Thanks! I think she might be a keeper, she satisfies the holy trifector of: stunningly beautiful, independent and driven, and can teach me so much and is happy to learn in return

I'm in cloud cuckoo land, but keeping my adoration in check so as not to frighten her

My week involved moving from Sydney to London. Thirty hours traveling and in between it; stale airports. We (my wife and I) took the long way around, because the world’s decided to stay interesting (or breathtakingly stupid, as I see it) and the routes that would normally fly by the middle east now can't.

We're holed up in temporary accomodation now. Its clean and functional, soulless but convenient. Suitcases still mostly packed as if we might find permanent accommodation tomorrow, even though we wont.

It’ll take time to settle in, no doubt. But the food’s been good. Proper good. The customs run a little different to back home, sure, but the people… most of them have been decent. Courteous at the very least, and sometimes even warm about it.

I miss my dog, a mini Australian bulldog, who wont fly over until we find our new home.

That’s been my week. Figured I’d say hello while I’m at it. Seems like as good a place as any to start getting to know a few people here in the UK.

Depends on if you'll show up for DnD sessions using my home-brewed system and settings. If yes, I'll need someone to vouch for your mental health

Beach days are here, and we have a nice secluded cove ten minutes’ walk from the new place.

How do you feel about adopting a 40 year old man?

That's great progress! Sorry to hear about your health scare though.

Went on a date last weekend with an absolute beauty and it went really well (we scavenged a freecycle table using a locked ebike). I’m just… happy?

Great news mate, long may it continue!

Ahhh I can only imagine how annoying that must be! I was training to get to a half marathon distance but stopped due to shin splints and THAT was really tough mentally, can't imagine what it's like when having to do that for a marathon!

It was actually really good. I went to Berlin with my friend from Friday to Monday, which was really good fun. Plenty of drinking, eating, and zooming around Berlin on eScooters and just hopping off when we saw something interesting. As bad as it sounds, it was great to get away from the kids and just be able to do what I wanted, when I wanted, without being asked the same inane questions a billion times a minute.

It was a bit disconcerting when my flights suddenly got cancelled, finding out on the Wednesday evening. Luckily I managed to quickly book some new flights, which got in earlier which did give us a bit more time on the Friday.

The new EU entry/exit system is a farce. I'm not really sure what they're playing at but they'll need to sort it out before the summer. It took 90minutes to get through passport control, where you put your passport into a machine, have your picture taken and finger prints taken, only to join a huge queue and have teh border security do the same thing. EU passport holders had to join the same queue, so it wasn't any quicker for them.

I still hate Manchester Airport.

Beach days are here, and we have a nice secluded cove ten minutes' walk from the new place. Kid has started an after school club on Tuesdays, made a big lovely batch of cinnamon rolls over the weekend, and my coworkers are more effusive than ever about my output, despite the fact that I'm finishing everything about twice as fast as they think I am. How much better can it get, really?

I once brought up an additional concern while I was in the room with the GP. He said "you're not supposed to do two issues in one appointment, but go ahead anyway"

Put it this way: if you you don't tell them about your other problems what will happen?

The NHS exists for your health, not for the convenience of receptionists or any other employee, despite how they might try to make you feel otherwise.

This isn't a moral or political point. If you insist on your health issues being addressed they will see to it. You have rights.

The culture of fobbing people off probably does reduce load on the NHS in the short term because it deters timewasters, but it also deters people with genuine problems who are entitled to treatment.

If it makes you feel better about 'being a burden' just remember that you will be more resource-intensive for them to treat the longer your issues are left to worsen.

Weird. Had a major health scare a few weeks back, quite a few sleepless nights, and decided to take my health seriously. Cut out excess sugar and fizzy drinks (I still snack on nuts and fruit), and only one major meal a day (can be anything).

20mins pilates every morning, 1hr cardio at the gym or other fitness class almost everyday. I've lost 6kg in 24 days. I feel sore, but great. In a month I'll be down to 9 1/2 stone.

