Just had to restore the site HTML from backup as the site just stopped working.  I looked at the dates on some of the files and they were just wrong.  Hopefully its all working now.!

Well its time (or rather was) for us to hit IKEA and pay for the kitchen, and also do a bit, or lot of shopping to kit out the house. Our plans all worked well and I also figured out the train system enough that we can get to Chiba IKEA with only one train change instead of three and alot of walking!

It was all starting so very well. We go there with loads of time and the lady at the Kitchen area recognised us both (umm not hard I guess) and was her normal usual incredibily helpful self. We finished off all the details of the kitchen, added to more doors for the laundy and got the bathroom basin thrown into the same shipping!.

They gave Di the ikea family card which if you buy one of there Kitchens gives you a big discount on shipping (within the shipping area). Unfortunately the back of beyond is not an area they ship to, and the just slightly closer that the back of beyond didn’t count either. But apparently nothing phases this lady! And in keeping with her incredibily helpful attitude she turned the ‘discounted’ shipping it $1000 dollars worth of points to use in the next three months shopping at IKEA.

I realise that its been quite a while since I wrote anything on this blog, thats because most of the entries are going to the Shimoda house blog. Things are really happening down there and its taking up most of my spare time. This is a good thing by the way! Since I got back from Australia its either been down to the house or shopping for house here in Tokyo.

We have started work on the house now.  Instead of knocking things down its time to rebuild.  Its been so far a great experince for me and I have learnt so much!  Total fun doing all this planning and design!  maybe i missed my calling.  um well 

Wow, what an experience this has been. The plans are all coming together now. Well just lost this whole post other than what I posted below from another writing!. Technology not quite working yet huh!

Have arrived back in Japan after two weeks in Austrlia for work. Was brillant down there, learnt huges amounts on my project and had a great time catching up wiht my friends there. Had a weekend in Canberra which was great, and it was so nice to be warm again.

Back now and just spent the weekend with Di working out the details of the build! All the details are on the Shimoda house site.

We have made huge amounts of progess on pinning down the idea’s over the last 8 months and turning them into actualy product. The idea book that Di is maintaining is growing all the time, and its such a huge benefit to the project.  Everything now gets written down and illustrated.  Follow along at the house blog (link at the top)

Just back from a very cold weekend at Shimoda.  They were actually talking about having snow down there!  The beach house is not exactly designed for cold weather so it was warm clothes and bedding.  I found a use for the bedding that I ordered from the States and was the wrong size.  It worked perfectly down there as it created a huge warm envelope and was very snug.  Well once in and warmed up.

We spent Saturday at the building store picking up all sorts of supplies. Sunday was spent putting them to good use!  We have cleared all the rubbish from the back of the house and the rear mini garden has been liberated and replanted with ferns from various pots.  Its all looking rather nice there!  After much measuring the spray paint came out and there is now a riot of fluresant colours making out new walls, water, sewage, gas and electrical.  Might not sound like much but it given some foundation as to what the house will become and makes it easier for the builders to now see the idea’s in progress!

The ‘Style Statement’ is underway, or at least started.  The annex is going to be rebuilt in clean modern lines and will ‘float’ alongside the original old house which now that its been totally cleared out and has ‘breathed’ is actually really lovely, and doesn’t need any major work.  The tatami for the two old rooms is ready, but won’t go back in until its all finished.  The bathroom plans are in place, and now the kitchen layout has been pinned down as well.  It also sounds like something that could have been done ages ago, but its just taken time to get it right and in place.  A system kitchen will now be hunted down so its going to have a very modern feel, thats now dictated that the whole annex should have this feel as well. 

Now to make it all happen!  Well Di has to make it all happen, me is just the side kick!

I’ve been watching something interesting over the last 7 years of working at BlocRoad (I think this is the first I’ve mentioned where I work and yes it is coded, won’t take a geniues to break it). When I started at BlocRoad it was unknown to me that the IT Manager would be blackballed and all who reported to him tarred with the same brush.

Its been an interesting lesson as after this manager left the new manager didn’t just blackball us but sunk us well low as we came from the ‘outrider’ division. One particular manager was very bad, he had attached himself to an up an coming manager who endorsed this blackball approach even thou my team were experts in outrider.

The love is felt when this up and coming manager went up and cAme down, much to his surprise, and little to our own. I mean folks how long can you really bullshit and be a bad manager. Okay far enough I will say Bullshit, be technically good, but still a crap manager. What our little tail coater didn’t know is that he had back the wrong horse and we all know it! Worse during his little rise to way over occuplise power is he single handely managed to piss everyone who worked for him or new him.

Now I admin skill misplaced where ever. And this piece of skill I really must admine Dick Woodman seemed to be able to single handely piss just about everyone who work fo rhime off, a skill that really must be admired only for its completeness.

Now it seems the tide is turning and Dick has no friends to support him, well come on, when you totally overwhelmed with you responsiblities, and umm no who work for you actually to help, oh come on , it is amusing. Okay amusing is hear Dick in conference calls and hearing him spout the same old tired verbage from 4 years ago! you know the stuff that means you haven’t done anything. Apparently his teacher didn’t impart the lesson of how to update you vocabularly to still talk crap in the modern age.

And who say Karma doesn’t exist. latesr

I’ve been so bad and not posted any entires.  Well quick recap spent most of January in Boston freezing my arse off it was that cold.  Was a fantastic trip and have a great time there.  Loads and Load of work, but found enough time to enjoy myself.

After spending a great weekend with a friend in North Carolina I came up with a great idea for my 40th birthday.  Lets so somewhere cool!

Well after a few conversations it appear that Antigua Jan 2009 is the goal! 

Back now in Japan and its snowing here as well, go figure that.

Hey, its this time last year I was discussion chemo drugs that I was going to get.  What a year, great to be almost back to normal.  Just spent three weeks working in Boston and it was great.  Okay, frecking cold, but still great!