So what is this blog supposed to be about?
It's supposed to be a whimsical look at everyday life through the eyes of a middle aged baldy bloke.
Wednesday 29 June 2011
Interesting question number 8
Why is it that airline flights can be hours late or not fly at all when if the bus is 5 minutes late the world gets it's shorts in an uproar?
Do airlines have a built-in lateness quotient that allows them to fly in at out at any old time regardless of what the schedule says and make up some cock-eyed excuse such as the wrong sort of cloud? They are worse than the railways used to be.
I'm grumbling because my poor wife is stuck in Lyon because of some mysterious event which has screwed up fights through Amsterdam but I'm going to stop now as this is likely to turn into a rant, which isn't what this blog is supposed to be about.
Do airlines have a built-in lateness quotient that allows them to fly in at out at any old time regardless of what the schedule says and make up some cock-eyed excuse such as the wrong sort of cloud? They are worse than the railways used to be.
I'm grumbling because my poor wife is stuck in Lyon because of some mysterious event which has screwed up fights through Amsterdam but I'm going to stop now as this is likely to turn into a rant, which isn't what this blog is supposed to be about.
Monday 27 June 2011
Interesting question number 7
What is it about English football teams at international tournaments?
I've just finished watching the English women's team play Mexico at the Women's World Cup. They seemed to be lethargic and devoid of ideas, much like the U21 men's team and the England men's senior team every time they walk onto a pitch.
I wonder what the problem is? You could argue with the men's teams, especially the seniors that they are vastly overpaid and don't have the hunger for the game that they should have when representing their country. But how does that argument sit with the women though? They don't get paid huge amounts and many of them are still genuine part timers with day jobs so they are playing for the love of the game.
Maybe it's nerves, playing on the big stage.
Who knows? I certainly don't, I just hope they can pick themselves up from a disappointing result, win their remaining games and go on to win the thing, unlike their male counterparts.
I've just finished watching the English women's team play Mexico at the Women's World Cup. They seemed to be lethargic and devoid of ideas, much like the U21 men's team and the England men's senior team every time they walk onto a pitch.
I wonder what the problem is? You could argue with the men's teams, especially the seniors that they are vastly overpaid and don't have the hunger for the game that they should have when representing their country. But how does that argument sit with the women though? They don't get paid huge amounts and many of them are still genuine part timers with day jobs so they are playing for the love of the game.
Maybe it's nerves, playing on the big stage.
Who knows? I certainly don't, I just hope they can pick themselves up from a disappointing result, win their remaining games and go on to win the thing, unlike their male counterparts.
Thursday 23 June 2011
Monday 20 June 2011
Well
Another day at the coalface digging for gems of wisdom to pass on to my colleagues by way of a classroom training event. All I've got to do now is work out how to cover all the areas required in half the time it once took. Still, it could be worse I could be sitting at a desk all day typing away at a compu, oh, right.
Anyway, I'm still looking for the magic words that will open up this blog to the world and allow people to hang on my every thought and deed. Maybe inspiration will come soon, hopefully carrying a bottle of rum and some jelly babies.
Right, off now to tweet, then dinner.
Anyway, I'm still looking for the magic words that will open up this blog to the world and allow people to hang on my every thought and deed. Maybe inspiration will come soon, hopefully carrying a bottle of rum and some jelly babies.
Right, off now to tweet, then dinner.
Sunday 19 June 2011
"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."
Rest assured that I will not be following the axiom in the title of this post. It does seem though that I am currently talking to myself in this blog, I need to broaden my audience somehow.
Saturday 18 June 2011
Relaxed.
Listening to US folk music online on my laptop. Amazing what entertainment you can get from a box full of wires sitting in your lap.
www.folkalley.com
www.folkalley.com
Gibberish later.
Not enough drink taken to fall into gibbering mode so I'll have to leave it until I can think of something interesting to say. Don't hold your breath.
Isn't science wonderful?
My dear wife (Karen by the way) is currently organising a 30th anniversary class reunion for her old high school in Warren Ohio in 2013. She is currently on a video call with an old classmate through the internet. Once upon a time it would have been a transatlantic phone call, telegrams and before that letters going back and forth. I wonder how long it will be before these reunions will be done virtually, doing away with having to travel and actually meeting up in person!
Anyway, It should be fun to go along and see a little bit of American tradition and spend a few hours repeating myself because no one can understand my Geordie accent (which isn't that broad) and fending off people who assume I'm either Scottish or Irish because I don't speak with a BBC English accent. Still musn't be grumpy about it,all the Americans I've met so far in the years I've known Karen have been great and really friendly so I can't complain.
