My Blues Party and Pig 'n' Truffle memories...

Here it is (it is now tomorrow)- the rest of the last blog entry freshly cut and pasted from my lap-top for your amusement!

Well so much to tell you. But will leave most of it out because it is the same old same old meeting friends and relatives, late nights catching up with gossip, cooking, eating stuff everyone does every.. day. I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you!

It was nice to go to Derbyshire for the day (in the snow!) It was the furthest we'd been (not including hospital trips by train(s) to Newcastle of course) post-transplant. I was glad we had the SatNav to get us there and back.

We went to see the Dakin family whose offspring Emma and Mark and I have known each other since we have been born (if you need to know how long that is, cut one of us open and count the rings.)

I hadn't seem Emma since her wedding about nine years ago and Mark since my dad's funeral in 2004. I cant believe Emma is married with kids, so grown up!

VILLIANS OF THE WEEK : The Express & Star

Life as a 'freelance' can be tough folks. This is why as soon as the docs give me the all-clean I am finding a staff job!

The E&S asked me to do some columns for them from September when they relaunched the Cannock Chase edition of the paper. NB They asked ME

It got to December and I STILL hadn't been paid for any one of them, despite me giving them lof of stuff for free including exclusives on Robbie Willams, my double-lung transplant, the death of my dad and village events.

I got an e-mail on NEW YEAR'S EVE saying 'Jim Wildman,(?) the Stafforshire news editor has decided we didn't agree to take you on so there will be no payment.'

I am an ex full-time employee who left the company on a good note to go travelling (I even sent them stories back from Australia).

THEY asked ME to write some features for them. They decided the would 'take me on' as a freelance when they USED MY ARTICLES and described me as an 'Express & Star columnist' in stories they wrote about my transplant.

They have had the sales and the interest they generated. They have had the benefit. Now they have decided NOT to pay me.

If a council had not paid a disabled person for services they provided if would be front page stuff for the Express & Star. Grrrrr. These people need to learn respect.

It's a fine way to show loyalty eh? One more thing- On the e-mail it had the gall to wish me Happy New Year!!!!

I am not letting this lie and have a meeting with some people in Cannock next week who I will be taking advice from. It seems I am not the only one being conned.

I am recovering from a life-threatening operation. I DON'T NEED THIS It was less than two months ago I had the set-back an almost died (again!) - Angst over!

New Year's Eve. I hosted a (oh how appropriate) 'Beat The Blues' party and I wasn't up to doing all of it myself so had to enlist mum to be my kitchen skivvy. I felt like Gordon Ramsay!

People had to dress in blue. I burned everyone a CD with every track having 'blue' in the title. We had indoor sparklers and blue glow sticks

Starters were hot Indian snacks courtesy of Asda which just needed heating. But I did make some vegetable crispy things; sliced carrots/beetroot/courgette etc roasted in oil.

With the help of Delia's cookbook I managed a chicken in creamy sauce topped with melted cheese on a bed of avocado and roast vegetables.

The pudding was creme fraise and yoghurt whipped together over a base of fresh fruit, topped with brown sugar and left in the cool overnight.

There were the 3Cs;chocolate, cheese and coffee to finish.

It wasn't rocket science (which doesn't exist as a science anyway and have any of you tried eating it?) but people seemed to like it.

I did a quiz of the year with stupid prizes and we played carpet bowls and croquet.

I was SO glad the nine of us got on and there weren't TOO many silences. It's hard to get the mix and numbers right on occasions such as this.

It was a chance for people who didn't know each other to get to know each other a little bit better and people I didn't know well, like Jimbo's fiance Judy to get to know me.

Respect to Caroline who didn't mind sleeping with my guitar, amp and clothes.

OH...I will say a big thank you on-line for everyone who sent me such nice Xmas pressies and wished me good luck for the coming year.

Healthwise. Things seem to be on an even keel at the moment. I have ups and downs, mood swings and side effects, but these I know are due to the high doses of drugs I’m on.

I try and walk around Castle Ring Ancient Monument most days. Most of the time I am going out to the shops or walking round a town anyway.

Among the hellos this time are Louise from Tudor Tunes.

(I used to know this girl from about six years ago when my friends and I iused to have night outs in Lichfield. We always had to start at the Pig and Truffle because I had a crush on her!

I saw her just before Christmas. She was helping out over the Xmas period in Lichfield She hasn't changed a bit. How does she do that? I hope she has a beautiful life going on. Pleasant people deserve that.

Also Hannah (My Sheffield friend who is very sweet and whose pics I will add to my photo site asap) Akbar (Happy New Year. We must have a lads night in sometime!!!) and the ever-lovely Uttoxeter Laura who I PROMISE to meet up with as soon as I am a little better and can venture to Brum.

Mr H, (sorry to hear your news) And last but not least Jo, who reads the blog from the USA and had a double lung transplant 8 years ago..WOW!

Please enjoy some New Year piccie! …Oh yes. To answer your questions NO I still don't know if pixie Park Gate Kate is a Blogette so stop asking me! I will post the answer when I know. Lol

Follow on from last week's incident: Remember Miss C that ANYONE can send a romantic text message - he has to back it up with actions and emotions! That's two of my female friends heading for a fall now. And I cannot do anything about it without interfering. :(

Celebrity Big Brother – do you think they can find some 'celebrities' we have heard of this time please! How about Bart Simpson, Victoria Beckham, Lassie, Camilla Parker Bowles, Scooby Doo and Joe Mangle! I'd watch it! 'To evict Posh text...'

MUSIC: Rufus Wainwright, Daft Punk, The Editors, White Stripes, Depche Mode, Mylo
To see Xmas and N.Year pics CLICK
To email me click