Hannah’s Happy Happenings - Hannah and Shantelle’s (and Aaron) Trip To Twin Lakes

 

Twin Lakes

 

Twin Lakes – What Is It?

Twin Lakes is slightly off the beaten track just outside of Melton Mowbray. The first impression is of a playground built in a large farm enclosure. Dusty paths and bare fields surround the park, and the "Twin Lakes" are more like large, barren puddles. Still, the welcome site of toilets outside the gates is a treat after a couple of hour's journey for anyone with kids. This is a big playground, and it does it very well. Outside, there is a knight's castle themed adventure play area; alongside slides, swings and toddler play areas. Nearby there's an animal area, with birds of prey and farm animals.Heading into the large corrugated barns, there are a mix of rides and indoor play areas. The Labyrinth, for instance, features a spectacular play area, with two fantastic death slides. Towards the back of the park are the majority of the rides. All children's versions, but a good mix for the kids. The lakes have boats on them, and there are playgrounds and zip-wires literally sprouting up every where you go.

 

The Trip There and who went

I had to get up early (7:30) to get ready; Shantelle, her Dad and her brother Aaron picked at 9:30 in her dad’s blue convertible car. It was just the four of us. On the trip we played on our DS’s and also played Noughts and Crosses on Shantelle’s notebook – it’s a very nice Mickey Mouse Notebook – until we got there at about 10:30. Shantelle’s Dad paid for our tickets and we all went in.

 What we did

The first thing we did was visit the “Creepy Critters” and they were amazing. There was a massive python, a horrible hairy scary tarantula spider (fangs 10 yards long…or so it seemed to me, I don’t like spiders), water snails (Shantelle hated these cos she really really hates snails) and lots of other “orrible orrors”

After this we went on the flying rocket ride which was awesome – you fly in the air – then the Pirate Ship which was scary because we were at the back of the ship which is the part that goes the highest and it goes sideways…pukey! Afterwards we had some ice creams, I had Thornton's Toffee Temptation Shantelle had Orange Ribinor as did Aaron and her dad had a Blackcurrant one. I think I got the best deal. Then we went on some more rides, The Buffalo etc and then used the two indoor play areas. The second one, the wacky warehouse, was the best I thought the first one where you fire balls was not very good but we did have dinner there…chips, hot-dog and lemon Fanta. Shan had same except Doctor pepper to drink. We went into the town area after this and looked at all the attractions outside. Next we went into the park and went of the funny slides there. Then the go-karts, which were good, after this to the gift shop where I bought temporary tattoos and a packet of sweets which were a rip-off.

We stayed until 3:00 then drove to her Dad’s house and then visited his neighbour who had two ponds full of fish. These were like the ones we saw at A5 aquatics – Kio-Carp. Then I was dropped off at home after a lovely day.

That night Shantelle came round to play and stayed until 10:00, while she was here daddy made us Melba toast which we both liked very much. After she had left I went upstairs and slept with Mum in her bed.

Another Sleepy Day - smallville's fault, Library, Vet,, BB11 Eviction, The IT Crowd - Tnetennba + 8Plus Club + Milk + Street Countdown, Eviction

Yet again another late night / early morning TV session; it's all the fault of Smallville, now I've got the series I watched the first six (seven?) episodes of series Three (fin where Lex is incarcerated in an asylum locked in straitjacket) and finally went to bed as everyone else was waking.
Slept until 2Pm then downstairs, coffee, book while awaiting return of family, Nat early as school finishes 2:15 on Fridays. Nat, Han and I went to the Library to pick up the book Nat had ordered and while there i picked up a few for myself. We cycled there and back and for the first time since my Operation I was able to swing my leg over the saddle. Home just in time to walk back up the Kingsway to take Monty for his annual check-up with the Vet. He's lost 5 kilo's in weight and is generally fit as a lazy butcher's dog. We saw Sam (Nat's mate) and a bunch of other lads playing football on the way there and back but despite encouragement from me Nat wasn't keen to join them. Back home, Deb went straight to the shops, and we got chatting and watching the news and I completely forgot I was supposed to be cooking them a pizza. When I remembered the rush was on to do it before Deb got back. Just in Time!!!!!!!Kids fed Deb and I made a chili which she had with rice and I had with heavily buttered thick slices of fresh bread...one of my favourite meals.

Everyone fed and watered we settled down to watch BB11 eviction night; the high point was Ben's, enforced, 90 second stand-up routine. Designed to humiliate him actually he aced it...which was nice. Sunshine was evicted... soon to be forgotten weird medical student with serious issues. Between part one and two of BB11 the 2nd episode of the new series of the IT Crowd was shown. I've never watched the previous series but last week's was funny so we looked forward to this episode.

I WANT TO PLAY STREET COUNTDOWN, 

I WANT TO FINISH MY MILK AND KICK ARSE 

AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY, WITH A STRAIGHT FACE 

 

"Good morning, that's a niceTNETENNBA".

Laugh I nearly cried, one of the (many) best lines:

"Unless that cake is made of dog poo and knives". 

Anyway, I'm now hooked on the IT Crowd and I'll have to dig out old episodes. Han is off, in the morning, to Twin Lakes with Shantelle so she had an early (relatively) night and after BB11 Deb and Nat departed. I think I fell asleep on the sofa.

Nat's Blog Init.

Friday 2nd July

Today nothing much happened at school, it was very dull and depressing.  But After school was great however because I am playing a new game Assassins Creed 2. where You take on the role of Desmoend Moils who by using the animus takes on the role of his ancestor Etzio Audatori Defarency who is an assassin. I won’t say more as that would spoil the game for you.

I also had to go to the library to pick up a book I had reserved and give back some other books most of which my dad had got out on my card “ It’s so I don’t get charged if they’re over due” well that's what he said. In other news dad moans at me for not getting out enough, I do get out enough I’m naturally low on vitamin D and my skins always been as pale as a vampires and I’ve always always had to use a light box, it’s just you’ve not noticed that I drink blood and am the strongest person ever and why is this because I’m a vampire MU HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! or in gangster words TEEHEE! init my home blood we all say TEEHEE! don’t we.