Went on a date last weekend with an absolute beauty and it went really well (we scavenged a freecycle table using a locked ebike). I'm just... happy?

Work is work, but I'm less affected by it

If the symptoms are connected, such as sinus infection and bad cough, tell the doctor. If unrelated, such as sinus infection and knee pain, book another appointment.

Just bear in mind that it's dependent on where you live, and possibly the specific GPs, whether they'll allow this or not.

Some places may allow you to ask for a "double appointment", and even take a pre-written list in (I once had to do this after waiting months for an appointment).

The receptionist will look at you as though you just pulled down your trousers and pants and shat directly on their desk, but they may reluctantly strain themselves to click the box to give you a bit of extra time.

Shite. Had to pull out of the marathon I was training for at the last minute and I've just been in a foul mood all week since. So frustrating and disheartening to fumble something you've put so much effort into.

Mostly OK, but I’m battling box tree moths. We have a buxus hedge in front of our house, which we’ve been diligently tending for 20 years. These bastards are just munching through it. I sprayed the hedge with a parasite for these moths on Saturday, so let’s see how they like that. I fear this is a losing battle, though.

How was your week?

I was never working in an office, I joined during covid - which means I have been there for 5 years working remotely the entire time.

The new role is better pay and a fairly pleasant commute, 25 min bike ride to work along an old railway is cheaper than a gym membership.

Yeah, those 4 days just flew by...

Sorry to hear about your Dad. My Mum's slowing down now and I'm fearing the day that her money dries up and I'll have to bring her in to live with us... she's lovely, but it's the loss of independance (for all concerned).

But, I saw a yoochoob recently which reminded me that sometimes we need to do the right things, which might not be the nice things, so I hope the ultimatum works for your Dad

It was OK, nice to have a long weekend to spend with the family!

My dad has been stressing me out, he's clearly in need of living somewhere like a care home or retirement village, and can easily afford it, but he literally blanks me whenever I raise it with him. Like, I'll talk to him face to face and he says nothing as if I'm not talking to him at all. No "I'll think about it", nothing. It's frustrating because whenever there's an issue, he'll call me and I need to take time out of my working day to drive over to his, sort out his shit (somtimes literally) and drive back. I know it sounds cold, but next time, I'm going to just call the his carers next time something happens and he'll need to wait for them. If he was in a care home he'd receive round the clock assistance, and even more so, some company.

Rant over, I'm loving the warmer, sunnier days! Finally mowed what little grass we have in the garden, sorted out the plant pots and just tidied up the back garden. Actually got a couple of very short runs in too, and after putting ice packs on my calves for a while after, I'm not feeling anything... yet. So I'm hopeful that doing that works, and I can start building up to doing more running again.

Recently I took a hefty pay rise to have my compensation restructured to a 1099 employee (independent contractor), so basically I work when I want paying, which is still most of the time. For actual leave it's as simple as saying "I won't be in during x" and at least theoretically, that's that. With a bigger team it's not as if the business grinds to a halt without me anymore.

It's not yet clear how much holidaymaking they'll put up with (Americans being workaholics generally), so I tend to keep fairly normal office hours. Though I do start late and work a little in the evening, just to make time for calls to the west coast and maintaining a presence in my inbox.

It's kind of nice not having to work before 10am, since I've never done anything worth a damn that early anyway. Mornings are for school runs, chores, and mild amusements imo!

That's annoying that you don't get the UK bank holidays off! How does it work in terms of the amount of annual leave you get?

Long weekends are a tough one for me, since I'm still at my old American job working remotely. They don't really do bank hols, so I ended up just having a normal two day weekend buttressed by awkward working days with the kid and most things shut.

Definitely happy with the warmer days though. Winter felt like it lasted half the year yet never really hit hard.

Floss is boss. Floss is boss.

Couldn't agree more.