Enforced hiatus

After saying I would get back to posting regularly, once again, a long break, but it's not my fault, I've been a guest of the NHS.

My appendix went, bloody painful it was too. I was lucky enough to have a private room for my stay, and through all the horror stories of the NHS, I have nothing but praise for the level of care I received. The only downside was that the food was minging, but as I was on nil by mouth for a fair while, it was no great hardship.

I've never had a general anasaetic before, and I'll be in no great hurry for another, that and the morphine afterwards made me feel like shit. I couldn't have keyhole surgery as the appendix was behind my bowel, so I've ended up with a whacking great scar, but fair do's to the surgeon, it's very neat.

So, now I'm recovering at home, can't drive, can't do sodding anything, and I am bored shitless.

Checking in

I'm alive.

Very much so.

Made mental note to self, must start blogging again.

The puppy in the photo is now just gone one, and stark raving bonkers, but adorable. Her energy levels are remarkable, so she gets loads of walks and also goes running with A a few times a week. Seems to do the trick as she spends most of the evening passed out in front of the fire. The ginger boy remains hugely uninpressed as does his partner in purrs.

Had a pretty good summer. We had a good week in a very rural and untouristy part of northern Portugal. Big quiet beaches and great swimming. Due to the rest of the summer weather being shite, apart from our weekend at The Big Chill, we decided we needed more sun, so spent the half term just gone in a quaint farmhouse on the island of Gozo. A bit pricey, but great to get some sun and sea swimming when it's constantly pissing down here.

My work life couldn't be better. Just had my best year since starting, and hopefully moving to new premises.

We're still going through the arse achingly wanky business of trying to sell our house. It does somewhat bring you to the conclusion that there's a fair few people who are in general, rather cunty. We've now lost two houses that we wanted to buy through not having sold ours. It's difficult because our criteria limits us, we want to stay in the village we live in, in a bigger house. Lots of reasons, the main one being we're all happy there which I think is a biggy.

Boy number 1 continues to shine. House captain and school prefect. Don't know where those genes came from. Neither his mother nor I were ever considered remotely responsible enough for such lofty positions. Boy 2 is still gorgeous, and still doing his best to give the local teaching profession collective nervous breakdowns. More of that at another time.

I might even see if I can get back to a few posts a week.

Blimey.

This gorgeous woofa is the latest addition to the Gumpher household. She's been here since November. Officially she's a Sprocker, although I prefer Cockspring.

The ginger chap, as you may tell from his expression, remains mightily unimpressed.

And as the six nations starts this weekend, Wales, by feckin loads, hear me now .

My youngest son takes on an almost zen like state when he's flying a kite, and being a five year old, can say things that make life seem so much better.

'Y,know Dad, this is the life, just you and me, flying a kite on Bredon hill'.

I'll be away from here for a bit. I've been dipping in and out, which is not how I want to blog.

Lots on the mind.When I start blogging again, I'll be clear.

'Sup, as the kids said. Years ago.

What to blog and when to blog it. I have lots to express ( none of it breast milk) but at the moment this is not the place to let it out, for my own foolishness.

Ahem.

Life is odd, and I'm not in the best place. I've cocked my frontal quad again, which means no sport, and that gets me arsey, a kind of locked up feeling.

I have a work problem. A few years ago ( look at the archives, if you truly can be arsed) I sold a business which I'd had in partnership with another chap for a few years. I made a few key mistakes.

We sold the premises. Pure twatishness. New business park, designed by me ,next to the M5. Oh, the joys of hindsight. But , we both felt the need for the clean break, and taking the money.

Then, I took a long time off. Mortgage, family, a few expensive holidays, as our colonial cousins say, you do the math. Chuck a couple of nice cars in, and some work to the house, and, adios. You forgot the tax bill, you fucking retard.

New business, one fantastic client. One, I hear you cry, nope, they rely on me as much as I do on them. But a few years in, it's all odd. They're an oil company, the place to be in these times.

I wanted to be at home more, with A and the boys, pulling reasonable money. But now I'm pulling more than reasonable money, but struggling. Working too hard, getting as stressed as I was before.

What a fucking whinge.

But so ?

I can make choices, and I'm not sure that I make the right ones sometimes.

I'm not that happy, although I should be, and I don't know the reason for this.

I'm usually very positive, and very in control, but my mind is partial to distractions that probably are not that good for me at this time

I have just had an absolute dog's arsehole of a day.

The situation with boy 2 and school has escalated to a totally unacceptable level ,and A and I are angry and upset. Boy 2 is confused, and unusually unsure. I may blog more when I have collected my thoughts, I might post the letter I've written to the head.

Then my car car broke down, and the hire company have given me a hideously shite and uncomfortable Mundano which I might have to drive to Wigan, Newbury and Stoke.

My fucking Blackberry has just dinged three times on the email bleep, and I really can't be arsed to look.

I've just finished story time with the boys, and am sat here on my jack, as A has gone to the cinema with chums.

To cheer myself up, I'm going to do something spiffy with scallops and chorizo and swill it down with a Chilean Sauvignon.

To get some perspective back, one of my closest pals mum has finally succeeded in drinking herself to death at the age of 57.

Happy days.

Yay, we've finally got a date sorted out for a holiday. Back to Portugal this year, the wallet won't take another trip to Thailand.

We're going to try the Silver Coast, just above Lisbon for a change. Found a tidy looking villa with a big pool in a small town about ten minutes from the coast. Should be off mid August. hopefully we'll be able to manage a few days in Italy as well. I love the lakes, stunning scenery, and swimming in Lake Como is bliss.

Two more days in Peterborough and then it's finished. Final fit out tomorrow, and then meet the client on Monday for the handover. No more up and down the A14. Delivered bang on time, and sort of on budget . Will now be swapping A14 for M5, as we started a six week project in Cornwall.

Fucking Cornwall, in July and August. I may get stuck in the odd jam. Much as I am fortunate to have such a fantastic client, I wish they'd buy a company closer to home, just once. It's Wigan next. Now that is some kind of shit hole. Sorry if anyone's from Wigan, but Paris in the spring it ain't