Weekend away with Church

We spent last weekend away with our Church at The Pioneer Centre, Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire. Well that was were I ended up after a trip across Birmingham thanks to O2.

I ordered Mrs EB's and my new phones after a deal was struck with O2 and they were to be delivered to me here Friday AM. 10:30ish my DHL delivery driver arrives and gives me just 1 box? I said there should be 2 parcels? he went and checked nope just the one? He said maybe another driver will have it. I waited until after 12 and phoned O2 to check both had been sent, they said yes and gave me the delivery number of the 2nd parcel. I phoned DHL I then had to phone the local branch... The wonderful lady there did a load of checking, it would seem the local guy who delivered my parcel wasn't telling the whole truth, he had had two parcels the other didn't have my house number on it, so he sent it back!!!

DHL Lady said it was with a driver who was prepared to have me drive to where he was and collect it from him as long as I showed ID and proof of address. I phoned him, he was in South Birmingham, I was in North Birmingham and was I needing to head to West Birmingham across the city? So I drove to a very dodgy looking estate where lots of houses and flats were boarded up, and saw this white transit van all on its own that was like a beacon to all muggers and ne're-do-wells in that area, the guy jumped out thrust a parcel in my hands ,I signed and off he went. Anyone witnessing this must have thought a drug deal was going on!!!! I certainly didn't stick around in case I was mugged or the police came and stripped searched me. What fun on a Friday afternoon. To get to the Pioneer Centre would normally take about and hour, it took just over 2!!!! As I had to drive through Birmingham City Centre on a Friday afternoon to drive all the way down the Hagley Road to Kidderminster and beyond.

I was looking after the sound and when I got too The Pioneer Centre, time just vanished and I was busy doing various sound and I.T things. We had Phil Collins as speaker for the weekend, he has spoken at our Church as is a great person who always challenges you and makes you really belly laugh. Saturday afternoon was set aside for activities, Mrs EB did the rope slide and other daredevil things and I did archery. I have to say after some coaching I really enjoyed it and I got to be OK. The weather was wonderful and we had a wonderful time of fun friendship and fellowship.

an Update

We had a wonderful time in a cold Barcelona, the Gothic Area is a labyrinth of back streets crammed with little shops and Tapas Bars, which we visited a few of. It was wonderful to get away and spend a bit of us time.
Arriving back in the UK we got home and planned to visit The Robber Button, when I woke Saturday, Mrs EB was already wide awake and had been up a couple of hours, the sun was shining and we set off for Great Haywood Marina. We set off for Tixall Wide and had a few hours there enjoying the peace and quiet.

Barcelona Update

Mrs Eb and I are in Barcelona at the moment enjoying a mini break, the city is a busy city and itis full of charm and has someamazing eating places. Last night we went out to look for somewhere to eat, it was drizzling and cold so we wrapped up warm and I put my sweedish style hat on, as we crossed Las Rambles a man looked at us and said "English?" and asked us to go to his bar...we declined. How the heck did he know we were Englsih?

Anyhoo we are having an amazing time exploring the back streets, finding little tapas bars and just chillin' out. This lunch time whilst at El Xampanyet a world famous Cava Bar, Mrs EB and I were enjoying some Tapas and Cava and my phone rings... a chap from Norway asked if he could buy a photo of mine taken whilst diving...yay I thought. We will see what happens.

It all ends so soon, be back home tomorrow

Avenue Q and Dr Who

Avenue Q!!! what can I say. it is amazing, very funny, very rude in places, but it is an excellent show. Both Mrs EB and I laughed our socks off and really enjoyed the show. After the show we went to Soho for a Chinese, earlier in the day we had seen the ducks hanging in the windows and we both fancied some Crispy duck, the place we visited was wonderful the Duck was tasty, the Singapore noodles were hot and Mmmm and the seaweed just delicious.
London is one of those places, it is great to go and see and spend a day or so there but I would hate to live there. We spent the morning walking across Regents Park which was a great start to the day, after that we went to Harrods for lunch, they have a great seafood bar in the basement. I had the Deluxe Bullion and Mrs EB had fish and chips. We then spent time going around the food halls, both of us were tired and had very achy legs and headed back to the hotel for our luggaebag and headed for Euston.
We now know that the new Dr Who will be Matt Smith a relatively unknown actor, which will give him a big Mountain to climb, but the new head writer Stephen Moffet is a wonderful chap and he will not let Dr Who be a bad show. Anyhoo I spent a little time playing in my studio, I have the sound track from season 4. There was a piece of music that was written by Murray Gold called the Song of Freedom, it was use twice with a more pop feel the 2nd time in Saving the World, I have blogged about it before, anyhoo I have edited it all together to make a suite, added some video and stills...I hope you enjoy it.

