LAST FEW DAYS BEFORE THE MOVE .

MONDAY - after going to the tip with the first load of rubbish we then drove over to Ikea bought one  box of AA batteries and 40 blue large Ikea shopping bags you can't beat the bags from Ikea the are strong light and last forever I don't think I have ever had one break ,they are good for garden rubbish we bought them to move belongings out of our home into our new house 40p a bag £16 you cant go wrong , we did get some weird looks when I stacked the convey belt at the till with forty bright blue bags , in my opinion Ikea bags are iconic wonder if buying 40 bags in one go is a record if you have bought more let me know and why.

TUESDAY -Another three trips to the local tip cleared out all the out buildings and tin shed .
Why do solicitors never answer their phone or call you back they are always in fcuking meetings .

Went Asda bought Helen a bottle of Baileys and myself some cloudy apple cider after emails to all solicitors phone calls  etc we cant do any more but drink otherwise going to sleep a big no no stress head .
Killing Zombies in the game  Into The Dead helps a lot in getting rid of the daily grind .

If all goes to plan February 28th we will be leaving our static home and moving into our Holmfirth home it will be upstairs to bed we have two off them , we have a full size bath a downstairs toilet a massive living room and a rear and front garden with parking for two cars bliss .

SOLD

The purchase went through last Friday I received the funds into my account the person buying our van transferred in to my bank account 10k , then I  knew that we had sold our static home he couldn't transfer the full amount he had to go to his bank to transfer the remaining money that was owed for the sale off our static home . The money finally was released into my account just after 14.00.  I too had to go my  bank so in turn they could transfer part of the money on to my solicitor to send the payment for our new home . It was touch and go that they would receive and complete  by close of business as they  in return had to  forward it on to the solicitors selling the new build , plot 45 no 20 was ours we got  the keys the contracts where completed it was just after 16.00 the deal was done we emptied our belongings into the hire van and at 03.00 Saturday morning we was fully moved we was tired and aching put happy the move complete .My Nephew was a great help without him we would not have got moved as quickly as we did .

ROCKING A NEW PAD

FRIDAY -A week today we should be out of here I should have some cash  in the back and a 35% share of a £180000 house .We should be living next to reservoirs and moor land Hade edge and Winscar both within a two to five minute drive of our new home .

Summer should be great evening and weekend walks egg mayo sandwiches and a flask of coffee in a hopefully with  hot summer days.

Next Friday and the weekend is going to be extremely busy we need a new kingsize bed and mattress a upright fridge freezer for the kitchen it comes with a cooker and extractor fan thinking of also maybe getting a slim line dishwasher .

We also need a new tv of maybe two not sure we have the option of fibre optic broadband which will make streaming very good .

The two  bedrooms will also need  furniture , as where we are living now it is all fitted and the free standing wardrobe is staying with the new owners of our home .As we will have two bedrooms we need two beds so people can visit over the weekend and stay .

If for any reason we cant move into the new house we will go live with my nephew for a few days until we can move into our new abode we need the cash paid and hopefully we are out of here and living once again  a proper stone built house .

MONDAY - Our solicitors seem to be making it difficult for us , they emailed me and are now refusing payment from the buyers solicitors for the purchase of our static and saying the buyers solicitors  must pay the money to us  or me and not our solicitors and then for me  to pay our solicitors the money just for the new house and then their fees  , estate agents etc . Hopefully this will be sorted out tomorrow and we will be back on track the dead line is looming .

I have been to the tip with loads of rubbish , I have given our fish tank away with the cichlids fluval filter and programable  lights , I have also given our chest freezer away , I had hired a van for three days I pick it up Friday morning at a cost of £225 , Helen paid a retainer fee for the new house of £300 we need the house that as been agreed to us by this Friday fingers crossed we are rocking a new pad

STRESS WHAT YOU MAKE IT

SUNDAY- Liam Helen's youngest son cane round with his girlfriend Somiya she was very petite they had a late Sunday lunch with us we did not know they where coming it was totally unplanned roast pork shoulder with sweet potatoes and Yorkshire puddings ,carrot and swede  .

MONDAY - Break up this coming Friday for another nine days annual leave and I can't wait .The amount of  people either that are on sick or holiday is stressful and we don't have the staff to cover the available shifts which is not good.

TUESDAY - Food shopping again I bought a packet of chicken Kievs and fired chicken thighs and drum sticks as well as chicken baltic pasties and a massive meatball pizza keep us going the rest of the week .

WEDNESDAY - House buying and selling property is all paperwork and waiting for solicitors and estate agents to get their shit together , as our future as always is in the hands of others we have dead lines and things need to happen . we have sent a constant stream of emails which helps with transferring documents across instead of posting them or hand delivering them . We have also made numerous phone calls but hopefully it will all pay off .

TRIP TO VETS

They say the two most stressful things in life is moving house and getting divorced or is it married or having kids , i rarely do stress I don't really get impatient over the years I have learned to wait usually if you wait you get what you want.
I really want to move in to the house we viewed I have never moved in to a newly built house I know they have their drawbacks but new paint work top to bottom and  a kitchen that as been never cooked in and a bathroom never used and new carpets through out is a dream that hopefully is about to come true over the next few weeks .By the end of March we should know for sure and fingers crossed and prays answered should all moved in living the dream .

Helen is already putting list of essentials that when we get our new home what we will need .
A new king size bed for us our current bed will go into the spare bedroom for people staying over .
a corner settle for us both to chill out on and watch t.v .A 60 " smart tv for the living room the two t.v's that we have now will go in the spare bedroom and the dining area.

Might be my last week of doing 18.00 - 02.00 will have to see how things pan out  the person on sick whom I have been covering , her sick note runs out on Feb the 14th which of course is Valentine day . She  another twist is that she as put her notice in  to leave will she come back for the remaining fortnight or stay on sick. And once she as left do i get more shifts until the post is covered , I do hope so .

SATURDAY - I had a text message from my line manager asking if I would do another week of 18.00  to 02.00 of course I agreed be silly not to ,The week after this I am on annual leave for a week .

Took both Bailey and Pip to the vets for worming and flea treatment plus for cutting their nails baileys are black and its hard to get it right one wrong cut and they can be painful and bleed  , Bailey likes going in the car he looks on it like a treat and gets real excited .

YOU TUBE AND COFFEE

SATURDAY - After walking the dog Bailey I cooked a massive breakfast for Helen and I . A full English with mushrooms and fresh tomatoes beans and eggs and hash browns . As well as bacon and sausage and of course toast we ate just after ten a.m set us up for the rest of the day.

SUNDAY - Howling high winds and torrential rain  was constant in the early hours we was both wide awake  the van was rocking  and moving as you would expect but as always we survived intact no major damage Some things outside got blown over , at the hight of the storm i put on my Bose noise cancelling headphones as they say silence is golden .
Some trees went over in the park stayed in all day watching tv and you Tube drinking lots of fresh made coffee with the heating turned up feasting on snacks I was not complaining .

TWIN PEAKS

Sometimes you hear things that can't be true then you discover that they are . Life is always about trying to find solutions to find ways out when you hit a dead end or having to change paths to get back on your original path such is selling property .Will find out more tomorrow what cause of action is available we have a meeting tonight with the site owner we have found out he is selling up as we are selling our van we need to know what the  implications of this is likely to be if any.
New owners will put the site fees up without a doubt the purchase price is £200,000 a few people are going to be pissed of big time if the people buy our van think we are selling because of this we might loose the sale .

