Seduced by the dark side/ seen the light

The opinions vary… seems as though it depends which side of the fence you tend to sit on....

I have decided to leave my present employer and have accepted a job with a firm that acts for insurers and multinational client’s defending personal injury claims.

The opportunity was too good to turn down, a decent pension, an increase in the number of holiday days and a decent salary increase. My decision is referred to as either being “seduced by the dark side”, and I did feel a little Anakin Skywalker moment (without cowl and lightsabre) when I handed my notice in, but subsequent chats with acquaintances with similar employers have left me with the overwhelming impression that I have seen the light – not quite a “Saul on the road to Damascus” revelation or event, but……….. Perhaps there is a mental shift that is taken when a decision is made for a role reversal.

The head of HR is not around until next week, I have asked to leave this employment early, I have requested the end of March as a leaving date, it’s convenient as it’s the end of the holiday year…. And it means I can have three weeks under my belt before leaving to take leave when our second child pushes it's way out of a hole the size of an orange.

If I metamorphose and stark wearing a dark cowl and laying waste to worlds with my lightsabre please let me know….

The Deep

At the weekend Simon and Jackie came to stay, they drove from Bristol and inevitably, despite setting off in good time to reach us for Friday tea time the roads intervened, the M1 was snarled following a crash at junction 28 and so Elspeth was in PJ’s when they arrived. It took a while but she eventually opened her eyes when they talked to her, rather than clench them shut and sit in darkness…

On Saturday we went to The Deep in Hull, we queued, despite not needing to as Sarah is a member [we know that now!] So Sarah has been 3 times this year, annual membership is £22 ish each visit would have been £7.95, so [discounting travel expenses] Sarah is up £1.85. Wow- she’s a real bargain getter!

The Deep is a little bewildering for a 2 ½ year old who just really wants to see penguins, phosphorescent jelly fish and step on the small blue lights that illuminate your path. Regrettably I confused The Deep with the Boston Aquarium (I bet that happens a lot), so no penguins here, they’re in the States. Imagine the upset when at the top of the stairs the large moon jellyfish tank was empty. Fortunately there were moon jellies in the Twilight Zone about ½ way round.

Elspeth likes the well lit areas with the tanks and fish swimming past, she’s not too keen on the darker areas and prefers to be carried around them.

Still we got some great pictures, the lift pauses on the way up the side of the 2 ½ million gallon tank, some of the sharks were asleep, swimming lazily round in circles.

After The Deep we went into Hull and to one of the art Galleries to see the 50th Birthday exhibition of Miffy [the sweet little bunny…] difficult to say the M name without the suffix for some reason.

The display was interesting so far as there was a video running showing how the pictures were created by Dick Bruna –but, to be honest that would not have captivated any of the infants there. Whilst Elspeth could write a post card to Miffy [TSLB], put different coloured tops [blue, red, green and yellow] on a Miffy [TSLB] board, and attend her birthday party the only other thing for the children was a dressing up box.

When we walked in a little chap wearing a cape declared he was superman, not sure whether there was an identity crisis, he was later running around as batman rescuing people. Elspeth had a great time with 2 pink capes. Sarah was very disappointed in the exhibition and the shop, the only Miffy [TSLB] items on sale were baby rattled [blue or pink] or a keyring. Elspeth opted for the key ring. Sarah at least thought they might have books or stickers or something else… she declined the opportunity to make a complaint.

pics to follow...

Is it the weekend, I would like Chololate

4/2/06
Elspeth has a treat at the weekend in that this is the time that we normally allow her to eat chocolate. There are occasions when this rule flexes and she has chocolate at other times, occasionally the chocolate is substituted for some other sweet delicacy, presently Elspeth has a passion for Jelly Babies.

Mid afternoon on Sunday Elspeth asked if it was the weekend and when an answer was given in the affirmative she proceeded to ask, oh so politely, for Chocolate… now to my recollection at the deep she had: a large chocolate disc with 100’s and 1000’s on, a sticky lolly drumstick, and Jelly Babies on her return. The protestations were loud but polite. “Pleeease I’d like so chocolate… I neeeed chocolate… please… etc” you get the picture.

The bird feeder is full.

I said some bloke called Rolf could hang his pictures with mine

Elspeth agreed to let some little known Aussie hand his pictures in her gallery.... Elspeth's gallery will be closing shortly for refurbishment, as I paint the living room. One wall down 3 to go....

Oh, the birds still have a little food left... will be refilling the feeder tomorrow - just so you know...

How old am I?

Baldness, bad sight, my knees have been iffy for a while, 33 next birthday… I’d like a Zimmer, not a silver one but a bright lime green one….

Diddy, Mud and monsters

Well Sarah seems to have tackled Mud head on… Mud now goes home for his tea at 5 and his parents do not let him out after dark, hopefully he’ll have better things to do in the evenings as the daylight hour’s increase.

Diddy is only an occasional visitor; I think he prefers it when Mud is here…

It has transpired that Elspeth has the eyes of a hawk, last night in the bath she suddenly screamed and insisted on being removed from the bath as there was a bug! Bugs, she’s never been freaked by bugs before, this huge behemoth was a tiny fly nestled up by the light pull, barely visible to the naked eye, I must admit difficulty seeing it with my glasses on

Parents...

You know they are mostly right, but there are things that you wish they weren’t right about.

Have you ever sat and literally watched your hair fall out? Every time I run my fingers through my hair at the sink I peer down and see black hairs disappearing down the plughole. All those years I took the mickey out of my Dad’s thinning hair, he always said it was hereditary; I carried on ribbing him assuming I’d inherited my mother’s thick locks…. [Sorry dad.] No comfort is gained that I can’t be blamed for the hair block in the plug holes, I’d rather go grey than bald…

Daddy are you having a baby?

Well the short answer is obviously yes, Sarah is having a baby... but I'm not sure that that is the question that Elspeth was asking. Particularly as she was gazing at my waistline at the time. I have realised that there's nothing that makes you wish you were more disciplined about going to the gym than when your daughter, in her own way, suggests that you might benefit from using that membership...

Today has been a bit traumatic, Sarah was sickly so I came home via the doctor and the chemist, Sarah had a check up yesterday and she's a little anaemic, so I picked up the prescription and got some Lucozade. I sent Sarah packing to bed and Elspeth and I played all afternoon, I made tea and bathed her and read her books. Strangely she was off her milk, and asked to go to bed 3/4 through the 4th book of the usual 6.

Anyway about an hour or so later there was a cry and it seems that poor Elspeth has caught her mummy's bug. I have quarantined the sicky's in our bedroom whilst I shall be in the spare room. I put the dirtied bed clothes and bits in the washer on super wash and super rinse, so instead of the usual 69 minute program it a 132 minute one... just hope that I don't get the lurgy.

Sarah is determined to get a picture of the "bump" this time, we did try last time when she was carrying Elsepth, it's just that as she was teaching it was incredible how many outfits were black, black hides all manner of shape misdemeanors. Sarah has colourful tops this time round so hopefully bump pictures to follow.

The bird feeder has been near empty and refilled twice since I last blogged... [just for you bird lovers out there]