I'm not a peedo!!!

Elizabeth is attending a new nursery as of last week. When I enrolled her I gave them a password in case anyone else other than Nuch and I pick her up.
Last week my mum picked her up and even though she had never been before a woman who was picking her child up let her into the nursery. Once she found Elizabeth she gave them the password and took Elizabeth home, no probs!
This week when I picked Elizabeth up, I was waiting to get in the front door, later I'll be given own key fob to get in. A real snotty woman came to the door and just said "I can't let you in, I don't know who you are, you could be anyone!" you can imagine how this made me feel?
I got through the door about 5 seconds after she had gone through and made sure she held the four doors open to Elizabeths room, hoping to make her feel uncomfortable. I wanted to say "can you prove who you are?" however I remained silent.
Once I got to Elizabeths room, the nurses in the place wouldn't let me take her out because know one knew me. I gave them the password, but this didn't help. The manager had to be found who was the only person recognised me. Last week my mum wasn't recognised but because she was a woman, she was allowed to take her. Because I'm a bloke, I was treated like a potential pedophile until I was given the all clear.
Yes, I know security has to be paramount, but it as to be standard for men and women. Have people already forgot the extreme case of the female nursery nurse taking porno pics of 2 month old kids in her charge?
Anyway, that's my rant for this week....


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Future direction



Whilst I'm off work, it's been a struggle to keep Elizabeth occupied with activities that are worthwhile. She as started at a new neursery due to the intransigence of her old one. This only takes up one day per week, so I've been thinking what pastime she will do in the future.



Bend it like Beckham





This raises another question, the pastime or hobby she takes up, will it be her chioce or one influenced by me? I would like to think it is one she chooses that I like!!!!



I would like her to get into any of the following. Golf, cycling or Hiking. At the moment she seems to be more in to wanting to dance! This is not on the menu, if it's what she wants then I will help her out, however the phrase last resort springs to mind.



At the moment she is bugging me using a drum stick on anything in the living room and making a mess which I will have to clean up.







Boredom

I'm in to my second week of being out of work, and boy it is boring!

Elizabeth is unable to go to Nursery because as soon as your become unemployed you loose the child tax credits that paid for her to go there.

I have had to come up with interesting activities to keep her occupied during the day, these so far have included baking, sandwich making, walks, rides on her bikes and using a blackboard to draw things. The problem is that I've got to find a job at the same time and this is proving not to be easy.

I've applied for about 20 jobs so far, ranging from cleaning jobs up to a Maintenance Manager. I'm limited to what times I can work because of Nuch's alternate shifts were she works. I've even applied for a temp job at Supermarket Morrisons up till Christmas.

I'm always looking for opportunities to start working for myself, unfortunately I've had a few ideas but these all need to funded which I'm not up for at the moment.

Anyway, the last thing I'm going to do is feel sorry for myself. In the same vain, I'm determined to get out on my bike more and get fit. I'm really back into the bike at the moment and keep on upping the amount of time I get out on it and the amount of effort I put in.

When I get a job, I'll update my blog again.

Bad floods in Thailand

Thailand is being hit full on by some of the worst flooding in living memory. When I lived in Thailand we had our fair share of floods around this time of year. We were marooned for a week at our house in Phatum Thani. That was down to rain in the area.

This time the North East of the country had a week long deluge of monsoon rain. Seventeen people have died due to the floods so far and in the next few days Bangkok will be getting the full force of the rain mixed together with what in Thailand is called a King tide over this weekend. This is our version of high tide.

What is becoming apparent is that too many natural flood plains have been developed. These include the new Bangkok Airport and even our housing project. Unfortunately our project drains very well, but that is because it drains in to the surrounding areas. Sorry!!!

I only hope things pass off without too much bother, Nuch's Family lives on the edge of a Klong (Canal) in north Bangkok. The last thing they need are floods, although the house is traditional in that is built on stilts, so everything could be moved upstairs.

Siam Buri

Whilst we were on holiday the other week we went to Hull for the day. Whilst we were playing with Elizabeth in the large indoor play area called Big Fun, I had a look on the internet for a place to eat. We came up a Thai restaurant called Siam Buri on Anlaby Road in Hull.

I'll be honest with, I'm not a great lover of Thai meals outside my house or outside Thailand, whilst in the UK I've has many poor Thai meals as I've had good one's. However Nuch really wanted something spicy after our week of fry ups and pub grub. In all fairness I was looking forward to it.

When you walk through the door, you are greated by a ultra modern lay out with a few Thai pictures on the wall, first impressions are very good and we were immediately seated by friendly staff. I went for a favourite of mine, Som Tam, this is a spicy raw papaya salad. In the UK, raw papaya is expensive so alot of places use carrot. Siam Buri used swede which is far closer to papaya, it also had a twist in that the swede was lightly fried and came with full sized prawns, not the usual little dried things you get in Thailand. The dish was outstanding and is a firm favourite of mine now. I also had a stir fry with vermocelli noodles. Nuch had her usual hot jungle curry and vegatbales. Even Elizabeth enjoyed her rice, chicken Satay and Prawn crackers. The food was first class, I even managed to squeeze in a banana fritter dessert.....

