To all my friends where ever you are.

Here's to a New Year full of all the things you can wish for

but especially good health for you and your families.

Love to you all Paul xxx

More cards

Just a few more examples of my Xmas cards

My attempt at Xmas cards

As promised in my earlier Blog here are three examples of Xmas cards I have made for colleagues at work. The jury is out on if I'm a match yet for wife Hazel's creative ability.

However in our joint opinion we are still not up to the master or should that be mistress of the ultimate card design our very dear friend Lesley. Check out what we mean by looking at a wide selection for different occasions at Lesley's Blog entries.

Christmas just around the corner

Good evening Blog readers, yes Christmas is just around the corner, now counting the days until we get a well deserved two week rest. The last week or so have been busy getting decoration out of the loft space and sorting out what to keep and what to finally throw out, making Xmas cards is normally Hazel's department but this year I thought I'd have a go for work colleagues ( more of that later) and then as normal Hazel had made her Christmas cake to a tried and tested recipe that she has used for many years some weeks ago with just a touch of alcohol to keep it moist and this week she marzipan-ed, iced and decorated it. We also thought we might give a couple as small extra gifts, so with extra cakes made the results can be seen in the pictures.

Proud of Hazel's results

As promised here a few picture of Hazel's Christmas cards in part made using The Craft Multi-Tool, I'm very proud of the results she achieved.

From Manchester to Bexleyheath and return

It's been over a week since my last blog upload, in my last I mentioned that I was looking forward to Maggi's visit. October 24th finally arrived and a little after 11 am Maggi called to say she was on her way and on the M6 and that her Sat Nav calculated that her arrival time would be 2:51 pm, this I thought was a little optimistic as it is around 232 miles and Maggi is not a fast driver even if the journey is all motorway. So imagine my surprise to have her arrive at 3:01 just 10 minutes later than the Sat Nav predicted.

As we (Hazel and myself) had a week of work it was planed just to take things easy and rest and so the first couple of days we all just chilled. When Maggi arrived she gave me a American BTB version of Doris which is so different from the UK one and I gave Maggi a goodie bag I'd made up for her of bears and enamel badges from the Heros and Villains event. On Sunday we took a trip out to the local HobbyCraft super store. Now Hazel like our good friend Lesley likes to make personalised cards and needed some blanks and other bits for making this years Xmas cards, it would be so easy to spend a fortune with so many goodie to choose from. Maggi like us is a person that likes to give presents so when she presented Hazel with a super gadget called "The Craft Room Multi-tool" by Helix she was over the moon and the fact that you can add to it's embossing boards etc gives me a few ideas for my own Christmas presents to Hazel, something that I always find a headache to know what to buy her. I'll post some pictures later of some of the resulting cards from Hazel first tires with the new gadget.

Monday afternoon was something completely out of the ordinary for me, Maggi likes the odd game of Bingo which would not be on my list of things to do but as the weather was a bit rough it was in the dry so we went along for the local Gala to spend what I can only say was a interesting time ........lol well I won £5 so there was a bit of excitement. Tuesday we went out to a local Garden centre that has expanded over the years to a location for every from flowers to gifts to fresh vegetables, butchers and pet store they even have a book store of sorts. From there it was a pub lunch before heading home. Wednesday was a chill day. Thursday was the trip back to Manchester. The week had past far to quickly.

And today being Monday it was back to work.

Just one more

No wonder I have trouble getting into my bed at night someones beaten me to it

A couple Pictures

A recent picture of yours truely and Wife Hazel with her older brother just behind.

Well we all know what damage beans can do if consumed in to greater quantities.

Another Week

Another week has again just flown by. Not much happen until Wednesday when I found myself with a very painful left elbow even to touch, now I'm not a clumsy person but it's not unusual for me to knock my elbows and knees in the course of a week, my excuse is that they don't make doors wide enough ....lol. A phone call to the doctors surgery advised first available appointment to be Friday morning, to cut a long story short it seems I have a condition called Golfers Elbow and I don't even play the game. I'd heard of Tennis Elbow but Golfers? seems it the opposite muscles, so it's pills and ointment for a month and then if not cleared up a cortisone injection.

