Hider Home: - Blog

Name:

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:51:18 +0000

My brother sent this through today which gives a summary of where the Hider surname comes from. Have always wondered:

More here if you are interested

Accountability:

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:30:54 +0000

Here is a video produced by my mate Rich for a good friend of ours called Beth. Beth recently moved to South Africa to embark on a very exciting journey that will lead her...well who knows where. She has a strong sense of calling to South Africa working in the filed of sport but has no real clarity as to where that will take here.

For the first year at least Beth has got a voluntary role at a Church working with youth etc but, after that, who knows....!

It's been a real privilege to support and mentor Beth and provide some accountability for her - something that is rare for young people to want these days.

More on Beth on her blog here but do view her quick video here:

Choices:

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:19:05 +0000

Well, can you believe it!? Thursday night was 'choices' evening at Esme's school: That phase of life where it all starts to get very serious as she looks at her options for the next couple of years leading to GCSE's. Scary days....!

At present Es is quite keen on looking at some kind of work with people and especially kids - child development/child psychology/social work - something like that....

The pressure was on to choose 'the right qualifications to ensure that this leads her into the course of her choice until the deputy head started off his presentation with a fact that 'kids leaving school these days will do around 38 jobs before they are 45!!'. Bit of pressure off then to choose what she likes linked with good, sound qualifications and maybe that will give her the base for her selection of careers!!

More Moors:

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 19:39:43 +0000

Just had a stunning week with our good friends 'The Parkers' at a holiday cottage called 'The Schoolmaster Pasture' in Hurst, North Yorkshire. The house was a detached farmhouse situated in a wonderfully remote location amidst unspoilt, open moorland, on a traditional Dales working farm, with magnificent views over Arkengarthdale and Swaledale.

The week was great as the Parkers have kids of similar age and they all played so well together all week - from getting stuck in the bog at the brook down the bottom of the hill (see below) to playing murder in the dark in the giant farmhouse!. The parents...? well they just eat, slept and drunk coffee and cider!! A stunning time was had by all!

Despite what the initial brief from the holiday company said, we hadn't twigged quite how remote the place was:

Stumble:

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:13:15 +0000

Two fun pics. I got from my favourite website Stumbleupon. One complicated and one less so!:

And the second...

Half:

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 06:53:26 +0000

It's been a mad week at work so not had chance to blog about last Sunday which was 5th half marathon (13 miles) and my second 'public' one. This time in Cardiff. My plan ths time was to 'simply' finish strong. My last one (that I have blogged about before) was a bit of a disaster! Although I finished I was in a bad way (due to significant sickness the day before) and ended up in the back of an ambulance!!

Well I did it, on my own (I normally run these distances with a mate and on your own is tough!) and came 9359 out of 15,000 with a time of 2:39:17!! Not that bothered about the time as I can do that another day. I did finish strong though as the pics show - I hope!! If you don't believe me, here's the certificate and the time to prove it!!

It was a stunning half. Always tough but a flat run all round the bay with the wind blowing across etc. Almost enjoyed it!! Certainly my best yet!

Bruvver:

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 18:41:21 +0000

I have blogged before about my brothers wedding to Jia Jia (aka Ava). We had a lovely celebration in the UK but today I saw some snaps of the wedding ceremony they had in China. Check them out here

They also had a professional photographer take a whole heap of pics in various locations here too. Amazing!

Half:

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 20:33:05 +0000

This Sunday I am running my second half marathon. Truth be told I have done 2 more than that but in terms of actually running in an organised half this is the 2nd.In case you don't know a 'half' is 13.2 miles.

The Cardiff half is a good one I'm told. Fairly flat (unlike the Hereford half) and round some lovely sites etc. You can view the route here

Feel more nervous about this that the other I have done. Guess I know what to expect now whereas the first was 'I'll see how far I can get'. This is a 'I need to do this is 2:30 or less. I did a trial 2 weeks ago (in Hereford) and did 2:15 so fingers crossed!

Priorities:

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 20:14:19 +0000

I was interviewed on Coventry and Warwickshire radio yesterday. You can here it here at 1:54:45.

Weird thing you know these interviews. You prepare massively for these things not knowing what angle they are coming to you from and how long you are going to be on for and then it ends up you're only on for a minute!!

Having said that I was told the reason why after. Even though my interview was about the rise of homeless people on the waiting lists in Coventry - a rise of 40% to about 20,000 people - the story that topped mine and got the headline new was the fact that Coventry City Football club's CEO had resigned.

Mad world eh?!

Weight:

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 20:30:01 +0000

No, not that kind of weight! I mean weight of responsibility. Sometimes I find lifes responsibilities quite heavy. I do love most things about life but sometimes I reflect that what I carry and conclude it's quite a lot. Believe me, I'm not claiming to be any hero or carry more than others. Maybe I just reflect on it more?

These thoughts came to the fore today fwith an away day I had at work. My Exec Director (boss) and colleague (another Director) and I spent the day looking at where our part of the business is going over the next 5-10 years. We have responsibility for the biggest part of our business, together leading hundreds of staff so setting that future direction is a weight in and of itself. Things go wrong and we are the ones they come and talk to! With my role as Director of Strategy then I feel like I should 'step up' in discussions like this. That's a weight of responsibility!

On the way home (I seem to spend most of my life on the M5 these days!) I thought about this and other responsibilities I have and got quite overwhelmed. It's Friday night and I'm in a reflective mood!:

Father, husband, employee, employer, line manager, leader/Director of a part of a business, driver (for numerous kids clubs), worshipper, life coach, friend, protector, income provider, house cleaner, blogger, supporter of football players, ironer, DIY worker, foster carer, budget holder, runner, hirer, firer, PR fodder (!), student, speaker, financial manager and analyst (home), driver, cook, cleaner, shoe 'putter on'r', 'zipper up'r' (for Sarah) are just some of the day by day roles that I undertake. There's a lot to be doing eh?

When all these 'plates' are spinning, then things are good. They are spinning OK now. Doesn't take much for them to start to wobble though!

Increasingly I find that what I carry in life is too much to carry alone. Don't thunk we were built to do that. I find I rely more and more on two sources of support: Sarah who is, beyond any doubt, a stunning listener and supporter and God who, day after day, never ceases to amaze me with answers to prayers that only the 2 of us know about.

So, what do you carry and and who are your helpers?