Alas Poor Warwick --- we knew him well!!!!

Well alright, its all mixed up but then so was Warwick castle telling us that Merlin had a tower there --no wonder since Disney now own the Castle.

Well so there were we and Rod and Ann yesterday and what a great day that was --woke up in Walton Hall Hotel after a very nice evening before and then a day of culture, mark shopping and a dose of great footy from the boys in blue---ok so they were in white yesterday--with a great shephards pie from the boss.

Added to this that we drove down to Warwickshire in our new --not actually new but nice anyway-- jaguar car--how about that Dad, your boy driving around in a Jag, not too bad eh.

Aint she pretty---bit of a change from a Beema.

 

These are the Musketeers on yet another little journey together and a wonderful journey it was too. 

 

 

So here is where we stayed on Friday night and had a great meal and some very good red wine.

Walton Hall, Strattford upon Avon

 

We had a really good Red wine that is definitely worth a try---

 

So having had a really relaxing evening and heartened by a full English breakfast we headed of to visit the Castle.

 

Let me tell you that we got an education from my wife on the families who lived in the Castle of Warwick. The history at Warwick really started with William the Conqueror in 1068 and then ran through the Beauchamp families to the start of the Warwicks, the Dudley--one of which carelessly lost his head with Lizzie the first, there was the Nevilles who had an  Anne Beauchamp who married Richard Neville and they had 2 daughters , Isobel and Anne.

 

Anne went on to marry Richard the 3rd, and her sister married George , Duke of Clarence who when he was sentenced to death for upsetting the King, got the choice of how to die and he plumbed for being drowned in a vat of red wine--My kind of man.

 

Got the chance to picture the ladies with someone who like women a bit---

 

 

 

In the greta hall there are 2 statues of knights on horses and this one was for when they went into battle---for the one the knights used for Jousting the body armour was much heavier. Stunning collections of armour, swords, guns and staffs/spears.

 

 
One of the regular guests in Warwick castle was the chap below who was a young Winston Churchill

 

 Probably one of the most famous people who owned the castle was more recent with Daisy the Countess of Warwick who knew how to party---

 

Eventually she went on to rebel against her up bringing by getting involved with the Labour party in fighting for the rights of the workers but this was only after some amazing loves , affairs and dalliances.

 

A good read for anyone interested in the aristocracy would be the book below and will show how easy it was for the exceptionally rich people to be able to do anything they wanted but not always happy.

 

 

So we got back yesterday evening and saw the game at Rod and Anns.

And Saw these two guys doing the business----

 

Back home for a bit of Xfactor and Get me Outta Here and the kind of perfect way to finishing our trip and visits---cuddling up to my wonderful wife--- in the works of the immortal Syd larking "Perfick"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfullfilled Promises

So right now here is how we live

 And here are some of the holes in the kitchen floor--

 And still the love of my life can cook a roast dinner on a Sunday

 And not too much room to do anything

 Thank god that we can relax on a wonderful settee in the lounge

 AS long as we dont need to find anything at the other end of the lounge--this is home for the microwave

So does it not pi$$ other people off like it does me

I mean when peoples job says that they should do something in a particular way, and they do not do it -- or they promiuse to deliver something and they fail to deliver then why should that be my problem .

If i had not rung last week then the people dealing with the drying out would not have come last friday morning

And as for the Insurance companies Claim Manager who a - had not contacted us at all for over 3 weeks and B) when i contatct them on thursday and they promise to get him to ring he doesnt so we are not further forward except that another week has gone and we are closer to xmas--they have no idea of the pressure this brings.
Lynda already having to use Juliets washing machine.

So we have to think about nice things coming up that we have to look forward to such as this---

This Walton Hall Hotel, which is supposed to be a pretty classy place so fine dining, pool and general bit of luxury for Rod and Ann and us and then on the Saturday we are going to ---

To the wonderful Warwick Castle----lots of piccies to come--and of course a nice bit of culture.

So thats it -- B&Q beckons and then coffee with are pals before back to catch up with daughter number 2.

