SUN SEA AND FISH AND CHIPS

SUNDAY
We finally made it to costa del Scarborough , we went via Fridaythorpe and Sledmere which cut a lot of the A64 motorway out it was more scenic and not as busy although it was  slightly longer .

We parked up on Marine drive it was sunny with a nice sea breeze it cost £6.00 for 24 hour parking which was more than fair we walked in to the south beach past the lighthouse and piers .

Although it was cloudy mid morning it was still sunny and warm the breeze blowing in from the sea made walking pleasurable . As a Child we use to park on Marine drive nearly every Sunday and walk to the beaches at both end of Marine drive .

My sister Anne and her husband Alan was in Scarborough  they had come on his Bmw motorbike we meet up outside the lifeboat station and went for lunch of course we had fish and chips .
We walked into the town bit past King Arthur's tattoo shop I had a skull and cross bones done there years ago .
Went on the trolley tram to take us up from the spa back to the top so we could walk across spa bridge also referred to the suicide bridge too many people have jumped to their deaths .

These trams have operated from 1881 an amazing 136 years I would love to go back in time and take a ride in that era be amazing .

TWO NEW HIPS

Been up since before 4 am can't sleep wondering what to do with the car and does it really need a new axle , it needs new tyres and they be good for around three months then I should be ok driving it at least it will be legal until I can fixed next month but won't know for sure until this coming Monday .
At least I don't have to worry about work next week I have next week on leave the I do go back I am working six two for the first two weeks which will boost my wages I need more of these shifts , seeing that they are paid at night rate for the whole of the shift it is a lot better than working nights which there is currently a vacancy on nights .

Life sometimes id difficult and needs putting in perspective if it is the rear axle then I need to buy one of eBay , then  pay or get someone to fit it for me cheaper than £1250 which I reckon is very achievable. I can do this with my next pay cheque or the following one it is hard juggling money some months , not having a mortgage or massive rent to pay each month helps .

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FRIDAY
Had two new rear tyres fitted at a cost of £70 they are part worn put with thicker treads hopefully they will last a few months , I also had them confirm that the axle and torque bar is bent and that I have the option but to fit  new rear axle I have been quoted around £350 it takes four to five hours of labour to take the old one out and fit the new one , be like having two new hips fitted , as for my new hip so far so good .
Helen had a party to do in Heckmondwike for five people I dropped her off went home and watched tv until it was time to pick her up again just before midnight .

BENT OR NOT

From getting up it has rained all day it as not relented one little bit even the cats are feed up they have been house bound all day .
We went out late afternoon we visited Pc world to look at the tech just to get out they had some great 55' Samsung tv's the iPad Pro looks good too cheaper than a new Mac book .

Bought a spring assisted knife of the Internet it is only  a three inch long  blade , and I bought it because I wanted the nearest thing to a flick knife switchblade that I could legally buy in the U.K and not because I am some sort of knife fiend thug  , I can and could buy a lot sharper and more lethal butcher knife or skinner knife  at any kitchen ware shop including meat cleavers.

Bought four bottles of Jack Daniels cider for £6 from Asda I like the taste it is different you can taste the bourbon flavour as well as recognizing  that it's a cider .

Car trouble yet again the back tyres are wearing down yet again we only had new ones fitted in March this year I took the car into Kwik Fit for an inspection and  they said that my back axle is bent they can order one from Italy and fit it for a whopping £1250 plus the cost of two new tyres another £100 , I have booked the car into a proper garage to see what the issue is , I can't see how  I have bent the axle .

I am phoning my car finance up to see if I can have more money to swap the car and I will part ex it and get another motor if not I will look at repairing it but not at Kwik fit .

NO WORK TODAY

SUNDAY
Went to Pizza Express for a mid afternoon feast in the Trinity centre  at Wakefield .We had £50 worth of food and it cost us nothing I had a voucher for thirty pound from my Daughter as a gift on fathers day and 40% voucher from Vouchercloud .The posh pizzas and polenta chips went down with a bottle of coke and a portion of tiramisu it was very nice I usually have kebab meat on my pizza it was a nice change .
Have some Jack Daniel's cider  in the fridge , it is for the time being only available in the U.K and is nice it might not replace my taste for pear cider but its a refreshing change .

MONDAY
First day off went to Marks and Sparks bought some breaded cod and frozen chips for tea , Helen had a reading .

TUESDAY
Raining again drove over to Meadow Hall at Sheffield I bought some cargo shorts from USC and a NY baseball cap in a similar washed out grey the cap was dearer than the shorts how do you work that out obviously there is more material in the shorts specially with my waistline but no ones head is as big as their waist .
Also bought some toiletries shower gel was on offer so I got two , hair gel , shaving gel and deodorant , I also bought  ten pairs of socks in black and another four  more t-shirts two in a dark navy blue and two in a olive green , and just to put the final damper  on summer I bought a pair of shades .

In the evening we went to a local Inn the Kaye Arms I had the braised lamb with mash potatoes and red cabbage  with excellent tasting gravy obviously with a pint of cider  and Helen had the beer battered fish with hand cooked chips it was excellent food which matched the  service we have eaten there before and will  be going  back .

TWO PUBS

Have been watching Glastonbury George Ezra and Lorde where both great the crowd immense it is live on the BBC , but you can use Iplayer and catch up o n most of the bands and artist playing .I want to see Liam Gallagher and the Kaiser Chiefs set.

We went over to Dob Cross at Saddleworth went to the baker's the have change the steak and onion pies the are more flatter and larger nice is not the word , carrot cake exceptionally tasty all for a couple of quid .
We drove back over the moor and went to the Fleece at  Holme sat out front and had a pint of Thatchers cider Helen her usual half lager and lime , to be honest it was cold we ended up going back inside .

Arriving back to the van late after noon I watered all the plants , hanging baskets and bags .
early evening we went to the Reindeer pub at Overton a few miles away with our good friends Sharon and Ken . Helen for a change had the scampi I had the chicken curry with triple cooked chips to be honest the food is 100% home cooked and is excellent Gordon Ramsey would eat there .
Country pubs there is nothing like them , they are welcoming friendly the food usually fresh and well cooked and fairly priced and sadly not very full of people .

Well I have two weeks leave plus I get paid Monday night think we are going to the coast Tuesday with my twin sister Anne .

ROLL ON FRIDAY

TUESDAY - Back to my normal shift pattern of two - ten finishing at ten will be like the middle of the afternoon rest of the week should fly by , which means two weeks leave and pay day will arrive more quickly.

I was in the supermarket this morning at half past two buying salmon and tuna the tinned kind they are both nice in a freshly baked wholemeal loaf with mayonnaise and black pepper specially when it is hot .
I also bought tinned chili and baking potatoes .

For Fathers day my lovely Daughter bought me a gift card for Pizza Express a great gift  we might go to one of their restaurants this weekend maybe on Sunday for an afternoon tea .

It is Thursday already I break up Friday for a fortnight and it is payday Tuesday I can't wait for both I have enough petrol to get me to work today and tomorrow with a few miles left over .Helen has done very little work her phone readings have stopped and one to one readings have dried up it's been a hard month.
The cats and dog are on the cheaper tins of meat and are not happy we are making do with jacket potatoes  , tuna , pasta  , and the pork , sausages and bacon and eggs that we have in the fridge we won't starve I have plenty of coffee and milk , we might go to Pizza Express on Sunday at Trinity .

