Monday 29th Apr

The youngest had a French GCSE exam first thing today, so the focus was on getting him out, fed, watered, on time and happy. This was accomplished despite the fact he looked tired still after a weekend hiking and camping in gales doing his DofE award. Thankfully he completed it well and despite managing to break the zip on his fairly new coat actually managed to bring home all the equipment he left with this time.

I managed to avoid most of the shopping in the supermarket this morning as I bumped into a friend, leaving Mrs P to get on in peace. The result was a lower than usual weekly shopping bill which just goes to show I may well be responsible for our impulse purchasing. I was in time to help pack the bags, the only thing I’m probably suited to.

Mrs P and I then set off on our continued carpet hunt, the saga continues. We found a couple more possibles and took the samples, this now makes nine we’ve had. Feeling good about ourselves I took us for a coffee by the sea. It was lovely to have clear views of the sea and coast, unencumbered by the weekend hoards; peaceful sunny and relaxing, albeit blowing a gale, but you can’t have everything. We returned home with high hopes for our carpet samples but when we put them in the lounge the light was different to the shop, and they didn’t go, so we’re back to the drawing board again.

The eldest is off to dancing and I get her to drive me and she does a fine job, with a bit of luck and a following wind we might really be moving in the right direction with our Learner Driver. I make the effort to go to football this evening, and manage to get a decent run out, by exerting myself a bit more than usual. Maybe this should tell me I need to make a bit more effort most weeks, now I’m sure I’ve heard that somewhere before.

Yours getting active

Jay

Friday 26th Apr

There’s a particular book I want from the library but it’s not in my local one, so I jump in the car and drive a couple of miles to where they have one according to the online library system. Having looked with no luck on the shelves where it should be, I ask a librarian, who very slowly checks on their system that they do have it, then walks slowly to look at the shelves I’ve already searched. Fair enough at this point, as I may have missed it. She then shows me a display of similar books, which I’ve already seen and then decides she can’t find it, and so it must have been put back in the wrong place, so I’ll have to order/request it! We go back to the main counter where she spots a pile of books under the counter, apparently awaiting consideration for display, and there is mine on the top. Why I ask myself remove a pile of books from the shelves to hide them under the counter just in case you want to display them, surely they are already displayed, up to a point, on the shelves? That’s 10 minutes of my life I’ll never get back!

The afternoon brings hospital visiting, and having dropped mum off at the ward, I decide to take a wander around the hospital to see if I can find the main reception and any information and café’s it might hold. The hospital is very well maintained but is actually two hospitals on one site, and is large and sprawling, nevertheless I manage not to get lost and eventually return in one piece. The ailing one is in good spirits although he could be waiting a week or so yet for his operation. Funny thing about being in hospital, you soon settle into the rhythm of everyday life there.

After feeding the family, jay-le-taxi drops the youngest off at cricket practice. The eldest is off to a party and we’re picking up two of her friends on the way. Feeling brave I decide she can drive which means of course I need to not make too many jokes about the other drivers on the road. Despite lightly grazing a kerb (not her fault to be fair), she does a great job, all designed to boost her confidence. Her friends are very impressed that she never stalled the car. Stalling is a habitual practice for the learner driver. Jay-le-taxi then collects the youngest from cricket and heads home for a cup of tea.

The youngest is off on his Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award hike this weekend, so I help him pack his rucksack as he will be out early in the morning, then settle down in front of the TV. At this point Mrs P produces a box of Celebrations she has been hiding since Easter, and needless to say we eat too many, but that’s par for the course.

Yours in chocolate overload

Jay

Thursday 25th Apr

Having fed and watered the family I’m off to the library, and it turns out to be a busy morning. I had hoped to get some things looked at but ‘the best laid plans’ went awry. I’m on an early dart as I need to take the eldest for a routine review at the hospital. Hospitals are getting to be quite a theme this week.