Seriously, Siam Buri is the best Thai restaurant I've been to out side of Thailand and should you ever be in Hull, phone them up and book a table.

Contact details:

521-523 Anlaby Road

Hull, East Yorkshire
HU3 6EN
United Kingdom

Tel : 01482 503240

Map my Ride

The above map is from a new App I've downloaded on my iPhone.

Map my Ride is a GPS orientated app that allows you to see where you have been on your ride or run. I start the GPS going as I leave the door and tracks your progress up until you finish. At the end of the ride when you stop the app it automatically downloads the data to the Map my Ride web site and also updates my Facebook Page.

This is a really good app and one I've used loads of times and would recommend it to any one with an iPhone.

Click on this link to download

Diabetes and Me Day 75

A few days into my period of being out of work has been good for my diabetes. I went out on my bike on sunday and again today. On sunday I really put the hammer down and it felt good.


Today I was out on the bike again, going further than normal and alot more climbing. The weather was at its British best, but even that didn't dampen my spirit. I was also priviliged to see a calf being born as I went through a farm yard. Never a dull moment.

I'm really keeping up with the tablet regime and not missing any. Earlier this evening I took my glucose level and it was a very respectable 8.2mmo/l. The norm is around 6 ish.

Right, getting fitter, getting better! Just got to find a job now!!!!

Winter is on the way

I hate winter and the weather at the moment is turning very quickly in to autumn and winter.

I took these pictures below today, you can see the leaves have turned into their autumn colours and have all but fallen off. There was a cool northerly wind blowing making it feel very cold.

The weather forcast for this weekend is giving daytime temperatures down to nearly freezing and a definate frost over night. Scotland, north England and North Wales can even expect the first of this seasons snow. CRAP!!

At least Elizabeth likes the cold weather....

Alfreton Cross

Yesterday I took Elizabeth to watch a Notts and Derby Cyclo Cross race at Alfreton Park.

In the 1990's I used to participate in these races all over Nottingham and Derby every winter, they were great fun. Keeping you fit and blowing the cobwebs away on a chilly saturday afternoon.

I secretly hope that Elizabeth will want to start bike racing, sadly she is more interested in Barbie and Baby Annabel! There is a bit of hope for her starting golf and these next couple of weeks whilst I'm off work I'll see if I can get her to swing the club better and maybe think about lessons.

Hopefully a cyclist of the future!!!!

Back to the cross race. The under 10's race had a massive field of 61 and when we left the que for the adult was about 30 deep. This is a very popular discipline of cycling. Competitors use something that look like a road bike, but has more tyre clearence for the mud and stronger cantilever brakes to stop you in the mud.

I had hoped to use this race but getting fit is taking longer than I thought, so I reckon that this time next year, this race will see my return to racing. I've said this before, but hopefully this is it....

Chile Mining rescue

The first 18 of 33 miners trapped underground for more than two months in northern Chile have been winched to the surface amid scenes of jubilation.

Florencio Avalos, the first to be released, was greeted by family and President Sebastian Pinera when he emerged at 0010 local time (0310 GMT).

All the freed miners are being taken to a triage centre for health checks.

The oldest of the 33, the youngest and the only non-Chilean are among those rescued to date.

The operation has run smoothly so far. Health Minister Jaime Manalich said that if working conditions stayed the same, the rescue should be completed in one-and-a-half days, half a day quicker than predicted.

The men have been trapped underground since 5 August, when a rockfall caused a tunnel to collapse.

After their reunion with relatives, the miners are being flown by helicopter to hospital in the nearby city of Copiapo.

Outside the hospital, barriers have been set up to cope with the crowds of onlookers and journalists.

During their journey to the surface, the miners wear a "bio-harness" designed for astronauts, which monitors their heart rate, breathing, temperature and oxygen consumption. The rescue capsule is checked every eight ascents.

Officials said the first few men to be winched to the surface included some of the most psychologically stable and experienced of the miners, in case something went wrong.

I must admit feeling quite choked when I watched the third miner come up live early this morning, it also makes a change to post a good news story.

Trouble in southern Thailand update

SECURITY OFFICIALS Monday guard the scene where Sgt-Major 1st Class Banchob Inchan, from the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, was killed. He was shot dead while riding his motorbike on Sirorod Road in Yala’s Muang district to work at Sirindhorn Military Camp in Pattani’s Yarang district.

The problems in the four southern districts of Thailand have been going on now for over seven years in its current state.

In that time nearly four thousand people have lost there lives, all the goverment and military junta's have tried to solve the problem, but on the face of it have at best, made the situation no worse. The main culprits are said to be Muslim insurgents, the south of Thailand is prodominently Muslim. However no one knows any names or even organistions that are involved. The problem started when Thailand annexed the states from Malaysia at the end of the second world war, and one presumes that the goal of the insurgents is to be re-united with the Muslim Malay goverment.

