ooh fancy that

I lost a few teeth last year due to the bone necrosis I have from my radiotherapy 10 years ago... Its ok I was warned... One of my teeth, my right lower canine, I actually pulled out myself, they just lost all the bone to support them, I lost 4 in total, no biggie... got some nice new falsies now.

The last few days though I was having some odd issues with a sore at the extraction site of that canine.. it seemed to be a scab on the gum, which was odd because it was hard, scabs in the mouth tend to go mushy..

But no this was a scratchy one and when I tried to pick at it or whatever it just bled and seemed to go, then come back a few hours later.

With almost superhuman effort I avoided messing with it for a few days to see if it would heal.. it didn't but it did get a little bigger.

So much so that I was going to call the dentist to make an urgent appontment, but I tried one last time to pick it off... with my guitar nails... and out it popped.. It was the remains of a tiny fragment of tooth that must have been left behind when I pulled it, just the tip but tooth for sure.

My body must have pushed it up to the exit point... remarkable, I didn't know that was even a thing.. 

This actually explains why my gums had an unexplained infection earlier this year when I was being fitted for my falsies, had to go on AB's to fix it, but there was no clear reason for the infection... Almost certainly it was my body telling this tooth fragment to do one.

Anyway, its out, the site will heal again and no need for emergency dentist, I'll let her know about it next checkup.

 

Ahthankyew

oops, at least no one died

There were a few storms the last couple of days... and guess what, the solar panels blew over and one landed up in our upstairs balcony.

eeekk they could have gone flying...

They seem to still be intact, but the frame they were on is bent all out of shape, so I need to build a new one... which is not something I really want to do in winter, so I think it best I get both panels cleaned up and stored until the spring...

not going to make much money from them in winter anyway..

Ahthankyew

Update Brian, update

Im sorry, its not that I don't care :D just not had a lot to say about things. Loving my life at the moment (careful thats a sure way to tempt bad things to happen),  and been busy doing cool things with my mad Raspberry Project which is where most of my online attention has been. 

Happy to also say FBR are starting to gig again as things pick up and return to normality (again a sure way to tempt bad things) which means a lot of new songs and rehearsals, so life is full and very very happy. 

We had a nice little break in Gran Canaria last month, well I say nice, it wasn't quite the break we had planned, I thought I had booked an all inclusive stay in a mid priced hotel.. Instead it was a lodgings only bungalow park, with some serious lack of hot water for showers. But thats my fault for not checking the Tui search properly. I'll know better next time, but if I tick the allinc button I expect and allinc result. We still had such a good time,eating out and exploring.. but damn those cold showers.

It was a lovely holiday though, a great week away with J and we enjoyed it so much. Despite her have a small bout of self induced food poisioning before we left(next time she'll belive me when I say horse chesnuts are not edible)  which kept us in the bungalow for a few days till she felt better. We hired a car and drove all over having fun and exploring.

Its the last few days of Block A, and though the overall skill level of this years intake was quite low at the start I'm happy to say they have picked up the pace for the most part and improved considerably. Its good to see that when students make progress. Last year was much more frustrating, party due to the Covid working from home situation I suspect.

Speaking of Covid, the numbers here are on the rise again leading to a re-introduction of some restrictions, but no lock down as yet.. fingers crossed.

Ok, back to work, the dreaded grading next week :(

Ahthankyew

Been busy.

Wow its been a busy month, all sorts of things stealing time, but finally things are settling down at work, and next week no more covid restrictions (for a while at least).

There's no big events to really talk about, work has been the prime issue, life is still good.. and we need a holiday again :D

Ahthankyew

where did it go

Well that was a lovely long break, nice holiday, lots of sleeping and relaxing, no stress. Lots of laughs and settling into life we want when we retire.

Weather in NL could have been a lot better though, was hoping to have an end of holiday BBQ but its rained pretty much every weekend. We'll see what we can do in Sept.

