No shortage of news this week, and Robbie seems to have provided most of it….

On Monday he went into his old school and spent the day in the art department, and some time with the sixth formers talking about uni, and the standards of work required. It was good of him to give some time back. On Wednesday he trekked into London, and had an interview for a job as a 2D Artist, with a gaming company. They liked his work, and him, and he was offered the job on the day. He is on a six month contract, and starts on Monday July 29th. It is going to be something of a trek each day for Robbie, an hour on the mainline into Marylebone, then a couple of tube changes, around 90 minutes all told. Then he has 8 hours of work, before coming back home… so he will miss the free time he has at the moment, and I suspect the novelty of going in every day on the train will wear off at some point, but at the moment it is a big adventure for him. And of course the challenge for Rob is to deliver art that sometimes he may not be particularly interested in. He liked the people, and the office location in Berkeley Square. Yesterday he went to Milton Keynes with Trish, and he came away with a couple of suits and smart shirts.

Friday was the big day of the week. Robbies graduation from Northampton University. I took the day off, and Nikki was back home so she was able to come along. As ever Rob was immaculately turned out, and looked very smart with his gown on. The presentation was a formal event at the Royal Derngate theatre. It was also a very hot and sunny day…. Some pictures of the day. Robbie on stage collecting his degree, then proud big sis with her brother, and a very proud Mum and Dad with their son.

Then we have … Robbie and Nikki with Jordan, and the ‘fab four’ … Aneta, Jordan, Weronika and Robbie.

And finally… the man himself, Nikki, and Tricia and me.

After the graduation we went for a meal with Jordan and his family, and Aneta and Weronika came along as well, 13 of us in all, before winding our way home and getting back home around 9pm.

On Wednesday evening Tricia, Robbie and me went to the school prize giving to see Ellie pick up her award for ‘effort’. It was a stifling hot evening and we were glad to be sat near a doorway where there was some breeze. After dropping Tricia and Ellie of at home, Robbie and I went to Gatwick to pick Nikki up… her flight was delayed and didn’t land till 11:30pm… by the time she got through passport control, and picked her bags up it was after midnight before we got on the road. 2 am by the time I got to bed… and so I was tired on Thursday.

Nikki was back as she had testing with the bobsleigh crew on Saturday. Ellie went down with her. Nikki was a little nervous as she had to show improvement on the last tests, but seemed quietly confident. The tests went quite well, particularly her 60m time. So she was in good spirits when she came back… we all had a fish’n’chips meal, and then sat and watched a film together. Not often that we are all together these days, so it is important for Tricia and I to enjoy the moment. Next Saturday Nikki has some push time trials…. if she is in the top 4 (which she expects to be) she then goes off to a training camp in Switzerland, ironically, exactly where she has been training these last few months. Then she is back for a bobsleigh conference… around that time Kevin is likely to come out and spend some time here seeing Nikki.

Here is Ellie with the book token she was awarded, Nikki doing an indoor push….and Tricia last weekend – she went on a 80’s themes hen night, so got down one of her original 80’s dresses for the evening

It has been a quietish day today…. we have had a bbq this evening. Earlier on Ellie was able to pick her repaired laptop up from PC World, so she is happy. I had a workout in the gym this morning over in Milton Keynes. I am on a little roll at the moment, I have lost 11lbs, and I am enjoying my clothes being more comfortable… a few more pounds yet to get to target, but it is going well.

My concerned brother Mark, hearing that the elderly were suffering in the heat got in touch to see how I was coping …. blooming cheek.

Nice to see England thrash the Aussies at cricket…. again

Well that’s it for now. Tricia and I have just watched the latest episode of The White Queen, and bed awaits…. a trip to the docklands in the morning for me.

So, here I am way late again… what excuse. None really. Loads to update the blog with. So, a few weeks back, we went to my brother Steve’s 25th wedding anniversary do. We didn’t stay late as Ellie had a dancing competition on the Sunday. We left around 10, but by the time we got home and she got to bed, it was still close to midnight. Tricia and Ellie were up early and off to Swindon for a regional dance competition, where Ellie had to be registered by 9am. She was in four competitions. Rock’n’Roll and Pairs with her partner… which didn’t go so well, and then two individual competitions, Solo’s and Set Line….. and she went and won both of them! Good girl

This means she now qualifies for the national finals again at Guildford in October. It’s fair to say she was pretty pleased with herself. To cap this she has also been told she has won her forms prize for effort this year, and so we are off to prize giving on Wednesday evening. On sports day she won the discus, and came second in the 100m. Busy girl

A few days later, Tricia and Robbie went off on their grand adventure to Cambodia. I dropped them off at Gatwick around noon, and they flew at 2:25pm.  Ellie and I were home alone for a week. I worked from home a few days, Ellie cooked me tea on the Thursday evening – baked salmon with rice, peas and sweetcorn, and very good it was too! – and on the Friday she went on a sleepover. On the Saturday we manned a stall at the Whitchurch fete…. it was blistering hot. As the event finished I went off to get the car so that we could pack up… when I came back she had three boys stood next to her… one of them had asked for her number. They soon scarpered when I cam back … They were 16, and I think they thought Ellie was older than she is. She was a little embarrassed . In the evening we went off to Pat and Clive’s for a meal. Then on Sunday we enjoyed watching Andy Murray win Wimbledon. Brilliant.

Meanwhile somewhere out east Rob and Tricia were enjoying 5* hotels and their own personal guide around the ancient temples…

Early last week I picked them up at Gatwick. They were full of talk about the holiday… and Tricia remarked that as they might be a little jet lagged, she only had one cake to do that week, and so she could relax a bit. Ha. Famous last words. Elliot, the coffee man that Tricia supplies cakes etc to, came around to say that at short notice he had been given an opportunity to do coffee and drinks at the BBC Countryfile 25th celebration last Friday… and could Tricia help! And so last week became a very busy one as Tricia baked and baked… Rob went down as well with them. A long hot day, and they are looking forward to seeing the programme next Sunday to see if they are in camera shot.

Now he is out of the education system, Robbie needs a job… and so we did some searching online for a digital artist, and found a couple of possibilities. Rob sent off an application for a job in London. The next day he got a call saying they like his work, and would like to interview him. So, Wednesday this week he is into London for an interview. Good luck and fingers crossed for him. Today he went into his old school and spent the day in the art department, and worked in class with some sixth formers. He likes to stay in touch with the teaching staff, and it is nice to see him give some time back.

Nikki comes home on Wednesday as well. After Ellies prize giving I will drive off to Gatwick to pick her up. She seems pretty positive about her fitness levels and training. She has testing this Saturday and then the following Saurday. If she is in the top 4 brakewomen she will then go on a training camp in Switzerland… which means she will miss Tricia’s brother David’s wedding…which she will be upset about… and if she doesn’t get in the top 4 brakewomen and go on the camp, she will also be upset. Poor girl can’t win. But with Olympic season coming up she obviously needs to concentrate on the Bob.

It’s been an odd few weeks for me, with all the above going on… but I have found time to watch the magnificent win by the Lions at rugby, Andy Murray’s brilliant win at Wimbledon, and England win the first test in the Ashes. I have shifted about 10lbs in weight over the last month as well, so feeling good about that.

Well, I am sure I will have forgotten some things… but it’s late, I have work tomorrow and so I had better go to bed. port