Monthly Musings: August 2022

An overview of opinions and observations for the month.

01/08/2022 @23:17
Very nostalgic and introspective tonight. Reflecting on my younger formative years, and the people who fill those memories, yet are notably absent from my life now like Webby & Steph... 🤔

02/08/2022 @09:55
🙋‍♂️ "I have a problem." 👨‍💻: "Here is a workaround." 🙅‍♂️: *ignores workaround* 👨‍💻: ... 🙋‍♂️: "I still have a problem."

03/08/2022 @23:16
If you end most days in calorie deficit, don't stress too much about the odd day of treating yourself.

04/08/2022 @10:40
Rest in peace Nan, you're in a better place now 😭💔

05/08/2022 @09:11
Today's lesson; do not trust weather forecasts. "Overcast but dry". I'm in shorts and t-shirt, soaked to the skin welp lol.

05/08/2022 @23:30
Current mood; Ilysha is making her gaming chair eat her like it's a huge dinosaur jaw 😂

06/08/2022 @10:14
Todays tears and drama, courtesy of Frog's account on Pou randomly resetting and losing her baby, Soupouy.

07/08/2022 @23:58
This weekend has disappeared alarmingly quick. It seems like I've blinked and missed it.

09/08/2022 @10:34
Soupouy has been recovered.

10/08/2022 @23:11
Some people have no shame.

11/08/2022 @17:12
This heat is actually absurd 🥵 where the fuck has all the air gone?

12/08/2022 @09:32
My 91 year old Nan shielded from the outset of the pandemic, all the way until she tragically passed away last week. For her birthday last year, she declined a sizable gathering, instead having sporadic visits of a couple of guests at a time. After developing a chest infection recently she was admitted to hospital where she subsequently caught Covid before being discharged due to NHS backlogs caused by the Government pandemic response. She later returned to hospital as a failed discharge since her condition was deteriorating, yet was then subsequently discharged yet again with home support a day or so later. Within a matter of days, she had died of a heart attack at home. Predictably Covid was written as a mitigating factor on her death certificate, but the reality is that my Nan died due to the NHS' backlogs, caused by the Government's ham-fisted pandemic response. Backlogs were inevitable when you force healthcare staff to isolate for encountering a pathogen they are treating, close entire hospital departments, suspend routine healthcare services, switch GP appointments to inadequate video chats, and terrify the populace into not engaging with their healthcare system in order to "protect it" for 18 months. Covid didn't kill my Nan; the Government's overkill response to a pathogen with a 99% survival rate did.

15/08/2022 @23:40
I miss 2009 and 2010.

16/08/2022 @11:35
Children will never comprehend the sacrifice, fear, anxiety, and stress that comes with parenting them until/unless they have children of their own. Even something as pleasant as arranging a nice holiday break comes with crippling apprehension that everything will go tits up, and that your kid will have a traumatic or depressing experience, and it will be all your fault as the one in charge.

17/08/2022 @23:19
I'm so impatient to just let the cat out the bag among the pigeons and let Frog know about Haven... that way I can either bask in her excitement, or get the disappointment out the way so I can stop worrying about it!

18/08/2022 @08:03
You know my anxiety is running high; I've just done a LFT 🤡😷

19/08/2022 @09:47
Just remember; Government's do not have any money to spend unless it comes from the public's pocket, or is borrowed in the public's name. Either way, everything the Government spend money on, is paid for by us, be it Lockdowns, Net Zero, or Cost of Living Crisis Bailouts. It's our children who will suffer for the failed policies of today's Government.

19/08/2022 @10:10
Funny how most people didn't care about the UK economy when they were parroting that "lives are more important than money" & championing repeated Lockdowns & Government spending of £400 billion of taxpayers money on furlough, grants, and shit. Not funny anymore is it? 🤡🌍

19/08/2022 @19:34
Told Frog we're going Presthaven next week. She cried in happiness. Definitely alleviated some anxiety!

19/08/2022 @21:11
Discussing available activities for when we're away. Mentioned maybe we could go SeaQuarium and now Lysh is crying about animals in captivity. Such a gentle compassionate kid.

