I was/am a winner

After getting the Mazda 6 last year I joined the UK's owners club/forum ( see ) and at Christmas they had a give-away draw. Originally there were to be 3 prizes, but at the last minute a 4th prize was announced. Well I got the 4th prize, £40 to spend in the clubs shop on merchandise. I opted for a T-shirt and fleece and I am highly delighted with them, so here are some pictures...





Excuse the glum expression - I was concentrating on taking the selfie with a newly acquired selfie stick.

So why is this 'big news'? Simply because I never win anything of note. I remember winning a Scalextric F1 set when I was about 10 years old, and have had x3 wins of £10 on the lottery and that is about it. So I am chuffed to Larry with my Mazda6 Owners Club T-shirt and fleece.

Anyway - I promise no more selfies for a while...

Progress update

Been busy trying to make things happen so thought I'd share my progress to date against my targets for 2015:

1) The decorating - a job I hate, but walls sanded and filled, 3 coats of white silk emulsion applied to ceiling and all walls. That has been followed up by Primrose White silk emulsion applied to all walls. All of the 'cutting in' on corners and wall to ceiling is complete, just a short bit to do on wall to skirting board. That leaves finishing off round the window (the recess) and all the gloss work. Ceiling rose and light fixture to stay, have purchased but not yet fitted the light switch and wall power sockets (x3 twin plug).

2) A new entry - we have decided to go to Italy for a short break at the end of March to celebrate our birthdays. Flights & hotel all booked and paid for so Lake Garda here we come.

3) Canada trip - deposit paid on flights and car hire. Of the 13 nights over there 12 are accommodation booked with just one night on Vancouver Island to be booked.

4) In order to make both of those trips I have had to renew my passport. Why do passport photos make you look so damned ugly? Is it because I am so damned ugly? No comments please.

So that is the update, back again soon.

General Election - May 2015

Already there's a lot of media attention of the next General Election even though it isn't until 7th May 2015. This is focused on trying to decide which of the 2 main parties is 'telling the truth'.

My view is that the government will always be composed of self serving, power and wealth seeking liars who twist words and meanings. We, the voters, must stop having short term memories and must force change so that the national government make better decisions for us, the voters, the tax payers, the people of this country.

It doesn't matter who you vote for, it matters that you vote. Vote for any political party that is NOT Labour or Conservative. As long as either of those two parties are in power there can and will be NO CHANGE. People vote for the 2 big parties not because they are the best, but because they are afraid of CHANGE. Many people say they want change but they are just sheep staying within the flock. Labour got us into this mess and brought on the recession. The Tories don't care for anyone that earns less that £100k per annum, is influential in business or banking or contributes massively to their party funds. They are happy to pay nurses 1% and take 11% for themselves funded by robbing firemen's and NHS staff pension funds. Vote for change, vote for another party. Just vote.

Some will have it that this approach is just a protest vote and advocate voting for UKIP. My view is that it is only a protest vote if it is a small percentage of the voters. It is a real vote for change, and a vote of 'no confidence' if the majority of voters participate. Imagine how change proactive the 2 main parties would become if they both ended up behind 1, 2 or 3 other parties. I am not advocating UKIP. I am advocating change. But at the end of the day what is most important that people vote. In some countries it is illegal to not vote, they should introduce that to England/UK. Millions dies in 2 World Wars so that we could vote - so just do it!

New Year resolutions

I am not one for making and then breaking new year resolutions, however, I do like to set some targets for the year. So here are some of the things I'd like to see done / achieved in 2015:

1. Our second bedroom has been vacated by Andrew moving out into his own home. Having cleared it out (all bar the central light fitting and switches) it was re-plastered just before Christmas and now needs completely finishing including: painting the ceiling, painting / papering the walls, gloss painting the skirting boards, door frame, door and window sill.

2. I need to purchase and erect a new garden shed / workshop as the old one is over 20 years old and past its best. The base is already laid for a 12' x 8' shed. Once up the contents of the old shed have to be transferred into the new one and power run up to it from the house to facilitate the use of power tools, security system and lighting.

