The diary of an Average Nige !!

Ok, so it's been a while since my last blog. And a lot has happened. Couple of car break-ins, house move, parties, golf at The Belfry and numerous other events have happened.I'm actually writing this at 38,000 feet above the mountain region of the US, en route to Los Angeles for my first set of meetings at head office. This past few weeks has been manic at work, and I seem to be working all hours just to keep my head above water! There are so many things that still need to be done, but I just don't seem to have time. PErhaps I need to plan my time better, but right now, just planning my time is a waste of it, so I'm just carrying on trying to get the job done. To be honest, I could do without a week in LA as I could get so much done, but hey ho!

So what's happened in past few months?? Well, I had my car broken into twice, in the so-called "secure car park" at my original apartment complex. It's so frustrating, and they managed to steal my Sat Nav the first time, so I was lost without it!! Actually, I'm getting better at finding my way around, certainly the northside at any rate - it's when I venture south of the liffey that I start to get a bit lost!! Still, I've got myself a new one now - and to the thieves out there - I DO NOT KEEP MY SAT NAV OR ANY VALUABLES IN MY CAR! So don't waste your time!!
I was pretty glad to get away from that apartment actually. Although the apartment itself was very nice, the area around it wasn't. Being near Croke Park meant that you were practically a prisoner in your own home at weekends, especially if there was a Dublin Gaelic Football match on, as I found out to my horror one day when I came back just about 10 minutes before kick-off. After pleading with the Gardai (Irish Police) to let me down my own road, I crawled down the road at snales pace, trying to avoid the 82,000 people who were all trying to get in the ground at the same time!! It took me 25 minutes to drive less than half a mile!! Needless to say, I never made that mistake again!!

After an extensive search, I eventually found the perfect apartment further north from the city. It's a little cheaper than my first apartment, bigger and better! And once I'd bought my 42" LCD tv, it was even better - that was, of course, the first thing I bought, and it was unpacked before any boxes or bags were!! Big thanks to Mark for helping me move in and coming to fetch the TV with me - he secretly enjoyed it, as I did spot him drooling over all the big TV's in the store!!
And to Kerrie and Joanne - what happened to the help?? Not being able to drive there without negotiating a roundabout is not a viable excuse!!

So now I've had to register my car in Ireland. That was a lot more difficult than I could ever have anticipated!! I knew they needed some proof that it was my car and I'd used it before I came to Ireland, but what they asked for was ridiculous! Anyway, after a frantic call to my sister, I was able to provide them with more information than they requested, so they can't possibly turn down my application for an exemption, can they?? We'll soon find out!

I think that just about brings me upto date with my blogs and what has been going off in the last few months. I might I add that despite all the people that said they would come and visit, and all the many invites I have given out to people, only 2 people have come to stay (not including my parents when I first went to Ireland). It's not good enough people!! I pay extra for that second bedroom, and now I've bought some fancy bedding and lovely towels, the least you ungreatful lot can do is come to visit me!! But just not this week eh, as I won't be there! Did I mention I'm in LA this week?!?!?!? ;)