Well its been a busy couple of weeks full of ups and downs (Literally).

I managed to get a nice case of sickness and squits from wifey which didnot go down well as I was at a customers house when it first made its sudden appearence!!!!!!!!!!!

The van got fixed very quickly and I can only say how good the garage were at fitting it in. The phone has continued to ring with work which is fantastic!!

I have to date bought and returned two rotovators and took the plunge investing in a brand new one. I love new toys and this one should be here on Monday morning. Now that should make short work of the potatoe beds that need turning over at the allotment! Speaking of the allotment I have now planted so many seeds in the greenhouse I have both run out of room and pots!! I have bid on 900 pots on ebay so that should top up the stocks shortly :)

I was very kindly given a greenhouse over the weekend and the framework is now up in the garden waiting for a good scrub down and the glass putting in. This one will be used solely for bedding plants that can be used on contracts and for resale at the local car boot sale. This way I earn a few extra bob and do some cheeky advertising with my van ;)

Some sadder news was in the form that my great gran is expected to pass away over the next few days. I love this lady to bits and spent many many weekends with her whilst growing up and the memories are fantastic. She has suffered for 4 years now with severe demtia and how she is still breathing is a testoment to the hardy nature of the older generations because with all of her ailments including a dozen heart attacks now she should have moved onto the next world a long time ago. She will be sadly missed but it is one of those situations where she has no memory of who she is or we are and is in such a poor state of health her passing will be a blessing for those that are caring for her. She would be horrified to know what state she is in now as she was a proud and feircley independent woman.

Spring has returned and with the end of one season the new life that has arrived with the next is always a joy to observe. I love just sitting out with a cup of tea and taking the time to see what is now growing. Perhaps we should all take the time to stop and look every now then...

Bugger!

From yesterdays post you can see that things have been picking up nicely, that is until I was in Milton Keynes today taking a neighbour to and from hospital. We went to leave this morning from home but her car wouldnt start so we hopped into my van and took that instead. We just made it on time and she had her bak treatment. After an hour we are heading home when the clutch arm on the van gave up the ghost in the middle lane of a very large and busy roundabout!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So there I was directing traffic in my hi viz top nearly getting run down several times, on the phone to the police explaining we were a danger to other road users whilst my neighbour is on her phone calling the RAC to come and get us. The traffic wombles turned up quickly and towed us to safety closely followed by the RAC who inform me the clutch ratchet is buggered. He then towed me for 20, yes 20 miles back to a garagr I use in Kettering. Now that towing lark at 60mph is not for the faint hearted and not an experience I want to repeat! Still at least we were at the garage and based upon what the RAC chap said the quote for the rachet repair was £60. Not too bad and they were going to have it done by the close of play today....apparently not. They have just called and told me that its not the rachet but the clutch arm has broken off IN THE GEARBOX! So thats now a gearbox arm replacement by the means of the gearbox being removed first and as this arm breaking was caused by a worn bearing in the clutch so thats going to be replaced as well.

So the little cash we have saved over the last couple of months is now going to the garage...£350 of it. BUGGER!! Still at least I know the owner and im sure it would be alot more if it was taken elsewhere to be done. Its just that whenever we get a little bit ahead financially something bites us on the arse.

Oh well at least everything on the van will now be replaced and we were lucky to have the money here to pay for it. I just needed to get it off my chest!!!

Spring is coming.

Now its been awhile since I last wrote due to the fact the temperature has come up and the sun has been out. When this happens the phone starts ringing and its been precisely that that has kept me busy over the last couple of weeks.

People are once again venturing into their gardens and realising the weeds are making a comeback, the winter winds have blown in all sorts of rubbish and they want to put the ideas they have had stuck indoors for months into reality. Patios need cleaning and borders sorting, plants need putting in and different uses for that bare patch at the bottom now want to become a reality. So they look at whats involved, take a deep breath in of the warmer air and then pick up the phone to get me in because they dont really want to get muddy or spend their weekends off doing such menial tasks :) Fine by me!! I can start earning a wage again which is great.

I have sorted out the van and the shed and made a note of what equiptment will need replacing and I am happy to say its not alot this year. The investments I made last year are now starting to pay off with a minimal outlaw on new kit. A couple of things of course have to be sorted like a new work uniform to look the part and I have just finished today putting on the sign-writing to my old transit and what a difference that has made, it looks like a proper motor now after much fettling and plastering my bargain sign-writing kit on it.

