Wow, 18 months since my last post…and reading that, things have certainly changed! and all for the better.

Firstly, Lisa and I got married – very romantic affair really, it was sold to me that financially it made sense with the properties etc. As such, we got 2 witnesses, Lisa’s dad, and my mum and off to the registry office. We had the Muppet Show theme tune playing during the ceremony, then Lou Reed’s ‘Perfect Day’ (the only ‘sensible’ wedding ceremony song), follwed by Foo Fighters ‘Long Road to Ruin’. We left the registry office to the Muppets ‘Manamana’. Lisa got a ring, I got a ball and chain (seriously – I got a ball and chain, it’s not a euphemism).

So yeah, pretty big change right there.

Work has changed vastly too – for legal reasons I cannot discuss any settlement agreements or wrong doings.

After a couple of months working as a packer on a production line, I got a job doing some data analysis for a distribution company. I actually applied for a basic administration position but got a call back saying they thought I was over qualified for the position, but they’d created a new position for me (which is a huge ego boost for someone of my age).

I then took a job for Liebherr, a German company specialising in tower cranes. My manager had some odd ways of doing things which saw me leave there after only a couple of months. Once again, I was turned down for the original job I applied for, but was offered a different job to match my skills.

After mooching around for a couple of weeks, and Christmas starting to loom on the horizon, Lisa sent me a link one day for a job inside ABB. I applied, and we both agreed that to avoid any bias one way or another, I’d not mention her working for the company.

The application went in, was received with interest, and I underwent a telephone interview – I’m quite good on the phone, and have the knack of sounding knowledgeable about things I honestly know little of. I then received a further callback inviting me to an interview – this would be just before the Christmas break.

At this point, Lisa and I decided she should approach HR and let them know she had initiated the recruitment so she’d get the recruitment bonus (we thought this would be a couple of hundred pounds). HR told her yes, there was a bonus – £1000 if I was successful in the interview, and a further £1000 after 6 months.

Interview day comes around – a Friday (this is key). I arrived promptly for my interview and was met by Al (the manager of the section) who was dressed in jeans and t-shirt. Seeing my expression, he said, “I normally wear a shirt and most days a tie, but Friday is dress-down day.”

For the first time IN MY LIFE, I was the best dressed person in the company. The interview with me, Al, and the other Al went very well, and I was offered the job a couple of days later to start in the new year – January 11th in fact.

I was actually phoned on the 5th to ask if I’d like to attend some training they were holding that day which would be of use for me – having nothing better to do, I did this, and as such, became the first person to start work before my start date…

So, my new career as an Internal Proposals Engineer is a very interesting one – I’m learning the range of products offered by ABB, and was approached by the head of UK sales in late March to say he’d like me to attend some training in Italy in May. Now, in my head I was thinking “Hmm, my probation period runs until mid April, but I’m booked on some overseas training in May – I think I may have this job…”

Sure enough, a couple of weeks ago, Al turned to me and said “Paul, about your probation period”, I turned around and he continued “Yeah, you’re in…despite being a Spurs fan.” (he supports Chelsea).

Which brings me neatly to the current EPL – Spurs trailing Leicester at the top of the table, still (as I write this) mathematically possible for them to be champions – but what a season, what a difference the manager has made, and what effort the players have put in as a whole, they really are awesome to watch – like an unending white wave swarming over defences.

Lisa and I decided to book a holiday in September once the girls have gone back to school, we initially thought Gran Canaria, but due to the problems in North Africa and Syria, it seems everyone is now going to Spain and the Canary Islands. In a nutshell, I was sold on the idea of the lazy river at the hotel in Cancun, so we’re off to Mexico for 2 weeks – lovely stuff.

Cats: Gif has really settled in now, and even tolerates the other 2 cats being quite close to him.

Household media system: Although the plethora of storage devices still exist, we’re moving more onto streaming films/TV shows (the girls love the US Whose Line is it Anyway?).

We’re (Lisa) is now onto the final room in the extended house to be redecorated – our bedroom. Yesterday I was allowed (under supervision), to take out a brick cupboard that used to house the boiler, but was now empty and taking up space.

I’ll upload some pictures later of the wedding, and the house/garden. Until then, ciao