PeteB

Woke in pain at 04 something, couldn't sleep again - good job as I'd locked Caz out! She got sent home early and I'd left the key in the door! But hardly got back to sleep again and then had the first appointment at the Chiropractors. I always feel a bit bruised and damaged after a massage or what ever. Still sore so stayed at home for the rest of the morning the headed out to the factory. Got to try and be physically productive.....to much to do. Collected a trailer and a tracked unit that was delivered with a faulty plug. That has to go back to its customer in Derby - still no word from them as to these extra 'stop' buttons that they need. Had a good time chatting with people at the factory but it looks like I am going to get stiffed by that awful colleague. Because I wasn't able to answer the phone, he has lent out a demo unit that we had agreed that I could have for a day. Now that he has found out that it is now double booked, he is denying the conversation and not being truthful. Whether he has it and my dealer/ customer gets stiffed or I have it and his does - we look stupid....and that really grates with me. He has the machine out already so I doubt whether I'll be able to honour my promise.......I'm already annoyed that he had a trailer for private use and has left it dirty and covered in wet hay after getting fodder for his sheep at the weekend. He thinks that someone else can clean it as it is beneath him! Caz back from house viewing again, poor girl is shattered after the last few days and has gone to bed already to be up at 03:30 again. The house offer on the this new refurbished 3 bed victorian terrace has been accepted subject to survey etc! Bless her, she is now a tad nervous of it.....

suite

Think I'm going stir-crazy being house bound for so long! Having said that, done a couple of sweet deals over the phone and emails today and had several good conversations going forwards. But, had some bad news too, one of my Reps from Scotland who I tried to do a couple of deals with has had a bout of bad health and he will be off for some time, he has been off since christmas and poor chap has breathing difficulties and carries and oxygen bottle with him now. Awful place to be.....That means I got four with health issues and that doesn't include me! Caz looked at a house in Retford and is full of the joys of that place now. She has just left having been up all day to do a 20:00 to 08:00 shift! She'll be wasted tomorrow and she booked herself in for another couple of viewings too! I got to cook tea now, cold ham, sweet potato fries and broad beans in parsley sauce! Nice.... Tom's Lexus failed the MOT on a loose suspension component, brake lines and headlight level. He wished he didn't get the thing now! He will be quite proficient in keeping old sheds going soon! He also found out that the firm that was going to rebuild his Subaru engine cannot look at it for two months. I told him to do it himself -it ain't rocket science - just expensive getting heads skimmed, new valve stems, gasket set, shells, turbo check, injectors etc.....He helped me rebuild a Rover V8 some years ago, and I learnt to do stuff like that without the aid of YouTube too!

train

Another day of frustratingly weak backs....I had to fit a new shower today, it is an electric/mains water thing and it has a leak from water flow tap which could have been repaired with a new gasket but, it has been in there for some years and probably furred up internally so I just to B&Q and got another of the same make so that I knew it was going to go straight back up. Hard work just because of my back ache. Doddle otherwise. When the shower was first fitted, they had the insight to put a stop tap in the cold water pipe in the airing cupboard....If the back wasn't so tender, I would have spent the day trying to get the dead Focus going in readiness of it's appearance on Ebay! Tom got the engine out of the Subaru on the pavement outside his mothers and that engine is now in my drive - he will strip it and send it off with a load of other bits to get pepped up. But he doesn't seem too keen on doing the brakes and suspension to match the expected new performance. I ended up saying that as he doesn't listen, I'll not advise! Caz ended up working from 04:30 to 16:30, she has now gone to Wood Land for a night to spend some time with her kids. Makes me laugh, she will be on the sofa with Woody the big GSD and the kids will be in their rooms......she will have some time tomorrow to do some drive byes doing some house hunting in Retford. She likes a couple and you certainly get more for your money than in Loughborough but then, Loughborough has more chance of renting it out for good coin too. I couldn't be bothered to do a sunday roast type of meal so had cheese on toast with eggs on top, bacon and tinned spaghetti (the only tin in the cupboard besides tinned fruit and tuna!)

