What a day! I have been trying to get my office sorted out as I move into this new "self - employed" life.I have to pay someone for all the assistance I get. However, instructions can be a full time occupation. Tomorrow is a quiet day just for project work.

I have finally got action on a few problems.
My phone needed to be looked at to fix a fault. Although the engineer couldn't repair it they are going to send a new one tomorrow.
My car battery was faulty this was replaced by Chrysler (thanks Karl where ever you are)

However my AEG dishwasher is now faulty and gets stuck on drain. So either get it repaired or replaced. I would do it myself but I can't do this anymore. I am tempted...

I am pleased to see people read this blog. Every time I see it's been read it spurs me on to keep writing into the void. It's a pity it's not more interactive.

Give up shopping for one year?

Great idea! See the link where I found the article by clicking on the title. Now most won't manage 12 months but maybe a reduction to once a quarter! Anyway the article tied in with some thing I heard on BBC Radio 4 this morning.

This chap (I missed his name) travelled the world interviewing people. I think he was a psychologist. He was intrested in mental health. He found that people who prioritised on material things and wealth, tended to have more mental health difficulties. They had very poor relationships and did not prioritise this aspect. Mostly these types of people were English Speakers! He calls this disease Affluenza.

I come to the end of another weekend. Silence... but for the TV at low volume as Debbie (one of the carers) does her favourite thing. It's quite a thing (good English), to have 24hr care. More about that some other time.

The point I was going to make is, the silence is the contrast between a house full of kids and then nothing. I had them all over for lunch and tea. Carmen had been wanting to try her hand at baking a cake. So yesterday I decided to use the opportunity to talk whilst she prepared it. I also used the time to teach her a few basic disciplines of kitchen craft. You know like, planning the task, putting ingredients away and pouring without spilling etc. The cake was a perfect layer sponge topped with butter icing.We sprinkled peppermint crisp chocolate over the top with Carmen adding a decidedly fishy character by sticking fish shaped jellies round the side. These were highly favoured and they were finished before the cake.

I have just put my new Bob Dylan on (Modern Times ) it's great!

Living with care
Well should I tell you about living with 24hr care? It is essential for a person with my level of disability. Mostly with my condition they require 2 carers. I could not live with that level of intrusion into my life. Carers are very good. They give me space. I can understand the bad reputation tetraplegics (quadriplegics) have for treating carers like objects, it is a protection. Whilst this experience is simply a job for the carers from which they leave and go back to their lives. For us it offers no time off and no respite. The carers may come and go, each takes a piece of you when they leave.

No matter how big or small a piece of your life is dissipated. You have to share every private part of your day. Sometimes the only refuge is the thoughts you think. The darkness and silence of the night can be a bitter sweet chance to feel human. However, it is also the time when your thoughts begin to drift and slowly the caged emotions and longing for real relationship, rises.

So you learn that they will go and you try but fail, to not be upset, until the next time.

War on the other hand is such a terrible thing, that no man, especially a Christian man, has the right to assume the responsibility of starting it.

Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910)

'nuff said,

today's quote from The Free Dictionary

I really never realised just how lonely and empty, my future is likely to be. The emptiness echoes. People stop echoes. I wrote a poem about that some years ago. I was really down. Now I'm not but I have a deeper sense of what lies ahead.

Since my parents left its been work, work, work... I have to make up for lost time. It helps to stay busy and I enjoy creating. Of course when the computer is OK it's great!

Well I have a request, I'm expecting to have funding to pay for a secretary/PA. It pays well and the hours are flexible, but best of all you work with a great guy! Any takers?

I will also recruit a market researcher to help develop clients and improve productivity. So do apply!

Last week my neighbours tree was blown over by 70 mph winds.This demolished my garden wall and landed on the roof. Luckily damage to the roof was minor but the wall is severely damaged (2/3 knocked over). So more drama.

I have been out of touch for ages. I have lots to tell and so much to do. My problem occurred with the transition from Unilever to my own network setup. I tried to fix this before I left but to no effect.

I had a good Christmas, family, feast and fun! The pictures say it all.










After Christmas I tried to get my computer connected again. After we realised the only way was just to start again with a new setup which I did and on Thursday I was there!

My parents left on Friday and it took over 7 hours to Gatwick and back. I was exhausted. I have been working and sleeping since in an effort to catch up.

I am back, thanks for all the queries and concerns. More tomorrow...