What an Xmas that was!

This report comes to you from CenterParcs! This year the family Brain decamped from Four Oaks and relocated just outside Nottingham in a New Executive Lodge in Pine section. This was a great break from tradition and a step further than last year. For nigh on twenty years Xmas has always been at Chez John and Lisa then last year we went out for Xmas lunch which was very nice. This year after number 2 son had moved to London and spent a full term there, and having not been together as a family at all this year, we decided to go to a different location so that we could function as a family where no-one could escape and we did old fashioned things like eat together, talk and play games. The boys took various turns at playing badminton and squash whilst Mrs B and I walked and took in a lot of fresh air and then finished off with a massage. We had some good meals out, we cooked Xmas lunch in the Lodge, slept a lot and chilled as a family.
A good time was had by all.
Tomorrow we return to chez brain and back on the hamster wheel for me.
I am certainly hoping that when I check my blood pressure tomorrow it will reflect how I feel, if not it will be another great injustice in my life!
Number one son's girlfriend arrived on Boxing night and completed the extended family.
How the days have gone so fast I don't know, I guess that is testament to how good a time we have had as a family.
We have fed ducks, and looked at wildlife, things we have never done before.
What a shame we have to go back to the real world. Maybe I could become a ranger here and watch ducks all day.
So all good things come to an end.
I will re engage once we are settled back.
Happy New Year to One and All!

Miracle on 34th street

Christmas is getting close. I know this for 2 reasons. One my dear old chum the Overgraduate Has commenced his advent blog, secondly some great sentimental films are on the box.

This time of year has lost a lot of its magic even for the hard hearted cynic that is this author. Wide eyes and excited giggles as presents are opened are a thing of the past. Now I look forward to a good helping of corny rom cons such as Love Actually and 3 weddings and a funeral as my Xmas cheer.
This year the Brain Clan for a whole variety of reasons that can't be mentioned here are off to Center Parcs over Xmas! Pray tell why I hear you say? Basically cos it was the cheapest option compared to Mrs B's ideas! I am sure she thinks my middle name is Roberts and not Richard!
Anyway after much chuntering from en famille they are now resigned to the fact it IS happening and their job is to make sure Mummy has a great time!
Lots of films, lots of walks, food, chocolates, even Carol singing, it will be a change!
Prior to that lots to look forward to, a Deloittes (Arthur Andersen) reunion drinks, me has alterior plan ha ha!
A night out at School House, Xmas party night in a big crowd of approx 12 friends is set to be a great night as well as a much looked forward to (took some planning I can tell you), night out at Chez Overgraduate! When we try to plan more than a couple of things a month it s like trying to sort out Greece's debt problem only worse!
A few other times to comment on -
1 ha ha Chelsea, shame mr Clattenburgh is moving on and not suing you, you arrogant tossers!
2 double ha ha Chelsea I sincerely hope you don't get Pep as your Manager the Owner doesn't deserve him. He needs to understand you can buy players, you can't buy results, even though he has probably tried that as well.
3 Engerrrlaaaand, wot a result at the weekend! Mind you the AB's looked knackered, I am pleased especially for 2 people, not the 2 everyone s thinking of. Firstly Stuart Lancaster, he has conducted himself magnificently and more importantly insisted the players respect the shirt! Secondly Chris Robshaw, what a tremendous performance not only as Captain but as a player. Why can't everyone appreciate his naevity in the heat of battle. Rather it came now and not in the World Cup Final! For goodness sake people give he guy a chance to grow into the job.
4 finally - saw a great documentary about Jeff Lynne the other week so enjoying Tavelling Wilbury's.
Back soon!

