I’ve been working pretty hard lately on my garden – I just wish there was some miracle way of stopping weeds and roots from growing back and also to slow time . But hey it’s a challenge right – a one man band doing all he can within reason while still having no transport to get rid of all the cuttings!
8th of September 2009 – Before winter came and took the garden back.
24th of April 2010 – The sun is coming out time to do that garden!
21st of June 2010 – No car anymore, so work has been hard but it’s getting there, shame the rain came and ruined all the work I had done – weirds grow back quick!
27th of June 2010 – Finally shifting that dirt.
6th of July 2010 – More dirt shifting and still no transport makes for a hard life in the garden. Summer holidays soon – will have to clear as much as I can before winters back!
Just want to wish everyone a quick but thoughtful Happy New Year!
Thank you to all of you who visited my blog in 2009 – it means a lot to me, especially as I don’t get as much time as I used to on updating this blog.
However it’s 2010 and a new decade has arrived, so I shall be dedicating more time to this blog to bring it back up to track, already you can see that I have tweaked the theme a little to make it run faster. Start emailing me suggestions – I’m on the case….
Following up from both my previous posts (post 1 & post 2) about the Harry Potter Hogwarts Express Fan Trip Train Ride 2009, which gave you the chance to travel by steam train from Paddington to Oxford aboard the Hogwarts Express (GWR Hall Class 4-6-0 no 5972 Olton Hall) steam train on Saturday the 18th of July 2009.
I have now had the chance along with my girlfreind (see her post) to travel on this Hogwarts Express Journey, it was really enjoyable and worth going, the atmosphere around people was a great experience.
I have just finished uploading all the photos I took of my journey on the Hogwarts Express (5972 Olton Hall). My photos include both outside and inside photos of the main steam engine train and the carriages, along with some photos of Oxford and a few of London.
I shall soon be adding my Hogwarts Express Videos to this post too, which are definitely worth viewing, even if you didnt go!
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Well I guess all good things come to an end, or at least that’s what some people say.
But it looks like that one good thing has unfortunately come to an end, that of which I’m sad to see go as I was a part of it, that is that the rumors circulating earlier this week about the MSN/Windows Live Butterfly program closing have come true.
A Microsoft spokesman sent Mary Jo Foley the following response when she questioned Microsoft about the closing of the MSN/Windows Live Butterfly beta testing program.
“The Butterfly group has been involved in beta testing MSN and Windows Live products for a number of years. Rather than continue the program as something only focused on beta testing, we’re offering the group a variety of options to engage in the broader Windows Live community, including the opportunity to join the MVP (Most Valuable Professional) program and continued and future access to beta testing opportunities.”
For those of you that don’t know, The Windows Live Butterfly awards program (formerly the MSN Butterfly program) was a program whose members were given the benefit of new Microsoft software and services to test before the beta releases went public and they were in direct contact with the program managers for MSN and Windows Live products.
Microsoft had initiated the Windows Live Butterfly program in order to recognize the contributions made by those who have excelled at beta testing, showing themselves to go above and beyond what Microsoft looked for from beta testers. Prospective butterflies were selected by the Windows Live product team and were nominated for a term of one year, after which they could be renominated.
As a Windows Live Butterfly Program Member I’m sad to see this come to an end, it’s a real shame, I’ve met and made great friends with many people through the Butterfly Group both face to face and online, and the butterfly group has helped me in lots of ways, I will miss everyone on it including of course the employees at Microsoft that talked in the newsgroups, I just hope we can all stay in contact someway!
Maybe we could update the Windows Live Butterfly Map - http://www.butterflymap.com/ (Courtesy of John O’Brien a MVP from Soul Solutions and the co-founder of Via Windows Live) to all current Windows Live Butterflies along with contact details!
Some memories:
Just Checked my stats and noticed incoming visits to my blog from http://www.bestbloglist.com/
Seems I’ve been added to the Top 50 Best Blog List, I’m not sure when the next best blog list update will be but for now I’m on it which is pretty good!
Here’s a list of all those blogs on it at currently:
Hi everyone, from all my heart I wish you a Happy New Year 2009. I wish that the New Year will bring hapiness in your family and that all your dreams come true.
And as a treat for my blog readers, this new year I have updated my theme to a new WordPress Windows Vista Style Areo Glass Theme.
Features include:
I hope you enjoy my blogs new windows vista areo glass look and agree that the theme I have selected is well suited for this blog!
Hey everyone,
It’s been quite a while since I last posted or updated anything on this site. My apologies to those of you who frequently visit my site hoping for some updates, so much has gone on in my life within the last 4 months that I have had hardly any spare time to keep this blog updated.
Some of the things which I have done include:
So yeah it’s been one hell of a road and this little list doesn’t even scratch the tip of the iceberg, so much more has gone on, both good and bad!
I’m not sure when I will be able to update my blog again but I hoping it will be soon.
Take care everyone.
Darren
Avril Lavignes The Best Damn Tour is coming to The O2 Arena this coming Wednesday the 4th of June. So looking forward to going along with all the other music festivals, concerts and gigs I shall be going to this year. It’s all good fun!
With all this talk of music lately on my blog anyone would be thinking I’m turning my back on technology, computers and all the geeky stuff in general! I can safetly say I’m not and am still keeping up to date in what’s happening in the weird and wonderful technology world!

This September the 11th, Madonna will be performing live on stage at Wembley Stadium as part of her Madonna the Sticky & Sweet Tour 2008. I bought tickets for myself and my girlfriend to see her from the Golden Circle Standing Area, so hopefully it will be a good one. I’m just wondering is anyone else going to either the London one or another? Or wishing they could go but can’t?
Ticket site: http://www.livenationinternational.com/madonna
Upcoming.org: Madonna The Sticky & Sweet Tour 2008 London

There’s 88 Days to go until Reading and Leeds Music Festival 2008, so let’s take a quick look at the lineup so far!
Can’t wait to go!
| Reading Friday | Reading Saturday | Reading Sunday |
| Leeds Saturday | Leeds Sunday | Leeds Friday |
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| Reading Friday | Reading Saturday | Reading Sunday |
| Leeds Saturday | Leeds Sunday | Leeds Friday |
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| Reading Sunday |
| Leeds Friday |
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| Reading Friday | Reading Saturday |
| Leeds Saturday | Leeds Sunday |
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