Aww!

the goatse explanation (Don't ask...).

mountain top

conwy mountain from above.

1 of these people is pregnant. Guess who.

The winter season

Winter sucks hunh? 

EVERYTHING freezes or seises up or gets ignored for far too long.

I'm sitting here in my own private freezer, otherwise called our back room. My liquid lightening thoughts are freezing inside my own synapses as my breathing solidifies in front of me, falling to the ground in lumps of Rob-breath. 

I have a very set routine for writing, the first 2 hours or so are spent flooping around the internet, sorting out email and bank accounts checking my regular list of interests, Warren Ellis, FailBLOG, Penny arcade, a couple of photoblog sites and obviously BBC news whilst listening to new music through the wonder of youtube. 

Once all that is achieved then I gain a zen-like state where I can write the blog or work on some fiction. But up until now I've frozen to the chair before I can get in the writing zone, give up and wander off rubbing my freezing fingers together and muttering about hot toddies. 

So now I'm here and writing at maximum efficiency where did I last leave you?

Oh yes, the staff do was great fun, and no I did not proclaim myself 'King-of-no-pants', merely 'Duke-of-giggling-quietly-in-the-corner' . We had a nice meal in Henry Morgans old house, otherwise known as captain blood the pirate, which was odd. He did have a fantastic cheese selection for a buccaneer.

From there it was on into the bright lights of, ahem, Llandudno. It was nice to see the people you're used to having a professional relationship with relax and let their hair down. No great revelations I'm afraid, just some friends, some drinks, some mild banter and all good fun.

The day after was the Badminton club pub crawl around Denbigh (My poor liver!). A different group of people but all good solid friends and it made me realise that Denbigh would actually be a great place to settle down in. We've got friends all over the place there and it has a very relaxed feeling there. As Wez says the pace of life around here is just so much slower which Is nice for a break for him but for me its how I like to live. I suppose I'm a bit strange like that.

In work for another three days then, which was odd because I've never experienced a slow week in payroll before. We can't do anything for January until we actually get past the 1st for techincal reasons, so there's work to be done, we just can't do it yet.

It reminded of jobs I've had in the past where you apportion work out to make sure it lasts the day, so you're not bored off our butt all the time. Frankly, it was hell. Having less work actually meant more stress in the form of boredom. But never mind. When I go back on the 2nd I'm sure the frenzied pace will have resumed!

Xmas day followed the traditional lovely pattern that I've grown so accustomed to. Em and I do our own thing for breakfast then turn up at the in-laws for 11 for presents, then its straight to the pub for 12 for 2 hours of good beer, good cheer and seeing all the locals we know. back to the house for a massive slice of perfection in the style of a turkey dinner. Then TV/Charades/carol singing until its time to fall asleep on the couch and wander home.

Boxing day is my new families catch-up day. They take it in turns to host a party for the family with a midday buffet and lots of good chat. Heaven.

So to today then. I woke up late, about 8:30, which means my bodies now used to not going to work. Its weird. We forget, whilst we're in pattern of work, who we are outside of our jobs. A long weekend or new experience is usually enough to remind us but its only when you have a good few days off that you remember the person that you really are when you don't have work in the morning.

Today is a day of rest and recoperation and hopefully getting a few more words down.

Hope your holidays were as full of family friends and feasting as mine were.

Rob

warning!

It is my staff do today. Those of a nervous disposition may wish to look away now. I'm expecting cameos by the Reverand Jim Beam and John Daniels. I may, thats may, proclaim myself 'King of No Pants. There may (in the words of ED209) be trouble.

Should be fun though!

I Swear

I've just recieved a non-spam email with the subject 'Members inserts'.

fake xmas 2008 stylee!

Fake xmas is a long held tradition in my family,dating all the way back to the early 2005-2006 vintage.

As we Taylors are quite spread out, geographically speaking, we meet up a few weeks before the 25th and have our day of excess together early. Then on the real christmas we can spend it in its entirety with the other branch of our family tree without fear of upsetting or annoying anyone by not traveling on christmas itself.

So yesterday was all about smoked salmon, beef dinner, Mah Jong and telling bad jokes and puns to each other. We have to try and outdo the awfully twee-ness of the christmas cracker jokes and most times we succeed!

Sadly Jack Amanda and Phil couldn't make it this year but we will be seeing them all in a couple of weeks for jane and Wez's wedding! Two return trips across the altantic in the space of a few weeks is a ridcuous ask, so we'll celebrate he xmas with the nuptials.

Its been a sort of strange week. The volume of work has decreased slighty but the detail we have to go into has increased meaning that the actual amount of work has stayed about the same. Looking forward to the xmas break though. I think II worked out we get 8 days off as standard this year (including weekends) I will have to work on xmas eve and then the next working day is the 2nd of january which is a friday!

God I love working for local government!

I'm starting to hear stories about friends and friends of friends losing jobs as companies start laying people off. I can't see how people spending what little money they've got left will give them more money in the long term but I'm not an economist. All I know is that families whose income is starting to decline will hardly start spending more, what ever their Prime Minister is telling them to do.

Police were out in force this morning checking cars and breathylsing people. I suppose with the party season being in full swing its the ideal time to catch people drink driving the morning after the night before.

My question would be, some people get behind the wheel of a car when they know they're not meant to be driving. But how many people think they're okay but have no way of checking if they're below the legal limit or not.

The days dawned bright and cold, might go for a walk in a bit to see the frost heavy on the ground before it all melts away.

That. Just. Happened.

Mah Jong, its on!

Bad choice of words or I am in Amsterdam?

Awesome weekend. Friday night was the usual badminton where my suck-age was fairly minor until I played against the guy that picks the third team. knowing that a spot was on offer my mind went somewhere for a walk and when it came back we'd lost by 10 points. Boo!

Anyways after that it was straight home and stright to bed for me as I knew we'd have a hell of a day of it on sat.

And I was right.

We assembled ourselves at 8AM on the frozen wasteland that was Denbigh Rugby Club. It was, to use a phrase, Baltic. We were loking forward to getting on our way and warming up in the glowing atmosphere of the coach.

Unfourtunatly the coach was a relic from the eightiest and managed to have a failure on the heating system. It actually felt colder on the inside than outside! To say nothing of the poor driver who had to trundle along with the windows rolled down.

It was however better than the coach that convyed us part of the way for my stag do. That poor old workhorse, put out to graze had to be called back into service due to a train failure. The driver couldn't have been much under eighty and the bus was no better suffering for what I can only desctribe as a digital brake. It was either on or off there was no inbetween. We jerked and juddered our way to the capital feeling the worse for wear before the drinking began in earnest!

Anyway backto the preent, or saturday at least. After about four and a half hours our 'Arctic'-ulated lorry rolled into the capital in time for us to grab a beer before heading to the stadium. Pictures below.

The millenium stadium is a beautiful piece of engineering. With masts and flying buteresses to give it the feel of a ship sailed here on the river Taff. the inside gives perfect views from all around and theres something really special about singing your national anthem at the top of your lungs with 70,000 of your countrymen. When the roofs closed the noise is incredible, a swelling surrounding sound that perfectly complemnents the rise and fall of the lyric.

I won't comment on the game apart from saying that it was a real rugby spectecal with wonderfull flowing welsh moves and a dogged austrailia showing why theyre still number three in the world, never out of the game always threatening. A brilliant match and Wales worthy victors.

The england New zealand score was also cheered butr anyways It was soon back to the Frozen goods wagon for the 5 hour journey home and a comfy bed on Andys floor.

Yesterday was spent mainly recovering. And as today is my flexiday I think i'll do the same today.

Ciao.