Tyred

What a farce getting a new tyre for the blown one turned out to be.

As it is a company car, Claude had to take it to Kwit Fit - a company whose name alone surely contravenes the Trade Descriptions Act.

After two trips there - and a jaunt to Sheffield's Audi dealer for a nut lock in between - I managed to get the tyre changed in just over four hours.

Luckily I managed to arrange working from home, when it became apparent it would be fruitless to get to work.

Blow Out

The M1 strikes again.

Driving home tonight after a quick shopping and dinner trip to Meadowhall and just getting past junction 32 the car suddenly violently jerked. It then started shaking, as if it was on a really bad road surface. Then it really started jumping and it was tricky to keep the car straight. It was obviously a tyre blow out. All this was happening while travelling at 80 mph in the 3rd lane.

I quickly managed to get us across to the hard shoulder, where we scrambled out and got as high on the verge as possible. One phone call and 20 minutes later the nice AA man had sorted putting on the spare (something I couldn't do as it was on the driver's side right next to the speeding cars and needed a nut lock to get the wheel off) and we were back on our way.

I will need a new tyre - the old one was completely split apart - but at least I won't have to pay. I love company cars...

Weekly Musings

Just some thoughts on a crazy, busy, manic week:

• The M1 truly is a horrible place to be
• The kebab I had on Tuesday tasted good - but reaked a terrible revenge
• Is recognition better than reward?
• Our living room is hot as an oven
• Trying to sing like John Lennon hurts your throat
  

To Bracknell And Back

Claude was sent all the way to Bracknell today. It is where my company's HQ is situated and our entire team had to trek all the way there for the annual awards ceremony.

Needless to say, Claude won sweet FA, but did clock up 360 miles and had the pleasure of a fun day involving leaving home at 6am and returning at 8.30pm.

Gotta New Motor?

Family chose and reserved a new car on Sunday.

Not really for Claude - the Audi remains as the company car - but we got a really nice Skoda Octavia Elegance:


Funny, I, like most people, had the same prejudice for Skoda cars, based on the rather poor models we saw in the late 80s. However, they genuinely are good now and, also being Czech, means it has to be our first choice.

The only thing that slightly disconcerts me is that "skoda" is Czech for pity...

Fave Things at The Moment

Best Album - The Temperance Society Chronicles, Chip Bailey
Best Gadget - Apple AirPort
Best Drink - Kozel beer

Curse This Pasty Skin

It has been sunny today. Not, really hot, or even baking, but nevertheless Claude was left reaching for the after-sun after an hour spent walking the mutt.

I only have to look at the sun and my arms, face and neck turn a lovely shade of red and start to feel like someone is rubbing them with sand paper.

My dearest is the exact opposite and starts to go a lovely brown colour, while complaining that it could be "a little warmer".

This is just the start - the rest of the summer awaits and I will be covered up from now on.

They Always Let You Down

I have heard this sentiment expressed many times before about the Blades.

Sadly it was true once more on Monday, when we succumbed very weakly to an average Burnley team.

The day itself was OK - apart from having to share Wembley Way with a bunch of inbred, BNP supporting, neanderthal Lancastrians.

Yes, Claude is bitter.

Tickets Bought

Arrived at the ground at 7.45am and queued for three and three quarter hours, but managed to get the tickets.

The rain did commence, but only briefly and I managed to stay dry.

Here's hoping for a red and white triumph on the 25th.

Duck Weather

Flippin' 'eck, what a downpour we have had today.

It caused me major delays on the M1 - two hours to get home. Then I got soaked getting to the Chinese for dinner (very nice chicken chow mein) and then I had to take the mutt out and got drenched again.

I am now sat drying out, hoping the rain stops before I have to go and queue for tickets tomorrow to see the Blades at Wembley.

Mad Mutt

Making my daily trip up the M1 this evening, I was once again faced with non-moving traffic for a good 15 minutes.

"What the hell is it this time" I raged to myself, flicking the travel news on to find out.

Was it an accident - heaps of twisted metal and burning bodies littering the highway? Was it a tanker that had spilled a load of oil all over the road?

