Monday 18th September 2006

Walked the girls school today and came back to gift SJ a lift to work. I needed the car so I could visit a friend from work who has just been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Had a positive visit, quite sad but I think with her determination she'll pull through it. Treatment has just started so fingers and toes crossed for a month or so.

Came back home around midday as mum and dad were calling by to rop their dog in for two weeks whilst they jet off to Greece (Syros to be exact). Nice catch up with them both before Mum and I collected the girls from school. Had a final cuppa before collecting SJ. SJ wasn't feeling too well today, a head cold so she didn't goto yoga. I made the pasta penne go one further and we had a nice meal.

Read with the girls and the sent them, and SJ to bed! Typing this now...night!

Friday 15th September 2006

Lovely day, SJ and I are planning to cycle along the Thams pathway this morning. SJ took the girls to school whilst I cleared away breakfast. Had a call around 9.10am from SJ, having coffee at one of the other school mums...I'll get on with some more jobs then.

Took the patio heater apart. It keeps blowing over in the wind and the canopy is becoming pretty damaged. Removed the canopy and recovered the heater. Moved it to a more sheltered part of the garden. Dismantled the childrens slide which has now become a ladder for talking over the fence to the kids next door. It's pretty tatty and split now so off it goes to the tip.

SJ returned and I loaded the car with our bikes. The cycle rack arrived this week but not had time to see how it fits yet, so its our with the rear seats and in with the two bikes and off to Erith. Started out at Erith and rode along the Thames path almost to Thamesmead. It's a different kind of ride to the park, pretty industrial on that part of the river with dissused and fully working units along the entire stretch. One small stretch leads onto a quite road but for the most part it's traffic free. Some wild life long the way but not much, not at least whilst cycling. Stopped at the supermarket on the way back to get some essentials then off home. We both fell asleep in the sun in the afternoon before collecting the girls from school!!

Collected the girls and had tea, another busy week at school for them. SJ went to a quiz night at the school and I took the girls and their friends to junior badminton. Their improving already and have only been a few times. When we got hom I had a chat with the neighbours and got the girls in bed before SJ got home...another slow day passed successfully...

Monday 11th September 2006

Woke up with a blocked nose and muscle ache from the gardening we did at the weekend. I hope I get fitter by being around home more! Made our packed lunches and walked the girls to school. Got home and set about paiting the front garden fence. Two hours later I am really pleased with the outcome, looks new.

SJ texted asking me to re-format her C.V. Yep, she is looking for a new job. Spent the next half and hour putting it into decent shape and saving as PDF (documents look so much better when they have been PD effed). Emailed it over to her so hope it's okay.

Got the next week's dinners sorted and booked a slot for the tesco delivery...fantastic, never go to the supermarket. What it costs for delivery can be easily saved on researching the best deals online and not buying on impulse. Highly recommend it if you don't already do your groceries online.

Not much doing for the rest of the day, collected the girls from school, cooked dinner, took them to the video store to get a couple of DVDs and watched some TV whilst J was at yoga.

I'm on a halfday tomorrow as SJ is going to a fashion awards dinner in London and I need to be home for the girls. Only two and a half days at work this week...not sure how I'll cope!!

Friday 8th September 2006

SJ and I went cycling this morning, around the local park again with the dog but this time managed two laps. SJ said she could have done a further lap but I was knackered. Drove to Aldi as their weekly email newsletter mentioned some good deals this week however, on arrival they had sold out of everythiong I was interested in. Sold out in 24 hours...better than the Harrods sale!

Came home as SJ has lunch planned with a friend. I spent the time tidying the shed and reparing the fence in the frton garden ready for me to paint next week. That will be another job done which wasn't on my list! Note to self, find a way of publishing my list online.

Met SJ at the school to collect the girls. They've been back since Wednesday and have settled back in with no problems. Bambi is now in the juniors and JT upper juniors. JT has homework already but it looks straighforward. Offered to help her get it done tonight but she doesn't feel like it. Tried convincing her that it would be best done and out of the way but what do I know about homework.

Evening in by the TV

Monday 4th September 2006

Dropped SJ at work, the girls are still off school. SJ's parents have been having trouble with their computer so I have been drafted in to rescue it from the brink Drove round the M25 to get there, made it in 15mins so in good time. The girls played with their Nan whilst I got on with the operation. The symptoms; it keeps dropping off the internet, the anti-virus needs updating, the printer won't print and the father-in-law wants an email address set-up for work. Two hours later I had it singing like a canary. The Mother-in-Law made lunch, which was good, and we stayed for another hour beforeheading off.

When we got home I put the washing out (haven't had to do that in ages) and loaded my newly aquired and the girls' bikes into the car. Girls and dog loaded up we set off for the local park for a lap or two. Made it round once, which was enough. Fido was so astounded at seeing his owner on two wheels he kept losing us and chasing after sauntering old men...just shows what he thinks of me...besides, he was puffed out at the end of one lap (note to self - give dog more cardiovascular excersise). I however, could have gone round again, of course...

