bookmark_borderAm I back?

Or is I front?

Looks like a small blip on the server this morning, so if you were rendered aghast at the rather unsightly WordPress error page you received this morning (must do something about that), fear not. I is still here.

Prostitutes are in the news, and for all the wrong reasons. In saying that I’m not sure there are any good reasons that said ‘ladies of the night’ should be in the news but I’ll pause on that thought, lest I pay any disrespect to those who have lost loved ones. Life takes everyone down different paths, and no-one deserves a violent death.

Speaking of which, the “news” not the prostitutes, Peter is headed back into the limelight (he’ll deny it but he LOVES it) with his Serenata flowers thing. Apparently the Guardian are interested. The power of blogs in action, so to everyone who linked to Peter, pat yourself on the back, or have a Kit-Kat or something.

Louise and I watched a report this morning that stated that women still do the bulk of the shopping and housework. Apparently this is what counts as news these days, slotting in beside the facts that Cadbury stand to lose an extra &10million from the salmonella scare early this year (or was it late last?) and that today it’ll be raining a lot. The report basically pointed out that men are too stupid to buy groceries – “I try and buy healthy food” said voxpop lady, “he’d just buy pizza, cakes and chocolate”. Voxpop man responded with “if she wants to do all the DIY around the house then yeah, I’d cook more often”.

Now, I’ll happily admit that the research holds true in our house, with Louise doing the bulk of washing and cleaning, most of the shopping, and the majority of cooking. Louise doesn’t have a problem with this though, and it bemuses her why some women are so up in arms about those ‘lazy’ men. In my defense I do more tidying up – but that’s just my nature, Louise takes more of a “dump it for now” approach – DIY and dealing with bills, paperwork and so on. That plus the fact that, according to my darling wife, I don’t do the housework PROPERLY, well we’re a match made in heaven. Or maybe it’s just horses for courses. Hey, it works for us.

What else? Ohh yes. I started looking at some old code last night, for a website that never quite saw the light of day. It’s an odd thing, going back to something you’ve not looked at for months, trying to figure out why you did X instead of Y, or what on earth you were thinking about when you chose Z. Fun though, and one of the problems I had with the site may now be solved. Hoping to get it finished (finally!) within the next week or so and move onto the next project (two in pipeline, but one has just snuck to the head of the queue).

Ohhh yes, I’ve still got some questions to be answered. They’ll be appearing soon, I haven’t forgotten.

bookmark_border*sticks two chips up nose*

I’m going slightly mad, I’m one card short of a full deck, I’m not quite the shilling, One wave short of a shipwreck, I’m not at my usual top billing, I’m coming down with a fever, I’m really out to sea, This kettle is boiling over, I think I’m a banana tree …

There is just too much going on at the moment.

However it’s a pattern I’m used to as we always seem to do things this way, not on purpose, cramming several different tasks and events into a short timeframe. The last ripples of the re-mortgage are lapping at the shore (for those keeping count, that was fixing the car, getting new double glazed front and back doors, and a slew of minor DIY related ‘stuff’, plus a wee bit extra for Xmas), the new TV continues to add value (it’s SOOO luvverly) and cost (new cables mainly, and I’m still trying to figure out if we are using more energy now than we were with our ageing CRT), the 5K looms on the horizon, and we’ve just about finished our Xmas shopping.

Add in the new job stuff (spare time being spent reading up on Extreme Programming), the putting up of Xmas decorations, completion of some long outstanding DIY projects, and the start of the Xmas night out merry-go-round is a positive relief!

My first is today, although it’s a lunch, with the development team from my new company. I had a half-day holiday left so it’s worked out quite well. Be a good chance to meet them all in a less formal setting and see what they are really like! Thankfully I’m driving so they are saved from lesser-known alter ego “stupid drunk Gordon”. He doesn’t get out much but BOY, when he does… ummm… well those stories are for another time (ohh I feel like Scaryduck now… no I will NOT be having a Vote-O).

Sunday WAS going to be next ‘festive drinking occasion’ but, unfortunately, a couple of close friends can’t make it due to work commitments (they’re not even in the country) and this was supposed to be the only day we all had free in December! So I guess we’ll have our Xmas night out sometime in .. ohh.. April probably.. I’m sure Keith, Stuart and I will cope admirably. Which reminds me, don’t expect anything from me on Monday coming as I’m celebrating completion of the 5K by getting completely trolleyed on Sunday night.

Next week should be a little bit calmer, thank god, which should give me some time to play with new mobile phone (which should arrive today). Alas the free XBox 360 doesn’t arrive until January…

Although the new phone does mean another jump through the multiple “how to port your number to the same network” hoops, but I’ve done it once before, just takes a little time and patience.

– – – –

For those who are wondering about the post title, it’s.. well.. ok, I screwed up. I always seem to think that Captain Edmund Blackadder, when pretending to be mad in Blackadder Goes Forth, sticks chips up his nose. He doesn’t, as can be seen here, so I guess my brain is mixing that with this scene from a Fish Called Wanda when Kevin Kline sticks a chip in each of Michael Palin’s nostrils (the photo was taken just before that moment, I think).

Just wanted to make that clear, it’s bad enough when the pedants correct your spelling and grammar…

bookmark_borderThe one where I'm old

“We won’t become those old people who can’t stand kids and are always shouting at them, will we?”

I said I didn’t think so, as we do like kids, it’s just the ones that run around, scream, shout, wail and generally cause minor chaos in shops that annoy. I long to give them a clip round the ear but, of course, I won’t. That’s assault you see.

