BREAKING NEWS: For the second time in his career, Tiger Woods successfully gets away with dropping his balls in the wrong place.

Quick post about the weekend.  Had to work on Saturday but got back to surprise the kids as my wife had unlocked the door so I could sneak in.  They had just been put to bed and loved being told an extra story.  My daughter does not like to sleep so this morning we got to watch Dr Who together as my son was still asleep until about half past eight.  After my wife and he woke up, it was a trip to Mersea Island where the kids had a great time.  To say it was windy would be an understatement, but it was sunny and despite the wind, not too cold.  We would have stayed there for hours, but my son on trying to get some water for making a sandcastle managed to fall in a very wet patch of sand, or basically mud.  It was fun, he took it well and sadly we had to come home much sooner than we had planned, but over all, it was a great day out for all.

Today China gave North Korea a stern warning to not bomb the United States, because they owe Beijing 16 Trillion Dollars.

Well, the other joke I was going to post was about Arsenal.  Which I have to say played well on Saturday, a hard earned victory over WBA.  And the best bit, was when I watched it in the morning, I got the kids to sit with me and watch the game.  I gave them the option of eating at the table, or sitting with me on the sofa and watching the game while eating.  Being kids, they loved the idea of watching the television, even if it meant watching football, which they are not fans.  Yet.  I am hoping that we get to win the next few games, but I think that in the next three games, we will be lucky to get five points.  Which will not be good enough to finish in the top four.

Anyway, the family.  On Sunday we had an overdue trip to Legoland.  The kids loved it, more so as it was a surprise.  They know the way there now, but due to traffic problems on the M25, we cut through London and went on the North Circular which meant that we were only an hour late for the opening, rather than a further hour or two which it would have been otherwise.  But, the kids did not know where we were going due to the alternative route and by the time we were getting close, they were causing enough trouble that I got them to close their eyes.  When they opened them to find out where they were, well the joy on their faces!

Anyway, knackered, have to go now, good night.

Margaret Thatcher, forever blue

Well, it has been an interesting week.  Just in case you are not aware, Maggie is dead.  And this has divided the nation again.  There are those who think that she was great, and those that hate her.  As you can imagine if you follow my posts, I am not in the camp that thinks that she was great.  I have however, on hearing my daughter state that she hates her, told her that she should not hate someone she does not know about.  Margaret Thatcher was after all, a Prime Minister who did a lot of good for the nation, which should be remembered, along with the great suffering she inflicted as well.

There is no doubt that she was right to liberate the Falklands.  It is argued by some that the invasion happened because she was complacent, but history will always have those who will disagree with this view.  What was right was that the freedoms of the people of the Falklands should have been defended.  Argentina accuses the UK of having a colony there.  Argentina, an ex-colony of Spain.  When the invasion happened, an evil military dictatorship imposed its views on the island, something I would never defend, and something Argentina today should remember.  Even though Argentina is now a democracy, they should respect the democratic rights of those who live on the island to decide if they should join Argentina or not. She was right with some of the reforms that she made to prevent the unions destroying economic growth, she was right to stand up to Europe and she did improve parts of the economy of the nation.

But she destroyed so much as well.  She caused the NHS to decline, she brought about record unemployment, and not only did she destroy the mining industry, she destroyed entire communities.  She destroyed social housing as well which in turn caused community problems.  The selling of council homes to tennants, was not a bad thing, but what was insane was refusing to allow councils to reinvest the money in more flats and houses.  And, if given the chance, she would have done even more!

She worked against sanctions to bring down the oppressive government in South Africa, calling those who had turned to violence in South Africa when peaceful demonstrations were forbidden terrorists (please note that I do not support the use of violence to bring about change unless peaceful attempts have been exhausted, which is what happened in South Africa and is happening now in Syria).  And let us not forget the support she gave Saddam before the invasion of Kuwait.

She was loved by many and hated as well.  It is right that those who think that she was great have a chance to mourn her as she did do many good things for our nation, but it is also right that those who hate her get to raise a glass to the death of a woman who caused so much suffering for so many.

My colleagues really take April Fool's day seriously. Five hours I've been in the office now and they're still all hiding.

First of all, Arsenal won.  And yes, I know that it is April Fools, but they did, honest!  I am still concerned that a goal was let in, but Gervinho scored. Mind you, so did Cazorla, a magnificent goal where he passed the ball into the net and the goal from Giroud was well taken, as was the penalty from Arteta.

Second, the kids are well.  As noted, they had a great day yesterday, both a trip to the Museum of Childhood and then the day with their grandparents.  A trip today back home was in time for my son to go to a party and my daughter to watch Dr Who with me.  Good episode as well.  It was her first episode in a while as she had stopped watching it after the first episode with Clara.  And they are still enjoying the chocolate that they have been given.  Loads of it!  So today, got my son to watch the highlights of the Arsenal game (my daughter was not interested).  And afterwards, watched The Voice, which both kids loved, and so did my wife and I.