Ever since I've downloaded Adblock, all the single girls in my area seem to have lost interest...

A late post, but it has been a busy day. As posted before, my daughter has sprained her foot. It is getting better, but it causing issues. So we were left with a dilemma for today.  How to keep her from doing too much with her foot and yet stopping her from being bored.  So we went to the zoo, well a Safari Park.  Woburn to be accurate.  We have been there in the past, but we felt that by going, both kids would have a great day and yet would have enough rest.  It seemed to do the trick.  We have been there in the past, but both the kids loved it.  And now are resting after a great family day out.  I would love to post more, but as before, I am tired.  Good night all!

It's six months ago today that my pet snail walked out on me. I was gutted. I'd go after him but it's too late. He'll be at the bus stop by now.

Well, this week was a landmark in that I squashed my first snail of the year.  Our front garden attracts them and normally, later in the year, I find loads on the path.  As I walk to the door at night, there is the sound and feel of dead snails as I unintentionally crush their shells.  I do my best when I know that they are lining up to die to avoid them, but sometimes I forget.  And this week, I was not expecting one to be out.  Mind you, I am sure one of the local birds appreciated it come the morning!

On the weekend we travelled to Southwold, one of our favourite destinations and we all loved it.  My daughter and I took a longer walk as my son does not walk as fast as she does.  The top photo is of a sandcastle that we found my daughter taking that as well as the picture of the cannons.  My son took the picture of the pier and I promised to post them on the blog.  As they have in the past

But, since then, my daughter has had a painful foot.  Wednesday involved a trip to the doctors as my daughter who had been to school the previous day was finding it too hard to walk.  After that, a trip to the hospital for her first ever x-ray but after that, while there was no fracture, she had to rest.  Hopefully she will be able to walk more tomorrow, but I suspect that if she feels she can, she will be running.  While she has had to stay at home, my son has been going into school and I have been told that he does not like it as much if she is not there.  We are lucky to have such wonderful kids.  Anyway, good night again and I hope you like the two songs.

Speaking outside the court after her divorce from Prince Charming, Cinderella was asked what was the biggest lesson she learned from the marriage, "Never marry a man who's really into shoes", she replied.

I was hoping to watch Cinderella in the cinema.  Unfortunately, neither of the kids wants to watch it.  I am not sure, but I suspect my son does not want to watch it as it is a 'girls' film and my daughter when asked stated that she did not want to watch it as she hated the idea of someone waiting around for Prince Charming to arrive.  I am certain that her views on boys were coloured when my son was able to walk and talk.  Now she has a disdain for boys that I hope lasts a long long time.  I know that it will not, but as a father, I can hope...

The NHS is great, but it can and should be so much better. If politicians allow it to be.

A quick post before I get to bed.  The NHS has been in the news as parties have been saying that they are going to fund it and increase the number of people working in it.  The most interesting promise has been the unfunded one from the Conservatives.  But funded or unfunded all the parties have not seemed to mention the lack of nurses needed in the NHS or paramedics and doctors.  And the reason that the numbers of workers in the health service has fallen compared to demand is a combination of workload, pay (or the lack of pay rises), media portrayal and the fact that people can earn more money not working in the NHS, either working abroad, or working as agency/locum staff.

Unless politicians face up to the facts on the workforce in the NHS, things are not going to get better with a service that is struggling to meet the current demands, let alone promises of seven day access, appointments within 48 hours, or 24 hours, or other pie in the sky ideals.

I couldn't afford to take my kids to Sea World. So I took them to Billingsgate Fish Market, saying, "Shhh ... they're all asleep."

First of all, Arsenal have won again.  I watched the highlights on Match of the Day and am glad that we came through another game with a win.  While some have talked about Arsenal winning the title, that would require Chelski to lose four games, while Arsenal win every game they play.  And I do not see that happening.

I got back from work today to find the kids at home.  I had to stay later than I expected, but it was great to see them after they had been away for so long.  Unfortunately, I did not get to spend the time with them that I was hoping I could, this being as I got home so late, but reading them a story at night is an experience that I hope they remember, one that they seem to like and one that I am sure I will treasure forever.

But now to the NHS.  Coming up to an election, all the parties are making promises that I do not think can be kept.  Mainly because of the issues with staff leaving the NHS.  With GP's it is not just leaving the NHS, but also leaving the UK, which makes it harder for them to come back, not without taking a pay cut to do so that is.  I would love to just state that one party is wrong about the promises that they are making, but I do not see any understanding the issues facing the NHS.  It will be easier to tempt nurses and midwives back to the NHS as many will still be in the country, but that will require pay rises and a change in working conditions.  And the same applies to doctors, not just GP's but also hospital doctors.  Promises can be made, but there has to be the staff available to allow the health service to deliver them.  We can learn a lot from other nations, one of them being that while the NHS can and should get better, it can be a lot worse.

I see that Paul Lambert's been talking about his sacking by Aston Villa. He says that, given the opportunity, most of his players would have shot him in the back. On the plus side, Paul, they'd have probably missed.

I am not used to Arsenal being so high in the table at this stage of the season!  However, it means focusing on all games and remembering that there are no easy games in this league.  Over this holiday, I have tried to get the kids into football.  It has yet to work, though they did like watching the end of Fever Pitch and I think that there is a chance that I can 'convert' them.

At present, they are away with my parents-in-law having spent a few days there while my wife and I work.  While I miss them, it has been enjoyable having sometime with just my wife and me.  They have been to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and they are going to come back home today.  Though, this will be the first Saturday that they will have without TheVoiceUK and my wife has been wondering how they will cope!

"It's important we remember the true meaning of Easter" says The Archbishop of Cadbury.

Weekends with the family are great and it has been great these last few days over the long weekend.

Most of the time, I feel that I do not get to spend enough time with the kids when I have enough energy to appreciate the joy that they have to offer.  When I get back from work, I am tired, and so are they.  I do the best I can when I get back, but the combination of tired knackered kids and adults is normally not too good.

But this weekend, I have had the chance to spend more time with them and more importantly, quality time.  It has been a great weekend spent with them.  We have been to Orford, Snape and have been out and about in Colchester.  And of course, there has been chocolate.  The long weekend is not yet over, but I am so grateful for the time that we have had as a family, my wife making sure that it has been enjoyable for all.

Unfortunately, the Voice UK has ended, but all good things come to an end, and the kids are already looking forward to the series next year.  We all have had our favourites, and while I am sure we all wish Stevie McCrorie the best, he was not our favourite.  Come the final, the house was united behind Lucy and we wish her well for the future.

Orford Castle was a great place to visit.  It is somewhere that I have wanted to visit for ages and thanks to the kids, I know more about how to use the toilet in a castle.  My wife and I have been to Orford before and even stayed at the Crown and Castle in the life that we had before children.  The meal there was as good as we remembered.

But in between the castle and lunch was a trip to Snape Maltings.  While my son stayed in the warm with my wife and shopped, my daughter and I went for a walk, hence the photographs below.  Yesterday was a trip to the Waiting Room, one which I hope to return to as the kids loved eating there and next time, I hope to not be full from breakfast so that I can join them.

I would love to post more, but I am knackered.  Good night!