Happy New Year

Visit from Ian and Karen, bringers of much chocolate :-)

Then an afternoon taking it easy.

2010selection
The Bees – Winter Rose
Letherette – Blad
Gorillaz – Glitter Freeze (Feat. Mark E Smith)
The Fall – Bury Pts. 1 + 3
Jenny And Johnny – Big Wave
Everything Everything – Schoolin’
Field Music – Them That Do Nothing
Crystal Castles – Not In Love
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band – Big Eyed Beans From Venus
Mystery Jets – Dreaming Of Another World
Deerhunter – Helicopter
Smerins Anti-Social Club – Dr Who
Stereolab – Supah Jaianto
Darwin Deez – Constellations
M.I.A. – XXXO
UNKLE – Natural Selection - Feat. The Black Angels
James Blake – Limit To Your Love
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Bright Lit Blue Skies
Glasser – Apply (Tanlines Remix)
The National – Bloodbuzz Ohio
Caribou – Odessa
The Kissaway Trail – SDP - Radio edit
Debruit – Nigeria What?
Surfer Blood – Swim
I Am Kloot – Northern Skies
Django Reinhardt – Tears
Fat Freddy's Drop – The Raft - Live at Roundhouse
The Roots – Right On
LCD Soundsystem – Drunk Girls
M.I.A. – IT TAKES A MUSCLE
Danger Mouse – Little Girl (Feat. Julian Casablancas)
The Herbaliser – The Blend
Richard Hawley – Remorse Code
Belle & Sebastian – The State I Am In
The Black Keys – Tighten Up
Richard James – When You See Me (In The Pouring Rain)
The Carolina Chocolate Drops – Hit 'Em Up Style
Poirier – Let Them Hate - Mungo's Hifi Remix
The Chemical Brothers – Swoon
The Sweet Talks – Mampam Sukuruwe
Serafina Steer – GSOH
The Mynabirds – Numbers Don't Lie
Grinderman – Heathen Child
Django Django – Storm
The Very Best – Warm Heart Of Africa
Steve Mason – Lost And Found
Shit Robot – Losing My Patience
Panda Bear – Slow Motion
Crystal Castles – Crimewave
School Of Seven Bells – Windstorm
Belle & Sebastian – Write About Love
DJ Shadow – I've Been Trying

A slow start then over to Darley Park to walk Peg and for Dan to try out his new landboard, Lottie finds £3.05 in change lost by folks sledging over the last few days. Skype the Cheales in Monserrat

Return home via Swallow falls and chips at Betws-y-Coed.

Trip to Black Rock sands for kite flying and under-age driving followed by a cafe stop before a return to the cottage.

Trip to beach at Harlech today. I stayed behind and took it easy, to avoid the long walk down to the cars. I only missed out on a snow ball fight on the beach and paddling!

A very beautiful drive cross country to Talsarnau.  Where our attempts to get to the cottage were thwarted by the snow, so a couple of trips in the owners 4x4 plus some walking and carrying of rucksacks over the last couple of miles eventually saw us all sat by a warm fire.

Morning in the office then afternoon spent doing some last minute shopping and getting ready for our Christmas Trip.

Another bloomin cold morning, missed the lunar eclipse but greeted by a frozen bath outflow.  Morning visit to the GP where he suggests I try stopping taking the aspirin and dipyridamole and see if that helps with the stomach discomfort. A questionnaire to fill out and a return visit in the new year.

spot Dan, looks quite sporting!

Into work while Karin and the kids head to an icy Chatsworth.

Dave and Kerry over in the evening for Xmas version 1

Morning in the office instead of Heavy workshop, taxi home at 12 and rest of the day on the sofa.

More sitting on the sofa today watching the Christmas tree go up and wrapping a few presents.
Before some xmas TV, I can agree with Lego being the number one toy, but a darts player ahead of Mark Cavendish as Sports Personality of the Year!!!  That's just not right.

Not feeling too bad this morning but by the afternoon reduced to sitting on the sofa and watching the 'Strictly' final !

Its bloomin cold again as demonstrated by the mop bucket!

