Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

Sensei Osem Jnr. has received a Jack Petchey Foundation award in recognition of all his hard work both in and out of school. Very proud of him we are too. :)

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

That's wonderful Osem and indeed you should be very proud of your son.

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

Well done Mark. :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

You deserve a clap on the back as well Osem. He wouldn't have got this far without his family backing him over the years. So well done all of you. :)

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Thanks guys! :) Will be taking him out to celebrate when we can arrange it. I might say it was a great night at our local theatre and the medallion he received will be a really nice thing to keep for posterity.

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Congrats to Osem, and the good news keeps coming today. Got called into office today, given an envelope. Said to manager if it is bad news you can keep it, he goes no it is good news. They have decided to start a competition for those on work placement (or work experience as they call it) to be employee of the month. And guess who won October?

Several hints that November is also mine as well, so here's hoping.

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

Well done Mark. Here's hoping that you get an even bigger reward for all the hard work you have been doing. Fingers crossed for you.

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

Yep, hope it goes well Mark.

---------- Post added at 19:39 ---------- Previous post was at 19:38 ----------

Tks. It's probably me being such a miserable old git that made him want to get out and do all these things. :erm: :)

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Thanks. Am trying to keep positive about it. One of the reasons I got it apparently was never missing a day of work. I turned around and said that I've had days where I didn't want to get out of bed, and manager goes we all have them.

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

Well the dole finally decided to give me a bit of help getting a job. They've started offering Reach FLT courses (though in order to get the funding, you also have to do an NVQ in Warehousing & Storage); I've just completed it.

And I PASSED!!!

Okay, now it's time for the brutal self-honesty my friends & family all know me for: I just passed. You're allowed a maximum of 40 penalty points on your test; penalties are things like: moving forwards or backwards with your load in the air (3 points); rubbing the pallet with the forks as you're going in or coming out (3 points); and the really stupid one I did - moving with the reach arms extended (5 points!). You're allowed 30 minutes - you can go over that, to a maximum of 45, but it's another point per minute.

I did it in 29 minutes with 36 points...the same points as I got on my Counterbalance test 2 years earlier. The ironic thing was that up to one particular pallet I had in fact being doing better than the other two lads who had driven Reach trucks before...and then something, damned if I know what, went wrong in my head and I started blowing it. Fortunately I didn't lose it (too much), and I recovered. Far from perfect performance, but it doesn't matter. The mistakes I made will be erased by time & experience once I get a job - which is now a lot more likely, with current C/B and Reach licences.

So I'm gonna hit a bit o' booze and Ben & Jerry's ice cream tonight!!!

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

Well done Anon. :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

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another 5.5 lb off today plus an excellent kickboxing class :)

Also ordered my Christmas beef bacon sausage and pork pie lol and got my delivery spot booked for Asda on the 23rd lol

I imagine I will gain a weeks loss at least lol

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Well done. My weight loss is going well as well, so reckon we will have 2 new skinny people on the Forum come new year. If this permanent job comes off, I will be enrolling with a gym in January to build up muscles in arms and legs.

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

nice one :)

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I have decided to get into the spirit of things ;)

Next week I'll get a red / green one :)

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Add a twist of gold tinsel and you will be good to go for Christmas. I would have also suggested lederhosen and a couple of sleigh bells but I thought that would be considered a tad OTT. :D

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You will indeed be the king of the ball this Christmas.:)

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You'll get people queueing up for a haircut wearing that sock. :)

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We have been up to London today and there is good news and bad news and first of all the bad news is in the next year l will have to have another ICD implanted but the good news is my heart function is stable.

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It's a plaster cast - I'm stuck with it until the 10th December ;)

---------- Post added at 19:42 ---------- Previous post was at 19:42 ----------

Good stuff :tu:

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Your heart being stable is indeed good news den. At least you will be in a better position to have the new ICD.

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Osem Jnr. has been invited to a very posh Christmas dinner/party in London. He's taking mum along as his guest so they can both enjoy a special night out. Osem Jnr #2 and I will be mainly having fun at home and enjoying some naughty treats of our own... ;)





Best of luck with that. Bet you'll be having a good old scratch about then... ;)

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now I thought it would be like that, but in the three years I've been in a cast I've only had one or two itchy days. Mind you now that I've said that it'll start this afternoon :)

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Sorry mate, I realise I shouldn't have said anything about that now. ;)Autosuggestion can be like an itch you can't scratch... :)

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Met some amazing people at the Good Food Show today.

