The Time Bubble

We've been really spoiled for new restaurant openings in Bicester over the past few months. We've had several new chain outlets open in the new development, all of which I've enjoyed visiting, but nothing has excited me as much as hearing about the new independent offering, "The Copper Kitchen" which has recently opened up the top of Sheep Street opposite Denis and Shakil's. Unlike the other new openings, I wasn't aware of this one in advance. It opened quietly without a lot of fanfare a month or two back, but soon came to my attention as I began to read glowing comments about it on the Bicester Town Centre Chat page. I was keen to get down there and try it as soon as possible and so last night (Saturday 15th February) we booked in and headed up there to find out if it really was as good as everybody says. It was a three-pronged celebration last night. Firstly it was the day after Valentine's Day, secondly it was the day before my birthday and thir...

This New Year's Eve was quite unusual for me, because for the first time in eight years, I was not DJ'ing for the evening. This has always been a lucrative night for me. DJ's, like taxis, charge at least double, more in many cases, but this year I decided I would take a break from it. New Year's Eve assumes a special importance in our family, because it is also my wife's birthday. We have been together since 2006 and in all of that time she's had to traipse around after me wherever I happened too be working for the evening. That's OK if we are local, but that hasn't always been the case. Anyway, I decided it was about time that I treated Claire to a birthday night out so I rejected all offers of DJ'ing and thought about what we should do. Now I thought at first maybe we should do something really special, but then I thought perhaps we will put that on hold for another year. You see Claire was 29 this year and she has the big birthday coming up at...

My birthday. How time flies. But lovely spending it here. It's almost midnight and I am sat outside the apartment tonight on the patio but it is so hot tonight, outside is the way. Now when you have a birthday in summer like bestie Lynda you don't have to worry much about the weather but nobody wants to party in mid February.   All good here though. The hottest day yet by the pool, and Claire surprised me when we got back with a cake, which she got from the Hiper Dino but then garnished in icing, maltesers, and various other lovelies. All ate well. I was going to offer some to our lovely Irish neighbours but unfortunately Ollie decided to lick the icing off the top of the remaining cake rendering it unsuitable for any further consumption by anyone else!   We went out for the evening, really wanting to enjoy a lengthy stay in a nice restaurant - tricky plan with fractious little ones, especially Jamie, but by a stroke of luck he fell asleep along the strip and by the tim...

I am finding it very hard to blog or do anything at the moment - this one's been a couple of days in the drafting. The children are quite literally taking up every waking moment of my time and there are so many other things to do around here I am really finding it hard work. And as a parent who takes my responsibilities very seriously I have to fulfill my daily commitments AND find time to spend with them that's not just cooking and washing but talking, teaching, learning. Other than at work on Saturday and Sunday nights I think everyone else will see very little of me until term starts. Before then it's Ollie's birthday. Trying to get the birthday presents right is always tricky, especially at his age. When I originally asked him what he wanted for his birthday he said "nothing". Sounds like a bargain - I thought kids are all money-orientated these days. Maybe that comes later. Anyway, I tried various suggestions including some new games for his Leappad (la...

I don't know why, but I always find it absolutely hilarious when I see things that are blatantly where they shouldn't be - particularly if it's been done as some sort of light hearted devilment. We're all used to seeing supermarket trolleys in ditches and such like, but there was one scene in the sitcom One Foot In The Grave that had me in tears of laughter. Clearly the writers had tried to think of the most bizarre place one could end up. As Victor turned into his street in a taxi looking miserable as ever on the way back from another nightmare holiday, he happened to glance up, and there, perched on the rooftop was an abandoned supermarket trolley. What triggered this off, well I just happened to notice today on the way to school a traffic cone perched on top of a lampost. I have no idea how many supermarket trolleys or traffic cones disappear on an annual basis, but they do seem to end up in the most unsusual places. I know it's a blight on the landscape an...