Resolution

New Years Eve, eve, and my thoughts are turning to 2007, and the possibility of a New Year resolution.

Two years ago, for both financial and health reasons, the decision was made to stop smoking. However whilst preparing for my Radio show, I came across some statistics which led me to believe that my attempt was doomed to failure within a matter of days.

Holding back just a few weeks gave me the edge. A good two years have now passed and I remain a non smoker. I feel No better off financially nor health wise but that leaves me a couple of options for this year.

So my advice to you is to try your best to be realistic with your resolutions.

If you wish, follow my example and don't tell anybody what your plans are. This way, should you fail, so what, nobody knows, and you can try again later.

This year however I am going to spill the beans. I have two resolutions.1, Bearing in mind I am not allowed to use a gym, so getting into shape will be a hard one, but I am going to give it a go. I may even post my weight on my web site and let you help me.

2,My career will be another thing to get some attention this year. There may even be a total change in direction, but lets see. One step at a time maybe.

Was that it ?

Doesn't time fly? One blink and its gone for another year. I hope you got everything you hoped for this year, if not, fear not as another one will be along before you can say It only seemed like yesterday.

Christmas day as always runs with one or two minor disasters, firstly my body knows when i have time off work and gives me full blown man flu with a smokers cough (even though I stopped smoking two years ago)

And (bless her) Carol said to me, "just so you have something funny for your blog, I have cooked the Turkey with the bag of gibblets inside"....... She wasnt joking !!!! She had

Maybe the Turkey Growers know that people are getting dafter as the years move on. I think ours had a Fire proof Gibblet bag. Because it survived intact without any harm to our Christmas dinner.

Another busy christmas and a well deserved rest on boxing day.

Best Wishes to yo all

TRACK SANTA

At the time of updating this Blog, I have in on very good authority that Santa will be on his way within Two Hours.

Click on the link to Track Santa (with the help of Norad)

It's getting very exiting.

Elf Expression

Have you seen what Andy My web expert has done to me.

Must admit, I am a bit of a mover.

Merry Christmas

click on the Link or Title to see me move.

The Fog

How Strange is this.?

I have just finished my latest book,(not writing but reading it) The Title of the book was "The Fog" By James Herbert. A Story of (you guessed it ) some fog.

Not, I may add, any ordinary fog, fog that drove people Mad, Crazy , Loopy. With this story fresh in my mind, I actually found time this week to go into Southport for a little Christmas shopping.

Carol has actually done most of the present shopping, but you can never have too much help. can you?

after a short time, I found myself, not so much shopping, but watching other people shopping. What were they buying? why that? who for? And before long found myself thinking "Had we had any Fog" are they infected.

Women who should be buying scalextric for their hubbies or boyfriends were looking at really Cr*p presents and new pan sets.

I was in so much shock, I returned dis-heartend and empty handed. Must try again tommorrow.

ahhhhhh

Managed to get a little time over the weekend to do a little Christmas shopping and, a little web surfing. What do yo think. Bet it's Ahhhhhhhhhh

Click on the Link to see clip

Big Night Out

For many years I have donated some of my spare time to Hospital Radio. Having a huge interest in radio, made this hobby a great way to put a little back into the community, have a great time, and, as it turned out prepare me for a brand new career.

Radio Whiston was my very first station. This was a breeding ground of great radio talent. Derek Webster, John (Gilly) Gillmore and Tony Cookson to name just three all under the watchful eye of Ray Ferguson plus many of 1067/KCR the Rocket's presenters, all cutting their teeth on Avenue 3.

After a short break I returned to Hospital broadcasting, this time at Radio Ormskirk General. What a station. I have made many very good friends at the station over the years, and still bob in to say hello.

Radio Ormskirk General have also had a lot of success in the way of radio and TV talent. John Culshaw (dead Ringers) and the legend that is Allan Beswick, and I am very proud they list me too. I was the regular Tuesday Night Presenter after taking over from Andy Williams (na not that one)

tomorrow night is the Tuesday Posse Christmas Night out and I've been invited.. How good is that.? Barbara and Jean, two of the original Tuesday posse girls will be there. (they are still at it, how devoted are they).

Brian my old programme controller and all some of the new kids. It should be a great night. So look out The Hayfield in Ormskirk.

Check out the link below for info on Radio Ormskirk General, maybe you could get involved.

