Sick

You know how you often hear parents telling their children not to bolt down their food? That they should take their time, chew properly and swallow before cramming the next fork load in or else they will be sick..?

Tonight I'm afraid I was proved right. LL was quite violently sick and the whole lot seemed to come back. Not nice.

Earlier in the day we had to spent far too much time on his homework. They've each been given the task for next few weeks of producing a booklet on an aspect of ancient Egypt, such as the Pyramids, Pharaohs or Mummies. You get the idea. Personally I think it's a bit of a stretch for most 8 year old kids, LL included. If they had been asked to research one new fact each week and then report back, I feel it might have been more appropriate. What they've been given instead is far too onerous and I suspect in many cases the work handed in at half term will be that of many parents, not their children.

I'll let you know if I get a good mark from Teacher LOL. 



2 Jan Cardiff 3 - 1 Reading
14 Jan Watford 1 - 2 Reading


The Royals are currently 5th in the Championship on 42 points after 26 games.

Two Sherlocks

Some readers will know I'm a bit of a fan of Conan Doyle's most famous consulting detective. You can imagine my joy at an impromptu trip with a friend to the cinema to see Guy Richie's latest this afternoon. Added to that the BBC are currently showing the second series of Steven Moffat's modernised version on Sunday nights. Two for the price of one you might say.

I thoroughly enjoyed the big screen version even if the final destination was somewhat signposted. The spectacle of the thing and its scale was most impressive. I did however comment that the actor playing Moriarty had- to my mind- more than a striking resemblance to the former British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, poor bloke.

Also I should say last week's opening episode on BBC 1- text messaging and all- kept me gripped throughout and guessing right to the closing credits. So which is better? Must I choose now..?

Warner Bros present Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr as Dr Watson and Mr Holmes, big screen style.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes and Martin Freeman as Watson in the BBC's modern Sherlock.

Goodbye 2011

There's quite a lot I wanted to say today regarding this past year- my own personal highs and lows and in fact I've been formulating ideas of what to say for a couple of days. The truth is that I've left it all too late and only now have time for a brief entry. I guess I could blog something in the coming days but I suspect it will all seem so "last year" by then LOL.

To business, I took LL out today for a trip to Henley on Thames, which was lovely. Very few people out and about by the river and the weather was quite kind. We even came across this lovely black swan, who was very keen to make our acquaintance and eat the bread we were carrying. The other ducks, geese and mute swans didn't really get a look in!

You don't see many of these around here.












And later we found out that his new LEGO boat really did float (in the bath). Until that is we learnt a new word: capsize.

Elsewhere Reading FC have put on a good show over the Christmas period and have moved nicely into 5th in the Championship.

17 Dec Leeds 0 - 1 Reading
26 Dec Reading 3 - 0 Brighton and Hove Albion
31 Dec Reading 1 - Ipswich

The Royals travel to Cardiff on Monday 2 Jan.


All that remains is for me to wish everyone a happy New Year.

Nearly But Not Quite Christmas

LL came to visit today and spend some time with Dad and SM, who are staying for a few days. We all had lunch together and exchanged some gifts afterwards. This evening we had a go at tracking the progress of the Fat Man, here. Excellent fun. Maybe bookmark for next year..?

Don't you just feel all festive?












Only one more sleep to go...

Seasonal Greetings

I'd just like to wish everyone a peaceful Christmas and all the very best for 2012.

Getting Round To Christmas

I know I've been a bit "Blog-lite" of late and haven't posted a great deal. There's no need to send out the search party- I'm still alive (and well), just very busy at work. Ah the joys of employment- long may that continue (at least until I win the Lottery).

Having made a start helping LL yesterday to decorate the tree where he lives, I thought it was about time I did similar here. I've spent today tidying up and then doing my best to make the place look festive, although I think I might have gone a tad overboard, with the lights throughout the house. Another story for another time perhaps.

You might recall last year the tree was treated to blue lighting, this time I have picked mostly reds. What do you think?

I have positioned the tree to the left of the chimney, for ease of pressie delivery LOL.
















No word yet about whether the office will be open over Christmas grrr. I hope it will be: I could do with working Wednesday to Friday that week and saving my leave for next year...



Elsewhere, the Royals have hauled themselves to 10th in the nPower Championship on 30 points from 21 games, after a mixed bag of results:

19 Nov Reading 1 - 2 Cardiff
26 Nov Ipswich 2 - 3 Reading
29 Nov Reading 3 - 2 Peterborough
3 Dec Blackpool 1 - 0 Reading
10 Dec Reading 3 - 0 West Ham

Check. Out.

