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Here will appear the thoughts of Colin 2004 - Goto latest NEWS

The events that I remember and bring back memories are:-

January - What is it about January, I do not like. All around is cold wet and miserable. Only highlight is my BIRTHDAY, which passed and now I'm another year older.

Life at ASDA is busy busy, trying to get everyone's leave in before March end is leaving the shift short in
numbers.

In an effort to have something to look forward too, we have now booked our holidays for the year - Ireland in May and Canada in September - Cannot wait for the months to roll by.

Bad news of the month - It has been confirmed that John a cousin of Sue has cancer. John has always supported Sue and Myself and only recently was helping Sue cope with the final months of her own mother dieing from cancer. Again life is cruel at times. Makes you wonder about your own life doesn't it!!!!!!!!!.

Highlight of the month was seeing Lord of the Rings - Return of the King - Brill - Best film ever - All the story lines from part 1 and 2 have been neatly finished. That is with the exception of what happened to the evil Suraman??? Perhaps the extended version out at the end of the year will answer that. Will they now film the Hobbit the years before LOTR, just like Star Wars.

End of the month and it snowed. WELL IT IS WINTER.

February - February a short month. The first of the Sunday meets takes place at the Barn, near Colchester. A good choice of venue. Well recommended.

So what else in February, well it snowed again - go to pictures for the views.

Started on the 2004 decorating campaign - Ist Michael and Gemma's bedrooms. Once again we are having SHARPS in to fit a custom set of bedroom furniture. All the kids have to do is remove the old furniture and strip the walls of wallpaper. Will they do it - Mmmmmmm - Gave a little help, bought a wallpaper stripper - Now why didn't I buy one of these before - They are BRILL

March - Final designs for the bedrooms arrive and all now sorted, but have to wait till April to get it all fitted. Bit of a battle with Sharps to get a date for delivery and fitting. I work nights with rota's planned for the next month - Sharps will only give 2 weeks notice of delivery and then on a separate date fitting. I thought the idea was to fit around the customers NEEDS not fit to company schedules - Still all sorted in the end.

It is chaos at home. The 2 bedrooms are now spread in just about all the other rooms. Piles of wood have appeared, and dust is all around. HELP can it get any worse.

Again a busy month at ASDA - I sometimes think I'm daft to say the least, life should be getting easier - this job at times is anything but easy. But there is a satisfaction in delivering a shop floor each and every day.

Spring is here the daffodils are out - Life's on the UP - Soon be summer.

Have began to look into a new video camera, my old one now does not work any more. But where do I get one that still plays my Video 8 tapes, it's all digital video now. Email to Sony I think!!!!!!!!

April - Spring is in the air, the rains have stopped, the sun is out. Time to check on the Garden, sort the pond those sort of things. All a bit of a mess out there especially as pond pump gave up up at the end of last year, will need to re stock pond with the demise of some of my fish.

Sharps have been and gone the units are in. The piles of wood have now moved from the front and back downstairs rooms to the bedrooms, and have now become fitted furniture, but still have to finish the 2 rooms, sort carpets and beds. Plus somehow hide the mass of wires to the Pc's. Perhaps soon I will be able to relax in a normal house not my current builders yard.

The Annual belated Christmas work bash takes place at a local beefeater.

Other high points of the month. I have 3 more leads to follow for web sites. One less month before my Ireland holiday.

Discovery of the month - Oven U - They clean oven's, now that's what I call progress, one should be free with each and every oven.

May - It's May, It's getting warmer. The 2 bedrooms are now almost finished, and the house begin to return to it's usual state of organisation....

Honda contact me to offer a deal I cannot refuse, so I have a another test drive in a Honda, I want one!!!!!!
Unfortunately the deal was not that good so for the time being I will have to wait....

I have now ordered my new video camera, a Sony 460DCE, to replace my old now broken Video8 camera. This camera will play my old tapes as well record in a digital format. Can't wait to see all the old clips again, they date back to 1991. Memories ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Work at ASDA is getting tougher and tougher so maybe some equally tough decisions ahead.

June - It's the first holiday of the year and it's off to Ireland. Got off to a good start the A14 was closed so had to take the scenic route to Peterborough on the feeder coach but arrived in time for the main coach. Our first time with TravelSphere - Everyone says they are good hope they live up to expectations.

For once the weather was was not our usual wet and rainy experience in fact apart for the last day it was GOOD!. Our Travel guide was well versed in Irish Blarney. Heard the one about the new Dublin Light Railway, one company built the trains, another the track. Unfortunately all to the wrong gauge. True.

As for Ireland a little disappointed, not the green and pleasant land you read about, with all the locals speaking text book Irish. But I did enjoy the Ring of Kerry, and the cliffs of Moham. Very lord of the rings. I would like to return in the future, at least I now know a little about what's where and more importantly where I would like to stay and visit. Yes, I will return.

