Bank Holiday Update

Well that was a very busy weekend here is an update of what happened and where we are at now

I travelled upto Garrigill on Friday evening with my Brother-in-law Bryan and got to my Sister-in-law Liz's at about 12:30 am, had a glass of wine and off to bed. We got up early had a wonderful cooked breaky and Bro-in-Law and I went out for the Morning. We came back in time to meet the rest of his blues band in the pub!!! We had some lunch and set up for the gig. I was recording the event on Pro Tools via 12 or so mics.

We had tea and washed and changed and off we went to the village hall for a night of blues, a rather spiffing night it was as well. Afterwards it was back to Mrs EB's sisters for some more wine and food and a very late night. Sunday morning was spent striking the gig and getting my gear back to Sister-in-laws, saying good bye to the band and Bro-in-law then getting ready for Mrs EB's arrival, Mrs EB arrived about 12:30 am.

Got up about 9am Monday had a great cooked breaky and I took Mrs EB and her sister to her sweetie shop, Mrs EB was going to be working in there all day, about 11am I took Mrs EB's sisters friend Pete down to the shop and brought Liz back as Monday was Garrigill Gala day!!! There were bands on the village green and various stalls and attractions....one being a Rubber Duck race down the stream the Tyne!!! (the river starts 1.5 miles up on the moor. ) Anyhoo I was asked to wear a large ducks costume to advertsie this event!!! I was cadjolled into this and it was boiling hot!!! I walked about the village looking a total idiot, waving at kids and along with a young chap we were selling ducks for the race. Then a local photographer from a local paper arrived and took my picture...half an hour later yet another photgrapher arrived. After what was a fantastic day Liz and I went to Alston to pick up Mrs EB and Pete, Liz did the till tally and found out that Mrs EB and Pete had taken the most ever for a day!!!!

We arrived home late Monday night and Mrs EB transfered funds for "The Robber Button" and these should be well cleared by Friday, when Mrs has another day off, we are doing the day course on Saturday and we will be away this weekend as we start to take her to Great Haywood. So that was my weekend.

Thursday

I have been a really busy bunny since my last Blog.

Anyhoo what’s been going on? Well we had new carpets all over the house apart from the living room, so we emptied the rest of the house into the living room, that took a couple of days and a couple of days to put it all back again. Whilst sorting through all of the stuff we have gotten rid of loads of bits and pieces... So I have been up to the tip more times than I can remember and to Second Thoughts (A shop owned and run by our Church) a few times.

I have also been cleaning a tiding the house as today an estate agent is calling in to value our property....ironic really the house is now looking how I have wanted it too for years and now we sell...but we really want the boat and its a matter of finance really, we don't have enough......

Later

Well the estate agent called round and was here for a couple of hours going through how they will market the house etc, and how much she thinks will get for EB Towers…I was very happy with what she said and I called Mrs EB and she was also happy so we agreed and I guess by Friday EB Towers will be on the market.

The cheque finally arrived and I drove into Brum and paid that into our Smile account via the C0-Op bank and then I phoned the Marina and let them know we now have the money, I also booked James for our day skipper course for a week Saturday, that also means I will be away for that following week, finally bringing home "The Robber Button".....

What else?

My Bloods are slowly coming down but they are still roller coastering away up and down, but generally I am feeling so much better now, I have also lost a stone!!!! 14lbs for my readers from across the pond. That is just cutting out sugar, I can't believe it? I am also starting to actually get some energy back which is really nice.
I am away this weekend up in Garrigill recording my Brother in Laws blues band at a festival, I am really looking forward to spending a bit of time with my in-law family, though Mrs EB can't come up until Sunday night after she has lead worship at church. Its a 5 to 6 hour Journey so please pray for our safe arrival and return.

That’s about it really…

My Fat, Mad Teanage Diary

I am a very blessed person to know my friends and colleagues, one of my friends and former colleagues is a really talent lady called Rae Earl. Rae was a writer when I was a producer in Nottingham she left to be a presenter on Radio, first in Derby and now in Leicester with her husband Kev they do a joint breakfast show. Well my very talented friend Rae has written a book!!! and it is dues for release any day now (Tuesday 21st August) here is a review and an EXTRACT IN THE GUARDIAN from the book ... in the Guardian magazine (Saturday 4th August).

