed on anything over the 40 pence mark) for only half a tank of petrol (our car is not the most economic), which means a nice profit each month. In theory this is towards depreciation of the vehicle.

There is a tree at the end of our garden that needs to be cut as our neighbours are annoyed about it. The company we are paying to do it for us are charging £75 + VAT. Need to arrange a couple more trips to Truro to cover the shortfall.

2010-07-03T09:15:00.000+01:00

Today is a tidying day.

Jobs on the list:

Haircut
Shave
Go to Homebase

There is a longer list of things that Han would like to be done before the end of the year.

We are about four weeks away from our first proper holiday this year. Counting down to Nice in August, but a week off with Han will be fine for the last week of July.

2010-07-02T18:48:00.003+01:00

Han has gone to Pizza Express with Christine.

An unwritten rule of our marriage is that whenever Han goes out for dinner, I get Pizza.

I am bored of the World Cup, but the world cup Pizza Hut vouchers are much appreciated, and it all goes well with the Crabbies alcoholic ginger beer that was on offer in Sainsburys this week. Woohoo!

2010-06-24T20:34:00.001+01:00

Our managing director didn'g give us any time off to watch the England match, and even called about 10 minutes before kick off with some vague other matter. Anyway, it was very tense and I am quite glad I didn't waste any holiday taking half a day - we listened on Radio 5 where the commentators stop enunciating and start having coronaries every time something important seems to be happening so I missed anything of event. The BBC website kept slowing down or crashing due to the number of people using it I assume, so it was a productive day in the office as nobody called in the afternoon so I could work uninterrupted.

Other news - I failed my last module by 5 marks. I was gutted, but have now picked myself up a bit. I will resit in October and if I fail that then I will give up on a post-grad diploma probably as I do have things I want to do with my life that these essays and exams are preventing at present.

I thought we had a quiet weekend lined up but the hedge apparently needs cutting - is it wrong to pray for rain?

2010-06-23T18:30:00.001+01:00

Another anti-bird sign.
I first posted one a few years back from Wells, and will continue to post as many as I experience with my camera to hand.

I don't like birds. I don't like people who feed birds thus drawing large crowds of birds when others are trying to walk or cycle by.

We used to live by St Davids which meant I had to cycle along the River Exe for about 4 miles each way every day for work. One particularly selfish older lady created a huge ruckus with a bag of stale bread. I cycled through the mass as best I could and got attacked by a goose that I had unwittingly separated from its youngster. Though terrified, I said something fierce to the woman while cycling away being pursued for quite a few yards by said goose.

I don't like birds.

Bowden Hall

2010-06-22T21:20:00.000+01:00

I like Tesco Clubcards. They have paid for us to dine at Cafe Rouge and Bella Italia, and with a bit of point saving and negotiation on destination, they paid for us to spend last weekend at a 4 star hotel on the edge of Gloucester.

The hotel was one of the nicest I have stayed in - amazing breakfasts (too much food if anything), a reasonably priced bar (an exception rather than the norm I am afraid these days), and as nice swimming pool, gym etc etc. The weather was kind to us and we managed to squeeze in a Sunday lunch with my grandparents before heading back to Exeter.

The croquet was always out so I beat Han easily on Saturday night before we headed back in to the hotel. She didn't know that we were playing competitively (trying to knock each other out of the way) or at least she said that once it was clear that only one of us was going to win.

We have agreed this as something we will do again later in the year, just a different area.

A walk around Newent Lake on Sunday in the sun. A nice relaxing weekend where we booked time out just for ourselves. Lovely.

2010-06-21T19:00:00.001+01:00

I can't remember if I mentioned this last week or not but the darts summer season kicked off in earnest last Monday.

New season, new team members, I have done some recruiting and the resulting 7-2 victory over the Windsor Castle (I can't wait to go to our away leg there), set the tone for what will hopefully be a glorious promotion campaign.

Tonight - home again, this time to the Wonford Inn C. Come on the Jolly Porter...

2010-06-20T21:05:00.003+01:00

Ahhh. It was working. I thought is was just loading up a load of junk text, but I was on the 'Edit HTML' tag and not 'Compose'. It is something I really should have cottoned on to a lot quicker (about five days of pondering - not all just sat in front of the PC I hasten to add).

Ed and Sarahs wedding showed us many things. Two nice people at the start of a hopefully happy marriage, Broadclyst church which deserves a visit just for the architecture, and Escot Park which is a lavish reception venue and one we have never been to before.

The cake was excellent - see below.

Like something out of a Tim Burton film, much cooller than our wedding cake.

Another revelation was what I consider to be the largest strawberry I have ever seen. While I would like to begin a trend of blogger fruit size one-upmanship, I think it is more likely that this will be the first and last 'fruit perspective' photo I will post.

We raced back from the reception early to see Englands first game courtest of the endlessly generous Paul Morrish who hosted. What a waste of time. This Friday we have been in Gloucestershire (separate post to follow). Again we raced up so I could see the whole game. Again, what a waste of time.

2010-06-20T20:51:00.003+01:00

Trying to blog but blogger is not letting me upload photos and I have some to share.

I will try again later in the week.

2010-06-12T11:15:00.001+01:00

While we were away I read The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

I read a lot. Currently I am really enjoying the Millenium series by Stieg Larsson (but then, isn't everybody?).

The Road is the saddest book I have ever read. It actually disturbed me slightly as the book got sadder and sadder then ended. I had the film on our Lovefilm list but have now taken it off.

More on Lovefilm some time, it is making us watch movies again.

2010-06-12T10:30:00.000+01:00

Han went away with her friend Lilla a few weeks ago and spent a lot of money (after two or three phone calls and text exchanges with me - sat at work trying to do just that), I was told we had bought a new painting for the front room.

