This is all itsjustaname’s fault

Got up nice bright and early and had a good train journey in. I was actually awake so carried on reading Colleen McCullough’s The Grass Crown, a tale of the movers and shakers in the Late Roman Republic Sulla/Marius era. Gripping stuff which after a slow start is begining to get reallly going. If you liked Rome on Tv recently I’ld recommend this book.

Then got in and made the online results section of our website live. Its a modest output, one set of results for 200 students, but it represents 2 months of nail biting absolute deadline pant wetting stress and a major crossing the rubicon moement in my career. Its up and thus far glowing praise and no problems.

Later today I’m off to go play Cthulhu Rising, which is basically Cthulhu mets aliens. The first session was well good, so really looking forward to it.

And best of all Rach has just rang me to tell me that we’ve been made an offer from a local investor’s agency for the house. So no loose ends, money in the bank, when we move to the new gaff. Best of all I don’t even have to finish off the decorating in the front room. YAR!

After work on Thursday went straight from work to our new house in Oldham. I’m still blown away by the travelling times. The longest part was the walk down to Victoria station from where I work in Picadilly, roughly the equivalent of walking from the Train Station end of Leeds to the market. Nearly missed the Rochdale stop, it was so quick (15mins on the Leeds express)! Rach picked me up, but it would have been just as quick to go by bus (~10mins). I’m going to like this lots 😀

Had the in-laws round for “xmas eve”, beer n nibbles and a game of Canasta (boys vs girls and we lost , *sulk*). It was a resounding success, but everything took four times as long since we were still finding out where everything lives.
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Tommorrow in the strange land I inhabit is Xmas. Tonight is XMAS eve, where we and Rach’s parents Brian and Elaine, will gather round our new house in Oldham for nibbles and beer. Tommorrow is Xmas with nutroast for us and Turkey for them, presents afterwards under the Xmas tree, followed by eventual coma due to too much beer and chocolate.

All this is because Rach was working on the real xmas. It was weird doing my xmas shopping yesterday. While I was buying my presents, grumpy monosyblic men where trying to return unwanted gifts. There wasn’t the crush of people and I got it all done in about one and a half hours.

The rest of the weekend is going to be spent exploring Oldham for the first time. Then back to Leeds Sunday afternoon, and the new year starts for real.

Well the first wave of the move has been completed.

This morning I was a very sweaty and achy Newt as approx 15 boxes of stuff came down from the attic. Rach was a bit flabbergasted at the amount of Role-playing books, Comics and Books I have, and serious discussions were had about reducing the amount of geek stuff I have. My inner 15 year old is sulking badly at this moment in time, but my adult self aching dully down my left side sees the sense in it. Expect a big sale on Ebay over the coming months.

Since certain boxes would have killed Brian to lift and I fancied seeing the new house I went over to Oldham in the transit van Rach had hired for the job. The heavens descended on us, sheets of rain and fog and Rach who hasn’t driven a transit before was most perturbed!! Got there picked Brian up and put boxes in house and garage in record time. Still sinking in that this large house is ours now. Had another quick look in the room that shall be the gaming room (aka the dining room).

Came back to Leeds mid afternoon and after a quick lunch and some quick packing, I started the days work. Which is strange. I’ve been working since 4, just had tea, so I guess I’m half way through my working ‘day’. Well this is the sort of wacky adventure I wanted when I embarked upon my career as a Software Developer.

…til we move house that is.

First batch of gubbins, the entire contents of the attic which contains 95% of my stuff goes tommorrow in a Rach driven van. I’m working from home, doing the loading at that end, while father in-law does the unloading at the other. We then have a break and then more or less everythiing else except bed/sofa goes to new house week commencing Feb 6th.

So I spent yesterday in the attic packing boxes, a job that was physically tireing and somewhat emotional. The cats ‘helped’ like running around like Viking berserkers, jumping into boxes I was trying to pack. Me and Rach know that the cats know we are moving. Lots of supervised vists to the new outside world and bribes in the form of ham are planned when we move.

All this moving marlarky meant it was good to go out on a whim on Friday night to the Portland and drink far too much beer with deputy_dug, dr_misrule, Speedy, Cal, sarah_orange Jenny and some other folk. It was great to see everyone and despite being a bit too wobbly and huggy on the drinks front its really centred me at a time I was begining to flip out. Thanks chaps 😀

Ok Lads and Lasses, we are officially moving house week commencing Feb 6th.

So on Friday 3rd Feb I shall be going down the PORTLAND* at 8pm sharp for a night of boozing, pure and simple.

If you can read this you are invited. I’ll be sending out an email tonight, but spread the word to those luddites who don’t LJ or do email.

Here’s the obligatory naff flyer.

*not the Victoria as previously advertised.

Since some of my witterings about gaming have been swamping my LJ, which should be a place of nonsense and screaming personal angst, I’ve set up a blog on my web space for my geekery.

It also gathers up my other gaming blogs, d101 & The Struggle for Lithuania, in one easy to read and search WordPress site.

So here it is

http://www.newtus.co.uk/gameblog

Just a quick post to wish everyone who bothers to read this damn thing all the best for the New Year.

I’ll probably post a self indulgent “reflections on 2005” post tomorrow, but some quick sound bites.

2005 was the year of

• Grumpy metal courtesy of Fudge Tunnel, Ministry & American Headcharge.
• Too much FPS leading to disillusionment
• Titus Pullo, man of the series Rome. Ave it!
• Gearing up to move house.
• Er indoors finishing off her course and then going to do a very scary job.
• Me changing roles at work without moving desk or being paid anymore.
• Mood swings, grumpyness to idiotic joy.

And most of all

Taking the piss out of keefybabe pictorially.

Bless