Mud, Black outs, Wrong TB's!

Well the day started of ok, Nette and Stephen accompaned me on a TB rescue mission! So down the A55 we went, and onto the A51, to Barrow of Tar, to collect a TB for a friend, this little TB is a pig, who has the nasty Pig Finder General, after him and his 2 brothers. Getting to Barrow of Tar, involves a walk along footpaths, around the outside of several fields (no cheating and going straight across), and several stiles. After much fun getting Nette over them we got to the cache location, and uncovered the cache, there was a TB which was a pig, eureka mission accomplished.

But oh no! Nette had one of her blackouts(she has a condition were she loses conscious, but doesn't fall down) while Stephen supported her, quickly put the cache back. And we supported her back to the car (she had come around, within a Minuit). Back at the car, and off we set home, with Nette having several more on the way (one of the reasons I'm her carer), unfortunately one of the side affects of the blackouts is short term memory loss, so she could not understand when we got home, why she was all muddy!

Quick wash, and back in bed, for a sleep, and she felt right as rain! Another part of her illness is it can affect her like this. So off we pop to Rhyl to get Nette a pair of boots, as we are going out for a Days caching tommorow with Mark and Joan. Found a pair for only £13, as Nette says, she won't be doing any tough walking, so why buy a dear pair, when those will do.

On trying to leave Rhyl to come home I turned onto the Sea front, but only got as far as Woollies, the Police had blocked off the road! so back the way we had come and through town home.

And I had to go out, and back to theBarrow of Tar to sign the Log book, muddy twice in one day, Trixie has put her paw down, and stated that she's not going o that cache again! Got back to were I'd parked the car, and had to walk past another car, which had a gps in the standard holder (stuck between the dash and windscreen), was this another r cacher? I got Trixie into the car, and the occupant of the car set of in the direction of the cache! I've emailed the cacher who I think it was, and if I get a reply, I will let you know.

The late nite planing session we had choosing the caches for tommorow is now catching up with me, but after tea, back I had to go with Nette, to get some more meat, for the butties. Someone male who won't be named (St***en) had scoffed a whole packet for tea! Back home it was tekkie time with Mark, who was trying to get GSAK (Geocache Swiss Army Knife, a utility program) working.Poor Joan has the patience of a saint, the amount of time Nette and I spend on the phone with them, as she never gets cross with us!

What started of as just doing 6 caches, has ended up with us aiming for 11(?). Nette and Mark just kept adding caches onto the list, this evening! If we manage to do all of them, it will be a personal record for me regarding the No done in a day! Well we've enough food to feed a army, just as well it's a good job, as I can see me eating between caches, to meet this sceduel.

it's late and time for bed, as we have to meet our early birds at Chester services at eight, in the morning, and this time I'm not killing myself trying to get there first, when I'm already beaten!

Some Doctors are just Bl***y Quacks!!!!!!

Strong Title? Not really!

Here's why! First I'll start of with a little bit of my background. I lost my father, who was 83, about 10 years ago, the coroners report, stated that he'd died as a result of complications caused by Nuemonia (his heart gave out), because he was living a normal life and wouldn't visit the Doctors, and a Doctor wouldn't come out to him, because of this. It was never diagnosed.

Now the reason for the title! Since before Xmas, my mother who is 78, and has diabietis and leaking heart valves, has been complaining that she wasn't feeling very well, she thought that she had the virus going around. Despite seeing her GP (who is fully aware of her medical condition), and who just stated that she had a virus and that there was nothing she could take. As she is still poorly, she phoned the GP's the other day to make another appointment, only to be told that they did not have a appointment to see her for 3 weeks! Nette played hell about this, so Mum made an appointment to see another Doctor.

We'll she phoned us up after she got home after seeing the other Doctor this morning, it turns out that she has Bronchitis, and now has to take another 6 tablets a day!

Because of that "Bl***y QUACK", I could have lost Mum!

Busy but quiet!

