High Society
Nearly the end of a busy week. Nikki has been away camping in Great Yarmouth for most of the week. A well deserved break after her exams. Tricia is catering for a wedding next weekend, and doing what seems like hundreds of cakes at the moment, so she is flat out. I have been busy in the office, and also had a school governors meeting, then a PTA meeting.
So, I am looking forward to the weekend. And we start tonight with a trip to the theatre to see a production of High Society. Well did you evah ? etc etc.
On Saturday Ellie is in a dance display. Then we are off to some friends for a BBQ. And we are determined to do it in spite of the monsoon season.| 1 Comment | Edit
Rain
April was lovely. Sun, and barely a drop of rain. Then it started raining in May, and has barely stopped since. We should be enjoying early summer sunshine, and drinking Pimms in the garden. Instead we sit indoors watching the garden grow like a tropical jungle.
Wimbledon starts tomorrow. At the current rate they will do well to finish the tournament by August.
Nikki has finished her exams, and is off to Great Yarmouth tomorrow. I hope she will enjoy a well deserved holiday.
Trish and I went to a summer ball on Friday evening. Fantastic evening. Great company, good champagne, and a terrific live band. We were staying with some friends, and we got back at 2am…. where we had bacon rolls and tea. Bed after 3, I am just not used to it. Saturday afternoon we were watching our godson Matthew in a youth theatre production of Wind in the Willows. He played Badger, and did it very well. I have to say though I struggled to stay awake for the whole performance. Purely through the late night before.
Here we all before the ball. Tricia is in the red dress.
Here I am with Deb, who has been a life friend. I met Deb in September 1977 when I switched schools – so we will have known each other 30 years this September. She has been a great friend.
I like this photo… not necessarily because I am enjoying the company of friends, but more because whilst my hair is greying, I have plenty more than my friends.
A few photo’s from last week, when my brother had his 40th….
Me holding Mark’s cake (Tricia did the cake again, in Derby football club colours). As you can see, Mark has his leg in plaster at the moment (interesting colour) – he has broken a couple of bones in his foot.
I haven’t quite finished Great Expectations yet, but I am enjoying it. I am seeing more of the self ambition themes running through the novel than I did before. Bit of a moralist was Mr Dickens. I have also been reading the Borrowers with Ellie.| 1 Comment | Edit
Fathers Day
A nice card from Ellie, that she made herself. A nice card from Nikki. And a card from Robbie in which he had written ‘happy birthday’ ? Questioned about this he just claimed he wasn’t thinking when he wrote it. He must have been on what we call ‘Planet Robbie’.
Still I prospered with a dvd (Hot Fuzz) and a book on (Sir) Ian Botham, and fine bottle of 15 year aged Glenmorangie. Guess what I will be drinking in a short while !
I was treated very well. Thank you to my lovely hooligans.
With the exception of Nikki, who is studying for her last 3 exams this week, we all went off to help my brother celebrate being 40 this afternoon. A good time was had.
Have started on a re read of Great Expectations, which I haven’t read for over 20 years. My fav Dickens is David Copperfield, but this isn’t far behind.| 1 Comment | Edit
We have power…
The power supply unit on my home pc failed, hence the lack of pictures from last weekend, and postings this week.
I managed to find a suitable psu replacement, and spent Friday evening swapping out the old for the new, and hey presto, back up and running. I have also installed a second hard disk, which I will use purely for back-up. Digital photos are fantastic for immediate access and viewing, but can be lost forever if you lose the disk. So, I am taking a belts and braces approach, a second hard disk within the pc, and copies out onto cd’s / dvd’s for safe keeping.
I would also like to say many happy returns to my dear wife, who had another birthday today. Statistically, people who have the most birthday’s tend to live the longest, so there is nothing wrong with birthdays. My youngest brother hits 40 tomorrow. So, happy birthday to him.
Tricia and me before the Saturday evening.
All the men on the Saturday
All the Ladies…
Side view of the hotel, we had tea on the terrace….
Shooting party… some of us went clay pigeon shooting on Saturday morning.
That’s it for now, I will dig some more out later.| 3 Comments | Edit
Tinkerty Tonk
A cracking weekend. Good friends, food and drink. The weather was splendid. I would post some piccies, but that will have to wait. Got home to find the home pc won’t start. Looks like the power supply unit is refusing to co-operate. So, I will have to get that sorted out.| 2 Comments | Edit
On the way
Hoorah, Friday is here. Some packing to do this morning, and some place settings to print, a letter to all from Jeeves, and then off to Bibury for the weekend with Tricia around noon. Ellie is off to the outlaws for the weekend. They are picking her up after school today. Nikki is already away, she is at the Download music festival for the weekend. She drove up yesterday, going on the ‘big, scary motorway’ (her words). Spoke to her last night, she was sat with her friends bbq’ing some food. Robbie is staying over at a friends this evening, then playing a gig tomorrow evening. Good luck Robbo.
I got two of my Open Uni essays back yesterdays. Very pleased with the mark. I am just waiting on the final paper now. Fingers crossed on that one. | 1 Comment | Edit
Forthcoming weekend
Looking forward to this weekend. We are away with 10 other couples, to a country hotel in the cotswolds. The theme for the weekend is Jeeves and Wooster… So, dressing up 30’s style, we all have stupid nicknames, and will spend the weekend saying ‘what ho’ or ‘tinkerty tonk’.
This is the hotel. The weather forecast is good. The food will be good. Croquet on the lawn on Saturday…
Finished. Hoorah.
Finally finished all my Open Uni coursework. Hoorah, time to get a life again. Wine is in the fridge waiting for me.
Spent most of the day wrestling with Sixties counter culture, particularly Religion and Science. Its all very interesting reading about it. Putting a lengthy essay together on the subject, that is cohesive and makes sense…. well that is an entirely different matter….| 1 Comment | Edit
Highs and Lows
I have been neglecting the weblog over the last week as I have been concentrating on getting my OU course completed. I should get completed today, and it will be nice to get my life back. It has been a quiet week so far. Tricia has taken a load of Brownies on a pack holiday, Ellie has gone with her and they are not due back until Friday. Nikki has also spent a couple of days with them, she is a young leader and has been helping out. So, it has just been me and Robbie in the house. Feels very odd.
A high last Friday night, Nikki was on her 6th form prom night. She had a great time, and looked great as well.
She went with a group of friends in a stretch…. that as you can see is bright pink. Not my taste.
The low came on Sunday evening when a long standing friend called me to say he had bladder cancer. I went to school with him, and have stayed in touch over the years. I was lost for words.| 2 Comments | Edit
Toenails & Colds
On a recent blog I mentioned my big toenails coming off. In March I played my first game of golf for the year. My golf shoes had wintered in the garage. Thye felt a bit tight when I put them on, but didn’t think too much of it at the time. However, by the time I had reached the 14th they were really pinching my toes.
The upshot is my big toes were very bruised. As a result the toe nails came off last week. It was painless, and I have some lovely new ones starting to grow. Isn’t nature wonderful. I offered to make a guitar pick for Nikki from one of my toenails. This totally grossed her out. 
Tricia has a real stinker of a cold, and is down at the moment. She is taking a whole heap of brownies on a holiday next week, and is getting a bit stressed about getting everything ready. The cold isn’t helping.
