BLIND DAVE'S BLOG

16-12-2006

The Stirrer's exclusive film about blind Black Country marathon runner DaveHeeley will feature on this website over Christmas. Here's his latest blog, detailing more DIY disasters.

Hi Stirrer's

Well things are certainly back to normal with a bang or should I say a crack! Just before leaving for New York for the marathon, I changed the toilet seat, and here'sa little tip - don't stand on it to reach inside a cupboard, because when I did it went crack.Yes,it broke.

On my return to the UK we got another. After changing it (certainly a lot easier than the first seat) I flipped up the toilet lid and seat and lo and behold, it came off in my hands, hinge, screws in fact the whole 9 yards.

I now have replaced the seat for the third time (lucky I hope) with instructions not to stand on it! Or sit on it! In fact I've been told to go out in the dog pen, as I'm a walking disaster.

I also started the wardrobe doors. I tried the one in place and it fitted a treat, glued it, sanded it and doweled the screw holes, but it would fit, not on your life. It can't have swollen that much and trees after being cut down don't grow any more!

I scratched my head and sat down thinking for quite a while, trying to decide where to plane or what to move, then I rubbed my hand across the top, and realised it does help if you plane the dowel level. Ofcourse it wouldn't fit - “You plonker Dave” - with a quarter inch of dowel sticking out top and bottom. Butwith a plane in hand and a little sanding, it fits now.

The third and hopefully the last mistake of the week waswhen I dropped my pocket tape recorder - a silly thing to do, as itdoesn't work any more, so I hope that is the last thing which is going to go wrong, fingers crossed.

In fairness the week did go from good to better.A social club I usegave me a call as one of their members had mentioned his employer might make a donation to Guide Dogs and out of the blue we went along to the club on the Saturday evening, had a lovely night and was presented with a cheque for £500 from Land Rover. What a very generous gesture, well done to the Great Barr Club.

On Thursday 7th December I attended an awards ceremony, which was held at The Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, where The Midshires Building Society, Express and Star in conjunction with Wolverhampton Wanderers had been promoting a year long campaign “Local Heros”.

It was to recognise local people for their help towards charities, for bravery, help in the local community and I feel very privileged that some one kindly nominated me for an award.

It was a very nice afternoon, our first taste of Christmas dinner, drinks, pleasant company, the event being hosted by Carl Chinn of BBC WM, various local celebs presented the awards and at times it was quite emotional.

There is always some great stories come out of a day like this, especially from our side. Georgie-Lee, our middle daughter, had been given a certificate on the morning at school, from Baggie Bird, for taking part in after school sports activities being run by the West Bromwich Albion community team and she had also been given a autograph book and pen, being told it was a special book to get special people to sign it.

Seated at our table was the commercial director for the Wolves and on hearing this little tale, but not knowing it was an Albion autograph book, he duly agreed to take the book and get various Wolves players in the room to sign it.

I would have given any thing to have seen his face, a Wolves director armed with an autograph book and pen advertising West Bromwich Albion -only a five year old could have got away with that one, but credit to him he got it signed.

Also Dannie and Georgie are never ones to miss an opportunity. When all the award winners were asked to go back on stage for a photo, the two girls like to help me get about and with both of them and my dog Wicksie, helped me back on stage and they stayed there, definitely determined to get on the photo.

To the delight of Nan's, aunties, friends photo was used in the Express and Star on the Friday night. Talkabout centre stage, they reached the front page, what a great end to a great day, a couple of little celebs in the making.

It's been a very busy week all round, what with the kids Christmas plays as well -it was great to hear them taking part -and then to top it all I was asked to turn on the Christmas lights in the town, Ah Ah fame and fortune, was this the first rung on that ladder!

All I have to do now is find the ladder, or was it simply there was no one else available? What the hell I felt very honoured all the same.

The guess what? The week ended as it began, the shelf in the toilet came crashing down, all I did was press the top of the soap dispenser and there was a floor full of goodies, couldn't even blame any one else as they were all in bed, there we go perhaps things don't happen in three's.

Well Stirrers it's the end of another week, so I'll TREAD very wearily of toilet seats and go back to the old soap on a rope, till next week, it's Blind Dave signing off.

www.justgiving.com/blinddave