3 days to go!..................

I was going to do a blog on christmas but bah humbug! to that. Got back last night from a few days in Bristol and seeing family, bumping into a mate I haven't seen for quite a while and worrying if I was going to be snowed in after a heavy snowfall and more forecast. Still, made it home without too much hassle, the main problem being frozen washer jets on the car so it was difficult to see with on-coming traffic. The snow up here isn't as bad as I was expecting but it's now freezing over and is like glass.  Doubt if I'll manage another blog before the big day so ...MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY!

Isn't that just typical................................................

Well what do you know?......12 hours before I leave for Bristol it starts to snow.....isn't that just typical of the British weather?.... I didn't want it to snow until I got to Bristol in the hope that I'd get snowed in and would not be able to make it back to go to work on Boxing Day.....Oh well! c'est la vie!.... time for a nice warming cuppa!...... ANYONE????

Why do I get the feeling?................

Attended the last team brief of the year last night, yes I'm on holiday but still expected to go.  Anyway, we were all told of how well things have gone in the last 2 months since the Operations Team Leader had been appointed and how sickness was zero until last weekend, the airport H & S  director and his counterpart in Compliance were well impressed with our record keeping, reporting and rectification of H & S issues.  Customer complaints were down to 1 up to Monday morning when he had received a serious one, he looked straight at me and said that he had 2 interviews to do and if the complaint was found to be true that the person involved would be sacked and never work at the airport again.  Why look at me? I don't know! nothing happened that I'm aware of that would bring that sort of reaction but then my shift were on that day so it MUST have been one of us.  Like the one he tried to pin on me last Friday from October 8th, my shift were on days(06:00-18:00) and the incident happened at 21:40 but we got the initial blame.  Am I being paranoid when I think this guy is out to get me? On a happier note I have 11 days holiday left and I intend to enjoy them regardless, having another trip down to Bristol , 18th-21st, feeling like Santa as I will have a boot full of pressies.

I hate to say this.........but!...........ROLL ON THE SUMMER LOLOLOL

Had my first taste of a quiet winter season Saturday night last night...... The last flight was 21:20, and it came in 15 mins early, the PoF  (Pay on Foot) machines were emptied, the cash was bagged and put in the safe all the tickets were collected, we'd done god knows how many security patrols and it was only 00:20! What are we going to do for the next 5hrs 40mins???? we're there to work so we can't grab 20 winks, Car count? DONE!  car parks are less than 20% full All together!  I'M BORED! what a carry on!

Long Blog ago in Bethlehem............

Gawd! doesn't time fly by ?...... doesn't seem like that long since my last blog.  Well what's happened?  I passed my PCV/HGV medical on Tuesday gone .... which really surprised me..... was expecting the old blood pressure to be off the scale but it wasn't.  Got some Clim-Air wind deflectors for the Fusion... had some on the lorry a few years back ,they're great, stop the rain dripping in when a window is open and also stop a lot of buffeting from the wind at speed(when the window is open) so easy to fit but a sod to get out again, which is good.  Can't wait for my time off after the next set of earlys.... 12 loverly days with no airport ...bliss!  Plenty of pressies to pack in the car for my visit to Bristol.... shame I can only stay 4 days but there some people will be glad to see me come back to Sunderland (hopefully,  lol)

.... and so economical......

Update on the last figures ....... I ended up with an average consumption of 61.3 mpg, which I think is brilliant.  So as expected I am getting at least a 1/3rd more travel for my money.  Got the Astra mot'd today, 4 new tyres , 2 brake pipes an oil and filter change plus a grease up and a bill for £175......not bad.

Aren’t diesels wonderful

I can’t believe how good diesel engines are these days compared to petrol ones.  I’ve done almost 400 miles since filling up and used about 3/4 of a tank and still got 162 miles till refill according to the display.  Averaged 59.8 mpg, I’d be filling up again in the Astra and that has 10 litres more in the tank (52 against 42) WONDERFUL!

Fusion-confusion

Picked up my new car yesterday, 1600TDCi Ford Fusion Zetec Climate.  When I first sat in it I suddenly thought to myself that I’d made a big mistake buying it.  The driver’s seat felt really hard and small, I felt like Wiley Coyote when he’s on the edge of the cliff and he knows he’s about 1/100th of a second from falling into the chasm.  I then adjusted the seat from bolt upright and resting my chin on the top of the steering wheel to something nearer normal for me and then went for a test drive.  I have to say the more I drive it the better it gets.  I’ve managed to hook my mobile to the Bluetooth radio and found a connecter for my MP3 player, so all is hunky dory at the mo.

Life goes on........

Well it's been almost 9 days and I haven't had a moan about anything, miracles do happen then?.  My lump sum cheque appeared and was duly deposited into my account.  On Saturday I travel to Ipswich to pick up my new motor, insurance wasn't too bad really £330 with £50 back after 120 days for fully comp for Pauline and myself, a little dearer than the Astra (£165) but it's a much better vehicle all round I think and we probably need to replace it soon anyway. Still keeping the Astra going up till next June when the tax runs out so Pauline at least has her own car to drive to work over the winter.  Her insurance was only £209 fully comp(£50 back after 120 days) so she's at least building up some personal no claims bonus this time, though she did get 30% for being a named driver for so long and not having any claims.  Most of the Xmas shopping has been done, mostly odds and sods to get now.  For some strange reason Pauline wants a DSi for Xmas and I can't think why.  Still roll on 21st of each month when the pension cheques come in lolololol.  Booked my hotel for my stay in Bristol near Xmas when I visit the family, staying at The Bowl Inn at Almondsbury again, just hope we don't have snow, that bank looks like it could prove awkward.

Ohhhhh joy!

I’ve just been given an early birthday present by one of the admin girls at work.  \Just the sort of thing I can use at work during discussions with the  boss, it’s a cup …….. on the side is written ”I’m trying to see things from your point of view……..but I can’t stick my head up my arse far enough”  WONDERFUL Mandy Thanks! lmao

Common Sense 0. Brown Nosers 1.

I do not believe it! I think that phrase fits nicely here.  We are in desperate need of an experienced Operations Manager, the applicant description was very specific, IT literate etc etc, plenty of applicants are narrowed down to three……… who get’s the job? Well he doesn’t have BASIC IT skills, he’s as arrogant as hell(just because he’s in the Guinness Book of Records as the first six figure(£100,000) goalkeeper in the English First Division) and spends his days off, taking top management for cups of coffee.  I wonder if the bosses know about his sexual harassment of one of the admin girls?  Yes being an ex professional footballer he thinks women are just dying to be with him.  I can prove these accusations so am I safe?  Hmmm………

Change needed!

I need a new job! Don’t get paid enough to take phone calls at home on my rest days only to find out it’s work and getting a bollocking over the phone, let’s hope the recession is over soon!

Isn't it good to be back...it is isn't it?