I am supposed to be writing an essay on the femininity of Medea, and Eliza Doolittle (compare and contrast). My OU course is nearing completion and I have a backlog of work to do….| 3 Comments | Edit
Longead
I have had to spend Monday and Tuesday of this week in Wakefield. I was summoned for a workshop. Wakefield is slightly less horrible than Hull, but has the bonus of being near Barnsley. And a very good friend of mine, and his lovely wife, both of whom I was at school with, live near Barnsley. Longead and I actually worked together for five years as well, before he went into the police, so he is a longstanding friend.
So, Monday night I went and stayed with them. His real name is Kevin. But to me he is Longead, on account of his long head. That is what I have called him since he was about 18, and that is what it will always be. He calls me Speed. Which is another story.
It just so happened it was his 46th birthday on Monday. Not that we normally need an excuse for a good drink, but somehow it legitimised the excessive quantity of wine that was drunk. Longead is also a Mystic Wizard, like me. In the Mystic Wizards he is the ‘Cardinal Wizard’. One of the MW songs is one the audio tab.| Leave a comment | Edit
Happy 18th Alex
It was my nephew’s 18th last week. Alex is my brother Stephen’s son. He had a party to celebrate his 18th last night which we all went along to. Alex, like me, shares a passion for West Ham United football club – in fact I took him to the cup final last year when West Ham played Liverpool. We had a great time until Liverpool won on a penalty shoot out.
We all had a good time, Ellie danced until she virtually collapsed exhausted, Tricia made Alex a special West Ham / 18th birthday cake, and it was good to catch up with some family and friends I haven’t seen for a long time.
Nikki and Robbie with Alex in the middle.
Ellie enjoying a break in the dancing, sat with my brother Stephen.
Tricia made the cake, and iced it in West Ham colours, and made the club crest from icing.
Now I must get on with an essay I have to write…| 3 Comments | Edit
School days are over..
Well they are for Nikki, my eldest. It certainly makes me feel old.
Here she is aged 11…. it really doesn’t seem that long ago.
In other news, both my big toe nails came off this week. Is this a mystical sign ?| 3 Comments | Edit
Muted Joy
My football team, West Ham, pulled off a minor miracle. Seven wins from the last nine games meant they finished 15th in the league. We even beat the champions on the final day at their place. I should be ecstatic, but it is all muted. West Ham broke a contractual rule earlier in the season with two players they had signed. We were fined ?.5m as a result by the Premier League. A number of clubs in the league think we should have been docked points, which would have meant relegation. Even though the season is over, one of the teams has taken legal action against the Premier League saying we should have been docked points…. and so it all rumbles on.
Currently reading Alice with my daughter Ellie. At her instigation…. my other two were never into reading so I am taking advantage of her joy of reading.
Nikki finishes school on Friday for good. She has just had a splendid final report. Her final exams are a few weeks away, she just needs to find the energy to keep revising now.| Leave a comment | Edit
One extreme or the other
I don’t recall it raining at all in April. One of the warmest and driest on record apparantly.
May doesn’t seem to have stopped raining.
I have to drive up to Hull shortly. Rather than get myself stressed in the traffic on Monday morning, I am making the trip this evening. I shall probably have to fit an outboard motor and a rudder to the car there is so much rain.
There is going to be an announcement of some sort at work tomorrow, some restructure, which will be the greatest thing since… well, since the last restructure. Me, cynical ? Surely not.
The dress code for the ‘communications event’ is smart casual. Which is always confusing, to me it is either smart or casual. Anyhow, apparantly we are allowed to wear ‘smart jeans’. What constitutes ‘smart jeans’ ? Jeans that I have done the gardening in probably won’t fit the bill. But jeans that are clean, but slightly faded or worn, can they be ‘smart jeans’.
Think I will wear a normal business suit, but not a tie. Less thinking required.| 1 Comment | Edit
Happy Birthday Robbie
Robbie was 15 on May 5th. To us he is known also as RobDobs, Robster the Lobster, and more recently hairy lump. He is a good lad, with a nice sense of humour. On Sunday he went bowling with his mates to celebrate his birthday. Is there a collective noun for a group of long haired teenage metal enthusiasts ? If not, I would suggest the term ‘grunt’ would be appropriate. A ‘grunt’ of hairy teenagers. Seems they communicate in grunts so it fits.
Tricia made Robbie a birthday cake with the Slipknot logo on it… Slipknot are Robbie’s favourite group.
Robbies unique way of cake cutting, whilst his young sister looks on.
The other good news about Saturday was my football team won again, 6 wins in 8 means they now are out of the relegation places with a game to go. Unfortunately that game is against one of the top clubs in Europe, so I am still pessimistic about our chances of staying up.| 2 Comments | Edit
I hate being late
Mrs HoG told me yesterday that I needed to pick up the German lad, from Aylesbury bus station at 7:30 in the evening. All the German students had been out for a day in Oxford.
So, as the bus station is on my route going home from the office, I worked late, and set off to pick him up at about 6:50pm.
At 7:10 I got a phone call on the mobile phone telling me I was late. Apparantly it should have been 6:30 not 7:30. So, I was an hour late, and had to make grovelling apologies. Mrs HoG was not popular. Well, not with me anyaway.
Is it really Sunday evening already ?
On Friday, the team I support had something of a let off. Despite clearly breaching league rules over the registration for two players, they were not docked points (which would have seen them pretty much relegated) and which teams in the past have had as a penalty, they were just given a fine. Well, when I say ‘just’, it was for ?.5m. Staggering. I am glad to say that the team went and won at Wigan 3-0 on Saturday afternoon (leading to a spontaneous dance in the middle of Milton Keynes around 5pm yesterday). Two games to go, and still with a slight chance of staying up.
Friday evening was curry night. Around to some friends, for some Indian cuisine. Good company and a fine end to the week. But then the rest of the weekend has been spent entertaining our German student.Saturday was some teenage fun, as we took them bowling in MK.
Today was different, we had a day at Warwick Castle. Splendid day out.
Robbie on the left, and the German student Oliver on the right. Best place for teenagers.
The opportunity to give Robbie a strangulated frontal lobotomy was too much to be missed.
With outdoor displays on falconry, archery from medieval times, and a trebuchet, as well as the excellent history and exhibitions on display it was well worth a visit.
And so the weekend ends. At least it is May Bank Holiday next weekend. Something to look forward to.| 1 Comment | Edit
German student
Over the last 3 years we have had German exchange students staying with us for about 10 days. In repayment I get to send one of my offspring to Germany for the same period. The first two students were girls, and Nikki went the other way. Last year was Robbie’s turn and so we had Max last April, and Robbie went out to Germany in October (and went to the Oktoberfest, I was envious).
Having had three easy to get along with students, I did wonder whether the odds were for us to have a difficult one this time. But no, we picked up Oliver and he is a nice lad, with good manners. But unfortunately, no sooner had he joined us than he became sick. Which made the last 48 hours difficult. However, he was brighter today and has gone off to London with his group. I hope he survived the day.
A hard week at work, I am so pleased the weekend is here.
Thank you Lisa for the book you sent me. Hit the spot. I am indeed a coarse actor.| 2 Comments | Edit
Do It Yourself Disasters
I am pretty reasonable at decorating, painting, wall papering etc. And I usually don’t object to getting on with it providing I am given the time and space to get on with it. Plumbing and electrics however are not my thing, and I have a back catalogue of various misdemeanours which involving fusing the house lights and flooding the airing cupboard.
So, when the shower pump packed up recently Trish said we would find someone to sort it out. Which in veiled terms meant ‘don’t do it yourself’.
