So I couldn't let TE's first rugby tournament go unmentioned. Last weekend we went to Reigate for a mini-tournament, involving five girls' sides; two from Essex, Old Reigatians and Pulborough (I think). The two Essex sides were Eton Manor and Barking. It was a freezing day, the wind was bitter, and it wasn't pleasant. We got there and TE went off into the changing room with the other girls from Worthing.
She's not been playing long with Worthing RFC and others in the team joined after her. She used to play at Worthing Leisure Centre but gave it up. Then she asked if she could go back, and her coach suggested she might benefit from going to the town club. So that is how we ended up where we are, which reminds me, I need to pay her club fees...
So that recap was by way of explaining that expectations weren't high. Worthing are a new team, in the sense that there were a lot of new team members, and they were up against some pretty organised competition. Old Reigatians for instance seemed to have a very desirable set-up, a seemingly new clubhouse and very well-kept pitches. And their team was good, I think in the final reckoning they were the team who won most games. And that makes sense, right? I mean, why invite other teams to play at your club unless you are confident in your abilities to contest the game? And the clubhouse was really nice; it was the sort of place that people want to be a part of. If I lived in Reigate, I would probably enrol my daughters in the club just for the social aspect - apart from the bar prices. They may have been club prices, but they were more Fabric prices than Tarring Working Men's Club prices. That came as a bit of a shock! But we lived through it...
Worthing Girls, on the other hand, managed to lose their four matches. But the team, despite taking some injuries, weren't despondent. The coaches encouraged them, and pointed out what they were doing well, and congratulated them when they put into practice what they had learned in the training sessions.
So even though the weather being cold and damp, and the scorelines not being encouraging, the girls weren't disheartened. We asked TE if she had enjoyed it, and she said yes. She certainly didn't appear to have struggled at all. She scored a try, which always puts a better spin on the day, and she was one of three girls who got a "Man of the Match" (I suppose it should be "Girl of the Match") award, for improving over the course of the day and being instrumental in some of the closing plays of the final game.
Most of the team are moving up to the 13-year old side (TE currrently plays with the U13s). So she will be one of the longest-serving players, which means, possibly, that the other girls in the team will look to her for support and guidance during games. I hope that Worthing can keep up the momentum and generate more interest in girls' rugby. The current coaches are moving up with the girls, so I hope that they can get some replacements who do as good a job and be as positive as the current guys are.
I'm certainly glad that TE is enjoying her rugby, and I hope that future tournaments are played on better days (weather-wise) and the results are kinder, but if she enjoyed playing on a bitterly cold day even when they lost all games, I think maybe she might have found her passion?
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Tuesday, February 07, 2017
Tuesday 17-02-07 Brexit (again)
As I write this, MPs are debating Article 50 in the House of Commons. I don't know what they are trying to achieve, since the majority of MPs will vote for the Article 50 bill, which gives the PM the power to inform the EU of our wish to invoke Article 50 and withdraw from the EU.
Most MPs don't want to leave the EU, they think it will be bad for Britain and they think that we will be worse off, but they are still going to vote for it.
No amendments to the bill will be accepted, in my expectation, and the bill will go through as it stands. I don't understand why they are wasting time over it; they have another full day of debate tomorrow.
It's all for show, as far as I can see. I'd like to see some discussion of how to actually reverse Brexit, and if it is at all possible. There is no point, in my opinion, going along with Article 50 at this point and then trying to reverse things later. As has already been said in the House of Commons, MPs have already voted to trigger Article 50, and they have agreed with May's timetable, i.e., to do this by end of March. So if any of them renege now, they will be portrayed as untrusted flip-floppers.
I believe most of the Tories are secret Leavers, even if they claimed to be Remainers and campaigned for Remain. The ease with which they have given up the fight is astounding. Anna Soubry and Ken Clarke spring to mind as MPs who have stuck to their principles. And I don't think Labour are much better; I do think that if Corbyn had been on the back benches he would have been a Leaver, and it was only for party unity that he decided to remain.
It does seem though that the process is irreversible; I can't see a way that this might all be turned back so that we can all return to normal. Maybe we will all regain consciousness in the shower, much like Bobby Ewing did in Dallas? I don't see any other option. So fasten your seatbelts kids, it's going to be a bumpy ride.
TTFN.
Most MPs don't want to leave the EU, they think it will be bad for Britain and they think that we will be worse off, but they are still going to vote for it.
No amendments to the bill will be accepted, in my expectation, and the bill will go through as it stands. I don't understand why they are wasting time over it; they have another full day of debate tomorrow.
It's all for show, as far as I can see. I'd like to see some discussion of how to actually reverse Brexit, and if it is at all possible. There is no point, in my opinion, going along with Article 50 at this point and then trying to reverse things later. As has already been said in the House of Commons, MPs have already voted to trigger Article 50, and they have agreed with May's timetable, i.e., to do this by end of March. So if any of them renege now, they will be portrayed as untrusted flip-floppers.
I believe most of the Tories are secret Leavers, even if they claimed to be Remainers and campaigned for Remain. The ease with which they have given up the fight is astounding. Anna Soubry and Ken Clarke spring to mind as MPs who have stuck to their principles. And I don't think Labour are much better; I do think that if Corbyn had been on the back benches he would have been a Leaver, and it was only for party unity that he decided to remain.
It does seem though that the process is irreversible; I can't see a way that this might all be turned back so that we can all return to normal. Maybe we will all regain consciousness in the shower, much like Bobby Ewing did in Dallas? I don't see any other option. So fasten your seatbelts kids, it's going to be a bumpy ride.
TTFN.
Thursday, February 02, 2017
Thursday 17-02-02 Farage and Democracy
https://twitter.com/Nigel_Farage/status/826914009056161796
Farage is a tit, in my opinion. These MPs are not "enemies of democracy". Less than 40% of the voting public voted for Brexit, so it is only right that some MPs vote against triggering Article 50. MPs are representatives, not delegates. Indeed, most MPs, if it were down to them, would not have voted to trigger Article 50.
But MPs have carried out the will of the people, just as Cameron promised in the introduction to his referendum: "This is your decision. The government will implement what you decide."
And that is why referendums are infrequent in British politics. We elect MPs to represent us in Parliament, and decisions get taken there. We don't instruct our MPs how to vote, they are not delegates. We can petition them, and ask them to vote a certain way during a certain vote, but they are under no obligation to take our views into account when making their decision. I asked my local tory MP to vote for the renationalisation of the railways: I knew he wouldn't, but I wanted him to know that some of us actually agree with that particular proposal. We actually had a good chat about it.
In UK politics the plebiscite (that's you and me) are directly consulted very infrequently, i.e., we don't do referendums. We let the MPs decide on our behalf. I have heard that if we had a referendum on whether hanging should be brought back as a punishment, it would overwhelmingly be approved, and that is part of the reason why we don't have a referendum on it. MPs are protecting us from ourselves - but that is why we vote them in and out of power.
Unfortunately on this occasion, despite the fact that the Brexit vote will lead to a massive constitutional change, Cameron put in no safeguards or thresholds over voting levels or participation. If only one person had voted, we would have had to follow that individual's wishes. That is how ridiculous the Brexit referendum was.
In my opinion, the 114 MPs who voted against the bill should be applauded. They carried out their job, as the representative of their electorate, to the best of their abilities and as their consciences dictated (especially those Labour MPs who voted against the whip). They knew that they wouldn't stop the bill being passed, they knew that they were making a futile gesture, but they went ahead and voted as they did anyway.
They might lose their jobs at the next election, or other considerations might sway the electorate. But by voting as they did, the 114 MPs showed that we were living in a democracy and not a dictatorship, which is probably what Farage would prefer - as long as he was wearing the leather trousers.
TTFN.
Farage is a tit, in my opinion. These MPs are not "enemies of democracy". Less than 40% of the voting public voted for Brexit, so it is only right that some MPs vote against triggering Article 50. MPs are representatives, not delegates. Indeed, most MPs, if it were down to them, would not have voted to trigger Article 50.
But MPs have carried out the will of the people, just as Cameron promised in the introduction to his referendum: "This is your decision. The government will implement what you decide."
