budgies

We are now inundated with budgies, they are nice but not enough meat on one to feed a grown man.

however they are noisey little gets.

We did have three of the little buggers but "D" thought they should be in pairs so we went off yesterday to get another.

From left to right

Puff, Poo, Pete, Pea.

Pete is the new one and has fit in real well.








he's big isn't he.

old limpy is back

I can't stop limping,

I try but it won't go away, I could be limping forever,that bloody sciatica has left me with a limp.
Anyway that's only a small thing (no that's not what "D" says)at least I am not in pain and have been back to work a few weeks now.

I have been very tired and it has knocked me back a bit

Only 3 weeks now and we will be on holiday in Africa we did have all the Jabs yes all of them including , yellow fever, tetanus, polio,, diphtheria, cholera, typhoid,hepatitis A, and apart from having the shits for a couple of days I have been fine. "D" was much worse and seemed to have taken all the illness's all at once but she will be fine,I suspect packing will be done 1/2 an hour before we leave for the airport.

One bad thing happened at work when one of the workers got injured the other day "me" being a first aider was the first to deal with him, the poor chap got hit by some steel on his hand, I have never seen an injury like it, on the back of his hand it took the whole of his skin from the wrist right down to the knuckles completely away down to the bone tendons and muscle's.

I bandaged him up and an ambulance rushed him straight off to hospital he underwent a 3 and half hour operation soon after with skin grafts, to his hand I personally don't think he will come back to work here.

It was without doubt the worst injury I have ever had to patch up.

Today we went to our local shops we were finished and just about to set off in the car and heard this huge bang ,,,,,, A bus had pulled out and hit a passing car ,,,,,,, picture shows bus driver and disgruntled car driver and passenger arguing over details,
West Midland transport is sure fun
The silver car they are stood by is the one that got hit and knackered all his near side up

well

I am back at work now, I don't like it I want to stop but I can't yet.

So enough of that.

Tomorrow we are going for the injections we need to visit Africa, as if I have enough pains in the arse.

Anyway on a brighter note, at Christmas I got "D" a Budgie and being like she is wanting to mother it (this is the most spoiled budgie on the planet)She decided it was lonely so we went to the pet shop for a bigger cage and came home with a further two Budgies.

We now live in tweet tweet land except one of them barks like a dog I will catch it one day on vidio but as soon as the camera goes near it it goes deathly quiet.

here they are Puff Pea and Poo

I swear we get dafter as we get older

from right to left Puff, Poo and Pea

Pea is the one who barks like a dog

Upstairs for thinking

Downstairs for dancing,
I don't know if any of you have heard on the new s about Big Brother or been sad enough like me to watch it.
It has however been entertaining and takes us back to our primitive (Or were they ) ancestors.
A bit like watching the spectacles in the ring, seeing who would die first.
How much would it have cost Jade to have been pleasant, nice, helpful, to everyone lets face it, it is the public who have put her in the place she is now with millions of pounds to her disposal and lucrative contracts, she "was" set up for life so they say.
But to have witnessed what has happened and seen her co-so called celebrity's behave in the way they have sickened me to the stomach, but funny watching them fall from grace.
We have to watch now just to see how the public treats her co-bully's yes that is what they are when they eventually slink out of the place.
Already on the news it is said that Danielle has been dumped by her boyfriend because of her behaviour towards Shilpa, he being a footballer of some repute with at least a third of his team being non white.
Also what can be said of Jo, nothing really, both her and Danielle being swept along quite happily with the bullying and mobbing because that is what it was, to the pain and hurt of another individual.
To call the three of them trailer park trash is an insult to every person living in a trailer.
I hope they, all three of them get their just rewards.
I for one will be watching with interest to see them get it.
On a happier note we went out today to get some Groceries the sun was out and as we past Frankly Beeches I stopped and took this pic.

A beautifull view from there across to Birmingham in the far distance.

well I gave it a try

So I went to work Monday, I hobbled around for a bit lasted till 2.00pm and went home knackered.


I went in the day after did the same went home at 3.00pm I was more knackered.


Wednesday, more of the same except they expected more out of me left at 4.00pm and then I was exhausted.


Thursday,,,,, went in lasted till 9.00am I was in excruciating agony, I have tried to do too much too quick, it is my own fault but very difficult to judge just how far I might have to walk,(the place is massive).


so now Friday I have had to take the day off, they have referred me to an occupational therapist to see if that helps I hope it does.


I hate being ill.


So although today I have been quite active there is only so far I can walk whilst at home.





I thought we would spoil our Budgie so we have given him a tree to play on.



