HALLOWEEN

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL .

Emptied the water butts even the butt that acts as an overflow was nearly full we have had quite a lot of rain and its a good half hours job to drain them to empty .
I started to sweep up the leafs using a broom as quick as i was sweeping they was falling down again cleaned one side of the gutters out its amazing how quickly that  they fill up with leafs.

Went to Meadow Hall nearly bought a black fabric bound journal but want one with more pages bought a blue charity Poppy org uk bracelet and a white ruler that snaps around your wrist so you can wear it like a bracelet .

Not sure we will get any kids trick or treating  tonight we have loads of chocolate and sweets just in case if we don't we will be pigging out on the sweet stuff for days to come .

 Watching - Amy

TIME OFF AGAIN

I have got next Thursday bonfire night off the Friday and the following Monday so it is a long weekend to look forward to , as always i love days off work who doesn't and i cant wait even if the weather is not great i still look forward to and  relish days off work .

Went to the barbers to get my haircut its been a while needless to say i got my moneys worth and a free coffee i did leave a tip it cost £9.00 i paid with a tenner , they have a loyalty card i don't bother your tenth hair cut is free , i said if i don't tip you a pound which i always do and saved it i get a free haircut anyway.

Went to the local farm shop this time to the restaurant they run i have to say it was one of the best breakfasts i have had in a long time .

All on the weekend not sure what we have in the pipe line i have a few episodes of the tv series Minority report Limitless and Blindspot to catch up on.

LIFES A GAS

Well Northern gas came out last night the pressure was fine it is the gas metre that has its internal bellows stuck and won't pump the gas through so we need a new metre which means British gas needs to come out and do the work which also means it won't happen until eight in the morning when we have to phone up yet again so we won't be burning gas tonight tonight the inlet pipe as been capped off.At least the kettle is electric and the microwave all is well until we ares sorted , and its payday cant be down when it's a payday.

I have ordered a present Helen wants for Christmas from Ebay don't know what i will say when its delivered will have to tell to keep her nose out .

Helen needs to stay in at the van for the gas engineer well someone needs to and as Helen cant drive , and  i need to go and do some food shopping and at the moment the coffee i use is on offer saving £2.00 a jar i also need certain food for  throwing in to the freezer like sweet potato fries , button sprouts and swede and sweet corn  , as well as this months issue of Stuff magazine .

The man from the gas board thought he had came to fit us a new electrical metre he was given the wrong info , but  luckily they are trained to do both so a new gas metre was fitted he was totally pissed off and annoyed because the previous engineer who came last night left no notice or paperwork as to what work he had done and why he had left it capped which is a big no no.

But all is well that ends well we are cooking with gas again both the central heating and water seem hotter , no doubt this will be reflected with higher bills now we are burning more gas .

Went to the farm food shop bought some Barnsley chops , shin beef and pork chops plus beef and dumplings we are stocked up for a week or two now if we bought nothing else we would not starve .

Helen as bought a second hand round table with ball and claw feet plus  two carver chairs and two normal chairs for a grand total of sixty quid they should have come tonight but we are now getting them delivered tomorrow.

Apple tv is now on sale 32gb model for £129 which is reasonably priced will i get one in time for Christmas i guess so.

MONDAY MONDAY

Was up at eight o clock this morning on the way to the Dr's Helen need more Thyroid tablets she ended up having blood test and a egg doing which meant we was there well love an hour and half not a good start to Monday

When we got home the hot water was not running hot it was cold so this afternoon i joined British gas home care at a cost of eighteen pounds a month i get it a pound cheaper because i buy my gas and electric from British gas otherwise i be paying nineteen pounds a month.

When i got home tonight i pre lighter the gas oven and the flame was not burning like what it should have been so i tried one of the rings the pressure was low it is now midnight and i am waiting for the gas board emergency service to come out and check the supply , not a great great end to Monday or is it we might have a two hour wait which will be Tuesday.

I would like to go see the new Bond film its a type of movie you have to see on the big screen.

Looking forward to Adele's new album 25 .

I hope to buy a new set of head phones i think i want Marshall  , and a black leather  Knomad case for my iPad mini , and A5 Filofax .

