Rip's Ramble
Life In The Eyes Of...
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Sunday, March 30, 2003
No Ariel and W for swimming this week due to a serious sounding illness (hope you're back on your feet soon xx). I realised late last night that the clocks went forward (not backwards) so decided to take Junior to the 10:30 seesion. One thing that I didn't allow for was the pool being closed to the public today (and next Sunday) until after 2pm due to a swimming gala. We had a lovely drive in the sunshine to Castletown to see what their pol was like instead.
Junior beat me to greeting the Fairies for a change :) (For non Manxies, that's your loss, I'm afraid ;))
Castletown doesn't have a baby/toddler pool and the shallow end starts at 3 foot depth, more of a "traditional" pool. I thought this could be be a short swim session... 2 hours later, I dragged to get dressed :)
We had a bite to eat sat in the sunshine at a stop off on the way back to Douglas then we played trains again or Junior played in the back garden while I watched bits of the England v Ireland Rugby match. A very entertaining match, irrespective of the score.
A hour at Nobles Park followed, cut short by the man with the gate keys, then to Mummy's to drop off Junior and the car. We had a play of Abe's Oddysey on the Xbox, then time for me to be dropped off at home.
All in all, a great weekend of play and fun. I love sunny days :)
OMG
I don't have any Dire Straits in my MP3 collection.
Saturday, March 29, 2003
*shouts* Happy Saturday everybody :)
Here's a site to raise a smile Ugly Fat Kid
Quotes:
"Sometimes I hurt myself. I used to think it was accidental but I'm beginning to suspect otherwise. Like yesterday when I leapt through the glass door on the shower and sustained massive cuts all over my abdomen. Sure I tried to convince myself later it was an accident and I was actually fleeing from an oncoming bus but the truth is there are no buses in my shower. At least not since I put up the sign."
"Next time you're gonna take a bath, toss in about a dozen packages of Alka Selzter... it's the poor man's jacuzzi..."
"What the world needs now is random trapdoors. Everywhere. At the bank. At the gas station. At home. At school. At the office. "Hey Bob... I'm just gonna photocopy some of these repor-RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrr...!" And of course, at the bottom of each trapdoor would be a bouncy trampoline. I'm not Hitler or anything. His trapdoors had rooms full of spiders on the other ends."
Friday, March 28, 2003
The simple things in life
There is something satisfying about zero cost activities that are greeted with eyes which light up and enthusiasm. I said I was looking forward to lighter, warmer nights and the freedom to head for the local playground. Yesterday evening we did just that. Junior was picked up and after an hour at Onchan Park was dropped home just after 5. After eating, I realised that I needed a few bits from the shop which is near a play area and duck ponds so we grabbed his bike half a loaf of "medium sliced" and went out into the sunshine. I don't wear a watch, but wasn't surprised to find that after the ride to, the stroll around the ponds then the walk back up to the playground and eventually home it was well after 7. I had a happy boy, I was a happy Daddy :)
I worry that as he grows older, simple pleasures like this might fade, I sincerly hope they don't.
Here are some pics from last summer :)
A quiz for film buffs, like one I've never seen before (sheltered upbringing)
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
I drove to the childminders in Mummy's car and rang the doorbell. As it opened, I was practically knocked over from my "squatting, ready for a cuddle" position. I said in my last blog that I lacked much in the way of "get up and go" well, I'm happy to say that the former feeling was wiped out in seconds.
We had a really good chatting session in the car as he relayed to me tales of all the things that he'd been doing while away between bites of an apple that I'd brought for him. Back at the house we played with his trains (yeah, yeah, I know I said I was going to put it away, but I didn't) a bite to eat then out to play football on the grassy area nearby. There were a couple of older lads already having a kick about and we kicked each other's footballs around for a good hour. Junior had a new thing that we had to do. I was instructed that we had to stand in a straight line, side by side (two of us??) then we had to sing a song before we started the game. I assume we were going to play an International game of football and we were singing our National Anthems :) At one point, Junior bent down staring straight at me with the ball at my feet, clapped his hands together and wiggled his bum saying he was in goal...