It was "D's" idea so I went out back and took a branch off the apple tree, I think he likes it.

almost normal

The last time I was at work was the 8th of December, I had a week off to start with chest pains and high blood pressure, caused by stress at work.

There was one time I would have grinned and bore it but now I can see the signs all too quickly, I am not going in that direction again I am going back next week, but if I come home feeling like I did again I am "not" going back.

Then there was Christmas, ohhhh the bloody joy of it,Flu right the way through it.
Two days before the 1st January I got sciatica, I am not done with it yet but I feel I am on the mend.

So what to do next, well we have our holiday booked and on the 9th March we are going to the Gambia for 2 weeks.
I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT

The last time I was anywhere near there was in 1967 when I visited Senegal whilst in the Merchant Navy, I was just a boy of 16.

Like most people we are having strange weather still its definitely not January and although a wind outside its still quite warm
and the sun is just trying to come out.



I feel quite optimistic about this year I am just going to see what it brings, lets face it, can it get any worse.

It could, but I know one thing, I would rather be alive and out of work than dead, or seriously ill because of it.

So for the time being I will sit in my study looking at the view, which on a good day I can see right over Birmingham.

global warming

I have been looking through the archives of last year because I remember the daffodils coming up early.

Well this is now a whole week earlier and they are up again, does this mean that they will have no idea when to grow or could we have them all year round, I don't know but it is only the 7th January when I was little there would have been snow and to be quite honest I can remember the last time it snowed bad and that was in 1977 the kind of snow what brings all traffic to a halt.

When in the UK did you last see someone go sledging? when was the last time you saw a lake freeze over? freeze so thick you could walk on it.

I am sat here now in my study with only a tee shirt on(yes I do have jeans on as well) and no heating, its 10 degrees outside and 16 degrees in the house that's 60 degrees *f .

The seasons are just like becoming one with very little difference, it seems wetter for longer and if they are projecting 2007 to be warmer in the summer it is going to be very hot.

If the sea levels rise, low lying places close to the coast are going to flood and they will not hold it back, London could be under water, that of course will have a knock on effect places like where we live now which are well above sea level will become "the" place to live.

It would be funny to look back to all the money grabbing property developers who have land which is under water and totally useless. They won't be singing "oh I do like to be beside the seaside"

The damage is done by the look of it we can't stop it.

I will just go and put my winter coat away.

I am still at home

I seem to have acquired sciatica and spent the last 7 days dragging my lifeless right leg around with me, trying to pull out the invisible daggers of pain that are inflicting themselves into my hip.
It hurts? yes it bloody well does and the smallest of tasks need such an enormous amount of effort.
I went to the Doctor who by now, is sick of the sight of me I expect, we discussed my other problems,then went on to the leg,I winced with the agony of taking my shoe off and getting on the couch so could examine me and could only raise my leg a few inches from the horizontal.
yes he says you have sciatica, it could take a few weeks to get better.
I got a sick note for a week, I said If were a horse they would have shot me by now, he replied
yes, we probably would have.
Go back home and do only light exercise,
"well I am not likely to running any marathons am I"

Do the pain killers you are taking do any good he asks? no I replied, OK I will give you some stronger ones, now these ones would knock out a horse but no, having took them for 2 days and then reading the label that they are addictive and the fact that I was still in as much pain with as without them they are still in the packet.

Yesterday I needed to go to the shop dragging the leg with me I hobbled around trying to keep myself vertical by hanging on to the baskets full of stuff they put in the middle of the isles, I realised where all the pensioners go at 2.00pm and boy do they get in the way, not having the agility to avoid the trolleys and baskets they drag with them I nearly fell over twice.
I got my stuff and dragged my weary arse back to car and went home, "thinks" no I am not fit for work.
I tried to convince"D" that the doctor had said the only way to relieve the pain was
that she had to lay with her naked body on top of me,,,,"The doctor said it",,,, I said as convincingly as possible,,,, well that didn't work either, so I am still in pain.

"Being ill is boring and crap"

happy new year

I think the years go "too" quick I want it back,It has been a strange one 2006.

But now at least a new one beckons and at last can put some "things" that have been wrong in life, right.

Looking at the good things that we did this year it has been fun and I have met some extremely nice people on here, and as always I will endeavour to blog more.

Christmas was not so good for us as we both had the Flu or something like that and have been ill and too tired to do anything apart from sit around moaning a lot.

I got a brand new phone for Xmas with all the new technology and a camera(its more like a mini computer) so it goes with me everywhere so I might just be able to take pics ad lib and videos and put them on the site.

This next year I want to travel more and we have already got plans to visit the Gambia in March.

