Jammy Boodle

I wonder what will happen when Jeremy Beadle (AKA Jammy Boodle to readers of the Judge Dredd strip cartoon) gets to the gates today? I think St Peter will be less than convinced; 'Yeah right, fella - where's the camera crew then? You're not coming in until you take that disguise off!'

Nice bloke - hope they let him in.

Sim card Simpleton.

I've had a top day today with several smart things occurring! I got my new phone bits and pieces (the old one having gone through the wash) but I had since lost the sim card. Orange have said they will send me another one of those too, and have dropped their usual admin' fee, so that will arrive tomorrow. Luckily I had my sim card from the phone I had before the washing machine one and it fitted. Managed to keep that one for three months but lost my previous one 1 day after the washing machine incident. The old sim had all my numbers on and the 1 gig memory card from the washing machine phone survived its ordeal so I have all my pics too. I didn't have the number of D the V anymore so I wrote to her and asked. Happily I discovered she also put her phone through the wash a week or two back (on account of her dog Merlin chewing a hole in her coat pocket), so I didn't feel quite such a spaz telling her why I needed the number again.

Work was cool for the rest of the day. Home for half five and in time for circuits. I had not been all last week and only went once the week before so that felt like aaaaaaaages. Also with Gigi here last w.e I didn't go for a run, so tonight I put in a good effort.

Good email banter with Walshy today as well, and he has been a good Winger on a new job I am applying for.

Zane on the radio as I type and hey, Thursday tomorrow. On the weak and flimsy premise of moving some cupboards I am going to go in in my jeans. Our IT team are always in jeans so I will give it a go.

My car is filthy so I really must see to that on Saturday especially as he put in such a good run to Cornwall last week; the least I can do is maintain him in a DCF.

Steaming some pak choi as a side-dish with dinner.

Top stuff.

Early soak.

Not a great deal to report this morning but I did get out of bed at half past five for a long bath before work, which was kinda nice. I had to chuck out the lass who you can see here; Lord knows how she got in the house at that time, the cheeky mare. And she used all my candles, and she read my Special Forces book without asking! Women!

A nice chat with my bro' (on MSN) about Barack O' and this and that but then our connection dropped because Bill Gates is a spaz.

At work today I have to look at using hours more productively in a store and to be honest I am a bit stuck about how to proceed so that will need some thinking and head scratching but I'll get there.

I have another reading this Sunday (details sent over last night), and this will be my fourth.

Daftly I picked up a book in bed last night that I last read two years ago (it is about Michael Collins), and I polished off 40 pages; I think I am stuck into it, so that's three books on the go now - one on MC, one on English Churches and thirdly, David Niven's Biog' which seems to be about a horse with a lot of room in it.

Stick Rein

Went to Padstow on Saturday - and Truro, Bodmin and Newquay! By the end of Saturday I was 3 miles short of a 400 mile round trip (at a healthy 48.2 mpg for those of you interested, and this despite Gigi doing a constant 95mph for her part of the journey).

Padstow is pretty smart but I wouldn't go if you don't care for Rick Stein; he has about 7 different businesses in the town and there are only about 50 shops altogether. I think Mr Stein is okay, so I liked Padstow a good bit. Hurtling across Bodmin Moor hoembound on the A 30 was also a hoot.

Home by half six for a movie, a bottle of wine and a shared meal for two with little Chinese authenticity but more attraction than cooking something myself. A long and smart Saturday!

Eeeeeeejit!

Two pics here - one is my phone and the other is my washing machine. Alas the two are now acquainted. Feck!

Mind you, look at the pics; given how big the phone is compared to the washer you'd have thought I'd have noticed. Such is one's concentration when putting the washing on at 5.30 a.m.

Walshy's gonna have a field day.

Get out - Get in!

Hooray! As predicted in a Blog earlier in January, Peter Hain has not survived the month. Nice one. Apparently his Resignation statement is on right now.

More later on this, and the tribulations of my day.

