Month Two

1^st A couple of day’s respite from writing this blog, as I wanted to edit the January edition as there was some pretty raw stuff in there, I don’t think that I did so bad, the numbers say it’s not too bad and the compliments from you the discerning readers has been about 99% positive, so I will take that and run with it! It has been a busy day at work, a load of legal papers that I have to steam through for a project that’s been on hold for a while, finally the budget has come through so now its hurry up and come up with the goods, a little heads up would have been handy, loads of salacious gossip around site, I wish I could tell you all about but by the time I was able to be involved the earth had indeed moved on, ah well there will always be next time. Home and finally a night where I didn’t crash and burn in the chair blissfully ignoring the TV, me with my reputation, music thankfully has glided back into my life and a day of head phones as I typed up my report was so damn good, I don’t think that the office would have enjoyed my choices for the day. (Album of the day – Sass Jordan Rats).

2^nd A duty manager shift something that I as always do not look forward to, the team probably don’t either (if I’m working then so are they) I’m not a slave driver, but I expect to see some teamwork with everybody. I had an appointment at the quacks for my first clinic of the year, you could have knocked me down with a feather when they told me I had lost nearly a stone since September and although I had made an effort, the occasional episode of my black dog visiting me didn’t help, happy was not the word, let’s see if I can do the same in the next three months I doubt it, but I will take whatever I can get, my target weight is twelve stone so still a long slow road ahead, but I feel good about it, there surely will be some speed bumps in the road, but I’m hoping that I have the keys to my own success, let’s see shall we? The shift itself went over quite smoothly lots going on which I was quite happy with, however this didn’t help me with some of my tasks as I have a huge mountain of work as always in this month, bring it on, I’m in just the right frame of mind, unfortunately because of the shift there was no chance of any music, if I’m honest it’s the main reason why I hate doing the duty managers shift! But it goes with territory and it was a quiet night a little over 22000 through the doors in the last 4 hours of the shift, I must be doing something right if they keep entrusting me with a property that is worth so much!

3^rd. thankfully Friday was a catch-up day even though I never heard the phone through the night, not to worry I was in early today anyway, so I still resolved the issue anyway, phew big save! The day flew over, as only a Friday can and thankfully I was home before the wife had to go to work, unfortunately that’s where the good will ended, we fell out or rather I chucked the toys out of my pram because she thought she was being witty and I’m afraid I didn’t, so she tried again, she didn’t see the look on my face, sadly she tried one last time (for luck) and finally the penny dropped that I wasn’t happy or indeed laughing, I drew a line under it because I knew she had enough on her plate with her upcoming shift and I simply didn’t want to rain on her parade, I had though, I felt sick to my stomach that I had poured a monsoon on her, she rang ten minutes later and hopefully I made sure she knew that everything was ok between us, between us, but not with me, I spiralled so fast I was shell shocked, I stuck my head in the fridge and simply didn’t come up for air for ages, thankfully I gave my head a damn good shake and came out the other side in a better place, not before I had put the stone that I had lost back on, the wife came back and saw that I was back on an even keel! Then an early night (well for us) thankfully I was better as I don’t like to go bed down, it spoils everything. (Album of the day – Europe War of kings).

4^th. Up early although the wife was flagging, we had an early appointment at the Nuffield for the continuing treatment for her feet, we got there with time to spare and as she disappeared off down the corridor I stared at the cult of the coffee cup with everybody turning up with a coffee cup glued into their hands as though it was some kind of honour, ten years ago nobody drank coffee, now it looks as though we all do (fuck no we don’t), the rest of the day was a slow kind of reflection, mainly going through stuff that had been written for previous blogs I needed to be ready as I needed to post a new blog (I finally used a revised chapter from Piffle Waffle and Balderdash) five years on and it was still relevant, a quick polish and I was happy with it, bringing it bang up to date. The night was a lazy affair with us watching a movie after the wife had caught up with her programmes, thankfully I had music to catch up, mind you I missed a friends band playing locally, if I had known I would have popped out for a couple of pints and to lend some encouragement next time (True story that) a late night before we climbed the wooden hill with the intention of not wasting a day, well at least we tried! (Album of the day King Crimson – Red)

5^th. The intention of getting up early was not to be, anything after five is usually a lie in for me but I was only up 15 minutes before the alarm this morning, I certainly didn’t mind however it sort of set the mood for the rest of the day, a lazy day trawling through Facebook after the posting of the latest blog (which went through the roof as soon as it was posted) reconnecting with an old school friend, we had reconnected a few years previously when I turned up to do a City & Guilds course that he was teaching, I don’t normally send friend requests (Terrified of rejection even now) thankfully he took pity on me and accepted! a light lunch and another Movie, before getting ready as we were getting a visited from some peeps from the South Shields Posse, we got there mega early (even for me) and after a quick pint I was starving so we jumped in and ordered some food (Curry for me and a Steak for the wife) a great evening as always, which was food for the soul, yet again it ended way too soon, but as always we came away with some cunning plans for the future, back home for me to type up the notes for the month so far and then for the wife to catch up on her programmes,(damn she does watch a lot of TV) I will be a good boy and not put my head in the fridge (like I would normally would do after a few pints), I’m heading up the wooden hill (not before checking on the blogs progress, damn I’m such a media whore). Let’s hope the rest of the month can be as good as today has been! (Album of the day Be Bop Deluxe Drastic Plastic).  