HOTTER THAN HOT

Went to my Nephews house at Newley Lane for a bbq the food was excellent caught up with my two sisters which was nice .Hopefully we are going to Scarborough next week one day after Monday it as been a while since I have been .We practical spent most Sundays in Scarborough when we was growing up and for us is a magical place , love the harbour light house and piers love the fish and chips and the ice cream it always taste better when you can smell the sea air .

Today is red hot will be slightly cool when I start at six which is a good thing even the cats are off their food and are lying in bushes in the shade Bentley finally got it sussed  .

We have every available window open in the van there is a gentle breeze blowing through outside it is burning , red hot we need to be on a beach in the sea eating local caught seafood drinking ice cold drinks and ices .

TRIPPING

Well finished my week doing the six - two shift it went ok it is a little bit more tiring and loosing out on sleep and it is weird getting up around ten in the morning it seems like the day as gone but not starting until six makes up for it .
I am doing six - two again for Monday only , and then  on Friday I break up for two weeks .

SATURDAY
It is hot sunny got to be the hottest day yet , I always get the urge to be near water when the days are like this .

Helen took the plants out of the glass orb and bought some aquarium gravel and  a fake plastic tree and two small goldfish they reside on the worktop in the corner of the kitchen out of direct sunlight .

Went over to my sister's house chilled in the garden her husband Alan bought a Bmw motorbike he gets it delivered next week he has traded in two other motor bikes both Yamaha Bandits the rest he put on his credit card 0% for three years balance transfer.

Whilst we was there my daughter asked if we were busy , she asked us to baby sit her regular sitter let her down we drove over the little one was already in bed we ordered a Chinese take away special meat fried rice curry sauce chips and sweet and sour chicken balls was better then the last one we had .

SUNDAY
Happy Fathers Dad , I got a lovely card from my Daughter and a voucher for Pizza Express , wicked gift we are always up for food and do like a proper cooked Italian pie .
Break up next Friday one more shift tomorrow six - two then back to my regular hours of two - ten what a shitter break up Friday for two weeks , will be day tripping to the coast .

DEATH TRAP

Cant believe how bad the fire in Grenfell tower block London the videos and photographs are very harrowing I can only imagine what was going through the minds of the residents that were trapped inside , with nowhere to go.  It was a sad , sad day there is going to be loads of questions that need answering , as  the conspiracy theories are already being discussed . May the death toll remain low but with no sprinkler system fitted and inadequate escape routes it is not good the plastic cladding fixed on the outside when it was refurbished it  was a death trap it was no better than a giant candle .

I would like to work the six two shift I am currently doing permanently it is a great shift makes my day more enjoyable I have more time through the day setting off at 17.00 each day is good specially when the weather is sunny .Yesterday I spent three hours on the sun lounger doing nothing but getting hot I was cat napping and was totally relaxed .
Emptied the chest freezer and defrosted I was amazed by how much water was at the bottom once it had defrosted , I dried it out it's a pity that  I can't put anything in until I get paid , at least it will be full of new food .

TWO TO FINISH

Finishing at two in the morning is good , the last couple of hours drag a bit but on the hold I reckon working six pm until two am is good for me .The drive home is quite hardly anything on the road going it is a bit more hectic as I Hit rush hour traffic when I come of the motorway , but parking is easy I am more or less guaranteed a place to park .
Another big plus is there are no bosses as  they are all heading home an hour before I start saying that they tend to leave you alone any way.

The other day I was able to cut the grass and clean the fishes out and still had time to chill out before work , today I spent four hours laid out on the sun lounger dropping in and out of cat naps which suited me catching up on sleep .It was a little bit too warm even in the shade will do something similar tomorrow .
The rest of the week should all be down hill then I have Monday to do then normal hours then off for two weeks the two weeks back six two then who knows .Fingers crossed I get more  really up for it.

Bentley in a box 

ENOUGH

Had enough of work this week I have not stopped I carry a bleep and radio and I can be reached by phone there is always someone wanting something I am really glad its Friday , and I don't have to be back at work until six o clock Monday night which suits me fine , although I know it will fly by and begone in a blink of an eye.

Two weeks more at work and then  a whole two weeks off which I am more than ready even though I had seven months off sick leave after my operation my hip is doing fine no pain or any discomfort  ,Two weeks off will be a godsend really  hoping  it is sunny we need to have a barbecue to sit out in the garden  to relax on the sun loungers that I bought with my head phones on and plenty of cider on hand .

SATURDAY
Lazy day even got up late we chilled all day until five in the early evening went over to my daughters house Helen was getting her hair cut and coloured and Was getting mine cut .She bought us a Chines for our tea had curried duck and fried rice the duck could have been cooked a tad longer but it was nice sauce and it was overkill on the onions but it went down.

SUNDAY
Went visiting we went to Helen's sons house stayed as long as it was classed as a visit , after we went on to her parents last of all to see my Nephew Mark .

DEAD FLAT

Took Helen to the doctors surgery to pick up some Iron medicine that they ordered for her yesterday .
When she came out I started the car it was totally dead not a flicker beep or light it was completely dead .
I called the AA I am a member they came out I tracked them on the AA app they was with me in just over a hour it was windy and wet it had been raining all morning they checked the battery it was totally useless it was a brick the AA engineer said he carries new batteries did I want one fitting the cost £106 I told him I was skint , he said I had fourteen days to pay they fitted me a new battery , what happens in fourteen days when they want paying I don't know , the car is useless without a battery I can't get to work , I can't catch the bus and I can't walk without a car I am up the creek without a paddle I had little choice but agree to the new battery being fitted , I got to work fifteen minutes late .

THURSDAY
Going to the polling stations in the current climate if you want change it would be silly wasting a vote by not using my voting right I can't man about any outcome , England needs new policies and needs to move with the what is happening in the world and the events that are happening week in week out .

There was a chance I was not going to be working my late shift next week and the coming weeks ,  I have had confirmation that I can , it is rarely that I get any chance for over time and the next two months I should be getting a some what decent wage , and who knows I might get more weekly shifts of 18.00 - 02.00 to do , two weeks a month would be good.

TOO MUCH

SUNDAY
Watched the "One Love Concert Manchester" of course  it was very moving  and obviously we can't have a concert every time there is a terrorist attack but one thing it does prove is this they are more decent people living in the world than haters which is very nice to know .

MONDAY
Have been given another two weeks plus one day working 18.00 - 02.00 which really suits me plus its a wad of extra cash which is a nice feeling , I am thinking my manager who is on holiday and is back Thursday will block it be totally pissed if he does.

Watched some of Apple's wwdc and it seems to me Apple products are getting dearer than ever they are no longer aiming at the average user they are selling to professional people and companies apart from the iPad and the bottom end air book I am priced out of the market £5000 for a Mac with the power graphics and storage would be a waste of time be like owning a Ferrari on the Island of Jersey with it's 360 miles of road and a top speed limit of 40 mph .
All I need Apple is a Mac book similar to what I have now that allows me to use the Internet save photos and music blog , Instagram and watch You Tube .Your new iMac is too much for me and my needs .
The new speaker dubbed Home Pod maybe but the price is the cost of three Amazon Echo's I would have to hear one before buying .

