Robin van Persie, also known as the 'human tampon'. In for one week, out for a month.

Well, a quick post before I go to bed.  At the moment I am dreading what is going to happen tomorrow when Arsenal lose to 5hitty.  I know that the team are pretending to be optimistic, but they only got back from the defeat in Naples on Thursday and have flown to Manchester today to lose the game tomorrow.  So I am hoping that we do not get thrashed too much.  On the bright side, van Persie, a great player, is out injured.  Made me smile, and I know that is the wrong Manchester team, but with the strength that the 5hitty squad have, one injury would not be enough for tomorrow. 
For the last few nights I have had to spend more time with the kids.  My wife has had to go out most nights, which has meant that I have had no excuse but to get home to put the kids to bed.  Last night, we dropped her off in town and while we were doing so, the kids were singing to Roar which they both love.  Memories like that are things I hope never to forget as they sounded so sweet.

My wife said she's leaving me because I can't do anything right when it comes to housework. It took me hours to mop that carpet.

As predicted, we did not win, though I was glad that we did not lose on the weekend.  The odds are that we should not lose tonight against Napoli, but it is hard to be certain as we are playing in Italy.  But it is the game on Saturday that worries me more as the team will not have had that much rest.  I guess I can hope that 5hitty get something wrong again but I doubt that will happen.Anyway, the kids, have had a great time with them. They were very nice and let me watch the football, but I have also had a great time away from the football. Today I had fun doing the school run this morning. I normally like to walk them in, but due to time pressures, we had to drive in. Kids eh! But the walk back was as usual, lovely. It is great that they will run to me and give me hugs, well my daughter will, my son prefers to be cheeky to me. But this time is time that I will pass all too quickly.

How can you tell if someone was a Manchester United fan in the Ferguson era? They've still got the price tag on their Arsenal shirts.

Many would consider that the title (of the post) is a bit rich considering that ManUre beat us when we played them, but this season might go well.  It is too early to say so for certain, and we have thrown away things in the past (the distant past).  But Chelski have dropped points as have 5hitty which means that there is no pressure on us to win tomorrow.  Which means that we will probably lose.  And if we do, that means that we can not afford to drop points when we play the 'top teams' so, we have to win.

Anyway, enough about ranting about football.  Have been to London for a course today.  Am not 100% having a mild form of man flu which meant that I was not able to enjoy the Christmas party as much as I would have liked, it was good, but I needed my rest both due to being a bit man-flu like as well as needing to wake in the morning.  And tomorrow, I get to look forwards to freezing my arse off while watching my son learn skills for rugby.    Saying that, my son had a great time at a birthday party that he went to earlier today at the zoo, so at least one of us managed to make the best of a party.  The kids love the Christmas tree and it is now fully decorated.  Anyway, am knackered, time to go to bed.  Good night all!

The Lexden Crown, Colchester, review

Evening all.  It is one where the country is being battered by rain and wind.

Yesterday we had a relaxing meal at the Lexden Crown.  We have been there before and the kids like it there.  The service was great, but it is hard to judge it properly on this as we had arrived around half past five in the evening and there were few people there, however I have been to places where, when quiet, the staff take things easy.  This was not the case here, the food came quickly and was eaten by all and I liked my meal.  The kids and my wife had fish and chips, hard to get wrong and with everything being eaten what more can be said?

Today, we have spent the evening making the final adjustments to the Christmas tree.  Well that was after drying off.  It was a bit wet at school pick-up and my wife, who had her hair blowdried earlier in the day had her hair curled as the wind kept blowing her hood off and the rain, which had soaked our legs to the skin through our trousers, did its wonders on her hair.  She still looks amazing, but does not look the way she was hoping.  She constantly says that it rains when it is time to collect the kids, and she was certainly right today, the rain starting just before we picked up my son, ending after we picked up my daughter.  Saying that, while wet and windy, I loved the weather.  I know that it is odd, but it is quite nice when it is windy and I do like the rain so long as I am not working.  And today and yesterday, I was not working, officially.  I did go to work to catch up with paper work and attend a meeting, but these things have to be done, but I got to pick up the kids (well yesterday one child as my son had a stye which is now better).

Now to rest, relax and watch the Arsenal highlights from last night.

