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Woke up alive, after a disturbing dream about flipping my car (but all I broke was my spectacles). All the ghost spider simulators had achieved was to make me very tired. But I am a parent. I am used to that you idiots. How about simulating a scenario where I get 24 hours sleep and wake up on a Caribbean island being massaged by a dozen naked women? Too edgy for you? You cowards.
The football season is starting up again for my daughter's team, but due to phenomenal work last year she has been promoted from the Under 8s to the Under 9s team. It was a three hour long tournament this morning and Phoebe's team made a good start winning their first couple of matches. She made a crucial last minute tackle in the second match, when she was the last defender against four or five players from the other side who were closing in on goal. She not only stopped the attack but booted the ball up field for an assist, as our striker got the winner in the dying seconds. It was awesome.
Sadly the team then lost the next three matches by four or five goal margins and didn't score again. But this was the first time many of these players have been on the same side (two Under 8s teams have combined) and it's more about having fun. Tell that to me and Phoebe though. We both have a strong desire for victory. Which is remarkable in my case, as I have suffered so many defeats.
It's the hope that kills you, Phoebe.
Now I am home I can get on the new diet with much more commitment and I ended up with a score of over 80 after cooking three very healthy meals today. My body screamed in gratitude. Even though I was knackered from lack of sleep the non-processed, veg-heavy food filled me with energy and well-being. One day at a time, sweet Jesus, but whilst experience dictates that things will fall apart and this time next year I will be full of Haribo and pizza, this time feels mildly different. I am not craving bad foods (not even Soleros - I've only had two or three of them in the last month - I hope Walls will survive the downturn) and I feel like the changes I am making could be more permanent. Rather than sacrificing everything you love, this diet feels like you are nudged towards making better choice and I like that it doesn't involve counting calories, so I don't try and bargain my way towards something unhealthy because I've got calories left.
Anyway, you know where this is going, regular reader, but I bet you didn't anticipate me giving up alcohol for so long, so maybe you don't know everything, you smug motherfucker.
I still managed to keep the kids occupied for most of the afternoon and we had water balloon and water pistol fights in the garden, which the kids were very keen to do, but then spent most of their time crying because they'd got wet or their balloons hadn't popped or they'd popped but not splatted anyone or because the other one had moved so they didn't get hit (even though they both moved to avoid being hit).
So many tears to deal with as a parent and so few of them my own. I feel like crying for 90% of the time, but I can't risk losing the moisture.
If childhood makes them this sad, imagine how they're going to feel once they're adults.
