Thursday 28 January 2010 20:47

This week at work's been mental. I've barely had time to think, but there's still lots I need to do. It keeps me occupied though. I'm planning a quiet weekend to unwind a little. Before work again next week.

Talking of work abd being busy, my boss announced at a meeting the other day that I was getting someone to help me. This prompted several jokes about Gary's little helper. The closing date for applications is tomorrow if anyone's interested. Seriously though, I'm looking forward to getting some help. It'll be odd having staff again; all one of them.


Friday 22 January 2010 22:01

Went to see the Real McKenzies at the Tuns, with Phil and Trevor, last night. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it before. Bearded Canadians in kilts, with guitars and bagpipes. It was a really great night.


Monday 18 January 2010 20:45

This morning was awful; well, there was no way it could have been otherwise. My cousin Steven said we only see each other now when something bad happens. He's right, of course. We used to be really close, but I was married pretty young and then we drifted apart. I need to do something about that. I mean, the last time I saw Karen, my other cousin, was on a bus from Newcastle a couple of Christmases ago.

There was a short service at the Crematorium, it was very quiet and passed quickly. Then, at the end, an Elvis song was played. I heard a word or two, of shock I guess, from my mother or sister. I don't know which. It was a shock to me too. One memory of my childhood was, on our regular Saturday trips to their house, Elvis playing with the volume up high. The shock I felt was mainly at the flood of childhood memories.

When no-one else can understand me
When everything I do is wrong
You give me hope and consolation
You give me strength to carry on

I've thought quite a lot over the past few years about whether I should get in touch with my Dad, something to do with getting older I guess. And maybe the knowledge that he'll not be around much longer, so the opportunity will soon be gone. But times like this make me realise that not ever contacting him was the right thing to do. My uncle Ed didn't like my Dad. He must have known something everyone else didn't.


Sunday 17 January 2010 22:16

It's uncle Ed's funeral tomorrow and I'm dreading it. Although I'd known him as an older bloke, most of my memories are of a younger man. I'll mention only a couple of things, but there are lots of others.
I don't want to say goodbye, but I know I have to. I won't forget uncle Ed.

It makes me think about people being very temporary. As much as we'd all love to believe otherwise, we've just a short time and then it's all over. There's nothing after. It just stops. Someone once told me that I think too much. But I seriously need to think about what I'm going to do with the 20 - 30 years I've left.


Monday 11 January 2010 21:17

My uncle Ed died yesterday. I'd not seen him in years, but he was always around when I was growing up, so he probably had a bigger part in my childhood than my dad (who was never really around). We weren't close or anything like that, and we were very different people, but he was an ok bloke and, well, family. We'd been expecting it to happen for years, beer and fags and years working around asbestos, but it  still felt sudden.  It's made me feel very sad. And temporary.


Saturday 9 January 2010 19:25

While walking past the Tuns yesterday, I looked at the boards outside the pub to see whether there were any decent bands playing this weekend. There weren't, but I did notice that the Real McKenzies are playing there on the 21st. I rang Trevor (he's a fan) straight away to check it was the real Real Mckenzies and he checked their web page using his ipod (which hadn't been dropped in the bath). Sure enough, it's the real band. I bought tickets.

Today, I also bought a nice little table from the scruffy second hand furniture shop on Gateshead High Street. It was a bit battered, but only a fiver so I couldn't resist. My mother used to have one just like it when I was a little kid. It may be 1940s wartime utility furniture, but it's cleaned up very nicely.


Wednesday 6 January 2010 20:52

I shouldn't have moaned about snow; there's been lots more and, supposedly, more on the way. At least I've a long weekend, I'm off work Friday and Monday, so I can hibernate for a few days. Well, maybe catch up with some of the stuff round the house that needs doing. Or spend some time in a nice warm pub. Or something.


Sunday 3 January 2010 20:21

I've spent much of the past few days playing with my gorgeous new ipod touch. It's my new favourite thing and is likely to remain so for some time to come.

Not so good is the weather. I'm now quite bored with snow and I'd really like it to go away. And I'd like the temperature to be a little higher too.

I should mention that my youngest child has now returned to the Internet. I'll add a link at some point soon.




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