Here comes Christmas

Last day at work today, finishing about 2pm I think - doing a few bits and bobs including a stock check for Cater For You. I'll be working next week in between Christmas and New Year - in particular Grant and Stone - really looking forward to revamping that.

Of course I'll be spending some time with rebecca as well - she is so wonderful at the moment - she also says ball now as well. Martin suggested last night to buy the classic childrens films such as Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang rather than watching the fimbles so that her speech develops more quickly and eloquently.

Knees are still absolutely terrible, pain was awful this morning feels like a big lump of pain moving around the knee cap either side and then underneath - depending on time of day! Anyway, they should get better by mid january - i've brought forward my appointment with Consultant Mr Stevens to January 24th - so it'll be fine by then. Going to ask for drugs though, I've resisted for 12 years but with the new baby on the way I need to be better - and the pain really is getting too much. Still got to laugh.

Had a great evening last night with Martin, Chris, Scott and Charlie, went to a Curry establishment in Amersham and did a tour of the pubs - it was billed as the unofficial chalfont web design christmas party - though I was driving so that can't be quite right. Got back home at about 1.30am - hence didn't arrive in to CSE this morning until 10.00 - and rebecca was good and stayed asleep until 8.30! She had a lovely time at Grandmas birthday party yesterday so she didn't go to bed until 7.45.

I did have blog comment about the Conservative party in response to my comments - but I cannot find it at the moment so cannot respond directly - always good to have some discussion on the site. It was a labour supporter who has a selective memory of just how bad the 70's were and how necessary the thatcher medicine was that she dealt out - though inappropriate now - or rather not needed now - just sound fiscal policy - amusing Gordon Brown readjusted his economic cycle borrowing to go back to when the Conservatives handed over a golden economy in 1997 - about the only thing they were doing right towards the end of their reign admittedly as they had run out of ideas. I think another comment was 3 million unemployed - i'm afraid that with 10 months of rising unemployment (strangely ignored by the media unlike 20 year ago) and the necessary clearout of public sector over manning (Gordon Browns answer is to stuff the public sector and not create real jobs in the private sector) there could be some much higher unemployment on the horizon. As I said, the conservatives will get the blame for trying to sort it all out - cutting the fiscal defecit will mean loss of jobs which will mean a few years of lower revenue in the economy. Interesting to see one of the last bastions of union power the RMT has called a strike on New Year's eve - if anyone would like a glimpse of what the 70's was like day in day out - I can just about remember power cuts - though saying that - we'll probably be returning to that in the future as no tough decisions have been taken on energy policy.

Parish Council Meeting and the week so far

Went to the Amenities and finance meeting and full parish council meeting on Monday night. They voted through the free car parking for another year - outvoted 6-2 - I was dead against it as I think paying over £27k is a complete waste of money and should either be returned to taxpayers or used in some other way much more productively. Ironically it was the conservative members who all voted for it - mostly citing the reason that the shops would close down as per in 1994 (the end of a large recession).

Speaking of recessions - what is Gordon Brown doing to our economy - although all is supposedly rosey at the moment anyone with half a brain cell can see the long term problems he is creating with pensions and stuffing the public sector full of workers (who will eventually have to be laid off as it is just a giant bureaucracy - then there will be another recession as less people in jobs!). He has recently changed his economic cycle so that it doesn't look as though he is borrowing too much - ironically back to when labour came to power and were handed over a golden economy by the conservatives. The latter will finally get in to power next time round and will be blamed for screwing the economy when it was labour over a 10 year period.

Work is busy as always though Rebecca has a touch of conjunctivitus so i've had to try and work from home today and yesterday (thanks to sarah's mum and dad who looked after her this morning). Livcom went live this morning at last.

My knees are still knackered - struggling to walk which can get a bit tedious after a while. Hopefully better for our holiday in Wales and Christmas of course.

It has just occurred to me that it hasn't rained for absolutely ages - most odd. Not much sign of this cold winter they were all predicting early - though they cannot usually get the following day right so no idea why they were trying to predict a few months ahead.

End of season hockey

Played a re-arranged game against Eastcote yesterday at Newland Park. It was almost called off for a second time as the astro was frozen underneath - though it wasn't slippy on top. The junior hockey fell victim this morning to the frozen conditions.

The second xi went out for a mid season team bonding thing last night - and very enjoyable it was too. First in to a bar called sticks or something like that - round the corner from Bucks Tandoori where we had a delicious curry - i had a very tasty chicken vin da loo - though it wasn't particularly hot it has to be said. Then off to Bar Monaco Beaconsfield for a few sherberts - I was on water as I was driving and being kind to my body. A few others weren't driving as can be seen - an interesting drink - three of those breezer things in a larger glass with straws then try and down it! Only disappointing thing was the door personnel what a bunch of clowns - trying very hard to intimidate us - rather that being welcoming and being the frontline customer service they were just jerks - 'we don't answer to management we are a private security firm' rather than welcome to Bar Monaco. Oh well. Alan Carruthers played his last game of the season for us as well as he is back to University in Edinburgh - he has played brilliantly for us this season and will be missed - and he's a really nice bloke as well so missed off pitch too. The whole team though is a pleasure to play for this year - real laugh and good togetherness.



Put out a load of bird seed this morning - plenty of birds descending on the table which is great - though the squirrels are straight on it as well which is very annoying.