Yesterday I worked from home because TMO (The Middle One) wasn't well. She complained that she was dizzy when she woke up, and so TW let her stay at home. I didn't have my laptop with me, so I had to go into the office to get it. Which meant a journey in by train, and then home again immediately. Except it wasn't immediate, because Southern had screwed the trains again, and I ended up waiting for half an hour at Hove for any kind of westbound train. I am seriously considering buying a car just to get away from those bloody trains. It used to be a pleasant experience, where I could read a comic or an e-book, or catch up on a podcast, and while away the 25 minutes between Worthing and Hove. But now, if the trains do run on time, which is less often than it should be, they are often crowded, or delayed, and the whole process is an anxious mess more often than not.
Once I got back to Worthing, I popped into the Co-Op and stocked up on comfort foods - Reese's chocolate bars, pork pies and a third thing that I can't quite remember. I was hoping to score a maple pecan Danish, but unfortunately they had either run out, or not got any in stock to begin with.
I spent the morning (what was left of it), up to about 1pm, trying to refine the parameters on a datapull I was looking at, and then the afternoon on several bits and pieces.
TW & I went out for a run together after work, which neither of us had thought would ever happen. Her pace was slower than mine, and so when we got to the mile mark I went a bit further to stretch out. Maybe in a couple of weeks we can properly run together, who knows? The Park Run beckons again this Saturday, so we'll have to see how that goes.
After the run, I made another coffee and walnut cake for the Macmillan Coffee morning we were having at work. TW made the icing and put it together, and then we sat down to relax. We watched a bit more Tyrant (maybe we didn't on Weds?) and I had a few beers, and then it was bedtime.
Friday, September 30, 2016
Wednesday 16-09-28
I checked my lottery ticket when I got up. True to form, it wasn't a winner. Work was work.
In the evening we watched a couple of episodes from the second series of Tyrant; it is really picking up. I know that the third series is underway, and we've got it recorded (mostly). I'm sure that the bits we are missing will be repeated before we get to that point. TE showed prospective parents and pupils around her school, which she seems to be enjoying. We met her tutor the other day and he advised that he had no issues with her, and she seemed to be settling in nicely - which was our assessment too, but it was reassuring to hear.
In the evening we watched a couple of episodes from the second series of Tyrant; it is really picking up. I know that the third series is underway, and we've got it recorded (mostly). I'm sure that the bits we are missing will be repeated before we get to that point. TE showed prospective parents and pupils around her school, which she seems to be enjoying. We met her tutor the other day and he advised that he had no issues with her, and she seemed to be settling in nicely - which was our assessment too, but it was reassuring to hear.
Tuesday 16-09-27 A Flutter
Tuesday was a fairly busy day at work. I am currently easing into a new role and there are other bits and pieces that I am picking up because I'm a curious kind of fellow and I find it very hard not to stick my nose into interesting things.
Anyway I got through the day. Then I bought a lottery ticket on the way home and was surprised to see that the price had increased to £2.50. It's getting to the point now where buying a lottery ticket is no longer an impulse purchase. By that, I mean that if I happen to be in the Co-Op buying wine or milk or bread, I have often said, in the past, "oh, and you may as well sell me a lottery ticket too, on top of my planned purchases". £2 is about the limit for an impulse buy, especially considering how infrequently I am lucky enough to win. So that's probably me and the lottery parting ways - not that my contribution will be missed.
When I got home I put a couple of bets on the football using PaddyPower. I only normally gamble 10p or 20p, it's supposed to be a bit of fun. I wagered 20p on Celtic to beat Man City and 10p each on Newcastle vs Norwich and Coventry vs AFC Wimbledon. The Celtic / Man City game sounded like a real belter, if you like that sort of thing. Celtic took the lead, and I considered cashing out, but then Man City drew level, and I thought my bet was over. But Celtic scored again to take the lead, and I cashed out at that point, with 40p. I had made my money back, so anything I got from the other two games would be pure profit. Newcastle went ahead, and I cashed out for 13p, if I remember rightly. the Coventry game never got going, at least not in Coventry's favour and so that 10p was gone. I put another 10p on Celtic to win, with about 15 minutes to go, which was a bit foolish, as the game ended in a draw. So I was 3p up on the night. Overall, compared to my usual luck, that was a good result.
Anyway I got through the day. Then I bought a lottery ticket on the way home and was surprised to see that the price had increased to £2.50. It's getting to the point now where buying a lottery ticket is no longer an impulse purchase. By that, I mean that if I happen to be in the Co-Op buying wine or milk or bread, I have often said, in the past, "oh, and you may as well sell me a lottery ticket too, on top of my planned purchases". £2 is about the limit for an impulse buy, especially considering how infrequently I am lucky enough to win. So that's probably me and the lottery parting ways - not that my contribution will be missed.
