And so it happens. She's nearly grown up and left home. At the tender age of 4 years 317 days she's in her first school uniform. Bought this very day. The first thing she said when I opened the door to her was, "Daddy, I've got a school uniform. Mummy, can I try it on now?" And during an argument with Bradley, she started to bawl, I said, you can't do that you're too old now, you're in a school uniform." And she stopped!

1214 Also posted to: Home page . At: 3:17:49 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Growing up in school uniform

I think we could have stayed here forever, listening to the small brass band in Telford's Town Park. Eating lollies, just letting the day take charge.		I managed to skirt past several other rides, as their owners were reaching out to Bradley and Esme to 'come on board.' I love waving to them every time they go around. And even though it must me boring for them they too like to see me waving, Bradley in particular thinks it a great wheeze, and chuckles every time he whizzes past his waving old man.

1213 Also posted to: Home page . At: 3:11:28 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Back from hols to the big park

The day after coming back from holidays. Where do you think they wanted to go? Over the road onto the pub's car park, to ride their bikes. Bradley doesn't go very fast on his trike, a little bit faster going down this path, but not much, still he seems quite happy, well, he would, he's only just worked out how to peddle properly, been only a few months. I'd like Esme to try without stabilisers, but stupidly I said, 'you will crash.' Now, I meant... Well, she won't take them off. I'll have to wait till she forgets.

1212 Also posted to: Home page . At: 2:57:20 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Back from hols - riding bikes

Family's back tomorrow, gotta clean and get this pig shit dump looking like I haven't lived here on my own for two weeks. Air fresheners out, laundry put away, washed, beds changed, the whole kitchen floor gig! I find out this, has been knocking about in our bedroom for well, since we moved in. Finally, I put it up. I think it'll mean something in years to come, so I mention it here. She was the first fully naked babe I'd ever seen. I'd just turned 18, and found myself in Cardiff Art College, doing a foundation in art. Our group of 90 wonderfully pretentious, naive teenagers were first into the fabled, life drawing classes. Delicious.

1192 Also posted to: Home page . At: 6:29:20 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Clean and tidy art school nudes

34 days 21 hours 26 minutes . I gave up smoking. Still going strong, at times, I almost forget about it.

<For split seconds 4 times an hour, I could murder a fag. I'd need to build another macro to multiply the above by (4 x 24 hrs) to find out how many cravings make a cold turkey. I've been lucky that those split seconds have not turned into the dancing cigarette hallucination. Not too many of those, in this trip to cleaner life.>

So have I missed them? Nah! <Deceitful sideways look.>

1191 Also posted to: Home page . At: 5:35:50 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Quick post: non fag up date!

Amanda and the kids are at the beach. Why oh why am I stuck here?
Anyway, I just spoke to Esme and Bradley at the beach about their sand castle, they were full of holiday excitement!

At the end of their conversation:

• Esme says, "kiss, kiss, cuddle, cuddle." In a wiggle, wiggle sort of way.
• Bradley makes a kissing sound and says, "awww," in a affectionate hug sort of way.

I'm beach sick. I think I'll be going down there sooner than I expected.

1154 Also posted to: Home page . At: 3:08:51 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Family's away for another 11 days

I've not been to Westminister since I was maybe 9 years old. Gang of Four: At home he feels like a tourist He fills his head with culture He gives himself an ulcer There's me competing with the other sightseers for the best shots, this one of the London Eye, with Big Ben was a popular spot. We were jockeying and elbowing for the position.	An exciting trip. Amazing to see Big Ben up so close, and it's smaller than I thought. The whole place seems smaller, than you see on telly.

Wonderful to walk past all the people queuing to go into the public gallery to watch the debates. Like I was very important. My old anarchist mates would have been disgusted with me. Queuing, then to be searched with other - who knows, what sort of powerful or opinion leaders. Little old me, grinning from ear to ear.

