Not sure there ever is really such a thing, but by comparison with recent weeks I suppose it was. Tricia was busy with chutneys and orders, but she is on top of that. Which is surprising considering the self inflicted pain she put herself through on Monday.

Tricia went with a friend to a fitness class called bodypump. Now it would seem she ‘overdid’ it, in the sense that she was barely able to lift one of her arms on Tuesday. The arm on the side that she had hurt her shoulder when in her car accident. She was finding such simple and routine tasks, like brushing her hair away, or adjusting her glasses etc, were quite painful. Even washing her hair was a challenge Oh well, she is fine now.

Tricia went to see Phantom of the Opera on Friday evening with our friend Pat. Both ladies enjoyed the evening. The musical was in Milton Keynes. Tricia, on auto pilot, picked up Pat and started driving to Aylesbury , but they got there in time.

Saturday we all went to MK for some shopping, Ellie wanting to spend her birthday money, mainly in a shop called Hollister. So she is happy. I bought myself a new wool jacket, which I am very pleased with.

Yesterday Tricia took Ellie to a dance competition, Ellie got two 3rd places in solo’s and set line. She was reasonably happy but has an expectation of winning now! I started some paint work in the main bedroom. Today Tricia and I are off to Cork for a few days with Deb and Carlos, to visit Brother Barry. Ellie is off to Tricia’s Mum and Dad whilst we are away…. she is looking forward to being spoilt for a few days.

Nikki moves onto Winterberg today, she text yesterday to say she was ok, had a couple of good runs at the track she was at. Robbie is working hard on numerous projects at the moment. We will see him later as we are plannijng to have lunch with him whilst on our way to pick up Deb and Carlos.

Full report on the Cork trip next week.

So, my little girl… who isn’t so little these days…. has turned 13. At 6:45am on Friday morning I was in the kitchen, when she came down wearing her school uniform, and beaming… it was her birthday. So, a hug was in order and I passed on birthday wishes. So, I said, ‘I suppose this now means you are going to be a pain in the arse for the next 6 years’…. ‘Yup’ she said with a mischievous smile.

Ellie’s birthday celebrations started last weekend. On the Friday Tricia picked up Robbie and Jordan, I picked up Nikki and her mate Shawn on the way back from work. Thus was the start of a weekend of mayhem. Shawn is a bit of a hyper character, and something of an entertainer… when we all sat down and ate on Friday evening he had Tricia in a high fit of laughter. On Saturday the plan was to go to Hemel Hempstead for some joint birthday fun with Ellie and Nikki. Ellie bringing some friends, Nikki’s old friend Jade joined us as well. With Nikki off to the continent, and away for her birthday they decided to have a joint celebration.

We went to ‘laserqasar’ which is basically a laser shooting game that takes place indoors. Two teams competing against each other. Fun was had by all Some photo’s… Ellie with her friends Jess and Helena. Then Tricia, with Robbie, Shawn and Jordan. Nikki on her own, then the three girls ‘ready for action’, and then the two birthday girls.

When we got home, there was champagne and wine. Sunday morning was an early one for Tricia and Ellie, as it was Ellies day at the Disco, Freestyle & Rock ‘n’ Roll National Grand Finals Day, in Guildford. This was the national finals for the ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing). They left at 7am, an early start. Unfortunately, the dance that Ellie did to qualify, the ‘set line’ didn’t go so well. She was a little upset as she didn’t get past the first round… and other dances didn’t go so well. Then in her last competition of the day, the ‘Solo’s’ – which she doesn’t normally do too well at – she obviously caught the eye of the judges, and made the final. Making the final would have been enough to keep her happy, in the sense the day wasn’t completely wasted… but she only went and won it. Obviously we are thrilled for her. When the call came through at home, where Nikki and I were waiting for news, we jumped around the room  Here she is with her trophy ! and another taken at Guildford.

It was a long day…. they didn’t get home till 11:15pm.. Poor Ellie had school the next day, but the adrenalin was still pumping. She took her trophy into school, and her form teacher informed the assistant head, who was doing assembly … and so she had to stand up in front of the whole school and get a round of applause.

I took Robbie and Jordan back to Northampton on Sunday afternoon after lunch, and then when back I took Shawn to the railway station at Amersham… come Sunday evening I was knackered. So much for a weekend of rest.

On Monday Tricia had physio and acupuncture for her shoulder… seems the physio thinks she is now on the mend. In the evening she took the Brownies to the local observatory which they loved, whilst I took Nikki to Bicester, and have her a big hug… won’t see her now till Xmas. Nikki was going back down to Bath, and then on Saturday morning she went off in a fleet of transit vans to Germany for the start of her season… she briefly featured in a couple of BBC sports reports shown on the TV.

