Last post 2013

The last post.

Okay, the last post of 2013. It's nearly 9.30 in the morning of the 31st December in England. Overcast, damp, quiet.

It's been a funny year, not that I have been laughing much.

I've moved house, even though it was from next door to here it was traumatic.I think I would have been better moving a bit further. I would have thrown all my crap away, but because I just moved from 6 to 4 I moved it all. 

It is a better house. 3 bedrooms instead of 2, a through lounge (into the kitchen) which has it's good side and bad. 

Next door only has a shower, this one has a bath and shower. I'll not go on (trying to convince myself?)

I've changed my job. I had a business supporting two people, we gave it up this year. The recession just going on to long. So I got a job as a bus driver. Mick kept the business going for just 6 weeks and he went for a job, working with a friend of his, his future looks good. I may have kept the business going if Mick had gone first, but it's a hard one-man business. So I'll just stay in the dry and warm of a bus cab.

I would be able to go on coach work if it gets to much. Coach work is favored by single men who can pack up on a Monday and go away on long haul jobs to Europe. The moneys better as well. 

My love life.

Not much happened this year, well not much has happened for a few years, but I thought it was because I was not ready.

I did have a fling with Cat Woman. She was the woman who I met on a Bank Holiday early this year.
She had fancy dress on and was dressed as a cat. Black body stocking with a tail hanging down to the floor and some cats ears on her head. Smiling and laughing.
I was warned on the day. 'Hey Paul, bad news, mad as a hatter' Did I listen, no.

They were right. She was on medication (supervised, every morning by some official). She did look so normal the rest of the time, a bit wacky but all women are.

No, that was a close one. It never occurred to me to get my phone out and take a photo of her.

Music & art.

Not a good year. The Cumberland Arms has been quiet. I go on Sunday nights. A whole bunch of singers, players and watchers. But I missed a lot of nights this year and the one's I missed were not fantastic. 2 years ago it was standing room only, now half that amount.

I've had that pulled nerve in my left arm, bad news for a guitarist/ mandolin player. So I dug the keyboard out and enjoyed teaching myself that. Not that I'll every be good, but I like it. They do have a piano in The Cumberland Arms, so on a very quiet night I may just jump on and sing with that. That's the dream anyway.

No, paintings or drawings this year. The house move and other things got in the way. 

Also no new writing, I do have an idea for a new book and must stop putting the TV on when I get home. 'I'll just have a look at the news'. The night is gone 

To easy to lose a night. That's my new years resolution, right there on this page.

The future.

What to do this year.

Well I'm going to go back into 'Internet dating'.

I did try it when I first ended up on my own, I sat there pressing buttons and looking but was not really in the mood. I hope I am now.

I know what's brought this on. Last week I managed to get a ticket to the football match, the first for a while. A whole bunch of us meet in a near by restaurant and have a few beers and a meal.

Part of this group is my ex-wife friends, she does come once or twice a year and it does mean we see each other. It's friendly, we are polite to one another. 

But, but this week she rolled up with her new man-friend. I know him, he's a nice man. 

It devastated me, I was cut to pieces. Somewhere deep in my mind I must have wanted to get back together. 

The final hurt. I have to move on, and that means get a female friend. Lets hope I don't jump into something not quite right.

I've talked to my daughter, friends and sisters (yes I listen to my sisters) and the over whelming opinion is 'Kiss a hundred frogs' is the best policy. Meet lots of 'girls'. It does sound like hard work. I'm sure there are right.

So, while I've been writing this, everyone and there dog has been phoning me. I've also started to name my photo's so I can pull up a photo which goes with certain stories. They go on the computer with a file name like 80003/13/ 03445. So I'm renaming them.
It's hard and it makes you look back on your life, so takes a long time.
It's now 11.58 and I need to do some prep for tonight.

New Years eve 2013/14.

I'm going to Ponteland tonight. The Seven Stars. I was there about 2 months ago and I know the band and while they were out having a break I went out for a chat. The lead singer (Ruth) said 'We're here New Years Eve' and I said I was planning on being here. 

'Do you want to sing a song?' 

Now I'm a little drunk at this stage, it sounded great idea. 

I'm now in a panic, tonight's the night. 

So I'm singing 'house of the rising sun' The first song on the second half. NOOOOOOOooooo  

I'm going to wrap up here, it's 12.12. 

I'll get the photos sorted soon so I can quickly find them when writing, and I'll tell you how the singing went.

All the best for the new year.