gun

Rub

Up and away to run an errand for Caz, still in a lot of pain and doubly frustrated! Right annoyed that I cannot get on! Did a little housework while she at work and watched a thrilling match - Scotland beat Italy at Murrayfield. Caz and I went a couple of years ago and it was a fantastic occasion and the town was heaving and we drank a lot too! Must do that again. She came home from a 12 hour shift and is taking a nap while England beat Ireland in Dublin for the first time in 6 years. Epic match..... Withdrew the bid that Caz had on a house in Loughborough - it has a knotweed issue and the vendor would not sort that out. Our solicitor advised that it may not be a good idea as it will be on any search records and devalue the house and make it harder to sell in the future. The snag list on the survey was a little daunting and we took the decision to withdraw but feel sorry for the vendor. We are out of pocket on some fees etc but that is life.... No snow here but very cold....

Lotion

Another frustrating, painful day. Caz not in until late morning and only for a few hours! Good to spend some time together for a change. Her solicitor rang about the house was lined up to buy. Basically, run a mile unless the vendor puts right all the red flags including Knotweed! She feels that someone has been less than honest about it. The annoying thing is that we have parted with £600+ already and someone may have been slightly glib with the truth! Work is getting hectic - hence the frustration, but thankfully, the office says get repaired and well and they will manage the show and any physical contact that I cannot handle! So far, my sole contribution to this show next week has been to order 2kg of pork scratchings! We got a new machine launch which will soak up a load of time, effort and money soon too! Caz away to bed as she got 04:30-16:30 next and I got wine, bean bag and 6 Nations! A good mate, a big rugby fan who qualifies to play in the veterans team of The Melrose Cup, and knows a lot of the Scottish team, tells me that his 6 year old lad is running out with the under 20's Scotland break as a mascot! The lad is on the Autistic spectrum so I hope it goes well for him! I get emotional thinking about it!

Worthless

Caz up at 3 and I didn't sleep well after that, back is right sore so couldn't get comfortable! Up and trying to do desk stuff but can only get a 30 minute stint then have to lie down for a bit! Light exercise and tablets again! Pins and needles in my left leg ain't good! Got a bit done but again, frustrated by a few who seem to be in buffoon mode! The boss rang and did say that if in doubt, forget the show in Coventry next week! Open day in Huddersfield tomorrow will not get me out of bed either! Trying to deal with a Safety Rep who says that our machines are not safe to use and need modifying, is also shortening my patience at the moment! He dictates that, in his area, they have to have a safety cut off at each end, this in addition to the ignition key at one end and a safety bar at the other! But he is an expert and we as manufacturers don't know what we are talking about!

Coffee

Talent

Really frustrated with this back issue! Painful all the time and do much to do! Cannot sleep very well and cannot sit at the desk much either! Proper screwed the job up! Caz was supposed to finish at 7:30 but due to staff absences, she had to stay until 16:30! That place is a mess! Caz's sister was made redundant from her Management Account position and another good friend got let go from her high paying gig too. Drama on a high scale for them. Although Jan has a 3 months notice and that's a chunk of garden leave, it still leaves a nasty taste! Really looking forward to a healing miracle!

Balderdash

dynamics

Another awful day - I don't do unwell very well. Even sitting at the desk is painful so keep having to lie down, then try and exercise, deal with a few calls then back to the desk. The office are helping with the few logistical jobs etc but i'm not very productive and my capacity to endure some of the less well intentioned at work is putting me in a bad frame of mind! I passed a warranty job over to he that deals with that in the Autumn and he didn't do anything. So I calmed the dealer and the customer down and tried again to hand it over -'leave it to me and the staff - that's our job!' and guess what? He hasn't even called the lad - I (sales people) have the hardest job and manage quite well only for others to think that I'm wrong for criticising them for dropping the ball.....Grrr. Day time TV is awful at best and youtube only entertains for a few minutes. I sleep badly with the pain so catch up during the day. More physio on Friday and things best get better soon as I got a two day trade show at the Ricoh Arena soon ans standing on hard floors all day can be a trying period! Caz coming back to tonight as she has an early start so I hope that the snow is kind to her. She is bringing some supper with her so at least I've been let off that job.

