Lots of reasons to go "phew" right how!
The house re-wiring is done and dusted - thanks to my wife's amazing pre-planning, they got in, did the job and got out again by midday! We were stunned. Everything was back in its place by the time the kids got home from school.
Summer is here and will be here for at least the rest of the week. Hot sun, cool breeze, blue skies...
Picked up a very cheap copy of the book "We were soldiers once... and young". I have wanted to read this ever since I saw the Mel Gibson movie that was based on it. Only a few chapters into it but it is really well written and does not pull any punches. Well worth a read if you want to learn a bit about real life in Vietnam.
My latest toy soldier project is taking shape nicely - Hannibal (complete with elephants) vs Rome. The figures for this are really small (6mm, or around a quarter of an inch tall) but paint up remarkably well. Will try to post photos when I have more done.
On Saturday my 11 year old daughter went to the cinema with her friends, and they were supposed to be coming back on the 5pm bus. Then we got the call. Her friends had decided they were going to stay later, what should she do? We did not like the idea of her getting the bus alone - she might get the wrong one, miss her stop or meet up with one of the weirdos that you sometimes get. We certainly did not want her staying in town after the shops closed - it turns into something like "Escape from LA", with pub brawls (recently 5 were imprisoned after a fight in one bar, while another bar has been closed permanently after a brawl involving 50, yes 50, people), and gangs of teenagers everywhere, drinking, hurling abuse, fighting and having sex in the parks. NO WAY! It is at times like this that we wish we had a car. So I ran to town to meet her and catch the bus back with her. I cycle a lot, but running has never been my thing. I made pretty good time, though, and have started thinking about having the odd jog from now on.
So - PHEW!
14 comments:
I'm glad to hear the wiring was completed successfully. The book sounds interesting. Not usually my style, but I loved the movie so I might check that one out.
I can't read/watch war books/movies. It's just too real. I can watch a slasher movie with no problem, but to think that people actually went through all those horrible things in war? I just can't handle it...
Terri - So far it is really good. Seems to be written by the guy that Mel played in the movie.
Princess - You are right, knowing it is real makes a big difference. Seeing something like We Were Soldiers or Saving Private Ryan really makes you respect old soldiers, don't you think?
Hi John,
Contrary to my email to you the other day I am still in blogland; but I can only access it from my own PC because I am permanently logged in. I have found a way to save my blog but I will wait a few days till I change ISP again.
Anyway yes I like that book I read it about 4 years ago. Just wait till you get onto the later chapters there is a second battle which would make a great wargame scenario.
The first battle can be blamed squarely on the hotheaded platoon leader who got his troops separated from the main LZ.
There is another officer mentioned in the book, an Englishman I can't remember his name. He died in the 11/9 Twin Towers terrorist attack but not before he helped save a lot of peoples lives.
I bet you are so glad to have that wiring project behind you!! Yay!!
What a Dad...to run down there to get your little girl!! That's such a wonderful picture of a great Father! I'm glad everything turned out okay!
Are you going to do Hannibal in the mountains??? Glad for you that the wiring is done - I'm hoping my air conditioner is fixed by the time I get home tonight - the landlord is taking care of that!
And you get a gold * for being a good Dad!!!
Sounds like a great book...you will have to re-cap it for us when you have finished it !
Great Dad running on down there....that is something my DH would do !
I love that you ran to get your girl. When I was graduating high school and we had prom all my class mates were renting houses out in the Hamptons and Montauk (Long Island) over 2 hours away from where we lived, my parents let me go out there but they wouldn't let me spend the night, so my dad made the long drive at night, to come and get me and then drive me back the next day. At the time I hated it, but now I am so grateful that they did it, that they loved me enough to protect me from myself!!!
Just don't tell my mom I said that. Heehee
I am exhausted just reading all that - but aww, I think my crush on you just grew a little...running in to town to get your little girl...awww, John - you rock :)
Your such a good dad. It's nice to know that your family is very important. I hope & probably am sure that your daughter knows she loved very much.
Glad all that rewiring stuff is out of the way. Sounded like a big job.
James - Damn ISPs! Looking forward to lunch so I can read some more.
Logzie - Don't stop there - more, more :-)
Claire - My first aim is to be able to refight the main battles against the Romans - Cannae, etc, but fighting against the tribes in the Alps would certainly be a challenge - but what a wonderful thought!
Sitting in Silence - OK, I will give a summary when I finish. I like to think that most fathers would do that in the situation.
Kiki - OK it is our secret!
Ali - Chris will be the same, I can see it now!
AmazingBrenda - Family always comes first with us. And yes, she is well aware of how much I love her... She has me around her little finger.
I'm not sure we've ever had a project go so smoothly! That's great!
And warms my heart that you ran to pick up your daughter and take the bus home with her...and even better, how great that your daughter trusted you enough to call you in the first place! Good parents and good kiddo! kudos!
Yes - the prom story is true - except - I drove out with Alex to pick her up - and it was 2 a.m. when we picked her up - and then 2 hrs. back home - and then I stayed home and Alex took her back out there (another 4 hrs total) so she could spend the day at the beach with her friends - it is what parents do...
tz - We have always tried to teach our kids that they can have total trust in us - to know that we do everything in our power to look after them. It seems to work.
Claire - Well, it is what parents SHOULD do. Too many seem to go for the easy or most popular option (eg letting Kiki stay overnight), which is not usually the best in the long term. I am glad that Kiki appreciates how good you really were.
Post a Comment