Yearbook: 2002 |
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September 2002 marked the somewhat inexplicable moment I decided to create a personal website. Driven by a desire to share my passions and chronicle my life's journey, I started posting regular updates. Without even realising it at the time, I had just created my blog. Commence Captain’s Log: The Day Our Shed Was Raided The morning of 23rd September, brought an unwelcome shock. Overnight, thieves had brazenly broken into our shed, using a crowbar to rip off the back and helping themselves to my tools. I was oblivious until roughly 10:30 that morning. Peering into the garden, my first thought was that someone had dumped a load of rubbish over our wall. The grim reality soon dawned: it was the complete contents of our shed, tossed indiscriminately across the bottom of the garden. While the police provided a crime reference number and even sent out a Scene of Crime Officer, their investigation yielded no fingerprints. Fortunately, we had insurance, and the claim was promptly submitted, taking some of the burden off our shoulders.
Surviving the Night Shift The clock ticks past midnight, the world outside hushed, as I embark on yet another night shift. Just four more hours stand between me and the warmth of my own bed, a welcome escape from the demands of the early morning. Lately, life has thrown its fair share of challenges. The recent burglary of our shed left us feeling violated and exposed, a stark reminder of the insecurities that can creep into our lives. As if that weren't enough, we're now battling the Sheffield Housing Department, who are relentlessly pursuing us for nearly £900 in alleged repairs to our previous home. It feels like a constant uphill battle, a draining fight on multiple fronts. The hours crawl by, marked by the rhythmic hum of my bus's engine and the quiet solitude of the night. At 03:27, I'm still here, surviving. The silence is amplified by the sudden demise of my CD player's batteries – a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things, but one that adds to the quiet intensity of these pre-dawn hours. With just one more hour to go, there's a light at the end of this tunnel. The challenges I'm facing are daunting, but each passing minute brings me closer to the end of this shift, and a chance to tackle them head-on.
Raegan's First Birthday
Battling Sheffield Shitty Council: A Tense Meeting This morning brought a tense meeting with Sheffield City Council Housing. The topic? That infuriating bill for alleged repairs to our old property. They're trying to claim we left the house in a poor state, which is, frankly, bollocks. We strongly refute their implications. The meeting itself felt... okay. It's hard to say for sure. We presented our case, but ultimately, we're in a holding pattern now. We'll just have to wait and see what their next move is. This ongoing situation with the council is a real headache, and we're hoping for a fair resolution.
The Arrival of the "Big Seat" Exciting news on the home front! Our new settee just arrived, and when I say new, I mean huge. It's absolutely massive! Sometimes, a simple delivery can bring a surprising amount of joy. We've been looking forward to this, and it definitely delivers on the promise of ample seating. Now, to figure out how this "big seat" is going to fit into the living room!
Unwelcome Visitors Return: Another Shed Break-in Waking up this morning, it was clear we'd had unwelcome visitors again. Someone had trespassed in our garden and, once more, gone through our shed. While not as devastating as the last time, these thieves still managed to make off with an old strimmer. It's frustrating because, due to its low value, I can't even claim it on our insurance. Naturally, I've reported the crime to the police again. This repeated intrusion is a stark reminder that we need to significantly ramp up our garden security. We've put a plan of action in place to make sure this doesn't keep happening: Bolstering Garden Security: Our Plan
It's disheartening to deal with these persistent issues, but we're determined to make our home and garden secure.
Bowling Bragging Rights: Masons Conquer! (We Lost!) Last night, the friendly rivalry between the Masons and us reached a head at Kimberworth Super-Bowl for a neighbourly ten-pin bowling match. And I'm here to report, with a touch of humility, that the Masons soundly whooped our arses! Bragging rights are firmly theirs... for now. After our bowling defeat, we still continued the evening's festivities at Tony's Chinese Restaurant (Dynasty on Sheffield Road). Nothing like some delicious food to commiserate with. Later, we ventured into town and hit up Yate's, where I had an unexpected run-in with a guy from work – he was working on the door! Small world, right? To round off the night, we headed back home for a few more drinks, perhaps drowning our sorrows just a little after the bowling.
A Splash of Sunshine for the Kitchen! The summer might be behind us, but we're still basking in the glow of our pre-Christmas kitchen refresh! We decided to brighten things up with a fresh coat of warm yellow paint, and the transformation is incredible. It's amazing what a bit of colour can do to lift a space, especially during these chillier months. Our kitchen now feels so much more inviting and, dare we say, a little bit sunnier!
