25 March 2020

Disney+ arrives in the UK

What a bargain! I signed up for the advance price of £49.99 knowing that lockdown was inevitable. What a great choice I made! That price is 5x DVDs or digital movies in SD. Disney+ has hundreds of movies and programmes to watch! A-ma-zing!

I'm mostly looking forward to introducing the little Rayboulds to come of the classics: Bedknobs & Broomsticks, The Sword in the Stone and (I know!) The Lion King.

Talk about one more thing to keep us sane in this insane time...

21 March 2020

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - UPDATE


I haven't seen it yet - shame on me? Nah, I didn't have anyone to go to the flicks with... However, the DVD is on the way. I have a projector and screen to order and an excellent spot in the house to install it. Home cinema like I've never experienced. Especially for Star Wars. So... I've seen it (twice). Excellent. Amazing. Emotional. Unexpected. OK, so there are a few random, ret-conned aspects that don't necessarily correct The Last Jedi but definitely set out to address some of the changes in direction. However, I loved The Last Jedi. I love The Rise of Skywalker. I have spoken.

Self-Isolation - the beginning of the Corona Wars

My last day of work for the academic year wasn't in July as it should have been. I should have been congratulating myself on completing the first year of a new job. Instead, having been thoroughly preparing children for their SATs, school ended for the foreseeable future on Friday 20th March 2020. At which point my self-isolation started.

Due to the coronavirus, COVID-19, outbreak and the fact that I have asthma, I am now in a strange sort of quarantine. I'm not the most sociable of people generally but the prospect of not socialising with my new friends from work or church or seeing anyone from my family fills me with a sense of dread.

I'm trying not to focus on that. I'm trying to focus on giving my own children the best home education experience possible. I'm trying to create a range of activities that children from my class can complete, enjoy and learn from. I'm trying also to be the best husband and father that I can be. I'm trying to stay calm.

I've bought the subscription to Disney+. I've set up the Learning Room to become an excellent place for me and my daughters to work and learn. I'm thinking about the things I need to do to stay sane.

These are very strange times indeed. A war on an invisible terror. I'm naming them the Corona Wars and imagine looking back in 40 years time telling my grandchildren about them. "Back in the war..." What will I tell them? Only time will tell...