It was quarter to seven by the time we came back inside. Time for another play with his trains while his bath ran, then splashing galore in our usual bubbley fashion. We sat on the sofa and watched a cartoon while he had his cup of milk and a couple of bickies then up for a story and big cuddles and kisses and sleep (for him) :)
His food is cooked and ready for tomorrow (Grilled pork chops, boiled spuds, 4 veg and gravy, Mmmmmmm) and I feel so full of life again and shine gratitude for the life that he gives me. I can genuinely feel a difference within myself. It's good to have him home :)
Tuesday, March 25, 2003
A pretty dull and quiet weekend
Well Junior will be back tomorrow and oooooh, how I've missed him :( Contrary to having time to get stuff done, I've basically veged out the past few days. Cash being tight again means no funds to go out, lack of son meant a lack of inspiration to "get up and go".
I've had some feedback from the Manx Parents email Thanks to those who have forwarded details to friends. I've added a couple of articles to the news page, but still a lot more for me to do.
The dear_raed website went down for a couple of days, apparently he overloaded a couple of servers with all the hits that his site was getting. It's back online now and includes the text for the missing days. I assume that as time goes on there is the real possibility that the site could end without warning. To think, how we complain about minor access problems...
Saturday, March 22, 2003
D'ohhh
So there I was yesterday after work, looking for a seat on the bus when I saw a guy at the back wearing tinted round glasses, "Wow", I thought, that looks like Steve Zodiac (I've only ever seen the pics on his site, and the only other person that I am aware of who wears tints, is Raz, and it certainally wasn't him) "No, it cannot be" I realised. "He'd be at work at this time". So I took my seat nearby. After 5 minutes thinking Should I? Shouldn't I? I turned and stuttered "Excuse me... Is your name Steve?" "No", ...D'ohhhh
Thursday, March 20, 2003
Iraq and Online resourses
Most of us with webpages have Stat pages telling us how many visiters our pages get. I did a Google for "Iraq webcam" and found a few links without much in the way of results. It seems as if I'm not the only one who has tried that search, here is the Statpage for one site I tried. Notice the graph for the past couple of days?
I also found a Blog written by somebody who lives in Baghdad, an eyewitness report. It is here
Wednesday, March 19, 2003
Saddened but finding positives
No Junior for a week. Tomorrow morning he's on the Ben My Chree heading for a week on the "adjacent Isle" with Mummy and S. I cannot wait to speak to him on the phone and listen to all his tales of the things he's been doing and the places he has visited :) It means that I can give the house a thorough spring clean and maybe get a few jobs out the way that winter has put on hold. This room needs painting and as artistic as he may be, it isn't a job that I would attempt when he is here, so now I have no excuse.
His train set is currently set up taking up half the living room floor, I'll pack that away tomorrow evening when I come home. As much as I like a tidy house, this is first and foremost a house for play and fun. I'm used to stepping over toys because this is the way we are :) When people come here they expect to find crayons on the table, cars between the sofa cushions, video boxes next to the TV. It's clean mess. It is the way I like it. It will feel strange to put toys away in the cupboard and not see them all out again within 15 minutes :)
Monday, March 17, 2003
Last night I tried to log into blogger, but it refused me admission :(
Blimey, I cannot believe I have gone a week without a Blog. The thing is, looking back in retrospect, there isn't really much new stuff going on in my life that I can say without sounding quite repetative.
The Sea Moneys hatched and are wiggling around their little tank :) less than the size of a pin head and Junior looks at them and coo's. I was worried that something had gone wrong and we were destined to failure. I didn't want to fib and pretend that a)They were invisible or b)Junior needs his eyes testing. Neither of those would be fair. But no worries, they are there to see as clear as day :)
I've had a couple of really good chats recently, Online and not forgetting real life... Princess Roo has trouble going 5 minutes without making me grin like a fool :) She talked me into registering for a Manx Website that is best described as "adult content", but in more of a Chubby Brown "adult", than sexually "adult" If your nerves are strong, and you don't object to mindless, excessive bad language (definitely NOT one for minors), have a look at Death in Douglas
Ariel and W were their usual rays of sunshine in the early hours of Sunday morning :) (Early hours being pre 11am for those who prefer an evening out on Saturday nights) Stavros, answer my goddam emails, will ya, I'm flipping starving here :)
I've been scouring the internet for material for my ManxParents website I've sent out an introductory email to friends asking them to read and forward it to other IOM residents who may be interested. If you want to read the email, it is here As it says, I want a local feel to the site and welcome comment and contribution from others. The events page is looking depressingly empty at the moment (not through lack of trying). Maybe that is a sad reflection of the Islands view of families? Something I hope to have an impact on... Me thinks it's time to hit the IOM phone book ;) Manx Radio have been spammed and IOM Newspapers are next...
