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2003 | 2002 | 2001

The hyperlinks on this page below are not coloured blue; and some of the external and most of the internal hyperlinks probably won't work anyway. I'll get around to fixing them sometime, but it isn't a priority.

Sunday 29th Dec 2002 We took Steve's parents back to Rowley Regis today, but didn't stay long. Got back tired.
Sat 28th Dec 2002 To Bluewater, then to Peter and Chris's in the evening, with Steve and his Mum and Dad.
Wed 25th Dec 2002
Christmas Day
We opened our presents straight after breakfast. Steve loved the ship's decanter I got for him, and of course I had my leather jacket from Madeira which was a joint birthday and Christmas present. He also got me a new clock-radio - because I'm getting immune to the sound of the one I currently have!! Other highlights included some wonderful little French coffee cups from Paul and Frank (to both of us), a candle holder and uniquely-styled salt and pepper set from Roxana, Alan and Geff (also to both of us), loads of books from various people, and many other things.
The turkey - you'll be pleased to know - carved beautifully, and Steve did us proud with the dinner. I totally failed to set the pudding alight, but in the process managed to tip a great deal of brandy into it; oh dear, what a shame!
 
Tuesday 24th Dec 2002
Christmas Eve		 Steve and I out to M&S this morning to pick up The Turkey. Embarassing, as I ducked out of the huge queue to ask someone if it was OK as we'd forgotten our acknowledgment letter, which it was, but then they insisted on serving us our turkey there, thus (despite huge protests on our part) causing us to queue-jump. We got the bloody bird and ran!
Paul and Frank came over.
Dublin holiday diary written this afternoon.
Carols from Kings on now: lovely.
Monday 23rd Dec 2002 To Salisbury this morning on a present delivery, and happy Christmas wishes, trip. Saw Mum and Dad, Alison, Auntie Vera (looking very well indeed for ninety-something), Roxana and Alan, and Ian. Got home late.
Sat 21st Dec 2002 With Steve picking his parents up (staying overnight) last night, I wrapped most of the presents and tidied the house, finishing things off this morning in time for their arrival.
 
Thursday 12th Dec 2002 Excited: packing for Dublin! We're off in the morning to help brother Ian celebrate his 50th. [Click here for the diary of our trip.]
Wed 11th Dec 2002 What is going on?
Tuesday 10th Dec 2002 1pm in New Malden it was snowing - just.
Wed 4th Dec 2002 On Radio 4 this morning I listened to a programme about a school in London. We listened in to a class having a "citizenship lesson". Now I'd heard of this before, but never understood the concept. The class was discussing why it might be a problem sitting on public transport eating a burger and listening to a Walkman. No wonder the nation is in the state it is if children need to be taught this at school. For God's sake they should know this already - their parents should have taught them. Do we really need lessons now in the most basic forms of behaviour? Well, yes, actually, from the evidence of my eyes and ears, sadly we do.
Here's something that really annoys me: 020 (London) telephone numbers are still being signwritten on lorries and vans, and shop fronts, as 0208 123 4567. It isn't right, folks! The code is simply 020, then after a space there is an 8-digit number - which at the moment can only begin with a 7 or an 8, granted - which is the subscriber's number, and is all you need to dial from any other London number - but you'll get nowhere if you only dial 7 digits.
Driving home through London this evening through traffic jam after traffic jam after traffic jam it occurred to me that the only people making money in this creeping crawling world are mobile phone companies (every other person I passed was on his or her mobile) and the petrol companies. Well, it gave me the chance to really listen to the new Robbie Williams album Escapology. Conclusion: same old Robbie, really, but good to have in the collection anyway. Perhaps a little heavier than his previous albums, nice but unexceptional.
Sunday 1st Dec 2002 Drove back from Gateshead down the A1 this afternoon with the soundtrack from "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" blasting out. Fun!
Thursday 28th Nov 2002 Left my hotel in Wigan this morning and noticed a wreath hanging in reception. It's nothing like Christmas yet. It's still bloody November. Why? Why?
As I drove up to Wigan last night I ended up taking a huge and very slow diversion to the west of Birmingham, to avoid the usual problems on the M6. Now wasn't there a proposal some time ago to loop out junctions 5 to 10? So why don't they do it? Or build some sort of flyover over the city? Or tunnel under it? I tell you what: bulldoze a fat path right through the middle of it. That'd do it.
I stopped off on the way home at Chester Oaks, which is an outlet centre near Ellesmere Port. I went into a sports shop there with so much merchandise that you couldn't - literally - take more than two steps forward in any direction before you had to turn sideways to squeeze between displays. So as I pushed my way out of the store I said to an employee (who incidentally was up a set of steps hanging racks of clothes about 3 feet out of reach), I asked him how he would expect someone with a pushchair, or someone in a wheelchair, to navigate round his store. He just smiled at me rather inanely and carried on with what he was doing.
Tuesday 26th Nov 2002 Oh fab. Because it was a tiny bit foggy yesterday, this morning everyone's still got their high intensity rear fog lights on.
Why are huge sections of Britain's motorway network under 40mph contraflow restrictions?
Sunday 24th Nov 2002 Simon and Elizabeth to lunch. Very pleasant and relaxed time
 