I was banned form taking pix inside by some police, but after the meeting, once alone in the toilets, I had to take a picture of the bogs, I was struck by the modernity of them. After wandering down unlit corridor, with someone opening their phone to shine the way, we found the toilets.

The houses of Parliament are so old, that I was expecting some old "Adamant" brown, boozer, type urinals smelling of old pee. These just seemed much too modern, totally incongruous considering the type of building. Far too wine bar.

1151 Also posted to: Home page . At: 10:36:22 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: A day out to London's heart of 'power'

Still going, not one drag in 20 days 18 hours 1 minute . That's nearly three weeks to the day.

Cravings are getting less, and less "shall I / sharn't I." But at least once a day I have arguments with myself, the "just one" thoughts. They are the most dangerous, in the past I've given into them.

I've yet to go to a pub and get drunk with smokers. That'll be the hardest.

1132 Also posted to: Home page . At: 2:10:32 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Non smoking report

The Rocket. I've been trying to get them to go on this for a while now, but they always say, "when I'm bigger." Usually it's packed with kids. But yesterday, after school, around 6:30pm it was empty. I had to go up the first few times and lift Bradly up the very first step. But they soon got the hang of it, and Bradley, in his excitement, while I was off in the roses with Esme having a pee, managed to get up that first step.

[Update:] Bradley's been stopped going down the curly shoot. He's too small, and gets thrown about, coming out head first and upside down, rubbing his head.

Funny poses, seems to be the name of the game these days.

The thing is full of little layers connected by small ladders, too small for me.

Hmmm. As ever Bradley is the first to do down. He's younger and more easily persuaded by Esme. Or, is that manipulated?

It's a big black hole! I get them to scream on the way down, that way I can have an idea where they are.

It's big, very big!

1131 Also posted to: Home page . At: 1:43:49 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: The Rocket slide in Telford

Strange dancing kids. I think it was Esme's idea, as usual, to do the silly dancing. We were in the garden part of the Telford Town Park, where the fishes are. I'd just shot this, when someone called out "did it work?" It was the parkie, about to close up the garden. I thought we had the place to our selves. Felt a bit self conscious taking a pix of me (and strange dancing kids).

1130 Also posted to: Home page . At: 1:40:37 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Strange dancing kids

Again silly poses. Here's the two outside their day school. Two days a week, but they get a good start to their education.

As soon as Bradley sees me he runs into my arms saying, "I missed you." Heartbreaking! Twice a week every week.

1129 Also posted to: Home page . At: 1:39:06 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: School two days a week

I love the colours in this pic. Looks like an old master's oil painting, something heroic about Hector.

Madness in the garden yesterday. Big Amy, our regular Wednesday morning baby sitter, came back from the park with two kids who wanted the pool filled. Up. So I get the hose pipe out... Fun with hose pipes. Esme kept coming into the kitchen wanting hot water, then when I'd go the hot tap fitted up (with luke warm water) she wanted that switched off. 15 time she came up to me with the same type of requests... Meanwhile Bradley's spraying everything and anyone who come too close. I think that's more the reason she wanted the attention. Played the classic standing on the hose pipe joke with Bradley. Esme was co-conspirator, at first telling me to get off the pipe, then after I shush her and with my mischivious smile, then looking on, expectantly. Bradley started to complain, "Uggg, Daddy, no water..." "Look down the pipe, Bradley." To receive an eye full of water. Esme and I pissed ourselves, and Bradley joined in the laughing. "Again!" He says. So we do it again, and again, and one more time, but I'm fed up, so to his calls of "Again!" I disappear inside. Jokes and kids. Pa! The self timer isn't happy with the exposure... Oh, well.

1124 Also posted to: Home page . At: 11:34:35 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: The hose pipe gag, and self timer of me

Q: Is all psoriasis alike?
No. There are various forms of psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis is the most common. Other forms are guttate, characterized by small dot-like lesions; pustular, characterized by weeping lesions and intense scaling; inverse, characterized by intense inflammation and little scaling; and erythrodermic, characterized by intense sloughing and inflammation of the skin. Psoriasis can range from mild to moderate to very severe and disabling.

