Saturday 8 - Happy New Year
1. new year's plans?
well here I am about 2 hours away from 2007 and clicking away at my computer. Plans tonight are to see the New year in at home with the family. Then tomorrow I need to go out on my borrowed 125c.c. motorbike to practice before the big test day on Tuesday.2. i don't do new year's resolutions, but i think that we all look forward to doing something differently in the new year. what will you do in 2007 that you didn't do in 2006?
Take a look at the previous post. This is wish list for next year. Do it every year and I get to acheive about half of it.3. in the past 24 hours, i have reconnected with 3 old friends that i've not spoken to in years. if you could reconnect with someone from your past who would it be, and why?
My daughters from my first marriage. I am not going to push it though. I am here if they want to get in touch.4. i live my life not regretting anything ... or at least try not to regret anything that i've done, and look at life as a learning experience. do you have anything that you would have not done/done differently in 2006 as you look back?
There are things that I should have done but I was not brave enough and anyway that's all in the past and I would rather look forward.5. going back to my ex-friends that i reconnected with, one of them REALLY let me down as she chose a guy over our friendship. she wrote to me that she would think back over these past 14 years and kick herself, and wonder what had happened to me? do you have someone that you wronged/wronged you and wonder where they are? what happened to that friendship?
I have lost touch with a lot of friends for one reason or another and I don't see myself as a good friend to have. 6. one of the other ex-friends is an ex-boyfriend that i had when i was 16. he cheated on me when i was 17, and then i 'got over it' and we had a cordial non-friendship. i'm married and he's married, so i don't have any problem talking with him as there is NO chance at stirring up any old flames. if you had a chance to reconnect with an ex, who would it be, and why? or would you let sleeping "dogs" lie?
Pass7. i'm eating to join a weight-loss study. that's right ... i'm about 10 lbs. shy of the weight goal and am actually porking out this coming week as i get free vitamins/supplements, a free registered dietician for two years, and i also get $600/mo. to participate for two years. i'm VERY tall (over 5'9"), so this is going to be difficult! i'm gaining 10 lbs. to lose my original goal of 20 lbs., which will now be 30 lbs. (hey, i want to get back into a size 6 after being a size 10 for a few years!). to gain those 10 lbs., what do you suggest that i eat? any "fun" fattening foods that i should try?
my sweet tooth would suggest anything with sugar but then this would probably be a recipe for diabetes! Turkish Delight !!8. i'm heading to disney today with the family and friends. what is your favourite theme park, and why?
On our last trip to Disney 3 years ago it was Universal Islands of Adventure but we are going again in 2007 ( yee-hay ) and we are hoping to go to Discovery Cove.HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Stu's Top 10 List 2007
Looking at my list for 2006 I reckon I scored about 4 out of 10 !
But hey, dreams aren't impossible, they just may take a bit longer to achieve.
- Working with Deborah on our relationship, acknowledging that we are both independent people but that we need to still spend quality time together.
- Learn how to ride a motorcycle, pass the test and buy a bike. Get some miles under my belt and start to become more adventurous with my journeys.
- Go to live events - 2007 might include a major athletics meet, live concerts ( Zutons, Scissor Sisters ), premiership football, possibly Speedway Grand Prix in Cardiff, England rugby game at Twickenham, London theatre ( I know Scarlett thinks that this means Sound of Music! )
- Sort my personal pension out and look forward to retirement ( fingers crossed at 55 )
- Go ski-ing again and also try out snowboarding.
- Start exercising again, maybe with Michael at Littledown ( we have already done the gym induction )
- Puchase golf clubs, start playing again, get lessons.
- Look into purchasing property abroad ( this one probably requires premium bonds to hit gold )
- Learn how to ballroom dancing and possibly get back into scotish dancing.
- Do swimming judges exam, learn how to be a chief timekeeper, starter and possibly look to do referee exams.
Just outside the top 10...........
Writing a book
Something to do with third world poverty ( OK I have taken a small step with this - look at for the Kiva web site )
More charity work
Scuba diving
A Christmas Poem
You wake up on
Christmas Day and peep into your stocking,
Christmas is whenyou hear those jolly crackers popping!,
Amazing
Christmas songs playing in your ear,
When you're tucked up in your bed waiting for the reindeer,
Putting decorations on the tree,
Lots of presents for all the family.
Opening presents, playing games,
Someone gave me a kiss under the mistletoe and now I am in shame,
Jumping on my brother trying to wake him up,
There are tons of presents "hooray" I am in luck.
by
Scarlett Heritage ( 9 but almost 10 )
In Search Of Santa - The Return
I can't wait to get my present home, I just have to get it out of the box now.
Look I have found a place where my boots fit in
.
Scoop of the holiday - the lady sitting at the neast bench is none other than Sally Gunnell!
In Search of Santa - Huskies
Real husky rides.
Michael pretending to be a husky.
In Search Of Santa - Rudolph
Rudolph and his mates waiting to take their first passengers of the day. I have been warned not sit at the front of the sleigh becasue of reindeer poo!
Look at that sky.
Look Mum no reindeer!