IN YORK

SATURDAY

Totally out of the blue we went out with the couple over the road Sharon and Ken in his Land Rover Discovery which is an excellent way to travel .We went over  to Thorpe Arch  near Wetherby we looked around the Decorporium second hand shop can't really class it as selling antiques but some of the stuff was well old . We  had a hot roast beef sandwich with onions and gravy at the Bistro next door excellent then we went on to York .

York is always an amazing city and I never get sick of going I have been going to York since my teenager years and there is always some new shop or street to discovery .It is forever evolving and anything you need is there if you explore and look .We parked near York Minister there were plenty of Japanese tourists with top quality cameras , I always get a bad case of camera envy.

The Invisible Man York 

A very old building approx 1443

GOOD RIDDANCE

The bitch Sharon and her yappy little dog  is moving out she has sold her van and I am over joyed to see the back of them both good fucking riddance . She is a supposed so called  friend of Helen bull shit she is nothing but a two face twat , bye bye .

On a different note I am getting some 18.00 to 02.00 shifts it is not until week after next and it is for a full week , if I get anymore offered to me I don't know this might be the thin end of the wedge or it might cease anyway either way it is a bit extra cash which always comes in handy .

Ordered a fidget spinner from bay how the prices have dropped a few months ago the I have ordered would have been four times the price .

Well today is Friday not sure what the weekend holds might go off somewhere don't think the weather is going to be great it is already cloudy and looks like it could rain any minute .

A DRAG

SUNDAY
Helen finished sowing the second curtain for the bay  window she had to join two together for the width then overlock the seam , then cut and overlock then sew the  hem to  length , at least she is making good use of the sewing machine I bought her .

Cooked fresh pork sausages from the farm shop with onions had them I a giant bread cake had mine with a big dollar of mustard thats English no French or American pure yellow Coleman's Mustard excellent .

Got to chill out on the new sun loungers listening to Elbow's latest album after twenty minutes I was too hot and bored the sun was annoying my eyes  I need some shades and a hat , worse thing was no cider.

MONDAY BANK HOLIDAY
Had another thunder storm it poured down this morning it is grey dark and misty a perfect English bank holiday glad I am working it for double time and a day in lieu makes sense .I have two weeks off work last week in June first week in July differently need to go to the coast and need to go to York if nothing else .
Work was totally boring my staff was used on wards rather than the domestic areas they usually work on so I had very little to do , it was more appearance money then anything else and as a result it dragged and dragged I thought home time would never happen.

OFF MY RAIL

FRIDAY
Another day that the thermometer is hitting 28 degrees plus very little wind , Bentley our cat is not impressed I got him with the hose pipe by accident he didn't like it the dog is just as bad she hates getting wet too.

Went to Marks and Spencer food hall bought some Italian ready meals and a few other bits bought Helen two bunches of flowers she got all excited , also went to Aldi and bought two sun loungers which look extremely well made and comfy hopefully I will if lucky  get to try them out over the coming weekend with a few cans of ice cold cider .

SATURDAY
Went to Ikea bought a curtain pole and brackets  for the front bay window it was a utter crap buy a total waste of money it was absolutely waste of time and was not fit for purpose not up to the job . There was a lot of arguing best way to fit it  between Helen and me and a lot of cursing and swearing the day was hot and standing in front of a three glass panelled window sweaty , hot , and bothered  thinking about a nice ice cold cider did not help.
 Ended up going to another outlet and buying a Swish curtain track fifteen minutes job done curtain track up and working , it was  waste of a Saturday fcuking boring plus soon as it finished the weather changed it got dark then it started to thunder storm , knew I was pushing my luck buying the sun loungers specially on a bank holiday weekend .

IT'S HOT

Start of the week and the weather is dry , fine and hot typical all week it is supposed to be the hottest week this year .
Dropping Helen of at her parents house , they are buying a static home near York it is costing a lot more than what we paid and the ground rent is nearly double , but it is ultra modern .


TUESDAY
Got the lawnmower out and did the grass did the edges with the trimmer I swear I thought it was going to rain but it held off by the time I had finished it was cracking pavements.

WEDNESDAY
Wiped my Mac books hard drive and  did another reinstall of OS Sierra and it is like having a new Mac I should have done it months ago . I also deleted all my favourites too as  I had way  too many I saved a few but its good starting again .
Booked the day off work last minute as  I have to take Helen to the doctors this afternoon at half past two .

THURSDAY
I need another excuse not to go t work the weather is red hot it is sticky hot , there is parts of the hospital the heating is still on.There has also been a bomb threat and as a result of this all the metal bins on the entrances and exits roof garden have been removed I feel safer already .

READINGS IN CHINESE

SATURDAY
We might be buying back Helen's high gloss black Yamaha acoustic guitar we sold it a few years ago to my Nephews girlfriend she does not play it so we have been given the option of getting it back for less than we sold it think we will go over next weekend to do the deal .
Went to the garden centre bought the flowers for the plastic hanging bags that go over the fence posts at the front and on the steps to the decking we also bought three bags of compost and they are now all done flowered out and hanging in place just waiting for the flowers to bloom.

Helen had five one hour readings to do in Leeds I waited in the car went to the fish shop bought a fish and brad cake then went parked up watching different content on You Tube .It is amazing how quickly five hours pass.

SUNDAY
Downloaded and ran a anti virus program for mac Avast it is free it took a while to scan but found a lot of infections I will see if things have stopped popping up so far so good , if not will wipe my hard drive and reinstall iOS .

Helen had another two readings to do  over in Bramley Leeds . I went to my nephews house  on Newlands road for a coffee I love his old house , I was messing around sorting his fire tv box out. Later we drove down to his mothers house a couple of miles away  , who of course is my sister her cat Alfie died , and  she had loads of cat food and biscuits for  me to pass on to my little tigers .

On the way home we stopped at a Chinese take away "The Mandarin"  in  Horbury  after me doing a reading we decided to  order, a curried duck , sweet and sour pork , rice and fries , a portion of  onion rings it was way too much I think we threw away as much as we had eaten ,  we picked up a in house menu and found out that  they  also deliver which will either be a blessing or curse .

RISK IT EVERY DAY

Why is the weather so crappy all we have had is rain but today the sun is back , went down to Marks and Spencer's food outlet store .The food always looks better more tastier and not that much more expensive than any other main supermarket at the end of the day they have to compete .
When I get paid I will go down and fill a trolley and see how long the food lasts some of the ready meals are as freshly tasting has home made and at three for £10 are not that dear.
I also want to try the different ciders and blends of coffee.
Work is work once again , the novelty of having seven months off is gone it is a distant memory I am back in to a routine and to be honest ready for a week off .

