Happy New Year

Well, I was gobsmacked when I signed on to find that this is the first post Christmas posting. Doesn't time fly at a ridiculous pace nowadays.

I am currently knackered. I have had a problem with my header tank over the past couple of weeks in so much that it has been dripping away at the overflow. Up to the loft a couple of times to check out. Pull off ballcock etc. Normal things. Yesterday morning went up and tried to bend the bar supporting the ballcock (as per my Readers Digest DIY manual). Ran my fingers around the intake valve to make sure nothing was sticking. All of a sudden bubbles from the boiler vent pipe. Everything then stopped dripping and all seemed fine. Fixed by me messing and not sure what I was doing. Happy with that.

Last night having watched Match of the Day opened the back door to let Holly out for last pee. Water pouring out of said overflow.

Added complication was Ches on duty last night and Al around here with a friend on sleepover. After DVD's and talking all night they finally went to sleep. There I was in the loft above them with my headtorch fixed in place and too my horror finding the tank full of warm water!! Danger sign methinks as it is normally freezing cold. Everything I tried was unsuccessful. Decide to head to bed to see if the pouring was caused just because the heating had just turned off. Half two this morning up to find warm water pouring out of overflow into back yard.

Out came the British Gas heating cover to check if I could call them. Relief then try to find the number as the emergency number stuck in beside the boiler no longer work. Long story short, British Gas called. Told them what was happening. Not an emergency just a pain so engineer booked for today.

Very capable engineer out about 10 this morning and nearly two hours later all checked and fixed. Very pleased we took out the heating system cover I can tell you.

Of course I had to get up early - not that I was asleep - 7.45 up and outside with my hand under the overflow with hot water still pouring out!!!!

Al's friend, Nicola, had to see her dad today. That took us three attempts due to communication failure, then Al's other friend, Levi, came around. No guesses who was the taxi driver.

On top of all this Val decided that the Wii should be relocated to Al/Cheryls room/ our spare room. So out to Comet to get a piece of kit to enable me to connect Video, DVD, Playstation, TV rabbit and a Wii to one telly. Now all done. On top of that Ches finished work at 15.00 (having started 15.00 yesterday) and she rang up asking when dinner was going to be ready. No prizes for guessing who is chief cook in our house!!

Now this is a normal day in my life - so you see why there has been no posting since Christmas!!!

So on that note over to Blue skies for his New Year message.

"Suffolk Sojourn 31/137. Well then - that was Christmas and New Year - all gone and back to reality now. Looks like a fine time was had by all at 122 - fine foto's Paulie. Here in Suffolk we hosted my Folks and my daughter Sarah (Squeeze) for the duration. Good food and Fine wine - all prepped and presented with immaculate timing by Miss Belinda - no-one was allowed in the kitchen, even for the washing up! A triumph all round. Mind you the menu's were all sorted by the beginning of Dec. and you've never seen such a precise shopping list. I just decanted the wine!Anyway, glad the Chutney arrived safely and was enjoyed by all and sundry - told you it was good!As for Pilgrims/Tractor Boys/Gunners and Man U. Well done Pilgrims in the Cup - now they meet Portsmouth (who put out the Tractor Boys). Feverish text prediction to Leon on Gunners/Burnley tie as they kicked off (Burnley to win 2-1) was my undoing. As for Utd - onwards and upwards in Premier and Cup. Tractor Boys are still sitting enticingly above the Pilgrims in the Championship - will be interesting here at Portman Rd on Tue 29th.So - that completes the voting from the Luxembourg Jury. A bountiful and rewarding 2008 to all your readers, and especially to you and your tribe Paulie.Blue Skies "

As far as the mighty Green Army is concerned I am afraid loyalty from the players is getting us down to platoon strength! The transfer window has seen richer (or more debt ridden) clubs poach our playing staff. We don't have a sugar daddy down here so the money has to come from the Clubs commercial side and the paying public. We just cannot compete against the big wage payers. Ah well, current plan is to go to the Pompey match. Al wants to go to an away game and some guys from work are thinking about it.

I might take Al to a premier game one day - any thoughts about where we can go without mortgaging the house?

Really have to say it folks - the Chutney was mighty fine.

I have heard from HR. A nice long e-mail but I am not sure there is anything for publishing on a public site! I must get him to comment or at least put a bit in his e-mails that can be posted here! The words "start here" and "end here" would help stop confusion HR!!

Baby Sissy Clare busy in sunny NZ and Aussie, showing the locals how things should be done. Elder sissy Mary spent Christmas in Disney World USA. Will try to get her to say something for us all. Bro, Tony, is still plodding the beat in Aussie. No water it appears - we have loads here mate.

Well I am just about bushed. So goodnight one and all and I hope that my last 13 days isn't foretelling of life in 2008!