So long fair Pokémon

Woke up this morning to find that I had finally been knocked out of a Pokégym in Sri Lanka that I had managed to stay in for over a year.

I was hoping that I would get to stay longer as it was on a road where people drove fast past it, which meant that I just needed to ensure that it could survive one battle. But alas, the long stay abroad for that Pokémon has ended.

Pokémon GO and trading

Time has been good for trading.  Niantic have increased the distance at which we can trade until the end of month.  And due to COVID, meeting up to trade a Pokémon can carry risk, though this can be done in a socially distanced manner.  Saying that, it has been nice trading from my living room, but I need to be clear about what I am after.

These are the Pokémon that I am missing from my Pokédex

352 - Kecleon

369 - Relicanth

417 - Pachirisu 

455 - Carnivine

476 - Probopass (I do not have a high CP Nosepass with good scores to evolve one)

479 - Rotom

489 - Phione (but I am not sure that this is not available at all)

490 - Manaphy 

511 - Pansage

512 - Simisage

515 - Panour

516 - Simipour

517 - Munna

518 - Musharna

528 - Swoobat (I have yet to get a high CP Woobat with good scores)

538 - Throh

542 - Leavanny

551 - Sandile

552 - Krokorok

553 - Krookodile

556 - Maractus

561 - Sigilyph

570 - Zorua 

571 - Zoroark

582 - Vanillite

583 - Vanillish

584 - Vanilluxe

592 - Frillish

593 - Jellicent

602 - Tynamo

603 - Eelektrik

604 - Eelektross

615 - Cryogonal 

619 - Mienfoo

620 - Mienshao

621 - Druddigon 

626 - Bouffalant

631 - Heatmor

636 - Larvesta

637 - Volcarona

647 - Keldeo

648 - Meloetta 

865 - SirFetch’d

I will see if I can get time to see what other Pokémon I need at a later date.

Scary spiders

Yesterday I was on the carpet watching television with my wife and daughter when a huge enormous spider walked across the floor in front of me.  It, being big, was scared we were going to eat it.  I trapped it in a glass and having been drinking beforehand, when I was a bit more sober, and brave slid a card under it and set it free outside.

However, it was amusing that I, the man, despite being scared of the huge spider, had to get rid of it.  My daughter when younger let a tarantula crawl on her, but could not deal with this one.  At work, I work with a man who has had to get the ladies at work deal with any spiders found in his room, so I know that the stereotype of just women not being able to deal with spiders is wrong.  Of course, we also watched an episode of 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown which celebrated female empowerment.  The irony was not lost on me.

We were meant to have been watching Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, but after my son convinced us to watch it, he disappeared with his iPhone upstairs.  So we watched Strike.

I know that many are abandoning JK Rowling in this Cancel Culture Era, but I think that she is amazing and I agree with the views she has posted a while ago.  It is ironic that in an era where we accept that gender is non-binary that any discussion over it is viewed as a binary one.

Anyway, onto Pokémon GO.  I am looking for the following which are missing from my Pokédex;
Kecleon
Relicanth
Pachirisu
Chatot
Garchomp (though I hopefully will be evolving one later this year)
Carnivine
Probopass
Rotom
Uxie
Azelf
Serebii
Manaphy
Victini
Pansage (and possibly Simisage)
Panpour (or Simipour)
Munna
Musharna
Throh
Sandile
Krokorok
Maractus
Sigilyph
Zorua
Vanillite
Deerling
Frillish
Tynamo
Axew
Cryogonal
Mienfoo
Druddigon
Pawniard
Bouffalant
Heatmor
Vullaby
Larvesta
Keldeo
Meloetta

I am aware that not all are available.
I am also interested in high CP Pokémon as a lucky trade;
Burmy
Duskull
Nosepass
Woobat
Yamask

And a normal form Golem.

I am also happy to do a like for like trade on many other Pokémon, especially shiny ones.  I do not have as large a collection as others, but I am willing to consider shiny like to like trades.

Genesect & Pokémon GO

Time for that update on Pokémon GO.

I am in the market for the following in a lucky trade.  Those in bold are what I am most interested in.

Absol
Axew
Azelf
Bastiodon/Shieldon
Burmy
Carnivine
Chatot
Cryogonal
Duskull
Geodude (normal form)
Goldeen
Gothitelle
Heatmor
Meowth (Alola & Galarian Form)
Nosepass
Pachirisu
Pansage/Simisage
Panpour/Simipour
Probopass
Relicanth
Rotom
Sigilyph
Throh
Uxie
Victini
Woobat
Yamask

In addition to this, I am also interested in certain legendary Pokémon but as I have the non-shiny forms of all of them (so far), I am not too fussed about them for now.  Saying that, I am hopeful that I will get a shiny Genesect.  But considering that I never caught a Shiny Rayquaza, or many other legendary versions, I suspect that I will miss out on this as well.  However, I have been able to take this Pokémon down with two or three accounts.  Today in a battle with two accounts, I lost three Pokémon, but later fighting with two others, I lost four.  I am hopeful that with the smaller numbers needed for this, that I will be able to catch a shiny one.