Sunday 17th Nov 2002 Fantastically relaxed day - reading the newspaper, listening to music, watching a DVD; lots of toast and coffee consumed - what Sundays are all about...
 
Sat 16th Nov 2002 Still got a very bad cough. But we went out and got some very nice cushions from Allders.
In the evening Peter and Chris came for a meal - casserole and sticky toffee pudding - and we watched Moulin Rouge.
Friday 15th Nov 2002 I've been developing a throat infection and cold since last Friday when I was working in a very dusty environment. By today I couldn't go to work - and spent most of the day in bed. Yeuch.
 
Tuesday 12th Nov 2002 The new suite arrived today! Very exciting! The lounge is now officially complete.
Back here I said I'd "let you know" what happened about the money that went missing from my account. After a phone call to my branch manager at Nationwide, I received a letter telling me that they were investigating, but that they were refunding the money - which has now happened. Something similar happened to me a couple of years ago (smaller amounts - my card number had been used for payphone calls) and when I tried to enquire further about their investigations then, I was politely rebuffed. Obviously the banks like to keep fairly schtum about how successful they are at dealing with fraud; maybe they get nowhere and take the losses on the chin, or maybe they constantly catch criminals - whichever, they don't welcome the publicity, I guess. Anyway, I'm happy 'cos I've got my money back, and I've got a new card with a new number now, and one of those new chip thingys in it (which I'm looking forward to using - when will that be?).
Monday 11th Nov 2002 Passed five (very slow) army green goddesses on the M25 this afternoon.
 
Sunday 10th Nov 2002 Last night to Peter & Chris's, where Steve set off around 100 fireworks! Some other friends of theirs came along as well, and we all had baked potatoes, sausages, parkin and so on, and a bit to drink, including some wicked cocktails. We got home around 3am, and today I'm feeling very delicate...
 
Sunday 3rd Nov 2002 Round to Peter and Chris's for a quick cup of tea, and to receive my birthday present - a book by Rudolph Giuliani.
Tell you what - it sounds like a war-zone whenever you step outside the front door round here anytime after dusk at the moment.
Sat 2nd Nov 2002 This morning off to Clevedon to visit Estelle, Rob and Jordan in their new house. Relaxed day watching Jordie play with the (extremely noisy) car racing game we'd bought him belatedly for his seventh birthday.
In the evening Steve expertly set off a selection of fireworks in their back garden; then after Indian takeaway I fell asleep - as I usually do - on the sofa while all around me enjoyed League of Gentlemen.
 
Friday 1st Nov 2002 Chilled day - and fantastic meal at Il Ponte this evening. I wore my new leather jacket (see holiday diary). Fab.
Tuesday 29th Oct 2002 When the storms blew up at the weekend our satellite TV reception first started to break up - then went off completely. So today a man arrived, climbed up onto the roof, and carried back down the remains of our dish, somewhat battered and scraped - and completely useless. So there's a new one up there now, and we have digital TV again.
 
Sunday 27th Oct 2002 Paul and Frank came over in the afternoon. We kind of exchanged chocolates - it was Frank's birthday recently, and mine soon...
Dinner was delicious Beef Wellington etc, and afterwards we watched Ocean's Eleven - very good.
 