KTBFFH

Mayhem and Emptiness

So here I am , writing this stuff with a Lounge that is full of bags and boxes, a Kitchen that is desolate and has holes in the floor and no way to find a damn thing. Well I did learn what it is like to cook in a Kitchen with no space , work top or in any way to be able to swing a cat--ok so we don't even have the cat anymore but you get the drift.

I cooked a meal for Charlotte and me last night and even cooked a cauliflower cheese for the first time ever--it was actually pretty easy but you have to do it first to be able to state that.

Not bad for an old boy like me -- but never as good as that which Lynda would do--well it stands to reason doesn't it.

So the weekend is a bit quiet--started off not too clever Friday afternoon not feeling good , so missed out on a Ruby Murray with Rod Friday night.
Busy yesterday with old rotten flooring to the dump, went to the supermarket, got the tax disc for lyndas car, got a whole bunch of kit for the new mobile---hands free device and the holder stuck to the screen for the phone and a car charger for when I forget to charge it at home.

Really big screen, not even close to working everything this phone can do yet---I think it can make Tea but don't know where to pour the water in yet.

And this means less risk for me in the car---so many hours in it every week that it stands to reason that I need to be able to talk to some folk when necessary. Currently doing around 1500 miles every 2 weeks--that's bonkers as it is around 30,000 miles a year--my old girl aint gonna last.---and nor will I.

So today I have decided to have a days rest from the noise that is generated from the likes of these below----

Plus we have a big fan to move air around and all of these things make a bit of noise--it becomes like a white noise as it is on all day every day in trying to dry out the house but of course part of this is finding the likes of the flooring crumbling where it dries out that well and the floor right now looks like this----

 

 

Really despairing of the lack of attention from both the Insurance Company and the company who put in the drying out equipment ---really would have expected someone to do a check for moisture content in the walls and floors after over a week in operation--gonna have to wind them up tomorrow.

So I got back yesterday in time to watch Chelsea live at Newcastle and I have to say that this was a bad defeat---70% of the play and not taking advantage of the opportunities that this brings--it must be difficult for people to understand that empty feeling that a bad defeat leaves you feeling and we will need to do a lot better starting next Wednesday in the Champions league.

So have done a bit of catching up on the computer for work and am watching college (NFL) football-- lazy day. I am using my own computer as the company computer got attacked last week by the Ransomware Virus that just locks your computer and tries to get you to pay a 100 pounds fine---

Stay well away from paying a penny and to unlike your computer you will be best getting help a PC shop with the ability to clean your machine. One critical thing you should do is to back up you files and photos to a storage device as to get this virus off your machine you have to wipe it clean so you stand a chance of losing information you want to keep.

 

Anyway tomorrow brings my darling Lynda home from Greece where she has been for a week--it's great that we are able to do this--and I hate it that she is coming back to the crap that is our apartment right now its going to take weeks to get all this sorted out, so maybe she will turn round and go back.

 

I miss her though

 

Up with the Lark tomorrow to drive to Manchester

 

Life Changing suprises -and Not So Good Ones

How can a matter of hours change your life so dramatically that everything we were planning has disappeared into the distance.

So when I wrote last weekend it was in the morning and we were so looking forward to finalising the cost and installation of a nice new kitchen and decided to rip out some of the old kitchen units so that we would be ahead of the game and could get completely ready for whatever we decided to do.

So we cleaned out some wall units and I dismantled those and got them stacked outside ready to take to the waste transfer station. Then I started on the first base unit and as I pulled it out and started dismantling it , I noticed that the floor and wall at the back of the base unit was wet.

I touched the floor and the floor boards disintegrated -- I ran round to the bathroom, unscrewed the bath panel and found the cold water feed pipe spraying water over the party wall between the bathroom and kitchen---it kind of looked like this-------

 

Ok , so I exaggerate a touch but you get the idea--- I mean to say---the bath could have been through the boards and joists and into the void underneath---and the same with the gas cooker--so I guess that there is always an even more dark side to things when you think things are really bad.

 

However I would love to meet the numpty who would install a pressurized pipe when only using PTFE tape to connect the feeder pipe---

 I would love to ask him what about the fricking WASHER, stupid.

