Friday, 6. January 2006, 23:42:59
Yeah, I can't believe it either.
I also can't believe all the crap I've been through to get back to this point.
I did manage to pass my driver's test finally. I got a great instructor this time. Not that the previous one was bad, he was just too busy this time.
Anyway, I got a discount of my insurance, which was nice.
Just before my test I was badly ill, with a lower respiratory infection. At one point the doctor feared pneumonia and sent me for chest x-rays, fortunately they were clear. It took the best part of a month to recover and two different courses of antibiotics. Fortunately I recovered just in time.
The my brother Chris arrived for his annual visit. He was planning to come at Xmas as usual, but then he got a chance to go to a conference in Geneva and decide to save himslef a trip across the Atlantic.
He stayed for two weeks and we had a great time. It actually worked out well that Chris came when he did, since Regina, a cousin, was visiting from England with her kids. Normally Chris would have missed them.
I was still struggling along with my pathetic dial-up access when a big storm in November knocked out the phone completely for a week. Seems there was a bad stretch of line down the road which finally came down. Eircom ended up having to replaceit which means that I finally have reliable dial-up.
Unfortunately, my laptop decided this was a perfectly ironic time to crash badly.
I didn't lose any data, but the OS was badly hosed. The only thing for it was a "new" PC. I manged to find a
company in Dublin that sells refurbished machines. Since I only needed the base unit without a screen, keyboard, etc. I got a fairly good deal. It's only a PIII 1GHz, 256Mb RAM, 20GB HDD, but compared to my old machine it flies. It only arrived the week before Xmas so I've been busy getting it all set up ad my data transferred that this is the first chance I've had to post.
Mom got me a DVD burner for Xmas. (OK, she gave me the money and I bought what I needed) So now I'm all set with regards to hardware. Still no Broadband though:cry:
The last we heard was that site surveys would be happening before Xmas, but still nothing.
My cousin Anselm who lives nearer to Kilkenny city than we do managed to get wireless broadband from
another company. He was only just in range though, and he was telling me that he's ben having connection problems over the Xmas. He's going to give it another month, then chuck it if things don't improve. I hope it gets sorted since Majella and John, more relatives, have terrible dialup and would be perfect for this.
Since Chris had done his visit, Mom up and decided she was going to China for Xmas. She spent a week in Beijing on a tour and had a great time. I was ok. Majella and John kindly took me in for Xmas dinner. Then my aunt Joan had me on St.Stephen's/Boxing day. I was so busy running around visting relatives that before I knew it Mom was back.
The very next day we both had to go to Trish's wedding. She's my former landlady from when I was in digs, but I was pratically part of the family. That was a brilliant day. Mom stayed as long as she could stand(literally) but had to head home to bed by 11. I was there taking pictures and dancing around like a fool 'til 3am.
Then it was New Year's. Tradition meant we were Pat & Sheila's, another great time. We were all up 'til 4 in the morning, even Mom and the little ones. We finished the night listening to teh kids sing Xmas carols in the front hall.
So here we are. I'll finish up with my New Years resolutions, since that seems to be the thing to do.
1. Get More Active.
I've been spending way too much time doing nothing lately and it shows. It doesn't help that we got
Sky (digital satellite TV) just before Xmas as well. I'm addicted to
Fred Dibnah. I could watch his documentaries all day, and on Sundays I can.
Still. I'm determined to do some sort of pysical activity every day.
2. Get Back On Track Starting My Own Business.
With one thing and another - see above - I've really put this on the long finger. I do want to give this a proper go, so that's my big priority this year.
3. Stop Putting Things "On the long finger".
Not just the above, I've a bad habit of leaving things if I don't get to them straight away, just because it's not convenient. It won't kill me to put myself out sometimes.
I'll finish this now.
"other browser" 
(the one that's now on version 7) the pages are fine. Sorry Stomyr 
---->>)
I never really expected it. Though, to be honest, I did wonder what it might be like if it ever did happen. It feels quite nice. 
It's the obsessive-compulsive in me coming out, I HAVE to see what everyone is up to. Besides I'm having such fun in my role as Irreverend, why would I want to stop 
I have to wait until after 6 when the rates are cheaper and then it all takes so long 
(86%)
WIDGETIZE