Shed 2 (The Gazebo)

^^ Hi David, Alan....

Well, after 15 years I finally left the Youth Hostel Association. I enjoyed working for them very much in general, but the lack of work/life balance was killing me to be honest, and leaving them and Norfolk (where I went for over 3 years) was the right thing for me to do, really. I moved back to Hereford and am now a Residential House Manager in a 54 flat Retirement complex, which I have to say I thoroughly enjoy (for the most part!).

I guess the principle reason for my absence has been that I really haven't listened to a great deal of prog rock/ metal over the past 4/5 years... most of my listening time has been dedicated to an exploration of classical music, which to be honest I'm really pleased I have done.

Although this (very limited) knowledge of classical music will stay with me for life, it's probably something I'm looking forward to mixing more, with a bit of prog, again, in due course.

One thing I will say is that a love of music continues to be the number one passion in my social world, and I expect I will pop back in to PA a little more regularly in the future.

My shed has a drinks fridge, or more accurately, I keep a fridge in the shed for storing drinks. Alas it is not a posh "Marshall" replica but the cheapest Hotpoint I could find and over the past few weeks we've been slowly stocking up on festive drinky-poos to tide us over the holiday period. Unfortunately it was so stacked with bottles and cans such that the last person who squeezed a bottle of something incoholic onto the top shelf they managed to inadvertently turn the temperature dial up to 5. This was unbeknownst to me until last night, when thinking a ice-cold coke would go well with a shot of Woods navy rum, I discovered I was the proud owner of a 15-cubic foot Slushie™ in various shades of beer, prosecco, coca-cola, pear cider, apple juice, ginger beer and Fevertree tonic as every single bottle had frozen, burst its fruity contents and then frozen again. Smelt not unlike a student flat on a Sunday morning. Ho-hum. The fridge is now defrosted, cleaned and depressingly empty as not a single bottle survived, even cans managed to balloon and burst at the seams. 

Tough break--   right now San Francisco is so cold I can leave something out in the kitchen and it stays quite fresh for days  .    But slushy Coke is no fun unless you intended it.

True, it's pretty bad 

Jared wrote: ^^ Hi David, Alan.... Well, after 15 years I finally left the Youth Hostel Association. I enjoyed working for them very much in general, but the lack of work/life balance was killing me to be honest, and leaving them and Norfolk (where I went for over 3 years) was the right thing for me to do, really. I moved back to Hereford and am now a Residential House Manager in a 54 flat Retirement complex, which I have to say I thoroughly enjoy (for the most part!). I guess the principle reason for my absence has been that I really haven't listened to a great deal of prog rock/ metal over the past 4/5 years... most of my listening time has been dedicated to an exploration of classical music, which to be honest I'm really pleased I have done. Although this (very limited) knowledge of classical music will stay with me for life, it's probably something I'm looking forward to mixing more, with a bit of prog, again, in due course. One thing I will say is that a love of music continues to be the number one passion in my social world, and I expect I will pop back in to PA a little more regularly in the future.

Nice to hear from you again Jared.

Incidentally, I have just noticed that it's Vicky Garten's 46th today... (she's always 6 months old than me, I've never been able to close that gap!) so... HAPPY BIRTHDAY VICKY!! I hope Jim takes you out for a nice meal...

Jared wrote: Incidentally, I have just noticed that it's Vicky Garten's 46th today... (she's always 6 months old than me, I've never been able to close that gap!) so... HAPPY BIRTHDAY VICKY!! I hope Jim takes you out for a nice meal...

chopper wrote: Jared wrote: ^^ might be able to build you a lean-to on the side of the mobility-scooter paddock... Thanks Jared.   I quite like the idea of a retirement home for old proggers. We could sit around all day discussing the relative merits of Gabriel and Collins.

Jim Garten wrote: Jared, hi - good to see you back (for however long you grace us with your presence this time)

point well taken Jim, It'd be nice to pop in and say hello from time to time... any scent of Snow Dog round these parts recently?

Jim Garten wrote: Snowie's usually lurking around somewhere - you want to watch these Welsh types!

Apparently, there's a medieval law which gives permission for a Herefordian to kill a Welshman provided he uses a long bow, if he has breached the city walls (literally 100 yards from my front door!)... it's one of those which was never repealed and is still on the statute books...

...sometime, I must exercise my privilege as a Herefordian..

... Snowie??   

Edited by Jared - December 11 2013 at 12:02