Han and I both love seascapes. This is the harbour at Mousehole. We had our honeymoon in Cornwall, and at the time found a picture at St Michaels Mount which we talked ourselves out of buying at the time, and regretted ever since. This is to replace the loss. I love it.

2010-06-11T21:53:00.002+01:00

I post this photo not because I think there is any level of interest in my potatoes from the public at large, but because it almost cost me a camera.

Back from Kent, I rushed round and watered the garden, taking photos of the growth of my various vegetables when I noticed the blueberry plant had tipped over in the wind. I put the camera down and sorted it out.

Monday evening (having driven to Truro and back in hellish rainy conditions), I get back at the same time as Han so go into the garden to help put the bike away etc (and I had no house key so was at Hans mercy getting in anyway), when Han said that the camera had been left in the rain all day outside.

A glass bowl, with the battery and memory card out, over some tealights. It worked. An hour or two of worrying later (this was a present from my in-laws, did I want the fuss of putting it through insurance), when the water inside the lens evaporated away and I had a working camera again. Relief is the only word (well, stupidity, absent-mindedness, obsession with the garden, all phrases which might also apply).

The Wedding

2010-06-10T18:00:00.004+01:00

Wedding one of our double header (Ed & Sarahs at Broadclyst, reception at Escot Park to follow this Saturday), was Han's best friend Kim to Victor. They once came to visit and Han went shopping with Kim, leaving me to entertain a man I had never met and had no knowledge of any common ground whatsoever. I chanced my arm and we ended up in the White Hart on South Street for the better part of 5 hours on a Saturday afternoon reading the paper and by the time we re-convened with out other halves for a meal at Cafe Rouge I felt like I'd made a friend but was not up for rich, french food (as I recall they had Jennings Cumberland Ale on tap which went down rather well).

As a bridesmaid who can play a bit (grade 8 piano, performance cert/grade 8 flute) Han played in the service with her mum. Kim surprised Victor with a rendition of Cheek to Cheek following the signing of the register, great fun. I like the weddings where something different happens.

The reception was in a marquee in the back garden of the Windmill in Gravesend, a place I can wholeheartedly recommend for a jocular bar keep and excellent range of ale. The marquee was set out very well, the speeches were very funny and the 'disco' in the evening was not so loud as to prohibit conversation.

The cake deserves a mention as the best chocolate cake I have ever eaten. Milky chocolate sponge, with white chocolate icing - so nice and so much better than staling fruitcake that is normally on offer.

A good time had by all, we caught up with some friends, and made some new ones. Sunday was a gentle start, then a drive back in the most changeable conditions we have experienced on the A303 - savage rain making visibility near -zero, then baking sun turning the car into a searing steam oven. We were glad to get back.

2010-06-09T21:30:00.003+01:00

We had originally intended to stop for a couple of nights in Oxford or Cambridge in the middle of our week off, then drive to Han's parents with a wedding in Gravesend on the Saturday. Financial constraints, and a lack of organisation that has oft been my falling, meant we drove to Hans parents on Wednesday morning and instead made this the base for some daytrips.

Trip One - Hadlow garden centre with gardens.

We visit here every time we come back to Kent. Our favourite of the themed gardens is the Italian garden. It makes me feel like a renaissance man to look on hanging gardens and by nice ornamental ponds. In reality we sit in the sun watching the water boatmen, who by the way are impossible to get a decent photo of on my camera (I did try).

Trip Two - Knole park and a pint in Sevenoaks.

Sevenoaks is where rich people live. It is a small town with very nice, proper pubs, and houses that we look and know will always be beyond us.

First off, a picnic lunch with Hans sister in Knole park with the famous young deer. Due to Noms exuberance with the feeding, they had more of the food than I did - quiche, muffins, cheese sandwiches - deer eat it all.

Then a pint or two of Sussex Best Bitter while Han went off shopping with her sister, and I watched the cricket.

Throughout the week we had some great weather, which boded well for Victor and Kims wedding...

2010-06-04T10:46:00.002+01:00

Rochester is one of my favourite towns to visit. A sunny afternoon, with a town steeped with interesting history, shops, architecture and 'proper' old pubs where you can get a pint of ale and sit with proper locals.

I will do an extended post soon, but as I am not on my own PC I cannot upload any photos just yet. The sun is still shining, we definitely picked a good week to take off, I would have been severely miffed to have been sat in the office at the moment.

2010-06-02T22:17:00.003+01:00

We are in Kent for the end of half term, and it looks like the decent weather has come with us so should be a good break.

Tomorrow we are in Rochester for the day, then at a wedding rehearsal in the evening. Friday we are spending with Hans sister. Saturday we are at the wedding in Gravesend. Then Sunday we will rest before heading home and back to work for Monday (Booo!).

I envy Han's dad his amazing study with great book and CD collection. I am working on such an objectively commendable collection myself. Today I picked up 'Planet Narnia' off the shelf. A fascinating theory on the underlying construct of the Narniad. I am going to read it all and will feedback more. I could pick up a dozen or more randomly readable books easily from his mini library - I need to persuade Han to completely give over the second spare room to me (we're half way there at the moment) so I can start filling it with my faux-literati tendencies. At the moment I still have all my books in boxes as we could not afford a book case in the months after moving - each time we thought about it something more important needed paying for.

I do have the camera with me so hopefully over the next few days I can get a few decent pictures for the blog. Yesterday and today I have been checking work emails and forwarding and answering questions from the office - at lunchtime today I sent a firm email saying I would not be available until next Tuesday and I will not check my emails until then. I suspect that the company will not fall apart in my absence, but if it does I can at least be reassured in the knowledge a lot more than they bother to communicate at times.

2010-05-31T10:59:00.002+01:00

A typically generous spread for Sandys pudding party yesterday led to a great afternoon with good chat with good mates. All the difference nice weather makes on a bank holiday.

