DONT JUDGE

 FRIDAY - It's my last day off another chilled out day , Helen was working I watched the new film bio of Bob Dylan "A Complete Unknown " I thought it would have been better than it was is was ok but was  glad I didn't waste money watching it at the cinema .It was good in parts and boring in other parts .Timothee Chalamet was good at portraying Bob Dylan who approved of  the film so who am I  to judge .

I cant believe January is almost over this year is already flying by not seen or heard anything from my son hope all is good for him , but I doubt it knowing the life he is living but who am I to judge .

CHILL OUT DAYS

 SATURDAY - Took the dogs out it was very cold with a heavy ground frost back home I cooked a full English breakfast  Firing up my laptop I ordered a new iPhone case and six pairs of black boxers from the  Amazon website  . Helen worked most of the day intermittently .I t was her mothers birthday we decided to get her a voucher for the Wetherby Whaler fish restaurant , there is one located in  York that they have frequently visited so much better than flowers .We decided to have our tea/supper there  tried their in house Chinese curry sauce it was ok have had better the fish and chips as always spot on .

Went to Asda bought a blue coloured Little Joe air freshener and some car plan demo foam for the pressure washer  and some Original Source mango shower gel for me also for me along four  triple chocolate muffins and a carton single cream , 

SUNDAY - Drove over to York Acaster Malbis to see Helen's parents I had taken his Tom Tom sat nav  and updated it his maps option  were out of date our address was not showing up ,  they were built in 2019  hopefully a lot of other routes where added to his device  .We also took her mother birthday present a gift card for Wetherby Whaler fish restaurant or take away  , there is one near to where they live.

Her cousin Sharon was there and her son Adam we all had a cooked  dinner together and the rest of the afternoon was spent looking at old photos and chatting about the past .

MONDAY - The week off work drove over to my daughters house in Kippax it is her birthday , we dropped a birthday card off and a gift voucher for various restaurant outlets  .First time we have seen her since Christmas .

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY - Chill out days did nothing much still better than being in work nice being home without the need to get ready and go to work .

THURSDAY - Went to Hd7 for our haircutting by Sophie as always a top experience and haircut Helen had her colour re -done looking very blonde .

NEW PEN

 WEDNESDAY - Helen gifted me her Majohn extra fine retractable fountain pen she got the fine one delivered yesterday , a few years ago I use to do all my audits at work using Lamy fountain pen .Could say it was a belated Christmas gift.

Looking forward to Friday a whole nine days off which will suit me this means in January I will have only worked a total of  two weeks which is  a great start to the year .

Going to watch the American Primeval season one already watched the first episode there are only six to view .Last gull series I watched in full was "The Day Of The Jackal" . I have been told to watch "Black Dove" maybe that will be next on the list .

Finally took the Christmas lights that we had along the roof line I also cleaned the cctv camera lens  and clipped the plastic guttering back in place and removed some of the debris from the gutter .

FISHY FINGERS

 SUNDAY - Took the dogs out Bentley and George both came out was listening to Mel Gibson on the Joe Rogan podcast a very intellectual man Mel certainly likes his history and religion he was one of the unlucky people to have lost his house and home in the L.A fires that rage on , cant believe they are still burning , what a utter shit fest.

Went to Helens son's house he bought just before Christmas with his girlfriend Mel its in Driglington and is three bedrooms two bathrooms and utility room with garage I really liked it the rooms are average size but its a great location and is a new build .We went with his Christmas present a White Company hamper of creams and potions .

Got home cooked and made fish finger sarnies with baked beans in tiger bread bliss .

DONT FADE AWAY

 MONDAY - Back at work never great going back after nine days off I have another nine days off at the end of the month .At least all the snow as gone .We might now get the waste bins empty we are allowed to put out two extra bags out because they missed the collection last Thursday because of the snow .

Spoke with my daughter she is going to Manchester at the weekend to get another tattoo she is booked in for five hours and it is being done freehand incorporating roses and dragons have not seen a drawing so will have to wait when the tattoo is finished .

FRIDAY - Took the dogs out a lot better without the snow very little wind seemed more like spring .

SATURDAY - Went to Pc World to get another Epson Eco tank printer £208 its similar to the one we have but a later model it came with four ink bottles which will last ages got home set up to the pc and my phone Helens phone a Samsung S23 was a nightmare but downloaded a plug in for the phone and it seemed to work .

My Daughter had her tattoo done in Manchester at Five Knives she needs to go back for some more shading adding , she was getting inked for four hours no pain no again so they say , she had some dragons tattooed  because I also have numerous dragon tattoo's which is a very  nice gesture ,I hope her tats fade long before I do .