And now the holidays are over... time to get my shit collected up again and make ready for a new year... and hopefully an end to the work from home routine, at least for a few days. I have enjoyed working from home, but do miss the interaction with staff and students. So we're going back to the office with my 2 jabs in place. Pretty sure at some point I'll catch the lurgy, but my chances of dying are a lot less.

Getting my coding head back on now, been tinkering a bit with some Rpi stuff which is immense fun, but also now have to focus on finishing things and getting ready for a nice new batch of bright young things.

I hope we don't get the same levels of disconnection and entitlement as we did last year, the situation of online and small echo chambers created some very bad situations that I really want to avoid this year.

Well we'll see, got a new bike to cycle to and from work, if its not pissing down, and if I can keep on top of things better from the office we should have a good fun year.

Looking forward to more gigs and both bands being up and running again soon. Starrcase has had to go into mothballs due to the lockdown but we're creeping out slowly this month to rehearse for one of our own's wedding, and then hopefully back to doing school gigs.

FBR is starting to pick up gigs as well, we maintained a modest level of rehearsal in lockdown, but we need to get gig ready again soon.

Onward with the new academic year,... lets see if I'm in despair in 2 weeks time

Ahthankyew

home is where the mosquitos don't bite

we're home, it was a great holiday but there's no denying the mosquitos used me as an all you can eat buffet, I have terrible bites all over.

The holiday was great though we did a lot of cruises and site seeing, had several lazy days and lots of drinking an lie ins...

was great.... need a holiday to get over it.

Its a bit surreal to wake up and witness a greek sunrise over the mountains and return home to a chilly 26degs with no mountains.

Ahthankyew

I need a holiday

I need a holiday after the effort of planning this one.

jeez everything, and I mean everthing that could go wrong has gone wrong, all thats left is that I'll leave my passport at home when I set off.

We need to go for a 2nd covid test in 30 mins becuase I didn't think to change the time of the PCR test I booked the day before travel for the old cancelled holiday to Cyprus,... I didn't take into account that the new flight  to Greece is 12 hours ealier, so there's strong chance our PCR test won't be completed before we get to the airport... it is a 24 hour test, and we only have 14 hours from the time we took it... too close a margin, had me frantically searching for fast tests.

But at least Greece accepts rapid tests so we're heading off shortly, and will have the results in 4 hours so just in time for tomorrows travel

I just don't deal with this kind of stress well....need this holiday.... yet somehow can't help thinking that its going to go wrong.....somehow.

Ahthankyew

my 5g is broken

2nd jab, no major side effects, a sore arm for a couple of days a bit worse than first time but otherwise good,.

Neither of us have expereinced any fever or illness and we're good to go, building up our resistance as we prepare for a nice holiday break

We were booked to go to Cyprus but it was cancelled when they went to corona orange status.

so now we go to Corfu... it'll be nice.

or else.

Ahthankyew

Hey fatty bum bum

its been no secret to anyone that reads this, that I've been aware of my weight issues for a while, and made some effort to get things under control, but...not with the seriousness and commitment it needed.

then I saw this video of an impromptu acoustic set at a Whetstone reunion.

It has shocked me... seriously, that big blue beach ball is me.... thats absurd... really.. Most of my life I have been a skinny short arse, now I'm a major fat lardy ball...and still short.
I start at 102.3kg.... and thats 30kg too much, put that into perspective I'm 30% overweight and thats going to do some harm to my heart or give me diabeties. Its certainly going to shorten my life.

I can joke all I want about Jirawans food being too tempting but its me that keeps shoving it in my cakehole.

I've posted this video on my facebook and pinned it to the top, it stays there till I lose that 30kg. It might take a year, but I can't ever let myself look like that, its just painful.

Dramatic cutback in food, more excercise and when I get a bit more in shape I'll do the gym thing. 

Can't stand looking at this video, even though we were having so much fun on the night, that fat bastard is me...and I just don't think I'll be around much longer if I don't sort it.