World markets wave sweeps BS5

Couple of days now since I blogged and that's the first gap in a while. I have to say the last two days have been pretty okay, and I have enjoyed them.

Work has been okay, but stretching and different. I have been number crunching, looking at a year's worth of Invoices across 4 suppliers to our 7 stores to see whether they have the integrity to move to On Trust Receipt, or taking in all their stock without checking it; this would free up a load of hours to use elsewhere in the supply chain. I'm a right spaz at maths but I sat with my Finance Director who just showed me the way through the numbers and whaddayknow, I came out the other end just fine and with some conviction in my recommendations. There's a fantastic new woman who has started in the Accounts Dept too. I ventured a chat after 2 days.

The house is coming together - I have a great Friday guest so I have been sorting out my abode to move it from 'bloke living on his own' to 'bloke who isn't too far beyond saving'. Suspect Gigi will still take the piss tho'.

Nice chatter with people important to me - both my brothers via email or messenger, the Folks on the phone, Walshy on the phone today as he was gooning about in Manchester, and Shammalammadingdong on email, Gigi on the phone and some others on line as well.

The only thing I have missed out on is circuit training what with this concerted effort on domesticity, but that was by choice.

And my take on the world at large these last two days? Well - economic nervousness across stocks, shares, credit and the FTSE 100/Dow Jones/Hang Seng and so on, and the Governor of the Bank Of England on a speaking engagement here in Bristol last night. My take? I found four pounds down the back of the sofa when I took the covers off and put 'em in the laundry. You knows it!

Happily to bed...

Weatherman says...

This morning, the 5-day forecast on farming today at five to six said it was going to lash it down right through the rest of the week.

Great laugh that will be.

In a moment of culinary taste, I am blogging today whilst eating cold spag bol for breakfast. I have to say it is jolly nice.

Sent an Email to Chris and Sofe just now who are off round the world for 18 months. They are in New Zealand at the mo'.

A bit too right on!

Church was a bit odd today and had I not been reading, I would have slid out quietly in the first few minutes and returned home. I am glad I stayed , I suppose but it was all too happy clappy for my liking today. Not unusual or out of order to go on about Jesus in the month of Epiphany but it was very happy clappy and right on. Normally we have a sing song about God and smart stuff like hills, trees, rivers, rocks and so on, but today it was all about going out into the world and proclaiming that Jesus is ace. Indeed he might be, but I don't like that imposition inbound or outwards. D the V wasn't about today as there was a pulpit swap so we had a guest speaker from a neighbouring church, though the Vicar was a lady originally from Manchester. Rather a tall, attractive woman at the front singing away today as part of the musical accompaniment. Failed to say hello during tea and biscuits after.

Back home now and exciting progress with washing my sofa covers.

The Swan with Two Necks to follow at 1pm and then home later to cook spag' bol.

'Nam vet'.

Maybe it will be John McCain. He's a 'Nam vet' so I must ask Walshy what he thinks of him.

Other stuff this morning;

Half five here and up doing this and that, fully aware that when the alarm goes off tomorrow I will want to stay in bed for ages.

I have a reading at church today and I haven't really practiced it so I must get on with that.

Nice chit-chat with BS4 this weekend and may stop in there on Thursday.

The first teaser is out for Star Trek 11 but it's not much to look at.

On with the morning!

This will make you want to check.

Now I heard something odd on the radio in the week. This is going to make you check.

Apparently if you look at your instruments in your car, and in particular the fuel light, if the pump on the little johnny-symbol is on the right then your fuel cap is on the right as well, and the flip side is the case with the left. I drove 4 different cars this week, a Mercedes (mine) , two Vauxhalls (one hire car, one that is my Dad's) and a Peugeot (work pool car). The theory is holding so far.

I don't know anyone with an Aston Martin now because my friend Carl sold his last year (feck knows why, he could buy 5), and Aston Martins have a tank either side, I think, so it wouldn't work for him.

Check your car and comment back on this post.

G'day!

