Swansea, in 5 years of Premier League football, has more silverware than Arsenal does in the past 8 years.

Not that I am bitter about not winning any trophies.  It is hard to retain faith Arsène Wenger considering the failure of the team in so many competitions. In previous seasons, it has been injuries that have ruined us. We were going to win the title in 2008 until Eduardo was injured against Birmingham. And then our season fell apart. And since then it has been injury to key player after injury to key player. And it has not been helped by Man 5hitty and Barça stealing our players. But this season, despite Van Persie going to ManUre has been one where injuries can not be blamed. We have a squad that should be in third place. One that could be pressing for the title. One that should have won against Bradford and one that should have beaten Blackburn. Bradford played great football, but our squad was one that should have been up to the task. And we should have not defended as bad as we did against Blackburn. Let alone how bad we played against Villa on Saturday or the way we gave up in the first half against Bayern Munich. If we defend that bad on the weekend, then the Scum will not only get three points over on us, but loads of goals as well.  There is, quite simply, no excuse.  The players can blame themselves, and they should.  Me, I do think it is time to start thinking if a change of manager is what is needed.  Unless our new signing, Nacho Monreal, is going to make our defence a force to be feared again, we are going to keep letting in easy goals.  And if that continues to happen, a new manager may be what we need. 

It is hard for me to say this as I do think that we owe Arsène so much.  But the team have not been performing as they should and if he can not get them to play to the potential that they have, then someone else may be needed.  I am going to have to wash now as I feel dirty...

Now that Pope Benedict has stepped down from his Divine position in the Catholic order, bookies have tipped him 2/1 as the next Chelsea manager

Well, it is almost the end of half term.  It has been one that has been interesting for the kids. Unfortunately, it was too cold or wet for them to play out a lot, or so I was told.  Being at work, I did not get to spend as much time with them as I would like.  But it is now Sunday, they are watching A Monster in Paris and we are relaxing.  My mother came up on Friday to look after the kids while my wife and I went out on Saturday.  I was hoping to go out on Saturday night as well, but unfortunately was too knackered to be able to spend the evening with her. Managed to get rest though which was just as well as we have just driven my mother back.  They have enjoyed themselves playing games, making things and of course making a mess!  Anyway, time to go as the kids are about to start fighting again...

Mimosa Colchester

Yesterday another meal out.  This time it was after interviews and I have to say, it was hard to be an interviewer.  When everyone you are interviewing is a great candidate, it is hard to decide, but I would rather be in that situation rather than the last time that I was involved in interviewing when there were only two people who were suitable for one post.

Afterwards it was a meal out.  My wife and I have eaten at Mimosa before with the kids and I have today, we liked it and had no problems there.  The service has always been good and the food enjoyable.  To be fair, this time the food was great, the service though was at times wanting.  The owner was great, but one of the waiters was not on top form, not knowing which beef fillet was rare, which was medium etc and was only really attentive when it came to getting the bill.  Not that I think that he was motivated by trying to get a tip!  If this was the only time that I had been there, I probably would not go back there, but I have been there before and I know from previous experience that this was a bad day.  Hopefully a day that others will not have to experience!

The Angel at Stoke by Nayland

Well, it has been a nice week.  On Wednesday, I had my appraisal, which was quite good but could have gone better.  (I must be nicer...) and afterwards we went out for a meal with some friends.

It has been a while since we have been to the Angel.  We used to go there a bit more often, back in the days before children, and to be fair, we have been once with kids (though we only had the one when we last went).  But it has been a few years since we were there last.  And I had a great night.  It is located near some other good places to eat and once had a truly brilliant reputation, but on the meal we had on Wednesday, it appears to be as good as it once was.  True, being a week day, it was a quiet night, and ten years ago when we used to go there more, it would have been far more busy.  But the service was great and the food was amazing.

I think, therefore I am... not a Daily Mail reader.

If you put 100 monkeys in a room with 100 typewriters and have them type aimlessly, they'll write a new edition of the Daily Mail. Everyday.
Had my benefits stopped today for turning down a job.
I'm sorry, but not even I'm prepared to be a journalist for the Daily Mail.

Well, I hate the Daily Mail.  As you might have guessed.  There are documented links between the Daily Mail and Hitler, the right wing rag being said to have supported him.  I do not know if the picture is true, but it is thought to show Lord Rothmere who owned the Daily Mail with Hitler.  And this paper, which has yet to apologise for the way it has backed the cause of racism continues to spout hatred.  On occasion, it has taken action against racism, this being on rare occasions.

But the reason that I am ranting today is the way it has decided to try to stir up people against the NHS.   A journalist has posted a queston on MumsNet trying to scrape the barrel looking for dirt.  And I am impressed with the way most people have defended the NHS.  But, it makes me angry.  And on that note, I will try to get some rest and relax... 

