Home alone again!!!

Well I am alone again for the evening, Shelagh is away in London overnight so it’s me and the Cats again. Angus is staying on the bed today again anyway, so he probably wont even notice, I haven’t seen Linus yet, so my guess is she has found a snugly spot and is there for the day as well.

I have been routing around the house finding all of our CD’s (isn’t it amazing were they turn up?) to put them into Itunes for our IPods, I have also been to a few online places to buy the odd album I no longer have, I gave all my vinyl away many years ago. By far the cheapest place I have found to buy online music is a Russian website called all of mp3 with albums from $1.99 or about a £1 which to me is jolly fine as I have already bought this music once. I just don’t know how legal the website is?

Like most people I have a few Worship songs I really like, ones I like to listen too, ones I like to sing, (though what I do few would actually call singing) ones I like to just hear being sung when I am in Church; I love hearing some Worship songs being sung as a solo as well. Amy sang a new song last week and it was really nice to hear it sung the right way first. I always love it when Mrs EB sings live but I am biased. Anyhoo whilst finding CD’s I found one of my old Newsboys Albums “Devotion”. The Newsboys are by far my favourite Christian band. I don’t think I have heard anything they have done that I don’t like? One of my favourite tunes they do is the Worship Song “In Christ Alone” which has this stanza:-

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Brought with the precious blood of Christ

Those are just the most perfect words in any Worship song* (*in my oppinion), they just say it all. Keith Getty and Stuart Townend are just amazing. Though The Newsboys have done the best arrangement of the song that I have heard.

How I got into blogging….

It was a dark and stormy night, a shot rang out, a maid screamed…..(that was for Snoopy fans;-)) During the last general election, Matt and I were getting very angry with all the spin and bulls**t that was being said by all the main politicians, so we started our main blogs, Matt’s then at Matt Sellers co uk (now his company) and I used an MSN one. We used them as a way of venting our frustration at the political world and each other, some of our convocations got very interesting as our political colours came out, mine a little redder than Matt’s his a little more Galloway. Anyhoo we used the Blogs to also vent our mirth and total incredulousness at the stupidity of what was happening. After the election we both rested our Blogs and got on with other things really until about Feb of this year when I started up again when I started to think about the Death penalty again, when Matt found out about a man on Death Row who was about to be put to death without a fair trial. That really upset us both, though Matt and I had slightly different views on the death penalty (we’re both against it) as I said in a previous entry, we agreed on the main points it was the fine points we could argue about until the cows or wives came home. Anyway my views on the death penalty are the very first entry on this Blog February 2006 as that was when I started this Blog off. I do regret wiping my original Blogs as they had some amazingly funny comments by Matt on them and I would love to reread them again. (Ahhhh I found 1 of my old blogs this has some comments from Freelancenerd, the archive has got a little corrupted, I will set up a new blog and post my old blog with Matt's comments, this blog will not be an open blog or will anyone be able to leave comments, it will just be up to read so it isn't lost forever)

OK the Old Blog is here please only look at this Blog if you are ready to read some old posting from Matt.

Mrs Freelancenerd Snr has decided to call it a day in the blogosphere as she feels she has said all she wants too about things. I don’t blame her. I guess one day I will stop again, when my head says enough. I really enjoyed Mrs Teapots Blog and her writing was excellent, much better than my ramblings. Thank you Mrs Teapot for your Blog and thank you and The Timelord for Dinner last Sunday ;-)

Some Scary Holiday Photo's From Malta

During our last trip to Malta, a holiday I will not forget for a few reasons, one of them being on Saturday 9th September, a Dive was planned for Valletta Harbour. I had a slight ear infection so I couldn't dive. (bad news to dive with bad ears) Anyhooo Mrs EB, her brother Dave, Mandy and her partner David I, dived, Skip and Myself (yes the 3rd Dave on the holiday), stayed on the surface to guard the jeeps (a bad area for car break-ins) and enjoy the Sun.

