It’s good to be back home - despite the current problems the Gene Puddle is experiencing with it’s place names and the disruption to the household still being caused by the slowest builders in the world (never employ family being the motto here).  The week away was, well, a change of scene.  That’s the politest way of putting it - and not liable for legal action by any major holiday resort.  The boys enjoyed themselves and that mattered most.

As for me, I arrived back in the Gene Puddle with the same cold and blocked ear I was suffering from when I left earlier that week - and by the end of Friday with the same stomach bug the Other Half had contracted whilst either (a) enjoying a huge portion of fish and chips, or (b) splashing around in the pool.  His lasted 24 hours, mine is still on-going.  However, that’s entirely my own fault as - before the 24 hours were up and on only two-pieces of toast for food - I started on a rather large drinking session, around another fantastic gig by “The Other Smiths”.  It wasn’t as packed this time - but I’m not sure if that was because the students are yet to return in force to Cardiff or whether the gig had not been as well advertised as the last (as this Charming Man deduced on the night).  We ended up (the “Barry Massive”, Brum lass and I) on a cab journey back to the Gene Puddle (with a very scared looking friend of Nate’s bailing in Dinky Poo - sorry Danny!), followed by more drinking, late night arguing over politics and religion, my blacking out (haven’t done that for a long time - and quickly rectified with a bag or two of chocolate buttons!) and crawling into bed around 4am-ish.  Needless to say, Sunday was a bit of a write-off.

Did my final project presentation to the Board in work today, which went well and will hand over officially on Friday - although I’ve been handing over to my replacement for about a month or so now.  Then the joys of full-time work in Wales.  I’m really looking forward to my new role - and making some changes to the way things are done now (hopefully for the better!).  I have loads of ideas which I just have to persuade some people about, so it’s time to role the sleeves up and get on with some work!

Other than that, all’s quiet and life continues.  Back soon.

As someone now officially in their middle-age (let’s not mince words, I’m obese, smoke and have a genetic propensity for heart-disease and cancer), my last birthday, as predicted, went off with a whimper, rather than a bang.  That’s not a problem, I enjoyed the night out’s I had and am grateful for the extra hour or so I was afforded to lie-in on the day itself (lie-ins with a two-year old are incredibly difficult, especially when he learns to hold your hand and shout “heave”).

We’ve got no lounge at the moment (it’s full of builders rubble, one settee and a dust covered TV), but we’re managing.  The kitchen looks like a scrap-yard and the spare bedroom contains, not only all of William’s toys (we’ve had many “toys gone” conversations with the bemused two-year old) but also the blinds.  We are officially the house behind the Windolene!  The concept of eating off milk crates - amusing at first - is beginning to lose it’s appeal and I’m actually looking forward to the perceived (although not yet experienced) luxurt of the Silver + Bungalow in Butlins Minehead we’re decamping to shortly.

When I return, I’ll be spending a much looked forward to evening, in the company of the Morrissey faithful, at an Other Smiths gig in Cardiff, before handing over the project I’ve been working on for the last year to a very smart and unassuming young woman in London.  It’ll be like losing a small part of my being, but I’m starting to get excited about my new, much more politically driven, role in Wales.  The mouth-watering opportunity to be involved - however remotely - with the forthcoming Welsh Assembly Elections (May 2007) is also a huge bonus.

I’m also anticipating not only the return of my home from the encampment of sweaty, swearing builders (I’m related, so am allowed to make these observations), but also the arrival of a lovely new floor, new fire (and cast-iron fireplace to boot), new sofa’s and a seed-change in decor.  Perhaps I may start to enjoy spending time in my home - as the green living room carpet will finally become a thing of the past.

William has also found reverse gear recently and likes only one thing more (in motion terms) than trying to walk backwards.  The greatest pleasure he has is spinning around until he literally falls over, laughing until his eyes fill with tears (and he probably wets himself - which isn’t such a big deal, what with him still wearing nappies and all).  He then attempts to get up, several times, the laughter increasing with every failed attempt.  I’ve seen his father in a similar state, but it’s usually cost half a weeks wages in alcohol - so at least William is cheaper.  Saying all this, his favourite thing in the world is still his “Dada” - especially when he delivers a huge plate of spaghetti with home-made tomato sauce to be lapped up with more than the occasional slurping noise (and enough spillage to keep Vanish in business single-handed).