When I got home I put a couple of bets on the football using PaddyPower. I only normally gamble 10p or 20p, it's supposed to be a bit of fun. I wagered 20p on Celtic to beat Man City and 10p each on Newcastle vs Norwich and Coventry vs AFC Wimbledon. The Celtic / Man City game sounded like a real belter, if you like that sort of thing. Celtic took the lead, and I considered cashing out, but then Man City drew level, and I thought my bet was over. But Celtic scored again to take the lead, and I cashed out at that point, with 40p. I had made my money back, so anything I got from the other two games would be pure profit. Newcastle went ahead, and I cashed out for 13p, if I remember rightly. the Coventry game never got going, at least not in Coventry's favour and so that 10p was gone. I put another 10p on Celtic to win, with about 15 minutes to go, which was a bit foolish, as the game ended in a draw. So I was 3p up on the night. Overall, compared to my usual luck, that was a good result.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Monday 16-09-26 Forest Friends
morning... pic.twitter.com/BbLlxJSQUL— forest fr1ends (@forest_fr1ends) August 15, 2016
Monday was spent scrolling through "Forest Fr1ends" ' Twitter feed and laughing uncontrollably, as the scenes got funnier and darker. It is amazing what you can do with a couple of poseable dolls, and whoever dreams up these images / captions deserves an award of some description.
As I watched last week's Antiques Roadshow while this week's was broadcasting, I got to watch last night's episode tonight, which was a real bonus. I love a bit of Antiques Roadshow, although I'm not really sure why. I guess it is a bit of a tradition as Summer fades and becomes Autumn, and the pace of the show is relaxed and unhurried. The theme tune hasn't changed, as far as I can tell, and I still think of the Adam and Joe pastiche every time every week. I think it's a bit like Ski Sunday, in that a lot of the time people weren't watching it for the skiing, they wanted to see the spectacular crashes. And part of the attraction of Antiques Roadshow is watching people's reaction to the valuation of their goods. Sometimes things which have been in the family for generations turn out to be crappy fakes and worthless, and sometimes a carboot sale bargain turns out to be worth thousands. It is interesting as well to appraise the style of the goods, and decide whether you like the minimalist glassware or the ornate china. TW and I tend to disagree on styles some of the time, so it makes for interesting viewing. I had a couple of cans of Kronenbourg while watching telly, there's nothing like a four-pack to start the week right, and by the time those had been sunk, and the telly was warming down, it was time for bed.
Monday, September 26, 2016
Sunday 16-09-25
Yesterday I spent most of the day nursing a hangover. We were at a house party on Saturday, raising money for Macmillan cancer support, and I drank more than I should have done. I am okay when drinking at home, because I can keep a track of how much I have had, but when I am out and people keep on topping up my glass I tend to lose track and end up overdoing it. At least, that is my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
I had listed a bureau on eBay and it had sold, the auction finished on Saturday. Obviously, because it was a heavy bit of furniture, I advertised it as "collection only", and I was surprised to find that the woman who bought it was coming all the way from Portsmouth. She came and picked it up at midday, and as it turned out she was combining the collection with other errands, so it all turned out well.
TW & I were talking and we couldn't remember where we got the bureau from, nor whether we paid for it. So the £21 we got for it was a welcome bonus. And as it is near the end of the month, the cash injection was most welcome. I'd like to think that we are in a decluttering phase, but I think that there is still more stuff coming into the house than leaving it. Especially comics...
Later on, I packed up twelve comics - two mini-series of six issues each, which I did quite well on. Considering I sold one set as used, I only "lost" £2.30, or looking at it differently, it only cost me that much to read them. The other set I sold as new, since I had only opened them in order to board them, and I actually made a few pounds on them, I sold them for more than I paid for them. Which doesn't happen very often, so that was nice. I don't trade in comics to make money, but I have a bookcase full upstairs, as well as a number of boxes around, and they are now starting to spill out onto the floor. My intention is to read them and get rid; I've got several hundred pounds tied up in those comics and it would be nice to realise a portion of that, as well as make some space in the house. Those comics were posted this morning.
I've started reading Fight Club #2 by Chuck Palahniuk, which is in comic book format. It's a ten issue run, and some of the artwork is just stunning. The story is a bit weird to start with, and it is a bit confusing when Tyler Durden re-emerges, and Sebastian is also in the frame, since I thought they were the same person, but I might need to revisit the story to see exactly where my confusion is... I shall try to sell that as well, when I've finished it, and if I can stay focused, that should be by the end of the week. We'll see.
I had listed a bureau on eBay and it had sold, the auction finished on Saturday. Obviously, because it was a heavy bit of furniture, I advertised it as "collection only", and I was surprised to find that the woman who bought it was coming all the way from Portsmouth. She came and picked it up at midday, and as it turned out she was combining the collection with other errands, so it all turned out well.
TW & I were talking and we couldn't remember where we got the bureau from, nor whether we paid for it. So the £21 we got for it was a welcome bonus. And as it is near the end of the month, the cash injection was most welcome. I'd like to think that we are in a decluttering phase, but I think that there is still more stuff coming into the house than leaving it. Especially comics...
Later on, I packed up twelve comics - two mini-series of six issues each, which I did quite well on. Considering I sold one set as used, I only "lost" £2.30, or looking at it differently, it only cost me that much to read them. The other set I sold as new, since I had only opened them in order to board them, and I actually made a few pounds on them, I sold them for more than I paid for them. Which doesn't happen very often, so that was nice. I don't trade in comics to make money, but I have a bookcase full upstairs, as well as a number of boxes around, and they are now starting to spill out onto the floor. My intention is to read them and get rid; I've got several hundred pounds tied up in those comics and it would be nice to realise a portion of that, as well as make some space in the house. Those comics were posted this morning.