20/08/2022 @03:17
Quarter past 3 in the damn morning and Frog is awake asking if I'm excited to go Wales on Monday 😐

20/08/2022 @04:35
Now she's waking me up to tell her stomach is growling and that she is hungry. No Ilysha, we aren't getting up now ffs... 😒

20/08/2022 @23:18
Went down Dimensions with the Frog for a swim today, then booked up for the Halloween Blood Pool Party. She had a quick thrash in the soft play area, then both of us had a Feast and we had a wander back home. Grabbed some munchies from the shop, then had a chilled evening gaming. After last night's horrendous broken sleep, I was kinda relieved when Lysh piped up that she wanted to go bed at 21:30. Shouldn't have gotten my hopes up - she is still awake playing on Minecraft... 😪😴

21/08/2022 @10:24
We slept until almost 10am. I feel amazing. The simple power of a decent nights sleep! Frog has already grabbed her suitcase for "packing day"; I'm thinking it's less "packing day", and more "packing half hour", as that's all it will take really 😂

22/08/2022 @00:07
Current mood; it's past midnight, I'm ready for bed, whereas Frog is ready for another 3hrs of playing Minecraft since she won't be able to play on it for the rest of the week when we're in the caravan. She's currently building a habitat for her two new pet dolphins. Been a good "packing day" though; Frog was right, it's taken ages to sort out what we need take - Frog has 3 outfit changes per day.

22/08/2022 @00:22
Frog keeps asking what time it is, then calculating the exact number of hours and minutes until we'll theoretically be in Wales. "Dad, in 12 hours and 8 minutes, we'll be in Wales".

22/08/2022 @08:45
The day has arrived. Time to get our last bits & pieces together, and get ready for a few nights away together. I'm already showered, fully dressed, and mithering about forgetting something. Frog is still in her PJ's, playing on Minecraft, and watching YouTube on the iPad without a care in the world. Oh, to be a kid again.

22/08/2022 @22:55
Today has been surprisingly well received. Drove to Conwy, it started absolutely hammering it down, like fucking Noah's Ark level shithousery. Expected Lysh to kick, but she was calm about it. Went to The Smallest House in Great Britain with Lysh, then went for a proper seaside chippy at Fisherman's, then drove to Aldi for caravan supplies. After the check in, the weather had perked up so we went for a wander down the beach which Frog absolutely lapped up, even going for a paddle in the sea. It was really pleasant weather at this point. We came back the caravan, had some food, then went for a poke around the site to see what was what. Lysh had a little play on a park area, a quick play in the arcade, popped our heads into the live entertainment lounges (during which Lysh cried because she didn't want to go in), then we waltzed back up the dunes at 21:30 to see the sun setting over the horizon. Headed back to the caravan, Lysh was absolutely done the fuck in. I'm on 21,500+ steps for the day, and ready to drop myself. First day of the holiday down, and despite the weathers early attempt to derail me, it's been fair decent 😊💯

23/08/2022 @10:41
Lysh just had a go on the bungee trampoline. Her slot was 10:30 so we headed up, arriving at 10:25, at which point Frog announced she needed the toilet 😐🤦‍♂️ so we had to rush back to the caravan. At 10:29 she comes back out the caravan. Luckily the bloke manning the Bungee was proper sound and talkative, so she actually ended up on it for twice as long as we paid for. Livin!

23/08/2022 @12:08
Been for a swim. Outdoor pool was closed "due to staff shortages". Livid. At least the Lazy River was open so the Frog was content 🐸🏊‍♀️

23/08/2022 @12:56
At the Mash & Barrel for dinner. Frog doesn't like anything on the menu except for the classic hot dog & chips lol. This kids fussy eating is something else 🤦‍♂️

23/08/2022 @14:02
Lysh is learning valuable life lessons about the scammy nature of arcade claw machines 😡 whilst trying to win a Stitch teddy for her stepsister.

23/08/2022 @14:52
Waiting for a Seaside Treat with Frog and the new family member, Flippy the dolphin 🐬🍨

23/08/2022 @16:32
Down the beach again armed with a bucket and spade. Me & the Frog 🐸 been building Flippy 🐬 his own sand castle ❤

23/08/2022 @17:37
Frog forgot that going in the sea in clothes leads to painful chafed thighs! 🙈

23/08/2022 @19:01
Back up the pool lol. Flippy is coming for a swim too 🐬🏊‍♀️

23/08/2022 @23:01
Flippy has a bad head 😢 we gonna need a first aid kit tomorrow 🐬🏥

24/08/2022 @10:33
Lysh is making a Coastal Sand Bottle, and I'm using Elmers Glue to patch up Flippy! We love you little guy, you're gonna be okay! 🐬🥺

24/08/2022 @13:08
What an utter shithouse. Presthaven reception recommend Diane's Cars, lass manning the desk reckons should be £8-£10 to Rhyl. So I ring a taxi on the reception desk phone at 12:30; "be with you in 5-10 mins". Sound. Taxi rocks up at 12:52. We're booked in SC2 at 13:00 bearing in mind. We just arrived now, 10 mins late. Oh, and the cost is £19. Fuck off.