That Was The Year That Was

As 2008 comes a close and 2009 yawns and wakes up I thought now is a good time to think about the year and sum up what has happened.

The year started off well I was employed and I was sort of enjoying teaching in a Prison, I was using my knowledge of Radio and production and I was helping some guys who had made a few mistakes. Though it wasn't to last and in May I was made unemployed...

My health has been up and down this year, the worst thing about being diabetic is you are always aware that you have to look after your blood sugar, I don't make a martyr of my food intake I eat virtually everything. But this year I have learnt Chocolate gives me migraine, if I have too much sugar my body goes into a sort of sugar shock and it exits everything inside of me PDQ. I have also learnt to read how I feel, I don't really drink alcohol any more, the odd beer on a Sunday and the occasional glass of red wine at home and the odd brandy. I have found I get very tired quickly and I also get aching legs. Also health wise I have had a horrid blocked nose and sinus's for over a year, my Doctor has taken this seriously and I am now under a consultant and I am going into hospital in late January for the consultant to have a good look whilst I am under anaesthetic, not something I am looking forward to I have to say, but I am also tired of not being able to breathe.

I didn't get any diving in this year, money is very tight, also with my nose and breathing and blocked sinus's I can't dive. We did get some great trips out on The Robber Button We had a slightly wet trip up the Caldon Canal, and a few great weekends away with and without friends. I need to do some work on the boat over the next few weeks and we will be ready for some more trips out and about.

I have spent a lot of time at Church, doing the sound and getting involved doing various things, like going for a baked spud on a Friday at Friday diner. I was involved with the mission on Falcon Lodge, I videoed it and made a short film, I also did a little running around. I was involved in both cabaret's and really enjoyed both. They are very stressful and very tiring, the acts are always amazing and we are now growing with the technical side of things and all in all the are nights that just blow me away. They are a wonderful way of getting people into church in a safe and none cringey way.

The big highlight of the year was the Mission Trip to Mozambique I do not think in my wildest dreams I would be going to Mozambique this time last year., with the help of my wonderful friends and an amazing Church behind me I was able to go. I have blogged about this fully and all of my Blogs are in December and are labelled 1 to 7.

That sort of sums my up my year in brief, health not brilliant, but I am OK.I have some of the most amazing friends any person could ever want. I have a wife who I love dearly and by far my best friend and I am very happy and content. Yes I want a Job and I need to actually earn some money again, and I would like to feel better. Yes I would love a nice holiday away with Mrs EB, but that is just the icing on a already great cake.

Happy New Year.

Father Santa Christmas

I have strong views on a lot of things. I don't tend to sit on the fence. Since becoming a Christian I find the concept of Santa so wrong. There are many reasons... like we don't want children to talk to strangers, don't accept gifts from Strangers. Never let strangers in to your house. Then this total stranger with a false white beard in a stupid red smock (red because of Coke the Coke company not the drug) is supposed to sneak in to your house, and even in some cases into the child's bedroom and leave some presents. I am sorry but that is so wrong!!!! Anyway here is the proof he no longer exists look he is dead. Christmas is about the birth of Christ, it isn't about consumerism and Santa (an anagram of Satan). Christmas is nothing to do with being good or bad and an old guy with a white beard keeping a list. Christmas is about Mankind's salvation and the birth of God Incarnate as Man. I buy gifts and I receive gifts for Christmas, in fact I love Christmas, it's a wonderful amazing time of the year. I really don't get why parents especially Christian parents keep up the awful pretence of Father Christmas.

Lets please keep Christ in Christmas.

Wednesday

I have had a trip out to the MASTA Clinic!!!! the what? well if you intend to visit places that don't have the same diseases as us you need to visit there for a Cholera injection as my GP clinic doesn't do that one? well if only it were that easy!!!

Monday I called to make an appointment, the message said leave your name and number someone will call you back, I believed this statement of fact and did just that. I phoned at 10am and by 6pm no one had called me back? So yesterday I went to Handsworth Wood and visited the centre to ask for an appointment I have one for next week. Joy of joys....

I have a friend...well I like to think I have a few friends, but one friend who emigrated to Beijing a couple of years ago, we worked together at GWR Creative in Nottingham knocking out adverts by the dozen every day. Well my friend Richard has started a blog!!!! only a few years behind everyone else...but he was always like that (a little slow) It is good to welcome Richard to the blogosphere. I hope you enjoy Richard's slant on life, which seems to be a hankering for American food? I think I would want a good old English Roast or British Balti, each to his or her own huh?

