Happy birthday bro, or Daren, or Dadge, or Dadgy-wadgy kin-kins poo-poohs ickle bro to give you your full title.
40 today!
Doesn’t seem like 5 minutes ago you were the cute, well-behaved, smiling, sleeping through the night baby that made me look *so* bad.
Woo hoo! My nephew Ben is back from Afghanistan via Cyprus. He wasn’t due back till early next week, but turned up early and nearly killed his mum with the shock. Little wotsit. I’m so happy he’s back 
This is what he got up to on the way out, oooh, Ross Kemp, 3:15 for Mr Mitchell?
Ben and Ross
Ben looking too young
Looking a little older
Coming home
Oh rats. I am confused. All I wanted was a pretty pink ipod nano, then Bry said get the new classic, then I said maybe an ipod touch, and Mike at work said no get an iphone, then I read about the iphone and I think it isn’t as good as my N95, which isn’t as good as an N96.
So what *do* I want for Crimbo Bry asks? I don’t know!
Help.
I really wanted to go see the QE2 last night, but most of the Southern half of England had the same idea. So, Bry got his bike out and I got on the back. Not an unusual thing you might think. Well, this was the first time in 3 years that I’ve been able to get on a bike, even though it was just the back. It hurt, and I suffered for it, but I see it as a little victory.
I don’t think I’ll do it again anytime soon though……..too cold! I’ve sold my bike – even though it still lives in our garage, so no chance of getting on the front, and I don’t think I could do that yet anyway – but onwards and upwards, hurrah!
I had forgotten about helmet hair though, nasty business.
Today I’ve stopped and remembered, two minutes silent thankfullness for all those who have fought, died and suffered for the rest of us, and those who still fight and suffer for us today.
It seems such a small thing to do to buy a poppy, or spend two minutes thanking those that gave so much for us all.
To my dad’s father, who survived the war only to die of the terrible damage done by gas attacks in the trenches; to my mums dad, who told us recently of his time in the Navy protecting supply convoys on HMS Hood; to my great uncle, who went back up the beaches in France time and again to rescue his injured comrades, and was so deeply shell shocked it affected him for the rest of his life; to Ben, who has been in Afghanistan and will be again, thank you. To all of you, and the countless others, thank you.
The world should be a better place, it should be a world where we don’t need such sacrifice and service. I wish it were, but until that day, take time to remember.
We went down to the Town Quay to wave goodbye to the Queen Elizabeth 2 this evening. I’ll miss her. She’s been a part of Southampton life for as long as I can remember. She’s 2 years younger than me I think. I’ll miss seeing her big red and black funnel on the skyline, and the way our roof tiles rattle when she blows her horn. It felt very strange watching her go out for the last time. Maybe I’m just getting nostalgic in my old (!) age, I didn’t feel this way about the Canberra or Oriana. Maybe New Years Eve will be a bit quiter without her – although we’ll still open the windows so we can hear all the ships blowing in the New Year.
It’s funny how attached you get to these liners if you live in Southampton. They really do form a backdrop to the city history. From the Titanic through to the new superliners like Queen Mary, Queen Victoria and the Venturer they are such a constant presence here that the docks look really empty and strange without them.
I hadn’t thought about how big a part of my life the sea is until recently. I don’t think I would be able to live away from the coast, and I definitely feel a bit strange when we are in-land on holiday or visiting. How do people who live in the middle of huge continents manage it?
More later with photos hopefully….
Richard Hammond in sillhouette in a cowboy hat on the American road trip, by a camp fire….. he’s short (which is good!) and has had a bit of a biff to the head so I may be in with a chance! 
Sigh. (I can’t find the photo – so this one will have to do)
Update, this just in…..forget the cowboy hat and campfire……oh my goodness.
And I pass the baton back to Jude
Mr Daniel Craig, coming out of the sea, looking just a bit self conscious…….It’s not 3:15, but Jude started it, and I’m always up for the challenge
Perhaps, just perhaps, the world has started to change for the better today. And we have the American people to thank for it.
And the people did it, ordinary people got up off their butts and voted to make a change. See, you can do it, don’t let apathy lead us astray. I really don’t understand people who think that their vote won’t make a difference. Unless you are living in a Blackadder sketch and live in Dunny-on-the-Wold then *every one of you* can make a difference.
That was a bit deep wasn’t it? hey ho…….at least I got a Blackadder reference in!