Well that's the first week after annual leave done and dusted.  Nothing's really changed after three weeks, except, SOPs!  Standard Operating Proceedures! in other words management write it down, you read it, sign your name at the bottom of the page and that's your training!  How the hell does that help?  All it does is cover management's back if something goes wrong.  It's like our 'new' daily shift report, the one that's supposed to cover my back.  Bullshit! all it does is take things back ten years and make us write things out instead of putting it in the pc...... in other words make it easier for MANAGEMENT to check things and use them against you.  We are even counting the number of vouchers we take, putting down how much cash we had in the till, how much we've taken out and yes you've guessed it! how much is left in the till.  All this is recorded in about fifteen different reports on the mainframe and we have to write it on a piece of paper.  God how I hate this job! I need to find something else........ and quick!

On a lighter note ...... gas filled balloons!

Life goes on.... and on...... and.....

Well it had to happen, the long skive known as 20 days annual leave is over, time to re-enter the asylum and deal with the nutters.  I find it really strange how the first days seem to last and last, the middle ones pass at 'normal' speed and the last few flash by.  Been on line getting some insurance quotes on a ford fusion 1.6 tdci, Saga who I'm with for the Astra are one of the dearest(£349). As Pauline wants to run the Astra so she has a car over the winter (it's tax'd, tst'd and insured till next year) I tried Admiral, a multi-car policy with Pauline using the Astra with zero no claims and only £60 compulsory excess and tpf&t cover, while the Fusion would be comprehensive with 10 years no claims(protected) and the same £60 excess is £441.00 which is very good I thought.  Stand by your beds the mobile is ringing............. that was Admiral they want to know if they can go ahead and try to find me an even cheaper quote, if I keep this up someone may pay me to be insured lolol.

I want to make a complaint!.........

I have just read the report about the increase in the number of complaints against the police, the biggest increase being in cases of rudeness.  Okay, I like the police work with the public everyday, maybe not under the exact same circumstances but dealing with disputes and irrate people, some even violent.  In my experience the one who is usually the rudest and most arrogant is the complainer, believing that they are completely correct.  The saying about the customer always being right is rubbish! 95% of the time they do not know what they are talking about.  People who complain about the police being rude to them should be made to go 'on the beat' with an officer and see how 'public servants' are treated by the people they are there to 'protect and serve'.  I'm sure afterward there is no way they would like to be in an officer's shoes.  They (the police) will only treat you in the manner you treat them, the same as the guys from the VI will 'treat' abusive lorry drivers by keeping them at a check point a lot longer than they need to.  In my 30+ years of dealing with these people I have always been polite and respectful and have always been shown politeness and respect in return.  I'll stand up for you Kris even though you are always rude to me LOLOLOLOLOL

Have a good timmmmmeeeee.............................................................

Just got back from Newcastle Airport where I've just dropped off Tom, Kelly and Evie who are off to Teneriffe for a weeks holiday.  It was touch and go wether they actually went this morning as Evie had caught a bug that was rampant at school last week.  I'm now feeling really cream crackered after going out for a drink or 3 last night and getting up at 03:45 this morning.  Going into town later to buy one of those memory foam mattresses from TJ Hughes, double Slumberland one for £200, down from £500.

Why don't you do one?...........

Chatting to Pauline this morning and I suggested she should start a blog, got a funny look as much to say what are you on about.  It's like an on-line diary, you can keep it private or you can share it with as many or as few people as you like.  I'm not sure if she was even slightly interested, if she was she didn't show it.  Still I've included her on my e-mail list for this blog now, I think she's probably too busy with her face book projects to want to blog.  I can remember being disinterested myself when Kris suggested it to me but now I find it a way of 'out-pouring' things that are on my mind or annoying me and best of all, I find it helps.  So c'mon Pauline give it a try will ya?

Home again................

Well here I am back in the North East after having five days in Bristol visiting family. I found it very difficult to come back here this time, I think after eight years up here I'm feeling 'homesick', seeing quite a lot of the grandchildren was the biggest draw, even had a tear in my eye when I started the long drive home. That's the first time it's got me like that, not that it has never made me sad leaving Bristol after seeing the family, I'm just a little curious too about what I'd be doing now if I hadn't moved to Sunderland. Pauline guessed there was something 'wrong' with me this morning, so we had a little chat and 'cleared the air' and now she is a bit happier and more confident that I am staying in Sunderland, " you have to do what you think is best for you" she told me and I told her I am doing what is best for me AND what I want to do it's just becoming a bit harder than it has been in the past, when and if it gets to a stage where I feel I have to go back to Bristol that will be as hard a decision to make as it was to leave in the first place.

Not the welcome I was expecting…….

Well here I am at last in ‘sunny’ Bristol, where the sun is NOT shining, not the welcome I was expecting!  Arrived here about lunch time on Sunday after a very pleasant steady drive down from Sunderland at a sedately sixty mph.  The journey itself passed quite quickly and was not unpleasant,  due mainly to the lack of speed restrictions and traffic, the weather was also great all the way down, no rain.

Pleasantly surprised the hotel staff remember me from the last visit back in June (and they had smiles on their faces) so it seems I am welcome again.  No rude awakening at 6 am by the brewery delivery this morning which was wonderful, last time I thought the world was coming to an end and Pauline nearly came to her end with the noise they made.

I called to see my niece yesterday as arranged with her but couldn’t get an answer, luckily my son and his family returned early from their long weekend away so I spent most of the day with them instead.  I suppose I’d better go and see my nemesis of a niece, Claire today as I didn’t get to see her last time and I did sort of promise this time I would call round.  I still have to find time to see my younger brother and a few others before returning back ‘up north’ on Thursday.  I don’t know if I’ll manage it all.

Holiday!holiday!holiday time!

Today marks the start of my annual summer holiday, where do I have to spend half of it?  That’s right at work! why? you may ask yourself.  I’ll tell you why, because of a jumped up twit who thinks and is acting like he is the next car park manager.  Haven’t got the heart to tell him who is …. yes I already know and he’ll be great , strict but fair.  Sent the LOM an    email telling him what I thought and received a reply today, was a bit officious but gave me a pat on the back and said as I’m the CPC holder then what I say has to be implemented, so some power at last lolol.  Off to Bristol for 5 days on Sunday …….. will be great to get back home.  Sunderland is good but Bristol is where my heart is and always will be……. yes I do get a bit homesick at times.

Hope it’s now settled

Well after a mate went to see our ex boss and bumped into his son I’m hoping my financial ‘incident’ of a couple of weeks ago may be finally sorted out.  He was given a few words of advice and now has the details he needs to put the money straight back into my account, so fingers crossed he keeps his side of the bargain, if not, I don’t want to be there when Chris (my friend) calls to see him again.  We are still waiting to find out who our new boss will be, a couple of people have been ‘promoting’ themselves but neither of them have the intelligence to carry the job.  Roll on 9th Sept, I can start my TWENTY days off…………. luvverly

Holiday schmoliday………

Well another Bank Holiday being worked for flat time, annualised hours ? con job they mean.  I still say that they are breaking the law my contract of employment STILL states I get DOUBLE TIME for public holidays but since the introduction of the 28 day holiday thing for Mon-Fri pen pushers so they don’t lose out on their 20 days holiday at these times we lose money!  Who’s pinched the sun again? never seen such a black sky, unless it’s late and I’m late going to work! Oh no it’s only 16:06 so that’s ok.  Last one tonight then 4 lovely days off, followed by 4 dayshifts and then 20 days off YEEEHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

and the story goes on……….