When did I become a curmudgeon? A grumpy old man who can’t tolerate your average child.

Admittedly this was in the third DIY shop we visited this morning, and I was in the midst of trying to think up how to build a new headboard (have the idea, just finalising the plans), but surely if the parents of said noisy brat are completely ignoring him — and don’t give me that ‘zoning out’ crap, you could hear the wee bugger half way across the store — then that gives me additional ‘clipping’ rights? Even a firm grip of the arm and a stern word would probably have done it, I mean the kid was obviously just bored, his parents engrossed in picking out just the right colour of paint… aubergine or pewter washed grape?

Home to sketch out the new headboard and out into the garden to continue our ongoing war with the weeds. They have taken the garage area, but today we reclaimed three flower beds and a large chunk of the back garden. Our Maginot Line is being planned — re-paving the patio — and we’ll be deploying napalm on the monoblocking later on. Napalm, Pathclear, whatever.

After all that stress and activity I’m bushed. Drained and jaded and can hardly be bothered to sit here and check my emails. Maybe it was the extra long (and hilly) jog last night, or maybe I’m still getting over the dodgy tummy I had on Thursday, but I feel ready to retire. Is it bedtime yet?

bookmark_borderToo much in my head

Blimey, ever get one of those weeks when, all of a sudden, EVERYTHING starts to happen? Now so of the following I knew was coming up, but the majority of it has kinda snuck up on me.

At work we are counting to down to a minor release, hoping to get everything done for the end of the week. Nothing too stressful in that but it does mean a lot of last minute chasing of bits and bobs.

We are currently re-mortgaging as the fixed rate period for our current mortgage runs out after the next payment. We’ve got a deal we want, and the paperwork has just popped through the door. Need to get on that ASAP or we’ll end up paying another month of our old mortgage and that’ll cost us £85!

Having spotted some cheap flights to Spain we need to get them booked ASAP before the rates go up. However we need to wait until we get the mortgage stuff sorted out, if we have to pay that additional £85 we won’t be able to book the flights (they are only £70 return at the moment!).

And we are away for a few days from Thursday next week, which we are both looking forward to, but of course that shrinks the timescale and it wouldn’t surprise me if the lawyer dealing with our re-mortgaging will ‘urgently’ need something signed whilst we are away. Sod and his flippin’ laws…

Ohh yes, and we are getting quotes for a new front door (the old one is needing replaced) which we’ll need to get done before the winter, I’ve got two websites to design, with a third on the horizon, and we need to spend a day in the garden at some point as the weeds are starting to creep back! I need to find a venue for the next Scottish blogmeet, I’m helping a mate with some DIY in a couple of weeks, we need to visit the caravan to pick up some DVDs and our spare Sky box, I need to buy a long sleeved top for running, and my Mum’s birthday is coming up…

OK OK, so everyone is always busy, but why does it always come in spurts like this?

In other news: Pringles “Gourmet (ha ha) Flame-Grilled Steak and Caramelised Onion Flavour” crisps are rubbish.

bookmark_borderExcuses

There will be no blogging this weekend because:

  • My best mate is in town tonight and tomorrow, that means a lot of beer
  • Going straight to the pub from work tonight
  • Out most of day tomorrow – beer, Revenge of the Sith, food, more beer
  • Sunday and (hangover permitting) either out in garden (weather permitting), or doing some minor DIY stuff, possibly even visiting family
  • I can’t really be bothered at the moment anyway

I know fine well that I might post at some point over the weekend but right now, at this very moment, I’m actually looking forward to a weekend away from the PC. It may even stay switched off ALL WEEKEND (shock, horror!!).

In the same vein, I can also see me not bothering to take my camera with me on Saturday as I’d much rather sit and chat with my friends than take photos of them (I’m a bit odd that way).

Never fear, I will return on Monday and regale you with tales of drunken debauchery, hilarity and sarcasm, I’ll try and avoid too many in-jokes as well.

I hope everyone has as good a weekend as I’m planning.

UPDATE: Just realised why blogland is so quiet today. Most of you buggers are on holiday, aren’t you! Well poo to you (theme of the day according to Adrian and pix). AND I’m working on Monday as well. Double poo!

bookmark_borderSporting

I watch and follow a lot of sport, in fact there are few sports I don’t watch – horse racing being the main one (I just typed “house racing” which could be an interesting DIY show…). I prefer basketball to football, football to rugby, and everything else falls in line after that. I play 5-a-side irregularly, used to play badminton, and the odd game of basketball.

Not sure where this post is heading, maybe it’s just an excuse to point out that the Scottish international rugby team won a game last night, beating the Barbarians 38 – 7. Or maybe I just want to wish Liverpool luck tonight, even if they are playing my preferred Italian team.

Ohh there’s a thing – who do YOU support?

I’ve never really followed one team in any support, with the exception of the Lakers whom I’ve been a fan of since I saw my first skyhook and heard that they had a player named “Magic” (damn that Jordan bloke and the Chicago Bulls…).

Football wise I tend not to follow the specifics of any team in Scotland as I’m from the West Coast and growing up that meant choosing one of the two Glasgow teams, something I wasn’t keen on as it wasn’t anything to do with football. Of the English teams I have to admit that this season I’ve been pulling for Chelsea, mainly since catching Jose Mourinho’s interviews last season with Porto – anyone see a comparison with Martin O’Neill (who’ll be departing Celtic soon)? Both very honest and dry with their humour.

My latest sporting passion may very well be Extreme Dodgeball which I stumbled across on Saturday, very VERY American and over hyped but actually quite tactical and fast paced. Too much equipment required for it to catch on properly though.