(picture of me pretending to type using all my fingers)

So I would like to wish all who may roam in here from time to time a very happy and bloody good new year.

I know mine will be

hello everyone

Today is my birthday I am off work because I appear to have high blood pressure I know what has caused it but for the minute cannot say.
I went to see the Doc

he gave me the week off to rest and now I am on Beta Blockers I don't expect I will be back before the new year.
"D" has got me a DVD WRITER but it isn't here yet but should be by the weekend. we will be going out tonight for a meal and I have just been chillin all day.
Happy Birthday to me,,,,,,, Lol

We have a new friend at home

lets just call him Jack

another

Christmas is soon on us and "D" say's come on Steve this Saturday we are going into town.
Now I have never,, I mean never,, done any xmas shopping before the 12th of December.
There is good reason for this as the 12th is my Birthday and it is only after that I consider it Christmas.
So I was tricked, bring some money I was told.
So off to the train station at Selly Oak. to find the whole of the platform full of folks anyway not phased we waited for it and to our suprise it turned up and thankfully was at least a 100 yards long and everyone got a seat.
There is only 2 stops and we are at New Street Station so 10 minutes later we were in a sea of heads, now I am closteraphobic, I hate being in crowds and for me to venture into this lot is a big thing, but I agreed with "D" it had to be done.
So off we went into the shops and into the Bull ring, out of the Bull ring, back into the Bull ring, Had a Burger King for lunch (highlight of day).
More shopping and soon it was time to leave, my fingers were wheighed down with plastic bags and they were cutting into my fingers and all feeling had gone.
We must have some Gluwien at the German market "D" said, (we have one every year here in Bimingham) we truged up New St and got to the top where the food stalls are next to the
Floozie in the Jacuzzi is.
It was bloody packed so we queued for our Gluwien(hot wine with spices in a mug) I heard one bloke saying obviousley a fellow Yorkshireman bloody hell you can buy 12 cans of Stella for the price of that( made me chuckle a bit we don't change do we).
A great place to be Birmingham at Xmas time but for me too full, however a first for me to get any presents before the 12th, I repeat the 12th oh did I tell you it's my birthday on the 12th.

Birthdays

Today it is "D"s Birthday and she is 37 again so next year she will be 20 years younger than me, I still can't work out how she does that.

But first I will make her bacon and mushroom sandwich her favorite.
Then a quick Trip to Dunelm to buy a new duvet, and then off to Matalan in Odbury

Anyway today is special so we will go to a Toby Inn carvery in Quinten and have lunch, no cooking for me today.

Looking at the calender I have only 4 more weeks to work before I break up for Christmas then I have a full 15 days off work to chill out I will be doing some painting I think.

well

After what seems like the longest time I get to sit down here again and do this.



I have been busy.



Since my last blog,



I have been up to Yorkshire TWICE

Once to see my kids and the other to drive the big truck full of all (D's) oldest sons belongings from his home in south Yorkshire and move him back to Birmingham.



That was a journey I will never forget , we all live life the way we want to, however he is a hourder and believe me, nothing was ever thrown away, so his life went into this bloody massive truck and I helped to fill it and empty it, and drove it all the way up and back, I did suggest a skip but he wasn't impressed.

I started at 8.00 in the morning and got home at 10.00 at night I was exhausted.



It was the longest day of my life and I will never voulenteer to do anything like it again "ever".



My oldest daughter is 30 on Tuesday.



I am getting to feel a bit old but not much.



Work's been much the same of the daily grind as it is always.



But everything is well.



I had to go back to the Hospital to see the Consultant about my heart thingy and he has discharged me so once again all is well there, all the results came out fine.



I have a wish list

someone buy my old car

someone buy my old car

someone buy my old car

someone buy my old car





its cheap,,,with a full years mot test and taxed for 6 months.
It will bring you luck and you may win the lottery one carefull owner (the rest were crap)

a ride in the car

we had a day out in the car and went to North Yorkshire a few years ago
and this is what we did.
The idea is to get to the top of a very big hill put the car in forth gear and roll off the top with out touching the pedals this is what happens

Four things about me

Things you may not have known about me..... Ok Justin I will give it a go.

Four jobs I have had in my life:(but not in any order)
1.taxi driver
2.heavy goods vehicle driver
3.insurance saleman
4.driving instructor
(there are lots more)
I also used to be a Justice of the Peace in Bradford.

