Very tired. Nose running. Headache this morning. I could have done without going out to a family meal to celebrate Sister 3's birthday, but at least there I was able to sit Niece 2 (3 months, 3 weeks old, approximately) on my lap and make her laugh by doing duck noises. Highlight of my day. Really.

I have not forgotten the blog. I went to see the Fratellis and have a story of idiocy to tell. I have been listening to the Shuffleathon 2008 CD, which is a quite interesting set of songs. I have been writing some emails and doing other things. I have just not been writing about them.

By the way, "Iron Man" is magnificent on Blu Ray. Just thought that you should know that.

I am going to lie down.

I said that I would be back here on Sunday. Here I am.

Things were getting on top off me. The days were too short. Work was too hard. The arguments with Jennifer were becoming too sharp and bitter. There was too much that I wanted to watch at the cinema or on the TV. The commitments were becoming too great, including the maintenance of the blog. I even cried off today on going to help Sister 1 setup her new printer, claiming that I had something else to do. True enough, except that the 'something else to do' was going to see "Eden Lake" with my Brother. (It is a very good film, by the way. I will write about it sometime this week.)

Something had to be lost, temporarily, and it turned out to be the blog. Sorry about that, but I was going mad. You wouldn't like me if I was mad. I turn green.

The blog is a commitment. Sure it is. There are people I read regularly, and they know who they are, who write every single day without fail. I don't know how they do it. I could not do it. I don't think that I would want to.

Things are now better, even with Jennifer.

For this evening, then, a little blog maintenance, and then I am going to watch the new BBC production of "Tess Of The D'Urbervilles". I have not seen any adaptations of the story. I even managed to miss the famous Roman Polanski version of 1979 starring Natasha Kinski and Peter Firth. Jennifer tells me that "Tess Of The D'Urbervilles" is a horrible tale of hopelessness and despair and that she will certainly not be watching it.

Just me then. In my room.

Is it a sign of middle age that I now feel the need to watch 'quality' BBC productions on a Sunday night? Next thing I will be swapping my Ben Sherman Union Jack T-Shirt for a nice sweater or, perhaps, a cardigan?

Bollocks! Never!

It's good to be back.

I have excellent news. I am an Uncle for the third time.

Sister 3 gave birth by C-section this afternoon to a little girl. New Niece is 7 pounds and 2 ounces, very pink, has lots of black hair and, according to my Mom, the Cornelius nose. True, I never knew that there was such a thing as the 'Cornelius Nose', but I stand corrected.

Other than that, I know nothing. Jennifer and I will be seeing Sister 3 at the weekend. Must make a note to buy my Nephew (New Niece's Brother) a little gift at the weekend.

Really brilliant! Another Cornelius on stream for visits to Christmas pantomimes, circa 2013 through 2025.

Changes to the blog: Niece is now renamed Niece 1. New Niece is now renamed Niece 2.

Got to keep these things in order.

I think I upset my Brother a great deal this evening when I said that I would probably not be joining him for his Birthday pissup tomorrow night. (His Birthday is actually on the 18th.) No spare money, basically, and a trip to London next weekend to somehow get through without any money.

It is totally unacceptable to me to even consider allowing him to sub me for the evening, even though he offered.

So this is for him, even though he will never, ever see this blog.

I love my Brother. I really do.

It has been an incredibly busy weekend. At the time, frankly too busy to taking time out to be blogging about it.

Saturday we spent mostly with my Nephew. My Nephew will be 12 on 26th May 2008. Due to a combination of many things, we will not be seeing him on that day or close to that day. So, we took him out and let him choose his own presents and treats.

Clothes from Debenhams (the boy likes his labels - Sister 3 blames me), burger and salad from the Handmade Burger Company (he had a Chicken, Cheese - yuck - and Bacon combination) and then a movie ("Speed Racer" - a piece of shit, but I will go into details at a another time). It was a really nice day for all concerned. Jennifer played Mom and she loved it.

Today Jennifer departed for Nottingham. She has a business meeting in the city tomorrow, and it gave her the chance to stay over at one of her oldest friends. I have filled my day with movies ("Iron Man" - very good, I thought), eating and TV ("I'd Do Anything" - sue me, I love it, and segments from "Lost" series 3 Virgin Media's TV on demand service). I could have/should have done chores. Our back garden is a disgrace.

Ha ha ha ha!