A few minutes into kitting up a policeman on a Motorbike arrived and called me over, I duly went over to him, he said no diving today!!! then he said you can dive but you must only dive in this area, pointing the small bay area we had planned to dive, we said OK as we are diving HMS Maori a wreck about 200 metres out. He drove off. The divers went in and swam on the surface to the wreck and then went down. Within seconds of them going down a Police boat raced to where they had sunk looking for them (Heads virtually in the water), they waited for a good 10 minutes! What they expected them to do I don't know, they where 20 meters below them enjoying a dive.

Anyhoo next thing Skip and I know 6 mono propellered aircraft are racing over head in the harbour at death defying speeds and heights, literally inches above the sea and inches between each plane. I was so amazed I took photo's (I have a few more I will post another time) When the divers returned we laughed about the police Boat and went for a beer and food.

(Click on the photos for larger pictures)

Well the next day Sunday September 10th was a day that is forever etched into my mind. Here is another reason....... You guessed it, the inevitable happened here, two of the planes collided killing one pilot. Where did they collided? Where Mrs EB and the other divers had gone down the day before.

Monday - huzzahh

Last night was a hard night really, I was and am finding worship hard, then Tony G had a word and that spoke into my heart (About when you are finding worship hard that is when you should worship). It is hard to give thanks when you are grieving and really don’t want to thank God for that. There is a logic in not wanting to thank someone for something you don’t like. I know I am not the only one who feels like this at the moment and it is one of the questions I have, I also know there is no easy answer to this question. It is easy to sing the words...It is almost imposable to put my heart into them at the moment. I will not give in and I will continue to praise God, as even though my whole heart may not be in it, my faith is still there and no matter what, I am a servant of God.

I then went to pick Mrs EB from Erdington then over to Mere Green to pick up Mrs Reindeer then onto the Bishop.
Oh yes Mullins Burger now has a Blog

Pete's Blog

Sunday - Mmmm nice food

Well it's Sunday again!!!Boy does time fly, anyhooo I went to church and enjoyed it, though I did have one eye on the new CDR. I then went to The Tardis for Sunday Dinner, a jolly fine feed it was as well. Though Rudolf and Roddy failed to show up!!! I had come along to clip their hoofs as well after Tiger mentioned they where sharp.The Timelord and Teapot put on a fine spread, and pudding was just wonderful, Mrs Freelancenerd is eating well and I am beginning to think she has a special hollow leg to put all that food away in, so it doesn't add to her weight.Mrs EB should be back sometime soonly, She is taking her friend Mandy Manatee home first so I hope she will make it back for Church or I will see her at The Bishops later. Here are 3 more photo's all where taken in Florida at Universal Studios on the Jaws ride.

(again click on a photo to see a full version)

Saturday lazy day

Mmm the Indian meal last night was a jolly fine evening. I do enjoy Indian food (big surprise huh) I actually didn't have a curry or balti last night I went for a Tandori mixed grill and jolly tasty it was too. I am having a lazy day, watching a bit of TV and sorting out my laptop. I do need to burn a few of Chris's CD's for tomorrows service. I have had a pleasant invite for lunch tomorrow at Chateaux Sellers Mmmmmm that’ll be nice.

Here are a few more of my photo’s:-(again click on the photo for a full size version)

Macro Butterfly (Malta)

Common Lizard (Malta)

Flying Gurnard (Malta)

Cardinal Fish (Malta)

Home alone again!!!

Mrs English Blogger is away in Newcastle until Sunday evening, she is hoping to make the evening service or she will meet us at the Bishops place. I had a lazy evening yesterday as I had a migraine and just went to bed earlyish with the laptop and TV and chatted to my friend Richard in Notts.
I have the migraine today as well, though I feel a whole heap better than I did yesterday so I think it’s on its way out, huzzahhhh, this evening is a curry evening Mmmmmmm, Amy and Skip and I are going to the famous Café Garden for a Balti. Tomorrow, who knows? Any ideas?

