Spa Wars

Hello!

Well it has been another busy one (am I sounding like a stuck record, or is there really a stuck record in the background - or it is a scracth DJ - for yes, I went to see one (of the latter!)

But first I went to Newcastle on Monday - I took the train and wished I did it like this all the time - two changes and I still got up there quicker than car - and cheaper!

Not that the latter matters because I can clam the costs back....

I met Sarah by the Earl Grey (Gray?) monument in 'The Toon' and we went back to hers where her mum and brother arrived to help her move house.....

Then we had pizza and chatted about our forthcoming holiday in Suffolk ! The cottage is sorted and the spa day almost so - Did you know a 'lovers' deal is cheaper than two seperates - so pretend people and you will save!

But there seems to be a confusion at the venue about what we actually booked....Hmmmmm. I may have to play the jounro card when I arrive....

On Tuesday I had the usual tests and my lung capacity had risen again (only slightly this time - but it is still going in the right direction!) They may start me on nebulisers soon though...

The transplant outpatients waiting room was full of people with sniffled and I think I may be coming down with something....If I do I will complain to the hospital and their stupid waiting policy.

I got back to Widnes on an earlier train which I shared with an orthodox jew, a muslim family (we used to call them moslems and muslims were only the black ones at college) and a drunk squaddie (who was from Rugeley!) - who kept taling about his wars!

Well it could have been worse, the last time I was on the train I got a man chatting for hours about his warts and ailments.....

FORCED to go to dinner at The Unicorn the recover ! lol

Busy day taking pictures as getting stuff out of the way. I went to a gig by MC Rory O and DJ Rasp at.....Ditton Library...

The camera was playing up and so I only managed to get one picture....It was annoying as my pictures are getting in more and more of the papers....

Well Sarah comes over tonight and we aim to get very drunk - may see some of you at t'pub!

Donny Kebab!

Hello,

It is Sunday night and I am NEVER drinking again.....well at least for a week!

On Saturday I went up to Doncaster to see my old college friend Darren. We went to see Doncaster Rovers lose to AFC Bournmouth (inc Darren Anderton) at the Keepmoat Stadium, before hitting the town...REALLY hitting it!

We decided after some food to do a pub crawl taking in the sights and sounds of Donny - vowing to do a different drink in each place...

We danced at Flares (to 70s) and Reflex (to 80s music) met some bizarre people and did more than 16,000 steps on the pedometer...

I was disappointed there was no food shop called the 'Donny Kebab' in the town!

Got to bed about 4am....

Sunday we went for a roast at the local Toby Inn and wandered around trying to shake off the lethargy.... Now home.....tired....need bath......

Heron back

Hello Folkettes,

Busy week as usual. Hope you liked the owls - I was entranced!

I am doing gig avoidance at the moment, avoiding Stafford last weekend to avoid V - the latest of my plan to avoid as many festivals as possible this year...

On Saturday I went to the stadium for my physio and then to Willenhall for a curry with Erik, Diana and Mark (althought he was obviously asleep!)

I was meant to play cricket (again!) on the Sunday - but it was rained off. It did man I was able to go to Derek's 81st b'day - At Rugeley Power Station Club...

I seem to go from power station to power station - with Rugeley and Fiddlers Ferry don't I?

We saw a pair of herons at Rugeley - which was lovely. The whole area reminds me of a long-forgotten Eastern European factory site....

I left in plenty of time to avoid the V traffic on M6 and M62... I was thinking about leaving first thing Monday instead - but that would have meant missing my Monday morning swim...

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Owlin' mad PR officer

Bloggettes,

How be ye? Well I thought if I put my job title on the top of this blog I would more likely to get more hits - and I bet it works.

I have just got back from 'thee Asda' - Friday night shopping is strange. I thought the supermarket would be empty - but it seems to be quite a social occasion - very bizarre. Hmmmm. I suppose it is safer than the nightlife..

I am now drinking Guiness, watching Midsomer Murders with the sound off, listening to the Grinderman album and chatting on MSM - how middle aged I have suddenly become!

Press officer life is busy this week (as ever) - with the usual press enquiries to deal with, statements to put out and the usual of getting as much free publicity for events coming up and things the council is doing, without having to pay for advertising....

It has been a hard week to get much stuff out this week as so many people are off - holiday central. And not long til I go to the Suffolk cottage with Sarah.

We are going to book ourselves into a spa day and get pampered for the day down there.....

Anyway, Fridays are odd as the papers are winding down for the weekend so there are fewer enquiries and its just really spent getting background to stuff I want to push next week.

I suppose in the the days before councils had PR departments officers would be tied up for hours on press enquiries and not get their normal jobs done...

It is hard to imagine a council not having a website now isn't it?

Inside Halton - our magazine which goes to all residents is also about to go to the printers.

One of the more pleasant things I had to do this week was take some pictures of some birds of prey at a Runcorn school....Fantastic creatures... (the birds, not the kids!)

I have been continuing with the exercise - despite feeling a bit run down this week. I feel much better if I do go swimming or play table tennis.....

But by the end of the week (ie now) feel like death warmed up...Tell me a solution...

Talking of medical matters I had to have blood taken this week - I had to not eat or drink for 12 hours beforehand...

Then had blood taken and had to walk to the post office and post it to Newcastle myself...

I got some strange looks when I went in and asked for an envelope to post off some blood.... Shocked some poor pensioners in the queue!

Well no rest for the wicked - Time for more coffee - Fridays drag! Busy weekend ahead which I will fill you all in on next week.

Pixie Luv!



Boo!