Unknown to me Pauline has told her son in law about what’s been going on and he is not happy about it and has told certain family members who are the sort you do not want to meet in a dark alley.  Yes, they are well known to the local constabulary.  I think a 20 year old from Craw Crook may get a nasty surprise one evening when he’s drinking on the Quayside in Newcastle.

Well it’s a long story………….

The last couple of weeks have been very trying.  Due to a stupid error of judgement I did something totally out of character that even surprised me and it nearly cost me a lot more than the £700 it has.  At the end of July a work colleague was desperately trying to hire a car to go down to Leeds General to see a friend who is on life support after a massive asthma attack.  After assuring me it was only to allow him to get a car and he would pay for it in cash when he returns it, I used my debit card details to get the car.  When the car was returned, he then unknown to me rented a further vehicle using my details.  Now all would have been okay if, in the meantime he hadn’t been caught dipping into the ‘till’.  Before he could return the second car he was suspended and not allowed within the airport site, so could not return it himself.  Several days later he gets a mate to take the vehicle back.  On the 18/08/09 another friend who had put his name down as the main driver (he did actually use the cars) get’s a bill from Avis Car Rental for £771.34.  To cut a long story short, I’ve been trying to get my money back but it looks unlikely, though Nationwide have given me a dispute form to fill in so maybe I’ll get some back who knows?.  On the bright side I’ve had news of my Unilever pension and it starts in November

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

I am at work when a get a call from Pauline “ I’ve bought you an early birthday present!…….. Wii Sports Resort”  What she meant was she wanted it and buying it for me gave her the excuse.  Anyway I tried it last night, it does seem quicker to respond than other Wii games and I was reasonably impressed……… then I tried the table tennis.  WOW! it’s brilliant you can spin the ball and everything……. well impressed.

Hmmm a VERY strange day………

Something is definitely going down at work, I’ve seen more of the 2 top bosses this afternoon than I’ve seen in the 7 years I’ve worked at the airport.  Airport police coming in and taking statements from the admin staff, my immediate boss using the intercom and pretending to be just another visitor to see the top boss.  To cap it all the Business Systems Development guy tells us he is now based in our offices at the car park, I think it’s all change time again.

FRIDAY????

Yes it’s Friday already, jezz this year is flashing by. I’ve ‘spoken’ a few times with my son on messenger recently but since his ‘apple-mac’ went bang he doesn’t seem to keep the connection that long. The last four days at work were a bit stressful but went along quite nicely. Shame I’m on nights next week I’m going to miss out on a freebie down to Birmingham and Luton airports, not very exciting I know but it would have been a day’s skive. Supposed to be the Sunderland Air Show tomorrow and Sunday so I hope the weather stays clear as we get most of the planes flying within site of our house on their way towards the display area.

Rain rain go away…………

Another blistering hot sunny day in S………………..audi  Arabia.  It must be cus it’s ‘cats & dogs’ here! poodles all over the place.  I’m not saying it’s raining hard but I can just about see across the road.  And Pauline’s gone to work again and left me to fend for myself…… ooouuuuuu thunder! 

Well (hand touching wood) it seems that our Internet problem has been solved ………… it’s still on 48 hours after the engineer called and no disconnections whoooohoooo!

Fingers crossed……..

The Virgin engineer has just left after calling about our internet problem.  He thinks he’s sorted the problem but he couldn’t see anything that was really wrong in the first place.  He’s renewed the connections outside and you can see the difference in the tele picture.

On the weight front things are going well, I’ve lost about ten pounds in about twelve days.  All I’m really doing is eating more and drinking over two litres of water a day, maybe I should clarify the eating more.  That is I’m eating smaller portions more often.

The last couple of nights at work have been really strange, not the usual manic Sunday and Monday.  Everybody has been smiling and CALM which is most unusual, still it makes life a lot easier and no reports to write out  :-)

Not a bad week……

Well my eldest grandson was two on the 9th July, unfortunately I didn’t get to see him and wish him happy birthday. I could’ve used the land line I suppose but I was hoping to make a skype call but we are experiencing some problems with our new Internet connection. We were having problems with our Internet back in June, Virgin said it was because the set top box couldn’t handle the new 10meg speed and we would need a separate modem. We get one fitted and had a connection for two hours, since then, it’s on, it’s off, it’s back on again, NO! it’s off again. We’ve phoned and complained and now have an engineer calling on Monday or Tuesday between 4 and 7 pm.

On a LIGHTER note, I have lost six pounds in weight since 4th July and all I’ve really done is eat more often but smaller portions and drank at least 2 litres of water a day. So a good start to my 2 year plan so far, as I’m only aiming for a pound a week. It’s going to be a complete change of life style for me, I haven’t had any chocolate for a couple of weeks and surprise, I’m not missing it either. Some other pleasant news hit my ears the other day, my ‘adopted son’ (LOL) Nick and his wife Nic are expecting their first nic-nic! I wish them both the best! or should that be the three of them? Finally…… I got my full CPC certificate through the post this morning, so I’m now officially CERTIFIED!

SUMMER?

What a change in the weather, I’ve never seen anything like it. Lightning streaks so low you can see it AND hear it sizzle across the sky and then BOOOOOMMMMM the thunder! All the cameras and equipment luckily keep working, none of it is affected by the EMP. A chap from Air Traffic Control was struck by lightning but luckily is not seriously hurt, something to do with the special design of the Control Tower.

We had a very stressful time just before the weather changed. A problem occurred with one of the payment machines, It suddenly started adding random amounts to some charges when people used credit cards to pay. The ACS engineer came and sorted out the problem or so he thought, every ticket was being rejected at all the machines. We had to shut down all the payment machines and download the tariffs from scratch and do it one at a time, for over 2 hours we had to take cash from people and then manually raise the barriers to let people out. I think it cost the airport a lot of money.

Well I’ve decided it’s now time……….

I’ve decided the time has come to finally do something about my general health and well being.  Starting tomorrow out go the biccies, chocs, cakes etcetera and in comes healthy eating and exercise.  We have a fully equipped gym over at the fire station at work, I will be able to use it as when I like once going through an induction course on the equipment.  Most probably it will be an hour before my first and last nightshifts and an hour after my first and last dayshifts.  I think that is plenty to go on with given my unfit state and I can build up more time/intensity as I get fitter.  They have a PI on every shift so I can ask about a controlled  fitness programme.  I’m going to give myself about 2 years to get where I want to be, given my overall health and state of fitness I think that is about right.  I am going to try my hardest and have set myself some goals which I feel I should reasonably reach in the time span.  I am aiming to lose a pound a week any more than this is a welcome bonus, I just hope I can stay motivated that long.

County Durham weather……..

Typical! have a lovely sunny time in Bristol ….come home to one sunny day ….one rainy day……one foggy day….probably tomorrow will be bright sunshine because I’m at work for one night

A good time was……………….

Well I had a great stay in Bristol…….the weather was wonderful……the hotel great…… and very nice to see my kids again….. went to a few spots I hadn’t been to for years namely Portishead, Clevedon and Blaise Castle…… saw both of my 2 new grandchildren (Isabel and Noah)and took Thomas (the eldest, nearly two) to Kingswood Park for an hour or three to give his mum a break…… he was really very well behaved and I think he enjoyed himself….. he does a MEAN gimme five! Had to make sure Pauline or Gemma didn’t hide Isabel in their bags to take her home… she’s such a cutie!