And that is why referendums are infrequent in British politics. We elect MPs to represent us in Parliament, and decisions get taken there. We don't instruct our MPs how to vote, they are not delegates. We can petition them, and ask them to vote a certain way during a certain vote, but they are under no obligation to take our views into account when making their decision. I asked my local tory MP to vote for the renationalisation of the railways: I knew he wouldn't, but I wanted him to know that some of us actually agree with that particular proposal. We actually had a good chat about it.
In UK politics the plebiscite (that's you and me) are directly consulted very infrequently, i.e., we don't do referendums. We let the MPs decide on our behalf. I have heard that if we had a referendum on whether hanging should be brought back as a punishment, it would overwhelmingly be approved, and that is part of the reason why we don't have a referendum on it. MPs are protecting us from ourselves - but that is why we vote them in and out of power.
Unfortunately on this occasion, despite the fact that the Brexit vote will lead to a massive constitutional change, Cameron put in no safeguards or thresholds over voting levels or participation. If only one person had voted, we would have had to follow that individual's wishes. That is how ridiculous the Brexit referendum was.
In my opinion, the 114 MPs who voted against the bill should be applauded. They carried out their job, as the representative of their electorate, to the best of their abilities and as their consciences dictated (especially those Labour MPs who voted against the whip). They knew that they wouldn't stop the bill being passed, they knew that they were making a futile gesture, but they went ahead and voted as they did anyway.
They might lose their jobs at the next election, or other considerations might sway the electorate. But by voting as they did, the 114 MPs showed that we were living in a democracy and not a dictatorship, which is probably what Farage would prefer - as long as he was wearing the leather trousers.
TTFN.
Thursday 17-02-02 Water
I am beginning to develop a pathological hatred for water, which isn't good for my health. Currently it seems that it has been raining constantly and heavily for about four days, and I am getting to the point where I am dreading having to go outside under the open skies. Because they are not open, they are closed over by grey and rain-bearing clouds which obscure the sun and the sky, and the clouds continuously pelt me with rain.
I don't dress well for rain, either, which doesn't help. I have a fantastic waterproof coat which I bought from Mountain Warehouse, but that is about it. The water runs off my coat onto my trousers, and turns them two-tone, normally dark at the front and then lighter at the back. On days when the rain is particularly heavy, even my shoes get in on the act, and go all two-tone too. And then they take an age to dry out.
I popped to the chip shop the other night, and it was raining, so I hurried there and got into the shop quickly, to get out of the rain. I placed my order and then sat down on the window ledge, and then jumped up pretty quickly - the shopfront was leaking and the water was collecting on the ledge. Another example of where rain or water was out to get me.
And it's not like I'm safe even in my own house. A few years ago, we had an extension built onto our kitchen, and that leaked on us too. To be honest, it leaked onto a friend while they were standing up and preparing to leave. It was a bit lucky really, or we might not have noticed. We had to have the flashing redone to seal the join, but it seems to have been dry since.
Last summer we had a flood in the house; the toilet in the bathroom overflowed and flooded the kitchen while we were out. We're still in the process of putting that right, and I will come back to it.
A couple of weeks after that water escaped from our shower and flooded the bedroom below; that was a minor incident compared to the kitchen flood, but it prevented us from using the shower for a few months. It turned out that the sealant around the shower tray had dried out, and so water had escaped around it and ruined a small portion of the wallpapered ceiling below.
And now, while installing a new kitchen suite, we've discovered that the mains pipe has been leaking since forever. The guys who are fitting the kitchen are proper builders who can also take care of the plumbing, so that is a bonus, but there is no guarantee that the leak will be fixed before they want to start installing the new cabinets, and other bits & pieces. I am dreading that they might have to delay the install, especially considering that currently we don't have a kitchen at all; no basin for washing up, no oven for cooking, no washing machine or tumble dryer to clean our clothes with. And the ground floor is about half the size that we are used to without the kitchen, which is making things all a little squished. If I were to try to spin it positively, I might describe it as "cosy".
So that might go some way to explaining why, these days, when I hear the patter of raindrops seemingly constantly and continuously against the window, my heart sinks. But it'll be summer soon, and then I will be able to enjoy warm sunny days and long summer evenings, and it won't rain at all.
TTFN.
I don't dress well for rain, either, which doesn't help. I have a fantastic waterproof coat which I bought from Mountain Warehouse, but that is about it. The water runs off my coat onto my trousers, and turns them two-tone, normally dark at the front and then lighter at the back. On days when the rain is particularly heavy, even my shoes get in on the act, and go all two-tone too. And then they take an age to dry out.
I popped to the chip shop the other night, and it was raining, so I hurried there and got into the shop quickly, to get out of the rain. I placed my order and then sat down on the window ledge, and then jumped up pretty quickly - the shopfront was leaking and the water was collecting on the ledge. Another example of where rain or water was out to get me.
And it's not like I'm safe even in my own house. A few years ago, we had an extension built onto our kitchen, and that leaked on us too. To be honest, it leaked onto a friend while they were standing up and preparing to leave. It was a bit lucky really, or we might not have noticed. We had to have the flashing redone to seal the join, but it seems to have been dry since.
Last summer we had a flood in the house; the toilet in the bathroom overflowed and flooded the kitchen while we were out. We're still in the process of putting that right, and I will come back to it.
A couple of weeks after that water escaped from our shower and flooded the bedroom below; that was a minor incident compared to the kitchen flood, but it prevented us from using the shower for a few months. It turned out that the sealant around the shower tray had dried out, and so water had escaped around it and ruined a small portion of the wallpapered ceiling below.
And now, while installing a new kitchen suite, we've discovered that the mains pipe has been leaking since forever. The guys who are fitting the kitchen are proper builders who can also take care of the plumbing, so that is a bonus, but there is no guarantee that the leak will be fixed before they want to start installing the new cabinets, and other bits & pieces. I am dreading that they might have to delay the install, especially considering that currently we don't have a kitchen at all; no basin for washing up, no oven for cooking, no washing machine or tumble dryer to clean our clothes with. And the ground floor is about half the size that we are used to without the kitchen, which is making things all a little squished. If I were to try to spin it positively, I might describe it as "cosy".
So that might go some way to explaining why, these days, when I hear the patter of raindrops seemingly constantly and continuously against the window, my heart sinks. But it'll be summer soon, and then I will be able to enjoy warm sunny days and long summer evenings, and it won't rain at all.
TTFN.
Friday, January 27, 2017
Friday 17-01-26 Brexit Update
The Supreme Court came back with their judgement on Tuesday, and actually Parliament do have to vote on whether to grant the Government the power to invoke Article 50. Of course, Parliament will probably vote to do so. Here is the bill, in its entirety:
It is sobering to think that so few words are going to have such a big and lasting effect on the nation. And whether it is a good or a bad thing, it will have a big impact.
I believe that the judges were right to decide that Parliament needed to vote, and that Government could not invoke Article 50 without Parliament's approval. Whatever happens next, at least no-one will be able to say that Article 50 was triggered improperly and claim some sort of compensation from the State.
It also seems that a number of MPs will vote against approving this bill, which will lead to the triggering of Article 50. I think that is only right as well. The basis for that assertion is that the vote was nearly a 50-50 split. Almost the same number of people voted for Brexit as voted against it. There were also a number of people who could have voted but didn't, and when you take their numbers into account, only 37% of the electorate voted for Brexit.
On that basis, the claims by Tory MPs and others that they are enacting "the will of the people" seem bogus. The people who didn't vote either did not have enough information (or misinformation), or, perhaps they were just happy with the status quo, the way things were? I would argue that actually, with less than 40% of the electorate having voted for Brexit, we shouldn't be galloping towards the exit with such enthusiasm.
I think that the Tories, whether they voted remain or leave, see this as an opportunity to throw off the "shackles" of European legislation and regulation. But David Davis has claimed that workers' rights will be unaffected, and we are going to approach the WTO (World Trade Organisation) with exactly the same tariff schedule as we currently have under the EU umbrella. So if nothing is changing, what is the point of leaving? I believe that the Tories see this as a chance to have a "dynamic and thriving" economy, but if they are going to keep exactly the same conditions as we currently have, I'm not sure that I see the point. If, when they study the relevant bits of legislation, they decide that they'd like to keep those bits after all, because actually workers' rights and blue flags on beaches are the right thing to do, what is the point of leaving?