Cheeky Sods

Not because Carol is a bad driver (Honest). One of my summer jobs was to knock down one of our gate posts with a view to widening the driveway to Turley Towers.

As I have been so very busy doing the bathroom, livingroom and garage roof. I have , as yet, not got around to finishing the job. Mainly because it involves replacing a wall and I haven't bought my Bricky Mate (or what ever its called)Yet.

This tool makes anybody a top brick layer (Honest, I've seen it on TV).

Anyway, because we have no gate post , we have no gates. This is proving to be a complete pain in the arm. For some reason every car that comes up our road wants to turn around.

Lets think, shall we drive a hundred yards up the road, or turn into this nice wide driveway.
I am really tempted to put a spike strip in the drive, but sods law says I would be its only victim.

isn't the world full of cheeky bas*ards

Cor isn't it windy

With all the work virtually finished on the house, who would have thought nature would stick its nose in and start piling on the jobs.

The porch has been finished for quite a while now. Thursday turned out to be quite a windy one, and, just before 12 o'clock it became a victim of a gust of wind.

On hearing a strange noise outside the front window, it seemed a good idea to send Carol out to investigate. That way, if Carol got into trouble, I could go out in the wind and rain and rescue her.

"Its all over the front lawn" was Carols observation. With this news, I was forced to go out and see for myself "What was"

The whole apex fasia of the porch had indeed blown off. And is now on the top of my to do list.

Tell you what. ..............That saying is true..... No rest for the wicked.

EEK Who's Behind The Wheel

Apart from my ever growing hatred of arrogant, blind, bullying and dozy wagon drivers. The thing that scares me the most whilst out and about in my car is the sight of a cap.

They say that the older you get the more infantile you get. Take this as an example, Babies wet their nappies and some old biddies wet their pants. See where I am going.

Some (not all) people, who have a tendency to wear a flat cap also have the tendency to be really crap drivers. And as an advisory warning from me, should be avoided at all cost.

Likewise their younger counterparts, (who also seem to be prone to premature balding too) and after a few bottles of St*lla wetting their pants ( I would imagine) Have took to wearing a slightly more modern version on the flat cap, called a baseball cap.

Once one of these caps is worn in a car seems to turn the wearer into a more confidant but equally as crap driver. And as above should be avoided.

Got stuck behind one for eight miles on my way to work this morning. The other one neally ran into the side of my car because he didnt know what the little white liney things at the T juction were for.

I will leave you to work out which was which.

Not So Happy Shopper

Being a Tuesday, today is the day I call in to a supermarket in an effort to pick up a small and sometimes difficult list of items and objects as requested by my mum.

First task is to find a parking bay actually wide enough to take a motor car. From past experience I have discovered, the further away from the store the larger the bay.

These bays are usually less well lit and carry the added risk of finding on return one of your windows smashed by some PRI*K looking for loose change or your tax disc.

Once inside the store, as if by magic I somehow became invisible. Everybody who pushed pulled or swung a trolley managed to hit me with it.

Everybody seemed to want to stand in front of my target item and just stare at it, preventing me from getting anywhere near. If not a punter, it would be a member of staff moving all of the fresh produce to the rear of the shelf in an effort to make you purchase manky out of date stuff.

Have yoy tried to buy your favourite brand of pickles or sauce?. Whole isles of own brand stuff. What are they on? If my mum says Bartons Pickles THAT is what she wants.

Then ,there is the queue at the till. How many vouchers can a woman fit in a purse? Then to top it all pay the remainder in pennies.

Why do I always pick the wrong queue?


Today I opted for a middle distance bay, one with empty spaces either side. By the time I emerged from the store both spaces had been taken by knackerd old bangers, leaving me about six inches per side to squeeze me and my haul inside the car.

All that for a pint of milk an a loaf.

Shhhh we have let some off

Well I have to admit, I am a little surprised at myself for letting my blog slip. In my defence I will use the excuse of looking after Carol since her trip to hospital, and a series of minor problems with my car plus one or two flat packs to assemble to (Dress) Turley Towers after the recent renovations.

This weekend saw a few friends at the Towers for a tour of its facilities, and a meal at our newly assembled flatpack table.
After which we all retired (very quietly) to the back garden, to let our unused bonfire fireworks off.

Being more than a week after bonfire night, we were very aware of the possible anti social nature of setting off so many fireworks in our neighbourhood. And of course the risk of an ASBO and the scandal associated with one.

