Joe
@droedmawr.bsky.social
Former Early Years teacher, now working in mental health. Ex-Londoner living in North Wales. Views are my own, not my employer's.
He/him.
He/him.
I went to a 5 year old's birthday yesterday, held in the gym and canteen of a local secondary school. I guess it's rented by a soft play company for the weekend and they try and cram in as many parties as possible. Maybe schools need to do this now. Perhaps a solution for our struggling NHS? 😐
February 16, 2025 at 2:28 PM
I went to a 5 year old's birthday yesterday, held in the gym and canteen of a local secondary school. I guess it's rented by a soft play company for the weekend and they try and cram in as many parties as possible. Maybe schools need to do this now. Perhaps a solution for our struggling NHS? 😐
Said 3 year old also made this awesome monster cars this evening. Don't worry, it's an expired membership card.
January 31, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Said 3 year old also made this awesome monster cars this evening. Don't worry, it's an expired membership card.
The 3 year old got a sticker at nursery today. I asked her why and she said it was for eating all of her pizza. What a life!
January 31, 2025 at 10:51 PM
The 3 year old got a sticker at nursery today. I asked her why and she said it was for eating all of her pizza. What a life!
The 3 year old has a toy cow that she's named Caws (sounds like Klaus), which is Cymraeg for cheese.
January 26, 2025 at 9:29 AM
The 3 year old has a toy cow that she's named Caws (sounds like Klaus), which is Cymraeg for cheese.
About 3 weeks ago I quit Twitter. In that time, I've managed to put together a photography zine about my new-ish home town and the hidden river that runs under it. The zine itself was supposed to arrive today, but didn't. But here is the full collection of images: joepbenge.myportfolio.com/afon-adda
joe benge - From Glanadda
The river Adda rises somewhere near the carpark of B&Q, amongst the retail parks on the edge of Bangor. It runs in a culvert beneath factories and garages, down alleyways and between shopping centres,...
joepbenge.myportfolio.com
January 24, 2025 at 11:11 PM
About 3 weeks ago I quit Twitter. In that time, I've managed to put together a photography zine about my new-ish home town and the hidden river that runs under it. The zine itself was supposed to arrive today, but didn't. But here is the full collection of images: joepbenge.myportfolio.com/afon-adda
Can't imagine what today was like in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Éire. We had some strong winds here - strong enough that they closed the Britannia bridge for a few hours - but nothing like what was predicted. It ended up being a lovely day on the North Wales coast by mid-afternoon.
January 24, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Can't imagine what today was like in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Éire. We had some strong winds here - strong enough that they closed the Britannia bridge for a few hours - but nothing like what was predicted. It ended up being a lovely day on the North Wales coast by mid-afternoon.
The kid has laid a very delicate and sneaky trap in the kitchen.
January 24, 2025 at 10:57 PM
The kid has laid a very delicate and sneaky trap in the kitchen.
I'm a big fan of the Brambell building, but I think it also says a lot about the divide between the university and the rest of Bangor. Bangor’s Brutalist ‘Eyesore of the Year’ listed search.app/sWDdssDazjbs...
Bangor’s Brutalist ‘Eyesore of the Year’ listed
The Brambell Laboratory at Bangor University has been Grade II-listed, while the Grade I listing for...
search.app
January 21, 2025 at 7:03 PM
I'm a big fan of the Brambell building, but I think it also says a lot about the divide between the university and the rest of Bangor. Bangor’s Brutalist ‘Eyesore of the Year’ listed search.app/sWDdssDazjbs...
This is a lovely book. We read it for bed time tonight. Maybe my 3 year old is a bit young for the language and style it's written in, but it would be really valuable for slightly older children.
January 18, 2025 at 8:40 PM
This is a lovely book. We read it for bed time tonight. Maybe my 3 year old is a bit young for the language and style it's written in, but it would be really valuable for slightly older children.
My partner is wearing a pair of Lucy and Yak trousers today and I told her she looks like a hot nurse in scrubs. Our 3 year old heard this and is now running around the garden shouting "HOT NURSE" over and over.
January 18, 2025 at 3:41 PM
My partner is wearing a pair of Lucy and Yak trousers today and I told her she looks like a hot nurse in scrubs. Our 3 year old heard this and is now running around the garden shouting "HOT NURSE" over and over.
I couldn't really care less about the US government banning TikTok, to be honest. Although I do find it amusing that Americans of a certain age are up in arms about young people being influenced by it, when a huge chunk of their own generation has been radicalised on Facebook.
January 17, 2025 at 10:02 PM
I couldn't really care less about the US government banning TikTok, to be honest. Although I do find it amusing that Americans of a certain age are up in arms about young people being influenced by it, when a huge chunk of their own generation has been radicalised on Facebook.
I'm doing an NVQ for work this year and, because I don't have a GCSE in IT, I need to take a Digital Literacy class for the next few weeks. One of the other students in the class is literally a school boy in his uniform.
