Since I last sat down to write the family blog, it has rained every day!

During the week Jamie was in Birmingham when a torrential downpour flooded the streets he was driving in. He took a video on his phone of cars that were submerged under water. He was lucky to get out of it without being stranded. Newtown Linford had a tornado that took the roofs off several houses and in Leicester hailstones the size of gold balls smashed house and car roofs. In Harborough we had heavy rain ALL day, but that was it (I suppose we must be lucky?)

I have been spending time in Nan’s flat, painting and wallpapering. Charlotte and Sarah picked some nice wall paper for the bedroom and yours truly put it up, but only after they had stripped the wall. I was sceptical, but it does look nice. To add a bit of colour to a rather white looking bathroom, Charlotte had bought a shower curtain and bathmat to match a wall that was then painted a bluey green (very chic). On Tuesday a cooker was delivered and on Wednesday I got an electrician friend (Dave Creighton) who I had played rugby with, to connect it up.

That afternoon, Sue and I went on a Council walk to Farndon and had a picnic. Rain threatened all the way through the ramble, but thankfully stayed away until we got back home and then the heavens opened up (again).

At the weekend Jamie went to the ‘Goodwood Festival of Speed’, his boss had given him two tickets for working well, so he went with a friend and had a brilliant time (not seen the photos yet).

On Friday, Sarah met Lee in Leicester and they travelled to Nottingham. On Sunday he took her to Thurcroft and Nan treated them to Sunday Lunch at the Royal Elephant. Afterwards Lee drove back to Nottingham and Sarah stayed to help with packing, ready for the move to Harborough.

As there was no rugby on and Spain were playing Italy in the Euro 2012 final in the evening, that afternoon I went on a walk with Jim Crawford from Gumley to Laughton and back. His wife was in Lourdes for the week helping out with the local Catholic church’s annual trip there. We visited a couple of pubs on the way back. That evening  Spain beat Italy with a masterful display of soccer as it should be played.

On Monday Sue spent half a day in school (Church Langton), it rained all morning and they spent most of it in the church across the road.

Yesterday, the ‘Olympic Torch Relay’, came through Harborough. Charlotte brought the boys over to see it. All the local schools had shut early to witness its passage through the town. We stood on Coventry Road in the pouring rain and watched the proceedings. Most of the Metropolitan Police Motorcyclists appeared to be in Harborough. I had a surprise when the Head from Farndon Fields came over and said hello and had a little chat. The school children were further up the road and I hadn’t spotted them. I guess they got soaked as well!!!

Today, Nan’s phone was connected, though the equipment for BTVision that should have arrived, failed to. After several fruitless journeys to check and see if the post had delivered the various packages I resorted to complaining to BT and they re-assured me that it would be delivered tomorrow (we shall see).

We have been having lots of trouble with our TV reception. Now that the leaves are on the trees, we have lost most of the channels. I have arranged for an engineer to put up a dish and point it at FreeSat on Thursday. Hopefully that will be a long-term solution (we shall see).

I am quite chuffed with myself. A month ago I was feeling grotty, suffering from reflux and getting quite sleepy in the afternoons. I weighed myself and shock horror the scales said 13 stone 8lbs!!!!! For those used to metric, that is quite a lot for my build. After researching the net, I trotted down to the Herbalist and got myself 4 containers of: Fenugreek, liquorice, ginger,  apple cider vinegar tablets and an Aloe Vera drink. I cut down on the quantity and some types of food that I ate and upped the exercise on my daily bike ride. Now I am a much leaner 12 stone 1lb. How about that for 3 weeks? At first I was starving all the time but now I am used to it. 9lbs more to go and I will be satisfied. I even managed to get into my favourite walking trousers last Wednesday, something I haven’t been able to do for a while now.