Monday 22nd January 2018 to Sunday 28th January 2018

Monday 22nd January 2018
Woke up with this stomach ache crap still there.  Dog walked, papers fetched, first car in the car park at 7.15am.  Thought I might have to go home at lunchtime but stuck it out.   Right pain in the stomach it is!  Never mind, didn't bother with tea as it seems to come in waves after any food.   Never mind, back in the groove at work , watched a bit of telly, bed about 10.15.

Tuesday 23rd January 2018
Up a bit later at 5.20.  Dog walked and papers fetched with rain absolutely piling down this morning - little dog had her coat on though so it could have been worse.  Second car in car park at 7.20 into office about 7.35 all good stuff.  Watched "Stand by Me" - what a great film that is.

Wednesday 24th January 2018
Up dead early, the usual into the office for early doors.   Lucy and bosskat visiting Manchester Uni for an interview and a shopping trip.  All went well, train trips and what have you.  Lucy visited some odd shop at Afflecks apparently.   Back home watched "Stand by Me" again with Lucy - superb!!  Have seen this film probably almost into single figures - last night was the first time that I noticed that Corey Feldman's character has a burnt ear even though it's mentioned twice in the script!

Thursday 25th January 2018
Up at 4:59!!   Went to bed at 9pm last night as have been feeling knackered but the side-effect of that is waking up earlier and earlier!   Never mind, got stuff ready took the little pooch on a longer than usual walk as she's not been doing her business, all sorted today.   Good stuff.   Into the office for 7.30 with me new heavy shoes on (which I got for £25 in the sales, whoop!).

Friday 26th January 2017
No idea what happened couldn't have been of great importance.

Saturday 27th January 2017
Golf cancelled due to rain, popped over to see mum and dad, sorted out some internet credit card  stuff for em. 

Sunday 28th January 2017
Did a bit in the greenhouse sorting it out.  Lucy playing football at Etwall at 1:30.  They lost 2-0 this week with just enough players and no subs.  Had loads of chances but not to be.

Monday 15th January 2018 to Sunday 21st January 2018

Monday 15th January 2018
Up early.  Dog walked, papers fetched.  Showered by the light of a torch as bloody light in shower has kaput.   Work for 7.40am.  Fetched a new bulb at lunchtime.  Left work 4.15, back home in good time, tea and then fitted bulb - still doesn't work - going to have to take light to bits tomorrow.  Replaced the black Evans hydraulics with clear Evans G2 heads on the new Mapex kit.  Starting to sound something like but it don't half take some tuning.

Did a bit in the attic - have put a 16" and 13" Vintage Nickle Tom up there - need to get some boxes for em pronto.  I now have the 12" and 18" Rock toms to do and then am going to sell them as a shell pack with spare heads and cases available for an additional £100 I reckon.

Tuesday 16th January 2018
Up at 5.13.  Dog walked, fetched papers.   Got Lucy up at 6am.  Back home for about 5pm.  Had Tea, walked dog, then lazed about on sofa watching Murder in Paradise or whatever it's called!  Then a documentary about Bad Company for the second time.   Great band.    In bed for 10pm with leccy blanket on.

Wednesday 17th January 2018
Up at 5.10 although woke up an hour earlier when Phil went out.   Dog walked, papers fetched, waiting for car park gates to open at 7.15am in Alfreton.  All good stuff.

Thursday 18th January 2018
Work as normal.  Away at 4pm.   On road to Falmouth for 5.45, after Satnav taking us through various parts of Birmingham on the way we finally got to accommodation near St Austell a few minutes before midnight.

Friday 19th January 2018
Up early, shaved and showered.   Breakfast a short while after 7am at the Travellodge - brilliant value for £8.25 everyone fuelled for the day ahead.  At Falmouth Uni for 9am, then sitting around waiting while Lucy had her interview.  Down into Falmouth for a walk-round - pee'd it down with rain so got in car and set off on the six hour trip back home.

A Falmouth record shop with Marillion's Clutching at Straws Album which had its 30th anniversary last year!!

Still Christmas in Falmouth!

Got home in time for second half of Derby match which somehow due to excellent goal keeping managed to be a 0-0 draw.

Saturday 20th January 2018
Up early, papers fetched.   Dog walked.  Golf cancelled due to crap weather.  Got tummy ache so didn't do a lot.  That said, I did manage to sew up a broken drum case with 8lb fishing line that should sort it.   Chippy tea but tummy ache not helped.  Bed earlyish.  In night tummy ache worsened so sort of slept on sofa, had intended to go gritting with the boy  but there was no chance of that happening.

Sunday 21st January 2018
Up early.  Didn't do anything other than a few dog walks.  Tidied up the attic a bit so could get down to the far end and play drums if I felt like it but I didn't feel like it.  Found a couple of bits I need in order to sell the Superstar EFX Rock kit so that's good.   Fell asleep on sofa and went to bed early.

Monday 8th January 2018 to Sunday 14th January 2018

Monday 8th January 2018
Busy at work, n'er mind.  Got in early.  Did a bit of secateuring along the way to improve the walk in for pedestrians.  Back home for about 5pm.  Not much else to report.    Here's a picture of the new kit I am not sure about suspending Toms from cymbal stands but apparently it's the modern way to have Virgin Bass drums.   It's a Mapex Saturn V with walnut/maple shells and all sorts of fancy dancy features to maximise resonance - I hate the heads that are on it so they'll have to be swapped out so have ordered some black Evans Hydraulics.

