LET THE GAMES BEGIN

 TUESDAY - We had the newel posts and th e handrail painted black while we had the painter in which was a long time friend of Helen's Sharon we went out to Curry's to buy a new condenser dryer .We choose a 10 kg drum with delivery installation and taking the old appliance away it was £350 and it comes next week on Tuesday .

I mentioned a few days ago  to Helen that two Tomb Raider games are coming out one this year one the next plus there is new resident evil and Gta and that I would need a Ps5 console so whilst in Curry's I bought one and an extra controller I shouldn't have it was  a big expense that I was not planning on well not yet but new year looming worked all three bank holidays so what the heck  to put me on I bought Harry Potter game "Hogwarts Legacy" and "Ghost of Yotei " both bought from Amazon getting delivered tomorrow let the games begin. Its been awhile since I owned a Playstation I know the controller's are totally different and the graphics beyond compare to my Xbox 1 so it will be a totally new experience it can be my new hobby was even considering getting a monitor rather than plugging into the tv .

My Daughter and her husband and kids are all in Thailand they stopped of at Singapore airport for six hours before getting a flight to Thailand nearly thirty hours of travel I aske her if it was worth it she sent me these photos , Silly question really .

MORE TECH

 SATURDAY - Joined Kindle unlimited I cancelled my Netflix subscription have not really been watching anything on there it is paid up until the end of January 2026 .So joining Kindle Unlimited which will enables me to download both versions the written  book to read as well as the audible version so I can both read and listen when needed .I also ordered a Fire tablet  10 so I can read magazines I prefer this to buying just a Kindle E-reader I also ordered a black case I will use it for prime video as well so I will get my moneys worth it will also come in handy when Helen is doing readings and I'am sat in the car for three to four hours it can be a belated Christmas present to myself .

SUNDAY - It is Helen's birthday today bought her a sweat shirt hoodie from Joe Browns in Pink .

The fire tablet got delivered along with a cover got it set up need to side download Google play store will do that tonight .We are going to York to see Helen's parents on the way they asked if we wanted to go to the ship Inn for dinner we said yes if they are tables free we would love to .Had steak and ale pie it was filled with meat the red cabbage was out of this world I had it with chips and Yorkshire pudding Helen had the roast pork dinner so did her mother her dad had the turkey dinner all with veg and gravy none of us had deserts we were way too full her Dad picked up the bill .

MONDAY - Bought a 128 gb micro sdxc card for the tablet and a pair of Kzs10 pro iems and a set of KZ A209 Bluetooth ear hooks to use them with out the wires .These are the three ear phones I have bought the first Anker open ear ear pods not good for Helens ears the second Jlab sports total waste of money to hard to control so she tried mine and they were by far the best hence the buy .

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2025

 TUESDAY - The day before Christmas eve .Went to The farm shop before taking the dogs out picked up a turkey crown , a leg of pork and a joint of gammon as well as pigs in blankets and a giant pork pie £103 there is just the two of us .I went at the right time before I left they was queuing out of the door and the car park was full 

We went over  to Slaithwaite to get our haircut Helen had hers coloured £65 for the both of us very reasonable .The car park at Aldi were we usually park was full there were cars waiting so I packed on a street nearby .

Morrisons for more food and nibbles for the few days over Christmas some party food for Helens birthday couple of days after xmas as well as another bottle of Baileys £166 , and then there was another £54 on four packets of cigarettes it is what it is thankful its only once a year .I was going to get another bottle of Gentleman Jack but there was none left .

CHRISTMAS DAY - Finished work at 02.00 a.m. got home Helen had put the turkey crown into the oven on a low heat setting . I did the mixture for the Yorkshire puddings before going to bed .

Was up took the dogs out went to pick Helens son  up Ste he was having dinner with us returning home did the veg and stuffing sprout and roasted parsnips and carrots as well as mash and roast potatoes .It was a pity I had to go to work ..

WRAPPING UP

 SUNDAY - Did some Christmas wrapping up and writing  and hand delivering  some Christmas  cards to our closet neighbour's , I think they wait to see before sending one back .My wrapping is not the greatest but I do a neatest gift wrap depending on the shape and size . Christmas over the years as lost some of it's magic the main thing I look forward to is Christmas dinner  it that is cooked right and everything is there then I am quite happy the way I see it lots of people wont even have the luxury of eating a hot meal so all those out there moaning Santa never got them what they asked for fuck off stop whining and be happy with your lot .