A Photo I took in Jamaica

The Irony of the poster and what is underneath

(again click on any of the photo's for a larger version)

Digital Photography 2

The First shot was taken at Epcot Florida, the 2nd is 2 Ibis taken on Sanibel Island, Florida The 3rd is Cormorants on a Beach on Sanibel Island, the 4th shot is a goat with her two kids in Lynmouth, Devon.

I get great pleasure taking photo's of wildlife and finding wild animals doing their thing, slowly walking up and taking a photo and leaving without disturbing what they are doing.

Hobbies - Digital Photography

click on a photo to see a larger version

The first Picture is St Paul's Island, Malta. I used this picture on Shelagh's Album. The 2nd is the top of International Drive, Orlando. The 3rd is Sunset over Gozo as a tanker passes by.

I have a few hobbies, SCUBA diving, Cooking, Eating, etc. But one hobby I enjoy a lot is Digital Photography. I really enjoy taking photo's, finding a nice sunset or panorama framing it and snapping away. Blogspot only lets you upload 3 photo's at a time so I will upload some other pictures later maybe some of my wild animal and bird photo's and some underwater shots?

IPod and DVD's

Well I have downloaded a piece of software called Magic DVD. I can now rip my DVD's and put them on my IPod!!! how amazing is that? I bought Mrs EB a Johnny Depp DVD the other day Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride" it took just over an hour to rip and then a few mins to transfer and taaadaaaa a top quality film on my IPod and Shelagh's IPod.

I don't know why, but I am always amazed by the latest technology and I am always blown away when it works and works well.

Hobbies (1) - Photography

Florida Sunset

Gozo Sunset

I have a few hobbies, the first one is Digital Photography.

I really enoy taking photo's, panorama being a faverite, sunsets are always beauiful

Happy Birthday

Today is my Dad, Ronald’s birthday. Ronnie as I call him is 71 and is a hero to me. I love him to bits he is generous and he makes me laugh, he is the most practical person I know who has done so much with his hands (including walloping me a few times when I was younger) from building property to landscaping, but not really cooking except bacon sarnies.

Here is a Joke I recieved from Ronnie this morning

A guy is 81 years old and loves to fish. He was sitting in his boat the other day when he heard a voice say, "Pick me up."
He looked around and couldn't see any one. He thought he was dreaming when he heard the voice say again, "Pick me up."He looked in the water and there, floating on the top, was a frog.The man said, "Are you talking to me?"The frog said, "Yes, I'm talking to you. Pick me up. Then, kiss me and I'll turn into the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. I'll then give you more pleasure than you ever could have dreamed of."The man looked at the frog for a short time, reached over, picked it up carefully, and placed it in his front breast pocket.Then the frog said, "What, are you nuts? Didn't you hear what I said? I said kiss me and I will give you pleasures like you have never had."

He opened his pocket, looked at the frog and said, "Nah, at my age I'd rather have a talking frog."

Blessed Be Your Name

Over the past 4 weeks my life has changed by an amount that I just can’t work out and my heart has been broken so much it hurts all the time, I have seen God’s love at work first hand and I have tried to show that love back. I know others have been affected much more than I have, and some lives have been changed so much it is just impossible to say and I will keep praying for those people. God has been at work in me and I am now thinking a little clearer and I believe I am a little stronger in my faith since September 10th 2006, though I do have lots of questions, I just don’t know what the questions are yet. Over the past month I have found a great comfort in my Church and being in the company of Christians and Worshipping God (though it is very, very, very hard to Worship at the moment) I have been very encouraged by the Worship song from Matt Redman “Blessed Be Your Name”, I love the version on the Devotion album by The Newsboys. If you do not know the song here are the Lyrics.

Blessed Be Your Name
by Matt Redman
- - -

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Romeo and Juliet- Birmingham Royal Ballet

Wowwwww I am was totally enthralled and amazed by last night. I have seen the ballet on TV and got bored. But there was no way I could have been bored last night time just flew by, the ballerina who played Juliet, Nao Sakuma just won my heart, she was so graceful and captivating she just used the dance as an extension of her personality or that of Juliet anyway, well that’s how I saw it. Robert Parker as Romeo was top banana he just flew at times.

