Monthly Archives: January 2008

Frank Field spoke softly and precisely. Yesterday, amid the frantic explanations, he provided a reality check. He said that MPs, as a whole, were not held in the highest esteem. “It is difficult to think how much lower our collective … Continue reading →

Regular readers will doubtless recall the excitement here when our kettle died on December 30th 2006. Aren’t blogs wonderful, they provide such a great record of these kind of milestones in our lives, don’t they. Anyway, another year, another ****ing … Continue reading →

This morning on the motorway in a traffic jam, the man in the car next to me wound down his window and shouted at me. This was really rather kind of him, as what he was shouting was that Small’s … Continue reading →

a mercedes benz Now I know why you might want one! Driving to work this morning was an experience I didn’t relish – the gears were hard work, my arm was aching by the time I got there, and I’d … Continue reading →

in no particular order. Starts with view from the villa, easily the closest we’ve ever been to the centre, and yet still utterly peaceful. ­   You’ve also got children eating – very much a feature of the week. In … Continue reading →

While at centerparcs, I had plenty of time to think and pplwatch, sitting in 6 inches of water as Small plodged about. One of the paddling pool areas has a built in sandpit, and I got to watch a number … Continue reading →

plutocracy: a controlling class of the wealthy Good article in the grauniad

Well, nearly a week. We’ve had a lovely break in Centerparcs with the beans. I’ve yet to find my camera to share shots, but I have pics of crafts, meals and chatting, though none of the swimming that we did. … Continue reading →

nature in the form of little boys round here anyway. I tidied up the table, cleaned the floor under it, hoovered the rug (with Big’s help) and hoovered the ceiling (can you tell my tax return is due?). Then I … Continue reading →

and shedloads to do, so consequently, a nice motivational list Washing (one load drying, one load to put away, one load in, another to go throughnow one load through and hung up to dry, two loads to put away and … Continue reading →

that’s how I ended the day, with Johnny Cash and June Carter. Walk the Line – I like country music, have a fair bit of it around the place, but I’d never really heard the story of Johnny Cash before, … Continue reading →

One more day and then I’m off for a week. I’m technically on emergency support cover Sat and Sun for a colleague currently setting up a new installation in Abu Dhabi, but I’m hopeful that that will be a very … Continue reading →

Big had a good birthday. She liked her box of bits this morning, and dressed in her new skirt and some new tights. Her present from E at school was very well received, unsurprisingly as she adores him (and it … Continue reading →

to my darling 8 year old girl Have spent the evening putting together pictures for her birthday walk, and gathering the bits of her present from hiding places around the house. (And have just realised have broken with tradition and … Continue reading →

Or some such. Today the children have watched Muzzy in Mandarin, although Small was convinced it was French. (I wonder if French, in his mind, just means anything that doesn’t sound like English?) Anyway, Big has figured out that Nee-ha … Continue reading →

We went out to a pub this afternoon to celebrate my mother’s birthday. (We also sang for Big, b’day due this week.) Small took along Muzzy (the green cuddly monster toy, rather than the cds/dvds) and Donkey (an irritating small … Continue reading →

Tim got back a lot later than planned Friday evening (something to do with traffic jams at Grantham) so I’d already taken Big over to Barbara’s for E’s birthday. Small was very pleased to have daddy to himself, and even … Continue reading →

Had a week in Suffolk after delivering Lily to university – my father is very ill, and slipping. I love Suffolk, and I was very well taken care of by my brother and sister-in-law while I was there, lots of … Continue reading →

listening to Season’s End: Remastered. Very mellow, a little sad. Suits the mood. It hasn’t been a good start to the year so far, what with all that is going on. Sympathies to anyone else having a tough time too. … Continue reading →

as I really ought to be in bed. Very tired after another bad night last night – could have been the wind, but whatever it was, didn’t sleep well. Anyways, usual journey to work, by which you can assume that … Continue reading →