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Good food always brings out the best in people. ;)

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It has been a very busy day as Natalie and I did the Nativity play with the kids and church :)

Only trouble is - it kind of made me a little broody!

Just copied the video from the church camcorder that someone took and that's not helping ;)

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Happy thoughts have been cancelled, even alcohol won't help.

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Have a hug then :)
What I'd really like is a white duvet the size of a football pitch and a very dark corner for 3 months.
I've decided that I should be hibernating:shocked:

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sorted email, now to get the grill off without ripping it from the car in pieces:D

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My nephew is saving like crazy (pocket & birthday money) for a Xbox 360, but in our family you are not allowed to buy stuff before Christmas, so will will buy one after Christmas.

NOT, what he doesn't know is that my sister has bought him one, I've bought him the 12 month gold live and a game. :D

Bless him I cannot wait to see his face.

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He will be so happy when he sees it!

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Yes there is nothing like seeing their happy faces on Christmas Day.:)

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This morning I found out I've won a TV from my running club :D

It's a Bush DLED32165HD-DVD - which is a 32" tv with a build-in DVD player. Pretty happy with that :)

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

Well done.

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Have you tried one of those SAD lamps. Bought the wife one for Christmas a about 6 weeks ago, set it up to make sure it worked OK and she hasn't stopped using it since. Even though I was hugely cynical, I have to say it does brighten up things and makes her feel more positive. £50 very well spent and I didn't even have to wrap it... :)

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It's strange that you mentioned that Osem. You're not the first person to mention SAD to me - and I'm going back years here.
Thanks for the shove - one is now ordered :)

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

People mention 'sad' to me quite a lot, usually accompanied by other expletives... :erm:


:D

Hope it helps! :)

Oh and for anyone who's interested this is the one we got and it seems very good VFM so far.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/sad-light-box-a20hw

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

Relief supplies have arrived... :)

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Don't you just love the old reliable's.

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I am looking forward to twiglets

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l love my pork scratchings tiz.:drool::drool:

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I prefer it fresh out of the oven

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That's where we got the stuff from:

http://www.britishdepot.com/

We also previously ordered Robinsons squash (squash as a concept is unknown over here), Colman's mustard, Weetabix and Marmite.

Pierogis are nice, they come in savoury & sweet varieties.. Originally eastern european but there's historically been a large Polish population in the Detroit area (in fact my Mother-in-Law is Polish). Sort of a cross between a dumpling and a pasty:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierogi

Of the home made dishes I've had City Chicken is really nice. Surprisingly, it doesn't contain any chicken!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_chicken

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

I've just been put back on the ritalin. Oh lordy... :D :spin:

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Just in time for Christmas. :)

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Not only am I still losing the weight, now down to 104.7 kilos but also asked out on a date next week by a customer! So things are on the up for me. About time. :) :)

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Cool :)

---------- Post added at 11:10 ---------- Previous post was at 11:10 ----------

My happy thought I got my new glasses :)

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That great news Mark.

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That's excellent dilli but l hope they did not cost you a arm and a leg.

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£184 technically they are prescription sunglasses with a polarising filter. I need as dark as possible these days :)

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As Friday is my 45th birthday I have treated myself to a quality watch

Citizen Eco-Drive Red Arrows Skyhawk AT

http://www.citizenwatch.com/en-uk/wa...lters=0100-59E

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2013/12/11.png

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

I am imagining the manual lol

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The paper manual has 115 pages, there is an interactive CD (8cm)

A bargain really RRP £450 H Samuel have a 25% off ATM

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ouch! not cheap for a watch, but atleast you have something to show for it and all i have is 3 car tyres for £574!!!

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Cheaper that the Bretling watch I saw at Lakeside yesterday £28,000 :shocked:

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wish my front was lol

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Is that the watch that doesn't require a battery and generates power when you move about?

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Seiko debuted a Kinetic watch in 1986

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I still have an old kinetic watch, can't use it any more though :(

Mind you I probably don't do enough to keep it charged up ;)

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No it uses light to power it, on a full charge it will work up to 6 months in the dark.