ONCE IS TOO MUCH

 THURSDAY - Highlight of today was cooking Ikea meatballs with fires peas and Ikea gravy I also baked some baguettes I had a pear cider to go with my meal Helen had a cup of tea .

The snow is still on the street and in the gardens but the roads are not that bad the gritters have been out and no further snow as fallen in the last couple of days .The bin men never emptied the bins from outside our homes not sure when they will come I thought when they gritted the roads it was so the bin wagon could manoeuvre up and down the street did not happen .

FRIDAY - L.A wild fires are out of control what a nightmare the amount of houses destroyed and people that have lost everything is unbelievable whether your insured does not compensate for the possessions and personnel  items you have lost that can never be replaced , plus the loss of pets think of all the fish tanks that had to be left behind all the caged animals its total devastation . Hopefully lessons are learnt  and this sort of heart ache and pain never happen again , once is one time too many .

I also noticed that many cars were burnt out some insurance companies will already be looking at get out clauses we all know they hate paying out this is going to cost .Hopefully the pay-outs and the re-build is swift .

BLACK TO WHITE .

 TUESDAY - its the second morning I have not took the dogs out because of the winter wonderland that is our village .

Later in the morning  I had no choice but to clear the snow from the car and off the drive so I could get the car out .Our street is always worse once out of the cul-de-sac and the main roads have usually been gritted through the night early morning once  gritted its a lot  safer even though our main road is a 12% hill driving down to the centre of town and up going back home , you still have to take it easy as there is still pockets of snow and two cars cant always pass but I made it to my local supermarket .

We needed both dog and cat food , as well as eggs , bacon , bread , milk and toilet rolls  the road driving down was ok the car park on the other hand was a nightmare mostly solid ice very dodgy .I made it home .I cooked us a turkey roast dinner the turkey took over four hours to cook I did home made Yorkshire puddings and all the trimmings it was like Christmas day all over again , a late white Christmas ..

The snow started again came down quite fast , it soon covered my black car which was white again in no time  . I am so glad I am not going to work . There is loads of Turkey just off the legs for the cats and dogs .I basted it every hours it was not dry we all enjoyed it I slightly burnt the sprouts in the frying pan a moments loss of concentration was all it took .

NO WORK

 MONDAY - No work phoned in sick have the dreaded Norovirus is it any wonder working were I work. Its snowed again during the night some snow slides down the roof both front and back the snow fall took the back garden light out that was fixed on to the wall .I turned the power off and cut the wires then taped them up and put a plastic bag over and taped that should keep it dry until I can get it re-fixed in to  position . 

                             

CHEAP BUT HIGH MAINTENANCE

 FRIDAY - Nearly the first weekend of the new year and it looks like we are getting snow it might be over a couple of days hopefully I can get a day off work a  unexpected day off out of the blue is always enjoyable and welcomed .

Discovered a few  new bands already this year  thanks to Spotify "Cigarettes After Sex" ," The Reverse Engineers" and "Death Cab For Cutie" .I want to get a decent music player a Ibasso will do nicely and upgrade my iem's a good few step ups from what I have now and some higher quality Bluetooth adapters .

Nearly first weekend of the year its predicting snow we need to put the Christmas tree out for collection .

SATURDAY - Very cold did not stay out too long walking the dogs hopefully it gets warmer think its a chill out day will cook a mince cobbler with carrot swede and peas .I might get some of my Shari Lapena novel read not stuck with it like the other books she published .Noticed one of my neighbours  as bought a second hand  Porsche 911 class  he said not that expensive to buy quite cheap he said  already he is putting new tyres on sure sure guessing be £150 a tyre the joys of motoring .

DAY ONE DONE

 WEDNESDAY - It's a new year if you are reading this then be grateful whatever issues we have faced whatever losses , hardships toils and turmoil's we made through , we survived and we are here .

I hope the war in Ukraine ends and the fighting and killing stop as well as the massacre genocide  being performed by Israel also ends . I hope China behaves itself and stands down from any conflict .If we stopped producing weapons and bombs aircraft carriers that cost billions and fighter jets that cost millions everyone the citizens of the world could  have free gas , electric , food and all of life essentials pay very little or no tax , get free health care and bigger pensions and a general better life , it's the war machine that keeps everyone poorer .

Anyways we made it the big question do we change adapt rethink and do new things new and challenges  not sure what changes I can make hopefully be a nicer and happier person than I was in 2024 if that is possible I was pretty ok in 2024 but there is always room for improvement .

I want a warmer sunnier  longer summer this year to sit in the garden and have barbeques .

Cooked us a chicken roast dinner with all the trimmings before setting off to work roll-on Easter .

Looks like we may be getting some snow hopefully we don't get snowed in and I cant go to work .