So today started a little late, but coffee was soon had an paint stripper soon applied. It was then on to the next job of the day which has been outstanding for about a year, putting the edging round the skirting board in the hall and fixing up a couple of bits that had fallen off in the kitchen. That was all done by lunchtime. Ate Bakewell tart in the aim to get rid of all the crap food in the house. Walked the dogs and picked up the poo. Then it was on to packing away the Christmas decorations. I emptied out one box to put the baubles in and there I found two boxes of Homebase baubles. Now these I one’s I bought for my first Christmas when I first moved out. There was a very bad tinsel star, a box of six hand painted blue baubles that only contained four and a box of sixteen red baubles that only contained about ten, all of which were slightly chipped and no longer had their perfect sheen. I tried to think back to when I first got them. All were perfect, all were well kept, Christmas after Christmas they came out, with the tacky star. Then one year after Nat had moved in the cat had got one, then one broke. Then a few years ago Sasha decided to attack a few more. So now I was left with a tacky star that would be never used again, and two boxes of rather sad looking baubles. Time to say goodbye. I tore up the cardboard boxes and stuck the remaining baubles into a bag and stuck them in the bin. It’s sad to let go, I have very fond memories of them and all the Christmases they represent. So much so that I may have sneaked one red bauble back out of the bin and put on my shelf, when I catch a glimpse of it, I will always remember Christmases past.

So started the day off after coffee by stripping the paint off the door frame. It will require another coat for sure. Then I went off to Tesco’s to pick up a paper. Also asked about blinds, they are coming round in a couple of weeks. Think they will be pricey. Then went and did a home check for a cat in Almondsbury, lovely house. Came back and walked the dogs. Then set up all the lighting and stuff and made an ‘update’ video. Afterwards I tidied up and practiced on the synth for a bit. Then started editing the videos. The dog hairs on the couch our beautifully in focus, even if I’m not at times. Did the accounts. Ate shite. Lots to do tomorrow.

So started this morning with a round of paint stripper. Well actually coffee, followed by a coat on the door frame. Then it was down to filing the tax return, it’s pretty straightforward these days after calculating electricity usage and unit costs. They owe me just over three hundred quid. Then did all the end of year filing. Again, pretty straightforward. Ordered the doors for the bathroom cabinet. Walked the dogs. Synced all code and data ready for work on Monday. Went to Pump, surprisingly quiet. Didn’t do a session afterwards as need to build up to that again. Came back and practiced Gary Numan again. Getting quite good at it now, needs to flow a lot better though. Right, not sure about the weekend. Pack all the decorations away again for another year. May make a video, still have one to edit. May go shopping.

So I woke up just fine. Jamie had something resembling a hell of a hangover. Last night was quite a success. We may very well do it again next year, we shall see. We had thirteen people here at one point, which is twelve more than I’d like. Dillon was fine. Sasha had to be kept outside, she was completely uncontrollable.

Anyway, I spent two hours cleaning up, it was fairly painless really. I then had a choice, I could do my tax return and end of year accounts, or something more interesting. I went for option two and got my new years toy out. Which was Casio’s top end keyboard. I then sat there for three hours attempting to master Gary Numan, followed by a ‘learn to play’ keyboard book. I must admit, in ten minutes I was playing ‘London’s burning’ and within half an hour I’d mastered ‘ode to joy’. The problem I have currently is trying to control my left hand and the right hand at the same time. Put a collective in it and I can fly it to within a millimetre of an airfield, but by god I can’t do a G chord after a C. But give it time, I’ll master it. Still another few days off and back to work. In the meantime, I have those accounts to do…

So here we are. The end. Or I suppose you can look at it another way. The beginning. Or at the moment, the beginning of the end. Still. So started up this morning with coffee followed by a never ending spree of cleaning. No matter how much dog hair I was sweeping up, Dillon was shedding it faster. Jamie got on with the catering side. We spent ages buggering about with a sub woofer. I took Sasha out for a couple of hours and ran her round a muddy field. Came back and put the washing away. It’s now kind of the calm before the storm. The inflatable Jesus has fairly lights and is attached to the stairs. Just gone 7PM. Still only the two of us. Just imagining all the clearing up that will be required. Still tomorrow is another day, in fact tomorrow is another year. Lets have one like this one, after all, it wasn’t too bad.

