New Year, New Blog - Day 54

Day 55.

Another good day. I was extra clever this morning and let the alarm wake me up. The plan was to sleep until the alarm went off, which was a good plan last night and it was going so well until the alarm went off this morning.

Work was really quite fun and I only really had 3 out of 5 lessons. One of my lessons was a cover lesson and that was a doss lesson for the kids. I got quite a lot of abuse from 1 of the girls in my year 10 science class. I'm sure was meant in a jokey kind of way...... I seem to fit in well with the older classes and I know that all the students appreciate me being there giving the banter out. It makes the job enjoyable when you can have a laugh with the kids.

Period 4 was a sponcored run for 20 minutes and 12 seconds around the school fields. Year 8 were running in it and they were all amazing! They were all smiling and laughing, and running certainly beats being in a classroom for an hour. After their run they had a paralympic gold medal winner come and talk to them. The guy was called Dan Bentley. I'm not sure of his condition but he was a TRUE inspiration! He could bearly speak but gave such an encouraging speech, he could bearly control his limbs but gave a genuine round of applause to the year 8s and he wanted to be there to show his appreciation. A really humble man. I feel inspired by him to give it my all in the gym and on my bike because I have the full use of my body and I take it for granted. He has an olympic gold medal and has overcome obstacles that I hope I never have to overcome and I can just walk without thinking it. Seeing a true sports hero like that is amazing. I'm getting a little tearful thinking about it.

I did hit the gym after work and I didn't give it my all and I have no reason for it. Tomorrow I will push myself a lot harder! 

Its Jens birthday today, so happy birthday Jen, 21 (again) I believe. 

A fitting picture for tonights blog. A nobody in a wheelchair with cerebral palsy became a paralympic gold medal champion. Most of you have full use of your entire body. How great can you be?

Until tomorrow.

Jim

New Year, New Blog - Day 53

Day 53.

The bump day as someone told me. At least I think thats what it was called. It wouldn't be called the hump day would it? The middle of the week when the next weekend is closer than the last. As Wednesdays go, it was a good one. A might have made a kid cry (it might have been that he got homework), finished some coursework with my year 11s, made rice/pasta salad with year 8s, got told a simple joke in my year 10 class and then was on riot control with year 9s. I won't explain the joke as it was a long one but it did make me laugh. After work was rugby with year 7s. It was cold out there and I decided not to take a jacket. It was a good session and I felt I contributed quite a lot. I was glad it finished though as I was freezing!

For all who didn't know, I recently learnt how solve a rubix cube. I can't do it in under 10 seconds or anywhere near to that sort of time but I can do it pretty quick. Anyway, I wanted more of a challenge so I brought a 4x4x4 rubix cube and a 5x5x5 rubix cube. I just have to learn how to do those ones and then I'll change my name to rainman!

My plan for the night is to watch more of The Sopranos, I have almost finished season 1 in 3 days. Yeah, its that good. 

I will leave you with this picture and caption that I saw on Twitter.

Blimey! Are B&Q trying to take on Anne Summers?...

Until tomorrow.

Jim

New Year, New Blog - Day 52

Day 52. 

I decided to be clever and beat the alarm again this morning. I was up 20 minutes before it went off. I showed the alarm clock whos boss! 

Tuesdays aren't the most interesting of days so there is not a lot to report on. I usually do a kettle bell workout on a Tuesday but the teachers had a stupid meeting which meant kettle bells wasn't on. It just meant that I got down the gym and got pumping iron quicker. I didn't get a lot done in the gym because I need to get my strength back but I feel I will be aching for a few days. 

After dinner I had to make a few pancakes, it would be rude not to. Dad brought some maple syrup just for the occasion. I was more than happy about having that. Then watched a few episodes of 24 with dad. 

And that is my exciting day done. 

Until tomorrow.

Jim

New Year, New Blog - Day 51

Day 51. 

Back to work today. I was clever and beat the alarm, but that did mean missing an extra 10 minutes sleep. I shall make those valuable minutes by getting an early night. 

So work was good today, it went really quickly for a Monday and the 1st day back. It was a nomal day, nothing interesting happened. It was nice to see everyone again though. Only 29 more working days until easter!

When I got home, I got on my turbo trainer. Its a piece of kit that enables me to cycle inside without the bike moving, well apart from the back wheel. I havn't been on my bike for a few months and I only did 30 minutes to gently ease myself back in. In a couple of weeks I'll be riding for a couple of hours each night after work (I hope). Seeing as I'm off to America in 5 months, I need to get in shape. So I hope to get back in the gym and burning some serious fat!

