Empty Handed

Toby loves films, so I’ve been thinking about taking him to the cinema for a while. I’ve been biding my time waiting for the right film at the right time; I was concious that he’s still a little young for the pictures (he’s just turned 4), and so I wanted a film that wasn’t too long, and also that hadn’t been slated (i.e. wasn’t crap), and that might hold some interest for me, too. I also wanted to take him during a week day, when it would be quieter at the cinema.

So, today, I took him to the 12.25 showing of the 90 minute long Bee Movie at the Apollo in Morecambe.

I’d explained to him that the cinema showed films, and that he’d have to watch it as it was shown - he wouldn’t be able to pause it or rewind (kids today, spoiled by PVRs) as he was used to at home. As we were in the foyer paying, he asked “Daddy, where’s the television?” He was pretty excited. He sat nicely all the way through, watching attentively, glancing at me occasionally and smiling, or leaning over to sip from our shared medium-lemonade, lodged in the cup holder between us, through his bendy straw. He only spoke once or twice - “Bees can’t talk!” - the film dialogue - “Yes, they can!” - Toby.

He was disappointed when it ended so soon.

We had a good time together.

What was the first film you saw at the cinema, or took your kids to?

Wow, what a fantastic spring day! I’ve been on holiday today, and so we took the kids out and up to Docker Park Farm to see the lambs and that. Now, Docker Park is no Folly Farm, a visitor centre so good we went not once but twice in our only-one-week family holiday to Saundersfoot last year, and are returning again this year with Folly being one of the key factors in our decision to go back to the same place two years on the trot (oh, and the fishing lake, of course), but in the end we spent a good 3 hours or so there this afternoon enjoying the sunshine and playing with the kids, who enjoyed it very much, so we shouldn’t complain. It is a bit crap and small though. Oops, sorry, I said we shouldn’t complain. Toby fed the lambs, petted the rabbits and chicks and says he liked the pigs most of all. William terrorised the ducks and chickens and was fascinated by the geese. The other bonus today was that we were more or less the only people there later in the afternoon.

What a difference the clocks going forward makes, especially when the sun shines for us. I know I’ve been off work, but even so, I feel so much happier and more relaxed with the ‘extra’ daylight. Soon it’ll be golf and even fishing in the evenings after work, family commitments allowing. Luverly! I’ve promised myself I’ll make the most of the summer evenings this year, particulary since they don’t seem to last that long before the buggers start drawing in again, and I’d forgotten how miserable the cold and dark winter evenings really are.

So, it was my cousin Tim’s wedding on Saturday, held at Moreton Morrell Hall, which is in England, as fine a country as any to have such an affair.

This fine dandy, sporting an excellent, and, I suspect, real, beard, was young Timmy’s best man. Tim took the precaution of having two best men, and I can whole-heartedly recommend carrying at least one spare of everything you may need to rely on. In the end, they both got to do a turn, and quite excellent they were too (the er, second best man was Tim’s brother, Steve).

Being a best man is something I have recent experience of, and I may post a few words about it at some point. Not now though, beers and bed await. I’ll probably add a few more notes and stuff about this wedding also, but, right now, I just wanted to share Tony with you.

More pics from the wedding on my Flickr account.