2022

Mommy on the Tranny

Tonight Mommy appeared on the radio for the third time in the last couple of weeks, this time taking about online dating…I’ve no idea why? lol After a couple of very polished interviews this one was a little less slick I think because she was revealing stuff about herself and us which slowed her down as she considered each answer and if she wanted to give that bit away. That said I thought it was ace and she told some of my favourite story ever “Our Story” and I would tell it ll to anyone willing to listen.

Tomorrow we should be getting our wooden flooring installed and I have had the idea to each of us write out a note to be left under the new floor for someone else to read many many years from now (hopefully)

We will be glad when the living room is comfy again the single couch and no poof is torture but it is only for 2 weeks fingers crossed

NB: Tranny is short for Transistor radio (in case you were wondering)

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Should have kept the poof?

We should have been having wooden flooring tomorrow but it has been postponed until Tuesday but we spent all day removing all soft furnishings including carpets, armchair and poof taking them to the tip. We tried to give away the sofa bed but the one guy that was interested stopped replying to our texts so that was broken down and taken to the tip too.

We left on double seater sofa to sit on for the next couple of weeks while we wait for the new sofa to be delivered it was only when we finally sat down tonight that we both simultaneously thought ‘We should have kept the poof?’ as we tried to get comfy and watch a bit of telly ?….ah well only 2 weeks to wait I am sure we’ll come up with something to rest our feet on at night!

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#MileHighHuddle Podcast

I listen to a Denver Broncos podcast most days but usually not live I listen as a podcast after the fact so I decided to send in a comment and it got on air and they discussed it for a couple of minutes

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=462479555315883&id=236822776517829

Fast forward to 14 minutes.

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Never pick a favourite

We had a day out today in Stoke first, we went to see the couch Mommy bought while we were all isolating and got a VERY good deal in the boxing Day sales but we hadn’t actually been able to see it or sit on it until today. We were not disappointed it was lovely to look at and great to sit on even in the middle of a furniture shop! I saw the smile on Mommy’s face when we sat on it and the footstool too was an absolute bonus when we saw the size of it (and the storage it will create) along with the armchair means we won’t lose any seating space once we take delivery!

We treated the kids to Gourmet4 meal on the way back which Mommy had taken them too before and they had enjoyed but there were a couple of incidents on this visit, firstly we entered a practically empty restaurant and had to wait almost an hour for our food which really irritated all of us. When the food did arrive it was actually ok which avoided me complaining about the wait, but we probably won’t be returning because it was expensive for what they served and we could get better elsewhere with much better service!

The second incident happened during the wait….

Shocking and absolutely not staged
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First dry January Friday 2022

Just had a curry and now sat watching a documentary on murder and comedy (that’s two shows not….well you know what I mean) I am addicted to TV I don’t have to think about on nights like this I just want to just sit and let the programmes wash over me and decompress from the weeks work and I now have to do this without alcohol since 56 days ago (A Whoot Whoot) I’m doing OK with it too not drinking is becoming the norm what does happen is I get reminded that this is a year long sabbatical and that does panic me sometimes and last night it was when we had steak and I just thought I can’t buy a really nice bottle of red wine to compliment a steak if I don’t drink which didn’t so much panic me as disappoint me, that’s a treat denied

Jamie is also finding not drinking on a Friday night easy…

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Guitar for beginners

My “New Years Resolution” or more accurately a personal goal for the New Year was to learn to play the guitar, I had started watching a couple YouTube videos but I was embarrassed to pick up Lincoln’s guitar because I literally did not know how to hold it how to strum it or what to do with my left hand especially how hard I needed to press on the strings, so when Lincoln got home from school this afternoon I asked him to show me how to play the guitar.

He was really good because he was able to show me what he had been taught, how to hold the guitar and exactly what he had been shown to do with both hands, and it felt exciting to be sat next to him being shown this and about to play the guitar for the first time. I have never really played any instrument seriously and this is my time and opportunity to change that at aged 51

Lincoln showed me how he could play Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes on string 5 “Seven – Seven – Ten – Seven – Five – Three – (Three) – Two” and he handed the guitar to me and I tried copying him and although it was difficult Lincoln had given me the basic tools and confidence I needed to begin playing, and I would have played those 8 notes all night but the fingers on my left hand were screaming at me to stop.

I am going to try practicing for at least 15 minutes per day and get used to where everything is on the guitar and expand my knowledge now I can at least create a recognisable set of notes on a single string that actually sound like the song I am copying. I would like to get a full size guitar of my own so that I get started on the right road from the beginning and might go at the weekend to get one?

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It’s always the owner

Billy is a pretty a good dog and I am always trying to train him, but unfortunately he is not perfect, his recall 75% and his retrieve and general field work is similar but can falter when there are distractions. His walk to heal is OK at best but since he was attacked by a small black terrier about 12 months ago he can be very protective \ aggressive when we walk upto and past dark coloured dogs and he can be the aggressor at times which is annoying because he really is better off the lead but I can’t take the risk of him mithering innocent other dog walkers.