Noah was his usual ‘big’ self…… he’s not very well after having his first lot of immunisations…. he’s going to be a real bonny lad….I think Catherine would like a couple of hours to herself as well….. The worst thing was the journey home…..bits of the motorway were closed without any warning(M32 Westbound slip onto M4) and diversions taking you miles out of the way then when you were on the motorway 50 mph restrictions …..it took over 6 hours to do what is normally a 4 1/2 hour journey.

AND FINALLY ……The Bowl Inn at Lower Almondsbury was fantastic……. had a pint called ‘OLD ROSIE’ in honour of my mum…….lovely stuff ABV of 7.5

Isn't life great!...........

Well here I am in sunny Almondsbury..... saw both of my new grandchildren yesterday....... had four Father's Day cards, one from my son, one from my daughter, one from from Pauline's youngest daughter and one from my 'work daughter'..... I'll explain the last one some other time..
.... been to Portishead and Clevedon today and shown Pauline around, we could see Wales from the coast and she asked if we could go over there when we come down in September..... We are staying at the Bowl Inn a lovely little place and not too expensive...... fantastic breakfart this morning too and they've got free WiFi connection...............

Hmmmmmm............

Well another week has flown by...... night shift was the usual mixture of dimwits and twits..... home life has been quiet...... car is going brmmm brmmm like it should be...... just done the most ridiculous survey I've ever come across on line....'what is your real age'..... they just want to be nosey and send you a load of third party advertising........ looking forward to my day shifts this week, only because I have 11 days off after, would've been 12 but I wasn't very well last Thurs and had to call in sick, exchanged a days holiday for it, now I keep my 100% attendance record and there's no need to fill in a sickness form plus I don't lose any pay...... P reminded me of a promise I made her on her birthday, I only have another 6 months to fulfill it..... the ending of part of my life and the continuation of another..... little does she know she was very close with her thoughts on the subject in hand but not quite there..... still it's got to be done at some stage or another so I might as well get on with it.... be a man..... take the bull by the horns..... and countless other cliches...... it will make me sad but such is life....................................

a good week was had by ..........

Well that week wasn't too bad, work went along swimmingly, no BIG probs...... weather was okay apart from Thursday which was cloudy all day. Today has been a bit of a disappointment rained right up until 7 pm then bright sunshine, then that's the british summer I suppose. put in for a week off in June and surprisingly got it! Having said that it has been a quite pleasant experience working with Lee(planning team leader) this week, he's been really chilled out. Decided I desperately need to get fitter, so I'm thinking of using the fire station gym at work, only prob we're not allowed to use the showers. That's fine when I go after a dayshift but not so good if I go before a nightshift. Still it would make a change ME smelling instead of the customers!

BOOORRRRIIINNNGGG????

Well another lovely sunny day.....spent a few hours out in the garden this morning reading Auto Express......now I remember why I stopped having it delivered before.....'This week we try out vehicles A,B and C. Next week it will be A v B, the week after B v C and then A v C and of course we won't tell you anything worth knowing because we want to drive the £330k super cars not the ones that anybody can afford'....... oh and then there are the adverts.....need plenty of adverts to keep the cost down.......Whilst reading the thing I throat tested a couple of cans of John Smiths Extra Smooth......the body was excellent, the colour was lovely, the price very affordable and the m(ouths) p(er) g(lass) extremely satisfying, it's draw back? it only comes in one model....the 440ml. I'm sure with such a small price only one model will not stop it keep going for a long time.........in fact I think I'm going to test some other very similar models.

another week flashes by.............

Geee that was a quick week....... 9 days since might last blog. Some 'good' news about some extra money now I've got my CPC. Yesterday morning the boss turns up about 5 a m which is a big shock in itself. I went in to pass on some info and we start chatting about business in general when he suddenly tells me he may be able to get me some more money for my extra responsibilities but it may be via overtime. I've alway said I don't mind doing it on overtime or they take some of my team leader jobs off me. More money is being asked for in next years capex budget...... so here's hoping! Still not had my full certificate from OCR but it shouldn't be long now. Hmmmm watching one of those 'revealing the truth about UFOs' progs. I a race is so advanced that they can fly across millions of miles of space, why would they bother hovering around lit up like a xmas tree?........ WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY BUT WE LIKE THE LIGHTS! lolololol

All's quiet on the north eastern front.......

Well it's been over a week since my last blog, it's okay Kris I won't say anything else about 'daily blogs' I now know it's not always easy, convenient or possible to write something every day. Life has been pretty quiet since last blog, P is now talking again, that's all sorted after a heart to heart last Saturday on the way home from Asda(working not shopping) and it wasn't anything to do with me......... which is unusual lol. The weekend at the airport was the usual , idiots all over the place. Poor P had a big disappointment on Tuesday evening, her daughter is on holiday but isn't coming to Sunderland to see her, I was late getting out of work and then got caught for 27 mins in a queue for petrol(think Tesco had a power prob) which meant I didn't get home until about 19:45. Gemma sent a text to her mam saying she was going out about 16:00. P thinks me being late was due to Gemma getting on the train(the timings are perfect for this) Her look when I pulled up and it was only me in the car.......I felt so sorry for her! Sorry love it's only meeeeeeee.

will men EVER understand women fully?

A question I know that is impossible to answer, then why am I asking? Last night my partner was sat on the settee talking on the phone to her daughter whilst I sat there watching the TV with the sound muted so they could talk without shouting. They finish speaking and the phone is put back on it's holder, I make a comment about her daughter being on line as she was speaking to her( I was defraging the laptop at the time and she said hello via msn messenger) The next thing I know P is tossing and turning on the settee like someone with insomnia who hasn't slept for 3 days. She then gets up walks out of the room and into the kitchen to have a cigarette. Shortly afterwards she storms up stairs and that's the last I see of her till I go to bed myself. This morning I get up, go to the kitchen to make a cup of tea and she's sat on the foot stool. I fill the kettle, she gets up and walks out, goes upstairs and by the way the Netgear box is flashing goes on line using the pc upstairs. I fire up the laptop and check my mail, there's one from Littlewoods for her so I forward it to her in box. Next thing I know she storms downstairs in her Asda uniform, picks up my cup and takes it to the kitchen. Then out the front door into the car and off I presume to work....... all this without a word being spoken. Have I done/not done something ? Could someone please tell me because I am clueless!

how to upset your boss..........

Attended the latest team brief last night at work....... we talked thru the usual things and discussed the last meeting's minutes...... boss announces that I've passed my CPC exam and then starts to list the extra stuff I'll be responsible for, then him and his deputy chirp up " with no extra pay of course" to which the reply was " no extra pay, no extra responsibilities". I don't think they realise that I am serious about that, I agreed to do the course NOT to take on extra work. Unlike them I have 6 other staff to supervise and my own work to do and cannot 'lock myself away' in an office for 2 hours. Despite all this they can't upset me this week, with two more additions to the junior clan life is looking great.......C'MON IZZYYYYY!!!.......C'Mon NOAH!!! GIVE 'EM WOT FOR!...... Oh and hope you love your new baby sister Thomas.