The "state" will have to increase in size, as well. All those monitoring and regulatory bodies which the EU currently maintains will have to be set up from scratch in the UK. We will have to increase the number of border guards and visa stampers currently employed. The annual national budget will have to go up to cover all the bureaucracy that we will have to manage, which was previously handled by the EU, or rendered unnecessary by our membership of the EU.
And this is all Cameron's and Farage's fault. Even if we make a success of Brexit, and there is a chance we might, there should be no argument over the fact that it will cost us money. The Brexit vote was offered to the people by Cameron to settle some internal Tory party wrangling, and he never thought that people would vote for it. So he never put in place the proper safeguards; that over 80% of the voting public had to vote, that >66% had to vote for Out, etc. And so Cameron and Farage should not receive any public honours - no knighthoods, no OBEs or CBEs, or similar. Cameron promised to take us through the Brexit negotiations, and as soon as it didn't go his way and it looked like there was a bit of hard work involved, he jacked it all in. Now, apparently, he is getting paid tens of thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of pounds for giving speeches. So Farage and Cameron have massively inconvenienced the country and shouldn't get any thanks or praise for what they've done.
I'd rather we didn't leave the EU, but then I've never known any different environment. We used to be outside the EU, and we got along perfectly well, so I don't see why we shouldn't do so again. Companies who are working on slim margins might go to the wall, and a large percentage of people may not interact with other European countries at all, so they won't feel the impact at all. But with the change in the exchange rate imports should get more expensive, and that will lead through to higher prices on the high street. My pension fund has increased a lot over the last few months, and that is because the stock market indices have gone up. But the stock market indices have gone up because £ Sterling is worth less than it was. If I was able to access the money in my pension now, the worst possible thing I could do would be to try and spend it overseas. Something that cost $100 in the US, would have cost me £69 last June (exchange rate £1 = $1.45) and today would cost me £80 (exchange rate £1 = $1.25). TW would love me to take her to the U.S. for a shopping trip, but if everything in the U.S. is suddenly 15% more expensive, due to the deteriorating exchange rate, then it is even more unlikely now than it was last May.
Anyway, I've blathered on for long enough. I do have another couple of thoughts, which I may note down separately.
TTFN
It is sobering to think that so few words are going to have such a big and lasting effect on the nation. And whether it is a good or a bad thing, it will have a big impact.
I believe that the judges were right to decide that Parliament needed to vote, and that Government could not invoke Article 50 without Parliament's approval. Whatever happens next, at least no-one will be able to say that Article 50 was triggered improperly and claim some sort of compensation from the State.
It also seems that a number of MPs will vote against approving this bill, which will lead to the triggering of Article 50. I think that is only right as well. The basis for that assertion is that the vote was nearly a 50-50 split. Almost the same number of people voted for Brexit as voted against it. There were also a number of people who could have voted but didn't, and when you take their numbers into account, only 37% of the electorate voted for Brexit.
On that basis, the claims by Tory MPs and others that they are enacting "the will of the people" seem bogus. The people who didn't vote either did not have enough information (or misinformation), or, perhaps they were just happy with the status quo, the way things were? I would argue that actually, with less than 40% of the electorate having voted for Brexit, we shouldn't be galloping towards the exit with such enthusiasm.
I think that the Tories, whether they voted remain or leave, see this as an opportunity to throw off the "shackles" of European legislation and regulation. But David Davis has claimed that workers' rights will be unaffected, and we are going to approach the WTO (World Trade Organisation) with exactly the same tariff schedule as we currently have under the EU umbrella. So if nothing is changing, what is the point of leaving? I believe that the Tories see this as a chance to have a "dynamic and thriving" economy, but if they are going to keep exactly the same conditions as we currently have, I'm not sure that I see the point. If, when they study the relevant bits of legislation, they decide that they'd like to keep those bits after all, because actually workers' rights and blue flags on beaches are the right thing to do, what is the point of leaving?
The "state" will have to increase in size, as well. All those monitoring and regulatory bodies which the EU currently maintains will have to be set up from scratch in the UK. We will have to increase the number of border guards and visa stampers currently employed. The annual national budget will have to go up to cover all the bureaucracy that we will have to manage, which was previously handled by the EU, or rendered unnecessary by our membership of the EU.
And this is all Cameron's and Farage's fault. Even if we make a success of Brexit, and there is a chance we might, there should be no argument over the fact that it will cost us money. The Brexit vote was offered to the people by Cameron to settle some internal Tory party wrangling, and he never thought that people would vote for it. So he never put in place the proper safeguards; that over 80% of the voting public had to vote, that >66% had to vote for Out, etc. And so Cameron and Farage should not receive any public honours - no knighthoods, no OBEs or CBEs, or similar. Cameron promised to take us through the Brexit negotiations, and as soon as it didn't go his way and it looked like there was a bit of hard work involved, he jacked it all in. Now, apparently, he is getting paid tens of thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of pounds for giving speeches. So Farage and Cameron have massively inconvenienced the country and shouldn't get any thanks or praise for what they've done.
I'd rather we didn't leave the EU, but then I've never known any different environment. We used to be outside the EU, and we got along perfectly well, so I don't see why we shouldn't do so again. Companies who are working on slim margins might go to the wall, and a large percentage of people may not interact with other European countries at all, so they won't feel the impact at all. But with the change in the exchange rate imports should get more expensive, and that will lead through to higher prices on the high street. My pension fund has increased a lot over the last few months, and that is because the stock market indices have gone up. But the stock market indices have gone up because £ Sterling is worth less than it was. If I was able to access the money in my pension now, the worst possible thing I could do would be to try and spend it overseas. Something that cost $100 in the US, would have cost me £69 last June (exchange rate £1 = $1.45) and today would cost me £80 (exchange rate £1 = $1.25). TW would love me to take her to the U.S. for a shopping trip, but if everything in the U.S. is suddenly 15% more expensive, due to the deteriorating exchange rate, then it is even more unlikely now than it was last May.
Anyway, I've blathered on for long enough. I do have another couple of thoughts, which I may note down separately.
TTFN
Friday 17-01-27 Cheap Fitbit Imitations
So we bought cheap Fitbit imitations, or I guess you could call them fitness trackers in their own right, for our daughters for Christmas. They were easy to set up, the girls have phones which they could use to download the designated app (except TY, who has a tablet), and they followed the instructions.
The trouble is that the time often goes wrong on these devices, and then you have to sync them back to the app, and in doing that the steps counter resets to zero, so if it gets to five p.m., say, and we've been out for a long walk, the girls are pleased that they've walked a lot, but in looking at their activity trackers, they notice that the time is wrong. So they sync, and lose their progress for the day.
One of them was so bad that I gave in and replaced it with a secondhand Fitbit Flex. It was secondhand off of eBay; it's not as "feature-rich" as TW's Charge HR, but it's a complete 100% improvement over the no-brand cheap imitations out there.
I am expecting to have to replace the activity trackers the other two have over the coming months, but I thought I would buy one a month to spread the cost. So what we thought was a nice Christmas gesture will probably turn out costing somewhere between £90-£100. But they are pretty good.
There are several models, other than Fitbits, which I would consider. The brands I'm keeping an eye on are Jawbone, they do one called UP24 which has had favourable reviews (I have a Jawbone earpiece, so I know they are good) and Xiaomi, who have produced the Miband. I have some of their headphones, so I believe they are reliable. Those are the ones I'd buy in my price range, I'm sure there are others (Nike, possibly?), but I'm planning to stay away from the no-brand types as, when it comes down to it, they are a false economy.
TTFN.
The trouble is that the time often goes wrong on these devices, and then you have to sync them back to the app, and in doing that the steps counter resets to zero, so if it gets to five p.m., say, and we've been out for a long walk, the girls are pleased that they've walked a lot, but in looking at their activity trackers, they notice that the time is wrong. So they sync, and lose their progress for the day.
