Last Monday of this year.

Working tonight it will be our first new year that we have been together that we are apart ,Helen is not happy that I won't be with her I can't help it I was I didn't ave to work that we could be close everyday and never be separated but we don't have that luxury .

went to the bank to pay some standing orders and pay payments set up through pay point cards , bought some red Leicester cheese freshly baked bread and a bunch of spring onions toasties for tea .

It was three am when we got to bed I didn't sleep well and got up three times , Helen is still in bed I am writing this in our front room on the settee drinking coffee and eating toasted fruit loaf with butter drinking coffee and listening to Bob Dylan "Blood on the tracks" its Monday morning grey dull and wet .its half past ten I go to work at half past seven tonight .

We took the Christmas decorations down the tree ,cards ,ornaments and lights and boxed them all away until next year makes you wonder , how many people are packing their decorations up for the year and for a few of us it will be the last time we see them , so let's all us be grateful for the year ahead and hopefully be thankful that we around to unpack our decorations this coming year.

WET SUNDAY

Have been reading about the tigers that live with the Monks in Thailand near the River Kwai , and how they adopted tigers back in the 1990,s  , word got round and local people brought them sick . orphaned or injured tiger cubs to look after , they grew and  breed now they are up to there necks in tiger shit and chicken carcass's as far as i am aware no monk as ever been mauled by one of these tigers , guess you don't need a burglar alarm or guard dog when you have thirty or so of these big cats strolling around your house.They eat up to thirty pounds of meat a day and tourists from around the world come and pay up to fifty dollars to have their photos taken with these beautiful animals they get quite a few tourists a day coming to the monastery.

have been to a few Abbeys and monastery's near to Leeds all we have are dogs some  not even on leads and ducks that's about as dangerous as it gets , and i have not seen one English monk with a tattoo.

SUNDAY
Well work looms it always worse going back after a week off one of the reasons its best to have days only off some Christmas pass it was the norm to have two weeks off , how i coped i don't know as a week seems to have lasted forever , i guess being on the dole and not having to work or being retired would make your days and weeks seem longer must fry the brain not having anything to do if you have no more what do you fill your time with.

Took all the Christmas tunes of my i-phone all that's left is to take the Christmas decorations down Helen would like a real tree next year i bought one years ago it had a root ball when Christmas was over it got planted as far as i know it be 22 years old i will have to go back and see if its still there .

Was going out to the moors but the weather changed and it started to pour down we have walked before in the rain its unavoidable living in England but it was too heavy it would have been pointless , so we went out to get food in for breakfast and cooked a feast instead , did some tidying around and chilled the rest of the day , Helen started to write her book about her psychic experiences , i just surfed Tumblr.

Eating - Duck spring rolls

Listening to - Kate Bush The singles collection .

Watching - Season 2 Medium

Thinking about - five night shifts to do starting tomorrow

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44 YEARS YOUNG

Yesterday was Helen's 44th Birthday we went to the city I bought some black fountain pen cartridge's , for my writing pen and another calligraphy pen i have had for years i think i got it of my mother but i am not sure ,and Helen bought two Banksy,s notebooks and a Filofax  with a 2013 diary insert.

We went to the Owl public house for tea Helen had scampi as always and  I had  the home made steak pie.

Well after the weekend I have a week of nights to do which Helen is dreading I am not looking forward to either but its only five shifts and i will have my phone with me and we can face time each other.

Its raining and grey the weather is depressing if the days are grey it makes you feel grey i honestly believe that things always look better on a bright sunny day , least we wouldn't have to have the heating and lights on at half past ten in the morning.the added cost of having to live in England.

Need to get out of the house and get some fresh air in to our lungs staying in gets me stir crazy , have not took any new photos recently and we have been nowhere new apart from going to Richmond a couple of weeks ago.

Eventually went out although we didn't venture that far ,whilst we was out  we did buy four Chinese lanterns to write our wishes and hopes on , before setting them alight on new years eve night .

We did a similar thing last year Chinese lanterns are getting popular we got ours from the pound shop we have to economise next year , and every penny will have to  be accounted for , and times for us are going to be difficult at best ,i am  not looking forward to 2013 it could be our worst year ever .every year seems to get harder and we never get a luck break i guess the best we can hope for is we sell our house and move on , and hopefully leave the bad luck we seem to have behind us.

