Friday

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while. I have been depressed and I have also been a little busy, up and down to the boat.
Work...well not much to report, in fact nothing at all this week. I have two days next week which is great.

It's been one of those weeks. Some highs some lows. The best thing was I went to see the practise sister and my Doc at the GP's on Wednesday and was told I am doing mega well with my diet and looking after myself and my Diabetes seems to be under control. My Blood Sugar has dropped, so has my blood pressure and cholesterol.

I took a visitor from Rwanda to see the boat today and we went for a short trip, though it was cold and started to rain and Celestine found that a bit much and left me on my own as he went inside. We are taking my Mum and Dad out on Saturday with a niece and nephew of mine which will be really nice.

I have not had a lot of work these past few months and it is quite depressing...I had a call on Friday from the company in Coleshill that book me when their producer is away asking if I was free 1st to 5th October. I said yes..I felt like saying let me check my diary and rustling some paper (lol) .
whilst gardening/ ungardening yesterday I had a call from the company confirming Thursday and Friday with a celeb VO and a massive mixing session and also to quote a outside recording session in Lancashire.
I have say today I ache in my shoulders, back and my knees my Mum just phoned to tell me my Dad who is over 70 has gone to work on two houses he is fixing up for some builders!!!! That man is totally amazing.

Well the two chairs have just arrived only the Hi-Fi to come and I can pop up and take them to the boat.

another update

Last week I was visited by Jim the sign writer and I told him what we wanted and he said what he could do. Yesterday he emailed me a plan of what he can do. (The colours are just for show on the diagram) We are going to have cream writing and a light blue highlight I think.

I am supposed to be doing the drive with Dad today, my dad ordered a skip for this, this morning and he refused to deliver it, saying there was too much hardcore and he wouldn’t leave it on the road outside my house? We phoned another company, they came and delivered the skip and after an exhausting day cleared the drive!!!! I am so tired now it isn't funny.

We had a nice weekend on the boat and took her out to Acton Trussell for a short run, we are both a little more confident in steering her now, we have ordered the comfy seats for the saloon/living area of the boat and we have also now ordered the Hi-Fi as well. Once all these bits in and we have some nice weather we will look forward to inviting and receiving visitors

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.

It has been a mixed few days: I had a little job from Kenya and I was at Church this afternoon looking after the sound at a funeral/thanksgiving service. Tonight I am suposed to be at church again for a little get together for the Seconds Thoughts mission. I seem to have no energy today at all, I have felt off for a few days and the past two days I feel like I have flu but only the achey bones bit and the no energy.

I guess I may trundle upto church for an hour later but I really don't feel like it. I just want to go to bed and sleep....

Suprised? no

Little Madeleine McCann went missing some 4 months ago. No trace of her has really been seen again. My heart goes out to her parents and grandparents. The news coverage has been up there all the time thanks to Gerry and Kate's tenacity. What actually happened that night only one or two people actually know and I hope and pray one day that the truth will come out. What has amazed me is the feeling of total shock from family and friends that Gerry and Kate are prime suspects? I cannot believe that it has taken all this time to officially make them prime suspects.

Here are the facts that are know:-

A Child has gone missing from an unsupervised home.
The Parents are the last known people to have actually seen that Child.

Ask any detective and he will tell you, the last known person to see a victim holds vital clues and will nearly always know something about what has happened. I am not saying that they know what has happened to little Maddy, but I am also not surprised that they are prime suspects either. In this crazy world we live in anything is possible and evil and horrid things happen every day. I truly hope and pray that Maddy is found alive and unharmed, as the months plod on this seems less and less likely.

1 year...so quick and so long, and very emotional.

12 months ago today I was on a ferry crossing from Malta to Gozo for a days diving when I recieved a call from Mission Team Leader, it was a call that has changed my life. Not in the same way it has changed Mrs FLN or Timelord or Teapot, but it has had a massive effect on me.

I am sort of OK today, I have kept myself busy and have called Mrs FLN to see if she needed anything. I feel sort of shell shocked today and very sad and heart broken again. I can hear my friends talking to me laughing and pulling my leg as they always did. I really wish they were here to do it...though that is the selfish me wanting that...as they are in Glory and I really miss them.