Sat 26th Oct 2002 It's all autumnal outside, but inside it's definitely the Rolling Stones. Definitely. So that's what's on the stereo.
This evening after dinner an hour of Cher on DVD, then D'aim cake and Grease. Oh yes.
Friday 25th Oct 2002 Peter and Chris came over for coffee this evening, Chris's leg in a splint. The NHS have been messing him about rather badly, I'm afraid, just as they have been recently with Steve. It's a cliché I know, but you pay your taxes dutifully all your life, and when you really need something, they don't deliver. I never blame the individuals, who are (usually) fine people doing their jobs the best they can; but my belief is that for years and years we've been happy to elect governments which promise to offer us lower and lower tax rates, but what do we do with the 'spare' cash this generates? Make our own educational, health care or pensions provisions? Oh no. Because we still believe in 'cradle to grave' state care perhaps, or because ideologically we just don't believe in the private sector, or because we actually need the extra money that lower taxation brings to live on. But this is why our health service (to name one area) is in such a mess. We need to accept that we need to pay more tax. And until that day comes, when a government is brave enough to tell the emperor he has no clothes, we need to seriously look at private provisions. Anyway, back to the narrative...
We were still building the IKEA coffee table we'd just brought home when they turned up, and as if to prove the need for it things were already being put on it when it was still upside down on the floor with bits still being bolted on!
During the day I'd managed to get all the CDs off the wardrobe and onto our new shelving in the lounge. DVDs tomorrow.
It's stormy outside tonight.
Wed 23rd Oct 2002 Shock in the post this morning: opened my bank statement and found someone's helped themselves to over £250 out of my current account. A handful of transactions in Brighton and Chichester just before we went on holiday. Bank duly informed, and now awaiting refund. I'll let you know.
 
Monday 21st Oct 2002 Oh no! Chris had to go to hospital today. His knee had been causing him some trouble for the last few weeks, and he's been hobbling around here on the days he's been working - but today his leg locked and he was taken to casualty, where several people examined him, and he was sent home with a splint on his leg. He'll be off work for a bit, and we just want him to get better.
With an alarming amount of difficulty we managed to get the sofabed from the study into the lounge this evening, so at least we'll have something to sit on until the suite arrives. And we moved the TV back in too. Steve has set up two of our funky new speakers.
 
Sunday 20th Oct 2002 I just had to quote in full the words of British-born astronaut Piers Sellers, who returned from the ISS yesterday in Atlantis: "We go uphill and somehow we all step at right angles to our normal reality and we go to this island in the sky that is a completely different place. It has different rules, it is like nothing I have ever seen or even dreamed of before. Things float, you are climbing underneath structures like a spider underneath a gutter, it is a magical place. And then you take a sideways jump back into reality and come back here." He said he was "dazzled" and exhausted by his seven million kilometre (4.5 million mile) journey. "I think we all feel tired and the tape hasn't rewound as to how the experience really was, I have got flashes of it. I feel physically tired, mentally a little tired but stunned, still dazzled by the whole experience. That's a rookie talking." [Full story]
Wow - what a lot of work has been done today. All the guys were here quite early, and they really got on with finishing everything: blinds put up, door catches on, paintwork (nearly) finished, door stops and draught excluders fixed, and loads, loads more... and then finally, all the boxes of tools taken out! We were so impressed with Darren and Geoff that when we'd gone to the supermarket earlier we bought them a couple of bottles of scotch, and they seemed very pleased when we gave them to them later. They seemed more impressed with the money, though, I think! We set up our new dining table, and had our first meal at it - that was really nice.
Sat 19th Oct 2002 It's all nearly complete! The AV cabinet was built today; it's funny seeing a design you have come up with built by someone else, especially a craftsman like Darren, whose work is of a very high standard. Steve went out and came home with a new purple bottle for the lava lamp; we put it on in the evening and it sat in the middle of the wooden floor in the empty lounge looking like a bizarre piece of installation art in a modern gallery. Then Pippa came in and sat down as well... very peculiar!
Click here for a preliminary picture - full gallery coming soon.
Friday 18th Oct 2002

Boring day, stuck in the study again. Also very cold. When Steve came home and and the guys had gone we went out for a curry.

 
Thursday 17th Oct 2002 At the risk of boring you, dear reader, with more on our decorating project... the lounge is looking really good tonight. The lads were in today and worked like stink, and we now have skirting boards and architraves, and the 'lighting rig' (or new ceiling 'island', or whatever the heck you want to call it!) is complete, the spotlights are in, and various other things finalised. Chris painted the first coat of green on the front door. And I got very cold. The front door was open most of the day, and I was stuck in the study (the only room with 'things to do' in) with Pippa all day, sat still. But I had a lovely long soak in the bath before watching The West Wing, and I've had a bottle of Staropramen, and I'm much warmer and much more relaxed now, I'm pleased to say.
 
