SunshineGirl | SimilarWorlds

How progressive gay lefties spend their summer holidays

We're at a womens literary and arts festival. Based at a Tudor manor house in mid Wales, there are five days of music, dance and arty things to look forward to. We've been coming here on and off for the best part of twenty years. We first brought... See More »

Birthday weekend

Our girl is 15! Tomorrow we are having a barbeque in the garden and a camp out for her cousins and friends. Not entirely sure what she anticipates, but we are informed that this is a girls only event . . the males in our family are greatly relieved... See More »

End of camp

My wife brought home one slightly grubby daughter yesterday afternoon . . still bursting with energy 😅 She held court from a very soapy bubble bath and gave us a full debriefing of the week's activities over the next two hours. And then . . golden... See More »

Day 3 update

First night in the dorm, one of the girls was very homesick and upset. According to to the camp counsellor, all the other girls rallied round and did a great job in making her feel included and happier about life. So much so that no one went home... See More »

Day 1 update

So peaceful at home 😌 Even the guinea pigs seem to be more chilled out than usual 🐹🐹 We had to wait until 8pm before we were allowed to phone and even then she had only a couple of minutes to quickly debrief on the day's events. She and the girl... See More »

Busy week ahead

Our daughter is starting a five day gymnastics camp tomorrow. Although it is only a few miles away she is doing the full residential package for maximum fun! She'll come home for a night on Friday, then she is off to London with friends for a K-Pop... See More »

And he wonders why people associate him with Jimmy Saville . . .

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A vision of hell

A "small boat" crewed by "fighting age men" profiled against three wind turbines (echoing perhaps Blake's "dark satanic mills"). Enough to cause palpitations in the breast of Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe who patriotically posted the photo below and... See More »

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Today I was re-purposing our daughter's Time Out corner

It's a little alcove in the hallway where a fireplace once stood. We put a beanbag and some blankets there for when she needs to calm down, think things through, or "practise being quiet". I thought as she will turn 15 this month she may have... See More »

The cultural highlight of the summer holidays

Is a trip to Wembley Stadium to see K-Pop girl ensemble Blackpink. My colleague is taking his daughter, my daughter, and a couple of friends. Following his cowardly eleventh-hour abandonment of me at the Taylor Swift concert last year, I will not... See More »

She starts work tomorrow

But today she and her best friend have been entertaining themselves by putting ice cubes down each other's backs 😅 Tomorrow she will be smartly dressed in her uniform and ready to join the scary world of work. I am hoping she will bring back some of... See More »

Beautiful vision

I've just glimpsed my daughter and her friends in dress rehearsal for their summer dance show tomorrow. They are all made up as butterflies and they look amazing . . but a certain young Purple Emperor(ress) looks most beautiful of all 🤗 🦋 💜

School Sports Day

Another year, another clean sweep: Parents' Egg and Spoon race 🥇 All-comers 100m sprint 🥇 7 yo niece says I shouldn't boast because "it isn't nice" 🤣 Perhaps I should quit while I am still in my prime 🦁

How to govern well

I have just finished reading a letter by our recently elected councillor detailing what he has been doing during his first two months in office: * Called a private contractor to account for shoddy work on pavement resurfacing and personally... See More »

High maintenance

I was suddenly gripped by curiosity this afternoon as to whether or not our car has a spare wheel in the boot. Went outside and slowly cleared out my daughter's clobber to reveal what lay underneath: * Two complete changes of clothes * Sunhat *... See More »

Efforts rewarded

I met the manager of the hotel where my daughter did her work experience last week and we negotiated two early morning shifts for her to work each week over the school holidays. She will be making speciality bread for serving and sale at three hotels... See More »

Getting back into the routine

After her brief foray into the world of work, daughter was predictably grumpy at having to go back to school today 😅 Doubly so since we received an email advising students they should wear PE kit to school this week on account of the heat.... See More »

End of week report

I was emailed a copy of the report on my daughter's efforts during her week's work experience in hospitality. Some mainly lovely remarks which have put a big smile on my face 😊 From Wednesday, when she was working on reception: "M quickly... See More »

Girls night out

To celebrate our 14 year old completing her first ever full week of employment (a week's work experience arranged by the school) we are meeting up this evening for after-work drinks . . which will probably be of the milkshake variety 😉 Just in case... See More »

The world of work

This week my daughter will do five days work experience arranged for year 10 students through the school. She is going to work in quite a big hotel within walking distance of our home. Her programme is designed to give her a taste of every aspect of... See More »

Zia Yusuf resigns as Chair of Reform UK

The son of Muslim Sri Lankan immigrants, who last year thought he had purchased his way to political influence, yesterday resigned saying that working to get the party elected was "no longer a good use of my time". His resignation may or may not be... See More »

Mathematically challenged

Labour won the Hamilton by-election to the Holyrood parliament (the devolved Scottish assembly) with a majority of 602 votes over the incumbent SNP (Scottish Nationalist Party). Reform UK came in third place. Richard Tice, multi-millionaire backer of... See More »

United colours

I deliberately saved this story from earlier to kick off pride month on what I hope is a positive note. We are certainly not unique at my daughter's school in being same sex parents. However, due to our girl being rather popular and outgoing, we are... See More »

My daughter brought home a new friend yesterday

Friend very politely asks if she should take off her shoes indoors 🙂 Daughter says yes because mum doesn't like dirt being trailed into the home 👍 Daughter: "You should take off your socks as well [we have polished floors] because at my old home... See More »

We had just settled into bed last night

When our daughter bustles in and announces she has "something important" to tell us. I was just about to point out that she may be a little too big to be coming into our bed when, lo and behold, she pops up in the middle between us 😊 Then, as we... See More »