Bin dippin’

Bless my daughter I love her to bits but her idea of tidying is to remove everything she does not want or is not hers so that where she is tidying looks tidy with just her stuff that she is interested in at that moment, nothing else or antone else matters. This can be frustrating most of the time like getting in the shower to find all my stuff has been removed from that area, or the bottom of her stairs is piled high with clothes dirty and clean because she does not want to see them in her “tidy” room I could go on.

The opposite is also true, if she is not in tidying mode, then dirty clothes will be left in the bathroom, breakfast, dinner, and tea dishes are left laying around, piles of dirty clothes in her room on her stairs I could go on.

Last week she got a bee in her bonnet and spent the day clearing out her unwanted stuff including clothes and possessions. Mommy and me were working so just saw her bring out bin bag after bin bag and put them in the wheeliebins and I have looked at these bags all week but today I had to go through them because its bin day tomorrow and they won’t take them if she’s put the wrong stuff in them!

I am so glad I did because there was so much good stuff in the bags the most of which was stationary pens pencils erasers sharpeners highlighters etc there was makeup brushes hair clips and ties, torches un oped packs of cards I took them all out. The best bit I found was a purse with a twenty pound note in KERCHING!

I ended up with £21.10 and I don’t have the heart to tell her….

…or give it her back hahaha finders keepers as they say?

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Wasted!

Having been proper ill Thursday and Friday I was determined not to waste the weekend feeling sorry for myself, which was a possibility if I did not change my mindset and become positive. When I was left alone on Friday afternoon I had one thought look after myself and see if I feel good enough to join my family in Wales.

I did not sleep too well but woke at 06:15 took some flu tablets made a brew and set off not bothering to pack or care to much about anything other than trying to make it to them by 9am. When I arrived after a really pleasant journey, I was excitedly welcomed, but I was already questioning my decision not feeling great again so after breakfast all 7 of the camp left me to rest while they went to a silver mine experience.

Upon their return I felt good again and after getting food from the local Spar to cook on the camp fire we all settled down to eat and drink the latter of which the girls excelled at even sending me for more Prosecco as I was abstaining trying to maintain feeling as good as I’d felt for a couple of days. Anyway it was a really good night and we all had a good laugh and a joke and by the end of the night the girls were wasted and I brought proceedings to a close about 11pm feeling very tired.

This morning, feeling tired still, it was disappointing to find both Lincoln and Mommy with similar symptoms to mine but although Lincoln was genuinely poorly I suspected Mommy’s ale’ments were somewhat due to fizzy wine the previous evening even if she did have a snotty nose too? We struck for home early and were all back in Middlewich before 12 with Reagan more interested in herself than caring whether her brother was OK asleep on the couch or if Mommy was OK laying on the bed preferring to shower and disappear to her bedroom for yhe rest of the day. I set about the washing and tidying up the two cars, mowing the lawns and cooking everyone some chicken and vegetables but found that I hit a wall again when my body said “you’re still ill mate sit down and rest” and that was basically it I was done.

A good weekend that was not wasted being ill but so very nearly could have been, I am laying here in bed writing this blog with a headache, exhausted but home with my family and that’s what counts!

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The Winmau Blade 6

Having a dartboard that is ready to throw within my own space is a dream come true for me because I love playing darts, and it feels so relaxed just forgetting everything and throwing.

The Blade 6 is the first ‘Blade’ type board I have owned or played on for any length of time. The reason I decided to take the plunge was for one reason only, bounce-outs, I had so many on my the Winmau Masters board Jamie bought for me, it was demoralising and ruining me new shed floor.

I don’t remember having a noticeable number of bounce-outs on the Winmau Diamand I gave to Lincoln, which is the board I played on the most in my life up to this point. That board was from probably back at me, mums(?), I can’t remember buying a board for Hubert Drive but that was hung in the pink room for years.

Back to the Blade 6 and the complete lack of bounce-outs, literally non, not one since May and I play at least 30 minutes a day everyday. It was the final piece in my darting refurb\upgrade having been given new set of 22g Eric Bristow endorsed darts for my birthday, and added a rubber surround and light halo to my setup also.