Started this morning fairly early I guess. It was back on to that bloody unit again. After a couple more hours swearing it was finally done and almost level. Cleaned up the spotlights. Had lunch, walked the dogs, then finished off the lights before it got dark. Did the first coat of paint stripper. Set up all the disco lights. Then made a rather fun video, that will require a lot of editing. Then mother arrived. I made a curry, she behaved well, so did the dogs. Showed her a few youtube videos. So a long day tomorrow. Can’t remember how many people are coming now, but ‘far too many’ springs to mind.

This morning started fairly early, Jamie went to work. I removed the sink out of the bathroom and started coating the wood with paint. Sooner rather than later it was time to head of for Lunch with carl. It was the usual round of six monthly catch-up accompanied by a rather large burger. After two hours of rabbiting it was time to go. Stopped off in B&Q and picked up wood to reinforce cabinet. So got back home and got on with it. Several hours of sawing and shouting followed. It’s still not quite finished, but it’s well on it’s way now. Need to get that finished off tomorrow morning, then need to do a bit of a tidying spree. Mother coming round for tea. Need to make videos and all sorts of stuff. Practiced Mr Numan again, almost got the hang of it now. Apparently according to Carl, Ableton is the way to go, and it’s on sale at the moment, so may look into it. After it, it is tax deductible.

Today was a bit strange. Mainly caused by going to bed at about 10PM last night. So up quite early, breakfast and coffee. Then it was pretty much into paint mode. Did the fourth coat of the bathroom. Then I needed to wait a couple of hours. After the disappointment of the Juno being a bit fucked I decided to strip it down. Two hours later and it was all stripped and the contacts had been cleaned. Then it was on to the final coat. Cleaned up the dog poo. I was going to go or a run, but decided it was too cold. Then thought I’d go for a walk. So got all ready. Sasha was waiting by the door looking hopeful. I decided to harness her up. We went to the field in Almondsbury, it was a bit muddy getting there, but when we were there it was fine. She walked there beautifully, but still quite excited. I checked the field for any other dogs and we had about ten acres to ourselves. I let her off her lead and she bounded off into the sunset, I could just make her out on the horizon. I walked round the field for ten minutes. I then shouted out her name. She dutifully darted across the field towards me then sat down immediately in front of me. I attached her harness. She gave me the look of ‘thanks for that, really enjoyed it, we should do that more often’. We walked back, it was now getting dark. When we got home Dillon had been walked by Jamie around the block. He’s a lovely dog, but doesn’t have half the intelligence of Sasha. Drank coffee and then rebuilt the Juno. Fucked it up a bit and had to take it all apart again, got it right the second time round. Now all sixty-one keys are working perfectly, I even managed to find a supplier of the volume control, so I’ve ordered that as well. Had bath. Now going to sit down and watch some telly. Tomorrow I have a lunch date with an old friend.

So got up very late. Then eventually got on with a bit of DIY. Sanded a few bits and then cleaned up all the dust. That’s all ready now, just needs a couple more coats of paint. Drove up to the mall, bought Jamie a Tom Daily calendar, got something for Lisa. Came back and walked the dogs. Then went to bed and failed to have sex, so put the washing on and did the accounts. Practiced Gary Numan again, almost got the hang of it now. Tested the Juno D, and half the keys don’t bloody work, a bit pissed off about that. Had a shower and then went to the Indian, very nice. Came back and went to bed. Very early night, no sex for sure.

Okay, so we basically stayed in bed until 1PM. And why not. Everyone was let out and fed, there were no complaints, we read stuff and failed to have sex. Eventually we did get up and walked the dogs in the rain. Then the dogs got their crimbo jumpers on and we packed the car up. It was a horrible wet journey down. When we got there Sasha was her usual pain in the ass, Dillon was fine. I got the Monty Python DVD, also got some extras from Jamie, one of which was the midi controller which I was just so after, so all set now. Much buffet food was eaton. Drove back in the wet. Then we played with battle hamsters, didn’t really get the point of them. Made some drinks and we watched the DVD. Now, we all know (okay, may be it’s just me) every word to every sketch they’ve ever produced, which I must say was probably more than the cast did, they lost it all over the place, but that only made it funnier. But it was a great couple of hours, I’ve seen the sketches a thousand time, but it doesn’t matter, so had the whole of the audience, but they sold the O2 out ten times over. At the end of it was one final bow and the customary ‘Piss off’. It is probably the very last time they will ever perform together, but they didn’t half bow out in style. I tip my hat to you. Tomorrow is the weekend, then basically it’s the whole of next week off. But that was Christmas, it was a good one.