One day my beloved partner said to me:

“How about a Sun holiday?”

My blood ran cold!

Unwanted memories of our last Sun Holiday in Newquay came creeping back like a bad kebab. I remember looking out of my freezing caravan window at the rain lashed beach Newquay Beach before closing the curtains, dramatically sighing/weeping and returning to bed fully clothed (including coat with hood up)  to cuddle up to my family who were all dressed (including coat with hood up) to share body heat so we could survive the night.

Team Hopkins are Mobilised

We were allocated to go to Dawlish in Devon, we had been there before. My tension eased, it wasn’t to last. It was decided that for our four day break in Dawlish the team slogan would be ” be prepared”. Unfortunately this was taken to the point whereby everything we owned was  crammed into the car, we had to decide on either leaving a child or a George Foreman grill behind. George Foreman grills are better behaved and don’t have tantrums, but alas, I was overruled.

The journey down went without any stress, which was due Tommy sleeping all the way. Alison’s fear of being in the car generally has subsided over the years, now she only thinks that every fourth lorry will hit us on the motorway.

We got ther the site was lovely, the sun was out, the caravan was 30ft from the clubhouse all was well with the world.

The Dancing Hopkins

The kids loved the Loopy Club,  Tommy and Josie danced their little bums off. The clubhouse wasn’t too bad, not like Newquay where it was like backstage at Jeremy Kyle. Josie became obsessed with the bingo and Tom was normally danced out by 8:30. I could go back to the caravan with him sleeping and enjoy a glass of wine in peace, while Josie and Alison watched the campiest entertainment since Millets had an open day.

Tommy’s Birthday

It was Tom’s birthday on the second day his little face lighted up to see his Scalextric, though one of the cars continually took the corner like Ayrton Senna at the slightest touch. (I took it back on the way home).

We took him to the beach, go karting and playing football and we ended up back at the Loopy Club (for a change) Thomas said “no” when the girl on stage asked him if he had “plenty of presents”  which I would of expected from him to be honest. Though he didnt look to happy when they sung Happy Birthday Thomas.

Paignton Zoo

As the weather changed to dampness we went to Paignton Zoo. I believe this is the best Zoo in the land, better than the overgrown Garden Centre that is Bristol Zoo. Tommy, performed, refusing to walk, he even said when I asked him to see the animals

“LIONS ARE RUBBISH, TIGERS ARE RUBBISH AND BEARS ARE RUBBISH, I WANT TO SEE ONE GIRAFFE AND GO TO THE PLAY AREA – NOW!!”

(There were no bears there).

After getting back the kids went on up to the Loopy Club (can you see a pattern forming here), while I searched for TWO HOURS for the caravan keys. When I phoned Alison, Tommy overheard that I was looking for the caravan keys and he said “Mam, I hidden the caravan keys”. I frogmarched him back to the caravan, after interrogation and bribery he shown me the keys hidden in his pillowcase. Bless Him.

Team Hopkins – Holiday Task Completed.

Things are always better when you don’t look forward to it, I was really pleasantly surprised.

After being out of the house twelve hours a day with work recently finishing a long season of rugby I always felt guilty for not spending enough time with the family. This holiday recharged my batteries and made me realise what is important. They wont be kids for much longer.

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Sorry, but I have neglected this Blog of late, fear not, I will give you at least a weekly update from here on in.

I promised my wonderful mam who will be going  through a rough time in the next few weeks that I will record what the kids say and do.

Here goes:

Josie’s Birthday

My little princess turned eight last Friday (though her birthday is normally a weeks celebration), I cant beleive she turned eight it only seems like yesterday( I’m holding back on other cliches such as “where does the time go” etc. ) Anyway Josie wanted to fore go the usual kids party (no screaming kids, snot and jelly),   to stay in a hotel in her favourite place in Wales – Cardiff Bay.  I booked the day off work and booked the Future Inn for the night. Josie had packed her vanity her uncle Johnny had bought her on the previous Sunday.