Day eight in Devon. Appledore.

Today was another relaxing day, though affected by rain at times.  My walk took me on my usual route for parts of it, and near to a Pokéstop that I had nominated earlier in the week.  This time on my walk, I went exploring in a different way and found what is best described as a lair.  I suspect that it was made by kids as opposed to teenagers as there was no litter there.

Later in the day we had lunch in Appledore at a restaurant which our hosts had recommended to us.  Sadly, I was too full to appreciate it, but did enjoy some fresh mackerel while my daughter and wife enjoyed the view of the estuary.  She drove there and I drove back.  Afterwards we popped to Westward Ho!  At the time it had started to rain so lots of people were leaving it, and while I understand that kids love it, the charm it offered was wasted on me and my wife.  Though some of the houses at Silford which overlooked it looked amazing.

My wife and daughter got bored (my son has been entertaining himself with his iPhone) and put some makeup on me, one taking one side and the other having access to the other.  I have yet to get a view on which was better though!

Day Three in Devon

It is our third day in Devon and we have moved from the southern half to the north.  Breakfast was very civilised and followed by packing.  I really must remember not to pack such a large suitcase when we go on holiday next.  My wife drove while I directed, the journey essentially being from around Ottery St Mary to Barnstaple.  Our Sat-Nav wanted us to take the M5 for part of the journey, but we ignored that.  My wife did not like not obeying the Sat-Nav but trusted me and we made good time without getting caught in traffic.  I am sure that she would have preferred to have driven on wider roads, but that is not always an option here.

Anyway, we are relaxed now.  We have eaten, our hosts kindly agreeing to feed us.  After we got here, my daughter and I went for a walk, though we visited the two pigs as they were being fed.  My daughter has found it hard to eat meat afterwards though!  The walk took us to a nearby village and she coped with it far better than I did.  We returned before making it to our destination which was a local pub, part of the reason being that she had lost her phone (again), which we found as we guessed that she must have lost it when she rolled down a hill.  If all goes well, I may try the route tomorrow morning.  But that depends on what time I get up.  Today, despite going to bed at a decent time, I woke up late (for me) And the walk today took a lot out of me.

I missed out on a lot of Pokémon community day, but spending time with the family was more important and more enjoyable.  Anyway, have to go as we are about to have another game of Articulate.

Wilpattu National Park

My Pokémon was knocked out of the Pokégym at  Wilpattu National Park today.  It as been in there for sometime, but has not beaten my personal record for a Pokémon in a gym.  I just have one left in Sri Lanka now.  Not that we will be visiting there for a while...

Patriotism. I love my country, but this is not unconditional.

First of all the family.  My children have been good and bad, but to my wife, as I have been at work.  Tomorrow, I might get to spend time with them, if they are willing.  My son has been playing PokémonGO with me and with the help of a family friend we undertook a difficult raid to attempt to capture a Pokémon called Darkrai. I have been doing quite a few, but an elusive shiny one has been beyond me.  My son though has one, despite this being his second attempt. To say I am jealous is an understatement. To describe him as pleased is the same.

But to the point of this post.  My love for my nation.

This has been an issue, here and abroad when it has come to supporting the state in its response to dealing with COVID.  The tweet that made me post this was one by a US politician in which she said “Republicans love America.  Democrats hate America.  It's simple.” Now I love the good things about my nation.  But I do not love everything about it.  I think that Britain is great, but that it can and should be so much better.  I am proud of many of the things it has done and does, just like I am ashamed of things our nation does and has done.  And when it comes to the USA, I am sure that for most people they would say the same.  Unconditional love for my nation is stupid.  It means I ignore the bad things it has done in the past and the ways it can be better now.  I respect the right of others to love the nation they are from unconditionally, but forgive me if I question this if someone they do not support is elected.

Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want (February)

I had a better month for trading last month and I am still after high CP Pokémon.  My ideal is to trade a Karrablast for a Shelmet.  Next on my list is a like for like trade for an armoured Mewtwo. A Pokémon which reminds me from that final scene in Aliens.