A few attempts at various plumbers ended up with promises of visits in the next millenium due to how busy they were. So, the job remained outstanding. And with a German exchange student arriving next week it was going to be inconvenient with the shower not working in the main bathroom. I had suggested to Trish that the actual replacement itself should be pretty straightforward. But I was told to leave it alone.
Today Trish went out to do a day’s coaching. What a nice surprise I thought if I get it done whilst she was out. So, after disconnecting the electric to the pump, and after turning off the feeds and draining as best I could 3 of the 4 pipes to the pump with little or no spillage, I proceeded to the 4 one, and ‘whoops’ the pipe came off, and oh my goodness I hadn’t closed the feed fully. Fortunately I did have a ‘just in case’ bucket handy, and managed to capture the torrent of hot water and almost close the feed without too much water flooding everywhere. But the carpet and the floor were reasonably sodden. I then noticed that in closing the feed fully I had loosened the joint on the pipe it was attached to, which was now seeping water. Aaaaagh. So I turned off the water mains and drained the tank so that things weren’t leaking everywhere. I then did what any failed DIY person does on a Sunday. I called out a plumber….
I called a bloke who advertised in the local parish magazine. He was brilliant, came out, corrected the leaking joint, fitted the new pump, and charged very reasonably.
Trish came home. The devatstation had been cleaned away, in fact I was cooking the Sunday roast. But I had to come clean and tell Trish all. She is pleased the shower pump is fixed. But I have had to make a promise to never, ever, attempt plumbing again. A bit like my promise never to eat Shreddies again. But that’s a story for another day.| 3 Comments | Edit
Caffeine
Looking back at the start of the year I had set out to shift some weight. I lost some but then stalled. The alcohol abstinence during lent meant I didn’t really put any back on, but even so I felt I had stalled and so wanted to push on and shift some more. Trish and I are going away in June with some others on a ‘Jeeves and Wooster’ weekend, which will mean the dinner suit coming out and I don’t want it to be too tight.
So, I have attacked my body with vigour. I have had four hard sessions in the gym this week. I have been miserly with the calories. And I even cut out coffee and tea.
No caffeine. But my goodness, I have been having headaches, and my legs aches so much – and all this is apparantly part of the caffeine withdrawl. One of life’s peversities, eat and drink healthy, get pain.
The fruit teas have been nice though.| 3 Comments | Edit
The 60’s
Went to a tutorial last night, which was looking at 60’s culture and counter culture. It is always good to start a new topic, I had just better pull my finger out and get the previous one finished.
I was born in 1961, so clearly don’t remember anything of the early 60’s of any great consequence. But as a young lad watching television in the late 60’s I became quite aware of the vietnam war and the fact there always seemed to be protest marches about something or other. What was quite interesting though, was reading / going through a number of changes that emerged in the 60’s but probably didn’t become mainstream culture until the 70’s – such as the contraceptive pill. I became aware of it, it caused horror amongst older generations, but I could never get why it was considered such a big issue.
I suppose you grow with what is avaialble and around you and accept it when going through adolescence and young adulthood. Then you get stuck in those ways when you arrive in midle age 
| 1 Comment | Edit
Boring meetings…
Well, today I went to Warwick. Beautiful place Warwick, not that I saw much of it. I arrived in time for my 11am meeting. This was supposed to be a big pow wow, as part of putting together a customer proposal. Before leaving I feared it could be a long meeting, knowing that at least two of those invited to the meeting could win an Olympic medal for talking.
They excelled themselves today. It could have all been over in about a third of the time it took. Half past four we finished. It was at this point, not able to take anymore that I packed my laptop and items. They got the hint ! I only wish I had done it 2 hours earlier.
Oh well. Home now. But on the news some lunatic has shot 20 odd people in Virginia. Horrible.| Leave a comment | Edit
He’s a lumberjack….
My brother-in-law had been trained in the use of a chainsaw, and tree removal, pruning. He is a golfing green keeper, but has these extra skills as part of keeping the overall course where he works in trim. Trish asked him some time back to come and do so some work for us, and so yesterday he came and severely pruned a tree for us. The tree was not deep rooted and we have been concerned for some time over its stability, we will have to keep it pruned back. And so my Saturday afternoon and evening disappeared amongst he a heap of branches. The garden looks better for it, though we will miss the shade we got in the summer from it.
My son Robbie was asked to play drums for a band that had fallen out with their drummer, but were due to record some material. This particular band had won a recording session at a studio, so last Wednesday there was hurried practice before the recording on the Thursday. Apparantly it went really well. Robbie was absolutely shattered after playing the drums for about 6 hours. The good news is they are a rock band, as opposed to a heavy thrashy metal group.
Sunday morning, and I really should be finishing an OU essay…. it’s more difficult to find the motivation when the sun is shining and it is a beautiful day outside.| 2 Comments | Edit
A blogging cheek
It seems the blogging world is full of controversy at the moment, about freedom to write what you want, some bloggers receiving death threats etc. Saw this article on the BBC website this morning http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6540385.stm and saw some similar ones last week.
So, I have updated my tag line so that anybody who passes my way can see that in general this is an inoffensive blog recording the humdrum life activities of a middle aged, father of three, with no real axe to grind about anything.
And if that’s not good enough for them, I will be around and put a bat up their night shirt.
As for my ‘currently listening to item’ I kind of stumbled across this. I used to listen to a lot of Springsteen in the 80’s but lost track of what the old boy was doing these days. It’s an album of American folk song covers, that I think he does a pretty good job of. The opening track is about some bloke called Dan Tucker, and I keep singing it…. it’s trapped in my head.| 1 Comment | Edit
Rested…
Nearly a week since my last weblog, I am either slacking or just don’t have much to say right now.
The weather has been beautiful over the Easter weekend. Much of Good Friday and some of Saturday was spent in the garden. The lawn has been raked, mowed and fed. Trish has been getting potatoes and onions planted, whilst sorting out some of the flower beds.
Yesterday Tricia’s parents came across for lunch, which we had in the conservatory with the doors open. Not quite still or warm enough to eat outside, but not far from it. Ellie enjoyed her Easter egg hunt. I enjoyed a glass of champagne with breakfast, a pre lunch sherry, one glass of wine with lunch, and one beer in the evening. I didn’t go over the top. In fact, to be honest missing out on alcohol really wasn’t that much of a challenge, it was just the occasional time with friends when I would have liked to have had a drink.
A great weekend for sport. The Masters was a bit slow at times, but the final round was quite good. A Brit, Justin Rose, was in with a shout up until the 17th of the final round when he played a bad hole. Tiger Woods wasn’t at his best, but the guy who won, Zach Johnson, played the best on the final day, so good luck to him. Britain won the Davis Cup match easily. England lost at cricket to Australia, no surprise, but it wasn’t a hiding.
But the surprise result of the weekend, Arsenal 0 West Ham 1. My team won again. Quite fortunate as they had to defend for long periods and nicked a win, but that’s 3 on the trot now. A little bit of hope that they may avoid relegation, but the odds are still against it. They have a must win game against Sheffield Utd next weekend, and then home against Chelsea a week Wednesday, and I have a ticket to go .