This morning we were walking towards a dog that we have previous problems with since we happened upon him and his owner coming down onto the canal as we were coming up and off it and I dragged Billy away which was just my reaction rather than it being necessary but he has remembered my reaction and the dog since. We see them a couple of times a week and have slowly reintroduced the dogs as we pass standing talking while the two of them test each other out Billy normally having to be pulled away as he scrats and snarls at the other dog.

The last time we met the other dogs owner said we should just see what happens if both dogs are off the lead because his is always better off the lead, well this morning that opportunity arose as we approached each other and they were already both off the lead so we shouted to each other to mutually agree to leave them off. Annoyingly they were fine and although Billy was tentative he just carried on sniffing paying some attention to the other dog but not much and after a minute of interaction we passed and that was it no drama at all.

It’s always the owner never the dog and that owner is me in this case I send negative vibes down the lead when I see this dog (or any other dark coloured dogs) approach and Billy just thinks he needs to protect me and show aggression so I need to work on walking to heal so the lead is always loose and not pull on it when i see dogs approach I need training and then I can pass it on to the Billmiester

Butter wouldn’t melt….?
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We are not poor any more!

We still are, it was just a statement Jamie came out with when she was suggesting a road trip across America that would involve seeing her brothers on the way to her Moms house to see her, I have to say a road trip is something I would jump at in the right weather and the right vehicle obviously! It was a great way to see a bit more of America when Pam & Cliff came to pick us from Chicago a few years ago and would be a great way to see a bit more of America and meet more of her family so I said yeh I would be up for it.

I think we will be going ‘home’ this year because of Jamie’s new job and I think she needs to because it’s been a while since she has seen her Mom, they do speak most days on video chat but there is no substitute to in the flesh. I also think it helps Jamie if she is planning it too because that is the start of looking forward to it also, sort of the first part of the trip.

We are not rich but we can both tell that it is a little bit easier in the pocket already since Jamie has been associated with LWC and that a regular stream of work has been made available but from yesterday she will get the money as a regular wage so hopefully a few months of that should get us closer to not be poor anymore!

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Back to work

Have to admit it was a struggle to motivate meself this morning after waking 3 times in the night probably because I was thinking about work today but once I was up it was ok and the main priority was making sure Lincoln was OK because there was some tears about his new trousers (they weren’t slim-fit) but he soon got over it because he just gets on with stuff, tiredness was a big part of the morning stresses. Once Billy was walked I setup in Lincolns room and started work, the COVID symptoms were a lot better today and until this evening they really did not bother me. I took a lateral flow test which came back positive so no early release but relieved I feel better.

A bit fainter?

While in Lincoln’s room today I found time to tidy his room a bit because to be quite honest it was a bloody pig sty, most parents would have probably got their child to clean their own room but while working in there it was easy enough to do a little bit here and there and it soon looked a lot better.

Reagan spent the day justifying her time by telling me everything she had done as school work straight after she did it, which just make me smile because she would have been off school no matter what, but I think she was struggling by about 1pm to fill the hours and gave up about 2pm lol More of the same tomorrow Reagan [rolls eyes]

Special mention must go to Mommy who started her new job and I know she will smash it out of the park as she always does and always makes me proud how successful she is and although “employment” might now seem the perfect scenario in her head but there is no pressure for a while but still the money coming in which I think will be a nice change for the foreseeable. Already booked to go down to London in a couple of weeks our job is to make sure we support Mommy while she finds her feet and at times works away for a night or two.

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GROUNDHOG COVID DAY

Didn’t feel like a Monday when I got up but it did feel like yesterday a bit of a slow start but soon got going with a walk up Lyme Beds with Billy and Jamie who had reached “freedom day” I was fine going up there but COVID soon took all the energy out of me and the walk back was a struggle….more of a struggle today because Jamie dragged me around the Poperty John’s, Cledford Bridge, Canal walk after Lyme Beds which took it out of me but only when I sat did I realise it!

Once I sat down it was like I was done, it’s such a strange virus I don’t feel ill but once the energy’s gone it’s gone and I have suffered headaches, I have not noticed any other symptoms that I can think of? I go back to work tomorrow and at least I am working from home and should be ok to “take things easy” on the end of the phone but if I was required to go to the office I would probably call in sick.

Lincoln tested negative for the second successive day so he will return to school tomorrow and I think it will do him good because he is bored isolating and Jamie pointed out today that he does like XBOX but I think it’s a lot to do with boredom and not being allowed outside to play and given the option he jumped at returning to school.

Reagan did not test today but her 10th day is tomorrow so she should be able to return to school Wednesday and I think she is pleased she gets another day off especially because Lincoln is going back tomorrow.

Jamie although free to go out is still suffering the effects of having COVID and not booking gym sessions until definitely ready, but tomorrow she starts her new job with London Womens Clinic and becomes “employed” again and I think if she used up all her energy in an early morning gym session would mean an awfully long work day if she feels like I do just going for a walk so I reckon its a good decision for this week at least.

Tomorrow is another day hopefully a better day health wise for me and all the family fingers crossed!

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