Sorry I'm late in getting around to your thread, but as you know, I've had little to no sleep over the last week or so and I'm not functioning too well. Anyway, I'm here now and have to say that it really has been a woeful start to the year. I really feel for Stephen and his family because Shirl's passing was more sudden than they were told to expect, and being only just into the new year, various things were not that easy for them to arrange. Fortunately, the Salvation Arms and others did all they could to help the family at such a difficult time.
As for old Obbs, he was a decent bloke who was taken suddenly and sadly without warning. I asked him once why people called him Obbs, and as casual as you like, he turned round with a great big grin on his face and said: "Cos I'm an obsinate old bastard.". Yup, he was hard working and funny with it. He'll be sadly missed.
The start to the year hasn't been exactly thrilling or exhilerating for myself, either. I've had some of the worst bouts of vertigo ever, and somedays it was a challenge just to put one foot in front of the other, but I copped a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel and I'm thinking the worst is now behind me. So long as there's a bag of ice in the freezer, a few cold beers in the fridge and a dreamy looking shop assistant down the street to sell it to me, life ain't so bad at all.
