17th January 2010

Surprisingly, it’s only been ten days since I last put finger to keyboard, yet it feels like mid-March already. The sun made a rare appearance today, so I took the opportunity to clear away the garden debris and chop a decent pile of logs in readiness for more cold weather (apparently on its way, again). The snow has largely disappeared now, with just the remains of the igloo Jamie and Harley built clinging on stubbornly on the patio. The thaw has brought the River Welland roaring back to life. It hasn’t spilt over its lower bank in four years, thankfully, it’s held back this time too, although that hasn’t stopped Sue fretting that one day it will make a break for it.

Many friends are sick of the snow and begging for a bit of warmth. I, however, found myself a little sorry to see it go. Snow gives our otherwise drab winters a touch of sparkle, a festive sort of ‘bling’. Even the simplest outdoor tasks become mini adventures. Admittedly, carrying logs in knee-deep snow is a challenge, but once inside and parked in front of the fire, it makes for the perfect excuse for a nap in front of the telly. Now, if I could just train the rest of the family to refill the log basket when it’s empty, life would be practically perfect.

Last week I decided to make ‘Leek au Gratin’. What should have been a two-minute harvest turned into a ligament-testing, frostbite-threatening, leek-snapping ordeal as I attempted to wrestle the veg from the frozen soil. (Perhaps I’ve over-romanticised snowy gardening?) Nevertheless, the resulting dish was sublime, so good, in fact, that I didn’t share it with a soul. It’s now officially one of my top ten meals of all time. Like many things in life, it seems the harder you have to work for it, the more you appreciate it.

Sarah has been working incredibly hard on her four AS Levels. She’s made plenty of social sacrifices and has taken up residence in my study each evening, poring over notes and revision guides. I’ve been testing her regularly and, frankly, I’m in awe. The media’s claim that exams are being “dumbed down” is utter nonsense, at least in this house. Much of what I remember from my O-level days seems to be primary school material now, and today’s A-Levels look suspiciously like what used to pass for university content.

As a well-earned reward for surviving a punishing revision schedule, I took Sarah and Jamie to Kettering on Friday for a KFC and a 3D screening of Avatar. What an experience! At one point, I ducked in my seat to avoid a rock flying towards my head, quite thrilling. I was even more amused watching Sarah trying to bat away floaty, glowing tendrils that appeared to drift around us. The future of cinema is very definitely in three dimensions.

On Saturday, Sarah popped up to Nottingham to visit Lee and returned home this morning looking relaxed and recharged.

Jamie begins his new job tomorrow, at last. He was interviewed over a month ago at a company in Kettering owned by Harley’s dad, and he’ll be starting alongside another recruit. His new car still isn’t insured (until the end of the month), so Sue is kindly chauffeuring him to work. The hours are long, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., but I think he’s just glad to finally be earning. Only a week ago, he was preparing applications for voluntary work. It’s an especially brutal time for young people seeking employment, soul-destroying. Business-owning friends keep telling me that work is thin on the ground, and yet the bankers are still pocketing bonuses. It makes me spit.

Sue, meanwhile, has been hoping for a bit of supply work, but the phone has remained stubbornly silent since Christmas. On the plus side, the house is immaculate and all the laundry is done. She visited the doctor about recurring headaches and was tested for diabetes, but happily the results were negative. She had a long catch-up with our old friend Shiela in Tenbury Wells, who’s been snowed in and phoned Sue simply to pass the time. They made plans for a summer visit, assuming we had all thawed out by then.

I’ve managed a couple of supply days at Farndon Fields myself. One memorable day had me teaching French to Key Stage 2, all day. I don’t speak a word of French, and frankly, it didn’t seem to matter. I’ve never forgiven that nation for its attitude toward the British. Still, the day was good fun, and the children seemed to enjoy my valiant attempts at “le education”. I’ve been booked for Year 4 next Thursday, which should be interesting given the school is being OFSTED’d on Tuesday and Wednesday. I’ll be all ears for the outcome.

With the weather playing havoc with sports fixtures, Harborough Rugby Club has cancelled everything, and I haven’t been called to referee. To get my rugby fix, I went to see Leicester Tigers play Wasps and again when they took on Viadana (Italy). I tagged along with a friend who has a season ticket; his wife sensibly stayed home due to the weather. Unfortunately, the slippery walk to the station did my knee in. After a doctor’s visit, surgery was mentioned, but we agreed to avoid it for now. I couldn’t face three months of enforced stillness.

Up in Thurcroft, Nan is surviving the winter with the central heating on 24/7 and has been zooming about on her mobility scooter like a pensioner Lewis Hamilton. I’ve helped her apply for a passport so she can visit David in Bulgaria; fingers crossed, it arrives in time. I phone her daily to check in, and she’s becoming quite the sports pundit thanks to her TV habits. She can hold court on most topics now, though I try to steer the conversation back to rugby, one of the few subjects where I can still keep up.

The Newarks are all well and virus-free, which in this winter is quite the achievement.

And now, the moment she’s been waiting for…

CHARLOTTE. CHARLOTTE. CHARLOTTE.

I’ve long suspected that Charlotte uses some sort of digital search tool to see how often I mention her in these blog entries. She often accuses me of neglecting her in writing. A quick check shows this is her fourth mention here. That’s plenty, surely? Well, now it’s five, and with good reason.

Charlotte is pregnant.
A second grandchild is on the way! They shared the news with us on Christmas Day, and while these announcements no longer cause the surprise they once did, they still bring tremendous joy. August should be quite the month.