I've started reading Fight Club #2 by Chuck Palahniuk, which is in comic book format. It's a ten issue run, and some of the artwork is just stunning. The story is a bit weird to start with, and it is a bit confusing when Tyler Durden re-emerges, and Sebastian is also in the frame, since I thought they were the same person, but I might need to revisit the story to see exactly where my confusion is... I shall try to sell that as well, when I've finished it, and if I can stay focused, that should be by the end of the week. We'll see.
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Southern Rail Lost Property is a Joke
I managed to lose a jacket on Southern Railway a few weeks ago, in the middle of August. I say I lost it, I left it in a carriage and didn't realise until I was out of the station. By the time I doubled back, needless to say, the train I arrived on had departed back to Worthing / Littlehampton and it was out of sight.
I asked the station staff if they had found the jacket, but they professed ignorance. I filled in an online form, but I was fairly pessimistic. I had previously lost a pair of prescription glasses, which never turned up, and I wasn't really expecting any results from this effort either.
Lo and behold, I did (after a couple of weeks) receive an email advising that they had my jacket and I could come and pick it up. And that is where the whole inconvenience and irrationality became apparent.
They advised that the jacket was at Victoria Station, in London, and I could come and pick it up between 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday.
a) I work from 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday, and
b) I live in Worthing and I work in Brighton.
There is no way I can get to Victoria to collect my jacket. Even if I took time off work, losing a valuable day's holiday which I would rather spend with family, it would cost me £18 and take four hours out of my life. Apparently all lost property found on Southern Rail ends up in Victoria. Which means that if you live in Lewes or Chichester or Littlehampton, you would need to get to Victoria to recover your goods.
But wait! There is a courier option! That might be worth exploring. Except that, having finally got through to the humans in the office, it seems that there is a challenge. Getting through to a human is a feat in itself; you have to pretend that you lost the item on a platform, and that it was more than 72 hours ago. The first two times I called, I chose the real options, i.e., that I left the item on a train, and the train terminated in Victoria - since Brighton / Littlehampton weren't options. A recorded message informed me that I should phone Southern, and the call terminated. At no point during the myriad number of options was I offered the opportunity to speak to a real person. Anyway, once I got through to a real person in the Lost Property office in Victoria, they advised that yes, they could courier the item to me. The cost for an item of clothing was £24, and the £5 processing fee would need to be to added to that. So the cost of retrieving my jacket would either be £29 or £18 and a lost day.
I weighed up the options on offer, and told the lovely lady in the Victoria Lost Property office that she could bin the jacket. I wasn't going to pay the outlandish fees they were requesting. They could have sent it UPS for a fiver, probably. Not to mention that, erm, Victoria is right at the centre of the best distribution network in the country, i.e., the railway. How difficult would it have been to put the jacket on the Victoria to Brighton, or Victoria to Worthing train, and leave it in the Customer Service office there for me to pick up?
It seems to me that not only are Southern absolutely crap at organising trains and their running times, but they are out to scalp their customers for returning to them what is rightfully theirs.
I've had enough of Southern and their complete ineptitude, and I am currently investigating the cost of leasing a car to get into work. Yes, it will add to the overall congestion on the roads, but it seems that I can get a car for about £100 a month, which compares favourably to the £160 Southern charge for my monthly ticket. And if it means not paying this inefficient company any more money, it may be worth it in the long run. "Vote with your feet", that's what they say, isn't it?
TTFN.
I asked the station staff if they had found the jacket, but they professed ignorance. I filled in an online form, but I was fairly pessimistic. I had previously lost a pair of prescription glasses, which never turned up, and I wasn't really expecting any results from this effort either.
Lo and behold, I did (after a couple of weeks) receive an email advising that they had my jacket and I could come and pick it up. And that is where the whole inconvenience and irrationality became apparent.
They advised that the jacket was at Victoria Station, in London, and I could come and pick it up between 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday.
a) I work from 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday, and
b) I live in Worthing and I work in Brighton.
There is no way I can get to Victoria to collect my jacket. Even if I took time off work, losing a valuable day's holiday which I would rather spend with family, it would cost me £18 and take four hours out of my life. Apparently all lost property found on Southern Rail ends up in Victoria. Which means that if you live in Lewes or Chichester or Littlehampton, you would need to get to Victoria to recover your goods.
But wait! There is a courier option! That might be worth exploring. Except that, having finally got through to the humans in the office, it seems that there is a challenge. Getting through to a human is a feat in itself; you have to pretend that you lost the item on a platform, and that it was more than 72 hours ago. The first two times I called, I chose the real options, i.e., that I left the item on a train, and the train terminated in Victoria - since Brighton / Littlehampton weren't options. A recorded message informed me that I should phone Southern, and the call terminated. At no point during the myriad number of options was I offered the opportunity to speak to a real person. Anyway, once I got through to a real person in the Lost Property office in Victoria, they advised that yes, they could courier the item to me. The cost for an item of clothing was £24, and the £5 processing fee would need to be to added to that. So the cost of retrieving my jacket would either be £29 or £18 and a lost day.
I weighed up the options on offer, and told the lovely lady in the Victoria Lost Property office that she could bin the jacket. I wasn't going to pay the outlandish fees they were requesting. They could have sent it UPS for a fiver, probably. Not to mention that, erm, Victoria is right at the centre of the best distribution network in the country, i.e., the railway. How difficult would it have been to put the jacket on the Victoria to Brighton, or Victoria to Worthing train, and leave it in the Customer Service office there for me to pick up?
