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

25th April 2011 Monday began with a bleary-eyed 4 am run to East Midlands Airport to drop Jamie and Harley at Departures. I returned to Willow Bank for some desperately needed sleep, only to be woken later by Jamie’s call announcing they’d arrived safely. Miraculously, Ryanair had overlooked Harley’s 7 kg of excess baggage, possibly… Continue Reading

17th April 2011 It’s one of life’s ironies that when the warm weather finally arrives, bringing our gardens and allotments into glorious bloom, it also summons clouds of small, irritating insects determined to ruin our rare British summery moments. This year, however, the pests have been rather larger and far more unpleasant. On Wednesday, Charlotte… Continue Reading

10th April 2011 Monday kicked off with a trip to Glenfield Hospital for a barium scan, essentially an opportunity for medical machinery to have a good nose around my insides and check that nothing untoward was happening. The original appointment had clashed with Sarah’s interview in Sheffield, so I’d rescheduled. On arrival, I fed £3… Continue Reading

2nd April 2011 Friday Family Curry Night usually sees the whole clan gathered round the table, though ever since his move, Jamie’s appearances have been rarer than a polite driver on the M25. He’s never been a fan of curries, so he tends to pop in for a quick hello before heading off to eat… Continue Reading

30th March 2011 This week has blessed us with several sunny, warm days, the sort that makes the allotment irresistible. I’ve been there often, making good progress: the weeds (for now) have been vanquished, eleven rows of potatoes, five rows of red onions, four rows of broad beans, and one row of parsnips are now… Continue Reading

21st March 2011 After the dreary winter months, it’s been a joy to see the sun again, and even better now that it’s begun to give off something resembling warmth rather than a cold glare. Lulu, the neighbour’s cat, has resumed her morning patrols. The moment the back door opens, there’s a ‘thump’ on the… Continue Reading

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… Continue Reading