Half-Term Hijinks: A Cheeky Recap

This past week was half-term at school, which meant Joshua was off school all week. We agreed that he could have three days at home enjoying his own company, and we would spend Thursday and Friday with him.

Joshua’s Solo Adventures

The first three days of Joshua’s half-term break were spent in the typical teenage manner—glued to his Xbox, battling virtual foes with his mates. He was living the dream until Mum and Dad decided to rain on his parade by taking two days off to spend with him. Oh, the horror!

Thursday: Family Fun Day (Sort Of)

The Orthodontist Detour

Thursday was earmarked for a family day out since Lewis and Danielle were also off. But first, there was the small matter of Joshua’s orthodontist consultation for his upcoming brace fitting. The verdict? Brace fitting set for the Easter holidays. Hurrah for metal mouths!

Bowling Bust

With the dental duties done, we picked up Lewis and Danielle from her aunt’s house, where Lewis had been charming the socks off her aunt and uncle. The trio fancied a game of ten-pin bowling, so off we went to the bowling alley at the Macron Stadium (Bolton Wanderers Ground). But alas, half-term chaos meant a three-hour wait for a lane. Presumably, the soggy weather had driven everyone indoors.

Cinema Snafu

Plan B was a trip to the cinema to see “Kingsman. – The Secret Service” Tickets in hand, we headed for the screen, only to be thwarted by the manager. It turns out Josh isn’t quite 15 yet (two weeks shy!), so no dice on that front.

Fleetwood Fun

Onto Plan C: a jaunt to Fleetwood. With most of the day already gone, we managed only a half-day there. Still, it was an afternoon well spent shopping at Freeport, where we snagged a few bargains. On the way home, we stopped at Applewood Farm for a carvery. The only one who didn’t overindulge was Michele!

Friday: The Damp Squib

Friday turned out to be a bit of a washout, both weather-wise and health-wise. Feeling a bit off-colour—perhaps it was something I ate?—we abandoned grand plans and instead tackled the mundane task of clearing out old paperwork. This productive purge meant we could haul the old filing cabinet to the refuse tip on Saturday morning. Thrilling stuff, I know. I also set up a new fax machine for my Father-in-Law. Who knew they still sold those relics?

Saturday: Manchester Mischief

Birthday Bash Beginnings

Saturday afternoon and evening were devoted to celebrating our good friend Dawn’s birthday with her and Warren. We kicked off the festivities at The Castle on Oldham Street, much to Michele’s chagrin—she branded it an old man’s pub.

Boys vs. Girls

While the ladies indulged in some retail therapy, Warren and I enjoyed a few more pints at the Micro Brewery Bar in Manchester Arndale Shopping Centre. Reunited with the girls, we ventured to Sinclair’s Oyster Bar, where things took a hilarious turn. The girls were accused of being lesbians for rebuffing a group of lads’ advances while Warren and I fetched drinks. Cheeky!

The Mitre Mayhem

Hunger struck, so we headed to The Mitre Hotel. The place was buzzing, but we managed to snag a table. The food was top-notch, and we washed it down with a couple of Bellinis and extra beers before heading home, with Dawn playing designated driver. Cheers to that!

Sunday: Snowed In

Today has been a classic British winter day—wet, cold, and sprinkled with sporadic snow showers that refused to settle. We had planned a trip back to Manchester to cap off the half-term break by watching the Chinese New Year celebrations. But given the dreary weather, we opted to stay snug indoors instead.

Back to the Grind

And so, the half-term shenanigans come to an end. It’s back to work tomorrow. Until the next holiday, cheers!