Saturday 3rd July

What a day to start of with I’d been up all night playing AC2 and when I finally got up at 9 I rang Jacob and his brother Josh and Zak, and aAt 10:30 we went into town my mum took us into town there. When we got there wWe went first to fForbidden pPlanet and looked at stuff in there. After that we went to Maryland cChicken so we could some food oh boy I love Maryland!!!!! soon after that we went to CEX and  jJosh got some old game for £5. nNext we went to Red 5 to look at the gadgets as well as this we went to Menkind to do the same thing ,and as well as this wWe got  bought some water -  guns the one below this is the one Zak got.

and that's the type of one Jacob and I got.

When we got back we went to Jacob’s house and had a water fight me and Jacob and I  VS Zak and Josh and of course we won.
By Nat (the ginster) Jones

Nat's Notes - Wednesday 30th June and Thursday 1 July

Wednesday 30 June
Nothing happened at school not one thing so we will jump to scouts and to a tale of sorrow, joy, retards and Alfie. It all happened on one fateful night at scouts where we were in a wood and were looking for markers on the trail we had to follow we won this [so yippy] but back to the tale Alfie had brought a pocket knife or so he thought and he  was about to take out the knife and case someone through the woods but it turned out to be a cutlery set!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![is that enough !’s?] so he pulled out a spoon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![same question that was in the last set of brackets?] and I said the famous line so you've played knifey spoony before then but of cause in an Australian ascent like John James’s  [so stupid they named him twice teehee] and then Alfie chased Jonathon round with a fork. ok so that's one hundred and fifty words or as an alien would say blarg! blarg! blarg! blarg!!!! or a dog woof!!! woof!!!! woof!!!! woof!!!! I ca not think of what to put la la la la la la nothing to put la la la or maybe blarg blarg blarg blarg blarg. That's it 200 words. 


Thursday 1st July
Lessons in the morning – Henri been pissing me off all day – I was this [] close to smashing his face in. Don’t know why today he was more annoying than normal, but he’s a total twat!!!!!!!!
Sports day at school we came second and the house that have won for the last 3 years came 3 I was the anchor man for Winsor year 7 boys we came 2-3 no one told us exactly but if we had lost then I blame Henri as we had to put him on as on of the original team was ill. tug of war none school uniform day so bitching all around [well mainly girls] about the cloths people are wearing.
Evening concert at De Montfort Hall – Hannah singing in choir Hannah was amazing and somehow better than ME!!!!!!! I know how is it possible I think it’s black magic and if I’m right then the world could end!!!!!!!! [if you are thinking what the hell is this idiot on about I don’t even know what the hell I’m thinking sometimes  most of the time all the time yep that last one seams right to me]. 

Assassin’s Creed II Xbox game came it’s awesome not very far in to it at the minute but what I have played is epic.

Nat (The Ginster) Jonez

Edit Review Outstanding

Sleep in MY Bed, Sports Day Brockington, Han's Concert at DeMontford Hall

This morning I realised that I'd dropped off down stairs waiting for a transfer from my PC hard drive to my external hard drive to complete and I was woken by Deb who was up and getting the kids and herself ready for the day. "Wow," I thought, "I wonder whether I could go to bed in our bed and get to sleep." Han was still in the bed and after I asked her politely to vacate it five times I finally grabbed a stick and beat her until she fled; another job well done! I fell asleep listening to Skeptoid on my phone so in reality I fell asleep and didn't hear Skeptoid on my phone. I slept like a log and woke refreshed at 12:27. This PM I've been reading J.K. Anderson's "Captain Nemo" and I'm rather enjoying how he's tying up the "real" Nemo's adventures to Verne's books. Han arrived home from school at about 3:40 followed shortly after by Nat. She's been at DeMontford hall this morning doing the final rehearsals for tonight's performance. Nat has had his school sports day today and his House "Windsor" came second as did his Tog of War team.  Nat pestered me about whether the postman had delivered Assassins Creed 2 yet, he had I'd hidden it, but I made him sweat before I told him it had arrived. Below are two pictures and a video of him opening it it...how sad is that?


Now it's time to get ready for the concert tonight, I'm off to have a shave, Han has gone to play with Shantelle for awhile, Deb's sat on her arse...no change there then...and Nat, astonishingly, is playing AC2 on his X-Box!
We left for the DMH at just after five because of the rush hour and the fact that we were supposed to pick
up our tickets from the box office before 6:00.  In the event we were parked up, ticketed and sitting in the sunshine in the gardens by 5:40. The concert didn't start until 5:30 so we chillax, took a few photos
and awaited the arrival of the other Millfielders.  Everyone eventually drifted in and after a few group photos Han and her fellow performers set off for back-stage and we took our seats, again in the balcony so far away we could hardly see the stage (a slight exaggeration on my part there), and settled down for things to get started.
It was at this point that we BECAME AWARE OF THE TWO OFFICIOUS ARSEHOLES patrolling the balcony. They were to be the bain of all of us there who hoped to get a few vids and pics of our beloveds performances. I understand that you can't film professional acts because of bootleg vids etc but I object to not being allowed to film my children either for this reason or because of hysterical concerns about paedophiles wanking off to children singing!!!
First up were the Orchestras and they were excellent.First the Strings, OK a little flat but that's normal with kids, then the Brass (mostly new players who only started playing this year) Excellent in fact more than excellent and finally Percussion / xylophone (no video clip unfortuneately) absolutely outstanding. They performed a medley of Micheal Jackson numbers and they were faultless; for some reason I've always liked xylophones, so maybe I'm prejudiced!

Because of the aforementioned officious prats I've only snips of video and a few snaps.

Han and the singers were the second part of the evening. Because Millfield were only "a little" involved then their kids were relegated to the chorus, on stage kids from other more involved schools played out the roles as all off the sung various songs about Robin Hood.

As usual, even if only in the chorus, Han gave it everything thing she had.Below are 3 AudioBoo's we recorded because of the contraints on filming. They are of the Xyolophones, and the Singers.