A quiet Easter Monday at home. I feel rested. Trish is in the garden, Ellie is outside playing, Robbie says he is doing homework (but probably on MSN), Nikki is at work….and me, well I have an OU essay I really should be writing….| 1 Comment | Edit
The Masters
One of the great sporting events of the year kicks off on Thursday. The Masters, from Augusta. It is normally a great spectacle, a beautiful course, and top class golf. And to really help this year, it is over Easter weekend, so sitting up till the early hours to watch the final round won’t be a problem as there is no work on Monday. And of course, I will be able to have a beer whilst watching the final round as Lent will be over… can’t wait.| 2 Comments | Edit
Snoring…
It was a busy week at work, and by Friday I had got through all my schedule, apart from a Service Agreement I needed to get signed off. The guy I was chasing to do this wasn’t responding to calls, e-mails etc, which was quite unlike him, but I left a number of voicemails for him. I found out late Friday afternoon, that his son was taken very poorly and was in intensive care in hospital. I didn’t know this, but didn’t feel too good about chasing him.
So home on Friday evening, and we had some friends around for a curry evening. The curry was great, although a beer would have gone great with it – this time next week Lent will be over and I can have a beer – anyhow, we all retired to the lounge where Trish put a film on…. which I had seen before, and then the week started to catch up with me. After a while I drifted off, which is a cardinal sin when visitors are present, but I then proceeded to start snoring. I was awoken when the dvd cover hit me (thrown by Trish), and I wasn’t popular.
On Saturday, Robbie and I were shooting in the archery club indoor champs. Robbie got a third place but was way off his best. I shot 50 points off my pb as well, so we were both disappointed with how we shot. In the evening we all sat and watched Casino Royale, which I think is one of the better Bond films. Nikki is disappointed that the actor who played Bond was so ugly.
Sunday has been quiet. I cooked the Sunday lunch, then nearly slept all afternoon. Only a four day working week next week, which will be nice. I am looking forward to the Easter break.
Oh… and my football team, West Ham, won again. Two games in a row. Now the season is nearly over, and they have been virtually demoted, they decide to remember how to win games.
Ellie gets a rosette
For dancing.
| 5 Comments | Edit
A man’s worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions
Middle of the week, the last week of the financial year. I still have a few work targets to get completed / signed off, and so I have been head down trying to get them done. I have just come up for air (my favourite Orwell book btw, Coming up for air), I am having a cup of tea, and being reflective.
I seem to have got myself into a cycle of short termism with my thinking. Everything seems geared to the here and now, getting through a day or week, achieving short term targets. Life seems so busy that you finish one thing and charge straight onto the next.
It could well be that is exactly how it is for Mr Middle Aged Briton with 3 kids, mortgage, job etc. But it occurs to me that I don’t really look forward any more. No long term thoughts, and little ambition. Caught up in the rat race with no idea of how to escape it, or even what I would like to do or see in my remaining years. Now I don’t mean to sound morbid by that, but if I plan to go walking the great wall of china, I am more likely to have to do it this side of 60. So, I need to think about these sort of things, and not just let time pass me by.
Oh well. Time for reflection over. Deep breath and back to the work….| 3 Comments | Edit
The Times
Today’s front page is all about Northern Ireland, and what is considered to be a remarkable meeting yesterday between Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams. These guys have been enemies for years. It is something of a big shift for Paisley who said he would never meet with Terrorists. Whilst Gerry Adams fronts Sinn Fein, a political party, it has been as much a front for the IRA over the years. And so, an unlikely meeting happened. Up front it looks like these two have put the future of Northern Ireland ahead of their grievances – which should be lauded. But it was done purely because it suited both parties from a political perspective, and you can’t help but feel that old issues will resurface and it will all end in tears again. Maybe that is just me being a cynic.
Iran taking 15 military personnel as prisoners has now slipped to page 4. Why ? I don’t understand this. We are told here that the 15 were in Iraqi territory, and not Iranian. I don’t understand why our government are not being more pushy about this, and why this hasn’t escalated further. Probably because the picture isn’t as clear as I think it is.
Closer to home, Ellie got her first Brownie badge last night. She got her entertainment badge. The pack all had to do various entertainments, whilst the parents suffered, er I mean watched. Ellie did well, she had to sing a song on the stage on her own, and later she recited a poem she had learned. Very pleased with herself she was.
Oh well, on with my work… there is plenty of it.| 1 Comment | Edit
A good weekend
Spring came back over the weekend. After having lulled us all into a false sense of winter ending a few weeks back, the weather the last few weeks has been cold, and at times snowy. But, yesterday was a nice day. I even got the lawn mower out and gave the grass its first cut of 2007. Trish spent the afternoon in the garden. She loves gardening and it was the first time she has been able to get out and start preparing the garden for the summer.
At church on Sunday morning, one of the villagers celebrated her 90th birthday. Well done to Evelyn, a lovely woman. She was a bit misty eyed and almost choked up when we sang her happy birthday.
Nikki went for her interview, and got offered a job. A 10 week contract in Homebase, a DIY store.
I enjoyed a quiet Saturday. I watched England’s pathetic effort at football in a 0-0 draw with Israel. I also watched some a dull cricket game, England v Kenya. At least England won the cricket.
I am a little surprised that the press over the weekend seemed to make more of the murder of the cricket coach Bob Woolmer, than the taking prisoner of 15 British military personnel by Iran. The latter certainly having more serious implications. But that’s the press for you.| 3 Comments | Edit
TGIF & Well done to Ellie
The working week has gone very quickly. Lots of pressure to assist with getting some business finalised by the end of the financial year, and it will be just as hectic next week, but better to be busy at work than be bored.
This weekend the only item I have planned is a hair cut. Which is fantastic. It’s nice to have a weekend where my time is not all mapped out. My two oldest are in Oxford to see some rock band tonight. Nikki has a job interview tomorrow morning for weekend work (fingers crossed for her). Robbie has his mates around for ‘band practice’ tomorrow afternoon, which will be noisy but what the heck. And that’s it. I will be able to sit and watch football, or world cup cricket.
I am concerned however, that Trish will notice a lack of structure for my weekend and start organising things for me to do…..
My youngest, Ellie, 7, has had a good school week. We went to a parents evening on Thursday, the teacher is very pleased with her progress, in particular her literacy, where she is excelling. She does well with her numeracy but is lacking some confidence in her own ability. Today at the weekly assembly she was awarded a certificate for a piece of work she did on opposites. Ellie is in the middle…
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Ipodded.
Not sure if that is a word but I have been well and truly Ipodded. For that last couple of years I have been using a Rio Carbon Mp3 player, which has been (and still is) great for the gym. But I have been lured into the acquisition of an Ipod. It has been funded by selling items on ebay, which included the sale of an original Elvis album, for which I got a better than expected price.
So, the last few days, what spare time I have had has been spent on loading up the ipod. I have a long trip tomorrow to York and back…. at least 7 hours of driving in the day. This time I will be well armed with a podcast of a radio programme I want to catch up on, a massive selection of music, and even two books (God Delusion, and 7 Habits of Highly Effective People). Should keep me occupied.
Budget day today, and our erstwhile Chancellor, mr personality (not) himself, will deliver the latest in his long line of stealth taxes, and burdens. To his credit (I think) we have had a relatively stable economy in his time. But for all the extra money he has taken from us, I can’t say I have seen any significant improvements in education or the health service, or transport…. not that it would have been any better with the smarmy bunch that are the alternative.| 1 Comment | Edit
An irrational hatred of Monday.
I was born on a Monday so I shouldn’t have too much of an issue with Monday really. It’s just that it follows Sunday and means work. It probably wouldn’t be so bad if weekends were longer.
Having been preoccupied with the play for the last few weeks, all of a sudden it is over. And I am relieved, as it was getting very time rich. Thankfully, no more hours lost to rehearsals. So it was nice to think on Sunday morning that learning lines and rehearsing have gone away for a while.
