February 2005

Here’s a short list of things I’d know nothing about if it wasn’t for my friends:

1. The Farmer’s Market just behind Marylebone High Street on Sundays
2. The Irlen Syndrome
3. Microsoft’s Anti-Spyware software
4. I’m not a technically good singer, but my voice has a good tone, and the former can be taught, the latter cannot.
5. Under-sheet electric bed-heaters. Winter bliss!

1. My keys (Paul Smith silver key-fob for car key, and Seven Silver Safety Pin key ring for house keys)
2. My Paul Smith Wallet - a wallet for life. And so red!
3. My mobile phone. Currently a Sony Ericcson T630, soon to be replaced by a (free) Motorola V3 - that slim, sexy one
4. My Montblanc Starwalker fountain pen
5. My Smythson Bijou Jotter with featherweight paper

Oh and 5 things I have done without, but probably should remember

1. A watch
2. An idea of where I’m going
3. Insulin, glucose, other medication
4. Matching shoes (I recently went out with odd trainers on - and I didn’t notice until the next day!)
5. My dog-tags which would tell people that I’m diabetic in case of emergency

There are few things in life that feel as liberating as going out without everything on those lists list bar the keys!

I’ve had my daughters almost 48 hours. They’re sleeping for the second night in a row, a very rare occurrence indeed. I think the last time that happened was maybe the summer holiday of 2003.

Earlier they had a friend over for the day. That in itself was a breakthrough. The interesting thing was that this friend’s parents have split too - and the visit was arranged primarily between the dads. The mums were kept well in the background. That’s a first. I’m really pleased it happened and things went well. I tried to stay in the bcakground and provide support functions - like cooking, cleaning, games support, safety etc.

Don’t you hate it when people start writing a sentence with “OK”? It smacks so badly of diary. In fact, it stinks of poo. If you catch me doing it, slap me, hard, got it?

I quit smoking on Tuesday early afternoon. I told a friend today. He’s known me long enough that he responded “How long for this time?” Well, we’ll see.

Before picking the girls up on Tuesday, I went to the family court, section A. And I got moved on! To section B! I’ve been promoted! I filed a request for trial. Assuming everything gets approved by the judge, I should have a decree nisi by late March. And a decree absolute by late May. But there is so much paperwork. When children are involved, I have to ensure that I get a form D84B sent back to me and not a form D66, otherwise the final decree will be held up.

Once I get a D84B, I have to wait six weeks and a day after the pronouncement of the decree nisi before I can apply for the decree absolute which will then be a fait accomplis. I really can’t wait.

Divorce is a pain in the arse. I will write a guide on it and stick it up here. My advice is simple. Don’t get married. If you have to get married, be fucking sure. Once you get married, stay married unless you’d really rather die than be with your partner. Easy. But all marriage nowadays should be on five-year renewable leases with get-out clauses at those milestones.

Regulars might be noticing a period of flux in my blog.

1. There are more links.
2. I now list prayer times for London Muslims for the day. Ok, for me. But hey, I had to write some PHP!
3. Comments are now displayed inline, so you don’t have to click to go see ‘em.
4. Removed the vain profile container from the top-right of the page.
5. Changed the by-line in a possibly fruitless attempt to increase the search rankings, in alliance with some template hacks!

More changes coming soon:

1. Less crappy colour scheme
2. A bit snappier looking
3. Some Flash. (Only joking Geoff!)
4. Cleaned up inline comments section.
5. Creative Commons logo (where did the last one go?)
6. More stuff in other sections, so it looks less like a blog and more like a site (yawn)

I love sounds. Here is a list of my five favourite sounds of today:

1. My daughters voices when they greet me with ’salaam’ on the phone
2. Disengaging the filter basket from my espresso machine. It sounds just like a spaceship airlock!
3. The quiet frothing sound of bubbles disappearing in a cup of fresh cappucino.
4. The sound of the front door shutting as my neighbours leave the building.
5. The front door buzzer when I’m expecting a parcel. (Rare nowadays!)

My daughters and I had a delightful 24 hours.

They are utterly wonderful. I couldn’t ask for better daughters. I love their attributes, their quirks, their habits, their intelligence, their creativity. I would not change a thing about them. It’s a shame their parents couldn’t make it, but that doesn’t alter the fact that they’re perfect.

When the 24 hours was up, there was a sense of gloom. Part of that is that they are not going to be with me anymore. And part of it is a reminder to them that their parents are not together, and will not be together. I know what that feels like. It’s not a nice feeling.

I don’t think they have any doubt that I love them. I will never tire of telling them.