FRIDAY - Going to view a house which is part buy and part rent hopefully one of the houses we see we will want to move in to  both are new builds and are both two beds  both close to one another it will just be preference of which type house we buy one is on the end of a row of houses the other you have property only to one side , we will have to decide if we gamble and put down a retaining fee down to hold the property until our sale goes through , if the sale falls through we are out of pocket but guess it is better to loose £300 than £85,000 nothing ventured nothing gained we go to view at 15.30 this afternoon .
We have paid a retaining fee for a end two bedroom house it is stone built the only way we are not getting it is if our buyer pulls out which is unlikely we complete in six weeks we should be moved out and moved in to our new final home

The house has two gabled roofs which is only on the end house the others just have one , might have to call it Twin Peaks Cottage.

NO NEED FOR SPEED

Training  at work to suit up and wear pep protective clothing to go into side room cubicles etc to clean rooms infected or suspected infection by patients admitted with coronavirus.
To be honest we don't get paid enough money to do shit like this they should have specialized teams on stand by 24/7 just in case , I won't be attending the training as I won't be there , can you refuse I don't know what the outcome would be .

My son moved out of the house he had been living in with his mother and step father it has been over a year since his mother passed away .He is now living in a house with his girlfriend , with her fathers partner .He is not working he needs to get a job as quick as he can , another issue if he ever falls out with his girlfriend then the chances are  he will be making himself homeless .

TUESDAY - Attended the speed awareness course , had to ne thee for 07-50 after four hours sleep I got their on time and passed the course the most important thing I learned from the course is if your going to speed make sure they are no speed cameras no only joking reducing speed does save lives including your own specially in built up areas , killing or permanently change the lives of others is unjust and wrong just because your late or the road allows it anyway hopefully lesson learnt foot of the gas .

Helen sold he Cameo Silhouette 3 ob Ebay on the second attempt she got a buyer it went for £250 but loss out on the postage she asked for £10  and it cost over £14. oh well swings and roundabouts .

Since buying the coffee machine I have not had a normal cup of coffee and not had to buy any jars of coffee buying plenty of pods and it is costing more money but I am trying to drink fewer cups .

SMOOTHIE

SATURDAY - Got back from work at 03.30 was awake  at 08.00 and finals got my arse out of bed to make a coffee before setting of to the chiropodist .
The lady who does nights is leaving she has put in her notice to leave in a months time might be a while until they get someone else hope I get a few more months doing 18.00 - 02.00 if I can mange them until I go to New York will help me with spending money for the trip, fingers crossed .

Cooked a full breakfast apart from we had run out of baked beans not good and we did not have proper sliced bread we also run out of cooking oil and washing up liquid need to go to the shops .

Sat in the car with fish and chips whilst Helen did her spiritualist work which was from 19.30 until 23.20 a full four hours manage to watch two films one about Frank mad axe Mitchell a gang member of the Kray twins who escaped from Dartmoor prison another a world war one film .

SUNDAY - Went to the supermarket Helen spent £135 on groceries we bought all sorts  including meats mince pork and meatballs , two baking trays and two  cushions for the settee , ice cream , Doritos , chilli cheese , dilute peach for me to take to work , Dolce Gusto coffee pods for my coffee machine , bananas , salad , bread including wraps and thins , money just keeps spending and we only had a small trolley God to think how much a large trolley would cost we did spend £30 on cat and dog food and no way have we enough food for a month maybe a good eight to  ten days.

Made my own smoothie using two bananas a full teaspoon of peanut butter a big chunk of ice cream and some ice , thrown into the blender with a drop of vanilla extract it  turned out pretty good was impressed with my recipe don't know what the shelve life will be 24 hours I guess .

RENT BUY OR STAY PUT

Finished at half past two its weird going to work on a Wednesday then leaving on a Thursday does make the week go pretty fast .leaving work hearing the birds singing and driving home in the early hours of the morning listening to the Pet shop boys new album is a nice end to the day or start to the day how ever you want to look at it .

Might buy a pair of Anker ear pods reviews look good sound quality and functions look good too they are available in black or white and are under £50 for the Soundcore life p2 .

Went to Ikea bought some sofa cushions gone back to grey and white looks better than the stags .

Doing some oven cooked chicken instead of using cornflakes like I got in the Nando's meal kit using Doritos's should be ok bit more spicy .

FRIDAY - Had another four hours sleep had to get up to go to Huddersfield to  see a mortgage advisor have application waiting to see if we get approved .
Also applied to part buy and rent a property in Holmfirth which we have been approved waiting to hear from the developer so things are moving forward slowly .
if we don't then we neither stay put or rent think staying put is the best option .

FISHY GOING ON'S

TUESDAY - First years snow fell this morning does not look like it is settling where we are although it could as the snow was falling quite fast .

WEDNESDAY - Helen bought the ingredients to make a fish pie smoked haddock , cod , salmon and small prawns with mash and cheese on top had it with broccoli spears she cooked it then oven baked it first time we have had this dish it was really really good we will be doing this recipe again .

Bought a large pack of chicken breasts from the farm shop we also bought £10 of long thin pork sausages one of theses are enough for a sandwich or if doing a full English breakfast .

Filled out my application for my visa to visit New York all done online pretty straight forward ,  it was only $14 which was just under £10.50 I think it is good for two years , doubt I will ever go back but never say never.

My son was involved in a car accident on his way to Barnsley he went into the back of a Range Rover and did a lot of damage to the front of his car with hardly any damage to the Range Rover apart from some  damage to the rear bumper , my son will need a new bonnet , off side head light , front bumper , front grill and radiator , how the fuck don't you see a Range Rover in broad daylight fishy if you ask me  .
He was driving his Mothers car and had to get it towed back to where he lives in York he drove it 15 miles before her called for the break down service to rescue him , still can't believe you cant see a Range Rover if your that unaware you really should not be in charge of a car .

LISTENING TO - Pet Shop Boys "Hotspot' got to be one of the best British duo's ever a great album..

BLACK AND WHITE

Had someone else another couple came to view the static home they did not realize you can't get a mortgage on a van its cash only they was gutted as they loved it .We do have a firm offer now and the ball should start rolling we have an appointment with our estate agents to discuss our options either way we will be moving on in some form or the other where to we don't know if we buy , rent or part buy and rent we will see .I think our best option is part buy and pay part rent .

Have to take Helen for more readings tonight which means another three to four hour sat in my car will watch Elton John film Rocketman and Freddie Mercury's bio Bohemian Rhapsody  hopefully it won't be too cold and the time will fly.

I waited in the car my feet after a couple of hours my feet where freezing even though I had two pairs of socks on a pair being thermal the rest of me was ok it was just my feet next time I think I will get a hot water bottle .

MONDAY -Took Bailey to the  groomers in Wakefield for his coat cutting  it took me over a hour to do two miles not sure why or what the hold up was when I got to the front traffic was moving it was all clear weird .

Working at seven tonight which is good bad is I am working till three a.m  . It is my daughters birthday today she is 29 years old how time flies unbelievable .

Helen's son Liam called it has been a while he took her to the Alchemist in Leeds for afternoon dinner she had charcoal battered fish,  looks weird black coating white fish .

FLOWERS AND CHIPS

Bought the ingredients to make some home made chocolate chip cookies made eight large cookies with milk chocolate chips they was pretty good for a first attempt they tasted ok the first batch where a bit too thin but just out of the oven tasted better than I had hoped for , I think the next thing I try and do is home made fudge I have a bottle of jack Daniels for flavouring will have to see if I can get a recipe as I have no idea how to make fudge I like fudge more than cookies .

Took another two year contact out with my Internet provider I don't have to pay anymore money which is a bonus if we move I hope to upgrade to fibre or should I say when we move .

