Seems I haven’t blogged for nearly a month… And I really don’t know where to start. I think a brain dump will just be the best. It is likely to be a chaotic Saturday. Tricia is doing the catering for the Waddesdon school autumn ball, so the house is full of food, and will soon be full of people assisting with the preperation. Me, I am going to keep a low profile.

Ninja comes back…

The major news this week has been the return of Ninja the pussycat. Now Ninja was last seen in mid August, 8 weeks ago, just before we went on hols. When we came back, we did walks around the fields calling for him, Ellie put up posters, and as the weeks went on we gradually started to think he wouldn’t return. Then Nikki turned up with two new kittens, almost to make up for the loss… On Thursday morning this week, apparantly Ellie was all upset about him not coming back, as we had suggested taking the posters down. Then in the evening, Ellie was in the bathroom cleaning her teeth, when who should appear at the window and come in as if nothing had ever happened. Yup, Ninja. Ellie was beside herself, there were genuine tears of joy. When she finally settled down to bed that night, Ellie told me she had prayed for him every night he was missing, and God had kept him safe and bought him back. What can you say to that ? Ninja himself seems in very fine health. Wherever he has been, he has been fed, and looked after. He doesn’t look like he has been roughing it in the fields. I can only assume he has another house he goes to. And I don’t suppose it will be the last time he goes on a ‘big explore’. Next time I will have to make sure we don’t allow any new cats into the house. Believe me, 4 is more than enough. But then again, I sometimes believe 1 is more than enough

Ellie

Ellie is settled back into school, and is doing all her usual activities. She is in her last term as a Brownie, and will finish at Christmas. She has been made a ‘sixer’ and so is pleased with her new status in life. She is also back at dancing classes, going twice a week, doing disco and rock’n’roll on a Wednesday, and on a Friday she does Latin American. With Strictly Come Dancing back on the screens she is a happy girl. This week in assembly she was presented with her Level 2 badge for cycling proficiency. She has been doing cycling classes, where she is taught how to look after her bike, keep it safe, how to ride safely etc. Of a group of about 10, they only awarded the Level 2 to 4 of them, so Ellie is (rightly) pleased with herself.

Safari Supper

Twice a year, Tricia and I organise a ‘progressive supper’ where, with a group of friends you go around to each others houses for different meal courses. Previous suppers are here www.safarisupper.co.uk, and we always have a theme. This summer, we celebrated 40 years of Woodstock, by having our own peace festival, ‘Marstock’. We started with some music, Robbie’s band played, and then a local lad did a couple of numbers, and then the girl next door sang a few numbers. Some people held starters courses in their tents (which is what Tricia and I did), and the evening ended back in the field, around a fire. There was an awful lot of work to be done organising it, and Tricia worked really hard to get it all set up… another fun evening.

Robbie

Robbie has been enjoying getting back involved in his art and graphic design at school. He has been doing a number of scenic paintings. The cricket season has finished, and he was one of the top wicket takers at the club over the season. He starts doing weight training sessions with Tricia next week, which he is looking forward to getting back into.

Nikki

Nikki is back at Uni. She has moved into a new house, and is pleased with her new housemates, who it seems are prepared to do their fair share of keeping the house clean and tidy. She was in Frankfurt a few weeks back with the GB Bobsleigh squad, and whilst she just missed out on teh senior squad, has been picked for the junior squad, and will go to the junior world champs. She had a great time in Frankfurt and is looking forward to more bobsleigh adventures. Over the summer Nikki has also been acting as physio to Milton Keynes rugby club, and has been pleased that some of the diagnosis she has come up with for injuries has been accurate. Nikki has a nw boyfriend, Ryan, who I have now been allowed to meet ! He seems like a nice bloke, but is a Liverpool supporter unfortunately.

Tricia

Tricia has left Milton Keynes athletics club, she was unhappy with a number of things over the summer, and has decided to move on. She still coaches at Aylesbury AC, but is going to wait till the new year to decide on which club she will affiliate to. She has been busy over the last week building up to doing the catering for the Waddesdon school ball, which involved feeding 156 people. It went off very well, although we are all a bit jaded today as it was 2 am before we got to bed. Nikki and Robbie helped with the food prep and in the kitchen on the night.

Me

Well after a lot of rehearsals, and the safari supper last week, and the Ball last night I am feeling a little jaded and like I never have any free time. Still, I chose to do the play so I can’t moan too much. It is performance week coming up, so this time next week it will be all done and dusted. I play John Watherstone in The Winslow Boy. I am supposed to be a younger man than I am… so I have had to use something called ‘Just For Men’ to try and remove all the grey. I did it this aftermoon….and it looks pants.

I managed to get back on the bike last week and cycled into Watford . I won’t have much chance this week though as I need to get back for play / rehearsals each evening.