I think I've got all of them.

From The Guardian: Stress, smoking and drugs such as beta blockers, may all trigger a flare up. Up to 5% of the population has psoriasis, a condition that causes scaly areas as the skin cells develop too quickly. Psoriasis may run in families, it is never infectious and it tends to be a lifelong condition which waxes and wanes. Use aqueous cream as a soap substitute several times a day to keep the skin calm. Add Polytar to your bath and get a combination cream from your GP that contains a bit of steroid - Alphosyl HC or Trimovate. Use the combination cream twice a day.

CentreDaily: Many drugs put a strain on the liver or kidneys and can't be tolerated for long. Others are too much of a blunt instrument, causing unnecessary, widespread immune suppression.
The new drugs are called "biologics," and are made up of specially crafted proteins that cripple only the specific immune cells driving the disease. When the first biologic received approval for general use this year, the Psoriasis Foundation hailed the development as "the most significant advance in psoriasis care in 20 years."
Treatment for one patient may cost as much as $26,000 a year.

Some South African health site: A study appearing in the June issue of the Archives of Dermatology finds that people with psoriasis who worry a lot don't respond as well to certain treatments as do people who worry less.

Hmmm. Looks like this is difficult. Luckily I ain't got much, just a bit on my face.

1115 Also posted to: Home page . At: 10:38:16 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Psoriasis is there a cure or non-crank treatment

Still going strong! Though I'm still having cravings. Now: 16 days 21 hours 16 minutes .

Much easier to keep out of the way of other smokers. I did give up 10 years ago, and noticed that I'd changed my friends. True!

I was sitting in the bar in the local, when I had a deja-vu. I remembered sitting there a few months back, and everybody was smoking, the ash tray was full, we were all drunk and laffing... This, time we were all pretty sober, no ash tray, and all my mates were different.

1107 Also posted to: Home page . At: 5:26:13 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Still not tabbing!

"Both chutes blew away from Stephen Hilder's harness when he tried to open them, leaving him helpless as he fell 13,000ft to his death."

1104 Also posted to: Home page . At: 10:03:04 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Skydiver killed by sabotage

Cricket's a funny old game. Bradley had a present from Francis's party. Two bats and a rubber red ball. Four stumps and a bails.	Esme soon gets the hang of it, and hits two sixes and one four.
	Bradley's not so into it. He's not hitting my bowling, and prefers to somehow, place the ball on a the bat and push it to me. But this tricky act takes a while to set up and both Esme and I soon become bored. It keeps them busy for a while.

1103 Also posted to: Home page . At: 10:23:56 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Cricket's a funny game

It's shocking how old she looks sometimes. Only yesterday, it seems she was a babbling baby. Now look at her. Nearly five years old, and looking ever more the teenager. When I see pix like this, I look ahead to when she is a teenager. She's going to be heart breaker. Temperamental red head too.

1102 Also posted to: Home page . At: 10:22:58 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: My little prom queen

After a visit to Tescos, where we must be heard from one end of the store to the other - boy, have I got loud kids. "Daddy! I want this!" We have a lotta fun. But I get a stiff back picking Esme in and out of the trolley, she's getting too heavy for this.

Bradey's having a bad hair day. But there's nothing I can do. He won't let me do it, and won't do it himself...

Anyway, after Tescos comes the clean out of the fridge where I find some sorry looking strawberries. I say we'll plant them in the pots. "Why?" Says Esme. "Why?" Repeats Bradley. And this is what we did. Bradley kept holding his dirty hands up and saying, farmers have dirty hands. Esme says after Bradley's 5th time that he's said this before, so he repeats it again, and again.

1101 Also posted to: Home page . At: 10:18:10 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Farmers have dirty hands

I painted the shed while they were at the swim party. A few beers shared with the neighbour, Darren, as he does his ex-wife's car.

They like screaming, or shouting at the top of their voices from the roof, I guess it's because they've a good view.