The wonderful language that is ours-English

I am a bit late blogging about this but I have been trying to calm down.
Mark Clattenburgh (if that's not how you spell it, it should be), and the whole sorry mess Chelsea are insisting on making about it.
Mark is a very experienced referee, he is miked up to his fellow enforcers, as Brian Moore the ex England hooker was saying we should have them miked up to everyone as in rugby and it isn't can't  it's won't as the reason!
Anyway to return my theme. We have subjected a referee to a completely jumped up charge made NOT by the player, oh no, by another player who doesn't speak English! How on earth Chelsea can feel justified in pursuing this is beyond me and it can only smack of sour grapes re Monsieur Thuggo Terry!
I have personally been involved in grass roots football for many years and know the difficulty of getting refs. In fact hats off and big applause to my good mate The Overgraduate because he devotes his time to refereeing, albeit rugby. It's not easy and these guys don't have the luxury of playback and slo mo.
When will football wake up?
It's just accepted that goal line technology is required Blatter you twat!
Why can't they do the 4th official thing?
It makes me even prouder that I played rugby rather than football.
Football needs a big shake down overpaid prima donnas doesn't do them justice. As for that idiot the head of the Black lawyers association or whatever it is trying to form a Black footballers association, is it only me that can see he is a totally manipulative con man who wants to target very rich black guys and milk them?
Is it also only me who can't understand why he can form anything called "Black........." , how can that not be racist?
Anyway got to finish now my Doctor has told me off as my blood pressure is too high so i have to calm down.
These double standards of today make me sick. I bet I couldn't form a "white golfing boys society", that would upset the PC prats.
Anyway for now hasta mañana (can you tell I was in Spain this week.)

Life Jim, but not as we know it!

What a peculiar year this is turning out to be. Soaring like an eagle for 6 months to now be plumbing the depths like a bottom feeder. Is my mettle up to it? Can I do the big dipper any more? More importantly do I give a flying f...?
Most of the house has had a facelift hence all the surplus furniture and ornaments stacked up in the garage making it a useless space. The kids still treat it like a dump and leave stuff all over the place, this leads to Mrs B to go off the deep end Lecturing anyone in earshot ( most people cock a def 'Un) about tidiness and how at their age she shouldn't be clearing up after them, whilst at the same time picking up and folding aforementioned offending items. A slight irony I feel, I did bravely once venture to suggest that if she didn't pick them up then at some point they would have to, only to be told I was an idiot, I knew nothing and how could I live in such a pigsty? I ventured to suggest I would place them in a black bag and place them in the garage (before she had filled it with now unwanted treasures), to which she replied - idiot and what will they wear? Hmm I said perhaps when they have run out of clothes they may realise and not leave then lying around! Ha I felt moral high ground to me!
Don't be so ridiculous they are only children once and soon they will be gone! (not soon enough I muttered under my breath)! Only goes to prove women really are from Venus, or was it Mars or perhaps it was my garage after all!

Life is a roller coaster and I wanna ride it!

That would make a great song line!
It also reflects my life at the moment. Emerging from a highly stressful summer that not even 4 weeks in Spain could sort I have now hit the bottom of the trough. Work has dried up
leaving me with some horrible problems to deal with. Son number 2 is fully ensconced in London town just outside Camden and he has a reasonable flat, although it looks like cell block H from the outside , he has his independence, he has a base and he is happy. It is still at the cost of a Kings ransom and we have just found out Dad has got to pay this years tuition fees as well. I really feel bled to the point of unreasonableness. I have paid a lot of tax and now they have the second pound from the same flesh.
John Terry
I haven't read the detail but it must be a mute point that enables the FA to contradict a legal ruling. However leave that one to the Overgraduate to explain next time I see him.
New developments
Mrs B mentioned whilst on holiday that she may start swimming on our return as she was feeling uncomfortable!
I took this with a bucket of salt but as she mentioned it on our return I felt obliged to appear interested. We were at dinner the other week at friends who mentioned they had joined Fairlawns. A bit of thought and I suggested we have a look. So we did.
"my own mini Hoar Cross Hall" she uttered as we came out and I knew that was it! I must admit I was impressed at the thought and detail that had gone into the provision of the facilities. So yes you guessed it we are both now members!
So we go for our health assessment prior to our programme design.
Guess what - I failed!
Blood pressure too high so a letter has had to go to my Doctor for his approval that exercise will be ok for me!
In the meantime I can use the sauna, steam rooms, swimming pool, lounge, spa facilities. I may get  to enjoy this and not want to go to the gym anyway!
Bit of a dark place at the moment trying to kick myself out of it!