And just to make it clear, just these ones in any lucky trades.  I am aware that I may not be able to get some of them, such as the Alola forms of the Meowth or Vulpix, or Klink, but I guess my view is if you do not ask, you do not get.  I do have some high CP forms of some of the Pokémon that are on the list but the actual statistics that they have are wanting. 

Sadly, I do not have as many shiny Pokémon as I would like, and those that I have tend to be those that others have anyway.  Which means in general that I am after like for like trades.

Abra

Absol

Aipom

Axew 

Bastiodon

Burmy

Carnivine 

Chatot 

Clefable

Cryogonal 

Deino 

Drilbur

Duskull

Geodude (normal form)

Gabite 

Garchomp 

Gible 

Goldeen

Heatmor 

Heracross

Kecleon

Mankey

Meowth Alola form

Nidoran♀

Nidoran♂

Nosepass 

Pachirisu

Ponyta

Porygon

Probopass 

Relicanth

Shieldon

Sigilyph 

Squirtle 

Venipede 

Vulpix Alola form

Yamask

Yanma 

However, after the December Community Weekend, while I do not have many, I have a few evolved Pokémon with community day moves available to trade, some of them being shiny ones!

Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want (February)

At the moment I am after a lucky trade for a high CP Shelmet and/or Karrablast.  But in addition to this, I am also after a lucky trade for a Altered Forme Giratina to use in PokémonGO player vs player battles.  

My list of additional Pokémon that I am after is below.  I am aware that I may not be able to get some of them in high CP forms, such as the Alola forms of the Meowth or Vulpix, or Klink, but I guess my view is if you do not ask, you do not get.  I do have some high CP forms of some of the Pokémon that are on the list but the actual statistics that they have are wanting. 

Abra

Absol

Aipom

Azumarill

Baltoy/Claydol 

Bronzor/Bronzong

Burmy

Clefable

Drilbur

Duskull

Foongus

Geodude (normal form)

Goldeen

Golett/Golurk

Growlithe

Heracross

Horsea

Klink

Magmar

Mankey

Meowth Alola form

Murkrow

Nidoran♀

Nidoran♂

Oddish

Onix

Pidove

Ponyta

Porygon

Scyther

Shieldon

Squirtle 

Tanglea

Tentacool

Vulpix Alola form

Yamask

Yanma 

Sadly, I do not have as many shiny Pokémon as I would like, and those that I have tend to be those that others have anyway.  Which means in general that I am after like for like trades.  However, after the December Community Weekend, while I do not have many, I have a few evolved Pokémon with community day moves available to trade, some of them being shiny ones!

Ill in stereo

The kids are ill.  In tandem.  But they were better earlier this week.  How they survived in the same house together eludes me considering how they bicker. But I do hope they get better soon.

One bright side of when they are well is spending time with them.  On Sunday, I got to spend time walking into town with my son.  His stamina has improved since he has been cycling to school and I have to say it is a real pleasure doing so.  I do bribe him with a packet of sweets and he allows me to play Pokémon.  And on that note, I was knocked out of one of the Pokégyms on Sunday.  I thought that I had a chance of being in it for a while when I passed it as it was empty.  But in the days before, I noted that someone had been trying to take it down.  I did not think that they has much chance due to its location, but they must have stopped the vehicle they were in to take me out.  Which means that I may not break my record of staying in a Pokégym...

What Happened to Monday

First of all, I got to have a great day with my son yesterday.  Yes, it was Pokémon related, but we went for a long walk.  He played it a bit, and I did buy him a treat, but we have not walked like this in ages.  I have been for walks with my daughter and have enjoyed them, but I have missed these walks.

I also have spent time with my daughter we have been watching The IT Crowd.  My son and I have been watching it, but she has joined in and enjoys it.  We started to watch it after watching an ‘interesting’ film.

When it comes to the film, it started off slow, but was engrossing, and considering the climate crisis we face, very relevant.  Different to most science fiction films I have watched due to the all female line up, it was very well written, directed and acted.  Netflix have a gem with this.  I think that it this film while under appreciated now, should be discovered by many in the future.  It would be a shame if it was not.

Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want (January)

I am after lucky trades for a Virizion, or a high CP Pokémon from the list.

I managed to get one today in my one and only Virizion raid (as I have not been able to do any due to being in Sri Lanka).  That was when I was taking a break at work.  But it is not as powerful as I would like, hence it being added to my list.

Just to make it clear, I am after these ones in any lucky trades.  I am happy (on certain occasions) to do a normal trade, but I want my Pokémon to have good statistics.  I am aware that I may not be able to get some of them, such as the Alola forms of the Meowth or Vulpix, or Klink, but I guess my view is if you do not ask, you do not get.  I do have some high CP forms of some of the Pokémon that are on the list but the actual statistics that they have are wanting. 