Went to my daughters house in Kippax , the weather was foggy and raining on the way .They all fly out to Thailand the day after boxing day .She did a buffet and  cooked up some finger food mini chicken Kiev's ,mozzarella cheese  sticks , fries , pigs in blankets   and a couple of  pizzas it was very filling had a cherry Kopparberg cider and a coffee . 

A MAN CALLED JACK

 FRIDAY - Drove over to Meadow Hall shopping complex to get a few things for Christmas .Bought myself a new T-shirt from Joe Brown's and Helen a hoodie they had a pre Christmas sale on so did a lot of other stores and outlets ,it didn't seem overlay busy guess it would get worse once the kids left school .

Bought a bottle of YSL Libre Intense for Helen it is her birthday the day after boxing day for her main Christmas present we headed for the Apple store and got her a rose gold Apple watch 11 , I have also ordered her a Kindle colour it will get delivered Sunday. 

SATURDAY - Lounged about did nothing much Helen is going tech mad she is now looking at a Canon Selphy portable printer to use for her journaling, diary etc. I ordered her some Anker Soundcore ear pods with hooks so she can listen to her audible books whilst in bed they should be good enough. In the evening Helen went to Sister Circle  in Slaithwaite when I picked her up we went to Morrisons bought gift cards for Next , M&S , X-box Waterstones  and  Just Eat presents sorted , I bought myself a bottle of Gentleman Jack it is chilling in the fridge .I sampled it later in the evening it was very smooth it tasted better than I thought if you like it you like it .I usually buy a bottle of Bullet bourbon from M&S but Gentleman Jack was on offer , hence the buy to try .

BREKKIE

 TUESDAY - Went to Zorros for breakfast Helen had the regular I had the big one you got an extra sausage , hash brown , egg and bacon .I also had a large glass of fresh orange juice a cappuccino and Helen had a pot of tea .The bill was over £45 which is average for breakfast in and around where we live unless you do take away .It was very filling I didn't eat anything else for the rest of the day .

After breakfast I went to All Sport and bought a pair of all blacky Adidas trainers and a pair of blue with red stripes £65 for both they were in the sale I have worn these same trainers in different shades for the last ten years .

ANOTHER SOVEREIGN

 SATURDAY - Helen was supposed to go to Sister Circle. She cancelled so we both could go over to my sisters house ,for a family get together .All was there my sisters , my daughters family and my nephews .

Mark also  brought his dog with him , it is a Cockapoo called Mojo we have not meet him before , He was very well behaved so was the dog .

Nobody out stayed their welcome I think we was the last ones to leave it was only ten o clock not burning the midnight oil , on the way to the motorway I cut a police car up they didn't seem phased so all was good not that I was over the limit I don't drink and drive ever so I was not worried about being breathalysed I would have passed easily .

SUNDAY - Headed to Halifax once again we always seem to be getting party bookings for readings in Halifax Helen had five to do  I waited outside in the car on my phone entertaining myself until she had finished .After she got out heading home se booked a table for the Sovereign at Shepley  .Helen had the chicken liver pate to start , I had tomato and red pepper soup which was spicy and hot but very nice could have done with some cheese on top and some parsley .For mains we both had haddock and chips with b&b , I had cheese cake for desert not the best ever cheese cake it was ok .

MONDAY - The doors that  we got fitted last week all needed the screws changing over from brass to black . I  did the seven doors after I had a coffee its raining yet again so no walking the dogs this morning .

WATCHING - Welcome To Derry.

LISTENING TO - Band Of Horses .

READING - Sophie Kinsella book and P.Diddy Allegations Exposed 

BEDDED DOWN

 - THURSDAY - The Ottoman came in the afternoon four men came to assemble it this time the headboard made it up the stairs they had it up and working in under an hour the bed can be manually raised if the electric supply is cut to the bed it is great having storage space under the bed we should have got one years ago. Ikea sell them why we never got one is beyond me .I think the bed might be slightly higher than the old Monki can still jump on to the bed which is good so used to her sleeping with us be strange if she wasn't there doubt I would have a good nights sleep .

