City Centre Shopping

Walking through the City centre tonight I noticed two litter wardens hiding (Ok, standing in a doorway out of the rain) while a few yards away at the entrance to Castlecourt a dose of youths (collective name) were finshing off their chippy carryout and throwing their rubbish on the ground. I suppose the wardens can't be everywhere......

Headed to Tesco's. I'm always giving off to the missus as she always checks behind what ever she buys in case the dates are longer. I spotted a book I wanted, as I lifted it I spotted the same book behind it at a £1 cheaper, maybe she has a point about checking behind stuff?

Hard To Believe

It's incredable, my weight loss is ongoing at full steam. At fat fighters (sorry, Slimming World) this week I had another 7lb off, and for the third week running I was slimmer of the week. It's brilliant, 26 and a half lb off so far.

Long way to go to my target though.....

Re-naming The Soaps

As I'm on the diet I thought I'd put off any birthday celebrating for a while. Instead of going out last night, I stayed in and watched TV (Well, her indoors was watching the soaps while I went onto my laptop to do some surfing) I couldn't help listening to the box. I got to thinking, with whats going on in each of the Monday night Soaps they should be renamed as "Emmerfail", "Coronation Shreak" and it has to be "DepressEnders"...... What about a happy soap for a change? .....

Happy Birthday To Me, Happy Birthday To Me.

Another year notched up on this wonderful world. What more can I say ......

Bond, James Bond

I was watching Casino Royale (For about the 10th time)There is a scene in it were Bond is rushing to save the damsel (As he does) the high speed chase comes to an abrupt end as he sees the girl tied up in the middle of the road and has to swerve to avoid hitting her. In the scene you see James pulling hard right on the steering wheel before you see the car on two wheels as it starts to tumble out of control. Steering wheel hard right throws the car up onto it's nearside wheels (Left hand side) but the next shot is the car on it's offside wheels (Right hand side).... Am I just being to fussy.....

Police Officers in London Rally

I read that Central London grinded to a halt as an estimated 22,500 off duty police officers marched on Parliament...Then I thought I'd research abit to see if I could find out how many were left to safeguard our streets.... Read this from the Telegraph website : Assaults and other non-accidental injuries cost the 51 forces a total of 37,500 days in sick leave last year - the equivalent of more than 100 officers off for a whole year. So there's another heap off, then you take into account those on leave, sports leave, tied up with ongoing investigations. Is it any wonder you hear people complaining about poor police responce ...... I wonder how many criminals took the day off seeing the rally was taking place, or did they go in for a little overtime......

Fridays Buses

For the second Friday in a row I have got on the 11a and it has been driven by a new bread of drivers. The drivers are in their 20s and they actually spoke to their passengers. One helped an old lady on with her shopping and the other even waited until an OAP sat down before pulling away from a bus stop..... How often have you seen that happen? ..... Well done boys.

Jurassic Park

Was walking past Jurassic Park (JDs in Bedford Sreet) and heard an argument going on. Apparently this senior gentleman was standing puffing his brains out in the door way (It was obvious by his swaying he'd had a few) some guy was complaining about him smoking in the doorway. This knight in shinning armour had come to his defence and as I past I heard him say "He's an old man, he'll catch his death of cold if he stands out in the street on a night like this" (A few swear words included)
I got to thinking... Death of cold....how about lung problems from the fags and liver problems from the booze just to name two....

Failing Away To A Mountain

Another 5-1/2 lb off this week ... and they tried to do me out of the 1/2 lb ... but I'm too old a dog to be bit by a pup ....

Umbrella World

I hate having to walk through town when it's raining. It not the rain that I hate but the unconcerning female owners of umbrellas that just always seem to be at my head level as they poke me on their way past. Tonight while going for the bus in the rain I made a observation, it's not just females now, some male members of our species not only use umbrellas but they use umbrellas that can only be decribed as gazebo's on sticks. Emormous golf umbrellas are taking over. Keep them for the golf course guys, unless it's your ego you are trying to keep dry.....

