JasonBlog

What's it all about eh?

Neil and Suzy have a notice on their wall which says "What if the Hokey Cokey is what it's all about?" or words to that effect. Well I for one think I could live with that. It's the alternatives that worry me.

It's amazing what feeling on top of work can do to my mood and spirits. I've just been working this morning to catch up a bit, and I can get so much more done when the phone isn't constantly ringing, with clients asking me to check why their emails aren't coming through or bothering me with requests of one sort or another. That's the main down side to a sole trader business. The buck stops at me, and so far I haven't come up with a system that keeps 'the buck' in it's proper place whilst I can get on with the work that will stop some of the phone calls. I have to say that Lesley has been a wonderful breakthrough. She comes in one day a month and does all my accounts, invoicing, reminders and tax stuff. She's very efficient, doesn't complain, and has been one of the best decisions I've made in business. I don't have to worry about any of that stuff now - I just have to worry about getting the work in and out. And I do...

Away from work there are some major things happening with my dad. He's got Alzheimer's disease and this week we were told that he's in the final stages. I still haven't fully registered what that means to me and him and us, but I know it's something that I'm going to have to deal with over the next few days and weeks - and of course the rest of my life. I am caught between wanting to spend time with him, and not wanting to spend time with him. It's really saddening to see him now, and the occasional glimpses of recognition, or the rare understandable "I love you" make it harder, not easier. I want to be positive, but it's difficult to have a positive outlook when decline is pretty much the only option, and 'best of a bad job' is the sole choice. t has certainly put my life into a new perspective. Still thinking about that one.

In other news, tonight Im very much looking forward to spending some time with Tim and Brenda at their 100th celebration event (I think a 60 and a 40 are involved somehow) and making some music and taking some photos. I'm very much enjoying the photography at the minute and one day will fill you in a bit more on what sort of things I'm doing with it. Not weddings. Not pets.

Life is Sweet

One of the things I love about living in the UK of Britain is the limited choice of sweetener available at most cafes. No lengthy decision making process detracts from the usually mediocre coffee, allowing me to just sit and drink alone and in total dreary silence before returning to the rain and smog. Bliss.

Reasons to be cheerful

It's Father's Day and I was woken by the family with a coffee and croissants - thanks very much.

I'm reading No Country for Old Men - I loved the film and when Andy Flounders said at Poker Night last week that the book was even better, I hesitated not and I'm already gripped.

Just come back from the Metro Centre where we had a Chinese Buffet and I indulged in a little Father's Day retail therapy. One of the things I came back with was a set of Chinese therapy ear cones that you stick in your ear and set fire to, and they help you feel beter about everything whilst removing gunk from your ears. I hope I don't catch fire. Strange things...

Enjoying Big Brother very much - good mix of characters and already I've witnessed some behaviours that enrage me and others that give me hope for the human race.

Really enjoyed the Apple WWDE 2008 Keynote Address by Steve Jobs and colleagues. iPhone 2 looks amazing ans I simply have to have one. 11th July here we come...

The One Day for Newbiggin Exhibition has started and already we have some technical difficulties that result in us having to give up another day to re-hang everything. The heat of the gallery in direct sunlight has warped some of the photographs and we're having to remove everything from the walls, frame them and re-hang them on Monday whilst the museum is closed to the public. Could do without that. However, the museum have offered to pay for the frames. Thanks.

I've got tickets for Ben Folds at the Carling Academy later in the month, and at the end of next month will fulfill a 20 year ambition to see Tom Waits live in concert. I'm going up to Edinburgh with ndy Flounders and Mick Slaughter to see him at the  Playhouse. The tickets sold out in 15 minutes.

In spite of some very frustrating work related issues, I am starting to feel a bit beter about my work, and I'm enjoying my professional photograpy engagements. I'm working regularly with artist Ira Lightman now and photographing his installations and work, and that's fun. I'm bidding for a year long regional arts photography contract that will allow me to cover a number of events locally that I'll realy enjoy if I can get it.

I made some more sausages yesterday with the kids. We did thick ones this time which are easier, and we even minced our own pork because the butcher had washed his mincer and didn't want to do it for us. I got a classic cast iron mincer in Smailes, Morpeth and away we went.

Our building work is finally complete. The house has been re rendered and completely repainted, and we have a new little toilet window, reconfigured garage, and lovely internal shelving in the front and back rooms for many many things to be put on. I can't wait - but first the rooms need to be decorated.