But of course Sunday was Mother’s day. I had organised my youngest Ellie to have card / present etc. The older two I put the onus on them to sort out card / gift, and assist in the house. They did manage the former, but as they had late Saturday nights they didn’t give Trish her card / pressie until lunchtime. With regards to the latter, they seem to have a different definition of ‘tidy up’. This seemed to involve putting items near the sink, in the hope they washing up fairy would come and visit…. a few explanations and home truths later and the work got done, but not without a sulk and a broken cup. At times like this you want to kick them out onto the street and say ‘go fend for yourself’.
In the afternoon I went off to see my Mum, bless her, and Dad who has his birthday today. They were in good spirits, which was good to see. My Dad is 71 today, and we are all pleased he is just here. He had stomach cancer a few years back, and had a very difficult time getting through the operation and subsequent chemo. He is always doing something now, wanting to be active and using each day.
So, after I left them and got home, there wasn’t much of Sunday left.
And Monday presented SNOW as well as the prospect of work. After two lovely spring weeks, we got snow. It didn’t settle much, and it has gone now. But where has our lovely spring weather gone. I want it back. Now. (Please).| 4 Comments | Edit
Saturday night…
A much better performance, we were much better with our timing and delivery of lines. The audience responded well, and we had a lot of good feedback.
A strange day yesterday…. my team actually won a game of football. Must all be a dream.
Hope all you Mothers out there are having a good time.
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First night….
It wasn’t a sparkling performance as a whole, a few missed lines here and there but nothing disastrous. But not from me I am pleased to say, I managed to get through without any slip ups….
Oh except for one off stage. I have a quick change between Act 1 Sc 1 & Sc 2. In my haste I slipped and fell on a prop, nearly wrecking the thing, and managing to scrape my leg on a nail. The composure on stage was at complete contrast to the panic off stage as the prop was ‘repaired’ just in time to be used.
So, we did well, break out the champagne, the wine, the beer. Oh, its lent, I can’t participate in the alcoholic merriment…. drat, drat, and double drat.
Whilst I am on, a welcome to the world for Douglas Hughes, 8lb 12ozs, who came into the world yesterday in California. I have been writing to my pen friend Allisa, since we were 14. She has just had her first child at the age of 46.
Good night luvvies, this actor needs his beauty sleep…..| 2 Comments | Edit
9 Billion Pounds
I love watching most sports, and I love to watch the Olympics. When London won the bid for the 2012 Olympics I was really pleased, a once in a lifetime opportunity to live the occasion close to home.
However, today it was announced that the cost for staging the Olympics is now estimated at 9.3 billion pounds. The original estimate was ?.4bn. So the cost is now quadruple the original cost. It is a mind blowing amount of money just to host a sports event, and it would appear there have been some almighty big mistakes in the estimation process. Even looking through sports tinted spectacles I have to admit it is obscene, and that the money could be better used elsewhere.
Some of the money to make up the shortfall will come from national lottery funding…. which normally goes to grass roots sports development. So, we will have lovely stadia, and the world will come with it’s finest athletes. But the UK won’t have much representation because we will have starved the athlete development process.
Oh well. Off soap box. Another lovely spring day here, and tomorrow is Friday…. which is first night. No nerves yet, but come tomorrow about 7:20 I will start to fret.| 2 Comments | Edit
Spring
Back at work, and loads to catch up on. But, I just want to say, spring seems to have arrived. There is a bit more daylight in the mornings and evenings, the sun has been shining and it has been relatively warm. It is amazing how a change in the weather can improve the mood…. in spite of the work.
For work purposes, I have a desk phone, and I have a mobile phone. Why is it, that if somebody phones my desk phone and it is engaged, they then ring my mobile phone? I may have two ears, but I only have one brain for listening purposes…..| 2 Comments | Edit
Laughalot
Well, Spamalot far exceeded my expectations. It was on at the Palace Theatre where Les Mis ran for a long period. You couldn’t have two more contrasting musicals. I have always been a bit of a Python fan, and so expected to enjoy it, but the spoofing of other musicals, and the whole presentation was superb.
Trish has never really understood Pythonesque humour, but even she was laughing loudly and enjoyed it, so I would say you don’t necessarily have to be a Python fan to enjoy.
Rehearsal this afternoon, and back to work tomorrow As we are doing a performance on Friday, which is comic relief day, I am going to try and convince the group we should donate some of the door takings to comic relief.| 3 Comments | Edit
The House is empty…
Can’t remember the last time that I was in the house on my own. Trish has gone off to do her Saturday morning coaching session and taken Ellie with her as she does a trampolining session at the same place. Nikki and Rob went out to some friends last night and slept over.
The duty I have been left with is to work my way through the washing. Not a problem. But why do clothes manufacturers make clothes these days that you are not supposed to tumble dry ?
Nikki is 18, and Robbie is soon to be 15. They get on really well. Is that odd ? Shouldn’t they be fighting all the time ? I hope that Nikki doesn’t have too much of a sore head this morning, she was going to have a couple of drinks last night to celebrate her recent exam results. She worked really hard over the Xmas period, and took some exams as part of her A Level courses. She got an A and a C in PE, a B in Psychology, and an A and a B in Biology. She was particularly pleased with the Biology results as the teacher had said she would do well to get a C, so that was one in the eye for him. She is now determined to finish the course exams well to get good overall grades.
Went to rehearsal last night. This was a dress rehearsal. First performance is next Friday evening. We were pants. Too slow on and off the stage, missing lines. Grrr. The play doesn’t seem funny any more either… which may be due to us all having done it so many times in rehearsal it has lost it’s impact.
Trish and I are off to London tonight with some friends to see Spamalot at a West London theatre. Two of the friends going with us are in the cast for the play we are putting on. Hopefully seeing the professionals do Spamalot will be an inspiration.
And so, whilst the washing machine takes the strain, I am using the quiet time I have to listen to some old 45’s, and convert some of them to mp3. The fun part is hearing old records that have been in the loft for years.| 2 Comments | Edit
Freedom for Tooting
That was one of the cries of Wolfie Smith in the 1970’s BBC sitcom, Citizen Smith. One of my birthday pressies was a DVD of the first two series, so I have been catching up with something I watched 30 years ago. One of the characters in it is called Speed. At school during this time some of my class mates thought I looked like him, and so they started to call me Speed. A name I still get called by some people.
Had a game of golf with an old friend yesterday. We played near Winchester. Beautiful spring day. Lots of sunshine, and I didn’t play too badly. Sure beats working.| 1 Comment | Edit
Hoo-Ha!
In the words of Lt.Col Frank Slade (Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman) – HOO-HA!
Monday is over. And I have the rest of the week off work. Not going anywhere in particular, catching up with a few friends, being lazy, playing golf etc etc…..
Currently listening to…. on vinyl.
Public Image Ltd….. black rubber bag etc etc| 8 Comments | Edit
Guys’n’Dolls
Another full on week has ended thank goodness. This week I have been in Hull, Birmingham, and Acton (west London), as well as the main office, and seemed to have spent more time in the car than with my family. However, I did think of them yesterday whilst I was at a business meeting right next to Cadbury’s World. So, after the meeting had finished, I popped in and bought them all Easter eggs. I bought myself a slab of plain chocolate – I am not really into chocolate that much, but enjoy an occasional piece of plain. That said, it will have to wait to Easter, and the end of Lent.
A good way to end the working week was to go out last night. We live close to the city of Milton Keynes, which has a terrific theatre. Last night Trish and I went with a few friends to see Guys’n’Dolls. I don’t rate it as highly as some other musicals, but it was well performed, and good to go out.