Sorry this blog is not very well written, it's just my feelings put down as they came between the tears and heartbreak.

I am sat on "The Robber Button" in the marina, it's a beautiful day, it's warm, blue skys, loads of ducks quacking and various other birds tweeting and flying past. All is right with world....well it isn't but all seems to be.

I have been so busy doing things these past few weeks, getting the house ready to sell, and buying the boat that last year seems so far away, yet it is just a milli-second away. Where we are moored it is actually not that far away from the where it all happend, and in only a few days time it is 1 year? In one way it still doesn't seem real, in another it feels like only a few weeks ago I was eating a curry with Matt and Chris, in another way it seems so long ago when I last chatted with them.

I just don't know how I feel at the moment? I don't have the words to express it. I know both Chris and Matt would have loved the boat and I would have loved having them on board, but there is no way I would have let Chris take the tiller after hearing how he nearly sank one narrow boat.

So much to say:

Friday we went to Braunston and took over "The Robber Button" Huzah!!!!! It was a day spent traveling; Mr EB Snr and his friend Ron took us to the Marina, showing them the boat, unloading the car of bedding and other bits and bobs. Kettle (to be found out is a no no on narrow boats, use the gas it saves the batteries!!!. A toaster....again a no no, use the gas grill. Clothes etc. We spent time sorting things and learning where to put stuff. (Space is of a premium on a small boat)

Saturday we did our day course with James, it was 7 hours of far to much info, but between us we have gleamed a little info. Who would have thought you would need to know so much info for a such a slow boat? We both felt this was a day we needed to do, it was like having a massive driving lesson, it took us through the basics and, wel,l we needed it. When we said good-bye to James and carried on we felt a little scared but it was OK.

Sunday; Mrs EB and I did our own thing for the day; it was a tough day and we did have a few problems that we solved in our own way. We did 11 locks at Atherston and also about 12 miles of canal. This may not seem much but at a max of 4 mph and when passing a moored boat 1 mph, it can a long time. I think we eventually moored up at 6pm-ish. Mr and Mrs EB Snr picked us up Mrs EB and left me alone, Mrs EB was coming back with a few we left behind, then going home again as she had work in the morning. I went out for a walk along the towpath looking for some sticks and logs to burn on the woodburner. I couldn't find any, but bumped into a fellow boater, he gave me a big log and an axe!!!! after a while he said actually I have a brand new chain saw inside...and he did!!!! and he cut up some logs for me. I took my logs back and took him a few bottles of beer as a thank you. My neighbour for the night saw I needed some logs and also gave some...this was just wonderful and even though I didn't know these guys they both showed the true meaning of love. When Mrs EB arrived back she could hardly believe I had a wonderful log fire burning.

Monday, I was on my own and I sailed for nearly 11 hours on my own I did 5 locks and I was just totally worn out by the end of the day. The highlight of the day was seeing a King Fisher flying past me. The low point hitting a bridge ( I was tired and well it just happened!!!) I also saw the other side of boaters. I pulled in at Fradley Junction in a mooring and was just about to have a small break and wait for Mrs EB when a chap arrived at my boat and was really grumpy and very rude and told me to move my boat as it was his mooring, and he said he needed in a few hours time? I explained I was on my own and was just waiting for my wife to arrive...well I moved on. and carried on up to Kings Bromely far to tired to manover the narrow boat. I moored up oposite a warf.

Tuesday; The next morning I spoke to warf owner and asked him to mix up some paint and he said I could moor up on his warf...(A nice person) Whilst doing this a lady, Margaret, helped me...she had been boating for over 30 years...I helped her move some logs and she showed me her old boat. A friend from church arrived to help me for the day, he has had a boat for years and he loved sailing mine. I took over to take her into the marina.


Wedesday; I spent at the marina with a chap called Carl from Braunston, he was sent over to fix a few snags I had found en-route. A really nice guy who told me about the toaster and kettle!!! I also started to paint the inside of the water tank, (it was starting to rust as it has sat with a bit of water in for a very long time) I ended up with a lot of water proof paint on me!!! and now I cant get it off!!! and I have even more to do tomorow. After this busy day I headed for church as the new sound desk had arrived and needed to be fitted before Thursday so I can set it for Sunday and have music group arround for the practise.

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