24/08/2022 @15:46
SC2 was actually pretty decent - I went on all the slides including the Bwmerang which was mad. Frog  enjoyed herself too, but we agreed it's not as good as Splash Landings. 🏊‍♀️ Lysh made a friend too, a girl named Lily from New Zealand. I had a chat with her Dad - he was telling me he lives in Stockport but was over in NZ for a few years and fell for a Maori lass - she came back to UK with him, and they got married. Then he caught her cheating on him with a 19yr old lad, and she divorced him but is allowed to stay in the UK now cause of their daughter. Made for an interesting random banter whilst queueing for a slide 🤪 Now Lysh is booked into the soft play area for a couple hours whilst I make use of the Wi-Fi because the 4G at the caravan is shocking! 😤

24/08/2022 @16:10
Lol, Lysh was bored within 10 minutes of her 2hr booking. Oh well! Off we go to find something more interesting to do!

24/08/2022 @17:05
We nipped in the arcades for a bit, grabbed some donuts, and ended up over at the Robinsons Fun Fair area. Frog just had another go on a bungee whilst I chatted to the obviously gay attendant; I only mention this because Frog asked how I knew he was gay lol. Trust me, if his appearance or his camp demeanour wasn't enough, his in depth description of the difference between Versace and Gucci sliders was.

24/08/2022 @18:09
Frog has just had a go on a "mat slide", Water Walker, Teacups, Nessi, the most council Bouncy Castle going, Trampolines, Sizzler (with me),  Nessi again (with me), then Nessi again on her own. Maybe she would have gone on less Nessi, and more other rides, but it started drizzling so they began packing up early. Typical.

24/08/2022 @18:32
Finally a meal Lysh will eat without complaint. We're at Maccies in Rhyl, though you'd be forgiven for thinking we were in Liverpool the amount of scousers there are in here, including a young lad who's just demanded that Lysh "give me that shark" whilst I was at the Collection Point and she was at a table alone. She tells me that she pointedly replied: "One, it's not a shark, it's a dolphin. And two, no!". That's my girl. Leave our Flippy alone, you little chavvy dickhead!!

24/08/2022 @19:55
Back at the caravan after another £20 taxi from Diane's Cars 🙄 but we have now bought Flippy 🐬 a friend, aptly named Flippa 🐬

24/08/2022 @22:14
Ended up having a mad dash up the dunes after I spotted how nice the sunset seemed through the window! Absolutely beautiful! Then popped by the park, arcade and live lounge on the way back for a nosy...

24/08/2022
🤡🌍 [https://twitter.com/AnothaB/status/1564907794779631616/photo/1][@DrHoenderkamp: "My OH reminded me of a mad covid policy last night. I laughed so hard; I had forgotten that when you took clothes back to a store they went into a 3 day quarantine before being sold again!!  Lets start a thread of the madness. That's my starter for 10."]

25/08/2022 @11:46
Been swimming again. This time there were both Flippy & Flippa with us 😊🐬🐬

25/08/2022 @11:55
Lysh just fed the seagulls bread and chipsticks, and about 30 of them screeching fuckers descended on her and she had to jib it back to the caravan loooool! Then we saw a seagull cough up about 18 of the chipsticks bahaha - clearly the greedy one!

25/08/2022 @12:32
Back at the Mash & Barrel but out in the beer garden since the weather is glorious. Lysh has ordered the hotdog again; I'm having lasagne. Currently she's drinking a Swamp Soda Mocktail and is loving life.

25/08/2022 @13:09
Frog just went order another mocktail and was told "sorry there aren't enough staff to make that drink at the moment"... 🤯 - it's a drink mate, not a fucking Lego model of the Deathstar... 🙄

25/08/2022 @16:01
Another easy afternoon down the beach with the twins 🐬🐬, the bucket & spade, and a swimming costume 🌊🏊‍♀️

25/08/2022 @17:35
I'm actually sunburnt on my neck loooool

25/08/2022 @18:01
And here we go again! Back to swimming with Flippy & Flippa 😊🐬🐬

25/08/2022 @19:48
Ayyy this evening they had the Lazy River open all night! Still annoyed the outdoor pool has not been open at all this week! Today's reason was "someone has thrown glass over into the pool, and to clean it we have to drain all the pools since they're connected". Smells a lot like bullshit to me but what can ya do!?