I have finally made a start on planting in my christmas present greenhouse. The tomato plants are doing well and the runner beans, sweetcorn, peas, lettice, cucumber and pepper seeds all sown. The potatoes are chitting nicely and will be planted in a few weeks time. The allotment is starting to look like one with just a few more days work before that too will be ready to recieve the start of this years crops.

I had booked the flights to Spain and was looking forward to two weeks in the sun dogsitting for my father in law but such is the amount of work coming in I have had to cancel that :( Ive a couple of very promising contracts starting and I cannot turn such work away so I had to make the hard decision to work instead of playing. Very sensible I know but the sun was and still is damn appealing!

The dog has been an absolute toerag this last week and talk about accident prone! I should explain first that she is 18 months old and we have had very little trouble with her from since she was a pup so when she does anything naughty it seems like a huge issue!!
Firstly she trips me up at the top of the stairs, victorian stairs, and I go arse over tit from top to bottom pulling my shoulder and bruising my back. The next day she knocks over my youngest who has a mug in her hand, both go flying with my daughter bruising her hip and the mug exploding but not before it takes out a kitchen floor tile !! The this evening the dog decided she was to dig up around the new patio I laid in the back garde just yesterday!!????! Why???? I have no idea but hopefully thats the third thing and our 6 month dose of dumb dog over for now :)

A new greenhouse is yet to be aquired solely for the purpose of growing flowers and bedding plants. A contract needs lots of them and why buy them if I can grow them myself?? A few pennies saved hopefully.

So its all nose to the grind which is great after such a long winter. Wifey is moaning though that I am falling behind with my share of the housework! We both work and with 4 kids the place does take some looking after hence the washing machine on at 9.30pm...hope the neighbours dont mind!!

Time for a bath to soak my back bruises LOL I will try to write more often......

A mixed week.

Now its been quite a mixed week or so with much going on in all aspects of life.
I have been down with the lack of work coming in and this was due to coming to the end of a hard cold winter where I have felt like a bear in a trap being indoors for what must be the best part of 3 months...This changed hard and fast at the end of last week.
I had put in a day and a halfs work with one of my regulars and was enjoying a soak in the tub when I was presented with the phone by my wife. A friend had fallen behind with a painting job (a whole warehouse!!) and wondered if I could help out over the weekend. Of course when work is scarce you cannot turn any away so off a went over the weekend working for him. Then onto a fencing job for this week and the phone started to ring on Thursday and hasnt really stopped which is great. Its amazing how the sun putting in an appearence with the temp well above freezing for a change can bring out people from their hibernation. Perhaps this year wont be as bad as the media have us believe??

Wifey took the kids back up to Nottingham for a couple of days to visit her mother so all was very peacefull in the house...A strange sensation if im honest with no noise of any description coming from bedrooms but most welcome.

Ive had yet more of a think on what I do with my life. In fact ive been pondering this for sometime and have still got no further with what a could do as a different job but nothing would give me and wifey the flexability we have now. I enjoy my work and make people smile so all cant be too bad eh? Wifey pointed out ive got 4 great kids, im a good person (mostly :) ), a good Dad, we have a warm house, put food in our bellies and spring is coming back so I will get busier and wont be so bored.

I have to admit we are lucky. We may not have alot but there are many many people worse off than us. Time to think about some extra hobbies.

On the plant front I have a load of tomato seeds that have germinated so time to put the greenhouse heater on! I am off to the allotment in the morning with my youngest and there is loads to do there inc leveling beds and clearing a large area. If I remember to take the camera down I will post some pics.

Right thats enough for now I will ramble on again soon.

Getting Tubby

Now with all of this sitting around over the colder months due to a serious shortage on the work side I, with horror, have weighed myself and in no uncertain terms I have become tubby. This is not a unusal event for winter but I do hate it!! I am not an overly vain person but extra weight makes me feel slow and uncomfortable so its time to cut out the biscuits and crisps (I have been eating far too many) and take the dog on longer walks, I have been a bit sloppy in this aspect as well lately, in order to lose about a stone. Its never a problem after spring arrives as Im back into active mode outside working and playing on the allotment. Still it wont hurt to get a headstart this year and it will get me out of the house which always ends getting me into cant be arsed mode and reaching for another snack.

The tickets are booked and the dates confirmed. I am back out to Spain for the first two weeks of April and cannot wait for it. The first few days will involve alcohol with my father in law then I will be left to look after his dogs and house sit. Its a shame wifey wont be coming but we cant afford the extra tickets at the moment so will make another trip later in the summer which will give us something else to look forward to. It will be 20 months since I have been back to southern Spain and it will be nice to catch up with friends who are still out there.

