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Gemma’s New Job

Gemma started her new job this evening.

She’s working part-time in a call centre as a customer services advisor. Her hours are in the evening so it means that we won’t have to fork out on childcare fees etc. I’ve had to change my working for my job, which my company has been very good about, so now I’m starting an hour earlier at 7.30am, and finishing at 4.00pm so that I’ve got enough time to get home before Gem has to leave for her job.

The hardest part will be getting in the routine of getting up earlier, although this isn’t a problem at the moment, because Ellie is deciding that she wants to get up at 6.00 am . It doesn’t help that the mornings are very light, so you can’t tell her that its still nighttime because she knows its not. And Ellie knows best.

How stupid do they think I am???

Got another one of those scam emails the other day saying that I’d won the Lottery. They must think people are stupid. Why do people fall for this???

I mean the English is appalling for a start, and they obviously can’t afford a spell checker. Another big clue is the fact there using a “Yahoo” email address. If this was really from the “National Lottery” surely they’d have their own email addresses!

The basic message in this email is, please give me all your personal details so that we can take as much money as possible from you and your bank account!!!

NATIONAL LOTTERY HEADQUARTERS:
P O Box 1010 Liverpool,
(Customer Services)

OFFICIAL PRIZE NOTIFICATION

Ellie’s Early Birthday Present

Yesterday, Gemma and I spent the afternoon putting Ellie’s birthday present together. Even though its still a couple of weeks till her 2nd birthday we decided to put it up for her. She’s still at that age where birthdays don’t mean too much.

The hardest part of putting it together was getting the last piece of the main circular section together. After a few attempts at getting the last connection in place, I was getting a little frustrated with it. “AAAARGH!!!!”

Then with a bit of brute force we finally managed to get it together. After this it was all pretty much plain sailing. The legs fitted together pretty easily, although one of the bolts was cross-threaded, which made it so difficult to fit, I had to give up on that one. Fitting the springs and the mat to the frame was surprisingly easy.

Ellie had insisted on trying to help put the trampoline up so that she could go on the “bouncy” and was getting increaingly naggy as Gemma and I were taking far too long for her liking!!!

But seeing the look on her face when she was finally allowed to get on and jump about was fantastic!

Happy Birthday Ellie x x x

(I know its not for a couple of weeks )

Oops!

It had to happen at some stage.

Lewis Hamilton has pranged his car in practice for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix. It happened as he was braking heavily for the Ste. Devote corner, and locked the rear wheels, causing him to smash into the tyre barrier.

(Picture from Autosport.com)

In spite of this minor mishap, he still managed to finish 3rd overall, just 0.3s behing team-mate Fernando Alonso. Williams drivers Nico Rosberg and Alex Wurz finished 8th and 15th respectively. We’ll see if they can make some progress when it counts in qualifying on Saturday.

Less than 4 months to go……

There’s now less than 4 months until I get married to the woman of my dreams. Gemma is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I can’t wait to marry her on 15th September.

Everything seems to be going to plan, Gemma has worked really hard getting everything prepared, and has been really enjoying it. Its going to be an amazing day.

We bought our rings a couple of weeks ago, and buying them just makes it all seem so much more real now. Which means that its getting closer to the time that I’m going to have to make a speech. I’m not looking forward to that bit. Most people who know me know that I’m not one for making speeches in front of people, and if everyone who’s invited comes, then there’ll be about 80-odd people for me to talk in front of. AAAAARGH!!! (Not scared at all!)

Thankfully it won’t be just me that’ll be making a speech, Steve, Gemma’s Dad and my Best Man, Sam will also have to give one.

Who’d have thought it?

Lewis Hamilton leading the F1 World Championship……….

After 4 races of his debut season, the new wonderkid is on top of the world. But surely the bubble must burst soon. Surely there is some mechanical gremlin about to throw a spanner in the works.

Well at least he’s doing a lot better than the drivers of my team, Williams F1, Nico Rosberg and Alex Wurz. After a disappointing 2006 they seem to be turning themselves around. They already have 50% of the points that they scored in the whole of last season, and are above Toyota in the standings, who are supplying their engines this year. I bet they’re not too happy.

As the season progresses I’m sure that the team will develop the car to a point where they can challenge for points on a regular basis, maybe even a podium position. I’ll just have to keep my fingers crossed on that one.

An Evening Out

It’s not often that Gemma and I get to go out for a meal, but yesterday we took the opportunity. Ellie had gone out for the day with Nana and Grandad, and her cousin Dafydd to Chester Zoo, and was staying over at night.

We went to a lovely Italian restaurant that we’ve passed loads of time on our way into Wigan.

The restaurant is called La Cava and when we arrived it was very busy. which is always a good sign . The waiting staff were very friendly from the outset, and were very attentive and checking that everything was ok.

The food was very good, and great value too. They had a good selection of items on the menu, to start with Gemma had ribs, which just fell off the bone, and I had calamari, which was very good. To follow, Gemma ordered a Margherita pizza, which was large to say the least (luckily we were able to parcel up what Gemma didn’t manage to finish, and have it the next day ), and I had Penne Gratinate, which was really delicious and well cooked. Hats off to the chef.

Gemma and I both thoroughly enjoyed the evening out, spending some quality time together. We will definitely go to La Cava again.

UPDATE 31st May 2007: Added pictures of Ellie and Dafydd’s trip to the zoo