ELEPHANTS AND DONKEYS

Elephant's and donkey's grow big ears , well according to Helen today  she is practicing her guitar chords , chasing cars buy Snow patrol is supposed to be easy to learn for a beginner hopefully she will have the patience to learn , i walked in on her and from what i was hearing she sounded pretty good i was impressed to say she is learning herself  with help from all the good people on You Tube that have took time out and  posted tuition videos.

Having time off work is brilliant sitting around the house doing nothing is boring i am going stir crazy how people do it week in week out i have no idea i am struggling not to scream at the top of my voice i am bored i need to be stimulated sitting on my laptop all day is not doing it , if i was in prison it be a good alternative but i am not.

Money without out a doubt makes life less dull  , and being skint is fcuking sad it makes life shit . money does make for a happier fuller life anyone who says different are wrong ,  having nothing causes depression , and i have never heard anyone committing suicide because they have too much money and too many nice things ,a  too nicer house car holidays and traveling first class everywhere staying at the best hotels eating at the best restaurants and shopping at the best designer shops , i settle for a holiday a fridge full of food and no bills .


Watching - Looper

BOXING DAY 
Cooked a full breakfast whilst Helen stayed in bed  , I was being chef whilst listening to Coldplay live 2012.
we did nothing all day except watched medium series one on dvd and Most Haunted on TV ,Spoke with my Son Guy he was disillusioned with Christmas as well and sounded fed up , by midnight i was bored don't think the rest of the week is going to be much better , need 2013 to be different i feel stuck in a rut.

WEDNESDAY
Although it was after two a.m  when we went to bed i was up just after half past eight got another four days off  work i guess its going to be another uneventful day .

Watching -  St George's day

Wanting - a Ruby Murray

Ebay - bidding on a white Lamy safari fountain pen

Wishing for -  excitement and adventure

CHRISTMAS DAY 2012

Well the turkey is out of the fridge and now its stuffed with pork and sage covered in goose fat , and wrapped in foil and is  in the oven roasting away.

We went to Christmas mass last night for the second year running with my Nephew and his partner Sue  , and  her brother and his boyfriend they live in Thailand and have flown over for a  traditional  English Christmas , they can afford it they are millionaires , we went back for a glass of  port and toasted cheese sandwiches we didn't get to bed till three o clock .

My daughter Skyped me from New Zealand she has already had her Christmas dinner as they are twelve hours a head of us in the UK.

This is my sixth Christmas with Helen and it will be the last one in this house we are living in now , next year we should be somewhere completely different , hopefully a bit more prepared and not doing it all last minute  hopefully we will be organized but we say that every year and we never are.

To those who have lost loved ones this year , i  hope your not on your own and have happy memories if nothing else of Christmases past .

PEACE AND GOOD WILL TO ALL XX

CHRISTMAS EVE

Well the Turkey is in the fridge alone with the Budweiser and pear cider , we have cleaned the house and done the lottery three times , i went in to the city this morning to get carrots and prawns . and i got Helen something that she might need to go with the guitar  that Santa is bringing to her tonight.
Its Christmas eve i am debating wether we go to christmas mass at our little church in Adel.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND PEACE TO YOU ALL 

Watching - Bourne Legacy and Taken 2

YORK IN THE RAIN

Yesterday i went to York with my son Guy ,  i picked him up from his house in Plockington just after ten am.
It was raining as we set of for the park and ride at Grimston Bar and caught the bus in to the center of town.

We had breakfast at All Bar One , Guy went to dry his hair in the toilets under the hand dryer ,  it was quite empty and we both had latte with our food which was finely cooked and the ingredients used good quality even down to the ketchup's and brown sauce the bacon and sausage where greaseless it came just under twenty pounds  it was good value  my son paid bless him , we came out and it was still raining , we didn't care.

We went up the Shambles and called in to a few shops for Christmas present Guy was looking to buy , i found a large bottle of Crystal head vodka it was over £100 i asked if they sold the miniature bottles they didn't.

He  bought a floral one person teapot and cup plus a milk jug from Cath Kidston it was nearly forty pounds he got it gift wrapped this was for his girlfriends mother he also bought some 007 aftershave for his girlfriends father , It was still raining the Christmas lights where on and York looked especially nice with the wet streets at least it was not cold , we called in to a bar i have been to before but couldn't remember its name we had pear cider.