I have started watching The Sopranos since I got back from work. Well and truely HOOKED! Onto my 3rd episode and I love it! I am now finishing this blog to go and watch more of The Sopranos.

Until tomorrow. 

Jim

New Year, New Blog - Day 50

Day 50. 

50 days of blogging is quite a landmark number for me. I have quite enjoyed writing all the blogs and I know some of them are boring but I am going to keep trying to make them more interesting. 

A great nights sleep and another fantastic lie in. It was 8.50 before I was awake and now that I have decided to sleep more, how am I going to get up tomorrow morning for work? I hope it will be an easy day.

Today we saw cousins down the field. It has been a few weeks since we last saw them as we had the snow. It was great seeing them and there is always banter. We had to do some cutting down of trees which was interesting. It only required us moving the logs and branches we cut down but they were quite heavy. Dad used the new chainsaw to cut some logs down to the right size.

I cooked the roast dinner today. We had roast chicken and it was awesome! I really enjoy cooking and it was nice to do it again. I havn't done it for a few months so will be looking forward to cooking more often. 

After lunch, I shut myself away in my room and watched Captain America: The First Avenger. It was a really good film but I thought the story could have been better explained. The first part of the film was detailed enough so that you could get an idea of what was happening but during the middle/end of the film it wasn't that detailed. The film could have been a lot longer and that would have given the viewers some idea how the ending was set up. I'm not saying don't see the film because it wasn't good, it was good. It was very well made and I enjoyed it. 

I'm quite looking forward to work tomorrow but I will certainly miss working at Simpson Autocare during the week. I shall be getting down there as much as possible over Easter. Lets hope the next 6 weeks go quick!

Until tomorrow.

Jim

New Year, New Blog - Day 49

Day 49.

An absolutely wonderful day! I had an awesome lie in, it was 9.30am when I woke up and for me that is pretty impressive. I hade a weird dream as well. I was in America inside a huge glass building that was flooded and only held together by rocks. The worrying thing about the dream was that building was our hotel. 

The morning was spent infront of the TV playing Call of Duty and listening to The Beatles. How is it that I didn't listen to them before? They are truely amazing and inspiring. I don't have a favourite song of theirs but I do like Strawberry Fields Forever, Let It Be, While My Guitar Gently Weeps and Come Together. I will be listening to them a lot more often. 

This afternoon was a special one. I met up with a friend in town and the last time I saw her was about 7 years ago I think. It was a great catch up and so many stories were shared. Its a shame we only had a couple of hours. We could have quite easily talked all afternoon and evening. We have always stayed in contact since school and always been there for one another. I think we will be meeting up more often as we had such a laugh together.

Thats all for today folks.  

Until tomorrow.

Jim

New Year, New Blog - Day 48

Day 48.

Another day spent working at Simpson Autocare. I have spent a lot of time at Chris workshop and I talk about my time there frequently but I havn't said how to get in contact with Simpson Autocare. Here is the link to the website Simpson Autocare and the link to the Facebook page Simpson Autocare - Facebook.  All the work carried out there is to the highest standard and estimate prices can be found on the website. Please check it out and spread the word about Simpson Autocare.

Lots of phone calls were made today from both Chris and myself. We were looking to hire a compression test kit for a 1.4 HDi diesel engine. That was surprisingly difficult and after lots of back and forth on the phone, dad and Sam went all the way to South Benfleet to hire one. I'm not entirely sure what a compression test does, I think it tests the pressure in each cylinder to see if it can hold the pressure. Unfortunatly after all that, it didn't fit and it had to go back. Chris and his brother have now pretty much concluded what the problem is and it means waiting just a little while longer. It is looking more and more likely that its the injectors. They are going to be sent off to be checked using ultrasound (fancy stuff) and reconditioned if neccessary. Penny should be better very very soon.

Once the work on Penny stopped, it was time to get Elvis the Escort prepped and ready to be primed. I'm not sure what that means either. There were a few final bits of filling and rubbing down to do and then we had to mask him up.

These are the injectors. They inject fuel into the engine. We have been quoted £66 + VAT for them to be tested. For them to be repaired its £105 + VAT each! One of the little buggers isn't working and we don't know which one.

Elvis all masked up.

Every little hole had to be sealed with masking tape so that primer wouldn't get inside the car.

Notice anything missing? An engine perhaps?

Trying to get a fancy picture taken. In a short while, this car will be painted to the highest standard and of a professional quality.

So, Elvis the escort is ready to be primed and then painted.

Now for the big news that you all are waiting to hear. Am I going to America in the summer? I decided to take Rule 5 advice and man up. I am going to America. I am frightened and not afraid to admit it.

Until tomorrow.

Jim