Paulos Circus is in town next to Darts farm (where we had lunch on Saturday). I have never been to the circus, and can now only associate it with Papa Lazarou so will probably never end up going. Still, it looked fun from the outside as we drove by.

Today, we are meeting with Jake, Amy, Sandy and maybe others to walk to Double Locks for lunch.

Our car is being serviced tomorrow. It could make or break the week off depending what needs doing...

2010-05-29T10:18:00.002+01:00

With the first rhubard of the summer, I made a rhubarb and apple cobbler. The difference between a pie and a cobbler? Apart from sounding cooler, it is something to do with the pastry.

I had spare pastry, so whipped up a quick egg custard tart. That was very nice, better than you can buy in the shops I reckon.

So, in conclusion, I am an excellent husband who bakes nice things for my wife. I have made a pact with Han that every time we go shopping I am going to get the makings of a new recipe, just for fun and variety.

We have next week off together, it being half term and all. I said to Han this morning, "I need to find a way of not thinking about work at home". I am not a worrier per se, but I have a lot on at work and often find myself half thinking about things I need to do at work, or solutions to problems at work. It is a bit annoying really.

It is raining. We are not going to sit in getting irritable, we are going to get our coats on and do something. I'll just get the camera...

2010-05-23T12:57:00.002+01:00

Sun lounger in the garden, dipping between a bit of weeding and a bit of reading, with a glass of pepsi and amazing ice done with my ice crusher. I think this afternoon is going to be a good one...

We had Jake and Amy round last night for cake and conversation, speaking about making sure that when we go to Nice this summer I (and Jake) are not pasty white Englishmen along on the beach, otherwise the lady folk may fall under the spell of a passing Ginola. The tan work starts today.

Cut our first rhubarb today, lots more on the way. Loving the sun and loving the garden.

2010-05-22T11:38:00.002+01:00

It is not too often Han and I have a completely free Saturday, but find ourselves in such a fortunate position today with the sun shining. There was an opportunity to get along to the County Show, but more likely is reading in the sun in the garden with a walk up to town when the heat has died down a bit this afternoon. As per my last post, the potatoes do need earthing, but I will do that this evening.

My wife is reeling over Ronans multiple affairs and a secret second phone, I was reeling when I discovered he wasn't in his late fourties (he definitely has an old face, I have heard it said that the pressure of lying ages you).

On the advice of Christine, last week I bought all three of Stieg Larssons 'the girl with/who...' series but am currently mired in the Satanic verses (this is not the first time I have ploughed through a Rushdue novel thinking how vastly overrated he is, but will almost certainly be the last), and The Childrens Book which is interesting but also very long.

We had Chinese at the Goldsworthys last night. Great fun, through blackened by their murderous cat (having found a nest of baby sparrows earlier that day and killed them all). They have a great book collection, something to aspire to. A book case has so far been low down our list of priorities on moving and furnishing our first home, so I am still reading out of a box. While this frustrates as I cannot find books I know I own, it does throw out the odd pleasant surprise when I find something I forgot I owned.

Now to sit in the garden with a coffee and a book, then to town, where I want to potter around Waterstone's for a while.

2010-05-15T22:00:00.002+01:00

I have just enjoyed a nice pint of spring ale from Shepherds Neame while writing with just a lamp on, because Han says the main light uses too much electricity. Now I am running a bath. Another wild Saturday night. Is it just me or do sometimes we act older than we should?

Next weekend I am going to do something purely immature just for the hell of it. Except the potatoes will need earthing up.... Rock on.

2010-05-15T21:37:00.002+01:00

There are not many sure-fire ways to get myself told off any more, it's like Han understands me or something, or at least realised I am not going to change much more. The keen gardener I am becoming walked muddy footprints into the kitchen a couple of weeks ago while I was planting in some parsnips and Han was not amused, but still didn't really scold me too much.

Today I had to re-pot the tomatoes because they were rooting against the starter pots I kicked them off in. The 'muddy pots on the dining table' routine used to always get me a reaction, but even today I kind of got away with it.

This pig has been relieving me of my change for a few months now. We did this growing up and once a year counted up our collection as a family, and whoever got nearest was allowed to keep it. A great game.

Han loves counting money up, so I went and bought the paper while she sorted it into piles equating to a pound.

There were 15 and a bit of them, not bad going considering Han keeps taking from it when she needs change. Ironically every now and then I empty her purse into it which she only realises when she gets to shops thinking she has money in her purse. It's a vicious circle.

2010-05-08T20:09:00.004+01:00

I am very much a carrot rather than stick man when it comes to working in the evening and on the weekend. Last night I wrote an essay on risk identification in a national company. It needed doing.

Tonight I am typing out another essay on risk treatment within local authorities (the man who fell off his bike after hitting a pothole and sued the council - need I say more). There was sod all on TV last night, so I stayed up late reading instead, a small treat I guess but by the time I finished I couldn't go out and buy myself a pint, which had been the plan.

This time I am prepared - at half 9 there is a family guy evening on BBC3, and I have bought in some Speckled Hen. One more hour of work then the rest of the weekend as my own.

NB - well done on staying up Exeter City, not a big follower but I was walking through town today and the noise was incredible, it must be good when a whole city gets behind a cause.

2010-05-07T18:19:00.003+01:00

We stayed up until about half 11, I could have stayed up longer were it not for the work alarm ready to go this morning at 7:20am. It was 2-0 when we left it, so I was shocked (not) when we went downstairs to find Tory way ahead.

97 - John Major rubbish PM, massive landslide to Labour as people fed up with incumbent PM with party having been in power for too long. Obsolete thinking, policies etc.

2010 - Gordon Brown rubbish PM, I feel sorry watching him sometimes as I know he is intelligent but seems to have zero charisma. Surely a massive landslide to Tory. It had to be time for a change, it was the easiest campaign the Tories ever had to run because Brown was so clearly not cut out for the job. The problem is, they chose someone just as dislikeable as their head and it didn't come off.

