16th January 2011 

At long last, life appears to be calming down. The Rothwells (Charlotte & Suraj) are now firmly ensconced, and the house is slowly being arranged to their exacting standards. Shelves have been erected, pictures are hanging proudly on the walls, and the furniture is in place, though it took three of us, plus a healthy dose of stubbornness, to haul the settee up the stairs to the lounge. We didn’t think it would fit, but with a touch of wall-scraping artistry, it just about squeezed through.

The family’s daily logistics are now sorted; playgroups, breakfast clubs, and Lucas’s new placement at the local school are all in hand. Suraj’s commute is much shorter these days, and he no longer resembles an extra from The Walking Dead. Friday Night Curry Night has become a regular family event. I make the curry; Sarah and Jamie usually opt for something else (clearly their taste buds are defective), but that’s their loss. Last Friday’s curry was worthy of a Michelin star, if I say so myself.

Sarah is juggling school, revision, and work like a pro. I’m not sure I could have managed it at her age. I try to help with her revision, but Sociology is threatening to liquefy my remaining brain cells. Honestly, what a subject, nothing but waffle, counter-waffle, and waffle about the counter-waffle. Someone actually gets paid to write this stuff? Her driving lessons are on hold until after the exams (pun entirely intended), though we still occasionally drive to Rothwell for a quick visit.

Sue worked all last week and has a couple of days booked for next week. She’s brimming with grand plans for Jamie’s apartment, but can’t seem to get to them thanks to schoolwork. Yesterday she visited Brigitte, who had a breast cancer operation last Tuesday, and she’s planning to take her to see Charlotte’s place on Wednesday.

Jamie was homesick at first in his new apartment, but he’s now enjoying the freedom, although he still pops back for tea most evenings and lingers until around 8 pm before heading home. He’s slowly learning the fine art of bill-paying and life-admin. Last week I had to let the plumber in to fix his shower, and he even phoned me to check I was doing it right! A breakthrough moment.

When I took Nan home to Thurcroft, she insisted on upgrading her viewing experience to match her new Sky HD box. We picked up a 40″ Samsung TV from Comet, and she’s delighted with the picture quality, especially when watching sport in HD. Now she can see so much more… which is probably bad news for the referees. With the snow finally gone, she’s back to her usual routine. David (fresh from Bulgaria) visits weekly, though apparently she gives him such a hard time that he rarely stays long.

The hard frosts gave me a chance to finish digging one allotment; the rain has allowed me to get halfway through the other, though it’s been more “sticky wrestling match” than gardening. Last Saturday, I acquired a ticket to Tigers v Saints as a guest of the Yorkshire Bank, and it was a cracking match with the right result. This week I refereed Oakham v Birstall, a top-versus-bottom clash where the scoreline left no room for doubt. Cold but enjoyable, and my body held up, which is always a bonus. Afterwards, I dashed back to Harborough to watch Tigers v Scarlets on Sky at the club.

On a less joyful note, I filled the car with fuel this week, and it cost £61. Daylight robbery! I dread to think what the going rate is in Saudi Arabia.

And finally, young Ellis David is officially rocking and rolling. Any day now, he’ll be off at full speed, and that’s when the real fun (and trouble) will begin.