Helen bought another two pillows for the bed the are all white with embroidered butterflies on them they was twelve pounds each I saw some really nice Habitat coffee mugs I might buy a couple , We did go back the following day , and got the matching duvet and pillow set and three coffee cups .

Seen a nice iPhone case that I want to get  for my iphome  XS Max it off eBay I have had the case I have now on it since I first got the phone .

SATURDAY - Went to the local garden centre Helen got a bouquet made up for her mothers birthday we got a two free drinks voucher for the cafe whilst we waited for them to create the bouquet it did look pretty good when they had finished the creation .

We drove over to York with it I manage to keep it upright on the back seat although I did nearly trash it going round a sharp bend .We also went with her parents to the Wetherby Whaler fish restaurant in York been to one Wetherby Whaler been to them all the design and layout a always very similar even the food seems the same the bill for four of us was £54 which was ok I paid seeing as I had not bought her mum a gift for her birthday .

Helen bought yet another duvet cover and pillow cases and another throw for the sofa , well its her cash .

FULLY SERVICED

The people who are wanting to buy our home are coming around again tonight not sure why but that asked if they could so it was agreed .If they want to knock the price down it is highly unlikely if they want to secure it by leaving a deposit then they can will find out tonight .I think they will genuinely buy our home they are not messing around they want it , if they had the money we would be moving out an d they would be moving in.

Bought some cornflakes defrosted some chicken breast and cooked my own version of cornflake chicken . dipped in flour then I used a beaten egg to dip into before coating with cornflakes .
The chicken breast we buy is very moist when it is cooked it does not dry out I did some fries and uncle Ben's chicken flavoured rice I  had mine with soya sauce excellent .

WEDNESDAY -Took my car in for its 30,000 mile service I also test drive a Skoda Scala its 6 gears but only 1litre and it drove like a dream at the moment it would cost too much each month maybe next year . I borrowed another Fabia same as mine but in blue whilst they completed the work on mine it was in the afternoon when I picked it back up.

MCR SHOPPING

SATURDAY - Helen has readings in Bramley tonight not sure how many she is doing I know it is going to be cold sat in the car will need my thermal socks, Vans  hoodie , Levi quilted jacket and fingerless gloves I might also wear some jogging bottoms over my jeans .Will take my iPad to read my book and will have my phone my stainless steel drink bottle of ice cold cherries and berries and hopefully a big bar of chocolate.

MONDAY - Picked my daughter up from her house and drove over to Manchester to visit counterfeit street , it is where the shops sell all the designer knock off copies that are made in china at a fraction of the price of the real item. The shops start  more or less opposite Strangways prison which makes it feel more foreboding for some reason .The sun was out in Manchester most of the shops you need to go up the stairs to the upper levels you been in one then all are more for less the same layout .The sellers where friendly enough they want your money but in a nice way , they have people outside ushering you in they are also look outs in case the police are about , they do get raided and stock does get confiscated but selling continues it is big money, We bought fake Gucci , YSL , LV bags in different styles and designs at a cost of £200 .They also sell watches , belts , training shoes , perfume , socks and t-shirts , I also noticed some fake iPods and Beats headphones , are we going back you betcha we are , is it funding organized crime more than likely , obviously the police know the shops whereabouts yet let them carry one trading , why not legalize them and get the taxes some shops are making thousands a day at peak times .

CORNFLAKE CHICKEN

Think this year I will buy myself a new Apple Watch I have never had one also I do want a new x-box one .
Must also buy. new mattress for our bed and a cordless vacuum anything but a Dyson.

Bought some chocolate chip  cookies from the farm shop you have to bake them in the oven they was great when they came out and was still warm but not so good when they had completely cooled down.I also found a apple crumble in the freezer we bought from another farm shop and I baked that it was excellent had it with some ice cream .

Helen bought a kitchen blender we are going to do some smoothies and some different soups hopefully the will be nicer than shop bought ones .

Bought a Nando's cornflake meal kit basically just need chicken fillets plain flour and peas .
cut the chicken breast up into smaller fillets set three bowls up , one with flour , one with the Nandos sauce and one with the corn flakes dip the chicken pieces in to  the flour , then dip  them in to the sauce and finally dip in the corn flakes , place on a baking tray  cook for thirty minutes .Cook the rice in the microwave and boil some peas .I liked the result the rice was a bit too scented I would have preferred normal rice I guess its easy to just buy your own cornflakes and sauce and do your own recipe also be cheaper , I have never had a Nando's meal at one of their restaurants this was probably just as good .

FOREVER JANUARY

Well nothing really going on spoke with my son Guy he is starting a new job next week assembling static homes .He is doing a similar shift pattern to me .Starting in the afternoon and finishing at ten at night .He can't say you have a job until you have been there at least six month .If he messes up he will be down the road hopefully he won't .One of his issues is transport or the lack of a car or owning a car the firm is in Knaresborough he will need wheels .He is using his late mothers car but that is only temporary basis. The VXR he had his pride and joy the car he use to take all day to clean  is long gone nought to sixty on a back of a truck for none payment of loan .

He will also need a new place to live he has to move out at the end of the month he told me he is sorted with living with his girlfriends sister house trouble is loose the girlfriend loose a place to live.

Looking forward to Friday break up again for nine days off work , money and days off and a pension is all I am interested in the job is getting worse and it won't get any better the atmosphere is shite every one is pissed off yet the managers refuse to acknowledge it as always the bury their heads in the sand and just set shitty dead lines and cleaning scores in departments the are open 24/7 and is a constant battle to keep clean specially at peaks times .

Wish I was younger would look for a different job but I pay in to a pension and the years I have left would be a silly move to leave now .Got to grin and bear it working 18.00 - 02.00 helps .

Anyway January seems to go one forever roll on payday roll on going to New York the count down has begun .

MORE CHIEFS

Out of this months wages I need to buy a suitcase for hand luggage to take on the plane have a view on eBay I am watching a bright orange one and a white one I am leaning towards the orange on but it is bright .
Still full of cold went back to work doing 18.00 till 02.00 the longest shift ever made it through was glad to get home and go to bed .

Helen had two readings this morning so I manage to stay in the bedroom just relaxing reading "Someone We Know" by Shari Lapena a great read gripping from page one highly recommend it if you are going on a flight or planing a stay in hospital buy it you won't put it down.

They are making two of us supervisors a higher grade which means more duties for extra money all I can see is the higher grades trying to boss us lower grades around they will soon forget they was one of us all I can see is problems , we have already too many chiefs , its just someone else barking orders and demands at you that is going to piss you off big time  .What we really need are more Indians .

FULL OF COLD .

SATURDAY - Bad night sleep was awake at four had no sleep it was windy and I just couldn't settle .
Helen decided to burnt some dried sage we grow it in our garden drive it out on the radiators so it smokes when it burns it was a wolf moon she did every rooms if you have smelt sage and seen the dense smoke it outs out you will understand , was like being in a blues club years ago .

I was up at nine had a letter to post and walked the dog I checked the fences was still up after a night of gales  all was well.

Went to the range Helen bought more bedding another duvet set plus extra pillows when we washed them we noticed a stain on the duvet so they will have to go back .


SUNDAY - Still full of cold Helen did me a sausage sandwich and coffee in bed we watched You Tube .
Took the bedding back got a new set then drove back home I went to bed ,Helen cooked the last turkey crown for our Sunday dinner .

Had a shower updated my pen written diary Helen had a reading I watched "Enemy At The Gate " a Great War film based on true events about a Russian sniper killing German officers he left other German soldiers alone just went after the high ranking chief's of staff.