I voted Labour yesterday. 2 reasons - local and national.

Local - I went to the candidates being interviewed in front of a Christian audience. They were asked (as the friendly, non-issue related, "let's get to know you" question), 'what got you into politics'? Pandering outrageously to the audience, Tory Hannah Foster relayed a tall tale about having worked with Mother Teresa and having been told by the near-saint (possibly on her death bed, or am I exaggerating - probably) to continue her good work. Aside from scoffing at the sheer unbelievability of the story, I hate being played with for votes. So I didn't.

National - Any vote except for Labour/Conservative I didn't feel would make a difference. From a christian perspective, I don't think any party is consistent enough to get a clear vote, so I just went on the line of the people I liked and disliked. I thought 'in a room with the rest of the worlds leaders who do I want to represent England' - and just concluded that it couldn't be David Cameron. As it happens it probably will be but I can at least feel vindicated that it wasn't my vote that put him there when he realises that we need some substance at the top to get us out of an economic mess and he doesn't have the first idea how to deal with it.

I might get rid of my beard tomorrow...

2010-05-06T20:33:00.002+01:00

I won't harp on about the election, I do hope that everyone voted though. It is very interesting, specifically in Exeter where Bradshaw has been on top for years and Labour have been well represented on the canvassing score. I have had long conversations with various people on how to vote this time round, and stil wasn't sure even as Han and I walked down to Whipton community hall to vote. I sent up a quick prayer and went for it, I'll say which way I went once I know the result.

Han and I do have our pet charity causes (NOT 'pet 'charities, waste of time), and I am always fascinated by Africa. This stems from an appreciation of Bob Geldof as a charitable hobo but intelligent and knowledgeable speaker (I remember the Hay-On-Wye literary festival talk that was a real eye-opener). I use this only to introduce the excellent African appreciation week on BBC Four (having Freeview is definitely great after living on the St Davids Hill black spot for 2 years).

Some of the programmes weren't great, but the Tutu Talks were fascinating. Get five learned people to talk sensibly and progressively about the big issues surrounding Africe, its development and strategy for the coming generation. One of the best programmes I have seen for a long time for people with an interest in charity and Africa, not sure if you can still catch it on-line but it gets a big recommendation from me.

Garden update - potatoes and onions are coming through - woohoo!

2010-05-02T16:25:00.002+01:00

I am getting old. When it rained on Thursday for the first time in about 3 weeks, I genuinely thought that it was good for the garden - very annoying to cycle home in, but at least I won't have to water the strawberries when I get home.Strawberries don't need too much attention, just lots of water. This is the first year for the whole garden - next year the strawberries will hopefully have taken over this corner of the garden I have given to them.

The raspberry and blackberry plants look lame against the fence at the moment as they were only planted in a few weeks back. As they establish over the next few years it should almost become a hedge of berry plants as they grow through each other.

The rhubarb here is dwarfing a redcurrant plant. I have spent far too much money in Homebase over the last few months kitting out the garden. Owning your own house is a surreal feeling in many ways, it is far more responsibility than you ever get used to.

A bank holiday weekend is always welcomed. May always flies by in a glut of long weekends and short working weeks.

We watched the Great West Run this morning. It was freezing stood out in the wind, but we caught up with Phill and Emma and went to lunch with Em's parents. Very nice.

Tomorrow. Branscome with the Taylors, Morrishes, Flanagans etc, then hosting dinner in the evening for a group of other friends. Good times.

2010-04-24T12:01:00.002+01:00

The exam went alright, so just an awkward 6 weeks of waiting to see if I can put some different letters after my name, and in theory starting on my next module. The in between period where I am meant to start submitting assignments for my next module (this time the thrillingly titled "Risk, Regulation and Capital Adequacy"), is always something to dislike. Just as soon as I have typed and posted this, I intend to put a couple of hours in.

I know, a waste of a nice day, but I have been out in the garden all morning, and we are out tonight. So this small window is all I have to get on with a little reading.

The photos are from Budleigh last weekend. We go there quite a lot because Han doesn't really like Exmouth because it's really busy. We are planning to go to the beach again tomorrow afternoon, there MUST be other nice beaches in reasonable driving distance. I will do some research and put some photos up of wherever we end up.

The one bonus from Budleigh is the excellent icecream shop at the bottom of town, which may well influence our decision. The downside is the savage parking fee (A great welcoming sign of "Parking fees apply all of the time - this includes Sundays and public holidays", I might take a photo next time). Also, that my mum jokes about the nudist section EVERY time she rings and we say we are going to/have been to Budleigh.

This is a man in a boat, he carried 3 or 4 men out to go scuba diving. Then a seperate man kayaked out along the coast, stopping by the rocks looking at fish. I was jealous. I love boats. We are going to Nice this summer with a few mates and the sea is probably the thing I am most looking forward to.

2010-04-17T20:48:00.002+01:00

Why is it that it is only 10-15 minutes walk away from the house that you think 'did I lock the front door or not'? I walked on anyway, sent up a quick prayer, and of course it was locked when I got home.

Anyway, last night I spent the evening with Sandy, Clarksons and Hughes. I misjudged the walk and arrived embarrassingly early, but chatting to Sandy over a glass of wine before everyone else strolled in was good fun. The conversation through the evening centred on the political debates; I love this time where social engagements fleetingly dwell on such things and people suddenly care when for the four/five years in between they have shown no interest at all. End result of debate - we probably shouldn't just vote for the parties our parents did. Labour don't deserve four more years. Cameron is a schmuck. Lib Dems seem an alright alternative but might be a wasted vote (no vote is wasted by the way, I will be drumming this into everyone I know over the next few weeks - if you are eligible you must vote). My conclusion, still don't know which way to vote, but know not to argue with Amy about it. And I mispronounced Plaid Cymru which is REALLY bad as my mum lives there and I am half-Welsh. Ah well, they are a joke party anyway (You want independence Wales? After a few months cut off from our subsidies you would be crying to come back).