Now I chuckled to myself earlier in the week looking at Facebook. I enjoy forums on things that interest me but Facebook never really has and I was made to open an account by wifey and friends, not that it gets used a great deal just endless emails about rubbish really. The chuckling was caused by photos that have been uploaded by my younger sisters and their friends. I am sure they all think they are models LOL The bloody ridiculus pouts and poses that they all seem to do when they realise a camera is pointed there way are comical!!! They look like a PG Tips Chimps party most of the time but must think they look fantastic as they put these monkey shots on the web for all to see and then comment on each others saying how lovely they look LMAO.
Status updates...now what the hell is all that about??? Coded messages about what clothes you are going to where, whos the bitch for this hour and what colour your dump was 5 minutes after you've taken it!???? I must be seriously out of touch because when I wanted to talk to a mate I would go around to see him or give him a ring?! Must be getting on in my head you know.

Ive got some work lined up, not alot but every little helps. All I need is for this snow to melt and a few dry days to put some money in the bank. The sharks have started circulating again after money for adverts so thats a sure sign that spring is on the way again. It will only be a few more weeks before I am planting flower seeds ready for the onslaught of hanging baskets and bed work.

Have you ever driven a Transit in the snow? Now thats an experience that must be had by all :) As long as you dont expect to go in the direction you want everything is ok. Parked cars and oncoming is all fair game to the transit it cares not which it heads for with its rear wheel drive LOL Its like driving an old Capri in the wet, always make sure you bring a spare pair of pants with you!

I've just got off of the phone with my youngest brother who lives in Dublin. Now he is living his life his way. Hes always loved playing his guitar and singing and he has made a living out of this now for over 2 years!! Good on him. He had a dream chased it and succeded. He has just moved in with ihis girlfriend and is setting up his own recording studio so he can expand in what he loves...music. Not just his own music but everyone elses as well. I am extremely proud of him and a little envious of the path he has chosen and has won. He works hard in a job that he loves but best of all earns money from his passion. I am sure there a very few of us that can say the same.

Anyway enough rambling for tonight. Im going to make a cup of tea and then head for bed.

Feeling like a kid!!

Ive had a great morning!!! I was awoken by wifey via a text message at 6.50am saying im stuck in the snow!

I popped my head out of the window to see over a foot of snow had dropped overnight and wifey had treid to drive to work in it!! You couldnt tell the road from the paths and they were obviously ungritted. I called wifey back to find out where she was and she had only managed to get about 3/4 of a mile up the road. With a bit of help she got the car turned around and managed to sledge it home LOL.

She was panicking about not getting to work but as I explained what else was she supposede to do? She couldn't walk there as its about 5 miles and the car was going no-where. So we decided to wake the kids, grab the dog and go and play in the winter wonderland!!

2 hours of snowmaen and snowballs followed by tea and toast at my parents! Then a nice walk back home enjoying the winter wonderland pictures around us.

I cant work today, the wife cant work today and the schools are closed. Time to wrap up indoors keep warm and have a lazy day...nice!

And the country stops.

I love the snow and have to admit I am the worlds biggest kid when we get any. I had a fantastic hour with the kids in the garden building a snowman and throwing snowballs. The dog seemed to love it more than us constantly running around in a snow plough effect with her nose deep in the freshly fallen snow.

But how are we always so unprepared for it as a society? We know its coming but everything grinds to a halt as soon as we get more than a dusting of the stuff! I wonder how certain countries manage to cope with it? You dont see parts of France, Germany or Austria grinding to a halt when the main income of their tourist industry falls from the skies!! It just seems daft that we do. NOT that the kids were complaining about the time off of school!

I did feel sorry for my youngest this morning though, her school was closed leaving her free and clear to play the day away only to find herself feeling really ill by half past nine this morning. Talk about bad timing but with more of the white stuff coming im sure she will get another opportunity this week.

Obviously no work on for a few days as the grounds frozen solid. No chance to play at the allotment as its white!!

I wonder with the forecast on the economic climate whetehr I should stay self employed or look for a full time job. In honesty I love working for myself and would prefer it stayed this way but if work is still this slow later in the year I really will have to consider all of the options. My biggest enemy is boredom/cabin fever but I really must take up another hobby to fill these slower times. The problem is I cannot think what sort of hobby I would like to take up so watch this space for all sorts of suggestions soon :)