We get there 5 minutes early to be told they’re running on time, and then we get seen half an hour later! While we wait there’s a little lad running around who comes and talks to us, and he makes me remember wistfully when the teenagers used to be small and cute. We then take half an hour over our appointment as the nurse we’re seeing is pleasant and chatty. When we come out it is starting to rain and the first thing I think is that I have a washing line full of drying clothes out. How times change; but that is the mindset of a house husband I guess. I get the eldest back to school in time for afternoon classes, get home and put the washing in the dryer. It wasn’t as wet as it might have been and I’ve soon got it out ready for ironing.

This afternoon consists of dusting, vacuuming, a friend dropping in for a cup of tea then getting the youngest’s kit together for his Duke Of Edinburgh hike this weekend – we are praying for dry weather. I cook tea and feed the family, then I pick up my mum and it’s off to visit the ailing one who has now been moved to a specialist hospital half an hour away, and the bad news is he’s now facing a major operation, and could be in for three weeks. So it is bad news all round for patient and visitors, but we’re British so we’ll soldier on and get through it.

Yours spending more time in hospitals

Jay

Wednesday 24th Apr

I meet a mate for coffee mid-morning having knocked out the papers in double quick time. We meet in a newish shop for us, it being the second time we’ve been there, and it’s nice to see a small business doing well, as there are a good number of customers coming through. I’m not sure a couple of rounds of coffees will boost takings too much but word of mouth might.

Given my current travails with the ailing relative we spend the first half of our chat catching up on the various ailments, suffered by friends and family. As an update I had a number of early texts from hospital meaning the ailing one is feeling a bit better. It looks like they might operate tomorrow fingers crossed. My mate writes http://pantoblogger.blogspot.co.uk/ which is a weekly insight into staging an amateur pantomime, at least that was the intention when he started out! We talked about what you write, and what you are doing it for, and how sometimes the words are harder to come by than at other times. It gives you respect for writers who can earn a living doing it. Someone once told me “Everyone has a book inside them”. That may be the case, but I’ll bet you wouldn’t want to read 99.9% of them.

It’s a beautiful time of the year springtime, but it does mean I have to cut the grass, pickup sticks and weed the garden on a regular basis. So I started this afternoon and having looked at the condition of the lawn, I think it’s in need of feeding and so that needs to go on the ‘To Do’ list. After a spot of therapeutic ironing and a close encounter with a computer virus, which I hope I’ve dodged, I knock out tea for the family. Then Mrs P the youngest and I are off to the hospital for visiting time. Having got to the hospital in time to claim a parking spot we decide to walk up six flights of stairs to the third floor, instead of using the lift. I know it should be good for me but it just makes my legs ache. Mrs P remarks how well the ailing one looks and let’s just hope that continues after the operation.

I manage to get the last two answers in the weekend crossword with Mrs P’s help, which is gratefully received as my brain has about given up for the day.

Yours on auto-pilot

Jay

Tuesday 23rd Apr

Nice crisp bacon sandwiches and cups of tea to start the day. It really is one of life’s pleasures on a bright morning. For some reason I actually manage to get out of the house on time this morning, and enjoy a more leisurely stroll than usual down to the library. Despite it being busy, there are not many people requiring IT assistance, and so I take the opportunity to use the internet for one of its fundamental purposes. That is to finish the weekend crossword. I do try to do my best but my knowledge of small African cities, obscure bird chicks and Greek mythology let me down this week. I’ve still got two clues to do but I’ll persevere.

After lunch I get stuck into the ironing before I’m off out for a busy afternoon. Firstly I pick up my mother and drop her off at the hospital for afternoon visiting time. Then I head on to deliver the additional orders I picked up at last week’s talk. Why is it when you’re in a hurry the traffic conspires against you? To whit, the five minutes I spend sat at a three way temporary traffic light set up, where no work is being done. Unless creating traffic jams counts as work. I make my deliveries, though one gentleman is rather surprised that I’m dropping off stuff his wife ordered, but he knew nothing about, and please could I have a cheque? Then it’s back to the hospital where I catch the end of visiting time. Tests are being done and things continue to move along apace, which is a credit to the NHS.

Then it’s buy some petrol, drop mother off and then home for a quick cuppa before the outlaws pick us up to go to my niece’s, whose birthday it is today. Mrs P meets us there, and we are well fed and watered. Having done the social bit I adjourn with a couple of others to watch the football on TV, before we need to go. It’s been a pleasant evening, and we return to see the papers for delivery tomorrow piled up at the front door. Something to look forward to in the morning, weather permitting.