Now, hopefully I will have a relaxing Saturday…
People all said sit down
Sit down you’re rockin’ the boat.
And the devil will drag you under
By the sharp lapel of your checkered coat,
Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down,
Sit down you’re rockin’ the boat……..| 6 Comments | Edit
Girlfriends Fathers
I am a father of an 18 year old girl, and a 14 year old boy (not forgetting my 7 year daughter, but she doesn’t figure in this entry). And I have to put my hand up and say I am a man of complete double standards.
Whenever my daughter brings home a boyfriend, I can’t help myself but I give them a hard time. Now, I have never done much analysis on this, but for some reason I think I need to let the hairy dribbling primate that my daughter calls boyfriend know just who is boss. And I think that part of it is a need for them to understand I might be a bit nasty if they upset my daughter. I think that it is my clumsy way of being protective. Trouble is, it just doesn’t get seen that way by my daughter.
Now my son has started seeing a girl. She has been round to the house a couple of times. The thing is, I am totally different in that I wouldn’t want to do anything to put her at unease. However, my son’s girlfriends father doesn’t yet know that his daughter is seeing my son, as it is believed he would be ‘difficult’ about the situation.
My wife is pretty even handed with either situation. For some reason I just can’t be. I had some nasty girlfriends father experiences when I was dating (with the exception of my present father in law who was and still is terrific).It would seem that my son is about to discover the same. It must be genetic for girlfriends fathers to be awkward so and so’s.
Well done Helen Mirren…. but
I think Helen Mirren is a top actress and has been terrific over the years, whether it has been in a film or in a TV series. Congratulations to her for the Oscar she won, well deserved.
But, I don’t understand all the acclaim around the film itself. To me it seems based on conjecture and rumour around what the Queen / Blair and others were doing / saying / thinking at that time. The events that the film is built around can’t be denied, but the main spin of the film is on the lead characters and what went on behind the scenes…. so unfortunately the script can only be based on hearsay at the best. The trouble is people will see the film and take that as the reality.
Other than that, I just want to say I hate Monday.| 8 Comments | Edit
Ladies & Gentleman, I give you The Mystic Wizards
The Mystic Wizards (of the White Moonflower) are a relatively unknown band from the eighties. They toured Oxfordshire mainly, and headlined at a vastly unattended festival in the ambient field at Charlbury in August 81.
The group never officially split, but haven’t been active for over 20 years now.
In the audio section there is a track called ‘The Vulture Song’, taken from the album ‘The Vulture has Landed’. I commend it to your ears.
Carrion aint’ no carry on, f’sure….
Currently listening to :
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Sport…
I can’t help it. I have always loved to do sport and to watch it.
And with watching sport you tend to end up supporting an athlete or a team. So, Saturday being the main day for sport can bring some sporting high’s and low’s.
First of all my football team, West Ham, who last season distinguished themeselves with good football, and making the FA Cup final, fell miserably at rivals Charlton 4-0. Which just about means we will be relegated from the top league.
Then, England were out hustled, then outplayed, and beaten convincingly by Ireland at rugby.
And I have stupidly given up alcohol for lent so I can’t even have a beer…… Grrrrrr.| Leave a comment | Edit
A beach body
A little while back Trish (wife) and I were talking to a friend in the village (P), who told us that her son (C, 17) had been trying to do some weights and had been complaining about a bad back. She tried to tell him that he was doing it wrong, and got the ‘what do you know’ kind of responses.
Now, as it happens, Trish, as part of her athletics coaching does a weighlifting session on a Wednesday evening. She doesn’t limit this to just track and field athletes, and takes along one of our neighbours sons who is a rugby player. So, C was invited to a session to see how to do it properly. Not that C has any real sporting interest, he just wants to develop a ‘beach body’ as he calls it.
Of course it started off with the ‘I can lift a few ton’s no problem’ posturing… until he was shown correct posture in order to develop the muscles properly, and found he couldn’t lift anywhere near what he thought.
P informed us that C could barely walk the morning after his first session, his muscles ached so much. Which she found highly amusing. Until the following week. On the way back from the second session Trish told C that he should be drinking plenty of milk. When he got in C drank all the milk available in the house. And I mean all. P had the hump that there was no milk for her morning tea the following morning. Trish has also told C about eating fruit… and C has taken this on board, and eats loads of fruit now.
P is amazed. For years P has been trying to get C to drink milk and eat fruit to no avail. But, Trish tells him that as part of getting the beach body he needs to do it, and he does. P is now looking to see if Trish can find a way of linking a tidy bedroom to helping C develop his muscles…..
It is amazing how children will not listen to their own parents….. but if somebody else tells them it must be true.
Oh well, I am now off to Hull. Nearly 4 hours of driving in the rain. Groan. Still it’s better than being in the middle east for six weeks, so I am not going to complain.| 1 Comment | Edit
Lent
Lent is that period before Easter, 6 and a half weeks, when a number of christians will attempt to abstein from something. I normally enter into this, being up for a bit of a challenge. I have done many different things over the years, giving up alcohol, or chocolate, or tea, and even meat one year.
This year I am going to give up alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee, and any form of pudding or sweet or cake or chocolate. With one exception. My birthday falls in the middle of lent, and I don’t intend to penalise myself on that day. But apart from that it is going to be a long six plus weeks.
This evening I will enjoy a couple of drinks. Roll on Easter.| 6 Comments | Edit
The devil wears prada…
I have always thought Meryl Streep to be a fine actress. And I have always liked the name Meryl. However, I was still reluctant to watch this particular film. It didn’t appeal. But apparantly that was what we were going to watch on Saturday night, so we did.
I had felt the same way about Bridget Jones. I was a reluctant watcher, but thoroughly enjoyed it in the end. So, for a while I had hoped that the Devil wears Prada would turn out the same. Unfortunately it will stay on my ‘only watched once’ list. No substance. Not even saved by Meryl.| 3 Comments | Edit
Swimming
I have always been pretty good at swimming, and have done a number of swimathons over the years (5000m / 3 miles). As a result, Trish has always directed me to do the ‘teach the kids to swim’ thing. Nikki and Robbie learnt reasonably quickly and both are competent swimmers, both wanted to learn and were always keen to do better week on week. Robbie can do a 40 or 50 length session now with no trouble.
Teaching Ellie however was always more trying. She was always more interested in playing than swimming, and it seemed to take forwever to get her to do her first length. She learnt to swim under water quickly, and dive down and collect items off the bottom of the pool. But never showed any interest in doing more than 1 length.
Around November last year she started going to a trampolining class, which clashed with the time we went swimming, and so we haven’t been since. She loves trampolining and keeps going for hours. Ultimately she is absolutely shattered on a Saturday evening. However, today, there was no trampoline class. And so we decided to go swimming.
She swam 15 lengths of the pool this morning. I didn’t prompt her or push her into it, it was completely voluntary. In fact I stopped her at 15 as I felt she was getting weary, she had wanted to do 20. All of a sudden she has found strength and stamina that she didn’t have 3 months ago, which I can only put down to this trampolining and workout she does for it. I was stunned.
We got home and nobody believes us. They all think we are winding them up.
Nikki and Robbie are mooching about looking sullen and glum. The end of the half term holiday is near and it’s back to school on Monday… and various pieces of homework of coursework have appeared that need to be done. Robbie has a piece of English to hand in… and he hates asking me to check the grammar because I am such a fusspot.