1100 Also posted to: Home page . At: 10:10:43 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Roof children

The birthday girl herself, Francis.	Esme the goggle-eyed fish!
Bradley, another good swimmer at 2 years 249 days	Francis' birthday, she's 6. It's a swim party at Madely Court Leisure Centre. I thought it was just an ordinary party, then I hear Amanda's running late and I gotta take 'em, "but I'm painting the shed!"
I get their gear together, arrive at the pool, get them changed, but I didn't bring my cozie. I notice other mums aren't getting into theirs' either - hmm. Off they go, and I stand with the other mums at the viewing place.	But, they're only tiny kids, I bite my lip, Alison's there, our baby sitter, Sue, but what seems like 30 kids jumping around! Esme and Bradley teeter at the edge of the pool. I wonder if I can get away with going in, in my pants. Bradley leaps in, followed by Esme! I look to my left and right, furrowed brow, sizing the barrier in front of me. Up they pop, and start swimming like fish! Amanda's been telling me how well they've been getting on but until I saw it...

1099 Also posted to: Home page . At: 9:47:01 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Francis' birthday swim party

"They found that men with a good mix of genes were most likely to have been ranked as attractive."

Do you have a good mix of genes? How the hell could you find that out?

1097 Also posted to: Home page . At: 10:58:27 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Cheeky clue to male sex appeal

I was a concerned with the mention of religion, and took issue with it a little. It seems that the head is a religious man as it is he who takes the bible crap in assembly and there's a deep link with the Central Telford Ecumenical Partnership whatever that is.

Esme's new school. Ladygrove Primary, about quarter of a mile walk away, in a nice quiet part of Dawley, well off the main road. We had a meeting there with the head and the reception teacher one Miss Susan Linforth. We were told about all the comings and goings we had to do, the new wind turbine that was being built soon, it all sounds rather fabulous, and both Amanda and myself were suitably impressed.

Looking at the Ofsted report (35 pp pdf) I guess it's up to the parents what sort of education they get. School can only do so much. But this was from 5 years ago. There's computer white boards in every class, and a computer, not that Susan can work Powerpoint very well, top her own admitance. There's also 20 computers in the ITC room. One thing that struck me, was the colour! The grass, the trees, everything did nothing to remind me of my schools. I had tarmac as a play area, worn, old hard cover books on the shelves. To me, now, my school was black and white.

1092 Also posted to: Home page . At: 9:21:17 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Esme's new school, Ladygroove Primary, Dawley.

These pix are from last Sunday at the kite festival. We first went Saturday and today the wind was up. This time it was only the three of us, however.

How'd you teach a two year old how to put sunglasses on? Here Bradley, again puts them on not over but from under. This is two kids loving kites, at last the wind is up! And so are the two kites, no need for running or father input, just stand there and hold tight. Soon this looses it's appeal and once more I'm left with crotchety children picking fights with each other and wanting me to 'do' something. Oh well.

She doesn't look like a 4 year old in dem specs! Here's one of the kite shops. If only I had enough time I'd spend hours in each shop. But our collective attention spend is only 3 minutes, if that.

We buy another rocket game. It keeps them occupied for a bit, but there's arguments over who's turn it is next, with cheating, and winding up. As one would prepare to jump on, the other would remove their rocket and put their's on. Now if it were me, I'd jump regardless, but they must only jump when their rocket is on the launcher, winding the other person, who's winding them. It gets ever so complicated, and, eventually, I can't referee.

1091 Also posted to: Home page . At: 9:06:30 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: More pix Shrewsbury Kite Festival

Stopped smoking :13 days 17 hours 2 minutes .

I still get the cravings, but luckily not many of the blinding dancing cigarettes visions. And I know they'll pass in a minute or two, and they're gone. Pity I caught a cold off the kids though, otherwise I may be able to smell things and taste my food once more.

Wasn't any health reasons to do it, just stopped. Yay!

1089 Also posted to: Home page . At: 1:11:39 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Non smoking report