Category: Family

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Disculpe!

It has been sometime since I posted – I have gotten out of the habit of my Sunday evening round up.  A lot has happened since my last post, here is a quick summary:

First there was 10 wonderful days in Kefaloni,  starting in Argostoli where we found this taverna in the trees

Fabulous Fiskardo – even if I did get stung by a jellyfish when we spent the day on Emplisi beach,

and the incomparable Assos. This pick was taken as we walked down from the fort on our first day there. We had arrived to somewhat cloudy skies – and quite strong winds – so trekked to the top of the hill.  By the time we were descending the skies had cleared and we enjoyed a wonderful few days in the beautiful village.

For a much better write up of the holiday, read the posts on Becky’s blog

Then it was home, and up to Reading on the hottest day of the year for Sophie’s graduation. Very proud parents!

The 3rd August was our 26th Anniversary, and we returned to Farrington Gurney to pick sunflowers and visit the church where we got married. In a very dry, hot summer, it was one of the few days that saw any rain, but not enough to dampen our love!

and last Sunday was Sam’s birthday – we are no longer parents to teenagers! How did the time pass so quickly.

So forgive me for falling into bad habits – a quick skim through the last few weeks. I must start blogging weekly once again.

 

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Wedding

Pic of the week 3/7/22

Yesterday we went to Chippenham to celebrate Rod & Lisa’s wedding.

They had got married about a month a go – just the two of them at the ceremony – but yesterday they invited all and sundry to celebrate the day, and what a great day it was.  Despite the rain! We arrived in the rain, and all crammed, damp and dripping, into their house, but as the afternoon wore on, the rain moved on and we all enjoyed some blue sky outside. Then, though, during the speeches, the rain came back, with a vengeance, and for about twenty minutes it poured. But the rain stopped, the speeches restarted and then the sun came out to bathe us in glorious early evening sunshine.  It was a lovely day.

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Cars and teeth

Pic of the week 5/6/22

So half term draws to a close, and what a busy (and enjoyable ) week it has been. Although today has been wet, on the whole the weather has been good this half term.

I went to the dentist and hygienist for the first time since Covid – I felt sorry for the hygienist as she scrapped away years of debris that had built up on my teeth – and the dentist booked me in for a couple of fillings – one upper and one lower on my left hand side. It does feel good to have ones teeth checked over and sorted out.

I also spent quite a while mucking about with cars – first changing a rear suspension strut on the Corsa )could only get one (LHS) out, RHS one bolt stubbornly rusted fixed) and then changing the water pump as it had sprung a major leak and was pouring water when the engine was running.  This was a fairly major job – not because of the pump itself: 9 bolts, several hoses and one electrical connector, but because of what had to come out to gain access to it.  I needed to remove the engine mount (supporting it on a jack first), the pulley and belt and all this needed the engine moving up and down and then up again.  But I did it, and not only did I do it, I enjoyed myself whilst doing it.

So, today, I bought myself a 1991 Peugeot 205 1.8 diesel. Welcome to my mid-life crisis! The interior is pretty immaculate, the exterior less so: the bonnet, at least, will need a respray. Its only done 58,000 miles and mechanically is pretty sound – I drove it from Curry Rivel without incident, but the steering is heavy, v heavy and I don’t think this is just due to a lack of power steering, and its not as “gutsy” as I though it might be, but I think a thorough service will see it return to its former glory. At £820 (bought sight unseen of eBay) I think it will make a good summer project car and I am looking forward to getting started on it.

Becky went to Italy (without me!) in the week – she and Jo reliving her inter-railing days from 30 years ago (so its not only me that’s having a nostalgia fest!) She enjoyed it. A cock up with EasyJet allocating her seats to someone else on the outbound flight, and my complaint to EasyJet rumbles on (at least their flights flew, many, many flights have been cancelled this week – lack of staffing at airports and airlines)

On Saturday we were visited by her Scottish cousins (and aunt & uncle) on route to Cornwall – hence the picture – and in the afternoon we (B, J & Sophie) went to see Top Gun: Maverick – the nostalgia trip just continues to roll on!

