Christmas story
I often write short stories in the run up to Christmas, adding a new chapter each day with the starting line inspired by my advent calendar. This year, I’m asking my friends, family and network to vote on what each day’s chapter should start with – and adding each new chapter here for everyone to […]
3 important baby milestones the parenting books don’t mention
Our little girl is now 17 months old (I think? To be honest, I’ve been fuzzy on it ever since we switched from counting in weeks to counting in months). In that time, there have been many baby milestones to celebrate – her first birthday, her first steps, her first attempts at words. There have also been some milestones we weren’t so keen on – sleep regressions, first time she fell off the bed, and so on. It’s all part of what we were told to expect when becoming new parents.
But there are the milestones that nobody prepared us for. They’re not always bad, not always good, but they’re definitely things that any new parent should know about. So it’s obviously in the public interest that I share my top 3 milestones that you won’t find in the baby books.
Memories of Guanajuato (coffee with a drug dealer)
I am the man who misses things when travelling. I am the man who has to leave the day before the music festival, and who arrives the week after the basketball festival. I was at the other end of town in Halifax when the Seaking Helicopters did a flyover for their 50th Anniversary celebrations, and […]
The Little Angel, Henley – a posh dining experience that charms but confuses (a review)
Overall score: 3/5 We ate here as part of my wife’s elongated 30th birthday celebrations (making a 30th birthday special during COVID restrictions is no mean feat, and one we achieved with multiple outings over a few weeks!) This was the first part of the celebration, to be enjoyed with her family, and we […]
Daisy’s Cafe, Ambleside: wonderful cake, tolerant staff (a review)
Overall score: 5/5 Dived in here with the wife and daughter at the tail end of a shopping trip. Because I am now 30 and a parent, I get to go shopping for my own birthday presents because there’s no time for anyone else to do it and nobody can stand the tedium […]
Beale Park – animals, trains and a jolly good time (a review)
Overall score: 4/5 (3/5 if you don’t like animals) We came to visit on my daughter’s first birthday – reasoning that after a year out of the womb, she might now be on a comparable level with any newborn animals we might see and therefore not a total embarrassment. Check-in was easy and socially […]
Le Bonnet – a nice place let down by a militant picnic prejudice (a review)
Originally posted on Tripadvisor Overall score: 2/5 This bar has a wonderful location, situated right next to the slopes. Upon ordering food, you are presented with a little glowing disc that does a fine rendition of a smoke alarm when your food is ready. As our visit progressed, however, it became increasingly apparent […]
The Pitcher and Piano: a place to watch life’s rich tapestry unravel (a review)
Originally posted on Tripadvisor. Overall score: 3/5 We came in for dinner on the first day humanity was allowed back into pubs and restaurants. The setup was very safe: good spacing around tables, a foot pump operated hand gel thingy, and ordering via the website. The best thing, by far, has been […]
Disney home learning resources
In this blog you will find resources to help you do some home-learning with primary aged children with the magical theme of Disney. Similar to the Harry Potter resource pack I created before, these activities are designed to be easy to resource and educational. Here you’ll learn how to navigate by the stars like Moana, […]
Harry Potter home learning resources
In this blog you will find resources to help you do some home-learning with the wonderfully bewitching theme of Harry Potter. These activities are designed to be easy to resource, fun (hopefully!) and best of all, to provide some solid educational value in line with what your children should be learning at school. I’ve also […]