6^th. Once more back to the grind , work being the pervading thought for all of the day, heavy duty meetings all day with a few curve balls thrown in for good measure, I certainly wasn’t given time to think never mind breath, it’s what keeps my day time job interesting, I know a lot of people seem think it’s rather mundane, well I just smirk at that suggestion and with armed police now thrown  into the mix on site, there is some fancy foot work to dance with the devil, there’s nothing sinister or anything to worry about, it’s just a part of everyday modern life, a particularly busy day with over 70000 through the doors, not a day we expected, home was welcomed with open arms, suffering in reality as my health issues are biting me in the arse and I have nobody but myself to blame for it, I will not be beaten, I may be bruised but I’m certainly not beaten or bowed, the wooden hill greeted me like an old friend as I surrendered to sleep I knew that today with everything thrown in had been a good day! (Album of the day Black Star Riders – Heavy Fire).

7^th. I suffered because of the amount of fancy footwork I did yesterday, I ached as I came back down the wooden hill, a sensible breakfast but my stomach had the wind in its tail  and I suffered throughout the course of the morning, my lift was unusually quiet on the way, not his usual chuckle fest, the day stayed strange all day, another day of meetings and even more queries although I love being busy it takes its toll on me I go home more tired now than I ever did on the tools, the day bounced along at a fair rate of knots, with nobody in the house I was home alone, this had a recipe of disaster all over it, I decided work was the answer, it wasn’t but it kept the mind from drawing its own conclusions of danger and supposition, I was glad when the wife finally turned up, crisis averted for now! (Album of the day – Japan Quiet Life).

8^th. Wednesday was more of the same with just a little more pace to it, the first 12 weeks of the year are usually the worst work wise, what with prep work for my big report and a couple of audits, but I had a couple of inductions thrown into the mix and the day was off, I must have come across as grumpy (ME?) as I got a couple of reports that I requested in double quick time, a major incident was declared as I was leaving but there were enough people to cover so I slipped back home to yet another evening home alone, it didn’t matter what my state of mind was by this time I was ruined, it took me all my time just to get across the finish line today, thankfully I could have a slight lie in (07.00) as I was at the quacks to go in the room of doom and to be told the bad news (again). (Album of the day – Marillion Clutching at straws).

9^th. It was the wife’s turn to be poorly today so I left her in bed, as I sat twiddling my thumbs waiting to head off, breakfast complete I took a slow amble to the quacks and got there twenty minutes early (sorry I have OCD when it comes to time keeping I should have been a drummer!) I was wound as tight as a clock as I was called into the clinic twelve minutes late, the rest of the appointment spiralled out with some good news and then some really crap news, at the end of the day I’m the responsible adult, it’s me that’s to blame and its only me who can drag my sorry ass back into the race, I then missed the bus I was aiming for, thankfully the wife came to the rescue and was up looking a whole better than she had earlier in the morning, unfortunately the rest of the day was ruined as I sat and stewed about my news and my hand in my own downfall, I need to do better I can do better I damn well will do better! I’m determined to do better, at the end of the day it’s down to me and only me, the major incident from the day before had grumbled on and I had to lend a hand, I would have the day before but I was told not to worry about it, well those birds came home to roost, I simply sent it further up the chain of command (hey that’s what the board get paid for) problem or rather some of the issues resolved within the hour and then several teams from all over the country descending on my place of work to see what can be done to resolve any of the rest of the problems! The end of the day was me twiddling my thumbs as I had lost the plot, I shuffled papers for the rest of the day and legged it as soon as I possibly could, a surreal conversation on the way home (I won’t divulge as its rather hard to explain) a night of reflection at least I wasn’t home alone this time, I actually watched the TV with the wife , well only for an hour or so as it soon developed into pap and I had a blog to get stuck into (LOL) (Album of the day Judas Priest Turbo).

10^th. Today has been a black dog kind of day and no matter what I have tried to do to get out of it, I have not been able to shift it, it ploughed right through my day, it only raised my spirits once I got home and I did all I could to keep a lid on it, no music today it was that dark.

11^th. Up again early for another appointment for the wife’s foot problem, once complete we headed to my place of work as the wife had a hair appointment (that grey is not of my making) while that was happening I went to my desk and sooth the savage beast by doing some work, a lot of shocked  people as I came through the door, I let them crack on with their groove thang and I got on with mine a couple of people tried to engage me, they soon learnt the error of their ways and backed off, I was their working for my benefit and not theirs!