25/08/2022 @20:43
Grabbed an ice cream and headed up the dunes to see a somewhat underwhelming sunset compared to last night. Then we chatted in the dunes to a family from London; Lysh let their kid hold Flippy & Flippa 🐬🐬 then their little girl passed one of the dolphins to her baby brother and I lowkey shit myself that they were going to get seriously damaged! Lysh would have had a meltdown! 😩 Thankfully not! Then Frog buried herself up to the waist in sand, because "funny".

25/08/2022 @22:39
Went to cash in our tickets earned from the arcade over the last few days. Fuck me sideways. Queue for the ticket eater took 20 minutes. Then we had to queue another 15 minutes for the Winners Circle to collect our 337 tickets worth of prizes. Lysh wanted a fidget banana worth £1.99 but that was 500 tickets. Instead she settled for a couple sweets and some toilet putty. Told her I'll buy her the banana for £1.99 from the Mini Mart tomorrow. What a waste of time that was, christ. At least she enjoyed the Rabids VR!

26/08/2022 @08:12
Best start packing our shit up. Gotta be out the caravan at 10am. Gonna miss this, been a lovely few days away with Frog 🥺

26/08/2022 @09:33
Had to ring reception and sit on hold for 9 minutes to ask what we do with the hired towel bale, because the website says two conflicting things in the FAQ; leave it in the caravan, or take it back to reception. For the record, you just leave it in the caravan.

26/08/2022 @10:21
Frog's happy, she has her £1.99/500 ticket fidget banana.

26/08/2022 @11:11
We're at Talacre (be sure to call it Tally Acre for Grandad Rich a.k.a. Little Pants) with the best auntie Stace ❤ and Lysh wants to dig a big ass hole. Challenge accepted!

26/08/2022 @12:12
Other kids are intrigued with the hole, some kid called Alfie and his sister. Me and Stace have had a mare trying to put the windbreaker fishing shelter up. Bet we looked like absolute mongs to everyone else on the beach when it was turning itself inside out in the wind! Now we're just playing Cube Escape since Stace can't figure it out looool

26/08/2022 @13:19
When we leave this beach, there will be a hazard left behind which may see a small child disappear into the void. It would be a terrible shame if it was Caleb, the little dickhead.

26/08/2022 @15:12
Found a Maccies after the last one we tried was closed due to an IT fault. Frog is happy, partially due to now having Maccies, partially due to the fact that I let her stick her middle finger up at the closed Maccies loooool 😂🤬

26/08/2022 @16:36
Lysh's new favourite song is Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous by Good Charlotte thanks to the Emo playlist Stace had on in the car.

26/08/2022 @21:06
Fuck Minecraft Version 1.19.21 and this "Outdated Server" error. I have not missed stupid shit like this whilst we've been away whatsoever 🤬

27/08/2022 @00:07
Been a busy, exhausting, but amazing week. Frog is tucked up in bed back home with Flippy & Flippa, and I'm going to go crawl in my own pit. Thank you and good night!

27/08/2022 @11:14
Happy 92nd Birthday Nan 😔❤

27/08/2022 @18:12
Lysh had said she wanted her tooth to come out at mine during this week since it was wobbly. Literally as her Mum pulls up outside just now, I point out it hasn't come out in time. A few seconds later, "it's out!". I say's "no it's not lol" thinking she's just joking around, nahhh fam, she's literally pulled her tooth clean out! 🦷

27/08/2022 @21:09
Ate a full Pasta Bake and watched the first episode of House of the Dragon. Missing Lysh, Flippy and Flippa like mad. Wish we were back at the caravan. It really has been a wonderful week with my favourite person ❤

28/08/2022 @15:19
Char brought his Oculus Quest round. Put on some VR boxing game called Creed, talking about "Anthony Joshua got parred out on this difficulty" - boom, KO'd the minge at the start of the 2nd round.

28/08/2022 @22:02
Ilysha unexpectedly messaging me to say "I miss you" followed by "it's so quiet without you" has honestly just choked me up. I love this kid so damn much 😔❤

29/08/2022 @19:17
Been visit my Dad and Ang today to fix their internet; had a really good catch-up for a few hours, and some very unexpected gifts! 🥺❤

30/08/2022 @12:55
Lol at companies posting profits in the £billions, meanwhile hiking up consumer prices to absorb any economic turbulence, and insulate their shareholders. The "Cost of Living Crisis" is only happening because profit margins are considered more important than you are. 💁‍♂️