Then we watched the invention of lying, which was better than I thought it would be. On the walk home (after midnight, a really nice time to walk as the streets are dead, it was still warm enough to be without a coat, loved it), I saw a fox (the animal, not an underdressed student on the way back from a club). Not sure who was more scared (I thought it was a cat as I approached, then slowly realised it was far too big), but it ran off before I did.

It was all a nice evening after a mad start to the day. Alarm goes off, I think for once that I am not too tired, go downstairs, start pouring my honey cornflakes (Morrisons we salute you, the best cereal around), look at the clock. 8:30 not the required 7:30. A few seconds of utter confusion as I try to understand how this could have happened. Then, 5 minutes of sprinting round the house, rushing out to work washed but unbreakfasted, and just making it on time. It is the first, and hopefully last, time it has ever happened to me.

2010-04-15T19:49:00.002+01:00

How many sub-contractors does a council need to change a light-bulb? See below for part of the answer.

3 vans in sight, 2 more round the corner. All with at least 2, sometimes 3 men. And they tried to sell the council tax increase this year with nonsense about more money spent on firemen.

If only the public could get involved in where the money is spent, I think some streamlining at council level would be a first step. All the fuss about Exeter getting a unitary council really was a waste of time. Binmen only take the bin if it is left in exactly the required spot, but after they've been you've got to wander the street to find where it's been thrown.

NB. This was all going to be a link to how to vote this May as we got our poll cards through this morning. I really don't know who to vote for. Gordon Brown doesn't really deserve four more years, but David Cameron is a shallow muppet who comes across as entirely desperate every time he opens his mouth. Nick Clegg is a waste of time (how we miss Charles Kennedy). Maybe the green vote?

The problem is entirely worse looking from a christian perspective, where I do think there is a duty to vote, but no party stands up to scrutiny. Hmmm, more research needed methinks. I'm off to watch Zodiac.

2010-04-14T18:00:00.000+01:00

Even though I do moan about my job sometimes, as it can be all-consuming during busy patches with work having to be done at home on my diploma stuff, I do have it quite good. During the cold snap between christmas and new year, I had to go to work for 2 days. The roads were not an option so I had to walk. It took ages. I did have my camera though and took a few pictures that made it all worthwhile I think.

Leaving home just as the sun was rising..

Crossing the bridge at the bottom of Salmon Pool lane..

The view of the marshes around marsh barton..

The River Exe, frozen pretty solid. There were people throwing sizeable chunks of rock at the ice and it wasn't even cracking. Still I didn't dare to skate out on it as some were doing..

Sometimes I forget how lucky we are to live in Exeter. There are lots of places we want to see in the UK, but we have it pretty good where we are.

2010-04-14T11:23:00.000+01:00

Read the caption on the picture for this story. I laughed out loud.

2010-04-13T20:21:00.003+01:00

Of all the cheek, a few weeks back me email account got hacked. It is something that happens to other people, but very annoying when it lands on your own PC. Every person in my gmail contact, past and present people, real people and companies, all got a personal recommendation from me for a dodgy price comparison site that I won't name as people might give it a hit just out of curiousity. As a result of this, I didn't go on the internet for a while and had to change all my passwords, then remember I had changed them every time I logged into things.

Other annoyances would be Amazon changing its delivery service away from the Royal Mail (which one has to concede is not reliable), to a special delivery service. Guess the outcome - we are at work when said special delivery is attempted. Their collection depot is not down the back of Sidwell Street, which is very conveniently situation for collection by Han en route to work. The collection depot is on the Heathfield Industrial Estate in Newton Abbot. We can't get out to Newton Abbot within the week specified on the back of the delivery card. They try to deliver again. We are at work again. The package returns to head office and we get a refund. All very frustrating and has resulted in my missing out on a couple of books I wanted, and now not using Amazon any more.

The early part of the year has not been eventful enough for anyone to have missed anything. I always work pretty solidly saving my holiday for later in the year. I have spent a fair amount of time on our garden, growing well I have - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, tomatoes, rhubarb. Ready to go in (one evening this week) - potatoes, onions and parsnips. It is a pretty impressive effort which I always promised myself I would do once we had our own house and weren't just renting, and I have actually seen it through.

We were back home over Easter, and I met up with someone who wanted me to proof-read their draft for a novel they have been working on. It reminded me how much I used to enjoy writing and how I really need to get back into it. With the weather we are having, I reckon a few hours sat in the garden with a glass of something and a pad might be just the ticket. With the ongoing insurance/economics diploma I don't spend enough time doing things I should be doing ie writing, quiet times, listening to good music, praying, reading the bible, but I intend to turn that round with the beginning of spring and summer.

2009-12-27T12:12:00.002Z

With the length of time between posts ever longer, there is more and more to put on but I remember less and less as I sit down.

Work has taken over a bit recently, I am on my LAST module for my diploma which unfortunately means that even though December is a mad month anyway, my few free evenings have been spent in textbooks and Microsoft Works Word Processor (will I one day own microsoft office for myself? So many problems when emailing docs back and forth from work and not recognising each other).

I am sat in Kent, whose turn it was to host us this year, we are in Maesteg for New Year. I may or may not do a big new year post with our hopes for the coming year, but will say there is (as always) lots we want to do, hope to do, and some we probably won't get round to but wish we did. I do need to perfect a work/life balance for sure because work has been taking over a bit the last few months (for example, yesterday BOXING DAY, I spent the morning writing up a report on legal evaluation of insurable interest for commercial and personal customers).

Having a car makes life a lot easier and along with getting our own home (which comes with a set of problems of its own, never-ending lists of jobs and repair work that needs doing, and trying to get the garden ready for a full on veg assault next year - I don't only grow things on Farmville you see), getting behind the wheel again has been the most exciting thing. I had to do a couple of overnight stays in Cornwall for work recently and driving on my own each way felt liberating.