I was talking to one of the council parking enforcement officers I was parked in a two hour parking spot I parked up at 13.45 it was just before 15.45 it is  no return within fours hours  I was going to move my car to another street he was checking car number plates what I needed was he taking them down to check in two hours or had he done this two hours ago and ticketing cars that had gone over the allotted time which would mean a ticket he was doing the later my car was not on his hit list he had not taken my number so he had no record of my stay , which meant seeing the curfew ended at six my car was safe . H told me this was his routine every day when I told him the issues I had parking he could see from my I.D  badge I worked at the hospital , my interpretation is if I  park there at the time I normally do  each day Monday to Friday I would never get a parking ticket and I would never have to move my car again  , the question is do I risk it.

DEAD BITCH

Lost my works pager I have no idea how it had disappeared I had it clipped  on to my trouser pocket next to my 2 way radio and at the end of my shift it had vanished oops .

At home made two pelmets from some soft wood and mdf we bought and  I borrowed my friends electric chop saw and screwed them together ,Helen bought some red and grey tartan fabric from Laura Ashley the price should have been £80 but they had 50% off just shows how much mark up there is and how much profit they make we made them to go over the two small side windows in the living room.

SUNDAY
Lazy day visited my sister's house they have had a wall erected to divide the hallway and living room they had begun to decorate it painting the new plaster walls wooden door and casing architrave and skirting boards they were  not enjoying the experience .

MONDAY
Works computer system is still down from Fridays cyber attack we have had drives disabled and still cant access files.
My works pager has still not put in an appearance but on better news scum bag , pedophile , child killer torturer and molester Ian Brady is dead at long last. They should have hung him on a piece of elastic years ago sincerely hoping he is already burning in hell.

Hopefully somehow his 12 year old victim Keith Bennett will be found and laid to rest in peace .

WORK ATTACK

Cyber attack at work has taken down our computer system it is affecting most of the systems at  work we are not under attack but to be on the safe side the I.T department have suspended the Internet email and a load of shared drives it is a nightmare other hospitals are in  a worse state they might even have to shut down York hospital and move all the patients to Leeds hopefully not but either way it is not good. Patients medication , x-rays and ambulances are all in dire straits life are at risk who in their right minds attacks and disables hospitals it is disgusting .
Will find out more Monday hopefully we will and the things we need will  be back to normal .

Burger chips and baked beans for tea with white bread and butter perfect the burgers are made from 100% ground beef .

Not had any cider this month feeling the pain oh how I miss the cool refreshing ice cold cider .
Not had any biscuits either and I am craving danish pastries fudge cake and ice cream .

Going out today to hopefully get some fabric and wood to make pelmets for some of the windows in our van .

Looking at getting another case for my iPhone 7 the two battery cases I have the top section slides on and off to allow the phone to slide in and out ,  this always comes off when taking it out of my jean pockets so i want a one twice case they cost twice has much but are slimmer and do look nicer .

I am also looking at a rainbow coloured fidget  spinner that looks really cool they are more accessible now and have come down in price .

I also need a couple of pair of new jeans and I also need some summer trainers  , thinking of white , it has been a while since I have had all white trainers .I am also debating sunglasses .

SHIFTING SHIFTS ?

They are wanting a person to work through the night 22.00 until 06.00 hours which is a boring shift .
It would be like doing a 12 hour shift not good , no one wants it .
I requested that I would be willing to do a 18.00 until 02.00 hour shift Monday through to Friday , I would be looking after half my own shift workers and the night workers a double whammy .
I would also be earning more money maybe around £250 a month to £300 a month because the entirety of my shift would be paid at the night rate of pay  .

The other benefits to me  would be parking it would no longer be a quest every day to get a parking spot  , because at that time they would be loads available .

I could leave home at half past five after having a meal with Helen  a sensible time to eat and get to work and be home earlier enough not to ruin the following day , I would have more quality time at home win , win , win , and my sleep would not really suffer because it is usually after one when I go to bed anyway.

I emailed my manager after he had emailed me and my coworkers asking if any of us where interested and would any of us  consider the 22.00 - 06.00 shift , he got no takers , my email so far has not be answered or acknowledged in any way which is very bad manners , I guess because it is my idea he don't like to think I will be doing something I want to do they don't seem to bend this way oh well fcuk it I will continue doing my 14.00 - 22.00 shift .

FISHY CLEANING

Monday
Cleaned the fish out that we have in the garden they survived the winter unscathed the cold weather slows the metabolism down and they virtually go in to hibernation , we started feeding them again the water level in the tank was dropping so I decided to empty it and give it a clean . The four fish we have was  placed in to plastic bin  out of the way of our two cats , and i scrubbed all the algae off the pump , light  , fountain and the inside of the viewing windows and inner walls of the tank I also washed the filters this took a few hours once fully emptied i refilled with the hose pipe and buckets of warm water it took a good twenty minutes to refill the fish went back in and was feed the are happily  swimming in their clean pool the main thing no floaters which is always good.

Tuesday
Work was manic I never stopped all day it was one  job after another , hopefully tomorrow I will have an easier day ,at least my shift went quickly .
Watered the garden and the lawn it has been a while since it rained this is England and although it has not been red hot we have had very little water falling from the sky .

Lat few times I have run my son he has not answered I don't know if he is busy or if he has seen his arse again ,  hopefully the latter .

FOOTIE NO

My Daughter went to see Bruno Mars in concert at The Leeds Arena which is only five minutes away from where I work , she said tickets for the concert were being sold outside would have been nice to go , would love to go see Blondie now they have a new album out they might be touring near to me .

Went to Ikea again this Saturday did not even have meat balls but got a hot dog , we bought four led light bulbs £28 is nothing cheap at least they last for 2000 hrs .

SUNDAY
Went to Ikea again took the bulbs back that we bought yesterday and exchanged them for a lower lumen 400 to 200 , also got two church candles in white would have preferred ivory.

Went to watch a football well one of the team was playing football ,  Helen's son was playing but  they lost 5-2 .I have  not watched a game of football  for years it was boring and  not that enjoyable his team to be honest and blunt deserved to loose at one point they were wining 2-0 and gave the match away they virtually stopped playing . I remember now why I stopped watching football matches.

The red hot weekend never happened it has been dull and grey and cold a typical English weekend , at least Helen was arsed and cooked a somewhat Sunday dinner .

Back to my normal shift of two till ten tomorrow I have been back for a whole month it has flown bye.
Ordered three sets of shirts and trousers from the works sewing room I have been told it could take 3 months unbelievable .

MORE JOBS COMPLETED

Today we bought a wooden post which I fitted in the corner on  to the existing wooden fence post using three 6 inch bolts , we fitted a retractable washing line so when the car is not there e.g whilst I am at work Helen can peg her washing out , we also fixed a hanging basket to one side of the post Helen is happy it doesn't take much I need to cut six wooden pellets to fill in where I had to drill to sink the bolts in .

Fitted the three industrial wall lights now we need three 40w led bulbs they only took about 10 minutes each to fit and wire and they are all working we only had one bulb to check each light and I it looks like I have wired them all ok.