It seems to me that not only are Southern absolutely crap at organising trains and their running times, but they are out to scalp their customers for returning to them what is rightfully theirs.
I've had enough of Southern and their complete ineptitude, and I am currently investigating the cost of leasing a car to get into work. Yes, it will add to the overall congestion on the roads, but it seems that I can get a car for about £100 a month, which compares favourably to the £160 Southern charge for my monthly ticket. And if it means not paying this inefficient company any more money, it may be worth it in the long run. "Vote with your feet", that's what they say, isn't it?
TTFN.
Monday, September 19, 2016
An Active Weekend
We got up early on Saturday morning in preparation for our second ever Park Run. I think we were both looking forward to it; I had drunk a few cans of beer the night before, and TW had indulged in her passion for prosecco, but we were both clear-headed and up for the challenge. I had been out on a warm-up run on Wednesday night, a little 2.4 mile jaunt to keep my hand in. I couldn't have gone before that, due to the aches in my legs - I was finding it difficult enough walking up and down stairs, let alone running. I did think that I had D.O.M.S. (delayed onset muscle soreness), and I may well have done, but I got through it. That'll teach me to dive straight into a three mile run.
So, we dumped the younger two at the pool, and TW and I and TE (The Eldest) lined up for the run. I set off ahead of them, and made good time, I think - I stopped once for a breath on the way out, and twice on the way back. D was miles ahead and finished in about 23 minutes, but C, another friend who ran with us overtook me on the way back (I had stopped to do up a shoelace) and so I stayed in touch with her, and we ran in together at the end - she finished one second ahead of me, and my time was 31:50, which was an average of under ten minutes per mile. I was pleased with that. TW was pleased with her time, and I went back on to the course to run in with TE. She was a bit embarrassed and didn't want to run, but I think we can encourage her in future to realise that it is about your own personal performance, and sod what others think.
On Saturday afternoon we had made a loose arrangement to go for a walk with D & M and their kids, but it turned out that they had farmed their kids out to grandparents, so we went for a family walk along the River Rife at Ferring, which was a nice breath of fresh air. The girls were in good spirits, despite having been torn away from their electronic devices, and it had turned into a lovely afternoon.
On Saturday evening we swapped one of our kids for one of D & M's, as well as taking in a companion for TE, and had two separate sleepovers. I believe TE watched The Jungle Book (the new version), and TMO (The Middle One) watched a couple of nature documentaries. No, I don't know why either.
They went to bed late-ish, TE finally piped down at about 22:30, and there were no night-time dramas, which was nice. Or if there were, they didn't wake me up.
Sunday morning came, and after eating our fill of pancakes, we went for a six mile bike ride and then visited M&P, my parents, for a brunch of bacon sandwiches. They were delicious, and made even more tasty by the exercise. We cycled from our mansion near West Worthing station down to Goring Gap and back, getting slightly lost on the way. We tried to go inland on the return leg, but ended up back on the seafront, so rode three sides of a square in my estimation. I wouldn't be surprised if it was TW's way of getting an extra bit of distance into the ride.
And that was me, I was done in. For most of Sunday afternoon, I watched tablets be sold on eBay, but TW kept going. Not only did she go for a further bike ride, adding another six miles to her total for the day, but she then got on with painting the back bedroom so that TE (The Youngest) can eventually have her own room.
It was a good weekend, and I think we will want to emulate the levels of activity in future weeks. It would be odd if we turned into one of those "active families" which we don't know very well, but I think we all enjoyed ourselves. Oh dear.
TTFN.
So, we dumped the younger two at the pool, and TW and I and TE (The Eldest) lined up for the run. I set off ahead of them, and made good time, I think - I stopped once for a breath on the way out, and twice on the way back. D was miles ahead and finished in about 23 minutes, but C, another friend who ran with us overtook me on the way back (I had stopped to do up a shoelace) and so I stayed in touch with her, and we ran in together at the end - she finished one second ahead of me, and my time was 31:50, which was an average of under ten minutes per mile. I was pleased with that. TW was pleased with her time, and I went back on to the course to run in with TE. She was a bit embarrassed and didn't want to run, but I think we can encourage her in future to realise that it is about your own personal performance, and sod what others think.
On Saturday afternoon we had made a loose arrangement to go for a walk with D & M and their kids, but it turned out that they had farmed their kids out to grandparents, so we went for a family walk along the River Rife at Ferring, which was a nice breath of fresh air. The girls were in good spirits, despite having been torn away from their electronic devices, and it had turned into a lovely afternoon.
On Saturday evening we swapped one of our kids for one of D & M's, as well as taking in a companion for TE, and had two separate sleepovers. I believe TE watched The Jungle Book (the new version), and TMO (The Middle One) watched a couple of nature documentaries. No, I don't know why either.
They went to bed late-ish, TE finally piped down at about 22:30, and there were no night-time dramas, which was nice. Or if there were, they didn't wake me up.
Sunday morning came, and after eating our fill of pancakes, we went for a six mile bike ride and then visited M&P, my parents, for a brunch of bacon sandwiches. They were delicious, and made even more tasty by the exercise. We cycled from our mansion near West Worthing station down to Goring Gap and back, getting slightly lost on the way. We tried to go inland on the return leg, but ended up back on the seafront, so rode three sides of a square in my estimation. I wouldn't be surprised if it was TW's way of getting an extra bit of distance into the ride.
