The return to work ramblings.

Rain, Downtown Abbey, Strictly, X Factor, darker nights, wearing my large pants and a lack of planning.  All these are signs that we are entering autumn, and our holidays are well and truly behind us.

So the world turns most years.  I am quite impressed that I have managed to get three days of the trip report done, which is a lot more than I thought I might.  These low expectations of output were mainly as my return from holiday saw me start a new job…again.  I really do want to keep the blog away from work as much as possible, so I won’t rattle on about it too much.  To summarise, I was approached shortly after starting my last new job, by an ex colleague about an opportunity where he now worked.

It took some time, but just before I left for holidays it all got sorted and I started as we returned.  Suffice to say it is just “better” in pretty much every way, and I’m a happy chap and consider myself lucky to have had the offer.

So on we go, and I really hope we can avoid any further talk of work for quite some time now!

I write this post on the day that is exactly 100 days to Christmas.  I only tell you this as I don’t see why I should be the only one to deal with that fact.  I simply cannot cope with a Christmas in my condition.  There was no pre holiday diet this year, and despite only eating salads for the entire trip (plus the odd Donut burger, and a few desserts) criminally I have added a few pounds.  For me though, the first few weeks back afer a holiday are the toughest food wise.

Whilst away your body is used to taking on food whether you like it or not.  Indeed the biggest challenge of most of our days in Florida is trying to convince your body that you are actually hungry even though you have already consumed the calorific limit of a small town already.

So when back in the UK, mix in a massive change to the body clock, and a reduction in calories of around 3000% and you can pretty much guarantee that hunger is a constant companion.

With my new job I have also had to be away from home for a few nights.  This means that getting a healthy diet is less than easy.  So no doubt since returning, I have added yet more poundage.

So as I was saying about four paragraphs ago, I can’t afford any thoughts of Christmas just yet.  So if you are feeling in any way festive feel free to keep it to yourself until around the 15th of December.

In real life news this week, Louise has a bad back.  It “went” on Thursday, in a similar way in the way in which it last went in 2010.  I know it was then, and can tell you the exact day as we were away in WDW, for my fortieth.  I remember her literally having to crawl across the room at Beach Club Villas to use the loo.

Similarly incapacitated this time around she has had to spend much of the last three days laid low, and in a lot of pain.  There are signs of returning to normal but she is still struggling.

Emily went to Blackpool yesterday.  It was to work on the second part of her Photography coursework.  The first half was to take photos in WDW, and then once home do the second half somewhere not quite so glamorous as some sort of contrast.  She did OK and enjoyed most of it, apart from the drunken brawl on the train on the way home.  She wasn’t actually involved of course, but was very close to what sounded like quite a bad punch up.  The police came and turfed them off the train, and Emily and her friend continued their journey pretty shaken up.  On top of that Emily has had a bit of a set back, in that it appears she is unable to apply for the Disney Programme she wants to do until she is 18.  That isn’t until next July, which would mean she probably couldn’t start until the summer after.

So now, she has the problem of what to do with herself during what is looking like an enforced gap year.  Ideas on a postcard please.

Emily has started work at a local charity shop to get some retail experience for her Disney application whilst she looks for proper paying part-time work.  Again, ideas and offers of employment are welcome.  Her specialist skills are lie ins, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram and Facebook with a high level of expertise in shoulder shrugging and TV remote control use.

Rebecca’s weekend has centred around a “gathering”.  She went to a boy’s house last night with a few friends for a “gathering”.  We suspect she has designs on said boy as there has been quite a bit of socialising and tweeting, and the preparation for this casual “gathering” began at around 9.30am on Saturday and she left the house at about 7!  It is best that I don’t ask too many questions in these situations, but I have sent the boy in question the customary horse’s head so that he clear of the consequences of any behaviour that may not be in the best interests of my daughter!!  These are testing times for a Dad.

So my weekend has been a bit hectic with Louise laid up, with big shops, trippie writing, taxing the girls, tidying etc.  Before writing this here blog today we all watched The Father of the Bride for about the millionth time.  It is one of our all time faves and one that we can watch time and time again.  Each time I do watch it, it reminds me that the events of the film rush ever nearer to us, and whilst I can guarantee that neither of the weddings I will be paying for will be as expensive as the one in the film, I do wonder how I would cope with “giving” them away.

Granted, some days I would gladly pack their bags and drive them where they wanted to go, but I have to say I’m not looking forward to that.

So after waffling on about nothing in particular I shall leave you.  It is clear that I am not yet back in the swing of blogging and promise to do better next week!

Till the next time…..