Thanks to Kodak online.

Just a quickie to update you. I told you about the Kodak camera and dock a couple of posts ago. Well, only fair to report something good from a multinational.

I got a nice e-mail saying sorry and a couple of days later the insert and USB cable arrived. No silly questions just straightforward action.

So, thank you to the people at Kodak online. I have one happy photo taking daughter and one happy, future David Bailey Granddaughter.

Happy Birthday to Val

Just a note to wish my better half a Happy Birthday for yesterday.

Couldn't post anything on the big day as we were rather busy. I took a day off work, with thanks to Her Majesty (Queens Birthday), and Val and I had a very nice and rather wet day.

Photo above was taken over the weekend with Val having completed the next bit of the stripping. It is working out four hours on four days off to get over it!!!!! Still, she is plodding on with a great deal of determination. She says she enjoys it, mystifies me!

Anyway Happy Birthday for yesterday my love. I will not sing Happy Birthday, I will leave that to one of my siblings - yes you know who you are!!!!

Blue skies is now back on line and into commenting again. Using another strange name, check out the comment for the last post to see what I mean!! Over to CT

"Yo! I'm back ... contribution 8 of 237. Apologies for you not recieving the photos yet - they will arrive - promise. Leon (Mick Russell aka Golly to all else) contacted me to say he'd found Derek Bottomley - in Brisbane. Remember him? Apologies for absence, as explained earlier. However, nothing compared to your bad vibes scenarios ref Washing Machines, Cameras and Wallpaper. Hang in there folks. In haste, but as always - Blue Skies. Back later - CT x "

All the old names are coming out again, yes I seem to remember Derek. I seem to remember that Spike has also moved down under. Must have an RAF Upwood reunion at their place!!

Sorry to those of you who have no idea of what we are talking about! 1971-72 Royal Air Force Station Upwood - good times, hazy memories!!!!!

Alice and Alice

Little Alice and Big Alice

Here I am trying to install and set up Cheryls new camera and docking station.

Ches and Al have had visitors over the last couple of days. Cheryl's cousin Nick has been down with Angie and his daughter Alice.

Lots of fun with our Alice trying to explain to baby Alice that they have the same name. When you are two and you haven't met anyone with the same name as you it can be fun.

Only a short break and they are heading back to Kent tomorrow.

Now for the fun bit of the day. Ches has a camera and docking station bought online from Kodak. Refurbished kit. The camera works very well and takes cracking photo's. The problem starts with no manual. Just a couple of photocopied sheets and a prayer!!!

Camera excellent. Connected via a USB cable and downloaded brilliantly.

Series 3 docking kit. No USB cable and, I guess, a camera insert missing. I have a Kodak with docking system and it sits comfortably. Cheryl's is hanging up and away from the dock!!!

I have e-mailed kodak and, hopefully, all will be sorted soon. I will keep you up to date.

Is it that long?

Just thought you would like to see the photo of the first kid in space. Up to now it has been classified, but this blog has special permission to publish!

I was a little surprised when I realised how long it had been since the last posting.

As is normal in the life of the Mann household a fair bit has happened in the short time we have been away.

Most important thing was Ches giving up her job with Hadens because of her bad back and starting with the 118118 call centre. OK so far. Until she was told after two weeks of training, fail tomorrows test and you are out! As you may have guessed as I am writing this she was unsuccessful in the aforementioned test. She now finds herself looking for work and using the wonderful organisation that I employs me!! If she knew that 118 had that particular policy I doubt that she would have given up Hadens. Life is a real bitch sometimes.

On another note, after 10 years I and my fellow members of the SB investment club have decided to call it a day. The main point of such a club is fun, but the spark had gone out and it became a bit of a drudge. Shame really as we did OK when it comes down to it. The year of the big crash we managed to turn in a 10% profit and we turned £1 into £1.22 over the last year. Not bad for a bunch of amateurs. Pity the professionals running my endowment policy weren't as good! Of course the club didn't pay it's members huge sums of other peoples money - but that's another story.

You may have missed the ramblings of Blue Skies aka podgas pieces aka CT. Well he has let me know that all is well, just a bit of a problem of his ISP promising the earth and forgetting the delivery bit once they had the cash. He assures me that he will be back on line some time this month.

Recently I treated myself to the "Yes Minister" and "Yes Prime Minister" Box sets. Times just don't change in Government circles. After all these years it could have been written yesterday.

Also went mad and bought "Kung Fu", the old series with David Carradine (?). Just hope they remember dear old UK when series 3 (the last one) is put onto DVD.

Well, that's it for now. For those of you that missed what happened to Tommy he is safe and well at home and, no it wasn't me!