One of them was so bad that I gave in and replaced it with a secondhand Fitbit Flex. It was secondhand off of eBay; it's not as "feature-rich" as TW's Charge HR, but it's a complete 100% improvement over the no-brand cheap imitations out there.
I am expecting to have to replace the activity trackers the other two have over the coming months, but I thought I would buy one a month to spread the cost. So what we thought was a nice Christmas gesture will probably turn out costing somewhere between £90-£100. But they are pretty good.
There are several models, other than Fitbits, which I would consider. The brands I'm keeping an eye on are Jawbone, they do one called UP24 which has had favourable reviews (I have a Jawbone earpiece, so I know they are good) and Xiaomi, who have produced the Miband. I have some of their headphones, so I believe they are reliable. Those are the ones I'd buy in my price range, I'm sure there are others (Nike, possibly?), but I'm planning to stay away from the no-brand types as, when it comes down to it, they are a false economy.
TTFN.
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Sunday 17-01-22 Rugby Morning
This morning TE practised with the U13 girls at Worthing Rugby Club. I took her, as TW was out last night and was still sleeping at 10am. We had expected that though, and planned for it. There was a gas leak along the A259 which I thought might slow us down, but as it was we were able to get to the ground in plenty of time. I dropped TE down to the area of the ground where the girls were gathering, and I went off to sample the facilities.
I've been to rugby mornings before and I was looking forward to a bacon roll and a tea or a coffee. As it was, they did have bacon butties, but I plumped for a sausage in a roll, smothered in mustard and brown sauce. It was very nice. And as I sat to eat it, and drink my coffee, I had this scenery to digest as well:
Sometimes life isn't so bad :). Sitting in the sun, watching kids train and learn the intricacies of rugby (something I never did), I thought that we're actually quite lucky, living the life we do.
I've been to rugby mornings before and I was looking forward to a bacon roll and a tea or a coffee. As it was, they did have bacon butties, but I plumped for a sausage in a roll, smothered in mustard and brown sauce. It was very nice. And as I sat to eat it, and drink my coffee, I had this scenery to digest as well:
Sometimes life isn't so bad :). Sitting in the sun, watching kids train and learn the intricacies of rugby (something I never did), I thought that we're actually quite lucky, living the life we do.
Sunday 17-01-22 Techno Lust and Consumerism
I have several ways of connecting to the internet and modern life, but recently it's just not enough. I yearn for a Microsoft Surface.
It would probably do exactly the same things as my current Windows laptop does, and I don't use the full functionality of that. I don't know all the apps and utilities which are available in the Microsoft Store, it's not something I check often. I've not bought into the Microsoft ecosystem in the same way I have with Android. The laptop we have in the sitting room is there to be used, but I prefer interacting with the chromebooks we have. Maybe that is the effect of Google and Chrome? But I yearn for a Microsoft Surface.
I can't afford a Microsoft Surface Pro 4; that's about £500 more than our family laptop cost two years ago. Or £450, to be more precise. So the best I would be able to afford is a first generation Microsoft Surface RT off of eBay. They go for about £80 or so, depending on their condition. But that is a device running RT, which isn't Windows 10 (which I quite like), so the app store may be slightly limited, the display is a standard 1366x768 - which may be okay on a 10" device - and I don't even have the first clue about the keyboard and whether that's any good. There is no guarantee that even if I picked up a bargain off of eBay that my yearning would be sated. It may feed my yearning, so that I end up selling a kidney to get my hands on a later version of the Surface, running "proper" Windows, with a more high definition display, and an i5 processor. And I do yearn for a Microsoft Surface.
Here is a picture of the main devices we have in our home currently:
[caption id="attachment_552" align="alignnone" width="300"]
My Devices[/caption]
I say main devices, because that doesn't include my phone, which I used to take the picture, TW's phone, the two phones belonging to TE and TMO, a back-up HTC One X which I don't use any more, a Lenovo 7" tablet which TY uses, and the original Samsung Galaxy Tab - which can also be used as a phone. And yet I yearn for a Microsoft Surface.
I probably wouldn't use all of its functionality, so I definitely wouldn't need an i5 or and i7 processor. I do a bit of surfing, and a bit of blogging. I check my bank balance and catch up on the news. I don't even watch iPlayer on the PC, although maybe I would with a more high definition screen? It's unlikely; I still buy CDs - I'm the sort of person who thinks TV shows should be watched on the TV. I think technology is leaping ahead of me, and I like to think that I'm quite tech-savvy. But I yearn for a Microsoft Surface.
And it's not like I have a choice of which of those devices I can use at any one time. Normally TE has snaffled one to watch Netflix in her cesspit of a room, and TMO has probably snaffled another to watch YouTube in some as yet undiscovered room upstairs. So often I have to use whatever is left. And yet, I do okay. It'll probably get worse as they get more homework and assignments which need to prepared on a computer, although they seem to be working with Google apps more these days, which means that I was wise to pick up the chromebooks. But I do yearn for a Microsoft Surface.
So, I can't afford one, and I wouldn't use it to its fullest. I have plenty of toys already, which I could probably do lots more with than I already do. And the children need feeding every now and then, so it's probably wiser to spend what we do have on food rather than a device which will just replicate what we already have. So I'm resigned to lusting over specs on Curry's website and believing my life would be better, if I just had more new tech in my life. And occasionally looking on eBay to see people snap up seemingly ridiculous bargains. I'll probably continue to yearn for a Microsoft Surface, but I'll just have to ensure that my yearning is unfulfilled...
It would probably do exactly the same things as my current Windows laptop does, and I don't use the full functionality of that. I don't know all the apps and utilities which are available in the Microsoft Store, it's not something I check often. I've not bought into the Microsoft ecosystem in the same way I have with Android. The laptop we have in the sitting room is there to be used, but I prefer interacting with the chromebooks we have. Maybe that is the effect of Google and Chrome? But I yearn for a Microsoft Surface.
I can't afford a Microsoft Surface Pro 4; that's about £500 more than our family laptop cost two years ago. Or £450, to be more precise. So the best I would be able to afford is a first generation Microsoft Surface RT off of eBay. They go for about £80 or so, depending on their condition. But that is a device running RT, which isn't Windows 10 (which I quite like), so the app store may be slightly limited, the display is a standard 1366x768 - which may be okay on a 10" device - and I don't even have the first clue about the keyboard and whether that's any good. There is no guarantee that even if I picked up a bargain off of eBay that my yearning would be sated. It may feed my yearning, so that I end up selling a kidney to get my hands on a later version of the Surface, running "proper" Windows, with a more high definition display, and an i5 processor. And I do yearn for a Microsoft Surface.
Here is a picture of the main devices we have in our home currently:
[caption id="attachment_552" align="alignnone" width="300"]
My Devices[/caption]I say main devices, because that doesn't include my phone, which I used to take the picture, TW's phone, the two phones belonging to TE and TMO, a back-up HTC One X which I don't use any more, a Lenovo 7" tablet which TY uses, and the original Samsung Galaxy Tab - which can also be used as a phone. And yet I yearn for a Microsoft Surface.
I probably wouldn't use all of its functionality, so I definitely wouldn't need an i5 or and i7 processor. I do a bit of surfing, and a bit of blogging. I check my bank balance and catch up on the news. I don't even watch iPlayer on the PC, although maybe I would with a more high definition screen? It's unlikely; I still buy CDs - I'm the sort of person who thinks TV shows should be watched on the TV. I think technology is leaping ahead of me, and I like to think that I'm quite tech-savvy. But I yearn for a Microsoft Surface.
And it's not like I have a choice of which of those devices I can use at any one time. Normally TE has snaffled one to watch Netflix in her cesspit of a room, and TMO has probably snaffled another to watch YouTube in some as yet undiscovered room upstairs. So often I have to use whatever is left. And yet, I do okay. It'll probably get worse as they get more homework and assignments which need to prepared on a computer, although they seem to be working with Google apps more these days, which means that I was wise to pick up the chromebooks. But I do yearn for a Microsoft Surface.
