Family « NullMind’s Lair

Surgery

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

A week ago today I had bariatric surgery.

It was a massive endeavour, I still find it hard to believe I agreed to radically change my body that way, but I know I did the right thing!

I am 37 years old, and while I been really fat for the past 10 years, I am heathy as a horse, no diabetes, high blood pressure, not even a cold, but I know if I kept my weight, in another 5-10 years problems would show up, so instead of waiting for it, I decided to take action.

Bariatric (wls) surgery is dangerous and should not be done lightly, I am very fortunate that my surgery went as good as it could have, no complicationsy and I was out of the hospital in less than 48 hours.

I am not out of the woodwork 100% yet, I need to ensure that during the next month or so, while my stomach heals, that I don’t do anything that could harm it, so I must be smart about it, I’m also dizzy allot, it’s the lack of nutrients on this stage, I also have decided to kick out the painkillers early, a little pain never killed anyone, and it leaves me aware should any of it intensify.

I do seem to have some nerve issue on my legs, my quads have a stinging pain when I walk for 20 minutes or so, and they feel a little numb, doctor seems to think it will go away.

I lost almost 20lbs in a week, but rapid weight loss in the beginning is normal, it will slow down soon.

Sally has been awesome helping me trough this period, helps to have such great support!

So here is to a new chapter, and the hope I continue this speedy recovery !

13.12.2011 Family 1 Comment

Puppy Saga

Friday, February 19th, 2010

A couple of weeks ago we decided to purchase a new puppy, we decided on a 14 month old AHT (American Hairless Terrier) named “Blu”

I drove all the way near Newport, Wales to pick him up (3 hours drive.. each way), he was a bit nervous but I figure he’s settle down, unfortunately it was not to be, he was a very jumpy dog and was not used to children, unfortunately this lead to him biting one of my daughters real hard, and the wife was just not having it, so she made me return it to the breeder (another 6 hour round trip) .. I was really sadden by it, I loved Blu, he really was good to me, but simply was not going to work for the kids.

But now we had already promised the girls a new pup, I wanted a young AHT, one we could raise from puppyhood used to the girls, but Sally was scared he would be the same, so we compromised on a Dachshund, a breed we had before and know it’s very good with kids, unfortunately I also know from experience that they dumb as a rock, so while not trilled, I agreed to it.

So last friday I drove another 2 hours, this time near Leeds to pick up the new puppy, we called him “Bones” and he is 12 weeks old

He is just adorable, and great with the kids, even the cat is coming around and playing with him, true to his nature, he is also as dumb as the breed can be, so much so we almost called him “Dumb-O” (Dumbo), but he is a loveable one, and the family is just over the moon.

I still wish I could have kept blue, he was such a good boy for me, and taking him out on walks was great, as a bigger and smart dog he was lots of fun.

Later on, when the kids are older I will defo get me a AHT

19.02.2010 Family 1 Comment

New Car – Grand Picasso

Sunday, March 15th, 2009

Last week we had our mechanic check the Multipla for a service and MOT, unfortunately due to Sally’s abuse, the car failed the MOT and the mechanic advise us to just get a new one instead of fixing all the little things that needed fixing.

So today we went to FOW and I leased her a nice Citroen C4 Grand Picasso 2.0HDi VTR+.. and the bonus, it’s Automatic

We will pick it up next saturday, it will be a good timing as we are off to Paris on April 1st.

I just hope she wont dent this one too soon … lady needs to learn how to drive :p

Picture 34.jpg

15.03.2009 Family No Comments

Why I love Sally …

Friday, February 27th, 2009

Picture 32.jpg

This is a good example of why I love my wife .. she manages to find new way to make me chuckle.

Take the conversation above, it is Friday, normally today I arrive from London to spend the weekend at home, so on the text above she is asking me where am I, and she is surprised I am already at home, she did not heard me come in, she is also not thinking of the fact she is at the moment in the only computer in the house (well, there are others, but they media centers), regardless, she proceeds to ask me to put some mozarela in the Lasagna she is cooking and makes sure I did it (like all wifes do)

No problem .. right ?

Wrong, that is not me, she is telling a total stranger over the web to go sprinkle cheese on a lasagna, the person even apologizes to her for coming into the house and not making itself noted ..

She then went downstairs, saw “I” did not put the cheese on the Lasagna, cant find me, proceeds to call me (I’m at the train station at this time, mind you) and yell at me for not doing what she asked … (at that moment I tough she had finally lost it and it was time to commit her to an asylum)

It seems when she added me (and gave the nick “Hubby”) she forgot 2 characters on my username, so she was bossing around some poor soul over the web, who is now probably now asking his own spouse “where is the lasagna ?“

Yep, you gotta love Sally

27.02.2009 Family 2 Comments

RIP Bob

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008

It’s 13:30 and instead of being at my workdesk I am on a fast train back to home in Sandbach.

My father in law, a man that I was quite fond of (heck, he try to get me drunk 1 hour before my wedding to his daughter), passed away this morning in Massachussets

I had to break the news myself to Sally, and she is histerical in grief, so I am on my way to home to consol her and arrange her trip to the USA tomorrow.

What a horrible year this has been, first my dad, now hers.

03.12.2008 Family 2 Comments

The end of a life.

Monday, May 19th, 2008

Today my Dad passed away.

Everything I am, good or bad, I owe to the man who’s life ended today, he was my biggest hero and my fiercest foe.

