A slow start to the week, Tricia and I were both feeling tired after the Corfe weekend. I popped into Bracknell on Monday evening to see my Mum and Dad, dropped a few bits into Dad for Father’s Day. I was impressed with their newly designed front lawn. Nice bit of grass, but sadly the hedge in the middle stops a decent game of football . They both looked well…

I went out to a read through of ‘seperate tables’ on Wednesday evening, audition this coming Wednesday. On Thursday I worked from home, and intended to cut the back lawn in the evening…. but this was changed quickly to lunch time as the rain clouds of impending doom gathered, Tricia and I just managed to get the garden done in record time before the heavens opened.

On Thursday and Friday Ellie was on the Year 8 school camp at Marlow… she took the family tent, which sleeps 6, 5 of them shared. Ellie’s form tutor referred to it as the ‘McSweeney Mansion’ . She had a great time, and in particular enjoyed the kayakking. On Friday evening, Tricia’s brother, Dave and his other half Manda came over.

A quiet Saturday at home for Ellie and me, Tricia went off to do some coaching in Milton Keynes. In the evening we all sat and watched ‘Life of Pi’, which was quite entertaining. Today has been another quiet one. Tricia was at a food festival in the neighbouring village for a part of the day and did well. I was up early and did a 6 mile walk before 9am…. it has been a good week exercise wise, 4 good gym sessions, and then two good walks.

Nikki has been on the phone, and reports training is going well. Robbie comes back from Uni on Thursday next week. 

Over the last three years at Uni, Robbie has applied himself and shown a strong work ethic. Over three years he didn’t miss a lecture, 100% attendance. He has had some excellent grades, and going into the final half of his last year we were hoping he would get a ‘First’, but of course you don’t like to count your eggs, and he had a lot of work to complete. Coming back from a weekend away there was a letter from the Uni… Robbie opened it, and to his delight it read… ‘Bachelor of Arts in Illustration First Class’. We are all absolutely thrilled for him. He has got his reward for his application and skill.

Last Saturday Ellie and me went to Northampton to see his work in the Uni exhibition. We had a good day, looking at Jordan and Weronika’s work at the same time, and then all going for lunch. Here is Robbie with his display.

On Tuesday Tricia went across to Northampton to see Robbies exhibition, and then bring him back for a few days. On Wednesday Tricia and Robbie were having some injections for their trip to Cambodia in July. Robbie stayed the rest of the week, and over the weekend was babysitting the three children next door, as there parents, Alan and Rachel were with Tricia and me in Corfe. Tricia takes Robbie back to Northampton tomorrow. He will be there till a week Friday when he finishes at Uni, and moves back home… and tries to find some work.

Ellie also had some good academic news this week, she was told that she will be given an award for effort at this years school prize giving. Top girl.

Last Wednesday when Tricia and Robbie were having their injections, I was at a BUPA centre in Milton Keynes, being prodded, poked, measured, stabbed etc as part of my 3 years health check. Not much change from 3 years ago, a little heavier, and they would like to see me lose that, but the ecg was ‘perfect’, urine ‘nice and clear’, and my prostate is ok…. but still waiting on the blood results.

Last weekend Tricia and Ellie went off to Stratford-upon-Avon for the day. I had taken Ellie last year, and the tickets were reusable within 12 months, and the advantage of Tricia and me both being P.McSweeney was that she could have my ticket. They both enjoyed their day out….

This last weekend was spent in Corfe with ten other couples, nine of which were from the village. It was a Poirot / Murder Mystery weekend, all set up by Tricia and our friend Pat. Some considerable time planning the weekend had been done by both of them, and it all went off like clockwork. We arrived around Friday lunchtime, spent the afternoon in Corfe before a meal in the evening. Saturday after breakfast, some of us walked along the Purbeck Way into Swanage. It was blowy, but sunny and the views were spectacular. I was wearing some new walking boots I bought last week, and they made an enormous difference for me. We walked about 8 miles, and I had a small blister at the end of it, which wasn’t bad for the first long walk in them. After an ice cream in Swanage, we took the Swanage Railway back to Corfe, on a steam train. Back at the hotel we all had a cream tea, and then there was a hunt for clues, before we all met up for champagne and then the main meal. Prizes were given out at the end, and Poirot (our friend Bob) announced who the murderer was. All nonsense and great fun. This morning was breakfast and we tracked the progress of the stolen Ruby over the weekend. Lots of laughs. Tricia, me, and Pat and Clive then spent the late morning going around Corfe castle, before we headed home. Tricia looked fabulous, here she is in her Friday outfit, then the both of us Friday evening, and the dining room we were given. The hotel were fantastic in putting up with us…

Here was have Poirot, me walking on the Saturday morning, and one of the views when we reached the coast…. absolutely fantastic.