Yours supporting St George

Jay

Monday 22nd Apr

A bright enough start to the week, and we’re off to the supermarket. Mrs P is driving as she wants the air in her tyres checking. When we get there the queue for the petrol station reflects the recent decrease in prices, and people’s desire to fuel up their internal combustion engines. We decide to shop first and bump into a friend when we get in. This allows Mrs P to shop in peace while I have a chat, comparing stories from the weekend. When I catch up with Mrs P she is well through and I’m in time to help with the packing, the one point where I actually come in handy. We’ve over spent again, which seems to coincide with me being there!

As we come out the queue for the petrol station has gone down so we get in the queue for air, and watch as the people in front of us demonstrate various ways to make this seemingly simple task look difficult. I blow the tyres up although they are pretty close to where they need to be anyway.

After returning home and a cuppa I sort out the additional orders I took at my talk last Thursday which have arrived, and contact the three people I need to deliver to. You would not believe how difficult it is to get hold of three people and co-ordinate dropping off to them. I’m one short and need to sort it later.

Then we’re off back to look at carpets for the lounge. None of the five samples we’ve had for a week now are quite right and so it’s back to the shop to pick up four more. Once home we drop them on the floor, walk around, look at them and hmmmmm. I think I might just leave it up to Mrs P and the eldest to decide.

Late afternoon I get a call telling me a close relative is in hospital with a suspected heart attack. This is new territory for us so off I go to the hospital to see what’s going on. Once there I manage to get a parking space in the free car park, which is a bonus. To be fair when I find him, after a couple of wrong turns, he’s in decent spirits, and hooked up to various monitors. After a while the lady with the tea trolley comes by and we get a cuppa, which is much appreciated. The staff are very friendly and a doctor comes by and having listened to what happened, “from the horse’s mouth” so to speak, tells us it was a heart attack and clearly explains what will happen next, and what the possible outcomes might be. Having been thus informed we take a collective deep breath and look forward. Given the patient will be in for at least five days I expect to be spending some time at the hospital this week.

When I get home later I find my “one short” has called to say tomorrow is fine to deliver which helps. I then call family in Australia to let them know what’s happening. Just because they’re on the other side of the world, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t suffer with the rest of us.

Yours the professional visitor

Jay

Friday 19th Apr

Another early start today as me and the eldest are off to another test centre (see Monday 15^th Apr), and it’s better safe than sorry getting through the city and out the other side before rush hour. We arrive in plenty of time and after a quick drive around the bus station - the joys of a town that you don’t know, and their one way system - we find the test centre. The eldest is re-sitting her Learner Driver Theory Test, and I sit outside round the corner, in the car nervously like an expectant father for an hour, unable to do much but listen to the radio and hope. Eventually the phone rings and it’s the eldest, I took a deep breath and answered to hear a very happy girl. Success and relief in equal measures, now I just have to get her back to school on time. Next stop the actual practical test, other road users beware.

I get back and tidy up the stuff that came out of last night’s talk; Mrs P is already saying I should book some more, she obviously doesn’t want me in the house. Unfortunately, I didn’t write everything down and so I was playing catch-up this afternoon. That’s a lesson learned.

After making tea I get the eldest to drive the youngest to cricket; with me as the passenger, obviously. A slightly stressful experience this evening partly down to the other idiots on the road, but I manage to stay calm. On the bright side its Mrs P’s car taking the flak.

Mrs P takes the eldest out to drop her off, and to my mind she is stunningly inappropriately dressed, but she just looks at me as if I’m 90 years old. However she is still happy to accept jay-le-taxi collecting her at midnight, though I’m not allowed to come to the door, I have to wait around the corner; I really am the embarrassing dad syndrome.

Yours happy to embarrass the kids

Jay

Thursday 18th Apr

Once the family are breakfasted and out, and I’ve cleaned up, I’m off to the library. Once again it’s a breezy morning but a pleasant walk, especially as I’ve eventually managed to break in the shoes I bought in the sales after Christmas. It’s entirely possible I wiped out all the saving I made on the initial purchase, with the subsequent cost of plasters! Anyway they’ll be good when the autumn arrives.