Wed 16th Oct 2002 Met Steve in IKEA after work, and had a bite to eat. Think we've chosen the cabinet we're going to get, and maybe a coffee table. Definitely chosen the blinds, 'cos we've bought those now...
Also bought, from the Swedish Shop in Swedish IKEA, some Swedish chocolate mousse. Got it home and discovered it's branded... Ambrosia! It was nice though. We also bought some D'aim cakes, which are actually great big frozen versions of Dime bars! They serve them for dessert in the restaurant, and now they're in our freezer!! Yay!
Tuesday 15th Oct 2002 Floor finished. Hurrah!
 
Monday 14th Oct 2002 Excellent news. So "stuff you" to the bigots.
Sunday 13th Oct 2002 Chris arrived at a fairly sensible time - 9.30 - to get on with his painting, but that didn't mean I was up and about and bouncing. I wasn't. I was still in bed. Grrrrr.
What is going on in the world? Bombs in Helsinki and Bali, more sniper attacks in Washington. Am I surprised by man's inhumanity to man? I guess not, but it ain't half depressing.
Well, pretty nearly finished laying the laminate floor today. Cool.
Sat 12th Oct 2002 Chris arrived early, but both Steve and I needed to get out of the flat; Steve went over to see Paul, and I went into town to pick up some more bits from Maplins, leaving Chris and Pippa here, both very busy (though Pippa is conducting some very in-depth and weighty practical research into feline sleeping patterns...)
After Chris had gone later on I made a start on laying the new laminate floor. I made a bit of a b***s-up at the beginning - which I won't commit to posterity on this website - but just got into the swing of laying it when it got too late to be inflicting circular saw noises on the rest of the block. Steve and I had our dinner sort of camped out in the kitchen.
Friday 11th Oct 2002 Spent most of the day tearing my hair out; I have to admit the noise and especially the dust and general mess are beginning to get to me! But the new ceiling unit is now going up, with its new lighting, and that's quite exciting.
Chris was here again this evening, joined later by Peter with several loads of washing (after their recent move they haven't yet taken delivery of their new washing machine) and we ordered in pizza, eating it in the building-site-of-a-lounge.
I'll tell you what's the most annoying thing about all this upheaval: when you go to get something out of the fridge and find a toolbox blocking the door, which you have to find a new place for; or five minutes after cleaning the sink and working surface you discover someone's tipped wallpaper paste or white spirit or some other noxious substance down it. I'm not really moaning, because I know it's inevitable, but after a while it stops being fun any more!
Thursday 10th Oct 2002 Steve tried to get to work this morning, leaving home as usual at 6.30. But the M25 was closed in Essex, and the Woolwich ferry was on strike, and the next crossings in were totally snarled up, so he turned round, getting back home at 11.30. Five hours to go nowhere.
Plasterer in today, turning the spiders' paradise of the artexed lounge ceiling into a smooth surface. Mess absolutely everywhere. I stayed barricaded in the study with Pippa. It's funny, but after an initial concern about all the strange noises and smells and so on around her, she seems to have settled into a state of resigned acceptance.
Darren and his mate Geoff fitted the new front door (see 19th September entry for why it wasn't already fitted), and the new doors from the lounge to the hall and kitchen. They really are very good with wood, those two guys. Front door looks lovely - real shame we have to paint it green on the outside. But we've decided Chris will stain the inside to enhance the natural wood colour. And it goes beautifully with the new bold yellow in the hall.
Chris came for the third evening after finishing his day job to get on with all the preparing, papering and painting he's doing for us and for Darren in the hall and the lounge.
While he was here Steve and I took the opportunity to escape to Ikea to look for the dining room table we'd wanted. But of course it was nowhere to be seen. However, we did see a nice beech one (the laminate flooring in the lounge is going to be beech, and so are some other bits of the room). However, the colour of the table didn't match our memory of the floor colour (already bought). So we traipsed over to B&Q to look at the flooring, took a sample with us back to Ikea, decided that although the match wasn't perfect we could live with it, and bought the table! It's a very unusual design, but will suit us absolutely perfectly: it's a small table, ideal for two people, but when you have guests you fold the top out and twist it through 90 degrees and - hey presto! - same legs and frame, but the table is now twice the size. While we were in B&Q we bought a new house number in brass on a sort of plaque, but until that goes up visitors might have trouble finding us...
I rigged up the Sky box in the lounge to the newly wired-in TV and satellite points, and we had dinner in the bedroom watching The West Wing and League of Gentlemen.
The Madeira cake we brought back with us from holiday is finally traced as the source of the.. err.. trails of noxious gases I seem to leave in my wake wherever I go. Very tasty cake, very nasty 'after-effects'!
Wed 9th Oct 2002 Steve had a doctor's appointment today, so was at home to experience the fun and games of living in a building site for himself most of the day.
I took Pippa to the vet for a check-up, and to have her claws clipped. The diagnosis is that she's 'portly', and I have strict dietary instructions for her. However, the vet did seem pleased overall with her, and said he wished he could see more cats like her rather than sick ones, which is one of those 'if you think about it it makes sense' things. I mean, I guess vets, who one supposes become vets because they love animals, must then hate seeing quite so many of those animals in a distressed state.
Tuesday 8th Octr 2002 Ah. The work has started. And so has the mess. And the noise.
Monday 7th Oct 2002 We're back! Read all about our fab holiday in Madeira by clicking on the 'holiday diaries' link above.
Chris had been in to feed Pippa while we were away, and after a ritual sulk she seemed very happy to see us again.
All the lounge and hall walls had been stripped, and this hideous cupboard in the hall demolished. Chris had also put down some amazing padded carpet covering in the hall - all very neatly taped in place. That hall is going to see a lot of tramping boots and materials in the next few days...
 
