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Hello.........
Here will appear the thoughts of Colin 2001
The events that I remember and bring back memories are:-
January - A good month, January always
is. IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY, 50 years old. oh dear. Thanks to all that made it special, which
includes those sprang a special Welcome at work. Thanks again.
Goto my 50th Birthday page. Will
I make another 50, somehow I don't think so.
February - Rain rain and more rain....
Floods everywhere..... Start to look for a new car for the wife. A Nissan Almera Elegance
seems to fit the bill. Complete with Blue leather interior. Now I have just to convince
Marshall's to sell it to me at discounted price...
March - More, not so good news. Over the
next 6 months I will be closing down the RNMC. I must be one of a few who have actually
put themselves out of a job..... Anyone out there got a job for me...... Oh well I could
retire..... NOPE not just yet. But on the good side a number of opportunities have
arisen from both within NTL and out. But do I take the plunge.... Hmmmmmmmmm.
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My 50th
Birthday celebrations roll on. Went to a Chinese Restaurant in Amersterdam. A
different few days to say at the least. Visited a Diamond factory, a Delfe factory, toured
the canals and oh yes, the Red Light District - Scary. The Restaurant was the highlight,
the floating Sea Palace Restaurant. Brill. As part of the ongoing celebrations I also
received a new watch and for the first time my first Ring. |
The bad news for this month must be that Foot and Mouth is back after
30 years. Wouldn't want to be a farmer.
April - A grand start to the month.
April the 1st was warm sunny and very spring like. Dave and Pat's 25th Wedding
Anniversary. Time to start on the grand plans for the garden. Ground Force stand back,
here comes the expert.
Went to see Bridget Jones Diary
Ok film, nothing special. Sort of a friends type thing. Would
have been better if just shown on TV. Did not work for me.
Went to see Confusions at the arts theatre By Alan Ayckbourn
at the arts theatre By Alan Ayckbourn
Starring Gary Wilmot, who heads an all-star cast in Ayckbourn’s
sharp, witty and poignant West End hit.
Confusions cleverly interweaves five very different stories to highlight the foibles of
human relationships with hilarious results.
From the mother and wife who finds herself unable to talk to the outside world in
anything but babytalk, the husband on a night out who tries to entertain a couple of Essex
girls, the very clever restaurant scene, the summer fete that becomes a shambles when an
infidelity is accidentally announced over the PA system, lastly a group of people sitting
park benches who really want to be by themselves but find this increasingly difficult.
Confusions is vintage Ayckbourn, as relevant today as it was when it was first produced.
I thought it was brilliant, go and see.... Far better value than Bridget.
May - On second time of trying, make it
to Dave and Pats 25th Anniversary "Bit of a do" At the Butterfly Hotel in
Colchester. Now this is a place I can recommend, excellent choice, excellent meal, and
jolly good company. Thanks Dave. Over to Dick for the next "Bit of a Do"
Sue completes her 2nd Fun run - Theme Vicar's and Tart's
The garden "Ground Force" make over begins... Phew!!!!!.
Mummy 2 "The Mummy Returns" now out.
Its ten years later from were the story left off and Rick and Eveyln are now
married and happily working together and also are the proud parents of a nine year old
boy. We find the couple on the treasure trail for one last dig, when things go horribly
wrong and they narrowly escape with their lives. But they discover a bracelet that is of
great archaeological significance. It provides a map for them to find the lost pyramid of
gold. Which leads them to greater dangers than ever imagined and new villains as well as
old. Anck Su Namun and Imhotep are back and now also the Scorpion King, and he has a few
things he wants and will stop at nothing.
Story line a little confusing, as the plot hops from one country to the next
- but still very Indiana Jones, and still very enjoyable. Better than the first, perhaps
not.
June - After numerous trips to Scotsdale
for timber and bags of stones the Ground Force makeover is complete.
The 3rd Sunday Meet takes place at the Harbour Lights in the Titmarsh
Marina, Walton on the Naze. If only the weather was fine we could have sailed the oceans.
But another excellent meal in excellent surrounds. Next round to Roy and Lynn.
Chris and Judes Barby....
Thats it for June and on to July..........
July - Went to see the film Pearl
Harbour which was l o n g, and very enjoyable, but it was lacking the realism of other
recent films. The horrors of war where missing, at it's height the scenes become blurred
flashes of the real horrors. But suppose this was a Disney film.
Michael Ball - Music on a summer evening at Audley End - Brilliant...... Michael sang
hit after hit from the West End shows and others, all ending in a well timed display
of fireworks and songs. Encores kept coming as the crowd refused to let him off stage. An
enjoyable event an enjoyable evening on an hot summer evening. If you get a chance go to
one of his concerts you will not be disappointed.
August - Music from the Oscars, more
music in the park. Only this time it rained. Excellent visual effects for "Singing in
the rain" but still an enjoyable evening, the fireworks seemed even more dramatic in
the downpour.
And off again to IBIZA. This time to prove once and for all that we
have grown out of IBIZA.