So, I can't afford one, and I wouldn't use it to its fullest. I have plenty of toys already, which I could probably do lots more with than I already do. And the children need feeding every now and then, so it's probably wiser to spend what we do have on food rather than a device which will just replicate what we already have. So I'm resigned to lusting over specs on Curry's website and believing my life would be better, if I just had more new tech in my life. And occasionally looking on eBay to see people snap up seemingly ridiculous bargains. I'll probably continue to yearn for a Microsoft Surface, but I'll just have to ensure that my yearning is unfulfilled...
Monday, January 16, 2017
Monday 17-01-16 Dryathlon
Here we are then, halfway through the month and I've not had a drink since I went to bed on New Year's Eve (which was really 1am on New Year's Day). It's not been too bad, although the Friday nights and Saturday nights have seemed longer and slower than normal. But then that might just be the sight of Gary Barlow's grinning fizzog looming out of the idiot box at me, giving me palpitations.
I did sign up to do Dryathlon via the Cancer Research website, but I'm not intending to raise funds, this is purely a personal thing. They sent me two of the beermats pictured above, as well as a "Dryathlete" wristband, and I'm feeling a little guilty about it. Maybe I'll donate £20 or something at the end of the month; after all, I will have not spent much more than that on wine and beer. But I wanted to make some sort of external statement, rather than just an unspoken promise to myself, which I could then pretend at some point was never made.
I've been wearing the wristband, although not in an ostentatious fashion. It's quite snug on my wrist and doesn't move about much at all, so even I don't see it.
I've also enjoyed not having a hangover, and feeling brighter more often. My sleep hasn't improved, but I think that's because I'm 45 rather than 25, and even if I am awake for an hour or two early doors, I tend not to feel so tired later during the day.
I did well in the Park Run on Saturday; despite not running mid-week, I managed my second-best time. I'd like to get a PB later in the month, but I think I will need to go out mid-week for that, and at the moment, it being January, it's bloody cold out there. Still, if it is dry tomorrow night, I may channel my inner Forrest and stretch my stumpy little legs.
We were moving a dresser yesterday, for reasons which were beyond me, TW likes to move furniture around at random times; it keeps us all on our toes, she thinks. Anyway, we had to empty it before moving it, and we came across our Christmas booze stash - all the bottles left over from Christmas we didn't have enough days to drink. I think I counted five bottles of red wine, three bottles of white wine, and a couple of bottles of prosecco... It's going to be a good February!
My only dilemma now is whether I stay up on January 31st until midnight to celebrate my month of sobriety with a glass or two, or I wait until the evening of the 1st February. I guess, since I drank into New Year's Day, that the month doesn't officially end until about 1am on 1st February, and I'm not sure that staying up until then and starting to drink at 1am is the wisest option - so I'll probably leave it.
TTFN.
Monday 17-01-16 Dryathlon
Here we are then, halfway through the month and I've not had a drink since I went to bed on New Year's Eve (which was really 1am on New Year's Day). It's not been too bad, although the Friday nights and Saturday nights have seemed longer and slower than normal. But then that might just be the sight of Gary Barlow's grinning fizzog looming out of the idiot box at me, giving me palpitations.
I did sign up to do Dryathlon via the Cancer Research website, but I'm not intending to raise funds, this is purely a personal thing. They sent me two of the beermats pictured above, as well as a "Dryathlete" wristband, and I'm feeling a little guilty about it. Maybe I'll donate £20 or something at the end of the month; after all, I will have not spent much more than that on wine and beer. But I wanted to make some sort of external statement, rather than just an unspoken promise to myself, which I could then pretend at some point was never made.
I've been wearing the wristband, although not in an ostentatious fashion. It's quite snug on my wrist and doesn't move about much at all, so even I don't see it.
I've also enjoyed not having a hangover, and feeling brighter more often. My sleep hasn't improved, but I think that's because I'm 45 rather than 25, and even if I am awake for an hour or two early doors, I tend not to feel so tired later during the day.
I did well in the Park Run on Saturday; despite not running mid-week, I managed my second-best time. I'd like to get a PB later in the month, but I think I will need to go out mid-week for that, and at the moment, it being January, it's bloody cold out there. Still, if it is dry tomorrow night, I may channel my inner Forrest and stretch my stumpy little legs.
We were moving a dresser yesterday, for reasons which were beyond me, TW likes to move furniture around at random times; it keeps us all on our toes, she thinks. Anyway, we had to empty it before moving it, and we came across our Christmas booze stash - all the bottles left over from Christmas we didn't have enough days to drink. I think I counted five bottles of red wine, three bottles of white wine, and a couple of bottles of prosecco... It's going to be a good February!
My only dilemma now is whether I stay up on January 31st until midnight to celebrate my month of sobriety with a glass or two, or I wait until the evening of the 1st February. I guess, since I drank into New Year's Day, that the month doesn't officially end until about 1am on 1st February, and I'm not sure that staying up until then and starting to drink at 1am is the wisest option - so I'll probably leave it.
TTFN.
Sunday, January 15, 2017
Sunday 17-01-14 Wet Saturday
Yesterday we started the day by Skyping Mum and wishing her Happy Birthday. She and Dad are in Singapore visiting my sister and her family, which is nice, especially when the weather in the UK is so dreary at the moment.
Then it was the Park Run, obviously, it being a Saturday morning. I did okay, I finished in 29:01, which is my second best time. Apparently I have managed it in 28:14 once, but I am sure that was an anomaly and they got it wrong that week. It was dry for the Park Run and TW also did well, coming close to her PB (personal best) time. TE wanted a slushie but the machine wasn't working at Splashpoint, so TW offered to make her a hot chocolate when we got home. TE agreed, surprisingly, and so we stopped and bought some squirty cream from Tesco Express at the Worthing rail crossing on the way home. We also picked up some halloumi and as soon as we got home, TW started frying that as a snack / late breakfast for the girls. Then she went out to pick up some clothes & deliver some make-up, while I washed.
I was looking forward to a lazy day from there, but TW had other ideas. She was on the go pretty much all morning and then suggested we go out for a walk. The girls protested but I could see that they needed some fresh air; the youngest two had been glued to YouTube all morning and were beginning to mong out. They did suggest Woods Mill, but couldn't all agree, and eventually we plumped for Southwater. That was a nice compromise, I thought, because it's quite a relaxing park but most of the paths are paved, and so we wouldn't end up getting unnecessarily muddy.
I didn't count on the rain though. Although it was dry when we left home, by the time we got there, it was raining, and it didn't stop. It was an okay walk, and the girls got their fresh air and some exercise on the climbing frames in the park. Everything was wet though, so playing on the swings and slides was out of the question.
We stopped at McDonalds Buck Barn on the way home, initially for a snack, "something off the 99p menu" TW said, but when we got in the girls asked for more substantial eats, and so they had burgers and fries, and I had some Nuggets and a Quarter Pounder with cheese. It was 4pm by this time, and TW realised that we were planning to have burgers for dinner, which wasn't going to work any more. The girls ended up having a snack at about 18:30 and that seemed to sate them.
Then it was an evening of crap telly; the Gary Barlow vehicle Let It Shine, which seems more kindly-spirited than X Factor, but is limited to men only, and then The Voice on ITV, which I think comes in second place, but that is due to its familiarity. The Barlow show is a suppose a retread of the previous talent search How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, which of course was limited to women only. But the whole show (Let It Shine) acts as a big advert for the forthcoming musical, which isn't the precise story of Take That, but is based on their story, and incorporates the music of Take That. So Barlow is being paid to appear in a show which promotes a musical which he has written, which contains songs for which he will receive royalties. That sounds like a nice little earner.
And then it was bedtime, and I slept.
Then it was the Park Run, obviously, it being a Saturday morning. I did okay, I finished in 29:01, which is my second best time. Apparently I have managed it in 28:14 once, but I am sure that was an anomaly and they got it wrong that week. It was dry for the Park Run and TW also did well, coming close to her PB (personal best) time. TE wanted a slushie but the machine wasn't working at Splashpoint, so TW offered to make her a hot chocolate when we got home. TE agreed, surprisingly, and so we stopped and bought some squirty cream from Tesco Express at the Worthing rail crossing on the way home. We also picked up some halloumi and as soon as we got home, TW started frying that as a snack / late breakfast for the girls. Then she went out to pick up some clothes & deliver some make-up, while I washed.
