Notebook > Life
Hectic - 15 Apr 08
That’s how life has been for the last week or more and its the reason for yet another spell of silence on Mad Eejits.
Where do we start? Well, Sarah’s dad had the flu. This meant Sarah had to work 6 days a week, rather than her normal 3 days, just to keep the family business ticking over. Which in turn meant we needed extra childcare for Ben, but unfortunately we didn’t even have his ‘normal’ childcare available as Sarah’s Mum had the flu too and my parent’s are away on holiday at the moment. On top of all this was the fact that it was my turn to be on-call for work, meaning I had to be contactable 24×7 and I had to handle a few late night issues during the week.
Here, There and Everywhere - 31 Mar 08
Its been quiet for a while here on Mad Eejits, but not without good reason.
The short version is that a couple of Fridays ago (14th March), I found out that I had to fly out to the U.S. for a week, that Monday, for some knowledge transfer sessions. Not having flown anywhere for over 2 years, there was a bit of frantic packing on the Sunday afternoon, followed by re-packing after checking current airport security guidelines and finally hunting for my passport.
An Unexpected Bonus - 27 Feb 08
Isn’t a great feeling when you put on a coat or jacket that you haven’t worn in a while and find some money in one of the pockets? It might be £5, £10 or even £20, but the amount doesn’t really matter. What’s more important is that you didn’t know you’d lost the money, so when you find it, its like getting something for nothing.
A New Job for the New Year - 13 Dec 07
Its taken nearly 6 months of searching, but I finally found the right opportunity for me to move on from my current role to something new. I’ll be finishing with my current employer before Christmas and will start the New Year in a new job.
Do All The Good You Can - 05 Dec 07
Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.
Stair Gates - 01 Nov 07
Surely a notable milestone in a child’s development is when, as a parent, you finally acknowledge that’s time to fit stair gates. Your little bundle of joy is no longer content with just being on the ground. No, now he (or she) wants to start climbing and anything & everything that was previously out of reach (CDs, telephones, ornaments etc) is now fair game (and certainly much more interesting that those toys on the floor that you spent your hard-earned money on).
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The Seasons Change - 16 Oct 07
As if the falling leaves weren’t clue enough, today provided two signs that the colder weather is on its way.
One was simple enough. Today was the first morning that I’ve placed a bare foot on the tiled kitchen floor and wished that I’d put my slippers on. The things we must suffer to get the coffee brewing before jumping into the shower…
My Mind is a Blank - 03 Oct 07
Last night, as I lay awake at 2am, listening to Ben snore, I had a great idea for a post/entry for today. Of course, by this morning, I had completely forgotten what that idea was and I’m only left with the notion of how ‘great’ it would have been.
Our Fifth Wedding Anniversary - 27 Sep 07
Continuing on the theme of writing about things that happened whilst we were away last week, I thought I’d better not let this one slip by.
Last Thursday was our 5th wedding anniversary and even though we were already ‘away’, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to spoil ourselves for just one night. So, with Ben enjoying the company of his Nana and Granda (my parents), we took ourselves off to the Beech Hill Country House Hotel, just outside Derry – Our second luxurious hotel break within two weeks, no less, but probably our last for a long, long time.
Learning to Surf - 25 Sep 07
Surfing is something that I’ve wanted to try for many many years, yet somehow I just never have managed to get round to it. Back in my school days, a friend and I planned a trip to Newquay, in Cornwall, so that we could learn to surf, but transport issues and money concerns meant that our dream never came to fruition. So, for the occasion of my 30th birthday (yes, I sneaked that one quietly past you in May), Sarah offered me a couple of surfing lessons as part of my birthday present and, last week, I finally got to try the sport that has eluded me for so long.
A Weekend Away - 11 Sep 07
Last Saturday, one of my friends got married down in County Fermanagh and Sarah & I took the opportunity (read ‘excuse’) to make a weekend of it. Just the two of us. Without Ben. For the first time since he was born.
Paying Off the Mortgage - 01 Jul 07
Its been up there on the tag line since we brought this site to life in January, but as yet there haven’t been any posts on the topic of “Paying Off the Mortgage”. So it’s time to get started.
And the Rain Came Down - 13 Jun 07
Northern Ireland is certainly no stranger to damp summers, but even so, yesterday was quite exceptional. Having enjoyed a few hot and sunny days, the weather took a turn for the worse, with torrential rain and hail stones causing flash flooding in many areas.
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Hallelujah, Here She Comes - 21 May 07
After several months of Sarah being rather a silent partner as far as Mad Eejits is concerned, this week should (hopefully) see her first post on the site, as she returns to work from her maternity leave. The last 6 months have flown by for me, so I’m sure it seems twice as fast for her.
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NI Smoking Ban Starts Today - 30 Apr 07
Since 6am this morning, it has been illegal to smoke in enclosed public areas, such as shops, pubs, restaurants and, of course, offices, in Northern Ireland. I’m sure there will be those who will moan about about the ban, but personally I think its long overdue.
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Suckin' Diesel - 07 Mar 07
A recent, light-hearted article on the BBC’s website listed 30 ways that readers felt the UK had changed over the last 10 years.
