24th February 2008 It’s been back to the grindstone this week, and the glorious freedom of half-term already feels like a distant, rose-tinted dream. Sue managed three full days in school before collapsing (figuratively, not literally) into the weekend. Jamie, still on college half-term, spent the entire week at the Joinery, presumably building something marvellous,… Continue Reading

12th February 2008 We’ve somehow limped our way to half-term intact, relatively healthy and, miraculously, without any major mishaps. The weather has been surprisingly cooperative, too, which meant I could get cracking in the garden without having to dodge showers or postpone everything “until tomorrow.” I even managed to plant several rows of shallots and… Continue Reading

3rd February 2008 Once again, this week, the entire family seems to be in full working order, no coughs, colds, or car calamities to report. Even the Peugeot remains dent-free. Remarkable. Despite the rest of the country being buried under snowdrifts and forced to rediscover the whereabouts of their gloves, we managed a total of… Continue Reading

27th January 2007 We’ve just completed an entire week without anyone in the family being ill, a rare triumph and certainly worthy of celebration. No sniffles, stomach bugs, or suspicious coughs. Long may it last (though I probably shouldn’t have said that out loud…). In other news, I’ve been dabbling on eBay, and after many… Continue Reading

18th January 2007 We’ve spent the past few days trawling around what felt like every car dealership in the county. After much tyre-kicking and bonnet-lifting, Jamie has finally bagged himself a new set of wheels, thanks, rather conveniently, to our next-door neighbour! Ian, who works as a sales representative for the local Ford dealer, was… Continue Reading

8th January 2008The day before New Year’s Eve, I took my mother back to Yorkshire and returned to Harborough the same day. She’d found having a houseful of excited young uns rather tiring, understandably so. She’s used to nodding off in an armchair at will or reading the paper in blessed silence. But with eight… Continue Reading

27th December 2007Christmas Eve:Everyone arrived safely at Willow Bank, and the presents were all piled under the tree, clearly not hidden well enough, as some people (naming no names) couldn’t resist a cheeky prod or shake. Next year, we really must stash them out of sight until the big day. The weather was grim enough… Continue Reading

24th December 2007 Monday found the rest of the family mysteriously occupied in various corners of the house, study, dining room, and bedrooms, all engaged in their top-secret missions. There was the tell-tale rustle of wrapping paper, the unmistakable zip of Sellotape, and the furtive scribble of tags. I, on the other hand, had bought,… Continue Reading

16th December 2007 Big news on the family front: Philippa and Paul managed to snag tickets to the Led Zeppelin reunion concert this week, and not just any tickets. Oh no, they ended up right at the front, rubbing shoulders with the stage (and probably a few ageing rockers). Not only did they bag VIP… Continue Reading

9th December 2007  Monday night saw Sarah and me off to De Montfort Hall in Leicester for the ‘Chairman’s Concert’. Our school choir performed, and once again, they were brilliant. It’s just a shame they can’t see or hear themselves in action; if they could, they’d realise just how good they are. Sue, still nobly… Continue Reading