365 to 42

New years eve, the most significant night of the year, the time you spend the most looking forward and looking back, the one night that really focuses your mind on your place in time. Also one of the biggest disappointments of the year, it’s normally built up into such a big night that it fails to deliver, hopefully not this year. But looking back on past years there have been some good ones, the Millennium for one was great fun, but for me two different years over 20 years ago stand out. The first was the night I got engaged (for the first time) there were 4 of us there, all great friends and just the people you would want to make your big announcement too, much drinking then followed, a great night. 20+ years on and I have no idea where 2 of them are and actively avoid the one who lives close by. The second night was a year later, by then were had broken up and I was determined to get so drunk I would not remember the previous year at all. After a very successful night I was carried ...

At the dog end of the year it is normally a time for reflection over what has passed and this will be no exception. What a year, I started out an unfit wreak of a man with serious doubts that I would ever work again, suffering from stress and panic attacks on a daily basis and apart from this dam cold, I’m fit and well, getting on better at work than ever I have, and doing more outside of work than ever before. A lot of the positives have come from this blog; it’s been my drive when I’m down and a way of pushing myself when I am lazy, the support I have had from every comment is immense and I just want to thank you all, leaving a comment on a blog is something that can change a day. ---------------- Now playing: No Doubt - Hey Baby via FoxyTunes

Well after yesterdays rant back to normal, I’m still feeling crap and all the more disgruntled as I’m off work on holiday and should be enjoying myself. We have got some good friends staying over and they are being very patient with us both as we have very little energy to do too much. Hope you have all had a great time over the holidays and that Santa brought you just what you wanted, me I got loads of books and some bits for my camera, on top of that a new keyboard and mouse, both of which are making all the computer work more fun. Photo for today is of Carolyn’s presents under the tree, all wrapped by me! ---------------- Now playing: Toto Coelo - I Eat Cannibals via FoxyTunes

In the season of peace and goodwill to all men, the guardian of some of the worlds most holy sites, Israel, has celebrated it by launching over 100 air strikes against the Gaza strip. This is the same Gaza strip that they have been blockading for months, cutting off vital services and disrupting the flow of much need medical and humanitarian supplies, much needed now that they have nearly 1000 casualties to cope with after the air strikes. All these attacks are in response to rocket attack fired at them, around 70, which have lead to the death of 1 Israeli. Israel claim these rocket attacks are wrong, which is correct, and that they have been going on for a number of years, which is also correct. But Israel has been occupying the Palestinian territories for 40 years and is in direct defiance of UN resolutions, they are suppose to be a civilised nation stale not some central African dictatorship throwing its weight about. Israel is a democracy and as such all its citizens are responsibl...

With both of us still suffering with cold and flu, I will just post a picture and get back to feeling sorry for my self ---------------- Now playing: Depeche Mode - Shake The Disease via FoxyTunes

Hope you all had as good a day as I did, typing this on my new key board, part of a set that included a new mouse, so any mistakes are down to my being unfamiliar with the kit. As I have hinted I was working on a project for the last few months, and today’s photo is part of that. For my mum I have made a book of poems using her words and my photos as a surprise xmas gift. Here is just one of the pages. ---------------- Now playing: Kylie Minogue - Kids via FoxyTunes

Happy Christmas all, due to having the family round for the day, my lot first then Carolyn’s, I have written this early or rather late on Christmas eve. Now I known I won’t get time to blog on the big day and so I guess that it will be the same for most people, so when ever you get chance to read this I hope the whole day went swimmingly. I wanted a really Christmassy shot for today and with Carolyn’s help here is the end result. Kep, contrary to looks, really enjoys being the centre of attention but trying to get the hat to stay on without stapes did defeat me. As I was reaching for the staple gun Caz stepped in and held it in place so that as she moved her hand I could grab a shot. ---------------- Now playing: Tonus Peregrinus - While Shepherds Watched via FoxyTunes

Christmas, a time to remember. My earliest memories are of having to wait upstairs while mum and dad sort themselves out in the kitchen, i.e. make coffee, as a child this was such a pain, but now I’m older I realise just how important coffee is. Now it’s the first thing I do on Christmas morning. I remember me and my brother singing “wait a minute Mr postman” as loud as we could in an effort to wake our parents one Christmas morning, it must have been around 6 o’clock. I remember crying my self to sleep because I was not there, by there I mean being in the stable when Jesus was born, I was very young at the time. Taking my first real picture, a 110 camera part of an explorer gift set, a shot of my mates outside in the sunshine pretending is was summer, never got the film developed but I can still see the shot30+ years later. Years later I remember a mad hour spent wrapping presents, drunk after a long Christmas eve in the pub, culminating in wrapping an American football for my brother...

