Friday, December 19, 2003

Collected my new track wheels from Speeds in Bromsgrove this morning. Nice. Now all I need is the rest of the bike !
Friday.
And a fairly decent week. Tuesday worked in the office at FMs system. Decided I had to go there.
Got central heating fixed. Had to put car in for a new windscree in the afternoon and was walking
up to collect it when they rang me ' the wrong screen was delivered, so it wouldn't be ready until
Wednesday morning ! A problem as I am going to FM ! So managed to get a spare car, a horrible
Renault. It had all sorts of warning lights falshing. So went home planning a trip to the gym.
But no ! I had left my membership card in my car ! So didn't go. Did the hard turbo session
(20 secs @ 120 rpm, 30 secs, 50 secs, 60 secs, 1 min rest then repeat 6 more times) Phew.
Wednesday set off, collect car then up to Chapel-en-le-Frith. Off M6 at J16 and via
Congleton & Macclesfield & not a good route, the bit after Macclesfield is nice though, but slow !
Finally off at 19.00. Then to Trvelodge off M60 in Failsworth. Went to (Argh) the Trafford Centre
for loads of shopping. Not the best of plans, it was packed. Some stores opened until 11 !
Had to queue up to get Hazel a bracelet. Got bits & pieces. Left at 22.05 and then spent 30 mins
queueing to get out the car park. Went to the Cheshire Lines and met the 3 sisters ! Then back to
hotel. Good night. Took Hazel to Stockport then another slow drive along the A6 to Chapel. Won't
do that again. Left at 18.45. Went to see Hazel,then home down M6.
Today should be working but faffed around doing an estimate, looking at the web etc.
Feeling a bit cheerful about Christmas, January and early Feb look OK for work. Better than the uncertainties of last year, but hey, who knows whats coming along ?

Tuesday, December 16, 2003

Ha hahahahaha
Walking up to collect my car; a call ! Its the windscreen man. Old windscreen out OK. New one - Wrong fucking size !
So at 17.10 I got no car ! Lucky got a pool car from office ! So had to trek all the way back, traffic once again totally apalling, so hanging about for it to go down.
Arrived home after a fucking awful drive through the log-jam around Merry Hill. Spent a whole hour in lines of traffic stuck because of the volume trying to get into Merry Hill. Ugh.
Tired, and whooppee, the central heating wasn't working. Tried all sorts, checked the boiler, looked at the thermostat, everything.
Rang an engineer this morning. He cam this afternoon, the gizmo that directs the water into the heating system had broken. So a new one. �60 for that, worth it for the warmth !
And driving back from Leamington I noticed a tiny crack in my windscreen, which grew, so need a new windscreen.
Put it in today. How interesting. I'm just off to get a cup of coffee.
My weight after Germany was 80.8 Kg. Monday morning was 78.8. This morning 79.2.

Monday, December 15, 2003

Sunday afternoon went over to see Dad, then right over to collect Joanne from Redditch. Restful evening, early bed, same as Saturday.
To Leamington after picking notes up from office. But they were'nt ready to see me so back to office.
What can I buy people for Christmas ?
Monday.
Go a new mobile on Friday, as my trusty Nokia is now 3 years old, (Delivered to me in Dartford, 1st week in December 2000 I think) it has had problems, loose battery, battery runs low quickly, sliding cover loose. So I went to HR and she had a neat Motorola v66 fold-up. Could do with a hands free and car kit though. Can't seem to find tones to get for it either.
Anyway, Friday I was pissed off at not being able to get out 1st thing Sat morn, so I bought some wine & crisps. And eat
them. Saturday tidied and sorted out the decorations, put up the lights outside. Rained quite a lot but was very mild (14 C).
Sunday, up early and off to Becketts for nine. Then off over to Long Marston, Micleton and over the edge of the cotswolds. Just before Mickleton I waited for Dave who was lagging behind, I was going back early with him & others. But I thoght to
hell with this, I'll join the rest. Who just disappeared round a corner. So I started after them, got round the corner. They were a good way off, up a hill, went hard and jumped up to them. Went past a few and eased off, I don't want to give it
all this time of year. So when Beans and Niel went hard, I left 'em to it. Dropped the Winter Racer though ! A nice ride along the lanes to Ilmington, then narrower lanes to the main road, Loxley and Wellesbourne 'drome cafe. Mug of tea and a rather measly slice of chocolate cake and onwards. Hampton Lucy, lanes by Hatton Station, Lowsonford, Lakes, home. 72 miles.
Legs tired.