thribble

So I got home last night, late, as I'd stayed late at work, and I discovered that our freezer was defrosted. I went in there to get something for my tea, and there was just big puddles of water everywhere. The freezer man says he can't fix it because he needs to order a part in, which won't come for ages. So we don't have a freezer anymore. I miss having a freezer already.

In better news, Susie has now been sold!

Every day's a school day. This morning i have learnt about Pluto. Can I recommend this site also?

Here it is. Whatever you buy this christmas, don't buy Pop Idol The Idols Merry Christmas War is Over. A bunch of wannabes, doing a record to make money for someone else, ruining a classic. Anybody who knows me knows I'm not a Beatles fan. But John Lennon, even I accept, was a top notch musician and song writer, with a social conscience. He wrote that song for a reason, and that reason wasn't so that people years later could ruin it and make a mint. Don't buy it. Buy the Darkness, buy Proper Chrimbo, but don't buy that.

I'm sure there was something really interesting I wanted to say. Blog suspended until I think of it!

So this weekend started with me feeling physically sick with nerves for most of the final. I recovered in time to eat before the rehearsal and concert, but the last time I felt like that Middlesbrough were losing to Chelsea in the FA cup after 42 seconds.

Sunday was better - a large roast and LOTR2 extended edition on DVD. Fab extra scenes, and a convenient break in the 3hrs 40 minutes with the change of disc.

Well, I seem to have been pretty quiet this weekend. Let's clear the communications before I start on why!

Incidentalclinic, this record is available in the foyer!

Thanks for the info, I'll be heading out there right now. Oh, hang on, it's cold out there. I'll just sit here for a while...

I always thought to be "BT" meant to be "out of order", just like their "services"...

Never had a problem with BT, so can't comment. But I'm sure they'd do everything they could to keep you happy. Honest.

Mmm... Trebor Extra Strong Mints :-)

One from our food critic, there. Something more exciting next time, perhaps?

It's not *their* money I'm worried about ;-)

Ah, a final word from Bernie. I'm sure your money will be fine too!

In case you missed it: Gollum

I hadn't missed it. This is the funniest thing on the web at the moment. Go and check it out. Andy Serkis' MTV award acceptance speech. Probably not to be watched at work!

It's friday, and courtesy of shellnet why not twist your brain around this:

By the way, Channel 4 are showing all the Proper Chrimbo video at 2315 tomorrow night. Apparantly it's very funny.

Modern Day Dilemmas

Driving home today I was stuck in very slow moving traffic. I could just see the reason for this up in front of me - a hearse and two big black volvos following a few cars ahead. I suffered the normal issues - going slowly but can't complain out of respect for the dead. Sorry to all those of a sensitive nature, but I'm about to complain. If you don't like this, stop reading now.

All gone? Good.

When we reached the traffic lights the hearse and big volvos pulled into the outside lane and stopped at the front of the queue. The car in front of me, and myself, pulled into the inside lane. When the traffic lights went green, we set off. The car in front sped off into the night. I was then cut up by the hearse, and had to stop in the middle of the junction to let his two big volvo pals go by with him. If you're going to drive a hearse, Mr, at least get it in the correct lane. Don't cut up people in the 'straight on' lane by going straight on from the 'turn right' lane.

Confession. Today I swore at a hearse. But in my favour, it was at the driver, not specifically at the hearse.

And now, a message for Bernie.

They'll never make their money back, you know. I told him. I said to him, 'Bernie.' I said, 'They'll never make their money back.'

I am BT, bringing people together.
Now, more on Dubya from our northern correspondant.

From certain preparations going on in this neck of the woods I would say that GWB's definitely coming North! But he'll be perfectly safe because according to our local Airport owners "No-one knows where Teesside is" Mum

Well I can think of around 120 people who know where Teesside is, but I trust them not to bomb it or anything - I think they had quite a good time last time they were there! Although come to think of it, we did have to give out a lot of directions, some of which weren't followed all that well.