A quick thank you to all my team at work, they have all had a cold over December and have very kindly given it me for Christmas, and they did not even wrap it! So as I sit here contemplating a number of days coughing and spluttering I will leave you with a photo of a tree. This tree is in the park at Chatsworth and to fit it in took 2 shots joined together. Now to return to the warm embrace of my chair and some more cold cure. ---------------- Now playing: Depeche Mode - New Life via FoxyTunes

A weekend of highs and lows. It started out on a high, a trip out to meet a friend, have a pub lunch and some shopping. Then it was a rush to get home as it was my works do that night and I did not want to miss that. The party was fancy dress and the bulk of the department did dress up which made for a good start, it was held at the local hockey club so the beer was very cheep, which completed all you need for a good night. So yesterdays post was in homage to my hang over and the pros and cons of partaking in strong drink. The picture was taken at the very start of the party and is part of the “ 1 Minute History of the World ” and the reason I was the first there. Now for the lows, Caz and me are both coming down with a cold, she was very ill yesterday, even beating me with my hang over, and I am now starting to feel the effects of it too, just in time for Christmas. Then the worst news of the lot, reality tv has taken over the Christmas pop charts, dam you Simon Cowell, Alexandra Bur...

The first thing in the human personality that dissolves in alcohol is dignity. ~Author Unknown If drinking is interfering with your work, you're probably a heavy drinker. If work is interfering with your drinking, you're probably an alcoholic. ~Author Unknown O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, pleasance, revel, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts! ~William Shakespeare, Othello First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you. ~Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald Here's to a long life and a merry one A quick death and an easy one A pretty girl and an honest one A cold beer and another one! ~Author Unknown Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shatt...

Typical, you spend all morning writing posts in your head and then only 2 mins after logging on I have loads to write about. Polergirl has posted a post explaining her name, well worth watching! Isunia , has linked to one of my posts (feel free at any time) this is because she has seen a tree like the one I have been photographing over the past 10 months. This is a coincidence as I have taken a second picture of it this month as I was passing it before the sun came up and the sky looked great. So this is not the post I’d planned but it’s a great example of blogging taking over. ---------------- Now playing: Bryan Adams - Summer Of '69 via FoxyTunes

Well it finally feels like the build up to Christmas, we have some last mad running around to do over the weekend and I still have a couple of gifts to buy next week, but all in all its all done. The last thing I was waiting for in the post has arrived and looks great and I’ve only 2 more days to do at work next week. I was thinking of doing something Christmassy on the blog but as the big day approaches I have no clear idea what to do, so it might just be a bit random. Today’s photo is taken at the other end of the lake from yesterday’s image. I love this garage, it has a real old world feel to it, it looks as if it has not changed in 70 years, you feel it may even have had a blacksmith on site to deal with the horses. ---------------- Now playing: Suzanne Vega - Small Blue Thing via FoxyTunes

The worlds gone mad, or at least this small part of it. The government is set to take over more banks, they are looking at putting money into failing car manufactures, but at the same time they are trying to sell off part of the royal mail! Now I really don’t mind the fact that they want to support Jaguar and Landrover, great British icons and well worth saving, but why sell of the royal mail. This is one thing the country can be proud of, it may not be making a profit but unlike postal services in other so call civilized European countries it does the job it is supposed to do very well. We have friends that live in Spain and it is a lottery if you send them something, sometime it may arrive, but time scales will vary, other time it will vanish never to be seen, in fact the latter is most likely to be the case. This year Caz has done most of the Christmas shopping on-line, something that can only be done if you can rely on the postal service. So sod it if it makes a loss, most governme...