FRIDAY - Slept ok on the new bed the mattress has not be replaced so sleeping should be no different after sleeping on the floor for the las few weeks it was nice to sit on the edge of the bed getting in and out so much easier .After putting everything inside the bed frame we still have plenty of space left for other items .

SATURDAY - Washed the car with the pressure was using a snow storm foam the car went from black to white and it did look like it had been  snowing first time it has been washed for ages got the alloys cleaner and the wheel arches blasted and the bottom of the doors  amazing how much shit you pick up travelling .

Bought five black wrought iron coat hooks for the doors to match the other iron work two on our bedroom door , two on the bath room and one on the office door 

READY FOR BED

 TUESDAY - Door fitters arrived the doors look good they have a few swinging by dinner time had to go out to Screwfix and get some better screws than what cam e with the hinges I got online .Tomorrow I will have to cut the doors in half to fit them in the car so I can dump them  at the tip .

WEDNESDAY - Cut the doors in half got them all in the car and went to the tip first trip of two second trip was domestic waste and cardboard and other packaging shit polystyrene is the worst thing ever nightmare anyway its done .

The door fitter came back to put the latch plates on to the door frames only took him an hour and half all done .My daughter knows him he made her a bar for her cellar in her previous house and is good friends with his wife .

THURSDAY - We have had confirmation that the bed will be delivered tomorrow afternoon fingers crossed the head board goes up the stairs the bedroom is cleared we have took out everything we can .

LIGHT WORK

 SATURDAY - Put up the exterior Christmas tree lights down the fence up the wall along the guttering up round the gable end then back round again using the same plastic stick on gutter clips we have used the last three years they still holding up .Was very cautious and nervous working off the step ladder it was a lot bigger then the one I fell off my heart beat increased but all went well no incidents was glad when it was up was even more glad when we plugged them in and the lights came on .

The doors are getting fitted and hung this coming Tuesday and the bed is coming Thursday the sofa in the new year fingers crossed .

Took Helen to Bramley to do five readings after we called in at her cousins Sharon had a alcohol free lager.

SUNDAY - Hung a couple of prints in our bedroom put the HOME wooden letters on the wall and did a couple of doors on Helens unit in her office .In the afternoon we went to Ikea bought another unit some sheepskin rugs imitation not the real thing bought a table runner , four wicker woven baskets and a few other bits totalling a price of £181. Received more black gutter clips I ordered of Amazon yesterday .

TREES AND LIGHTS

 WEDNESDAY - The Christmas tree went up yesterday its a seven foot pre light tree think this is the last artificial tree we will buy hopefully we will continue to use in the coming Christmases.

THURSDAY - The second light fitting went up in the living room same as last time but without the ceiling hook  turned the power off same as the last time the glass was had to fit why they don't give it m ore clearance is beyond me but like the last time also it eventually went in to place .

FRIDAY - Painted our bedroom wall that's all the jobs done for now .Things just need putting back the things we put on to different areas and general cleaning and vacuuming the dust and mess up and of course going to the tip again .

SATURDAY - Put the outside Christmas tree lights up standing on the top platform of the step ladders was freaking me out just in case no more falls no more broken ribs all was good mission accomplished 

MORE WORK

 SATURDAY - Went to the tip with some broken pallets some cardboard and a couple of black bin liners full of rubbish.

Went to Ikea bought a peg board and some Kallas cube units drawers and doors we ended up putting them in Helens office .

Went to Next also in Sheffield to exchange a light fitting that Helen bought online .

Took Helen to Golcar she had some readings to do I went home and fell asleep on the sofa I had to go out and pick her up just after eleven p.m

SUNDAY - Bought a small one litre pot of paint need to cover up some patches of wall where shelve brackets were fixed .Helen bought a large full length pebble mirror for the bed room .

Went to the Sovereign Inn at Shepley for Sunday dinner had the trio of meat Helen had the turkey we both had chicken liver pate to start and I had a baked apple cinnamon flan type pie with ice cream with a pot of tea and a pint of cider it was £75 a good end to the week when I got home I finished installing the drawers for the top unit in Helens office .

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