ONLY THE BRAVE

FRIDAY - 10th of January last year was the funeral service for my ex wife ,  my daughter is a hair dresser she has her own salon with her friend  , as a mark of respect she went to work totally dressed in black I think she did her nails and eyes as well  .
When my mother died I went out and bought a stone garden gargoyle and called it Ethel that was years ago it is still in the garden I still speak to it and it always reminds me of my mother I think she be laughing I know she would approve secretly I think she would think it was cool .

Last day off of course I am not at work  for the weekend returning to work on Monday for a whole five days then I will have another nine days off,  a great start to the year more time off work than at work will do for me.

Took Helen to the doctors she was lucky to get an appointment they wanted her to wait until 22nd of January she has an infection she can't wait the long nobody wanting to see a doctor should have to wait more than 24 hours .

Went to the farm shop Helen bought some long thin pork sausages and 10 chicken breast fillets as well as frozen fruit for her gins and a bottle of vanilla syrup for my coffees  .She cooked a dish a You Tuber covered in one of her posts , chicken teriyaki chicken cooked on a bed of rice and pineapple it was great using a whole can of pineapple rings was over kill but the dish was great could have done with some prawn crackers .

Started using Brave web browser on my Mac book and I have to say I am loving it it loads pages a lot faster than Safari specially You Tube which takes forever to load when I was on Safari , try it and see so far I am sticking with Brave I believe it also blocks trackers and ads .

OUT OF THE BLUE

We bought the Britta 2.4 litre filter jug we filled it up with tap water twice to rinse the filter out , filled it up a third time and placed it in the fridge .

 I also bought four boxes of cappuccino coffee pods I bought one box from Aldi' it was an unfamiliar brand but after trying them was quite impressed its a saving of £1.50 per box , or like four boxes for the price of three .the others i bought at Asda they was on offer £4 for one or £10 for three .

My son called me today totally out of the blue he was on the phone for over an hour  i have not spoke to him for over eight months he now has a new girlfriend and told me he was starting a new job  living in new accommodation , hopefully all he said to me was the truth but as always time will tell .He also said he had his car repossessed for not keeping up the payments

Did a shepherds pie for our tea with Yorkshire puddings we had not eaten all day .

MEET UP

Booked the car in for an oil service  I pay a monthly service plan so I don't need to pay its all ready taken care off , they will be doing later in the month because I need a loan car .

Cleaned the fish tank which meant taking  all of the water out and all the gravel we washed and scrubbed everything I cleaned the filter cleaned and all the bags of charcoal and lava the polishing pads I  bleached got to make sure they are bleach free when putting them back in the filter would kill all the fish , washed the rocks with the garden hose on jet spray and thoroughly washed and rinsed all the gravel  it is a long process and takes the best part of three hours it can and has taken longer .But seeing the water in 24hours once it is all settled and gone through the filter is worth it as it is crystal clear which is what you are aiming for .

Meet up with two old neighbour's Nik and Erky I  used to live a few doors away from them this was back in the day they now live in Bradford .We went to the Kaye Arms for lunch Helen and I both ordered the beer battered fish and chips they have a weekday offer two meals for £15 and the food is excellent we meet up at one and spent a good couple of hours chatting away it is amazing how time flies and years go buy , of course we wont leave it as many years next time we meet up .

POSH BUT NOT

First Monday of the new year and I have the next seven days off work not that I don't love my job . .Have already had four cups of coffee from my new coffee  machine they are way  too addictive and drinking  regular coffee after wards  sucks the taste of the coffee from the pods are excellent  .

Went over to my daughters house at Kippax we got there for midday . She cut my hair it had been a while  ,and it was extra long . I had a grade one and the sides and back and scissor cut on the top she also coloured and cut Helen's hair .

On the way home we stopped of at Asda bought some lemon muffins , chicken Kiev's from the freezer section a bag of frozen golden veg rice and green vegetable rice as well as dog food and cat biscuits we also bought two packets of thins bread a bit like pitta bread but squarer, as well as two lottery tickets for the Euro draw .

For tea I had fried chicken pieces and dripping chips that's chips cooked in beef dripping then oven cooked really nice sounds posh they sell them in Asda .

WATCHING  - It Chapter Two.

LISTENING TO - Post Malone "Hollywood Bleeding ".

NEW MACHINE

Helen bought me a new white we previously had red Nescafe Dolce Gusto coffee machine we bought it from Curries/PcWorld,  it was reduced by a massive £80 and cost only the sale price of £39.99 plus the two boxes of cappuccino  coffee pods where only £3.60 for a box  of 10 .We did have to go over to Rotherham to buy one as all the local branches near us had none .

Went to Primark Rotherham branch bought six pairs of underpants I got socks for Christmas but alas no undies .

Cooked a roast pork Sunday dinner with roasted sweet potato , swede,  stuffing and Yorkshire puddings.

Did nothing else really watched our favourite You Tubers and the Tv series Dark Angel the true story of the first female serial killer in England Mary Ann Cotton .

WATER NOT ON TAP

Think we are going shopping for a Brita water jug I suppose until you try it you put up with the water that flows out of your tap expecting it to be pure but it contains limescale and other chemical will see if I can notice any difference  once we use the pitcher .

My automatic self winding watch has stopped working the hands won't budge I manual wound it still no joy it has been ages since I wore it last and though I would put it on today only to find out its fcuked .I read to manual wind the watch which I did still no joy not really gutted guess the next watch I will buy will be an Apple one .

Finally bought a 2020 page per day black diary in A5 size was only two quid from Asda .

THREE DAYS IN

The cottage we wanted to buy in Holmfirth has had a offer out in and is now subject to contract we won't look for another house until we have a buyer for ours which is logical and sensible there are always house on the market to buy or rent .

Need to buy another Amazon fire stick the one in the bedroom seems to be playing up which is a pain in the butt . I have taken the one out of the living room for now we tend to watch more You Tube in bed than in the living room .

Need to sort out the frozen food that we have in both  freezer the upright in the kitchen and the chest freezer in the out building  both are full with stuff I can't remember buying , I also need to load up the boot of the car and go to the local tip the black waste bags are mounting up the bin men missed a week it being Christmas .

Break up to night a massive nine days off when I go back I am doing 18.00 - 02.00 for a week then I have another nine days off a great start to the new year like working part time with full pay .

Already looking forward to the summer months hopefully it will be blazing hot need to buy a pressure washer and need to do some creosoting of decking and fence panels .

I was thinking of buying a diary so I can hand write my 2020 year so far I have not bought one better be quick we are already three days in . I do hope that every one is having a good start to the year.

TURKEY AGAIN

DAY 1 - I have not made any resolutions for the New year I don't smoke or hardly drink I am mostly polite and pleasant , I suppose if anything I could be more active but I do walk a lot at work and during the day I would like to read more so that might be my choice read more books .

I got up and walked the dog as always Bentley the cat followed George my other cat stayed indoors he had been out all night .
Arriving home I prepared our New Years day dinner a turkey crown with roasted potatoes , carrots and swede mash and Yorkshire puddings we will do a bowl of stuffing and have a new jar of cranberry sauce . I go to work at  14,00 at my job as supervisor at the Hospital in Leeds .

Washed the car I parked up yesterday at work and birds our feathered friends shat all over the windscreen , door mirror car wing and passenger side door.

I have next week off on annual leave when I go back on the 13th I will be doing 18.00 - -2.00 shift extra money for New York .

Some old friends from back in the day got in touch with me yesterday we are meeting up next week at The Sun pub for a catch up should be good .

Went to work for double time as it was New Years day if our wages was that all the time be laughing .