Sadly, I do not have as many shiny Pokémon as I would like, and those that I have tend to be those that others have anyway.  Which means in general that I am after like for like trades.

Abra

Absol

Aipom

Burmy

Clefable

Drilbur

Duskull

Electabuzz

Foongus

Geodude (normal form)

Goldeen

Growlithe

Heracross

Horsea

Klink

Magmar

Mankey

Meowth Alola form

Murkrow

Nidoran♀

Nidoran♂

Oddish

Onix

Pidove

Ponyta

Porygon

Scyther

Shieldon

Squirtle 

Tanglea

Tentacool

Virizion

Vulpix Alola form

Yamask

Yanma 

However, after the December Community Weekend, while I do not have many, I have a few evolved Pokémon with community day moves available to trade. 

Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want (December)

I am after high CP Pokémon.

And just to make it clear, just these ones in any lucky trades.  I am aware that I may not be able to get some of them, such as the Alola forms of the Meowth or Vulpix, or Klink, but I guess my view is if you do not ask, you do not get.  I do have some high CP forms of some of the Pokémon that are on the list but the actual statistics that they have are wanting. 

Sadly, I do not have as many shiny Pokémon as I would like, and those that I have tend to be those that others have anyway.  Which means in general that I am after like for like trades.

Abra
Absol
Aipom
Burmy
Clefable
Drilbur
Duskull
Electabuzz
Foongus
Geodude (normal form)
Goldeen
Growlithe
Heracross
Horsea
Klink
Magmar
Mankey
Meowth Alola form
Murkrow
Nidoran♀
Nidoran♂
Oddish
Onix
Pidove
Ponyta
Porygon
Scyther
Shieldon
Squirtle 
Tanglea
Tentacool
Vulpix Alola form
Yamask
Yanma 

However, after the December Community Weekend, while I do not have many, I have a few evolved Pokémon with community day moves available to trade, some of them being shiny ones!

How I beat Giovanni in Pokémon GO (again)

I have managed to beat Giovanni again.  Learning from my last battle against him, I started with my Rhyperior to face his Persian, my Pokémon being able to last long enough to take down the shields of Giovanni which allowed my Kyogre to take down his Dugtrio.  However, this time I forgot that I would be facing a Zapdos as the final opponent and my Blaziken was pummelled.  But, using a Mewtwo with Icebeam, I was able to defeat him once more.  I just need to save up on the stardust to purify it as I was able to capture it afterwards.

I am after high CP Pokémon, but just these ones in any lucky trades.  I am aware that I may not be able to get some of them, such as the Alola forms of the Meowth or Vulpix, or a Burmy or Klink, but I guess my view is if you do not ask, you do not get.  I do have some high CP forms of many of the Pokémon that are on the list but the actual statistics that they have are wanting. 

Sadly, I do not have as many shiny Pokémon as I would like, and those that I have tend to be those that others have anyway!  Which means in general that I am after like for like trades.

Abra
Absol
Aipom
Burmy
Chikorita
Clefable
Drilbur
Duskull
Electabuzz
Foongus
Geodude (normal form)
Goldeen
Growlithe
Heracross
Horsea
Klink
Litwick
Magmar
Mankey
Meowth Alola form
Murkrow
Nidoran♀
Nidoran♂
Oddish
Onix
Pidove
Ponyta
Porygon
Scyther
Shieldon
Slowpoke
Squirtle 
Tanglea
Tentacool
Vulpix Alola form
Yamask
Yanma

How I beat Giovanni in Pokémon GO

I am the proud owner of a shadow Pokémon.  And I need some other Pokémon in trades. 

In Pokémon GO, there has been a task set to defeat one of the main villains from the series.  My son has watched Pokémon on TV, DVD and our streaming service and wants to play the latest game on our console.

Needless to say, that while I have gone further in the game of Pokémon GO, he knows more about the world of Pokémon and therefore is better able to counter Pokémon in player vs player battles and in challenges against powerful Pokémon.  Like those that Giovanni has.

On Saturday it was a day for battles against Team Rocket.  I had beaten them enough that i just needed to take down Giovanni, but the problem was finding him.  But I did.  Sadly, just before I had to collect my daughter from a sleep over at a friend of hers.  I tried and failed repeatedly to take him down, using the recommended Pokémon that were on several sites.  But after repeated failures, I listened to my son, and myself.  