Funchal, Portugal
Last Updated Saturday, 28 September 2002, at 17:39 Western European Summer Time (Saturday, 16:39 GMT)
Max (C) Min (C)
Mon
30 Sep 		Scattered T-Storms Scattered T-Storms   26°C   20°C
Sun Index: 7 High
Tue
1 Oct 		Mostly Cloudy Mostly Cloudy   25°C   20°C
Sun Index: 7 High
Wed
2 Oct 		Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy   24°C   20°C
Sun Index: 7 High
Thu
3 Oct 		Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy   24°C   20°C
Sun Index: 8 High
Fri
4 Oct 		Mostly Cloudy Mostly Cloudy   24°C   19°C
Sun Index: 7 High
Sat
5 Oct 		Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy   24°C   19°C
Sun Index: 7 High
Sun
6 Oct 		Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy   24°C   20°C
Sun Index: 7 High
Mon
7 Oct 		Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy   24°C   19°C
Sun Index: 7 High
Sun 29th Sept 2002 Fell asleep on the bean bag (!) in front of the TV to endless satellite repeats of AbFab, and woke uncomfortably. So I've decided to post a couple of weeks of long-overdue updates to this page before going to bed properly.
Later today, we only have to pack. We're off to the airport at a stupid time on Monday morning, and so until we get back enjoy the above weather forecast for Madeira!
 
Sat 28th Sept 2002 Dragged the lounge suite up to the garage today, along with most of the rest of the bits and pieces. The room is very bare now, and echoes alarmingly!
Peter and Chris popped over in the evening, and I saw Peter's new Alfa Romeo 147 for the first time. Very nice indeed: beautifully finished, with impressive Italian styling in even the smallest details. I like!
Friday 27th Sept 2002 Finally finished editing the video I've been making over the last couple of weeks. If you're interested, it's all about good retail merchandising standards in-store. Yep, I know that doesn't sound particularly connected with what I do normally for work, but I'm kind of taking on more video production work for internal clients, which is great for me, and hopefully will eventually cause a slight career direction change for me.
And now I'm on leave for a fortnight. Yay!
Monday 23rd Sept 2002 Autumn today.
We'll be in Madeira in a week!
Sunday 22nd Sept 2002 Had a nice MSN chat in the early hours of the morning with Bob in Japan (10am over there). Kevin and Steve have been out, and had a nice time by the sounds of things.
After recent experiences at the Croydon B&Q we decided today to go to the new one in Sutton. Very nice - two floors with lifts and travelators between, light and airy, and with helpful staff. And stock, which always helps! We bought all the laminate flooring, which is now stacked in the already-narrow loo...
Sat 21st Sept 2001 Most of today spent clearing all the 'stuff' out of the lounge, ready for Chris to strip the walls while we're away.
Friday 20th Sept 2002 Filming in London today, on Oxford Street. I do love my job!
Another nice newsletter arrived from Jo in Japan today.
Our spiderplant is having a baby too! First-born goes to Roxana, who gave us mummy. Other good homes may be required - apply now!
Thursday 19th Sept 2002

