Ants

Jan 7th

Ants — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:05:00 +0000

As working from home today got up late. Very disappointed but not surprised to see that little snow fell during the night. Trouble with getting out of bed is that even with the heating on it is very cold. We could start a new business icicles r us.

Rubbish collections have suspended due to ice and snow little as there is!!

Am looking forward to cooking tandoori trout tomorrow. Just need a few ingredients. Lucky these are not milk, bread or salt as these cannot be purchased without donating limbs in return.

Nothing more to report, especially as nothing has really happened.

Jan 6th

Ants — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:59:00 +0000

Decided to close office at midday today as there was a reasonable amount of snow and lots more forecast. Told the team that I would do the work for the rest of the week and they could stay home 'on standby'.

Sarah confirmed that people were panic buying milk, bread and salt. With normal salt gone there were even people thinking about buying Andrew's salts to grit their paths... Hmmmm.

Evening came and as usual all the forecasts were completely wrong. Hardly any snow.... If I did my job as badly as the weather forecasters then I would be out of a job. Maybe aliens are to blame.

Ringing was cancelled tonight so noone was going down the pub. Stayed at home and drank Boddingtons (not through choice. Just needed some room in the bar).

Found a beer making course which is only held twice a year. Still spaces on the March one. Unfortunately at our busiest part of the month just before tax year end... Must do it though. Also will be brewing at York Brewery. Drooling already!!! Liz is very jealous as I will be in York, one of her favourite places.

There are 0.46 open breweries per 100km2 in Essex. Still room for more.

Jan 5th

Ants — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:15:00 +0000

Today's highlight was emailing potential Brewing trainers with a view to formally learning about Microbrewing. Hope to go on course in the next month or two.

Profit and Loss forecast done, brewery name, marketing strategy etc. all underway or decided. Various potential financiers have been approached and expressed interest.

Just need the right premises to come along at the right price.

Haddock and Chips at The Cock at Henham at lunchtime http://www.cockinnhenham.co.uk. Highly recommend this pub for atmosphere, staff, food and drink. And they have open fires to keep you warm in the cold weather. Now a freehouse which currently has Speckled Hen and always a brew from the Saffron Brewery http://www.saffronbrewery.co.uk which is situated just across the road. Also highly recommended.

Jan 4th (Monday)

Ants — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 23:20:00 +0000

Well what a welcome the office gave us this morning. It was freezing. I felt so guilty as the girls sat there working away in coats and gloves. It took a good couple of hours to get the office warm and by mid-afternoon it was like a sauna.

We have started a milk mountain today as both Chris and I remembered that we would need more. With the office temperature as it is I dont think that we will need to put it in the fridge.

I was astonished to find on the way home tonight that some of the backroads around here still have ice and snow om them. I found this out by practically pirouetting in the car very graciously on the road between Thaxted and Great Sampford.

Liz made a lovely Chilli as she does but she has been making the mistake of linking her fingers after chopping the chillis with bare hands. Or that's her excuse for making and eating rice pudding anyway.

Snow forecast again. What is happening to this global warming. I could do with some until we can afford double glazing. On the subject of global warming, do all those people who insist on turning off all their equipment rather than leaving it on standby not have christmas lights on at christmas?

Anyway end of the day again so signing off.

Jan 3rd

Ants — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:10:00 +0000

Both Liz and I got letters in local papers this week. Mine about Sudbury Town Council's Bingo Lunacy (see separate post) and Liz's about Townrow's impending closure.

This afternoon and evening taken up mainly with work. Parallel runs for a new client and artwork for a business card. Will have to go in early to get the urgent extras done.

More Darling Buds of May this evening. Do they change the content every time they show it? I can remember the episodes but half of what goes on is not remembered by me at all.

Sitting Room seems warm even without having a fire tonight but still wondering why the Diet Coke having been in this room for 24 hours was still colder than when it is taken out of the fridge. Is there a cold spot in the room?

Quiet day so no more to divulge.

Jan 2nd - Another entry

Ants — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Well I could get used to this. Another relaxing day at home. Last one for quite a while I reckon.

Doing as a lot of people do and eating leftovers in the order of 'use by' dates. Roast Market value chicken with pasta salad for lunch and tortilla chips and dips for tea. Hmmmm!!! However still felt hungry afterwards. Curious how sitting and relaxing takes so many calories.

Nothing on TV today at all which is rather good and the evening was spent watching the first three episodes of Darling Buds of May which Liz got for christmas.