The wife was soon finished and I hobbled away as quick as my bones would allow me to. The rest of day was spent in sloth which perfectly suited my mood, again no music today of note I started off with a dodgy 70’s AOR classic but that’s as far as I got. the day couldn’t end quick enough for me, thankfully not a black dog kind of day, just in a funk hopefully some more sleep would help!

12^th. The wife returned to work and I was left to my own devices, not usually a good thing I did a few minor chores and then drifted off in a melancholic haze might have been due to the choice of music, the drifted in all of the right places, possibly helped by a brief conversation with one of my oldest friends, possibly out of guilt (his not mine) I didn’t care I took what I could for once, I was greedy for me (which does indeed make a change) again I looked forward to sleep simply so that I could get ready for the coming work week. (Album of the day Mike Oldfield Incantations).

13^th. Back on the plague carrier off to work and it didn’t hit the mark, my day was as off as the previous day’s, work did not help at all, I was grumpy to the point people knew to steer clear, I avoided as much contact as possible (which is really hard in my line of work) the day was uneventful, I got home in time to assist the wife bring the shopping into the house and I was amazed at how much sugar (I’m diabetic) was brought into the house including two big bottles of fruit juice which I was so focused on I just wanted to drink them both in one fell swoop, the craving was huge but I was determined not to fold! The night continued with me lusting after something which I can’t have, my mood wasn’t helped, finally to bed. (Album of the day Big Wreck Grace street).

14^th. Valentine’s day and I awoke with my black dog growling at me, I was up early and all I did for the first hour was sat looking at the bottle of juice on the table, a battle of wits that I was losing, suicide by proxy, eat too much drink too much, it seems I could sell my soul just trying to slake my thirst, thankfully my mood lightened as I made my way too work, hungry and confused as to what has been causing this sudden upsurge in my dark moods, work was ok but my get up and go, well it got up and left me alone! A crap bus ride home to the wife in a joyous mood, which didn’t help mine,  then the fuse was lit with us sparring about going out for a meal, something which we had agreed on and decided that we wouldn’t/couldn’t now as usual the rules didn’t apply anymore what the wife wants she gets, the black dog was biting me every which way, I went with the flow, not in the best frame of mind I just wanted to fight, thankfully I didn’t as I had a feeling It would be something that I would regret (as I normally do anger is a horrible emotion) the meal was great and the company lovely she probably sensed I wasn’t in a great place, I’m still not, the juice won and I took a huge swig and regretted it straight away the thirst returned as soon as I did, guilty as charged what a dumbass, it’s not going to win I have to keep telling myself that, neither the diabetes or the black dog! (Album of the day Thunder – Rip it up…….you should it was shite).

15^th. I woke so angry this morning and I had no clue as to what set me off, a dreamless night just full of bile and anger, I set of for the plague carrier crossing my fingers that I wouldn’t let it spill over into the real world, some people at work guessed (yet again) the day was not a user friendly place with me in it, thankfully work soothed the savage breast, not straight away but once the problem solving issues raised their heads, the day took a better turn and by the time I headed home  I was quite happy, until I got home and then I realised I was home alone and the black dog came scampering towards me, I felt guilt for the stroppiness of the last 24 hours and although I ate healthily, that bottle of juice was calling my name like a siren to sailors and it won I was soon crashed upon the rocks of my diabetes as I glugged a large portion and again at once I felt the worse for it, again I gave my head a shake but too late the damage is done, I’m typing this and I’m waiting for the wife to come in and rescue my sanity, I need to sort myself out for tomorrow as I need to be on my best behaviour as we are  on a road trip to see the youngest. (Album of the day - Black Sabbath 13).

16^th I awoke super early feeling like crap and my stomach on fire (the revenge of the bottle of juice I drank me thinks) whatever it was it went through me like a dose of salts, thankfully I was getting a lift to work so I didn’t have to risk a long bus journey, I was only in a half a day as we had plans and I wasn’t going to miss those plans for anything! I rumbled through the meetings for the morning, I was getting worse but I survived and the insistence of a nice person gave me a lift home (which I could not have done on the bus oh no) I insisted on a bath before we headed out of the house, I then promptly fell asleep in said bath, not a good sign I then got ready after a little gentle (thankfully I do mean gentle) prodding and just before we headed out I rushed back up the wooden hill to talk to god on the great white telephone (boy did I hurl) mind you I felt better after it, the wife just eyed me suspiciously, as a precaution we loaded the car up with plastic dishes, paper towels etc. to deal with a sickly boy! We dropped the pooch off at the Krakens, unfortunately we hadn’t gone four miles and I had to get out of the car I simply could not get comfortable, thankfully nurse wifey suggested I get in the back (calm down) and lie down, I was asleep before she sped off up the road to see the youngest, I awoke an hour later to sit bolt upright in the grounds of the university, I felt refreshed but still poorly we then sat through  the daughters play (Much ado about nothing she was Claudio and was fantastic) we then took her home, and  then at the pub with friends (bloody students) we travelled home together as in that I sat in the front like an adult I did feel better though not perfect, musically it was all the crap the wife listened to on the way there me I slept like a log!

