At the weekend I took Ellie and Ben to Edinburgh Zoo. The king penguins were all gathered near the edge of their enclosure, taking a look at Exhibit 1, Homo sapiens.
Wednesday, October 09, 2013
Monday, September 16, 2013
Trip to Edinburgh
We went to Edinburgh last weekend. It was a lovely warm day (last of this summer?)
Ellie insisted on drinking Jana's hot chocolate. Ben insisted on chewing the lid of my coffee.
Landmarks
It's been a busy time recently. Kids' illnesses and plenty of visitors are guaranteed to throw any routine out of line.
But it's settled down a bit now and given me a chance to reflect on a couple of important milestones.
On 22 August it was Ben's first birthday. His grandparents were up for the occasion. Ben himself was a little overwhelmed by all the attention and the new toys. Like most one year olds he was more interested in exploring the wrapping paper and boxes that things came in.
But that's him firmly set on the path from babyhood to toddlerhood. It can't be long now until he starts walking.
The other recent milestone was that Ellie has started at nursery. She attends the nursery attached to the local primary school and goes every afternoon. She loves it. I was quite prepared for tantrums and/or clinginess when we first took her there but quite the opposite - she didn't want to leave! It did feel a little odd leaving her in the care of other adults but we're getting used to it now too.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
A Thought for Thursday: Maggie
Britain's ex-prime minister Margaret Thatcher died on 8 April.
David Cameron described her as our "greatest peacetime Prime Minister” and said that she "saved Britain." Tony Blair said she was a "towering political figure." Everyone said she was (and remains) "divisive."
In the UK, parliament was recalled to debate her legacy. Street parties were organised by some to celebrate her passing.
In India, they created a sand sculpture:
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| Margaret Thatcher Sand Sculpture [Source: Telegraph, April 2013] |
Her death was covered at length by media across the world.
What surprised me was the strength of feeling expressed by people and the extent of the shadow she still casts over this and other countries' political life.
It's not often a person comes along that has this sort of impact. Reflecting on this week, it seems to me that the Thatcher era is destined to become a major section of history textbooks in years to come.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Getting ready to Crawl
Ben is starting to lift his body onto his knees. He wants to crawl - now he just needs to figure out how!
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| Ben Pushing Himself up onto All Fours [9 April 2013] |
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Teething
Ben now has his first tooth! It's one of his bottom front teeth and it's clearly showing. The tooth next to it is starting to poke through as well.
It's almost impossible to get a picture but I'll post one if I do.
The teething pains are bothering him constantly and I can see this going on for some time. It wakes him up several times most nights.
We've tried a few things, like Calpol obviously and teething gel. But the product I'd have to recommend is Teetha Teething Powder. It's basically a small sachet of powder that you just pour into your baby's mouth and he grimaces a little bit but it seems to give him almost instant relief. The only problem as with everything is you can't use this constantly.
Edit 12th April:
Finally got a (slightly blurry) picture of Ben's teeth. So tiny!
It's almost impossible to get a picture but I'll post one if I do.
The teething pains are bothering him constantly and I can see this going on for some time. It wakes him up several times most nights.
We've tried a few things, like Calpol obviously and teething gel. But the product I'd have to recommend is Teetha Teething Powder. It's basically a small sachet of powder that you just pour into your baby's mouth and he grimaces a little bit but it seems to give him almost instant relief. The only problem as with everything is you can't use this constantly.
Edit 12th April:
Finally got a (slightly blurry) picture of Ben's teeth. So tiny!
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| Ben's First Teeth [April 2013] |
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Kitchen Project: Day One
We are making some major changes to our house. Our project to move the kitchen downstairs and create a large open-plan kitchen and living space has begun.
Jana, Ellie and Ben have flown out to see their Czech family for three and a half weeks. I'm left here alone to keep an eye on things. We've got builders in to do the work.
Nothing can go wrong, surely?
Today was the first day of the work. This was the downstairs at the start of the day:
And this is how it looks now, after a full day's work on it:
We're also getting the stairs boxed off and a doorway put in:
Jana, Ellie and Ben have flown out to see their Czech family for three and a half weeks. I'm left here alone to keep an eye on things. We've got builders in to do the work.
Nothing can go wrong, surely?
