6th November 2008

Charlotte has rightly pointed out (via email, with subtlety only an eldest daughter can master) that I’ve not written a family blog in some time. The irony isn’t lost on me; retirement, I’d once imagined, would be filled with ample free time to sit back, reflect, and write. Instead, my days are more jam-packed than ever. Take today, for example: I bought new ceiling lights for Sarah’s room, fully intending to install them, but having now been guilt-tripped into writing this, they’ve been bumped down the to-do list. I must say, I rarely had such glorious flexibility when I was working.

SUSAN

Sue continues to teach nearly every day at her two regular schools, Church Langton and St Joseph’s, and has become such a fixture there that I half expect them to name a wing after her. Coincidentally (or perhaps cruelly), on the three Tuesdays she didn’t work recently, I was called in to cover at Farndon Fields. Between her schedule and mine, we’re like ships in the night, occasionally passing in the hallway and relying on the mantelpiece photos to remember what each other looks like.

We did manage to snatch one precious Friday together and joined a walking group organised by Harborough Council. The destination: Coombe Abbey. As luck would have it, it was the one gloriously sunny day of the week, brisk but beautiful. After lunch in the café, we enjoyed a gentle five-mile ramble through the grounds and woods. The scenery was pleasant (if not exactly Himalayan), and with some walkers well into their 70s, it was never going to be a test of endurance.

In a new and mildly disturbing development, I fell asleep on the coach home, my first official bus nap. I joined the grey-haired snorers and didn’t stir until we pulled back into Harborough. It turns out 90 minutes of familiar Leicestershire villages can be very soporific. A top tip for future excursions.

On another Friday evening, Sue and I visited the Little Theatre in town and saw Gone Baby Gone and Happy-Go-Lucky at the local cinema club, both enjoyable and a rare opportunity for us to do something together that didn’t involve laundry or lesson plans. Meanwhile, the unmistakable scent of Christmas pudding has taken over the house, which means only one thing: festive preparations are in full swing, and the puddings are looking (and smelling) marvellous.

SARAH

Sarah continues to cram more into each week than most people manage in a month. School, Air Cadets, swimming galas, the Duke of Edinburgh Award… she’s unstoppable. Last week, she was in Germany with school; the week before, at camp with the Cadets. She’s also volunteered at charity shops and regularly brings home shiny new PBs from swimming, each one costing me a small fortune in celebratory rewards.

For her GCSE coursework, she cooked Thai food that looked absolutely delicious, though once again, I wasn’t invited to sample it. I’m starting to suspect I’m being kept on a culinary blacklist.

She’s also been reimagining her bedroom. While she handled the “design and vision” aspect, I was gently volunteered for the “painting and execution” part. One highlight is her name written in Chinese characters on the wall, a stylish touch, though now Jamie wants something similar, which is rather less stylish when you’re a 20-something bloke asking for wall calligraphy.

JAMIE

Jamie remains busy with work. He was under the weather on Monday, spending most of the day in bed with a bucket close to hand. Thankfully, he bounced back and was back on-site by Tuesday morning.

He’s still with Harriet, though the relationship apparently hit a bit of turbulence recently. Whatever the rough patch was, they seem to have patched things up; we’ll see if the relationship remains smooth.

He spent last week working at an exhibition in London, something he’d been eagerly anticipating. It must have paid well because he returned flashing a Rolex. This is particularly curious as he’s never worn a watch in his life. Perhaps punctuality will now become a habit… or perhaps not.

He also splashed out on a large flat-screen TV (no one’s dared measure it, but it dwarfs most of the furniture), along with a PlayStation 4. He and Sarah have become a formidable gaming duo, frequently retreating to his room for some sibling bonding via virtual combat. Ever generous, he passed his old TV down to Sarah, a sort of modern hand-me-down with HDMI.

On 5th November, he went with a friend to the Corby fireworks, which he described as “spectacular”. Apparently, many cars got stuck in the muddy field. He didn’t say whether his was one of them, but he came back in it, so that’s a clue.

ME

I still find plenty to do, some supply teaching here and there, and amusingly, I’ve been paid at Headteacher rates (a fact I’ve chosen not to correct just yet). I suspect once the school realises, my phone will fall silent.

My friend Roger Woolnough recently returned from a Norwegian cruise to mark his 60th, and I’ve made a film from his photos to commemorate the trip. I also completed another video project, this one from a weekend walking holiday in Mid-Wales with friends. I’d bagged a cottage on eBay in Llangynog (Powys), and we enjoyed glorious weather, stunning scenery, long walks, and, inevitably, too much food and drink. The country may have been under a raincloud, but we somehow dodged it all.

In between editing and errands, I’ve been busy chopping and collecting logs in anticipation of our new wood burner, scheduled for installation in December. I think I’ve gathered enough to last the winter, though I’ll probably keep going just in case. There’s something very satisfying about having a tidy log pile, even if the chainsaw is now asking for a break.

NAN

Nan’s in good health and excellent spirits. Her days are delightfully predictable: shopping, lunch out, hair appointments, and occasional commentary on her noisy neighbours. She zips around in her mobility scooter (aka “the Batmobile”) and keeps a close eye on the construction next door, which she finds both messy and annoying.

She was recently taken out for a buffet meal on the moors above Sheffield by David and Genya. She loved it, though she can’t remember exactly where it was. Still, I have a feeling she expects me to solve that mystery and take her there again.

CHARLOTTE, SURAJ & LUCAS

I’m probably the least updated on the Newark Palmers (or Shahs, as they’re known in certain circles), mostly because whenever they call, Sue or Sarah beats me to the phone. So, I get all my information filtered through two enthusiastic relayers.

Both Charlotte and Suraj are still working, no mean feat given the economic climate. Lucas attends nursery four days a week, though not for much longer. Charlotte’s unimpressed with the current place, and another family next door feels the same. Lucas will be moving to a new nursery next month, accompanied by his little neighbour, a sort of toddler defection pact.

He recently had a bout of tummy trouble but has bounced back. At this rate, he’ll be stronger than all of us by Christmas.