17^th A duty managers shift meant that I could sleep in, but I was worse than the day before, I don’t like to ask people at the last minute so I soldiered on like a good trooper, thankfully It turned out to be a quiet shift, only two heart attacks and a birth and numerous incidents including a spider attack, all in all a quiet shift, thankfully members of the team went above and beyond the call of duty simply by making sure that I was ok, the wife picked me and all I wanted to do was go to bed but I did the decent thing and stayed up while she watched some drivel on the tv and I kind of drifted (no difference there then) off up the stairs to sleep only  to be awoken in the early hours of the morning with the first cramp of the year, damn that hurts!

18^th A day to myself as the wife has to go to work, so a day of music to cheer me up as I was in a black dog kind of day, lots of music played but the dog bit and bit hard, the remaining bottle of juice was guzzled as I inflicted damage to my poor body as the overload of sugar hit me like an electric shock, I really didn’t care at this point, however I received a couple of phone calls from Thunderbird One who always cheers me up and then one from my brother kind of put me in a spin in a direction away from my black dog, not totally saved but enough to save the rest of the day, the wife finally turned up and enjoyed the meal  that I had prepared, I wandered off to have a bath to get ready to a friend’s birthday bash, we intended to arrive fashionably late OK about half an hour late but by the time we got there it was rammed full of faces from the past, thankfully even some people who I knew! I was still suffering and when I had my one and only pint my stomach just burned like I had a devil inside of me (hmmm that seems familiar) I stuck to coke for the rest of the night, we bumped into Mr All (as in Allbandspromo a great company that is starting to thrive, look the guy up on Facebook and throw some business his way the quality of the work is superb) who I go a long way back with and a thoroughly nice guy thankfully he stood with us and conversed as the wife as ever was a social butterfly, it was lovely to see so many nice people in one room, my stomach wasn’t playing ball, neither was somebody else because the stench that was emanating in the room was like death and a bunch of his pals had turned up, jeez and I thought I was bad, we had a good time but it was soon time to go and we sat in silence for a while on the way home that was until an arsehole in a big car tried to run us off the road (GRRRRRRR) thankfully we got home with no further issue, oh except that the local Chinese was shut because of a power failure, so I sat in my chair grumpy with a bad stomach (just as well as the food would have made it far worse) I sat in the living room festering away, my stomach and the cramp making me a misery, I started to hate myself, I was such a buffoon that I even avoided taking my medication, why? Simply because I could, nope that should read because I was a muppet, thankfully we went to bed before I started to obsess, sleep helps me in so many ways (Album of the day Thin Lizzy Black Rose extended version ooooooh yeah!).

19^th A day of sloth, well not really we did a few things then the wife went off to work, I pottered on doing some reading for work (don’t tell the wife) and tried to resolve the battery issues that are bothering the lap top (new battery I reckon) my stomach has dragged on, niggly more than anything else, just before the wife rang to say that she was on her way home, I realised I hadn’t got the meat out for the dinner (D’oh rookie mistake) so I treated the wife to a meal out, ok so it was at spoons but hey ho cheap and filling (and actually bloody lovely) and if anyone is interested I didn’t slop once! (Album of the day – Dan Baird, So Low)

20^th Back to work with a smile (maybe not, the gut is still rumbling a way, I’m wondering if anybody has a voodoo doll ass that’s what it feels like a dull ache just enough to be annoying make me feel sick to the pit of my stomach, half term as well so I know the inspections this week will be challenging simply because people will not have their eye on the ball, as always a few spinning plates and my guts aren’t helping (me grumpy never!), once home I’m amazed that the wife (and I wonder why she won’t let me go shopping?) has arrived home with yet another pack of 30 cans of coke and a six pack of lemonade, me being a manic depressive diabetic, that’s going to end well, oh and another blanket for the settee (WTF! to go with the other 4000) “we couldn’t buy too much shopping everything is so expensive” then stop buying shite then, ooops inside voice dear boy! (Album of the day – Hellanbach The Mighty H).

21^st. Another day another dollar and for once things are ok, well work is work some people are just incredibly stupid and I often wonder if they actually have a care worker who ties their shoelaces (if that is the case can I have one …..please) the day dragged simply because I was going to be home alone tonight, thankfully I made sure I had plenty to keep me occupied, the night flew over and I was soon heading up the wooden hill as I was an early next shift, I was soon wandering around the bedroom long before I had to be with the wife waving at some unseen fly trying to unhitch her headphones while still asleep, it would have been funny if it hadn’t been so bloody early, thankfully I was able to climb back into my pit and return to the land  of nod. (Album of the day Van Halen – Live in Ipswich 1978 not an album but a great bootleg from their first tour of Europe supporting Slack Haddock)

22^nd.Finally I got up at the right time but was suffering with my stomach and the day was blighted by my attitude towards the world, when I’m not a well puppy (I’m very rarely sick but I’m a shit patient ) thankfully with being on an early I was able to escape early and once home I was able to cook the dinner I had promised on Sunday (it was lush)trying to find some music to play while the wife watches the Brits!  I bounced from ZZ Top to Mike Oldfield and onto a horrific car crash of a Dave Lee Roth bootleg, car crash music! Off to bed soon hopefully a good night’s kip might turn me into a better person for the morning!