An attractive woman with unfeasibly pert breasts just messaged me on Facebook all the way from Australia, suggesting we should start chatting. I am suspicious. I have a habit that my friends remind me of all too often whereby women I have dated (and it's quite a short list)suddenly become lesbians and move to Australia so being hit on from that country is definitely odd. There's nothing wrong with lesbians, I hasten to add. Or Australia.

Anyway, Janet sent me a saucy message, pictured in her bikini.

I think I will do nothing about it.

Impulse purchase.

I was a total woman on Thursday and became very excited in a shoe shop in Ross on Wye. It's quite an old fashioned shop called Herrings, but they don't sell fish. It was staffed by two older ladies and it took them 7 minutes and 43 seconds to stop their stockroom natter and ask me if I was happy browsing, which I was. I bought new shoes for work and some new boots for larking about in, pictured here. It was quite a pleasant and old fashioned experience, and not really too expensive. Not the sharpest on Retail Ops but perfectly adequate nevertheless.

Top transport action!

This week as well as trying to land a plane, I have been learning about Operation Stack. It's a bit of a dangerous interest and I really ought to get out more, which in fact I will do because I am off for a run shortly.

On another theme, when old Bobby Fischer gets to the gates I wonder if he'll challenge the Big Man to a game of chess to gamble his way in? My mate Walshy is good at chess, I reckon he could beat Bobby using his own world famous 'grababottleofMGD' opening gambit.

Runway 2, you say?

Had my first flying lesson in the week. There is room for improvement, my instructor says.

The 021s

Off to the Midlands today to work in this Garden Centre just off the M42. I am working on warehouse and logistics sort of stuff. It's a bit of a gamble on the shop floor because old ladies tend to ask questions about needlework (which we sell) and I find myself lacking knowledge.

Peter Hain is still hanging on, somewhat desperately it would seem.

And Kevin Keegan back to Newcastle - top drama!

Back to base safely

Some good news here - my red top pocket-hanky has made it back to base having been MIA for two weeks and behind enemy lines (it seems) in the top pocket of one of my back up suits on a hanger elsewhere in the house. Sartorial elegance restored to one particular shirt and tie combination.

Not three bad, Mr Jobs.

I'd like one of these (as long as it comes with a tie, without a ridiculous coffee/sandwich for lunch, and with a proper grip on the world)!

When in Birmingham...

Just home (via a pint) after a long, long day up and down rain swept motorways to Birmingham and back (to the far reaches of Devon and back yesterday and Brum again twice more later this week, so the carbon-footprint of an American here in BS5 by Friday night).

I was at a department managers meeting today for one part of our business common across all stores. My first time attending and it was a little more talky than productive and it will be interesting to see what is made of the forthright feedback given to my other 'head office' (nasty term) colleagues.

Late on in the meeting and just as I was presenting Greg called. He sent a text just after. He and Nicks were at the Coliseum in Rome and were calling to excitedly say what-ho. I wish I could have taken the call as I know Greg would have been on top form! Alas I was hearing all about new product development for Gecko and Terrapin housing. Great laugh. I think Greg was having the better day.

Dinner, a glass of wine and a bath to follow and some attempt to remember where Shadrak, Mischak and Abendigo featured and to finish said chapters from last evening (which feels aeons ago).

Gigi also got in touch - she was sunbathing in Athenry (Co. Galway) today and it was lashing it down all over the place here!

Top Road Action - for a Monday.

Today has been a good day and really rather fun. I drove to work and then I accompanied our Property Director down through Somerset and Devon to out store in Ivybridge, cadging a lift in his rather nice Jag' (which he did not invite me to drive, alas).

To get to our store in Ivybridge you just head down the M5 until it runs out and then onwards along the A38, The Devon Expressway. Said road has its own website full of exciting junction pictures; I chose this image for the top bridge action it depicts.

Devon was really fab' to drive through but tomorrow I am in the somewhat less picturesque Birmingham to attend a store forum on Pets and Fish. Should be a giggle.

