Well, here we are at the end of the year. Looking back, it'll have to go down amongst the worst, what with the accident in March and then the hospital incarceration in April. Oh yes, and the other two funerals as well. I'm rather hoping that there is nothing like that on the horizon, and that we finish 2010 with the same number of people as we ( Read more... )

Cars. Don't you just love them? No ( Read more... )

It occurs to me that I've not really said anything about last weekend, when we had our pre-Christmas gathering for the various Toynes and offspring - Auntie Dot, Auntie Barbara and Uncle Malcolm, and Sue, Eric, Nicola and David. The afternoon here, the meal out at La Bruscheta and the gathering over at Ians were good fun, and it was great to see ( Read more... )

At some point over the last weekend, I recall trying to decide what relationship my kids would be to the various relatives were were visiting. I'm probably getting this wrong, and I'm sure I'll be told if I am ( Read more... )

OK, so I actually have a few things to say today, and not just that we had a great time with the Toyne collective over the weekend ( Read more... )

Well, it appears I was wrong in my last post and I didn't get to work yesterday. In fact, I barely made it out of bed all morning, feeling completely wiped out. Ju persuaded me to talk to the hospital, who were concerned as it wasn't getting better and so sent me to Southmead to be assessed. After speaking to a couple of nurses plus a doctor, and ( Read more... )

Well, after the health grumblings of yesterday, I suppose I should be happy that I'm feeling closer to normal today. Still not 100% and not exactly full of beans, but not as out of it. I think the most likely explanation was a reaction to the swine flu jab, which isn't great as I've got another one in 2 weeks. D'oh ( Read more... )

Well, this has been a rubbish day and no mistake. I've been up and down over the weekend but had thought I was well enough again to make it in to work. Apparently not - after starting quite brightly I ended up coming home at 2pm whilst I still felt fit to drive, and then went to bed until Ju and the kids came home at 6.30pm. Don't feel so run down ( Read more... )

I think we must be getting old and domesticated. Why? Because for reasons that are not immediately apparent Juliet and I have just baked two Nigella Lawson Christmas cakes. Ju's a wiz at sponge cakes (and I've got my eye on one for next weekend) but this is the first time either of us have attempted a fruit cake. And so we did two - one as a ( Read more... )

First off, the medical bulletin. For reasons that are not entirely clear, Alex has been grumpy and out of sorts all day. This may be a result of his (and our) disturbed night last night - I wouldn't recommend napping on the floor when the heating has gone off for those of an ageing disposition. Hopefully he'll sleep better tonight, and be ( Read more... )