Week Beginning 12th July 2026
One of the things I love most about writing these weekly blogs is looking back and realising just how varied life can be. This week began with my 43rd birthday on the Lincolnshire coast, included a long-awaited visit to test one of the best spider lifts I’ve ever operated, a surprise appearance on Fix Radio, plenty of chimney repairs, and ended with a family weekend exploring Newcastle.
No two weeks are ever the same, and this one certainly didn’t disappoint.
A Birthday to Remember
The week actually began before I’d even gone to bed.
I stayed up late to watch England take on Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals. Thanks to extra time, the match didn’t finish until the early hours of Sunday morning, but it was well worth the lack of sleep as England secured a dramatic 2–1 victory.
Thankfully, because it was my birthday, I didn’t need to be up at five o’clock. A lie-in until seven felt positively luxurious.
I was greeted downstairs by Hannah, Robyn and Wren, who had presents waiting for me, and I was thoroughly spoilt. Turning 43 wasn’t looking too bad after all.
Rather than stay at home, we decided to spend the day on the east coast. Our first stop was Huttoft Car Terrace Beach, a place that held special memories because it was one of our late dog Hector’s favourite places to run. It felt like the perfect place to scatter his ashes. It was a quiet, emotional moment, but also a comforting one. It felt like we were bringing him back to somewhere he truly loved.
From there we headed into Skegness, where we enjoyed fish and chips, gluten-free doughnuts from Hannah’s favourite doughnut shop, ice creams and a wander around the amusements. Wren even had her very first donkey ride, which she absolutely loved.
It was a wonderful way to celebrate my birthday.
Finally Getting My Hands on the Leguan 225
Monday was a day I’d been looking forward to for nearly a year.
Ever since seeing the Leguan 225 at Vertical Days last September, I’d wanted the chance to spend a proper day testing one.
That opportunity finally arrived as I travelled to Avant UK in Bury St Edmunds.
Paul, the Leguan product specialist, couldn’t have been more welcoming. He gave me a full tour of the impressive Avant facility before spending the day showing me every feature the Leguan 225 has to offer.
Sometimes a machine builds up huge expectations.
This one exceeded them.
The build quality is superb, it’s incredibly intuitive to operate, and every part of the machine feels well thought out. By the end of the day, there was only one problem…
I really wanted to bring one home with me.
If you’ve been following my machinery reviews on YouTube, you’ll know I don’t hand out praise lightly, but the Leguan genuinely left a lasting impression.
Flat Tyres, Bird Proofing and Fix Radio
Tuesday started with a minor setback before I’d even left base.
A flat tyre on the trailer.
Thankfully, it happened at DJI HQ rather than halfway to a job, so it was quickly repaired and I was soon heading over to Spondon, Derby.
The day’s work involved installing dry verge systems and fitting bird protection around solar panels on two neighbouring properties. By the end of the day, the bird protection was largely complete, with just a few finishing touches left for later in the week.
Halfway through the day came a phone call I was delighted to answer.
Danny Madden from The Roofing Show on Fix Radio rang to record an interview about my work and life as Dan the Cherry Picker Man. We chatted for around fifteen minutes, and the interview was scheduled to air the following Sunday.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Whether I’ll enjoy listening back to my own voice is another matter entirely!
That evening it was straight from work to Cubs, where we spent the evening playing games before finally heading home.
Sometimes Ladders Are the Right Tool
Wednesday took me to Mapperley Park to repair a chimney flaunch.
Normally I’d always prefer to use the spider lift wherever possible, but on this occasion the access simply wasn’t there. The chimney sat in a roof valley, meaning ladders were actually the safest and most practical option.
It wasn’t the easiest day’s work, carrying tools and mortar up and down ladders, but the job turned out to be far better than I’d feared.
Getting home earlier than expected gave me the chance to film some content I’d been wanting to make for a long time before heading off to Robyn’s school summer fair.
Watching both Robyn and Wren enjoying themselves, with an ice cream in hand, made for a lovely evening.
Later that night came the disappointment of watching England surrender a late lead against Argentina in the World Cup semi-final.
It wasn’t the ending we’d hoped for, but they gave everything and made the country proud.
Making the Most of the Week
Thursday saw me return to Spondon to complete the neighbouring property’s dry verge installation before giving both sets of solar panels a thorough clean.
From there I headed over to Forest Town to carry out a roof survey on a large listed village hall before getting home in time for another school run.
It’s funny how often those school pickups become the highlight of the working day.
Doing the Job Properly
Friday took me back to Clipston, where I finally got to tackle a chimney that had been postponed several times.
It quickly became obvious why the leak had persisted.
Rather than removing the failed flaunching properly, previous repairs had simply involved adding fresh mortar on top of old mortar, over and over again.
The only proper solution was to remove everything back to a solid base.
Once stripped back, I vented all four redundant chimney flues before installing a completely new flaunch.
The customer was absolutely delighted with the finished result and, as a lovely thank you, presented me with a jar of honey from his own beehives.
That’s one of the things I love about this job.
You never quite know what you’re going to come home with.
The early finish meant I could head straight to Robyn’s school sports day, help Hannah set up the PTA tuck shop and cheer Robyn on in her races.
I even entered the parents’ race.
Despite giving it absolutely everything…
I finished second.
I’m still convinced I was robbed.
That evening we headed north to spend the weekend with family friends in Newcastle.
After dropping Hannah and the girls off, I drove over to Blyth to catch up with my friend Wayne, whom I first met in Dublin while visiting with Geoff Smith, better known as The Roofing Outlaw. Wayne had a few bits he’d kindly put aside for me, so it was a great excuse for a catch-up before heading back to Newcastle.
A Different Kind of Saturday
Saturday was all about family.
Our friend Nicola showed us around some of her favourite places in Newcastle.
We started at Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books, before wandering down to the Quayside for ice cream.
From there we visited Ouseburn Farm, followed by lunch at The Biscuit Factory, which, despite its name, is actually a fantastic art gallery with an excellent café.
Back at the house, Robyn and I dusted off one of my childhood favourites: Sensible World of Soccer 96/97.
I honestly don’t think I’d played it for twenty years, but it was just as much fun as I remembered.
That evening I decided not to bother watching England’s match against France, thinking there wasn’t much to play for after the semi-final defeat.
The following morning I discovered England had somehow won 6–4.
Perhaps I should have watched after all!
Looking Back
This week reminded me how fortunate I am.
One day I’m celebrating my birthday on the beach with my family, the next I’m testing some of the best machinery in the industry, appearing on national radio, repairing chimneys, cheering on Robyn at sports day and finishing the week exploring a new city with friends.
Life certainly doesn’t stand still.
And honestly…
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
This Week’s Locations
- Huttoft Car Terrace Beach
- Skegness
- Bury St Edmunds
- Spondon
- Mapperley Park
- Forest Town
- Clipston
- Blyth
- Newcastle
Workwear Sponsor
This week my Granite Workwear saw everything from chimney repairs and solar panel installations to machinery demonstrations, school sports day and a weekend exploring Newcastle.
Whether I’m on a roof, behind the controls of a spider lift or crawling around testing the latest access equipment, I need workwear that’s comfortable, practical and built to last.
If you’re looking for quality clothing that genuinely stands up to life on the tools, I’d happily recommend Granite Workwear.
Workwear sponsored by Granite Workwear: https://www.graniteworkwear.com/?afid=danny