The photo’s are not from last night but from the BRB website.

I have taken a bit stick for going last night actually a lot of stick I even got a txt from Malta last night asking if I was wearing a Tutu? but I honestly do not care, 2:30 mins flew past and the 9 ladies I went with including my Mum, Mrs Freelancenerd and Poshbird enjoyed it nearly as much as I did. I will defiantly be going back to the Ballet!!!!

Thanks for the invite Poshbird.

Angus & Linus

Introducing Angus and Linus our two Turkish Van Cats (swimming cats)

Angus

Linus

Angus & Linus

They are 12 years old and have been with us since they were 12 weeks old, Angus the boy and bigger of the two is a great big softy who sleeps 23 hours a day and loves to be with me all day, if I am in the studio so is he, if I pop down stairs he’ll follow. He gives me a big cuddle every morning on the bed when Mrs EB gets up and really protests when I get up.
Linus is the smaller girl and Mrs EB is her Mummy, when Mrs EB gets home from work and sits anywhere Linus has to have a cuddle and will stay there all night if she let her. She is the more vocal of the two and will shout and meow for no reason for what seems like hours. She is also the Boss, and she knows it, if Angus comes near her and she has “one of her moods” you could be mistaken that Angus has just mugged her and cut off her ears, yet she is absolutely fine and dandy, just “Crying Wolf”

Anywhooo these are our cats and they hate fireworks, loud bangs and us being on Holiday, they love company and Prawns, Tuna, Coley and lots of fuss.

Friday a busy day

Well it seems Mrs English Blogger wants a PARTY!!!! So if you are a friend of either Mrs EB or myself it seems you are cordially invited. It is here at Châteaux Shegs on November 4th and is a Fireworks free night, the Moggies hate fireworks. Though Sparklers are to be sparkled. The bug zapper will be on (Chris loved that soooo much) and I can promise some nice food, Chilli Dogs, maybe the odd toffee apple. If you could let Mrs EB or myself know that you are coming so we can organise the food.

*Disclaimer:- May not be the actual people at the party and it may be a lot darker on the night

Today I have been at Cube for an hour or so, then I took Heidi into Sutton for a baked spud mmmmm and to the Litton Tree for a swifty. Heidi has become addicted to Noahs Ark on my Nerdy PDA level 45+ she got to!!!!!We then popped to her house and then onto Ruth’s for a chat and a mug of tea and home made flapjacks Mmmmvery tasty.

Taking Heidi back we noticed an elderly Gentleman fall over, he looked drunk, but we stopped and helped him into his house. He wasn’t drunk but just very unsteady on his feet and a little confused, so we stopped by the Police Station and let them know he was on his own. Lets hope he is looked after by social services. He obviously didn’t want us to go into his house so there is nothing else we could do really.

Some waffel and thoughts for a Thursday.

Well I had about 3 hours sleep last night, I had a migraine and felt like chucking lumps all night...which is nice. Also my brain is going so quickly it is like a cheap watch. Anywhoo I had a good listen to Radio 7 and the world service so it's not all bad.

I am off to Cube again latter this afternoon for an hour or so, which will be great, I love their studio it is so tasty.

I am off to the Ballet this Saturday, I have never been before and I am really looking forward to it. With most things I sort of know what to expect before I go, with this I have absolutely no idea. So Romeo and Juliet in Ballet, let’s hope I am not like Martin and I actually get something out of it other than pink Jelly Babies.


