Blog ≫ 2024 ≫ Happy Birthday
I get up when I want, except when it's our birthdays!
No Parkrun this morning, first signs of stirring are our front door going at 7am; it is T1 sneaking down to the petrol station to buy chocolate based birthday presents. Then breakfast, opening cards and gifts, and the 9am train to London. We didn't have any huge plans for the day, just a day out. First a walk to Holborn and Novelty Automation. We were looking for a retro-arcade for the boys, a friend recommended this. I wasn't sure based on recommendation alone, but then thought it sounded like this video I had seen, and turns out it's the same place.
It's an extension of a show called "Under The Pier", satirical arcade machines all with physical animations. We played "Cycle Pong", "Money Laundering" - deposit the cash without the regulators spotting, "Pet Or Meat", "Microbreak" armchair holiday simulator, "Alien Probe", "Autofrisk", "Airbnb" (bed n bug), "Fulfilment Centre" (Amazon warehouse simulator), "Test Your Nerve", and the boys won radioactive rock on "My Nuke". We did a lot, as I lost my phone on IZombie too. You had to put your phone in the slot to start the game, then play an "avoid the phone zombies" game, then at the end the phone was gone. I thought oh, someone's been watching and taken it, but it was all part of the game, the phone was confiscated for three hours. Then there's a delay and another message, if you really need it before then hit the emergency button, which opened another hatch and the phone was free again.
It's all very good, recommended, but won't take you that long, it's not the entire focus of the day.
The real focus of our day was eating and drinking. To Milk Train, a fancy ice cream place Clare had heard of, so first we went to a pub in Covent Garden. First to the Coach and Horses who have a no kids policy, it's just too small, so then to the Marquis of Anglesey a few doors along who were much more accomodating. My first drink in two weeks actually though I have not gone on about it. Was going to not drink again today but then did, a pint of Youngs Original. Then back to Milk Train for outrageously priced ice creams. One did have a lot of candyfloss in it so that was OK. Then on through Covent Garden. I did try to go in Snow And Rock, and they did have the Patagonia shorts I'd been looking at, and they were in the sale, even cheaper than online. But I'm not sure about them, seeing them in the flesh I think they're too thin to pass as smart shorts. They're 90% active 10% neat looking I would say, and my existing ones are probably better for the job I need. So on to Brewdog in Waterloo station.
We had seen snippets of people with flags who looked like they're going to a protest of some sort and bizarrely heard some chanting of "EDL" from one man on his own at the station on the way here. There were groups of typical angry bald middle aged men with union flags and st george crosses going to an anti immigration march organised. There was a talk by a far right activist who goes under a false name and surprisingly there was violence and there were arrests. We could see the start of a march but from the other side of the river so we luckily avoided these crowds. I think there were probably about 2000 people there.
The Brewdog is huge, over two floors. It has a slide and a skittle alley and a coffee shop, it's like Dymchurch but inside a pub. My real ale friends would not like it, but Clare really wanted to visit as it sounded so good for the boys too. We got a skittle alley and had a good game and a good time.
For dinner to Pizza Pilgrims. It was good but not quite as good as the time Harry and I went, maybe because this time it was not new, but also because we were sat inside downstairs.
Then a nice walk back through London (nicer for me than for a tired T2) and home quite early to watch TV.
The original video showing the making of "Two Tonne School Run", a game we did not actually see on the day:
So no parkrun, but some walking based exercise. Nice weather. Not an altogether happy birthday though, slightly spoiled by a tummy upset, felt a bit crap all day but not too bad.
Sunny and a gentle breeze, 13 - 22℃.
⬅️ I accidentally won an ebay auction :: Exercise stats 28/7/24 ➡️