19th September 2011 With Sarah away in Sheffield, I decided to embrace the wonders of modern technology and install Skype, not only on my PC and mobile but also on Sarah’s laptop, so we could keep in touch. The idea came from Joan and Phil in Italy, whom I’d phoned a few times using the… Continue Reading

12th September 2011 As they say at Lidl: “When it’s gone, it’s gone.” Charlotte was the first to fly the nest, followed, after quite a pause, then Jamie. Worryingly, when Jamie moved out to his apartment, Charlotte did move geographically closer… but only as far as Rothwell. And now Sarah is leaving too. That’ll leave… Continue Reading

20th August 2011 The A-level results were due out on Thursday, but earlier in the week, Sarah began receiving details about her Sheffield course, along with a polite demand to confirm her accommodation choice and complete her medical forms. Sue and I scratched our heads. Why spend good money on postage and paper when the… Continue Reading

8th August 2011 It’s been nearly a month since I last plonked myself down to update the Family Blog. By now, the chances of me recalling everything we’ve done are about as slim as me winning Strictly Come Dancing. When the family eventually reads this, they’ll inevitably moan that I’ve missed something “crucial”, forcing an… Continue Reading

16th July 2011 The lack of rain this summer has left me with no plausible excuse not to tackle the long list of jobs I conveniently “postponed” in spring, the ones that hover about like guilt-ridden ghosts prodding my conscience. It’s a bit like those school days when it would have been far wiser to… Continue Reading

28th June 2011 The moment Sarah finished her exams, she hopped on a train to Nottingham to stay with Lee. On Friday, I took Nan back to Thurcroft, and on the way home, detoured via Cotgrave to collect Sarah. When I arrived, Lee and his family were just returning from lunch, so I passed the… Continue Reading

21st June 2011 On the health front, I’ve clocked up another two hospital visits involving scans, prods, and the kind of “hmm” noises from medical staff that do nothing for one’s confidence. I’ve donated blood samples twice, but the results remain as elusive as the plot of Inception. Another scan is booked for July; at… Continue Reading

5th June 2011 I took Nan home to Thurcroft on Sunday night, ending a visit that had been dominated by a relentless, icy wind, the sort that makes you wonder if you’ve accidentally moved to the North Sea coast. It had blown in the day she arrived and only gave up once I’d returned her… Continue Reading

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