As well you may know, my 50th birthday was a raucus event…well,,it was a quiet 50th spent on the M6 travelling to my friend Barry’s gaff near Crewe with his family. Bless, they stayed up to blow the candles out.

Typically, he was the only person who raised a cup of cheer with me. Greg had a great time on his mower and on the wii with Jo.

At last number 1 is now cmpleted for rent, well no-one is renting yet, but its costing me money all the time now, am expecting the local authority to drop a council tax bill through the letterbox. All decorated, all carpeted and burglar alarmed, who could resit? seems that no-one is ready to go to number 1, its been on the market a fortnight now.

As for the boys, the season is up and down, hammer Amersham 15-2 and lose 9-5 the next week. However, I must say it’s rare to be awarded two penalties in a match for two weeks running, which Greg has despatched for two successive weeks. Well done. Ben is flying in scoring, but hpefully we have a little gem in Rob who has joined us, more pace in attack.

Now where’s me glasses. £220 later, 1 week later and my new proper reading glasses have been lost in the car? Wearing them on the bridge of my nose, I go to 5 a side footy, only for them to have disappeared….need a brain as well.

Hey ho - counselling is steady…….

Solicitors bills for house is an ongoing cost along with everything else. No worries Greg got his apple computer which is splendiferous.

Now we are on with Spitfire making - thanks to James May.

Posted in Chesterfield, Barry, chesham strides, Wingerworth, Greg, Uncategorised | No Comments »

87 Quid!

12/04/2009 by Russell.

Is your daughter’s hair worth £87? ask Emily. I was expecting say £50 tops, but 2hrs later my pockets were much lighter. The salon is Keith Hall in Chesterfield, smart job done, and she’s happy.

Here she is with Greg:

“>

Posted in Chesterfield, Emily, Greg, Uncategorised | No Comments »

Some Blackberry Pics from Berlin/New York

08/04/2009 by Russell.

Here are some snapshots.

The pic of me with my bronze man is a survisor of 9/11….more on this to follow.

Berlin was t-shirt weather, but the evenings cool. I found the museum of the resistance to the Third Reich in a small museum. It was very detailed of how the German population really objected to Hitler and his cronies, one notable name amongst 20th century leaders was a young Wily Brandt. He conducted his campaign from Norway of all places against Hitler. There was of course Von Staffenbergs attempt to assassinate Hitler with a bomb (a recent fim documents this event starring Tom Cruise) Von Staffenberg’s office was here aliong with the courtyard where he was shot. Over 600 people were arrested in response to the assassination attempt. Tragic. It was a free museum with narrative, beat that British Museum!

Tired now.

my boys lost the final game of the season 7-2, heads were down after a long seaason, but we probably scored our goal of the season, a determined run and cross by Louis and Ben hit it on the volley over his shoulder, great goal, pulling us back to 2-2, then in a blink it was 3-2, downhill from there…

Off to OT tonight for the Champions League versus Porto, c’mon United.

Posted in Berlin, New york, Louis, ben Standish, Uncategorised | No Comments »

He’s gone to heaven

29/01/2009 by Russell.

What a day, my father had a great send off. over 100 people turned out to say farewell to my father, and I am grateful for those who came along. Imet and chatted to people from my village -Wingerworth - whom I hadn’t seen in years and years. Don of Lydgate farm (now a housing estate), Peter Normans father, John Radford (father of Andrew) and many others who I can’t even remember. But also, was a bit of a family re-union, seeing some cousins I hadn’t seen since the 1970’s -wow! what a lovely time, then there was Peter, Ian, Karen And Suzanne, the children of Jean and the late Brian Young, wonderful to see them.

Of course it was great to see such friends as Kevin and Anne make the journey from Buckinghamshire to attend the funeral - friends indeed.

A sad but joyous day for seeing so many acquintances, and of course great thanks to Barry and Peter for coming along from Congleton. What a lucky person to have such comrades in arms. Over the past year I have felt alone and it is only now I have found that i do have friends, I have felt this way because of what trauma I have created for the family unit.

Love to Phillip, Kirsten, Emily, and Gregory and Christine, the day would have been soulless without you there to share his day. Also Brenda suffered enough with my father, just hope she can get out on the Moors soon.

On the day, i thought I would never make the speech and Barry was there to talk it through, (see post below) courage, or fortitude, i don’t know - but it all flowed as i wanted to remember my father, it was his last stand in the public eye, so I wanted it to count. God what do you do now your parents have both died? it certainly is a strange experience, they have been there, always there, but now its not a family of three, it’s a family of just 1………..

So long Dad, enjoy your reunion with Mum

On a positive note, 26th January also a date when Bruce released his latest CD, what better accompanyment to drive home with eh?

Posted in Buckinghamshire, Wingerworth, Kirsten, Emily, Leslie Preston, Grandad, dad, Phillip, Greg, Uncategorised | No Comments »

Is it December Already?

01/12/2008 by Russell.

Cor blimey!

Its all downhill to Christmas, have already seen snow and ice, which is a bit of a rareity before Christmas.
Whats been happenin?