Eventually (not in a desperate for it to end sense) it was all over and we left. Deb waited inside for Han while Nat and I cleared out of the way and waited in the gardens. There we saw Josh, from scouts, leaving with his Tuba (?) who'd been part of the brass section. Nat told me that Josh had invited him to his Paintball birthday party. We all left a few minutes later and stopped briefly at Morrison's where I went in to buy a few beers. While waiting at the self scan area the black companion of the Asian lad ahead of me got into a confrontation with a security guard who he accused of following him around the shop. For a moment I feared I was about to be caught in the middle of a knifing until the Asian lad calmed his friend down.
To the car, home, BB11 and then I stayed up watching recorded programmes and five episodes of series three of Smallville which I've got on the PC. Eventually, 6:50am, to bed as everyone else is getting up for breakfast. Once again slept the sleep of the just and didn't wake until 2pm.

Xyolophones, Singers One and Singers Two

 

 

Posted via email from mysickbones's posterous

DeMontford Hall School Concert Videos

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DeMontford Hall School Concert Deb's Photos

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I Really Should learn to Keep My Mouth Shut

I saw the following post, by someone I follow, on Google Buzz:

Faith and doubt both are needed - not as antagonists, but working side by side to take us around the unknown curve..

Ah, I thought, more meaningless inter-web* bollocks. I cannot let that go unanswered. This is what followed:

Mysickbones  - Faith = belief without evidence 

Doubt = belief requires evidence 

Are they not, therefore, mutually contradictory?Edit12:08 pm

uchehukwu Anawana - swthrts, 

faith is a supernatural gift of God 

which makes us to believe without seeing 

whatever God has said. (via the BIBLE)12:19 pm

Sakina Zehra - When Imam Ali was asked about Faith in Religion, he replied that the structure of faith is supported by four pillars endurance, conviction, justice and jihad. Endurance is composed of four attributes: eagerness, fear, piety and anticipation (of death). so whoever is eager for Paradise will ignore temptations; whoever fears the fire of Hell will abstain from sins; whoever practices piety will easily bear the difficulties of life and whoever anticipates death will hasten towards good deeds. Conviction has also four aspects to guard oneself against infatuations of sin; to search for explanation of truth through knowledge; to gain lessons from instructive things and to follow the precedent of the past people, because whoever wants to guard himself against vices and sins will have to search for the true causes of infatuation and the true ways of combating them out and to find those true ways one has to search them with the help of knowledge, whoever gets fully acquainted with various branches of knowledge will take lessons from life and whoever tries to take lessons from life is actually engaged in the study of the causes of rise and fall of previous civilizations . Justice also has four aspects depth of understanding, profoundness of knowledge, fairness of judgment and dearness of mind; because whoever tries his best to under- stand a problem will have to study it, whoever has the practice of studying the subject he is to deal with, will develop a clear mind and will always come to correct decisions, whoever tries to achieve all this will have to develop ample patience and forbearance and whoever does this has done justice to the cause of religion and has led a life of good repute and fame. Jihad is divided into four branches: to persuade people to be obedient to Allah; to prohibit them from sin and vice; to struggle (in the cause of Allah) sincerely and firmly on all occasions and to detest the vicious. Whoever persuades people to obey the orders of Allah provides strength to the believers; whoever dissuades them from vices and sins humiliates the unbelievers; whoever struggles on all occasions discharges all his obligations and whoever detests the vicious only for the sake of Allah, then Allah will take revenge on his enemies and will be pleased with Him on the Day of Judgment. 

(Sayings of Imam Ali a.s.)

Mysickbones - Exactly - Faith = Belief without reason or evidence or doubt. 

Just like anyone else, if you ask me, I can say anything I want to about "Faith in Religion" because there is no way of proving or disproving the validity of anything I say on the subject; you have to take it on faith! 

If you do choose to have faith in what I say that still has no effect whatsoever on the factual accuracy of my statement. Remember when we all (in Europe at least) had faith that the world was flat...doh. 

I believe that when you die that is the total and absolute end of your existence; no afterlife, no paradise, nothing...am I right? 

I don't know. There's is no way to know because no one has ever come back from the dead to tell us and they are the only ones who would know (obviously if I'm right they know nothing because they don't exist but you get my point). 

This is why I've no interest in discussing anyone's religion as I "believe" they are all an utter waste of time. I think "Dead is Dead" that you only get the one chance; maybe that's why I place such a value on life and why I wouldn't ever consider killing or hurting someone simply because they believed in a different invisible friend. 

Anyway, the point I was making was that faith and doubt are logical opposites and are therefore incompatible. My point had nothing to do with religion in the first place.

I actually have no idea what Sakina Zehra point is. I thought the discussion was about Faith v Doubt so WTF does his "extremely long quote" have to do with that. I've read it a number of times and I'm still mystified other than it seems to say that Justice is based on evidence not faith i.e. doubt until the evidence convinces you...maybe.

 I'll never understand Death Cults so long as I Live...Get It?

*Well everybody else seems to have started calling it the Inter-Web and I've never been able to resist peer pressure!

Testing Pixelpipes Blogger Setting

30/06/2010

I've just added Blogger as a direct pipe on pixelpipes and to test if the pipe worked I took a random photo and uploaded it.. It appears that the picture isn't automatically posted into public visibility but lodges itself, as an entry, in the postings listing. If you click "publish it"  then it appears, as you can see, in the blog itself. That's a pretty good idea because it gives one an opportunity to have second thoughts before the publishing something that might, one day, come back and bite you in the arse. I'm thinking, in particular, of that very embarrassing arse-biting episode a few years back which is, I suppose, apropos!

Sleep, Sun, Green Top, DeMontford Hall, Tug a War, Farmer has a Poo, BB11, Donna Bird Box.

I'm sleeping in Han's bed now, I say sleeping when in fact I mean tossing and turning until sheer exhaustion overcomes me and I finally slip into a broken slumber. Hence when I'm gone I'm gone and again today i slept until noon. Sat in the Sun until Han got home with her special green top for her concert at DeMontford Hall on Thursday. Nat home shortly after with a permission slip to take part in school sports day also Thursday. He's in the Tug of War and is desperate not to have to drop out because his arm is still recovering from the break. We've told him to go for it!
Han was in and out with Shantelle and eventually they gave us a trampoline performance of Han's Musical -            
"Farmer Has A Poo" - see Nat's Notes for Video. While we were watching BB11, yes, we admit it, we are all hooked on this strangely compelling programme, Donna rang and asked if we had a cardboard box! Funnily enough not only did we have a box we also had a pile of straw from my gift of fruit last week. She had discovered and injured bird in the garden and needed a box to put it into until the RSPCA could collect it. So, at 10:15 I'm standing outside with a box full of straw waiting for her car to pull up, who says I don't live and exciting life?