I was looking forward to a lazy day from there, but TW had other ideas. She was on the go pretty much all morning and then suggested we go out for a walk. The girls protested but I could see that they needed some fresh air; the youngest two had been glued to YouTube all morning and were beginning to mong out. They did suggest Woods Mill, but couldn't all agree, and eventually we plumped for Southwater. That was a nice compromise, I thought, because it's quite a relaxing park but most of the paths are paved, and so we wouldn't end up getting unnecessarily muddy.
I didn't count on the rain though. Although it was dry when we left home, by the time we got there, it was raining, and it didn't stop. It was an okay walk, and the girls got their fresh air and some exercise on the climbing frames in the park. Everything was wet though, so playing on the swings and slides was out of the question.
We stopped at McDonalds Buck Barn on the way home, initially for a snack, "something off the 99p menu" TW said, but when we got in the girls asked for more substantial eats, and so they had burgers and fries, and I had some Nuggets and a Quarter Pounder with cheese. It was 4pm by this time, and TW realised that we were planning to have burgers for dinner, which wasn't going to work any more. The girls ended up having a snack at about 18:30 and that seemed to sate them.
Then it was an evening of crap telly; the Gary Barlow vehicle Let It Shine, which seems more kindly-spirited than X Factor, but is limited to men only, and then The Voice on ITV, which I think comes in second place, but that is due to its familiarity. The Barlow show is a suppose a retread of the previous talent search How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, which of course was limited to women only. But the whole show (Let It Shine) acts as a big advert for the forthcoming musical, which isn't the precise story of Take That, but is based on their story, and incorporates the music of Take That. So Barlow is being paid to appear in a show which promotes a musical which he has written, which contains songs for which he will receive royalties. That sounds like a nice little earner.
And then it was bedtime, and I slept.
Sunday 17-01-14 Wet Saturday
Yesterday we started the day by Skyping Mum and wishing her Happy Birthday. She and Dad are in Singapore visiting my sister and her family, which is nice, especially when the weather in the UK is so dreary at the moment.
Then it was the Park Run, obviously, it being a Saturday morning. I did okay, I finished in 29:01, which is my second best time. Apparently I have managed it in 28:14 once, but I am sure that was an anomaly and they got it wrong that week. It was dry for the Park Run and TW also did well, coming close to her PB (personal best) time. TE wanted a slushie but the machine wasn't working at Splashpoint, so TW offered to make her a hot chocolate when we got home. TE agreed, surprisingly, and so we stopped and bought some squirty cream from Tesco Express at the Worthing rail crossing on the way home. We also picked up some halloumi and as soon as we got home, TW started frying that as a snack / late breakfast for the girls. Then she went out to pick up some clothes & deliver some make-up, while I washed.
I was looking forward to a lazy day from there, but TW had other ideas. She was on the go pretty much all morning and then suggested we go out for a walk. The girls protested but I could see that they needed some fresh air; the youngest two had been glued to YouTube all morning and were beginning to mong out. They did suggest Woods Mill, but couldn't all agree, and eventually we plumped for Southwater. That was a nice compromise, I thought, because it's quite a relaxing park but most of the paths are paved, and so we wouldn't end up getting unnecessarily muddy.
I didn't count on the rain though. Although it was dry when we left home, by the time we got there, it was raining, and it didn't stop. It was an okay walk, and the girls got their fresh air and some exercise on the climbing frames in the park. Everything was wet though, so playing on the swings and slides was out of the question.
We stopped at McDonalds Buck Barn on the way home, initially for a snack, "something off the 99p menu" TW said, but when we got in the girls asked for more substantial eats, and so they had burgers and fries, and I had some Nuggets and a Quarter Pounder with cheese. It was 4pm by this time, and TW realised that we were planning to have burgers for dinner, which wasn't going to work any more. The girls ended up having a snack at about 18:30 and that seemed to sate them.
Then it was an evening of crap telly; the Gary Barlow vehicle Let It Shine, which seems more kindly-spirited than X Factor, but is limited to men only, and then The Voice on ITV, which I think comes in second place, but that is due to its familiarity. The Barlow show is a suppose a retread of the previous talent search How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, which of course was limited to women only. But the whole show (Let It Shine) acts as a big advert for the forthcoming musical, which isn't the precise story of Take That, but is based on their story, and incorporates the music of Take That. So Barlow is being paid to appear in a show which promotes a musical which he has written, which contains songs for which he will receive royalties. That sounds like a nice little earner.
And then it was bedtime, and I slept.
Then it was the Park Run, obviously, it being a Saturday morning. I did okay, I finished in 29:01, which is my second best time. Apparently I have managed it in 28:14 once, but I am sure that was an anomaly and they got it wrong that week. It was dry for the Park Run and TW also did well, coming close to her PB (personal best) time. TE wanted a slushie but the machine wasn't working at Splashpoint, so TW offered to make her a hot chocolate when we got home. TE agreed, surprisingly, and so we stopped and bought some squirty cream from Tesco Express at the Worthing rail crossing on the way home. We also picked up some halloumi and as soon as we got home, TW started frying that as a snack / late breakfast for the girls. Then she went out to pick up some clothes & deliver some make-up, while I washed.
I was looking forward to a lazy day from there, but TW had other ideas. She was on the go pretty much all morning and then suggested we go out for a walk. The girls protested but I could see that they needed some fresh air; the youngest two had been glued to YouTube all morning and were beginning to mong out. They did suggest Woods Mill, but couldn't all agree, and eventually we plumped for Southwater. That was a nice compromise, I thought, because it's quite a relaxing park but most of the paths are paved, and so we wouldn't end up getting unnecessarily muddy.
I didn't count on the rain though. Although it was dry when we left home, by the time we got there, it was raining, and it didn't stop. It was an okay walk, and the girls got their fresh air and some exercise on the climbing frames in the park. Everything was wet though, so playing on the swings and slides was out of the question.
We stopped at McDonalds Buck Barn on the way home, initially for a snack, "something off the 99p menu" TW said, but when we got in the girls asked for more substantial eats, and so they had burgers and fries, and I had some Nuggets and a Quarter Pounder with cheese. It was 4pm by this time, and TW realised that we were planning to have burgers for dinner, which wasn't going to work any more. The girls ended up having a snack at about 18:30 and that seemed to sate them.
Then it was an evening of crap telly; the Gary Barlow vehicle Let It Shine, which seems more kindly-spirited than X Factor, but is limited to men only, and then The Voice on ITV, which I think comes in second place, but that is due to its familiarity. The Barlow show is a suppose a retread of the previous talent search How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, which of course was limited to women only. But the whole show (Let It Shine) acts as a big advert for the forthcoming musical, which isn't the precise story of Take That, but is based on their story, and incorporates the music of Take That. So Barlow is being paid to appear in a show which promotes a musical which he has written, which contains songs for which he will receive royalties. That sounds like a nice little earner.
And then it was bedtime, and I slept.
Wednesday, January 04, 2017
Wednesday 17-01-04 The Dentist
I had to go back to the dentist today. I had a check-up on my last working day of 2016, and he told me I needed a filling. I agreed to have it immediately but unfortunately it was in one of my back teeth and it felt like he was drilling into my head. He gave me some anaesthetic, but I could still feel the drilling, it was still painful. I think the air blowing across my sensitive teeth didn't help much either, but probably the main agent fighting the anaesthetic was the alcohol in the cans of beer I drank the night before. He managed to drill nearly halfway to the fissure that needed cleaning out and filling, and gave me some more anaesthetic, but it wasn't working. Eventually he gave up, filled in the hole with a temporary filling, and asked me to come back.