So with stiffled giggles, and feeling very naughty, we started the task. We realized after a very short time that we were in fact the only people at it, and the supermarket specials were in fact, quite loud. We spent a good half an hour or more whispering and shhhhhhing the fireworks as they went off.

We didn't last much longer than the half hour because with buy one get one free we knew if we continued through them all , we would get busted.. And pretty soon to. As we filed back into the house we caught sight of a neighbour and declared "don't know were those were coming from... Noisy B**tards."

May save the rest till New Year

Trafford Centre

With all the work that has been going on at Turley Towers, this weekend I gave in to Charlotte and took her on a return visit to The Trafford Centre.

Charlotte had been for an hour long trip to the centre last week with her school as reward for good behavior or grassing someone up.

It had been a while since my last outing and poor old Carol, had never been, so we removed all the valuables from the car including my satellite navigation equipment, printed a map and headed for Manchester. (you can tell I've had my car broken into in Manchester cant you).

Carol was asking me before we set off If I could remember what it was like. As if by magic and just from memory alone I was able to tell her about...... A glass dome, lots of fast food outlets with massive ques. And an atmosphere much the same as shuffling around in an airing cupboard.

We were not disappointed. The weather on Saturday was atrocious. Wind,, nearly blew us off Barton Bridge. All but the last car park we tried were full, and to top it all, we had to walk from our temporary out of town car park in the rain.

The entrance was through a department store with very over priced goods in it like glass candlesticks for 140 pound......Each. An assault course made out of oddly placed displays and even had staff trying to trip you up, by driving little radio controlled toys at you feet.

The airing cupboard at home wasn't a bad example really. Other than the fact we would have stayed dry, saved petrol, wouldn't have nearly gone to Leeds on the way home cos we only had a map to get there.

Plus Charlotte was bored without her 22 class mates.

Two days hard labour

Back to work tomorrow. Boy am I glad. Carol has been ill for two years now, and has just undergone an operation, part of which, was to confirm the fact that ..... She's been ill for the last two years.

At long last some treatment for her condition. Light at the end of, at times a very dark tunnel and Some hope for her to get back into the rat race.

What I found really odd, was the fact that the hospital gave me a note. This note was intended to reinforce the fact that "I" was to look after Carol.

Tonight, after two days hard labour, and bearing in mind, I have work in the morning. I had the cheek to ask Carol to make me a cup of tea. "I CANT" came carol's reply "Check the note,,,,, I cant use a kettle or cooker for 48 hours"

Convinced I had read the document fully, I explained "You cant drive or operate Machinery" She made me read the note again, after of course, betting me One Hundred Thousand Pounds. And Bugger me, it says she can't use a kettle or a cooker......... How did they know??

I'm Going To Get Done

Today is November the 6th. Its one day after bonfire night and I still haven't set off my grossly overpriced fireworks.

One reason for this is Charlotte. She had thrown a sickie and was far too ill to go into the garden to watch me fumble about with one of those burning stick thingies, trying to light tapers sufficiently enough to successfully ignite the high explosive paper tubes I had purchased.

Mind you, as a rule it is very rare to spend something like bonfire night as a family. We usually have friends round. It sneaked up on us. I had been meaning to call a couple of friends but as always left it till the last minute and then decided that it would be to late.

It is my strong belief that if I had arranged for people to come around, she may have made the effort to put a coat on and step outside.
The only other way would be to go to the nearest bus shelter wearing hoods and set them off there. That would probably appeal to a fifteen year old. Then we could nip into town and hang about the closed shops.

Carol has to go into Hospital tomorrow for an operation. All things being well a day or two to recover. We may be able to set them off at the weekend. I hope I don't get done for setting them off a week late. I know they are the in things to have but I don't want an ASBO....... Yet

Christmas

Who would have thought that, with entering a giant pumpkin into the Mere Brow Giant Pumpkin Competition, celebrating Halloween, cold weather and Bonfire Night around the corner. Christmas being next seemed to come as a bit of a shock for me this week.

Whilst doing my show I noticed our news team had put a poll on the Dune FM website, asking about Christmas. FIFTY percent of our listeners had actually done some Christmas shopping. WHY !!! What have they bought ?. I can just see people opening their presents. "OH What a lovely summer T-Shirt" " A Barbie,,, That will come in handy".