Well the last 3 days have been quiet, regards things for the blog, but busy on the new site front. Currently I'm acting as co-ordinator for the group! We have currently a competition going to name the site on G:UK FORUMS, with Nette and I putting up a prize thats geocaching but not GC related. Worth about £10 or slightly more.

We have also been having a discusion regarding which domain to go for, the ones we preffer, are all the non commercial choices, and it looks like there is going to be a short poll, to chose that as well

The Tekkie lads, are currently working on a display site, which will hopefully go on show, pretty quickly, and which there will be a tab linking back to the G:UK FORUMS, allowing veiwers to post comments, about whats there, and features that they'dlike to see added.

Cats, Ladders and satellite Dishes, on a quiet day!

As part of her birthday present, my daughter got Sky in her bedroom. This as already noted entailed the purchase of a Quad LNB (the bit on the end of the arm on the satellite dish), which now means that we can have 4 Sky boxes in the house.

But First I had to swap it, for the old LNB. After looking at it (there was no instructions with it), and a bit of research on the net, it turned out that all I had to do was swap them over, run a cable from it into her room, and attach the box to a telephone line.

Ok out comes my extension ladder, and up it goes (the dish is to the side, and just bellow her bedroom window). First job, run the cable from the box to the dish. Umm, wrong first job is, were is the box going, secondly go and get two F2 connectors (small screw on connectors which join the coaxle[tv]cable to the box and dish). My pocket £1.98 lighter (this is getting expensive), I'm all set.

Luckily I'd previously drilled a hole for a cable, to connect to the tv aerial, so all I had to do was feed the cable through. This I did, but which involved opening the bedroom window. Now remember, I've already mentioned that I'd set up my extension ladder, and the top of it was just under the bedroom window sill. Who should be face to face with me as I 'm feeding the cable through the hole, but smudge, one of our cats! He'd only climbed up the ladder, and was at the top! Right my lad, one quick grab latter and he's back in the house.

Cable trimmed, and F2 connectors on. It was time for the part that I was dreading! Changing the LNB's over. First of all I disconnected the Sky box down stairs, to the annoyance of my son.then I nipped back up stairs, to get the new LNB, who should be looking in the window again but, yep thats right Smudge!

Once he'd been rescued again, time for me to go up the ladder! Luckily swapping the LNB's was just a case of, disconnecting the cable, and pulling the LNB off the arm, before doing the reverse with the new one. I then went and checked that the old box had a signal, before joining the new box. Now for the fun part how to run the telephone line.

That was if I had the right cable and connectors, well after some rooting, I came up with the goods. Ok were is the cable going to run.The box is at the front of the house, the socket at the back of the house down stairs. Ah brain wave time, a small hole through the floor and celling bellow, and I can link into the cable to the other Sky box.You have to have a second box connected to a phone line for 12 months, to qualify for the reduced fee of £10pm for the extra subscription (it's worth it, to save 2 teenagers, arguing about whose watching what).

So there you have it! My quiet day, involving Cats, ladders, and Satellite Dishes.

Stephanies Jaw Droping Day!

Sunday the 16th of January, and my Teenage daughters 14th birthday! Started early in the morning (7am), as we had to go out and replace all the photos, for the TB, and for her 98th find (which she didn't know, but more later)! so off we set, 5 football stadiums in 2 hours, could we achieve it?

First stop was Manchester Citys stadium (which was built for the commonwealth games). Parked up a a quick stroll brought us to the stadium,as it was dark, I struggled to get a photo, but thats what PC's are for, to sort out photos! Back to the car and off to Man U!

As I used to live in Manchester (I better have had with a name like "Mancunian Pyrocacher") I thought I knew were I was going (I can hear the laughter already), so into the city center, and picked up the Mancunian Way! Forgetting the amount of changes that have been made, all I had to do was follow it to the end, and take the Stretford turn off at the roundabout! Ups no roundabout, we ended up near "Harry Ramsdems" chippy! OK! Right turn at the lights, another right turn, found us going past the Manchester Science & Industry Museum (well worth a visit), right again and this time we were headed in the right direction! Mark & Joan and also John! Please note! "I was not using my GPSr between stadiums"! Finally arrived at Old Trafford and grabbed the photos. Another U turn (this one planed) and off to the Motorway!