A good time was had by all .......... mostly!

I am now back home after a weekend away and a few days with family. Spent Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday in Minehead sampling the local Guinness....... oh! and meeting some friends from 1967 for the first time since then. Unfortunately the main person I hoped to see again was ill and couldn't make it. Amazingly a former teacher remembered me.....whether for good or bad reasons, I didn't ask lololol. Popped in to see the latest addition to the family, Noah born 29-04-09 at 21:02 and weighing in at a healthy 9lbs 10ozs. My daughter in law who is expecting another addition to the clan, is stuck in hospital at the moment with blood pressure and protein problems, my son is waiting to find out what will happen now. I enjoyed staying with my son and family as my eldest grandson is now at that age where you can hold a conversation with him, sometimes getting answers that are understandable and sometimes gobbledygook but said with such sincerity that they must mean something and leave you wishing you understood. Now I'm home and back to reality again.

PHEW!!!!!............................................

Well what a day, I'm aching all over after washing AND polishing(inside & out) the old banger ready for my trip to Bristol and Minehead. Next on the list is to pack my bag I suppose then have a shave and shower. Still no sign of the new grandson yet (knowing my luck Caz will hold onto him till I return to Sunderland) The weather today has been wonderful, brilliant sunshine with just a slight cool breeze, would be nice if this weather stays till after the weekend. I've also spent quite a bit of time doing useless quizes on facebook, good for a laugh if nothing else. Might change the n/s/r wheel on the car as I think the tyre may be illegal, I will have to get the old tape measure out and check the width of the tyre and the worn piece. I hope the 'boy' enjoys his little jaunt to Ireland, leaving the boss behind to look after Thom. TTS have been on the phone again, because I had a different candidate number when I took my freight CPC and didn't need to take mod 1 this time, I have only been given a pass for the mods I've taken and not a complete Certificate. To get one I have to send in all my certs and pass slips for the exams I've passed, what a carry on ......................................

03:30am and I'm still hyper

Well after 15 months of struggle I've finally managed to pass module 5 to complete my CPC in National Passenger Transport.......I'm so worked up about it I can't sleep. I know it's silly but I've been trying so hard to pass, now I have I'm really excited. When the lady from Tyneside Training Services called yesterday I was so gobsmacked I almost started jumping with joy. Had to phone the boss and let him know that I knew before they did......TTS didn't know who to address the letter to as the old boss was made redundant but they had my phone number so gave me the good news before asking the new boss's name. Broke the news first to my son Kris who I think was very happy for me and it's come at a good time. Thursday I'm off to a school reunion in Minehead, Somerset, to meet with some people I haven't seen for over 40 years. Also 2 more happy events are to happen this summer, 1 pretty soon (a grandson) and 1 a couple of months later (a granddaughter) so all in all 2009 is starting to be a great year.

such is life............

Well it's been over a week since my last blog...... the usual boring daily routine passes by...... a little light relief yesterday, I imported a lot of my music onto my laptop using itunes.... had problem getting albums with various performers on them to make one album..... with a little guidance from my son Kris that has been well and truly sorted and I've managed to get all the covers in place too.

When 'Sorry for the inconvenience' just aint enough!

well wot a lovely set of rest days......weather has been quite nice......apart from a bit of rain yesterday......otherwise I've been stuck in the house waiting for DHL...... and when they finally arrive?.....sorry sir cant accept that parcel it doesn't have a RTS label on it! So I contact Staples and ask for one to be emailed so I can print one off......only to be told the driver should've supplied one there and then......so I now have to wait in again......... mean while Staples send a bill to me for £30 for the replacement flash drive and a 2nd one (because the original order was for 2) after I made it quite clear that only one flash drive needed replacing......the excuse for the bill?
we haven't received the faulty one.......NO YOU MUPPETS the replacements arrived 2 days before the faulty one was due to be collected.

Wot more questions??

Well I'm slowly getting 'use to' this Vista thing........but why so many questions?..... Pauline nearly cried last night..... we had chicken parmasan for tea but also had an unexpected visitor, namely Evie... it wasn't long before Evie was nibbling away at bits of Paulines tea and was just about to put something down on the unsupported side of the food box as Pauline shouted "don't put that on there!!'..... too late!..... chilli sauce all over the new carpet.....red stains all over the place. I've never seen Pauline leave the room and return with a bucket of water and a cloth so fast in my life.......today it looks like she was successful at removing 99.99%..... from some angles you get a hint of a mark but we're not sure if it's the colour of the carpet or shadow

VISTA.........SHISTA.........

Well finally got my new laptop....... wot a pain to set up this Vista thingy is....give me XP anytime! Once you get it sorted it's not too bad........ got a couple of features on it I didn't know about like speech recognition, which is great as long as you ignore people who tell you what a prat you look talking to a computer (PAULINE!!!) also a 7 in 1 card reader and infra red ........ not sure about the touch pad but I have a spare mouse to use with it. Managed to set up the Wi-fi easy enough, had to re-name it because Vista would not accept the old password, so it was delete it and re-name and put in new password.

Tempest flies lolol.........

Gawd a week has passed already, seems like only yesterday I did my last blog..... JG has finally passed on to the great BB house in the sky, thank you! ..... I don't mean to be unsympathetic but it was getting a bit much .... I am sorry she didn't get to see her kids on Mothering Sunday. Spend last night at work out and about as I was playing Ops Support.... legs feel like I ran a marathon today..... Contacted Staples about a replacement for my SanDisk Cruzor Micro which gave up the ghost for no apparent reason.... looking forward to the new laptop arriving tomorrow morning.... my mate in work gave me some Venison sausages to try .... they are lovely bet they'd be great with some gravy and spuds.... Pauline has made chicken curry for us twice and he wanted to say thanks..... also gave me a bottle of Merlot but as Pauline doesn't drink wine that's all mine ..........well off to work now I suppose .... still only 2 more nights to go.

LOLOL some people are so gullible!

I have just had the biggest laugh in a long time..... for a while now I've been thinking about trying to catch people out with a made up name ...... someone like a DJ ...... any way I had a survey email the other week and I filled it in using this name I'd thought of ....... a man phones this afternoon asking to speak to ..............IVAN ICHIBELLI..... lolol never thought it would happen.

you've got to laugh................or die crying!

After having a lovely sleep last night because Pauline stayed up late watching Jade Goody get married on Living TV, it was very difficult to get my backside off the mattress this morning.... my 3 bits of bad luck this month have happened in the last couple of days.... 1/ my car key battery goes tilt, got new battery, got to have the key re-coded.... 2/before leaving the car park to come home yesterday I find my n/s/r tyre extremely flat at the bottom........ 3/ my Scandisk 4 gig data stick has just given up for some unknown reason....it's not very old either. Was late leaving tonight because I had to cone and tape off half a car park cell..... we've got some subsidence and men are coming to do a GPRS survey. Today has been a normal manic Sunday... had one laugh though that brightened up the day..... the help buzzer sounds from one of the barriers ....."Hello! can I help?" angry voice replies "YES!, I'm at the barrier and pressing the button and I can't get a ticket to enter the car park!".....quick check on the CCTV..... "There's a VERY good reason why you can't get that barrier to open or give you a ticket sir!".... "OH YES! and what might that be?"...... "You are trying to enter via an EXIT SIR!".............. SILENCE!!!! lolololololololololol

New laptop....