Four Movies I would watch over and over.
1. Open Range
2. Wyatt Earp (or any of the other versions I have them all)
3. Band of Brothers all 13 hours
4. Payback(Mel Gibson)

Four Places I have lived
1. Bradford
2. Brighouse
3. Birmingham
4. (who knows we may move)

Four TV shows I love to watch
1. The news,,,, any channel
2. Have I got News For You,,(funniest Programme on TV)
3. Ray Mears on the discovery Channel(He is great and could start a fire with snow)
4. Rouge Traders

Four places I've been to
1. Austrailia
2. Japan
3. Canada
4. Greece
(also Africa both coasts Malaya, China, and Russia, France ,Spain, Belgium, Canarys,)

Four Web sites I visit regularly
1. Google
2. Googlemail
3. all my links
4. Brummie Blogs(I have to put this on pain of death)

Four favourite foods
1. Roast beef and Yorkshire Puddings
2. My Home Made Curry
3. Take Aways(yes!!!!)
4. Apple Pie and custard

Four Places I'd rather be right now
1.where I am now is just where I want to be for a very long time ,2.3.4.

Four friends (this is the hardest for me)
1. "D"
2. My Mum(I just wish she didn't have Alzheimers)
3.(I have many aquaintances but very few true freinds)
4.If you have money to throw away you can be my friend!!!lol

It did make me think a bit,, but was fun to do.

and oh yes

I finaly got round to buying a new,,,, (new to me but 6 years old) car.


I love it.


It goes like like shit off a shovel,,,, 2 ltr deisel engine, turbo charged, all mod cons, and really comfortable.




I like it.

like this one

If anyone wants an old Cavalier with 161,000 miles on the clock see me,

were back

We had a wonderful holiday.
We have been home a week and a half now and a lot of things have happened.

So I shall begin,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I got home from work on the Wednesday afternoon got ready, made last checks in the suitcase, called a Taxi to take us to the Airport sat down had a drink and waited

He turned up nice big car as well a Merc, we had given ourselves more than an hour to get thewre so we had plenty of time that was untill the car started to overheat and after much stopping and starting in the traffic he pulled off on a side road and drove like a man on speed waving his hand out of the window to a passing black cab, he says it's ok it's my friend he will take you the rest of the way

So we did arrive on time, but only to find the longest queue in history trying to get through airport security which,,,,,, is good,,,,, "we have to be safe" so we waited and waited eventually we were at the front and had to strip of almost to our underwear(joking) just to get through.

No smoking at all in the terminal so we were well pleased,,,,, the thought of going 6 hours without a cig is not good to a smoker, so I just thought ok we can do it we just had to wait.

The flight was good and arrived on time to a very hot Rhodes and the first thing we did was rush outside the terminal,,,, bugger the suitcase and grab a cig with the rest of the nicotine craved passengers.(there was lots)

Our hotel was fabulous right next to the sea we could hear the waves lapping in the dark onto the beach below or balcony then so to bed exhausted at 5.00am in the morning

how chilled can one man be

the views are just like this

our small beach

Rhodes Old Town

two old ruin's

What handsome couple

the cruisers were in





the middle of the island

I hired this little car






We had a fantastic time!!!!!

its over

I think now my run of pain and suffering is done with, I can eat drink and be merry,
my stitches in the mouth have been removed the crown on the tooth is fixed and another cracked filling done all for the same price.
I left work at 2.30 pm and went home cleaned the teeth and went to THE DENTIST I just want them damn stiches out they were irritating me to hell.
enter Dentist Surgery,
Me,,,,hello love you got over pulling that bloody tooth yet.

Dentist,,,No, it was a bad one have you been ok?

Me,,,yeah(liar) just fine and dandy, can't wait to have these stiches out bloody irritating things.

Dentist,, (looking in mouth) oh yes it looks nice and pink,lets get those stiches out, right she says I will just fix that crown that was damaged.

Me,,, ermmmmmmm this isn't going to cost any more is it.

Dentist,,, oh no its all been paid for.

A few minutes later the crown was as good as new.

Dentist,, now she says I want to fix that broken filling, can you do this without injection.

Me,, yeah sure as long as its not too deep get on with it.

Drill ,,,,,drill ,,,,,,,,,,, drill,,,,,,,,,,,, scrape,,,,,,,,, bit more drilling ,,,, you have a very good pain threshhold she says,,

Me,,,, yes I think I must have.

Minutes later I have fixed crown,, fixed filling,,, and cleaned teeth,,, and my mouth feels almost normal, we chat about filling the gap caused by the removal of the molar and I soon think its the cost of a small new car,,, so I say ok love , I will see you in 6 months.

All is well my smile is back to normal although she wouldn't put the diamond in the crown like I suggested saying something about national health service won't pay for it, but at least I tried.