Wot a bastard!

No not a whine about me and my lot but the inequality in general!
Found out a few days ago a friend of mine, clever guy, hard worker and thoroughly good egg ( no not the Overgraduate), believe it or not I have another friend!
Any way he has been diagnosed with a brain tumour, he found out 2 days before he went on holiday to Hawaii. Now life is a bitch, but how bitchy is this!
On top of that he has been told that his medical insurance does not cover chronic illness which surprise surprise, a brain tumour is! How crap is that? Typical of that parasitical industry, I hate them all. Pay in all those years and when you need the help they pull the rug from under you. If it wasn't us as normal policy holders funding the bunch of shits I would encourage everybody to make claims but sadly this doesn't affect them as an industry, they still pick up their fat cheques. I despise them probably more than estate agents in the 80's. May you all rot in hell!
Been back Daan da smoke today guy. Got a pony in ma sky rocket geeza.
Searching for flats for number 2 son who has assured me he will make a good fist of it this year at Uni. Apparently it is a coincidence he wants to live near Camden, not for the party atmosphere, pubs and restaurants at all. Found a decent rabbit hutch for only one Kings ransom so some might consider it a successful day.
Just spare a thought for my mate and please could we all pray for him whatever faith you are?
Wot a bastard!

Spain I miss you already!

I can't believe I have been back 10 days already. The sun sea and sangria a dim and distant memory! Life has continued as manically as it was before the Spanish interlude.
Olympics over and what a great job we did, ably assisted by my good pal and fellow blogger, The Overgraduate who was one of the thousands of unsung heroes who made it all possible.
What a great job the Paralympians are doing as well. Absolutely delighted for Ellie Simmonds, you could see the pressure and emotion in her heart warming outpouring after her win. This was especially nice as my oldest 2 were at the same school as Ellie's sister for a brief while and she was even then a remarkable girl.
Just read an article by David Cameron explaining why he is not a mouse. Whilst I agree with the sentiment of so much of it I still fail to understand his logic in making University education elitist at bth ends of the spectrum. How I hear you cry? Well simples! It won't make a scrap of difference to the wealthy, and it won't affect the " low income" families, the people it will rule out of university are the middle class children whose parents can't afford to financially support them during the 3 years and who themselves will probably see that running up a £40k debt to become a teacher probably doesn't make economic sense. A degree will not help them to get a higher paid teaching job and therefore repay the loan, as is the mis-guided theory. Sorry Davey boy you have got this one badly wrong. If you cut out the rubbish degrees and reversed that idiot Blairs belief that we should all go to Uni, then those left could probably be funded by the country as it used to be when Universities were quite rightly perceived as places of learning and furthering of education. The other thing would be to kick out the very high number of over earning, lazy shighsters masquerading as University lecturers who often cancel lectures at short notice and are extremely difficult to contact for personal contact sessions. I know, I know I hear you cry they aren't all like this but I speak from personal experience of 2 universities through my children and quite frankly I am appalled.
I have to report that I haven't won the lottery so will be returning to metal bashing at some godforsaken time tomorrow!
Happy days!