I have seen a job to apply for as Retail Ops Mgr of another Garden Centre Group with stores in the south of the UK and on Guernsey and Jersey. My real hope is that my current employer will make my role permanent in May but for all the time that is an uncertainty, I shall continue to work hard and look about.

Roast chicken for dinner in about an hour. I was a bit too spannered to cook it yesterday and would have fallen asleep and let the beast burn through so I am at it tonight and will have a decent dinner and a glass of wine. Early night and an even earlier start to meet colleagues at half six prior to our run up to 021 country.

I think my brother Greg is off to Rome tonight, the spawny get. Nicola, his delightful other half speaks about 5 languages including Italian so they should be okay. My other brother Dave who lives in China was very excited today because he got his new washing machine which he tells me Khaless himself delivered - in person. F.E.J! Fancy that! I wonder if he asked Khaless in for a glass of prune juice (a warrior's drink).

WTF?

Whilst toasting my crumpets for breakfast, I hit 'random article' on Wikipedia which is an occasional thing I do if I am waiting for something else to download, or indeed if I am simply at a loose end. (Today I was on MSN with my bro' who lives in Shanghai and we were chatting back and forth).

Normally I find I know something about the article and then I am off on some trail or another, however, I haven't got a scooby what 'The valence of the portrait' means which was today's random article, and frankly I reckon I can live reasonably in such ignorance.

Any ideas?

here it is:

Definition:

Given a quadratic map f_c(z) = z^2+c\, from the complex plane to itself and a repelling or parabolic periodic orbit {\mathcal O} = \{z_1, \lz_n\} of f\,, so that f(z_j) = z_{j+1}\, (where subscripts are taken modulo n), let Aj be the set of angles whose corresponding external rays land at z_j\,. Then the set {\mathcal P} = \{A_1, \ A_n\} is called the orbit portrait of the periodic orbit {\mathcal O}. All of the sets A_j\, must have the same number of elements, which is called the valence of the portrait.

Sunday stuff - and HB to Bag.

I really enjoy getting up early at the weekend and spending my morning not going to work. It is a real indulgence just to potter about with the radio on doing this or that. No great shakes today and I have just ironed all next week's shirts and one for today as well. I have a bit of radio 4 going in the background but when the current programme finishes, I am going to pick up Friday night's Essential Mix - a bit of large!

I didn't go for a run yesterday, contrary to my post. I had a little bit of business on Whiteladies Road which I wanted to square away before Bristol was heaving with traffic and folk. I'll take a turn today, though.

Happy birthday to my friend Bag!

Tom, Rod and Greg.

Just watched Collateral (again). Tom Cruise is pretty cool in it, even though he's a bad sort; now I have to say, the Cruiser does look like my brother's good freind Rhodri, except Rhodri doesn't have a barnet, but then again he and Tom are both large on the short front, so the similarity is enough I suppose.

Whilst Tom is cool and Rhodri is relatively cool, neither is as cool or top as my brother, Greg.

Off to bed now after a successful, happy and appreciated day.

.

You know it makes sense.

Enough said!

Chipper!

Saturday! Woke happy and refreshed at 6.50 - laundry on, housework sorted and off for a run shortly. That's probably wrong! I have a happy day planned ahead, re-arranging my room (and tidying it), doing a bit of shopping and generally taking it easy. Looking forward to cooking later on and sneaking in a pint as well.

Just had a nice G-Talk chat with my brother who was gooning about on BBC Iplayer but then he had to go out to hang the washing out. All go! He's off to Rome on a short break next week on the same days I am going to Birmingham. Cosmic.

:-)

You should go!

I think Peter Hain will not last the month, and nor should he.

His excuses are specious and like those of a first former at school. To come into office under Gordon right after a decade long premiership where Tony was the first serving PM to be questioned by the rozzers (the office has been there since 1731 and had not been marked by the filth until 2007) on Cash For Honours, and then not be totally bullet proof on his own accounts is poor form. In fact it's vulgar. If you hold two cabinet jobs and put the un-traceability of 100 grand down to the pressures of office then frankly you are a cunt. Go now!

