How did that happen ? All of a sudden the end of Feb is in sight. I for one won’t be sorry to see the back of it, I can’t wait for spring, some more light in the days, and a little bit more warmth and sunshine. I am quite fed up with stepping out into God’s refrigerator every day!

So, the end of a full on weekend again. On Friday Nikki drove across to Northampton and picked up Robbie and his mate Jordan. Robbie’s old school mate Alex was 21 yesterday, and so there were some celebrations. Friday evening when I got home, as well as Robbie and Jordan, one of Nikki’s old uni mates, Louise, joined us for a meal. Then Alex, his brother Clayton (who is also an old friend of Nikki’s) and his Dad turned up, to pick us up to to go to the local pub. A late evening, was then followed by an early morning. Up at 5:30, to drive Nikki to Heathrow…. Nikki is now off in USA at Lake Placid for a two weeks, where there is an America’s Cup race. If they do well, they will get enough points to qualify a third bobsleigh for next seasons World Cup series… so, it is in Nikki’s interests to do well. She text this afternoon to say they had arrived in Lake Placid. They flew to New York, then got a connecting flight to Montreal, before getting abhire car to drive three hours back into the States….. all very convulated… but they are there safely.

After dropping Nikki off, I got back home for 8am, and Tricia promptly loaded up her car with all her wares, and Ellie, and they headed off to Buckingham where Tricia has had a table at a food fair. After a much needed hair cut I started to flag… so, back home I did some chores, and then went back to bed for a few hours. I was up in time to watch the rugby, and watch England beat France, which is always nice . In the evening we all went to Alex’s 21st party…. another late night. Tricia and Ellie were off to Buckingham again this morning. A few chores again, I cooked a roast lunch for Robbie, Jordan and myself before taking them back to Northampton late afternoon. Rob had has mid year review last week, and is on an A grade presently, so i8s doing very well.

Tricia and Ellie are now back, they have eaten their dinner and are watching tele…. I am sat here typing wondering where the weekend has gone.

Last weekend Tricia, Ellie, Nikki and myself went to see Deb and Carlos in their new house. They have moved a couple of miles up the road from where they were, they have a bigger garden, and a village location. The house needs some work, but that was aprt of the attraction to them of moving there. On the way back in the evening we stopped off to see Robbie, and caught up with him. The Sunday morning we did the family prayers in church…. the theme was temptation.

The highlight of the week was Wednesday evening, when Tricia and I went to see ‘The 39 Steps’ at the Aylesbury Waterside theatre… it was done as a spoof really, and very funny. Tricia wasn’t expecting it to be funny, and so really enjoyed it, she pretty much laughed all the way through.

The week ahead is going to be busy at work…. but for the first time since the turn of the New Year, I don’t have to be anywhere on any of the evenings. Hoorah.

A full on week again…. On Tuesday Tricia took Nikki across to Gatwick, where she flew out to Switzerland for a week of training in St Moritz… seems she has been having a whale of time. In particular doing bobsleigh ‘taxi’ runs. I pick her up Tuesday evening this coming week. On Thursday evening after work I went down to Bracknell to see my Mum and Dad. They looked well, Mum getting a little frustrated that progress isn’t as quick as she would like. Friday evening was curry night, when we had friends round, and ended up watching the Blues Brothers film. Saturday, Ellie went off to a sleepover at her friends Jess, whilst Tricia and me went off to Cambrdige. A work colleague of mine has just turned 60. He lives out near Cambridge and was having a ‘do’ to celebrate. So, we went across to Cambridge late morning, and enjoyed a look around Cambridge… a lovely place. It was dry, but cold. In the evening we went to the hotel where we were staying and where the party was taking place.

That is two late nights at a weekend… not good . After breakfast this morning we made our way back. We had thought of stopping off to look at Wimpole Hall, but the weather was cold, wet and miserable, so we came back home and locked ourselves away from the elements.

Ellie has finished her homework, and is now cooking cookies. Tricia is doing crumpets for tea (with the pear and blackcurrant jam she made this week as a topping)…. then it should be a quiet evening. Busy week next week. Three governor meetings, picking Nikki up…etc. Oh and there is my job to do as well.

Rob has been working today where he is an intern, and through this has been offered some paid work for a project, so he is quite pleased.

One of the garden projects has kicked off…. we have had some raised beds put into the garden…. if the wet weather would just now stop for a little while. Some pics. The raised beds, and me posing with a model of a Guardsman in Cambridge (edit: I have been informed by a high authority that everything about this ‘Guardsman’ is wrong, the tunic, the collar etc. I accept this is a very poor model of a Gurdsman, and I referred to the model as being a Guardsman only in the loosest sense). Then Tricia outside King’s College (we could hear the choir inside… fantastic), and a view down the Cam.

Panto week. So I rehearsed last Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Then first performance was on Thursday, then Friday evening, and three (yes, three!) performances on Saturday. All went well, I didn’t miss any lines, and got a few laughs. But boy am I knackered…. I actually felt well this week, for the first time in about 5 or 6 weeks. I managed the gym four mornings, and on Wednesday got a bike ride in. It was the first time on a bike for a while, and was somewhat saddle sore as a result. But the panto workload, my work workload, and the exercise…. all means I needed a quiet relaxing day today, which thankfully I have had.

Ellie and Tricia went up to church. I cooked roast beef for lunch and the four of us sat and enjoyed our Sunday lunch. I picked up Nikki on Monday from Stansted airport on her return from St Moritz. All that bobsleigh exercise clearly works, Nikki is looking quite slim and toned at the moment. We raised a glass to Robbie at lunch, so that he wasn’t forgotten. This afternoon I have been recording the last of my vinyl albums (lp’s). I recorded all my 45’s last year, I have them on cd, and on itunes, and then gave them to Carlos. I have nearly worked all the way through my albums now, I only have 3 left to do… they have all gone to the charity shop. Then I am going to start converting our old video tapes to DVD… which will probably take me about six months…

Nikki was disappointed to be deselcted from the squad going to Soschi, but has been told she is likely to go to Lake Placid at the end of Feb for a couple of weeks for some training and a competition with Mica, which kind of makes up for not going to Russia. This coming week she is back off out to St Moritz. Tricia is driving her down to Gatwick on Tuesday and flying out to Basel, before going onto St Moritz. She will be staying with one of the coaches, and doing a week of ‘ice work’ with bobsleighs. And of course she will also be able to meet up with her boyfriend Kevin. She has funded the trip herself, and British Bobsleigh have given her the clearance to go and train there.

Ellie had a splendid school report this week. Here is what her form tutor put …. ‘Where to start with Ellie? She is an absolute star! She is willing to get involved with everything Waddesdon has to offer. She is such a reliable and helpful member of the form, sports teams, and the School Council, the list goes on! Her report absolutely reflects this attitude in all of her subjects as well. She is an all round lovely and hard working pupil who I feel lucky to have in my form.’

Well what can you say to that….. proud and pleased parents. Hope she continues in the same way.