One major contract that I was banking on has been shelved for the time being, ut hey - that means that I'll be less stressed. And poorer. But less stressed.

I watched Cloverfield recently and very much enjoyed it. Clever film - new take on Godzilla. Worth seeing. As is the classic Frank Capra It Happened One Night which I've also just watched. Next up is Clerks which I've never seen, somehow. And there's still a couple from the Mike Leigh box set that I haven't got round to yet. Looking forward to re-watching Topsy Turvy, Career Girls and Secrets and Lies.

I can watch films and stuff on my iPod ow Andy showed me how to rip and transfer stuff - so that's excellent. It's good to be able to watch music stuff on there, and be a bit more mobile with film too.

I am absolutely loving my MacBook Pro - a serious laptop which is in many ways superior to my desktop machine. Apple are great - and I love working wit these machines. I can synch all my calendars and emails and bookmarks and everything, share desktops and drive any machine from any other machine, and it just feels like a real bit of kit. I smile when I'm doing even mundane tasks and it's motivated me to work recently, which few things do.

Now I just need to cut a big hole in the To Do list. Heavy week ahead. Head down and charge...

Exhibitionists

Today and tomorrow we're preparing for the One Day for Newbiggin exhibtion at Woodhorn Colliery Museum. The exhibition was very successful when it was run in December, and now it's being transferred to a real gallery. We'll need to get all the photos hung - there are over 80 - as well as the information boards and video display sorted.

I've still got to print out a couple of photos to replace ones that were slightly damaged during the last exhibition. Hope the day goes smoothly. We shouldn't need two days to do it, but it's nice to have a safety net.

On Friday there's an Exhibition Launch to an invited audience of VIPs, then open to the public for one month from Saturday. It's free, it's interesting, it's lovely and it would be great if you could get along - especially if you missed the original exhibtion. Mre details of the photos at www.onedayfornewbiggin.co.uk and details of how to get to the Woodhorn Colliery Museum at http://www.experiencewoodhorn.com/exhibitions.htm.

Afternoon on the beach

One of the things about living in walking distance of a beach is that it's easy to overlook it as an option for a nice day out. A day out must surely be somewhere difficult to get to and involve packing a car? But not necessarily. Today the Thompsons set out for our own lovely Newbiggin by the Sea beach, armed with a couple of rugs, a couple of chairs, some bodyboards and today's Observer.

It's a couple of years since I've sat on a beach in the UK for any length of time. And today I positioned myself in a comfy chair and read the Observer Magazine, followed by the Observer Review. I can't remember the last time I did that either. The weather today was absolutely beautiful. Hot and sunny. The beach in Newbiggin provided an oasis of calm beter than any I've experienced for many months.

Whilst reading my cultural nuggets (New Ben Affleck film, Gone Baby Gone looks good by the way) I listened to Elbow on my iPod. This is fast becoming my favourite band. Well done Elbow. Good songs with interesting vocal harmony and non-standard arrangements. Good stuff - thought provoking and at times hypnotic. Favourite track at present is Grounds for Divorce from their new album The Seldom Seen Kid.

Whilst on the beach I did what was for me a brave thing. I challenged a couple who had not only taken their 2 dogs onto the beach (this isn't allowed) but had let one of them deposit a staggering amount of filth on the non-tidal area and were in the process of walking away. I shouted after them and the bloke kicked some sand over the poo. I told them there was a  large fine for people who brought dogs onto the beach. I pointed out their dog's poo. They said they'd run out of bags and did I have any (!!!!!!!).  To their credit the woman stayed with one of the dogs while the bloke went off to get a carrier bag from a shop and they cleared it up. I told them I didn't want to be unfriendly, but my kids were playing nearby and they should have seen the notices.  I am a self satisfied little moral campaigner and I don't care if dog owners hate me. I'm not anti-dogs , I'm anti-poo.

Silly Sausages - may contain traces of meat

When on holiday last week - did I mention I was on holiday last week? - I either bought for myself or was given for an early partial Father's Day present (depending on which story you believe) a sausage machine. It is in fact a large metal Play Dough Style Machine that forces sausage meat (or indeed anything with the correct force-able consistency) through a tube and into a waiting sausage skin.

