2012 - Day One in the Fink House

Well happy New Year to you, may health, peace and happiness be your constant companions this year and beyond.
As is our tradition, we teamed up with the Glums and headed to Southend for New Year's Day - fish and chips.
We took Nanny along for good measure, but accidentally forgot Graham (sorry mate, next time, perhaps).

We had fish and chips at a lovely little cafe then went off to the pier for a mile long walk...but the pier cost a pound each so I said, "No, I will not pay!" and voted with my feet!
Nanny and I went off to do some metal detecting (very uneventful) while the others went off to the arcades.
After a while it started to rain so Nanny and I headed back to the car.

All in all a very gentle day with good friends, the perfect start to a new year.

Opened my mouth and put my foot in it.

Last night, Mr Fink, Little Fink (aka Nelly) Mrs Glum, Bambi, Marsha and I went to London to see Les Miserables. Mrs Glum works at a local school that organised a coach and the tickets. We boarded the bus and set off in the rush hour traffic down the M1.
Mr Fink took out his phone and began to play the on-line dart game he enjoys. Often when he goes to bed, he will have a few games of darts on the phone while I'm reading. I hear him muttering under his breath at his opponent, "miss, miss, miss". Sometimes he even tilts the phone to divert his opponent's shot.
Anyway, there was lots of banter on the coach, as there always is when The Finks and The Glums get together. I chided Mr Fink about his on-line dart playing ability and in a too loud voice said, "You're no good at it in bed, what makes you think it will be any easier bouncing up and down on the back of the coach."

You'd think that would have shut me up. No.
On the way home, one lady had been declaring that she couldn't eat any of the treats, sarnies, buns or chocs that were being shared as she was on a strict diet. During the journey through London's food quarter, she finally cracked and said, "I've not eaten for 6 weeks!" To which I replied, "I thought I could smell Lighter Life!" (Oops - i meant, "that sounds familiar - Lighter Life by any chance?" but it came out wrong. DOH!

Les Mis was terrific - I loved it, powerful voices, intimate venue, great story and amazing visuals. highly recommended.

What's the difference between Doctors and Ducks?

You can herd ducks.

Yes, Theresa The Duck is back. You might remember a couple of months ago she decided that the grassy quadrangle surrounded by hospital buildings on 4 sides would be a good place to rear a family? Those ducklings perished, we thought due to her being disturbed off the nest by Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Well she's back. Last week she had 9 ducklings, today she has 3. I think a combination of uncovered drainage holes, possible rodent predation and becoming cold while mum is off feeding may have killed the first 6. (If I'd lost 6 kids in a week, Social Services would be round like a shot!)

Anyway, I've reinstated the pond (large deep sided plastic tray for cleaning BBQ grills), pinched some chick crumb from Mrs Glum, erected a small shelter (top of kitty litter tray) and redesigned the ramps to allow the ducklings to get off the path and back on the grass when they get stuck. the reception staff had reinforced the barrier to prevent them falling down the fire escape last week.

Yesterday I was visited by an irate secretary from the floor above, waving a cardboard box and sporting a bad attitude. She had arrived to 'rescue' the ducks and release them as the mother duck was distressed. I showed her the environment, taught her duck speak. Mother "Quack, you OK kids?", Kids, "Yes mum, we're OK, are you OK?" and so on and so forth. after a 10 minute natural history talk she left her cardboard box with me, turned and said, "I'm so glad you're looking after them, thank you for caring."
She'd wanted to knock my block off about half an hour ago! I prefer ducks to people some days.

Merry Christmas 2009

Well, we've had chance to make the most of our Christmas. We enjoyed the company of Nanny and Shouty Grandad. Nanny and I cooked the duck and turkey on Christmas Eve (I have no idea how other people fit it all in the oven on Christmas Day!) and enjoyed an evening of silly games and fun.

Christmas Day Little Fink had the itinerary all planned out and we opened our gifts in relative calm! We watched the Queen's speech and had lunch.

we played some more games, watched Doctor Who - a little light on anything actually happening but beautifully set up for New Year's Day.

All in all a good couple of days, I'm enjoying being away from work and just relaxing to be honest. I've also decided, for several reasons, to go tea-total for next year - I've already done 3 weeks and it's not as easy as it looks! I like to relax on my days off, Mr Fink is not like me, he gets ants in his pants and feels like he should be up and doing things. Not me. My normal week is full of charging around, when I have a week off, I like to slow right down!