Spain you are magnificent - I love you

I am currently "enduring" my enforced annual monthly sabbatical in San Pedro de Alcantara my second home, a part of the world I have been visiting for (I hate to say), over 30 years!!
An awful lot are said about the Spanish but I tell you what there is nobody I have met in the UK in the hospitality industry that could do what the chicos and chicas do on Guayaba beach. They do a 12-5 shift then shower and change then do an 8-2. Yes that is in the same day. And yes it is 7 days a week!! Oh I forgot they work 12-8 on Sunday with no night shift. So that's only a 74 hour week. Well that's do-able I hear you say but these guys do it on sand and in 85degrees at the least! Good news I know them well so I get a sneaky cepito every now and again.
The food is great it is cooked in full view and a friend I know who is a chef says it is the best Chiringuito food on the Costa!
So it's not all bad! However I have looked forward to Friday 12.30. Why? Cos that's when the factories  shut! I have had at least 6 calls a day so its been a bit of a busmans holiday, however I have a better view and a cerveza in my hand compared to when I am in Tipton.
Anyway the reason for the post.
This year in Spain I have decided that I will not be such a lazy bloater as in previous years. So I purchased at large cost, 2 tennis racquets and Matt (13 year old son and I ) endeavoured to play tennis. Jeez at 7 pm it was murder, at 10 am it was murder, we haven't played as much as planned! So let's purchase mountain bikes I say so we can cycle every day! Good plan Batman ( I use the dark knight analogy as the new JB motor purchased just before hols has Been knicknamed the bat mobile by my employees.)
We purchased one second hand one and waited for El Corte Ingles to get a bike with a deal. Anyway last night we go on a speed boat with friends who have a doughnut that you pull behind the boat. Matt had a good ride so my turn. Looking very suave in my life jacket I enter the doughnut, the line goes tight, I hold on we pull away, next thing I know I do a reverse 360 that Tom Daley would be proud of as the cover rips and I end up in a jellyfish ridden Mediterranean!! Sore back but ok. So today weather not good and son persuades me to buy second bike - for me! Get it back ok, then Mrs B suggests we ride she drives to a bar for lunch. No problem lungs a bit bursting but just thought of Overgraduate training and felt next step Triathlon! coming back handlebars come loose so brakes upside down! I get to within 20 yards of the flat and brake, holding front brake too hard front wheel does emergency stop, JB does a forward 360 over the handlebars onto the Tarmac . Still hurting tonight, bruises just coming out. So. Just a side 360 to complete the triple. Thoughts of Olympics, triatholon and stunt rider have been mentioned. Let's see!

Bet you have wondered where I have been?

Well perhaps not!
It's been a crazy 6 months and I now find myself at my retreat in Espagna trying to become normal again.
It has been really crazy and stressful since my last post all those months ago. So what has bee going on. As last posted business was really busy it then went crazy! Don't get me wrong I am not complaining but to put it into perspective we have gone from last years lowest month to this years biggest month so far by a factor of 4!! Yes a factor of 4! That is some mean feat in manufacturing I can tell you. Everything is straining the pips are past squeaking, everyone's nerves are fraying but we are not complaining that's for sure. The art is trying to keep everyone happy and to choose when to supply what to whom. A new customer bringing loads of business to place with no money is a real challenge!
Factor in the people problems and it's been a real test.
No wonder my head has been about to explode. Big thanks and credit to all those around me they have been great.
Apart from that we have seen a very sad dissolving of the football team we have run for 7 years for the little chap, thanks to all those parents who said they were loyal and turned out not to be, the last lad standing who may not get football next season is my son and he has done nothing wrong, neither have we apart from give your child consistent enjoyable football. Good luck.
The annual pilgrimage to Dunmore came and went and was as always a tremendously enjoyable time despite the weathers best efforts to spoil it all. Met some lovely people played some average golf had some great food and wine.
So now I find myself in Spain can't believe it's 12 months since I was last here, much quieter this year and not as much fun, personally things not great but the house is being given a makeover by Mrs b for some reason, must be a mid life crisis!
The Olympics are here and I wish everyone would stop downing on the athletes who haven't perhaps achieved to where the press thought they should. I am sure they have spent the last 4 and more years preparing to the best of their ability and gave it their all on their day so lay off and respect the fact they had the ability to get in the frame!
Well after such a long lay off I may be back soon.
Cheers all!

The pilgrimage beginneth!

So it's that that time of the year again and the Boys are off on their tour. Usual sponsors already sampled and appreciated, several pints o' the black stuff at Bulls bay before and after the Classic, (won by myself this year), followed by some Hendricks at David's hostelry, complete with splendid new Karndean flooring in the lounge, and a relatively early night to nurse our weary bodies in readiness of the week ahead. Iron man Dave long in good fettle, Big Willy suffering with a ad back that has forced him to slow his swing to a blur and your author who is nursing a bad wrist, bad knee and as of this morning a further injury to the left shoulder. With all the problems you can probably imagine what shite golf they payed if I won! Ferry delayed due to weather so a late arrival in Dunmore will just require us to drink faster on arrival.