Saturday was a normal day visit mum and brother Ian take him to hairdressers for haircut (he was rob, they should have paid him for the practise) and will he was in the barbers seat take mum round the supermarket an experience in itself.

Finally Sunday I managed to sort, crop and cut out my photos of the latest 4 Bad Taste Bears and add them to my web site last night.

Another week starts with the bonus of Maggi coming to visit us for a week from Friday (half term starts).

The weeks just fly by

Here we are another Blog entry and another week has just flown past. Monday was quite not a lot happened and then came Tuesday we had a appointment at the bank are we mad the way the world finances are going but we had decided to start a couple of new saving accounts nothing that would help the national debt but hey as they say from acorns oaks grow. Trouble was there we were thing in and out 15 minutes if we are lucky, 90 minutes later a few leaflets in hand and me thinking thats put paid to my mid-morning kip Grrrrrr. One of the leaflets related to next weeks appointment with the banks financial adviser ref my pension plan with another company ........ well outrage is not quite the word but within the leaflet tuck away was a small paragraph stating that for this advise and possible transfere of funds to another plan there would be a charge of between £2500.00 and £3500.00 I DON'T THINK SO, I don't give a dam how much their share value has fallen I'm not helping to get it back .... right rant over.

The rest of the week was OK until Friday the day of aunties funeral, however it was a bit different in that dear auntie had already been cremated and the church service was held with her ashes. Now I've not come across this before but to me it seemed so much better than the normal service one gets at a crematorium, therefore I've made my mind up when it's my time I want one of these and thats in noway meant to be morbid.
On the up side I got to see my favourite cousin Lynne whom I'd not seen for about 18 months and other relatives not seen in years. The down side to going was my own near death experience because of maniac drivers on the M25 one on the way to St Albans and another on the way back.
Saturday saw my normal visit to Mum and brother Ian take them out to a garden centre and then onto the supermarket and then back to their house to help by sorting the shopping etc etc.
After two days on the road I was knackered by the time I got back home so the evening was spent just chilling. Sunday morning like most households was house work and then planting a loganberry we had purchased at the garden centre hopefully there will be some nice juicy fruit next year. This afternoon / evening has been spent printing a manual for the iPod I won on ebay and just finding out the basics ... boys toys I love em.
So there you have it dear reader another week has flown by, back to work tomorrow for a rest ... lol.

A few snaps in the garden

Hi all, been out in the garden snapping with the new camera again .

Hectic end to the week

Friday morning saw me first driving to Edenbridge Kent to collect brother Ian and then drive him into London to the Royal London Hospital for another MRI scan. This had been brought forward due to noticeable difference in his condition (stroke over 2 years ago and a very rare and dangerous aneurysm). Now driving into London on a Friday afternoon is not recommended, arriving a little early for his appointment we duly presented ourselves at reception for the scan department and waited and waited, you get the picture 40 minute past his appointment time he was called in for the scan which should have taken 20 min. However another 40 minutes later he arrived back, all the while he was in there I'm thinking the return journey back to Edenbridge will be in the Friday rush hour out of London (nightmare) how right I was Grrrrrrrrr. Finally arrived back home and completely knackered at 9pm.

Saturday started in a chill mood, plenty of time to relax before getting ready for a trip out to a family wedding (on the wife's side) late afternoon. So after lunch we started of only to hit almost grid lock traffic on route, a few curses later and back tracking we found a clear run to our destination what a beautiful sunny day. Catching up with family we have not seen in years half the battle was trying to recognising everyone. Even the wife's sisters first husband who had been a old school pal of mine. I thought over 40 years have not been kind to him then thought must look in the mirror when I get home ... oh not a pretty sight guess none of us age that well after 40 plus years ....lol