I've researched sausage making over the last week, and have sourced all of the specialist ingredients that I needed. These included sausage skins (beef collagen ones with a 2 year shelf life, which I have in 2 thicknesses - 52 metres of the stuff!!!!) and sausage stabiliser (without which sausages fall apart and are effectively mince in sausage skins) and the right cut of meat.

The right cut of meat is in fact something with the right amount of fat content. And the right amount of fat content is quite a lot. Otherwise the sausage is dry and boring and not at all juicy. You also need an element of filler in the sausage - so that the fat doesn't just drain out during cooking and leave you with a dry sausage. Some recipes use breadcrumbs which works well - about 10% by weight of meat - and soak up fat and retain it nicely. The FLAVOUR is in the FAT it's official. I have always known this, but now I KNOW it.

My recipe was as follows. 3kg minced belly pork. 10% sage and onion stuffing mix. 15g sausage stabiliser, generous additional dried sage. Dried thyme. Coarsely chopped garlic cloves (4 or 5) lots of black pepper, chopped fresh basil, salt and a little water for consistency.

Once it has all been very thoroughly mixed - and unfortunately there's no better way of doing this by hand - it's ready to be stuffed into the sausage machine and forced into sausage skins. I went for the standard sausage thickness. This was very much an experiment and I didn't know what it would be like.

It was very difficult to force the meat through but we managed and after a few minutes we had a few metres of sausage. At this point my balloon modeling experience came in handy and the sausage became  links and were recognisably sausages. It's important not to over-fill the skins or they will just burst.

Another common mistake is cooking sausages too fast. These little lovelies were slowly cooked for about 25 minutes and what we couldn't get into sausage skins was made into little sausage patties, which were tested as they cooked. I had no idea what to expect, and I was very pleased with the result. Lovely meaty texture with the flavour of sage and onion and garlic and the spicy edge of black pepper.

They were moist with a nice rough consistency, and to be honest I was really surprised with how delicious they were. This could be the start of something beautiful. Any recipe ideas folks? (including veggie ones you Colebecks and Flounders folks). I'll make the most interesting ones!

Flying squirrels - done properly

I always thought that those flying squirrels that have flaps of skin between their legs looked a bit rubbish, and they didn't really fly properly. But last week Damon showed me some videos on YouTube that showed men (or idiots - you decide) in Wing Suits. This is incredible - it's like a boiler suit with material sewn between the arms and legs that lets you fall at incredible speed, and control your descent and jet around as you fall. These guys take amazing risks - and it looks incredible.

My fortune cookie has spoken...

It said "You are next in line for a promotion in your firm." I can't wait. What's the line manager of a Sole Proprietor?

The last couple of days before work starts again

I've had a nice weekend since returning from Somerset. So good to be back home. Yesterday I drove down to Scotch Corner to pick mum up - she's been at my sister Michelle's and I went down to collect her and have lunch with Michelle, Charlotte and Alyssia. I'm getting to know certain service stations very well, and this is one of them. Not a big one, but very nice in it's own way.

On the way home we stopped off at Morpeth to go to a butcher's who might be able to sell me some sausage skins and minced pork. Alas, they wouldn't sell me a reasonable amount - 50 metres being the length they would be willing to part with, which was a bit much for my needs. I got myself a sausage machine on holiday, and I'm very excited about making my own sausages. I've ordered some skins from the internet instead - watch this space for in depth reports on sausage making...

Last night we just had a lazy time watching some of the final of Britain's Got Talent. I was surprised at the winner - a young lad who danced to a remix of Singin in the Rain. I hoped Signature would win - a couple of Asian lads who do really fun quirky dancing to Michael Jackson remixes.

Today I've been to visit my dad in his nursing home. It's always an emotional thing to do, and I really don't look forward to it, and feel guilty for not looking forward to it. But it's usually upsetting for one reason or another and today's visit was no exception. When mum and I arrived just after lunch, he still had his bib on and was looking extremely frail and confused, and was bewildered by us being there. He calmed down tough, and we talked to Anne, the manager of the home about how he's doing. He's had a fall recently and can't walk well any more. They have to use a wheelchair for taking him along the corridor now. Every time I go, I'm not only aware of his deterioration, but that of those who he lives with. Old folks who were fairly active and 'with it' a couple of years ago when dad first came here, now seem rather lost and empty beings - hanging around being fed and changed, just waiting.

