Well its over a week now that we decided to slew the one eyed monster that is the t.v.

 How hard has it been?
Just as with any addiction there have been withdrawals and shortness of temper, cravings and distractions but we have found it to be a liberating experience. We have had more time together and spent quality time doing "old fashioned" things like talking and playing board games( or should that be bored games). We have helped the children to produce meaningful homework to such a degree that both girls have had achievement cards sent home praising their work. All the little jobs that had been put off are getting done, the mirror we got from Ikea almost a year ago has been put up and the shelves that were propped in a corner are now firmly attached to the walls.
 It hasn't always been easy though but I've managed to remain focused and when I have begun to weaken have managed to find something to do. After all we all moan about there being not enough time to do the things we want to do, now we have effectively added 4hrs a day to our lives.
 Don't get me wrong T.V is not the root of all evil but the fact that we let it go uncontrolled is what, looking back, shocks us as to just how much time we did waste.
 We did watch How to train your Dragon on Dvd with the kids and it was great, lights out, popcorn, surround sound up just enough to deafen the neighbours. We really enjoyed it, both the film and the event so weve set aside Saturday evenings as film night, we each get to put forwards two films that we think the family will enjoy and then we choose which one we watch. Unfortunately with two girls 11 and 8 most films have either "Barbie", "princess" or "pony" in the title, they even threatened "The Ballet Shoes" earlier this week. As good fortune would have it I picked up Toy Story 3 so the overwhelming pink tide has been held off for at least another week.

On another subject all together, I am 6 weeks into a Horticulture course held at Capel Manor college in Enfield. The college is world renown for its Horticulture and Garden Design courses and has tutored a number of "celebrity" gardeners. The course I am on is the RHS Advanced, this is the second stage of three leading to a diploma in Horticulture. Today we were looking at plant bio-chemistry, photosynthesis  and respiration (hence the very large and very stiff drink that I am consuming). All in all we will have covered plant taxonomy, morphology and plant pests from September through till December and will be tested by exam in Feb, with a further exam in July to cover the more practical aspects of Horticulture. Having done Rhs lvel2 last year there is a massive jump this year and it was a little over whelming to be honest, but with a bit of perseverance and self discipline I am beginning to get to grips with it.  I can honestly say that this is something that I wish I had done years ago and even now it still excites me to think that I am achieving an ambition that I thought I would never have the opportunity to reach.
 Well back to the calvin cycle and figuring out why glycolosis takes place in the cytoplasm not the mitochondria matrix....wish me luck!

DAY 3: Slightly twitchy

We are officially a no T.V house hold as of 15th November!!

"What are you mad!!?!!"
 Quite possibly, but in the spirit of The Age of Aquarius we decided that the time spent staring numbly at the tely could be spent in a more fulfilling way. We sat down and made a list of reasons why we should keep/loose the t.v and came up with the following:

KEEPING

1. Match of the Day... I know its only me that watches it but I was making the list so I started it off.

2. All the great history programs... Obviously the Missus this one, "We like watching about ancient.....(add name of latest city to be dug up by Baldrick). I on the other hand wanted to put this as a reason in the next list.

3. Cbeebies .....some good educational and developmental programs for the under 5's. 

4. Its dark at night.... erm not really a good enough reason, though repeated at least4 times by the guy at sky when I phoned to cancel my subscription.

5. All the great Movies at Christmas.... hmm no don't get me wrong there are some great films to be seen but not since I was 7 and Jaws 3 was the big Blockbuster on Boxing day has there been anything worth watching at Christmas. For the last three years we did the old highlighter and the festive edition of the Radio Times....probably managed one film a year worth the ink, then it turns out to be on at 4:30 in the morning and only available if you get LWT.

6. If we get rid of the T.V we run the risk of having more children......aha foiled you on that one, booked myself in for "the Snip"(ouch!)

7. How will I fit in at school when the other kids are talking about what they watched last night?(eldest daughter)... I have heard what the kids talk about and their viewing habits and you were never allowed to watch Eastenders, The only way is Essex and 16 and Pregnant, you are only 10years old!

8. Erm... couldn't think of any more.

LOOSING

1. Match of the Day... hey! She got that little jibe in quick. "You watch too much football. You stay up half the night watching Hereford play Scunthorpe then come to bed at 2 in the morning put the light on wake me up then try and put your cold feet all over me and then I cant go back to sleep!!" " If getting rid of the tely stops you from coming to bed in the middle of the night and disturbing me them I will carry the Damn thing down to the tip n my back right now!!"... ahh ok I see.

2.Those great History programs.... yeah well if you actuals stayed awake long enough to watch them I wouldn't mind. You fall asleep after 5 minutes and I usually start watching Stargate or something and when you do open your eyes for half a second you think its part of you programs.

3. Cbeebies...just two words........... "MR TUMBLES" aaarrghhh no no no please god no, I cant take any more!!

4.We will spend more time reading and communicating.... ok, good reasons in themselves but, getting two words of sense out of you all when you have your heads buried in the latest "Mave Binchey" or "Kate Mosse" is next to impossible, and then its the 4 days of swanning around all wistful and distracted after you finish reading them.

5.DVD's are allowed..... our one concession to the goggle box. Watching a film is now an event again, switch off the lights, put on the surround sound and annoy the neighbours with every explosion, car chase or "scene of mild terror"(kids films). Its great we can now get excited about watching a film and its something to value rather than just something in passing. 

6.More baby making time....hey cant be a bad thing right! just have to wait for the swelling to go down...though she did ask why!!

7.The kids can now share with their friends the newly acquired wisdom that reading can bring. O.k they might get a little bit of a hard time but as I said before they were never allowed to watch the rubbish that their mates were watching anyway.  Anyway if its worth watching they can always catch up on the iplayer or 4OD.

8. Its going to save £50 a month.. Every little helps these days but more than the financial gain we will gain precious time. We discovered that we watched 3-4 hrs a night some times more, and that we didnt have the time or energy for the things we should be doing. Now we find that the evening is a lot longer than two episodes of The Simpsons and a One Show(although that could drag on for what seemed hours). Suddenly we have become time rich and we found ourselves as a family again, try it for just one night and I guarrentee you will have a good time. 

  So yes there have been the odd time that I've been tempted to switch on the t.v and yes there are those times of thumb twirling, but so what. I know that for me personally and my family we will spend more time together, we will do more together and we will function smoother. No more will we turn on, tune in and drop out.