Nat's Notes - Pervert? Bike Lock, Tug of War, Assassins Creed Two, Hannah's Show - Farmer has A Poo!!!

I cycled to school again today and on the way there, a pervert*, or possibly a person asking for directions (but I think it was a paedophile), pulled up to the curb and tried to get me to go over to him. I didn't go and told him to Fuck Off; then continued on to school. When I got to school I realized I had forgotten the key for my bike lock…damn damn damn or even “Damn It” as Jack (24) Bauer might say as he knifes you! I phoned home and Sian delivered my key to me after breakfast club. Not much else took place at school today, except, I got a letter about sports day, which is on Thursday, where I'm taking part in the TUG OF WAR …I can't wait!!!!! The reason I can't wait is that we are going to win!!!!!!!!!!!!  Assassins Creed 2 has still not arrived; which is such a shame as I’m desperate to play it. As a result I'm very saddened, upset and considering making cakes to cheer myself up. Hannah and her friend Shantelle performed a performance on the trampoline.

Oh no I need to find yet another eighteen words if I’m to reach the magic necessary absolutely minimum no less that two hundred words…Oh Gosh, I’ve done it!

Nat (The Ginster) Jones.

*. (A note if you are the police he was fat bald and wearing a purple polo shirt and his car was Silver and was a four door)

Three Whales On The Shirt; Fail Whales Still A Gleaming. Thirty More Years Of Hurt; When Will We Stop Dreaming?

Blogging: Our Brand New Old Family Tradition

What have I done today? Well if you look at the two entries before this one you'll see that I'm spent some time helping Nat and Han to write their own blog posts. Apart from that, watering the allotment and fetching Han from Cubs it's been a very quite kind of day. So that's it for today.

Hannah's Happy Happenings - Tamzin and Cara Told Off, Donna's Pool, Cubs

Today at school Tamzin and Cara were very naughty, but they were caught out by Miss Hewitt, when they tried to take a football, from the class, out with them during the break. This isn't allowed and when Miss Hewitt found out she was very very angry with them both. After yelling loudly she then nailed Cara to the wall before she whipped Tamzin with a big leather belt...NOT. No, she just shouted at them until both of the Big Babies cried their eyes out...Ah Ah Ha, not that I'm glad or Am I?


After this Miss Hewitt had to deal with "Tablets (not cider) with Rosie" after Rosie brought into school a packet of headache pills some of which she gave to her little brother and another child and some of which she took herself. Like the previous two, after Miss Hewitt finished with her, she was sent to see the Head (Mr Simpson). She now has to spend all play and lunch times with one of the dinner ladies until the end of term.


After school Mum, Nat and I went to Donna's house and played in her pool (not Mum she talked to Donna...how unusual) for awhile before going home for tea.
Donna called for me at 6:45 and took me to Cubs where I played in the park, had an ice-cream (Akela bought each of us one) and finally, in the Barn, played Hot Rice.* Mum, Dad and Nat picked me up at 8:15 and we went home.


*Hot Rice - It's like dodge ball but you pretend it's a bowl of rice?

Nat's Notes - Cycling Again, Dan the Twat, No Ties, Biking Brandon, Donna's Pool,

I cycled to school this morning; for the first time since I broke my arm. "Dan the twat", who is Henri's ONLY friend, was back at school after being suspended for racist remarks. As of today we don't have to were wear are our ties until the end of the year; that means that all my love bites are visible!!! The heat has melted the tarmac and in P.E.people were digging the place up with sticks, which is not good no no no not good at all. Later that day, but not much later as P.E is the last lesson of the day, I cycled home with Brandon. This is the first time we have cycled together as Brandon only just got his cycle pass but I've had one since the beginning of the year.  Brandon U R a NOBE although, I suppose, in that case,  some might call me a boff which is shot short for boffin. After school I went to Donna's how who has just put up her pool but soon after I got there we had to leave for dinner. Then my FUCKING dad  Dad made me FUCKING write this FUCKING blog which is not no FUCKING fun at all. Now, I bid you ado as I have to get off this dam damned infernal machine because I've had a FUCKING nuff!!!
********************
Nat (The Ginster) Jones
********************

Monday - Nat Back on his Bike

dJHF

They’re Coming Home, They’re Coming Home, They’re Coming, England’s Coming Home, They’re Coming Home, They’re Coming Home, They’re Coming… The Newly Renovated Winstanley, Han Gets Soaked and So Do I...Son of Gut-bucket!!!

Well at LAST it’s over, the England team go down 4-1 to Germany; yes, I agree, it should have been 4-2 but in the end the disallowed goal made no difference. Won’t comment on the game because I know SOD all about Football and I'm happy for it to remain that way. However, it was rather an interesting day, Han wanted to go to the pub to see the match (she really wanted to meet up with Donna and family to see if she could swim in their newly filled pool today) so we watched the first half at home and then, during half time, walked to the Winstanley* to watch the second… Nat having gone to Jacob’s for the PM to share in their barbeque and watch Bruce (Jacob’s dad) melt-down during the football; Bruce LOVES all sport and Nat reported that the swearing he directed toward the TV, was very “adult”! 
OMG! WHT! One Coke and One Pint of cider £5.00!!!!!!!! Well, after I’d pulled myself off of the floor Han and I went looking for Donna. I spotted a few people whom I hadn’t seen in years and managed to say a few quick hellos. Everyone was very friendly, but, already, there was an underlying feeling that the writing was on the wall for England. We eventually found Donna, Jonathon and her Dad (John) in the bar and sat with them there to watch the second half; shortly after it had started Han went outside and played with some friends  and that was the last of the football for her!  I watched the rest of the game and looked on as the pub crowd became more and more despondent as ENGLAND PROVED THEY DIDN’T DESERVE TO GET ANY FURTHER; even a know-nothing like me could see that they were completely outplayed by Germany.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS ALL OVER, it was, so we left during the 2 minutes of extra time to avoid the fighting mobs in the car park…actually everyone was very friendly if somewhat gloom. We walked to Donna’s where the kids played happily on the trampoline while I “helped” remove and replace the pool cover, on the now full pool, so that the chemicals could be added.  I’d already explained this to Han but whenever has even a little knowledge of advanced chemistry ever filled that void that’s created, in a young girls heart, when she realises that pool time is still 24 hours away? Afterwards I sat on the patio, on the new patio furniture no less, and chatted with John.  This is always a little awkward because John’s a smashing guy but he’s 80 years old and virtually deaf; he only seems to catch every other word! This can lead to some hilarious “at cross purposes conversations” but it also proves to be a bit of a strain at times. After he left us I somehow ended up giving  a long explanation of deficit funding, pension underfunding and sundry other riveting economic topics until both Donna and Jonathon’s eyes glazed over. Afterward I laid them out, comfortably, on the patio where I knew they would eventually regain consciousness I walked home. Han had already left to go to the park with the other kids, including those of her new Fujian neighbours (lovely girl the one I met), and came home about an hour later. Nat returned from the barbeque shortly before she got home.