HAVING

had time to recover over the weekend, and thinking life almost normal,(if it was normal it wouldn't be me and I would be thinking where and who am I).I went to work monday as normal and did a normal day of graft.

Coming home I thought we will have something nice for tea and a few beers, but that wasn't going to be was it.

My stomache felt strangly,, ,, not right, I felt sick, I put it down to being hungry so I grabbed a quick snack.

Well that didn't make it better but I just thought come on Steve snap out of it .

So we had our evening meal, I felt worse, and by 8.00pm I put my self in bed.

I struggled to get to sleep and started to have bad cramps in my stomache and abdomen and knew I was going to be sick, and by 9.30 I was,,,,,, a lot,,,"D" brought me some water and took away bucket full of vomit,,,,,,, nice this init.

Couldn't sleep all night I knew at this point it was food poisening, but what? in truth I didn't care.

Having not slept all night and being doubled up in pain I phoned in sick.

I spent Tuesday, feeling very sorry for myself and not moving a lot.

This morning I got up as normal 4.30am and thought should I go in, I still had cramps and really not too good so I thought no If I go in they "will" expect me to be as normal and walk miles and lift heavy stuff I wanted cigarettes so I went to the shop in the car of course and the short walk of some 20 yards convinced me I had done the right thing. At work I calculate I walk about 10 miles everyday.

So today I will watch movies and play on the laptop so I don't have to move much.

Not to worry in a week I will be going away on holiday YAAAAAAAAAY.

Some weeks,

are just not the same.
Take this week, there I was as busy as ever at work, thinking not long till the old holiday.
Till Thursday,,,, well I thought good an early one,
you see I had to be at the Dentists for 3.00pm,
so I left work early.
In my head I would be at home by 3.15 latest after a quick look at the old gnashers and brush up and then wait another 6 months.
How wrong could I have been.

Dentist,,, (lovely woman)had any trouble since I saw you last

Me,,,,,,,, none really just a but sensative around here pointed to tooth.

Dentist,,, lets look.

Dentist,,,, ohhhhhhhhhhhh,, you have a big hole in that tooth and it is above the gum line it will have to come out.

Me,,,,,, Ok yank it out, but which arm or leg would you like for me to pay for it.

Dentist,,, need to xray it first,,,,

Great bloody thing in mouth,,,,,,,,,,,,,, she and assistant run out of room like I had just farted.
then came back in to check resulting xray,,,, after much embarrasment apologises and puts film in this time, same again both run out of room Like I am a lepor.

There she says,, look at this, points to hole in my tooth on moniter,,,, it will "have" to come out.

Me,,, ok you have time now lets do it.

So after many injections and me slavering down my shirt and not knowing it I was ready.

Dentist ,,, can you feel this.

Me,, no thats just fine yank it out.

all the tools were laid by my side on the little tray (I thought they don't look big enough).

puts small lever in to the gum and trys to loosen tooth,,,,,, next forceps (she would have been better off with a tyre lever and mole grips).

She pulls and twists at the tooth no movement,,,,,,,she then gets bigger forceps and bigger levers,
nope this little bugger is in here for good, we breed em big and strong in Yorkshire I quiped, slaver still running dowm my chin.

Even bigger forceps called for ,,, tug ,,,, twist,,,,, crack,,,, oh I have just chiped your crown.

No,,,,,,,, not the tooth I wanted out, but the one on the tooth next to it the one I paid £60 bloody Quid for 10 years ago

More tugging,, pulling this time with assitant holding my head "CRACK",,,, Oh she said the crown has broke off.

I felt like the size of a small pebble as she fumbled in my mouth to retrieve it.
next came the drill I will have to drill now ,,,zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz,,,,,,,zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz,,zzzzzzzzzz,
a bit more prodding and pulling.
Dentist,,I will have to cut your gum to get to the roots

Me,,, ok just do it(by this time I was losing the will to live)

anyway after much pulling and prodding I felt one by one the roots come out.
There was a pile of tools on the bib on my chest a mechanic would have been proud of and it was Dentist 1 tooth 0.

Dentist,,,, do you smoke or drink

Me,,, do Bears shit in the woods.

Dentist,,,,,well you can't do either, I am giving you this prescrpition take all these tablets you must do all this stuff hands me a list.

Dentist ,,, you have just had a surgical extraction and its very important.

I looked at the list of tablets and thought bloody hell they are at least £6 each

Anyway I have now got a hole in my gum the size of a small country and stiches in the gum to boot and a damaged crown and I have to go back next week.

I was a full hour in that chair and my thoughts of a blissfull afternoon had gone.,,,,TBC.