Back to school tomorrow for the final half term of the year. 4 weeks to the summer holidays: now that’s doable!

 

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Birthday!

Pic of the week 3/4/22

Monday was my birthday! 53 years old.

I spent the day at work, came home and had my Spanish lesson with Daniel, then I swam.  For my pudding, I had a slice of this cake, which Becky had made for me, and Sophie had decorated.  This year, I had said no presents – I don’t need anything and I don’t want people wasting their money buying me things I won’t use.  I had a nice day, but a better day was Friday when I broke up for the Easter holidays!

Sam came home on Saturday (with a mountain of washing that I have now ploughed through) and yesterday & today saw me back on a (non-school) football pitch, refereeing a couple of games.  I enjoyed it again, possibly have got my refereeing mojo back, but could still very much take it or leave it and don’t think I shall be doing masses in the future. But an important weekend that saw me take charge of two cup games, and officiate with my old calm authority, and do a good job. If I scale back my refereeing, it is on my terms.

Also today, I went to a “language cafe” at Strode theatre, part of it’s book week, and spent about an hour or so talking in Spanish with other learners, and a couple of tutors. Really enjoyed it, and was pleased with my ability to hold a conversation in Spanish with complete strangers.  Makes me realise all my time and effort has not been wasted, and I an looking forward to speaking with Daniel again tomorrow,

 

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Plague House!

Pic of the week 20/2/22

It was, perhaps, inevitable. Since the pandemic arrived two years ago, none of the four of us have had Covid, until now.

Last Sunday, Becky started snuffling, and blaming me for giving her my cold. On Monday morning she did a Covid test and it was positive.  She has since tested daily, and each day the two lines appear, returning a positive result.

So that scuppered our plans to meet Sam in Bristol on Tuesday, but he also did a test on Monday which came back positive.  So both Becky & Sam confined to barracks for the week.  Sophie & I (Sophie came home on the Friday before Becky tested positive) tested daily, but negative.  I suspect that Becky may have picked up the illness when she went to the theatre (with Sophie!) on Saturday 12th Feb.  Sophie returned to Reading on Thursday, but then, today, Sunday, tested positive.

I’ve kept my distance from Becky, been sleeping in Sam’s room, and the house is well ventilated so, one week on, I’m quietly confidence I will escape its clutches. However, if I do fall ill, not sure what I’ll have to do as tomorrow our idiot Prime Minister Johnson (the worst PM of my lifetime) is set to abandon all Covid protocols …

We wouldn’t have been able to do anything on Friday anyway as we were battered by Storm Eunice. At least we new it was coming, we were in a Red Warning zone and my, were the winds strong, starting a little later than predicted at circa 9am and lasting the morning and into early afternoon.  Next door (down the hill) had  a few ridge tiles blown off their roof, narrowly missing the Corsa (which sailed through its MOT this week – I had put two new tyres on the front, and new wiper blades – all it needed was a drivers side track rod end) and my recycling centre got blown over (fixed it yesterday), however given the damage that was done across the South West, I think we got off lightly.  Is now windy once again, but nothing as bad as Friday.

Storm Eunice – the aftermath

I have done a lot in the garden this week – plenty of cutting back.  A good time to do it before all the new growth kicks in.  All the while I’ve been outside I’ve enjoyed the clumps of daffodils that have sprouted in my lawn.

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Christmas ’21

Pic of the week 26/12/21

So Christmas has been and gone (and I am a little late blogging about it – oops!)

We had a lovely day, the four of us at home together, our “new tradition” of “breakfast bags” continues to take hold, with us each buying everyone else a gift from a randomly picked category (Becky, inevitably, bought many extra rounds, I bought a few extras), giving enough fun and surprises to open on the day, but minimising the unwanted and unnecessary tat that would have otherwise been bought and gifted. Now major dramas or calamities on the day, just some really nice family time together. In the evening we watched Bohemian Rhapsody together – a really good film and far better than anything served up by the broadcasters.

On the previous Thursday ( 23 Dec) we’d been over to Jane’s, the first gathering of my side of the clan since Covid. Really nice to see everyone.

