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No one died overnight from head injuries so that was a relief. I am still a solid B grade parent.
Catie spent the morning in the spa, so I had over three hours of trying to stop my kids smashing themselves or each other to pieces. It's a tough juggling act doing stuff with kids of different ages and abilities, but I somehow managed to make a half hour of ping pong work out and then stuffed them with ice cream, sweets and slushies, because I don't like to make things easy on myself.
We went for an explore to get a better idea of the layout of this Center Parcs and Ernie threw a pine cone high in the air and it nearly hit a lady with a baby. I told him off and said he could have hurt the baby (though not sure how) and the woman turned round, pretty much oblivious to the assault she'd dodged. Ernie exclaimed "Daddy did it!" Which made everyone laugh and so he slid his way out of trouble using humour (setting himself on a life path that I am familiar with). I apologised for my transgression.
Later both kids went on the climbing wall - something that I would absolutely have hated as a kid (or now as an adult - quite a few grown-ups were doing it). As he went through the gate he said "See you in Hell, suckers!" Which is a cool way to say goodbye especially for a five year old. Where does he get this stuff? We think probably The Simpsons.
It felt hard to believe that this was only our third night in our lodge, but injury aside we're having fun. We're cooking most of our meals and being active and so everyone is pretty knackered by the kids bedtime. Holidays this year have been notable for mainly being fun, which is an interesting development. But they are still very tiring. I went on a seesaw with Phoebe and it felt like I was on a piece of gym equipment, but I guess my thighs are being worked out with the uphill cycling.
I have a few books to read in the next week, ahead of some more book club records and am greatly enjoying Danny Robins' "Uncanny" about ghost and UFO stories. He treads the line between sceptic and believer expertly and the stories he's chosen are pretty remarkable (if we can trust the people telling them). It's spooky, silly, fun and gripping and asks some interesting questions about reality (and psychology). He hasn't yet posited the obvious truth that ghosts are just glitches in the shoddy programming of the simulation we're all living in, but maybe he'll get to it. It's terrific to see Danny has found an incredible niche for himself in all the work he's doing with the paranormal. He's exactly the right person to be doing it. Like all of us (I think) really wanting this stuff to be true, but intelligent enough to search for rational explanations, but even so left bamboozled by some of it. I've read nearly the whole book in two evenings, so that's a strong recommend. I hardly actually read books any more, preferring the audio versions, but this one is more than holding my attention!
Final RHLSTP of the Edinburgh Fringe run is now up. It's with
comedy genius Mike Birbiglia whose work I heartily recommend to you (see him in Edinburgh or London).
Huge uptake in sales for Birmingham (with Joe Lycett and Adil Ray) in last few days, so if you want to come to that show on the 8th then
BOOK NOWSales are generally healthy with the usual suspects of Chorley, Newcastle, Leeds, Bristol, Belfast and Salford being closest to selling out.
The amazing Simon Farnaby from Ghosts and much more is my guest at the Leicester Square Theatre on 16th October
. Worth booking quickly for this one, as it should sell fast once the Ghosts fans find out.