I have been thinking about the last few chats I had with Matt, we used to spend many hours talking about most things in life and as you chat you tend to say many personal things that become a confidence between you. Matt was a very good listener, I hope I was for him. I suffer from depression and Matt had suffered as well and we shared how to deal with it. We also shared about various parts of our life’s and I feel very privileged to have been a part of Matt’s. Matt loved to talk about The Bible and was well read and understood it much better than I do. It was always good fun to talk about a sermon or find a subject that we had differing opinions on and get Matt to open up and really go for it. We had some amazing discussions on the death penalty. Matt was always passionate about how he felt, as I am. We would discuss and put our arguments to each other, go off and eat or even meet up for a lunchtime curry and chat away often for more than the "Lunch Hour". Rarely did he lose his temper or get annoyed, he would use his humour to sideswipe an argument. All I will say is he changed my mind about a few things and I hope I planted a few seeds for my side of an argument on his side as I am sure I did.

One of Matt’s other passions was his Mountain bike, he even sold his car so he would actually cycle more, when he came out of an evening for a beer and curry with me he would cycle, I did wonder how he managed to cycle home sometimes, especially after my birthday curry and the Magno?

As the days pass into weeks and the day to day running of life carries on, as it must. I am very slowly accepting the facts. I am understanding that accidents happen and that what happened to Chris and Matt was an accident. It doesn’t stop the questions like why? and as intelligent people I think asking questions is important. God is the only all knowing entity and only he has the answers and one day we will understand. So some questions will go unanswered at this time, God will be there for each of us and will give us no more than we can handle. But please do remember Heidi, Stephen, Viv , Alan and Viv’s Dad Leslie,Chris's Mum Dorothy, Carol, Andrea, Simon, Jarrod and Lois and Chris’s brothers in your Prayers.

Wednesday Pt2

Well I did an hour at Cube, and that was fun. Then I came home and cooked tea, Fajitas Mmmmmm tasty. Then my friend and ex-colleague Richard O’Hagan called in on his way back home to Nottingham from taking his wife Panda to Heathrow. They are emigrating to Beijing, and I have bought his CDR for church. He is a brave bunny, I hope to one day Pop over to see him.

Well my brain is still in a muddle and I guess it will be for a few more weeks yet, I have never actually felt like this I feel like I maybe going through a midlife crisis? I don't know? I am in a place where I am questioning where I am and what I want out of my future. I guess at 42 I am allowed to have a midlife crisis, I just didn’t think it would be bought on as quickly as this I would also know a little more of it coming on.

A quiet few days

The past couple of days have been quiet and ok, I have been slowly catching Man Flu (thanks everyone for that)

Yesterday day I took it easy and did some CD duplication for Sunday and then cooked tea for Mrs EB and Heidi, then chatted until quite late with Mrs EB and Heidi, a very nice evening, apart when the moggies decided fight each other? I’ll go into that in another posting.

I am working for a few hours this afternoon at Cube (a production house that use me when their producer is away) which is wonderful, but I am still think I want to use my talents for God.

Calling

So I am in a brain muddle wondering what I should be doing next, and Donald preached on calling last night!!!! I just couldn’t believe it, I tried to listen and take it all in, and for the most part I did. I do try and dedicate each day to God and ask him to use me. I just feel I could use my talents more for him and maybe even earn some money doing it, I honestly believe that God gave me the talents I have as a sound engineer and I really would like to use them for the Glory of him? Or maybe I have some other ministry to offer?

It was a nice weekend: Saturday was spent in Brum and we got Mrs EB a IPod (an early Christmas prezzie, yes Robbie and Rudolph you will still be needed at Christmas). Then in the Evening Al and Jen came round and we had a Disney marathon of 3 films.
Sunday was Church day and we went out for a nice lunch with Lou and Martin to the Green Man I had Liver and Bacon mmmmmmm tasty. After church Heidi and I went for McD’s urghhh not very tasty, I think I really need to be in a McD mood, then on to see the Bishop and a beer. Shelagh was so busy yesterday as well she was leading Worship in Church, which was excellent and complimented Donald’s service to a T, then she left the Bishop early to do her presentation for this morning and didn’t finish that till after midnight.

Well this is a new week and God will be at the heart of it.