I had a lovely day at the pictures watching Avatar - 9/10. We've just had a smashing evening playing board games with The Glums. Always an entertaining time. Off to Ikea tomorrow, pictures again, Sherlock this time. New Year's Eve Mr Fink is off for his second consultation about having his eye lenses replaced to correct his vision.

It's all go!

I Did It!

I Did It. I did the Christmas food shop. In one morning, this no tears, drama or screaming. I did have a little moral support and chauffeuring from Bambi - I did a swap, I got him and Mrs Glum looked after Little Fink!

Little Fink made a lovely cake for Christmas Eve tea when nanny and Shouty Grandad come over ready for the big day!

We've just got a few cards and presents to deliver (on behalf of F.C. himself) and it's all ready.

BRING IT ON!

A BIG Birthday

I had a wonderful birthday. Little Fink gave me a home made Hacker puppet, complete with moving arms and mouth. Mr Fink gave me a beautiful ring with my favourite stone in it. In the evening we went out to the local carvery for a meal with my mum and dad, my in-laws and my honorary sister, brother (Mrs Glum and Bambi) and their children Marsha and Bambino.

We had a wonderful night, mediocre food but great company and lots of laughing and fun.

Bambino gave me a keyring. Marsha gave me a Barbie doll, because she knows how much I LOVE BARBIE! Mrs Glum and Bambi gave me a lovely pearl choker and jewellery box.

I am a very lucky 40 year old! thank you all.

Little Fink's Birthday Day Out

Mr Fink and Little Fink about 30ft up a tree about to jump off the platform into a cargo net. And she calls this a treat??

Little Fink asked if she could visit Go Ape for her birthday treat with some friends. she missed it when the Cubs went as she was unwell. We took, Mrs Glum, Bambi, Bambino and Marsha, J1 and his mum Lara Croft (she is fearless and will have a go at anything, must be the Aussie in her?)

They were fitted with harnesses and had a safety talk, after all, they were going to be 30 feet up in the air walking on wires, jumping off platforms and whizzing down zip wires.

Then they were off, they were so brave and careful and full of fun. None of them chickened out and all of them enjoyed it. The zip wires were quick and high, some of the landings were pretty hard but the men soon managed to brush the dirt off their backs (and their pride) and carried on! All in all everyone agreed it was a great excursion, several of them claiming it was good value for money and the best day out they had had for ages - and that was just the adults! We'll definitely go again.

It's Little Fink's birthday on Sunday so we can expect an early start in the morning. We've got Silver Surfer and Astral, Nanny and Shouty Grandad coming round tomorrow for dinner and cake.

(Hopefully next door's dog will have barked itself hoarse well before then!)

To tea? or not to tea? that is the question.

At the Fink Summer Revels, Mrs glum had a terrific gadget. It was a small gaz stove in a tall metal box with a vent hole cut in the side to allow the air to circulate. She was able to boil water for vast amounts of tea.

I would like to conjure up the same sort of thing. The question is, do I go for a tall confibulation which is inherently unstable? Or, do I get a new fangled flat stove with a gas canister instead? Hmm, answers on the usual postcard please.

Food for Thought - Happy Birthday Mr Fink

Today was Mr Fink's forty (ahem) th birthday! He was woken to presents and a huge Happy Birthday badge from Little Fink and a bacon and scrambled egg breakfast from me.

Little fink had asked me to book a table at Frankie & Benny's to celebrate and of course The Glum's were invited. Mr fink didn't know the venue for the meal until we were nearly there, he did know The glums were coming so we were a little puzzled as to why they were hiding in the cinema next door until we arrived? Odd!

We all enjoyed lovely food, sharing and trying everything. The 3 children (Marsha, Little Fink and Bambino) shared an enormous pud called The Godfather. It had chocolate brownie, cream, ice-cream, wafers, berries and all manner of things on it. Bambi had one all to himself and I bet him he wouldn't eat it all. I owe him 5p and he almost finished it before I'd eaten my slice of cheesecake! (Bambi is usually the one that things happen to, but today at was I who spilled my sauce down my front!) We had a lovely time, good conversation, good food, good friends.
Thank you and Happy Birthday Mr Fink (The Glums win the prize for the largest birthday gift - we could hardly shut the boot of the Finkmobile!)