After yesterday mammoth post a short and late one due to the pressures of work, or more precisely an all day training session. This one was all about courageous conversations, you known those moments when you have to grasp the bull by the horns and say something; it seems to come naturally to bloggers. The main aim of the course was to promote an atmosphere where people felt confident in expressing their views and sharing them with others, in my team the only problem is shutting them up. All in all it was very good and is just part of a culture change taking root in the company. Photo today is of a holiday home near a local lake, a cross between a bathing hut, a shed and an outside loo. ---------------- Now playing: Pf Project Feat. Ewan Mcgregor - Choose Life via FoxyTunes

As the last few posts have turned into a review of the year I might as well continue the story. By the time summer had arrived I was back at work full time and the blog was getting around 20 readers a day. Life was looking good and I was feeling very positive about most things so I took a big step. Dyslexia, why make up a name for a condition that means you have difficulty writing and spelling that’s so hard to read and spell? Well I always had a feeling I had it, but the risk of getting tested and finding out I did not have, which would mean I was just thick and lazy, always stopped me from getting the teat done. But with my new found confidence and works help I got tested. The result were better than I could have hoped for, I had got it, but I also had an IQ of over 120, not thick and a reason for my problems. Now I could work around the problem and beat it. I rushed home and sat down to write the most personal post I had written, safe in the knowledge only 20 or so people would read...

Following on from Saturdays post, here is the next stage in my year and my recovery. Blogging, for me it started as a whim, I wanted to mark my birthday and try something I had never done, so I started this. In all honesty I did not think I had ever read a blog, but once the idea was in my mind to do this I looked up blogging on Lifehackers , a site I read every day that has loads of tips for making computer time more fun and productive (its also a blog but I did not realise that at the time). Armed with their advice and some links I set this up in around 3 hours from the moment I typed blogging into their search engine. Within 3 weeks I had my first comment from someone I did not know and soon after that was in conversation with people in France and South Africa, wild! For me writing was always my weak point and to risk doing this every day was a challenge, but not one I had looked for. The blog was to be about the photos, but like a large rucksack, that space for words just cried out...

Quote Sunday: " If riding in an airplane is flying, then riding in a boat is swimming. If you want to experience the element, then get out of the vehicle. " " You may never get rid of the butterflies, but you can teach them how to fly in formation..... " " All people who live, die. But, not all people who die have lived " " Adventure is just bad planning " Roald Amundsen " Adventure isn’t hanging on a rope off the side of a mountain. Adventure is an attitude that we must apply to the day to day obstacles of life -- facing new challenges, seizing new opportunities, testing our resources against the unknown and in the process, discovering our own unique potential " John Amatt organizer and participant in Canada’s first successful expedition to the summit of Mt Everest. " People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circula...

As it gets close to the start of a new year my mind starts to ponder what I will do next year, this time last year I had no idea I would be sitting here doing this. To give you an idea of where I was last year, I had been off work with stress and panic attacks for over 3 months, the job I was had been in for 3 years was just too hard for me to cope with. Unfortunately this was just the job I had to go back to as the unions advice was that it would be better in that department than out of it (they were right). Given my state of mind I was starting to think I would never work again, as the job I could do was beyond me ability to cope, and to even think of trying something new just made me feel worst. Physically I was drinking too much and well over weight and not getting any real exercise. My whole mind set was that I was doomed and would never reach any higher than I had. The change, when it happened, was unremarkable. I just decided I was going to do something; I was going to start run...