Ahthankyew

time for a rant

Not had one of these for a while have I? Did you miss them?

This time its social media... Facebook/Twitter./Linked-in etc

All sites I use regular;y and often, both for information and pleasure... I like being on there, it gives me a way to connect with people I have made connections with from all over the world.

Which if that was all it did I'd be perfectly happy. But I also have to endure the endless streams of fake/spam ads, and more worringly the misguided and sometimes fucking outright stupid opinions of others. Ok so opinions I can cope with...but some opinions need to be called out, or shut down.

Yes this is an anti-vax/anti science rant... And more importantly its about social media doing absolutely fuck all to stop them... not a damn thing, if you actually take the time to report something, their security teams (ie a bot) refuses to remove the post/profile despite even the most cursory glance showing it to be nonsense, often dangerous nonsense often with links to even more dangerous nonsense and...content they themselves (social media that is) claim they are not allowing.....

They are quite happy to give out warnings to people who post jokes about the crazy dutch collegues I work with.. because "crazy" means hate speech, even in a joke, but unwilling to remove a clear ad for sexual content, or misinformation that claims thousands are dying from covid 19 vaccinations with a link to an ultra right bs website.

They simply don't give a shit do they... and its time they did..they promised they would, they even were threatened by different government agencies... but all they have done is key word bot searches and ignore humans pointing out...ermm this friend request is from someong selling a porn site......oh its ok, its not against our rules (yes it totally is), thanks for helping us keep <insert social media here> safe..


twats, the lot of them.

Ahthankyew

oww but thats all

worth a follow up considering all the misinfromation around, which is absurd.

Only 2 side effects both of us had sore arms for a couple of days, and the day after I was pretty tired, not sick levels of go to bed tired, but both of us needed to take it easy but we were not in any way debilitated.

2 days later, soreness is pretty much gone for J, a litte bit for me and am my usual, need coffee then get started.

Roll on dose 2.

Ahthankyew

Pfizer membership confirmed

So at different times and locations, we both got our jabs yesterday, and we're excited to be on the road to some levels of normal. No major side effects, though our arms are a bit sore, that will pass though.

going to start planning our holiday, not quite sure where but we're certainly going to fly to osome scorching sun.

Ahthankyew

Jabs delayed

We're not quite sure what happened, but Jirawans appointment didn't go through, I guess there was a confirm/accept button on the booking site that was missed. We waited for the email and sms confirmations all weekend, and nothing came, so we had to check the site again to see our schedule and it was not there.

so I screwed up somewhere..

But its ok, Jirawan is far more resourceful than I am and she called up to get her a booking on the same day as me, the 9th, and its set, not at the same time and place as mine but sorted all the same.. we should therefore be free to travel during our summer break as we hoped.

fingers crossed.

Ahthankyew

Jabs ahoy..

Even though techically I was first in line, I choose to have mine a little later due to not wanting to travel too far on a work day.. so mine is in Breda on june 9. Jirawan was able to book hers a week later, but they offered here jabs on the same day, but quite some distance away... Sadly I still have not mastered the art of being in 2 places at one time so I can drive her so we had to wait a few days to book a new appointment.

and she gets heres before me on June 1st, though it is at a location thats some distance from here, I can at least drive her there.
Our 2nd jabs are 1 month later

so... hopefully that means end of July/start August, we'll both be immune and able to travel a bit in time for the summer holidays. A trip to Thailand is still not really viable, they are still in lock down there big time.. and I'd be in quarantine even with my jabs, but we can find a 2 week getaway and squeeze in a trip to the uk I'm sure.


Better get the kettle on mum, we will be heading over.