Good evening Blog readers one and all. After last Thursday's tragic event at work this past week has been a somber time and for several of the ladies I guess the shock of it all hit them more than they realised at the time, as they have come down with bad throat infections and heavy colds. One even wrote her car of the following evening.
The past week has also seen us continue to harvest blackberries from our chemical free garden it has been such a bumper year as quite a few staff members at work will testify and just when I think they are coming to a end the weather here in this part of Kent turns very warm and sunny, so I think there will be a few more pounds / kilos to pick yet.
My good friend Maggi at www.yowiemaggi.com has been teasing me all week even though she blew up her computer last weekend, with a son thats a whizz with all things computers it a sure fire bet that her next computer would be something special and she has taken every opportunity to let me know how much faster the new one is and reminds me how slow mine is by comparison ... lol everything we do, has been a competition between us and as a true gentleman I let her win Grrrrr I'm saying that through gritted teeth ops I forgot I don't have any at the moment OK through gnashing gums ... lol
BT Bears collecting news, yet another outstanding limited edition crossed of my list with the arrival of Dorothy (somewhere bent over a rainbow). Tonight the official site has the 2008 Xmas bear available to pre-order for members. I went straight in and placed my order, I just love the Xmas bears but this year it is so different from previous releases, I'll say no more don't want to spoil it for those who love a surprise.

More BT Bears but a sad day

Today should have ended on a happy note having two more BT Bears (Lassie & Weedpacker)arrive to add to my collection and also add picture to my web site.
However whilst at work this afternoon one of my workmates collapsed and later in hospital was pronounced dead, it has come as a great shock to us all initially it was a suspected heart attack and this after a triple by-pass at the beginning of the year. Vince was a easy going bloke and will be sorely missed
If nothing else it makes one realise how mortal we all are and that the older one gets the more we should make the most of each day.

Friday evening has arrived so the weekend starts here. The weather in this part of Kent is cold and wet has summer really gone already?
I had three new Bad Taste Bear sets arrive this week 2 direct from BT Bears and one a ebay win at a very good price, (view here) http://www.bear-expressions.co.uk/recent.htm So with the new Bears arriving it gave me opportunity to try out a new gadget I had added to my photographic arsenal a 50mm photo cube. The results I believe is improved quality photos but I'll let visitors to my web be the judge of that. The only down side to the newly added photos to the web site is that it makes all the others look somewhat second class, therefore I might just have given myself the mammoth task of retaking a helluva lot of picture .... lol.

Question; how often do you buy a product and find for one reason or another it does come up to the standard you expect, however we very rarely complain. Well I had recently purchased the normal brand of pouched cat food for Lucky and one pouch certainly was not to their usually high standard, after a few polite emails back and forth it resulted in a couple of £5 vouchers so it certainly pays to complain. Remember friendly and polite always wins in my experience.

Right must close for now time to take my blood reading, oh have I not mentioned before I'm diabetic, fortunately at this time controlled by diet.

Sunday 31st August saw me experiment with the new digital camera, nothing earth shattering as there are so many options in the camera menu to get used to, so it was a case of take it of auto and snap away, above just a couple of pictures.

Lunch time and the main computer is making some very strange noises, like a lot of people my tower sits under the computer desk and very rarely gets looked at. On looking I found the vents completely clog with dust so it need a total shut down strip down and a good blow through with a powerful just of air, talk about a dust cloud ...lol now running fine again with no strange noises.

Monday morning and I'm still feeling slight effects from my multi tooth extraction but the sun is shinning but will it last .... lol

First Post

Well as I compose my first post it's almost 16 hours since my visit to the local hospital to have my remaining teeth out, needless to say they put me into la la land so I knew nothing about until it was over. There must be some advantage to being gummy ...lol until I get fitted with dentures. The pain killers are just starting to wear of so I'll have to pop a couple more soon.
I have to thank my good friend Lesley ( http://kraftedkeepsakes.blogspot.com) for getting me started with this Blog lark how it will progress remains to be seen as I've never been one for keeping a diary.