Synopsis

It's 1989 and Rae is a fat, boy-mad 17-year-old girl, living in Stamford, Lincolnshire with her mum and their deaf white cat in a council house with a mint off-green bath suite and a larder Rae can't keep away from. This is the hilarious and touching real-life diary she kept during that fateful year -with characters likeher evil friend Bethany, Bethany's besotted boyfriend, and the boys from the grammar school up the road (who have code names like Haddock and Battered Sausage). My Fat, Mad Teenage Diary" evokes a vanished time when Charles and Di are still together, the Berlin wall is up, Kylie is expected to disappear from the charts at any moment and it's GBP1 for a Snakebite and Black in the Vaults pub. My Fat, Mad Teenage Diary" will appeal to anyone who's lived through the 1980s. But it will also strike a chord with anyone who's ever been a confused, lonely teenager who clashes with their mother, takes themselves VERY seriously and has no idea how hilarious they are.

I have been blessed or not to win a copy from Rae and a bottle of Champers (which will be drunk on The Robber Button). The reason I say I may not be blessed to win is because I entered a competition with an awful photo of myself so its a sort of back handed compliment. I am just so proud of Rae for using her talent and writing this amazing book. Long evenings on my boat reading books written by my friends...just perfect.

Reading

I have spent a bit of time re-reading my Blog from August to December last year, from the sadness I felt as Mrs EB went to Brazil, her return, my excitement of going back to Malta and diving again to hearing the worst news ever. How I dealt with the news and how I felt over the first few months. I am really glad I kept this Blog, it has helped me by reading it. I know I don't feel the same now....I felt so numb and I don't feel numb anymore. I don't remember some days at all or where I went, what I did, I think I was just on auto-pilot for most of the time. The feelings I have now are of sadness but I also feel comfort from spending time with my friends who knew Matt and Chris. They often come up in convocation which is really nice. We talk about them and remember their parts in our lives. I don't really cry anymore, I guess that part with me has now moved on, I do still feel that great loss and I guess I will feel that for many, many years.

As September rolls round so quickly, I no doubt I will shed tears and spend time with people who knew and loved those special men. I will share stories and anecdotes, I will laugh a lot and have my heart break again, but that is OK. I have learned this year that a broken heart is a good thing if it is shared with people who love and care for you.

If you do read my blog please pray for the families of Chris and Matt, it doesn’t matter that you don’t know their individual names, God does and he listens to all prayers.

Wednesday & Thursday

After what seemed like an age and a half I finally managed to get the video onto my Mac along with the stills for Seconds Out and edit it, I think I have found a great track to go behind it, so when Georgie back off her holidays I will show it to her and see if she wants any changes.

I am feeling a very rough again today a bad head and feel a quite queasy I am noticing these things more these days now as I am feeling better more often than not now so the days I feel rough I really notice it. I am guessing that is a good thing?

I have noticed since I have started taking my medication I am feeling generally more with it, and have some energy and I feel brighter; I am also noticing how sweet something’s are now I have generally cut out sugar (I never had sugar added to drinks). I am still really craving sweets and I am supplementing that with an orange or peanuts.

I am still feeling a bit iffy and this is starting to worry me as I am now on a new medication...I will give it a few more days and then I will go and see Dr X if it continues.

Anyhoo I have spent ages varnishing the banister and balustrades with a finishing varnish, I had done them with just an interior varnish but that will lift with use so a hard exterior varnish was needed. I think we are ready - decorating wise for the carpets to be fitted on Wednesday.

