GrumpyDaddy

Our three year old (almost four) twins play some strange games at times - but that's childhood imagination for you. One of the joys of being a daddy at the moment is listening to the bonkers things they talk about when making up their own worlds to play in.

Sometimes it's sad too. The other day I heard my daughter playing with some Peppa Pig characters and the conversation she added went something like this:

"What's wrong"?
"Oh I'm just a bit lonely."
"Why?"
"My mummy died and now I'm on my own."
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, just a bit sad."

I suppose that's a good thing really, she's already able to discuss and understand the major turning point in her young life. But hearing that kind of thing in their play brings a tear to my eye.

I wonder if this Muppet has to believe every advertising slogan plastered across the side of his bus before he'll drive it.

"Boss, does pro-retinol and plumping agent ceramide-R really hold back the first signs of ageing?"

"Just drive the effing bus baldy."

"Yes boss."

A few weeks ago I tapped out a long and very angry blog post. That post, titled "Dear God", was the last desperate death throws of my faith. It was my renunciation of the things that I had believed since 1994. Don't bother looking for the post, it's sat in the system, but I've no intention of making it public.

I said some things that needed to be said out loud - for my own sake. But there's no reason to throw it at you. While many of my posts appear rather angry it's all part of the style of the site, "Dear God" was real anger and it was too ugly to share.

So Cartmel Veteran what's your position on all the conflict within the Anglican Church right now? With all the battle lines being drawn as different factions fill sandbags and mount their machineguns you must have a position on this possible schism in the church CV?

A group of people in Suffolk wants to silence church bells. It seems hours of musical ringing has really got their dander up.

I'm not sure they've gone after the right target though. Musical bells played by a group of people are a rather attractive sound that's as English as can be. It's the sound of the nation and interesting hobby for those who wish to make music with friends in such a skilled and physically demanding way.

On the other hand church bells that ring out at various times of day are an anachronism. They had a point when people used to guess the time of day based on how many of their children had died of the black death, but we've got clocks now. And watches. And mobile phones. And cars. And television. And radio.