Ahthankyew

Life is good...but

I am sorry to not be updating so often recently, even though blogs are kinda old fashioned now I do like maintaining this, even if mum has almsot upgraded to facebook :D

I'm still doing fine, happy, so fucking happy with life at the moment, even cracking a few smiles. Work is hard, at times, but at least I have work, personal projects go in rapid cycles of wow, to ..ermmm what now... but all in all I can't be happier.. bored with the lockdown, but still happier.

I have been reflecting a little bit, as I do at this time of year on my experience with cancer, it never quite escapes me, due to the fact I have visible and physical reminders of it. But its pretty remarkable that I got through it and have so much to look forward too. I've got a bit of a dodgy tooth that needs to be seen to, I always hate going to the dentist though, but....well if I hadn't that time........dum dum duuuuum.

Ok well this is getting a bit soppy... nothing much to see really, life is good, no sign of holidays being possible due to lockdown, but we're considering a campervan tour of europe...though like many things its looking more expensive and less allowable than we thought... maybe a cruise...maybe

Waiting for our jabs...any day now for me, but Jirawan may need to wait another month or so...

right back to facebook for more pics of cats.

Ahthankyew

grrrr

One of the most annoying things about linux is when you want to quickly run something on a machine you've not used for a while, and it kicks into update mode.

ask me later when its finished, how that feels.

Ahthankyew

A year of confusion and yet...

Lockdown has been in force now for a year, despite a couple of short relaxations, its been a year of social restriction...

But its also been a year since the woman who makes me laugh every single day, moved in and made my miserable sad depressed single life a thing of the past.

Thank you lockdown.....you made it possible......but y'know its done now so...can we stop now and get back to going out and  all the other stuff we used to do?

Please?

Ahthankyew

now thats just silly Brian

102kg

thats it.... really no, thats it... only have 2 pairs of jeans now that fit me, its time to stop...

no more drinking except for special occasions and more walking, I'm shedding this flab

I got my hair cut the other day and there is nothing more depressing than watching a pasty walrus trying to get comfortabl in a fat arse chair infront of a full length mirror

fat...bastard

thats it...I've told J, that not too much has to stop, I'm on the diet from hell and thats the end of it.

Ahthankyew

getting bigger

Ahthankyew

Really loving the Pi4/400

Its not just that its fun, but it gets better with little tricks and updates you discover making more things possible. It really is a nice machine

Ahthankyew

Not so many updates

Well we're still in lockdown here in NL, so there's really very little to talk about, Jirawan still makes me laugh every single day, and we're loving our life, but we do want to go out and eat and be entertained but...yeah...nothing much changes each day, get up, go to my home office, work for 8/9 hours, go watch TV or go back to my office do some programming on my Raspberry or Coleco projects.

Jirawan likes to take advantage of my working and have long lie ins watching her Thai soaps on her phone in bed till midday (she's addicted....but who am I to complain).  Then she gets to go out to work at the Thai restraunt from 3 till 9ish..(take away only)  So she at least gets to have a bit of a social life, which I think is the only reason she's not lost her mind :D  Thats when I do my own work, in the evenings when she's out, so don't think I'm neglecting her...unless I have bugs. :D

Life is falling into a very hum drum routine, but its not at all uncomfortable or stressed we  have so much fun together doing our own things and being daft together.

Waiting for the jab though so we can go on a holiday, get to Thailand and meet the family, or England and meet mum..

One day......

Ahthankyew

phew just a cold

Had a tiny scare,  for the last .....how long has it been? We've been in rigid lockdown, not seeing anyone, mixing with people or going out without mask..

So when I start to get symptoms of a cold, it was panic stations, there's just no way I can pick up a cold virus, and if I can get a cold, I can get... athletes foot...or worse

Anyway the rules here say if you have any cold like symptoms to get a covid test asap which I duly booked last night, and attended this morning to get the results this afternoon.

clear...no covid.

Its just a cold........but of course, its a bad horrible man flu kinda cold and I need my feet rubbing and stuff.....

good job I'm married now.