In Search Of Santa -Winter Wonderland
Some atmospheric photos by Deborah
In Search Of Santa #6 - Discovery !
An elf found us and said "smorgabroduehdew lkrejf pwe power cdn v[po qwbw HERITAGE FAMILY"
Scarlett became Santa's delivery girl.
Mystery solved. He does exist, he knows our names, he knows what our kids wanted for Xmas and even their shoe sizes! Incredible.
In Search Of Santa #5
Boring pictures of inside of log cabin - kitchen and lounge and a very reflective Michael.
Other view of lounge with TV ( Finnish stations only and it didn't get turned on at all for both days, some kind of record for the Heritage family.
Kitchen - pristine, clean, tidy and not used at all for the 2 days!
In Search Of Santa #4
Here is David enjoying the toboggan run.
Here is David enjoying the skiddoos.
Here is David saying thanks to Dad for not singing along with the guitarist who is hidden behind the Xmas tree.
In Search Of Santa #3
David "Oh man I could lie down and sleep on this snow" Heritage
Michael "Hey this snow sure tastes good" Heritage
Scarlett "Oh man I looooooove the snow" Heritage
In Search of Santa #2
After the 2:30 start, the road to hell called Gatwick, the lovely breakfast in Garfunkels, the sleepy plane trip watching Polar Express and eating our second breakfast, the nightmare coach trip from Entonenkio airport ( nightmare because we had 15 layers of clothes on but were sitting on the back seat where the 100C heaters were blasting out so much that we ended up in T-shirt and shorts in a coach in Lapland. Everyone else got dropped off at ther hotels and we were last up. And we pulled up at this magical log cabin. Not ours surely! What have I done to deserve this little island of heaven on earth.
Michael and David taking the midnight air, except that it was only 3:00 in the afternoon!
Log cabin couldn't get any better. A nice log fire and few nice extras ( more later, and no it has nothing to do with a Scandinavian au pair )
In Search Of Santa
Oh my God. We have set off in search of Santa and started at 2:30 in the morning! What have I done???? If only I could open my eyes.....
Yeh right, Santa Claus. I'll believe it if I see it Mum.
Our prayers were answered ( belated thanks to Alanna for the finger crossing ) " let there be snow and behold, there was LOADSa snow!
Saturday 8 - travel, baby
1. what is the furthest you've ever travelled from your home?
Florida is probably the farthest I have gone from UK.2. everyone has a dream vacation ... what's yours?
Florida / Florida / Florida. Once I pass my motorbike test I am dreaming of travelling Europe with my 2 sons.3. where you live, is there a marked difference between the amount of daylight you see in the summer and winter?
Yes, at the moment Winter is really depressing because I go to work in the dark and get back home in the dark.4. what is the coldest temperature you've ever experienced?
-24 C. You may be in Iceland but we have just come back from Lapland!!!!!!!!!!!! and yes we all saw Santa Claus.5. i am used to a minimum of 50% humidity. i'm so dry up here in reykjavik, i am scratching like i've got fleas. what's your common humidity where you live?
I am not really sure but it doesn't seem to be a problem in UK. I noticed it when we came to Florida though because it was a really sweaty heat there.6. right now, all the news i get is about the serial killer in england. i feel so disconnected from the States. when was the last time you felt "disconnected" from home, and why did you feel that way?
OK so guess what our main news is today?? No, not the serial prostitute killer but the fog that is grounding most of our flights out of UK. Maybe everyone is right when they say we are obsessed by the weather!7. the coffee here is all instant, even at coffee shoppes. you have to go in to a really chic shoppe and pay about $7-8USD for a good cup of non-instant coffee. would you settle for instant, or are you a coffee-worshipper who would pay that much for a good cup?
I love instant coffee, sad but true.8. icelanders, though very nice once you get to talking to them, are really perfunctory. they would be considered rude in the U.S. and score REALLY low on the customer service side. they're not mean or rude or condescending, it's just that the 'niceties' we take for granted ("have a nice day" or "thank you!") are not very present here. when was the last time you experienced sub-par customer service?
To be honest I can't remember. Lapland was brilliant for polite people and customer sevice as well.PS. Did you meet anyone famous on your trip to Iceland? We had Sally Gunnell on our Lapland trip. The kids were very impressed!