January 17, 2025 at 3:03 PM
I'm doing an NVQ for work this year and, because I don't have a GCSE in IT, I need to take a Digital Literacy class for the next few weeks. One of the other students in the class is literally a school boy in his uniform.
I got to see inside the old walled garden at work today. This was built in the 1860s for John Platt MP, who lived here on the estate. The original greenhouses here were used to grow pineapples. A lot of work has been done by staff and patients to restore and make this a usable space again.
January 16, 2025 at 8:03 PM
I got to see inside the old walled garden at work today. This was built in the 1860s for John Platt MP, who lived here on the estate. The original greenhouses here were used to grow pineapples. A lot of work has been done by staff and patients to restore and make this a usable space again.
My partner and I are thinking of getting bikes. Our local independent bike shop is named Evolution Bikes, and I couldn't resist making an "Evolution, not revolution" joke to her. She was not impressed. #Partridge
January 14, 2025 at 8:16 PM
My partner and I are thinking of getting bikes. Our local independent bike shop is named Evolution Bikes, and I couldn't resist making an "Evolution, not revolution" joke to her. She was not impressed. #Partridge
Bit late, really. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Fears for UK boomer radicalisation on Facebook after Meta drops factcheckers
For middle-aged users, it will be ‘even harder to discern the truth’ among extremist content, expert says
www.theguardian.com
January 12, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Bit late, really. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
I might have the opportunity to take a solo trip in March (my wife is going to the US in April, so she suggested I go somewhere too). I want to take either a train journey or a ferry trip somewhere in Europe, and somewhere cheapish. I was thinking about the Belgrade to Bar train. Any suggestions?
January 10, 2025 at 9:50 PM
I might have the opportunity to take a solo trip in March (my wife is going to the US in April, so she suggested I go somewhere too). I want to take either a train journey or a ferry trip somewhere in Europe, and somewhere cheapish. I was thinking about the Belgrade to Bar train. Any suggestions?
Thinking about buying this human pasta maker to use at home. Would've been quite useful when I was teaching.
January 8, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Thinking about buying this human pasta maker to use at home. Would've been quite useful when I was teaching.
My child brought this book home from Nursery. I have to say, I think Jillian is taking a few liberties with her claims of authorship here.
January 7, 2025 at 2:25 PM
My child brought this book home from Nursery. I have to say, I think Jillian is taking a few liberties with her claims of authorship here.
My 3 year old is telling me all about Gekko from PJ Masks. She insists his real name is Gravy. It's actually Greg, but ok.
January 5, 2025 at 7:35 PM
My 3 year old is telling me all about Gekko from PJ Masks. She insists his real name is Gravy. It's actually Greg, but ok.
This was the present I got my 3 year old for Christmas. Not sure she's quite ready to build it herself, but she really enjoys running the marbles down it. I'm loving it too.
January 1, 2025 at 9:00 PM
This was the present I got my 3 year old for Christmas. Not sure she's quite ready to build it herself, but she really enjoys running the marbles down it. I'm loving it too.
One of my favourite things this year was finally getting around to investigating what happened to my Dad's cross. He showed me this photo a couple of years ago, taken in the early 1960s when he was a welder in East London. He told me he made this cross for the cathedral in Liverpool.
December 26, 2024 at 8:59 PM
One of my favourite things this year was finally getting around to investigating what happened to my Dad's cross. He showed me this photo a couple of years ago, taken in the early 1960s when he was a welder in East London. He told me he made this cross for the cathedral in Liverpool.
Finally caught up with my partner and our child at the in-laws, after a long train journey. My wife's taken the air bed, so it looks like I'm sharing a small double bed with a three year old who is currently sprawled sideways across the middle of it. #DuvetKnowItsChristmas
December 24, 2024 at 10:56 PM
Finally caught up with my partner and our child at the in-laws, after a long train journey. My wife's taken the air bed, so it looks like I'm sharing a small double bed with a three year old who is currently sprawled sideways across the middle of it. #DuvetKnowItsChristmas
There is a takeaway called Lebanese Grill on New Kent Road in South London and every time I've gone past in the past year or more there's been a massive queue outside. Even tonight, at 10pm on Christmas Eve, there's maybe 40 people waiting outside for their half chicken.
December 24, 2024 at 10:32 PM
There is a takeaway called Lebanese Grill on New Kent Road in South London and every time I've gone past in the past year or more there's been a massive queue outside. Even tonight, at 10pm on Christmas Eve, there's maybe 40 people waiting outside for their half chicken.
Just made my connecting train in Chester, despite being half an hour early. Somehow ended up waiting on the wrong platform and had to dash across from platform 6 to platform 1.
December 24, 2024 at 6:58 PM
Just made my connecting train in Chester, despite being half an hour early. Somehow ended up waiting on the wrong platform and had to dash across from platform 6 to platform 1.
I got an Employee of the Month award yesterday, which is probably one of the saddest things to brag about, but I am also quite proud of it.
December 24, 2024 at 5:47 PM
I got an Employee of the Month award yesterday, which is probably one of the saddest things to brag about, but I am also quite proud of it.