My Dad was not an easy man to deal with on his younger days, he was extremely stern and constantly working (and making sure I worked just as hard), this is a man who made me work on his restaurant washing dishes at the age of 6, so I could earn my movie ticket for Sunday .. nothing was a free pass when it came to him, if you want something in life .. you have to earn it!

The lessons I learn from him have been the biggest gift anybody has ever given me, he taught me to be ruthless in business, while being kind to even your most hated competitor, a contradiction it took me 30 years to understand, he was indeed the iron fist with the heart of gold, a pot of contradictions, who where summarized by one of the most loved people I ever known ..

I always found amazing, how someone who irritated me so much at times, was never the subject of a bad comment, everybody loved Joao .. he was a man’s man, and woman’s subject of affection.

I was always the subject of his focus, he pushed me harder than anybody else, of course it was not until adulthood I understood why he did it, and how much I meant to him, but the good thing is, I am a lucky person, I got to admire my father and even become good friends with him later in life, he in return got to see his son grow to everything he ever wanted (even so I think even if I ended up a deadbeat con, he would have still been proud of me).

There are no missing words between me and my dad, I just wish that there had been more time for him to enjoy life, 59 is too young for one to go, he will be missed by many, especially me.

Rest in peace Dad .. hopefully you are in a better place now.

19.05.2008 Family No Comments

Where does all my money go ?….

Monday, April 21st, 2008

Toilet paper .. yes, thats where all my money goes.

I went to the Liquor store today (Bargain Booze), got a coke, a snack, and since i was there, I grabbed a couple rolls of Toilet paper .. as I was paying for it, I though “toilet paper ?, why did I grab that ?“

It’s simple, I have two daughters.. and any man out there with daughters knows, you can never buy enough of this stuff, I cant begin to imagine how many times a week I am asked to grab more on my way home.. when I was young and childless, used to be beer .. now .. the humble TP roll.

Yep, I’m an old man.

21.04.2008 Family No Comments

Paying for Old Stuff

Wednesday, March 19th, 2008

I cant believe I just paid £500+ for an old couch

My wife has been begging (bitching) me to get a new couch and chair for one of our living rooms (we have 2), she wanted a style couch called “Chesterfield” .. basically looks like a gentlemen’s club couch.

But every time I went to look at one on the shops, they all looked .. well .. like crap really, the leather looked like plastic, and the “aged” effect was painted on, really looked fake.

So yesterday we finally found the style she was looking, but with the good leather and proper age effect I wanted .. just a problem, it was 20 years old !!!

She actually is telling me this was cheap … but somehow paying that kind of money for an old couch .. just feels weird.

But hey .. you cant fake proper leather aging …

19.03.2008 Family No Comments

To be single again ? .. no thank you.

Friday, July 27th, 2007

As I mentioned here, I have bought a Holiday Home in Blackpool

Well, it’s a week now since the wife and the kids went there for the weekend … and never returned

And for the looks of it, they wont be returning for another 2 or 3 weeks !!!

I did spent the weekend there, but got back Sunday night .. I’m about to go back there tonight and once again return on Sunday .. but the wife and the kids .. they wont have none of it, they loving it so much they dont want to come back home.

So it’s just me and the cat these days .. yeah, one might think “Cool” … but it kind of sucks, one misses the family after a few days, and to be alone on a big empty house, with nothing but a cat for company can be quite lonely, plus the cat is a bad poker player, he cheats too much.

Well, at least they are enjoying it .. the kids love it because there is a huge play area right outside the doorstep and the clubhouse new pool will open this coming Sunday.

As for me ? .. well, that God for take-out.

27.07.2007 Family No Comments

New Holiday Home

Saturday, July 14th, 2007

For a while now, me and my wife have been thinking of buying a holiday home, we usually go to Seton Sands in Scotland for Holiday, and they have these very nice homes (we call them mobile/manufactured homes back in florida) .. and we did considered buying there, but it’s a 4 hour drive, so it means we would only use it a few times a year.

Instead we decided to look at Blackpool .. it’s considered by many to the the Orlando of England (?), and when i visited, I did got the feeling it’s a Holiday town, lots of different parks and attractions .. maybe a mini-orlando is more precise

Blackpool is a mere 70 miles to us, and of those 60 are all Motorway miles (M6) .. so in less than one hour and fifteen minutes, we are there, it’s a very easy drive too.

Anyway, we looked at a few Holiday Parks, and some of the were just a bit busy for our taste, they where more targeted to people on a week or weekend holiday, vs holiday home owners .. therefore, it was very busy, but luck had it, we found one that was just what we wanted, not a “rental” focused park, but instead one that caters to owners .. therefore, it was extremely quiet and tidy.

Plus it’s in walking distance to the tram and the beaches

We bought this Place, it’s a 1997 model, it has 3 bedrooms, luxury interior (proper recliner couches, actual dining tables, etc .. not the “fitted” crap that these houses are usually associated with), the previous owners kept it immaculate, as it is right now it’s perfect, but we wish to do some work on the outside (the grounds) and put a nice big deck for some outdoor entertaining and a “skirt” all around it to loose that “mobile home” look, it is also currently missing the steps & rail to climb up to the doors, they will be in Monday.

Here are some pictures … we will be going there next Friday to spend the weekend .. the bonus for me is that the NNRC racetrack is just a couple miles down the road, so I’ll be racing there on their Summer & Winter series

It is great to have a second place to call home, it is also double nice to have a place to go if the wife ever gets mad at me and sends me to the dog house.