Wet Days

As a driver of a large vehicle in frightens me at times the way some predestrians stand at the side of the road with their feet over the kerb. This can be very dangerous as large vehicles turn junctions. I've noticed that pedestrians keep well back from the kerb when it rains in case they get splashed by passing traffic ..... why can't they just stand back all the time?

Update On New Years Resolutions

Thought I'd blow my own trumpet and give an update on my diet. I've now reached the 1 stone mark and I was "Slimmer of the week" last week.

The first week I lost 8lb and last week I had a further 6lb off. The diet is fantastic with loads to eat. (Including chips)

But, there is a long way to go and I intend to be a good boy and stick to it. "Slimming world" is working for me ..... Ye Ha.

Revenue Gathering

The PSNI (Police Service Northern Ireland) are often accused by motorists of just revenue gathering when it comes to fixed penalty fines for traffic offences. Yeah of course they are, never mind those exceeding speed limits, running through red traffic lights or in some cases using mobile phones to name a few.
If they are in revenue gathering they would collect a fortune at the junction of Bedford Street and Ormenu Avenue.
This sort of thing happens on a daily basis. This morning I was waiting to cross the road at the pedestrian crossing when a car came well through the lights just as the traffic from the other direction started to move. A skip lorry driver had to brake sharply. He put his horn on and when I look up at him he was on his mobile phone ........ A few quid to be gathered there I would say ......

The Eagle Has Landed

Just surfing the Internet and came across a very interesting news article. It is about an
airport operator in the southern Italian port city of Bari who has recruited a golden eagle to help keep the runway free of wildlife.

I personally think this could be a bad idea, check this out "Bird Strike"

The Time Tunnel

I was watching TV last night and saw the trails for BBC 4's cult night. Lost in Space, Land of the Giants, Voyage to the bottom of the Sea, Blake 7 and my favorite of the 60s, The Time Tunnel. What a great nights telly.

Had to laugh, The Time Tunnel episode that was shown was the one were Tony and Doug ended up on the Titanic (What is with time travel, this is the second time within a few weeks that time travelers have ended up on the Titanic) Dr Who, Christmas day and now The Time Tunnel.

New Year Resolutions

To start the new year off I've made a resolution to lose weight. I've joined a slimming class. I was asked why I wanted to lose weight "Apart from the fact I'm fat" I asked?
Inside me there is a thin person trying to get out (Just the one I hear you ask) I will try my best and give it a good go. Hopefully by next Christmas my Santa suit will be too big for me.
That reminds me, did you hear about the dyslexic devil worshiper? He sold his soul to Santa!

Holiday TV

Thought I'd add the movie channels to my TV package for the holidays. Getting them was an experience. I had to speak to somebody thousands of miles in another country and make myself understood (Not easy) so they can send a signal to a few miles away from me to get me the movies. (Great system) Between normal TV and Satellite channels I'm still trying to workout which of the two were worse.
Doctor Who and the Titanic. Oh come on, have the program makers forgotten that 1500 people lost their lives in the tragedy? What next, the doctor onboard the Hindenburg or worse) Talking about time travel, I was cutting the ham late on Christmas eve and thought I'd listen to the radio. I nearly slipped with the electric knife when I tuned into the Ulster Orchestra's St Patrick's Days Concert. (No, It's not an old radio I have) Outstanding Christmas eve listening.
Meanwhile Christmas in soapsville was as believable as the doc on the Titanic.
On the movie channels I thought Pirates of the Caribbean had to be the best, other than that, nothing else worth watching. (The funny thing about that, I have the DVDs)

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR 2008

To One and all

More Car Parks

Foolishly agreed to go shopping. It's madness in every car park but I found the one from hell today. Marks & Sparks at the AbbeyCentre.....
The car Park was full and it was lashing down, at one stage it looked like a Scalextric track. the same cars going around and around with no where to park. This blonde (Honest) driving a big merc van abandoned it in a part of the car park which then glogged up. I noticed a lady trying to get out of a space but was hampered with the merc van. I saw this as an opportunity sent from above. So I went to her rescue (I could have her space) I stopped my car which stopped every other on behind me, and I got out in the pouring rain and directed the lady out (40 cuts later) she stopped to thank me and while she was telling me how wonderful I was this clampet came from the other direction straight into the empty space.... I was gutted (And soaked) I just decided to join the race again ..... found a space after about 20 minutes ..... crazy, never again