On Tuesday, Tricia and I were off to see Jools Holland Live being recorded at the BBC… great fun. I was rather lucky that Madness were being featured, and throughout the evening they did 5 songs. Diana Krall, who is a jazz singer was also on the show. It was great seeing it recorded…. and Tricia and I enjoyed an evening out together. But we didn’t get back till 1am… and I had work next day. What didn’t help was that on Tuesday morning I had slipped on the door step coming out of the house, and my right foot slipped own and jarred my back…. doh, and resulted in a muscle strain. So, only little sleep, and what I did have was disturbed every time I moved, made for a tired Paul on Wednesday.

Thursday evening I was at a school governors meeting, and was voted in to be chair of the curriculum and student well being committee for another year. Late evening though, I didn’t get home till 9pm. Ellie had played hockey for the girls year 8 team, then gone to a dance class… so she was tired too.

Friday morning, and back to where I started this blog. Ellie’s birthday… she had her cards and pressies in the morning before school, and I went into work a little later. In the evening I detoured via Bracknell to see my Mum and Dad…. as usual they were up to some sort of diy, pulling up floor boards…. some things never change .

On Friday evening Tricia and I sat with Ellie and watched ‘snow white and the huntsman’, one of her birthday presents. A relaxing end to the week. And thankfully it has been a relaxing weekend this time… I recorded some of my old albums onto cd in the morning whilst Tricia was coaching. Then in the afternoon we went to a garden centre, as Tricia wanted to plant some winter and spring displays. In a glimpse of the future, we dutifully went to the cafe and had a cup of tea whilst there! On the way home the radio told me West Ham had beaten Southampton 4-1… nice. We then went out in the evening to the village hall, for a ‘church social’. In the meantime, Ellie had been out with Jess… her gift to Ellie for her birthday was a ‘pedicure’, then in the evening, Jess’s mum Sara took them both to the charter fair in Buckingham.

A quiet Sunday, I cooked the roast, Tricia planted up her pots etc. I am all ready for tomorrow, and shortly I will join Tricia for this weeks episode of Downton. The week ahead is relatively quiet. The week after we are off to Cork with Deb and Carlos… so something to look forward to.

In other news…. the back is now a little easier… which is good, and my hair is growing back

Also, Bard has made a video for Charlbury Moon…. can be found here… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AccBAcX2lTM, just click the link and then play.

She goes by Mum, Granny or Jean… and now she is 70. Her birthday was on Sunday, and so Sunday evening we took her out for a meal. When I see ‘we’ I mean Tricia, Ellie and me. David and his other half Manda came along as well with Faye and Sarah. Before we went out we ‘skyped’ Nikki and Robbie in so that they could to talk to Granny and pass on their birthday wishes. Tricia’s sister and family did likewise. We went to a restaurant in a village called Adstock… a pleasant evening.

There I am sat with my bald head… but if you look close you can see the hair starting to come back. Here I am on Tuesday evening, with it last having been shaved on Friday evening, and there is a good amount coming through… a couple of weeks and nobody will be any the wiser. Deb and Carlos came to see the play on Friday evening, and came here for a meal first… Carlos was determined to capture the fact that he had more hair than me!

The play itself went extremely well, standing ovations for all of the nights. And we raised £1300 for leukaemia research as well. Last night I had to go back to the hall to help take the stage down, and put everything away. I am glad it is over, it was great fun, but very time consuming. Here are the cast. Me with the Santa hat on… aw I had to dress as Santa in one scene.

Speaking of which, the other day it occurred to me that Christmas isn’t far away. Normally I think good grief, but I was actually looking forward to it. Plenty to do before that though… autumn has arrived. As I walked out of the office tonight, and walked to the car there was that autumnal smell you get in the evenings… damp leaves I think , but it took me right back to my childhood. In those days I had the time to notice the seasonal changes on an almost daily basis… these days I seem blinkered to it all. I must make more effort to take some time and look around me occasionally. The garden is pretty much put to bed for the winter. Tricia and I have some plans for the garden for next summer, but it will be six months before we get into that. It was harvest festival in church on Sunday… always a sure marker for the onset of autumn.

Nikki and Rob are both home this coming weekend. Nikki goes off on tour on the 20th, so on Sarturday evening we are off for some early birthday fun for Ellie with some of her friends, and some of Nikki’s friends.