23^rd. Yet again I was wrong my mood wasn’t improved, dealing with dumb asses for most of the day was tiring and didn’t lift my spirits at all, I was glad to be home when I got there, however not for long, I did my trick after my evening meal (I blinked for long periods of time) and the wife used that well known method of poking a bear with a sharp stick (I understand that she gets frustrated about my sleeping habits but not as much as I do and shouting at me is not going to help matters I can assure you) so I sat like a bear for the rest of the night, I wasn’t a happy camper , I was glad when the pit called out my name, sleep was welcomed. (Album of the day Def Leppard – High n Dry).

24^th. Thankfully the anger from the previous night had dispersed in the morning, but so had my get up and go, I dragged myself through the day, although I did have a productive day with my new boss (from head office) thankfully the day got shorter after that, I was looking forward to going home as the Hurricane was coming to stay, a bright spot in another wise dull day, he came he saw he conquered our hearts all over again, thankfully he lifted our spirits, only for them to be dashed later as we found our niece had been taken to hospital and kept in, life really does want to kick us in the slats at the moment (we are not a massive family, so I would like to keep the ones that we have for just a while longer) the night was spoiled after that and I drifted from room to room, I even watched some TV without any blinking. (Album of the day Trixter – Hear).

25^th. Thankfully the hurricane slept and we weren’t up at the crack of dawn I still had an attack of cramp  Justas I woke up thankfully it didn’t last as long as it normally did, but the hurricane was engaging and so we built him his foosball set up, and generally enjoyed his time with us, he was soon on his way home and the wife was off to work for the afternoon, I was left twiddling my thumbs, well ok watching football (in the back ground) while I tried to do some non-work related reading! The wife turned up with some Chinese food (finally thankfully no power cut this time around) which was bloody lovely and hit the nail right on the head, thankfully we finally had some good news relating to my niece (who was allowed home) the wife settled down to watch her programmes so I buggered off to Netflix and enjoyed the Rush documentary, then a couple of episodes of Top of the pops from 1983 (WTF) at x30 on Sky (trust me the only way to watch them) and then once more up the wooden hill as sleepy time beckoned, thankfully going to bed with positive thoughts and loads of cunning plans as I have to get sorted to post this here blog in the morning. (Album of the day Rush – Grace under pressure).

26^th. A small lie in, breakfast and few minutes cursing Farcebook as it won’t let me post my album of the day (don’t worry I’m sneaky I found a way around it) then some shocks and surprises as Farcebook threw my a couple of curveballs of people who I might know, one a gentleman whose daughter (no names no pack drill) I dated back at school and it was great to see him still active as he was always a gentleman to me and great to see that he is still active politically (he pointed me in the right direction as a young man with some insightful thoughts at the right time) now I’m not going to send a friend request, to be honest he probably wouldn’t remember me, but to a young boy (I was 15/16 at the time) with no male in the family to direct me I took his advice and ran with it, still do actually and that has made me just a little happier, there were a few other blasts from the past, and yes they also brought a smile to my face, damn when did I turn into this nostalgic individual? Anyways enough with the blasts from the past, onwards they forgot me for a reason I need to finish and prep this blog, I hope you are still enjoying the format? And so off I go to rest (from the blog) for a few days and to panic over the numbers, until the next time ……………Toodles!

Memory Pain

Don’t panic this is not intended to be a down and the dumps doom and gloom type of thing i wll save that for the long blog (LOL), but as I get older I realise that I have over the years put my body through some pretty brutal treatment, as have some of the members of my immediate family including one attempt on my life (by the wife).

I have broke just one or two bones(hahaha not) in my life and when it’s been just a little thing I haven’t always gone and got it fixed, including fractured skull damage to my collar bone and a broken metatarsal in my right foot, typical bloke sometimes and sometimes a tad drunk and thought I had done something silly while drunk (no me never) so consequently as I got older pain pops up on a more regular basis.