Actually, throwing was causing me some stress too, to the point where I really believed I had the yips, but perseverance eradicated that problem. I wanted to be as good as I was in my youth straightaway, but the more I tried, the worse I became, trying different darts, grips, stances, and actions in the quest to find my perfect throw. The opiphany came when I relaxed and just threw for fun. It all just clicked, I just fell into my natural technique, grip, stance and action. I didn’t have to think I just threw.

My natural ability for the game was still there, although rusty I could tell with practice I would find some kind of form eventually. My absolute love for the game has returned. I love going to my shed and just throwing a few darts to relax.

As for form, practice makes perfect, and that has brought a few 180s, the targets on the new board are bigger due to the thin ‘blade” wires which means with two darts already in the treble theres plenty of room for another.

The Blade 6 is reputedly the best board on the market and I have to agree, not playing on any other blades but coming from a person who loves to play and wants to maximise his ability, with the right equipment it makes me “Love the Darts” more!

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Lost

It is lonely sat here on my own as my whole family (including Billy) have gone to Wales Glamping although Jamie and I both agree it’s still camping! As much as I dislike camping I dislike the feeling I have right now more of having no purpose, even when Mommy took Reagan and Lincoln to DTI I had Billy to focus on but we decided because I am ill they would take him.

I like to be ill on my own so in a way I am glad I am ill but no point festering I think I need to pull those big boy pants up again

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Survival mode

I woke up feeling under the weather but brushed it off as hay-fever or possibly a bit of a cold so went to work as normal. I was driving to Congleton and it was like I was struggling to keep the car on the road like I was drowsy and unable to concentrate? I got to the surgery but all I could think of was get the job done and leave, I knew I had to go to Newcastle aswell but by the time I got there I could barely keep my eyes open.

I called at Sainsburys to get Flu tablets and Lucazade to see if I could do the job and get home which meant pulling up my big boy pants and just doing what I needed to do! I would love to see the CCTV footage of me in the supermarket if I looked as dreadful as I felt?

As soon as I got home I got into bed and slept….

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The 18th November

I think the 18th of November is my date, its my sabbatical date I have been thinking about that date a lot lately, its a way off yet, but it’s on my mind already. I love my life, but I know I can take away one thing and I can love it still, as much if not more?

All or nothing?

Am I strong enough, for a day, a week, a month, a year….?

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Pocket screws

Got two initial frames made for my window openings and bought some 20mm x 119mm wood that will be the facia part of the windows split down by my table saw to 56mm I was going to glue up but I’m now thinking using pocket screws too? I just want the hinges to be robustly attached, and a belt braces approach seems right and it does mean I need to buy another tool so off to Screwfix I go then….

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Windows 12

So I have really struggled to start building the opening part of my shed window, not least because I did not know what hinges I would use. Once I knew that, then I could make the frame but using the caliper type openers like Jamie’s meant a lot of router work even then may not work because of the gaps etc so last week when I found barrel hinges the correct size I knew I could make the windows.

A false start yesterday because I thought just joining the frame at all four corners with screws would “do” but the first joint was awful. Today I created Rabbet joints, and it just worked great, and now I can’t wait to crack on and get them both done and the glass ordered.

It’s weird how hard I find stuff until it’s right in my head, but once I sort that, it’s pretty simple…and it happens in everything I do I just can’t proceed until I dream the solution?

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It’s Tik Tok

The beautiful homecoming we have longed for and Reagan is centre of attention recounting stories from her adventure to Hamburg with MCC youth she sat there perched on a chair eating cereal, we were all listening with baited breathe…and she turns on Tiktok?

I hope the trip was great but its late I’m tired you look at Tiktok and I’m going to bed….

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The gym

Sat in the café of the new leisure centre in Congleton feeling so utterly out of place and frustrated that yet again Middlewich has been overlooked. It is a really nice facility with lots of amenities including a pool gym and spa and although it is right up Jamie’s street I am here to swim and too embarrassed to go looking at anything else because it’s out of my comfort zone. Jamie and Lincoln have gone into the gym, but I don’t get anything out that so I’m sat waiting flicking through tiktok videos…

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