Is it just me, or is the wording of this slightly misleading "The working week is 5 days of 42 hours, including lunch breaks." (from the patent office). I wonder if they get time to brainstorm? Bernie

My personal favourite from the howstrange galleries that one! And finally...

Mmm... Hola Hoops!

Hula Hoops surely? But agreed, they're in my top 3 crisps definitely.

Ah yes, I remember. I now have a fire escape - check the right hand side - for all of you who blog at work. Woo! Go here to set the escape route.

Yikes. I come on here and as I log on who's blog should I see in the recently published list? Mr Casey's of course. I've completely forgotten what I was going to say.

While I'm ranting, can I just mention the Ghost Ships? What I don't understand is where they would go otherwise? Teesside has some of the best experts in this kind of thing. The ships are there already. The people need the jobs more than most. Just let them get on with it.

Oh, be fazed, please. Be fazed if it means you don't go north and pollute my favourite corner of England. Be fazed if it means you realise just how few people agree with what you did. Be fazed if it means you let Blair out of your pocket.

Thanks to all who gave me advice on my report, including:

hyphenate-everything-then-it-will-only-count-as-one-word. love mad xxx

I find the delete key does wonders! -spj

Kiss my lunar eclipse - God

Although maybe the last one wasn't advice as such... The report is now complete, so success all round.

Has anyone studied maths in Holland? How does 10% cuts overall = 50% in UK = 90 out of 144 people? Merry 'ing Christmas to them too. Sorry - had to let that out somewhere. Bernie.

Rant over?

On a more positive note, here's some great photoshop: Bernie

Apparantly so... Thanks for that link, it made me laugh.

First things first. I've created a wishlist for the things left over from the wedding list, or discovered since that we need/want. If you want to buy me stuff, feel free!

I'm at home. I have been for about 20 minutes. The reason for this is that I left work early.

Not rocket surgery, is it?

The reason for my early leaving is marginally more interesting. Ladies and Gentlemen, we have floor in not only our living room, our dining room but our kitchen too. It looks good. It looks a lot better than, respectively, chipboard with bent nails in it, tiles with bits missing, and lino with plaster on it. Woo!

Words do not only try to trap the writer in an individual capacity. They join together and swarm like locusts, terrifying the beholder and causing devastation and barrenness of meaning. Short sentences are easily controlled.

A quote from "Report Writing".

If anyone has any more useful suggestions as to how to remove around 800 words from my report to get it down to around 2500 they would be gratefully appreciated.

Phew. Now that's out the way I can do some real work. Of course, that's all I do these days. Between working hard so I can leave Hampton and go work somewhere with less than an hours commute to it, working hard so our house will be finished, and working hard so all my christmas present projects come to fruition by the deadline I don't seem to have time to sit down and relax these days. I even had to do some violin practise last week. Scandalous.

This weekend was the exception. I had a lovely sit down on Saturday night with ma-in-law, the TV and a cup of T. Sadly this was ruined on Saturday when I spent an hour running round "Adventure Kingdom", going through small holes and sliding down small slides. Guess which one of my in-laws I was with at the time?!

Not one for the pogonophobes amongst you.

That water thing does sound quite cool actually... - Jim

Wow. I need to blog more. That one dates back to the 20th of October. Still, I'm glad I'm not that boring really.

I'm glad no-ones said "first record? I only have CDs". Anyway, first record: Shakatak - Invitation(s). First gig: Queen. Most recent gig: AC/DC at Hammersmith this week. Wahey - hours of queuing, but worth it. "Dirty Deeds, done with Sheep" and all that 8-). Bernie. ps I don't think you're boring. All those stories of when you've been drinking .... ;-)

Drinking? Me? Never. Well, not while my parent's read my blog, anyway!

Have you really not seen anything since Three Kings?

Well, maybe that one needs updating. I think the last thing I watched was Police Academy 5. Ish.

minipops quiz

Thankyou. Try the Radio 1 website, not mine! I just played it.

Is anybody theeeere????? said the traveller, knocking on the old church door. 0.cking on the old church door.

Not today thankyou.