Work wise an unexpected change, Andy my Manager decides to leave for pastures new, so ASDA nights now under new management. Could be good, but not in the short term, I can only see longer days and more weekends. Can I never have the easy life.

No Expense Spared in Andy,s leaving gift

July - Life goes on, hectic at Asda, with one less manager to cover the nights. But at least a short term solution has been found. Karen has stepped up from a Colleague to a Manager in waiting. As for my other life Web building I am beginning to get commissions from new customers, so that life is looking good. Should double my profits from last year. Only need to keep that up for another 2 years then who knows.

Duxford2 the concert takes place. NO RAIN. Those who attended last year will remember it was WET. For those that missed it - Don't next year.

August - The month of sunshine although this year it's been sunshine and rain lots of rain. Yes it is wet wet WET. Some parts of the country have been hit with flash floods, so should be grateful it's not been us.

My next garden project begins. A 2nd gazebo, with trellis etc...... Then next "The Shed" the old one is slowly being cleared. The idea will be to use new shed as a base for CmG Computers, an office/workshop of sorts.

September - Bad news month... Not now off to Canada, had to cancel due to wife's ill health, nothing serious. A lack of iron resulting in a lack of red blood cells. A journey to be enjoyed another day. When this happens makes you realise just how fragile life can be. I'm just grateful for my lot in life - Perhaps at times it becomes taken for granted and not appreciated as it should.

At long last the back room begins to return to a functioning extra room and not a warehouse. Just need to sort new chairs, carpet and wall units.

Not a good month for me, I manage to resurrect my back pains, get tennis elbow and generally feel low. So off to the doctor and for once take advice and take a week off sick.... Have not done that for a long time.

Better News - We booked a late departure holiday to Lake Garda. Did not even know where we would be staying, left it all to chance. We ended up in Bardolino in the Hotel Caesius for 10 days it was excellent value. Visited most of the Towns and Villages of Garda, all very different. Plus went on a day trip to the Dolomites, breathtaking views as we went up and up. Right to the top via a very long single span cable car.

The weather could not have been better, would certainly recommend this resort/hotel to all. Even the local Bardolino wine was excellent.

October - Spend an weekend in London, when we go to see the rock musical "We will Rock you" Brilliant. Stayed in the Tower Thistle Hotel, overlooking Tower Bridge.

At long last I decide on my new car - A Mazda RX8 230 in black with red black leather interior, the problem is I have to wait till April for it to be delivered.

Sue still recovering but does manage to return to work for a few weeks, before going to hospital for an operation.

November - Sue goes into hospital. While she is away the backroom is finally finished. New floor is fitted and the new chairs arrive. It looks good, well it does for me, may not work for those at "Changing rooms" but so what!!!!

A tough month with the unexpected first fall of snow.

December - Dec 15th a BAD day as the MAZDA factory burns down. My new car goes up in smoke and it may be not until the end of 2005 that I get new car!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will not know until the new year exactly what the position is, so all I can do is wait.

I get a new challenge at ASDA, I am moving to chilled, no more grocery. Must admit to this being a surprise, only found out at a the daily get together with the rest of group when it was announced. Not that I minded had mentioned I could do with a change. But the words "It's good to Talk and Communication" come to mind.

Sue now on the mend, and makes a good start to her recovery. But a long way to go yet.

Christmas comes and goes, not our usual festive sprit.

Back to the start

Ok it's that time again, my thoughts for 2004, hmmmmmmmmm, well here goes...

This year has make me realise that the unexpected is not only just around the corner, it is just waiting to happen. Plans for life are good and well but with a quick twist of fate all plans are rendered null and void. Family are first and foremost and when this is under threat makes you realise what is ACTUALLY important in life.

It does seem life is so unkind at times. At present I seem to be surrounded by those that have worked hard and retired only to be presented by a new chapter in life. Cancer. What do you do, how do you cope? Could I cope, I do know and I don't want to find out.

It is during these darker times that you also realise how important it is to have someone who will listen to your woes. Thanks to those that did.

For me 2004 has not gone to plan. Work at ASDA went from bad to worse, but the good news is that 2005, maybe just maybe it could get better.

CmGcomputers has grown doubled in turnover from 2003, good but needs to be better. Looking good for 2005.

One of the highlights of 2004 has been BARDOLINO, Lake Garda in ITALY, what a great place, I want to go back.

And now DEEP thoughts. I find it hard to believe life ends at death, what a waste, all that life experience going to the grave. So whist still not in the box pass on that knowledge it's so important. But what about when in the box???

So here's a point to prove, my theory on life and death!!!! A boat on the landscape. Does the essence of life live on, does this escape the confines of the body in death, and where does it go and lastly how do I prove "The essence lives on" Well I have a plan. And it goes like this....

Lastly lets have a quick drink for 2005 it can only get better.............

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