Tuesday

I am having one of those days!!! Everything is taking 10x longer to do anything than I want it to!!! I was involved with the Church mission to Falcon Lodge in a small way. I was making balloon animals etc in the shop and stuff like that. Well a video was taken and I offered to edit it as the person who had edited it hadn’t really grasped what was needed. Unfortunately he gave me a CD Rom of the video in .wmf format (over 20mins) ... so I then had to convert it to .avi this has taken me all morning and it’s still converting, I need it uncompressed and in full for the best quality. I then have to unload that off the PC on then load it onto my Mac so I can edit down to about 3 to 4 minutes plus add some stills and music. I am also trying to back up my HD’s this is usually an easy job I do once every few days, but running this video editing stuff on my PC has slowed it to crawl.....urghhhh video on PC!!!! I am also listening to ITunes to try and find a song to go behind the video...not easy. Ho Hum I also have to make tea and do other bits and bobs....such fun.

Monday

It was a quiet weekend, we didn't do much really. Friday evening Skip came round, we tried to eat a Chinese in the garden but a few wasps made it annoying so we gave up and came inside, we had a good evening chewing Chinese and the fat. Saturday was a day we didn't do much we popped out to look for some chairs for "The Robber Button" and had lunch out, came home and did some odd jobs ( I cleaned the weed out of the water feature) and surfed the net. Sunday I was on sound, the Morning DR S took the service and it was very funny. The evening Mrs EB lead the worship (a jolly fine job she did too) and Mish Partner V preached. V is just an inspiration I could listen to her all day she is 70 and looks and sounds much younger...she is amazing. I had gone to collect the radio mic off her and was having a little chat, when a person from church came upto her (he is known to have a few problems) and asked for one her tracts known as BYN but he asked for a BNP leaflet I nearly laughed, but V was unfazed and corrected him and just carried on.

I went to the dentist this morning and had a polish and check up. I have managed to chip a small amount off one of my front teeth, so I had that filed down and sorted, apart from that all is well in the EB mouth department. I have made an appointment with a young optician called Rachel, the earliest I could get is September 11th...she is very popular. That is about it in the life of EB at the moment, apart from a visit last night from 2 Paddington Bears (They are from Darkest Puru you know? They kept telling me, it was very annoying when I am trying mix the sound) who sat with me on the sound desk courtesy of a certain Timelord who shall remain nameless... (Neither had Marmalade Sandwiches with them under their hats?)

Saturday update

I went to see Dr R at the hospital at 7:30am yesterday !!! I tend to forget things and I would forget half of what he said...so Mrs EB came with me. Over all Dr R is very happy with my progress. I am losing a little weight, my various readings in my blood are doing well, my Blood Sugar is still higher than he likes also my blood fats. I am now on a statin to bring those down (this is because my liver is damaged, and not to do with eating Bacon and Curry). I am also trying a different type of metformin a slower release, but now I am on a higher dosage (1000mg in the morning and 500mg in the evening) I haven't noticed any difference as yet but I am sure I will be able to get my BS down to 5 and 6 shortly. After a visit to see Dr R I made an appointment to see Dr X (Baddog did point out that I should get a new doctor as Dr X is always trying to take over the world) and took a letter from Dr R and got my new meds, came back here and had breakfast then started the new tablets.

The decorating is about done and the carpet should be going down soonish. Then onto the estate agents. We are still waiting for the cheque to come. so we can bank it then we can transfer funds to the marina for the boat, it is very frustrating we are all set to go and the surveyor who came Monday hasn’t sent off his survey yet this could set everything back by a week or two, I have already had to cancel our day skipper course once...it is looking like that will have to be changed again...grrrrrr. I wouldn’t mind, but the surveyor was a really nice guy he said he would get the thing off ASAP as well.

Oh well, I am sure we will just be very happy when it is all signed sealed and sorted. Lets hope for a long and hot Indian Summer and some great evenings and weekends on "The Robber Button"

A name..."A rose by any other name would smell as sweet"

EB and Shakespear...who would have thought it? not me....

Well Mrs EB and I have finally decided on a name for our boat and that name is "The Robber Button" what!!! ..... what? I hear my gentle reader say....well, Mrs EB and I are fans of Blackadder and in Blackadder 3; in the first episode, Dish and Dishonesty it goes something like this:-

Edmund Blackadder: Sir Talbot represented the constituency of(Dunny-on-the-Wold, and, by an extraordinary stroke of luck, it is a rotten borough.