Ahthankyew

Curfews and snow

The Dutch introduced a curfew at the end of Jan which we all hoped would be lifted tomorrow, but no its going to extend to the beginning of March.... at least

That and the fact we've finally hit winter with the most snow NL has had in a decade means going anywhere is now impractical AND illegal after 9pm

sigh... If I am honest we're not too bad, J gets to go to work part time 4 nights a week, so that keeps her in touch with her thai friends and sane, I come upstairs and work on my projects. That keeps me....hmmmm

But we do want to get out and about a bit, there's just nowhere to go and nothing to do, my drinking is...well its undercontrol...kinda, a bit, but I am having a few more snifters of an evening. Our sleeping is all over the place, though I have to be up at my puter at 9 so I manage that but often doze on the couch after work.

We just want normality to come back to our lives, like everyone else...our resistance is strong, but it is getting thinner.

Ahthankyew

at last...oh its only February

It really is moving very very slowly this year... but at least its moving.

Grading time at work, so nothing much going to happen for a week or so.....

in other news, J, finally got her refund for her flight to Thailand that was cancelled last year at the start of the pandemic/1st lockdown... almost a year... and they took a charge...but meh...

nothing much else to report, its been such a long sllllllloooooowwww month.  We really want to go out, on holiday to a beach somewhere with sun...  sigh

Ahthankyew

January isn't going to end is it?

Its dragging on and on, not helped by the fact our lockdown has now added a curfew to the mix, which means we're locked in from 9pm, and can't do our late night walks any more...

Still crazy times here, ,NL has been painfully slow to get traction going on the vaccination program, so it looks like its certainly going to be summer before we get a jab and can start thinking about any kind of normnal.

Life as a newlywed is still wonderful, but not being able to go out for meals, entertainment or travel togher is really a pain. But at least we have each other to make us laugh every day and keep the moods at bay.

oh well...just have to keep focused, at least we're not sick.

Ahthankyew

Gawd its still January....

Lockdown continues.... we're coping pretty well generally but I must admit I do miss being able to go to the movies, or out for a meal, or just drinks.

Its a crazy time for all.. NL isn't rolling out the vaccine as fast as we'd like, for a small country with amazing government systems for keeping tabs on you, they should be doing better, but it slow so far.

Hoping we can get the jab before summer and maybe then see about a holiday to get well away from this crazy..

In the meantime I am worried about mum back in the UK, she's locked in a cage basically and going very stir crazy, Jirawan and I are hoping we can ship her over here sometime this year to chillax and recover...dunno how easy that will be, it will depend on jabs, mad dogs and new brexit visitor rules... all a bit argghh

Speaking of Brexit,....thats going really well isn't it..... muppets.

Oh well, back to work, my home office chairs arse indent isn't going to fill itself.

Ahthankyew

The world is truely mad

Watching the events in the USA.....madness

Im not a great fan of America, I have lovely american friends, even a few that still live there, but the place is insane, the politics are beyond crazy, the sense of undeserved moral superiority and ignorance of the world, as well as the social injustice they deny so hard is based entierly on the concepts of greed and power.

Its not a place I want to move to, though I do, or did, enjoy visits there.

But whats going on now is madness.. Trump himself is appalling, and there's more than enough evidence to prove that, what is scary though is that he has the support of so many who refuse to see just how appalling he is. He's literally, and its easy to check, literally has done nothing good as a president. Spent most of his time unravelling Obama and even Bush's legacy, while contributing nothing of his own, but claimed he's saved the US, by making it a paraiah state and a lauging stock on the world stage.

Populism without any accountablity.

Decades of corruption and abuse of power from both sides (and sides is so relative in this case because they are both right wing parties) has now produced a popualtion so ignorant of fact and concepts of responsibility that it has devolved into simple tribalism.

And tribalism forces you to back your tribe no matter what it does, without question or concern.

I am sure this is going to get worse, much worse, and Trump will stand proud as the country burns around him.

Ahthankyew