Anyway, dinner time, time to force my cooking on Mrs Hall.
Anyway, It should be fun to go along and see a little bit of American tradition and spend a few hours repeating myself because no one can understand my Geordie accent (which isn't that broad) and fending off people who assume I'm either Scottish or Irish because I don't speak with a BBC English accent. Still musn't be grumpy about it,all the Americans I've met so far in the years I've known Karen have been great and really friendly so I can't complain.
Anyway, dinner time, time to force my cooking on Mrs Hall.
Re: Interesting question number 5.
I may have been exaggerating a tad with the proportions of the rainstorm earlier. In the great scheme of things what is falling from the sky just now is more of a gentle summer rain. However, that is not the point, it is still an impediment to my outdoor aspirations.
Just thought I'd clear that up.
One last thing, am I starting to look like Uncle Fester or is it a trick of the light?
Just thought I'd clear that up.
One last thing, am I starting to look like Uncle Fester or is it a trick of the light?
Interesting question number 5
Why does it always rain when I need to get in the garden? The sun has been cracking the flags all week but suddenly its Saturday and a deluge of Biblical proportions has descended upon our little patch of Earth stopping my paving slab laying activities in their tracks. Probably for the best in the long run; I'm sure I would have jiggered my back again and been useless for weeks-it has been said I've been useless for years anyway, but that's another story.
Anyway, at least the lack of outdoor work has allowed me to inflict more of my cooking on my much loved and long-suffering wife (to whom I will have been married for 8 years on Tuesday, they said it wouldn't last, pah!). Today she will be forcing down Baked gammon with sweet potatoes and corn bread. The corn bread could double as sound proofing if required or as a soft landing for a person trapped in a tall building, boing!
Enough of this now, time for a snooze before dinner, its tiring being a blogger, if that's what I am rather than a rambling buffoon. OK, we'll go for the latter.
Anyway, at least the lack of outdoor work has allowed me to inflict more of my cooking on my much loved and long-suffering wife (to whom I will have been married for 8 years on Tuesday, they said it wouldn't last, pah!). Today she will be forcing down Baked gammon with sweet potatoes and corn bread. The corn bread could double as sound proofing if required or as a soft landing for a person trapped in a tall building, boing!
Enough of this now, time for a snooze before dinner, its tiring being a blogger, if that's what I am rather than a rambling buffoon. OK, we'll go for the latter.
Tuesday 14 June 2011
Ahh!
What a lovely day, the sun's a-shinin' and the garden is looking good. Time for a wee drinky methinks, sitting at the picnic table with my best girl by my side.
But first, flea treatment for the kitties.
The only trouble with a nice relaxing drink in the garden is that you end up planning a load of new jobs out there. Patio laying this weekend it is then.
But first, flea treatment for the kitties.
The only trouble with a nice relaxing drink in the garden is that you end up planning a load of new jobs out there. Patio laying this weekend it is then.
Wednesday 8 June 2011
Interesting question number 4
Have you ever started a job and wished halfway through that you hadn't?
It's like this, for a while now I've been meaning to cut down the old Christmas tree I planted out about 15 years ago thinking it would only grow to about 3 of 4 feet. When it hit ten feet and started to block out the sun and never looked like stopping, or returning to being the dwarf conifer I bought it as I decided now was the time. Now being 7.30 pm today, 1 hour later covered in scratches from the barbs which pass for pine needles on this monster the very question at the top of the page started to creep into my mind.
Anyway, after much sawing, swearing, hacking, swearing, pushing, swearing and a bit more hacking, swearing and pushing we have reached this stage
.....to be continued.
9th June:
My old friend is now lying at the bottom of the garden waiting for me to get my arse in gear and cut him into manageable bits. Don't hold your breath though, this may occur some way into the future, if at all, seeing as it nearly finished me off getting to where we are today.
.......to be continued (I think not!)
It's like this, for a while now I've been meaning to cut down the old Christmas tree I planted out about 15 years ago thinking it would only grow to about 3 of 4 feet. When it hit ten feet and started to block out the sun and never looked like stopping, or returning to being the dwarf conifer I bought it as I decided now was the time. Now being 7.30 pm today, 1 hour later covered in scratches from the barbs which pass for pine needles on this monster the very question at the top of the page started to creep into my mind.
Anyway, after much sawing, swearing, hacking, swearing, pushing, swearing and a bit more hacking, swearing and pushing we have reached this stage
9th June:
My old friend is now lying at the bottom of the garden waiting for me to get my arse in gear and cut him into manageable bits. Don't hold your breath though, this may occur some way into the future, if at all, seeing as it nearly finished me off getting to where we are today.
.......to be continued (I think not!)
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