I think my folks have met PH a few times on the social scene and I recall my Dad saying 2 years ago that he thought PH was an ignorant sort of a chap. They might have met him at Foxy Christine's - now there's a whole topic - she is a complete fox!

Anyhow, I hope he goes - he sounds like a wanker.

Noah

Both my routes home to Bristol seem to be flooded and lots of roads are awash or closed this afternoon. I am scared; I might miss my Friday night pint. Updates to follow.


Update: 18.49 hrs Home, safe, sorted. No gofer wood required.

Renault Drama

I am less narked about work now having had a very exciting 20 minute read just now!

I went up the road to have my new tyre fitted this lunchtime and while I was waiting I browsed through 'Commercial Motor', a dangerously exciting magazine and indeed with a year's worth on the table, the only magazine offered to the waiting punter.

I read all about the Renault Magnum in its latest incarnation. Since the last model some things have improved. MPG is up to 8.79mpg and , excitingly Cab-nod has reduced hugely! I am tragically able to tell you that I knew about cab nod already but now I know more. You can see it on braking or starting at the lights as the cab rocks back and forth. If you are a girl and you are still reading, you've probably read too far by now!

I think I'll stop now.

The Heavens have opened and it is raining hard and nearly snowing.

Ka-Boom!

I am Guns of the Naverone, Super Fly TNT irritated at work and that is very, very rare for me as I am normally more laid back than a world champion limbo dancer.

After my indulgent success yesterday in managing to pull off a plan to re-lay a warehouse with logic and product-flow, and blagging 120 hours overtime budget to do it in the perfect week of the year, I now discover that our mezzanine floor (crucial to the plan) was built outside of normal regs and thus we do not know how much weight it can take. My fine plan is on hold until we see how bendy the bastard thing is and now I look like a spanner and I am irritated on a Friday. Not good.

Went to see my boss to tell her and she was excellent about it and told me not to worry - hardly a thing one would expect us to have encountered, she said, and it's had stuff on it for years anyway.

Technical plans and me - not a good mix.

A very social climber...

I see poor old Edmund Hilary is gonna be closer to the Big Man now than when he stood at 28,000 feet on Everest.

I hope they let him in.

Foxy forties.

I was just chatting to Walshy about Jo Whiley. Walshy reckons she's a pain in the Gregory. Me, I don't normally fancy blondes but I reckon Jo Whiley is a right fox, and intelligent and articulate too; ideal, in fact. Could she? Yes she could.

For the sake only of intellectual depth and the arts, here's a pic of Jo Whiley and Nigella. Smart!

I sense I am alienating whatever limited female readership might happen to tune in to this little Blog but hey, TTG - they will come back!.

Mind the mind-Gap

I just spent ten minutes looking for the jeans I want to wear on my warehouse shift in store tomorrow. Gave up and got undressed for my bath. You can see where this is going...yep, I was wearing them.

TOTAL spaz.

Walshy's Fire Engine (has arrived)

Here is Walshy's Fire Engine which I mentioned yesterday.

Whilst no fire seems apparent in the pic, one speculates why they are pulled over!

Maybe they stopped to get a burger and fries in the American way of things.

Update 19.22 Walshy has emailed to say that the FE was moving down the street, so it is not parked up after all. He took the photograph in San Fransisco (and edited it) so he should know.

The Big Man and a RIGHT strop.

Now I don't want to get all religious on anyone because although I happily attend Church I find it very, very uncomfortable when people ask me 'Is there room for Jesus in your life?' I am inclined to say 'If he wants to, sure but my heating's a bit dicky and the bathroom isn't decorated'. Anyhow, my point is, enforcing one's religion on someone else is bad form in my book. I like what I like and respect whatever you might or might not like too, but wearing it on the sleeve is not my cup of tea, and if I do like it, I am not inclined to talk about it outside of a pretty small circle of people...that said, check this verse out for the Big Man in a RIGHT strop, and on a day you'd want to keep a v.low profile. This is from the Book of Zephaniah which is very close to the end of the OT and is only a page long - check this for wrath (I read this in bed a couple of nights ago and made a swift note to be nice to people the next day)!