* The newly renovated Winstanley is very pleasant. The structural changes aren’t enormous but make a huge difference to the place as a whole. It looks like it would be rather nice to go there one evening for a reasonably cheap meal.

Before the football started Han and I had been having “Water Fun” in the garden with the hosepipe and trampoline; see below:

I HAVE GOT TO GO ON A DIET AND START EXERCISING.  I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW HUGE MY STOMACH IS IN THESE VIDEOS!!!! SON OF GUT-BUCKET

Thursday, Friday and Saturday – WW, Fulla Fruit, BB11, High Teas, School Reports, Doctor Who, Pet Shop Boys, Glastonbury

Weightwatchers 1 LB Lose –

13lb to date –

Well done Deb!

Gosh I’ve eaten a lot of fruit; the gift box is almost empty. The pears have just ripened and are beautifully sweet; Han and I shared one that was absolutely delicious.

Yesterday was not a lot of not very much. Slept until 2:00PM. Han was tearful at the end of school and Donna took her home. That’s about it really; Deb and I both agreed that we weren’t impressed with Stuart Maconie’s travel book “Adventures on the High Teas” that i got from the library last week. She read the first chapter but couldn’t go on and while I’m a hundred or so pages in I’m finding it very unstructured. The writer jumps from one thing to another without rhyme or reason, so much so that by chapter end I can’t recall the subject of the chapter. He’s very favourably compared to Bill Bryson, by a number of reviewers quoted on the cover, but I’m afraid I can’t see the resemblance. He writes with wonderful words but his sentences are too long and too convoluted. They remind me of computer programs filled with nested sub-programs. If you follow the Amazon link you’ll see from the customer reviews that Deb and I don’t appear to be towing the line. Mind you I did find out why you can no longer swim in the Roman Baths in Bath and it would appear that I, in 1975, was one of the last to do so.

 

He certainly has an eye for a pun because his other two books bear the titles

Pies and Prejudice and Cider with Roadies … Groan!!!!

Didn’t really do very much else; my hip is far more mobile by the day but the sliced nerve ends are re-joining and so the area is extremely sensitive and painful to touch. So it’s sit on my arse and do little.

If madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result then the current inhabitants of the BB11 house are, undoubtedly, as mad as hatters. They keep being punished for it but they keep on doing it*, discussing nominations that is. They won a luxury budget, they lost a luxury budget, they had hot water and now they haven’t. They just don’t have the sense to shut up when a conversation moves into a no-go area.

*especially Shaby

Nothing happened at all on Friday other than the kids getting their school reports, both of which were pretty good (ADD PHOTOS).

The highlight of the day, other than the reports, was the eviction of that nasty backbiting gossip spreading vicious little sh*t Govan. Hooray, how we all cheered when the onerous crapulent little turd heard his name announced. I don’t normally take pleasure in other peoples misery but on this occasion I was more than happy to make an exception. Goodbye, you won’t be missed, I spit on you and anything your shadow touches. I’m not being a little OTT I hope!

Saturday, went and slept in my normal bed this morning and it was fantastic; got about five hours uninterrupted sleep and I’m feeling refreshed. Jacob’s staying over tonight with Nat so I imagine they will be joining me downstairs to watch Family Guy and South Park.   

Tonight is the finale of the current series of Doctor Who and if the end of the last episode is anything to go by there won’t be another because it appeared that the Universe Multiverse had been destroyed; all those poor little galaxy’s exploding who’d have thought that the TARDIS was that powerful? At last, it’s been bothering the bejesus out of me; why does the actress who plays River Song

in the new series seem so familiar. It’s because she was the British doctor who joined the cast of ER when I still watched it, actress Alex Kingston, thank the lord for that, it was driving me insane…INSANE I TELLS YOU!!!!

Remember that earlier I said that “I didn’t normally take pleasure in other people’s misery”, well guess what; I’m taking extreme pleasure in another persons misery at this very moment. P, D’s shit of an X has lost his job -  Let joy be unconfined - Sometimes Bad Things do happen to Bad People!

Just seen final episode of this series of Doctor Who, while there were a number of naughty paradoxes (travelling back in time to arranging his rescue from the pandorica) and we never found out what caused the TARDIS to explode, and it kicked butt; very very good and finally I released, all of a sudden, that I’m seeing this Doctor as The Doctor. It took awhile but now he’s the man. Looking forward to the Xmas Special.

Jacob’s staying tonight with Nat and they and Han are upstairs killing indiscriminately on the X-Box. Deb and I have just watched the Pet Shop Boys at Glastonbury on BBC3 and Deb seems like she might even be interested in going there one year…will miracles never cease?

That’s All Folks!

