11th August 2008 This week, Sue, Sarah and I joined a family ramble to Fineshade Woods, courtesy of Harborough Council. The outing began with drama. I was nearly left behind after previously refereeing a school football match and having to sprint the mile home to catch the bus. I made it in just over four… Continue Reading

10th August 2008 Having the time to sit down and write this blog can mean only one thing: yes, it’s raining. Again. I had grand plans for the day: hedge trimming, lawn mowing, and pool cleaning. I did manage to get the hedge trimmed in between showers, but the trimmings are now languishing artistically along… Continue Reading

20th July 2008 So… how’s retirement going, you ask? Well, imagine stepping into your golden years with the elegance of a swan… only to be immediately sideswiped by a freight train of Yellow Fever. The vaccine I had the previous Friday (marketed cheerfully as “a mild dose that might make you feel a little under… Continue Reading

15th July 2008 In 1958, aged five, my mother took me by the hand to Thurcroft Infants School for my very first school day. Fifty years later, having never quite escaped the gravitational pull of education, I walked out of Farndon Fields Primary School for what may be the final time. With all the farewells… Continue Reading

15th June 2008 This Saturday saw the family converging on Thurcroft to celebrate a truly special milestone, Nan’s 80th birthday! Jamie chauffeured Sarah in his new car (still shiny, still slightly alarming), while Sue and I made our way north. Charlotte, Suraj, and Lucas arrived from Newark, completing the familial jigsaw puzzle. We had booked… Continue Reading

31st May 2008 As is traditional, half term arrived hand-in-hand with foul weather. In a desperate attempt to escape the relentless drizzle of Harborough, Sarah and I set off for sunny Yorkshire, where, naturally, it was also raining. Honestly, if Noah had shown up in a dinghy offering us space for two, I’d have packed… Continue Reading

25th May 2008 This week, the search began in earnest to find my replacement at school. Out of the original seven applications, only two made it to the interview stage, one of whom was already on the payroll. Unsurprisingly (to everyone but HR, I imagine), the internal candidate landed the job. Well, better the devil… Continue Reading

13th May 2008 Today, Sue and I treated ourselves to lunch at the Shoulder of Mutton in Great Bowden, a quiet celebration of simply being well. A couple of months ago, Sue had (gently but firmly) persuaded me to visit the doctor, as I was losing sleep from a persistent and painful ache in both… Continue Reading

11th May 2008 What a scorching week it’s been! I managed to play tennis twice on the Welland Park courts with a few ex-rugby chums, though now we all move at a noticeably slower pace and conserve energy with the enthusiasm of seasoned professionals. At school, I administered the Year 4 optional SATs. This always… Continue Reading

5th May 2008 On Friday night, Sarah and I went to see 10cc in concert, a long-time ambition of mine, finally fulfilled. They didn’t disappoint. It was Sarah’s first-ever concert, and she loved it. We’ll be booking more, though I may draw the line at anything requiring glow sticks or earplugs. Afterwards, I popped into… Continue Reading