28th October 2007

At Willow Bank, we had Lucas to stay for the week while Mum and Dad jetted off for a well-earned break in Majorca. I’ve often thought about getting another dog, someone to walk with, play with, and offer unwavering loyalty. Lucas ticks all the same boxes, with the bonus that he doesn’t sniff every lamppost or chase squirrels (well, not yet, but give it time).

Charlotte and Suraj had a restful break, reporting back on activities mostly centred on sleeping and shopping, in that exact order. Their all-inclusive hotel was right next to the hotel Samoa, where, unknown to them, rather tragically, a little girl fell from a balcony and her mother was later found in the sea. While lazing by the pool in their hotel, they saw the police helicopters but remained blissfully unaware of the incident until we broke the news upon their return. True to holiday form, they also came back lighter than they left, not in body weight (all-you-can-eat buffets saw to that), but in baggage. Their suitcases had embarked on a European adventure of their own. One eventually turned up in Berlin, probably full of bratwurst and baffled apologies.

The weather in Leicestershire has been glorious all week, so Lucas had plenty of outings: to the shops, the post box, and even the local pub, which thoughtfully comes with a play barn. Cheers all round. I took advantage of some rare British sunshine to slap some unnecessarily expensive Sadolin onto the garage fascia and various bits of exterior wood around the property. I got so carried away I ended up painting the garden benches and table as well, a job so fiddly I’ve decided it’s now a legacy project. Someone else can inherit it.

Sue, meanwhile, spent much of the week making up bottles for Lucas, washing bottles for Lucas, and preparing meals that could be either liquidised or flung from a spoon. She also took charge of pram-pushing and the more fragrant aspects of toddler maintenance, duties I was more than happy for her to embrace with gusto.

Jamie is still seeing Lara; this must be some kind of record.

Sarah was a huge help with Lucas, though she still managed to squeeze in a few sleepovers with friends. She’s now deep in homework catch-up mode, which has brought a welcome hush to the house, broken only by the occasional groan of despair and the sound of furious scribbling.