A busy morning in the library including a funny tasting cup of tea helps the time fly by. I even manage to finish all bar one of the clues in the weekend’s big crossword; I must remember to check it out later. I stop in to see the folks on the way home and give a basic lesson in how to auto-tune the TV, as they’ve lost BBC1 and BBC2. The response I got was, “It wouldn’t let me do that the other day!” Not a lot I could say really, as I took my leave shaking my head gently.

The afternoon brings my weekly cleaning session, which I am halfway through when the father-in-law calls by. He’s surprised to see me cleaning as the house isn’t dirty, to which I reply, “That’s because your daughter (Mrs P) always has us cleaning.” I then crack on with the ironing while having a final run through of this evenings talk. Once I have dispensed tea to the throng I pull my suit out of the wardrobe, dust it down and put it on. It feels strange as I don’t wear a suit much these days, when in my previous incarnation I used to every day.

I find the venue with no problem and on time, and am pleasantly surprised to see an audience of about 40. The talk goes well and to time, and they all seem to have enjoyed it. At least they said they did and quite a few come up to talk to me afterwards, I get a cup of tea and am invited to sign the visitors’ book. A pleasant evening and I leave with a good feeling. Later Mrs P gets the last answer on the crossword, to crown a nice day.

Yours with a warm glow

Jay

Wednesday 17th Apr

Windy start to the day which makes delivering papers slightly more difficult, as they are prone to being blown open and generally not behaving. In some ways it’s easier to deliver in the rain, and I’m sure I’ll get the opportunity soon to do that again.

Once home I get myself warmed up with a cuppa and a muffin. Despite being very committed to black coffee - though I have to be honest and say that I don’t drink instant – I have not had a cup since Sunday morning. The reason being one of my eyes has been slightly blurry and I’m wondering if all the caffeine is in any way involved, though thinking about it I’m sure I’ve heard that there is more caffeine in tea than coffee, so I’m not sure where that leaves me. Anyway I’m trying a week off the coffee to see how I fare.

After lunch I have another run through tomorrow night’s talk, and its improving, at least it’s better than it was yesterday. Hopefully, with another run through tomorrow afternoon I will have it close to where it needs to be. One advantage of the wind as it was yesterday, is it dries the washing, so I’m able to get the ironing done without resorting to the tumble dryer.

We’re off to the outlaws for tea tonight which means I’m excused cooking/heating up duties. Tea is plentiful especially with double helpings of homemade sticky toffee pudding and chocolates. It leaves me in danger of that overfull Christmas feeling. My father-in-law was telling how he was doing their next door neighbour a good turn by taking an old carpet to the tip for her yesterday. He was taking it out of the side gate which blew shut in the wind, blowing it inside out and ripping it off the wall! He then spent the next three hours fitting new pieces of wood and drilling into the wall. There must be a positive moral to this story; I just can’t see it yet. To be fair though how many of mine and the younger generation would have had the tools and the know-how, to rebuild and fit a broken gate? Probably not many; these traditional skills are something of a dying art in our disposable technological age.

Yours rubbish at woodwork

Jay

Tuesday 16th Apr

Bacon sandwiches for breakfast this morning, a nice crisp flavourful way to start the day. Then once I’ve seen the teenagers and Mrs P off the premises I walk down to the library. It’s a breezy morning but warm, which tells me that maybe summer is really just around the corner. As I walk I listen to the radio, and at the moment I’m listening to Smooth 70’s, and whilst I don’t particularly like the adverts, the music, to my ear, is so much better and more fun than what’s on offer today.  Is it possible I’m getting old?

At the library I help a woman to apply for her passport online, which until today I didn’t know you could do. You just type in your details and the passport office print off the form and send it back to you to sign and return with the required documentation. It seems an easy way to do it, which makes a nice change, especially given the cost of it these days.