Not feeling on top form again but some improvement, so into work for Secret Santa and starters of the xmas meal  (a rather nice goats cheese quiche), before a lift back home with Karin.  Dan out of bed today so he's feeling better in time for the hols which is good. Seems he's been busy constructing with some of the cardboard wrapping that's recently arrived.

Listened to some Beefheart before going to bed, then heard the sad news!

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band – I'm Glad

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band – Big Eyed Beans From Venus

Pretty much all day spent in bed a little work done but lots of stomach discomfort.  Dan also spent much of the day in bed still recovering from his cough and cold. Cold spell arrives again with the rain turning to ice and a little flurry of snow.

Dan still off school today and in the end I stayed at home and did some work still feeling a little rough and afternoon nap called for, but better than last night.

In to work in the morning but feeling rough so home in the afternoon for a nap and I also missed out on going to see the Panto in Milford.  Think I must have over done it in the last few days.

Took Lottie to school leaving Karin and Dan in bed, then walked to Heavy workshop for a chat.  Plan to do some light exercise next Monday then review the situation in the new year.

Karin and Dan still not well.  So a trip to Wirksworth in the evening so Lottie can have her extra Maths.

Good job I'm feeling a little better today as Dan and Karin are stuck in bed today with this rotten cold.

Dan and Karin both feeling poorly today so after taking Lottie to school its back home to do some work.  Hopefully we'll all see the last of this snot in a few days time.

decemberselection
Primal Scream – Loaded - Andy Weatherall Mix
Foals – Miami
The Fall – The Heads of Dead Surfers
Motörhead – Ace Of Spades
Stereolab – Supah Jaianto
Florence + The Machine – Dog Days Are Over
Inspiral Carpets – Saturn 5 (feat. Mark E Smith (Previously Unreleased))
The Clash – London Calling
Stereolab – Ping Pong - Original Version
Regina Spektor – Us - Live In London
Jay-Z – Empire State Of Mind
Stereolab – French Disko
James Blake – Limit To Your Love
Thievery Corporation – Until the Morning
Jay-Z – Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)
Cee Lo Green – Forget You
La Roux – In For The Kill - Skream's Let's Get Ravey remix
Phil Harris – I Wan'Na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)
Clint Eastwood & General Saint – Stop That Train
Benjamin Zephaniah – De Rong Song

Feeling a little better for my birthday :-)  After opening my presents I drove Lottie and Dan to school before spending the morning in the office eating cake.  Back home to share the sofa with Karin who is now suffering with the cold, to finish watching the Trip, great episode at Gordale and Malham.  Plans to go out for a meal are shelved after I collect Lottie and Dan who are both still suffering from the cold.  So an evening in front of the fire with a takeway pizza, uploading music to my new mp3 player and experimenting with my premium spotify account.

Must be feeling better today after a morning at work I drove back home via Mickleover Community Hall for lunch with Karin and the Co-op to stock up on cake, then nipped out later on to pick up Lottie and Dan.  Looks like everyone else is going down with a nasty cold now.

The first indication that it was chilly this morning was the blocked sink in the bathroom, the outlet pipe was frozen solid!  Minus 12 degrees it said in the car first thing and it still read minus 11 at nine o'clock when Karin dropped me at work.  Lottie and Dan dragged themselves into school despite still feeling dreadful, and I think Karin was surviving on paracetamol.

Lottie and Dan both in bed for the day as they have colds and sore throats.  No Heavy workshop but had a chat with the OT and discussed going back next Monday. A little work, but most of the day sat in front of the fire.  Looks as if Karin is also going down with a cold, a very unhealthy household!
Following a tip from Linda, today's BBC iplayer recommendation is The Trip  a real TV gem with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon playing themselves, researching restaurants for the Observer.

A late night last night for a change, with curry, charades, cava and Cheales !  After a late start, farewells and a lunchtime breakfast we watched Ironman 2, very cool was Dan's verdict.

 A morning of snowmen, snowballs and icicles.  Then back to Derby for an evening with the Cheales before their Christmas Caribbean volcano adventure.