Unfortunately, the killings and assisnations bear little resemblance of a freedom fight. It is speculated that amongst the insurgent killing, other problems like honour killings, criminal gangs and ethnic killings are being carried out and passed off as terror acts.

The goverment as tried hard ball tatics and then the softly softly approach, neither seem to get any where and how can you hold talks with people who you don't know?

Whilst the troubles have only touched a few westerners, it must be remembered that the popular islands of Phucket and Koh Samui are not that far away, hopefully the insurgents don't get any crazy ideas to expand their operations. It seems strange that up until now they haven't, again making the whole thing very strange.

I can't see any end to this problem and hopefully it never comes to visit the tourist areas, the last thing Thailand needs at the moment. For the people of the area, I only hope a solution can be found and they can stop looking over their shoulders all the time.

Retro

Thirty years ago, I was just starting year ten at High School. I was just getting into fashion, music and being a teenager.

Fashion like today was really a uniform and one item cropped up that every lad had to have, whether punk, rocker or mod. That was to own a pair of Adidas Samba trainers. They were supposedly for indoor 5 a side, which they ideal. As a fashion item they were in the same league as Doc Martins, Levis jeans and Wrangler jackets.

Low and behold on one of Nuch's trips to Westfield in Derby I saw that JJB sports still sold them and this time in difeerent colours. I only remember the black leather ones, now there are Blue suede which I bought and also a bright green which is an acquired taste. They are still really comfortable and at £39.99 they are still the same price as they were 30 years ago.

Who knows, maybe Mohair jumpers and permed hair will come back into fashion as well.

Diabetes and Me Day 65

Since my last post I have to admit that I've come off the rails slightly. The main reason being my weeks long holiday in North Wales and East Yorkshire. Whilst the holiday was great, the diet went out of the window and I got very little excercise.


Next week I will be made redundent from my current job, so this may give an opportunity to get some miles in on my bike whilst looking for another job.

I've also been missing my regular tablet regime, missing one of my Metformin tablets in the evening.

I last took my glucose level on day 63, it came out at a respectable 9.3mmo/l, still 30% higher than it should be, but within acceptable levels.

Time now to knuckle down, get fit, loose weight and find a job, easy if you say it quick enough!

Even more important

For the last four years Thailand as seen more than its fair share of problems with a coup, several PM's, mass demonstration with a huge loss of life. Add this to the on going troubles in the south with Muslim Insurgents, tourist staying away due to high currency, poor service and scams and thailand very poor reputation abroad for corruption.

However, never Mind! Most Thai's are more concerned about the on going battle between over paternity with one of its hottest stars, a guy called "Film". Yes that is his real name and a starlet of mixed race (Thai/Swiss) called Annie.

The allegation is that last year they had a fling whilst Film was filming and Annie was his co-star. Low and behold four months ago she gave birth to a baby boy. Film is said to have denied any chance of him being the Father, but then the Thai press got hold of it and all hell as broken loose.

He has been suspended by his record label and Studio, the press has turn against him cullminating in him accidently taking an overdose last week. (Sadly he didn't take enough). Both Mothers seem to have become ill due to the media pressure. One big difference is that Films Parents are Hi-so Chino/Thai stock that are thought of as elite. Whereas Annies Mum is from the salt of the earth division of life, one that most Thais identify with.

Latest developments are Annie is refusing to take a DNA test because she knows who the father is. Films management team has announced publicly that Annie was seeing at least four other men at the time. This as gone down like a lead balloon in Thailand with online forums organising a boycott of Films companies (RS) films and records.

As an outsider looking in, I can only shake my head in wonderment that Thailand is more worried about this story rather than the emerging social, political, military and financial problems that people in the west are concerned about.

Maybe the Thai's have got this right, perhaps other peoples problems will block out problems stareing them in the face..

Watch this space.

Ryder Cup 2010

This years Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor was full of the usual excitement and then more.

The first day was pretty much lost to torrential rain, as was sunday morning. After a revised schedule the final day had to be carried over to yesterday, the first time the Ryder Cup as been staged over four days.

Going into the single Europe lead by three points, but the US are always strong in this discipline and clawed back and back unitl it took Graeme McDowell to win the 17th hole of the last game to clinch the winning point for Europe.

Top entertainment, roll on 2012....

Child Porn openly sold on streets of Bangkok

This morning the Bangkok Post ran with a very disturbing article. It seems that child porno DVD's are being openly sold by vendors in the busiest tourist area of Bangkok.

The artical in full

I've never come across anything like this during all my time in Thailand, I guess if you're not looking for it you don't notice it.

I've bought pirate DVD's from these vendors in the Sukhumvit location, I have noticed Porno DVD's for sale which are illegal in Thailand, but child stuff. No way.

Unfortunately the people who sell this material pay the Police for protection and in the worst case scenario are given advanced notice of any shake down. I only hope that this brave piece of journalism gets something sorted! I doubt it though....