I need  to read a really interesting autobiography that is a gripping read but have no idea who's.

For the  van it be vey nice to get  at some stage no rush a new ceiling light for the living room and two new wall lights .

Listening to  - Gorillaz Geatist Hits album they really are a great band .

SUNDAY LUNCH

The clocks went back by 1 hour this morning after i woke up and took Pip for her walk George followed us again then on returning home i cut the lawns i am still using the lawn mower that was left to us when we bought our house in Bramley .

I then i vacuumed up all the remaining leaves that were scattered everywhere in the boarders and under the decking after doing all my choirs i had a shower .

My  Sister and her husband Alan drove over to take us out for dinner we had booked a table for half past one at the Ford Inn at Greenfield's just on the outskirts of Holmfirth, Its a great pub they have a old iron range and fire surround not that they cook your food on it they also have old oak panelling on the walls and a great view out of the windows.

We all had starters Helen had the broccoli and Stilton soup which smelled really nice i do like certain home made soups i reckon i could live of soups if i did the right combo , i had the pate which was excellent for main courses Helen had the roast beef and i had the shepherds pie which was also excellent it is a while since we have been to this inn although it has changed owners the food was still as good as what we have had there before .

As always its Sunday night and Monday is looming fast how quick the weekend goes life is passing way too fast when you look back i wonder what if and i wonder what 2016 will bring because it will be here before you know it .

BDAY

THURSDAY

I set my alarm for six so i be up and ready to go to Leeds for my days training , there was no need Helen woke me up at half four not for sex because there was the worlds tiniest spider in our bed after that my sleep disturbed  i just couldn't  get back to sleep , next thing the alarm was ten minutes from going off i though i may as well get up .

 I got to the training venue and hour and a half early .and i got a parking spot in the car park which only charges £3.00 for a full days parking .
It was a long day the journey home just after half past this evening didn't help it took me well over a hour to battle through gridlocked cars and motorway repairs took added time  , and it was a bit of a nightmare i am glad i normally finish at ten and don't have the hassle of the commute home in rush hour traffic.Saying that it was nice getting home when i did.

FRIDAY
Its my birthday  today Helen asked me what my ex wife used to give to me and she do one better  , i said a dozen blow jobs  but it didn't work.
Went supermarket shopping got a pizza and pear cider i am easily pleased been happier with a blow job.
My daughter got me a cinema voucher for the Vue picture house i will use it to go see the James Bond film "Spectre".
I had to go to work at least i got the car parked up for the day meaning i wouldn't have to go re park it during my shift .

TRAINING

Went to the farm food shop bought  one of their pork pies to try  and we also bought a slice of Cornish pastie and a steak and onion pie guess you cant beat a decent piece of pie to go with all the pies we bought some home made gravy which is gorgeous made with really meat juices .

They was also selling vanilla syrup with a whole vanilla pod in the jar i was thinking it be nice touch to add to a coffee or ice cream at £5.99  for a bottle i might get one when i have been paid

Emptied the two water butts  on each opposite corners of the van , they have not been drained in a while we have not had that much rain the oak leafs falling of the three giant oaks are back with a vengeance  ,  i realise that i am never going to win as i was cleaning them from the decking with the vacuum as more continued to fall we will never beat mother nature and the turning seasons waiting to see when we get the white stuff , i have booked the 5th, 6th and 9th of November off work i am waiting confirmation that my leave as been  granted.

I am on a training course tomorrow and have to be up at six am to get to Leeds and find a parking spot  i am dreading it already and i feel totally knackered getting up early than normal is shit , the day after is my birthday and  i get paid on the following Tuesday.

My son starts a new job tomorrow fitting garage doors he as worked there before he got laid off when the work dried up they have change the management and are now advertising more for work so fingers crossed .

Reading - "Scar Tissue " by RHCP front man Anthony Kiedis .

App - downloaded Evernote again see if i can commit to using it .

LAST ONE GONE

I would like to buy a Knomad for my iPad mini they look very well made and seem very versatile but cost around £70 for the one that i have been spying on . seeing as it is coming up to my birthday on the 23rd i might treat myself chances are that  i won't but you never know i just might .I also want a page to day 2016 diary journal or do i get a Filofax and diary inserts.