Trish is out coaching. She is in a place called Sandy today coaching Bedfordshire High & Long jumpers. Tomorrow she is officiating at an event. Me…. well I am supposed to be learning lines.| Leave a comment | Edit
Learning Lines
Learning lines is always preferable to being given lines. For one schoolboy misdemeanour I was once told to write 4 sides of A4 on ‘life inside a ping pong ball’. This was a new twist as a punishment. Previously it would have been 4 sides of ‘I must not talk in class’ over and over. I set out a little world of life inside a ping pong ball, and I was extremely pleased with my effort. I gave the result to the teacher who promptly tore it up and threw it in the bin. Devastated. There ended my creative writing career.
However, getting back to the topic, learning lines is a real task. I have plenty to learn in the play I am in, and so have to persevere. I am about 90% there with Act 1, and 20% with Act 2. But I am getting frustrated with the 10% on Act 1…. little bits just won’t stick in the grey matter. It can’t be an age thing, I have seen plenty of old codgers on stage being word perfect. Perhaps it just gets harder as you get older. Perhaps I have too many things going on in my life to make room for all of the lines. I suppose pondering spoons doesn’t help.
Anyhow, the weekend is nearly here. Hoorah… may time slow down, and every moment be enjoyable.| 2 Comments | Edit
Spoon
Before returning from Hull yesteday evening I stopped off at an Asda supermarket to get some cash and a sandwich. Walking from the car to the store, the man in front of me dropped a spoon. Not a small tea spoon, in fact it looked like a soup spoon.
Now this struck me as very unusual, it just isn’t the sort of thing you carry around with you. Why would you be walking around with a spoon in your pocket. I suppose there may be any number of odd reasons or odd explanations.
Worse than this though, why am I even thinking about it. It has nothing to do with me, but it bothered me. Time to get a life.
The good news about my hectic schedule this week is that all of a sudden it is Thursday. Not long till the weekend. | 3 Comments | Edit
Phew
Up at 5:45. Cup of tea and off to the gym. Good workout, in work by 8:45. Finish work at 5:45 and dash to the dentist get there at exactly 6:30, which was just as well as that was when I was supposed to be there. Out at 6:55 (clean bill of health, phew). Home 7:20. Quick tea. Pack my bag.
I am off to rehearsal for 8pm. I have to leave at 9:30pm, and drive to Hull. Should get there for 00:30. Into hotel, sleep, breakfast and be in office for a meeting at 9. Full itinery til 6pm, then drive home. I should get back about 9:30pm tomorrow…. I had better leave the valentine card and chocolates out before I go.
Phew.| 4 Comments | Edit
Lily and Ginger
Eric and Doris are now Lily and Ginger. Which just goes to show who carries the influence in the house. Trish decided that Doris was going to be called Lily after seeing her for the first time. Eric was shouted down by the kids, and I tried Brian, and then Gus, both good names for a cat. But no. Ellie called him Ginger, and that would appear to be that.
Ginge was at the vets today having his ‘bits’ sorted out. Poor feller. He has that ‘what did I do to deserve that’ look on his face at the moment.
It’s the 13th tomorrow, and I am at the dentist. I hope that is not a bad omen.| 2 Comments | Edit
What do you mean I have to go to work tomorrow
I love the weekend. A time to relax with the family, and break from work. Why oh why does it have to evaporate so quickly. Friday evening was rehearsal. The local group I perform with have a production lined up for March 16 / 17, so it had to be done. That was Friday evening gone.
Saturday evening I was scheduled to be doing a fund raising quiz for my godson. His name is Matthew, and is the same age as my son Robbie. I went to school with his parents, Carlos and Deb. Carlos I met at a school I went to between the ages of 11 and 16, and Deb I met at a sixth form I attended. They are lovely people, and I introduced them to each other back in 1977. Sometimes I get thanked for this, other times I get blamed.
I spent most of Saturday finishing questions and getting everything ready. Then we had to drive across to a place called Market Harborough where they live. The quiz started at 7:30 and ended at 10:30, and we raised ?00. So it was back to Carlos and Deb’s for the night… talking and drinking till the early hours.
Up this morning, and after breakfast and more talk it was back in the car and the drive home. This afternoon it was another rehearsal, and all of a sudden it is Sunday evening…. I have a busy week ahead which includes travelling to glamour locations such as Hull and Birmingham | 3 Comments | Edit
Snow
We don’t get much snow, so when we get a good downfall everybody seems to make the most of it in every way. All the schools locally were closed today, and I had to give up half way up ‘Oving Hill’ on the way to work, and reverse back down before deciding to work from home. So, the end result was the 8ft snowman being hugged by my eldest, Nikki. Also, a picture of Ellie after her brownie enrollment, and a picture of one of the new family pets. It seems now the queen is going to be called Lilly, but the Tom is still unnamed.
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Laurel & Hardy
One of my failings is that I can pre judge something, and make my mind up about it, whether I dislike it or not, without taking the time to understand it. That all probably sounds a bit vague, but a good example is the tv comedy series Friends. When it first came to prominence, I dismissed it out of hand as something that wouldn’t interest me.
Last year the gym I go to had a set of televisions installed that you could watch and listen to whilst exercising (which is an excellent way of taking your mind off of the aching limbs). I tuned in one morning to an episode of Friends because there was nothing else of interest, and found myself laughing at times. And so, I have become something of a very late Friends fan, and recently purchased the first series on DVD.
The comedic timing and acting in the various situations is brilliant.
In the background of one of the sets on an episode of Friends I was watching last night was a poster of Laurel & Hardy. I don’t know if this was coincidence – but to me L&H really were the frontrunners of this type of comedy. They may have had more slapstick as part of their routines, but the basic premise of situation comedy was there, and I thought L&H were brilliant. As a kid I loved them, and still enjoy them now. I have some pictures of them up in my study. Unfortunately because some of what they did appears dated now, I feel they don’t get the credit they deserve. The Music Box (the one with the piano they were trying to deliver) was a gem, and in fact won an Oscar for short film. Stan Laurel was a complex and driven character, who spent hours working on routines. A comedic genius.
There, that’s my reflection for the day.
Home news. The cats arrive Thursday evening. We are having internal feuding over their names at the moment. It’s worse than naming a new born child. At least then its only two of you arguing. We have five people arguing over cat names at the moment.| 3 Comments | Edit
Brownies….
I was never a cub, or a scout, it never appealed to me. I was always more interested in playing football. When not in school I wanted to be doing a sport, which was mainly football.
However, Tricia (wife), is a Brown Owl, and has been running the same Brownie pack since I have known her. She has put many hours in over the years planning Brownie evenings, events, trips etc, and got quite involved with all of the extra activities running a district at one time. To such an extent that I used to call myself a ‘brownie widower’.
Anyhow, I suppose it was only natural that her daughters went into Brownies. Nikki was a rainbow, a brownie, then a guide, and she is now a young leader, helping Tricia run her pack on Monday evenings.
However tonight is the big night for Ellie. After her dancing exam yesterday she is a being enrolled as a brownie tonight, so I get to be proud Dad again. I am not to sure what all the excitement about being a brownie is, but it seems to be a big thing for her…. part of the little steps of growing up I suppose.| 2 Comments | Edit
The dancing exam
Ellie is my youngest daughter. At 7, she is 7 years younger than her brother Robbie, and 11 than her bigger sister Nikki. Nikki over the years has competed at national level for athletics, in shot putt, hurdles and heptathlon. As a parent, you get involved with the emotional rollercoaster of success and failure, winning and losing. Robbie has been doing archery for a few years now, and had some success, winning a club competition, and shooting for the county, and shooting in national competitions.