So for the Christmas period I was quietly dreading my return visit to the dentist, hoping that I would be able to handle the filling. I pootled down there today and sat in the chair, and again I took the anaesthetic. He drilled and it was painful again, but I think I was managing okay. The dentist realised though that it was the machinery (the drill and the air) which was the issue, and so he abandoned those and carried on with just a scraper. He got into the fissure and cleaned it, and then filled it. I was pleased he was able to complete the filling, and pleased that I didn't need to have a general anaesthetic or something along those lines.
Of course my mouth was numb for the rest of the afternoon, but that is it for another six months. I will be using floss and interdental sticks a lot more than I have been. Hopefully I can avoid another filling for another couple of years...
Tuesday 17-01-03 An Unplanned Day
Today we didn't have much on until T texted and asked if we were free. We had to write cards for the branch of the family tree living in Singapore since M&P were flying at about seven pm. They were setting off at one pm and obviously had to be there a couple of hours early, and they had to take into account the crap service that Southern like to call a functioning railway.
I cycled over with the girls, on our first cycle ride of the year. It was a bit icy but the girls were careful and we got there in one piece. We handed over the cards and Mum gave us a cup of tea and some tomatoes in return. Then we wished them safe travels, and headed back.
Tyrone arrived and we decided to go to Food; it was what the girls wanted. It was very nice as always; at least I didn't order the wrong thing this time. I kept it simple with steak frites, and followed that with an almond and amaretto crème brulée. TW expressed dismay that I didn't offer her the first bite, but I wanted to taste it, and it was my pudding. So unfortunately, she had to wait. She did get two mouthfuls though, so she did okay by the end.
Then for dinner TW was planning to make a chicken chow mein, but Ty decided he wanted to go to KFC, and so we had a takeaway bucket for dinner. The chicken was nice but the fries were horrible, in my opinion; limp, cold and tasteless. However, the saving grace was the gravy KFC provided - it was delicious and thick, and covered the shortcomings of the fries.
Ty headed off after the girls went to sleep and we finished off the day with an episode of Suits. I worked out that the prison psychiatrist is the same actor who used to be Theo Huxtable in the Cosby Show, and I was pretty pleased with myself for that. I wasn't really prepared to go back to work, but I fell asleep pretty quickly.
I cycled over with the girls, on our first cycle ride of the year. It was a bit icy but the girls were careful and we got there in one piece. We handed over the cards and Mum gave us a cup of tea and some tomatoes in return. Then we wished them safe travels, and headed back.
Tyrone arrived and we decided to go to Food; it was what the girls wanted. It was very nice as always; at least I didn't order the wrong thing this time. I kept it simple with steak frites, and followed that with an almond and amaretto crème brulée. TW expressed dismay that I didn't offer her the first bite, but I wanted to taste it, and it was my pudding. So unfortunately, she had to wait. She did get two mouthfuls though, so she did okay by the end.
Then for dinner TW was planning to make a chicken chow mein, but Ty decided he wanted to go to KFC, and so we had a takeaway bucket for dinner. The chicken was nice but the fries were horrible, in my opinion; limp, cold and tasteless. However, the saving grace was the gravy KFC provided - it was delicious and thick, and covered the shortcomings of the fries.
Ty headed off after the girls went to sleep and we finished off the day with an episode of Suits. I worked out that the prison psychiatrist is the same actor who used to be Theo Huxtable in the Cosby Show, and I was pretty pleased with myself for that. I wasn't really prepared to go back to work, but I fell asleep pretty quickly.
Wednesday 17-01-04 The Dentist
I had to go back to the dentist today. I had a check-up on my last working day of 2016, and he told me I needed a filling. I agreed to have it immediately but unfortunately it was in one of my back teeth and it felt like he was drilling into my head. He gave me some anaesthetic, but I could still feel the drilling, it was still painful. I think the air blowing across my sensitive teeth didn't help much either, but probably the main agent fighting the anaesthetic was the alcohol in the cans of beer I drank the night before. He managed to drill nearly halfway to the fissure that needed cleaning out and filling, and gave me some more anaesthetic, but it wasn't working. Eventually he gave up, filled in the hole with a temporary filling, and asked me to come back.
So for the Christmas period I was quietly dreading my return visit to the dentist, hoping that I would be able to handle the filling. I pootled down there today and sat in the chair, and again I took the anaesthetic. He drilled and it was painful again, but I think I was managing okay. The dentist realised though that it was the machinery (the drill and the air) which was the issue, and so he abandoned those and carried on with just a scraper. He got into the fissure and cleaned it, and then filled it. I was pleased he was able to complete the filling, and pleased that I didn't need to have a general anaesthetic or something along those lines.
Of course my mouth was numb for the rest of the afternoon, but that is it for another six months. I will be using floss and interdental sticks a lot more than I have been. Hopefully I can avoid another filling for another couple of years...
Tuesday 17-01-03 An Unplanned Day
Today we didn't have much on until T texted and asked if we were free. We had to write cards for the branch of the family tree living in Singapore since M&P were flying at about seven pm. They were setting off at one pm and obviously had to be there a couple of hours early, and they had to take into account the crap service that Southern like to call a functioning railway.
I cycled over with the girls, on our first cycle ride of the year. It was a bit icy but the girls were careful and we got there in one piece. We handed over the cards and Mum gave us a cup of tea and some tomatoes in return. Then we wished them safe travels, and headed back.
Tyrone arrived and we decided to go to Food; it was what the girls wanted. It was very nice as always; at least I didn't order the wrong thing this time. I kept it simple with steak frites, and followed that with an almond and amaretto crème brulée. TW expressed dismay that I didn't offer her the first bite, but I wanted to taste it, and it was my pudding. So unfortunately, she had to wait. She did get two mouthfuls though, so she did okay by the end.
Then for dinner TW was planning to make a chicken chow mein, but Ty decided he wanted to go to KFC, and so we had a takeaway bucket for dinner. The chicken was nice but the fries were horrible, in my opinion; limp, cold and tasteless. However, the saving grace was the gravy KFC provided - it was delicious and thick, and covered the shortcomings of the fries.
Ty headed off after the girls went to sleep and we finished off the day with an episode of Suits. I worked out that the prison psychiatrist is the same actor who used to be Theo Huxtable in the Cosby Show, and I was pretty pleased with myself for that. I wasn't really prepared to go back to work, but I fell asleep pretty quickly.
I cycled over with the girls, on our first cycle ride of the year. It was a bit icy but the girls were careful and we got there in one piece. We handed over the cards and Mum gave us a cup of tea and some tomatoes in return. Then we wished them safe travels, and headed back.
Tyrone arrived and we decided to go to Food; it was what the girls wanted. It was very nice as always; at least I didn't order the wrong thing this time. I kept it simple with steak frites, and followed that with an almond and amaretto crème brulée. TW expressed dismay that I didn't offer her the first bite, but I wanted to taste it, and it was my pudding. So unfortunately, she had to wait. She did get two mouthfuls though, so she did okay by the end.
Then for dinner TW was planning to make a chicken chow mein, but Ty decided he wanted to go to KFC, and so we had a takeaway bucket for dinner. The chicken was nice but the fries were horrible, in my opinion; limp, cold and tasteless. However, the saving grace was the gravy KFC provided - it was delicious and thick, and covered the shortcomings of the fries.
Ty headed off after the girls went to sleep and we finished off the day with an episode of Suits. I worked out that the prison psychiatrist is the same actor who used to be Theo Huxtable in the Cosby Show, and I was pretty pleased with myself for that. I wasn't really prepared to go back to work, but I fell asleep pretty quickly.
Monday, January 02, 2017
Monday 17-01-01 I A New Year
...and relax. The decorations are down, and things have returned to normal. The bacchanalian urges which have been driving us to dive into a sea of hedonism and consumerism have abated again, and we'll probably hibernate now for a month or so. The weather yesterday was quite appropriate; it was raining pretty much all day and it became heavier in the evening.
I am considering becoming a Dryathlete for the month. That was on the cards even before I woke up with a dry mouth and a blurry memory this morning, and even before the festive season started. Maybe now I'm back running, I can properly shape up. But I've made starts before and never seen them through and they do say that madness is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.