Lastly, I have heard off Mrs EB from the Girls Brigade Camp that she has laryngitis via a text as she couldn't phone.. what luck huh, she never has that here!!!! I knew I could never be that lucky.

A Mission.......Mozambigue

My Church is sending a team out to Mozambique for two weeks at end of November and I have been accepted on to the team. This is so exciting and also very challenging, firstly health wise I have to get the all clear from my Dr, and financially I have to raise £1500.00 or there abouts.

This is making me a little nervous, it is a lot of money especially when you are unemployed....I have a plan to make a Worship album...don't worry I wont be singing or playing on it. I have some amazingly talented friends who hopefully will do that for me. I actually have 5 tracks virtually ready!!! last year we made an Album for Mullins Burger to help finance a 2nd year at Nexus but that wasn't to be, so it was mothballed and 4 of the tracks off there are ideal. I have also recorded another track with my great friend Skip and that is nearly finished..it just needs some harmonies and recorder... so the album is half finished.

So I have an idea for raising some of the money.... Mrs FLN thinks I should auction off a day on The Robber Button ..... who knows? I do know that if it is right for me to go that God will provide the money for the mission trip.

some ramblings

I am still feeling strange, I feel as though I have had a massive work out, or been shopping all day just before Christmas. I woke up and felt as if I haven't been to sleep?

Up until now i have been feeling so much better, I take my pills and slowly my blood sugar has been coming down and my energy levels have been coming up, if I feel like this tomorrow I will pop and pester poor old Dr X again.

So what’s been happening? Not a great deal really I did pop to church for the Seconds Out meeting, it was a good meeting and I am glad I went, but I feel so tired and achy. I am hoping to spend the weekend on "The Robber Button" with Mrs EB getting it ready for guests, a little to do yet, I also should be hearing back from the sign writer very soon with a proof of what he will be doing.... it will just be a matter of saying yes and finding a day for him to come and do it.

We are off to Malta for a week’s holiday at the end of October to see Mrs EB's brother and I am hoping I can do some diving, we need to find out if the insurance covers me now? if not I can possibly do some shallow dives but nothing over 20 meters as if something happened I wouldn't be able to cover the costs of decompression treatment. I haven't dived since the day before the accident last year. Mrs EB carried on diving but heart wasn't in it and not being 100% under the water is a massive NO-NO as it can very dangerous. can be? actually, it is a very dangerous sport that is what it is listed as... So I would like to do a little diving and I am sure I will do some but maybe not the deep wreck dives and the Blue Hole....but that's OK as long as Mrs EB gets a few great dives in I will be happy.

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.

Knott's Berry Farm & Camp Snoopy

On the Tuesday of our visit to Palm Desert we drove just over 200 miles across the state of California to LA and to Knott's Berry Farm, the home of Camp Snoopy. The Peanuts Theme Park. Both Mrs EB and Myself are very big Peanuts fans and we have wanted to go there for ages. I have been a Snoopy fan since I was very young and have read the books nearly all my life!!! I am the proud owner of 2 Snoopy watches and various Books and other bits and bobs. It isn't every day you get to meet your Hero's but we did at Camp Snoopy...

Though some of the locals didn't talk very much?

We had a great day, Mrs EB went on all the roller coasters and I watched!!!

Knott's Berry Farm is a great theme park and again we were very "Lucky" as hardly anyone was in the park the day we went? So Mrs EB could just walk up to a coaster and get on it with no queue.

On our way round the park in the "Camp Snoopy" part we found this plaque dedicated to "Sparky" Charles M Schultz, it made both of us shed a small tear.

Mrs EB now has 3 new friends Snoopy and two of his brothers Spike and Olaf, and I got a pair of Snake Skin Cowboy Boots.

Palm Springs (Palm Desert)

A 4 hour 280+ mile Journey across the Mojave Desert.Not very much happens in the desert, apart from a rest stop for breakfast in a Denny's Diner that is best left well alone...Hicksville USA with the dirtiest bathrooms ever. We did see 2 roads signs the first is just screaming for a Country and Western song to be written about it "25 miles from Yermo".

The 2nd sign, we have no idea how to pronounce it? May be Yankie Doodle could help?

We arrived in Palm Springs then we drove a few more miles to Palm Desert. Wowwwwwwwwww what a place; it is beautiful. All very clean and tidy with white sand and tall palm trees. The Apartment we had was really nice with a balcony that over looked a lake and the mountains. Each day Humming Birds would be busy collecting nectar or cobwebs.

The Hotel in the grounds had a lake with Flamingo and Black Swans which was just wonderful to see.