I'm finally getting a laptop.... the one advertised on TV from Dell...... Inspiron15...got a Pentium Dual Core T4200(2.0GHz) processor... 3072MB RAM 800MHz DDR2 250GB(5400rpm)Serial ATA Drive.... 3 years McAfee..... and WiFi(802.11 g/n) .... only bad thing ....it runs Vista Home Premium..... means P can use the PC for her 'hidden object' games while I do some serious stuff (LOLOLOL) on the laptop. Poor ole Pauline, she's got a very bad head cold after getting caught in a rain shower Saturday night after work (her niece was waiting in the car park but she missed her) on her way to catch a bus home. I had offered to take the Metro to work Sat but she said it was okay as she had a lift arranged..... best made plans of mice and women huh!

some not so good some better....

Well it's been a while since my last blog, due mainly to work...... sat my CPC exam again on the 6th.... a bit disappointed, I only managed to answer 6 of the 8 questions.... having said that I think I did really well on the first four which is the important ones.... you need to get at least 65% on those and make up the rest of the mark (to average 50%) over the last four..... marks are divided 45 /45... so I need at least 29/45 on the first bit and at least 11/45 on the second bit.... so if I can get 38/45 on the first bit I only need to get 7 points off the two I answered in the 2nd part...... Some really good news ..... Pauline has been worrying that she had her cancer back as she had 'found' a couple of small lumps and they have been very itchy!..... she's hardly slept for 3 weeks waiting for her appointment ....she was sick (literally) with worry this morning .......seen the doctor ....comes out with a smile on her face like a Cheshire Cat that's got a lifetime of double cream.... turns out the problem was an infected hair follicle...BIG SIGH OF RELIEF.......... damn public hairs lololol

It was good until................

I'm feeling very pleased with the fact I don't have to go to work until Saturday night, the boss kindly gave me two study days off to prepare for an exam on Friday. Had some wonderful pictures of my grandson emailed to me from my son. I've just had an annonymous email from work from someone complaining about the state of the 'George'. I replied with a few choice things like ...I can at least spell George (they spelt it GERGE) and a moan about the state of the Microwave......expecting another dig back because I deliberately mis-spelt annonymous as annoymous...see if they pick up on that.... I doubt it! Pauline's sister just came banging at the door..... she's come out in some sort of rash ...... Chicken Pox is rife up here at the moment and it looks like she's got it...... she's a bit upset about it because she is in her 40's...... Pauline has just taken her to the local NHS drop-in centre. I think I might open a couple of tinnies....... JS Extra Smooth or Carling?....hmmmmmmmm

ZZZZZzzzzzzZZZZZzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz

Well what a boring day today has been........ the people in charge have come up with a great idea.... why not charge those people that stay for only six days £20 more than those that stay for eight? ........ makes total economic sense to me .......NOT! ........ those staying for six days will book eight and pretend they've returned early! Feeling really cream crackered tonight and I've still got two days to go.

YAHOOOOOO! LOLOLOL!

Yeahhhh! I'm feeling very pleased with myself....I just tried a mock CPC exam paper and I reckon I got enough points for a pass. In part A you need to get at least 65%, I reckon I got 73.5% in part B you need enough to make an average of 50% over the 2 parts, which meant I needed 12.5/45...... I made it 32/45 so I would have managed to pass....let's hope the real thing goes as well on 6th March.....I hope so it's my 4th attempt. I'm a bit upset I had to cancel a planned trip to Bristol to see my son and his family and my daughter.... but I'll get to see them in May so all's not lost...... Pauline has just cooked me pancakes .........for LUNCH!!!! lololol

Another saturday (night) lottery and I ain't got a winner, got no money cuz I ain't been paid

Well so much for yesterdays national lottery ....another dismal failure. Black Cats manage a draw against the Arsenal and the Robins win away from home ..... 2 out of 3 ain't bad. I wish work days went by as quick as rest days appear to. Pauline has decided to buy her Inhalator tomorrow, it costs £20 but she could save more than that this week by not buying any more ciggies..... been watching some of the races from the 2008 BTCC .....I'd love to have a go at that. I must get some studying done tomorrow my exam is now less than 2 weeks away and I need to pass this time if only for my own sanity.... the only problem I have is the company seem to want me to pass just to put a name on their O license..... they then think they can do what they like and if any problems arise it's my neck on the chopping block .....how wrong they are....... VOSA take no prisoners, it's not just me that carries the can ........anyway if they don't play ball I just write to VOSA and tell them I'm withdrawing my name as CPC holder.

It IS really that bad!

Well things must be getting bad.... the airport are reducing their managers by 14 to save money..... one of the victims was Bob my boss.... shame really he was just beginning to chill...... we now have a couple of new shifts to spread the workforce even thinner.... nice to see Kris write something again, he told me originally his was going to be a DAILY blog.... knew it wouldn't be.... shift work doesn't play ball to be able to do that..... hope Thomas enjoys himself at Maxine's...... restarted my Wii-fit routine yesterday, going to try my best and do it every other day...... probably end up doing it once a week or 4 days on the trot (my rest days)....... still.... I'm going to have another go at losing some weight by exercising, we'll see how I manage, dieting may come in later if the exercise goes well.

Grrr....I could crush a grape!

Isn't it typical of management, not only do they moan and groan because you have made other arrangements (on your day off) when they want you to come to work for some 'compulsory training' at short notice (yes it's compulsory training but in their time not mine) they don't even tell you when it and the team briefing on the same day has been cancelled, so you do a 40 mile round trip during rush hour for nothing....... I'm just glad I didn't get up early this morning and pay a fiver for a Metro ticket to get in for the training....... I'm still putting in an overtime sheet for tonight if only to cover the cost of the petrol I've used.....................

WOMEN!!

Isn't it just typical of a woman? ...all week she kept asking "Have you got me a Valentine card yet?" to which the reply was "No!"....... as I was working Mon-Thurs dayshift I decided I would get one Friday...... she has got overtime so has the car...... that's okay I can go and get it Friday p m........ forgot she has to get Evie from school....... that's okay Asda is open all night...... everytime I move "Where are you going?" then the business about not seeing the doc..... I was feeling SOD YOU!...... anyway she went to bed, I watched a bit of tele till about 11.30....... I then decided I'd go to Asda..... off I go, get her a card and a pressie..... what do I get last night when she gets home from work? ...... "I can't believe you went out late last night just to get me a card"..... I did get a thank you for them though and a box of Ferrero Roche which she bought because she doesn't like them so won't be eating any..... then spent the rest of the night moaning that she should have bought the Aeros because they were on special and she could eat one .................................WOMEN!!!

What a bummer of a post!

Well what a strange day it has been....time has flown by ....all I've done today is clear the path and driveway of snow...... P thinks she may have PCC again and has said she's not keeping her appointment with the gynecologist on the 31st March, she doesn't know if she could go through 'that' again.... I say stuff what you think you can't go through, I don't think I could stand by and watch you die from cancer! .... but then with the smoking I suppose there's a good chance of that happening anyway.......................................................