The first damage I remember is a fractured wrist when I was about four I fell over a toy nothing serious but back in the sixties a huge plaster and arm in a sling for a decade (who me exaggerate how dare you imply anything of the such!) I broke a couple ribs later on running into a goal post playing for the boys brigade trying to stop a goal (I didn’t), but it wasn’t until I was ten and I really went for it big style, there was a tree in a friends garden which was a brute (it’s still there and measures all of  twenty nine feet thirty three years later on, I was determined to climb it so on the last day of the school term we were playing around as kids do, when I was dared to try and climb it, I was nearly at the top when I fell and landed with both feet planted firmly on mother earth to a resounding crack! A trip to Shotley Bridge hospital and six weeks in plaster over a summer holiday, my mother wasn’t happy compound fractures in both legs not major but casts definitely required, Mr. Hatton said I couldn’t play in his garden again (nowadays we would sue) Mr. Wilkinson the plaster man at the hospital came to our house on the Sunday to remove the casts so I wouldn’t miss any school, his exact words were as he left the house “and I don’t expect to see you in the near future” (you can see where this going can’t you) I had my Sunday dinner and was allowed to spend the last day of a great summer holiday (that I had stayed in bed for all six weeks) to go and see friends I jumped on my little Raleigh Tomahawk and scooted around to see a friend who lived close to that tree and we laughed and had fun but I could see the tree taunting me in the distance and my friend Mark didn’t help matters so we sneaked down to the back of the garden and although we could see the family in the house, I wasn’t going to let the tree beat me and up I went like the little monkey I was at that age, I was just at the top of the tree when I heard for the first time an adult swear all I heard was “what the f***” to which I turned lost my balance and tumbled out of the tree like an apple in an orchard and did exactly the same thing I landed on my feet and heard that familiar crack, and before you wonder yes I was flavour of the month with everybody but at least I only missed four weeks school hahaha!

Back to football injuries ribs mainly, a fractured skull that would haunt me for years much to the enjoyment of my brother after I fell down some stone steps at school, a fractured bone in hand which made me miss all my mock exams at school having said that I actually write right handed and it was my left hand that was damaged, oops do you think I should have mentioned it or should they have payed closer attention hahaha! An injury in my last year at school which I didn’t say anything in which I can flex the rotator cuff muscle in my shoulder which plagues me to this day, if I move the right shoulder too quickly it goes pop and I go down like I have been shot (I have to admit to not liking that one little bit) it was a fun party trick when I was young (and dumb) but now not even for a million pound.

I was thrown out of a helicopter in the army with my gear following me and my rifle wouldn’t have been so bad if only I had fastened my helmet strap (oops) that hurt but I didn’t have time to let the little birds disappear from in front of my eyes before I had to bugger off in that direction (left right left right you horrible little man). Back to sports related injuries (more ribs) and a possible fractured cheek, hit in the face with a squash racquet, I had a lump under my eye for months, I tell you this keeping fit malarkey isn’t good for you! Getting slashed by a Stanley knife at work which was an accident (not) allegedly the only person who didn’t believe it was the person who got slashed (that would be me then) six stitches later and I was back at work, a good thing not to do at work is too stand up in the back of a moving pick up in a multi story car park, those steel girders hurt, I thought I was in hell when I woke up in hospital to find my recently divorced wife standing over asking me why I was so bloody stupid (erm I’m a bloke) not a great move, numerous running injuries after too many  half marathons and one London marathon where I thought I was running it with all my ribs broken!

Then there was the assassination attempt, we were moving house and we had left a small load in the house a tool box, a dog bed and some small boxes just enough to fit in our car we were nearly finished when the wife asked me to get the dog bed and I said I would if she would put my black toolbox in the car me (the colour is really important) I headed back into the house as it was starting to get dark and we had a way to go, unbeknown to me the wife was hailed by a neighbour who had come to say goodbye (so she claims) as I came back through the house carrying the dog bed I didn’t see  the black tool box in the dark in the middle of the hall way until I did a triple somersault in the hallway hitting the front door frame with some force upside down screaming like a banshee saying my favourite swear word over and over again, to this day my wife claims she never heard me ask her to move the toolbox and she protests her innocence loudly, me I’m not so sure I will have to keep an eye on her.

The result of all this well as the title says it’s pain I suffer with varying degrees virtually every day nothing to the degree that the wife suffers with her back, but I can usually tell you when it’s going to be particularly damp or when ice and snow is on its way, and if I knew then what I know now I wouldn’t have done all the bloody sport I did over the years and I would have stuck two bloody fingers up to that bloody tree in Mr. Hatton’s back garden he still hates me all these years down the line ha I wonder if I could still sue him for not protecting me as they say where there’s blame there’s a claim!

That's it for now and I know I have reverted for the name game for this one but I couldn't help it as I was plying the artist yesterday! so until next week and the appearance of the long blog Toodles!

A devil in me

I was going to subtitle this blog one fat bastard but apparently, I’m not allowed to put myself down, this blog is meant to have a more serious edge to it (allegedly) so here goes.

I can vividly remember as a kid in a lesson in junior school about diet and I wondered how people could indeed get fat, 98% of people who I went to school with were indeed skinny I didn’t believe that if you ate food you got fatter (what the hell do teachers know) and for a few years I went along with my theory when I went in the army I weighed seven stone four pounds (there was some discussion when I went in if I was heavy enough to carry all my kit -I was ) and after I came out I was still only over eight stone, but I did come out with the weight of the world on my shoulders and I had finally discovered the wonders of alcohol and with that I was indeed infected by the munchies, however I was still quite active playing Football, Squash, Canoeing and a multitude of other sports that people who weren’t in relationships  and discover that they either exercise or spend time in the pub, at one point when I was doing silly hours working and travelling for work my exercise regime went out of the window I hit thirteen stone (you fat bastard) it was at this point that I stopped the booze and concentrated on the exercise.