In the grounds as we walked to go to one of the two or so swiming pools in the 100+ heat we even saw a "Meep Meep" Roadrunner!!!! this made Mrs EB laugh as I was running after it to try and get a photo!!!!! But I did eventually catch it in my own sort of Wyle E Coyote way ;-)

Las Vegas 3rd and final posting?

Ok here is the final instalment on Vegas...Huzzah I hear you say. (I have to be honest and say it probably wont be the last as we saw and did loads and as I keep remembering stuff I will without doubt blog about it...sorry)

mmmmmmmm Romulan Ale (tasted just wonderful)

Well we went to a Bar called Quarks...Now I am a Sci-Fi fan and if you know your Star Trek you will know where Quarks is from? Star Trek Deep Space Nine!!!! And yes The Hilton had gone and built a replica of the Deep Space Nine Bar along with various characters

it was a real fun place and I had a Romulan Ale, a blue beer, that tasted amazingly like a Bud!!!

We also visited Down Town Vegas where you can get your body pierced 24/7 for $10 or £5, why would you need to get your navel or elsewhere pierced at 4:30am is beyond me, but what do I know?

Also it has the worlds largest gift shop with just so tasteful advertising.

Now I am all for free speech and I am all for enjoyment but Bikini Bull Riding? I just don’t see me going along, for one I would look awful in a bikini...

As we went up towards the Down Town of course there are loads of wedding chappels even a drive through? (I did wonder if you got fries and shake with your wedding?)

I really liked Las Vegas, though once the weekend came round I found it a little busy for my liking also a little loud, I have never heard so many woops and shouts as someone wins a few dollars. I did think I would feel scared in Vegas as I have watched COPS and other programmes on the crime in this town, but neither of us felt threatened or scared. In fact I felt very comfortable walking about at any hour. There are a few downs, like the timeshare sales in the hotles and the "flick flick guys" (they flick busines cards (with ladies details on) and try to give you them) on the streets but all in all a good fun adult playground.

That was the week that was

I have had a busy old time since we have been back. My mind is a little scrambled as I have had a stomach bug and sleep has not actually been happening.

Thursday I went with some friends to see Thin Lizzy, Styx and Deep Purple at the NEC, a brill evening. Lizzy were just fantasic, STYX!!!! my fave american band ever!!!! where just perfect, they finished on my fave tune "Come Sail Away" and blew me away. Purple were Purple and I loved them.

After the show I was starting to feel a bit rough which is nothing new as I tend feel bad if I push myself anyway. I was rudely awaken by a migraine at about 4am. and then at just after 8am to be very sick. I spent the rest of the day being ill. I nearlly didn't make the weekends planned getaway!!!!

Anyhooo over the weekend Mrs EB and I visited Bournemouth, we went with Amy and Amiability and Skip and stopped at Amy's Mum and Dad's amazing sea view apartment. I had never been to Bournemouth and thought it was beautiful. One incident happened whilst there. Saturday night, I couldn't sleep, I had bad stomach cramps so I was listening to Mike Oldfield on my IPod and thought I would go stand on the bedroom Balcony (Told you it was an amazing apartment) and look at the sea, it was about 4:30am and the world was peaceful. I had been out there about 10 or so minutes in my PJ's and the wind was just making me a little cold so I turned around to go back into the bedroom and there was Mrs EB standing there looking at me!!! I jumped out of my skin and nearly over the balcony!!!

Mrs EB said she had been speaking to me but as I had got my earphones in I hadn't heard her.....mmmmm. I think she just wanted to see how high she could make me jump!!!!

Last night we popped round to the TARDIS for tea with the Timelord and had a jolly fine evening...though by now with lack of sleep my mind was not working very well.

Well after taking a nightol Last night I actually got a good sleep the first for a long time

Crikey this my 200th Posting!!!!!

Las Vegas pt2 (pt3 the final part next)

In Las Vegas there is a hotel called The Mirage. Famous for the Siegfried and Roy Magic Show before a tiger attacked one of them and they retired. They have opened an area called the Secret Garden with White Lions and White Tigers also Dolphins.

In the area that Siegfried and Roy used to do thier show has been converted into a round theatre where Cirque du Soliel perform the best show in the World "Love"

I have written about the show beforein earlier blogs, but I will say it was the best show I have ever seen. I will mention the Revolution Bar an interactive Bar to have a drink in. It is Beatles themed and is amazing, it has walls that change pattern, windows that become portholes. Staff that wear naff 1960's outfits. It is just the tops and I loved it in there.

Also around the Casino is an area to win an Orange County Chopper Themed Love Bike, I really wanted it but I bet a couple of Dollars and the winning line didn't come up.