So much for a days skive...... DfT workshop turned out to only be a half day one so I was back at work by 13:15..... managed to pick up some useful paperwork though and realise what a mountain it's going to be for companies to put their drivers through the new Driver CPC, which of course is NOT a money making scheme for the EU but a drive to make the roads a safer place and cut operators costs (muted: BULLSH*TE from the back of the room). Why does a driver like myself with over 35 years experience and an almost accident free (a couple of minor bumps)record suddenly need to taught safe driving skills and vehicle sympathy???? I could go on but there's no point...... flipping OCR are late releasing the next Case Study Scenario for the March exam ..... it's only 3 weeks on Friday and nothing on the web site...well time for a cuppa ...bye bye!!

GOD today went by very slowly unlike yesterday which flew by.... enjoyed getting behind the wheel of the bus again for a few hours, soooo relaxing, even though all we seem to pick up is members of staff.... off on a jolly to the local Holiday Inn tomorrow which should be good.... just a shame the boss is tagging along.... very tired though so that's all for today....

No luck!

Well last night's lottery draw was a let down AGAIN! Only 2 numbers...so back to work tomorrow... which should be an interesting day... my main ops support guy has been moved to another shift... my main bus driver is on holiday AAANNNND Mr Moanalot from Pam's shift is starting a 4 am - 4 pm shift which puts him on with me on days. What good that shift is going to be I don't know, can't understand John taking it. He doesn't like nights because he says he can't sleep during the day but to start at 4 am he will be going to bed about 6/7 pm to be up at 2 am to come to work, give me 6 pm to 6 am anytime. Well the weather has disappointed me... we had a little bit of snow yesterday which soon vanished later when it rained a little ... it's just very cold now. Priced up my new car if I decide to get it... 1.6 duratorq diesel Zetec Fiesta 3 door (was thinking of a 5 door but I think 3 would be better) in Tango Red or Morello... of course all this depends on me being able to get my Unilever pension in November and not losing too much to the tax man. Having said that I'd LOVE to go back to a big automatic... A4/A6 ... 2.5 Omega, something like that, as £13-14k seems a lot for a Fiesta even with all the toys on it... I could pick up a decent Omega 2.5TD CDX for about £8k

NO BLOG TODAY........A VERY BORING DAY......RAINS A CAME DOWN......... AND WASHED THE SNOW AWAY.................AGAIN!.................let's hope tonights lottery draw goes better

well the sh*te is hitting the fan at work...... people are being moved ....... god! have you ever heard of a company that want you to work as a team and then move everybody around because you're too friendly...... surely that's how teamwork works?....... 'Teachers Pet' has been sending out his snide little e mails again...... the audit rolls from the payment machines are usually put into a plastic bag and left on the admin desk...... last night on shift the guys forgot to take one with them, so I left the rolls neatly together next to the printer..... get an e mail sent to ALL team leaders saying the rolls have been left lying all over the place on the last three nights..... jeezzzz talk about imagination. Kris will be glad to know this time I bit my tongue and just deleted the e mail even though it said, read - do not delete on it. He's really got more of a knob-head than usual since being nominated as 'learner of the year' from our site for the NECC, he's the only one that has completed the course..... everybody else had to wait. Shame we're in the middle of a recession, I might be able to find a job with sensible bosses. Snow again today but nothing like they predicted.

Good morning world!.....what a quiet night that was .....We took the princely sum of £68 all night .. £20 of that was because a business guy had to stay 4 days longer than he expected. It was so quiet I went out and did the car count myself for something to do.... one little bit of excitement, a chap fell asleep on the last Metro and ended up at the airport.... problem being he has a court order against him, he's not allowed within 2 miles of the airport ..... that brought out the airport security and police including Special Branch in stab proof vests when he was spotted on CCTV....anyway he was eventually collared in the Britannia Hotel foyer waiting for a taxi he had just phoned. When the taxi arrived and the driver saw the police etc he refused to pick the guy up, so he ended up getting arrested for breaking the court injunction. The two guys I work with have been 'taking the mick' something rotten the last couple of nights..... I told them I was off next Weds as I was going to a DFT workshop with the boss and one of the mechanics from the MT dept, no prob so far, then when I said it was at the Holiday Inn it was 'Oh yes going to an hotel with Bob huh, got a room as well huh' and because Bob has just had a tendon op on his hand and has to use E45 to keep the scar moist so it doesn't split, the comments about rubber gloves, walking with a squeek and just bend over and pick that up for me! have been endless..... they're only jealous because I'm getting out for the day.

Well I cant believe it's Weds already, last nightshift tonight then off till Monday. Found out that a couple of letchers from work tried it on with Mandy on Sat after I'd left. Instead of telling them to FRO! she was all diplomatic and played the 'I can't because we work together and I just wouldn't with someone I work with' card. Just read an e mail from my son with reference to his school reunion and meeting up with his mate after........... Nick puts a whole new meaning to the word sanity. Having said that he's the best ex-lodger I've ever had. Forgot to take my bait with me to work last night..... I walked into the office with a carrier bag in my hand and John (systems developement) asks if there's any food in it. I said no, he says 'you only said that because you know I'd want some if there was' I explained that I'd left my bait at home by mistake......he asks if I'd like a frozen meal out of his home freezer(he lives in an airport owned house across the road) I say 'no, thats okay thanks'.... he insists ...I say ok what do you have...... fish pie, spag bog. I say fish pie would be very nice thanks........ two hours later I get a phone call the fish pie is ready to pick up..... I send some one to get it........ was a strange fish pie .....tasted of an Italian meat and pasta dish I've had previously......... so I've got my version of Nick too!

Newcastle night out

Well last night went well....... all seemed pleased to see me and several said how nice it was to see me out, as it had been two and a half years since the last time, which was Steve Puckett's leaving do at the Wings Bar. I was amazed how cheap the beer was given the horrendous prices down on the quayside. Had a lovely couple of pints of Bass Premium which went down like water mmmm mmmmm. Liz, who is Mandy's friend seemed to be in high spirits before we even started drinking, I think she could be a good laugh at a party as the night drew on. Just before I left she was inviting everybody to Liverpool next August(2010) on a weekend away to celebrate her 40th birthday. Missed the metro I was supposed to catch home but luckily the next was only 16 minutes away. Pauline pretended to be annoyed about it but I could tell she wasn't, even had a chicken pizza cooking for me when we got home. One annoying thing, I wont find out how the rest of the night went for a few days, until I meet up with Mandy or Peter again. I start nightshift tonight, so a fairly easy set of shifts coming up with the runway closed from 10.30 pm until 6 am Mon-Fri for repairs, which, they expect to last up until the begining of April. The whole area for miles around is slowly sinking in places, around old mine workings due to the dry winters and wet summers we've had lately affecting ground movements.

