Mike's musings

England *fizzle*

Up fairly early with Jo, and left home around 0815 to drive to Bristol to see Jim and Nina (whose 30th birthday it was earlier in the week). Made fairly good time, and Jo didn't completely implode, so we were there around 1215. Their new house is lovely, and will be even better once they get the painting finished and some other bits and pieces done, and is in a good part of Bristol, by all accounts. We had lunch, and then Mum and Dad turned up.

Mum and Dad had suggested, earlier in the week, that we take Jo to Bristol Zoo in the afternoon, before, it appears, they'd realised that the first England game was on at 1400. Going after the match was a non-starter, as Jo would be winding down (or up?) for bed, so there was some suggestion that the women go to the zoo, while the men stayed. This didn't go down too well, for a bunch of reasons, including Nina's inability to walk very far (she's 37 weeks pregnant), and Moo's interest in the game. In the end, Moo and I had both independently decided to go to the zoo with my parents, taking the view that they don't see us or Jo very much, and so if they're up for quality grandparent time, we should make the most of it. So, sorted, then? Well, it would have been if Dad hadn't assumed that he was going to stay and watch the footy. I'm afraid that I applied some pressure, and in the end he agreed to come as well. We watched enough of the match to see the goal (after some 7 minutes), and then headed off, in a somewhat forced good humour (from the men, at least). Jim and Nina stayed to watch the footy.

Maybe we're spoilt with Colchester Zoo, but Bristol Zoo was fairly crap. Small, very few big animals (a couple of lovely lions, some gorillas and okapis seemed about the limit), and not much to do. The place was littered with men clutching radios, trying to find the latest score, and Jo had a nice time running around, but the fact that they're rebuilding the monkey enclosure (what have they done with them in the meantime - put them on ice?) meant that there really wasn't much to do. Maybe when Jo's a bit older and can enjoy bugs, snakes, etc., she'll get more from it, but not really yet.

We got home to discover that the match had been pretty crap, too, despite the initial promise, so both the zoo-goers and the stay-at-homes felt that they'd not had a very fulfilling afternoon. Jo, at least, had a good time.

Put Jo to bed at around her usual bedtime, and she had a lovely half hour nap. This seems to be a bit of a theme when we're away from home: she'll surface under an hour into the night, but will settle herself again if she's in an environment she's used to. If not, up she is. So, she came downstairs while we had supper, and then Moo took her up to bed with her. Nina stayed up a bit, and then went to bed, leaving Jim and me to play CD tracks at each other and drink their raspberry gin (do I never learn?).

To bed at 2330, but remembered evening prayer, so said that, and then to bed.

# posted by MikeCamel @ 2:10 pm