This is well harder than Jules in Pulp Fiction before he quotes Ezekiel and he and Vincent shoot the room to fuck!

Here goes...

Zephaniah 1: 15-17


15 That day will be a day of wrath,
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,

16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities
and against the lofty battlements.


17 I will bring such distress upon people
that they shall walk like the blind;
because they have sinned against the Lord,
their blood shall be poured out like dust,
and their flesh like dung.

PS God, if you are reading my Blog, you know I'm a respectful and happy fan, yeah?

Walshy's Fire Engine

At the office today I refined my presentation about our warehouses and our supply chain. I have been happily faffing about doing this project for 5 weeks and it was all pretty much in my head and in a rather verbose presentation I had written before Christmas. Yesterday my (quite foxy) boss asked me to present to her, our MD and our Store Managers at a meeting tomorrow morning, so I have been getting it into shape.

Tonight my audience is out for dinner which means they will get lashed while they are all together -this might make the room easier in the morning and the tricky questions fewer. We shall see.

New Hampshire Primaries this evening and hoping that Barack O gets a good run at it and gains momentum. I read a decent DT article about the chap already having had increased Secret Service protection for a year; as a black man who might go all the way he is (depressingly) assumed to be a target at higher risk of assassination as a black man. The Americans are a crazy lot. I will be in bed for the exit polls at 1am but I suppose the results will be all over the radio when I wake at 6.

Also in the news - my mate Walshy sent me a smart picture of a fire engine he had been messing about with. It was dead good and I shall post it when he sends it to my home email.

White House

Now here's a chap I'd like to see in the White House. For me he just has it and whilst John McCain has a bucket load of expereince and gravitas, I'd sooner see the Democrats in this time, and clean the stables after the awful George Bush.

Not sure on Hilary and she'd need the B-wires anyhow (it's a Shanghai bus thing).

Go Barack go - knock 'em dead in New Hampshire today!

Flat!

Oh Bugger! A flat tyre on the way home tonight which was irritating but not as irritating as missing circuit training which I had been looking forward to for aaaaages since the Christmas break! I had driven my car over a nail at the car park at work where I had left it for 4 days whilst having a pool car to visit other stores in the midlands. I shall be more careful when I park up this week to visit our store in Devon.

It was the rear tyre on this pic'

I stopped in short order at a garage on the way home and spoke to a lad of about 20 who not only re-flated (is that a word?) the tyre and found the nail in it but also swapped it over with my spare, jacking the car up and all that business. He didn't even consider charging me and he was at it for fifteen minutes or so.

This is the delightful benefit of working in one small North Somerset village and stopping in the next one to seek help. I bet you wouldn't get that in Romford (or wherever!) The chap who helped me established where I worked through our chat and his other half works there too so we had a right old chat about that. I think the least I can do is give him my business to replace the nailed tyre one day in the week. I don't think you get that level of willing help very often outside of rural Ireland!

I was home and had an hour on my hands ordinarily taken up by running, press ups, crunches and squats and so forth, so here I am ahead of myself. I am trying to read the Blog of a woman called Lynn whom Walshy randomly emailed having read hers whilst shandied up and having seen a similarity to mine (alas it won't load just yet).

Lastly, I have to hand it to Gordon Brown for being entirely more credible and genuine on 'Today' this morning (Radio 4) than Tony Blair ever was. That's sons of the Manse for you, although he is not perfect, just better.

Marking Time

The first full 5 dayer after Christmas and I bet the week will seem a real slog! It was certainly quite tricky getting up at half six today.

Blustery and wet outside but not cold. It didn't half chuck it down overnight and I woke up to the noise of the rain.

Circuit training later; I wonder how an hour's running and press ups will feel after a couple of weeks of absence!

My Dad..

My Dad, he's a top chap and he is still teaching me how to spell! One invites these things when sending one's (wiser) parents one's Blog.

Time for a bath I think.

