Joe was a Bricklayer
My Granda’ was called Joe. And Joe was a bricklayer. Joseph Henderson Atkinson was brought up in Tyne Dock, South Shields in North East England. A hard working class area. And he was a hard working man. Loved by all of his family. The rock. In a quiet, unassuming way from my childhood memories. And […]
A Very Different Summer Holiday
So here we are at the end of our summer holiday! The last morning before we drive back up home. Sitting on the dock of the bay wasting time? Well, sitting in on of our self catering South Shields holiday home really writing this blog post! And its been a funny one to say the […]
Thanks to all Key Workers
When lockdown came it felt a bit like when you slipped off the pedals on your BMX as a kid and you landed right on the top bar. REET between your legs. Ouch! A rare event but very painful and there seemed no way to make it feel better. Hotels and bed and breakfasts (places […]
Happy Post Lockdown!
For someone who didn’t really enjoy social media, lately I’ve tried really hard and persevered to let people know about our self catering places and seem to be finally be getting something going and some traction. I have also went a bit ballistic, on our blog. I have always wanted to write a blog. Then I heard […]
A new Project
29.2.2016. My personal life wasn’t exactly idyllic at this point in time. Lets just say I was trying to be the best dad I could be under the circumstances. That was my main aim. But I’d just lost my contract as a design fire and explosion safety engineer with Shell due to the oil and […]
Single Dad Smiling
So moving on from the place we set up last week to manage on behalf of the owner and run as self catering accommodation, we’re now going back to 2013, to just after my 40th (I feel a bit like Marty McFly here!) And to quell some of the concerns I’ve received since that blog, yes, I guess […]
Lockdown Rejuvenation
So it’s Sunday! And tomorrow Sonny, Lola and I travel to the Lake District for a short holiday with my Mam! The first time we’ll have seen her since Christmas. So today was the last day to finish off our latest self catering place in Aberdeen. And we did it! Do you want to hear […]
Post Lockdown Optimism
Sorry I haven’t been as prolific at getting these blogs out in the last week or 2. I’ve been busy. A lady called me 2-3 weeks ago. Someone I had no links to. She was a landlord and lives away from Aberdeen. And she did not think her agent, who was managing her Aberdeen property, […]
Look after your Regulars
Tonight I approved yet another cancellation. It was for guests who were coming for a popular sporting event that is now cancelled due to ‘you know what’. A lovely lady called Angela who runs a B&B in Aberdeen and helped me out when I lived out of the area and came back to spend time […]
A 40th to Remember
The remainder of summer 2013 included a lovely trip back to South Shields and a holiday in Keswick with Sonny, Lola, my mam, her partner, brother and his family. Summer 2013 at our beloved Marsden Beach It was great to get spend some quality time with my kids and family between the day to day […]
A Trip of Noteworthy Mention
It had been a tough few months, and was only going to improve many years later. So I decided that the rest of 2013 would consist of getting as much fun packed into my time off work as possible. This was my 40th year and I was going to enjoy it despite the backdrop. Kicking […]
Load of Bollocks
I’ve always fancied writing a blog. Well for a good few years anyway. And since then an old friend asked “Why are you writing the blog?” Well I’ll tell you. When I was at Boldon Comprehensive school I remember absolutely loving writing. For English I had one of those great inspiring teachers. Miss Collinson, I […]
Finding my Feet Again
It was 2013, and had been over 10 years since I had spent any length of time living on my own. As fresh faced young 20 something pup when I had just arrived in Aberdeen. Green and wet behind the ears. I’d just moved into a new city, a new country! I had everything to […]
The Hardest Thing in the World
This is the hardest it’s felt to get started since I started my fledgling blogging career a week ago. I didn’t really know what I wanted to write about when I started this blog on my business website so wrote abut my childhood and went from there, chronologically. I‘ve felt a bit like Forrest Gump […]
Setting up Camp
The lovely dear I bought my house in Aberdeen from, Grace, had owned it since it was built. Which was just after the war ended. She had raised her family here with her husband Reginald Rust Bissett! And the locals here make fun of English names!! They call “us” Nigel’s! Haha. It’s quite funny really. […]