Junction 1

Took a trip down to Junction 1 @ Antrim, just to get out of the house. Needed to walk off the turkey and ham I'd been eating over the past couple of days. The car park was mad, as I thought it would be. I have to say I was disgusted with Junction 1 management for letting a truck take up 4 disabled spaces. The car park was full and I saw drivers with disabled badges on their cars having to park away from the main shopping area as all spaces were taken. Do Junction 1 management not know the disabled spaces are not only to enable people to park close to the shopping area but also are wide enough to assist people who have difficulty getting in and out of their vehicle. The truck was arcade type entertainment wagon, I'm sure it could have parked in another location close by and not in the disabled spaces. I suppose at the end of the day it's down to money.

The Spirit of Christmas

I've heard a couple of stories over Christmas that made me smile. I'm sure there are loads of stories of the spirit of Christmas and how people did something for someone else. (Without reward) The first story is closer to home.
A lady went to Forestside to do her Christmas food shopping and became sick. A other lady stepped forward and asked if she had a shopping list (Which she did) and the lady then went and got the shopping for her. Many of us would have went to the sick Lady's aid, but how many of us would have went that extra bit? (Well done missus)
The second story I read about online. It's tell the story of a Leeds business man who bought a load of snow off Ebay. He got them to deliver the snow to a local childrens hospice. (Well Done Sir)

I just love Christmas.

Christmas Shopping

I went walking into town yesterday at lunchtime to get a quick Christmas gift for someone. It was like a scene from a horror movie. Women (Who, can be aggressive shoppers at the best of time) seem to transform into zombies this time of year and will walk over anyone who is unfortunate enough to get in between them and the item they want. I was pushed and shoved by these undead and not an excuse me or sorry came out of there mouths. Groups of them gathered outside shops to check their receipts causing even more obstructions on the footpath. Waited on the bus home after work only to be met by the Grinch driving it. (Surely by the laws of averages I'll meet a pleasant bus driver soon) Loads of the undead were waiting at the bus stop with their many shopping bags. Have you ever tried to sit beside someone on the bus who is holding around six shopping bags ...... crazy .... and they won't move and give you a look that would sour milk.... AGHHHH
I was so glad to get home after such an experience.

Ikea Comes To Town

Agreed to go and see the new Ikea today. I think everyone else in the city had the same idea. Before we had parked the car I was regretting it. Noticed a police car, police van, and 2 police motorcycles sitting outside the main door, I thought maybe they were refurbishing some station, the car had the guy's who were picking the stuff, the van was to deliver it and the bike's would escort the van. I was wrong, apparently they were there for crowd control. I never seen a single peeler inside. On holiday in Florida when I went to pick up the rental car only the driver was allowed into area for getting the car. That idea should be put into practice in other area's of shopping. I recon family's just came out (Dad, Mum six kids) to hamper people who really wanted to buy goods (Yes I bought shelving) some kids were running mad setting off door alarms while their parents just stood there and smiled. Come on guy's control your little monsters. By the way, I never did find out the real reason for so many police vehicles at Ikea?

Christmas Parade

Had to get some eats in, so off to the new (Refurbished) Tescos at Ballygo. What a surprise when I got out of the car I could here bands playing from somewhere near. I thought, 15th December and a band parade? then I remembered a band parade is not only for July. (As a pet is not only for Christmas) and I never heard a single Christmas tune being played.
Then some of the band members descended into Tescos (Their millies following close behind) for their Saturday night specials. Me I continued following the master shopper. I thought, shopping is like snakes and ladders, you start off, go up all the isles and at some point you have to retrace your steps to pick up something that was passed over in the first place then back on the ladder again until the next time. I HATE SHOPPING

Home

Arrived into Gatwick at 07.40. Not a bad flight but as usual I never slept. As we got in early we thought we would try and bump on an earlier flight. Went to the Flybe desk and asked if any chance. Of course, but it will cost you £131 each, needless to say, we waited on our 16.45 flight. By the time we got home it was ZZZZZZ time.