Today was the first day of the work. This was the downstairs at the start of the day:
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| Our House Downstairs [24 February 2013] |
And this is how it looks now, after a full day's work on it:
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| Our House Downstairs [25 February 2013] |
We're also getting the stairs boxed off and a doorway put in:
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| Our House Stairway [25 February 2013] |
Monday, February 11, 2013
Exercise
Since we had Ben I haven't done any regular exercise. The running I had started last year came to a grinding halt when he was born. I didn't really mind at the time, because I'd been struggling with strains and aches in my legs and I thought they could do with a good, prolonged rest to heal properly.
This year, however, I decided to get things going again and thought I'd at least commit to going for one run per week to start with.
The good news is I've kept this up so far.
The bad news is those aches and pains are back. It's a bit worrisome. This isn't just a bit of muscle fatigue. I've had that before and recovered within 48 hours max. This feels like my whole lower leg is bruised and the feeling doesn't subside much, even though I'm not running hard and I'm only running once a week.
The only explanation I can come up with is that my legs aren't coping well with the high impact. I run on tarmac and concrete mainly. I've recently invested in a proper pair of running shoes but the damage might already be done. I'll try contacting a physio but in the meantime I'm thinking I should try another form of activity.
So, I've decided to look at this positively and see it as an opportunity to try something new.
I really don't fancy going to a gym, so I'm looking for a new, low impact form of exercise that I can do on my own. So far I've come up with swimming and cycling, and either might be feasible to fit into my current work/life routine.
The main thing is I need to get fit again!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
First Meal
Today we started weaning Ben. Here he is having his first ever meal.
He had about 10 small spoonfuls of mashed carrot. About half an hour later he had a full bottle of formula milk.
Ben is definitely teething. We can't feel a tooth poking through but he's taken to chewing anything within reach and his cheeks regularly glow bright red. Poor thing!
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| Ben's First Meal [10 February 2013] |
He had about 10 small spoonfuls of mashed carrot. About half an hour later he had a full bottle of formula milk.
Ben is definitely teething. We can't feel a tooth poking through but he's taken to chewing anything within reach and his cheeks regularly glow bright red. Poor thing!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Happy Birthday Ellie
Ellie turned 3 on Sunday. She really is looking less and less like a toddler and more and more like a little girl.
I hate to say it, but they do grow up so fast, don't they?
Anyway... Happy Birthday Ellie!
Life is so busy at the moment we decided not to organise a full scale party. We filled her room with balloons and hid her presents in various spots, and she loved this! She was still finding presents in the afternoon.
We bought her a shopping till.
She had loads of other presents from friends and relatives. Her favourite was a playdough dessert making set from her Czech grandparents.
I took her to see her first ever movie at the cinema in the afternoon - Tinkerbell and the Secret of the Wings. She just about kept her concentration to the end. I love these moments as a parent when you discover you had start doing something new with your child.
I hate to say it, but they do grow up so fast, don't they?
Anyway... Happy Birthday Ellie!
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| Ellie's Third Birthday [20 January 2013] |
Life is so busy at the moment we decided not to organise a full scale party. We filled her room with balloons and hid her presents in various spots, and she loved this! She was still finding presents in the afternoon.
We bought her a shopping till.
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| Ellie's Shopping Till [20 January 2013] |
She had loads of other presents from friends and relatives. Her favourite was a playdough dessert making set from her Czech grandparents.
I took her to see her first ever movie at the cinema in the afternoon - Tinkerbell and the Secret of the Wings. She just about kept her concentration to the end. I love these moments as a parent when you discover you had start doing something new with your child.
Death of the High Street
Given that the economic downturn has been ongoing since 2008, it's surprising that more British household names haven't gone under.
We had Woolworth's which went into liquidation in 2009, but I struggle to think of any other high street stalwarts that we've lost. I'm sure there have been a couple.
So it's surprised me a little that now, four years into the downturn, we've lost Comet, Jessop's, HMV and Blockbuster, all household names, in the space of a single month.
Who knows which shop is next?
I guess the poor economic climate has finally caught up with the finances of some of these firms. They may have been hanging on until the economy picked up again. The concentration of bankruptcies in December and January indicates that they may have overstretched themselves in one last hurrah to try and gain business over the Christmas season.