I was asked today to send round the competition form that I finished on Wednesday to all the people in my department, as the request came from my big boss I did it as soon as I got to my desk. When I say “as soon as” this really means after I had agonized over the 3 lines of text introducing the email for ½ an hour. Now I known this sounds stupid but I get so nervous about writing stuff that people read, daft when this has had over 40,000 visitors, but when mailing to the department I really feel the pressure to get it just right, not that I don’t care about this but this is mine and really only I can say its wrong. Still I sent off the mail and within a few mins had some nice comments about it. Photo is of an old dock on the canal, I’ve photographed this no end during the summer as it has such great texture and reflections, but this shot of it is the first to reach the blog. ---------------- Now playing: U2 - Elevation via FoxyTunes

Right, I said yesterday that I would pass on the Smile stone award and this is it. First let me explain why I’m choosing these three. They are all very different blog, although two are from Paris, each show a simple picture of life well away from mine here, even if the lives they show are far from simple. All have brightened my over the passed months and the comments they leave have lifted me up when I’ve been feeling down. So I’m awarding the Smile stone to Daisy , travelling, but not in love , and Marjolein . Last Thursday I mentioned that I had 2 projects that needed doing, both are now done, both are some of the best work I have ever finished, by that I mean that I often don’t finish something totally, but both these two needed to be as perfect as I have ever achieved. The photo project is still under wraps, and will soon be wrapped. The work one was emailed with 15 mins to spare, after I had to add 85 names of the people who work in the department to it. Once it was sent I found...

I’ve had another blog award, this time from Polergirl, it’s the Smile stone award, It is an award for bloggers, who show kindness and spread happiness around, so I’m flattered to get it. Polergirl shared 10 things that made her smile, so I’ll do the same: 1. Polergirl , reading you blog always leaves me smiling, even the sad post have a positive turn. 2. My team at work, there is always one of us on the edge of a breakdown and the rest always rally round. 3. Beer 4. Mountains, or at least being on top of them. 5. Finishing a project, I will have finished 2 by the end of today. 6. Finishing cutting the lawn. 7. You’ve been framed, particular the ones where you can see the idiot is about to come a cropper. 8. Good comments on the blog (hint hint) 9. Kep 10. Caz’s face when we are out on a walk and we let Kep of f the lead, as he starts to run free her face just lights up. I will pass this on tomorror as I have to get some work done, one thing that wipes the smile off my face. Photo was t...

Mum help my tongs stuck, not something you hear every day is it. But it’s the first thing that popped into my head as I looked at this photo. Kep, as I have said before, loves water and, as long as it does not involve a bath, he cannot be kept out of it. So around this time of year this happens, Kep dives at water only to find its gone hard? Now I’m not one to talk about memory problems, but each year he seems to forget he has seen this before and spends loads of time investigating the problem. The fun bit is when he finds out that it’s not hard enough; don’t worry though we keep him on a lead and don’t let him go too far out and if he should get into difficulty Caz always has a buoyancy aid she can throw in, ME. I have two good pieces of news; first Polergirl has had some promising news from the docs, check out her latest up date. Second, the girl is back, new name and new blog but same old (young) girl. Pop over and check her out unless you’re offended by sex with dead chickens? Ju...

We got the tree and only got lost once, a new record. Spent the weekend cleaning and putting up the decorations and tree, great fun, with Christmas music playing in the back ground. Sunday dawn bright and clear with the hardest frost of the year so far, so we grabbed are rucksacks and headed to Chatsworth. What a fantastic day, Kep had a whale of a time and seems to be back on top form, he pulled Caz round for the whole walk and spent ½ hour off the lead running like a mad thing, great to see. I took loads of photos that should keep the blog going for a week at least, and here is the first one. This is a small pool on the ridge over looking Bakewell, and normally is a disappointing damp patch of marsh and mud, but it look fantastic in the cold mid day sun. ---------------- Now playing: Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Road Trippin' via FoxyTunes

I look like a duck. It's the way my mouth curls up, or my nose tilts up. I should have played Howard the Duck. Michelle Pfeiffer Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath. Michael Caine If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands. Douglas Adams “Ridicule is the Burden of Genius.” Daffy duck ---------------- Now playing: The Cougars - Saturday Nite At The Duck-Pond via FoxyTunes

Its Christmas tree time, wish me luck. Every year we get our tree from the same garden centre that is only a few miles from home. Each year without fail we get lost in the maze of little lanes that criss-cross that area, sometimes taking hours to travel what is about 5 miles. Then when we get there it’s the line up from hell as you try to find a “nice” tree, all year I look at trees as just part of the scenery and all of a sudden I have to judge one on its looks! Its like choosing a puppy, will it be right for the house, will it make a mess, will it be better then everyone else’s? So while I’m doing that, I’ll leave you with this photo taken on one cold morning this week. ---------------- Now playing: Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music via FoxyTunes