And that was me, I was done in. For most of Sunday afternoon, I watched tablets be sold on eBay, but TW kept going. Not only did she go for a further bike ride, adding another six miles to her total for the day, but she then got on with painting the back bedroom so that TE (The Youngest) can eventually have her own room.
It was a good weekend, and I think we will want to emulate the levels of activity in future weeks. It would be odd if we turned into one of those "active families" which we don't know very well, but I think we all enjoyed ourselves. Oh dear.
TTFN.
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Farewell David Cameron
Yesterday David Cameron announced that he was stepping down as a Conservative MP, triggering a by-election in Witney, near to where the MiL lives.
I suppose it was inevitable that he would take that step, having resigned as PM (Prime Minister) back in June. After you have been responsible for running the country, trying to sort out the inconsequential woes of a few backbenchers wouldn't be quite as thrilling.
But it is not as though Witney is suddenly an unsafe seat. Apparently the vote for the Conservatives in the last election was over 60%. The party there could nominate a plate of jelly and it would probably be voted in with a majority. So there will be no threat to the slender Conservative majority (a working majority of 16) from Cameron's resignation. It's probably best though if they don't nominate any kind of pig.
What upsets me is that Cameron took us into a referendum on membership of the EU, which he lost, and he is able to walk away unscathed from the incident. His PM's pension is safe, his MP's pension is safe, his expenses have been paid and he walks away without consequence. The rest of us have to live with his decision and his inability to win an argument.
I have mentioned Brexit before, and there is no reward in retreading old arguments. What I will say is that Cameron has a degree of security which the rest of us don't enjoy, despite the fact that he was the one who took the gamble, and we were passive onlookers to his efforts. And that doesn't sit well with me. It is all of a piece with the attitude he took in the days and months leading up to his resignation, where he simply wouldn't accept alternative arguments. How can you have a constructive discussion with someone who won't accept an alternative view?
I suppose that the only comfort that we can take now, at this point, is the news that Cameron was the PM who took us out of the EU, despite this being contrary to his own views. I expect and hope that the economic and social uncertainty which will probably be forthcoming over the next few years will be blamed on him and his insulated coterie. So that will be his legacy, despite any good he may have done, and his efforts to blunt the teeth of the right-wingers in the Tory party.
Having said that, I haven't suffered until now because of the Brexit vote, and I hope that those who can have planned for what happens when Article 50 is actually invoked, so that any impact at that point is mitigated. But even if there are people out there who claim that Brexit will have a small impact (if any at all), I think the general uncertainty and lack of investment due to the uncertainty can be firmly laid at Cameron's door.
So on that basis, I guess my distilled message to Cameron would be: farewell, it's probably best that you go now, before you can cause any more damage. After all, a change is as good as a rest (except when it's Theresa May).
TTFN.
I suppose it was inevitable that he would take that step, having resigned as PM (Prime Minister) back in June. After you have been responsible for running the country, trying to sort out the inconsequential woes of a few backbenchers wouldn't be quite as thrilling.
But it is not as though Witney is suddenly an unsafe seat. Apparently the vote for the Conservatives in the last election was over 60%. The party there could nominate a plate of jelly and it would probably be voted in with a majority. So there will be no threat to the slender Conservative majority (a working majority of 16) from Cameron's resignation. It's probably best though if they don't nominate any kind of pig.
What upsets me is that Cameron took us into a referendum on membership of the EU, which he lost, and he is able to walk away unscathed from the incident. His PM's pension is safe, his MP's pension is safe, his expenses have been paid and he walks away without consequence. The rest of us have to live with his decision and his inability to win an argument.
I have mentioned Brexit before, and there is no reward in retreading old arguments. What I will say is that Cameron has a degree of security which the rest of us don't enjoy, despite the fact that he was the one who took the gamble, and we were passive onlookers to his efforts. And that doesn't sit well with me. It is all of a piece with the attitude he took in the days and months leading up to his resignation, where he simply wouldn't accept alternative arguments. How can you have a constructive discussion with someone who won't accept an alternative view?
I suppose that the only comfort that we can take now, at this point, is the news that Cameron was the PM who took us out of the EU, despite this being contrary to his own views. I expect and hope that the economic and social uncertainty which will probably be forthcoming over the next few years will be blamed on him and his insulated coterie. So that will be his legacy, despite any good he may have done, and his efforts to blunt the teeth of the right-wingers in the Tory party.
Having said that, I haven't suffered until now because of the Brexit vote, and I hope that those who can have planned for what happens when Article 50 is actually invoked, so that any impact at that point is mitigated. But even if there are people out there who claim that Brexit will have a small impact (if any at all), I think the general uncertainty and lack of investment due to the uncertainty can be firmly laid at Cameron's door.
So on that basis, I guess my distilled message to Cameron would be: farewell, it's probably best that you go now, before you can cause any more damage. After all, a change is as good as a rest (except when it's Theresa May).
TTFN.
Sunday, September 11, 2016
First Park Run
Yesterday we attended our first Park Run in Worthing. Park Runs are organised all around the country, they are five kilometres in length and they start at 9am on a Saturday morning.