TWENTY TWENTY MADE IT

Wishing everyone all the best for 2020 hope its better than 2019 and if you had a great 2019 then hope 2020 is awesome those who had a bad 2019 , hopefully things will get better anyway we all made it plenty didn't and whilst you live you can change things and life can improve just got to stick in there .

THE MAIN THING IS EVERYONE READING THESE WORDS , IS THAT WE MADE IT AND THINGS WILL CHANGE HOPEFULLY FOR THE BETTER , SO GOOD LUCK AND STAY POSITIVE , ALL THE BEST TO ALL .

BOOKED IT

FRIDAY - Went to Pc World over at Bradford and bought Helen a Apple Watch series three in space grey it was the nearest store which had any in we reserved ti and collected it , it is  for her birthday which is tomorrow she will be 51 years old .

Booked my speed awareness course  was caught doing 35 in a 30 zone it cost £84 it is not until the 4th of February 2020 and the venue is minutes away from where live in a hotel and keeps my license point free .

SATURDAY - Helen's birthday Went to the Apple store in Meadow Hall Sheffield there was issues with the Apple watch it was not always receiving messages and calls .Apparently if your iPhone is unlocked then the watch won't show the alerts or calls maybe obvious but was not to us .

Went to Compo's for fish and chips they forgot to process our order and the waitress had to re order our food I had a jumbo haddock for the first time with baked beans .

SUNDAY - Went to Helen's parents stopped of at Gregg's on the way it was after six when we left stopped at KFC for a late tea early supper .

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christmas Eve - Got home from Asda put the windscreen bottle on the driving seat so I would fill it up before going to work .
Helen was up watching You Tube videos on how to make bath bombs.Was after four o clock before we went to sleep .

Went to work  at 18.00 when I drive back home it will be Christmas morning .

CHRISTMAS DAY - Hope everyone reading my Blog had the best Christmas ever , filled with Love and Peace and hopefully will enjoy a great 2020 .

 Exchanged gifts with Helen loving my Braun re-chargeable razor should have it for years to come , and Helen liked her Pandora necklace /locket and charms HER SONS ONCE AGAIN A MAJOR LET DOWN it is the same every year they buy her nothing that great if they bother at all .

Went to my daughters house saw Jenson before he left with his Dad Lee , we had a great Christmas dinner the turkey and trimmings was excellent it was my daughters first Christmas dinner that she had cooked herself we all pigged out and enjoyed the meal .
I received some American dollars of her for our trip to New York and some CK Shock aftershave and other stuff socks and a t-shirt Helen received a Pandora charm "Love You To The Moon and Back and some Paul Smith perfume .We palmed Think Words was good fun Helen name a city in the U.K she pressed "D' and said Dubai was good fun .Thanks to my daughter we had a great Christmas .

PORRLY "H"

WEEKEND  BEFORE CHRISTMAS - Got home just after half past two Helen not any better .
After trying to sleep I got up and took the dog out then went to Asda .It was not that bad I bought three curries two pizzas , sweet potatoes , swede , parsnips , carrots , Four cooked meats  two hams one beef and a roast turkey , white  bread brown bread and two packets of bread cakes . Philadelphia cheese spread one with with chives and one with garlic and herbs , two bottles of Lucozade for Helen and juice cherries and berries for me  dog and cat food , tea coffee with white and brown sugar , paracetamols , toilet tissue , washing up liquid and two packets of chips with skins on in beef dripping , chewing gum , milk and gift tags obviously I have to go back to finish off .

Got home refilled a bowl with with boiling water and Elbas oil for the bedroom Helen is still residing in bed I made her a cup of tea and cooked her a fried egg sandwich .

Had a bowl on chicken balti with nan bread and chips no cider which was a shame not sure have not had any cider in for a few weeks not sure why been doing cherries and berries juice .

Order 24 gel pens of eBay for work I can't use normal biros writing is just not the same without gel ink.

SUNDAY  - Filled the car up with petrol £42 enough for 550 miles could go to either end of the country without stopping for petrol .Went over to Helen's parents with the Christmas presents , Helen stayed in the car the quickest visit ever , we then we went over to her sons Kris hose in Leeds and dropped his gifts and then off to her other sons house to drop his Christmas presents off  .

MONDAY - Helen still not 100% still in bed feeling dizzy I went to Asda bought two small turkey crowns and cider and other bits we needed bought Helen a bottle of Bailey' Irish cream .
Finished work at 02.00 went back to Asda for other items also bought some screen wash for the car rung out not good .

CROWN

My Daughter text the Christmas menu that she is cooking for our Christmas Day lunch sounds like we are having a banquet , she has left us to get the desert will have to have a look for a fitting dessert to accompany her meal , if we have enough room left for a desert .

As far as I am aware Tuesday mother has always cooked her Christmas dinner for her  I think every she has done this every year  apart from the time my daughter was was away travelling in New Zealand in 2012 .

Doing next week shifts of  18.00 - 02.00 apart from Christmas Day which I have off will be back on Boxing Day .

FRIDAY - Helen is full of flu and cold e have a party to go to this Saturday I doubt very much we will be going we are also delivering presents over the weekend which might mean me going on my own .
Went to the doctors she has an ear infection as well as cold and flu like symptoms she was prescribed some antibiotics .

Get paid early on the 23rd will have to go out and do some food shopping because the 23rd is on a Monday there is a good chance my wage will be in for Saturday which will make going to the shops a lot easier ,Last year I was in the supermarket like half past two in the morning .

Will get the usually stuff even though we are dining out will still get a turkey crown no legs wings or bones just meat  and maybe a joint of gammon a jar of  cranberry sauce and a packet of sage and onion stuffing and all the veg we usually get as well as some sweet potatoes .Need to get a Christmas card for Helen my daughter and grandson .

I remember when I worked at the council I always use to take two weeks off work break up on the Friday before Christmas it was great it seemed like a proper break no rushing to do everything now getting just the one day Christmas is just for a day .

Watching  - 6 Underground

Listening to - Post Malone "'Hollywood Bleeding "

BETTER THAN A WELLIE

MONDAY - Received a text message from work asking if I will start at 18.00 - 03.00 and do this pattern all week I  rang back and told them that  I would only do until two  , finishing at three a.m is too brutal on my sleep pattern .The only reason I do these shifts is for the extra cash specially as I need funds for New York in April .It is Helen's birthday on the 28th of December get paid on the 23rd.

TUESDAY - Another boring day at work did nothing much seemed a long day .To a chicken curry and some rice for my tea I also took some chapatis I warmed them up in the toaster the second lot I did burnt  , the office was full of smoke luckily the smoke alarms did not go off I taped them up and put the fans on last thing I wanted was the fire brigade turning up it can be a big call out charge if its a false alarm .


WEDNESDAY  - Off work went out to a bakery in Ossett to buy some rum truffles also had a fish sandwich from the Barracuda was not impressed not sure why the cats ate what I left .

Took Helen's son for his pre assessment was near Bramhope past Golden Acre Park it was a pain the traffic was bad he was only in for ten minutes I dropped him off at his house before setting back getting stuck in the rush hour traffic on the motorway .
Went to B&Q for some GU10 bulbs for the ceiling spot lights , that cover the kitchen area  it was three bulbs for a tenner or eight bulbs for £16 I just got the three .

On the way home I went to our local Asda it was raining I bought some beef wellington hopefully it taste better than Compos wellie (Last Of The Summer Wine  - Google it ) , and some stuffed mushrooms with garlic and cheese and a  bag of frozen goose fat chips with the skins on so that is tonight's  tea sorted I also bought some chicken Kiev's and some shower gel as well as dog and cat food .