The first Pokémon to take down was a Meowth, and I needed to last long enough to make it use its shields so that my Pokémon could take down the next two.  After a while, I remembered that there have been the chance to catch a Rhyhorn, or rather several.  So I used a Rhyperior.  While that is not one of the recommended Pokémon to use, it has the stamina to stand up in combat and dish out punishment as well.  After it fell, I turned to my Blaziken to finish it off.  After that, Giovanni sent out a Dugtrio and it was here that the advice on the net and from my son helped.  Rather than stick with the Gyarados that I had used before with Outrage as its charged attack, I used a Kyogre.  With its health points, it was able to last long enough to use its charged attack of Blizzard.  In fact once it took down the Dugtrio, it was able to last long enough against the Articuno of Giovanni to use it charged attack before it fell and I was back to my Blazkien.  Using Counter and Blast Burn, it defeated the legendary shadow Pokémon and victory was finally mine.  

Though I had lost count of the amount of times that I had been defeated!

Anyway, back to the trades that I am after.  I am after high CP Pokémon, but just these ones in any lucky trades...
Squirtle
Nidoran♀
Nidoran♂
Clefable
Oddish
Mankey
Growlithe
Abra
Tentacool
Alola form Vulpix
Alola form Meowth
Geodude (normal form)
Ponyta
Slowpoke
Onix
Horsea
Goldeen
Scyther
Electabuzz
Magmar
Chikorita
Heracross
Ralts
Absol
Shieldon
Burmy
Aipom
Murkrow
Tanglea
Yanma
Porygon
Duskull
Pidove
Drilbur
Yamask
Foongus
Litwick

The reason I am after high CP forms of these types is that for those that can evolve, I can do so and get more powerful forms with high stats.

Anyway, thanks. 

Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want (November)

A post about Pokémon GO and some of the Pokémon that I am after.

Blastoise
Nidoqueen
Nidoking
Clefable
Vileplume
Primeape
Arcanine
Alakazam
Tentacruel
Golem

I will update the list on another date.

I want to ride my bicycle

Since my last post about the family, we have been to Bluewater twice.  And I still forgot to buy a replacement coat!  Last week, on Sunday, we took my son to watch How To Train your Dragon, the hird instalment.  We had promised him this for some time and had to keep the promise while it was in a cinema. My daughter wanted to watch Bohemian Rhapsody and we needed to get a few things.  I got a Valentines present for my wife, my daughter got some clothes and then my wife and I took one child each to watch the film.  I got to listen to loads of Queen covers and enjoyed a very moving film about Freddie Mercury in a theatre that my daughter agreed was very dusty (our reasons for tears coming to our eyes).  My son loved watching his film and I think my wife enjoyed it was well.

Valentines was a day early for my wife and me as I was working on Thursday so was not able to meet for dinner.  Instead we went to a local steak restaurant which we had meant to go to for a while.  While the meal was okay, for the price, I doubt that we will be going back.  We did not get to go out on Friday as my wife went out with some friends.  They came round afterwards and I dropped her friends home in the early hours of the morning.

And today we went back to Bluewater.  It was another Pokémon community day and my son and I had decided to take time out to catch Pokémon, but my wife asked if we could do this in Bluewater instead today.  So I drove them down and while my wife and daughter shopped, my son and I bonded over PokémonGO and junk food.  

And after getting back this afternoon, my son and I went for a short bike ride.  He needed the practice and quickly picked up most of his skills.  But he has grown a lot since I last adjusted his seat.  So much so that we can get some mudguards for his bike now.

400 days

A quick PokémonGO post. On Christmas Day 2017, I was I Sri Lanka and placed a Pokémon in a gym there. Today, after 400 days, it was knocked out. The gym appeared to have been malfunctioning for a month (as you can see from the picture).  But I hope to travel back later this year to put myself in it again.

I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)

Last week my son had his learning conference.  His teacher thinks that he is smart, but sadly he is not doing the work that he is capable of.  But the fact that his teacher recognises that is a good thing, he has in the past had a teacher who has given up on him.  So my wife and I have resolved to help him get into the habit of completing his work in time, and that means timed homework.  We know how capable he is, it is just about making him show others that he can reach his potential rather than coasting and resting on his laurels.

A huge obstacle that we face is his motivation.  It is easier to fail than to try.  And my son is very good at finding reasons to fail.  

And today was an example. Leaving school he and I were catching Pokémon and I caught a shiny Evee.  When in Madeira we had caught quite a few, well, he did.  I did not, but despite that he wants mine as it will complete his collection.  Needless to say, I want it, but it is a game and he is my son.  When he said that he would do anything I wanted, I gave him a task, to pass the questions we give him, scoring 100% every day for a week.  Needless to say, he felt it was too strict and since being at home with my wife, we have settled on him getting 85% for 14 consecutive days.  And I do think that he can do it.