Little Women

I have finished most of my work today.  I have had to into work to complete reams of paperwork that I really should have completed over the last two months or so.  Cycling there and back today after doing it yesterday was a bit more tiring than normal as I have not done this on two consecutive days for a while.  But the more I can do the better.

Later on we went to visit two friends who had put on a socially distanced film showing in their back garden.  While my son did not watch it, we watched Little Women.  My wife and daughter loved the book and loved the film as well.  I watched bits while I was going through my e-mails and while I found the beginning of it hard going as there were so many characters.  But I did get into the film and would love to watch it again another time.

Watching how Scarlet Fever was an issue then did make me think about how COVID19 is to portrayed in fiction in the future.

Anyway, other than a few odds and ends, my holiday has now started and I can look forwards to our trip to Devon.  Not sure how my daughter will cope though as she has no phone still.

Arsenal and the 14th FA Cup

We won!  An amazing game.  I admit to thinking that we were doomed once Chelski scored, but we did really well.  Our defence was outdone by a run from midfield but we changed our tactics and thanks to a dodgy second yellow card, Chelski were down to ten men and were punished.

It was strange watching it in an empty stadium but I am getting used to it.  And it was great to see the reaction of Ian Wright when we scored, along with the sickly feeling Cashly tried to hide.

Needless to say, I am going to be unbearable when back at work.  I had gone in yesterday to finish my paperwork and will need to do so today to complete it.  It was annoying that we finished below The Scum, again, but at least for this season, I can keep asking the three supporters when they last won a trophy.

My son congratulated me at the end of the game, my daughter watching it with me.  My wife was unaware we had got to the final, despite me telling her several times, an indication of how much she tunes me out when it comes to foot ball.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

My wife and I had started to watch this before, but finished it tonight.  I love watching films with her and while this would not be my first choice in film, it was just nice to be around her.  I presume she liked the film, which was okay, but not my favourite.

While I like Benji, as played by Simon Pegg, I just do not warm to Ethan Hunt they way I do to Jason Bourne or other characters like Bond.  I am not sure if that is because I associate Tom Cruise as playing similar characters a lot of the time.  Or it could be that he does not want the warmth that other characters have.  While it has some interesting female characters, the fight scenes involving them are sadly stereotypical.  When I compare it to how characters like Buffy The Vampire Slayer fight other women, it comes up very short.  And as you can see from the attached image, one of the characters goes sky diving, but later, there is no indication that the presence of a dead blonde falling from high above has taken place.  Looking at the success it has had, I know that this was liked by many, but it is not one of my favourite films.  But I love watching films with my wife.  Even on days where she has tried to jinx me.  

Before I went to work, with a huge grin on her face, she wished me a quiet day.  And she knows how that curses things.  However, things were not as bad as they have been recently and I got home at a more reasonable time that I have been doing recently.

My son beat me again

We have had David round which has been great as we have not seen him in ages.  I have been working this weekend which has meant that I have not seen him as much as I would like but it has been great for me to catch up.

While I have known him he longest, my wife and he have a stronger bond that he had with me.  It is stronger now than it was in the past as I think that he has realised that I am not a complete fool.  I knew him before I became friends with my wife, and he and her clicked when they met, no stereotypes with my wife being a fag hag there!  But when my wife and I started to go out, it was in secret. When we came out, my wife spoke to him while I spoke to some other of our friends and when my wife admitted she was seeing someone he said “Well we know it is not...” but he has accepted me fully now.

Anyway, my son, daughter, David and I played risk.  My son won after he and his sister formed an alliance and David and I foolishly attacked each other.  The kids deserved the win, them working together makes me feel proud.  But I hate to lose, and my son has now said he will not play again in a very long time.

Monopoly

Today, the kids and I played a rare game of Monopoly.  And my son won.  This is the first time this has happened, and he did need he help of his sister who gave up and passed all her money and properties to him.  But he won.  And he loved it.

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...

Passengers

First of all, Arsenal won yesterday.  I did not post about it before I went to bed, but I knew the score.  When I woke this morning, I felt I must have dreamed it.  But I watched the highlights and was pleased.  I suspect that if Man City had pressed more, things would have been different.  Maybe the victory they had over us earlier led to a sense of complacency that helped us to win.  I doubt that will be the case when we play Chelski in the final, but I am hoping that the team has more confidence in itself, for they certainly have the ability to overcome our rivals.

I also was taken on a cycle ride today.  Nick, one of our friends had offered to take me biking.  So we cycled to Wivenhoe.  I had tried to do this before with the children years before, but due to an encounter on the way, we turned and I never got round to trying it again.  It was a gentle trip and it is something I may do again, though ideally on an early morning cycle.  We met a few walkers and runners on the trip, and it was threatening to rain, which means there will be lots more on a sunny day.

I finished watching Passengers, the version from 2008 with Anne Hathaway.  It was an interesting film, annoying me at parts, but it all made sense in the end.  Slow after start, it draws you in and is certainly worth watching.

I also watched some Rebels with my son before watching The Last Jedi with my daughter.  While essentially The Empire Strikes Back in places, it was a good film, lacking plot/physics issues seen in the other two episodes, though why hyperspace weaponry has not been used at other times is unanswered.

Am back to work tomorrow but I feel that the long weekend has given me a much needed rest.  I will find out for sure tomorrow though.