Phone home

I've been negotiating to purchase an PDA style mobile phone for work purposes from a friend. It's not the most modern of devices but will do the job for me. I mainly want a Microsoft Mobile client so I can download documents to it, for example, maps and the like so I don't need to boot up my laptop every time I think I've gone the wrong way. Personally, I think work should give me something like this but apparently I'm not senior enough for that. Anyway, she is not the most reliable and has, at every step, tried to stop the deal happening (not on purpose!)

First, she threw the software and manuals away in a recent house move. No problem thinks me, I can get it from the 02 site. Nope, they don't let you do that. So a quick email or two to friends who have the smae phone came up trumps.

Second, I confirm I want it and she says now she can't find the charger. Eventually that turns up. Now, she's lost the stylus for it.

Still, I'm willing to wait as it'll make life easier and replacement stylus can be bought on ebay for less than a fiver. As it turns out she has just posted it to me, so hopefully I should get it early next week, although the software will be a week behind as my mate is on holiday now. Still, got to love new toys [:)].

Guiness

Survived two days in Ireland. Dublin is a crakcing place, really enjoyed being there (although with work you don't see much of it!) Managed a couple of pints of Guiness and it's so true - it tastes better in Dublin. But a good trip with excellent information picked up.

Had an amusing taxi home with a cab driver who just talked the whole way home. He'd actually picked up my other half the week before and had to wait 3 hours for her at Heathrow after BAA had lost the bags (actually, that's not true. They knew where they were, but as they had already towed the plane to it's parking stand for the night (with bags in it) they didn't fancy crossing both runways with trolley bags...).

The other half is off a mates hen do, so (true to form) the boys are getting together for moutain biking, beer, football and curry. What can you do ;-)

Tax

Fuel tax sucks big style.

I don;t have a big car, it's pretty fuel efficient, but not emmision friendly it would appear. As a band F, I'm almost at the be "strung up and quatered" stage from a tax point of view.

Time to invest in a diesel...

Cider

It's just after 7am. I'm at Londons busiest airport awaiting my flight to Ireland. (mental note - one hour check in for Dublin, no matter what they say it is...). Anyway, I'm sitting in a coffee shop/bar place as all good airports have open at this time of the morning. And the guy next to me, in a suit a full work clothes, orders a pint of Magners. Now, how can anyone drink anything such as cider at 7am? Why is it that if your at an airport people always seem to order booze!

I suspect it's a particularly British thing, a bit like only liking tennis for two weeks in the summer. Come on Tim!

(Note: I don't actually like Henman, good player but blew it. Could still whip my arse though on a tennis court.)

Spurs

Gutted for Spurs last night (mainly as they should have the first leg, but there you go). Lennon was marked so closely by Mikel he just couldn't influence the game. Occasional flashes of brilliance though. It's interesting, people say you can snub out "flair players" but having watched a fair bit of Ronaldo this season he never seems to be snubbed! Berbatov looks class (and there are rumours of a huge bid coming in for him in the summer from the NE of England...) and Spurs seem to have hit a bit of form at the right time. Could yet win the Uefa cup. Good luck to them.

Favourite moment last night was watching Cashley Cole get booed everytime he got the ball. At one point amid the boos all you heard was a broad London accept shouting "wa**er!!!" Just amused me a lot [:)]

Packed a lot into the last couple of days it has to be said! Yesterday was spent amusing the niece and nephew (well, "to be" once I get married) and family. 4 year olds are hard work! But supreme fun. The little one was cute as well, he can walk for ages now on his own and has very funny likes and dislikes - he hates standing on grass for example. Random, but really amusing when you put him on grass to see what he does.

Last night we went to the local theatre (we times it - 3 minutes 27 seconds door to door - that counts as local in my book!) to see The New Statesman with Rik Mayell. Absolutely hilarious, with some very dodgy lines and completely not politically correct and all the better for it.

Today I spent 2 and half hours in the gym working out how I can get fitter quicker with a trainer. The end result was that I could hardly lift anything when I got in but feel much better for it. So to celebrate I've made a curry for dinner ;-)

Quick note on the return of F1 - great to see Lewis Hamilton doing well in his first race. Heidfeld is lucky to still have a head after Coultard nearly swiped it off with the underside of his car. However I watched the race in sheer desperation for a good showing and it was duller than the M25 in rush hour. The sooner they introduce the new rear wing the better - no overtaking after the first corner until the pitstops. Going to see some DTM and F3 races this year - plenty of action there! Even F2 is a better series now than F1.