The wife went out and had her hair restyled today. She used the website www.instyle.co.uk to see how she would look with other people's hair. Apparently she now looks like Eva Longoria-Parker whoever she is (Liz doesn't know either)! What a couple of old fogies we are.

It constantly amazes me how people can actually accidentally burn their houses down considering how difficult starting a fire in a fireplace can be! Currently burning all our waste cardboard and junk mail received at work. It is also amazing how some paper refuses to burn properly. This must frustrate any apprentice arsonist.

Roll on tomorrow!

Jan 1st - First Day

Ants — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Well I wonder how many days this will last.

Today was a relaxing day As our friends Shaun, Annie and Lucky were here celebrating with us till about 2am we did not get up till nearly midday! First time in years. Best new Year's Eve celebration in ages, No question.

Christmas decorations taken down and more room than before they went up apparent in the sitting room. Wonder how that works. To try and conquer the frustration of assembling the artificial tree next year, a cunning plan of stashing the branches was invoked. Hope we can remember the formula next year when putting it up again.

Best TV of the day was the last David Tennant episode of Dr Who followed by The Railway Children with Jenny Agutter as the mother although I still prefer the original.

Now eating leftovers of previous celebrations including Pasta Salads and Cheese galore.

Not much more to report apart from getting very late and still not tired!

Toyota Prius - Warning to All

Ants — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:20:00 +0000

Having owned a Toyota Prius for two years now I would consider it one of my worst buys!

If the engine management system says there is a problem (which at minimum is whenever it is cold) Toyota will charge you a standard £50 just to tell you what is wrong... I have previously always had the diagnosis part of a job not charged. Also my special reduced rate worked out at about £100 per hour. Non main dealers do not have the ability to do anything but the basic maintenance which makes the advantages of small tax costs swamped by the extortionate cost of servicing and maintenance.

In most normal cars in cold weather you are able to keep the engine running by pumping the accelerator, but in the hybrid when you start the engine the accelerator does not directly affect the revving of the engine, which means that the engine will stall many times until it decides to rev the engine itself! In-between tries you have to wait for a sequence of 'clicks' (two under the bonnet and one near the steering column) to complete otherwise the engine will not start at all. Because of the size of the batteries there is limited room for things in the boot. Handling is also terrible.

Toyota have also been probably the only make to be able to distibute cars with alloy wheels that corrode and look terrible.

Jeremy Clarkson has also shown that the actual 'green-ness' of the car is minimal due to the environmental impact of the way in which the materials and parts are created and transported.

It does have its good points. £15 per annum road tax and over 50mpg. But I understand that even the Jaguar X Type 2.2 engine gives almost as good mpg but with much increased performance and quality as has the BMW 220d.

If I had my time again I would definitely choose a diesel over a hybrid and will be certiainly be doing so next time.

Sudbury Council Buffoons

Ants — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:37:00 +0000

Many congratulations to Sudbury Council who according to reports have not only solved all important problems within their area but also all areas of concern of their residents and businesses. Because now they have apparently got onto looking at the things that people might just take offence at by banning the use of the universal 'two fat ladies' for number 88 in the local bingo sessions.

Maybe they took their advice from the loony Luton Council.

How about cancelling Christmas next year in case non-christians get offended?

CRB checks - A lesson in waiting

Ants — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 22:46:00 +0100

My wife has been offered a job in a care home which she is itching to get to start. One problem. You have to get a full CRB check done which in this modern technological world takes two to three weeks to complete. What do you think they have to do. I reckon press a button.

Why do I think this. Well all you have to do is pass a police car who from your number plate know who you are, what you have done, how many times you have accidentally dropped a crisp on the pavement or other heinous crime. However anyone in the civil service has a public duty to do everything a maximum expense in the slowest time, whilst moaning how busy and underpaid they are compared with the private sector.

What do they do all day. From the evidence I have seen, chat about last night's soaps, send joke or warning emails to all and sundry and generally look busy whilst doing nothing. Oh apart from near the end of a budget year desparately trying to spend the remainder so that they so not lose it next year!!

In return they get not startling but good salaries, cast iron pensions, little chance of losing their position even if they are useless, regular training.

Anyway everyone knows what I mean! Unless they are a blinkered civil servant or of course a politician who are even worse!!!

Enough rambling for now!

Driving through Water

Ants Blog Admin — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:52:00 +0000

Am I the only one to find that people driving so called 4x4s seem to slow down to a crawl ...