Friday came around, I picked Tommy up from school which he said he was very proud of me, (he built that up to more than it was to be honest, it was only a forty yard walk, he never says he is proud when I can fart the Welsh National Anthem). Josie came home at 12, wound up like a top. Off we went first stop, swimming in Cardiff Bay. It was nice,my beautiful girlfriend came up with corker. Tommy wears a life jacket with foam inserts,  He jumped in and momentarily sunk under the water only to pop back up half a second later, Alison, obviously concerned said to me :

“Matthew, Tommy just sunk, do you think his jacket is inside out?”

I attempted to explain that no matter which way round a foam insert is placed, I wont hold up a 2 and half stone nutcase. (sorry Al but it is good material).

We went on to the hotel, I had a few trepidations

1. The hotel may be shite
2. The hotel would be full of piss heads, down in Cardiff for a Jolly night of happy slapping

My fears were allayed, I stay in many hotels with work but that was the best I have stayed in for a long time. Clean, excellent service and most importantly cheap, £86 for all of us. If you are staying in Cardiff, I recommend Future Inn.

It nearly went tits up, at 7:30pm we walked across to the Red Dragon Centre only to find that the main thing the kids wanted to do, bowling, was fully booked. I Improvised, took the kids to the nearby cinema hoping to watch a kids film, I was only told “Marley and Me”  was available at 8:30. To be honest taking the kids to watch a dog die is:

• Something I could do for free
• Not something I want to take the kids to see.

Improvisation was the key so we drove off to  Bowling Complex in Nantgarw. We were told it was an hour wait, we went to McDonalds to kill a bit of time. We went back in and it was pandemonium, I felt sorry for the staff, the lanes wasn’t working, their computer system was out of the ark (gas powered computers) and everyone was moaning at the very patient staff.  The kids asked me every 3 nanoseconds when they were going to play. Though fair play, when we did play and the lane broke down, a bald bloke with a mic made up for it. He made a fuss over Josies birthday, it made her day, he gave her two cuddly for bowling with her eyes closed. Though it must be said that Josie was not happy with Tommy winning (though it was she offically stated it was a practice night, alternating between between pushing the ball down the frame and actual bowling, whereas Tommy capitalised on using the frame all the time).

In the morning,  after a cracking breakfast, we went to watch Monster Vs Aliens. Josie and Tom loved it until Thomas after drinking his third litre of apple juice wanted to relieve himself as all good men do, half way through the film.  I could only find a disabled toilet (I’m sure my bonk leg partly qualifies me to use such a facility). After doing his business he went to pull the flush, the problem was he thought the orange “distress” cord was the flush and when I shouted “NOOOO” he took this as a personal insult and the following exchange went as so:

Thomas: Dont Ever Shout at Mine, Im going home I am

Me: C’mon Tom , lets go and watch the film, its funny, you like the Blob?

Thomas: NOOO, the film is rubbish, you are rubbish, im going home!

Me: C’mon butty I’m sorry, finish the film and ill take you home in the car.

Thomas: Im off home on the Bus, on mine own!

Bear in mind he is only four (nearly), he made schoolboy error, though all he had in his pocket was a kinder egg toy and a hanky, he wouldnt have had made it to Caerphilly. Anyway, argument resolved he went back and sulked on his mams lap for 5 mins, he enjoyed the rest of the film. After the film we took two knackered kids home.

It was one of the best 24 hours of my life. I will always remember that day. In few years she will shudder at thought of spending time with her parents, (hopefully not but you gotta be prepared) I think it is important revel in the good days to get you through the bad.

Rugby Saturday

I played against Newport Whiteheads in a WRU Division 6 Match we won with a bonus point, I scored two tries and got man of the match. Even more important was the fact that I finished my first game all season, I was in alot of pain, but it was one of my proudest days ever playing rugby. The coaches have been excellent, more patient than I deserve sometimes and I was glad I could pay them back. (sorry about sounding corny but I love my rugby). Read the match report.

Work

This week was rollercoaster, there was issues to be resolved and I had a meeting with the board. It went brilliantly I now heading up my own department, Technical Marketing. in a leading online people search company I am immensly proud of this. Though it is a bit daunting thinking of budgets etc. Though I should point out that there is only me in the department, the team building day out of one should be interesting, I know would definitley win go karting, though playing paintballing with myself should be interesting. Anyway I digreess,  I know I will be supported by family and work and all I can do is my best.

Anyway enough of my self indulgence, see you next week.

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