Got home just after seven the roads was bad with fog and cars driving with full beam don't help having a faulty car heater does not help the windows mist up but i made it home safely,Helen had a reading after she finished we went to Murgatroy's fish restaurant  bought two fish and chips and two bread cakes and ate them in the car with a bottle of Dr Pepper.

Watching -  Medium season one

Reading -  Arnie's bio i have it on e-book ,  if i was carrying it around with me i would end up with either muscles or back pains.

Reason to be happy - Was with my son most of the day

Thinking about  - no work for over a week yippee

Wanting - New year 2013

Listening to - Pearl Jam

SUNDAY 

Well  until Helen gets up we cant go out and get food shopping for our Xmas dinner they will be no turkeys left and we will be goosed .

Different spirits

Well got paid a week early i break up tonight until the 31st of December , we will have to plan our Christmas dinner menu Helen's cooking is a treat and i can honestly say without creeping its has good has any restaurant ,apart from all the fcuking washing up afterwards ,as every pot , pan , baking tray and pudding tin will have been used , along with every fork spoon ladle and carving knife basin and mixing jug , potatoe  peeler slicer and dicer and masher.

The secret Santa at work I got a bottle of southern comfort , better than chocolates ,least I have one bottle of spirits , Helen says we have loads of spirits in our house , I wish she meant the distilled type .

ITS A TURKEY

House of Marley headphones at HMV reduced from £79.00 to £29.99 bet there is going to be loads of savings after Christmas , HMV are selling speaker docks at half price and a few tablets have been halved in price as well they are the less known brands but will do as much as the others costing twice as much .

Cant believe the price of Turkey crowns forty quid plus Christ i don't think we need one as big as that its only  poultry ,

I wonder what other companies will go to the wall . close down and cease trading  in the new year , and has a result  how many jobs will go and how many more innocent people will  loose their homes for non payment of mortgages or rent  hopefully nil or as few as possible .

There is more buskers on the streets of Leeds one girl plays the violin its a clear plastic electric acoustic and  she sells cd's  i am guessing at a fiver a time ,  her violin case is her paper cup that passing people throw money in to it i reckon she is earning £100 plus on a average day , there is more silver and gold coins than copper  , and like Starbucks i bet she pays no tax , saying that she has a great gift and talent  and i guess been to college to study her craft , i reckon she will do weddings party's christenings barmitzvah's   etc  and i know if i could play a instrument and was any good i do the same .

I really hope 2013 is a better year for all concerned no more Sandy Hook massacres no more lives torn apart , the world might has well end we don't deserve it and all its beauty , we cant look after each other never mind the planet .

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ONE THOUSAND

LEFT THE WIFE AND MOVED OUT
After 19 years of marriage enough was enough , i will miss my children and i will  miss the dog Bandit and the cat Lara but the the house its just bricks and mortar and not a home , home is anywhere i am with Helen
starting again wont be easy but lying to yourself is impossible.

MOVED INTO MY SISTERS HOUSE
Nowhere else to go , i ended up on a camp bed in the downstairs back room duvet and pillows to hand  , all my worldly goods in a black Nike sports bag , all my clothe and toiletries , my external hard drive with my music and film collection of the last ten years i couldn't psychically take my PC  , i took my i-pod and went out and bought a new mobile phone i  was happy at last , and traveling lite.

MOVED IN TO HOTEL WITH GIRLFRIEND HELEN
Was only for a few nights and it was a Travel lodge in the city center , kebabs burgers and room service ,Helen turned up with her  bags and worldly i meet her on the pavement outside the hotel her Father had dropped her off.

MOVED INTO APARTMENT
Very near to both jobs so no bus fares or expenses getting to work , all mod cons leather sofas granite work tops power shower ,  city living for the next three months , having no car is not a problem except we cant go to Ikea .

MOVED INTO RENTED HOUSE AT RODLEY
Stone built terrace house four bedrooms nice garden big kitchen , bought a white Renault laguna.

BOUGHT HOUSE AT BRAMLEY
We got 45k knocked of the price , have done a lot of work to it knocked walls down bricked windows up bought new sofas tables tvs laptops cookers and fridges started again with nothing at first all we had to cook was two electric rings and a micro wave.

BOUGHT BLACK LAND ROVER FREE LANDER
4X4 32,000 miles on clock one of the best cars i have had ,Helen also loved it part exchanged the Laguna.

HELEN GOT DIVORCED
Helen divorce came through before mine

GOT DIVORCED
Drag on but got there in the end.