Tuesday, March 11, 2003
Tired
Monday, March 10, 2003
At last... I have bought a Sea Monkey starter kit. The little tank has a Martian landscape inside with an Astronaught hovering above the ground. I have filled it up with water and added the preparation powder which needs 24 hours before the eggs are added. I realied tonight that I had better be careful where I place the tank because we have a cat here who likes to paw at the fish in a much heavier tank.
I did a Google tonight for "isle of man" +family to look for some links for my website, Geeeeez, it really is a wilderness unless you want Geneology sites in which case there are pages. I found a couple of sites elsewhere and I have sent a couple of emails inviting contribution. Our local Newpaper's website is a bit of a pain when it comes to news stories. If I was to link to a recent story then it would only be valid for a few days or a week tops until it is archieved and replaced by something completely different, then I'd have to do a site search to find it again and update my page. Grrrrrrrrrrr
Blimey... What time is this?
I have registered the domain www.manxparents.net and have created a template for the site. Spent ages trying to teach myself how to create tables and the differences it makes between working in percentages and pixels. Icons caused me a few problems, One minute they were there, the next they vanished. I've loaded the home page onto my free Manxnet space and pointed the domain at that for now until I get the hosting sorted. There appear to be a couple of glitches still, but I'm sure I'll sort them sooner or later. Next job is to start padding out the pages and work out if I can set up and use a new blogger page to remotely update a couple of the pages.
Top weekend... I had a really good and funny 3 way chat on MSN with a good friend and a friend of theirs. I stayed awake long enough on Saturday night/Sunday morning to watch start of the Austrailian Formula 1. I brought a duvet and pillow down to lay on the sofa and set the alarm on my mobile phone in case I fell asleep. I could have seen more, but after 20 or so laps I thought I should sleep because I had to be at the pool for 9am Sunday morning.
Junior and I were joined by Ariel and W as per usual. Roo is staying with them for the weekend and she came along too :) Junior was his usual dominating self, maybe a bit too overpowering at times. He's a strong little man and he sometimes forgets how to be gentle. If you ever have the misfortune to have him running towards you, brace yourself :o
Junior and W soon slipped into their friendly way with each other. They play together so well in the water and upstairs afterwards. It's always a shame when it is time to part company for another week, but junior and I got 3 hugs this week, so we didn't grumble :)
We headed to the shop on the way home and halfway round we found ourselves chatting with Ariel again as she had also popped in to pick up a couple of bits and pieces, so we wandered round together and I laughed to see her and Junior pretending to race each other on some disabled persons shopping carts as I queued to pay for my shopping.
Back home, we upacked the food and were pleased to be visited by Juniors 6 year old aunt and her dad on their way to the pool. We had a coffee while the little ones pretended to be Bob the builder and Wendy in the back garden. Then after they went on their way, another aunt and uncle were soon knocking on the door to be let in.
We eventually returned Mummy's car and found her covered in emulsion as she was repainting her living room. As soon as he saw the paint brushes, Junior wanted to do a bit, but was sadly to be denied by us both. Mummy has bought Junior a new bed for when he stays there, I was jealous because it is nicer than mine. We stayed for a while then Mummy dropped us both here so she could finish off at hers and no sooner were we through the door than Junior was having a cup of milk and a little chocy cake thrust upon him because it was so close to his bed time. We read the Elves and the Shoemaker sat on his toybox while his duvet hung over a radiator to warm up then he contently climbed onto his bed, snuggled into his now warm bedding and was fast asleep when I looked in 10 minutes later :)
Thursday, March 06, 2003
Annoyed? Peeved off? Depressed with life? Yep, I've been there this week :( I even finished a conversation on my mobile yesterday and threw the phone down in temper. Why is it that the people who we have to go to to run our lives insist on appearing to be putting as many stumbling blocks in the way that they can think of? Why do they refuse to let you go the way you want, then after struggly to make a headway by their insistance, they move the target?