Ultimately, though, it's pretty obvious what has caused these firms' demise - the internet.
Any shop selling electronic, branded goods, stands little chance of competing with the likes of Amazon. Amazon doesn't have to pay shop rents or hire sales staff, and so can sell the exact same product for much less. For the customer, the choice is a "no brainer."
Does this mean the death of the high street is nigh?
No.
It simply means that a reshuffle is underway. Customers are working out for themselves which goods are best purchased on a computer at home, and which are best purchased face-to-face, in a high street shop. The high street has a huge advantage over the internet in more tactile products, like clothes, that people want to try on before buying, and in goods which simply cannot be sent in the post, which is why coffee shops and hairdressers are doing so well.
High streets will never disappear. We're stuck with them. We've built our towns and cities, immovable, around them.
Over the next few years we'll see the high street changing further. There'll be opportunities for new businesses to take advantage of vacant premises and lower rents to introduce themselves to the high street. These businesses will deal in products that people want to touch, smell, try on, eat, drink. There will also be a growth in the service industry as high street shopping is treated more as an "experience" in which people also want to take advantage of beauty treatments, look round galleries, and who knows what else?
The high street isn't dying. It's being reborn.
We had Woolworth's which went into liquidation in 2009, but I struggle to think of any other high street stalwarts that we've lost. I'm sure there have been a couple.
So it's surprised me a little that now, four years into the downturn, we've lost Comet, Jessop's, HMV and Blockbuster, all household names, in the space of a single month.
Who knows which shop is next?
I guess the poor economic climate has finally caught up with the finances of some of these firms. They may have been hanging on until the economy picked up again. The concentration of bankruptcies in December and January indicates that they may have overstretched themselves in one last hurrah to try and gain business over the Christmas season.
Ultimately, though, it's pretty obvious what has caused these firms' demise - the internet.
Any shop selling electronic, branded goods, stands little chance of competing with the likes of Amazon. Amazon doesn't have to pay shop rents or hire sales staff, and so can sell the exact same product for much less. For the customer, the choice is a "no brainer."
Does this mean the death of the high street is nigh?
No.
It simply means that a reshuffle is underway. Customers are working out for themselves which goods are best purchased on a computer at home, and which are best purchased face-to-face, in a high street shop. The high street has a huge advantage over the internet in more tactile products, like clothes, that people want to try on before buying, and in goods which simply cannot be sent in the post, which is why coffee shops and hairdressers are doing so well.
High streets will never disappear. We're stuck with them. We've built our towns and cities, immovable, around them.
Over the next few years we'll see the high street changing further. There'll be opportunities for new businesses to take advantage of vacant premises and lower rents to introduce themselves to the high street. These businesses will deal in products that people want to touch, smell, try on, eat, drink. There will also be a growth in the service industry as high street shopping is treated more as an "experience" in which people also want to take advantage of beauty treatments, look round galleries, and who knows what else?
The high street isn't dying. It's being reborn.
Wednesday, January 09, 2013
Goodbye to Scheduled Television
At Christmas, we got a SMART blu-ray player to replace our old DVD player. This means we now have easy access to internet television from the comfort of our living room.
I haven't watched much TV over the last few years, partly because Jana tends to watch it to unwind and chooses programmes of no interest to me, partly because I have so much reading I want to catch up on, but mostly because I'm not organised enough to plan ahead the programmes I want to watch.
Well, internet TV has been a revelation. We only have access to BBC iPlayer and YouTube at the moment, plus a month trial subscription to NetFlix, but this still gives me everything I need and more.
In particular I've got hooked on watching nature documentaries on the iPlayer. Within the last couple of weeks, I've caught up with the available back catalogues of Countryfile, Coast, Nature's Weirdest Events, Frozen Planet, a few one-off programmes, plus the first episode of the incredible new David Attenborough series, Africa.
The television is going to become a battleground once again between me and Jana.
And it got me thinking, surely this is the death knell of scheduled television? I mean, what is the point of having programmes playing at set times of the day when all of this is at our fingertips?
Yesterday, driving home from work, they were having a discussion on Radio 4's PM about the relative benefits of scheduled TV versus catch-up TV, and it was really very apparent that scheduled TV had very little going for it. The main argument in its defence was that it made it easier for people to stumble across programmes they might not normally seek out themselves. Well, to me that's another way of saying it forces people to tune it to programmes they don't really like.