Saturday 8 - The No-Title Post
1. i had a holiday dinner last night, and the ambience was decidedly un-romantic. in your locality, what's the most romantic restaurant to take someone on a date? I live on the South Coast of England, about 2 minutes from the lovely sandy beaches so the restaurants on the coast are ideal for late night walks along teh clifftops in the starry sky and with the crash of waves in the background ( or was it just the earth moving??! )2. when was the last time you switched jobs? Ooh, about 2 months ago. I left my permanent job in I.T. to go contracting as I had had enough of lacklustre management giving me scant attention for 5 years. After looking for my first contract I ended up back in the same building that I left but as self-employed person. Happy times!3. when was the last time you had a stomach bug? That's tempting fate. I haven't had my normal annual flu or tummy bug yet. Maybe it's because I only get paid for every day I am working now. The kids have had something but then over here in UK the quickest way of picking up an illness is to be in either a school or a hospital. Sad isn't it?4. what was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in high school? It was during the staff vs boys cricket match. ( I went to an boys grammar school in Liverpool ) One of the teachers hit the ball really hard and it was sailing over the boundary towards one of my friends. I shouted at him to watch out and he looked up to see what I was shouting about just in time for the ball to hit him in the face! If I had kept quiet it would have missed him.5. what place in your country would you like to visit most? England is a fairly small palce and most of it can be visited in a day. My parents used to travel a lot when I was young and I saw a lot of Lake District, The Peak District, Scotland, Wales. I have been to London quite a few times but to be honest I think we live in the best part of this country so staying here is my choice.6. do you have a pen-colour preference, and what is it? if you don't, what colour do you NOT like to write in? Royalk blue is my favourite and I love writing with a fountain pen but am too lazy to go and get some cartridges for it. I used to love trying my hand at calligraphy. I can't stand red pen. Maybe a throw back to school days when they used to mark mistakes in that colour.7. when was the last time you got sloshed, hammered, piss-drunk, etc., and what was your weapon of choice to get you there? I can only remember 3 major occasions of being completely gone. The most recent was 10 years ago at my 40th. Then there was my stag night when my drinks were spiked of course. The worst ( best? ) occasion was when I went to Israel when I was 18 to do voluntary work on a kibbutz. The drink was free and there were times when I lost days deu to alcohol.8. what do you plan on doing for the rest of the day? I am writing this at 10:30 p.m. so not a lot but my wife is out at the cinema with her friend watchign a film called "Holiday". Scarlett (9) and David (12) are both tucked up in bed and Michael ( 14 ) should be off soon. Then I will probably spend my last hour of Sunday playing a few games of online backgammon at PartyGammon. Then I will try and finish off the latest book I am reading. It is a Michael Crichton book called "State of Fear" about global warming and environmental issues but with a twist.
Saturday 8 - Soft or Hard?
1. what is your most-used software program?
2. what is your most-used hardware device?
3. is there a software or hardware device that you currently do not know how to use but would like to learn how to use?
4. so you have the choice between a hard, crunchy taco or a soft tortilla-wrapped one ... which do you prefer?
5. my father refuses soft-serve ice cream a la twistee treat (altho he has stock there, but whatever), mcdonald's, etc. do you prefer hard ice cream over soft-serve like my dad, or does it not matter as long as you have something sweet?
6. when you have a list of tasks ahead, do you tackle them hardest to easiest or in no particular order?
7. what is the hardest thing you've ever had to tell someone?
8. today is my friend's dad's memorial service, which is being held in lieu of a funeral (at his request). it's seriously going to be hard to act merry & party, even though there is going to be a keg and BBQ, etc. i love his mom so much, it's going to be hard for me to enjoy myself due to the reason why we're all gathering today. what was the last hard situation you've had to sit/go through?
and my answers are :-
1. what is your most-used software program? It has to be Microsoft Excel. It makes me sense of a lot of my lfie both at work and at home.
2. what is your most-used hardware device? Apart from the PC at home ( which is hot from the kids using MSN Messenger ) and the wireless router which is on just about all day every day, the most used hardware device personally is my 1 Gig SANDISK memory stick. It goes everywhere with me!
3. is there a software or hardware device that you currently do not know how to use but would like to learn how to use? I had a copy of DreamWeaver MX which I think builds brill web sites but it needs time to understand how it is used. I haven't got that time at the moment.
4. so you have the choice between a hard, crunchy taco or a soft tortilla-wrapped one ... which do you prefer? Mmmm.. hard one that, have to go for the soft option.
5. my father refuses soft-serve ice cream a la twistee treat (altho he has stock there, but whatever), mcdonald's, etc. do you prefer hard ice cream over soft-serve like my dad, or does it not matter as long as you have something sweet? the kids absolutely adore ice cream but it isn't something that has ever grabbed my fancy. If I had to choose it would be small pot Haagen Daaz.
6. when you have a list of tasks ahead, do you tackle them hardest to easiest or in no particular order? If it is one thing I do well it is lists! It is part of my job as a Project Manager and I do it at home as well. I get told off for not being spontaneous. I tackle the most important first!
7. what is the hardest thing you've ever had to tell someone? 2 spring to mind. In one of management jobs I had to tell someone that he had a body odour problem. Now that's not easy to bring into the conversation. I also had to tell someone that he was being accused of blatant sexist behaviour at work. He took it really well and emigrated to New Zealand!
8. today is my friend's dad's memorial service, which is being held in lieu of a funeral (at his request). it's seriously going to be hard to act merry & party, even though there is going to be a keg and BBQ, etc. i love his mom so much, it's going to be hard for me to enjoy myself due to the reason why we're all gathering today. what was the last hard situation you've had to sit/go through? my wife's Dad's funeral. I was really, really chuffed to be asked to read a passage from a poem that her Dad kept with him from the War. But before that his grandson read a very moving speech that summed the man up beautifully. He was indeed the rock of my wife's family and a dear man.
