Mike's musings

Stop

I decided to stop work at a sensible time today, and managed 1940. This is the best so far for the past 2 weeks (bar my last day in Oz). Barbecue (as the last 3 days), and now watching "The Thick of It". And I'm going to take some leave next week. I really am.

Labels: holiday, home, work

May Day

(backposting) May Day celebrations in East Leake. After a trip to Loughborough to do exciting garden centre and supermarket shopping (well, not really), we went to the May fair. It was fun, and the girls enjoyed it. Throwing wellies, fire-fighter demonstrations, giant inflatable slide, tombolas, etc., etc.. All good fun, and helped by traditional rain.

And home late, this time without tears for a change - but mainly because the girls are going to see the grandparents again pretty soon.

Rediscovered Laurie Anderson's "O Superman" again tonight: what a genius piece of work.

Labels: holiday

Back to Walberswick

More jumping in and out of waves, getting soaked, flying kites. We headed into Southwold for lunch, I bought a couple of shirts for work, we got home, had fish and chips with the girls for supper, and they took about an hour to get to sleep.

Oh, well, we're watching more Buffy, as we did on Saturday (did I mention that). We've had a lovely two and a half days. And we could do it again: they're getting really good.

Labels: holiday

Beach time!

(backposting) Despite being up to nearly 2100, the girls still woke up around 0610. Moo and I slept really badly, and Moo kindly kept the girls quiet for a while so that I could get more sleep. Moo's lovely.

And breakfast started at 0800. Again, the girls did well. We headed off to Walberswick beach. Jumping in and out of waves, getting soaked, flying kites, all that. I love being a dad, I really, really do.

We watched the rest of The Wizard of Oz, the girls did really well at supper again, and we slept somewhat better. Oh: let me say it again: being a dad's great.

Labels: family, holiday

Services, and holiday

(backposting) I presided at two services today: an 0800 at Halstead, and a 1000 team service at Greenstead Green. I preached on the what the basics of Christianity might be at the 0800, and was just presiding at the 1000. Every time presiding is different, and that's still really exciting.

Then, after lunch, we headed off towards Diss. On the way, we stopped off at Bressingham Steam and Gardens, which Malcolm, Halstead PCC treasurer, had suggested as a good day out. The girls loved the Galloper (a carousel), and some of the steam exhibits. They also loved going round the gardens on a narrow gauge (or mini-something) steam train. As we were headed off, we found a big warehouse with lots of trains and carriages in it. Jo's first reaction was "boring, boring, boring" (spot the aspiring teenager), but she almost immediately got really into it. Of particular interest was a royal carriage with a bath in it.

We got to the hotel, whose main attraction for us was that they had one room with an adjoining side room which the girls could sleep in. We watched some of The Wizard of Oz, which Jo really got into, and then we headed down to supper. A proper, grown-up supper. With both girls. They did really well, and we were proud of them.

Labels: communion, girls, holiday

Buffy

(backposting) Moo doesn't know that I've bought the entirety of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on DVD to arrive tomorrow. Oh, and we decided that we should try to stay overnight somewhere this Bank Holiday - Sunday night. Pity it's a) two days away & b) the Bank Holiday. I also decided to ask for Tuesday off as well, which would give us two nights.

However, Moo's found somewhere near Diss, and it's sorted. And my boss gave me Tuesday, as requested.

Labels: holiday

More beach

(backposting) Made up with Kate, my mother-in-law, which was a good thing. Other than that, what to report? More job preparations (I'm nearly there) and more holiday. Good stuff. Today was the last day of the holiday, so we decided to ignore the fact that it was clearly going to rain, and a few of us went down to the beach. I went for a lovely swim, and, feeling brave, took my trunks off for a bit of skinny-dipping. I have to admit that I cheated, as I took my trunks off only after I'd entered the water, but there were small children around - not all my own - so I did feel justified.

Labels: holiday, swimming

Sorting things out

(backposting) As well as all the usual holiday things, today was a day of sorting things out. Booking this, that and the other, mainly. At least I had some time to enjoy the holiday, too. The weird thing about holidays with young kids is that, in some ways, you're more tired than usual, as they're full of energy. The bonus about going away with other people (in this case in-laws) means that there are more hands available, and even if the girls are up at 0500 (which at least some of them are), you may be able to grab a chance of some more sleep later.

Labels: holiday, job, sleep

Job time!

(backposting) After a morning visiting the beach (of course!), we headed off to the National Trust's Felbrigg Hall, although it took us rather a while to get there because Moo's phone satnav insisted that there was no main road between the cottage and Cromer, and that we had to take the back roads. So, we walked around the hall and went to see the donkeys. And there wasn't much reception. But just as we were about to visit the walled garden, I saw that I had a missed call. From the guy who, if they wanted me, would be my boss. So, I found a place with some reception, and phoned him. And they want me! What an enormous, enormous relief.

Once we got back home, I managed to get in touch with the HR person, and we sorted out the details. And then I had to find a flight, etc., etc..

