This me I be – Tomos James

Driving

Driving day 13 — a trip to Granny’s house

But she wasn’t in so we went to the beach

Driving

Driving days 7, 8, 9 & 10 — I’m now in my 2nd week!

I can’t imagine life without a car. Hang on, yes I can…

A journey of weekends, Driving

A weekend with a car

Milestone after milestone! Physical miles. To Brighton, Portchester, Tesco (thrice), Shaun’s — I’ve even had my back seat down and carried a TV stand home. My Brighton journey was a fun journey, I quite liked it — people I’ve told have thought it strange I didn’t stop in Brighton but it was pissing it down, I didn’t […]

Driving

Driving day 6 — road trip to Brighton

Armed with my sat-nav and tunes, I took my Polo to Brighton for no real reason other than to drive back home again. 110 miles — the A27 to Worthing, the sea road to Brighton, and up and back via the A27. Now, I’ve been chauffeured along most of this route in the past so it wasn’t […]

Driving

Driving days 4 & 5 — getting into the swing of this driving lark

I’ve got my commute to work down to 22 minutes — is that an improvement on 1 h 30 m? I think so. I’d a low C in GCSE Maths but even I can math-out some sort of saving here. Also, I’ve learnt time telling so I can see it, too. To say it has […]

Driving

Driving days 2 & 3 — heading to work

Instantly, having a car seems so natural, so helpful, so always been. All those years of not having a car seem so alien. It’s been barely 55 hours since buying my car and it’s like decades have gone by already. All those years of foot travel now obscured by the haze of the past. Before […]

A journey of weekends, Driving

A long weekend that saw me leave in a taxi and drive home in a car

The weekend began like most weekends, I woke up. Back in those days, I used my feet to get places so they were probably shredded, the sheets bloody, and I was writhing in pain. Saturday saw me on the hunt for Shaun’s birthday present, traipsing from Waitrose to Tesco, and thinking I should’ve just gone […]

Driving

Driving day 1 — road trip to Bindley Heath, Lingfield

To get there, Shaun drove, and it was all very confident and direct. A3, M25, the junction after Gatwick. We made good time and it was effortless. More so for me, obvs, ’cause ‘passenger’.

A journey of weekends, Holiday

A weekend in Newcastle

Having friends and family dotted around the place gives excuses to visit. Like Kayte down in Cornwall = HOLIDAY!!! Like Jo up in London = HOLIDAY!!! Like Laura up in Newcastle = HOLIDAY!!! And so visit I have, and visiting I still am. I don’t get up here as often as maybe I should, although […]

A journey of weekends

A weekend of Tony & Paul

Paying their old Uni home a visit, this weekend with Tony and Paul was always destined to be pub-orientated.

Mental wellbeing, The Southern Co-operative

2 years on from ‘In lieu of care’

It has been 2 years since I was freed from The Southern Co-operative Funeralcare and their warped sense of compassion, and if it hadn’t been for Facebook’s ‘On this day’ reminder then I wouldn’t have even noticed — I think that’s progression right there.

Driving

Used car salesmen, what I’ve discovered

Thus far, not a fan

Driving, Things happening

This need to be patient can go fuck itself

It feels mighty odd not having a driving lesson this week because, you know, I passed my driving test.

Things happening

Dentist day

Sat in my dental surgery after a recent change in ownership. It’s nice to see they’ve kept

A journey of weekends, Driving

A weekend as a new driver

Felt a lot like walking, if I’m honest. No car!!! With Shaun on the case, I’m sure this state of affairs won’t last long. I’m lucky he knows what I want because I don’t. Having looked through insurance, which seems reasonably priced, I find some of the questions they ask are unnecessarily shruggable. I don’t […]

Awards & achievements, Driving

Driving test day…

Did I pass or fail???

Driving

Driving lesson 16 — the day before my test

Barely 14 hours to go!!!

A journey of weekends

A weekend of being like super productive

After a week throttled, stabbed, and booted in the nuts by vertigo, this weekend was highly productive. Like super productive. Like oh my god…

Driving

The anatomy of a car

Knowing what’s what and where in and around your vehicle is as helpful as knowing where your toes are compared to your nipples. Not necessarily vital knowledge but a knowledge that can serve well.

Driving

Driving lesson 15 — test routes

“If I say nothing, straight on.”