I had exchanged a couple of texts with our friend and neighbour, D, on Friday night, and he had asked if we (as a family) wanted to join him and his on the Saturday morning, and I had considered it. I was the best part of a bottle of wine down by that time, as TW was babysitting elsewhere, and I thought that probably I wouldn't be in any fit state to run 5k (that's 3.1 miles in old money). I was up and about on Saturday morning making a cup of tea at about 8.30am when I heard activity, so I looked out of the window and there he was, heading to his car. He asked whether I was going to join them on the run, and I was up for it individually, the girls weren't really bothered. But then TW chatted to M, his partner, and all of a sudden we were all going.
We got dressed in double quick time and took swimming stuff for the kids for afterwards, and drove down to the start point, which is at Splashpoint. We got there just as the race organiser was addressing the assembled runners, and there were a number, about 200 or so. We walked then to the start point and set off. The Middle Child was on a scooter, D's kids had a bike and a scooter too, and between them they managed to make their way around most of the course. I say "course", the run is west along the seafront and then back east along the seafront to the start point. So it's nice and flat, although if the wind were stronger, I can see that it may be a challenge.
I was running slowly at the back, and was comfortable. I stopped a few times, and walked, but ran most of the way. My average time at the end was just over 11 minutes per mile, which considering the last time I ran was June last year, I'm quite pleased with. I was 173rd out of 202, and my time was between 34:48 and 35:48. I recorded it on Runkeeper as well, and I reckon, according to that, that my time was 35:19. I could also when I stopped, as my minutes per mile average spiked then. So I stopped five times, apparently, and walked.
TW and The Eldest ran together, and managed to complete the course in about 40 minutes, which they were both happy with. D, being a more committed runner, managed it in about 25 minutes, but then he is due to be running a half-marathon soon, so he needs to be up with the real runners.
Unfortunately one of our other friends and neighbours, C, didn't make it, which was a shame, since she was the one who started the whole thing by suggesting it last week. Still, hopefully we will be able to run as a street next time..?
So I ran unofficially yesterday, but I've signed up on the Park Run website and next time I will have my barcode to register my time properly. Of course, this means that I will have to run mid-week to improve my times on Saturdays. Damnit. But I did think that was coming...
After the run, we sent the girls unaccompanied into the swimming pool - that was no problem, as they are good swimmers. The problem was that they were still in there an hour and three quarters later, at 11:45am. We'd had a coffee and were beginning to cool down, and I wanted to get home. But at least they had a good time. And today I don't ache as badly as I thought I would - result!
TTFN.
I had exchanged a couple of texts with our friend and neighbour, D, on Friday night, and he had asked if we (as a family) wanted to join him and his on the Saturday morning, and I had considered it. I was the best part of a bottle of wine down by that time, as TW was babysitting elsewhere, and I thought that probably I wouldn't be in any fit state to run 5k (that's 3.1 miles in old money). I was up and about on Saturday morning making a cup of tea at about 8.30am when I heard activity, so I looked out of the window and there he was, heading to his car. He asked whether I was going to join them on the run, and I was up for it individually, the girls weren't really bothered. But then TW chatted to M, his partner, and all of a sudden we were all going.
We got dressed in double quick time and took swimming stuff for the kids for afterwards, and drove down to the start point, which is at Splashpoint. We got there just as the race organiser was addressing the assembled runners, and there were a number, about 200 or so. We walked then to the start point and set off. The Middle Child was on a scooter, D's kids had a bike and a scooter too, and between them they managed to make their way around most of the course. I say "course", the run is west along the seafront and then back east along the seafront to the start point. So it's nice and flat, although if the wind were stronger, I can see that it may be a challenge.
I was running slowly at the back, and was comfortable. I stopped a few times, and walked, but ran most of the way. My average time at the end was just over 11 minutes per mile, which considering the last time I ran was June last year, I'm quite pleased with. I was 173rd out of 202, and my time was between 34:48 and 35:48. I recorded it on Runkeeper as well, and I reckon, according to that, that my time was 35:19. I could also when I stopped, as my minutes per mile average spiked then. So I stopped five times, apparently, and walked.
TW and The Eldest ran together, and managed to complete the course in about 40 minutes, which they were both happy with. D, being a more committed runner, managed it in about 25 minutes, but then he is due to be running a half-marathon soon, so he needs to be up with the real runners.
Unfortunately one of our other friends and neighbours, C, didn't make it, which was a shame, since she was the one who started the whole thing by suggesting it last week. Still, hopefully we will be able to run as a street next time..?
So I ran unofficially yesterday, but I've signed up on the Park Run website and next time I will have my barcode to register my time properly. Of course, this means that I will have to run mid-week to improve my times on Saturdays. Damnit. But I did think that was coming...
After the run, we sent the girls unaccompanied into the swimming pool - that was no problem, as they are good swimmers. The problem was that they were still in there an hour and three quarters later, at 11:45am. We'd had a coffee and were beginning to cool down, and I wanted to get home. But at least they had a good time. And today I don't ache as badly as I thought I would - result!
TTFN.
Wednesday, September 07, 2016
Some Brexit-related Thoughts
A couple of days ago, our new Prime Minister Theresa May stated that "Brexit means Brexit, precisely because it does". This is the sort of language an exasperated parent might use with a querulous and unruly child, and it brooks no further discussion.