CHRISTMAS WRAPPING

FRIDAY - Had to pick Helen up from her friends house at Meltham she has been invited for her tea and had been picked up just after half past six the agreement was could I pick her up later during the evening .I stayed at home cooked some jacket potatoes chili and cheese I was sorted .I watched the film classic "Leon" as I have the new Jean Reno movie "Cold Blood " to watch .I picked Helen up just after midnight I had to stop off on the way and get a tank full of petrol .

SATURDAY - Went over to the chiropodist Podiatry for my six week appointment I have been paying  £23.50 a visit  and have been nearly going a year now , I received a letter I am guessing all her clients are getting the same letter , stating that in January 2020  her prices are going up to £28.00 a increase of £4.50 this is for a thirty minute slot so a £9.00 a hour wage rise that's a £1440 a month increase  a total of £4,480 a month gross pay or a £53.760 a year .I think we at the NHS are getting a massive 1% rise in April which will not even cover the food rises in the shops or the increase in petrol prices for getting to work .

Helen has more readings over in Linthwaite tonight I have about a four to five hour wait sat in my car  if anyone has every sat in a car for half an hour it seems an eternity then five hours I can assure you is specially if it is raining dark and cold which it will be .I need to take coffee and wrap up warm I will wear a t-shirt hoodie and my quilted Levi jacket , with thermal socks I have gloves and a scarf I also have a blanket , I will take my charging brick for my iPhone put the seat back and down relax and watch either a film or you tube or listen to music , audio book or a podcast I won't get bored a little cramp maybe a little feed up but will do it so Helen has enough money to buy her Christmas presents she needs to get she  has already got mine so I have no ulterior motive for doing this .

SUNDAY - Went to Wakefield Helen bought her Christmas presents North Face T-shirts for her sons , a bath bomb selection and  a v-tech watch and reed diffusers from Next for three other people she also bought wrapping paper and gift tags .
Bought two ham hocks for dinner and swede it only took an hour to cook we was wrapping presents has the dinner cooked in the oven ,

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS LIST  -What I would like for Christmas 2019.

A unpolluted Earth all countries equally being responsible for climate change.

All endangered species of animal  protected .

Enough food for all ,  people never going hungry.

Clean free fresh drinkable water for every one.

Affordable housing for every body requiring a home .

Free health care for everyone.

All wars and  hostilities to end .

All weapons of mass destruction to be decommissioned .

Governments secrets on U.F.O's , Aliens , and Area 51 to be disclosed .

All homeless people given shelter clothes and food .

All forests re planted .

All politicians to take a lie detector test before being elected to office .

All would be nice a few a dream come true any one of the above would do , be lucky to get any hopefully things will change before it is too late , trouble is I can see myself asking for the exact same things  again next year  and the year after .

Not sure why because all are easily achievable if the world leaders and government officials agreed to let it happen trouble is they don't want to if all the money spent on weapons was diverted elsewhere there would be money left over to give all people the basic things to sustain a healthy happy life .

GETTING MOTIVATED .

SUNDAY - Windy and rainy and sat in waiting for a delivery from Hermes ,playing Relic Run on my iPhone . Cooked a bacon and brie panini for breakfast it was ok it was Helen's idea she had been watching someone on You Tube cooking one and seeing as we have a panini press we gave it a go it was ok .The package form Hermes delivery arrived just before two p.m we have no more packages outstanding .

MONDAY - Did nothing much took Helen to a out of hours doctors surgery at Dewsbury because she was getting terrible head aches this was at 21.45 wa sin and out in ten minutes better than wasting hours in an A&E department .

TUESDAY - Helen bought me some new slippers from Asda she says it is unlucky to buy someone slippers it means they are leaving you or walking out I think it is only if you give someone a gift of shoes .

Bought two lots  chicken a pack fillet strips  and also a packet of diced chicken we are going  to do a chicken stew in the slow cooker with a big bag of stew veg thrown in  and a Chinese stir fry with the stir fry veg and black bean sauce , we have also sausages and lambs liver for a casserole as well as pizzas and a sponge cream  cake , should be having jam roll poly and custard .

Need to clean out the fish tank and filter system I also need to clean the windows both jobs are about four hours and the problem is I can't be arsed not good need to get motivated the big problem is just starting ,

NINE DAYS OFF

THURSDAY - Got home just after half past three the shift went ok had a few cappuccinos and some ham and cheese quiche two more shifts to go , I have asked if I can continue doing the same shifts next week even though I am supposed to be on annual leave I am waiting for a response from my line manager .
Need to go out and buy some fish food for the cichlids we are cleaning them out hopefully this Saturday .

FRIDAY - Not working my week off so when I finish Fridays shift on Saturday morning will have no work for a whole nine days.

Bought my Grandson's and daughters Christmas presents and Helen's Pandora order came , I don't bother with my son he is a waste of time , he does not contact me even though I have phoned him hundreds of times,  he was never that much of a son to his mother and even less  of a son to me.

SATURDAY - Home cooked lasagna for tea with enough left for dinner tomorrow had it with chips and a mozzarella flat bread .

LISTENING TO - Audio books by James Patterson "Along Came a Spider " and 'Cross Kill".

READING - James Patterson 'Criss Cross".

WATCHING - "Toy Story 4 "

MUSIC - Coldplay "Every Day Life ".

WANTING - X-Box , Wireless ear pods I18 TWS .

BUY MORE BULLETS

I have Apple notes on my phone I keep all my passwords on there for more or less everything  as well as user names or numbers for login o different sites , well some how I deleted the lot , Its not the first time this has happened and  it is quite frustrating and extremely annoying when it happens , I do have a copy on my work computer and I do have some written down . But of course I do update passwords and don't always write the new password down and I do have different combinations of words and numbers my Mac book also auto complete password details so I don't have to remember for manual enter the password when I go to a particular site . It is amazing how many passwords you keep I will now have to try and retrieve them those I don't have will have to use the forgot password option to set a new one not a total pain just need to be more careful in future.

TUESDAY - Working 14.00 - 02.00 a whole twelve hours rest of week doing 18.00 - 03.00 not sure I am off next week might ask if I can continue doing the same shift but on over time .

WEDNESDAY  - Got a Nip from West Yorkshire Police for doing 36mph in a thirty zone a few yards further on the same road it changes to 60 mph it all the joys of motoring last time I got a Nip I paid the fine and took the points this time I might do the speed awareness course and save the points still £85 either way its my fault .I got caught on Sunday gone didn't  waste time getting the Nip notice out to me guess they need the cash for the Christmas party , I was in the wrong hands up but still think I was set up , but if they use my money to buy more bullets , to shoot more terrorist's then I am happy.

Went to the fam shop bought home made Cornish flat pasties , peas , chicken and leek pie , potato rottis as well as sausages and bacon .

CAST ON CAST OFF

FRIDAY - Started cooking the stew at four this morning it will slow cook all day will have it with dumplings and pancakes will smell it all day simmering away Ordered another charm from Pandora online for Helen's locket she also as the ring . Need to get her birthday present for the 28th of December its the worst day ever too near Christmas everyone is skint she never gets anything great from her sons for either Christmas or her birthday .
Last shift working till three a.m it has took its toll i am absolutely cream crackered the things we do for a half decent pay check.

SATURDAY - Left work at three  the car was iced over and it was cold got home made some dumplings to throw into the slow cooker the longer it cooks the better the taste , so that is dinner sorted stew dumplings and Yorkshire puddings .It was after four when i went to bed the cats woke me around six to go out i was up at nine to walk the dog .it is a hard life Helen is working to night i will have a four hour wait in the car at least got loads of films still to watch and season three of the "Stranger Things ".To be honest it was not that cold I did take some coffee and watched a film the time went fast it was near a busy road so there was cars going past all the time .On the way home we stopped at the Barracuda fish shop and got fish and chips total home a good end to a Saturday night.

