What's Doing

JFGP had a little accident. He was on holiday with his Mum and his little brother and managed to take a tumble. They were camping just north of Newcastle and it had been raining – quite a lot. The assembled small people were playing in the playground at the camp site and number 1 son [...]

This is our official family photo for 2011. If I was witty and eloquent I would accompany it with an annual family message. But I can’t compete with Mil Millington. So go and read his message for a few wry smiles. I will let you into a little secret about this year’s photo. I had [...]

I order our new car in April. Last week I had to sign the paperwork, arrange insurance and agree a price for my part exchange. With a bit of luck and a following wind we will be the proud possessors of a new car early next week. There is only one thing left to sort [...]

I’m writing this from my in-laws lounge in sunny Bracknell. I’ve just come to a stop after two days of non stop car travel, excursions and family bonding for small boys and their mother. This holiday business is hard work, but enjoyable. I’ve got a couple of vignettes for you from this trip. Firstly, my [...]

It all started in the pub, as these things often do. Ben told us that he had applied to take part in the Red Bull Flugtag, and been accepted. Whilst Richard and I were very happy for him we wondered why he was mentioning it to us. We soon found out because we were informed [...]

As it was the last day of October the ankle biters insisted on dressing up and then roaming the streets in search of sweets. Ordinarily I’d be a little bit concerned but given that this is October this kind of behaviour is considered quite acceptable. In fact they were part of one of the many [...]

Do you remember that card game you used to play as a family when you were younger? You know; rummy, cribbage, 500, 9 card brag, Canasta, or some other equally obscure game. But do you remember the rules? Because I certainly don’t. For an afternoon, or more usually a damp British summer, I would have [...]

There is an old adage in management circles that people optimise their work towards what is measured. In my business if you measure someone on the number of bugs they fix it has been observed that some programmers will actually introduce problems in their code just so that they can fix them and increase their [...]

Once more it has been a little quiet around these parts. Whilst I’m busy doing things other than writing here are some things which I have recently discovered to be rather good: Outbursts – the last track on Outbursts by Turin Brakes Glad and Sorry – track 3 on CD2 of There’s a Whole New [...]

An occassional competition, run when I feel like it and when I find a name that is so good it must be applauded – or the parents prosecuted for child abuse. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present this week’s winner, spotted on an internal email at work – “Irish Fearsâ€?.