BOUGHT RAG DOLL CAT  HARVEY
Bought him from a breeder in York he was ever so small and ever so cute,

GOT MADE REDUNDANT
After nearly 16 years of continuous employment i now work part time only doing twenty hours a week plus any overtime thats going.

BOUGHT JACK RUSSELL PIP
To replace the Jack Russell i left behind Bandit.

HELEN PASSED HER REIKI MASTERS CERTIFICATE
She can now practise Reiki healing ,so we bought her a massage table.

GOT FULL TIME JOB AT HOSPITAL
Domestic supervisor its full time but not the best wages in the world and have to cover so many night shifts at least its full time and i will get increments and wage rises over the next six years , if i am there that long .

HELEN'S PSYCHIC WORK AND READINGS REALLY TOOK OFF
She never has done so many readings for so many people and had such good feed back and recommendations . she has endeavoured to achieve what she has always wanted to do but never did until now.

DAUGHTER WENT TO AUSTRALIA
Now living in New Zealand i have never had a family member so far away from home .

SON IS  LIVING IN POCKLINGTON IN A CONVERTED GARAGE.
I paid more in divorce settlement so they could convert the adjoining garage for my son to live in its like a little bungalow .

SELLING HOUSE
Want to move out of Leeds where to who knows all i know is time and i  keep rollin bye its coming up to a new year , who knows what will happen and what will change , nothing stays the same every thing evolves and changes some time for the better sometimes for the worse i can only guess at what i will be doing where i will be working.

CHRISTMAS 
It will be our fourth christmas in this house another turkey looms.

NEW YEAR
House should be sold and we should be moving on to pastures new where doing what who knows all i know for sure is i will be another year older and life will still be changing , its going to be different and hopefully more peaceful we need a less troubled life we need to find peace and quite and get away from the rat race and concrete jungle we are in , and hopefully grey skies will become blue.

Went into town went to the same shop three times it was the stationary shop Paperchase Helen was after a 2013 diary , she wanted a fabric one so she can personalise it by sewing things on to the front and back so its unique ,  the trouble was finding the right coloured pre made  fabric diary /journal  i suggested just buying a personnel  organiser it and making a fabric sleeve for it buying the material similar to Cath Kidston , now we are at home looking on Ebay.

Even though i had down loaded free diary templates for 2013 from  http://philofaxy.blogspot.co.uk/p/diary-inserts.html , i might do one my self i using a 1,5mm pilot calligraphy pen all done in different inks and lettering styles as well as this blog , i need a nice leather A4 ring binder.

Least went to subway had a meatball and cheese subway with red onions and raita mint sauce with a Latte and cookie also we both needed the toilet badly the sun was out and it was quite warm , we have a parking lot we use its only a pound on Sunday for all day parking well all day up to half five then its locked up.

The Psychic we went to see at Richmond phoned Helen up on her mobile she spent over a hour and half on the phone to Helen she went up to see her after she had finished doing her demonstration but had previously chatted to her via Facebook , Helen was extremely happy that  she had bothered to call her.

Went to view our friend Louise's new house its three floors four bathrooms four bedrooms and has great gardens i want to live in the garage its cool one time it was half a million pounds they got it for £320k , extremely good value it is in mint condition , one of the bedrooms is downstairs and patio doors open into the garden ideal for summer nights when the garden is light up , me and Helen want  one , if only .

NEARLY 1000

Well this time next week i will be on holiday i still have not told loads of people that i am off i thought less they know less chance of a kick back and other moaning , i use to always have two weeks off at Christmas it was a unwritten rule and at some companies i worked at you had to save a week form your annual leave for especially the Christmas period.

Still got LOTS  shopping to do , but we are getting paid a week early , so hopefully this time next week the fridge and freezer will be full of food wine and spirits ,the gas meter and electric well feed to keep us warm and in light and online.

we plan on doing nothing most of the day tomorrow we will be in and around town but seeing as  i have the Nightmare before Christmas to watch as i have never seen  it along with "Jingle all the way" and "Plane trains and Automobiles" it shouldn't be boring have plenty of milk sugar and coffee could do with a fudge cake and pouring cream a decent magazine to read along with my google nexus on the sofa why bother going out .

