26th July 2010

As the title suggests, we’re still in baby limbo, no sign yet of young Ellis, who appears to be treating Charlotte’s womb like a long-term holiday let. The weather’s been as indecisive as Ellis himself: no recent dips in the pool to report, just rain, clouds, and enough garden moisture to keep everything from tomatoes to toads happy. While waiting for the Big Arrival, the family has been busy with day-to-day jobs, the kind that quietly turn into disasters if left unattended.

Charlotte is now visibly larger than some mid-sized hatchbacks. We reckon she’s harbouring an 8lb bruiser in there. Only a photo could do justice to the sheer scale of her bump, though you’d need a wide-angle lens just to frame her belly button. She’s understandably tired, every small task feels like an expedition, and the thought of an actual baby emerging soon is both thrilling and, for her, probably a bit of a relief.

The little lad has already been named Ellis, and if he doesn’t make his grand appearance by Wednesday, he’ll be induced. Suraj, meanwhile, looks like he could do with a week in hospital himself, not from worry, but from trying to sleep next to a restless, hippo-esque Charlotte, who makes frequent nocturnal trips to the loo. He says it’s like sharing a bed with a water buffalo on the move. I remember those days well, and thank heaven we had a spare bedroom.

Sue has fully embraced her role as Chief Property Scout, monitoring estate agent websites and classifieds like a hawk with broadband. Whenever a listing appears that ticks the right boxes, Charlotte gets an immediate text alert. Over the weekend, the Newark contingent descended en masse to tour potential homes in south Leicestershire and north Northamptonshire. Suraj even stopped off in Thrapston en route to hand in a job application to Northamptonshire Council, good lad.

While they were off exploring housing stock, we looked after Lucas. On Sunday, we received a call: could we pop over and view a house with them? No problem. But then another call came an hour later, could I pick Charlotte up? The car keys had mysteriously locked themselves inside the boot during a viewing.

Sue scribbled down the address, and I dutifully headed off, SatNav guiding me confidently… to Rushden. It wasn’t until I was halfway through Kettering that I thought, “This doesn’t feel right.” I double-checked the postcode and, of course, I was meant to be in Rushton. That’ll teach me to trust SatNavs and Midlands town names.

When I finally arrived, the AA man was already deep in conversation with the back of their BMW. Modern cars are apparently burglar-proof, including from their owners. He ended up rewiring the car to get into the boot. By then, Charlotte and I had gone to view the house, big, lots of rooms, lovely garden, good condition. Promising. They’re keen. Their own house is now on the market and set to be advertised later this week.

Last week, I nipped up to Nan’s to replace a small rotting side window with a new frame. Thunderstorms were forecast, but while Yorkshire flooded, Thurcroft miraculously stayed dry. On my way back, I picked up Sarah from Newark, she’d been staying with Charlotte and had an interview for a holiday job at Savers. She got it. Nan refused to return with me, claiming the weather was grim. (I think she just wanted some peace.)

I helped out at the Rugby Club’s Maintenance Day on Saturday, painting a couple of windows and a door. There was a post-work BBQ with free beer, but I sensibly declined after over-indulging the night before at a corporate do at Leicester Tigers. Free food and drink from 5:30–11:00 pm is great at the time… not so much the next morning.

I also travelled to Charlotte and Suraj’s old home to do some kitchen scraping and painting. I brought Sarah back with me; she has a blood test on Monday and a driving lesson on Tuesday, and we brought Lucas back to Willow Bank, thinking it’s best he’s with us for the upcoming birth. On the way home, I made a detour to Cotgrave to collect Lee, who’s staying a few days. I’ve now achieved Peak Carload.

Whilst home, I replaced two broken security lights and repaired a chair Sue had managed to break (by sitting on it, I’ve chosen not to probe further).

• I’ve managed two games of tennis over the past fortnight, far from my former three-times-a-week standard, but still something. Unfortunately, my knees now think I’ve been hit by a truck.

• I enjoyed a lovely walk from Ashley to Rockingham with Roger Woolnough and Jim Hankers, following the old railway line to Peterborough. The weather was beautiful, and we lunched on pie at the Sonde Arms, a reward worth walking for.

• Jamie has now decided to save money “big time” and is opening another ISA, this time a cash one. He’s also considering savings bonds. It seems the lads at work have convinced him that spending every penny on his car isn’t exactly a retirement plan. We’ll see how long it lasts.

• Our recently adopted pigeons, having built one haphazard nest in the apple tree, have now constructed a second on the opposite side. ‘Cooey’ has laid two eggs and is firmly parked on them. The only real difference between the nests? The second has a clear line of sight into the kitchen. Maybe they just wanted to feel included.

• David and Genya return from Bulgaria next week for Genya’s daughter’s wedding. They’ll be staying in the UK for a couple of weeks before heading back.