Monday and Tuesday: Sports Day, Han Upset, To Scouts, Allotment, Nose Bleed, BB-11, Han's Summer Uniform, Donna Lift, Hospital, Consultant, JDM, Loads'a Fruit, BB11

Slept late, again, and woke at midday. Spent afternoon reading (Adventures of the High Teas) and waited for kids to get home. Nat was home at 3:30 but at 3:40 still no sign of Han. She is usually home roughly the same time as Nat. So Nat and I decided to walk toward school and look for her. As we were leaving Deb pulled up, in the car, and I explained my concerns; she, as usual, poo-pooed them. I insisted she drive to school while Nat and I walked to see if we could find Han. Ten minutes later Deb returned with a very tearful Han besides her. Han was so tired and run down, we both seem to have contracted some bug that causes coughing fits that leave you feeling completely wrung out. When school ended and she left class she sat down next to a tree and just drifted off. So I was right to be worried! Han then informed us that Today they had been told that Tomorrow was to be sports day. I'll have to have words at school because this is ridiculously short notice to any parents who want to attend. I've got an appointment at the hospital tomorrow afternoon to see my surgeon. It's a little late to rearrange that so, for the first time, I'll miss Sports Day. Deb took Han to the surgery to have a check up because she has been poorly, off and on, for awhile now. While they were gone I was visited by a kitten which i managed to get to remain until Han got back. It couldn't last, as soon as Monty discovered it's existence that was that. 

Nat had his Queens Scout Award monthly meeting tonight and Han should have had Cubs. We called Akela and told her Han was poorly and wouldn't be there. We drove Nat to scouts, then, on the way back, we called into ASDA to fill Han's prescription get some beers and a few other things. Then we drove to the allotment to water the few things we've been able to plant this year. Han and I managed to walk on the ones that Deb didn't point out to us. The plants were watered we left and Deb dropped us at home before going to pick Nat up(Q.S. is only 7:30 - 9:00). Poor old Han was still very tearful and got into her pyjamas and curled up on the sofa. Then she had a nose bleed that just wouldn't stop, what a day poor thing, and went through, what seemed like, miles of tissue paper trying to stem the flow. Eventually it stopped just as Deb and Nat got home. With that she went to bed. Deb, Nat and I stayed down to watch BB11, Christ, that Shabby women is an absolute monster and poor old Ben can't keep apologising every time she has a go at him; conciliation to her is like a red rag to a bull. Get in her face and give it back, she didn't push it with the Aussie because she knew he'd give it back with "Nobs" on. I stayed up and started watching the Dispatches Special - How to Save £100 Billion. Unfortunately, I kept falling asleep. Went to bed, settee, at 2:00 in order to be able to get up in time to see surgeon in the morning.

Up early to make sure I didn't miss the surgeon. Nat had gone to school before I was awake but Han was still home looking stunning in her Summer Uniform (that child is a clothes horse) 
 and looking forward Sports Day. Yes, it's Sports Day but because we weren't told until last night there's no way to go! Yes I know I've already bitched about it...I just want to again!!!!!
Pottered about, washed hair, dressed in clean sweat free clothes, yes still getting sweating episodes - bed clothes are soaked every morning - and did sundry bits and bobs until Donna picked me up at 12:20 and drove me to the Royal Infirmary in order to catch the 2 Hospital Hopper" to the general to see my surgeon Mr Davidson. Starting reading Nemo (Kevin J Anderson's fictional biography of Jules Verne's greatest character) at the bus stop and the first 30 odd pages are good. I like Anderson's writing style and find him easy to read; hence why I've read quite a few of his solo and collaboration novels. Eventually got the HH and off we went; enjoyed the ride as I took me passed places I haven't seen for awhile. Arrived at the general at 1:00 and hour early but better than late. Found Out Patients Four reported in and watched the emergency budget on the waiting room TV. It wasn't as bad as i was expecting it to be but time will tell...The Key Points Are Here.
I got to see Mr D almost on time; as per usual there were medical students in attendance. They know I'm fine with having students present, they have to learn somehow, so now they are always there. Actually I'm not complaining at all, it makes it more interesting for me and creates a much more laid back atmosphere. The upshot; healing OK, surprised about two of my toes being numb, advised take at least another four to six weeks to recover before returning to work. Hobbled back to the bus stop and caught the HH back to town. Disembarked at the railway Station and walked to Deb's work. Picked han up at Donna's and discovered that, poorly or not, she came second in The Sack Race and............. TO FILL IN........

JDM was to call this evening with his mysterious gift; at 8:00 his car pulled up, I was expecting him to be on his bike, and from the boot he took out a huge box of fruit.
Bananas, Strawberries, Apples, Oranges, Nectarines, Grapes (dark & light) and Pears...Yum Yum Yum!!!! This was a get well gift from the team...thanks everyone!

Han had another humongous nose bleed again tonight (same last night) and after we got her to bed and the bleed stopped shortly afterwards she was back with a new flow. We all watch Inside Natures Giants (Lions and Tigers) but every time a Lion or Tiger killed something Han would be in tears; as per usual it was absolutely fascinating. Afterwards we watched BB11, what a bunch of Barstools the production team are becoming,  where the mad lesbian (Shabby) was forced to be nice to,  make up with and complement, twenty times, the posh bloke (Ben) who she utterly despises in return she would win a dinner date with the straight girl (weird Irish name) she fancies. What a sneaky ploy and it backfired brilliantly; she had to be nice to Ben and if it comes out she was acting then no one will ever trust her again, during and after the dinner she and the Irish girl ended up extremely ill at ease with each other so much so that in the end Shabby told her about the challenge! Tomorrow the excrement should really hit the rotary motion, pushing the air around the room,  device.

Peace and Quiet: Then Han’s back from Camp…Oh and Fathers Day too.

 I slept until 9:00 then woke to put on the Andrew Marr show and immediately went back to sleep for 3 hours. Deb, she says, went to the allotment at 8:00 and stayed until 10:00 and during this time was quizzed by the new allotment manager as to why ours was so scruffy, overgrown and lightly cultivated. After explaining my medical situation all was happily resolved. We had an early lunch, which I couldn't eat, I'm not sure what's the matter with my  no appetite at the moment. Shortly afterwards Jacob appeared and he and Nat disappeared upstairs to do their X-Box thing. Deb and I left to pick up Han from camp at 3:00 and arrived without incident. Here is an aerial photograph of the site

View this aerial image on Multimap.com
Get directions on Multimap.com

And here a a few more photo's of our incredibly ladylike daughter!