I bought another type of coffee from Nescafe i have been getting the Alta Rica for a couple of years and it is excellent coffee then the other  month i bought a jar of Parisien what made me i don't know  ,and shopping yesterday i bought a jar of Cap Columbie  also by Nescafe which i like for my first cup on a morning or for a breakfast cuppa  i do like the Parisien a lot it does taste great  and it is a hard choice to make to  pick out a definite blend when you like them all , at least by buying three jars it is unlikely i will ever run out of coffee.

No pear cider residing in the fridge the last one just gone over ice  poured after i came in from work just before eleven o clock at night , whilst i was waiting for my sausages fries and onion rings to cook  a simple life i lead.

ANOTHER WEEKEND GONE

SATURDAY
Went to another farm food shop near to where we live its the nearest one to our static home and we have only just discovered it  we bought a liver and sausage casserole to try and some Yorkshire puddings we oven cooked them for tea absolutely gorgeous the gravy as good as a top restaurant we will be going back .

Went to Dobcross at Uppermill to the garden centre we was looking at  the Christmas decorations we need new lights for the outside of the van they had really nice icicles and orbs but today we was just looking we bought some purple and white  heather and some cabbage plants they come in white and purple we got two purple ones.
I wanted to call in to the pub but  i will wait until it is nearer to yuletide  and it is all lite up with Christmas  lights and decorations .

I got the Bosch leaf vac out and did both of the lawns and the outside on the road its quite back breaking work.

Helen took the photos below to put on a static caravan owners site on Facebook and had some really good comments and feed back .

SUNDAY

Went to Hebden Bridge it was not an ideal day weather wise but at least it was not raining . Helen bought three bars of hand made  soap from the Yorkshire soap company  .I bought a antique pair of silver plated sugar tongs from a flea market .

We went to the Red Kite a vintage inn the one we went to a few weeks ago we was told it be a hours wait for a table so we went for fish and chips to Compos at Holmfirth they are closing for two weeks for refurbishment .

Not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow start of another boring week i have a days training on Wednesday which means i have to be in Leeds for half past seven in the morning we should be finished for four which i will then go home it will break the week , it is also my my twin sister and my birthday next week on the 23rd.
I keep fancying a decent size Filofax with all the inserts and a new fountain pen .

Listening to - " Scouting For Girls ".

Watching  - Momentum

FROZEN COLD AND WARM JUMPERS

At long last i have finished creosoting the fence panels that run the width of our plot i even did what go on to our neigh boughs which live each side of us so when you look from our land it all is dark oak .

The painting of the out building has hit a hiccup Helen is not keen on the colour and we might be changing it to a pale green to match the colour of our static home .

I may also need to build a plinth for the dryer to raise it of the floor and to make loading and unloading easier lifting will also stop it from rusting should water gets under the door when we have a heavy down pour .
I also need to fit a worktop that i will take out of the office and fix it over the dryer i also need two buy and fix strip lights in each of the out buildings .

But for know i have drilled out the wall to take the vent pipe this was going with a concrete block wall i ended up drilling loads of smaller holes around the circumference from both sides of the wall 100mm diameter  hole that i wanted for the flexi pipe before knocking it through with a cold chisel i sealed the pipe in with a tube of no nails from inside and outside before i screwed the vent cover on the external wall job done the hole on the outer wall was a lot rounder than the inside one ,  the vent cover was drilled and screwed in to place and sealed now we can dry our clothes when the weather is wet bliss we can freeze our food and wear dry clothes it beats hanging clothes an the radiators  which will cause condensation.

Yesterday we went freezer food shopping we bought various meats 2  turkey crowns and a gammon joint  and three trays of lamb mince and two  lamb shanks and  leg of lamb and a full size chicken we also bought two bags chips one bag of french fries three bags of  mash potato and one bag of roasting potatoes along with two bags of various roasting veg adding  bags of garden peas and chopped onions diced peppers and sliced  mushroom we still need to get some sweet potato fries  and some  Peri Peri fries as well as roasting parsnips sweet corn  , and swede and carrot the freezer is already a  third full and is freezing as it should be.

