0903.31 HOW TO SUCK EGGS

I get to go on a number of training courses in my job. They cover a wide variety from driving to mental heath. Sometimes I get put forward for a course that I think is "right up my street". Yesterday I attended such a course. It was a trainers course to enable to deliver training to my colleagues on the forthcoming upgrade to Microsoft Office 2007 (yes I know we're behind the rest of the world, we just feel lucky that we are moving into the 21st century). Boy was I wrong! It ended up being a bit of an 'Office for beginners' course and because of this I ended up sat around waiting for the others (all of whom I assumed had been chosen because of their IT skills - wrong).

It was a long day which seem to just go on and on, I left the training centre with a nasty headache. I learned nothing I couldn't have picked up in 5 minutes tinkering with the things. To clear my head and to keep my mileage up I went an cycled home via Scholes village, it was a much more gruelling ride than my usual commute and got all the frustration out of my system.

0903.28 PRIORITIES

I realise I haven't posted an entry for a while now, my eldest daughter has had a few personal problems which have needed my undivided attention. Hopefully these, whilst no way solved, are hopefully in hand and I can get back to ranting and drivelling on about whatever else is on my mind.

I am thankful to my employer who have bend over backwards to assist me during a really difficult and stressful time.

0903.15 REMEMBERING THE PAST

This week saw the 25th anniversary of the start of the miners' strike. At the time I was a 12 year old boy living in the small mining town of Killamarsh. My father wasn't a miner so I never went through the deprivation of some of my friends. I remember the protests, not quite understanding the bigger picture. I saw friends claiming free school meals and big community charity drives. The biggest thing I remember during this time was when the fair came to town, perhaps to raise the spirits of a community on it's arse. It was a few days where we all had good time, rides were cheap (10p a go I think) and the soundtrack was Wham! Good times amongst bad times.

The pit closed soon after and devastated the area, we left a few years later (because of my parents jobs) but the area still survives all be it without me, I still have friends there and have driven through a couple of times. One day I'll ride my bike over there and take in the places I remember and cherish.

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All this reminiscing got me into looking at old pictures of Sheffield, my home city (I've got loads of books). Naturally I moved onto tinternet to search more. I came across the filmreel of 'Sheffield, City on the Move', it was used in an edited form at the start of 'The Full Monty'. It's a little earlier than I remember but nothing much changed between those times and my childhood in the seventies.

I'm including links to each part (it's split into 4) to show the glory days of my home city and a recent showreel promoting the city today and how it's risen from the ashes of the 80s. If you have no connection with Sheffield you may find it dull but for anyone of my age it's a walk down memory lane (fuck me, I can't believe I just said that, 40 is much closer than I realised!).

City on the Move part 1

City on the Move part 2

City on the Move part 3

City on the Move part 4

Creative Sheffield

0903.08 BAD TO WORSE

It's only Monday and I'm having a bad week already.

My eldest daughter has been playing up and behaving like Jekill and Hyde for the last couple of days. It's like walking across broken glass with her at the moment. I'd love to know why she is being like this but I don't think even she knows. I can't remember growing up ever being that bad.

Work is a bit crap at the moment (it gets that way from time to time), office politics and new work practices are just pissing me off at the moment.

Usually, to de-stress I can just jump on my bike and go for a ride. I get time to myself and the whole experience just calms me. Unfortunately, I discovered this morning (whilst attempting to get to work) that the chain is slipping. So it looks like I'll be needing a new rear cassette (which I'll fit myself this time).

That'll be another week on the peasant wagon!

0903.08 POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

Yesterday I finally collected my bike, after many phone calls and being fobbed off, arguments and disgruntled conversations. I am really disappointed with the service I received and it is safe to say that I won't be taking my bike there again.

Ironically, after I'd taken my bike in people started to come forward to say that the particular shop I used had a reputation for poor service. This view was supported by several cyclists I know which wasn't much help when I was stuck in the middle of the process.

Lesson learned, I tried to take a shortcut for convenience only for it to take longer. The whole thing blew up in my face and since I only have 1 bike I shouldn't leave it to a 3rd party to sort out unless I really have to.

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Morticia left on a train yesterday for her mother's for a couple of days. She's having a little break for the hustle and stress of daily life. So until Wednesday I'm in charge!

0902.28 PIG

Morticia asked me this week if she could have a pet pig. I know she loves the animals and goes a little daft when she sees them in petting zoos or farms but I really wasn't expecting this. The reason behind it is that a friend of hers (who has a small-holding / good life style back garden) has a pig that has just given birth to a number of little porkers.

