A bit of real life

I've been eschewing the morning news recently in favour of The Batman cartoon on ITV4 they seem to be looping the third or fourth season. On Thursday we got episode 1 on Friday episode 2 and on Monday episode 1 of Galactic Football - pfft it's for kids what do they care that you pull an entire season off air at the start they're not going to notice.

Getting up early on Saturday, for reasons that I'll explain later, I caught Batman The Brave and the Bold on ITV. Oh dear, it's like Scooby Doo meets the Batman (and yes that film does exist) I ended up watching it just to see if it could get any worse - it did. Imagine the same sort of scripting that brought us "bulletproof soles of our shoes" coupled with cheap animation and 'hilarious' visual gags from Eel O'Brian's Plastic Man. Not good.

Anyway the reason I was up early was that I was taking my mother shopping. I enjoy this for three reasons - one I get to spend time with my mother without my father (I appreciate it the other way around too) and two that I can prod her into buying things she wouldn't normally.

See they've never been 'well-off' and as such mum has always traded off quality and price, now they have more cash to spare that, admittedly worthwhile, attribute has stuck especially when around my father who reinforces it. As a result she always complains that when she goes shopping with me she always spends more than normal.

The third reason is due to the second one - she doesn't enjoy shopping. Shopping for anything is viewed as a chore, whereas I really enjoy it. So I'm also trying to encourage her to have fun just to wander around and paw the merchandise. It's taken a few years but she's getting better.

Another amusement is that when driving her she's just like me in pointing out the potholes, the stupidly placed covers, the poor layout of the roads and the other traffic failing to indicate. Heading through the main thoroughfares of Kidderminster gave ample opportunity - vehicles gently drifting into other lanes on the dual-carriageway or on the island approaches; me having to slow down and pull in to the left lane on the dual-carriageway exit because of the car blocking the second lane who then pulled into the slip to turn right without indicating. The car that tried to cut me up at Sainsbury's by not only using the left-hand lane to turn right, but then proceeded further right to get to the petrol station. Admittedly it's difficult to blame anyone here due to the complete lack of markings - right-hand turn lane 1 to the Retail Park right-hand turn lane 2 to... the Retail Park; very helpful.

While shopping and looking at books she asked if I had any thoughts for Bratus Major's upcoming birthday, nope difficult to know what he's into at the moment it changes so rapidly. Never mind perhaps I could get some ideas next Saturday when I'm looking after them for the evening. Say what? Yup apparently I'm baby-sitting next Saturday and having a family lunch beforehand. Hadn't Bratus Parentis asked me? Nope. Oh. It'll be fun when I tell them at lunch I'm going out for the evening - I'll cancel now I know.

On the downside The Artist was back in hospital on Friday. Coming back from work on the bus he contacted his wife with his location who said she was catching the same bus at a later point. Much waiting and no bus. He'd had a seizure and the bus was obviously delayed waiting for an ambulance.

This is a problem as such a fit results in a removal of driving privileges for a year and he's only just got them back.

First impressions was the cause that he'd hadn't been taking his tablets - I vowed to twonk him across the back of the head next time I saw him.

Second impressions that he'd forgotten to take his tablets just for that day and complications had arisen due to a bug. Twonking halted; if this is the case he won't lose driving privileges.

Third impressions that he hadn't been taking his tablets because he'd run out and hadn't bothered picking up his repeat prescription. Twonking back on.

A most definitely slap coming as they're expecting a additional little sister for Devil Child and this means relying on the ambulance service which wasn't much use last time.

On a personal note I've almost picked up my first Platinum Trophy for the PS3 which is awarded when you gain every other trophy. I'm just two off - Casey Jones and Evil to the Core. No idea how I haven't gained the former - down 25 enemies while riding the train and as for the second I don't know if playing evil or just hard downgrades the experience points, but I'm about 3000 points short. Having finished the game I can still pick up the later with the few remaining enemies about, but the latter will prove much more difficult. Might need another play through.