But I think that there are a couple of interesting things to point out. I'm not going to argue in favour of or against Brexit, but I am intrigued by the fall-out of the vote, and the unexpected things that have happened.
First things first, everyone involved in the vote (from a leadership perspective) has resigned / retired from public view. Farage has stood down as leader of UKIP, Boris Johnson withdrew from the PM leadership race, despite being the bookies' favourite, and Gove stood for the leadership but was knocked out in the early rounds.
Cameron resigned the morning after the vote, despite pledging to stay and negotiate the will of the British people. Poor guy, probably the main things he will be remembered for are Brexit and pig-bothering (at least one of those is an actual fact). Farage and Johnson weren't in any position to promise anything to the British people, such as an extra £350M for the NHS, or a points-based immigration system. None of them were in power, and so they couldn't enact any policies or initiatives to deliver what they were promising. If Johnson had seen through his leadership challenge, he could have issued directive after directive from No. 10, but I believe that when he peered over the edge of the abyss and thought through what he had signed up to, he decided not to accept the offer of the poisoned chalice. Who would want to be remembered as the PM who took Britain out of the EU?
Well, it seems that Theresa May does. Maybe her desire to be PM trumps everything else, and maybe she thinks she can stall until she is voted out of office, but it does seem that something weird is going on. Article 50 hasn't been invoked yet, and we are now two and a bit months after the vote. We need to get our skates on, I think.
The other weird thing is the level of confidence in business circles has risen dramatically. Of course the stock market crashed after the vote, and the £/$ exchange rate plummeted, but since then the FTSE 100 and the FTSE 250 have roared ahead with all guns blazing. My pension, invested as it is in stocks and shares, is feeling positively healthy. And it seems that there is a healthy dose of optimism washing over the nation.
It isn't washing over me, I am still waiting for "the other shoe to drop", but maybe that's because I'm a pessimistic middle-aged man, who is now used to living in a zero-inflation, zero-growth environment. If inflation does start to kick in, I believe I will be worse off than I am now, and thinking back, I believe I had more disposable income five years ago than I do today. Sad, isn't it?
But I hope that the markets have priced Brexit in to future expectations. Although that would be hard to do, considering that currently it seems that no-one knows what to expect from Brexit. Apparently the "experts" have been saying that we would do well if we managed to deflate our economy, and we seem to have done that overnight - the £ is now worth $1.33 (approx) when it was worth nearly $1.50 before the Brexit vote.
All in all, we are in uncharted waters. Some people think we should be able to negotiate trade deals outside the EU now, while others take the opposing view. Some people think we should invoke Article 50 as soon as possible, while others think we should delay (and even now we have no idea when it will be invoked). We are in a state of limbo while our "leaders" decide what Brexit looks like, and whether it is acceptable to the members of the EU. And in the meantime, life goes on, we have to buy goods & services, and city folk have to trade stocks and shares. And currently things seem to be on the up, much like Dennis Waterman, but I can't help feeling that there is more to come, like a particular Vic & Bob ad for yogurt. I guess we will see.
What I am trying to say is that the jury is still out. We need to see how things pan out. Good luck, and see you on the other side...
TTFN.
But I think that there are a couple of interesting things to point out. I'm not going to argue in favour of or against Brexit, but I am intrigued by the fall-out of the vote, and the unexpected things that have happened.
First things first, everyone involved in the vote (from a leadership perspective) has resigned / retired from public view. Farage has stood down as leader of UKIP, Boris Johnson withdrew from the PM leadership race, despite being the bookies' favourite, and Gove stood for the leadership but was knocked out in the early rounds.
Cameron resigned the morning after the vote, despite pledging to stay and negotiate the will of the British people. Poor guy, probably the main things he will be remembered for are Brexit and pig-bothering (at least one of those is an actual fact). Farage and Johnson weren't in any position to promise anything to the British people, such as an extra £350M for the NHS, or a points-based immigration system. None of them were in power, and so they couldn't enact any policies or initiatives to deliver what they were promising. If Johnson had seen through his leadership challenge, he could have issued directive after directive from No. 10, but I believe that when he peered over the edge of the abyss and thought through what he had signed up to, he decided not to accept the offer of the poisoned chalice. Who would want to be remembered as the PM who took Britain out of the EU?
Well, it seems that Theresa May does. Maybe her desire to be PM trumps everything else, and maybe she thinks she can stall until she is voted out of office, but it does seem that something weird is going on. Article 50 hasn't been invoked yet, and we are now two and a bit months after the vote. We need to get our skates on, I think.
The other weird thing is the level of confidence in business circles has risen dramatically. Of course the stock market crashed after the vote, and the £/$ exchange rate plummeted, but since then the FTSE 100 and the FTSE 250 have roared ahead with all guns blazing. My pension, invested as it is in stocks and shares, is feeling positively healthy. And it seems that there is a healthy dose of optimism washing over the nation.
It isn't washing over me, I am still waiting for "the other shoe to drop", but maybe that's because I'm a pessimistic middle-aged man, who is now used to living in a zero-inflation, zero-growth environment. If inflation does start to kick in, I believe I will be worse off than I am now, and thinking back, I believe I had more disposable income five years ago than I do today. Sad, isn't it?
But I hope that the markets have priced Brexit in to future expectations. Although that would be hard to do, considering that currently it seems that no-one knows what to expect from Brexit. Apparently the "experts" have been saying that we would do well if we managed to deflate our economy, and we seem to have done that overnight - the £ is now worth $1.33 (approx) when it was worth nearly $1.50 before the Brexit vote.
