Holiday Part Deux

Well it's been a hectic week. We've been to Tesco - again! I know, it's astounding. We even had lunch there. Which was pretty shit if I'm honest.

There have been a couple of more interesting excursions though. Astute observers will have noticed that I bought a camera a few days ago, something I obviously didn't do in Singleton. I can now exclusively reveal that we went to Chichester for the day. It was nice. After a bit of aimless wandering we had lunch in a Weatherspoons where Phoebe discovered that she is very fond of chips! She gets that from her mother.

The next day we took Phoebe on her first swimming trip. Not entirely sure what she made of the experience, she didn't look sad or happy. The entire thing seemed to be a total non-event as far as she was concerned. Unlike showering and getting dressed again afterwards which was a bit fraught. Even with two of us to juggle her it was still really difficult and she got very hot and miserable.

Today we went to sculpture and insect world where I got plenty of opportunities to use my new camera. Unfortunately we'd been out for lunch and then kept Phoebe up instead of sensibly going back to the cottage and putting her to bed (which would have meant not going to SAIW of course) and she was really tired and upset. I ended up (literally) running round the forest on my own (it's 24 acres) taking pictures of as many of the sculptures as I could while Hayley sat and waited in the car with her. It was a bit of shame for Hayley, I think she'd have really enjoyed it if she'd had the chance. It was also a bit of shame for my wallet as it costs £10 to get in and I can't really say she got her money's worth. Anyway, if I ever get around to it, you will be able to see the fruits of my photographic labour here at some point.

Digital Photography Adventures

Just upgraded my photography equipment to a DSLR with the purchase of a Sony a350. Bit of a step into the unknown as I know nothing about 'proper' photography, fortunately one of my birthday presents was an Amazon voucher so I can see a few Idiots Guide to DSLRs coming my way fairly soon. Luckily the quick start guide only has four steps - set the dial to auto, view through the screen, half press the shutter button to focus, fully depress to shoot. I think I can cope with that!

Holiday Part Un

Well it's the end of an action packed day, yes, days end pretty early at the moment. We went to... Tesco! I know, unbelievable. We did almost manage a full-on Wray family expedition when the the Sat Nav sent us off a on a 15 mile detour down a dual carriage way just to get us to the next exit further along on the roundabout we had been on in the first place. Personally I'd have preferred to just go round a few more yards, but Nora knows best. By the time we realised what had happened we were stuck and had to take the entire detour. Our day would have been complete if had been shut when we got there but sadly it wasn't.

Phoebs is a bit reluctant to go to bed, we're not sure why, could be teeth, could be that it's a strange place. Fingers crossed she gets used to it.

Teeth Teeth We Want More Teeth

All the girls are cheering
Get the effing teeth in

Phoebe's round is it? I'll have two upper lateral incisors thanks.

The Breakfast Song

In keeping with family tradition, I have composed a song to be sung at breakfast to Phoebe. Traditionalists will no doubt complain that it actually rhymes and the words fit with the tune. But sod 'em.



The Breakfast Song (you can guess the tune for yourself)

Phoebe, Phoebe come for your breakfast do
I'm half crazy picking up toast for you
I won't think that you're a nutter
When you smear your face with butter
But you'll be there
In your highchair
With your toothy smile shining through

Another Decade Exits Stage Left

So my thirties have made a graceful, if inevitable, exit stage left and my forties have shuffled in from the right. Got some good presents though, I'm especially looking forward to charging round Thruxton in a Ferrari F-430. Hope I don't crash it. My groovy book reader is doing sterling work already, I've read the latest China Mieville and really enjoyed it, I'm currently working on Harry Ramsden 10, with 11 waiting in the wings.

I was wondering if I'd feel any different now I'm, gulp, forty. And the answer of course is not in the slightest. After all I'm only a day older than I was when I was thirty nine. If anything I feel better now than I did when I was thirty, I'm certainly a lot fitter and stronger (thanks CrossFit and Kettlebells, with an honourable mention to Ross Enamait) so that's not an issue. I suppose the future is a lot more uncertain and of course I have a daughter to worry about too, but that would be the case whatever age I happened to be, so I can't blame that on being forty either.

So, that's about it really, with the stage makeup on my forties look very like my thirties...

Holiday Time

Last day of slogging round the M25 for a whole week. Hurrah!

Have been given a laptop and a 3G card by work so I should be able to blog about all the exciting things we get up to over the next few days in Sunny Singleton, like... Well... Anyway, I'm sure there will be something. Phoebe's teething again so if nothing else that should add some spice to the week.