Driving, Mental wellbeing, Vertigo migraines

The looming prospect of driving — my test is a week today!!! 😱😱😱

This time next week I’ll either be a bona fide driver, with my green provisional being whisked off to the DVLA to be resprayed pink, or I’ll have failed on something stupid and looking to rebook my test. One or the other. It would make my life easier if I passed first time — well, […]

A journey of weekends

A long weekend egg hunting

Myles is now of the age to enjoy a good egg hunt. He loves them so much that he needs to partake in lots and lots of egg hunts. It’s an unofficial count of 40 on Easter Sunday — it would’ve been an official count but I forgot to count. The hardest part was finding […]

In memory, Mental wellbeing

It’s March 31st again

This date looms in the calendar. 11:20(ish) a.m.. 3 years ago today he left us when he should’ve been allowed to stay. He was such a wonderful man, and I’m not just saying this because I’m biased. He was a much better man than me. And 3 years on, it feels like it’s been barely […]

Driving

Driving lesson 14 — RAIN!!!

🎶 Drip drip drop it was pissing, pouring, falling to the ground, double stopping distance 🎶

(Loosely to the tune of ‘Drip drip drop little April showers’.)

Things happening

This mornings’ commute

This morning I get to the station for 7, call from work – no power, don’t come in. I go home. As I’m settling with a tea at 9 I get a call from work – there’s power! Come in. I walk quick back to the station, trains delayed. AAARGH!!!

A journey of weekends

A weekend rebuilding

(my flat)

Driving

Driving lesson 13 — using a hire car

Driving another car…

Anger

My anger & I

I can be exceptionally subtle… not.

A journey of weekends

A weekend of sleepovers and trains with my 2 main men

My little man Myles has been begging me to have a sleepover so, with Mum at a hen-do, I invited myself round and had one. Myles was super excited because, why wouldn’t he be? I’m amazing at playing trains! We played trains, and more trains, hide and seek with a cucumber, went to the park, […]

Driving

Driving lesson 12 — in 300 yards, take the exit

Following a sat nav will be a part of my driving test

A journey of weekends

A weekend to prune & apricot

Hot water = me! A prune!

Mental wellbeing, Poems & short stories

If only I was different

If only I was different If I was someone else I know I’d be magnificent No bargain off the shelf I would surely be the envy Of everyone about And then I’d finally like me Love me without a doubt

Driving

Driving lesson 11 — STOP (right there, thank you very much…)

Emergency! Emergency!

(I can’t get the song out of my head)

Things happening

From boiler-less to boiler’d with a thing on a pipe

I return home to a funny thing on a pipe

A customer's rant

Virgin Media, still with the great customer service NOT — want something done? Go through to complaints

So they stopped harassing but today they changed their mind, and then I was forced to call and, well…

A journey of weekends

A weekend to thaw

The snow and having no boiler caused issues

A customer's rant

And the Virgin Media harassment continues

They just call and call and call and call. You can tell them to stop but they won’t.

Driving

Driving lesson 10 — country rooooooad take me home 🎶

Country road driving!

A customer's rant, Anger

So mad I could scream!!!

From a broken boiler to flawless media company.

A journey of weekends, Awards & achievements

A weekend of the serious and not so serious

I was awarded The Sunshine Blogger Award so celebrated. I then had a nasty surprise that proved a valuable point.

Awards & achievements

The Sunshine Blogger Award

Is an award given to bloggers by bloggers for bringing sunshine, positivity, and creativity to their readers’ lives.

I’m a recipient and on my way to the ceremony!

A journey of weekends, Mental wellbeing

One whole year of weekends, the review

1 year, 52 weekends, most of which long forgotten.

My year review written 2 weeks late because it came around too quick and I wasn’t ready.

Vertigo migraines

To my dearest vertigo migraine

On Day 2, a little letter to show my appreciation.

(This post has a flashing image!)

A journey of weekends

A weekend spilling most everything

Except the cider

Driving, Mental wellbeing

Driving lesson 9 — turn in the road

Ah shit, I need to head the other way!!

Anger

Today’s anger

This is written now that I’m calm

A customer's rant

Virgin Media, their doghouse at their convenience

Day 1 was really just a waste of time. Rude staff, false promises — would Day 2 be any better?

A customer's rant

Virgin media, DONE!!! Woop Woop!

AND I got 2 attitude people! 🤣

A journey of weekends, Friends & family, Mental wellbeing

A weekend that passed by quickly

Zooooooooooooooooom

A customer's rant, Mental wellbeing

I can feel it in my fingers… Actually, in my chest…

WAR WITH VIRGINMEDIA! For reasons best left to a shrug, my last direct debit didn’t vanish to wherever it’s meant to go, meaning Virginmedia didn’t get paid. They’re an absolute rip off. Anyway, according to their letter, I have until before the next bill is produced to pay before I get charged a ‘late fee’. […]