You can’t help but be proud of them. Today was the first day I have had to go along with Ellie to an event. Only this time it is slightly different, not competing but doing her first dancing exam. She did well, but was nervous beforehand, and relieved afterwards. She is too young really to appreciate that there are many times in her life she will feel like this. Anyway, today I was yet again Mr Proud Parent.
A quiet weekend by usual standards. I tasked Robbie yesterday with cutting the Xmas tree which had been languishing in the garden since Xmas. It was an 8ft tree, so not small. He cut it up, and then decided to burn some of it. What more could a teenage boy want, the opportunity to cut something up and then burn it.
I now have to write an essay, about Rousseau and the social contract. Deep joy. That will be the rest of Sunday gone.| 2 Comments | Edit
Eric & Doris
I was never a great cat lover. However, marrying Trish meant that a cat came into the bargain. We had three cats for a long period of time. Muttley was one, but we lost him to cat cancer about 7 years ago. Then last year we lost both of the other two. Tyson who is pictured below, was a wonderful, wonderful companion. He changed my mind about cats. Unfortunately the old feller (19) had to be put down last spring. Then we lost Tigger (who was 18) in November. He had to have an op, and never properly recovered. So we had to do the right thing by him and let him go as well.
A tearful time then for the family. The kids had loved the cats. We were catless, and have been so for a couple of months. However, through the RSPCA we have identified two new horrors (kittens) who will be joining us next week.
The present thought is that they will be called Eric and Doris. Not usual cat names. In the last few years, whenever my eldest daughter has become attached to some hairy grunt (boyfriend) or whenever they have phoned or been at the door I have referred to them all as ‘Eric’. This saved me remembering their real names. I could just shout out ‘there’s an Eric on the phone’ or ‘there’s an Eric at the door’. Nikki hasn’t always appreciated this. But, I figured I was in a no win situation (as whatever I did or said was going to be wrong), so suited myself. My son Robbie (14) thought this to be quite funny, until I informed him one day that I would treat him just the same, and any girls that phoned, or came to the door for him (if he is so fortunate), would be called Doris. He wasn’t quite so amused.
And so, it seems Eric and Doris are to be adopted as the names for the new cats. Ellie, our 7 year old, is offering some resistance, believing they should be called flopsy and twinkle, or some other such nonsense. We will see who wins.
Tyson. Was the world’s greatest cat.| 2 Comments | Edit
Bring back fighting at football
It doesn’t quite sound like a Tory election manifesto item, but that is my take on David Camerons announcement yesterday that he would consider having standing only terrace areas at football grounds if he were elected. Clearly he knows nothing about the mentality of some English football fans. Since the introduction of all seater stadia, the mob element has been largely removed. You can go and enjoy football now without having one eye on the football, and one eye on the crowd around you, trying to keep away from spontaneous fights. The grounds are safer. We don’t get crushes anymore where people get killed. As a result more families, children, women go to games. Great for everybody surely.
But no. David Cameron comes out with something a minority want to hear on the basis that they may vote for him. It’s cheap and shallow. No doubt he might consider ducking for witches as well if it gets a few votes. I would rather hear what he is going to be doing for schools, hospitals, pensioners etc, not how he wants to re-introduce football hooliganism.
Off soap box, and onto a lighter note. Nikki was really pleased with how her final exam went yesterday. She is feeling better and went weight training with Tricia last night. However, before they got into the weights, Trish and Nikki played a game of badminton. Mother vs Daughter. Mother won 2-0. Daughter not happy.
I managed a very light session in the gym this morning, which included walking on a treadmill to loosen up and then onto the cross trainer – which as a low/non impact exercise was quite good. However, back has stiffened up again. But, I have lost 8lbs so far this year. Not sure where from though….
Leap of Faith
I went to a tutorial on Tuesday evening, as part of an OU course I am doing called ‘Introduction to the Humanities’. It has elements of Literature, Philosophy, History, Art, and Art History that I find very interesting and educating. It also has Religious Studies as part of the course content, and last night we covered religion. Nothing is guaranteed to cause more debate. Once the group had got over the initial ‘must be careful not to offend anyone’ situation, we had a very lively debate. A couple of the atheists in the group were somewhat dismissive of religious groups. Then Richard Dawkins came into the debate (author of the God Delusion). So I suggested that atheists, as a group that held the belief there was no divine being, and with an unofficial leader such as Dawkins, resembled a religious group (collective belief, and a ‘spiritual’ leader)…. this didn’t go down well.
Fortunately nobody challenged me on my beliefs. We are all touched by religion in some way or form throughout our lives, so it is difficult for anybody to be entirely objective – because we are in a way all tainted, or influenced whether we like it or not. I have always found the leap of faith required to be a firm believer in the almighty a difficult one. I like to see evidence or proof in most things. A historian will always look for primary sources to validate an event. The same with the scientist who likes to prove something through fact. The ‘leap of faith’ can therefore be difficult for a lot of us.
It’s an interesting topic. But fortunately the next assigment will offer two options, one on religion, and one on history of science. I intend to stay on the religious fence and do the assignment on history of science.
The good thing is, that the religious topic has occupied my mind, and allowed me to ignore my team losing again last night. The back is still sore, and a collegue remarked to me today that I ‘walked like an old man with a poker up his arse’. Nice.| 2 Comments | Edit
Ouch
On arriving at home from work last night I got out of the car and felt a ‘twinge’ in my back. Ouch. Which detiorated to the point where getting out of the car when arriving at work this morning was a major and painful exercise. Pain killers and heated pads are allowing some movement now. But, a muscle pull in the back has to be the most inconvenient of all. Every movement reminds you that it hurts. It wouldn’t be so bad if I knew I had done it doing something worthwhile, but just getting out of the car….
On a brighter note Ellie slept through the night last night. Good girl. I couldn’t have got out of bed anyhow. Tricia has kept her off school today as she is still under the weather, but better than yesterday. Nikki is feeling a lot better, which is just as well as she is having her final exam of the current series tomorrow, a PE A level exam. That should be it until the summer then. Robbie is hoping that his sisters won’t be sharing their illness with him.
I have a tutorial tonight for the OU course I am presently doing, so looking forward to that. Not looking forward quite so much to the essay I will have to write this weekend though.
First Post – 29th Jan 2007
Not much to say day 1. A visit to the gym went nicely, and is helping in the continual fight to keep middle age in check. Lost 2lbs last week, and feel absolutely no different as a result. I am on the fat wagon at the moment. At 96 kg, a medical professional has told me I am nearly 20kg to heavy. Which is frightening. I would argue 10 is more the case. But, any weight thats off right now is for the best.
I have spent much of the last few days trying to forget about football, and the demise of my team from Cup Finalists last season, to relegation material this season. A defeat at home to Watford was hard to take. I am looking to reduce stress and anxiety in my life at the moment. West Ham aren’t helping. I came into work yesterday, Sunday, (highly unusual for me) to get ahead of the workload, and that has helped.
A disturbed night last night, as my youngest, Ellie was unwell. Nikki, our oldest is not well either. Some sort of flu/cold virus. Something for the rest of the family to look forward to. Children. You love them, nurture them. They give you germs.
Three bean soup for lunch. Excellent. Just about filled half my left leg. I’m not sure how I will get through to the evening meal. Apparantly the hunger is good for me, keeps me keener and more alert.
Paul
Paul's life... too boring to be of interest to anyone 