Halloween
The Christmas Feeling Finally Arrives! The festive season has been creeping up on us for a while now, with shops all trimmed up for about a month, practically since Halloween! And I have to admit, my wonderful Morticia has been on a mission, nearly finishing her Christmas shopping. There was a point when I thought she might actually bankrupt me (and let's be real, there's still time!), but she's done a cracking job. But despite the early decorations and the flurry of present buying, that real 'Christmassy' feeling hadn't quite hit me... until today! Something shifted, and suddenly, it feels like Christmas is truly just around the corner.
The Christmas Shopping Marathon Continues! Well, it seems my earlier optimism about Morticia's shopping prowess might have been a tad premature, or perhaps it's just the sheer volume of gifts needed this year! We're still staring down a mountain of stuff to buy, and honestly, I'm not entirely sure how we're going to afford it all. So far, I've been a true champion of convenience, tackling all my gift-getting from the comfort of my sofa – a feat achieved entirely on the internet. While it saves on parking and elbowing through crowds, it certainly doesn't make the total bill any smaller.
A Night of Fancy Dress Fun at Nicola's 30th! What a brilliant night celebrating Nicola's 30th birthday at the Steel City Club on Shiregreen Lane, Sheffield! The theme was fancy dress, and everyone really went all out. We certainly got into the spirit of things:
It was a fantastic night filled with laughs, great costumes, and plenty of dancing. Here's to Nicola!
Fully Decked Out for Christmas! The house is officially bursting with festive cheer! After a concerted effort, all the decorations, twinkling lights, and yes, all four of our Christmas trees are finally up! It's looking wonderfully bright and ready for the holidays.
A Fleeting Kiss of Snow And just when we thought the festive atmosphere couldn't get any better, nature decided to join in today with our first dusting of snow! It was a beautiful sight, even if it didn't hang around for very long. Still, a little bit of white made everything feel even more Christmassy.
Jolly Boy's Christmas "Piss Up" - A Night of Shenanigans and Shivers! The annual Jolly Boy's Christmas Piss Up kicked off with its usual promise of "good cheer and alcohol abuse," this time in the vibrant heart of Sheffield City Centre. My squad, Ian, Shuffle, Simon, and I, were ready for a seasonal romp. My night, however, started with a classic stumble: I missed the bus. Twenty minutes late and thoroughly annoyed, I arrived ready to make up for lost time. And make up for it I did! We bounced between countless bars, sampling a glorious variety of beers. The night culminated in the Kingdom Nightclub, a place some of us might remember as the old Odeon Cinema. Things got a bit wild in there. Both Ian and I had our festive Santa hats brazenly swiped right off our heads! But every cloud has a silver lining, right? Despite the hat-heist, I had an unbelievable night. As the night wound down, we scattered. Shuffle headed for the cloakroom to reclaim his coat, while Sim made a beeline for the railway station, hoping for a taxi. Ian and I, however, opted for the more adventurous route: a hopeful trek towards the Wicker to flag down a cab. (Anyone who's tried to get a taxi to Rotherham from Sheffield knows the struggle is real, especially with huge queues!). Our luck was truly out. We trudged past the Wicker, up Carlisle Street, and towards Attercliffe. The temperature plummeted, and a relentless drizzle, sharp like tiny shards of glass, cut into our skin. We finally reached Centertainment, only to be greeted by another monstrous taxi queue. Yet, even in the bitter cold, one girl outside the UGC Cinema seemed determined to warm up her boyfriend in a rather… public fashion! My mood, along with my language, was rapidly descending into the foul and graphic. Just when I thought we'd freeze solid, a shining beacon in the dark appeared: a black cab on the main road! It whisked two very cold, very fed-up individuals back to Rotherham, bringing an end to an unforgettable, if slightly chaotic, Christmas night out.
My Christmas Haul: A Festive Rundown! Christmas morning always feels like a treasure hunt, and this year was no exception! I was absolutely spoiled with a fantastic array of gifts. A huge thank you to everyone who bought gifts for me – your generosity really made the season special. So, what did Santa (and my wonderful friends and family) bring me?
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! |
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© CAPTAINKIRT