 

So now we have had to have an emergency plumber to isolate the problem and then have a building  company surveyor around from the recommended insurance company list and he has put spec of all of what needs fixing and gone back to put a price together for the work.

 

So tomorrow I am meeting the Insurance companies Claims manager and have a debate as to whether the small print excludes us from them paying for everything---well they will wont they , they all do, it's what they are trained to do--don't give into the claimers--squeeze everything you can out of the final bill--your bonus will be effected if you don't manage to stop paying people with claims all that they expect-- you know the sort of thing---and by the way, just so he knows --like everyone else unless your a flipping lawyer or a liar, or both, I havnt a clue what the small print says ok so iv'e said it , so I guess we deserve what he offers.

 

So the next question is , can we get done by Xmas--bluddy well better or i'll be in trouble with the ladies in my life.

 

So that's how I left for the long drive up to Manchester last Monday at 4am --yeah I know who the hell wants to got to Manchester-- but I had to catch up with the guys on the MCRC project before the CEO came up on Tuesday. This is the building that is being constructed----

 

State of the art Cancer Research Centre with top scientists taking up residence and I pray that one or all of them can be successful in finding a cure for this evil disease.

 

So the boss and me met with the Client and his directors to have a chat about life and the next big thing that we can get a shot at for them so a good meeting and overall a great visit at the project.

 

So that late afternoon I drove back from Manchester to Chippenham where I got in to my hotel room at about 19.55 -- just in time to see this guy being really happy---sorry but I could not show Stevie G ---

 

I actually think that this was the moment that he came out for the second half of the match realising that he may have just made the worst half time speech ever and that the " feed the Monkey" bit was gonna come and bite his bum. Come on Roy, these are professional footballers, they have no idea about astronaut jokes --just tell them to pass the fecking ball to Townsend--that would do--they would understand that, not all that crap from NASA.

 

But you did a great job to get the team there Roy and I very much admire your management skills--at least there wont be a chance that you will be getting caught out with a Nancy or a Ulreka--well not much I think.

 

So the dashing back to Chippenham was to be there for the company receiving this----

 

Yep , didn't we all do well--I know my CEO is as pleased as punch.

 

So I ended up having to do a presentation on Microprocessors and manufacturing plants we have designed and constructed to this bloke---

Hi Royal Highness the Duke of Kent--and shook his hand and all that--do I wash it or not--?

 

 

and then to the Lord High Sherriff of Wiltshire, this guys was a real funny bloke--when he suggested that he had heard that I had been with the company a long time I put him straight and stated that I was the token old fella that was there to prove to anyone who made an issue that M+W were definitely not an ageist Company-------

 

 

to this Lady The Mayoress of Chippenham

 

She wasn't quite so funny

 

And to the MP for North Wiltshire

A Tory of course. We couldn't get rid of him, think he enjoyed being with the lads talking about how M+W are helping the local businesses---but he was ok and might be able to help us in the future.

So we received a piece of crystal , a certificate and lots of congratulations, a bit of champers and back to work---it doesn't last long does it.

So the week for me finished with a workshop review of a tender we are putting in this coming week and please God that we have done a good enough job to have a bit of success with it.

So another couple of cabinets out today and we have a couple of Charlottes favourites joining the realms of the displaced persons--well ok they weren't people they were slugs--I think the fact that we had seen one or two --and stepped on one or two of the slimey little so and so's---and Charlotte has just about freaked out just now.

So here I am with my darling wife, my darling wife and the  very darling Clare soon to have sunday dinner and because I am totally outnumbered about to watch "Made in Chelsea" -- how sad am I--Laters Chaps---" I say Spencer , how about helping get back into Chelsea old chap, they wouldn't let me in last time I got to Fulham "------- And she managed just managed to cook the most amazing roast dinner in a kitchen with no work tops, no cupboards and so much stuff everywhere --well there wasn't anything left on any plate out of the four of ours---you are amazing my darling------------

Driving Ms Lynda

I thought it worth doing a post on the drive that we did during the trip to USA, as 10907 miles is a fair drive in 12 weeks in any bodies terms.

