3 December 2017 (Sunday) - Family Party

I slept like a log and despite far too much ale last night I woke feeling refreshed and raring to go. I looked at the clock and saw it was only a quarter to three. I then lay in my pit for three hours trying to get back to sleep. I gave up at six o’clock and came downstairs. I looked at our new smart meter and saw that we’d used fifty-six pence worth of leccie and gas since midnight. How had we done that?

Over brekkie I watched yesterday’s episode of “Thunderbirds are Go” and I found myself getting rather upset when Sherbet (Lady Penelope’s little pug) was in peril.

I then fired up my lap-top to see what had happened in cyber-space overnight. The photos I took at yesterday’s geo-party had received favourable comments; quite a few favourable comments.

As "er indoors ^TM" performed her morning ablutions I took the dogs round the park for a walk. Again I forgot the Park Run was on; today it was the children’s run. There was a couple of dozen children being bullied round the paths by parents who were very keen that their offspring should enjoy running just as much as they do. Even though the children clearly hated it. Two kiddies seemed to be running in their pyjamas.

Still, the run was better than it has been. Over the summer there were literally hundreds of people running/ Far too many really. Personally I don’t see why they can’t stage the run at the Julie Rose stadium (somewhere purpose-built for runners).

We settled the dogs, collected "Daddy’s Little Angel ^TM" and her entourage and pausing only briefly for petrol set sail to Hastings. Just as we were getting petrol my brother sent a message. Had we remembered something-or-other? Woops – we’d forgotten it. But the traffic trying to get to the outlet centre was so bad that getting back home wasn’t practical. There was so much traffic when we left home that we could have walked to Newtown quicker than we’d driven.

 What *is* the attraction of that outlet centre?

We popped in to see mother-in-law for ten minutes, then drove up to Hollington for the annual extended family Christmas party. I took a few photos of what went on; there was a ball pit and bouncy castle for the littluns, party games for kids of all ages, a rather good spread, and Santa came to visit too. It was a rather good session; the only fly in the ointment was the ale selection… next year I’ll get the ale in.

I slept for most of the drive home…

"er indoors ^TM" has gone bowling. I’ve programmed “Hannah” for tomorrow… I shall slob about in front of the telly for the evening. I‘ve eaten too much at the party this afternoon and given myself guts ache…

2 December 2017 (Saturday) - Xmas Geo-Meet

There is nothing quite like having just done a couple of night shifts to give me a good night’s sleep. Such a shame that “nice next door” had to have noisy sex quite so early this morning. Her squeal and screams woke me just after seven o’clock, and two minutes later a particularly vigorous “oh YES oh YES!!!” woke the puppy who leapt bolt upright in shock.

I opened the second window of my advent calendar, then made myself some toast. As I scoffed it I had a look at the Internet. It was still there. I had several emails, none really worth mentioning.

The Geocaching Association of Great Britain came in for some stick. Having made great show of introducing themselves to the Kent branch of the Tupperware hunters, the chap who’d made the overture had announced that living in Tyne and Wear meant he was too far away to actually *do* anything practical. Bearing in mind the chap who does live locally hasn’t got in touch, hasn’t replied to messages and wouldn’t seem to win any popularity contests, I think the GAGB must be dead in the water. Which is a shame.

I saw one article on a work-related Facebook page that wound me up. An eighty-four year old doctor (admittedly in the USA) has had her doctoring licence revoked because she flatly refuses to have anything to do with computers. How does she keep records, administer prescriptions, get the results of lab tests… Leaving aside the fact that computers are central to how I do my job in the hospital, I use computers to keep my skills and knowledge up to date. How on Earth does this woman keep abreast of current developments without access to the Internet?

"er indoors ^TM" went shopping; I took the dogs round the park for a walk. I’d forgotten about the Park Run people, but fortunately they didn’t seem to be doing a run today. As we walked we met a few other dogs. Fudge straggled miles behind, Treacle wouldn’t leave my side. An average walk, much the same as ever. But it was nice not to have to wash poo from a little girl’s face when we got home.

I then sat on the sofa with my dogs watching Alexei Sayle videos until "er indoors ^TM" came home from shopping.

We settled the dogs, then made our way to Leybourne (via a couple of geocaches) where the Hunters of Tupperware were staging the county Christmas party. We’d arranged to meet Karl and Tracey half an hour before the event, and we had a rather good dinner. We then spent a few hours with all sorts of friends. It was so good to catch up. Nick had organised the event and it was rather good. Catching up with friends is always good; the home-made scoff was excellent, and we had custom-made M&Ms. And we had such fun with the raffle; alternately cheering and jeering the winners. Certificates of achievement were awarded to people according to their geo-scores, but in such a way that the numbers didn’t really matter.

I took nearly a hundred photos of the event.

After a gallon of ale and far too much port we wended our way homeward where the puppy tried to eat the pressie I won in the secret Santa draw.

I think an early night is in order… let’s hope next door doesn’t start feeling fruity too early tomorrow morning…

1 December 2017 (Friday) - Bit Tired

As I drove home the pundits on the radio were discussing one of many sticking points in the Brexit negotiations. I say “sticking points”; this point is realistically already decided. According to everyone interviewed on this morning’s radio show no one really wants a physical barrier between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. But didn’t we as a nation vote for Brexit so that we as a nation could take back control of our borders? Bearing in mind that for many people this was a number one priority, is anyone *really* suggesting that all three hundred and ten miles of The Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border just be left open so that all and sundry can come and go as they please with no checks at all?

Perhaps a barrier could be built funded from all the savings made by out leaving the European Union?

There was also talk of First Secretary of State Damian Green (my local MP). He’s accused of all sorts of wrongdoing, and loads of mucky pictures have been found on his parliamentary computer supposedly accessed on his log-in.

He’s denying having looked at filth in work’s time. Well he would, wouldn’t he?

Once home I helped "er indoors ^TM" bandage up her arm (her burn isn’t getting any better) and despite the rain I took the dogs round the park. The rain must have put everyone else off of walking; dog-wise we had the park to ourselves.

However the rain worked against us. The rain had made the other dogs’ poos rather wet and soft and runny, so that when Treacle ate some, it ended up smeared all over her chops. When we came home I had to pin her down and wash her face. Have you ever tried to wash runny shit off of the face of a dog that doesn’t want it washed off (whilst another dog is getting in the way to gloat)? It isn’t an experience I would care to repeat.

With puppy scrubbed I walked down the road to the dentist. I had an appointment with the hygienist. Rather then paying for dental treatment I have a DenPlan policy which gives me two free sessions with the hygienist every year. I suppose it is worth having these sessions; even if at the time it is akin to being in a torture chamber.

And with my gob having been seriously raked out, and with the taste of blood in my mouth I took myself off to bed; I didn’t set an alarm. I slept for four hours.

I got up shortly after three o’clock, and over a rather late brekkie I watched this week’s episode of “Peaky Blinders”. Having binge-watched the first three seasons of the show on Netflix and catch-up TV, I’m finding this fourth season something of a disappointment.

I then spent an hour or so working on my geo-website, though realistically I probably spent ten minutes on the website and the rest of the time was spent dozing.

"er indoors ^TM" boiled up fish and chips for tea. Very tasty…