I’ve been meaning to tell you about this for ages, but kept forgetting until an article in the Guardian (I’m too lazy to link) last Saturday reminded me.

One of the great things with being off work is that I’ve finally learnt how to use predictive text on my mobile. Now I realise that this has many of you guffawing, or spitting out tea in disgust at the fact that I am so techno-phobic. However, for someone of my advancing years, predictive text always looked like a good idea, but I was too proud to ask anyone how to do it! Especially if that someone was still in their teens and I knew they would give me that “Oh My God your Old” look the minute I asked.

So, a couple of weeks ago, I worked it out. And it’s SO easy! Now, I can reel out one of my text messages, link it so that I have 400+ rather than 100+ characters and continue to use full words rather than those awful “wot r u doing?” abbreviations. As I tend to communicate with my friends by text, this has been such a time saver, I can’t even begin to think about how I ever managed without it. A bit like my mobile, email and the one hundred and one other devices I use to keep in touch with friends.

One problem with my increased text addiction is that I’ve got a really bad right thumb. I don’t think it’s helped by the fact that I use this thumb under William’s chin when I wind him - and steadying an 11lb child that is trying to head-butt you (oh, he’s Gene Puddle born and bred, that’s for sure!) is quite a challenge. But, if it’s bad now, just imagine what it would have been like if I hadn’t found predictive text - agony!

Anyway, back to work, I suppose. I’m working with some other parents, trying to keep the neo-natal unit where William was cared for open. I must tell you about it soon.

My Dear Friend is doing his radio presenting gig again - this time at the Edinburgh Festival. Last time we spoke he said he was doing the drive time show. There is a link through the site to listen on your PC.

Sorry, I understand I’ve been away for a couple of days. There was even concern that I had retired. However, any rumours to this effect were greatly exaggerated!

All I know is that there was some type of technical problem and, as always, I am grateful to My Dear Friend for his assistance with this.

Being home all day does have it’s advantages. However, it also has it’s drawbacks, one of which being that despite my best efforts, I got dragged into the whole Big Brother thing. I know, I’m not proud.

I think the best woman won, at the end of the day - although I did have a bit of a liking for Dan - although the OH thought he was WAY to calculating and “..a bit of a bitch.” (his words, not mine).

However, this is just a way of adding this link, which made me giggle.

So on the latest edition of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy shown in the UK(before and after links) they used something I had never come across before - rubber tips that you adhere to the end of your cats claws.

Now, if you don’t have cats, their claws probably don’t seem much of a problem to you. However, if you do share your space with a feline - and to be fair, you never “own” one, they kind of allow you to be near them - they do have a nasty habit of ripping at things. In this Gene Puddle home, that includes the two sofas, the carpets, the new rug in the bedroom and the bed, amongst many other things. You can buy as many spray on products as you want, you can scold the cat. However, there is no way to stop the little gits when they have designs on your home. Or so I thought…

With these rubber tips, you simply stick the tip on to the felines well manicured claws. Nothing difficult there then. Yeah right!! Can you imagine trying to do this? I’m almost tempted to send away for the tips, so I can get the Other Half to try this. On the show they said you can get your vet to do it. I wonder how much they charge for the danger?!

So, Other Half, if you are reading this - do you dare take up the challenge? (snigger, snigger)

Oh, and yes, I do realise that there will be many disappointed Googlers heading this way!

This link about Dr Who simply because I knew it would be of interest to the Other Half and the Badly Dubbed One.

Imagine how cool it would be to still be a dalek in your 70’s - or is that just me being married to a geek for too long? (glides towards the exit, mumbling exterminate in a mechanical voice every few yards….)

So I don’t lose this link. Sounds like the way forward to me - although I’m sure the Other Half would really prefer some form of dunking. Oh well!

Back soon - when I can get myself out of the bathroom for a prolonged period. The stomach bug that has been doing the rounds finally caught up with me and I feel awful. This is not helped by the fact I now have to deal with a small persons excretions - as well as my own.

With thanks to this man for providing this link and proving that not all gay men have taste and faultless interior decor.