Now that Easter's been and gone, it's time to get working...

Another busy week, so busy that I didn't have time to visit Hemel.

My running continues to improve, up to 40-45 minutes each day with the first objective - 10k run in Watford on Monday 5th May - in less than 10 days. So, if you not busy that bank holiday monday, dig out your camera and try to find me!.

Then there's another 10k run lined up for Codicote the following Sunday. Same rules - not busy, find camera, find me!

Sheila's been off on a two day training course, so I was in charge while she was away. So, I left the running until later than normal and ended up running in the heat of the mid morning sun on a warm day!. Won't be doing that again.

Finally decided what to do... the bedroom!

We've been talking about finishing the main bedroom since we had the extension build back in 1995. Now, eight years later, I've ordered the bedroom furniture from Wickes and will start installing it when it's delivered in 4 weeks.

As for the job front, spoke to a couple of agencies and went to see Shirley. She's helped me re-work part of my CV and offered lots of practical advice that I can't go into here. But a big thank you to her.

Well, that's enough from me. Don't forget, down look down...

After all the sunshine, this week was taken up with getting my hammock out of the shed and giving it a pre-season checkout. Yeap, ready for the summer!

I'm re-visiting Harry Potter at the moment by listening to Stephen Fry doing HP1 on CD in the car, HP2 film on video (promised myself that I wouldn't buy another DVD until the job thing is sorted, so this was borrowed!) and more Stephen Fry with HP3 on mp3 in the hammock!

I'll probably finish HP4 on mp3 in the hammock in time for the HP5 book in June.

Running continues, with the warm weather it's been more important than ever to get out each morning before it gets too hot to run. So, if you�re driving through Borehamwood and see an idiot plodding down the road wearing Ray-bans... that's me!

Went over to London Zoo yesterday, the Zoo's looking good, with new & re-furbished buildings everywhere, even though the bigger animals have moved out, its still got it!.

Things are starting to move on the CV / leads / interview front, with a mock interview planned for next week and agencies asking me specific questions about my CV. So, if all goes well, I should be able to avoid much of "house work" that my wife has lined up.

Having said that, I am starting to prioritise these tasks and I'll sort out the wobbly fence over the weekend. (This sentence added in case my wife reads this!)

Well, that's enough from me. Don't forget; let's keep busy out there!

Yet another busy week - I'll be glad to get back to work and have a rest!

We've only just returned after a weekend away to see my brother-in-law who lives near Manchester. We went to the local theatre on Saturday to see an interesting play called "A Load Of Old Women And A Bit Of A Slapper". This was well supported and enjoyable, With it's title it reminded me of the Branch Programme!

The running each morning is begining to show some early benefits - I've lost about a stone in weight and I'm starting to enjoy it. This past week, I've upped my running to just over thirty minutes. So, I'm well on target for the Borehamwood Half Marathon as long as the weather stays good and I don't have any injury problems.

After all the beer of the weekend, tomorrow's run got to hurt!

I've managed to reduce the agencies I want to deal with down to three, or maybe four, depending. I'm sorry to say that I'm still unimpressed with the agencies I've reviewed so far. I feel that recruitment agencies and estate agents are probably attend the same finishing school...

I didn't manage to visit any last week as planned - I couldn't find the time!!. But, I did send my CV to two agencies.. one advertising a vacancy in Ireland that sounds fantastic and the other looking for people in Surrey that sounds interesting as well.

I'm assuming that everybody has watched the news footage from Baghdad? Well, being home all Tuesday afternoon meant that I didn't miss a thing. Much better that simply watching the high-lights.

On Wednesday, my external hard drive arrived, so I had some fun installing that and securing the data from my internal hard drive. NB my computer isn't working too well and I'm still needing to re-built it on a regular basis. And I can't afford the time to waiting for it to be repaired / replaced.

Well, that's enough from me. As ever, keep busy, keep running and don't look back.

Roger...

This week has again been busy with the 2 day "Self Marketing" course taking up much of my time. Both in terms of the course itself and the stuff it teaches you. I now understand what a CV really is!

I've also started on the long list of things my wife's always nagged about - tidy up to shed, fix the hoover, etc. I've also started running again, every morning!

By the time I'm back in full time employment, I'll be as skinny as a rake! Seriously, as I did the London Marathon twenty years ago I thought that I could at least aim for the Borehamwood Half Marathon in June.

So, if any body would like to sponsor me - the money will go to my Lifeboat fund!.

I've spoken to a couple job agencies, and while I want to stay positive, they don't inspire me. I refused to supply my CV to one agent because I felt he would simply blast it out to every company on his books without thinking. I personally feel that I'm better off contacting selected companies directly. But, I haven't given up completely and intend visiting an agency or two next week. More next week.

Have you heard about the "eviction" problem on Wednesday. No?

During the 2 day course, Tracey appeared at the door to say that she'd booked the room for an important meeting and could we - all eleven of us - leave. Strangely, nobody moved. Tracey caused a bit of a fuss before going off in a huff.

Well, it cheered us up.

More family visits and a phone call out of the blue from a cousin about work at the bank he works for. He sent me a list of the IT vacancies and a contact name. Something worth following up.

Anyway, keep busy, keep looking and never look down!

Roger...