Forty-six year old Christian happily negotiating the world with a wife and three daughters
On a cloudy spring afternoon we enjoyed a short walk over at nearby Ockwells Park.
The girls spent a short time in the play area before we had a walk around the park.
My mother has recently treated herself to some new bedroom furniture.
Most of it arrived more or less assembled, but the wardrobe arrived in four boxes and required assembly by ‘three strong men’ – according to the comprehensive instructions.
Therefore, the family were duly summoned to assist in the building of the new wardrobe. I came over with Rebekah, collecting my nephew and niece on the way over.
Time to head off to pick up @hugh_evans and get started on #operationwardrobe!
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) March 10, 2012
Hugh and I made a start before my brother, Adrian, turned up some of his family to assist.
None of us are particularly skilled in the art of self-assembly, but we set to work with early enthusiasm.
We made a strong start and managed to fit the side panels and doors onto the base unit relatively quickly.

http://t.co/5b3A46L1 – #operationwardrobe off to a strong start. Side panels and doors attached successfully. #timeforacoffee
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) March 10, 2012
Following a short break for coffee, we lifted the weighty wardrobe upright and fitted the top.
The problems began when we attempted to screw the back panel into place and found that the storage unit at the bottom of the wardrobe had been positioned too far back, meaning that the back panel would stick out at the bottom.
Accordingly, we had to lie the troublesome cupboard down again before unscrewing, repositioning and rescrewing the bottom section in twice!
#operationwardrobe hampered by a misaligned base, necessitating re-screwing! #hotwork
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) March 10, 2012
By the time we got round to reinstating the unit back to the vertical plane, the top had worked loose and required further tightening.
Finally, with much grief and with some split wood in places, we managed to attach the back panel in place – adding in extra screws where it seemed to be bowing somewhat!
Eventually, some two hours longer than the recommended time for assembly, the wardrobe was complete and in position! My thanks to Hugh for the photo below.

http://t.co/uL2yzo62 – Mission accomplished! #operationwardrobe. Spaghetti on toast beckons…
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) March 10, 2012
In what turned out to be something of a roller-coaster of a match, Liverpool FC finally defeated Cardiff City on penalties to claim their 8th League Cup title and their first silverware for six years.
Here’s how the match unfolded on Twitter:
Here we go #lfc, let's win some silverware! #longwait #ynwa
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
Great opening strike from #Johnson. Less so from #Gerrard. #lfc
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
Amazing scenes…..Joe Mason scores. #ccfc fans going crazy
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) February 26, 2012
That's not gone to plan. #lfc's defence found wanting. #ccfc 1-0 #lfc #carlingcup
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
Cardiff one up. Think we might have a game on our hands. If you are not watching, switch on now. BBC1
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) February 26, 2012
Fantastic interception by Hudson to nick the ball away from Carroll. Hudson playing superbly. #ccfc
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) February 26, 2012
#ccfc playing very well. Seems an age since #Johnson's early strike. #ccfc 1-0 #lfc. Four minutes to HT. #carlingcup
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
Hate new Wembley, even the TV camera angle is all wrong. Needs to be high & wide, not low. Makes it look like every other ground #notthesame
— Jonathan Worth (@jonathanworth) February 26, 2012
#lfc crying out for a Welshman – Bellamy. Liverpool miss his energy, his pace, his touch. Must replace Henderson surely. #ccfc lead 1-0 ht
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) February 26, 2012
https://twitter.com/#!/henrywinter/status/173815920664379393
Better from #lfc since half-time. Time for #Bellamy though!
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
#lfc equaliser by Skrtel. 1-1. Good pressure after a corner and Suarez hit post. Decent finish by Skrtel, one touch, second driven in
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) February 26, 2012
@PhilBray Liv should win this but they just have too many average players: Henderson, Downing, Adam, Carroll… just not "Liverpool quality"
— Jonathan Worth (@jonathanworth) February 26, 2012
Into the last 15 minutes and still #ccfc 1-1 #lfc
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
C'mon #lfc! 8 minutes to go.
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
#ccfc fans sense their team tiring, so launch into passionate song to get them going again. Great support.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) February 26, 2012
So extra time it is. #ccfc 1-1 #lfc
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
We've had a great version of Men of Harlech, now Three Little Birdies from #ccfc fans. Welsh sport is alive and kicking. So is the singing
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) February 26, 2012
Fifteen minutes to win the #carlingcup. #lfc #ynwa
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
Cometh the hour, cometh the #Kuyt! Tremendous strike. #ccfc 1-2 #lfc #carlingcup
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
Unbelievable……2-2. #ccfc equalise at the death. Kuyt had just cleared off the line and then Ben Turner pounces.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) February 26, 2012
Desperate defending from #lfc and #ccfc equalise with 2 minutes left! #carlingcup
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
It's penalties. #carlingcup #ccfc 2-2 #lfc
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
All slipping away. #Gerrard penalty saved.
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
Adam over. Does anyone want to score??
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) February 26, 2012
1-1 after 3 pens.
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
Anthony Gerrard #ccfc misses. LIverpool win Carling Cup.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) February 26, 2012
All over #lfc win on pens. Fantastic match. All credit to #ccfc for a superb effort. #carlingcup
— Phil Bray (@PhilBray) February 26, 2012
#ccfc lost a shoot-out but they won many friends at Wembley. Real guts, even when their legs were filling with cramp. Hope they go up
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) February 26, 2012
Liverpool beat Cardiff 3-2 on penalties to win Carling Cup final at Wembley http://t.co/P4feAsyk
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) February 26, 2012
I haven’t used my macro lens much with the 5D Mk II, but decided to take a few photos of the expanding hawthorn buds this morning and was relatively pleased with the results.
Later we popped over to Mum’s to put some compost onto the vegetable plot.
While we were there, I took a few more ‘close up’ shots, mainly of flowers.