Eventually getting round to an update – while travelling again!

Summer is finally leaving us, judging by the colour of the leaves on the trees and the cool of the early morning air. The fall is beautiful this year in the UK, due to the long hot summer (and autumn, so far). We still have no rain, and only the early morning dew is damping down this dust bowl of the Thames valley.

As is no doubt obvious form Trish’s postings, we have had a very busy summer, and it continues. The highlights have been the wedding in Scotland, where I had the chance to meet almost all of my new family (really great bunch) and to spend some time with my other brother, Gordon, and the reunion of the old family at my cousin’s husband’s 60th birthday bash which was organized akin to a wedding reception, great idea where I got to catch up with family members I hadn’t seen in over 20 years.

The highest point of the summer, though, was my visit to Christina and friends in Canada. I spent 10 days over there, very busy mostly spending time with our baby, and fixing the house (items left over from the move when I wasn’t there last year). One big bonus turned out to be the Great North East Blackout, during which Christina got an extra day off work. Because everything there was closed (no power) we just spent the day “vegging” together. Great, eh!

On the house front, we are now doing the 2nd room out (the first having been our bathroom which Trish did all on her ownsome), the family room. My main job has been to build a bookcase and TV stand around the large radiator in that room. Trish is doing a “Debbie Travis” (Canadian TV decorator – bane of my life) paint finish on the walls and of course, wants to replace the carpet – bugger! I have also just spent a w/e replacing the floor in the bathroom (correction – Trish didn’t do it all in the end). It is now an awful pebble beach imitation – not very conducive to contemplating . . .

Meanwhile, the garden looks like a desert, covered in all the dried out leaves that fell off the trees from lack of water. Still lots of work to do out there if I get bored.

Work has been VERY stressful, and not the most successful of my ventures so far. Having started the year running the protfolio of the projects for Bombardier Transportation Signalling in the UK I have just closed down the Reading/Berks office of the UK operation, having downsized the UK in total by 30%, and am careering towards year end with no business left for us in the UK. Most of this is due to the catastrophic decisions being made by Network Rail (the old British Rail), and the fact of some very bad legacy projects that I inherited, but none the less, it’s pretty soul-destroying to watch the business slowly evaporating under my leadership. Anyway, Bombardier is moving on and I shall take up a new position as head of all Major Projects for our division in the near future. This is a position with global responsibilities, so I shall be working from an aeroplane again soon – that is provided the company wins some major projects.

Trish is keeping in touch with our new-found family down under in New Zealand. Hopefully we’ll get to meet some of them one day. They are going through the reverse seasons to us, so that’s interesting, hearing their exploits. How does Santa get around in the summer – must be REALLY hot in that suit – and are there wheels on the sleigh?

Well. Finally got a decent update in here. Let’s see how long it takes for my next one?