Belated Happy New Year

A very (belated) happy new year to all my readers. It has been quite a while since I've put finger to keyboard to make a post on my blog. Thank you to those who have e-mailed me direct to ask if I'm OK, I can assure you all is well on planet Stephen Allison. I have heard a rumour that I was very ill, hence lack of bloging and my recent weight loss (now just over 15stone) was due to illness not diet. I am happy to also squash that rumour. I have not felt better for ages and in fact this weekend came across my old Loughbrough Students training uniform. The "purple" was a bit faded and as it has been in the back of the wardrobe since 1986 I suppose that's not surprising. However, the good news was that it still fits me. Still a bit snug across the belly but definitely not too spray on to wear even after 23 years.

Anyway I hope that normal bloging service will now be resumed and I can continue through 2009 to bore you all with my meanderings. 2009 will be a busy year. The European Elections are coming up and so is the Hartlepool Mayoral contest, both fights I hope to take part in. The year unfortunately started on a bit of a downer with Rosie not being offered a place at Cambridge but the silver lining to that cloud is that she can go to her first choice, King's College London. She and I are booked in for an open day in early February so that should be a nice bit of father/daughter bonding. My son also got some bad news. After over two years of interviews, courses, tests and assessments, (including 3 days at Portsmouth where he passed the Admiralty Interview Board for Officer Selection) he had now been told his hearing is not up to standard in one ear. Edward was born with high pitched hearing loss in one ear, this had been included in the Medical Section of every Royal Navy form he has ever filled in, however it has taken until now for the Navy to tell him the hearing loss is too severe for him to be accepted. He's obviously upset but the fact he's got this far when he has always declared this condition is really what is getting his goat. They say bad things happen in threes so that's two down and one to go.