Today’s photo is of the tree I’ve being shooting over the last 10 months, little did I know that when I took the first photo that I would be putting myself at some risk only a few months letter to repeat the shot. The tree is only 5 mins from home and right by the side of a country lane and as it was time to shoot it again and it had just snowed, it seemed the perfect time. I was ok up to the point I left the main road, which had been gritted and was clear. The little lane was still just packed, frozen snow, with little or no grip, but my trust VW Polo battled on, reaching the tree in just over ¼ of an hour after leaving home. I got out and took the shot and in a sprit of adventure walked down the lane to the corner where I came across 3 cars that were stuck in the snow. Ever helpful I assisted two of the cars back up the hill and turned them round the third car was too far down the bank and after much work we managed to get it onto the lower road which was clear. Then it was my turn, ...

There are times when I’m my own worst enemy and this is one of them. I don’t put my self out much, to do anything out side of my normal job is very rare for me, but a month ago I nominated my department for our internal award scheme. This was a big step for me as it involved writing 150 words that had to sum up a department of 80+ people by me a new found dyslexic. Still I did it and we are now through to the next stage and I have been asked to write the submission. To put this into perspective, there’s a lot riding on this, first department pride, to win would be a giant feather in our cap as it always has been to win this award, second, money; there is a prize that goes to the winning team and third with talk of a merger floating around earlier this year, to win would help secure the departments position with in the company. So pride, cash and our jobs on the line, no pressure then! The submission involves 1500 words highlighting why we are the best and needs to be in by Wednesday, s...

WOW! Thank you for all the comments, it was like Christmas reading the comments as they were mailed to me, it is so fascinating hearing about peoples normal lives and the fact that they are just the same but different to mine really makes me feel part of the world. It great that lots of you are looking forward to spending time with families or friends, put paid to the idea of a lot of sad lonely people hunched over their keyboards with not a soul in the world. Lots of interesting jobs going on, but most would rather be at home reading, drinking coffee or in bed. All of which I can agree with whole heartedly. Then there is the blogs, some I have seen a number of times, others I remember visiting and am glad I have rediscovered. My blog counter tells me each day where people have come from and now I can put a face to some of those visitors, Isabella , I always wonder who was visiting from Sweden and now I know. David loved your blog, I really hope all goes well, Suburbia , take it, it r...

It’s snowing and lots of it, just charging up the mobile phone and then I’ll be charging off into the white hell to take some pictures. I won’t be heading into the hill like I did this time last year as I now know that a VW polo is not a Jeep in disguise and after only just getting out of trouble then I have learned my lesson. Seen a great idea on Marjolein blog, so I’m borrowing it, as I’m interested about all of you as well. So all you lurkers out there, i.e. people who visit but don’t leave a comment, I have a little questionnaire for you - and also for the regular commenter's: 1. Who are you and where are you from? (mainly for the lurkers) 2. What will you be doing today? 3. What do you wish you had planned instead? 4. What’s the thing you’re looking forward to most? Just a bit of fun, no pressure. Photo today for all the first time commentors is a shot of Bridge 9 on the local canal. ---------------- Now playing: EMF - Unbelievable via FoxyTunes

Been on a training course today, hence the late post. The course was about call handling and how to treat your customer on the telephone and for the first time it did not mention how to sell things to your customer at the same time. Now one of my main complaints when I ring somewhere is that they always try to sell me something and although my company has long since moved away from that approach it is still expected that you can be able to offer the customer other products in a professional manner, but now, like a lot of companies it is seen that customer service comes first, just as it should be. On the flip side of this I have been trying to buy something off Curry’s and had nothing but trouble with their call centre and shop, who refused to do even the simplest thing of calling me back when asked, let alone getting the thing I had paid for on time. Photo today of the first Robin of the winter, great to see the little red fellow back. ---------------- Now playing: INXS - Listen Like ...