So, here we are again, another year, another struggle? Who know’s, just go for it and who know’s what it will bring.

Looking back at 2011 down the Lane

2011 was very good to me personally; I managed by cycle ride from John O’Groats to Land’s End fulfilling a lifetime dream, I battled and got through the adversity of having Builders interupting my work at Kent Cricket Club, I sustained other oddjobbing work throughout the year and the Website gained around another 150 pages.

Maybe the biggest achievement of all was that it was the first year since downshifting 12 years ago, I had not gone grovelling to the Bank with my bowl held out for a merciful hand.

As far as family were concerned, there have been a few worries, but it would appear the tide is now turning and hopefully all that is behind us.

In the Garden things were 50/50, I’m still ripening off one Squash now and that’s two and a half month’s since I picked it!

December

The reason for not having a Diary entry since early December is quite simple – nothing much happened and I’d have only used it for moaning about Shopping Centres and Mum’s shouting at their Kid’s, the forever heard saying of “Right, that’s it, I’m phoning up Father Christmas and telling him not to come this year”.
Besdie seeing family on and just after Christmas Day I find the whole thing rather tedious. What once was a celebration is now a huge Retail Event aimed at people to borrow money and go into even more debt. There, you see, mention December and that’s what you get!!

Into 2012

I haven’t any major adventures planned this year, except getting some new teeth !! I want to save as much as I can and fulfill another lifelong dream by trekking to the base of Mount Everest in Spring 2013. I remember being in Hospital having my Tonsils out the day after the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth and the Nurse showing me the newspaper with that infamous photo of Hilary and Tensing standing on top. That has remained with me all my life, I have books and videos which I still play when there’s a spare moment. I don’t intend to climb it of course, just see it.

Hopefully my body will get me through another Cricket Season in my riole as Dressing Room Attendant. I went over there two days ago to see who our new Head Coach was going to be (Jimmy Adams, ex-West Indies) and I have to say I was most impressed with how the re-development is going. I long for a whole season with no Builders walking in and out all day long and putting right thing’s which didn’t work how they’re supposed to.
It looks like an earlier start this year, so just another eight weeks to go. Scarey!

Already starting the oddjobbing; Two little rooms to be tidied and painted plus sanding and varnishing the old wall plate rack (wish it were mine!)

At home, again I have no great plans for the Chickens and Garden, just as I always say – Sow the seeds and they either grow or they don’t! My six ex-battery hens from last March seem in good spirits, so hopefully they’re in for a good year as well.

On the website, I’ve managed to put the slight re-design through to about half the site now so a few days of sore eyes and late nights should see this finished. I’ve just added some new pages on Chicken Breeds and have another four to put up. If you would like to participate in these pages by writing a few words about your breed and if possible, supplying a photo, that wiould be great – Go to Down the Lane Chicken Breeds pages.

I am very lucky in so far as I have some extra work to add to my somewhat diversified career – house sitting. The first longer spell of 10 days is in a couple of weeks time, so this will enable me a few uninterupted days and evenings to expand the website more and see through a few other plans for it.
The two Houses I oddjob for are on-going and there’s probably 10 – 20 hours a week available from now to the start of Cricket.

It’s very strange how life has taken me, I’m in one of those much blessed positions of never really having to look for work and in turn to pay the bills. I think the main thing is not to take anything for granted and you’ll get back what you put in. My heart goes out to those who are in financial and work peril, but would say that there’s always something on the horizon, but you need Binoculars to find it!

So, until the next entry, I wish everyone who pops in to read this Diary and great start to 2012 and may it continue that way for the following 12 month’s.