I guess most people would instantly dismiss the idea if their partner asked such a question, not me, I did the research for her and unfortunately there are a number of issues that would prevent us having such a pet. The main one is space, the garden is to small and would have to be turned over completely to the animal. The other main one would be the expense of securing the fencing to prevent the animal escaping.

All in all, a nice little dream but not going to be possible. Plus how could I be expected to enjoy a bacon and sausage sandwich with a pet pig looking at me?

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Harley has been suffering with severe stomach aches all week which culminated in us taking her to the hospital yesterday. It was great to be kept for 5 hours just to be told that it wasn't appendicitis and to come back if it got worse. I guess the doctors were keen to get to the golf course (it was Friday afternoon).

She seems a little better today but we are keeping a close eye on her.

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Still no sign of my bike. My last conversation with the bike shop was a couple of days ago when they were still waiting for the mech hanger. I now wish I'd purchased the parts and fitted them myself.

- Lesson learned!

0902.23 SUNDAY NIGHT @ WORK

I hate the idea of working Sundays and if you'd asked me this time yesterday I'd have said that I hate working Sundays full stop. I think this stems from my time working on the buses when Sunday evening were the most boring shifts ever. Last night, however, was exceptionally busy at work. I fact I've generated enough paperwork to keep me busy for the first 2 hours of my shift today. So maybe when I say that I hate working on a Sunday it's just the thought of leaving my family at home.

Getting home last night was another matter all together. I checked the bus timetables and there was a 45 minute wait for the bus that goes directly home. I'm not one for waiting around so I jumped on a tram to Meadowhall. At Meadowhall I checked departure up home, 32 minutes wait (just 3 minutes earlier than the bus I could have caught from Sheffield). I ended up walking the last couple of miles.

0902.22 NO IRON STEED

I was looking forward to picking up my bike yesterday after it's repair but unfortunately I received a phone call late on Friday afternoon from the workshop at the cycle store to tell me that a part was needed to attach the rear mech to the bike and was out of stock. This means that I'll probably be off the road for another week.

Personally I think this strengthens the argument for me having a 2nd bike. After approaching the supply chain at work regarding the possibility of another Cycle2Work scheme (by far the easiest way of financing another bike), I was told that it was "unlikely" that they would run another scheme. It seems that they have ticked that box.

It looks like the possibility of me getting another bike is slim. A 2nd hand one may be a possibility if the right bike at the right price came along but chances I think are low.

I'm working later today, I've always hated working on a Sunday. Might get a few miles on my work bike.

0902.15 VALENTINE

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. We made a deal this year to only buy cards for each other and to have a night in with a chinese and a DVD. It was the perfect evening, add a couple of bottles of Cava and the evening was complete.

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Last week was my first week in exile while my bike is off the road. It's booked in for repair but the first available date isn't until 0902.20 (next Friday) so my exile onto the peasant wagon (the bus) continues for another week.

I'm trying to use this experience as leverage and an argument for owning a second bike. I'm fancying a road bike to do some leisure riding and distance work on. Morticia isn't convinced, I guess I'll have to work harder.

0902.09 SNOW SNOW SNOW

Unless you've been on the other side of the world you can't have missed the worst snow falls in 20 years (I can vouch for that as I was around 20 years ago).

Heavy snow on Monday and again on Wednesday (around these parts) practically brought the country to a standstill. "Why did this happen?" a lot of people ask, the news has been filled with Scandinavians telling us how well they cope with the snow. Well to put it simply, we don't get much in the way of snow anymore. We don't have the infrastructure because we don't normally need it.

I think the lemming approach by the great unwashed did more damage to the transport system than the weather did. If it wasn't for drivers rushing out to get home, driving in conditions that they have little or no experience of driving in then perhaps things would have kept moving a little better. How many of the drivers that got stuck actually had a themos, a blanket or even a shovel? Very few I'd guess.

Anyway, the thaw has started (although rumours of more snow persist) and soon life will be back to normal. I've enjoyed the snow and I'd welcome more.

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All the way through the bad weather I've kept on cycling, however, whilst pushing the bike over my icy driveway I slipped and fell, dropping the bike. This I believe did some unforseen damage because whilst riding home from working the derby match on Saturday the rear derailleur snapped off.

So now I'm without my bike. I'm miserable as hell (and will be until it's repaired). This has come on top of the TV blowing up and losing my favourite hat.