Oh what a world we live in!?!

So we enter February, perhaps one of the dreariest months in the calendar and now mid month what do I find?
We currently have the largest order book the Company has seen in the last decade? Right in the middle of a double dip, a sliding recession whatever you call it. Go on then you bright folk make some sense of that!
Don't get me wrong I am not complaining but lurching from all off to all on is a very tricky business in manufacturing! At the moment the trick is trying to keep everyone happy, that is without anything like the level of MOD business we have had in previous years.
Why?
Just before everyone gets excited and starts ordering flashy cars etc, it doesn't mean we are going to make a lot of money, I thought that was frowned upon now and didn't want to be labelled a banker, estate agent or heaven forbid a LAWYER!, so we dropped our prices to make sure! Please don't tell the wife or if you do make sure you buy M&S and Next shares first!
So what to look forward to?
The lighter nights are arriving, at least not so many mole-like hours any more
The April pilgrimage shines like a beacon. Good news the knee feels a lot better and the foot also after the purchase is some splendid insoles! I may not be just an adornment I may actually be able to play! My 15 points may prove invaluable yet!
Very sad news this week, a friend, similar age has had a stroke, whilst he is on to recover well he has lost his sight temporarily. Get well Stevie we are all thinking of you and our wishes for a speedy recovery are with you. Too close to home, very thought provoking thought it might make Mrs B more amenable towards me but no!

Ha another resounding victory for the boys in white!

As predicted here the boys put to the sword the azzurri with aplomb. Ok so they scored a couple of jammy tries that paid more service to a Game of pinball than good rugby.
The boys dug in and came good eventually, bit nervy towards the end I must admit.
The welsh may be a different case altogether.
You will all be glad to know I am making a recovery from the southern lurgy that befell me the other week.
I now find myself in the absolutely staggering situation of trying to recruit skilled men without success!
The ad went in the job centre we had oodles of phone calls and oodles of attend interviews. We offered the job to no.1, he accepted and didn't turn up! We offered it to no.2 he didn't accept as he didn't like the way he had been spoken to in the interview (not me I might add!).
Number 3 was offered the job and again he failed to show!
Back to the drawing board. We found a young lad (well he is young to me in his twenties), keen as mustard turned up and can weld! So far so good!
We gave a permanent contract to an individual who has worked for us on and off over the last couple of years during our peak workloads, just after Christmas. Now he has become unreliable, what is it with these people?
Good news does continue as we have also taken on a couple of other good young lads who have proved more than capable and willing, going some way to restoring my faith in the younger generation of this country.
Keep it up lads you are proving your real worth.
Back to my current pet hate and soap box subject - our scabby leeching capital city. My son's flat is still an issue the landlord now says (without documentary evidence that he has "sorted it with the council"! Don't worry just pay the rent)!
He is fukin with the wrong marine! If my son ever gets his arse into gear and finds another flat god Help the next tenant!
The north south divide is worse than ever and any opportunity this proud midlander has to get one over those thieving scummy bastards will be taken with relish!
And relax, deep breath large swig of wine, there we go the world is flat again, all this round nonsense is so overrated!

Idiots all around!!

Suffering with the lergy which I caught in that horrible city we call  our Capital last week trying to earn a crust, I drive to work today after the doc's to get some new fangled scientific cure! What do I get bloody penicillin!
Anyway on the radio was a phone in discussing whether Mrs T did any good for Britain?! ANY GOOD, ANY GOOD, I'll give you any bloody good! When she got in we had just been bailed out by the IMF because we were in a far worse state than Greece is now with inflation at 27% and everyone doing their bit for full employment by being lazy and insisting on very restrictive working practices, they really didn't react so can't complain!!
Anyway not feeling well so on to England's performance last weekend. A promising start, we all have to remember that this is a rebuild for the next World Cup and Rome wasn't built in a day. There will be some losses, some will be aweful it has to be done with solid foundations, slowly.
Bring on the Azzurri!!