3. Get the car finished - it needs some paint on the front where there are loads of paint chips. Also needs a little work to the driver's seat.

4. Holiday in Canada - 13 days at end of June - 4th July. Just found out that we will be in Vancouver for Canada Day. That should be entertaining.

5. The rockery in the front garden has slumped due to the rain in 2014, so that needs sorts out. Rear garden will need finishing with a path to the new shed and flower beds between path and fence. Path cannot be laid until old shed has been removed.

6. A motorcycle trip into Europe, possibly with my son Mark and / or other friends. Pyrennees or Alps is the first decision, then some route planning.

Other 'family' things:

Andrew asked for (and got) money towards getting his motorbike licence so it would be good to see him achieve that goal.

Mark & Eleanor really need to get the plumbing sorted in their house as the pipes are so furred up as to be a real problem. Then they need to have both the bathroom and kitchen ripped out and completely re-done - that'll cost but they are busy saving and have been for a while now.

Oh, and I intend to get back to more frequent blogging as I seem to have slipped a bit over the last few years.

A cold start to the year

Awoke this morning to a heavy overnight frost with a white-out almost as complete as if it had been a repeat of the snow we had between Boxing Day and New Years day. On the plus side, the sun is out bright in a clear and cloudless sky.

Retirement planning

Well.... in 15 months from now I will hit 60 so "retirement planning" has been on my mind for a while. Made a mistake in bringing all my small pension contributions into a single SIPP and then falling for a scam that creamed off just shy of 30% of the pot. Result being that I will need a small regular income to prop up the pension income, so looking around for something that sparks my interest.

Having been "in the computer IT services industry" for the last 25 years I don't really want to continue in that vein. Web site builders are springing up everywhere and many don't last long so I see no point going down that route, and just becoming a 'data entry' bum for some big faceless corporation... Nah! Not for me.

Several folks around here do part time courier (local multi-drop) and taxi driving. Then there are those in supermarkets and DIY stores....

Current thinking has been sparked by a local chap (ex-cpper) who buys, restores, sells on, high end restorations of classic air-head BMWs, specialising in R800 models and the GS in particular. He has so much work on he is looking at the possibility off-loading some of the specialist services stuff that he does - could be interesting little earner (if only I could bring myself to work on BMWs).

That has lead me to thinking about adopting his business model but specialising in another marque ... Suzuki GT750 or Honda 400/4 for example. It has to be one where there is lots of interest, rarity value and money to be made. There are too many people doing old Brit bikes as it is, ditto Ducati bikes. As a "home based worker" I'm used to my own company so a 'garden shed' based business kinda appeals right now - so much so that I have lain the base for a new, larger, shed in anticipation. I already have a good selection of (mainly metric) hand tools so financial outlay would be modest. Still in the gestation stages, but it has legs (as they say).

Like many, the 'dream' is to turn a hobby into a business without losing the love or interest that is the hobby. My trouble is:
1. I've been so engrossed in earning a crust to pay the bills/mortgage/etc.. that I have never really had a hobby, just multiple interests (i.e. motorcycling in general, amateur photography, reading),
2. I have a short attention span,
3. I've never run a business large or small.

Still, 15 months to go before I need to make the decision, so suggestions are welcome.

Goodbye 2014 & Hello 2015

We saw the old year out at Morley Hayes Golf Club, Roosters Bar buffet and boogie. We were Suzie and I, Sue and Norman Peace and Carole De Martino (on her own as her husband Giuseppe was working).

It's a very good location to relax, the food was excellent, drinks reasonably priced (but not cheap) while a "disco" was included in the ticket price.

Then there was the fireworks display, which was just so good considering it was a 'private' event funded by the Golf Course and the entry fee to the buffet / dance. Again, it was a shame that there was a strong side wind but it did very little to diminish the crowds enthusiasm. So 2014 ended with a party.

January 1st saw us at Carole & Giuseppe's place for their annual party - so 2015 started with a party. Lets all just hope that 2015 is a good year for one and all, only 134 days to a general election and less than 6 months to the longest day of the year.

A happy and prosperous new year to you all. May your bits never freeze and you blood never boil.