Today, (Thursday 30 Dec) it was the turn of Becky’s side of the family to visit us and we had a very pleasant lunch and afternoon together.

The Omicron variant is running rampant throughout the country, but these family meet-ups do give a sense that we may be emerging into the new normal and finding a new way to live with the disease.

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Staggering!

Pic of the week 19/12/21

Both bambinos are now home – Sophie came home last week, Sam returned temporarily on Sunday evening, staying with us until Thursday when he returned to Cardiff for two days, for a practical and tutorial (he had been to Weymouth at the weekend)

On Wednesday we went, en-famile – to the Newt, a very pleasant afternoon roaming the grounds together. Becky took this picture of a stag, which I think is magnificent.

I’ve not been running this week as on Monday I tweaked my groin whilst on a run, but I’ve swum a lot instead, including 60 lengths – 2K – this morning.

Omicron is now running rampant through the country, and I begin to wonder if we will have to go into a new lockdown, or at least endure some new restrictions. Time will tell. Sophie had her booster done yesterday so she’s pleased about that.

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Birthday Girl

Pic of the week 14/11/21

Today is Becky’s birthday, and we’ve spent a lovely day at home, the four of us.

Sophie came home on Thursday, feeling a little under the weather, but she had been due to meet Becky in Bristol to watch Heathers.  Sam (on Saturday) made his way to Bristol from Cardiff on the train and I drove to Bristol in the evening after my school commitments had finished.

We had a lovely meal in a Greek restaurant – the first time we had all been together since September – and then I drove us all home (dropping Sam off in Wells so he could met some friends, with me picking him up at midnight.)
Today has been a lazy family day (Becky had the day off work) and we enjoyed each others company over a lingering lunch, before I took Sophie to the station for her 4.25pm train back to Reading. Sam has decided to enjoy home comforts for a day longer, and is staying with us again tonight – the three of us enjoying a Chinese for tea – before getting the good old 376 back to Bristol, and then the train to Cardiff.

It has been lovely to have them back, and I hope Becky has had a wonderful weekend.

 

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Covid scare, and return of the prodigal son

Pic of the week 17/10/21

With half term rapidly approaching, and a few days in Majorca on the horizon, my world was turned to turmoil on Thursday when I was “pinged” by NHS Track & Trace as a close contact.

This meant an evening trip to Shepton Mallet for a PCR test in the walk-through centre – all done in less than 10 mins – followed by a nervous 24 hours waiting for the result. I felt fine, no symptoms, and my lateral flow tests were showing negative, but a positive on the PCR would mean isolation for 10 days and no autumnal Majorcan sun.

Then, at 5.25pm on Friday came the text: negative, all clear! Majorca here we come.

And then on Saturday we had a fleeting visit from Sam. He had gone to Bristol on Friday as it was his friend “Smithy’s” birthday, so came home to us on Saturday evening, to enjoy a big roast, a hot shower and a long sleep. And then, this morning, I drove him back to Cardiff – was nice to see where he now calls home.  Was lovely to see him last night – albeit looking v v tired, but he seems v content with his new life.

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Weight

Pic of the week 19/9/21

So Thursday saw Sophie return to Reading for her final year at uni.

She’s been at home for the last 18 months have dashed home from halls in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic and its good for her to be returning to some sort of normality for a 21 year old. How everything fitted into her Micra I don’t know, but it did, and the house suddenly seems bigger again!

In other, important news, my weight fell below 13 stone for the first time this year. December ’20 was bad for me (weight-wise) the inevitabikity of Christmas pounds was added to by a lack of mobility due to my bad back. The pounds crept on, and never came off, reaching a peak of 13 stone 7 in April. In the summer, I decided I had to do something, and I started missing breakfast on a few occasions – fasting, which had a positive impact, the weight coming off, but also training my mind again that I don’t have to always eat.  Thursday and this morning saw the scales tip out at (just!) below the 13 stone mark; I don’t think its fair to say I’ve re-established my weight at sub 13, but I’m on the way.