13th March 2011

It’s been an eventful week for the world at large, and for the Palmer household, which has had more than its fair share of upheaval.

Libya’s population has finally decided it’s had quite enough of Gaddafi’s decades of tyranny. Unfortunately, he hasn’t taken the hint and is clinging on like an unwelcome house guest. The rest of the world agrees he’s a thoroughly distasteful dictator who really ought to go, yet so far they’re content to tut from a safe distance.

Meanwhile, Japan has been devastated by a truly appalling earthquake followed by a tsunami. A beautiful country full of gentle, disciplined people now faces unimaginable hardship. If ever a nation deserved the world’s full support, this is it.

On the home front, my drama involved a ‘tummy ache’ that had been lingering for weeks. The doctor promptly referred me to the local Cottage Hospital, where I enjoyed the dubious pleasure of a sigmoidoscopy. The technician cheerily informed me that 70% of the population “suffers” from this procedure, OUCH indeed. Three elastic bands later, my haemorrhoids had been well and truly dealt with. The weather’s been decent, but thanks to my “minor operation”, I’ve been grounded from the allotments, most irritating.

While Jamie went on holiday with Harley, I put up some pictures in his flat and replaced a faulty wardrobe door. He also had arranged for builders to sort out his balcony door, which hadn’t opened properly since he had been there. The building had settled, and the door is now trapped under the lintel. Cheekily, while away, he also informed me he wanted the wall painted; the man’s getting ambitious.

Charlotte was next on my list as a DIY dad. After fitting a stair-gate, I installed shelves in Lucas’s cupboard for bedding and clothes, then moved her microwave, which somehow turned into building yet more shelves and rewiring the kitchen. She and the boys escaped the mess to visit Jamie for coffee and cheesecake. Somehow, I wasn’t invited… it may have interfered with my unpaid maintenance jobs!

Sue spent a couple of afternoons in school and arranged for a spare bed from friends Jim and Kate to be delivered to Jamie’s spare bedroom. Sarah has her driving theory test next week and has been diligently practising on the software Suraj installed on my computer.

The real chaos came on Friday night. Charlotte, Ellis and Lucas arrived for Curry Night (though this week it was Chilli Night). At 4 pm, Charlotte popped next door for a reflexology session, only to return urgently requesting my help with water pouring through Doreen’s downstairs bedroom ceiling. The leak’s source proved elusive, I pulled up carpets, floorboards, and uncovered joists swimming in water, but the exact culprit pipe stayed hidden. Midway through the destruction, Sue arrived to say Charlotte had rushed Ellis to Kettering Hospital with a 39-degree temperature and a sudden onset of a rash.

After a phone call, Nigel (school caretaker) joined me, and together we pulled up more boards, found even more water, and narrowed the suspect down to a likely joint. We stuck a bowl underneath and told Doreen and Peter to call in a plumber. Not quite the relaxing Friday evening I had in mind.

Sarah had gone with the Rothwells to Kettering, leaving Lucas in the grandparents’ care. Suraj eventually brought Sarah home at around 11 pm and then promptly returned to the hospital. Ellis was discharged home at 1 am, none the wiser as to what the problem was. We kept Lucas overnight. The following afternoon, they came to collect Lucas. Little Ellis still looked very spotty, but less grizzly and his temperature was down.

On a note of good fortune, while we doted on Ellis at Willow bank, Suraj visited the indoor market in Harborough and then bought a gold necklace from a charity shop in the town for £4. Later in the week, he sold it to a jeweller for £30.

On the same Saturday, Lee and Sarah drove to Wolverhampton University for their open day. By all accounts, they spent a pleasant day finding out about the courses and student life. On return, Sarah couldn’t wait to provide me with a copy of the course and accommodation fees! Lee stayed overnight before returning home to Nottinghamshire.

NEWSFLASH: Sarah passed her Driving Test Theory Exam today!