I broke a very fine silver chain that Helen had given me when we first started going out together , i have had it on for at least the last five years , i never had reason to take it off this morning scratching my neck i caught it and it snapped , of course it cant be repaired its way too fine , i will keep although its not any good it will use it as a keepsake and someone years later will come across and wonder why anyone would keep such a chain it will  keep them guessing i guess.

i am coming up to my first one thousand blog entrie , so much has changed in the last few years i will have to reminisce my life since the blog started and how it is today .

RICHMOND IN THE FOG

No work yesterday I took the day off annual leave ,we went to Richmond to see a psychic demonstration by Deborah Chalmers ,the motorway was very foggy you could see it rolling towards you we got to Richmond just after five,it was cold even though we was wrapped up the cold still bite.Helen bought her parents Christmas present a solid wooden hand finished  tortoise , the shop had loads of things to buy spread over three floors we plan on going back , we bought fish and chips and ate them in the car the freshly cooked food steamed the car windows we kept the interior light on after we had finished we walked round the town and went for a pint next door to the town hall where the demonstration was.

 The figure above  i like not sure why it has enlarged hands and feet but i think its very motherly they was over priced Helen said why don't i make one , wouldn't know where to start and how much blue tac would i need.

 The town hall at Richmond the fog does not look bad here but the drive on the motorway was full of fog patches it was like a horror film .

                        A thousand lights on the tower white light always looks good at night

 regarding the tortoise i said to Helen drill a hole in the top of its shell to take a candle or night light or even incense sticks , like Queen Victoria she was not amused , i thought it would  be the ideal gift.

The psychic Deborah Chalmers was very good she was one of the best ones we have seen and has good or nearly  as good Steven Holbrook who we have seen numerous times , there was nearly fifty people in the audience and a lot got messages that where in depth and lasted for ten to fifteen minutes , i think Helen will want to go and see her talking to her afterwards , she is hoping to appear in Leeds where we live.

Above is a grave yard a few hundred yards form our house this was taken at ten o clock this morning it does not look like its going to lift its very peaceful .

NOT MUCH LIKE CHRISTMAS

its not feeling much like Christmas's every year after a certain age it get less exciting , when i was younger going to the bars and clubs  every Thursday ,Friday and all  of the weekend everybody was in the Christmas spirit and talking about the festive period weeks before the big day people would be playing parties and time off work , then there be the works christmas piss up around town the first year i worked i got hammered on southern comfort i hate the stuff now , don't think i every drank a drop again.

when my children was young the build up  happened a few months before ,as we were buying presents for them and wrapping them up , buying advent calenders with chocolates in  and new tree decorations to hang  up now we make do with what we have and have bought no new decorations this year at all , except some new lights for the mantle piece over the fire.

At my job previous to this one everyone use to bring in mince pies on a daily basis there would be newly bought freshly made  mince pies to eat usually from a decent bakery or outlet , so far this year we have bought a packet of six , helen warmed hers up in the microwave too long and she scalded her mouth , and up to press   i have had one slice of christmas cake and no stollen slices  and no christmas pudding  truffles.

Even Television will be rubbish as  usually they don't make an effort what so ever to put anything decent on its all repeats again ,i have  not heard one new christmas record thats been released and i don't know what toys all the young ones are craving for  this year , it will be a I-pad mini our gaming console , we as kids always use to always get something artistic to do be it  painting by numbers or colouring books along with  loads of felt tip pens and pencils , and the metallic foil  scratch off picture which was either a tiger or a dolphin , and always a diary usually from someone's work place that was a freebie.

This year we will again go up to Uppermill Saddleworth moor to do our christmas food shop and we will get all the food we need for a good few days pigging out we will get a gammon joint and turkey crown and all fresh winter root vegetables  pies including a few pork and meat pies as well as freshly baked bread , we will also drive around the villages  to see the lights that  everyone decorates there houses with.

Looks quite a nice day the sun is playing out but it is still cold , i hate Mondays after a weekend its back to the grind stone , i have my training course Wednesday at least its paid overtime and i have Thursday off , as we are going to Richmond a town in north Yorkshire about fifty five miles away , to see a psychic she packed in a £55k job to do her psychic work full time , Hopefully it does not start to snow and put heed to our plans .

Its five to ten in the morning and i have been trying to get Helen out of bed and up FOR THE LAST THIRTY MINUTES  its worse than having a young child , i know it was two a.m when we went to bed but even so its still eight hours sleep she has had , i have had less and i am up .