Two north run’s a London marathon several Phoenix thirteen’s swimming or running every dinner time five a side football and I was soon back to a more manageable 10 stone six and I was able to maintain that for a quite a while, until happiness or was it sadness set in, I slowly set about eating my way through the world and its surrounding planets and my weight slowly set about heading northwards slowly at first and it’s funny how you never realise at first, but then you start looking for excuses all the while you do less and less, the main reason and this is no excuse I take full responsibility for my sloth and gluttony I met the wife and moved completely away from the friends that I used to do sporty things with, I should have discovered new ways to exercise, or even new groups of people who I could have done those things with but no I settled into the rut of a new relationship and one I was happy to be in (again I take full responsibility I am an adult) and slowly the weight increased.

I did not go quietly when the youngest was born I insisted that I would get fit again and lose the excess weight but my efforts were indeed half hearted for what reason I have no idea I was in a loving relationship with a family who I wanted to be with few worries and only a few niggles (the Kraken always a constant thorn in my side) but nothing as far as I’m aware that should have sent me plummeting into the fridge on a regular basis, my main issue with my (mental) health was on the up and improving everyday so what was the issue? if I wanted to I could find a million small things to blame it on but let’s be real here nobody forced me to be a glutton and yes when I’m as heavy as I am when I’m down (for any small thing) food tells me it’s the way forward when I know it’s not the case, I don’t take money to work for that reason because I would be in a shop buying shite whenever I feel stressed (at this moment with the work load I have, I would be sat in Poundland buying so many sweets hahaha) food I know is not the answer to my questions age is catching up and the seriousness of my condition will raise its ugly head soon enough.

Previously I was able to lose over four stone, but my knees put paid to that and a severe case of the mind funk caught up with me and I did once again start to munch through all the crap hidden in the back of the cupboard, but I am back on track one day at a time (the wife doesn’t help by bringing all that lovely grub home hahaha) and by watching what I eat I will slowly start bringing my weight down, I will admit that drinking doesn’t help (which is why I rarely drink now) the munchies attack me everytime, I still like my food and why not I just have to learn to eat good food and stop when my belly aches ......Yeah Right good luck on that one, I’m in a good place even with the debt of a small African nation around my neck and the amount of work being thrown at me, I still think that as long as I wake up happy, that’s all I can ask for and to be a better person and to steer clear from the evil that is called Food!

I now have to give some serious thought to my health as although I am still losing weight my diabetes has gone through the roof, all of my joking aside about my condition, life has indeed taken a very serious turn for the worse, but for once I am not forlorn I know I can do this, I know I have to do this so if you see me on the street consuming what looks like to be a small animal (that’s eating a kebab boys and girls) please feel free to knock it from my grasp and just say NO! you know I will not give up to easily this one second chance that I do not intend to let slip from fingers, until next time Toodles!

Happiness is..........................

Who knows what the hell happiness is; I for one have absolutely no idea what it is, to each and everybody else it’s something different and for me to tackle something as huge a subject as this it must mean I have either become very philosophical or I have as usual pulled one word out of the hat that is my folder for blog ideas and have decided to just run with it, let’s see how short this ends up (there that’s me being positive)!

Although quite a few people say that I’m a miserable bastard (well ok mainly the wife to my face) I like to think that all though I know I do have that demeanour, I like to think that even after all the trials and tribulations that is my life I am indeed a happy camper, I strive everyday to wake up and be happy no matter what is going to happen through the course of the day I know I have to start as happy as I possibly can.

Now does this happen I have to admit 99.9% of the time yes it does, sometimes and this is very rarely (usually because I feel sickly or have a raging headache) I do indeed pull my weary body from my pit and start the day with happiness in my heart (what a fecking hippy) now it does depend on the general levels of happiness around me as too how long I stay happy but all in all I do try to stay positive for as long as possible. Even at work which to be honest can be quite stressful I keep on an even keel, I might not walk around with a stupid grin on my face (I really would be a hippy then wouldn’t I) but I do like to think of me as being a cheery person!

The main reason I don’t walk around with a grin on my face is well lets be blunt the stumps in my mouth called teeth, I am a child of the sixties and when I was poorly (I was a sickly child in my youth) I was given the elixir’s of the day which had industrial strength sweeteners in them too make them more palatable for us kiddies to swallow and swallow them I did as I wasn’t a fan of being sick, that I’m afraid where the problem lies as because of the toxic nature of said elixir’s they stripped the enamel of my teeth making them very hard to keep clean and as I get older it gets worse, I was told by my childhood dentist that I would be very lucky to keep my teeth past the age of forty (and here at fifty two ….cough splutter) I still have most of them however bad they may be I don’t relish the thought of all the torture that could be pushed onto to me to make them more palatable just for the sake of a photograph) and to this day although my dentist was a kindly old man, I still have a pathological fear of the dentist (so much so I ran away from home at the age of seven only to be handed over to the police by Denise Welch and her mum yes that Denise Welch because they thought I had ran away from the local Barnado’s) when my childhood dentist retired I never went to another dentist for over four years, it was only that I did indeed break a tooth  and I went to the chap at my place of work and I have been fortunate to have another kindly dentist(god knows what I will do when he retires) but I digress, I’m also not a fan of having my photograph (I like to think that I have a face for radio)taken, one because of my weight (of which I’m sure that I will cover that in more depth at some point) and two because of my teeth I have a tendency to do a Freddie Mercury and hide my mouth whenever I can, Even when I had my official photographs done for work (yes for my press release darlings I’m a man of importance didn’t you know hahahaha!) so I do intend to stay behind the camera as often as possible .

