Running??

Do not know why but when I woke up this morning I decided to go for a run. I cannot remember the last time I did this, must be years ago. Anyone who remembers me in the forces knows that PT was something I avoided like the plague.
So I went downstairs grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and went straight out before I changed my mind. All Karen heard was the front door shutting behind me.
Mistake number one at the bottom of the road I turned right. Skitta Hill, it is a bugger of a hill and seems to go on for ever.

Skitta Hill it still does not show the gradient but its like 45 degrees


But one thing I found was that all the cobwebs seemed to blow away and after two miles or so I got home again. It was not a marathon by any means but I enjoyed it. The Olympics will not be graced with my presence by a long chalk, but it felt good.

On getting home out of breath and sweating like a race horse, all I got was the micky ripped out of me by Karen, once she had got over the initial shock that is.
At least my two Girls did not laugh at me probably because they cannot talk properly yet that is.

Quiet Nights

Last night was quailty. No teenagers in the house, Grace and Phoebe in bed at normal time, incidently have hit on a good meal for the girls. Corn beef hash - Grace had 4 helpings plus ice-cream. Am pretty sure I had not starved her earlier, but it was a joy to see her obviously enjoying it.

Anyway back to the point, a hot bath was ran ready for when Karen got in from work, we put the girls to bed, Karen jumped in the bath whilst I went and picked up a chinese for our tea.

Television off. Music on. Good Food. Beer in the fridge. Most important, time to ourselves for a whole evening, to talk and generally chill out together. It seems an age since we last took time out for ourselves. It was bliss. All I can say is thankyou to Karen for a beautiful evening, and am looking forward to the next one.

YouTube - "Glorious" NEW SONG The Pierces Live NYC 2011

YouTube - "Glorious" NEW SONG The Pierces Live NYC 2011

Currently being played by Chris Evans every morning on BBC Radio 2. Really Good am looking forward to hearing more from these girls.

Hair

Seemed to spend half the night awake, thinking about trivial things, but got up feeling really good. I must have sorted something out in my head, but what?

Pretty normal Thursday, Girls up fed and watered. Ritual crying from Grace when I brushed her hair. Paid the Bills popped to the Post Office, and stopped at my usual for a cuppa - The Lunchbox.

I would have put a link in but Rose the owner has not a website yet. It is a small cafe, friendly and found quite by chance tucked away down Biscombe Lane. I was at my wits end as I still had not worked out how to put Graces' hair up in a ponytail and she looked like she had been dragged through a bush backwards. Rose did it for me and I have been a regular ever since.

It should be noted that I have since worked out the method of putting Graces' hair up, but if she ever wants pigtails or a plait of the French or any other variety, then I shall pass her to Mummy or Big Sis.

Cake

Grace and I just made a cake. None of that recipe rubbish just keep adding the stuff till it looks right. Which is great fun having Grace crack the eggs and pour the flour, but pouring the sugar, well all she wanted to do was lick the sugar. Bunged the cake in the oven and wait for a bit. Time for the ritual of licking the spoon and bowl, well it saves on the washing up!

One hour later, I forgot about it you see, and hey presto one sponge cake. A little sunken in the centre but what the hell. It looks good upside down. How it was not burnt I do not know but there you go, and of course the kitchen smells of home baking one of the best smells of all time, no matter what.

Phoebe's baby walker has arrived. Having erected it (complete with a running commentry from Lauren on how to do it without instructions), I went to pick up the girls from the childminder.
Phoebe in the walker and absolutely loving it. She is lucky that we do not live in Canada. Canadians I admit must have some good sense, firstly by staying loyal to the Crown and not rebelling like their American nieghbours. But they seem to have lost a little bit of common sense by banning baby walkers. It must I assume be the influence of living next door to commoners!

In Canada, the sale of baby walkers was banned on April 7, 2004.Canada is the first country in the world to ban the sale, importation and advertisement of baby walkers. This ban extends to modified and second hand baby walkers, including those sold at a yard sale or flea markets.[9] The consumers product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) changed the items that were allowed to be sold at such sales.Owners of baby walkers may be fined up to $100,000 or sentenced to up to six months in jail.

Simple solution to the above. Either do not have children or move back to the mother country, where we still have a little common sense, after selling most of it to Brussels that is..

BBC iPlayer - Black Sheep

BBC iPlayer - Black Sheep
A quality film, one of those movies that are so bad that they are must see. The first time Karen and I watched this we cried with laughter. Be warned though if you have a fetish about sheep it may take a while to get the images out of your head.

Early Bird

Was woken after 2 hours sleep by a dirty great digger on the back of a transporter outside my front door this morning. This one can understand working nights. I popped my head out to ask how long that they would be, as it looked like they were unloading the digger. About half and hour the bloke says. I grab a cuppa and think ok fair one back to bed after this. Can you imagine my surprise when after an hour, they had unloaded the digger, engine on transporter going all the while, driven the digger to the front of the transporter, reversed back again, reloaded it on the transporter then drove off with the bloody thing on the back. In the words of Victor Meldrew, "I DON'T BELIEVE IT".
Not a happy bunny. Just to top it off cannot get back to sleep now even though the bags under my eyes are resting on my kneecaps.