10th December 2008 

The past three weeks have whizzed by in a blur of colds, cadets, carpentry and chaos. Here’s how it all unfolded, or at least, how I remember it…

Sarah

Sarah has been keeping herself heroically busy at school and in the skies. Much to our envy, she had a flight in a Cessna at RAF Wittering with the Air Cadets, which she loved, naturally. She also attended the annual cadet dinner, where the Air Commodore himself made an appearance. The whole thing was as formal as it gets, with medals, speeches and military precision. When we arrived to pick her up, the Commodore made a beeline for us; either we looked suspicious or he was genuinely impressed. Fortunately, it was the latter. He was full of praise for our daughter and rather charming, all things considered.

Charlotte, Lucas, and Charlotte’s friend Claire arrived on the Friday evening, and with Sarah in tow, caught the 6:30 am train to London the next morning for some serious retail therapy. Lucas was left with Sue for the day while Suraj stayed behind fitting a wood burner they’d nabbed on eBay. The girls returned triumphantly at 6 pm and stayed with us at Willow Bank until Sunday evening. Coincidentally, I was also in London that day, but at Twickenham to watch England play the All Blacks. Let’s just say I had the least relaxing day…

Sarah did catch the dreaded chest bug doing the rounds, resulting in a couple of days off school. Nevertheless, she’s supposed to be off to Edale with the cadets this weekend. I fully expect a miraculous, swift, and conveniently timed recovery.

Sue

Sue has been waging her annual Christmas campaign: working extra hours in school to fund presents, secretly shopping, and wrapping gifts like a festive ninja. Despite being visibly ill, she insisted on going to Newark for Lucas’s 2nd birthday. She looked like death reheated in the microwave, but wouldn’t be talked out of it, and still went to school the next morning.

By Tuesday, I bundled her off to the doctor and then to the Cottage Hospital for a chest X-ray. The GP seriously considered admitting her to Leicester Hospital, but Sue, in typical fashion, talked them out of it and went home with a high-powered dose of antibiotics instead. She slept most of the day, until I carted her back to the doctor later that afternoon. Of course, by then she claimed to feel better and booked a follow-up for Friday.

She was adamant about going to school on Wednesday, but I called in and told them not to expect her this week. She’s looking truly awful but insists she feels fine, although I had to forcibly stop her from tidying the house. You’d think she was trying to sweep the virus out.

Jamie

Jamie seems well enough, and yes, he’s “just friends” with Harriet again (we’re all nodding politely and pretending we believe that). Over a few evenings, he helped a friend lay a floor and was even paid for it. This came as a surprise to him, and to us.

In classic Jamie fashion, he then parked his car at work and forgot to apply the handbrake. It promptly rolled down a slope and through a wooden fence. He spent Sunday with a mate rebuilding the fence, a seven-hour repair job, but the car, miraculously, escaped with barely a scratch.

He skipped our car ride to Newark, preferring to drive himself and Sarah to Lucas’s party. Later in the week, he had work in London and Birmingham, setting up exhibitions. He seems to enjoy working away, but, true to form, doesn’t talk much about it.

Meanwhile, I’m decorating his bedroom, and there’s a vast gulf between his taste and mine. According to Jamie, I’m a useless carpenter and he’s better at it, something I already knew. So, I ask, why isn’t he doing it himself?

Me

Having finally finished Sarah’s room, I’ve turned my attention to Jamie’s, although school cover work is slowing me down; teachers are dropping like flies thanks to the chest bug.

I continue to referee at weekends, including a rather memorable match inside a prison. I had to end the game early to prevent the opposition from being, well… beaten up. An interesting day, to say the least.

London was a welcome change. Paul Bissell and I went to Twickenham to watch the All Blacks beat England (not unexpected), and rode the London Eye. The day was freezing, so I popped into M&S and treated myself to a thermal vest. That’s what rugby does to a man.

Back at home, our new wood burner is performing marvellously, and we’ve had a survey for cavity wall insulation to be installed post-Christmas. Cosiness, here we come.

Nan

Nan had an injection in her eye last week, Botox, no less! Not for wrinkles, mind you, but to correct her skewed vision. It helps for a time, though it never lasts long. Still, she’s been out and about despite the cold, having her hair done and going out to lunch like a trooper. She’s very much looking forward to Christmas in Harborough.

Charlotte

Charlotte has fully recovered from the flaming wheely bin incident and hosted a lovely do for Lucas’s birthday. We particularly enjoyed the home-made chilli. Their new wood burner (identical to the one we wanted, but alas, too big for our fireplace) is a big hit.

Everyone’s in reasonable health for once, and Lucas has started at his new nursery, which he seems to be enjoying. Let’s hope that continues once he realises he’s expected to go more than once.