Our decorator Darren (you may hear lots more about him when he starts work after our holiday) arrived - eventually - with our new front door. But it had taken him half the day to find one, so he didn't have time to fit it, but he did fit our new sink.
 When I was at the gym this morning White Arrow put a card through the door because they had a delivery for me (from haburi.com as it happens). When I phoned them I was told that they were only able to re-deliver between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, and if I wanted to go and pick it up from their depot I had to wait 48 hours! I told the lady it was no wonder it took that long to re-sort the undelivered parcels if they only delivered when all their customers were at work - the lorries must come back nearly as full as when they left. I have a funny feeling that my call was being monitored, because within an hour I'd had a call back from White Arrow, followed by another call from the depot to make arrangements for me to pick up my parcel later, then another follow-up call from the original lady to make sure I was happy and it had all been sorted. Blimey! What was in the parcel? Oh, only a new pair of underpants.
Talking of poor customer service... how can Nectar launch their new national reward card scheme and then get surprised when all their servers fall over because everyone wants to register online at lunchtime and when they get home in the evenings?
Wed 18th Sept 2002 Yesterday and today filming in Cambridge. Scary car parking charges - £15 each day for around five hours, and they don't take Visa! I'd have done the Park+Ride thing, but it's a bit tricky on the bus with all the equipment...
Monday 16th Sept 2002 At home during the day today because I'm working away this evening, but had to go to so many places in town; had another row in B&Q about the doors (or lack of them); and uncharacteristically had to argue in Richer Sounds where I had gone to return a faulty amplifier I use at work (a straight swap had been arranged by phone in advance, but when I got to the shop they claimed not to know about it, and really didn't want to do it). I won in the end though. Hurrah!
 
Sunday 15th Sept 2002 To buy new kitchen sink and tap from B&Q, but unfortunately we also ended up having a row with them about the new front door we really really want to buy, but cannot because they are changing ranges and have no old stock left, and no new stock in!
Sat 14th Sept 2002 Picked up the speakers today from Sevenoaks HiFi - but they'll have to stay in their boxes until the lounge is finished.
Monday 9th Sept 2002 Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! E-mail from Jo: she's PREGNANT!! Blimey! Congrats! She's back home in January apparently, and of course they've just had their first anniversary.
Sat 7th Sept 2002 Speakers ordered too now, and with dates fixed with the decorator for lounge re-modelling, it's all systems go.
Tuesday 3rd Sept 2002 Yesterday I finally finished editing one of my video productions for work, but it took until midnight. Then my boss wanted me to help him with a job at a shopping centre to the east of London, so by the time I'd driven over there from Swindon and done that, I didn't get home until five this morning. So today's been a bit of a non-event, because I didn't surface until lunchtime.
Sunday 1st Sept 2002 Well, Steve's new car was ready at the garage, so I drove him to pick it up: a sparkling new Honda Civic, top-of-the-range with heated leather seats, climate control, and built-in pipe-and-slippers holder (I jest). It's very nice, and he's awfully pleased with it. Bye-bye Puma.
Sat 31st August 2002 Well I did end up going into Swindon to continue editing, but at least I happened to pass Heathrow just as Concorde took off over me, so that was a nice start to the day! I'd planned on getting home in time for Peter and Chris coming over, but problems meant I didn't get back until around 10 so had to have my dinner reheated. It was a jolly nice chilli, though.
Wed 28th August 2002

Last night left work at 2am, and got to bed at 4, so didn't go in today. Real pain that, as it means to get all the post-production I'm doing (on two separate video projects at the same time) finished on time, I'm probably going to have to go in on Saturday.
You know when you go up a waist size, and you sadly consign a load of trousers to a plastic bag or box in the attic/garage/shed/other-place-junk-goes, muttering something about fitting back into them again one day? Well, now my sensible eating and gym attendance is paying off, I discovered several pairs of trousers in a box in the garage which are about to have a second lease of life. Like going clothes shopping without the bill - fab!
Went online to book travel insurance, and once again I'm going with travelcoverdirect.co.uk, partly because of their prices, but also due to their non-discrimination policy: their website specifically says (and I quote) "COUPLE (Unmarried? Same sex? No problem, point click and cover!)", which I like.
Monday 26th August 2002 Yesterday was going fine until... I went down with a very nasty bug, and had to go straight to bed at lunchtime. We had invited Steve's colleague Simon and his girlfriend Elizabeth for a meal, but there wasn't any way I could have dealt with that, so instead Steve went into London and met them, and by all accounts had an enjoyable evening. I just slept.
Today (bank holiday) I'm a bit better, and up and about, so we went to order the suite. More indecision, but we finally went for the one in Land of Leather. Bit of a gamble ordering it because we still hadn't managed to speak to the guy who's going to project-manage all the work we're having done, to make sure it'll be finished by the time the suite arrives... because if it isn't finished there won't be anywhere for the furniture to go!
But the man (Darren, in whom we have every faith) turned up later, and now has a pretty good idea of what we want. So we wait for the quote now, which is scary...
Sat 24th August 2002 We hadn't actually planned to go into town today, but Steve decided he wanted to get his hair cut. Afterwards we went to Auberge for a spot of lunch. It's been a while since we went there, but it was as good as ever.
Then we went and looked again at suites, but only seemed to confuse ourselves about what to get! We did choose the new doors we wanted from B&Q, and the colour of the laminate flooring I (rashly?) said I would lay in the lounge as part of our re-modelling project.
 