Gregory Peck.

Church was jolly pleasant today with a thoughtful message about Epiphany and a jolly sing song about this and that (and a v.attractive woman in the band up at the front to whom I had every opportunity to say hello afterwards but as usual did not - useless bugger and failing on my NY res'6 days in!!)

I have been penciled in for another reading (my hat trick!) later this month so some practising will be required for that. My friend Leighton was leading today and some of the old hands find him a little irreverent, I suspect but I think his attitude is spot on and pleasantly light. It makes it smart.

Off shortly for a quick look in at The Swan With Two Necks in St Judes, known to one and all as The Gregories (Gregory Peck - Neck, you see). This is a picture of it. It's a fine little place just at the end of the M32 and two streets behind Staples.

As I post I am listening to The Last Atlanta ‘Twin Of The Sun (Original Mix)’ (Global Underground) - a fine bit of deep house, on a blinding label!

The Netham

An early Sunday run on the Netham today and it was pretty hard on the ground and frosty and all the road running parts were slippery. Luckily I am a genius of co-ordination, balance and poise and I was okay. The pic is the Netham from the air and running right round it feels less impressive than it might look.

Came home and faffed about a bit but have just finished taking down my tree and my decorations and my Christmas cards. The house looks a little forlorn but I will soon get used to it and it will look as fine as it normally does.

Usual Sunday routine now follows, I suspect.

It is bright and cold today. That'll do.

Runner

Went for my first run since just before Christmas today and to my pleasure and surprise, I was not a wheezing bag of exhaustion when I got home again; in fact I was in reasonable shape and not too shagged out at all! I'll go again tomorrow and hopefully as a result I will conduct myself with relative dignity and stamina at circuits on Monday.

I am off into town today with Trevor and Cas' as Trevor has some errand or other and all three of us agreed to a nose about and a pint in a city centre public house!

Later I will use the remainder of a chicken I cooked in the week and I will scratch up a curry from nothing which will be a pleasure to cook. I may indulge in a Saturday night movie.

Epiphany tomorrow and all the decs and the tree to come down, though I will not write Christus mansionem benedicat in chalk above the front door as is some people's Western Liturgical practice (not that it's a bad thing, I hasten to add).

The BS5 Ultimatum!

Not a bad movie at all and one I thoroughly enjoyed , though I need to watch it again with Greg! He too will see the Jason Bourne - BS5 (author) parallels!

I thoroughly immersed myself in this movie after a fine roast dinner, and in complete solitude, peace and tranquility, illuminated by the Christmas tree and with the days ahead thoroughly prepped and the days past thoroughly appreciated; fantastic!

And so to bed, happily.

A bird, a movie and some wine.

That's my self indulgent plan for New Year's Day. I am going to cook a top smart roast with duck-fat roast potatoes and a bottle of St Emillion and I will watch The Bourne Ultimatum to which I have just treated myself. Get in!

One idle evening on the sofa is a limitlessly effective re-charge on which to return to work.

I have really enjoyed my Christmas holidays hugely and cannot complain at all, Deo gratias to that.

New Year's Day

Well now, not a bad way to see it in! The Rhubarb was full of people our gang did not know and the atmos' was a bit flat but we pushed on until midnight and then de-camped to Cas' house where he knocked up a fine dinner and we drank wine and chatted for an hour or two. The Rhubarb put on a fine display of fireworks and everyone who was there was polite and in good cheer; we just didn't know many of them! (The picture is Edinburgh not Barton Hill but BS5 gave Edinburgh a run for its money on the fireworks!)

There wasn't the usual crashing of mobile networks and I had messages throughout the evening wishing a happy new year from Anglesey, Co Galway, The Czech Republic, China, Bristol, Stayly Vegas and a small village in Wiltshire. Oh and wherever D the V was celebrating her NYE too.

Off today which is top and massive and I am going to make an indulgent chicken roast with red wine gravy for one! I think I will watch some TV too. Actually I'd really enjoy a dog walk with my fine bro' today but I can see about that some time this month.