Prince George: Really! Is it! Well, lucky-lucky us. Lucky-lucky-luck. (as a chicken) Luck-luck-LAKK-LAKK-LAKK-LAKK-cluck-cluck-cluck-cluck- cluck-LAKK-LAKK-LAKK.

Edmund Blackadder: ...You don't know what a rotten borough is, do you, sir?

Prince George: No.

Edmund Blackadder: So what was the chicken impression in aid of?

Prince George: Well, I just didn't want to hurt your feelings. Erm, so, what is a robber button?

Edmund Blackadder: *Rotten borough*.

Prince George: Oh, yes, you're right.

Edmund Blackadder: A rotten borough, sir, is a constituency where the owner of the land corruptly controls the both the voters and the MP.

Prince George: Good, yes...and a robber button is...?

Edmund Blackadder: Could we leave that for a moment? Dunny-on-the-World is a tuppenny- ha'penny place. Half an acre of sodden marshland in the Suffolk Fens with an empty town hall on it. Population: three rather mangy cows, a dachshund named `Colin', and a small hen in its late forties.

Prince George: So, no people at all, then? apart from Colin...

This really makes us laugh and we thought it a great name for a boat, so that's its name "The Robber Button"

Mrs EB filled out the registration last night and I made a few calls this morning and come Monday the Waterways Office will have our registration papers and things are really happening. The funds should be coming to us soon (I hope) and payments made. We are booked on a day skipper course next Saturday and I should be bringing "The Robber Button" up from Braunston on Sunday and be at Great Haywood for Saturday (it takes an hour in a car!!). It is all very exciting for us also a little scary. but nothing ventured nothing gained

Wednesday - Thursday

Wednesday

I had one of those days yesterday and today I am regretting it. It started by having blood tests then lifting all the old underlay in the hall, and landing (I had taken up the stairs the other day) I then had to take all the gripper rod up as I have to be careful about cuts and things on my feet. I then had to go ever the complete floor and get up all the nails, staples and other tiny tacks which took forever. I then toook all of that to the tip. Then to tesco for a shop, come home and cook tea. I know it doesn't sound much, but today I feel awful..... I am off to see the consultant Friday so lets see what he says about everything.

Thursday

Well I had to stop blogging yesterday as I ended up spending the day being very ill...ho hum. I even had to pop and see Dr X. I had some good news from him my diet is working and my bloods are looking much better.

Today I went to Braunston with a friend who also has a boat to get his views on the "unnamed" boat and he thought it very nice. Tervor (the surveyor) was there and has now signed off the boat, so as soon as we pay it is ours!!!! that is scary we are awaiting some funds then bish bash bosh hand over the dosh. We have the registration papers here....and we need to have a name to register the boat.... I think we are down to two names now....but that could change back to 3 or 4.

Tomorrow morning I am at the hospital seeing Dr R about the diabetes my bloods are still all over the place so I will see what he says about all of that.

The Simpsons

I recieved a link on my Facebook account today from music group singer Lisa S it lets you Simpsonize yourself and see what you would look like if you were lucky enough to ever get in The Simpsons

Monday

I had a really nice Birthday yesterday. As with most Sundays a very big part of it was spent at Church so I got to see a lot of my friends. We went to my Mum and Dad’s for a wonderful dinner, but I couldn't have any pudding... I am really missing puddings.

After church we went for a beer at the Jockey which was very nice, we had a little food and good company.

I called the marina and they are on target to finish the remedial work on the boat this week and the surveyor should sign it off Thursday, so if the money comes through we should have the boat shortly. We think we may have the name and when we take over the boat I will stick the name up here. I also have a small bottle champagne which I will open and toast the boat... there is no way I am breaking a bottle on the hull!!!! I might damage the hull and what a waste of good booze.

We had a surveyor come round and value EB Towers this morning as part of the loan agreement for the boat and that was OK he agreed on our price, so that should be all finalsied this week all being well. We have the decorator starting 9am Wednesday to finish off the hall, stairs and landing, it is all very exciting.

On the health front, I have an appointment at 7:30am Friday at the hospital to see Dr R and I have various blood test to take before then 9:40am tomorrow being one of them. I am feeling much better in myself, though I am still getting a headache it is not as bad as it has been.