I'm now toying with the idea of cancelling our regular TV licence altogether and going fully "catch-up." Jana isn't quite ready to get up "normal tv," but once ITV Player and 4OD are available I think she might be persuaded.
I haven't watched much TV over the last few years, partly because Jana tends to watch it to unwind and chooses programmes of no interest to me, partly because I have so much reading I want to catch up on, but mostly because I'm not organised enough to plan ahead the programmes I want to watch.
Well, internet TV has been a revelation. We only have access to BBC iPlayer and YouTube at the moment, plus a month trial subscription to NetFlix, but this still gives me everything I need and more.
In particular I've got hooked on watching nature documentaries on the iPlayer. Within the last couple of weeks, I've caught up with the available back catalogues of Countryfile, Coast, Nature's Weirdest Events, Frozen Planet, a few one-off programmes, plus the first episode of the incredible new David Attenborough series, Africa.
The television is going to become a battleground once again between me and Jana.
And it got me thinking, surely this is the death knell of scheduled television? I mean, what is the point of having programmes playing at set times of the day when all of this is at our fingertips?
Yesterday, driving home from work, they were having a discussion on Radio 4's PM about the relative benefits of scheduled TV versus catch-up TV, and it was really very apparent that scheduled TV had very little going for it. The main argument in its defence was that it made it easier for people to stumble across programmes they might not normally seek out themselves. Well, to me that's another way of saying it forces people to tune it to programmes they don't really like.
I'm now toying with the idea of cancelling our regular TV licence altogether and going fully "catch-up." Jana isn't quite ready to get up "normal tv," but once ITV Player and 4OD are available I think she might be persuaded.
Friday, January 04, 2013
A New Year
Today was my second day back at work since the New Year. What an odd, odd time of the year this is. A whole mix of emotions caused by the end of the bubble that is Christmas-time and the shock of being back into the daily slog with nothing immediate to look forward to. A real uncertainty about whether the year ahead is going to hard, fulfilling, memorable, forgettable, or ... who knows what?
Yet it's also a time of year where renewal and opportunity are undeniably in the air.
By a quirk of the Christian calendar, Christmas and New Year come in quick succession meaning a prolonged period of festivities and indulgence come to an abrupt end once January arrives. The mere fact of seeing a new year documented on the calendar, "2013," feels strange and new. Midwinter has just passed and it won't be long before the first signs of new life start to emerge from the winter.
For me, 2013 is going to be the first full year of having a family of four. I'll watch Ben going through the same stages I watched Ellie go through two and half years before. Just today I saw him reach out and grab one of his feet for the first time, something I still clearly remember Ellie doing.
Ellie herself will be growing up too. My Dad said that one of his friends told him that 3 years old was the age that children really started interacting with you and while I'm not sure I agree with this I can certainly see that Ellie's general awareness and also speech have come on leaps and bounds very recently. In August, Ellie will start nursery.
For myself, I'm hoping to keep up my new found love for blogging and I've also made a commitment (oh, alright then, a New Year's Resolution) to learn at last one new Czech word every day.
Yet it's also a time of year where renewal and opportunity are undeniably in the air.
By a quirk of the Christian calendar, Christmas and New Year come in quick succession meaning a prolonged period of festivities and indulgence come to an abrupt end once January arrives. The mere fact of seeing a new year documented on the calendar, "2013," feels strange and new. Midwinter has just passed and it won't be long before the first signs of new life start to emerge from the winter.
For me, 2013 is going to be the first full year of having a family of four. I'll watch Ben going through the same stages I watched Ellie go through two and half years before. Just today I saw him reach out and grab one of his feet for the first time, something I still clearly remember Ellie doing.
.jpg) |
| Ellie Grabbing Her Foot (June 2010) |
Ellie herself will be growing up too. My Dad said that one of his friends told him that 3 years old was the age that children really started interacting with you and while I'm not sure I agree with this I can certainly see that Ellie's general awareness and also speech have come on leaps and bounds very recently. In August, Ellie will start nursery.
For myself, I'm hoping to keep up my new found love for blogging and I've also made a commitment (oh, alright then, a New Year's Resolution) to learn at last one new Czech word every day.
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