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4.5 lb this week now lost over 6 stone and am over a stone lower than my end of year goal already

In Kickboxing threw a cracking spinning side kick which my opponent walked onto.He spent 5 minutes doubled up on the ground sucking in air. Excellent :D

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

Chatted up by another girl today, so weight loss is doing wonders for me.

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

Good stuff :)

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Only 17 days till the big guy comes, and takes all the credit for my hard work.

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Well done the light the grill needed a bit more pulling that was prepared to do. LET THERE BE LIGHT :D

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Another hospital day - kidney stuff and a new cast no doubt. I hope I get another Christmassy one :)

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

l hope everything goes well today for you dilli and yes a Christmassy cast would be a sight for all of us to see.:)

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If they remember to pick me up, they are already late!

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Yes l have had that scenario before too often for my liking but there is not a lot you can do or say to them.

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My new cast - nice :)

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Cute. :)

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Very nice indeed.:)

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Passed my Michigan driving test :)

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

Did you need a gun?...



:D


Well done BTW ;)

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Got told today that my application to adopt a little boy and a little girl had been successful :)

They aren't brother and sister, but seemed keen to stay together- and they're coming to live with me!

I'm overjoyed as I fell in love the first time I saw them.

Must dash, I have an on-line order to place for milk and biscuits :D

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Wow - just wow!

Anyway good luck with that.

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Our youngest came home from school with a bag of shopping - part of the school's practical skills training. Now all we have to crack is getting him to understand what money is and that we don't need exactly the same shopping every time we go to the shops! :) Still is was really nice to see him proudly coming in with the stuff he'd bought.

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Excellent :)

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Yes, insignificant to many I know but for us a proud moment. It's often very hard reconciling his mental age/behaviour and angelic face with the hairy legs and bum fluff but sometimes he'll do something which is very pleasantly surprising. Just getting him ready for school now and he's been helping me air the washing and tidying away the dishes from last night.

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

It's not insignificant - I still have trouble getting Peter to understand the value of money.

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Our lad is getting the fact that coins have to be exchanged for goods but I don't think he'll ever understand where money comes from, it's 'value' and why we can't just 'buy' whatever we want.*

No worries about money... Nice 'world' eh? :D


=================================================

Edit:

* Just realised he sounds alarmingly like a typical Labour chancellor FGS!!!... :eeek: :eek: :rofl:

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

Thank you.

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:D
I'm so very pleased for you and wish you all a joyous festive time. And ever after.

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

That's very kind, thank you.

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

Well done and good luck!

---------- Post added at 10:22 ---------- Previous post was at 10:18 ----------


Makes my battered old Casio Waveceptor watch look cheap. Well, it was cheap. Does the job though, just doesn't look nice.

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My date tonight went well, so hopefully the start of something romance wise? Not with the person I wanted it to be with, but hey ho.

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Oh it will, as I don't own a car.

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Well that's good stuff ;)

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And spent all night wrapping my presents up and now just have to do cards for them at work and that is my Christmas done.

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Its nice to be all prepared Mark as all our cards and presents are all done now.:)

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I know, it is the most organised I have been for Christmas this year. Now to buy fresh veg for Christmas dinner nearer the time and maybe some booze and that is me totally prepared for Christmas.

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Natalie's sister has come for the weekend to see Natalie - nice.

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Everytime you post, I keep misreading your user name as 'hetro guy' :D

Have a pleasant weekend.

Just got round to opening this mornings post, what I thought was a bill wasn't. I've only gone and won the premium bonds!!! Going to share my good fortune and make a donation to cat welfare.

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I am still trying to work out if you're a man or a woman based on your posts! hehe

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Lol. Interesting, I know nothing about Japanese.

Or as a chap once said to me "I'm not gay, but my boyfriend is" :D

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Natalie is very unwell - not a happy thought of course - but it's nice to be able to look after HER for a change.

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Is it valid in other states?

How did it compare to a UK test?

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Nice bit of semi contact points sparring today. Took me right back to my hayday when I would travel the country looking for open tournaments to fight in

Re: The Happy Thought Thread Part 4
 

I'll fight ya.

if you think you're ard enuff :)

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do not know anything about you so I would not underestimate you however I will don the pads with anyone and I am yet to have hit the canvas sleeping ;)

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It's my second wedding anniversary - and she still makes me just as happy :)

So happy anniversary my no.1 Wife :)

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Congratulations on you both as you two are the perfect couple and may there be many more.