Blog ≫ 2025 ≫ Lovely half term midweek weekender
This half term week off has been very nice but it's going very fast... Took the boys on the train to Portchester for a few days, without the wife because of work. Were able to juggle the car about, so we could drive up to the station and she'd pick it up later. Very busy on the first off peak train, standing room only for me, but found seats for the boys. We got a Greggs and moved quickly through to Waterloo and then down to Havant to get to Mum and Dad's as quickly as. Got picked up and to theirs in time to see the birthday girl, which was nice that it worked out. Mostly sat about the rest of the day, no going out, watched a load of TV, including too much Squid Game. The boys were keen to, as we don't have Netflix right now. No, it's not nice, and it's not appropriate, but there we go. Quite early to bed, I was just tired.
Slept in until 10am the next day and we went to Portsmouth. We tried, we nearly failed, seems like Portsmouth really didn't want us. First tried the bus, the bus stop near the house is closed, so drove further along. While we were waiting a man arriving at a nearby house said "we've not seen a bus for days". This did tie in with https://nextbuses.mobi having nothing onits schedule, but there was no indication on the stop of the official bus website. In the end drove to Gun Wharf, despite fears of the roads also being impassable. The roads were fine, and parking good, so from there into Wagamamas for a lovely lunch, thanks! Wagamamas was full, but not queued out the door. The rest of Gun Wharf looked quite quite, I would have thought it would be busier in the half term. I think the transport issues and road fears might have put more people off.
After lunch a walk, just the boys and me, to Albert Road in Southsea looking for Pokémon cards. None to be had anywhere, though we did find a good gaming shop and a comic shop. Walked past some nice pubs, but this being a Tuesday afternoon they were not open. I might have broken my no drinking rule if they had been and found a good one that would accept the boys just to break up the journey. But we did not. Walked round and about, didn't find anywhere we liked. The boys not impressed with Portsmouth today, I fear this will be their lasting memory of it. We did walk past an Arthur Conan Doyle blue plaque I had not seen before though. We went to the funfair, it was closed, but we only wanted the arcades. Arcades are always grim, these were not an exception. They played a bit of Mario Kart but saved some of their money until we walked back to Gun Wharf again. Bought some sweets, tried to get a bus back, still no buses, but at last an answer, this lot are on strike. Also no trains from Portsmouth Harbour because of engineering works. I knew there were no trains beyond Havant on the way down but hoped it might be fixed today. Uber app not working for me (something probably to do with the new phone) but there was a taxi rank so we could at least escape. I love Portsmouth and Southsea but it was at not at its best today. I suspect the boys will never accept a suggestion that going there could be a good day out again.
Back home for nice tea of hot dogs and soup, and more TV. We watched the Eastenders fortieth anniversary episode. Could not figure out what was going on but all the same people from twenty years ago seemed to be in it. We turned off before the end and missed the surprise of Angie Watts coming back. Then another Squid Game, then bed.
Off before lunch on the Thursday, back to London. Dad had hospital appointment, they took us to Havant before that. Smooth journey back to London, and more of a Pokémon mission. Success this time, but it would be FIFTY QUID for a large box of them, no individual packs to be had. He had some money to spent, but is that excessive? I say yes but we went to get lunch to think about it, had a fairly disgusting vegan saltfeast in Slim Chickens (though the boys loved theirs, and it came with bottomless soft drinks which they also love), and then back to Forbidden Planet and we bought the box. He's pleased, he got one card in there which is supposedly selling for thirty quid, and another for twenty, hmm. I spent five pounds on a lucky bag of comics, I know I will be disappointed. We also went to Seoul Plaza and bought some weird asian snacks and drinks, including some Pokémon drinks for the boy to take to his friend's today.
After to Puttshack, which was great! Same course we played on my fiftieth birthday day out, and while I got two supertubes and two holes in one, I still didn't win. INTERESTINGLY a super tube is usually a hole in one, but one didn't go straight in and then I fluked a hole in one without the supertube on another hole. It was pretty close between all three of us. Boys loved it, that was the main thing.
Made the normal commuting train home. Clare had dropped the car of for us again, so an easy journey. A bit of TV, then not quite so early to bed as normal, but not late.
I have thrown away Febrewery this month. I could have done it easily but am preferring mostly not drinking. Today is Friday though, might be back on it, not sure of plans yet.
There's some free Octopus Energy today 1, mid afternoon, so will be using that.
Light rain and a fresh breeze, 9 - 13℃.
- Join Octopus Energy here and we both earn money.
⬅️ Exercise stats 21/2/25 :: They still keep sending me this chair ➡️