Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

Quite a busy day today, our 5th wedding anniversary so we went to Harrods for a nice luxury buffet lunch with a bit of wine. Like lots of Londoners if we go to central London it has to be on a Sunday so we can park there, but today is a special day.

We drove to Knightsbridge and looked for a car park near the store, after following one sign to a car park that ended up nowhere we found another and up one little side street found ourselves at Harrods own customer car park. One nod from the bloke as I was driving in and I carried on down the ramp until he told me to stop – confused I asked why and he told me they only do valet parking, so we spent 6 mins getting Theo and the pushchair out of the car in the middle of the entrance and handed over our wheels.

Off we walked to the Georgian restaurant at the top of Harrods where we have been before and know is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon. Two hours hearty eating later we were utterly stuffed with top quality roast beef, prawns & crayfish and more fancy deserts than I care to remember, and went to pay the bill – after 15 mins the waiter told me he was on the phone with the bank over some complication, I was getting very annoyed with how long this was taking and told him to cancel that one and I use another card.

Eventually I found myself talking to the Barclay’s on the phone at the till, my quality afternoon taking a turn for the annoying. They told me that I had spoken to them recently and they asked me to go to a branch with some ID to re-activate the account – I told them I knew nothing about this…

Last month I got two letters from Orange (the mobile phone company) congratulating me on signing up to a new expensive phone contract I knew nothing about which caused me to close an account I had opened for 25 years but decided not to use for the past couple as Natwest customer services are so shite.

It turns out already again I am the victim of the fraudsters, and someone  at 8 in the morning two days ago tried to change the address on one of my credit card accounts, again on an account I hardly ever use since my beautiful Morgan Stanley Platinum card turned into a Barclaycard when they bought them out… I just don’t like Barclays for some reason.

After 3 phone calls getting more and more angry trying to find out what the fuck was going on I got the someone trying to change the address story and a new card was on it’s way, so that’s sorted. Really amazed how much fraud is going around though, for this one it must have been some small ecommerce website being hacked or something – bit off-putting really.. I buy stuff online alot!.

I got the Harrods restaurant to call the carpark to make sure we were not charged for the extra time taken to sort this all out which they did with bullet like accuracy, the professionalism of Harrods employees is really impressive. It’s good policy in computing to require people to change their passwords frequently, it looks like the same may be the case for your bank cards – cancel them and get new ones every few months as fraud is getting out of hand.

Me and Natasa have been married for 5 happy years, accomplished so much and this year with the arrival of Theo we have an exciting future turning him from a bouncing happy baby into an awesome man.

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

Im not the best bowler you have ever seen, but this bloke may very well be.

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

Think back to when you first saw police academy, wasnt that black cop with the beatboxing etc wicked, well he has nothing on these three…

First we have the girl who is very good with her mouth.

Then we have this bloke from Japan, yeh he doesnt look like much with that accent but man he can impress.

Last we have beardyman who has been featured on my blog before, and is undoubtedly one hell of a talented bloke.

OK one more…kind of.. looks a bit weird for now, but perhaps a talent of the future :)

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

We started our usual trip in a new unusual manner on our couple of times a year holiday in macedonia.

Waking up at 5.45 in the morning (nor entirely unusual now we are new parents), our friend Becky was super nice enough to take us and our 100 tonnes of luggage to Heathrow in her 4×4 which made getting to the airport easy, there is no way we could have done it without a car, big thanks to Becky.

putting our luggage where it needed to go in the airport was also quick and straightforward, then the happy bit started, the security check, this with a baby strapped to the front of my 110kg body, 3 bags for handluggage, a folded pushchair, far more complicated than the usual laptop in a rucksack.

Of course the scanner beeped as I walked through with theo sleeping in the baby bjorn so I had to take him off then we got frisked by some bloke who was nice and chatty so not too bad….

Of course some Bitch with a tent wrapped around her head singled us out and took everything out of the changing bag (lots of baby stuff) and went through it bit by bit… Seriously what a Fuckin bitch, of course some essentials that were slightly over the ridiculous 100ml allowance were taken, so we could by them again in the shop that was 3 metres away, thank you very much osama.

I was sweating like he’ll as we prepared to get all our stuff on the plane (last) after quickly scoffing our coffees. The staff on the b.a. Flight to Sofia were really helpful, got to put the pushchair up the back of the cabin and the guy who was in our isle seat moved to the window.

I was expecting 3 hours of crying now but only got 2 minutes of it… Pretty much all of the flight Theo slept.. I squeezed my elbows together as if I were disabled so I could eat as much of the greasy slop that b.a. Had provided for breakfast, the rest was pretty much plain sailing ..

Got changed as soon as we got off the plane, fixed up the buggy and off we went to collect the suitcases, not the normal “are they ever going to come” wait, by then the conveyor had stopped and they were waiting for us.

Now we are in the taxi for our 3 hour drive across bulgaria and up the ear popping mountain border to macedonia to natasas parents who have no idea we are bringing their new grandson to see them :)

Our usual taxi driver stops off half way and treats us to some grilled chicken, salad, and tasty beer and now the booze is flowing it’s the start of enjoying some fine east european drink, macedonian red wine is definitely in need of getting around more and increasing awareness so more people can enjoy such varieties as “tia za jug”.

The taxi ride was a couple of hours until the circus routine at the border between bulgaria and macedonia where our taxi driver must suck up to some “officials” who act in a rather dopey manner. To our surprise as three passengers with british passports this time we have to get “examined” by a doctor at this mountain border.

This turns our to be a bloke seeing if we have a fever etc and puzzles me for a minute until I work out this has something to do with keeping swine flu out of the country then the penny drops and I understand the need.

We then cruise down the macedonia side to the town to surprise the socks off natasas parents which we certainly did.

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

Warning: xcache_set() [function.xcache-set]: xcache.var_size is either 0 or too small to enable var data caching in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\bradmcallister.com\httpdocs\wp-content\plugins\w3-total-cache\lib\W3\Cache\Xcache.php on line 40

After my experiences with geting on an off boats in Thailand at events like the full moon party… it amazes me this type of thing does not happen more often… not an easy thing to do but this bloke certainly fucked it up.