The flora pattern roman blind came for the kitchen window it was easy enough to fit two brackets and it just clipped in to place .



Listening to - John Lennon " Double Fantasy"

Reading - The Girl In The Spiders Web

NO PAINT NO TIME NO MONEY

Spent most of my tax money rebate  but i don't care i am rent free and mortgage free and happy.
I need to save for Christmas so we have a great time need decent food not bothered about loads of presents i just want a nice spread a feast and i will be satisfied.
 i need to decide who i need to get gifts for Helen of course i have already bought her a purse and bag my Grandson i need to get for as well as my daughter and son .

Went for Sunday lunch i had liver pate for a starter and sausages and mash for main course .
When i got home i started to empty the two out buildings for the dryer and freezer i then started to paint the biggest wall of the out building it was not easy it was hard work .

MONDAY
Did some more painting i worked until i ran out of paint i will have to get some more , so i creosoted the back fence panel i did this until i ran out of time and had to go to work. So i downed brushes and  i showered change and head for the shit hole called work its ok once you are there its just the thought of going .

The chest freezer and dryer arrived whilst i was at work we was supposed to get a morning delivery slot it arrived in the evening fcuking typical great British service .

HEARTS

FRIDAY

When i woke this morning i made a coffee and put together the leaf vacuum /blower i bought the other day it was easy enough to set up i attached the large capacity leaf collection bag and the two piece  suction tube then plugged it in and was away sucking up leafs up,  of the path and decking it sorts of shreds and compacts the leaf matter and  you can suck up plenty of leafs before the bag needs emptying all in all it seems a very good buy and so far i am impressed with it.Not sure how good it is at sucking dog shite up no doubt will find out .

I bought a wooden picnic bench for the garden area of the van  it is decent thickness of timber and has bench seats both sides , i need to assemble it from it's flat pack state and paint all surfaces with decking oil this will protect it from the ever changing English weather .

SATURDAY
Vacuumed the garden took me a good twenty minutes to get 90% of the leafs up.
Went to Meadow hall they had loads of different hearts scattered throughout not sure why , they was quite colourful so  i photographed a few .

 I bought a t-shirt and two stripped  polo shirts from Fat Face and  black leather belt from Jack Jones .

Went to Pc World paid for a chest freezer and a dryer they are getting delivered Monday.

 When we got back home i put the table together with sixteen bolts and four screws it tok about half an hour , i then used deck oil to seal it i did the underside of the wood as well.

Went to Asda bought some pear cider and a lamb curry and rice for tea . Tomorrow i might paint the out building depending on the weather if i have time also gloss the windows

ALL SCREWED UP

Bought a Bosch 650 watt hammer drill it was only £45 and  it is good enough  for what i want the next drill up would have cost me £85 seeing i had saved money on the cheaper model i also bought a Bosch cordless drill with two batteries which i will use as a screw driver more than a drill .I also bought a large sized Stanley hacksaw and five extra blades ,  a narrow gauge cold chisel and a lump hammer  for when i cut a hole in the wall for the dryer outlet .

I bought two trays of wood screws each containing 1200 assorted screws of various lengths and gauge  , i also bought a Makita drill and bit set which contained 150 separate bits and assorted screw driver pieces and socket heads  , which hopefully should unscrew or fix most fastenings i am likely to come across .

I also decided whilst buying the tools  that i would spend some cash on  a Bosch 3000w  leaf vacuum/blower this looks a great piece of kit i hopefully will get to fire it up also on the weekend .

We need one to pick up  the hundreds of oak leaves that are now falling  daily from the three oak trees that are near us and drop their leafs that land on the grass  verges and paths around our van including on and under the decking .

I got some more various sized paint brushes and a tin of Cornish cream textured masonry paint to cover the external walls of the out building and a small tin of  white gloss paint for the two windows on the side elevation .
So all hands on deck and let the work commence well not till the weekend at least .

We have to dinner dates planned one hopefully this weekend with our friend Charlie and his girlfriend and the Sunday after with my twin sister and her husband Alan we will eat locally at either a inn or pub near to home .