 I appreciate  it is hard getting up when the heating is not on the room is cold and bed so warm , this is England West Yorkshire and its winter time we have four seasons summer always seems to be the shortest and winter always the longest , we even ice on the inside of the window its like being back  in the sixties  , the net curtains use to freeze to the inside of the window we use to leave the fridge door open to heat the room up , first up best dressed .

Listening to -  Bob Dylan

Watching -  Ian Brady " End game of a psychopath"

WISH WE WERE THERE

WE went for breakfast after last weeks fiasco we thought we give it another go. It was back to being spot on , to prove it i had three sausages , two bacon , egg beans and loads of potatoe gammon cheese and onions and two slices of toast and two cups of coffee all for under six pounds ,the only thing missing was black pudding suppose one cant have it all , they even had individual portions of Nutella i hate the stuff but  pinched three packets to take home as Helen likes it on toast i spoil that Woman  ,  its good because you can stock up on individual marmalade and jams its all left unattended.

Went to the Crematorium at Lawnswood placed a red  Christmas bauble on a tree above my mothers and Fathers plaque the sun was out but It was windy even Pip had her coat on , we walked around for a while before coming home .

My Daughter is at Piha beach she wrote on Face book the following - Went to the coolest beach ever yesterday! Was miles from anything in between mountains and forests! Black sand beaches, Waterfalls, went climbing,sunbathing was awesome!! I love Piha!.

From the photos i have  Googled i have to agree its very tropical and so much nicer than the  East  English coastline ,All i can say is i wish that we was there as well.

#

Helen tonight had three readings and is booking them in for next week , i had a text message from my Son Guy he won eighty quid on a scratch card wonder if my Mum was thanking us for her bauble .

Watching - A Idiot abroad season 3

Eating -  Kit-Kats

I HEARD THE NEWS TODAY OH BOY

Helen had two readings booked last night and only one turned up and had three booked into night and only two turned up ,run up to Christmas it was suspected it would be slower than normal.

we are spending a small fortune on gas at the moment  its so cold we are forever feeding the meter to live somewhere warmer would be a blessing.

It must be hard for those homeless people that are having to find shelter or end up sleeping on the city streets ,we have a government who don't really give a shit they are warm and well feed fat cats , why when the Queen with all her money when she sees homeless people on the streets of the capital ,then why does she not  dig in her pockets and build a massive hostel for all the homeless people and give something back to a country you has kept her and her family in health and wealth she should sell a few of her priceless paintings  and jewels to have one built , i have always wondered why she does nothing.

i am still thinking about my to do list for 2013 i have been doing a lot of calligraphy writing or trying to do i have been inspired by the Theosone a graffiti artist  and calligraphy guru .


Listening to - John Lennon Greatest hits he died to day 1980.

Watching - Alex Cross

Eating - Enchilada's

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CHRISTMAS OFF

Well i have been given the Christmas week off i did put a request in for annual leave a few weeks ago , when i didn't hear anything i went to see her ,and to my surprise  she said not a problem i can take it off . i know  its bound to piss some workers off big time so i have decided to tell no one as there is less chance off a backlash ,as a supervisor they would expect me to be working especially if they have been told they have  to work it.

Helen's readings have dropped she did not do any over the week end and she has not done  any so far this week she had three the other night but they never turned up ,  she has one reading to do  tonight who as confirmed that she is still  attending and a couple more if they turn up Friday and Saturday , we did expect it to drop over the Christmas period hopefully the new year wont be that bad and it will pick up.

In away i will be glad when this year is over and hopefully we are due a good year regarding selling the house and moving on hopefully life will improve and we will be living more on the edge of the city rather than in it , Bramley is not a great place to live there is worse places but there is a lot of nicer places i miss being near the canal and i hate being on a main road i don't see why we need a three bedroom house and there is just two of us.

Going to make a to do list for the new year and set myself goals and targets of things i want to do and to achieve  , i did this years ago and i hit everyone on my list a couple where to pass my driving test and to go abroad which i did in the same year , plus other ones concerning job and relationships at the time i was living on my own , this must have been over thirty five years ago so a new list is way over due so over the next few days i will put my thinking cap on and see what's to do and what i want on my list for 2013.