I am going to spend the afternoon walking around Rochester while Han catches up with some old friends, it is a proper town with unique shops and decent ale pubs, should be fun.

2009-11-21T20:32:00.002Z

Whenever an opportunity comes along to revel in self-satisfaction, I have never been one to miss it.

Good things at the moment:re-learning to drive after about 4 years. A Passat is a bit of a beast to get used to - very smooth drive (well, it is when other people drive it), but a pain to park due to being so long, and it having been so long since I have performed driving manoeuvres with any sense of knowing what was going to happen. Still, I have driven to work on 3 or 4 days where the weather was too severe to sensibly cycle, and will probably have to on a couple of days next week.

However, to avoid the temptation of wasting money on petrol and burning up the environment through sheer laziness, we did get a new bike this week which runs much better than the 2 and a half year old one which had no brakes and the gears kept changing without being told to. Having a nice new bike to ride ensures I will ride to work whenever I can.

Also, some of our shed roof got ripped up in the recent stormy weather, which also bent the shed door so it wouldn't close properly. We spent about half an hour this morning remedying both problems and having repaired both, had a real sense of proper home-ownership and making running repairs without having to call for help.

Work is mental at the moment, but all good really. We need to do less sometimes I think, we don't have a completely free weekend until some time in January I think, it's all fun stuff, but I do get tired and cranky sometimes. Anyway, think I have a bottle of beer downstairs (note to self, must not watch crap reality TV that I suspect Han has on).

2009-11-05T20:02:00.002Z

Han has gone to watch Emma Thompson in conversation with Kwame Kwei-Armah (the bloke from Casualty who almost one celebrity fame acadamy) with our extended house guest Karis. Aside from being an entirely random event for Exeter uni to put on, it is a sign that better standard of celebrity is visiting - Gomez, Goldie Lookin Chain, Midge Ure, Dizzee Rascal, James Morrison, Fairport Convention - all bands that have been or are coming to Exeter soon. Not all bands I like, but I have at least heard of, which is some way forward than some of the term line-ups in my day.

The weather keeps soaking me on my way to work, but I am trying not to just drive to work every day just because I have the option. Still, as I got soaked on my way home today I did think I should give up on exercise and drive everywhere, expecially at this time of year.

There are a few different reasons why we are not at a bonfire tonight - I've been Ottery 4/5 times now and couldn't be bothered to sort it this time round, and we went to a small bonfire in Bow last night (which I realised is further in the dark down country lanes than it looks on the map).

Now I am sat here listening to Hunky Dory with all the fireworks going outside around the city - it goes together very effectively.

"Andy Warhol is a scream, hang him on your wall, your wall, your wall".

I spend too much time on Farmville, singing along with people with significantly better voices than myself. Oh well.

My mum is coming down to Exeter for along weekend tomorrow, pray for some decent weather. At the moment Saturday is a toss-up between Living Coasts and Plymouth Aquarium. Must take the camera.

A potted history of the summer

2009-10-18T16:54:00.002+01:00

The summer started against a backdrop of looking for (and eventually buying) our first house. This made planning other things fairly difficult as the house buying process is unnecessarily drawn out and stessful due to lots of different things.

Most stressful times in a mans life (probably) - getting married (wasn't too bad really, though very nervous on the wedding morning), having children (I guess, we'll see about that at some point), and buying a house.

We looked at about ten houses, liked a couple, and really liked one. Which we made an offer on, which was rejected, then after a week accepted, so we moved in about 6 weeks later (having an offer accepted, even with a mortgage offer sorted like we had, is still only the first step, and nothing is certain for ages). It made us stressed knowing we were nearing the end of our rental contract, and had to move on the 31st July/1st August.

We did get to Keswick, but couldn't extend our stay as in the end we moved almost straight after returning, and I had to find signal in the lakes at several points to talk to solicitors, sort insurance, talk to estate agents etc etc.

Then we moved on the 31st July. Han was on sabbatical this summer, following 7 years with ICE, and decided to spend it undertaking a patience exercise with BT (who, along with NPower, provide the worst customer service you could imagine, and get away with it because they are so big).

Luckily the house didn't need too much work, though Han has had fun with an overgrown hedge in the garden, and I have dug some up ready for next years veg. In short, everything is going well. I finally have a dartboard up in the house, one joy of not renting. Our diary is busy as ever, but with lots of fun stuff - next weekend, Kent for half term.

I have ANOTHER CII exam on Tuesday, to become a Chartered Insurer really takes too much work, but I am sure it will all be worth it come 3/4 years time when I finally get there.

More posts are really required to extend some things I am flying through, but for now this is an overlong attempt to make up for 4 long bust months away from the world of blog.

[There are pictures to go with this post, which I will edit in once blogger lets me "internal error with upload"]

2009-06-27T13:14:00.002+01:00

On Wednesday I went to an evening with Justin Langer, the Aussie cricketer who captains Somerset at the moment. Tickets were expensive, but turned out to be well worth it. Amy and Jake are having their wedding reception at Sandy Park in a couple of months which we are also going to, so Jake asked me to preview the food and recommend the courses. It was all pretty amazing.

Due to having friends in the right places, I was on the top table so got to spend the evening chatting with a famous ashes cricket about all sorts - his family, cricket anecdotes and his conversion to christianity a few years ago, very interesting.

Tonight we have a charity skittles night supporting Tearfund, at the Twisted Oak in Ide. Should be fun.

2009-06-21T16:21:00.003+01:00

I had a good run at the end of May/early June for blogging, then went all busy again. Things then back up and get overlooked for posting.