Nope. According to BBC Radio Leicester it was "a dog running loose on the carriageway". The crazy canine was holding up both sides of the motorway, which is quite a feat when you probably only measure a metre long.

How Old???

I was at the checkout of Tesco yesterday, patiently waiting for my items to be scanned through. The till lady, probably well into her fifties, suddenly stopped when scanning in a nice bottle of wine I had put in my basket.

She looked at me, then the wine and then back at me, before asking: "Have you got any ID?" I thought I misheard, so asked her to repeat. "I need to see some ID before I can let you buy this."

I was unsure if she was joking or not, so obediently handed over my driving licence. As she looked it over thoroughly, I commented "I turned 33 last week." She seemed satisfied that the licence wasn't fake and let me purchase the wine.

I am still unsure whether to feel insulted or flattered.

London Calling?

Maybe the London gig is on. But, maybe not...

The final interview seemed to go OK and I have been told to expect a decision on Tuesday.

Feels like my life is at a crossroads right now. Which way it goes depends on a 'phone call I will be (hopefully) receiving.

Watch this space...

Birthday Boy

'Tis that time of year again - birthday, one year older and not a penny richer...

My 30s seems to be blurring into one, 31, 32, 33 just don't feel any different to one another.

The only thing that makes me feel "old" is the thought that if I was a footballer I would be getting ready for retirement. As it is, I don't feel any different to when I was mid-20s. If anything, I feel fitter and trimmer than I did then.

Home From Czech

We are safely back in the land of wind and rain after our 10 day break to Czech.

It was an enjoyable time, as always, and we enjoyed some very nice weather. We took a day trip to Prague which was fun - albeit packed out with Italians and English.

Most of the people in the capital seemed at ease in the warm temperatures, laughing, drinking and looking healthy. All except one bedraggled English couple we met, who were struggling to find Prague castle.

This in itself is quite a feat, as the castle is huge and situated in top of a hill - you really can't miss it. The poor guys were not only lost, but red, sweaty and looking terribly uncomfortable in the sun. I took pity on the poor souls and resisted the urge to send them somewhere in the wrong direction. I hope they found it and then had an enjoyable evening applying after-sun lotion to each other...

London? Work in London???

Hmmmm. Claude has an interview on Friday for a job in London. Has he gone completely mad? Maybe...but it is a good opportunity and means we could live in an area we are really taken with.

It would mean another long commute, but at least on a train and not driving. Some of it would be on the Tube, which I find quite romantic to be honest. I might change my mind doing it twice a day, every day, but I just love the names of the stations. It seems so magical to hear the names and all the history associated with them: Swiss Cottage, Elephant and Castle, Baker Street, Waterloo, Oxford Circus and even the lines: Bakerloo, District, Jubilee, Piccadilly - there is wonder and adventure in these names.

Off to Czech

We are driving to Czech once again on Saturday. It still feels weird when I saw we are "driving" as it seems quite ludicrous.

But driving we are and, in all honesty, it has worked out well in the past.

I am looking forward to the trip - it will be a break and we are going to take a day trip to Prague, which is a wonderful city.

Band Tales #2

So, the band had its first rehearsal yesterday.

It went very well considering it was the time we have played together. We worked through four songs, which were sounding pretty good.

Got a two week break now as we are off to Czech on Saturday. Then we will work on a few more songs and we will start to get some gigs booked.

Still need a name...

Band Tales #1

The band is rehearsing for the first time next Saturday.

I am going to be busy running through songs to make sure I am up to scratch.

No other ideas for names yet...but that will come later

Band Born?

Been admiring and playing the amazing new Gibson Les Paul lately. She is a beauty!

It has inspired me to start getting a band in place. I was in a band at uni and we got reasonably good - but never really good. I have also been in a couple of covers bands with mixed results.

I reckon this is the chance to put something together that could be really good. I am taking lead vocals (which I haven't done before) and guitar, bass player sorted and I am meeting a potential drummer on Monday. Keep it simple, three members, some covers, some original songs and we will see.

Then comes the really hard part. Choosing a name. Always a very, very difficult task. I have already considered some, but front runner at the moment is Velvet Revolution. This could change.