All in all, we are in uncharted waters. Some people think we should be able to negotiate trade deals outside the EU now, while others take the opposing view. Some people think we should invoke Article 50 as soon as possible, while others think we should delay (and even now we have no idea when it will be invoked). We are in a state of limbo while our "leaders" decide what Brexit looks like, and whether it is acceptable to the members of the EU. And in the meantime, life goes on, we have to buy goods & services, and city folk have to trade stocks and shares. And currently things seem to be on the up, much like Dennis Waterman, but I can't help feeling that there is more to come, like a particular Vic & Bob ad for yogurt. I guess we will see.
What I am trying to say is that the jury is still out. We need to see how things pan out. Good luck, and see you on the other side...
TTFN.
Thursday, September 01, 2016
A Family Bike Ride
Today we went for our first family bike ride. TW has signed up for the London-Brighton Bike Ride and her brother has kindly given her a Specialized on long-term loan. On Monday we visited Halfords for the first time ever and bought her lights and a helmet, and so we were christened.
Today I pumped up the tires on the bikes in preparation, and I looked at the chains, although I wouldn't know the first thing to do with them, even if I could identify what was wrong with them. I took a test ride on my chosen bike, up and down the road, and tested the brakes. I was a little confused because there seemed to be a bit of give in the tires, but they were as hard as rock - then I realised that the bike had suspension, and that was providing the give that I was feeling. I wobbled a bit; I can't remember the last time I rode a bike. But I made it up the road and back in one piece, and it's all about the small wins.
I took the girls to Halfords to buy helmets for them, since we are planning to cycle to Lancing tomorrow, and now that I know where it is (Halfords, that is), and I'm almost on first-name terms with the staff, the world of cycles and their accessories holds no mystery for me. £65 later, all four of us, myself included, were kitted out with protective headgear.
Final touches were made to the bikes, and then we set out, down our road, through the alley to the Co-Op, across the train crossing and into Grand Avenue, when The Eldest calls out "Stop!". It turns out her front tire was flat again, despite the fact that I had only pumped it up less than five minutes ago. A definite puncture. But, when there were five of us riding, the odds that something was going to go wrong was pretty high. We cycled to a friend's house where TW asked them if they had a spare bike we could borrow, but unfortunately they didn't, so my ride ended there. I walked home with The Eldest (TE)'s bike, and she took mine. TW cycled on with the three kids in tow, a little like a proud swan with her brood - at least that is the way I picture her.
I took the front wheel off TE's bike in the front garden, and one of our friends and neighbours helped to extract the inner tube. I blew it up and could immediately see where the puncture was; it was on the join between the valve and the inner. Another neighbour and friend advised that it was a common spot for a puncture. He provided a puncture kit and applied the patch to the tire, as I looked on. At least I can say I learned something, even if I didn't do the actual fixing myself. I checked the tire as I put the bike away tonight and the tire seemed still inflated, so I hope it is the same in the morning.
TW and the girls rode as far as Splashpoint, and they enjoyed it, so it seems that Lancing it is in the morning. Wish me luck and I hope there are no sprains or scratches to report...
TTFN.
Today I pumped up the tires on the bikes in preparation, and I looked at the chains, although I wouldn't know the first thing to do with them, even if I could identify what was wrong with them. I took a test ride on my chosen bike, up and down the road, and tested the brakes. I was a little confused because there seemed to be a bit of give in the tires, but they were as hard as rock - then I realised that the bike had suspension, and that was providing the give that I was feeling. I wobbled a bit; I can't remember the last time I rode a bike. But I made it up the road and back in one piece, and it's all about the small wins.
I took the girls to Halfords to buy helmets for them, since we are planning to cycle to Lancing tomorrow, and now that I know where it is (Halfords, that is), and I'm almost on first-name terms with the staff, the world of cycles and their accessories holds no mystery for me. £65 later, all four of us, myself included, were kitted out with protective headgear.
Final touches were made to the bikes, and then we set out, down our road, through the alley to the Co-Op, across the train crossing and into Grand Avenue, when The Eldest calls out "Stop!". It turns out her front tire was flat again, despite the fact that I had only pumped it up less than five minutes ago. A definite puncture. But, when there were five of us riding, the odds that something was going to go wrong was pretty high. We cycled to a friend's house where TW asked them if they had a spare bike we could borrow, but unfortunately they didn't, so my ride ended there. I walked home with The Eldest (TE)'s bike, and she took mine. TW cycled on with the three kids in tow, a little like a proud swan with her brood - at least that is the way I picture her.
I took the front wheel off TE's bike in the front garden, and one of our friends and neighbours helped to extract the inner tube. I blew it up and could immediately see where the puncture was; it was on the join between the valve and the inner. Another neighbour and friend advised that it was a common spot for a puncture. He provided a puncture kit and applied the patch to the tire, as I looked on. At least I can say I learned something, even if I didn't do the actual fixing myself. I checked the tire as I put the bike away tonight and the tire seemed still inflated, so I hope it is the same in the morning.
TW and the girls rode as far as Splashpoint, and they enjoyed it, so it seems that Lancing it is in the morning. Wish me luck and I hope there are no sprains or scratches to report...
TTFN.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)