Tomorrow (or later today, given the hour!), instead of attending a party with my son, I will be decamping to the local pub for “Super Sunday”.  Two football matches, back to back, enjoyed (or not, depending on results) with a glass of something cold and alcoholic.  Bring it on. 

Summer is now well and truly over.  The cars on the way to work this morning showed that - if not the pick-up in the weather, which always takes place as soon as children are forced back into uniform, mostly sweat-shirts around this way, which seem so much less elegant than the old-pressed white shirts that heralded my move to senior school.  It’s also been my birthday.  It was on Sunday, but a couple of evenings of drinking preceeded it, which was all well and good.

Not that it was overly drunken.  I can’t do those anymore, being a middle-aged parent (35 does feel very middle-aged to me - although I’m sure that’s what 40 is meant to signify).  Not for me the lost weekends of yore or the vomitting of expensively purchased alcohol (I leave that to the OH, who did not disappoint on Friday night/Saturday morning - yacking into the toilet (that’s nearly 17 years of training for you) as one of the cats looked on in sympathy.  I don’t do sympathy for vomitting - if you can’t take the pace, don’t waste the money.  Also, I’ll end up fighting the person for vomitting space - never been good at rubbing other peoples backs when being sick, I’m not even very good when William does his Exorcist-style up-chucks.).  I had a couple of mildly drunken nights, enjoyed some wonderful company and then had the quietest birthday on record - with a lunch out the only thing to break the routine of any other Sunday.

The summer this year has been busy - although in all honesty I can’t think why!  We don’t seem to have achieved anything, the garden looking as unkempt as it did in Spring when I first started moaning about the dropped foliage all over the patio.  I’ve had a couple of weekends away (Birmingham and then the aftermath of Edinburgh - which took the full weekend to recover from) and we’ve managed to keep a two-year old occupied, but other than that, it’s been fairly quiet.  It’s only a couple of years ago that we had parties at some house or other most weekends, but with most of our group of friends having children, these seem to have fallen by the way-side.

Work really hasn’t let up (although there has been that feeling of summer - calls being answered by machines and emails with the obligatory “I’m on annual leave..” auto-responses) and I now find myself with only 3 weeks until I hand over the project I’ve been working on for the last year.  I’ve managed to secure an extended role within the organisation for my full-time return to the Cardiff office, which should mean less travelling and more interaction with colleagues locally.  It also means I’ll be spending much more time at the Assembly, which should prove interesting, especially with the election coming up next May.

Before this, though, we go on holiday.  Butlins in Minehead.  I’m not overly excited about this prospect, being of the city-break age of life - and having experienced these for the last few holidays we took.  However, there’s an indoor pool, entertainment (Dear Lord!), funfairs and Bob the Builder’s Workshop.  I’m not sure whose more excited by the latter, the OH or William (who said Bob before he said Mum!).  I’m intending to pack several bottles of wine, to ensure that I keep smiling for the entirity.  I know it’ll be fine - it’s just the thought of all those children and parents - oh well!

On top of all this, the builders started on the house earlier today.  We’re having quiet a bit of work done - the lounge completely remodelled and some electrics and insulation sorted.  They are likely to be here for a couple of weeks (and there is the possibility that I might become somewhat caught up in the chaos that will ensue) and then my friend Dave the floor-layer will be moving in!  Some time around this, he’ll be accompanying me (and some other friends) to the next Cardiff gig of “The Other Smiths”.  After the carnage that the last excursion led to, I can’t even think how messy this might become! 

So, now your all caught up with things, I’ll try and post more often.  I have a list of things that I’ve been keeping of possible things to post.  I’ll go through them soon, delete 90% (where time will have taken over and they’ll be out-dated) and possibly do something with some of the rest.  See you soon!