Saturday August 4th

I was working in my garden yesterday, (I still have a good days works to do) I got to thinking about last year. This time last year Mrs EB was in Brazil with the mission team, and Matt would insist on taking me out for a beer and a curry....it didn't take too much insisting on his part really... I do miss our chats, we would talk all night about various things ranging from politics, religion.. friends our lives and work struggles. We would chew the fat and enjoy the company often bursting into gales of laughter with a few insults thrown in. On my birthday last year both Matt and Chris came along for a curry along with a few other special friends, Chris came late, ate early and went as he was going on somewhere else, I was just so happy he came, he was always going at 100mph but we all loved him so much and that was just his way. He gave me a beautiful bottle of wine, which I saved until Mrs EB was back from Brazil and we shared it together. He also gave me a card with the instructions not to show it to Donald !!! I am looking at it now with a tear in my eye. Heidi couldn't come along that evening as she had been at a carnival with work and was just pooped out. After the curry we all came back here to English Blogger Towers for puddings and Magno!!! and sat chatting for hours I don't remember what time Matt left, he was the last along with two other friends who were on Malta with us in September...Matt and Heidi also sent me a funny card with a joke about ...well maybe I will scan them both and put them after this waffle.

My heart is breaking again as September comes around, I know that it will be so hard for Heidi, Viv, Steve, Al, Carol Dorothy and all of the families and each will be in my Prayers. I was looking on the interwebbythingy for ways to pray (I am not a great prayer....so I look for inspiration sometimes) I came across this in some prayers for the loss of someone close. I thought I would add it to this blog as I found useful. I know Matt and Chris are in heaven, but they are also in my heart and this says that in a very special way.

I give you this one thought to keep ~ I am with you still ~ I do not sleep ~ I am a thousand winds that blow ~I am the diamond glinting on the snow ~ I am the sunlight on ripened grain ~ I am the gentle autumn rain

When you awaken in the morning's hush ~ I am the swift, uplifting rush ~ Of quiet birds in circled flight ~I am the soft stars that shine at night

Do not think of me as gone ~ as I am with you with each sunset & dawn ~ I will be constantly there ~ With you, always & forever more ~ Along your side ~ Always there…

A small explanation about Matt and Heidi’s card... Matt and I would spend a lot of time each day finding new ways to insult each other....ranging from just how ugly each of was to our sexuality, during one of these times Matt nick named me Brokeback Baynham and this where his card is coming from. Please don’t be offended by these cards I wasn’t, just enjoy them. I have looked at the cards a few times over the last 12 months and smiled and remembered two special friends. I usually throw away birthday cards a week or so after my birthday, but I kept them last year so Mrs EB could read them and then just put them away in my studio?

Being on a sugar free diet is very hard, I am really struggling. I am craving sweets, even Nestle sweets it is that bad!!!! it isn't even though I am hungry, it is just sugar withdrawal. I am sure this will pass as did the nicotine withdrawal but that was a toughie as well.

On the plus side I am losing weight not quickly but it is coming off, I am guessing eating porridge then lunch, two meals I could often skip and having a large tea my body would go into starvation mode and just store all the fat it could. I am now eating loads of fruit and three smaller meals a day and I am feeling better for it, also the tablets are sort of working and making me feel better than I have felt in years. The next trick will be to exercise a little more, that I will find hard as I am still lethargic most of the time...oh well small steps will finish the race.

we have had the chippie back in and he has now finished so it is over to me with sand paper and stain and varnish, so it will be ready for the decorator and then it will be carpets and a for sale board...and onto the next stage in our lives.

We have been asked by a few people if we will be hiring out the “Unnamed” boat, we haven’t really talked about it in-depth yet, but my gut reaction is no. We will be using the boat most weekend as a getaway home, especially for Mrs EB who is working very hard and needs to unwind. We will of course take friends with us some weekends for short trips and mini breaks. This is not meant to offend anyone but I would not feel comfortable lending or hiring out the boat at the moment, especially as we haven’t even got it yet ;-)