I'm starting on Monday (next Monday!), and will be there for 2 weeks' training. Hard to be away for that long, but Moo understands completely, and at least we'll just have had a holiday. The name of the company of Appian, and they're based in Reston, Virginia. They do BPM (Business Process Management), which is pretty new to me, but they want me for my consulting and architecture skills and experience, which is great.

Labels: happiness, holiday, job, travel, work

On edge

(backposting) Although I had a good day today, it was tempered somewhat by the fact that I'd been rather hoping to hear back about a job, and hadn't. The company concerned had said that they'd hoped to be able to talk to me today, but hadn't promised, but being unemployed and all made me rather concerned. It wasn't helped by the fact that I had almost no phone reception, so had to keep finding somewhere I could check messages and also using the cottage's wifi to check my email.

Moo was very understanding, and we had a lovely day anyway.

Labels: holiday, job

Swimming

(backposting) Went with Kate to a lovely simple BCP (Book of Common Prayer) service at 0800 in Overstrand Church, which was a good start to the day.

And we all went to the beach. I think there's going to be a lot of going to be the beach, even if it's 140 steps down (and then back up again, more relevantly). I went swimming, as did Jen and Turtle (with some support), and we saw a seal! It came to within about 7 metres of me, and surfaced a couple of times. A lovely start to the holiday.

Labels: church, family, holiday, swimming

Graduation

From pre-school. It was seriously sweet, and there were tears. From me, too. The pre-school had made certificates and little mortar boards, and they called them up one by one. We got it on video, of course.

And the girls were _so_ tired that we had to fabricate an excuse to drive to a supermarket so that they'd both get some very badly needed sleep. Holiday tomorrow.

Labels: girls, holiday

A day off

(backposting) I could have done with more sleep, but I did OK. I was beginning to stream with the cold, and had stuff I really needed to be well for, so took a sudafed. I'm not supposed to do this as I've got hypertension, but I decided I wouldn't die from just one (in fact, I decided that my head wouldn't even explode a little bit, and it didn't). I had a good day, anyway, and it was worth it.

Labels: holiday, illness

New shoes!

(backposting) A lovely quiet day. Moo and I drove to Kirkby Lonsdale and did some random shopping. The most interesting purchase (apart from some lovely, lovely black pudding) was a new pair of Doc Martens for me. Size 12 (I think my feet have grown since we had kids), just above the ankle. Very, very comfortable. Other than that, watching rugby on the television (and why, oh why can't England maintain some discipline), more of the Wire series 3, and some general TV. Talked to the girls on the phone: they're fine.

We're on holiday, and it's just fine. Oh, yes.

Labels: holiday

Holiday

So, I'm up in a cottage in Dent with my lovely wife. I've been watching Ice Age on DVD, the cricket (West Indies-England test match) and random religious broadcasting on Sky, and the news. And Moo's been knitting.

And that's it. We've not been looking after the girls. Because Kate and Mac (my parents-in-law) are.

It's the first time that Moo and I have spent a night away together without the girls since Jo was born, now 4 years ago. We know this isn't good, but we're so pleased to be here, and just relaxing and spending easy times with each other. Many thanks to Kate and Mac.

Oh, and I've managed to get this machine online despite not having the relevant documentation, remembering stuff I last had to do around 3 years ago, about which I'm pretty chuffed.

Labels: geekery, girls, holiday, Moo

My first funeral

(backposting) I'd arranged a while ago to be on holiday, and then discovered that Moo hadn't (a communications breakdown somewhere), so when I was asked to take a funeral, I agreed. Although I've attended a few, this is the first that I've taken, and I was quite nervous. I won't go into details - I don't think it's appropriate - but the lady had been a cook and loved dancing - as well as a glass of wine after a meal - so I talked about her life, and the reflected on the place of food, drink and dancing in the Bible, and given a bodily resurrection, we can expect to enjoy the same in heaven. We then journeyed to Chelmsford crematorium for the committal. It all went very well, and I was very happy with it. It was a real privilege, as I've said before.

Labels: funeral, holiday

11/12/2008
Originally uploaded by MikeCamel

I went to Cambridge today, as I had a day off. I went to talk to someone about a possible PhD, which went well, and just because I like Cambridge: it feels like home. And it looked gorgeous today.

I also went to see my godson's carol concert today, which was fun. I'm a lucky, happy man.

Labels: family, holiday

Back at work

Just for the day. I've taken Thursday and Friday off, as I've got some holiday to use up and could use some time off. What to do, though? Might move my office across the landing. Oh, the excitement.

Labels: holiday

Back home

(backposting) We were heading home and decided to pop via Snape Maltings to have some coffee and cake. Clearly the café was closed. But we noticed that they have apartments for sale. We'd like one. They're rather out of our price range.

Labels: holiday, home

BeWILDerwood

Today we took the girls to BeWILDerwood, which they loved. We were pretty impressed, particularly as they had good bits for little ones like Miri. Jo really lost it after lunch, but recovered in time for the hot tub.

Labels: children, holiday