Our Friday evening routineDaughter crashed through the front door fifteen minutes ago. Shoes and socks deposited on the doormat. PE bag in the corner where it was thrown, its grubby contents spilling out. Now starts the race to finish all her homework before dinner. If it...See More »
Panic overSo we got to meet our daughter's friend-who-is-a-boy-but-definitely-not-her-boyfriend. The good news is that his intentions are wholly honourable. He plays on the school rugby team and has got her onto a training programme organised by oir local...See More »
Time for girl talkSo the moment of parenthood that I was dreading most of all came about yesterday evening 🥺 My daughter decided she needed a heart-to-heart talk about Will, a boy in the year above her at school whom she has managed to name-check in every other...See More »
National TreasureThe Times today reveals that Bernie Ecclestone, the sprightly 93 year old former F1 CEO, was the second highest tax payer in the UK in the last tax year, paying an estimated £652.6 million to HMRC. Admittedly £650 million of that was in...See More »
Safe from the stormMy daughter is bathed, changed into her pyjamas, and snuggled up under the duvet with her teddies reading Harry Potter. My wife is home from work, taking a bath. I just had a good long chat with my mum who is looking forward to the week ahead. All...See More »
Please give this bear a home I rescued him from Paddington railway station yesterday morning and brought him home for my daughter. He is already a firm favourite and we are currently sitting together watching my daughter's gymnastics class (I removed his welly boots first).
Christmas extendedMy 6 year old niece was devastated this week when her daddy unfairly took advantage of her return to school to take down their Christmas tree 😥 Our tree is still up (albeit with all decorations but the lights removed). It is a beautiful tree that p...See More »
Music homeworkRight now my daughter is in her room singing 'Fools Rush In'. Quite well actually. She has a very unique music teacher who, faced with the challenge of engaging a class of mixed abilities and levels of interest, has decided to effectively ditch the...See More »
It's Fairy Friday once again . . post pictures of our Fairy Friends! As I listen to my own little fairy crashing through the door 😌
Nice to feel wantedMy Saturday morning routine for almost a year has involved taking my adopted daughter to a leisure centre where she has a one hour judo lesson followed straight after by two hours with her gymnastics club. I read, chat, or wander in and around the...See More »
Labour relationsSo I was enjoying a lie in this morning after a late finish to work, when my daughter called from school asking me to bring in her hockey skirt. Fifty minutes later, while I was handing over said clothing at the gate, she asked for a raise in her...See More »
Start as we mean to go onI don't 'do' NYE, but actually had a really nice time last night. Mainly because everyone was safely at home and I wasn't worrying about my wife working a night shift. We had dinner with our neighbours and came back to our house to count down to...See More »
First Christmas at home with our daughter was not the easiestThere were a lot of tears, a few regrets, and a young lady who seemed very lost and confused at times. My instinct is to gather her in my arms and protect her from the outside influences that frustrate her and get in the way of her path to adulthood....See More »
What did you learn this week?While waiting in the reception of my daughter's school on Thursday I picked up a copy of a recent inspector's report which detailed some of the highlights of the curriculum: (1) Pupils learn about Edwardian social attitudes in order to understand...See More »
The verdict Just got back from watching my daughter's school play! It was great, but to be honest I don't remember much else apart from the four dancing fairies 😌 We're happy. She's happy and chatting away on the phone . . no doubt negotiating her West End...See More »
Drama night I have just waved farewell to four lovely fairies who came to tea 🧚🏻🧚🏻🧚🏻🧚🏻 My daughter and her friends were killing time between dress rehearsal and the first performance of their school play tonight . . we get to see the second performance...See More »
Teenage logicWhen we moved into our new home I bought matching desks and chairs for my daughter and me to go in our very own home office. I am quite sure that I have never seen her use hers once. Homework is done on her bed, on the sofa, sitting on the floor . ....See More »
St Nicholas DayToday is the Feast of St Nicholas. I encouraged my daughter to follow an old family custom of ours by leaving out her shoe to receive a small present. Early this morning I filled it with a small cloth bag of hair accessories. I had woven her name...See More »
My daughter is going to be a fairy in her school play I'm just finishing off her costume. She is very enthusiastic about her role, even though she has no lines to speak. Just some dancing and a little bit of magic 🤗
Careers advice In the early 1200s a young scholar named Edmund was fast asleep after a hard day's teaching. His late mother appeared to him in a dream. She looked at the drawings he had been working on and asked him, "Son, what are these shapes?" Edmund explained...See More »
Hanging out with the popular girlsLast night's evening in with my daughter was great fun. Our neighbour was a little surprised to find me in my pyjamas at 5.15pm, but hey the rules of sleepover club are pretty clear! 🤣 Daughter has been so busy with her friends for the past two...See More »
I can't wait for school to finish todayWe're having a girls' night in this evening. Finishing off daughter's costume for the school show. Then making pizzas and smoothies 🤗
So I don't normally eavesdrop . .. . and I certainly don't betray confidences . . unless it is really, really interesting! I stopped outside my daughter's bedroom where she was trying to persuade her sleepover friends to join her on a holiday of a lifetime at a Butlins holiday camp...See More »
Who was the best Prime Minister of the UK post-1945 Poll (49) See Poll OptionsPlease comment on your choice.
Tonight is sleepover night . .Daughter has three guests to stay. I seem to remember giving permission for just two, but as it is Friday and everyone is in an agreeable mood, I guess we can overlook the maths error 🙂 Four pairs of shoes neatly lined up in the hallway (well done...See More »