WENT AGAIN

ripped the brownish reddish orange carpet and underlay the ply floor underneath looks new as when it was laid the little Fiat 500 rear seats down is filled with the ripped up carpet and underlay ready for a morning trip to the tip.
We also got a brand new still in its box new cover for the sofa that we bought of Ebay for £100 and as a result of this it is now looking brand new which is a lot less money than  buying a new one .
Put the white Roman blinds up on the white pvc windows one  will need altering it is a few inches too wide  so I just did the four windows in the living room , they fold up and stay in place using magnets cheap put effective .

So the main of Sunday I was hard at it then of course there is the tidying up putting everything away collecting all the tools vacuuming all the debris up .Helen had two readings by the time she was finished it was half past nine I went out and got us fish and chips

MONDAY
Went to the council  tip and got rid of all the waste from yesterday it  being bank holiday Monday  it was empty I was  straight in and out .
My daughter and her partner and grandson called over to see us and we all went over to Wentworth garden centre after a wander around we went to the George and Dragon pub for dinner , I had a hot roast beef sandwich Helen fish and chips Tuesday had pork pies mash and gravy Lee had a blue cheese steak sandwich and Jensen had chicken pieces beans and chips the food was fairly priced very nicely cooked and well presented  only thing spoiling it was i had to be at work for three o clock .

Went to work got there on time the rest of the day dragged I was very happy when the clock hit ten o clock.

READING - The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena .

LISTENING TO - Jamiroqaui

WATCHING - You Tube

WORK IN PROGRESS

Bought a battery operated milk whisk for  frothier coffee from Asda for a massive £2 batteries not included got to say its the best buy ever for all coffee lovers out there buy one heat your milk up in microwave in the cup you have your coffee in , add milk and sugar if required and your coffee and whisk a good 15 seconds later top up with boiled water best drink ever.

I also bought a Stanley Fatmax tool bag sick of going to the shed outside for my tools  I can now keep basic tools altogether which makes life a lot easier for me doing jobs around the van , I also bought more paint to finish the walls off .

Made the first payment on a sewing machine for Helen reduced from £350 to only £199 paying it over three months .

Bought a rug for the living room 1.7m wide and twice the length also bought a wired frame bird cage light holder for the main living room light from six bulbs to one we also bought a yucca plant and a fern plant as well as some drinking glasses a door mat seat cushion for the dining room chairs , candles tea lights and other bits and pieces from Ikea totalling £300 .

The room is nearly completed for now have to wait for furniture and laminate flooring some white Roman blinds to put up at each window and have ordered three wall lights black wired cage lights.

DECO

Been very busy decorating done the living room ceiling caulked all the cornice and gave the ceiling two coats of matt white  we have done all the walls in chalky white but the biggest thing we ripped out the tv corner unit and the glass door shelve unit it made damage to the smallest wall will have to re panel it the main wall was ok just a few screw holes to fill need to go to the tip to get rid of all the fittings and m.d.f panels.

I have also taken all the wall light fittings off from the wall and we will buy new more than likely from Ikea , we have taken all the blinds off all the windows a neighbour is buying them for £150 which will buy a new cover for the three seat settee .

Changed the light fitting in the bedroom over our bed I have wired a new pendant light fitting and we now have a feather shade looks like a flock of seagulls a bit of a dust trap but looks good .

Need to buy a small tool box to keep essential tools in as I am forever having to go to the stool shed outside even time i need something I need to be able to have a selection of tools on hand. , need to buy some proper wire strippers and cutters and a small wrecking bar and a tenon saw .

I also might buy a tv cabinet out of this months wages or at least a set of three tables for £150.

We are thinking of moving the bedroom wall forward by three or four foot to give us more room this will also let us change the position of the bed but will mean moving radiators thermostats and light switches .

Anyway payday this coming  Thursday which is always a blessing , also this week I should get to see my daughter this Saturday I  think we are having a Chinese  meal I will have curried duck and noodles and and  chips with prawn crackers and onion rings with an ice cold bottle of cider yes please .

D.O.A

Had the police at work yesterday with an ambulance with a d.o.a she was a Jane Doe who had been hit by a 40 ton truck , We had to let them in to the morgue area and they had to strip the body and evidence bag it , not sure if the interviewed the driver of the lorry , he could have hit her and not even known , she did not look too bad to say she was hit by such force puts things in to perspective .

Guessing  she got up that morning with not a care in the world  and by tea time she was dead makes you wonder whats it all about .

One of the areas I look after at the Hospital sell books to raise money they had Catcher Of The Rye I bought it for 50p will start reading it , it is one book I always had in the back of my mind .

Buying some paint tomorrow we going to start painting on Sunday .

REVAMPING

Finishing at ten o clock at night my normal finish time but still starting at four in the afternoon .Next week I will be starting at half three the week after three.
I have not really done that much , it seems more relaxed everyone seems to be doing less than before it is amazing what changes in nearly the seven months I have been away.
The local Tesco express is as shite as ever it gets worse nothing better than what has always been there .
Looking forward to payday seems better when you have worked for it rather than getting it for sitting at home .
Ordered Helen a sewing machine that will come at the end of the month hopefully she will be making cushion covers quilts and the like and hopefully it is money well spent .

We are also looking at getting a bookcase as we sold the dresser as well as a sideboard , dining table and tv cabinet which will cost around £1250 .We want to update and modernize the van we also need cash to laminate the floor in the living room kitchen dining  room and throughout , we are also doing some painting starting with the fire place and surround.Eventually get new kitchen doors and also paint the main doors leading to and from the other rooms .We have the time we just need the funds .

Still not driven over to the coast so that is on the agenda either Robin Hoods Bay or Whitby or both also it's been ages since I have been to York and I need to visit my son so that is also on my list of things to do .

TABLE PAINTING

My son Guy gets his license back at midnight tonight he will be able to drive his car again legally.
He received a nine month driving ban which has caused him no end of problems so hopefully he has learned a valuable lesson .
Work is going ok it is eleven weeks today since I had my hip replaced and I am fine , I have more or less  nearly full movement no pain what so ever  and no discomfort it's been a great success .

My sister wants to invest in  Mac I advised her to go for a Mac book rather than a Mac air I reckon she will get better value and it will suit her needs more but she needs to understand the significant loss of the  traditional usb and usb-c , I also advised her to get a wireless hard drive bigger the better.

FRIDAY
It is Good Friday and I will be working and I will be working Bank Holiday Monday too , I like the Hospital where I work it is less staffed easy parking and just seems more relaxed generally plus we get  time and a half and a day off i lieu so its win , win ,win , specially since I finish at nine .

SATURDAY
Helen has been given a table she bought some paint from Laura Ashley and is painting it a hedgerow green we also bought a 2 x4 foot piece of mdf to make a bigger top . She is getting her a sewing machine in a few weeks and needs a sewing table to work on , she is using the spare bedroom .
 She also painted the legs of the table in the dining room the same hedgerow green.

OK

MONDAY
Well, today is the day it had to happen after six months off I return to work .On the plus side it looks like it is going to be a hot sunny day , but saying that I did not want to return on a rainy cloudy grey day .
My swipe cards and access cards no longer work I will have to order two new cards and my computer login was invalid I had to get the I.T Department to reset a temporary password I need to reset my Email then I should be in business , the wages are now done electronically rather than by wage cards and everyone is at each others throats and it is one big mess , all in six months that I have been away.
Things can only get better but will they get worse before they improve .
But starting a four and finishing at nine brilliant , catching up with old friends also brilliant so all in all first day back over in a flash and went relatively ok.