Our next stop Stockport County FC. Got to the ground with no problems, grabbed the photos, and off to our next stop, Rochdale FC. On the way back to the Motorway, I had to stop whilst a coach backed on to the road. "To late"! Thats the Stockport Team coach, and we missed getting a photo of it with the TB! By now Mark and Joan will have split their sides, laughing!

Arrived at Rochdale FC with no problems, got the photo, and went into the car park to turn around. Hey you can see the pitch, so I kicked the birthday girl out get a photo of the pitch! Before setting off for our last visit. Just as we were leaving the phone went, Nette wanting to know where we were (and 3 minuets early, it was only 8:57, she wasn't getting up till 9:00). We had to be back at Mums for 9:30. Could we do it? Oldham FC, and back to Mums in 30 minuets? Well.............We did, arriving back at 9:30 exactly!

Giving us time to get sorted for our Birthday Do, and a very special occasion, helped and connived with our "Very Special Friends" Mark & Joan, and John Stead and his wife Judy!Time to set of so Mum, Nette, Stephen the birthday Girl, and not leaving Trixie behind, all pilled into the car. And off we set!

Right past the Motorway junction, (caught you out this time) we had to cal to Asda first to get a Birthday cake! On arrival at Asdas the cake selection team, Mum, Dad, and Stephanie went to get the cake! After much deliberation, and rejections, She finally decided on a (have you guessed it?)a Man U cake! Once paid for, the cake team got back into the car, and over to the Asda petrol station, for some GO GO juice, (here comes the laughter again) I pull up to a pump, this one has drive up payment booths, with a separate fast pay pump lane (cards only, using a machine), so I had to back out to get into the right lane! Fueled up off we set!

After swapping texts, with Nette sending messages to the wrong persons! We arrived at the Anderton Boat Lift, as we approached, Stephen said "hey their pointing at us"! No worries Mum said. Into the car park, by the right entrance this time, but whats this ? No sign of Mark & Joan, our Early birds, or John & Judy! Panic time! Ok we'll have a quick drive around the car park to look for them! Remember Stephens comments, well M&J had parked on the main road waiting for us1 And followed us into, and around the car park! More side splitting antics off me for them! We parked up and had a look around for Johns "Smart Roadster", but no luck. A phone call later, and he turned up, already on site.

Now it was time to go and find An Uplifting Day Out ,with Stephanie & Stephen leading the way! They with John had soon found it, now it was time for a special anouncment! Joan stepped forward with Slytherin 1000th Cache Champagne Cork ,and told that this TB had to be passed on on special occasions, and as it was her birthday, and her 100th find that this was a special occasion. Well you should have seen her face it was a picture, I'll never forget! Several photos later including one of a proud Granddad with his TB James First, it was time to head off to the restaurant, the Hollow Tree.

We set off in convoy, and soon arrived at the restaurant, I as usual missed the correct turning, so M&J and John & Judy had parked up before we got into the car park. But I had the last laugh, as I parked in the little car park out side the door! Into the restaurant, and to a small alcove were the table were pushed together. One problem there was a half hour wait for meals (we didn't mind, with such great company , with us). Everyone chose, with Nette taking the orders, then off we went to order and get the drinks, that tray off drinks was very heavy! Finally the meals arrived, but wait not Joans! Off goes the enforcer (Nette) to find out whats going on? The person at the till, had only taken eight meals, not the nine given to him! Soon sorted out and everyone enjoyed their meals. Then it was time for Stephanies cake, accompanied by us all singing Happy Birthday! Finally it was time to say "good bye to our very wonderful and special friends, with who we shared a very special day"!

Off we parted, everyone going home, with us having to come past the restaurant later on, we had to go to Mums, load up the car, before driving back to Wales! On arriving home and giving our four furrie friends their freedom, after which it was time to put up our feet and relax!