What a scorching week we have had! I managed to play tennis (twice) on the Welland Park courts with several ex-rugby chums, although noticeably at a much-reduced pace and expenditure of energy.

At school, I gave the Year 4’s their optional SATs (which always seems to happen when the weather is good). All that is left for me to do now is to write their school reports. Overall, they have been a very nice class, and I am glad I have finished my teaching career with such pleasant individuals.

At home, the greenhouse is looking good, and the cucumbers and tomatoes are growing well.

One of the days, Sarah and I tried out our new canoe (Sevylor), or should I call it a kayak? We left at 9.30am paddling from the marina in Harborough on the Grand Union Canal to finish at 5.30 pm somewhere near Kibworth. We stopped for a light lunch at Bridge 61 in Foxton Locks. An amusing highlight of the trip was when Sarah greeted an elderly gentleman through the open window of his narrow boat as we paddled by.   He was sitting on the toilet, not expecting to be greeted by a young lady on the waterside of his boat.

Later a huge, aggressive swan accompanied us for quite a long time before deciding to attack us with flapping wings and hisses (I beat him off with a paddle). We sought sanctuary in the depths of a dark and scary tunnel further down the watercourse. Somehow, though we were in the middle of nowhere, Sue managed to find us when we had finished for the day and took us home, feeling rather tired and sunburnt.

Over the weekend, Jamie had a pool and BBQ party with his mates in the garden, though they appeared to get quite drunk, they behaved well, and we had no complaints from the neighbours.