HAPPY NEW YEAR 2025

appy New Year. 2025 is here, we are a quarter a way through the century. Time is something that rages past and we can't control the speed in which it travels.

So, Yule is almost over for another year and soon "normality" will return.

2206.03 PLATTY JOOBS

It's the Queen's Platinum Jubliee which is a massive deal for the whole of the United Kingdom. The late spring bank holiday has been moved from the last monday in May to 2nd June and combined with an extra holiday on the forth to give most of the country a long weekend off.

2105.05 FIVE-O

I think most people go through their lives thinking that the grand old age of fifty is just out of reach... Until it finally arrives.

Today is the day.

1910.04 DUN PARENTING... RAGS IS 18

My youngest daughter is 18 years old today. I've managed to deliver my two daughters to adulthood without killing them or them killing anyone else.

1805.07 ANOTHER YEAR CLOSER TO DEATH

So my birthday has come around again. As I get older they seem to get closer together. It's been fortunate that my birthday has fallen on the May Day bank holiday weekend this year. So what have I been up to?

1710.04 SWEET SIXTEEN

Being a parent is a job for life. Sure the sleepless nights are over pretty quick, in fact the whole childhood part is over pretty quick so if you've got little ones make sure you're savouring it all.

1701.01 THE BEGINNING

So here it is... 2017.

1608.06 A WEDDING I'M OVER INVITED TO

I'm down south for a wedding of one of Morticia's family friends. If I'm brutally honest I'm not too enthusiastic about being here especially since I will be missing my cycling club's 100 mile ride to Humber Bridge tomorrow. To add insult to injury the Olympic Men's Road Race is on whilst the service is on (and apparently it's not appropriate to watch sports in church).

The day starts early. Morticia is taking the photos as a wedding present (since she has a half decent camera and a couple of weddings under her belt) so she's going to have to go over to the bride's house before for a few snaps.

11:39 - I'm sat in my car whilst Morticia and her mum are with the bride doing whatever they are doing. It's a hot day but at least my car has air conditioning. 

13:32 - In church. I've not got a lot invested in this event. I'm just thinking about the men's cycling road race which is happening in Rio right now. Physically I'm witnessing a wedding but mentally I'm willing on Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas or maybe even Adam Yates to win gold today. I've resigned myself that I'll find out the result before I see the race. 

15:39 - I just got back from the church. If I'm honest it wasn't quite as bad as I thought it was going to be.  If I'm really honest I quite enjoyed it. I just dropped the car back at Morticia's mother's (I dropped them off at the reception venue) now I'm going to walk back. It'll give me some time to myself before the reception (it'll be about a 30 minute walk).

20:16 -  The reception is in full swing and I'm actually enjoying myself. I even got to watch the Olympic Men's Road Race on my phone (although I was disappointed with the result - gutted for Geraint Thomas who crashed on the final decent). I'm going to enjoy the party. 

23:52 - And we're done. I'm exhausted. Didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did. 

I'm still disappointed that I'll be missing my cycling club's 100 mile ride in the morning.