Anyway, I passed my exam which is amazing news. Haven't had final mark yet, just confirmation that I did pass with full write up of my performance to follow in the post, so will cross fingers that it turns up at all (we're having major problems at the moment with post not being delivered). As I had ploughed on writing essays for the next module it would have been discouraging to have to re-revise for a resit, so am mightily encouraged.

Work is good at the moment. I have only had 2 days holiday this year, and just a couple of weeks away from the seventh month of the year (time goes by faster than ever, and still so much we want to do this summer and year!). This means of course that if work does get too busy or I start getting tired and stressed, I have plenty of time I can take off.

All good really. It has been a fairly quiet weekend which is always a nice alternative to the norm. Han has had friends visit, I have finished reading The Discovery of Heaven (I will post seperately on this as it is the best and most interesting book I think I have ever read, and still have to comment on the Decameron).

Rain

2009-06-07T17:21:00.002+01:00

We were woken early on our Saturday morning by a great thunderstorm. It was right over us at one point, and was followed by heavy rain for about 12 hours without break. Given that it has been muggy the past few days, thunder was just what was needed to clear the atmosphere a bit. It did mean that we had to have an indoors day, and I have found that wives need just as much entertaining on a rainy day than any child.

I started by getting out the marbling kit I bought a few months ago, then I watched the excellent Immortal Beloved (Gary Oldman is so good) while Han made a mess in the front room.

This wasn't enough. Baking was required to occupy Han for a little longer. A lovely honey cake was the result which I mightily enjoyed while warm with some clotted cream ice cream.

So, a day where we couldn't leave the house (we have today so not an entirely cooped in weekend), but a good one nonetheless. I have even managed to get an essay typed up so about as productive as 2 days off could be.

2009-06-06T13:26:00.002+01:00

My bike died this week.

The back tyre had a slow puncture which proved irreparable, so I took Tuesday afternoon off (we had a meeting with our mortgage broker anyway) and left it at Sidwell Cycles where they were going to replace the back tyre and inner tube and give it a full service. Only they didn't, I got a call on Wednesday where they said their quote for all the work was going to be more than the bike was worth. Bike cost £90, repair quote was £160-180. I enquired if they had a bike for about £100, he said I used it so much he recommended I go up to the £3-400 range so it would really last. I said no. Now I am running Han's bike into the ground (won't take long, the wheels aren't straight, it's like riding with 2 square wheels).

Why say no?

We bought the cheapest bikes in the range 22 months ago.

Mine was £90 and I think Han's was a little bit less.

My daily round trip to work is 6 miles. That is 30 a week not counting the mileage out of work.
That is 83 weeks of travelling to and from work (I have taken 5 off for holidays), which totals 2490 work miles.

The bus is £9 a week, which would be £747 spent in the same period.

I think for the £90 I have got a decent return, and would be happy for another £90 to yield the same return. While a £400 bike would have me worrying all the time I left it chained anywhere, I am not overly bothered that my cheap bike is gone. I may put a photo up for posterity as it is my first bike ever.

So, a post of sums in what has been weeks of sums. More to follow, have darts starting again on Monday.

2009-05-31T17:39:00.003+01:00

Given that we are in the process of buying a house, and work has been a bit mental recently (a trend more than likely to continue), and Han has been on half term but didn't book to go home, we decided to get out of Exeter and go to the beach at Dawlish.

I love Dawlish. The first time I went we (Mark, Ella, Han, Rob, Ben, Luke, leaving others to work in uni exam season) walked. It took ages and we arrived just after the pub stopped serving the lunch that motivated me for the last couple of miles. Instead we got chips, juggled and had lots of general fun and chat. It isn't as busy as exmouth, and not as cheesy as dawlish warren, and has amazing views.

The tide was in when we arrived. We walked along the sea front for a while, found a bench, and proceeded to watch people getting unexpectedly soaked by the sea smashing against the sea wall. All good fun.Then we had the best chips I've tasted for ages, crispy on the outside, fluffy inside, lots of salt and vinegar but not too greasy. Perfect.

There was a summer fete on the green which occupied me for a few minutes, then we spent a pound on the 2 pence machine things in the arcade, and visited an art exhibition at the Shaftesbury theatre.

By now the tide was out. I wasn't sure though so had a good look before heading in...

I am pretty sure I was the only person on the beach reading the Decameron. Not for show but because it has taken me months to finish and I have a new book I want to start reading in its place and need to finish it first. Has been a decent read, just a bit too long considering the short stories that make up the whole are fairly samey (saw a Michael McIntrye routine on what constitutes a good read yesterday, if I can find a link I'll post it - hilarious).

Having returned home and showered the sand from my extremities, we settled back to watch Britain's Got Talent. I was really pleased with the result, and especially pleased that silly crying girl didn't make the top 3. A good day.

Still the sun has shined on again today, more sunbathing, reading, a glass of cider this afternoon in the sun. All good. And it's only May - this weather is too good to be true, can it last?

2009-05-30T09:56:00.002+01:00

It takes waking up to a Saturday morning like this to get me out of work bad mood from the week. The Devon county show last week was great fun, and on Thursday I had another day out at South Molton market then meeting clients all afternoon on their farms - just the office stuff and exam stuff is really draining at the moment. Too much work, still have to wait 4 weeks to get my last exam mark back, and meant to be cracking on with Octobers work load. I had been incredibly productive and read most of the text book already, then last week I got an "update" to the study pack which basically a re-written text book for me to read, grrrrrrr.

Anyhow, today we are probably going to Dawlish (not on foot this time). I will take the camera and post some pictures of what is sure to be a good day.

2009-05-17T15:41:00.003+01:00

The 40th party was a great time, people surpassed all expectations with costumes. Kirky was the campest pirate I've ever seen, Criddle was meant to be Travolta in Hairspray but to my mind looked like Kim from 'How clean is your house?' and seemed far too comfortable with the costume.

