We took the kids to Marwell Zoo on Sunday. It was a pre-arranged visit where we were meeting up with the OB’s and taking all the kids Ice Skating and to Santas Grotto. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. The kids really liked the ice skating despite the amount of time then spent on their bottoms! I thought that Santas Grotto was very good and value for money. The kids go in, in groups. You don’t get the usual 1-2-1 with santa, but it’s a much better story driven event. They also get chance to do some colouring and craft work.

I think the only thing going against Marwell for the whole experience is that, considering they are refurbishing the resteraunt but trying to drive more numbers through the park during the festive period, then maybe they need to pay more attention to the refreshments and in particular warm places to sit.

I know it’s a little early to be doing end of the year retrospectives, but I noticed myself in the mirror this morning and it appears that the hamster cheeks have come back! Now I don’t even need to think about weighing myself because I know that that means that I’ve put all the weight back on that I lost over the first 2 thirds of the year! So, all that hard work ( exercise ) for nothing….!

I was feeling a little introspective as it was, now I’m thinking that most of this year was for nowt!

On a not entirely unrelated note; The Krispy Kreme doughnut store has just opened near work… there are currently 3 boxes of 12 doughnuts that a colleague of mine has brought in, sat on the desk behind me!

As my computer finally gave up the ghost after giving me the most grief for a long time… it is now an ex PC and my Apple iMax 24 has now been ordered!

Had a surreal moment over the weekend. Was driving the new scenic for the first time proper since it was replaced. Anyway, the day was dark and it was raining. The headlamps were in Auto mode and kept coming on whenever the car thought it was too dark. The windscreen wipers were on Auto mode and kept coming on whenever the car thought there was too much rain on the windscreen. The gearbox is an Auto so it kept changing gear whenever the car thought the revs were getting too high, and I slipped it into cruise control and took both feet of the pedals… and the car sped up and slowed down as it saw fit…

Almost fully automatic!

Why do people muck around with food? I used to eat Tesco’s Maple and Pecan Crisp for breakfast… last month a box turned up with the shopping that was “Newly Improved”. I don’t like it anymore!

Victoria eats some Oaty Crunch thing.. this month, “Newly Improved”. She doesn’t like it anymore!

Why mess with things…?

I suspect costs; they’ve change the makeup to reduce the costs. But now it tastes shit!