WORK TOMORROW

Last day off work ! it had to eventually happen , that one day I would return to work six months off is long enough. I still of course have the weekend off I don't work weekends hence why I consider Friday my last day off work.
Like they say it is not the job it's the people that  you work with  what makes it worth doing in some cases .
I quite like the idea of starting at four in the afternoon its a great time to begin work and finishing at nine an hour early means I will be home for nine thirty .

Found out today that  I can indeed borrow up to 50k it has been agreed in principal so basically we have to start looking for property and even bigger task is we have to find a buyer for our van before we can move ahead which hopefully will not be too difficult .

SATURDAY
Went over to Wentworth Gardens this time with both my sisters Anne and Irene it was a sunny afternoon and walking round the walled gardens was very relaxing and peaceful  , I could have easily wandered around aimlessly all day if we had brought a picnic hamper and book to read , but we had a schedule to maintain .

SUNDAY
Another beautiful day Helen worked last night so we had extra cash we went to the garden centre and spent £45 on flowers for the hanging baskets and tubs and the rest on food bought a 14' custom made pizza half and half , on my half spicy beef and meatballs with extra  chilli cheese and jalapeños  on Helen's chicken and bacon and onions least it won't take long to cook.

FARMED OUT

Went to two separate farm shops today mainly for something to do the food from these outlets are usually of a higher standard than buying from your local supermarket and are more like homemade cooked or baked and usually a lot fresher and have less insecticide and pesticides  used in they're growing process both of these shops we have been to before but not in the last twelve months the first one we visited was Bolster Moor Farm Shop all we bought from here were a chocolate eclair for Helen and a slice of carrot cake for me the biggest piece of carrot cake that I  have ever had for a 90p I was struggling to finish it but of course I did .Never had breakfast here but I reckon it will be really good .

The second one was a few miles further away at Thornton Denholme  Road it is a lot bigger and have a gardening flower section I bet they do a great breakfast will have to do a visit one morning  , we bought a large chicken and ham leek pie for tea as well as some fresh strawberries and pouring cream Yorkshire puddings and a jar of garlic and chili seasoning mainly  for my chicken legs  that I buy from another farm shop nearer to home either Blacker Hall farm which do really good breakfast or Thorcliffe Farm which do a really great breakfast  .

I have applied for a mortgage I am not sure how it will pan out and I am not even sure if I want one should it be authorised there is a lot of ifs and buts if I sell the van we should have at least £65k or £70k in the bank and we are hoping to get a house for around £100k or less if possible I have been told I can borrow up to 50k which is way too much hopefully £30k will be amble .

SUNNY AND PLAIN

It will be ten weeks this coming Thursday since  my hip replacement surgery and I am doing fine .
This is my last week off work I return next Monday at four in the afternoon and will work until ten at night which will be my shift pattern for the first week back .

I know this week is going to fly by and I will be sitting here in a weeks time pondering my first day back at work in over six months .

This afternoon was sunny I decided to clean the gutters out on the van  the 38ft either side and take a good forty minutes to clean out I was worried about my hip , but after doing one side I felt good enough to do the other side as well although I did miss the bottom run and landed on my artificial hip it was ok .

TUESDAY
Woke showered did sod all worth mentioning here life some days are just plain boring , streaky bacon and egg muffing sandwiches for breakfast and coffee was the highlight of my day.

TIME FLIES

Well we are now a  quarter of the way in to 2017 and so far I have not had one day at work in all my years of working this is a record that I doubt I will ever break  . Next week will be my last week on annual leave I really do hope that its sunny and hot .

Keep meaning to drive down and find a parking space so I can get on to the canal at Horbury around the bridge area would be best then walk along the tow path at the side of the canal I have done many hours walking on the various canals usually close to where I have lived and I  find being near water very  tranquil and peaceful not sure why  and I like seeing the different set of  locks and of course the barges  and narrow boats themselves  and hopefully depending on which canal an abundance of wildlife and pond life  , specially the electric blue dragonflies . Living in the U.K  you are never that far away rom a canal , lake , reservoir or the sea .

Did make it out went for a drive around the country side was going to drive over to the Strines Inn but turned back , went to Marsden's branch of  Morrison's bought some baguettes ham and garlic cheese and a vanilla cheese cake it don't look much like a Sunday dinner but will warm the bread up in the oven and do some fries and have a nice hot baguette sandwich .

We called in to the Foxglove at Kirkburton it was built in 1864 and is quite quaint looking we like the beer garden it is a Vintage Inn and the menu is not that bad and reasonably priced we just had drinks Helen half a lager and lime I a pint of cider , a perfect end to a sunny Sunday afternoon.

GOING BACK

Yesterday we went over to see my daughter over at Allerton Bywater we took over some bubbles and Easter eggs just in case  we don't get over there again , she cut and coloured Helen's hair and she also cut mine which is great as I go back to work on the 10th of April , my last three cuts my daughter as done it is also a great way of catching up , she is a great hostess and always gives us something to eat cant believe how she has grown and matured from the little girl in roller skates .

On the way back home mid afternoon the sun was out we called in at the supermarket and bought pizza for tea along with three different boxes of breakfast cereal , juice Ribenna and mango and orange  , a jar of coffee for me and a large box of  cat food and just in case a 24 packet of toilet rolls and one large packet of grass seed and feed I spent £58 money soon goes unbelievable fast .

THURSDAY
Went for a meeting at work to discuss my phased return to work .it went ok and over the first four weeks back I will be doing reduced hours phased return my first week I am starting at four instead of two in the afternoon and finishing at nine rather than ten , second week back four finish at nine thirty etc etc until on the fifth week I am back to normal hours which suites me fine .

After I walked back in to town and meet up with Helen and went around the new Victoria Gate Shopping Mall it opened last November and I have been wanting to visit I am not sure what it cost to build but it is ultra modern and clean  , the best shop by far is John Lewis it is built on what was originally a car park opposite the Market , and already has won design awards Leeds is becoming a great place to shop with it's cafe's coffee shops and restaurants all in a few square miles.

IN KNOTS

Last night we cooked noodles with chicken and stir fries veggies with a black bean sauce must have cost use less than £8.00 it was absolutely delicious only thing missing prawn crackers but even so top marks .

SATURDAY
Up at half past five Bentley been out all night unlike him he likes his home comforts like our bed and the radiator being on .
Six in the morning Helen gets up Bentley's returned safe she makes us a coffee Bentleys has been feed and is on our bed.
Seven in the morning have a shower get dressed make a bowl of porridge and another coffee , the sky is blue the birds are singing and its a beautiful morning .

I have been paid its fifty pounds short I guess it is because I am no longer getting SSP for a few of the days prior to me having these three weeks on annual leave oh well never mind soon be back to normal .

Eight in the morning paid my speeding fine £100 sent of my license for three points to be added the offence was in November last year anyway I have a month free from paying the council tax so it balances it out I guess kidding myself would have been £100 better of without the fine any ways hopefully lesson leaned I average one  ticket every three years.