One part of our visit was quite uplifting, and made the visit memorable. Dad hadn't really paid much attention to us - he sometimes just sits there blankly as if he's unable to know that others are with him. But at one point while mum was talking to Anne, he looked up at her, and a look of wonder spread across his face bringing it to life, like sunshine spilling across a garden on a dull day. He stared at mum, and said, very clearly, "Oh, you're beautiful!" He sat and stared at her with a fixed smile and said it again, and looked so happy.

I've finally managed after a morning of trying to put a photo gallery of the holiday online. It has taken ages - curses to Facebook - but I've done it, even though some of the photos I wanted to upload seem stubbornly to not want to go there. Anyway, if you're interested you can see more pictures of us avoiding rain here.

A good day to end on

Well it's just like the thing that whilst we're in the South West of England, we have the most extreme weather on record again. Four years ago it was a massive heatwave, this time it's flooding. But yesterday, the clouds had a rest fr a morning at least, and we basked in beautiful sunshine for what was to be our last full day on beautiful Porlock.

It was nice to sit and read outside with a mug of coffee, and hear the soothing sounds of the children screaming and laughing and playing and screaming and running and screaming. They had many bubbles, and endlessly played at chasing them around the large garden, whilst screaming.

After the screaming had subsided, a few of us adults (although children at heart obviously) made our own noise, in the form of some impromptu music. I donned a guitar, and was joined by Damon on accordion, his wife Kate on fiddle, Derek on ukulele and James on ukulele too. We played all the traditional music we knew, which turned out to be three tunes - Bonny at Morn, Scarborough Fair, and another one that had John or Legs or something in the name. Oh and Weel may the Keel Row, so that's four. Lovely it was by all accounts, and a great deal of fun it was too. We'd like to have done something traditional from the area, but we couldn't remember the words to I've Got a Brand New Combine Harvester. Shame.

After a light lunch of bread and cheeses we had a heavier lunch of pies, lard and cakes, then nothing could stop us from venturing forth to nearby Dunster, a true medieval village. We didn't know what a medieval village would be like but we were soon to find out, as we were met with open running sewers, dead animals and children littering the mud strewn streets, and pustulant plague-ridden toothless hags offering us vile concoctions of pureed calves brain and swan bile served in leather cups.

In fact Dunster was a charming and lovely little village built on a hill with a lovely castle at it's peak - now conquered by the National Trust. All of those castle dwellers of yesteryear should have thought on and been less afraid of invaders with horses and armour, and more wary of the ones with Barbour jackets, M&S knitwear and sensible walking shoes. The village had a quaint market hut sort of thingy (a googly did I hear Derek call it?) and a range of fine shops that sold everything from fudge and postcards, to postcards, fudge and postcards of fudge.

As we walked upwards to the castle, we passed some thatchers enthatchinating a house. Apparently houses with thatched rooves are  usually cheaper than ones with tiled rooves due to the expense of the upkeep. You need to replace the roof every 15 years at a cost of at least ten thousand pounds. Not so cocky now, those old homely grannies who peer out of the windows whilst they're making their fudge. They need to sell shedloads (thatched shedloads) to pay for their grassy burdens.

In the castle gardens we were delighted to encounter the friendliest loveliest cat we have ever had the pleasure to meet - with the exception of our own three cats. Heck - it was nicer than two of ours. It came up to us and allowed the kids to pet it for ages. The we had a bit of a look around the gardens the castle was closed for repairs unfortunately) and the kids were photographed next to the famous hockling swan pond.

In the evening back at the ranch, we indulged in a spot of barbequeing whilst the weather held, and later that same evening sang rounds and regaled ourselves with tales of the day in much the way you'd expect if you knew us. I bet you're glad, those of you who don't. And so ended our trip to the South West.

This morning was the clearing up and packing madness that has to be done and usually takes an hour longer than I expect - not helped by complications during the kids video-tour of the house. Editorial conflicts and creative difference divided the children, and I had to step in as executive producer and take some pretty tough storyboard changes. But it all got sorted out, and we eventually got in the car and drove off at 9.30am.

A swift nine hours later, and we're back home and unpacking. Voom! We could have been back from America quicker. But it was somehow a fun journey. The kids were great considering the amount of time they had to stay in a seat, and Toni did all but 2 hours of the driving. Great! She'd just gone off out again to pick up the cats. Let's see how traumatized Abigail is...