When we got home I scoured the internet for a bike rack which will take four bikes on the car. Not many around and quite expensive so will look again when I have more time. Collected SJ from work, got home, made dinner for the girls and me (SJ goes to yoga on Mondays) and got the girls in bed for 8.30pm which meant I could take a look at my own broken PC. Found out it was the DNS settings after having my broadband changed from "set to box" to "cable modem" - one of my cost containment excersises ;)

Back to work tomorrow - meeting some good mates for a beer and curry at Borough in the evening...looking forward to catching up although not planning on spending more that £20 so it will be quite a challenge!

Friday 1st September 2006

A round trip of the local, and not so local, shops planned for this morning. Some things to return to Argos and Wilkinsons and some new shoes and trainers to buy for JT. Back to school next Wednesday.

SJ's mum came round for lunch and to look after the girls whilst I took SJ for her hospital appointment (SJ has an appointment with the breast cancer family history clinic). Appointment went well and SJ will be screened from the age of forty instead of fifty which she, and I were pleased about. SJ got some additional information family history risks too which was good.

Back home and just took it easy for the rest of the day.

Monday 28th August 2006

Not strictly a downshift day as it's a bank holiday. Ran some errands and went to my parents for the afternoon and evening. The girls are staying for a couple of days as SJ and I are both at work Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. They'll have fun and we don't have to worry about childcare...good stuff all round.

Friday 25th August 2006

Bambi's birthday, seven years old. As the girls ah still on summer hols we're off to the West Midlands for a couple of days. We're booked on the 1.20pm tour of Cadbury World (http://www.cadburyworld.co.uk/en/cworld). We're up at 6.40am, the dog is at my parents so no need to worry about him. Bambi opened her cards and presents and whilst the girls played with the new toys SJ and I got ready and prepared a basic travel lunch. Left home at 9.30m with the tomtom (http://www.tomtom.com/) programmed to avoid toll roads we embarked on the 3.5 hour journey around the M25 and up the M42 to Bournville, shrine of Cadbury chocolate.

After lunch en-route and a few DVDs (portable DVD players are a godsend for long journeys) we arrived just in time to enter the museum at our allocated time. After a few hours at the attraction, which as a family we agreed was not all it's cracked up to be, we headed for our hotel. I booked a hotel using www.laterooms.com for £45 a night for a family room including breakfast for the four of us. Cracking value but it turned out to be one of those, okay for the night type places. Crossroads motel meets Fawlty Towers. A link to the hotel website is included here so you can avoid it. http://www.hotels-walsall.com/. I would have been gutted had we paid full price of £160 for a family room. The hotel is undergoing a re-furb but the dining room and pool have yet to be touched. The breakfast was awful and the staff were playing multiple roles, just like Peter Butterworth in Carry on Abroad (at the Spanish resort of Elsbels - Hells Bells, get it...of couse you do).

Still, after a night in Elsbels we travelled to Dudley to the Black Country Museum (http://www.bclm.co.uk/) and excellent and highly recommend visit for young and old, the kids loved seeing the 19th centruy school, funfair and coal mines.

Back hom on Saturday evening making a stop for a curry. A great couple of days.

Monday 21 August 2006

My first day on my journey to a more simple life, a slower pace, more time to spend with my wife and daughters and doing some things just for me. My post, The story so far...and my profile http://www.blogger.com/profile/29522658 gives some insight into who I am and what and why I'm doing at this time, but for now, it's my first day...

My wife, SJ works on Mondays, she's a legal secretary for a small law firm in Kent. My eldest daughter JT has been booked into a funday run by our local authority. It's a day of magic (she loves magic) and is going with her she has known since anti-natal, nine and a half years. The plan for the day is for me to drop her off at her friends grandmother's house, proceed to drop my wife at work and then spend some time with my youngest daughter, Bambi - 6 almost 7. We have agreed on going to a petting farm not far from SJ's workplace.

All dropped off and Bambi and I (well me naturally) got lost on the way to the farm (http://www.xmastreefarm.co.uk/home.html). Turns out there are a few roads with the same name in a ten mile radius...still, only an hour wasted! Spent 2 hours at the farm, two laps round the goats, sheep, chickens, cows, pigs and ponies was quite enough. Had a hot sausage roll and a cup of tea each (how many 6 year olds enjoy tea?) and left for the drive home. An hour later, and at just after 2pm we arrived home. Bambi advises she wants to play The SIMS (http://thesims2.co.uk/pages.view_frontpage.asp). The PC is still in bits after we re-organised the dining/living room in a rush one weekend in July o I have to put that back together before she can play. Had a chat with SJ on MSN before having to collect JT and her friend from the magic day. JT collected and her friend dropped off, onwards to SJs work for collection. Back home and got tea on the go...phew, is this slower and more simple...?