After lunch I have to learn the speech I’m giving to one of the local Towns Woman’s Guilds on Thursday; I’ve agreed to speak for 45 minutes which should be ok, but I really need to get a better handle on what I’m talking about. In this case practice will make perfect, so I’ll try it again tomorrow. After a quick cuppa the teenagers are home, so I get them settled then knock off the ironing. It may be breezy outside, but it’s great weather for drying clothes.

The youngest is running for the school so we need to get him down to the local track for 6’ish which Mrs P and I do as we are both staying to watch. He’s in the sprint relay and runs well, but we are both bemused by the previous series of boys and girls 800M relay races. 4 x 800M is not a spectator sport I’d recommend, the poor kids looked shattered before they started, and the races go on for what seems like forever.

Yours speaking slower

Jay

Monday 15th Apr

An early start to the day as I have to get the eldest to town for 8am to sit her Driving Theory Test. We board an early underground train and get a seat, but you don’t see a lot of happy faces at that time in the morning. I drop the eldest off at the test centre then wander round to see what changes have been made, since I was last in the area. All I can see is three new coffee joints, a couple of mini supermarkets and a Travelodge. Well that’s progress for you. I take a seat in Starbucks by the window (though I must admit I didn’t buy a coffee), and watch the commuters or worker bees/drones as they pour out of the station and up the street. Some come in for their morning caffeine fix but few look happy. I know its Monday but whose image is this society created in I wonder, if most people appear miserable?

Unfortunately the eldest having cruised through the multiple choice section she was worried about, failed the hazard perception section by one mark. She is not happy, neither am I, not because she failed but because it’s another £31 to sit it again, plus travelling. I drop her back at school then go home and rebook the test for Friday morning though this time it’s a different test centre 20 miles away, but 8am again so another bright and early start. Fingers crossed or it will have to wait until June after exam season. The chap at the supermarket till this morning told Mrs P he failed his theory test five times! Not a ringing endorsement, but it obviously happens. We just need a touch of luck.

After lunch I take my car for its MOT. I sit waiting for the hour it takes, and can’t help thinking - despite the fact its running well and is giving me no problems at all – “Oh please pass”. The longer it takes the more pensive I get as I see £ signs racking up. Eventually I’m called over to be told it has Passed, but they still point out a couple of things. I think these places must be contractually obliged to highlight things in the hope you’ll part with money, even when you pass. One point raised was a “minute” movement, in something that I thought was meant to move. Not big, not small, but minute. Clutching at straws me thinks. I am glad I passed because if we had had two fails and things come in three’s, what would be next?

Having been jay-le-taxi for the youngest, in the evening I go to football and get rained on. I think I may very well be getting worse at football at the moment, but it’s a decent run out and I nearly break into sweat, so job done.

Yours enjoying 12 months MOT

Jay

Friday 12th Apr

I get the family fed and watered and off to school and work this morning. Then the sun makes an appearance, much to my pleasure. It almost feels like it’s the first time I’ve seen it this year, but it’s probably just that it’s warmer than it has been all year.

To celebrate the bright start to the day I decide to take my bike out for the first time this year to run a couple of errands. I’d pumped up the tyres and done a quick maintenance overview the other week, all with the idea in mind that I’d make more use of it this year. Last year the lousy weather got in the way. I didn’t go far this morning but I could feel the lactic acid in my thighs, it just confirmed that I need to get the miles in my legs if I’m going to enjoy my cycling this year. Watch this space, rain and wind permitting.

I get the paint brush out again to touch up one of the bedroom walls, then decide to reward myself with a bit of a read. Next thing I know my mobile wakes me up with a text from the eldest asking me to put the kettle on, as she’s nearly home from school. For a bloke who manages to grab a daytime nap about twice a year, every one of which historically gets interrupted by the kids, getting 20 minutes kip and awoken by a text is about as good as it gets.

After tea the youngest is off to cricket practice, and the eldest drives as we try to get the practice in as she learns. It never fails to amaze me that even though we’re going a route she has been hundreds of times as a passenger, because she has not driven it before, she doesn’t know the way. Her cousins came over recently. Now taking into account we’ve lived in the same house for nearly twenty years and they live locally, how did two of them manage to get lost? Lost for half an hour! Probably for the same reason the eldest doesn’t know where she’s going, they pay no attention as passengers. Teenagers don’t look out of the windows they look down at the mobile devices or books they take with them on even the shortest journey.