My friends make me happy I hate to see them down in the dumps (not that I can do much to cheer them up but I’m always here for them) that is why The Tee Hee Club is so important to me and everything that we do really does make the difference ( I better make an appointment with a doctor I really think I am turning into a fecking hippy) I will admit to having a black cloud hanging over me (and I hate to admit this ...not really ) the wife has pulled me out of the doldrums and pointed (kicked me in the seat of the pants more likely) me in the right direction and to her I really am most grateful to her for putting up with miserable face for so long hahaha!

I have to admit that drink does also cheer me up not really sure on that one as to why it should but I’m sure I shall keep studying it for quite a while to come just to make sure it is actually the drink and not my usual cheery disposition and I’m sure there will be plenty of students to assist me with my studies. Although my diabetes keeps me from partaking as much as I would like simply because everything tastes YUK!

Food is another thing that makes me happy (or is it) I usually feed my face when I am down in the dumps and I suppose that the guilt or happiness at the end of it takes off the glow hahahaha but it is happening less and less that’s me feeding my face when I’m down in the dumps that is, I will admit to being down in the dumps sometimes and when I am in a funk leave me be, let me drift it doesn’t take long for me to drag myself from the merry depths of hell and as I said before (although again the wife might disagree) I’m usually a happy go lucky chap.

Now there are three things do make me happy (probably a few more but these are the most consistent that I care to mention) my family for one and I know I bitch and moan about them including the eldest but hey they have given (and hopefully) and will give me more happy times to come, even the wife the lunatic that she can be (however if she keeps turning into the Kraken her arse will be out the door hahaha!) would I change anything yeah one or two things, actually things that I have done more than my actual friends or family, I still think about things that happened as far back as school which because I was a stroppy little brat things might have been different, mind you I don’t have many friends or people that I knew in school in my life, maybe I wasn’t the centre of the universe I thought I was, there’s people from school I still miss, they really were the good days, that includes the girls as well as the boys! but hey it’s a work in progress so let’s just see how the boat floats down that particular river, Music has been first and foremost the most consistent thing in my life I can remember quite vividly my brother getting Deep Purple’s Fireball for Christmas and loving it right there and then, it started there and here we are forty years down the line and I still love music it’s the one thing (and it drives the wife around the bend) that me and my brother chat about we will talk about how many times a cup of tea was stirred by the third engineer on the demo of a particular song before it was recorded on the other side of the world as an obscure b side from an obscure band that we love, we are not harming anybody and if it keeps me in touch with my brother I say bring it on. Very close behind music comes reading (and writing I know a cheeky forth but hey if you’re not happy go write your own blog) again something that I have done as a child, but at times it’s been like some of my old friends we drift apart but we always come back together, I don’t have the appetite that I had when I was younger sometimes five or six books on the go with all the legal stuff I have to read for work, I think that has taken some of the fun out of reading but because all of a sudden I have taken to writing (well if your reading this then you already know) and with all the reading that I have been doing this ( I bet there will still be about twenty thousand mistakes in each blog/book hopefully it will add to the roguish charm if I ever get a proper publisher, hey a boy can dream then an editor will certainly help) at the end of the day I’m doing this to make me happy (which is funny as I have stayed  on topic for a change) do I think the writing that I’m doing now will ever reach the giddy heights of what my first blog site did, no I don’t think it will although my new blog site (my third) is hitting triple figures I suppose I have to be happy with my lot, it might not be the cosmopolitan crowd that I used to get however I also don’t have to put up with the redneck infestation that I have had in the past.

So as you can deduce happiness is many more things to others that it can ever be for me but I don’t really care I strive to be a happy camper for as long and as often as I possibly can be, so if you do see me out an about and I look as though I’m a miserable bastard trust me I’m not as long as you don’t ask to have a photograph taken (I’m a media whore darlings) I’m ok but then again if you don’t believe me you only have to ask, mind you as I stated  earlier don’t ask the wife because she thinks’ I’m a miserable bastard at the best of times! If you are a person from my paste (male or female) say hello. I’m not being ignorant I genuinely as blind as my parents, I’m happy to say hello to anybody in my past, I carry no grudges anymore (real or otherwise as life is way too short unless your my father and then I hope you are getting buggered in some old folks home!) so until the next time…………Toodles