Maybe I am just a little miffed cos I've only just got around to putting my decks away from last year. Doesn't time fly. On the Plus side,,,, I can use my annual line on my woman at home.......... Soon Be Christmas .... Carol.


Well done to my Citroen Garage by the way. Took mine in for the recall on Monday morning. Got a lift into work and was later collected by a Girlie and taken back to the Garage. Didn't cost a penny for the work. (bet you don't here that often)

AT LAST

It looks like the DIY nightmare at home is at long last coming to an end.

Took the whole week of half term off work to complete the Bathroom, Hall and Lounge.
As always, things never go exactly to plan. Carpet for hall and lounge, Wednesday and bathroom flooring ....... Friday. TWO DAYS up at the crack of dawn waiting for fitters to arrive. NO TELLY, RADIO, SEATS for nearly 7 hours on Wednesday. New carpet looks great, however, the fitters removed a door, saying it had to be trimmed, and left it that way too. (not our job mate) ****ards.

Friday wasn't much better. Six hours trying not to go to the Loo. Spent the weekend putting away all the tools used over the past few weeks. Ready for a rest now.

Giant Pumpkins

For the 12th year in succession The Mere Brow Giant Pumpkin Competition took place at Brandreth Farm, Nr Ormskirk.

This was also my third time there as compare. The competition also helps out a nominated Charity each year. This year is the turn of The NSPCC.

Its a fun day out, and the pumpkins have to be seen in real life to be believed. This year, as last, I had a Pumpkin entered that didn't come up to size but that is partly due to not giving it enough love, care and attention.

What was a bit of a let down this year was a regular feature of the day was missing. Muck for Luck, (with a Duck). The Idea is a duck is placed in a small pen with a paper floor, on which is a series of numbers, each of which can be purchased for a sum of money. (for the chosen Charity).

I asked as soon as I arrived for the day of fun, the ducks whereabouts', only to be told "She wont be here........... we ate her............ What cruel and heartless ****ards. (Bet they hadn't she must have been at least 12 years old).

Anyway a good day was had by all, and my tiddler of a pumpkin came a respectable one place ahead of my workmate Dan's.

Check out the link below for more

Jane McDonald

I know,,,,, its Wednesday, and I haven't blogged for ages but our new carpet arrived today, and it was a bit of a rush getting everything ready for it. More on that later.

Friday started out to be a great day. Jane McDonald was to play the Southport theatre in the evening and had agreed once again to be a guest on my Radio Programme.

I have interviewed Jane a few times before, and have been to see a few of her shows. Last time around I took Carol, Charlotte and my mum too.

Our interview went very well, emails from all over England. (People listening on line). Lots of fun and a bit of gossip. I was even invited along to the show and arrangements were made to meet up with Jane backstage. (All very showbiz and exiting) Plus on this tour Jane is working with her mum. (two babes in one night eh)

As well as presenting my show, I have one or two extra duties. Friday is always the worst day of the week for one particular task. Especially if the member of staff who provides me with essential information from the HQ end wants an early dart. (Which she did after leading me well and truly up the garden path).

Hence a late finish for me and a very apologetic text to Jane for missing our mini date. Carol took it all very well too. It was to be our first night out together in ages, and she was all dressed up and ready to go.

Click on the link for a trip to Jane's website. (she's a loose woman too) on ITV 1

They want my car back

Received a letter the other day from my local garage. It so happens that this particular garage are fans of my radio show and therefore think I am minted. Saying that my car is a cracker, so I suppose it's understandable.

There would seem to be a little problem with my gear box. As luck would have it the car is still under warranty. However this is the second time its been called in, my tyres are starting to get worn and the exhaust cant last much longer.

This was the most expensive car I have ever purchased. It was my intention to keep it in tip top condition and keep it for years. This feeling of pride didn't last long though.

Whilst doing my show one day, I saw on car park TV what I believed at the time, to be a minor bump in our car park. A staff member appeared to back into my car, get out to have a look then drive off home.

Must have been a total coincidence as nothing was ever said, a scratch did appear on my car but none on his the following day.

Called in to the garage today to book it in for the work, and while there, asked about trading my car in to start all over again.

The salesman knew me. How strange is that......... Not from the Radio but from school.
Isn't it a small world.

Fingers crossed he said he would sort me out with a good deal. Wait and see !!!!