SUNDAY - Went over to Helen's parents at Acaster Malbis before going we stopped off at Monks Cross shopping outlet Helen went to Hobby Craft to get wool and needles two of her sons partners are both having babies and she wants to knit some blankets .

 its been a few weeks since we last went to see Helen"s parents we had Sunday dinner with them which was a meat pie with Yorkshire puddings and mash  , and a home baked apple pie and double whipped cream . I also was given a Fat Face gift card for £30 for my birthday which was totally out of the blue .Helen had her mum show her how to crochet it was a learning curve casting on and off looked complicated I hope she remembers if not its You Tube tutorials .

ONE HOUR MORE

MONDAY - Went back to Cawthorn antiques Helen bought a heart shaped locket for her mother's Christmas present and a white porcelain potty for under the bed decoration purposes only .Went food shopping bought some meatball and spicy chicken and breakfast items .Called in to our favourite local fish and chip restaurant for dinner .

 Adding just one  hour to the length of my shift makes it unbelievably longer I know it is only a mere sixty minutes but it takes forever to get to three a.m . doing this all week it gives me an extra days pay on top of the extra night rate I am getting .

TUESDAY - Got home just after half past three in the morning for most part the roads where deserted  I was up to let the cats out and I took our dog for his morning walk just after nine a.m .
Did nothing all day cooked us both breakfast and chilled out all day preparing myself for another night shift .

WEDNESDAY - Went to Meadow Hall Sheffield after only four hours sleep , we went to Pandora jewellers and bought Helen her locket and charms for Christmas  it was what she wanted , the charms I ordered online using the stores computer they will get delivered this coming Friday .

THURSDAY - Went to Asda bought food for a slow cook stew and other goodies like mince pies ice cream and salted caramel ice cream lollies all the essentials .

I have to admit it is taking its toll doing an extra hour till three a.m , I will be so glad when it is the end of the week .

ANOTHER CARVE UP

SATURDAY - Wet grey and foggy Helen has readings tonight in Leeds .which will last around four to five hours .Which will mean waiting in the car whilst she finishes .I have films to watch and the Tomb Raider game "Relic Run " to keep me amused plus some James Patterson audio books plus there is always the  local kebab shop .
Never made the kebab shop had a late tea of a a massive pork chop and pasta filled ravioli with four cheese and chips last thing I wanted or needed was a kebab .
Managed to watch two films whilst I whiled away four and a half hours the  "Night Hunter " echoed a bit of "Silence of the Lambs "and " Foot Soldier 4 " violent but amusing in parts ..
It was around eleven by the time we got back home the last few miles was extremely foggy but we arrived safely home Helen hates the fog she panics because she can't make the road out like I say to her as long as I can that's what matters .

SUNDAY - Did nothing much in the morning did some cleaning in the afternoon we went over  to Cawthorn antiques a few miles away Helen bought a pine swivel mirror on  a lift up hinged compartment and a pocket watch .We went to Toby Carvery at Dodworth Valley  for Sunday lunch we had not been to this Carvery before we had a half hour wait and had a drink at the bar when our name was called we was seated and went up to the to get served we  had roast turkey and pigged out on self served veggies of parsnips and mash and roasties and Yorkshires and loads of gravy .

PANDORA'S BOX

Cant believe anther Christmas is approaching faster than ever ,  I already know that I have the day off work ,  it is what we are doing , which we need to sort out asp  . It is going to be the first Christmas since my ex wife and my daughter's mother passed away and I expect it will be a very  emotional time for her .She has always spent Christmas  day with her mum and had her roast dinner with her it is a tradition for her has much as having turkey , mince pies  and sprouts  .

People say Christmas is just for one day but of course it is not we celebrate and prepare a lot earlier even if it is only thinking about what we are going to do .Last year we bought a whole turkey a big mistake a crown is much better I think that  it cooks better and tastes better and when you have to dogs and cats there is no waste .

Think I will be visiting a certain high street jewellers I guess I won't be the only one it will be a very busy time for the store and their takings  will rocket over the next couple of months Helen is looking at necklaces and rings and bracelets the jewellers in question is Pandora , should have box on the end because once you go once the door is always open specially if your hooked on the charm bracelets .

Fresh burgers pan fried in chili oil with onions served on a decent bread cake with cream cheese is my favourite sandwich of the moment with pier pier mayo nice and filling and mouth watering and quick to cook.

CHRISTMAS APPROACHING FAST

Going to buy a bottle of ruby port from M&S to go with the Christmas cake that  we will buy I use to like port with a cigar seeing as I don't longer smoke the cake will have to do . I already have a bottle of Jack Daniels from my birthday I was lucky enough to get two bottles . I will get a few bottles of cider as well I am not going mad with the drink this year more than likely will get Helen some Baileys Irish cream although she never manages to get through a whole bottle.

We will buy a turkey crown for our xmas dinner and maybe a gammon joint to go with it will have to remember to get some cranberry sauce and pigs in blankets .

Not sure what to get Helen  for Christmas and it is a double whammy  because it is her birthday on the 28th of December  which makes it twice as difficult .Might buy her an audible token so she can download some books she wants to read but never has the time easier to listen to them than pick a book up and manually  read it .


Yesterday I worked 18.00 - 03.00 they want me to stay till three not sure why but it is all paid at time and a half so I am not  moaning .I think I have next  week to do as well fingers crossed be extra cash for Christmas .

The council has filled all the grit bins up at the end of the lanes with fresh grit and salt so I helped myself to a carry bag full to throw on our decking  as it gets extremely slippy when we have had a heavy frost .

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS .

Well it is the weekend I need to find an alternative for my breakfast something that involves little or no cooking that is tasty and also filling not sure what to get or where to go to get it from.
We went to Owlcoates Pudsey Leeds Helen bought two packets of pot puree and five bottles of different smelling Christmas oils should have a nice smelling festive room of frankincense and Muir cinnamon , cloves and nutmeg.

It was around this time last year that my daughter put her own  life on hold so she could look after and stay with her mother , whilst her very ill mother bravely battled against her cancer , she was with her mother basically 24/7 until she finally  lost the battle a few days after  Christmas Day  .I know my daughter must remember every detail of the few months and it can't be easy her first Christmas without her mother being here . I know without a doubt her mother would want her to celebrate Christmas to the max has she always did and make the most of the celebration and have a toast to her mother for all the Christmases past but not forgotten.

Went to Asda bought some swede  carrots  and a small but big enough for two joint of pork for our Sunday dinner cooking it with stuffing , mash pots and Yorkshires , we  getting hooked on the pork dinners at the moment seem to be going down nicer than the  chicken .

Put the icicle lights hanging from the guttering two are not working might have to mess with the wires I did not realize until I put them up and it had got dark I did checked that they worked and all seemed fine before I hooked them to the guttering , even if they all don't light up still looks ok . I also put the two deer's that Helen bought from Lincoln Christmas market before she meet me .

After a week off work I am back on Monday that is until the 9th of December then its another week of annual leave I am also of on the 18th and 25th of December .

TREE UP FOR XMAS

TUESDAY - Took Helen to Trinity at Wakefield for her nails doing I looked in certain tech shops and book shops to while away an hour which did go pretty fast .
After we went to Aldi and stocked up on quite a few groceries for just over fifty pounds we bought quite a bit of meat and chicken dishes as well as salad ,  bread Christmas mince pies and stollen .