And finally, a short video of packing up to return home...shame!

It was Father's day today but I promised Han that I wouldn't open any cards or presents until she got home because apparently she'd made 99% of them.

More later typing fingers tired now must rest. Somewhat rested here's what I received for Father's Day.

Saturday

Han at camp Nat at Jacob’s most of the day. Deb and I chillaxed and watched the penultimate episode of the current series of Doctor Who. Definitely looking forward next week’s final episode should be well cool man! Nat home 8:30 we watched BB11, nat and Deb went to bed shortly afterward. I watched yet another documentary on serial killer Ted Bundy. Then caught up on a weeks worth of Smallville; please ScFy Channel when series two ends please roll on into series three so that I don’t have to buy it!

Not A Lot, Millfield Fair After School, Han Off To Cub Camp,World Cup Donna's House, BB11, Bye Bye Beyonce Lookalike Rachel!

Not done anything so far this AM partly because my hip is quite painful this morning. I may have over done the walking especially the walking without a crutch. I’m trying presently to decide whether to ride or walk, in need of beer, to Asda! Decisions decisions, the walk or ride question means I can empathise with the predicament the CEO of BP finds himself in. Not forgetting, also, the plight of the Chairman!

Nat was home earlier than normal, around 2:45, because the school finishes for the day at 2;15 instead of 3:15 on Fridays . THis meant there was time for him to change before we went to Millfield. The school fair was just the same as usual and by the time we arrived the locusts had bought most of the stuff there. I think it must have started before the close of school because we were there at almost precisely 3:15. Certainly Han appeared to have spent all her money by then. We wandered, bought some raffle tickets, played the Wii math challenge in Mr Jordan’s class until final Han, Nat, Jacob and I walked to the chip shop which wasn’t yet open. Deb met us there, she’d been delayed in traffic, and we took Jacob home with us to play on Nat’s X-Box. While they were upstairs Deb finished packing Han’s case then almost ruptured herself trying to close it!
Han was due at camp for 6:45 so Deb took the three of them to the chippie at 5:30 and dropped Jacob off at his home. At 6:00 we all piled into the car and drove to the Oaks Camp Site:

We had dropped Nat off here before so we found it quite easily; we were there for 6:30, dropped of Han with Arkala who introduced her to Charlie, the girl she was sharing a tent with, took a “few” photos

(I’ll get more on Sunday) and left her to it. We drove home (I bought pie and chips from the Chippie that Deb and I shared) and spotted Donna's car ahead of us heading home, no doubt, to watch England playing Algeria in the World Cup. We followed her home and here is a photo of her decorated house:

The woman's a fanatic and just couldn't understand that we weren't interested and wouldn't be watching the match. As Deb said, "the balls the wrong shape". In fact, whilst none of us are interested in football, we watched the last 20 minutes waiting for BB11 to start. Is it the new ball, that everyone’s complaining about, that’s at fault? It certainly looked, to my untrained eye, as if it might be; kicks seemed to be all over the place. Anyway the final result was 0:0 draw and the recriminations started immediately. This just doesn't happen in Rugby! Next day I had the BBC News Channel on and it seemed like all they reported on was England's disappointing performance; get a life Britain!
Finally, we watched BB11 and it turned out that poor old Beyonce lookalike Rachael was given the boot; I imagine the Aussie John James is happy now. I stayed up late and caught up on recorded TV.

Pick up bike, nearly killed, Weightwatchers week 4 in the WW house, BB11 What happened next and why do I care?

Weightwatchers - 2lb lost

12lb altogether so far

Well Done Deb

Nat and I popped down to the cycle shop to pick up his bike. When we came out Nat couldn’t get the pedals to move and almost fell off into traffic trying. We returned to the shop after seeing if we could spot the problem. It seems that the quick release mechanism hadn’t been tightened back up enough and so the wheel had come forward in it’s mounting. Problem taken care of we cycled home. Now, my legs are killing me!

Big Brother Eleven: That Lad from Leicester’s a Complete Barstool!

Not mentioned the Elephant in the Room for a few days so thought I'd better do so now. I'd never watched the first six series of BB and never understood what all the fuss was about. I’ve seen them off and on since 2006 and now begin to understand their hold. It’s quite fascinating to see how these overly extrovert strangers deal with one and other. The addition of the Mole made things even more interesting; but now that’s been resolved (yes Moley’s become a full fledged house mate…Yeah) and the cracks are staring to show. The half-cast lad from Leicester (there are two people from Leicester – what does that say about us…hold on. I’m Welsh…what does that say about THEM?) Govan(?)* is a real piece of work and could give old Tricky Dickey Nixon (President Nixon US president 1968 – 73) a run for his money. What a back biting conniving little lump of excrement he is;

do I so like hope it does all back fire on him’s arse, yes I so do so want that  to happen as a wish to come true like, Innit! – Sorry; I appear to have come over all street just then!

It seems that all the House-mates have got in in for Sunshine  (who, it’s true, is a complete new-age tosser) and that little shit lump of excrement seems to be coordinating the attack. I know one only sees the highlights but I'm at a lost to understand exactly what it is that she’s done. Yes, I said, she’s a tosser but then, to greater or lesser extent, so are they all; if they weren’t then they wouldn’t have been chosen in the first place.
Anyway, three of the girls are up for eviction (Dave the Mad Monk [one of the three original nominees] avoided this by wining a task and then nominating** Rachel in his place – that’ll be an interesting dynamic if she survives the eviction), Sunshine, Rachel (Beyonce lookalike) and Shaby (who the flip names their child Shaby – no one it’s another made up name just like Sunshine’s) the bowler hatter lesbian actress from the art collective – i.e. unemployed squatter.
WHO WILL GO,
WHO WILL STAY…
YOU DECIDE! 
THAT IS, OF COURSE, IF YOU GIVE A FLYING FLIP!!!!

* Govan has just revealed he’s straight (as straight as a perpendicular joint); yeah and I’m created in Bob’s image!
** Dave and Govan had a major falling out the previous day and it was obvious that he expected Dave to nominate him. It was truly wonderful to watch him squirm and try and make himself unnoticeable. he literally shrunk before your eyes. I'll never understand why Mad dave didn't nominate him and neither will he!