Yours the reluctant passenger

Jay

Thursday 11th Apr

I walked down to the library this morning and it was pleasant to be walking in the rain, not just because we haven’t had rain for a while, and I cut the grass yesterday, but because I like walking in the rain. It might even make my Julie Andrew’s list of my favourite things. Quiet morning at the library, but it lets me get on with some reading I need to get done. Sitting at home I find myself too easily distracted at times.

Pop in to see the folks on the way home for a cuppa and a catch-up, then its home for the cleaning. Following a quick whizz round with the duster, polish and vacuum, it’s onto the ironing; a house husbands work is never done it seems. When the eldest comes in from school I take her to the doctor’s where she needs to get vaccinations for her trip to Morocco. We see the nurse who deals with these, who turns out to be the Asthma nurse whom I saw recently with the youngest. To advise on which jabs are required she looked it up online! A nice lady and very helpful, but not necessarily expert advice in this case.

Mrs P has finished making curtains and linings for the lounge, as part of the grand DIY project, and so in the evening I get to help pulling them in to get them to the right length, then inserting a lot of curtain hooks. When it gets to putting hooks into the linings to connect them to the curtains we are bamboozled as to how to do it, and end up touring the house to find others with similar linings but to no avail. Eventually we figure out a fix and standing on a chair I eventually manage to get them hung up. Mrs P is glad they’re finished and up, and is pleased how they look with the new wallpaper. Personally I’m not sure they’re that different to what we had before, but what do I know.

Yours not considering a future in interior design.

Jay

Wednesday 10th Apr

Another beautiful morning for delivering the papers and I whip round quickly first thing. I am then challenged by a number of small DIY jobs, so rather than rush into them I settle down for a coffee and a look at the paper. The eldest and Mrs P have been asking for a while if we could get a lock for the toilet door. Now you may think everyone has one, but we’ve lived here for nearly twenty years and we’ve managed fine without one so far. However, under protracted teenage pressure I go out to get one. To add to the fun the toilet door handle is sticking, so it’s really a double challenge, and one to be faced after lunch. Feeling well fed and watered I attend to the sticking handle with my favourite tool, a hammer, and it seems fine, though only time will tell. I then fit the door lock and I’m on a roll so I splash a bit of paint on the bathroom ceiling, something Mrs P asked me to do at the beginning of March, so I feel I’ve dealt with it fairly promptly.

The weather forecast was promising rain though I can’t see it myself, but I decide as I’m so active today that I might as well give the grass its first cut of the year. I’m now hoping the promised rain turns up to address what looks like a scorched earth project, but could one day be a lawn. Having knocked off the ironing (much to the chagrin of my friend who doesn’t have kids and couldn’t believe our washing machine goes on every day), I put together a decent tea for Mrs P, the eldest and myself, enjoyed by all for a nice change. Unlike the other day when the youngest walked into the kitchen, and before he’d fully entered the room, pointed at his plate and exclaimed in a loud voice “I’m not eating that!” I wouldn’t mind but it was pie and mash, food for the soul.

Jay-le-taxi is out early evening to pick up the youngest, who has been bowling with some school friends , then on for a bite to eat, and with no homework to follow he’s straight on the xbox and one happy teenager. The eldest meanwhile is caught between homework, revision and practising for her Driving Theory Test which is on Monday. So, one not quite so happy teenager.

At this point I must thank the TV companies who continue to transmit a diet of dross most evenings, allowing me to relax with a cuppa and a good book. 116 channels through Freeview and nothing I want to watch before 9pm for the third day running. If they truly are catering to the lowest common denominator, it’s not me.

Yours content for today

Jay

Tuesday 9th Apr

Both the teenagers were back to school today, so I got them fuelled up with breakfast before releasing them into the wild. The eldest really didn’t fancy it having had 18 days off, and with an inordinately heavy bag to carry, but being the caring parent I am I eased her out the door.