Welcome to this weeks lottery live from the Etihad where it's a rollover, those lucky numbers, 1,34,41,50,55,90

First of all. Football.  I think Southampton were a bit unlucky.  Yes we could have had more goals. But they could have as well.  Then came the midweek European Cup game where we rode our luck.  But the game of the week was the thrashing of the Scum!  I was hoping for a draw when they played the team (the name of which rhymes with City...) and to be fair, if any team was to get a draw there, then considering their defence, it should have been them.  But two mistakes where punished and other than that they played well for a lot of the game.  The manager blamed the players which was a bit unfair and now his job is under threat.  As I have mentioned at work, if he gets sacked, Ian Holloway is looking for a job!

I am typing this from my sons room.  He has had a nightmare and I am waiting for him to go back to sleep.  He has started to play Rugby on Sunday mornings.  He did not want to go the first time he went, but after watching Ben on Strictly Come Dancing and the reaction his arms got with the women, he changed his mind!  He now wants to play so that he can lift people up like Ben does.

While he has just had a nightmare, November has not been as good as I would have liked and this week, I fell out of love for my job.  I actually would have left if someone had offered me a job outside healthcare!  But Friday was good and I am back in love with a job that involves helping people.  It has been very stressful for my wife as well who has had to deal with me being so down and miserable and I owe her lots for the support and love she has shown me.

Otherwise, the kids are fine.  My son is to be Joseph on one of the days of the school play.  My daughter loves being a Brownie and on Sunday was helping at their stall at the Pre-School bazaar.  Both kids loved that day as we let them spend money and we bumped into someone I used to work with who told the kids loads of things about me.  All lies of course though!

The NHS waiting list is ridiculous. My wife had to wait 9 months before she gave birth.

 
Watching this video, I see no major change to what is to happen with patients out of hours.  From what I can gather, all that is going to happen, on an out of hours basis, is that the out of hours service can access the summary care record.  And although Hunt states that is not happening at the moment, it is!  Out of hours providers can access summary care records.  Not all of them can, but many do so.  What appears to be different is that all GP surgeries will need to provide this information, unless patients have opted out.

The facts are simple
There are not enough GP's
More and more GP's are leaving the country  

So as much as people may moan about how GP's work, loads are leaving and we do not have enough already.  Make GP's work harder and there will be more leaving and fewer doctors will opt to become one.

It would be interesting to see what suggestions people have to solve this!

I looked up the meaning of rubbing salt into the wounds. It said 'Bringing on Nicklas Bendtner when you are losing.'

I am off this week.  And today, I got to help at the school of the kids.  My son had a day learning about toys, the basics of the history and how to make simple ones.  And the great thing was that I was there to help.  My wife and I were parent helpers, which meant that we got to help the year and I have to say, it was great.  Not only that, we did get to bump into our daughter. 

I was amazed at the noise that children could make.  And I have a lot more respect for teachers now.  It can be hard keeping our two in line let alone the way teachers have to keep a whole class in order!  I am sure that some would argue that teachers now have classroom assistants, both LSA's as well as parent helpers, but when I was a child, teachers did not have to do the range of assessments that they have to do now.  And the noise that they can make!

But otherwise, this week so far has been great when it comes to the time that I have been able to spend with them.  I love doing the school run, it is a great experience being with the kids, though I have to say, it is one which makes me quite tired!  How my wife does it is beyond me!

It has made up for my sorrow about the loss on the weekend.  I was sad on Sunday, but the kids made me feel better with hugs.  It may have been better if the team selection had not been affected by sickness and injury, but it was not, and despite injuries, we still have produced results.  This may be our year, of course, it is too early to say this, and normally, when we have done well, we have flagged later in the season. 

Anyway, good night.  Hope you like the jokes and the music video.


I've created a shoe made out of Lego, so when you step on Lego it doesn't hurt.
You just get taller.

As I stood swaying from side to side at the British Airways ticket desk last night, the guy looked at me and said, "Can I help?"

"Yes," I slurred, unzipping my superman costume and pulling my wallet out, "One ticket to Amsterdam please."

"You're unable to fly, sir." he replied, "You're far too drunk."

I said, "I know mate, that's why I'm getting a plane."