A horse walks into a bar. "Too late," says the bartender, "we're joking about the pope now." "He's right," sighs Richard III

Well, it was a good weekend. I had a course in London, the kids had fun on the Golden Hinde, and we picked up my Mother who kindly agreed to look after the kids.  Come night time, we went to a birthday party were we had a great time together.  I may have drunk a bit too much, but it was still a great night playing games with good conversation.  Come the morning, and it was a great morning today, the kids had loads of fun with my mother while my wife and I had a lie-in.  I got to ride my bike, something I need to do a lot more and we went to the West Mersea Oyster Bar.

And once again, just as it has been the other times that we have been there it was a great meal.  As has happened almost every time I have eaten there, there was too much food for me to eat and as has happened each time, I have been annoyed that I have not been able to eat the food.  My daughter took great joy in grossing me out by sucking out the brains of the prawns she was eating!

Afterwards, a walk along the beach.  Now when we decided to go, it was sunny, but by the time we left the house, fog had fallen.  It had lifted by the time we went for our walk, but it was bitterly cold and the kids while they enjoyed the walk, were disappointed that they did not get to spend time playing with their kites.  They got to wade in the water and have a run around, but with them being unwell at times in the last few weeks, we took them back into the warm.  And while my mother kindly agreed to look after the kids again, my wife and I went out to watch a film!

I Give It A Year was a surprisingly good film.  Like many films that are made to target the American market, it had a view of the UK that seemed to tick many boxes, posh characters, stately home and a London setting.  But, it had a sense of humour that appealed to me.  We loved it, though many would find it too sick and twisted, I suspect loads of others would say that it struck a very fine balance.  It had the right amount of sentimentality and I thought that considering it could have gone all so wrong, it struck the right balance.  I might even be tempted to get the soundtrack!

And of course, it made for a pick me up, which I needed after Arsenal were dumped out of the FA cup.  To quote the Guardian "Great teams always find a way to win, no matter what. Arsenal keep finding ways to lose." Which is getting depressing. Arsène Wenger has said the season is not over.  And he is right.  We have to fight to finish in the top four, but we are not going to beat Bayern Munich over two legs.  All we can hope is that Chelski and the Scum drop points and we do not drop anymore.  But lets, face it, that is not going to happen.  I would love to be proved wrong on this though.  Apparently David Moyes may be a possible contender to take the managers role at the club, though I think that Martin O'Neill would be a great catch.

Anyway, time to go, take care all. 

 

Just played Cluedo, the Tudor edition. Henry VII did it, with a shovel, in the car park

The kids are doing well at reading now. Both have been moved up a grade and they both have decided that they prefer to read Calvin and Hobbes on the computer rather than in the books that my brother got me. My daughter has started on the Harry Potter books that she was given for Christmas as well and I have to say that it is truly great that they have the love of reading that my wife and I both have.  Anyway, just a quick post on them.  Take care all.

Police are probing huge numbers of fixed football matches, Harry Redknapp is unavailable for comment while he arranges his alibi.

Well, it was a good weekend.  As usual, I was working, but I got to spend time with the family in the morning, and I was able to spend time with them in the evening getting home in time to put the kids to bed.  And then my wife and I snuggled up on the sofa to watch Valentines Day on the Wii.  I think that the film lived up to the cast that acted in it and I have to say it is one that I would watch again and again.  I always love films that get me thinking, and also surprise me, and this was one that was sweet and one that while predictable most of the time, was not on other occasions.

On Sunday we went out to a meal with Adam and Victoria who entertained us.  It was a great meal, and there was plenty of wine and excellent company.  The kids got on most of the time, though I suspect that my daughter was a bit too bossy at times which caused a few problems.  This was of course after I had found out that Arsenal had won! 

Today my daughter had a playdate and my son got to help my wife cook.  It is always a good day when the guest tells her parents that she does not want to leave!  I would love to take credit for that, but alas, I was at work and only came home to hear the tales of what happened.

Anyway, I am knackered, so good night all.

Atheism and Religion are but two sides of the same coin. One prefers to use its head, while the other relies on tales.

Right now, my wife is taunting me about the football.  I normally do not know the score until Match of the Day.  It was bad enough on Wednesday that she knew that we were two goals down at home.  I am tempted to find out the score, but I think that I can wait till later tonight.

Anyway, the kids are well, for a change.  It has been the house of ill for the last two weeks.  And the kids have had to miss a few days from school and my wife was not very well either.  But all appears to be better now.  Not 100% well yet, but much better than before.  The kids in fact went to football yesterday.  My son, who I think is really meant to play rugby made a tackle and scored a goal.  My daughter got put with the boys, scored a few goals and was player of the day!  Both are really proud, and I am of course proud of both of them.

Anyway, time to go.  Night all!