Just realised I haven't said anything about the holiday! Am now at the start of the third week of the five-week summer holiday. Main goals were C++ and guitar practise - probably appallingly non-spiritual of me, although ideally hanging with God shouldn't count as a task anyway! And Phil would probably point out that the fruits of the two main goals will be almost exclusively used for God anyway, which is true.
Anyway, achieving something with the C++ is especially important to me in determining whether big holidays work. Part of my original plan in accepting my current job was to use the holidays to prepare for a career change (to programming). This has largely not really happened - I've spent half the time (at least) hanging with close friends, and much of the rest has fallen victim to my lack of self-discipline. So, this being the biggest holiday, it's especially important that I actually get somewhere with the programming!
That said, I have actually achieved something in the last two weeks. The eighties-adventure-game rip-off I've been doing is coming along, and I now understand TCanvas and TBitmap much better, and some other stuff. Phil's been really helpful, and if I achieve nothing else this holiday I won't be utterly disappointed - would have mixed feelings. Will hopefully achieve some more stuff, of course! Am going to Phil's for a week starting this Thursday, though, and have a funeral on Tuesday and am going in to work on Wednesday, so I don't have that much more than one whole week left! A bit more, I guess.....have to see, anyway.
Have had terrible problems with sleep patterns - can't seem to get to sleep before 6:00 a.m. So I'm currently dreading this morning's sermon! At least I might get there on time, if I can remember how long it takes to get there when I pick up Zoe on the way.
It was my sister's birthday yesterday. I wasn't entirely happy with the card I gave her - I was being slightly humorous, but my sense of humour isn't very easy to understand. Didn't see that much of her, really, so I hope it all went well. She's just started using contact lenses, brave nutter that she is! Seems to be adjusting okay, though.
It was also Sam's and Simon's respective birthdays recently, and Zoe kindly staged a barbecue at her house to celebrate the fact, which saved me from having a guilt trip about not doing anything major - just turned up with many burgers and got them a card each. Wouldn't have known what to do, anyway - this sort of thing is much easier when everyone has money!
Speaking of money, I'm seriously thinking of cancelling my mobile 'phone contract, even assuming I can't hack it into a pay-as-you-go phone. I figure I can survive quite well without it, and it won't inconvenience anyone too much, hopefully. And I basically just can't afford it! Kudos to Zoe again for respecting my dislike of telephone calls and texting me instead whenever possible - may no longer be possible soon, though!