Bicester Shopping Village

Today, my wife and I went to Bicester Shopping Village.  I have not taken all my holiday, and coming up to the end of the year, this was one of the few days that I could take off.  So we took advantage of being off midweek and took Leia with us.  My son was left at home as he is waiting for his test results so obviously cannot leave, but we were not sure if he would look after the dog.  Leia loved it there and having the dog kept me busy as I ferried shopping from my wife to the car.

We shared the journey there, I drove for the first part, my wife for the second, and on the way back, I drove the way home while she got some much needed rest.  In addition to spending time together, a good thing was that my daughter finished her mocks and my son got the all clear for his COVID test!

Fingers crossed

My son has been sent home from school today.  We got a call that he had been placed in isolation due to a persistent cough.  He is quite often ill, and we have had to take him to see out GP due to his attendance at school, an issue I am sure is not helped by his hygiene and refusal to dress in a warm manner.  My wife took him for a PCR test this afternoon after I collected him from school in the morning.  Here is hoping that he does not have the plague...

When is a party not a party?

The answer to this question is when the party never happened, or if it did, when all the guidelines were followed.

It is alleged that a party took place in 10 Downing Street, when parties were banned for everyone else due to the COVID restrictions designed to reduce its spread.  During this time, people could not be with loved ones as they died, and of course, many died of COVID.  

But I think that the government is right, and so long as they can find a way to keep his out of the news, they will get away with this, just like they have got away with corruption, ambulance waits, record in work poverty and so many other things. 

Red Notice

Today, I had a day off work.  My wife and I had it planned for a while and decided to continue even though Omicron is now spreading. Our rationale is that if there is a time to risk exposure, it is when the prevalence of it is low compared to it possibly/probably being higher in the weeks to come.

We took the train to London, and noted that most people were obeying the rules to wear a face mask on the train, though there were a handful who did not.  When in London, we visited Spitalfields Market, a place that we have been to on several occasions before the pandemic. We have not visited it so early before and the great thing about this was that it was a lot quieter than it was in the past.  Great for us, may be not for those selling things there.  

Lunch was at The Alchemist, a much anticipated return from our first trip many years ago.  The drinks were amazing, and the food was good as well.  

Once back we continued to relax by watching Red Notice.  As a film, it was fun.  Not a classic, but one I am glad to have watched with my wife.  Ryan Reynolds had managed some product placement in it, and while the film petered out towards the end, it still was fun.  And while I expected a twist, I was surprised at the nature of it.  Anyway, time for bed now.

Into the woods

I have had a lot of this week off work, well Monday and Tuesday, as well as today as my daughter has her mock exams.  I took Leia for a walk into the local woods today.  She loves walking with any of us, but loves walking in the woods the most.  While here, she got to meet other dogs and explored.  Needless to say, she was quite tired when she got back!

Fear Street Part Two: 1978

Another good film.  I liked it, lots, and it made me wonder what is to come in the third.  This series has hooked me in, though with some of the more intimate scenes, it was awkward watching it with my daughter.  I got home from work to find her revising for her mock exams next week on the sofa downstairs and she was willing to end her studies to.  My son is not a fan of horror, at least for now, and made a decision not to watch it with us. 

It may be that I will need to watch all three again once I have watched the final one, though if I do, the soundtrack will be a reason as well as working out how well the plot melds.

While it can be argued that the film is predictable, that is only in that there is going to be a huge body count, especially as we know this from the first film.  The deaths are full of gore, though are more disturbing as they do involve children. 

I was talking earlier today at work, who does not like the sick and twisted films that I am attracted to, about how I like a film that is put together well.  This is one of them.

Congatulations

My daughter did really well in her interview last night.  It was one for the sixth form college locally.  She is not too sure if she wants to go there or not, and I have made her aware that her chances at reaching her potential for her grades is greater if she stays where she is, but that she will encounter a wider range of people if she switches.  However, while she may enjoy things more there, I suspect that she will not get the help that she may want if she is there, help that she will get if she stays where she is now.  

But that is her decision to make, and I will support her with it.