Another day another problem!!

After leaving home at 7.15 this morning and returning at 10.30pm (following a short(!) School meeting), I was looking forward to a nice relaxing evening with a glass of wine!
FOOL!!
Let me take you back a few weeks -
Number 3 son currently 12 has been in trouble at School. I was away on business and Mrs B considered it too aweful to tell me until my return.
Upon my return I was subjected to the whole torrid tale! I poured a large glass of vino and sat down.
He had been caught in school with 12 cans of energy drink! (OK I think so the problem is, managing to keep a straight face at this stage!)
Well he has admitted that he was going to sell them to his friends I was told! Don't you see?!
Right son come here and explain!
So son what did you do?
Well dad, the day before, my mate brought in a can of this drink and we all had a sip and several people commented it was nice. So my mate and I decided to bring in our pocket money and we went to Morrisons at lunch time and bought 12 cans to sell to our mates and make a profit.
Thats my boy! I was about to shout but she who must be obeyed was in earshot. So I had to put on a stern face and tell him it was against school rules so what did he think he was doing, whilst inside I was thinking here's another Alan Sugar he is way ahead of where I was at his age!
So after he had gone upstairs I attempted to celebrate and rejoice with Mrs B and asked if we should rename him "Alan" only to be told in no uncertain terms it wasn't funny and if I laughed or called him Alan again I was in "serious trouble!" (She still hasn't twigged I can cause more damage and pain by cancelling her magic credit card that never sends a bill! Hee Hee).

So he is still on report and is fighting the establishment (as did son number 2!). The trauma was today's report, so more grief to come, thank goodness I am away next week even if I am back to working in excess of 60 hours a week again! So much for my plans for a slow wind down!
Maybe I should get him a market stall now!
So instead a stressful night rather than a nice relaxing one, but hey Life's a bitch and then you die!

2012 a promising start or am I tempting fate!

A quiet Christmas, well almost, only interrupted by number 2 son being beaten up by a taxi driver and left on the side of the road and ended up with us having to take him to A&E at some ungodly time in the morning. Christmas lunch was partaken at a local hostelry as Mrs B had decided she didn't want to cook this year having done Xmas lunch for the last 20 years.  A nice meal but we won't be doing it again! A chance to save some money me thinks! Ha fool no chance! A new dress, new shoes and some rather nice other purchases were made!
So on to 2012.
2012 - mortgage finishes! well the house mortgage does, this doesn't count the kids that cost far more than my mortgage, but I suppose its a step forward. Mrs B has not been informed as I must first buy M&S and Next shares cos once she finds out M&S and Next won't know whats hit them!
The bad knee is feeling better and there is light at the end of tunnel for the golf trip!
Business has picked up ever so slightly but I am still at war with the bank. With the Olympics this year we could get inundated and perhaps make that phrase I remember - "profit"!
I have chosen my Harley all I have to do now is pass my bike test and then ride off into the sunset! I may also grow a goatee and wear leather trousers. Rather more conservative than the Aston Martin my brother has bought himself! Who's the mug as I can't even afford the servicing bills for one!
Number 2 son moved into a flat in London in December, well I say a flat they call it that in London but as I told the agent I wouldn't put my dog in it!
Just before he returned for Xmas he had a knock on the door and a Council official informed him that it wasn't habitable and had been converted into accommodation without approval! This was followed by a letter confirming the case so we are back to square one!
I bravely googled flats for sale in his area SW6 (Fulham for us Midlanders), and I found a nice modern pied-a-terre 25 square metres in size with a cupboard size kitchen and shower cubicle for the bargain price of....................... wait for it.......................................................................
£198,000!!!!!!!!
A snip I thought. I fancied the nice looking 3 bed apartment but that was £420,000!!!!
So as I look into the future the clouds appear to be lifting but is this an optical illusion, am I merely in the eye of the storm and more doom and gloom is just over the horizon?
Could it be (perish the thought) that 2012 could be a year for me? Nah Fool!
Well whatever, whats occurring we will see!