A quiet morning in the library today, punctuated only by a call from my father to say he had a computer problem at home, but was off out and could I go and take a look at it. Well what else are parents for I hear you ask? So I popped round and everything was working just fine, still a cup of tea and a Jaffa cake with mum was very nice.

I managed to tidy up outside, and do the ironing before the kids returned, and I set them up with drinks and snacks to see them through their homework, in this case snacks means Easter chocolates. They had another Easter egg dropped in today for them to share, and devoured it after their tea, half each without a thought as to whether their dad would like any. After tea Mrs P and I took a constitutional stroll around the block; the light evenings certainly make this a more pleasant experience. On returning the youngest is in the front on the xbox, the eldest is in the back doing homework/revision, I’m never really sure which, Mrs P takes over the kitchen, leaving me the bedroom. A nice opportunity for a read and so that’s what I do.

Yours taking it easy

Jay

Monday 8th Apr

Well surprise surprise we didn’t win on the National at the weekend, though we did get 2^nd and 3^rd places, which won us exactly nothing, as I backed them to win only, much to the disgust of the eldest who had the 2^nd.

See the youngest off to school having breakfasted with him and Mrs P this morning, the eldest having an Inset Day at school is still asleep. She surfaces just in time to call for a cup of tea, which is dutifully delivered before we go out.

Monday morning shopping with Mrs P, and how is it that whenever we’re expecting a cheap week it doesn’t materialize? All these offers creep up on you and just end up meaning you spend more. You might be saving, but you’re definitely spending. Once again insufficient checkouts are open in the supermarket, though as Mrs P points out there are two people to supervise the two checkouts that are open!

On returning home I’m lucky enough to get to make breakfast for the eldest, who deigns to get out of bed when it’s ready. Though to be fair she then gets down to revision. After a fortnight of the youngest on the xbox and computer, I get some time on the computer this morning in peace, to clear some stuff up I should probably have done sooner. I definitely feel better for a spring clean of sorts. Having made lunch for Mrs P and the eldest, I let the eldest take me out for some driving practice. She’s definitely improving although I’m still a nervous passenger, but given Mrs P and me still disagree over driving, it’s maybe not so surprising.

I get out for a game of 5-a-side in the evening, and manage to just about break sweat. I really can’t decide if its age or idleness that holds me back? Probably both.

Yours the nervous passenger

Jay

Friday 5th Apr

A quiet morning as the youngest is attached to a new game on his xbox and the eldest is getting everything together for her weekend trip. I spent the morning finishing the weekend papers, just in time before this weeks’ arrive tomorrow. As the eldest will be away this weekend we chose our Grand National horses today; so I could tell you which horses certainly won’t be winning the race this year, based on our recent experience that is.

After jay-le-taxi has dropped the eldest off and ferried the youngest around I get back and flop in front of the telly with a cuppa. I take a look at what I’ve recorded to watch and notice that nothing I’ve got grabs me at the moment, and some films have been there for a while. It gets me to wondering if there’s a point in time after recording a programme, that if you haven’t watched it by then the chances are you never will. I suspect a month is about right based on personal experience. If I want to watch something I’ll find the time, so if I don’t try to find the time in future I’d probably be better deleting sooner rather than later. Or I could just not tape so much in the first place! But then what would I watch? It’s almost a Catch 22 situation.

Jay-le-taxi runs the youngest to and from cricket practice in the evening, the first outdoor practice session of the year. Maybe summer really is just around the corner.

Yours dreaming of jumping the last tomorrow.

Jay

Thursday 4th Apr

Cleaning to start the day, but to be fair I was taking it easy and had to move carefully around the teenagers once they had both got up. I suspect the reason they were both so readily up, was that I was taking them to Nando’s for lunch. We headed out at midday and both teenagers were ready to go on time, which just goes to show they can do it when they want to. I’m allowed 20 minutes to myself to look in a couple of shops before we eat, but only 20. The youngest doesn’t do shopping, and spends his 20 minutes playing on the xbox in HMV, so not much different to being at home really.

We get just about the last table in Nando’s, as they start queuing after we’re in. The chap taking us to our table asks “Have you been to Nando’s before?” I felt like saying, hasn’t everyone! I go up to order and ask for a coffee for myself, but am told that the hot drinks are off! So I order a beer! Well I tried to be good, and the kids are on holiday.