Why when in a meeting face to face do they let you sit there heart pounding, shaking with nerves then ask "What would you like me to do?" put us on the spot, then when we stutter out the words in fear of being smirked at, they keep a straight face and say "ok, I can do that"? Why do they let us panic, sweat, worry when they know that they can make life easier, yet insist on remaining silent until we read their minds as to the options available to us?
Yesterday I was in the proverbial tunnel with a glimmer of light in the distance, I've been in this "tunnel" for nearly 18 months, during which time there have been plenty of one steps forward then 2 steps backwards. Then the phone rang and it felt as if not only had the distant light been snuffed out, but a black bag had been put over my head just for good measure.
For the sake of today's meeting, I think I am back on track and I see that faint light again, but I'm not happy, not happy at all as the people I share an office with will testify.
Sunday, March 02, 2003
Big heartfelt hugs go to Princess Roo tonight following some sad news. She has written some words on her own Blog page, so I won't duplicate or try to interperate them here. I've only met Roo once as I reported some weeks ago on here and I've chatted online a couple of times. She is a warm, smiling person to whom I took an instant liking. It saddens me to think that she isn't her usual bouncey fun self today. My thoughts are with her and her family at this time.
What a beautiful sunny and hot afternoon today. After leaving the pool, Junior and I headed home. We had borrowed Mummy's car again so I thought I'd give her a surprise and give Junior a chance to earn a bit of the money he costs me each week. We grabbed a bucket of hot soapy water and together gave the car a good scrubbing session. A good lick of polish and it was shining in the bright sunshine. Junior had a ride of his bike and played football on the nearby grass with 3 boys from nearby. Mummy phoned to check on the time that we expected to head her way and asked me to bring some rawlplugs and screwdrivers (D'ohhhh). Mummy has a flat overlooking Douglas Bay, it looked gorgeous today from her living room window. We had a lovely tea and a quick play of Abe's Oddesy on the XBox then it was time for my lift home and kisses and cuddles from Junior.
There is a thread on the Forums called "Friendship or Sex" and in the opening post it asks "Can Ex-partners still be friends?" Well I have to say "Yes they can". I'm not denying that Mummy and I haven't had our moments, but seeing as we both love Junior and respect the fact that we still have a long term relationship as parents if nothing else, we have more or less been able to keep the good aspects of our former relasionship after all we both have one major reason for getting on together and as a rule we do pretty good :)
Alarm clocks have a wonderful feature. It is called the "snooze button" What you do is set you alarm clock for a little before you actually want to wake then when it bleeps you prod said button and it resets to bleep again after a preset time. So there I was at 8:10 this morning, alarm bleeping to say time to wake up for swimming and I thought Ahhhhhh, I have 40 mins to wake, dress, nibble and drive, I'll just have 5 more minutes. At 9:05 something stirred me from my deep slumber... Junior was still face down in his pillow so I shook him into life and we hurtled down the stairs grabbing our clothes, the swimming bag, two pieces of fruit and out to the car. We made it into the water for 9:25 and were greeted by the smiling faces of Ariel and W who I can only imagine had all but given up on us turning up. We had a good hour of water play and the children again had both of us parents smiling as they both strutted their stuff in the pool and continued through lunch and and out onto the concourse. Poor Ariel wasn't feeling 100%, she even declined ice cream :o
I need a new PC. This box is fine for 99% of the stuff that I want it to do, but alas this weekend I found out that it is hopeless for the other 1%. I had a play with Microstuft Publishing in an attempt to design a Logo for Manx Parents (still trying to design a Frontpage). I made one that consisted of only four layers, but it was so slow when I was making the slightest of changes and after about an hour of working out how the software did it's biz I was happy and clicked "Save"...
Goddam... The PC froze, reported an error and closed the software wiping all that I had done :( I was non pleased to say the least. I rebooted the PC and when it had gone through the start up process I opened the Task Manager and closed all those annoying little programmes which run in the background eating up processor speed and power. I re-opened Publishing redid my design and it saved fine, thank goodness.