Eleven  in the morning at Ossett Helen is getting her nails done and I am eating an awarding winning sausage sandwich with onions which cost £3 and was worth every penny , as  I have an hour to kill its sunny and I am just wandering about Ossett town centre for the very first , time it is only a few miles away Friday we were  in Horbury for the first time and thats is only a few miles away from where we live .

SUNDAY
Mother's day Helen has three son's one sent a Funky pigeon.com card , and the other two never bothered fcuking shit , but saying that it's the same every year and her birthdays mean  jack shit to them as well  , they only live in Leeds two of the them have cars .We went to Helen's mother's house in Leeds to deliver her a card and flower arrangements  we could be arsed .
Stopped off at the farm shop and  bought a large tray of braised steak and dumplings and some roast potatoes dinner sorted .

Have bee watching and drawing Celtic knots following artists and sketches on You Tube  , it is quite easy and very relaxing and therapeutic to do ,  highly recommended this is a very simple on to start off with  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xce8NSx3AKo

100K , THAT WOULD DO NICELY .

Helen bought a ten packet of cigarettes Monday and another twenty packet today she is still not smoking as much but it is creeping up and she is smoking way too many than someone who is trying to quit .

The Tree surgeons are back today and it has done nothing but rain they are literally soaked , I asked them if I could put our old pine tree from last Christmas through the wood chipper they agreed it is aimed in next door garden they have a wood burning stove .

I have been Watching  on You Tube "Fun For Louis " for the last eight months or so he is a guy from England you creates content from his travel across continents and the Americas . He owns an American school bus that is fitted out as a mobile home previously owned by "Expedition Happiness"
He also owns a black London double decker bus which on the upper deck there is a hot tub and tv another vehicle he owns is a bright orange vintage VW camper van , all have appeared and featured in his You Tube videos.

He is now on kickstart asking for £100k so he can fly across the continents in a twin engined plane for ninety days  check it out here https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1349068120/beyond-borders-a-film-celebrating-unity . I have not had one holiday in the last twelve years perhaps I should do something similar I could raise enough to buy a camper van and travel all the coast of England , Wales , Ireland and Scotland I would be more than happy and £100k would be more than enough .

I could also take photographs of blue green turquoise crashing waves and golden beaches , well waves and beaches  and upload daily videos to You Tube specially of me tucking in to  my fish and chips and curry sauce  whilst in my camper van steaming up the windows drinking diet coke  , visiting every decent coastal fish and chip shop along the way for their finest catch of the day I can smell it now .

SUCH IS LIFE

Done a deal to stay off work on annual leave rather than sick Leave I am using my remaining annual leave and holidays ( I would have lost them anyway ) to come off sick leave and go on to annual leave and on holiday pay  for the next three weeks which means I am back on full pay and off the sick, but more or less the time I need off to bring me up to twelve weeks recovery post op in my eyes a result.

My return to work will be on the 10th of April on a phased return which is less hours but I get paid in full going back on the 10th which means  I also get to work two bank holidays which equates to double time and days off  in lieu .

I seem to  have been off work forever which has took me over the winter period and well in to spring , going back to work means we can also get back to some normality and after a couple of weeks back  it won't seem that  I have been off at all , so for the next three weeks starting this coming Monday I will no longer be on sick but on annual leave ,

SATURDAY
Washed out a typical Yorkshire start to the weekend it grey but a threading grey which means winds and rain or at least rain .

SUNDAY
Boring day cleaned the oven and cooked a lambs liver and sausage casserole for dinner with sprouts and peas .

MONDAY
I  have now got twenty eight days to pay my speeding ticket when I was caught on camera last November its £100 and send of my license to be awarded three penalty points such is life no point bitching.

YES OR NO

Drove over to Wentworth to the garden centre its about 18 miles away it was quite sunny there is an historic walled garden and it quite a nice walk which we will do later in the year when the weather improves .Helen bought another Laura Ashley planter and a purple flowering plant to go on the decking .

On the drive back we stopped at Blacker Hall Farm and bought a leek and ham quiche and black forest gateau .

WEDNESDAY
Woke up at stupid O'clock once again had an early shave and shower the my first coffee of the day it feels like it will be a warm day and that we might get some sun.
Went to work to visit occupational health I had a meeting at one it went ok they cant argue with the recommendation from my surgeon that I am off work until twelve weeks after the op that's how it is take it or leave it . I have annual leave owing I could take time off using this and avoid going on to half pay giving me nearly as much time to recover and get me back to work earlier than previously planned , this can only happen if my line manager agrees it which i doubt he will  , It will be yes or a big fat no .

SLIPPERY SLOPE

Helen must have slept on her hand the hand  with the henna marking and it has transferred to the  left side of her face she was not amused when I said she looked like Mike Tyson.
The weather Sunday morning was sunny we drove over to Gordon Rigg Garden centre and bought a round glass orb the size of a large fish bowl filled with greenery ,  hopefully the cats won't dig the plants up .There is a burger van there we had cheese burger with onions you will always find a queue of people guess it is the smell of the frying onions .

From there we drove back to Uppermill went to Dobcross Garden centre where Helen bought a light blue Laura Ashley planter and a daffodil plant , she likes everything Laura Ashley.

Cooked steak pie,  fries , sprouts and Yorkshire pudding with plenty of gravy for our Sunday dinner /tea .

MONDAY
The weather in the morning was great , warm sunny with blue skies we planned on going over to the reservoirs over at Saddleworth Moor but  it didn't happen . The afternoon was more grey and cold so I made baked and iced a dozen  buns , the buns I bake are excellent the icing tastes ok but look totally crap.
Helen has been smoking on the QT five cigarettes have gone from her open packet of ten I , don't think she smoked them all but squatted them in the out buildings for when she is craving nicotine , in my eyes this is not stopping but getting back on the slippery slope to smoking again .

INDIAN HENNA

The tree surgeons have finally arrived to top the five oak trees near to and around our van , we have been asking for well over six months .
Received an email from occupational health for a follow up I will phone them up next week to make an appointment .
We had an estate agent come round to value the van £69.950 I paid £36000 a nice profit Helen is under the impression we can buy a small cottage for under £70,000 , I doubt it we will need surveyor fees , mining fees , and solicitors fee.

Helen  continues to stop smoking and it will be two weeks tomorrow that she stopped , which is a great achievement along way to go but the only way to do it is one day at a time .

Went over to Holmfirth back to where we use to live ,  on Upper Bank End Road visiting our friend Samantha  . We all ordered a Indian take away for later in the evening from very small shack on Dunford Road a half mile away .
Sam did a henna tattoo on the back of Helen's hand using a stencil it took just over twenty minutes the result was quite good .

FINAL DESTINATION

Went to Skipton travelled via the M62 , we went to look at a Park home sire Helen's parents are moving to when they have sold their house . Driving to the town centre Helen heard a noise coming form the rear I pulled over on some double yellow lines , the car had been driving fine I got out to inspect the tyre and it was totally  flat , I cant bend down change the spare I run the risk of hip dislocation so I called the AA out .About forty minutes later the breakdown van arrived the rear tyre was totally bald it was down to the thread the other rear tyre was nearly as bad  ,but the front tyres are fine I am not sure why or what caused the rear tyres to end up in such a state , I have not  driving it for nearly six weeks I have been of sick since September when we got the car last year it had 24k on the clock and it is just over 30k now .

