And more pics!

Joys of staying up late cos I'm on night shift tomorrow. Will stay up till dunno....... usually about 3am and will sleep through till at least midday. Assuming of course upstairs don't decide on doing some DIY first thing.

Anyway, will make a bit of use of the time to kill to put up a few more photos on here.... it doesn't take much mental effort which at 2am is all good news, when you got up at 5am the previous morning.....

We went over to Parents Johnson last weekend, for Bec's Nans birthday. On the Sunday, after church and before going out for Nan's birthday meal (at a carvery! Heaven! 3roast meats that a nice chap carves you a load from and as much veg, spud etc as you can pile on your plate) we went out for a walk.

Bec only had decent trousers and so had to tuck her trousers into her socks. Niiiiiiiice.

However, she appeared suitably happy about it as she seemed to do her own audition for the live action version of "happy feet"....

The tide was errr pretty much all the way in. I won't be going down that path then.

Looking up the river Colne. If sea level rises as much as scientists think they might this view might change a touch, and become a little more watery and a little less green.

Lots of Pics (2)

As muppet boy here was working New Years Day at some unearthly hour of the morning Bec did the sensible thing and went over to Colchester. Jon of Lego Shelf fame was hosting, along with his wife, a partaaay.

This involved food, possibly explaining the huge grin on Bec's face as she's allowed to make her own pizza and I'm not there to eat it all for her. I mean to help her taste it.

This evening also involved the grand unveiling of the woman who is of strong enough mind (or should that be has lost too much mind) to go out with the Hairus Essux Beastus, Mr Lawn. Heh they came round here for dinner the other day (and I didn't give them food poisoining, despite doing a Gratin for the first time. Paul- you'd be proud) and she is a jolly nice person :-)

We have all decided that Jon has met his match! Although quite what Jon is thinking with this evil grin I don't know.

Also present was Hostess with the Mostess Mrs Taylor and younger sister......

I went off briefly to join Mr Cooper et al. It was quite annoying to leave to go home to bed, as the evening was developing into something quite interesting. I am informed that people traipsed off to the pub wearing either inflatable fat suits or summer beach wear.......

Lots of pics! 1

Right, time for a proper update or two on here.

Firstly, a couple of photos from when we went down to the Grandma JR on Boxing day. For some reason, we only got the camera out when we went out for a walk.

As you might tell, it was fairly chilly. I am feeling particularly trendy, sporting as I am a new scarf as bought by a certain wife. You can't really tell from this pic but Tig is getting to be a right old man now. Give him another year or so and he will actually be a grey labrador.

Bec & Adrian outside the front door to Whyteleafe Residence de Grandma. Bec says if you're not on the list, you're not coming in.

Adrian & Ali find something very funny about a fencepost.

Finally....

Some days off.......

Street duties has finished (well, sort of, but that's another story). I have three days off! Very tempted to spend most of it sleeping.

However, tomorrow will be spent tidying for an influx of Colchesterites heading this way at the weekend. I also need to go round some bike shops to find a new inner tube for my poor battered commuter bike which has a slightly odd wheel size. It has done well, this bike- a good 5 years of being left out in all weathers, coping with Matt sitting on the back (although that did buckle a wheel), being abandoned at the station for 14 hours at a time.

I am however spending about as much as it cost in the first place every year to keep it going. I will probably try and buy a "new" second hand mountain bike fairly soon. I need something a touch more robust than the racery / commuter type thing I have at the moment. It was a tad annoying to be cycling up the station approach and have the rear wheel collapse.

Bec has her usual small mountain of books to mark and other assorted schoolwork tasks to plough through. It will be nice to go back on to 12 hr shifts as that means 3 out of 4 weeks I'll have some days off midweek and so be able to tidy up and do dinner etc. At the moment we don't seem to have enough time to do decent meals- I tell you, now we've got into doing fresh properly prepared nosh going back to sauce jars is quite disappointing!

So Monday I'm back on response team hours and for the most part response team work. There is a slight variation in that I've got to tutor one of the street duty Pc's who needs extra help for the next five weeks so it won't quite be normal work for a little while. But I am looking forward to going back. Will doubtless get a fair amount of abuse from everyone else on my team for being away for the last 4 months!

Repairs etc

Things are just about getting back to normal. Have new whizzy landline phone. Have new whizzy technical bit for car so it works again (big thanks to Matt & Big Jon for sweating to figure it out) and have new mobile phone with a working send key.

Downshot is that cos lost old phone all contact numbers went with it. I know a few but the majority I've lost. So if you know me send me a text or email with your number on it, that'll be v handy ta

New year resolution: Don't leave mobile phone on train.

Orange are useless.

Two days ago, my phone started playing up- the menu / send key refused to work, which made life a little difficult. So I ring up Orange, the mobile phone provider. I have insurance, no problem, they'll send a new one out by courier, next day delivery.
I'm at meetings the next day (today), so decide it'd be better for them to deliver it tomorrow, Friday.

Unfortunately, as I get off train tonight it falls out of pocket, and I realise this just as the doors are going "bipbipbipbipbip". Oh rubbish.

Ring up orange.

Wait 20 minutes to speak to person.

"Hi, I've left my phone on the train, but I'm due to have a replacement anyway, can you send it to me tomorrow please"
"Oh you've lost it? Can't do that"
"Pardon?"
"If you've lost it, you need to make a claim on your insurance"
"But it was faulty, check my record, I was due to get a replacement: I'd like it tomorrow please"
"Yes, I can see you were, but now you've lost it it's different"
"What?"
"Oh and yes and you need to report it to the police"
"I'm in the police."
"But you need to report it to them"
"I've reported it to myself."
"No, that won't do"
"How about I send myself an email saying 'I've left my phone on the train'"
"Errrrrrrrr"
"Fine I'll get you your number tomorrow when I go to work. I'll walk into the front office which won't actually be open and fill it out myself. Now can I have the phone on Saturday please"
"No, it takes three working days to arrive"
"Are you having a laugh?"
"No, lost phone replacements take three working days"
"But I was told it would be by courier, I just needed to give you a half day when I can pick it up"
"That's for faulty phones. It's a lost phone now, it takes three working days"
"You're useless you are"

*click*

I shall ring them back later when I don't have to wait half an hour to speak to someone and complain with a bit more oomph......