Month: September 2025

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Take That tickets

In the week, Take That announced a tour for summer 2026 and so, on Thursday, the scrabble for tickets began. Neither Sophie nor I where successful, but Becky managed to bag a pair of tickets for her and Sophie to go and see them in Cardiff, and then another two for me and her to see them in Southampton – crucially, during May half term.

It has been a week of looking ahead, and our schedule for our summer Ionian excursion is beginning to firm up and today we booked two of our accommodations:

This, in Spartochori on the island of Meganisi, and this in Fiskado on Kefaloni:

After an early September dominated by rain, this last week has been sunny and pleasant, and today the sun has been beautifully warm, allowing me to sit outside, read my book and chill in the radiated warmth and glow of late September sun. The garden continues to flourish with flowers in full bloom, the geraniums and Bizzie Lizzies in particular providing bright splashes of colour. And a number of sunflowers, both front and back, continue to throw out new flowers – the flowers are not big, but it seems the multi-headed flowers are the success story of late summer blooming.

and although this should have probably have been in last week’s post (it was at a BBQ on the Thursday before we broke for exeat) I thought I’d post it here: father and son at work together!

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Starter for Ten

Its exeat weekend, and Becky and I took the opportunity to go to Bristol to watch Starter for Ten an the Old Vic.

It was excellent – a great show, I really, really enjoyed it. Its a long time since I read the book but I could pretty much remember the block of the story as it unfolded. I didn’t really know what to expect before we went, but it was musical theatre, in a wonderful small venue; I do think it is the best bit of theatre I can recall seeing in a long time.

And to conclude the day, we went to The Stables to eat after the show (we had been to the matinee) I had beef nachos, Becky had a pizza, but it was so big I had several slices of that, too.

Today, I refereed on the Bridgwater & District Sunday league – they were short of a ref, I was asked and agreed to do it – enjoyed the game. I ran yesterday morning and I do think that my level of fitness is returning to a level I haven’t enjoyed for maybe a year or so. My running times are inching down, and when refereeing I am finding I can, once again, turn on that little burst of pace when needed.

This afternoon I spent a happy couple of hours in the garden, mainly tidying up the “raspberry patch” and then planting last year’s bulbs, in the hope of some Spring colour.

Medical: my right arm, and neck/shoulder area hurts, I think RSI from using a computer and mouse without giving myself the necessary support. Will monitor and report back.

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Blow out on the M4

and other stuff

Late on Monday night/early Tuesday morning, Becky and Sophie returned from Corfu, and then, during the day on Tuesday, Sophie headed home to Cardiff. Whilst travelling along the M4 near Newport, she heard a rumbling, followed very swiftly by feeling something very amiss, and seeing her rear right car tyre disintegrate.

She made it to the hard shoulder and called the AA. Fortunately they came within the hour, put a spare (of their own) on her car and drove with her to a nearby tyre shop. She got a new tyre for £65, and was on her way. A drama that fortunately didn’t become a crisis.

The weather continues to be predominantly wet, the temperature has fallen and it does feel definitively autumnal. After a few chilly nights in bed, the lightweight summer duvet has been taken off, replaced with the heavier winter one, and I shall be turning the heating back on this evening.

The garden, however, has enjoyed the almost continual rain. My sole surviving pumpkin* – a small self seeder in the front trug – is shaping and colouring up nicely.

(* I have, today, spotted another fruit, from the plants I planted in the front, where the box tree was, that does seem to be swelling. But this has been a season of false dawns as far as pumpkins are concerned, plus its late in the season. Will watch with interest and hope, but I don’t think that hope will amount to much)

Sunflowers – both in the front and back – are continuing to flower

which, along with my geraniums, lobelia and Bizzie Lizzies (bought late in the season) continue to provide interest and colour against the drab grey skies.

And it seems to be a good year for cyclamen, with swathes of pretty pink flowers carpeting the borders, particularly in the front. Knowing that late autumn and winter are not too far away, I’m keen to extend the colour in the garden as long as possible, and so far my plan seems to be working …

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Back to work

After the long hot summer, the inevitability of the first day of school dawned on Monday and it was back to work (for some of us)

Sam is working in the kitchens and, despite some moaning, is, I think enjoying it. The routine is good for him, and he got to see his old Art teacher (Jenny Weare) from The Blue School.

But not all of us have had our noses to the grindstone: Becky and Sophie have been having a lovely chilled* week in Corfu.

*chilled apparently, except when travelling by Greek bus (back from Corfu town). “Inhumane” see described the journey – and she’s probably right – but I would still happily swap 40 ins in an overcrowded bus if it meant I could spend the days bobbing in the clear blue sea, rather than dodging the immense rain we have been having hear in England this week. Thunder, lightening and biblical rain this morning – fortunately I had agreed to referee this morning, else I would have been caught it whilst running (was dry when I first got up). Match was cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch, so with Sam at work, I’ve had a lazy day of snoozing and music.