2nd October 2009

Yet again, I’ve had to be cajoled into finding time to write a blog. I’ve no real excuse; sometimes I’ve just been too busy, and other times I simply didn’t feel like it. Life seems to have settled into a routine, punctuated by random events, and I’m quite comfortable deciding which of those are worth bothering about.

Last weekend, I was scheduled to referee a match at Stocken Prison near Grantham. I was pleased to get a text confirming both teams wanted an early 2.30 pm kick-off. I duly arrived at the gate at 1.15 pm, as requested. It takes a while to get through security.

After checking in, I waited for the visiting team (prison teams don’t play away games), sitting for over an hour in a holding area with five women and about twenty children visiting their criminal husbands/partners/dads. It made me wonder: how did the inmates find time to break the law when they spent so much time procreating?

As the clock ticked on and children continued to jump on my kitbag, I told Reception I’d give it another 15 minutes before leaving. I’d already concluded that these visitors weren’t the kind of people you’d invite over for a quiet glass of wine and a few nibbles.

Just as I got back to my car and switched on the radio, four burly rugby players tapped on the window. “Are you the ref?” they asked. Given that I was wearing the Society’s shirt, tie, and fleece, and had a badged kitbag on the back seat, it was a fair assumption. Still, they hadn’t spotted the clues. I assumed (correctly) they were forwards.

Unlike the visitors inside, however, they could string several coherent sentences together without expletives or thumping, noisy children. I told them I’d wait for the rest of their team, but we’d be playing 30-minute halves. Eventually, at 2.55 pm, the rest of the squad arrived in an ancient army bus spewing diesel fumes.

I’d refereed this team before. Despite sin-binning two and sending one off, they remembered me fondly, probably because they’d somehow won the match.

We finally got through security, changed, and reached the pitch by 3.35 pm. Before starting, I gave the away side a friendly warning: a red card for foul play would cost them £50, a scolding from their club, and a trip to Leicester to face the Disciplinary Panel. The prisoners, on the other hand, would simply gain “street cred” inside. I suggested they be good citizens and set an example their mothers could be proud of.

In the end, it was a cracking match, tight and keenly contested. In the dying seconds, with the away side pressing hard, one of the warders (playing alongside the inmates) gathered a chip ahead and scored the winning try. Final score: 19–17. I’m glad I bothered.

Sue and I visited the Newarks a few weeks ago, and they returned the visit this past weekend. At the time, everyone seemed well, though Charlotte has since had a bout of illness. Fortunately, she seems to be on the mend now. Lucas, meanwhile, got very excited about Halloween and collected a large stash of sweets while out trick-or-treating with his mum.

Suraj is keeping busy with his computer installation business. He’s recently built a few systems for friends of mine. Unfortunately, while working on one build, he cut his hand badly on a motherboard and needed several stitches. That’s the danger of killer bytes! On a brighter note, he’s bought himself a BMW.

While Nan stayed with us, Charlotte and Lucas also came to visit for a few days, which gave me a welcome break from cooking and cleaning. Charlotte was a whirlwind (must get it from Sue) and cleaned the house top to bottom. According to Nan, she also cooked Sunday lunch “like a dream” (which makes me wonder what she thought of the Michelin-star-worthy meals I’d been turning out for the previous six weeks!).

Later in the week, Charlotte and Lucas took Nan to Belton House near Grantham. Coincidentally, I’d been in that area the weekend before on a golf-and-walking break with some friends (we didn’t play golf, but we ate and drank plenty).

Nan’s also had new front and back doors fitted to stop draughts, and a new shed put up to house her mobility scooter. Curiously, every time I phone her, she seems to be eating. She swears it’s a coincidence, but I have my doubts. On my last visit, I dug up the last of her potatoes and tidied the garden. She’s worried about Aunty Edna, who’s been admitted to the hospital with a leg problem.

David and Genya are back from Bulgaria for the winter. David and I are heading back there on November 9th to tear out ceilings and continue the renovation work. Genya’s not thrilled; this will be the first time they’ve been apart in nearly 12 years. I’ve promised to look after him. They seem very settled in Bulgaria now, and their return to the UK is more about fundraising than pleasure. One of Genya’s daughters is getting married soon, which should be a welcome distraction.

Sarah is keeping busy with school and has started using my study computer to write up notes and homework. It seems to be paying off; she got 8/10 in a biology practical at Leicester University and received an ‘A’ for her latest Sociology essay.

She’s still active in the Air Cadets. I took her to a forest camp near Bradgate Park, but had to fetch her the next day after she came down with a stomach bug. Ironically, I was refereeing just a few miles away that afternoon, so it meant an extra trip.

She now has a boyfriend in Nottingham and has travelled by train to see him a couple of times, once for a Chinese meal, and again for a friend’s birthday. We’ve met him; he seems a decent lad. She recently won two silver medals swimming for her squadron at RAF Cranwell.

Sue’s health is officially much better. Last week, she passed a hospital assessment with flying colours. She’s not back to full strength yet, still can’t drive, and gets tired easily, but I think she’ll be her old self again by Christmas.

She’s been doing a bit of cooking, cleaning, and walking. One upside to not working at school is that she hasn’t picked up any bugs. I, on the other hand, spent three days at Farndon Fields and followed that with three days in bed with a stomach and flu bug.

One day, I took her to see the Hallaton Horde at Harborough Museum, an impressive and entertaining exhibit. We also saw the film Looking for Eric at the cinema (6/10). A few weeks earlier, we’d watched The Hangover, which had us in stitches, almost literally, in Sue’s case. We enjoyed it so much that we’ve ordered it for a family screening at Christmas.

Sue’s also discovered a new hobby, shopping with Jamie. He seems to enjoy it, and I’m more than happy to be relieved of the duty. I worry about myself when I know the cost of baked beans in three supermarkets and spend far too long comparing toilet rolls. Sometimes I find myself drifting past shelves of beer while pondering kitchen roll.

Jamie is still seeing Harley. He’s been working in a few warehouses, although he hasn’t yet used a forklift truck, despite being licensed to do so. Unfortunately, he’s only called in when there’s work, and they send him home if the job finishes early, only paying him for the hours worked. They’ve also managed to get his pay wrong. To make things worse, he suspects the company may have lost the contract.

Frustratingly, he turned down a job in Corby because his friend Tansley (who relies on Jamie for a lift) wouldn’t have been able to get to work. Not the best decision, in hindsight.

Last Wednesday, Sue and I took Jamie and Harley to a Ghost Story Evening at Rockingham Castle. It wasn’t particularly scary, but it was good fun, especially walking around the castle in the dark.

Jamie’s also been suffering from mouth ulcers. It got so bad that the doctor sent him for a blood test. He was much more nervous than we realised and nearly passed out in the waiting room. We’re still waiting for the results; hopefully, no further tests will be needed.

A high point this week was booking a cruise around Japan. We’ll fly to Shanghai in April, join the ship for a voyage around Japan (with a stop in South Korea), and return via Shanghai. Sue is very keen, and I think it’ll be a refreshing break for her. Sarah and Jamie will remain at home under the gentle care of Charlotte.