The AA mechanic said in his 23 years experience its got to be one of the worst tyres he has ever seen
I felt a total dick head ,  what could I say it was no good arguing the evidence was staring me in the face no excuses , we could have had a major accident we could have killed someone including ourselves I felt bad , he put the spare on and I drove it to the nearest tyre shop and got two new rear tyres at a cost of £107.  I filled the car up this morning with petrol at a cost of £32 if I had been stopped by the police it would have been £1000 fine for each illegal  tyre ,  the joys of motoring .
Needless to say I am happy that we have two new tyres and  I am even more happier I am alive to write about .
Three years ago to this very day The Nissan Juke I had was involved in a crash we were lucky to walk away from , it cost well over £5000 to repair the Juke  , today could have been so much a case of deja vu , scary very scary it is like being in our own episode of Final Destination .

DISCHARGED

MONDAY
Back to the physiotherapist this morning my appointment at 08.30 my neighbour across the way is taking me once again .
i need to know if I can kneel down and if I can walk permanently with out the aid of my sticks I also need to ask about eventually bending down .
From this Thursday I can sleep on my operated side only , I can drive the car as long as I am able to  complete   an emergency stop . In twelve weeks post op I will more or less be back to normal and be able to do most things within reason.That is less than six weeks away so I will be back at work .

TUESDAY
For the second morning running I was woken up at half past four by the cats no wonder I am constantly knackered .
Had a refreshing shower before I left the house to drive over to Dewsbury to attend an appointment with my consultant who did my hip replacement surgery , he is more than happy to discharge me. I have to stay off work another six weeks , than all should be back to normal including going back to work , Which to be fair I have been of work too long the way it is going any longer and I would find it hard going back at all.

When I was in a road traffic accident years ago I was told eventually I would need a new hip I did get paid out £9000 in today's rate it would be in excess of £21000.

Went for a drive in the car went over to Holmfirth bought fish and chips and drove on  to a couple of  our favourite reservoirs .

Once back home we cooked a roast lamb dinner with all the trimmings and made an Bramley apple pie crumble with ice cream .

Listening to "Ed Sheeran" new album Subtract , IT'S GOOD.

YES OR NO

Last night I drove to the  Kaye Arms a few miles away for a meal out the first time i n over five weeks. I reserved a table for half past five for Helen and myself it was my first time there and it was nice just how you expect a country pub to be open fires stone floor exposed beams etc etc .

I order a pint of cider and a chicken fajita with a side of hand cut chips it came with wraps and sour cream and it was served sizzling hot Helen ordered the fish and chips both dishes excellent I was extremely happy with my dish it was spicy enough without it being over kill for desert I had the chocolate fondant pudding with salted caramel sauce fudge ice cream and praline tuille.

Today Helen's parent came over to view one of the homes that is now up for sale priced at £79,950 it is a three bedroom park home with separate kitchen which needs replacing a separate hallway and a usable garage it is twice the size of ours it is fully double glazed and central heated my main concern would be the roof .
Helen's parent's today put their house on the market for £170k but are looking at a move to a park home in Skipton ideally Helen wants them to buy ours and we move into the three bed, but I  doubt its that easy .

Not sure about the lion heads guarding the entrance way and the red shutters would need to be re painted  black , a new roof would be in the region of £3.5k

The floor plan above is what we would be getting the ground rent is slightly more than what we are paying because it is a bigger plot .

The kitchen is totally separate I reckon £1.5k spent at Ikea would sort this out no problem .

 There is a big question , the 10% selling fee which the buyer pays to the land owner , so even if we got the same selling price there is the question of having to find another £8k to cover the fee , and for that reason I cant see it happening , Another reason Helen's parents don't want to live here . they love our van totally but they want to live in Skipton  a small town , with a lot more going for it , than there is here .

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Helen cleaned out the wardrobes in our the bedroom , when we moved out of the little cottage at  Holmfirth the bedroom we had there was very damp as the cottage was dug into an embankment  more or less up to the roof level , and the wardrobe was stood against  an outfacing wall and as a result a lot of clothes and shoes had green mildew spores on them some not visible which have since transferred to the wardrobes here , not that she moans much .

So Helen removed all the clothes doing one corner wardrobe at a time she machined washed them all and tumbler dried them all . Whilst she sprayed the inside with white vinegar .The citric acid in the vinegar kills the mould but it must be left on for a few hours ago you can guess all you can smell is vinegar , any stubborn marks are removed with sodium bicarbonate with added water to make a paste this is then used as an abrasive scrub  . So for two or three night s our bedroom smells like the Wetherby Whaler at peak time the smell will disperse in a few days hopefully with the mould , a man can only do with so much moaning

One of my steri strips on my wound came away more or less on its own which is good news only another eleven to go . Still not put back on the support socks don't think I will bother . I also manage to get  in to the little Fiat 500 I drive it was a lot easier than what I imagine , I was able to work the pedals move my foot ok big question is do I dare drive it , and if so where do we go .

We are both going stir crazy there is places we need to go to just to get out do something different I am very tempted . Helen is still not smoking I said just smoke after sex  , she has not had one cigarette it is been over five days a massive achievement she has never gone this long in the ten years we have been together , I mean without a cigarette not sex.

I did take the car out today in the afternoon the cars wheels were seized but I manage to free them it felt like the brakes where on and the wheels wouldn't turn . I had to reverse it out and I made it to the garage a few miles away , it did feel weird and it did feel uncomfortable to say the least I think I was also a bit paranoid , I think getting out of the car is a lot worse then getting in , and  if anything was to happen I reckon it would be when I was exiting the vehicle but that is just my opinion , tonight we are supposed to be going to a little country Inn  which is just a few miles away and tomorrow I have to take Helen to the doctors .

2ND SHOWER

Was watching tv in bed until two o clock in the morning finished was the 2nd part of Prime Suspect then  got up to make a tuna and mayo sandwich not sure why all i knew was I was totally Hank Marvin.
As soon as I opened the tuna both cats were at my side they both had a tuna feast too , like me they too were both happy eating early in the morning.

Trouble is I am always up at the same time in the morning I can never sleep past six I reckon it is because I am still sleeping on my back .

TUESDAY
One of the neigh-boughs asked me if I would like to use her shower is a walk in one I said yes I had one whilst she was walking her dog , the second shower I have had in nearly five weeks I left my support socks off the rest off the day they are too tight and have been cutting in to my skin on the tops of my feet  .

Cooked a ox tail and braised steak stew with leeks mushrooms and carrots Helen cooked a load of pancakes .

I go to see the physiotherapist next Monday I hope he will tell me I can drive meaning we get our freedom back .My sister cant come over this weekend she is travelling down to Brighton we will miss her .I have still not tried to get behind the wheel of the car  the little Fiat 500 first trip I need to make is to the petrol station to fill her up.

Watching - "Jumpers For Goal posts".