2nd December 2007Another thoroughly unremarkable week, livened only by the weather doing its best impression of a hormonal teenager, sunny one moment, sulking the next. Friday saw Sarah and me teaming up for the School Christmas Fayre, where we manned the Christmas hamper stall with all the charm and persuasion of market traders. Miraculously, we… Continue Reading

26th November 2007The Palmer family had a fairly uneventful week, all things considered, the usual relentless grind for all of us. Sue clocked up yet another full week, Sarah was run ragged at school, Jamie was juggling college and the carpentry workshop, and I made it my mission to fell half a forest in the… Continue Reading

18th November 2007 Poor little Lucas ended up in the hospital this week with a nasty urinary infection. He was put on a drip and kept in overnight; he must’ve been feeling truly rotten. Charlotte stayed with him, of course, but understandably didn’t get much shut-eye. She and Lucas had originally planned to stay the… Continue Reading

11th November 2007 This week, I managed to waste a considerable amount of taxpayers’ money by attending a full-day course to recertify as a Residential Leader. (Lunch was the most beneficial aspect.) I already had a perfectly valid certificate from five years ago, but County Hall got in touch midweek to inform me, rather alarmingly,… Continue Reading

11th November 20It’s felt like a very long week. Monday night saw me at a referees’ meeting in Leicester, followed by a PTA meeting on Tuesday, and then a governors’ meeting on Wednesday. Thursday night I trained the Colts, and on Friday I helped officiate at the Rugby Club’s Fireworks Display. Just for good measure,… Continue Reading

28th October 2007 At Willow Bank, we had Lucas to stay for the week while Mum and Dad jetted off for a well-earned break in Majorca. I’ve often thought about getting another dog, someone to walk with, play with, and offer unwavering loyalty. Lucas ticks all the same boxes, with the bonus that he doesn’t… Continue Reading

21st October 2007 This week, I came down with a stinker of a sore throat, almost certainly picked up while rummaging through mountains of dusty old school records. We’re required to keep some of them for ten years, though judging by the cobwebs, a few have been with us since the Norman Conquest. Jamie began… Continue Reading

14th October 2007 Undoubtedly, the week’s crowning glory was England beating France at rugby (those ever-dubious Gauls) in France, in the World Cup semi-finals. Even the England football team joined in the fun, dispatching Estonia 3–0. A rare week where both rugby and football got it right. Someone crack open the champagne! It was also… Continue Reading

7th October 2007 Sarah finally got back on her feet by Thursday and even made it into school, looking rather pale and wafer-thin. She was utterly exhausted by evening, but true to form, dragged herself in again on Friday. By the weekend, she seemed much improved, albeit with a healthy dose of teenage grumpiness (but… Continue Reading

30th September 2007 The only real family drama this week has been Sarah’s bout with a particularly stubborn sickness bug that refuses to take the hint and leave. It began with a headache and swiftly escalated into an Olympic-level vomiting routine; anything she ate or drank was immediately returned to sender. Despite two trips to… Continue Reading