Idea

Disaster! The back ache got worse until I couldn't move, sleep, cough - anything. Lousy nights sleep and extremely annoyed that work is off the schedule! Many years ago, I started with the same symptoms and was diagnosed with two discs that start to try and bulge out, the surrounding muscles go into spams and start to rip a bit. Some very light exercises that I was advised to do by a chiropractor helps when a mild occurrence occurs, but when it is as bad as this then various massages, painkillers, rest and the exercises start the healing process - possibly another 8 - 12 weeks before its back to normal! And quite a few trips to the chiro chap and his team! It has thrown this weeks schedule out of the window! Driving for more than 45 mins is not advised...... Monday was a couple of Network Rail visits in Leicester and Derby followed by loading a trailer with two units in Alcester. Tuesday was onsite training with Durham Council (two lots) another Rail visit and drive to Glasgow. Wednesday was more Rail people and a drop in Bishopton followed by a demo in Kinross, following that, drive towards home and maybe another visit or two. Thursday, was another load for an open day in Huddersfield which is best set up today in readiness for tomorrow. I would have taken a Sprinter and tri-axle trailer and 3 machines. Friday - Open Day at Rodgers Plant in Huddersfield followed by the drive to Warwickshire to get my car for the weekend. Now trashed! I couldn't even get on the Chiro couch without tears! And likely because years ago I used to lift stuff that was ill advisable! Tree work can put unbelievable pressures on your body! Even using a chainsaw can put hellish side loads on your spine!

Stew

Caz away early for the last shift until 04:30 on Wednesday. I got up after a little lie in, then after a light breakfast, loaded up some tools and headed up to Tuxford to do a little tree work for Caz's daughter's SO. I collected a chainsaw from hers then got busy. I got a couple of troublesome discs and they choose today to remind me that I'm 55 and not 25! Humping brash and using a chainsaw ain't as easy as it used to be! Got the job done and now in fair pain! There were 5 fence line Hollies to fell and two ornamental Cherries to be pulled out by the root! I set the Tirfor winch and after a couple of discussions, left Josh to it! We used the last two shear pins and had to resort to using a nail! Not advised but they came out! Brash chipped into a couple of builders bags and I left him with a pile of green logs, some sticks and twigs and sawdust and wood chips to tidy up! He asked how to kill the roots left from the Holly trees, I told him to wee on them twice a day. "Does that work?", "No, but the neighbors will get to know you better!" In a fair amount of pain on the only night that Caz has been about for some time! Now laid flat and consider a medicinal bottle of wine necessary!

Bar

class

Hi Gareth, there is a limit to the frequency of the Speed Awareness courses. Typically, you are only allowed them every three years, otherwise you get points and a fine. They are usually given to people for minor transgressions and not big offences. All of my misdemeaners are in the order of 36 in a 30 in a rural setting, 48 in a forty and 58 in a 60 and towing. I have got to the point that I have had 9 points on my licence - I'm not proud of that fact but it is a hazard of having to drive an awful lot and having too many other things going on in my work life which means your concentration can drift....That and being !Removed! unlucky at times! I got told on one thing that on the day I was done, only three cameras out of 150, were being used in that county. To be fair, they don't want to catch people speeding and make money from it but stop people from speeding and save money in accident costs etc. Since I got this Ranger, I use cruise control and speed limiter more often and even use the selective gearbox occasionally! Caz away for the 03:30 to 15:30 shift - back now and very tired and demoralised. She's having a kip.... After she had gone to bed, I re-read the survey and thought about this. I think the surveyor was a tad keen on some points and given a red mark on some points that can be explained or quantified better. If the lead pipe in the water system was really bad for you, the Severn Trent would have replaced it years ago for example. Caz and I will talk through some of the points, send it to the Agents with a letter saying that unless a few things are done, we will back out but accept other things as they are. If the venders really want to sell, then they will get a quote for it and then see if it is in £00's or £000's and make a judgemnent call. After all, they had rented it out for years and the letting agent would have insisted that things were right! I collected a loan chipper from a dealer this morning so I can go and do a bit of tree work tomorrow at the house of Caz's daughter's SO. That and some housework were the order of the day - even fitted a twin socket in the kitchen which already has a pair of USB sockets in it. I got fed up with a kettle that was unplugged for a phone and a toaster that was swapped for a tablet! I noted that the new tyres fitted to the Ranger hum more than the previous but it feels more planted and less squidgy! Best part of £800 for the four and a tracking check but the last Goodrich M&S tyres did over 80K!