0902.03 SNOWMAN II - ICE WARRIOR

Well the promised 'second wave' of snow never materialised up here, instead the snow turned to sleet then froze over leaving the entire area covered in a sheet of ice. Once again crazy motorists insist on trying their luck and driving in horrendous conditions (personally I'd invalidate their insurance, except maybe 3rd party, if they didn't have a bloody good reason to be out on the roads). I heard various 'horror' stories about how it took people over 2 hours to get home last night. I have no sympathy at all. It took me 35 minutes (10 minutes longer than usual) on my bike.

Why not try out a different way of travelling to work. Walk or at least walk to a main road (which are clear in the most part) and catch public transport. Don't worry about being late, your boss will be pleased to see you and that you made an effort to get in at all.

Many schools have closed over the region, my kids' schools haven't though. We have 3 main schools in our village, 2 primary and one secondary. One of the primaries has taken the decision to close, I have to wonder why when the others have opened (I have various issues with this school since this is where my eldest daughter went).

There are two pieces of advice to follow in extreme weather conditions:

1. Don't Panic - the world isn't ending.
2. Don't be a lemming - just because everyone is setting off home, doesn't mean you have to. Wait til it all dies down and then go.

Stay safe out there or better still, hibernate until the spring.

0902.02 WHERE SNOWMAN HAS GONE BEFORE

Last night the snow arrived and what has been called the first wave came during the rest of the day. I love to see the snow, it reminds me of my childhood when winters seemed to last for ages.

Out and about this afternoon the kids were out playing and motorists were panicking. The smell of burning clutches filled the air as cars slipped, slid and sat in traffic. Shops closed early, public transport was cancelled and Meadowhall shopping centre closed. It's amazing how a few inches of the white stuff can bring a country to it's knees.

The roads were clear so I cycled in to work this afternoon. This meant that I had to cycle home in a blizzard. I managed to safely get through both ways. Tomorrow could be a different story, more snow is promised. As I lay here on my settee looking out the window at the world with a blanket of white over it, watching the snow fall, I wonder if I'll wake up tomorrow to chaos. it's been a kind of fun day, wonder what tomorrow will bring.

0902.01 STREET LIFE

I live on a fairly quiet street, a cul-de-sac of sorts (the access to the main road at the bottom was blocked many years before I arrived). There are comings and goings mainly because it's a main pedestrian thoroughfare from the bus stops and local shops. Since the chav families across the road moved out it's been very uneventful (and I do like it that way).

Until yesterday....

Just before Christmas we got new neighbours next door, not really spoken to them apart from the odd hello. Yesterday we had major drama (for  'round here), police and ambulance in attendance after some huge domestic incident. Don't know any details but I know the officers were looking at forcing the door because they came 'round to our house to look at our front door (which is identical).

Not much happens in my personal life at the moment, so a little bit of street drama goes a long way.

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I'm considering taking up running again (when the weather warms up a little). It's been a few years but hopefully I'll be able to enter a half marathon next year as a target.

0901.25 I TWEET THEREFORE I AM

There has been a lot of talk recently in the media about the micro-blogging service 'Twitter'. Now I've been tweeting (the term that describes a post) for many years. In fact I remember when I first started it was a lonely place with very few interactions. Over the last year or so the site has come alive and I have made many friends on there, the ability to update using a mobile phone means that you can tweet at any time.

Some celebrities have discovered the service and are now tweeting away. Businesses are looking at it as a way of advertising it's products. It certainly is the time for twitter. What worries me is that some people seem to be focusing on the celebs (I do follow a couple, but fairly passively) and forgetting the message of twitter, which is...

What are you doing?

I hope the explosion of popularity doesn't ruin things, I'd hate to abandon it, it's addictive and fun but can't see it being that way if all people want to do is send messages to the rich and famous.

Twitter has always been seen as a little bit geeky and I like it like that.

0901.20 14 INCHES ISN'T ENOUGH

My TV stopped working at the weekend, after 4+ years of service it decided to expire, emitted a squeal and burning smell and died.

We are now forced to sit around a 14" portable from the bedroom.

There was a time when this could have been acceptable, but these days it's a struggle. TVs get bigger and bigger with better sound and picture and with it so do our viewing expectations.

The problem I now have is replacing it. I haven't got the £300+ to buy a new one, renting is extortionate and cheap CRTs are none existent (not that I fancy another one anyway).

I'm gonna look for a buy now pay later deal. As someone wise once told me, "never do today what you can put off until tomorrow".