THE TREES ARE UP

Its my Mothers birthday today bless her if she was still alive she be getting all giddy about Christmas ,I guess loads of people will be missing loved ones at this time of year and for some i know that Christmas is harder than any normal day , i love Christmas and will always do , but as always  its better done with money but if money is lacking its good to know  we can still have nice cooked good food  , desserts and drinks and like everything its as cheap or dear as you want to make it , our first Christmas Helen and i shared , we didn't even have a tree and it was only a few days before that we were staying in a hotel together we was waiting until we got the keys for our new  apartment , but yesterday  we put both of our trees up , we dragged the decorations out of the garage and we now have a tree in the kitchen dinner with coloured lights and the larger  one of the two is in the living room with clear lights on.  We have two reindeer's for the garden at the back of the house and a string of new clear  lights for our fir tree at the front of the house , we no advent calenders which i should have bought as its any excuse for chocolate.also i have downloaded the latest Christmas album and its  no different to any previous album that has been released its a true  ghost from Christmas past as  their is no new Christmas records that have been released or charted in the last few years  that are any good so there is never no better albums released than there was ten years ago.

Above is Whitcoulls apartment store and its giant Santa  my daughters new apartment is smack  in the city and is on the left of this photo , she has promised to update her blog and Facebook with pictures of her new pad and its interior  , she has told me its the best rental place that  she as stayed in so far and its fully furnished , i am happy to know she is settled once more .

Helen is buying me a new Pioneer stereo for the car it has a usb slot and i can connect my i-phone to it as well the first year we were together she bought me a Tom Tom sat nav and it turned out to be one of the best presents i have ever received it has saved me money bye getting me to where i want to go tells me where all the petrol stations are so i don't run out of gas , where all the speed cameras are so i don't get fined for speeding and where all the Starbucks are located on route  for a caffeine fix specially on long journeys , no doubt the stereo will be just as useful.

Watching -  Twilight breaking dawn part one

Wishing - I could say happy birthday to my mum f2f

STRUMMING ALONG

Saturday
Was up just after nine this morning , and   we are planing on going in to Leeds city centre and buying a guitar for Helen's Christmas present , i bet it will be busy as everyone gets paid at the end of the month , but  its very cold but saying that at least the car is clear of ice and i can get in and drive off with out freezing my fingers of scrapping the windscreen like yesterday the sun is putting in an appearance so sods law that tonight will be colder.

Not had any earth shattering news from my daughter she is keeping a low profile she moved in to her new place the previous Monday  yet she  has not bothered to  post any photos on face book and she has nor skyped me , she has pasted a few things on Facebook but nothing saying what she is up to our if she is ok .

one of the nicest things is wearing new socks , new under wear and new jeans i have my new Jack Jones jeans on and they feel good and have that new jeans smell.

We picked my Nephew Mark up he is an insomniac and he was outside waiting as we pulled up he was our advisor on guitars and what not to buy , Helen only criteria was that it was black and had six strings .
We ended up going to a shop out of town having looked in three possible shops in the city centre , we ended up buying a black Yamaha electric acoustic for £266 we got a padded case thrown in it has a really nice sound Helen bought a stand for it , and i will get her a leather strap , she wanted to play it but its to go to Santa.

On the way home we called at McDonald's got a winter warmer burger surprisingly good ,with large fries and best yet a banana milk shake.

Sunday
went to our favorite restaurant for breakfast and it turned out to be the worse food we have had there even the coffee was not up to scratch , mentioning scratch my car had been keyed through the night by some low life tosser , after breakfast i went to a hand car wash to get all the grime off then i bought some black touch up crayon and some black wax its not an invisible repair but its better than it was.

My calligraphy pen came yesterday and i had a write with it just jotting down words writing my name i am quite impressed with it might get the next size down the one i have is a 3.5 mm nib the one next size down is a 2.4 mm i also ordered another twelve black cartridges , i will order some different colour inks once i have mastered the basics .


Watching -  "The Dark Knight Rises" and Premium Rush.

Doing -  Calligraphy writing

Eating - Lamb shanks cooked  in  red wine

Wanting - pear cider

Reading -  Arnold Schwarzenegger's Total Recall.

WE LOVE THE WEEKEND

Bought my pilot calligraphy pen of eBay should arrive around the 10th of December .

i have got Coldplay live to listen to and the dark night rises to watch.
just had a kebab pizza second night running it was half past eleven when Helen finished her third reading way too late to start cooking so we picked up the phone and dialled our local pizzeria half an hour later we was tucking in.

we are going in to town midday its now twenty minutes to two in the morning i am going to finish my pear cider and go to bed , its been a long day , we love the weekend but it will be over before its begun .