Category Archives: Blog

The Utility Warehouse is simply the best

In August 2012 I decided to try and get bills lowered. Unsure of what was the best direction, a cycling friend advised me to use the Utility Warehouse. Because I had never heard of them I was certainly reluctant to change. Andy came to see me, advised me really well, I was still a little reluctant, unlike most types of distributors and sales folks he certainly weren’t pushy.

I decided to go for it! What a saving over 12 months, and so I have also decided to join them, why should I have waited 12 months! as mentioned Andy is not pushy. This August it is only £50 to join the Utility Warehouse, looking to lower your bills yet make some extra cash then sign up through the links, Andy is not forceful or pushy (have I already mentioned that!), push on and join the Utility Warehouse. Simply the best, better than all the rest!

More of The Rook

Some songs just keep going around my mind, thing is, usually its from bands that are well known, but these days its from this brilliant up and coming band from West Yorkshire, if you have not already had the pleasure to view them then here are a couple of videos from earlier, turn it up! Keep at it guys!


Not many bands do instrumentals these days, and certainly not as good that!


Absolutely brilliant stuff.

Own Blues by The Rook

Tell you what, this is superb, its got everything. Too many bands these days are letting the blues die, but here we have their ‘Own Blues’ of nice, loud, clear, distorted, ripping it to pieces brilliance, from this young up and coming band here is ‘Own Blues’…

Redundancy meeting number one

Todays meeting went ok, glad Remploy attended, nothing really terrible to mention but to keep as positive as possible. Its something I have never been through before and as much as I try keeping positive the sarcoid seems to know what is happening, as mentioned before, the medics first said remission and now ‘its not active’ and so keeping everything crossed for everything, erm… a positive outcome.

12:00 midday Monday 19th August

That is quite an important time of an important day, its my redundancy meeting. I have invited Remploy to attend, thing is, its the first time I have faced redundancy, what is particularly disappointing is that I got this employment through the Leeds Remploy branch as I have a serious chronic illness (medics terms, not mine!). To be giving a redundancy notice after many promises of how I could progress is kind of not what I expected.

After Enterprise were taken over by Amey, I knew that my particular team would face some kind of disbandment, but I thought progression for myself. Progression was mentioned during my initial interview and through phone calls before I started (I had other opportunities), hmmm. Progression, I had a couple of internal interviews with NGN, and before one of those interviews I was told who it was ‘earmarked’ for, obviously this was declined, but it turned out to be true! Being honest I was sort of glad I did not succeed within that position, for various reasons I really would like to stay within Amey, after all, they actually have been very good with me.

And so the meeting, other positions will be mentioned, I would still like to progress, but I am in my realistic world of Sarcoidosis. It is supposed to be none active, but, something is going on, even folks at work mention I am losing weight, ah, yes the meeting, fingers crossed.

I hope my passion for freedom of speech does not have a negative outcome, various work colleagues will have read this as it is noticed a few do. Included with my qualifications I have;

HNC Technology and Management.
Plumbing level two up to level three gas and water pressure systems.
Nebs management certificate.
NVQ Level two health and social care.
Intense 5Cs training through the SMMT.

They are some going, and should be, especially within the gas utilities industry, someone mention progression?

Playing lead guitar with cyclist band 53/12

In 2006 the band I played bass guitar in (Somerset Avenue) had to give up due to our singer Paul getting cancer, unfortunately he died in 2010. Some of my old pals in the cycling band ’53/12′ were looking for a new lead guitarist, and so I joined them, we managed a good few gigs in a couple of years before I left them, my head went one way and so I had to follow it! Couple of videos here, …


The introduction was well funny, Saltaire festival in Roberts Park, 0nce I turned my amp up it sounded great! good fun, and then some huge beers with Paul, Martin and ‘Elvis’ my sons Jacob and Matthew were there too, but not for the beer!!!


This was at the East Bradford Cycling Club dinner and awards night. The first time I went to the awards was back in 1979! I can never stand still when performing, love it and need another band, punk rock blues, probably a trio, as trios are easier to control, oh, Cream were out of control.

Bradford City thrashed Carlisle 4:0

What a pretty good and welcome start to the football league 1 season for Bradford City, a huge win over Carlisle, Yeates with a fantastic drive, Wells with an incredible tight angled shot, Hanson using his wrong foot and Jones beating the goalie towards us!

Jacob and me 1

Jacob and me 2
A good few pints before the game went down very well.

August 13th

I were not going to say but that chapter now needs to close. 13th August 2005 I met someone in the Harrogate Blues Bar, knew her for a few months, and then its a typical middle aged story; messed up minds, crap divorces, meeting crazy people, but, although she went back to an ex something really was about her. She comes and goes in my thoughts and this year I decided to send a valentines card (someone from Harrogate actually recommended that I should), and so its now not a secret as I have decided to share the card.

Elaine one
It is difficult when you think of someone in a manner, they probably do not think of you?

Elaine two
My hand writing has always been terrible. Back in 2006 it was decided that when her youngest was 18 contact would resume, well, its been and passed. No, my life was not on hold, lots happened since then and slowly but surely I am progressing, it would have been great to have had a relationship with a nice honest trusting woman to have helped me through.

The following song I wrote for her, its mainly based on text messages that she sent, and so these pages are now turning.

3. TXTs
Elaine Robinson, it was a pleasure knowing you. Sometimes we are grateful of meeting someone, I just could not remain friends with someone I really liked, I guess others also understand.

Today is a zero Pred day

So, its the first time in a while, a very long while and onto zero Pred, tomorrow back up to five, then day after its zero, 5mg, 0, 5mg, 0… we do this for a month. Consultant spoke with me yesterday, he really believes my sarcoid is not active (I think it is slightly) and he wants me off the Prednisolone as soon as possible, its confirmed I am now at high risk of bone fracture, and that the osteoporosis is carrying on. My load bearing joints can be very painful, mainly ankles, hips and neck, and so its going to be more scans and consultants, but we can see the light!

See the light

Redundancy notice

Well, its like, this is the first time in my life I have had a redundancy notice. One thing is for sure, my life has mainly been full of a very many hard knocks, these past few years or 10 have been the worse, im not a bad man at all, im kind and considerate, trusting and honest, have great humour with fun, yet, maybe all those combined are my problem, one will never know.

Redundant
It has been mentioned that other positions might become available, I was trying to think I could progress, oh well, lets keep anything crossed eh.