Sunday 18th August 2002 Yesterday Steve bought a shirt from Allders, and when he went to put it on two buttons just dropped off, so we took it back today - no fuss of course, but still!
We went to DFS and found a really nice suite, which we think we'll order soon when Chris decorates our lounge.
Sat 17th August 2002 Into town, and in the evening (so, so hot!) to Peter and Chris's for a lovely meal.
Friday 16th August 2002 Oh, such sadness. After Prague, Dresden is now under water. When Ian and I were there back in 1990, it looked like this and this. Now it looks like this.
 
Thursday 15th August 2002 We're all going on a summer holiday! Seven nights booked at this hotel in Madeira for beginning of October. And we're definitely going to Dublin for Ian's 50th birthday party in December. Sorted!
Wed 14th August 2002 Steve went back to work today after two uncomfortable days at home. He's on the mend now.
Monday 12th August 2002 Glorious Twelfth... not! Steve was very ill this morning; luckily I was able to stay at home. We called NHS Direct, and also the doctor, and we got a home visit in the afternoon. Fed him Lucozade Sport to replace fluids, on doctor's orders.
Started working 17 years ago today. Aaaarrrgggghhhhh!!
 
Sunday 11th August 2002 What's happened to J-cloths? Why can't you buy them anywhere any more?
Sat 10th August 2002 Fab day in Salisbury today, visiting Roxana, Alan and Geoffrey - their 'open house' event. Steve cooked a lovely veggie lasagne. Saw Mum and Dad also. Tired by the time we got home.
 
Friday 9th August 2002

By midday today I'd been to a town 35 miles away to fix some kit (arriving at 7am), done a supervised session at the gym and visited Securicor in Sutton. Felt like a good day!
Aunt Jean has sent this picture through - it's my (recently discovered) Aunt Joyce, with Roxana. Don't they look alike? Jump to here for that story.
Roxana hasn't been well recently, but we phoned this evening and she's feeling better, and determined to go ahead with tomorrow's 'open house'.
Why have I been putting socks and pants with holes in back into, respectively, my socks and pants drawers? Just had a good clearout, and made loads of space, so the drawers actually close now. But why were there odd socks in there? How exactly does that happen?
Thursday 8th August 2002 Filming Tuesday, yesterday and today, for a different (to last week's) video for work. Hurrah! Love the lovely filming!
 
Wed 7th August 2002 Watched the Carlton documentary tonight, and taped it so I can make copies. Interesting and emotive, but ultimately lightweight and unwilling to draw conclusions, in my opinion. But then we are talking 30 minutes on ITV (so therefore only around 23 minutes in total), and at 11pm in a sparsely populated region. Weird seeing Dad and Jean on TV, though!
 