The steam train, and Tricia with a hawk.

Of course today is Tricia’s birthday, and so she was given cards and some gifts in the morning. At the castle there was a falconry display, midway through which the falconer asked if it was anybody’s birthday today….. so of course Tricia was picked out to go and fly a hawk! Back home Rob and Ellie gave Tricia card and presents… and me for Father’s Day. Ellie had made Tricia a cake… and so it was a cup of tea and cake.

We are now exhusted

A busy weekend for others…. 25th wedding anniversary for Steve and Justine, birthdays tomorrow for my brother Mark, and friend Deb… and Happy Fathers Day to my Dad…

Well here I am on a Tuesday evening, just drawing breath after a busy period. The week after Robbie’s 21st party here started quietly enough, on the Thursday Ellie went off on a school trip to France. She had to be at school for an early start… that was my job. She was excited about going, and it was an overnight trip as well. Friday evening Nikki picked her up from the school, very tired. Tricia and I were at the Williams’s on a curry night. Over the weekend Tricia was out at the athletics county champs, where she had some athletes competing. Nikki went down to Weymouth for her friend Serita’s birthday. Tuesday a week ago, was the day Kevin came to stay. He lives in near Frieburg, in south west Germany, near the Swiss border…. Kevin is Nikki’s boyfriend and he has just spent a week with us. They have been dating / going out, or whatever the expression is these days since December, but this was our first sighting of him. Nikki met him on bobsleigh tour. Since the end of the season she has been out to see him a few times, but this was his first visit here.

Friday I picked up the Northampton uni team, Robbie, Jordan and Weronika. Tricia was catering for a wedding over the weekend and she was paying them to help. Nikki produced around 150 puddings on the Friday, ably assisted by Kevin. Rob, Jordan and Weronika got working on the salads. Tricia had already spent most of the week cooking, and preparing items. We did all enjoy sitting out in the sun in the garden in the evening to have fish’n’chips from the Winslow chippie. Marvellous. Even Kevin enjoyed the fish’n’chips.

The wedding was for the local vicar’s daughter. On the Saturday Nikki had to go to Bath for Bobsleigh testing, I drove her and Kevin to Bicester railway station, and they took the train down. On the way home I had to stop via Tesco’s, then caught up with Tricia and the crowd back at home, who were putting the final preps to the food. About 1:30pm they all disappeared up to the Vicarage… I them hoovered and cleaned the kitchen and downstairs, etc. Tricia and the crew were back at 7pm, I fed them with pizza’s, before they went back up for the evening do… I then drove to Bicester and picked Nikki and Kevin up. On my return I started cleaning the devastation of the first dirty plates, cutlery etc…. At about 10:30 pm they all returned, very tired and with boxes and boxes of plates, bowls etc etc…. At about midnight we all gave in and went to bed. I was up at 6:30 am on Sunday morning (I always wake early), and started work again… it took till 11am before we had all got on top of the work. I then cooked brunch for 8, and we sat in the garden again laughing and joking. Very enjoyable… and in fact I felt I could fall asleep… but there was work to do, and then about 2pm I drove Rob, Jordan and Weronika back to Northampton. We had been invited to a bbq down in Thatcham on Sunday evening…. but Tricia and I were shattered. So Nikki and Kevin went, taking Ellie with them.

On Monday Nikki took Kevin into London… amongst the highlights was a tour of Wembley. I picked them up in Aylesbury about 9:30pm.. then this morning at 5 got up and took them to Gatwick. Nikki is out in Germany / Switzerland for the next month training and spending time with Kevin… I dropped them off at about 6:40am. Here they are at the airport. Kevin’s English was very good, and he was able to particiapte fully in conversations, and share a joke or two.

Then it was back home. A shower and shave, and worked till 12:30 when it was off to the school where I was chairing a panel. Back home and worked till 6, when I then cut the back lawn. Tricia has stripped beds, cleaned everything and hoovered everything and the house is back to normal. We had tea in the garden, and now just relaxing. Ellie is out at Guides, so it is quite quiet! The work week is busy, and I have some more governor duties on Thursday. But nothing in the evenings

A minor point, we had to buy a new vacuum cleaner…. Tricia selected a Dyson. Very good it is to.