Lynda and I went to 14 states in the above map.

If you break it down that we had three days in Portland, 3 days in Cody, 5 days in Colorado ranch, 3 days in dallas, 5 days in Tucson ranch, 3 days in Sedona, 3 days in Temecula , 12 days in Palm Springs and 4 days in Oxnard it kind of puts the driving in the other days into some kind of perspective.

For sure I know we did at least 2 days of driving 500+ miles, and that is a lot of driving in anyone's language.

One trip from Phoenix in Arizona, via flagstaff ( 2 hours for Chelsea match), page, and north rim of grand canyon to end up in Hurricane , South west Utah took from 08.30 until 22.00 that evening is a very long day. We stopped at a gas station in a town called Colorado City in north Arizona where the 89A curves down and back up and we were so hungry that Lynda bought something that I am unsure what it consisted of --- it was warm, had the shape of a burger but the consistency of rubber but thankfully the lady made some fresh coffee and that was really good.

When you are as hungry as we were that night this was wonderful but I am real glad that we didn't know what was in it.

The scary bit I guess is that we had no hotel booked and there were all kinds of flash flooding going on including one road washed away. But that is all part of what we do on these trips--there has to be some kind of uncertainty, to make it more interesting.

Never was a room more welcoming than the very cheep Roadway Inn that we stayed in , we were that knackered. No breakfast so a visit to Dennys was in order for two very hungry souls.

When I look back on the driving -- Lynda did actually only drive once for about 2 to 3 hours but I felt so relaxed with the driving and in particular with the comfort of the Ford Edge it was a great SUV for us, baring in mind that it had the 4 of us for the first 3 weeks, with 4 suitcases and a bunch of hand luggage and then , when Rod and Ann had left us at Denver airport we managed to find replacements for the two cases that the others had taken with them as well as some extra hand luggage.

 

The one above is what colour we started with  and the one below what we finished with

 

At around 400+ miles per tank of fuel--around 15 American gallons per tank full-- and about $70 per full tank, we spent around $1350 dollars of a grand in pounds for fuel for the trip---but by golly it was worth every red cent.

Golden rules on this kind of trip planning would consist of the following ---

• Pre-planning is everything
• Understand the basics of the trip that you want to do and ensure that you put the info into print.
• Make sure that you have the first night hotel booked in advance to ensure that you have a place to put on the immigration form that you will have to fill in prior to going through customs.
• Book key places in advance so that you limit the uncertainty---for instance if you are going to be there over say Labour day weekend, definitely book a hotel in advance as if you leave till you are there you will have limited chance of being able to walk in off the street into one they get that busy.
• Keep cash handy for fuel as there are always issues with petrol or gas stations and credit cards recognitions.
• If you are going to drive in the hundreds of miles per day, stock up with appropriate sweets.
• Sort out the appropriate up to date maps in the right size and scale--always good to have a magnifying glass to be able to decipher very small print and road numbers.
• When you fill up with fuel or eat in a diner, keep an eye out for free token books for hotel discounts--they include every town in the state that has hotels who take part in this type of opportunity---we have stayed half price in some over the years so worth having.
• Ensure that you have taken out full insurance, get a second driver named and included on the paperwork, and ensure that you don't have to fill up with fuel before you drop off the car at the airport.

These are where you get the free coupon / map brochures to be found in the Gas stations and Diners.

 

The scariest drive was driving up to Montrose through a mountain region that had single file roads winding around the mountains with torrential rain hammering down making it scary when you were driving by 1000 foot drops.

 

 

Trust me --with rock slides and other vehicles, especially the pantechnicans  this was the scariest.

 

Lastly , you need to understand what areas will be passable and when as there are many places in Colorado and surrounding states that you cannot drive through after September---there is plenty of snow right now in Colorado.

 

I hope this might help folk but it has been good to be to get this all down in print, especially as it is a miserable day here in London so back to stripping out the kitchen ready for replacement in a couple of weeks.

 

Roll on Work tomorrow and drive to Manchester----not!