The Saturn V with Evans Hydraulics should sound like the video here:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_X-gs1ZNu4    Gives you an idea of how boomy the bass drum is as well!  Fast forward the video to near the end - I think his dad comes along gives him a look and he has top stop!  Ace.  Watched the end of The Tunnel series 3 on Now TV looks like no future series as one of the main characters died.

Tuesday 9th January 2018 
Busy day at t'office then back home, quick tea then took Lucy and Gracey Bill to cinema at Uttoxeter.   Mooched about shops while we waited and had a coffee in the most sterile and charmless KFC I've ever been in (only been in two in my life but this one was devoid of any kind of atmosphere).   Watched Inside No.9 on BBC2 - it was superb!

Wednesday 10th January 2018
funny old day, up at 5am, dog walked papers fetched.  Picked Lucy up after school - did nowt again - need to get back up in the attic and do a bit really.  Never mind - made Missus watch No.9 - don't think she appreciated it then watched the last two episodes of True Detective Series 1 again - awesome!

Thursday 11th January 2018
Up a bit later as water switched off over night.  Took pooch up town about 5:30 got papers, got into work for 7.40 still though.  Took Lucy to see the new Star Wards film - £15 for two tickets - robbery - good fun film though - very loud!

Friday 12th January 2018
Finally got some black Evan hydraulics for the new kit - put em on don't like em.  Thought it might be down to the room so will see how we get on with them in rehearsal.  Cancelled golf for tomorrow.

Saturday 13th January 2018
Up early dog walked, papers fetched.  poking about getting things ready for rehearsal - always feel underprepared.   Never mind.   Didn't do a particularly brilliant job at rehearsal although used Tama Rhythmwatch metronome for getting counts in bob-on and it was great - need a long lead and something to mount it on and then we're away!  Watched "Suicide Squad" on Now TV - what a load of tat that is!

Sunday 14th January 2017
Woke up at crack of dawn - 5am.  Got some 2-part epoxy resin and glued down a bit of wood in the shower room that has been a pain in the arse for bloody ages.   Got me tax return done.   12:30 took Lucy to football with the small dog and they only won 2-0 - right good game much improved on last year and apparently the only side to keep a clean sheet against Hilton Rovers this season which is nice but by crikey it was cold.  Got back about 4pm, put the central heating on!!   By 7:30 after much snoring on the setee I thought it time for bed, so took el pooch out and then off to bedski.

Monday 1st January 2018 to Sunday 7th January 2018

Monday 1st January 2018
Went to bed at 2am, up again at 5:30am.  Took dog out early doors to see if I could find any of the gear we lost previous night.   Didn't but Phil did later!   When everyone up and missus had tidied up and I'd loaded up we had a last walk on the beach.

Tuesday 2nd January 2018
Back to the grindstone.   Up early.  Dog walked, paper fetched.  Into the office for 7:50 after walking in from car park.   Home about 5pm, steady sort of a day and got me Xmas present to mesen - a Mapex Black Panther snare drum no less. Second hand of course but at a reasonable price.

Wednesday 3rd January 2018
Up early, sh*tty weather.  Dog walked, papers fetched.  Bought another drum kit.  Yikes.  Saw Craig Blundell playing and raving about Mapex Saturn V drums with Walnut/Maple hybrid shells - found one on eBay second hand for almost £1000 less than new price, bought one.  Mad!  2.5 hours driving down to Solihull to collect it.

Thursday 4th January 2018
Up really early.  Dog walked, got stuff ready, woke Lucy up at 6am, took dog second walk and fetched papers into office for 7.40.  All good stuff.


Friday 5th January 2018
All busyness, all the time can't remember what I done!

Saturday 6th January 2018
Golf cancelled early doors, took dog a walk, got papers, did a bit up in the attic.  Got all the Xmas decs downs and lights hung up to dry. Did a bit in the garden, tidied the greenhouse up a little bit.  Watched Serenity with him out of Castle on Now TV - getting me money's worth.

Sunday 7th January 2018 
Not much to report.  Took Lucy to footie practice and picked her up.  Did a bit trying to get bass drum right - it booms a bit.  Watched Guardians of the Galaxy II on Now TV.

Monday 25th December 2017 to Sunday 31st December 2017

Monday 25th December 2017
T'was Christmas so usual madness and stress, very enjoyable day to be fair.

Tuesday 26th December 2017
Went gritting with Phil early doors - loads of laughs as none of his lorries would work so he had to go out with a snow plough on which cut down his options.

 Coming down from Xmas fun, took dog walk with the missus, missus took next door's dog too.

Wednesday 27th December 2017
Prepping for going away.   Rehearsal with Blackstar in the afternoon

Thursday 28th December 2017
Off to Wales, still light and quite mild at 4:55

Friday 29th December 2017
Bit of shopping with missus in preparation -

Saturday 30th December 2017
Crack of dawn (6am) fishing with Darren on Cafe beach - too rough.  Gave it up as a bad job when it got light.

Sunday 31st December 2017

Hell's teeth I'm 50! Not having that. 18 years old with 32 years experience then.  

Missus did a brunch for exveryone - Paula and Darren went in afternoon weather too windy.  

Phil and Dan - battleships tournament

Never mind.  Got some top gifts, Andrew arrived in Afternoon.   Bit of a do attended by missus, mesen, Lucy and Phil, our Andrew, Vic, Linda, Jill, Paul and little Dougie.  Phil's mates Dan and Lucy too.