29th May 2011 It’s been a blustery week, with the sort of wind that makes you feel like you’ve walked into a giant hairdryer. Only one day of rain tried (and failed) to rescue the parched, brown lawns. Monday’s drama came courtesy of Jamie’s fire alarm, again. At 7 pm, the phone rang in full… Continue Reading

    23rd May 2011 Monday marked Sarah’s 18th birthday. The day before, she and Charlotte had been to Eden Hall for a pampering spa day, returning refreshed, relaxed, and looking suspiciously clean. That evening, the whole family gathered for a Chinese birthday banquet at home, complete with the usual over-ordering and “I’ll just have… Continue Reading

15th May 2011 The weather has taken a turn for the worse. Despite last week’s overly optimistic forecast, it has been chillier and damper than predicted, though, unlike the Spanish, we haven’t had an earthquake yet. Sue spent Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoons in school. I offered to help by giving a science lesson on… Continue Reading

8th May 2011 Monday began with Lee attempting a surprise visit to Sarah. Unfortunately, as is so often the case with unannounced appearances, she was out, in this case, at Charlotte’s. Lee dutifully diverted there, whisked her out for a meal, and left later that evening. On Tuesday, Jamie returned from a two-week holiday. At… Continue Reading

2nd May 2011 For Lucas’s birthday, we bought him an electric car and kept it at Willow Bank, so he could whizz safely around the patio and garden without the risk of encountering heavy traffic on the M1. On Tuesday, I ferried it to Rothwell so he could use it there instead of waiting for… Continue Reading