Confession time.............

well it's 11 am, Paulines gone to work and I feel it's time to confess to a deeply disturbing fact........I'M ADDICTED TO WALKERS ONION BAAJI CRISPS!........ there I've admited it, now I'll be able to sleep at night. Talking of night....out for a couple of colas (diet of course!) tonight with the guys & gals from work.....if I have any alcohol it will be purely for medicinal purposes...can't stop long though, last metro and allllll that, besides Pauline has promised to pick me up from South Hylton station. I can't keep her out too late as she has to go to work again tomorrow. It is a bit of a problem at times, living in Sunderland and everybody else living in Newcastle, I think they think I'm a bit of a misery but I cant take the car, the last metro leaves way before the fun finishes and Pauline has a job driving around the town she's lived in all her life so Newcastle would drive her around the bend! Changing the subject completely............ Pauline wasn't very pleased yesterday, she challanged me to a duel on RRR3 and lost 6-1....... and they were all 'dancing' type games ....... she was livid..... HOW CAN YOU BEAT ME? YOU NEVER DANCE!

No post on Weds

Forgot to say I didn't post anything yesterday cuz we had a power cut about 6.30 pm. Candles everywhere......... Power didn't come back on till late so no post.

Metro Centre

Well as yesterday(29th) was Pauline's birthday we went to the Metro Centre in Gateshead. I normally hate going to these sort of places as they're usually very crowded but by the usual standard it was deserted. We got greedy and went to KFC for lunch, stood there getting napkins etc and I could hear someone calling Adrian!!, well I thought 'nobody here would know me so it's not me they want'.... You guessed, curiosity got the best of me and I looked up from what I was doing only to find it was Sarah, one of the call centre girls from work. After a couple of hours walking we decided we didn't want to buy anything and started making our way to the car. Passing near to Debenhams Pauline says we should go and see what they had in the Photo frame line. We bought 2 nice wooden 10x 8 frames and a silver plated triple frame. As we reached the car park I noticed a 'Maplins' electrical store and thought I'd pop in and see about a mini flash drive for the digital frame we had for xmas. Spoke to the guy at the counter and explained what I wanted, he went and later returned with a stick that was about the size of a disposable lighter, even though it was cheap(£10) I declined as it was far too big. Again he goes and comes back this time with a mini usb stick, 2GIG £14.99 and only about the size of my mob's sim card, great! Arriving home, Pauline and I then spent the next 6 hours printing and transfering photos. Never again!........

well....too tired yesterday to blog.... today has left me feeling quite good.....started the day very quietly sat playing Freecell on the works PC till the bosses arrived then it was tea duty......Kylie from NECC arrived at 9.30 to sit in on my appraisal and take notes for my NVQ in Team Leading...... it went quite a lot better than expected..... didn't get handed my P45 lolol.......mostly positives with 1 or 2 not really negatives more doing well but!!!......seems as well as trying to pass my CPC this year I have to do an IOSH course (basically a risk assessment course).....get to know more about the business development side of things at work and do a man management course ...........if I get any spare time I think I might get drunk........... oh yes! then there's the IT courses and Driver CPC course to be done. This afternoon was spent running around the place dealing with people who don't know the difference between a £10 note and a £20 note when paying their parking charges. Came home tonight to a wonderful tea of chips with chicken breasts with Philli and garlic inside and then wrapped in smokey bacon .....MMMmmmmmmm MMMMMMMmmmmmm

GRRRRrrrrrrrrr........................

Wot a day today has been, if it could go wrong it has, from payment machines not taking coins to ticket machines not issuing tickets. Had to call the ACS engineer out to try to fix the Pay on Foot machines but he cant make it until tommorrow. The number of idiots pressing the intercom button to tell me that their ticket wouldn't go in the machine when the screen is flashing bright red and white with the words "OUT OF ORDER FOR MAINTENANCE" EMBLAZENED across it was unbelieveable. Another guy complains at 07:40 that he's had to pay £12 for his parking when he has been delayed due to a baggage hold up, he entered the car park at 06:00 and the first plane didn't land until 07:30. There are BIG signs at the entrance warning that the charge is £6 for 45-90 mins and £6 per hour or part of after that. A similar thing later too, a guy has been in for 24hrs 35 mins asks why the machine has charged him £30 when it's £15 for 24 hrs and only £3.90 for 45-60 mins in the short term car park, READ THE BLOODY TARIFF BOARD!! £15 FOR 4-24 HOURS AND THEN £15 PER DAY OR PART OF AFTER THAT. Good job this isn't the states and I don't have a few automatic rifles in my collection because I would certainly have made the front pages tomorrow!

Well what can I say? ........ I've worked hard and earned my wages today?..... yes I could but that's a lie. It's been sooooo quiet today, one of my drivers got locked in at the M/T dept. The bus broke down after he fuelled it and security had to go, so they just locked the gates and left. 45 mins and 2 very angry Meet & Greet customers later (he had the keys to the Galaxy in his pocket and we couldn't get the paperwork out) we finally got him released. Took 2 new 24v batteries to sort the problem out........we've only been telling them for 18 months that the bus has an electrical prob, but what do we know we only drive the things everyday. Well that hour was about the only thing that happened in a 12 hour shift....... hope tomorrow is more exciting..........

Well it's 8.40 p.m and time (almost) to go and have a shower, have a BIG question to ponder over the next few days..... do I go out with the lads from work on the 30th or do I go out with the lasses from work on the 31st hmmmm gonna take some pondering this is. Thinking it's also about time I got my head stuck back into my CPC manual and did a few mock exams before the real thing (again) on the 6th March. Answers on a postcard please to Adi wil rog 21 pres..............................................

BL**DY WII

what a night!......still up at 3.30 a.m playing Rayman Rabids 3...... I gotta be MAD!........ still beat Pauline's scores on a lot of the dance programmes ...... that will go down like a barbed wire sandwich...... she won't believe it although it's there in front of her... THANK GOD I'VE GOT WORK TOMORROW!!!!!

It's 1 p.m and I've just woken up.............

well it's day 2 of blogging........ Pauline is rushing around getting ready for work at 5p.m, it's been happening since 10.30 a.m it's now 2.54 p.m. I've managed to drag myself out of the sack and made MY OWN cup of tea. Just read a very funny e mail from Nikki (GO TOM!!!)......boys will be boys! lolol. How many times can you redecorate a bedroom? All I can say is ...like father like son.....'cept 'daddy drew all over his........... laters peeps!

well here goes...........

Well after much badgering from a certain member of my family I've finally started a blog. Can't see that it will be very interesting but I hope to put something down most days. Finished nightshift at 6 this morning, felt really tired by the time arrived home. Monday nights are so boring especially now the runway at the airport is closed between 23:30 and 06:00 for repairs to take place. Tried a silly rebound game that Pauline thought was a shoot-em up and finally went to bed. Slept until about 14:15 when I was woken by the Makem tones of Pauline informing me of the time. Then the usual afternoon schedule started ........what's on the box? NOOOOO your're not watching a motoring progamme again????...... what do you want for your tea?...... etc etc.......you get the idea? Gemma (Pauline's daughter visiting from London) and Pauline have gone to Asda hence me being able to get to the PC. Probably end the evening with Pauline playing ANOTHER hidden object game and then just as I'm about to go to bed "AAADDDDEEEE can you make me a coffe please?" So life goes on.....and.....on....and....on. Good thing is I'm not back to work until 6:00 Saturday morning.