The eldest is off on a practice camping/trekking weekend so we spend the rest of the afternoon getting her gear together, practising rolling up mats and sleeping bags. The forecast looks good for the weekend so we’re hoping it stays dry for her; it’ll make life easier for everyone, if we’re not emptying out wet gear when she returns.

Jay-le-taxi is out to collect the eldest from work late on, but what else would I be doing? Sleeping?

Yours looking out the sunglasses

Jay

Wednesday 3rd Apr

A beautiful crisp spring morning and I’m up and out earlier than usual to do the papers. In fact I’m out while both teenagers are still in bed - true it’s not a great surprise as it’s the school holidays. When I return the youngest is up watching YouTube on the computer but the eldest isn’t seen for at least another hour. I pop round to the outlaws to return the decorating gear I’d borrowed, and to give my mother-in-law some computer advice. Though to be fair she’s getting pretty good these days, which is more than her other half is, who doesn’t seem quite to have got to grips with the technology as well. Interestingly, it’s the other way round with my folks.

I make lunch for me and the youngest who then goes out to play football with his mates. It’s great to get that old fashioned feel as he goes out the door at lunch and I tell him to be back for tea, knowing he’s off to do something healthy and sociable. The eldest is having friends around and Mrs P made food for them last night and bought in additional supplies. My job is to get it prepared and on the table, then get out of the way, and tidy up afterwards. Something I accomplish with panache, whilst also fitting in the ironing.

I then get tea ready for Mrs P myself and the youngest, who returns with a proper appetite just in time for tea. Mrs P thinks he smells of “outdoors”, which is nice. Pop out for a walk with Mrs P and the eldest in the evening and return shattered and wanting my bed, it must be my age catching up with me.

Yours dreaming of summer

Jay

Tuesday 2nd Apr

Well chocolate is back on the menu, as of Easter Sunday and I must say I’ve done myself proud. I know Gluttony is a sin but it does feel good. I don’t believe in eating a bit at a time; if it’s open it’s eaten. At least that’s my philosophy for chocolate. I do find the sight of Easter eggs still left weeks later in the kids’ bedrooms difficult at times but then again it is a bit silly the amount they get these days. It’s another one of these daft seasons where we give and we get back, and the kids end up pretty much with an amount of chocolate equivalent to the value of what we’ve spent on other people’s Easter presents. So really we’re as much to blame as anyone for not breaking the cycle.

Mrs P was off today and after a quiet morning punctuated by the eldest revising for her AS level exams, and the youngest on the computer, we go for a family outing after lunch. As she’s learning we let the eldest drive us, and apart from her trying to burn out the clutch holding it on a hill we progress serenely. We have a lovely walk by the sea on a beautiful afternoon and as a parent of teenage children it doesn’t get much better. We then stopped for a coffee at which point the mobile devices came out and we lost the teenagers to the internet and social media. Oh well, it was good while it lasted! The eldest then drives us the majority of the way home and it’s going well until she looks to be overshooting taking a left-hand turn. As we glide calmly towards the side of the oncoming Mondeo I apply the handbrake bringing us to a grinding halt. The eldest thought she would miss the Mondeo I wasn’t sure and took the safe option, much to Mrs P’s relief in the back. Fair play to the eldest, she carried on and drove the rest of the way safely.

For anyone who was wondering I managed to get the final two grilles fitted to the inside walls in the lounge without further mishap. I’m hoping that’s the end of the decorating for this year but Mrs P is keeping her own council on the subject.

10:30pm finds jay-le-taxi waiting outside the local station for the eldest. Having not got off the train that’s just arrived I guess she’s on the next one due in 20 minutes, and text her to check. 20 minutes later the train arrives, and off gets the eldest. Had I got a reply to my text checking she was on it? Of course not! She can text her mates 10 times a minute, but a text to her old dad to reassure him, oh no, too much effort that, just leave the old fellow waiting, he’ll still be there, he’s dad. She knows it and so do I.

Yours in chocolate overload

Jay