On Saturday we made it to the Park Run and made some space for the prosecco I drank later. We popped over to Angmering to see the GiL, and it seems that she's had visitors - she was drinking wine, so someone must have brought it to her. We didn't stay long, she seemed okay but a bit fed up, as she is liable to be these days. She is going to be 98 in February, and she just sits in her chair, drinking wine and not really talking to anyone or having any stimulus except the TV. I'd be fed up in her shoes. But she won't accept any help, so it's best not to offer or make suggestions - she'll just ignore them.
We saw the New Year in with friends, at a house party. I had a lovely time, and then bailed at about 1am. TW and the girls were going strong though, and didn't get to bed until 4am. Yesterday was obviously a slow day, and we didn't get up to much - except, of course, we went ice skating (or the kids did) at the Worthing Ice Rink. They enjoyed it I think, and it was fairly quiet too, which was good for them. TY complained at the start that she wanted a penguin, which is a kind of stabiliser / skating aid, but within five minutes she was zooming around with the best of them. I was a little disappointed that we, the grown-ups, didn't go on, but I was still pretty wiped out from the New Year's Eve festivities.
Happy New Year all, and I hope that you have a good 2017.
I am considering becoming a Dryathlete for the month. That was on the cards even before I woke up with a dry mouth and a blurry memory this morning, and even before the festive season started. Maybe now I'm back running, I can properly shape up. But I've made starts before and never seen them through and they do say that madness is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.
On Saturday we made it to the Park Run and made some space for the prosecco I drank later. We popped over to Angmering to see the GiL, and it seems that she's had visitors - she was drinking wine, so someone must have brought it to her. We didn't stay long, she seemed okay but a bit fed up, as she is liable to be these days. She is going to be 98 in February, and she just sits in her chair, drinking wine and not really talking to anyone or having any stimulus except the TV. I'd be fed up in her shoes. But she won't accept any help, so it's best not to offer or make suggestions - she'll just ignore them.
We saw the New Year in with friends, at a house party. I had a lovely time, and then bailed at about 1am. TW and the girls were going strong though, and didn't get to bed until 4am. Yesterday was obviously a slow day, and we didn't get up to much - except, of course, we went ice skating (or the kids did) at the Worthing Ice Rink. They enjoyed it I think, and it was fairly quiet too, which was good for them. TY complained at the start that she wanted a penguin, which is a kind of stabiliser / skating aid, but within five minutes she was zooming around with the best of them. I was a little disappointed that we, the grown-ups, didn't go on, but I was still pretty wiped out from the New Year's Eve festivities.
Happy New Year all, and I hope that you have a good 2017.
Monday 17-01-01 I A New Year
...and relax. The decorations are down, and things have returned to normal. The bacchanalian urges which have been driving us to dive into a sea of hedonism and consumerism have abated again, and we'll probably hibernate now for a month or so. The weather yesterday was quite appropriate; it was raining pretty much all day and it became heavier in the evening.
I am considering becoming a Dryathlete for the month. That was on the cards even before I woke up with a dry mouth and a blurry memory this morning, and even before the festive season started. Maybe now I'm back running, I can properly shape up. But I've made starts before and never seen them through and they do say that madness is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.
On Saturday we made it to the Park Run and made some space for the prosecco I drank later. We popped over to Angmering to see the GiL, and it seems that she's had visitors - she was drinking wine, so someone must have brought it to her. We didn't stay long, she seemed okay but a bit fed up, as she is liable to be these days. She is going to be 98 in February, and she just sits in her chair, drinking wine and not really talking to anyone or having any stimulus except the TV. I'd be fed up in her shoes. But she won't accept any help, so it's best not to offer or make suggestions - she'll just ignore them.
We saw the New Year in with friends, at a house party. I had a lovely time, and then bailed at about 1am. TW and the girls were going strong though, and didn't get to bed until 4am. Yesterday was obviously a slow day, and we didn't get up to much - except, of course, we went ice skating (or the kids did) at the Worthing Ice Rink. They enjoyed it I think, and it was fairly quiet too, which was good for them. TY complained at the start that she wanted a penguin, which is a kind of stabiliser / skating aid, but within five minutes she was zooming around with the best of them. I was a little disappointed that we, the grown-ups, didn't go on, but I was still pretty wiped out from the New Year's Eve festivities.
Happy New Year all, and I hope that you have a good 2017.
I am considering becoming a Dryathlete for the month. That was on the cards even before I woke up with a dry mouth and a blurry memory this morning, and even before the festive season started. Maybe now I'm back running, I can properly shape up. But I've made starts before and never seen them through and they do say that madness is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.
On Saturday we made it to the Park Run and made some space for the prosecco I drank later. We popped over to Angmering to see the GiL, and it seems that she's had visitors - she was drinking wine, so someone must have brought it to her. We didn't stay long, she seemed okay but a bit fed up, as she is liable to be these days. She is going to be 98 in February, and she just sits in her chair, drinking wine and not really talking to anyone or having any stimulus except the TV. I'd be fed up in her shoes. But she won't accept any help, so it's best not to offer or make suggestions - she'll just ignore them.
We saw the New Year in with friends, at a house party. I had a lovely time, and then bailed at about 1am. TW and the girls were going strong though, and didn't get to bed until 4am. Yesterday was obviously a slow day, and we didn't get up to much - except, of course, we went ice skating (or the kids did) at the Worthing Ice Rink. They enjoyed it I think, and it was fairly quiet too, which was good for them. TY complained at the start that she wanted a penguin, which is a kind of stabiliser / skating aid, but within five minutes she was zooming around with the best of them. I was a little disappointed that we, the grown-ups, didn't go on, but I was still pretty wiped out from the New Year's Eve festivities.
Happy New Year all, and I hope that you have a good 2017.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Saturday 16-12-31 II A Day with Friends
Yesterday we spent the afternoon with C&J, friends who live in Hailsham. The weather was awful; it was horribly foggy on the way over, and even worse on the way back. The time we spent there was lovely, it's always relaxed with them. TW has known them since her uni days, which is ~20 years, so half a lifetime. TW & J went off for a bit of charity shopping in town and I had a nap. The children played nicely and I think all in all a good day was had.
We travelled home in the dark and the fog; the weather was so bad that the Brighton game was cancelled, and the Reading game was called off after 50 minutes - I think the whole of the South of England was shrouded in fog and mist.
I did okay with the few bets I made last night, but hope to do better in the next couple of days. We finished watching Tyrant, which was thrilling - it is a shame it's not going to be picked up for a fourth series.
We travelled home in the dark and the fog; the weather was so bad that the Brighton game was cancelled, and the Reading game was called off after 50 minutes - I think the whole of the South of England was shrouded in fog and mist.
I did okay with the few bets I made last night, but hope to do better in the next couple of days. We finished watching Tyrant, which was thrilling - it is a shame it's not going to be picked up for a fourth series.
Saturday 16-12-31 I Skate Park & Star Wars
Thursday saw the girls wanting to go to the Skate Park to try out their new scooters. Unfortunately it was very wet and so the scooters kept slipping out from underneath them - TMO fell over several times and has a nice bruise on her thigh; she was certainly feeling that on the way home. It was a bit of a dreary day to be honest, weather-wise, and without their friends to play with, I don't think the skate park held the same appeal. They went over to the play park after a while, but what with the fog and the damp, the slides and swings were all wet and unusable really. We did bump into G & E who had their kids there, and it was good to see them; I think the last time I saw them was when we were camping.
We'll need to go back when it's a bit drier...
In the afternoon TW & the girls went to Chichester to see Peter Pan. I don't think it was quite a panto, but it was good, according to TW's post-match report. So I took the opportunity to go and see Rogue One, the new Star Wars film. It was brilliant, had all the elements I expected to see. And it was long... No spoilers, since it is quite new, but overall very enjoyable.
We'll need to go back when it's a bit drier...
In the afternoon TW & the girls went to Chichester to see Peter Pan. I don't think it was quite a panto, but it was good, according to TW's post-match report. So I took the opportunity to go and see Rogue One, the new Star Wars film. It was brilliant, had all the elements I expected to see. And it was long... No spoilers, since it is quite new, but overall very enjoyable.
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