Been to London, HRH was out, had to pull my blog on my tv appearance on Eggheads. The prog is to be aired in March 2009, suffice to say I played like a turnip and apart from that I contravened my confidentiality statement..can see me on facebook though lol!

My boys team have only won twice this season, and we are losing 8-6, or 7-5, 0r 6-4, we are so close to many victories, but can’t turn such performances into wins.

Greg is now so keen on shooting he’s off to joing the army cadets - oh my goodness, we had to go ‘cherche’ a bullet down Portobello Road market. So we came up with an AK47 round. (Not live), and found Banksy pic for Emily’s boyfriend.

Not seen much of United this season, have seen Champions League and an odd league game, so hopefully will get across to see them play Sunderland with Bazil.

My Dad, is now in his third month in a Nursing Home in Clay cross, to be honest it smells, they have had a change of ownership, and it really isn’t my cup of tea, but for my Dad its the safest place for him with all his bladder-kidney-legs-cancer etc. He is making a fist of it. It is like a death camp, except no-one knows when the executioner will arrive. No-one leaves except my dad on his zimmer to get out and about. He has to be out, there is no social interaction, no-one able to be communicate or share a game of cards or even Uno.

he puts on a brave face, Brenda had to regain her sanity, but my dad wouldn’t be where he is now without Brenda’s efforts. i am just a visitor into his life.

Phillip is out there doing stuff when he can, been to Amsterdam on busines already..but does Accountancy grab him?

Then there is me, work, work and a flipin knee ligament injury for 3 weeks. Hobble hobble, no 5 a -side i guess until after Christmas..bck to where I started.

Posted in eggheads, Phillip, Football, dad, Uncategorised | No Comments »

Its Been A While

16/07/2008 by Russell.

Shanghai Me and the gang are off to Agadir, Morocco, today for 2 weeks. All week the weather on the BBC says ‘rain’ - can you believe it? Another web site says its sun all the way..Either way I have just packed trunks and a beach towel.

Over the past 6 months I have had the pleasure of visiting Berlin (February), Shanghai (March), Venice (April) and Milan for the day in July. The world is out there and it has to be seen.

Shanghai was a trip of a life time, how the Chinese are moving forward is incredible, buildings, cars, shops and of course fakes. Our party of students enjoyed many aspects of the visits, from factory floor visits to seeing silk being made from cocoons, You can see these experiences on you tube - search for rustycarno - and you will see many videos clips.

As for Venice, expensive and can be seen in a day. Top tip - Do not eat in St Marks Sq, unless you are wealthy. Better still don’t eat at all, all restaurants are expensive, who said pasta was cheap.

Bruce was back in town and had my father not been ill - I would have gone to Cardiff to see him for the third time on the tour. Absolutely spot on.

Posted in Holiday, Uncategorised | No Comments »

Berlin, Shanghai, whatever next?

26/03/2008 by Russell.

Hectic comes to mind when thinking about the year so far.

January passed by without too much effort, a highlight being United beating Arsenal 4-0.

But come February, Berlin was on the agenda. I have been here before, but the visits to KPM porcelain factory and BMW were worth the time taken to visit these factories. KPM procelain is so exclusive, they export to the new found wealth in China - coals to Newcastle and all that. The students werereasonably behaved, late nights are the norm, but all participated well in the organised events. The hotel was next door to a sex shop, aswell as three others in the vicinity, all students paid them a visit, and came out more wiser. Stayed on an extra night with my colleague David, we were so naughty we thought we’d go to a strip club ( never been to one before) for the experience, well there were three girls and us two….yup, nothing happened, no strip, only girls on the game - can’t be bothered with that rubbish, so after one drink we departed..however compared to Shanghai, our hotel had girls on the game in the bar area and in the massage area, now that wasn’t expected.

Shanghai, long flight, and a lot to do on our schedule. the Bund was (river light show) only lit up at the weekends, because of an energy shortage in China. this was incrdible to imagine beforehand, projections at least 300feet high on to the sides of buildings (skyscrapers).

The old market (refurbished) was pleasant until you saw Starbucks on the scene.

The Silk factory was excellent, fashion show wasn’t much cop, but the silk bedding was excellent, so much so, Nick my colleague and i are thinking about importing them, the mark-up is excellent.

The trip on the river beforehand was not particularly scenic, but the smells coming from the water were interesting to say the least, now who’d wash their clothes in that? not I, but the chinese do.

Everywhere we went, we were always seen as easy prey for fake goods, beggers or dealing in the cheap street trading which is commonplace.

Ah fake goods…the students enjoyed the wheeler dealing of haggling with the traders. Yours truly also found the dealing part interesting and part realisation that you were being taken for a ride.

Are my Ray Bans fake? who knows, everythng looked legitimate even down to the after care booklet, but my Patek Philipe watch is fake..

Our next vist was to Bosideng a factory known for its raincoats, although we saw only dresses being made, 900 machinists on one floor, 6 to a room in their accommodation, we brits wouldn’t cope with that, all this shift work for around 150-200 pounds a month (accomodation and food included)

All our visits were accompanied by Sammi - who was on duty with us from9-11pm at night, she made it all very worthwhile, the food she ordered was superb, all for around £4 pp, even went withNick and myself for a foot massage…wow - you should try it.