The Mad Monk - I quite liked Dave, he seemed harmless and joyful and kind, but he's started telling people about how he's healed people just by touch and they're lapping it up, particularly the brainless Lorraine Chase lookalike, and that's  very worrying. He's getting national TV exposure so how many other gullible people are at risk of swallowing this bullshit. I'm not saying he's lying, he's a religious zealot and a true believer, I'm just saying that there's no such thing as faith healing and it's worrying that he's got as national platform on which to promote this nonsense!

Quite Day - Too Tyre’d to Fill In (cycle and dentist pun), There’s Always Someone Worse Off, Library, 10 Pence a Book! Evening Cycle to Asda, Woops: Careful how you joke on Twitter

What a morning, paid yesterday broke today. I had a dental appointment this morning, just a check up I thought. In addition, on my way there, I needed to take Nat’s bike to the Raleigh Shop, which was fun what with me also having to somehow take my crutch with me, to get the back tyre puncture repaired and both tyres injected with green slime. In addition(spotting a pattern anyone?) I owed the dentist £16.00 from my last visit to the hygienist; I’d forgotten the debt I thought I'd told Deb and she’d paid it but apparently I hadn’t remembered to tell her. So I was expecting a smallish outlay but this was compounded when I was told that one of my fillings had broken and was in immanent danger of dropping out; leaving me, no doubt, writhing on the floor in agony. Dominic (my dentist) decided that it needed to be replaced immediately, injected me with novocaine and despatched me back to the waiting room until the area was numb enough for him to continue.
When I’d first arrived I’d been chatting with the attractive young lady the other patient in reception. We’d been discussing her iPhone and whether she’s be upgrading now she had an “old one” (she wouldn’t, it’s provided by her employer…lucky cow). She said how useful she found it when she had to travel to unfamiliar venues and I agreed that GPS in a phone was a godsend.
We continued to chat, me and bloody phones, while we waited. She then got the equally good news, from Dominic, that the tooth her filling that had dropped out of really needed to be crowned or extracted. Rubbing his hands with unrepressed glee (not really) he advised that this would “only” cost £198. If I’d thought I had problems then this, at least, put them into some kind of perspective. She found herself in a quandary; she was saving to get married next year (must be planning a bit of a do) so she’d prefer not to have to do this, especially as her fiancée also needed approximately £200 of dental work carried out also. So should they have the work done, and spend £400 less on the wedding, or risk gap toothed photos?  So you see there’s always someone worse off than you; eventually my tooth was re-filled, the cheque written and I hobbled home.
When the kids came home Nat wanted to go to the local library to see whether he could get another of the CHERUB books because the remaining title (one he he’s not read and is desperate to) is only available from his school library if you’re a year nine. So he Han and I trooped off to the Civic Centre where they’ve built the new local library (I say new; it’s probably been there for two years now – tempus fugit). What a great time we had, the walk there was a chance to chat and the Kingsway, in the summer, is a gorgeous display of greenery. We eventually arrived and Han discovered that Shantell was there with a group of friends from her school (Shantell  lives two doors away with her Mum but she was spending the night with her Dad who lives near the library). Han plonked herself down with them Nat quizzed the librarian about CHERUB and I perused the shelves. They were selling off books at 10 pence each and i bought five total shop cost £37!!! I must say a discount of £36.50 was most acceptable. Nat got a graphic novel and one book, Han got a couple of books and I borrowed two as well. Han popped to the shops with Shantell and as Deb called shortly later,to get us home for tea, we went in search of her. We were half way home when Deb picked us up. Home, tea han off to ballet, Nat changed for scouts, Nat picked up by Darren and now could I ride my bike.
Yesterday I’d successfully, but with some difficulty, I’d managed to mount my bike and ride it a few years without any significant pain. I wanted a few things from Asda and decided to see if I could, slowly, ride there. Yep; I could but I couldn’t take a crutch so would I be able to walk when i got there. Parked up and hobbled to a trolley which found itself pressed into service as a ersatz crutch. No problem, got my bits and bobs and cycled home before Deb and han returned.
Later, after we’d watch the Big Brother highlights and everyone was in bed I had a look on Twitter on my mobile to see what was what. The following exchange took place and was a reminder of how things can get misunderstood on the internet. As you can see it all ended happily but it could have been a close call. Beware!

• TBBL - WARNING: Between the hours of 9pm and 4:30am @totalbblive updates may contain strong language and adult content! #BB11

• ME - @totalbblive @TotalBBLive that’s well out of fucking order that is. What the fuck ever happened to broadcasting standards? Cunts!

• TBBL - @mysickbones I beg your pardon? For us to deliver the best possible updates we also have to put up this warning as the LS does.

• TBBL - @mysickbones For us to deliver Live Updates, this warning needs to be in place as the housemates talk about adult stuff between these hours

• ME - @TotalBBLive It was a joke. I'm pretty sure you realise this but just in case 2 avoid possible offence I though I'd clarify that. All best.

• TBBL - @mysickbones Not offended in the slightest, sometimes it's hard to judge one's expressions via the internet. sorry for any confusion.

• ME - @TotalBBLive Cheers.:) keep up the good work enjoying your tweets immensely. Never really watched BB before it's quite compelling isn't it?

• TBBL - @mysickbones Yes, we love it :) Thank You for the compliment, it really means a lot to us!

 ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL; SO GLAD, A NICE BUNCH OF PEOPLE I WOULD HAVE HATED TO INADVERTANTLY OFFEND THEM !

JDM’s Phone Call.

I had a peculiar phone call from JDM (my manager) from  last night. He called to say that the Team had got “something for me” and could he call in at our house next Tuesday night to drop it off. He did not elucidate further and has left me speculating as to what this”something” might be, have we finally won the Lottery? Oh IPU, blessed be her holy hooves, I hope so, but, if we have, it’ll probably be only £100 or so. The trick now is to forget all about it so that I don’t bulid it up into something it isn’t…but I hope it’s the Euro Jackpot!

Only Seconds To Live - But I Couldn't Resist - Thank You Yfrog