FREEDOM

I am free i now pay no rent or do i pay any mortgage yes i still  have the utility bills to fork out every month , i have paid back  the money i owed to my sister (THANK YOU SIS) it  is all paid back to her in full , two months before i thought i would thanks to the cheque from the tax office .
so my wages are now more mine than ever before , and as a result i feel relaxed and chilled out in the knowledge that i am in this position and i do give  thanks for this.

Bought a cast iron griddle frying pan  for burgers and meat  and a cast iron casserole dish for winter stews and chili both heavy both in purple burgundy colour the best thing about this type of dish is  it will last forever.
Also got a new duvet set bottom fitted sheet and pillow cases in a flora design and a wooden salt and pepper grinder .

I also bought some Parisian coffee to try to see if i like it better than the usual Alta Rica that i have been using for the last two years which is excellent .

RAIN

MONDAY
It is torrential rain t is absolutely pouring down and it is cold not a great start to the week .
Still waiting for the cheque to clear in the bank , I need to pay my sister back and try and get some curtains for the van that are also thick enough to keep us even cosier than we are now.

My electric drill is broken the chuck is not working it was only a cheap drill and as had little use of course  i will need a new one the beauty about living in a van  is i don't need one with a hammer action as i have very little masonry or concrete to drill so  a rechargeable drill would be best no wires as long as i have two batteries it should be adequate , i would also like a jigsaw for cutting out the pelmets and a small hand router and a selection of cutters because they can do amazing things .

Now my wage is mine will around 3/4 of it will be i can spend a bit more money on items i desire rather than  need.
The last time i was so financially secure was when i was living with my parents and just paid board which is way back and longer than i care to think about.

TUESDAY
Went to supermarket bought rice and minced beef for a chilli also bought coffee cake mix and coffee flavoured  icing Helen is baking again .


Watching - "Fear The Walking Dead" and "Pay The Ghost"

Listening to - "Birdy"

Eating - Spicy pizza and pulled beef .

Waiting for - Cheque to clear

TFIF YET AGAIN IT SOON BE MONDAY

Always thank fcuk its Friday , three day week would suit me fine i love having long weekends even if its just pottering around the can picking leaves up drinking coffee going to garden centres and going in to the country side for walks it beats work .

We need to go shopping this morning as we have run out of washing up liquid milk and brown sugar and frozen chips disaster .I also need more chicken and a pizza and of course pear cider and if the coffee is on offer a jar or two of that.I also might get the ingredients so Helen can bake me a chocolate fudge cake.

Today it was the first morning that there was no morning mist and fog the sun was out and it felt as warm as a summers day .

I mentioned Christmas in my other post they are starting to get the Christmas items in the shops , they have some really nice decorations and table runners that will look great in our van might also get some coloured out door lights for the trees in our garden .
This will be our first Christmas in this home and i hope it will be filled with love peace and great food  like turkey and all the trimmings

SATURDAY
Went to Tong garden centre bought two wooden planters to fix to the decking both was reduced in price so we got quite a bargain ,  i will stain and fix them both this Sunday depending on the weather .
They also had some Easter island heads that was also planters.

SUNDAY
Had enough decking oil to stain both the wooden planters it did not take long to stain them both it was warm and pleasant i fixed them to our decking using wood screws .Helen will plant them up with various bulbs and alpines bulbs .
Little black cat went out today for the very first time she was out doors she disappeared from the safety of our van and went walk about .of course we was anxious George was out too hopefully giving her a guided tour of the neighbourhood where to catch mice and where to go when it rains and what gardens to avoid who owners have dogs , she returned home safely she also went out later in the day and returned safely , which is a great relief

BANKED

TUESDAY
I spoke with the tax office my claim as been processed and a cheque is being sent to my bank i should have it in my account in the next fourteen days . I will have enough money to pay my sister back which means my wage will be mostly for me which is what we always wanted this should make life so much easier .

THURSDAY
The cheque from the tax office is in my bank but it will still takes three working days to clear so by next Wednesday i should be in a position to  pay my sister the money i owe her back in full which will two months early which is a great blessing and a great weight lifted from my shoulders .

We should have a great Christmas it might even be the best one yet , we are home owners have no rent or mortgage it will be a great start for 2016 .

Watching the following tv series "Minority Report" , "Limitless" and "Blind spot".