Have you ever tried one of those self service check-outs at your local supermarket, where you scan your own items? I have and I don't know why I bother. They're supposed to be quicker and easier to use than the traditional staffed till, right? Wrong. More often than not the queues seem to be much longer and when you get to the check-out, in my view they are far from straight forward. 

For example my trip tonight to my local ASDA for a handful of the weekly items was just so stressful. No less than four interventions were required by the poor harassed assistant before I was able to scan all my purchases. First off despite telling me the till was ready for me to place my own bags in the bagging area, that wasn't good enough. So I had to wait to be manually authorised grrrr. Then there was the stress of the scanned item not being registered. Another visit, override code grrr. And... well you get the picture.

I certainly wasn't the only one having issues from I could see. On one level you have to feel sorry for the staff who I imagine receive a good deal of grief and it really isn't their fault, is it? Ho hum.

Oh one last (unrelated) thought: I've been hearing lately a lot in the media about the "Innernet." Repeat after me "In-Ter-net." There, that wasn't hard was it?

Hands Off?

There's been mixed reaction to the news BBC Worldwide (the commercial arm of the BBC) are planning a big screen film version of Doctor Who. Apparently Harry Potter director David Yates is one of the prime movers behind this announcement. Now I don't know about you but I thought he did quite a decent job with the later instalments of that franchise. However Andrew M Brown in the Telegraph even went so far in his blog to seemingly list many of the reasons often cited as being behind the series cancellation (in the 1990's) as reasons why "Hollywood" should keep well away. So because it used to be seen as fairly low budget- and I guess against the average episode of say Battlestar Galactica it still is- Hollywood money shouldn't be used to (possibly) improve these things? I dunno.

But this is not the first time Doctor Who has appeared on the big screen. Those two 1960's Peter Cushing films weren't too bad. Surely?

 Yes that was the Bernard Cribbins co-starring.

For me the jury is still out and I'll wait to hear more information before passing judgement. Perhaps a new film will be a welcome addition to the canon and assuming they move quickly maybe even a fitting 50th anniversary celebration in 2013...



1 Nov Nottingham Forest 1 - 0 Reading
6 Nov Reading 1 - 0 Birmingham

Dance

I think I am in danger of becoming addicted to BBC's Strictly Come Dancing (or Dancing With The Stars, as it is known elsewhere). Read more here.

Star Chelsee Healy and professional dance partner Pasha Kovalev. Can't see what the attraction is myself LOL.














So how come with all the great British talent in the series, why is it two former Aussie soap stars seem to be leading the field?

But seriously I'm finding it rather good and quite unmissable. Must be getting old...

Remembrance

To the brave men and women who have given so much so we all might enjoy freedom, thank you. We will never forget you.

11:11 11/11/11

Today marks the anniversary of Armistice Day.

A depiction of the signing of the Armistice.

Right

Gonna be a tad controversial now but I'm not trying to offend...

A few years back the previous UK government created "civil partnerships" as a means of recognising same sex unions and putting them on the same legal footing as a civil or religious marriage between a woman and a man. This was well intentioned I don't doubt, although some campaigners argued that even the term put it on a lesser standing to marriage. And oddly only same sex couples could have a civil partnership; if you are heterosexual you are currently only permitted to have a marriage, civil or religious. So one hardly equals the other.

The current coalition government has sought to equalise matters by announcing recently that by 2015 or thereabouts they intend to make it possible for same sex civil marriages to be held in places of religious worship. Such as a church, mosque or synagogue. The proviso being the people running a particular religious building have to be in agreement. Fair enough I guess. So far so good.

Now at this point I don't want anyone to think I am anti- this or anti- that. I'm not for one moment making any sort of comment on the preferences, lifestyles or choices made by others.

My concern is that a campaign group will find a religious building- say a church where the vicar does not agree with gay marriage- and they will attempt to force the issue via the law courts, claiming it is their right under the Human Rights Act to marry wherever they wish. I know there are likely to be a great many churches of various denominations who will welcome the opportunity to conduct same sex marriages, there will however be some where the leadership will feel that for them it is not in line with teaching and conviction. So while it might be your right to live the life you choose and with whom, is it not also the right of others to express their beliefs? As we approach Remembrance Day I think it is especially important to remind ourselves of the sacrifice made by many others so that we all can enjoy freedom of speech and thought. Enforcing one will or opinion on others is just not right.

And finally one last thought. If say this hypothetical vicar was so against same sex unions, why on God's Green Earth would you wish to be married and blessed in a building where you would clearly not be welcome?