Whiskey in the Jar

Hello Bloggettes,

Unusual pic eh? It was one of Katrin taken a couple of weeks ago - on the cricket pitch in Cannock Wood (but don't worry lads, we weren't on the square)..

I almost played cricket today. Since the rejection I haven't been able to run so I would just be standing in slips or something - but it would have been a psychological steop forward - But Gaz got the dates wrong and had me in the team for NEXT week... Well it's another excuse fo coming back to Staffs and drinking I suppose!

I must work out how NOT to be totally whacked by Sunday though - I need to dins NRG from somewhere- Can one bid for it on eBay??

How is it going? Another Sunday evening and doing anything to avoid unpacking after a long weekend away - so am even updating the blog...Gosh I must be bored eh?

Thanks for the emails - glad some of you listened in to hear me on Radio Merseyside - I have yet to hear it as it was live and I didn't get to the ISDN line in time to record it as well...

On Thursday I thought I had a doctors' appointment to discuss my latest blood tests - I know they will be odd results as instead of taking my insulin and not taking my cyclosporin - I did it the wrong way round.....But I arrived and they were shut...Bah!

Thursday after work I packed and set off back to sunny Staffordshire- spent some quality time with Perdy (well one has to doesn't one) and ate real food...

On the Friday I met up with Dan in Walsall (Dan is a press officer (like what I do!) at Walsall Council (like where I used to work) and we 'did lunch'...

When we were journalists we met for drinks at lunchtimes but PR officers 'do lunch'..lol

I wandered around Walsall and asked a loads of places about new mobile phone contracts - bizarrely '3' - who I am with now - wouldn't let me keep the same number...So they are OUT!

In the evening Ian came round and we drank whiskey and talked cricket and music.....

On Saturday I 'did' Stafford - I had some investments that were maturing so went to the Britannia but they couldn't see me til 1.30pm - so had two hours shopping first....

It's that new mortgage time and if I want to 'expand my portfolio' ie but a house in this area - I need to find a good deal....

In the evening was former neighbours' diamond wedding anniversary (60 years!) at the Park Gate...Walked there and back and in the last two days clocked up 10,000 and 9,000 steps on my pedometer.

But, as usual, I felt it on Sunday - not event a triple-CD Goth anthology could keep me from feeling wasted....

MUSIC: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Damned, Laibach, Front 242
BOOK: Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now - Andrew Collins

PS: The Pogues have cancelled their Lichfield gig...Bah
PPS: Those cheating Scousers won...Bah Bah

Pictures from Dave and Sue's Do!!!

Good time had by all!

Pixie Love

Hey,

Just a quickie. 'Pixie Love' is an in-joke with some friends back home and just started hearing it being used in Widnes - in our office - How bizarre.

Well it is Wednesday and I am on a flexi-morning - which doesn't mean I am more flexible than usual and am doing gymnastics but a morning off because I have done too many hours this month..

Flexitime eh? That is something hard-wroking and under-paid journos (like what I was!) just dream about!

I was going to get up late but was awake the usual time so went swimming, did 'Theeee ASDA' and had a bit of a sort out - the problem is I won't have time to finish the sort out so the place looks like a tip!

I AM going to upload some of the masses of pics from the camera onto my laptop later tonight. Well almost time to hear off to the stadium for table-tennis.

Oh yes. I am on Radio Merseyside at 7.35am tomorrow CLICK

And apologies to the mates who have added me on that Facebook thing and I haven't sent them a message yet. I am but a male who cannot multi-task and once Eastenders comes on I am stuck!

Boo!

Blists Hill posse

Hi Bloggettes,

Firstly -I will put the pics from my weekend on the site during the week - patience!

Well it has all been very busy in Mark mansions this week - Workwise if it wasn't gypsies it was the proposed incinerator and if it wasn't that it was Halton's teenage hero.. Publicity is go go.

See - it is ALL happening in Halton...(plug, plug)

It is interesting watching how stories we initiate break, develop and take on a new life of their own.....Very 'organic' - like famers selling dirt-ridden potatoes to townies for twice as much as usual.... There are similarities here!

The public meeting over the plans for INEOS was interesting - more interesting was the view of some of the media that WE control the outcome - despite my statements and releases. Ho hum.

Talking of PR - just finished Max Clifford's book - what an arrogant man...

I had a drink with Steve Kelly from the World on Friday - which was good... Hope he survived the festival in Manchester this weekend.

On Saturday - after my physio at the stadium - I picked up Caroline and we headed for a weekend in rural Shropshire.

Of course I got half was to hers in Sandbach and realised I hadn't got my bank card - M6, M62, M62, M6 and I was back on track...

We got to Holiday Inn in Telford at about 2.30pm and got changed for Dave and Sue's wedding. They live in Ironbridge and got married on their lawn..

It was a 'humanist' ceremony - very interesting and in a lovely setting.... Saw people I knew like Tony and Sarah Moran and Diane Davies..... and met new people too...

Our taxi didn't come so we walked over the bridge and eventually got one from outside a hotel.

Ho hum... The air con in the room didn't work so we had to have the window open and a dog seemed to bark all night...

Was going to go the hotel gym in the morning - but I didn't . Bed was too comfy! We did have a big breakfast - we could have eaten for hours....

The sun was scorching so it seemed a shame to go home so we went to the Victorian Village at Blists Mill... Traditional shops and people in the same vein as the Black Country Museum..

But of course although both Midlands attractions beat the hell off anything they have up north or down south, the Black Country Museum is better in my opinion...

Well. off to steam some fish (and that is not euthanism!)

A bientot...

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