Walking along Cowley Bridge Road to get to the party was fun, the hog roast was SO nice, the wine tasting class was just that - a class (lots of talking not much wine drinking), but all in all a good party with lots of good friends there. Also, no confusion on bedrooms, though the first thing my wife said to me when I got up this morning was a hissed 'make sure you put pants on before going downstairs' (in her most earnest 'you must obey' voice).Now with a quiet Sunday afternoon and evening before me I am going to kick back, and later on we are watching 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks'.

Next week, we have a meeting with a mortgage advisor to sound him out (sums, sums and more sums), then MORE house viewings on Wednesday and Thursday. Tuesday is the ICE celebration at 6:30pm at St Leonards so come if you can, pray for Han if you can't (it is always an important night for her). Then we are in to the Devon County Show where I am doing an 11 hour day on Saturday. Busy on, as the saying goes.

2009-05-16T18:44:00.003+01:00

I have been enjoying Air - Talkie Walkie a lot this last week. One of those albums I got into years ago then joyous itunes randomised it back into my thoughts again.

Clarkson got me in the deciding set at darts last night, a rematch will have to be arranged where the good humour will be put to on side in the interests of pride.

The Jolly Porter has nice new owners (again), but still will never make money. The Artful Dodger doesn't really want a darts team any more (the owner is a fool). We are potentially moving at some point this year, so the darts dream of lifting a premiership trophy after working up through the divisions looks like it is going to be on the backburner for a while.

It is Mrs Morrishes 40th this year. Fancy Dress of course. I am a clown (for tonight only of course), Han is old woman (easy joke I will sidestep at this juncture), Lauren is stopping over and is Lara Croft. Depending how good the outfit is I might have to remind myself which bedroom I am meant to be going into later....

Bigbury-On-Sea and Burgh Island

2009-05-14T20:21:00.003+01:00

Bank Holiday Monday was a grand day out to Bigbury and Burgh Island. A motley crew of Taylors, Flanagans, Morrishes, Fullses, Criddles, Peters's, Simmonses and ourselves spent a couple of hours on a windy beach, then the challenge was made of walking to the top of the Island. It isn't a huge distance but well worth the effort, I think the view speak for themselves.

Barry certainly enjoyed a pensive moment anyway.

A chopper arrived dropping people at the local hotel - I could tell I was with the Morrishes with such displays of decadence.

Then fish and chips on the way back in Dartmouth. A fun day out full of banter with good friends.

On a sour note, the last few days have yielded the unpleasant sensation of flies going down my throat while cycling (horrible enough), then feeling them trying to struggle back out again because I can't swallow and they are too far down to spit back out. Uggh.

2009-05-13T19:35:00.000+01:00

Busy times at the Richards'. Both away separately at the weekend, I was in Bristol with a few friends which was a great time, Han was at Centreparcs which I am told was also very fun. I am stuck into essay mode again, cracking on and pretending I am not thinking about the exam result that is still 5 weeks away (10 weeks to mark an exam only 100ish people in the whole of the UK are sitting, madness).

We have viewed 2 houses this week, with more to follow over the next few days. The ICE celebration is on the way next week, with visiting in-laws which will be nice. Han's operation went fine, a mole removed with just a bit of butterfly tape then scar therapy to follow (apparently there is a gel you rub in which eases the scar).

My brother is back safe from Afghan which is grand, he will proceed over the next few weeks to piss away the salary unspendable over the past 7 months.

Han smashed my treasured Alice in Wonderland plate last week while clumsily washing up, to relieve my bitterness she has bought me a Bob Geldof mug which more or less replaces the loss.

This weekend - Friday evening I am to school a Mr Clarkson in Darts, then we are heading back to ours to be fed by Amy and Han - will be a fun night. Saturday we are viewing houses in the morning, then in the evening I am clowning around at the Morrishes. Looking forward to it all, just need to remember to book in down time which there is not much time for over the next couple of weeks.

If I posted more often I would be more coherent, perhaps I will turn over a new leaf and blog daily with a photo or two...

2009-05-01T20:06:00.002+01:00

Hooray! I was a bit fed up with work today, has been a stressed out few weeks simply because it has been so busy at work, and with my exam hanging over me. I now have 4 days off though, and just found out that Toploader have reformed, with a UK tour later this year and an album early 2010! Not everyone loves them but I have forever championed them and was genuinely disappointed when they disbanded in 2003.

2009-04-23T22:09:00.002+01:00

The exam was hard but I think I passed. I will be very gutted if I didn't.

Our internet keeps going up and down. Torbay is often mentioned as going down of a weekend, but we're not really in that area. I have guessed it may have something to do with this digital switchover happening in a couple of weeks, but it is still very annoying.

Seem to be spending time looking at houses/mortgages or reading about insurance. Counting down with bated breath to the boys weekend in Bristol in just 2 weekends time.

2009-04-22T10:53:00.002+01:00

In 3 hours I will be sat in a room doing a written exam for the first time since third year. I have always hated afternoon exams because even though I don't have to leave until about half 12, it is all I can think about but there is no point doing any more revision because I'll either confuse myself as I think all of my notes are in my head, or I'll scare myself my reading things I ought to know by now but don't. I have never really suffered with exam nerves, and have never failed one, just it hangs over you (half 1 to half 4 is an epic return to exam condition having had 3 years out of action). At least morning exams leave you free by lunchtime. I don't get my results until the last week of June, such a long time I will probably forget to look out for them.

2009-04-18T11:34:00.002+01:00

This is the weekend of the Exeter food and drink festival. Work are insuring the whole thing for free as a marketing stunt, so although I am on a stand for a few hours tomorrow I do have free passes for the whole weekend. As part of the drink part comes local ale and ciders so this afternoon we are heading up for some sampling. Han is also intrigued by the chocolate tasting workshop, this following "Willie's chocolate revolution" on channel 4 a couple of weeks ago which seems to have captured her obsession with dark chocolate.