Sunday 4th August 2002 Catching up on this website today, and making a start on Colin's.
Sat 3rd August 2002 We order DVDs from the States from time to time, and usually manage to have them sent without any interest from HM Customs & Excise (fine bunch of people...), but occasionally, especially if we've ordered two together, we end up having to pay the VAT and collection charge... and that's what's happened today! It's annoying, because the films I've ordered, while British, aren't available in the UK, so if I want them I don't really have any choice. Anyway, am now proud (and poor) owner of The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, and The Draughtman's Contract.
Into town where we met up with Paul and Frank, and had lunch at Anna's.
IMPORTANT: the Carlton TV documentary featuring Aunt Jean is going out this coming Wednesday evening at 10.50, on ITV Westcountry region. If you have Sky, you can pick it up anywhere in the UK - contact me if you don't know how to do this. If you don't have Sky, then basically unless you live in Cornwall, most of Devon or certain bits of Somerset you won't see it. I'm planning to tape the programme on digital tape, and can make a limited number of VHS copies if anyone wants one... let me know.
Friday 2nd August 2002 Another very long night working; in at 4.30 this morning. But I did get to the gym for my induction in the afternoon. Fantastic! Can't wait to get started for real.
Wed 31st July 2002 Filming all day today, at Brent Cross. Sometimes I just love my job!
Steve took Colin to Euston this afternoon and put him on a train back home.
Tuesday 30th July 2002 Should have gone to the gym this morning for my introduction and general health/fitness check, and to work out my programme. That was to have been at 8 am, but as I got in from work at 5.30 am, I skipped it...
This evening went through loads of pictures and cuttings which Colin brought down, with the view to designing a website for him. As soon as there's a URL I'll post it.
Monday 29th July 2002 Well, very impressed with Dragons. It's much smaller, but feels more personal. And they have a great training programme which is what I need, at least initially, to keep me motivated, and to make sure sure I'm doing the right things. Anyway, to cut a long story short, they're also a lot cheaper than Esporta, so I've signed up!
Sunday 28th July 2002 Earlier in the week I was accosted by a man in the street who signed me up for a free day at one of the many gyms in Croydon, Esporta, so this morning I went along. Very impressive, very large gym area and lots of new equipment. The deal seemed quite good too, but Steve suggests I hold off and visit the gym he used to swim at, so I'm going to have a look tomorrow.
Sat 27th July 2002 Steve arrived this afternoon with Colin (schoolfriend); he went up last night and stayed at his parents before picking Colin up this morning. Colin's staying until Wednesday, and Steve's off work all week.
Having tried very hard to book seats at the new Warner Village cinema inside the old, renovated, Grants building in central Croydon, and failed miserable due to their systems being down, we went instead this evening to the original 'out-of-town' Warner Village to watch Goldmember. Very good, very funny, and if you've seen the previous two Austin Powers films you'll certainly enjoy this one.
Wed 24th July 2002 Wallace and Gromit moment this morning. Was rushing off - late - to catch a train for a meeting in London, when I discovered halfway down the hill that I was wearing The Wrong Trousers. Something just didn't feel right, and I realised that I was wearing my dirty work jeans (£9.70 from Tesco) instead of my far more appropriate - and comfortable - 501s. Was even later after I'd panted back and changed them...
Monday 22nd July 2002 Richard has sent through this picture, taken at Roxana's when Aunt Jean was in Salisbury. A very rare event, the five siblings together! Thanks, Richard.
 
Sunday 21st July 2002 After a good night's sleep in their spare bedroom, we had a super cooked breakfast, and all went to a garden centre. Not keen on them much myself, but (my) Steve trundled happily around and collected a boot-load of plants and pots and things. We said goodbye there, and when we got home Steve busied himself with sacks of compost and little trowels, and produced a lovely display in the tubs outside, and re-potted various houseplants. Great day.
Sat 20th July 2002 Off to Bishops Stortford this morning, to spend the day with Kevin, and Steve who came in from work a little later. Every time we went into their wonderful garden to sit and have a drink it lashed it down, so in the end we took the hint and stayed in the conservatory. The meal in the evening was excellent, and a really great time was had, I believe, by all. Their extension plans are pretty amazing, and I can't wait to see the finished article.
 
Thursday 18th July 2002 Happy Birthday, Geoffrey!
Tuesday 16th July 2002 Pack of Marks and Spencer half-fat spreadable butter. English side: "Freeze on day of purchase. Defrost thoroughly before use." French side: "Ne pas congeler". How does that work? Can't the French be trusted to freeze/defrost things? Are their freezers inferior? Does something happen to butter as it crosses the Channel? I think we should be told...
Sunday 14th July 2002 Can you say "Happy Bastille Day"? If so, Happy Bastille Day!
We popped into Habitat after Sainsburys shopping this afternoon - not impressed! I know they're running stock down before a refit, but really!
And this evening to Peter and Chris's for a delicious salmon salad supper.
 
Sat 13th July 2002 Into town where we met Peter and Chris for coffee, then shopped a little. Tonight: Steve's home-made cottage pie. Yum!
Watched a really good TV film, repeated from 1998. Called A Rather English Marriage, it starred Albert Finney, Tom Courtenay and the delectable Joanna Lumley in a bitter-sweet drama. The performances were superb - acting without effort or showing the joins.
Wed 10th July 2002 All-day team meeting at the office, followed by huge fun at Kathryn's (our team administrator) leaving do. We went to a pub in Wootton Bassett where we had a meal, and a game of 9-pin skittles with special rules by Brian - which essentially involved more and more outrageous ways of bowling a ball down the lane. I