Well we tried our best and quess what WE STILL LOVE IBIZA. Still after all the years that
we have been going, the same people are still serving at the same bars, and they still
remember us.
Oh well we will have to go back again. The place in general has not changed. What was
being built is still being built and what existed still does. I could retire here, I
really could..........
Now if it was only me this week on the Lottery.
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Sunrise
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The Garden make over continues. Now a Gazebo or is it a Pergola, well
it's a wooden thing with poles, call it what you like.
September - The latest in our Sunday
meets took us back to Harlow, to the Churchgate Hotel now a Swallow Hotel. Again an
excellent meal in the company of friends. I think this means the next meet is down to me.
Now where do we go.
September 11th, who can forget the events of this day. I was in
Dixon's at the time the 2nd plane went into the 2nd tower. Just could not believe it.
After the 1st it was just an million to one accident, but now the world knew this was no
accident. One thing for sure this is not over.
Another 1st was a Trip, or should I say Flight on the London Eye - Brilliant, far
better than I'd expected, and what's more it was just about as clear a day as you could
have wished for. I could see for miles and miles and miles. Now Who sang that.
Oh and signed up for Friends Reunited, a web site for old school friends and guess
what, straight away I was in contact with Alan an old school friend from my secondary
school days. Go on try it....
October - October 5th a sad day, the end
of the RNMC. The last of my staff leave for pastures new. Just
me now, all alone.
October 11th, I have decided to leave ntl, with the fun gone, time to move on. So with
that in mind, I packed my bags and left. Well no point in hanging around is there.....
Better start looking for a job then I suppose. Shelf stacking in TESCO's is beginning to
look good. But being serious for once I think I may do something different. BRING BACK the
fun. What's the point if you can't "Make money, do some good and have some fun"
Oh, and the Garden Make over reaches the final stage. You've had the Millennium Doom
and the London Eye well now it's the Bridge over the Pond.
The pictures below show the end results well for this year anyway.
Having now spent the last few weeks at home there are times I'd rather
be at work. It's quite at home.
November - Ok November 1st is here with
no movement on the ntl front decided cannot wait around any longer so ordered a New car
and it should be delivered 9th November. Not bad ehhhh. Plus in a moment of madness and
because I can and for no other reason I have purchased my own plate CG51CMG.....
Oh and one other thing I have decided to join a local computer company
MKC Computers. They are about to expand and I have been lucky to join at the start of this
expansion. So it's onwards and upwards in the next phase of the career of Colin Groves Ex
BT, NTL.
End of the month, and off to Cologne Germany, for a weekend away. Coach trip with the
Spicers Mob, a long drive but very enjoyable, had lots to drink hic!!!!
December - It's Christmas time..... Time
to get the Christmas present again. What shall I get Sue this year, what shall I get
anyone this year. Discussions Discussions.....
Biggest problem is one of what DVD player to buy, nope this is not for me, this is the
joint present for this year. Trouble is that, this is not just the DVD problem it's also
the 5.1 amp, where do I put all the speakers, how do I connect it to my existing system.
Or do I ditch the lot and start again. And then there is the issue of the Plasma
screen............. H E L P
Off on another short break, this time to Scotland. To a place by the side of Loch
Lomand, Inversaid. The hotel you can rach 2 ways, the easy route is by boat a 10 minute
trip, the other route is by a single track road which takes 1hour on a good day, in the
snow it's a lot longer. But well worth it, I can recommend the Inversaid Hotel. The Arklet
falls are just by the side, just to complete the snowy scenery.
My end thoughts for 2001
Well, what a year, my 50th year, I would not have guessed how it would end up.
But at least in the end I have ended up back in control of my destination, something
certainly lacking in NTL land. Others were in control of my life and destiny, so back in
control, scary!!!
Turning 50 I didn't think would be any different from turning 40 or 30 but somehow it is.
When you are 40 something you seem to be only half way or less through your life now I am
half and a bit. The end is near, doom and gloom. It does make you reflect on life and
whilst words such as retirement seemed distant only weeks ago, they are now on my
doorstep. Life is a precious commodity something you never know when the battery is going
to fail. So reflect, and move forwards, do whatever you need to do to fulfil those dreams.
You cannot come back and try again.
Perhaps NTL did me a favour, redundancy meant I had the opportunity to spread my wings and
try something I have wanted to do, something I feel I can make a difference with,
something I can "Do some good, make money and have fun". How will it work out
only time will tell so watch and read next years episodes of the life and times of Colin
Groves to find out.
The sad part of this year has been to say goodbye to my RNMC team. I do miss the team
and I do hope they keep in contact even if it is occasionally. Also just as sad
where the world events of the year, just goes to prove life can change direction at any
time for better or worse.
My closing thoughts for 2001, live life to the full, enjoy while you can. if you have
an ambition DO IT. You never know tomorrow may be too Late. Thanks to all who have put up
with me again for another year. .
And one last thing, you are as old as you feel, don't let others change the way you
feel.
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Xmas Greeting 2001
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Ps Let me know your thoughts I can post them tooo
thoughts2001@cg.keme.co.uk
Best wishes Colin... |
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