WEDNESDAY - Went to Wentworth garden centre again Helen bought a big rusty candle holder which I thought it was well over priced at fifty quid and a large ceramic bowl with small and large balls on its rim she is going to fill it with pot puree this was forty pounds she had been looking at getting over the last few months.

THURSDAY - Helen asked if we could put the tree up of course I said yes ok ,  it is the earliest I have ever put the tree up before , so why not Christmas should start when ever you want regardless of others.  Celebrate every Christmas the best way you can .It took a few hours to get it all together but it does look the biz .

SCHOOL AND SWIMMING

SUNDAY - Went to Canon Hall farm shop bought some steak and Guinness pies for tea Helen bought another two Moorland pottery coffee cups one with a pig the other with sheep that's four now that we have and counting they are nice and retail for about £15.95 a cup which makes washing up a nightmare as we don't own a dishwasher .

MONDAY - Off all week went to Wentworth garden centre Helen bought  Large rusty candle sconce that is about two foot tall to sit on the fireplace hearth she also bought a blue round dish for the Christmas pot puree .

We went over to my daughters house we went in her car to pick Jenson up from school lucky it was not raining after we all took him swimming we sat and watch it was kids only been years since I have been inside a swimming baths probably  when I took my children swimming many moons ago .

After we returned to my daughters home she cooked us a gammon joint with Yorkshires and mash and veg and a rhubarb crumble and custard for dessert she is a great cook and a great mother she is truly remarkable running a business and  a home as well as a  full time mother .

Went ti Ikea on the way back home bought a glass cake stand and cover to replace the one that Helen had accidentally smashed into smithereens . We bought a bottle of Swedish mulled wine .

CLOSE SHAVE

FRIDAY -Went to my daughters hair salon she did Helens hair she had her regular colour and cut and I had mine cut grade two instead of one it is winter she has a great coffee machine and as always did a great job .
Break up tonight for a whole nine days off which is always nice specially when the weather is crap .


Found out that I am not required to work Christmas Day I will have to work Boxing Day and New Years day but I have the main day I wanted off .

SATURDAY - Hearts extra radio station is playing on the Amazon echo which are constantly playing Christmas songs . Helen wants to put the Christmas  tree up next Saturday , We will have go to Greggs  see if we can get some Christmas pudding truffles and get some nice mince pies and pouring cream .Time to have Jack Daniels coffees and stollen .Beginning to look and smell a lot like Christmas .

Helen bought me a Braun electric shaver for Christmas  I have not had an electric razor for years and years . I must have been twenty something when I last owned one I thought they where great shavers back in the day,  I think they cost more then what they do now hopefully over the years the shave and design are better , the one I have got is a wet and dry shaver which I have not had before will let you know how improved they are after Christmas .

We bought some Christmas decorations and a new duvet set with stags on very Scottish I bought some Califia cold brew coffee with almond I was able to sample it in Asda and then because it was on offer I bought a bottle  it is nice with J.D and ice .

FLOODED

Apparently they are people out there putting Christmas trees up on the 1st of November no way its way too early I think 1st of December is earlier enough but each to their own .
We bought a new tree last year so hopefully when we unbox it all is good and as far as I remember it is a prelight tree we bought a wicker skirt .

The couple who came to see our static home said it was gorgeous but too small they did mention that they have six dogs you need Battersea's dog home love .

talking about Christmas not sure what I am getting Helen this year a Apple Watch was mentioned will have to see .
I need a piece of hand luggage apart from that not too sure what else I need nothing I guess maybe an electric shaver a cheap Braun model not sure if I can go back to an electric razor I have wet shaved for years .
2020 I am going to start another hand written diary its been years since I have done one but I will from no one do one each year till the end is the end .

Went to Monks Cross at York Helen bought stuff from Primark .The day after Thursday we went to Meadow Hall to Primark the motorway was bad rain was torrential and over spray from trucks bad we made it ok although it took longer to get there . After we left later in the evening  it flooded and people shoppers and retail staff  got stranded and had to  sleep in the mall. The basement car park and surrounding areas where covered  deep in water we was lucky we was  back home just after  midday as I had to go to work at 14.00 . But I  bet it was fun sleeping in the mall apparently carphone warehouse stayed open so people could charge their phones to let loved ones know they wouldn't be travelling home .

FIREWORKS

Trying to read up on as much about New York as I can and about the airline we are flying with which is United and the New Yorker Hotel that we are staying in .I don't want to spoil the surprise but to know where to go and when and try and not miss an important place of tourist attraction is going to be hard somethings we will have to forgo as time will be a factor and of course there are only so many hours in a day we will need to sleep even if its for only a few hours each day .
For me the 9/11 museum and memorial is a must if possible other than that the rest is a bonus .

MONDAY - Its grey foggy and wet not a great start to the week roll on Friday when  I break up for a whole nine days , nine days away from work sounds good to me .

GUY FAWKES - Got engaged to Helen on this day the 5th of November in 2011 it was a Saturday and we collected the ring form the Trafford shopping centre Manchester  and I do remember saying *if we can't ever afford any celebrations at least they will always be fireworks" .

Went out  for some freshly baked pork pies form our local garden centre they are the best, it is a pity I have to go to work but needs must ,  its another cloudy wet grey day roll on summer .

ALL 4HEAD

SATURDAY - Was up mega early took Bailey out for his morning walk.  I went to the chiropodist for a nine a.m appointment , I think  it is always money well spent and makes my walking about a lot easier on my feet ,  she had asked if I had done more walking this month as my feet were worse than normal obviously I am back at work it is amazing how many miles I walk each day specially if I have to go and move the car .

Vac the leaves up from the garden fighting a loosing battle Mother Nature always wins cant keep up with the amount of leaves that are dropping obviously if the wind is blowing you get more leaves falling and if it rains wet leaves always worse then dry leaves to get up need a flame thrower .

Had two viewings on our van all seem interested just need one to say yes I will buy it and we can sort the move out .
Helen had readings over in Huddersfield I sat in the car and watched Anna and Red sparrow back to back .On the way we we stopped at there Barracuda and got fish and chips for our tea/supper .

Watched Gold rush season 10 episode four and some you tube vlogs before heading to bed with a cup of coffee and. J.D .

SUNDAY - Helen suffering with terrible headache will cook Sunday dinner at home and chill out going to get a 4head its a stick like a deodorant stick I guess and  you swipe it across your forehead to relief headache it feels cool and is supposed to be good better and faster than taking tablets .

Bought a extra large extra tasty chicken for dinner some honey roasted parsnips and a swede  with butter and black pepper I love swede and baby carrots for Helen  I already have potatoes for roasting and for mash for desert I bought a salted Carmel cake .and a Carte D'or Vanilla ice cream tub sorted .

IN GENERAL

Had  three kids round trick or treating on Halloween got plenty of mini chocolate buttons and Malteser's left for us yippee fcuk the Halloweener's lol .

Need to buy a decent suitcase which I can use as hand luggage for our trip to New York in April I will sort one out on eBay know the type I want need to find out what I can take regarding re-chargeable power bank for my iPhone we will be out most of the day and don't want my phone running out of power.Once Christmas is here Easter quickly follows then we will be off .
Need to do itinerary of the sites we want to visit and the places we want to go I will be happy going anywhere my daughter wants we both want to do 9/11 and the Empire State building and the ferry to see the statue of liberty and of course Times Square and Central Park .

The more work gets boring the more time off I look forward to I have to work next week then I have a week off .

Took Bailey for his coat cutting a cool £40 he does look better but saying that I do like him shaggy looking Rasta terrier .

Coldplay have a new album out soon can't wait one of my favourite bands .
Cooking a massive pot of chili for tea with jacket potatoes and cheese and garlic bread pig out time cant beat beef chili .