The trouble with not having blogged for three weeks, particularly for a man of my advanced years, is remembering hwat has happened in the preceeding three weeks. One thing I can say is that I have pretty much recovered from my cough and cold, although here I am 3 weeks on still coughing and spluttering to some extent, it has taken a good time to clear up. I managed to get back in the gym for a couple of sessions last week, which was the first time in 3 weeks I had felt like doing any exercise.

So, whats been happening? On April 1st Ninja was carted off to cat hospital (the vets) to have a lump / cyst removed. Apparently he was very well behaved, and didn’t give the vet any trouble. We were told to keep him in for a week, but you trying telling that to a mischievous cat… he escaped a few times. But he has healed up nicely, stitches are out and he is back to normal.

April 2nd Ellie started rehearsals for ‘Annie’, she has a part in the chorus doing some dancing and singing. She is excited as it will mean being on a ‘proper’ stage, as opposed to the stages in villages / halls / schools. Dad is of course jealous… not of the singing and dancing, but being on a proper theatre stage. I am doing rehearsals for Habeas Corpus.. I believe my role would be described as a ‘cameo’… the scene where I get slapped three times in short succession was rehearsed about 7 times the other night… the timing is important, however, the director showed mercy after 7 attempts even though it wasn’t quite right. My face was a tad red!

Sunday 6th, Tricia and me went away for a few days with our friends Pat and Clive, visiting the Chichester area. It was a wet day when we set out, but we stopped off at Petworth House in West Sussex, which was an interesting house, parts of which date back to the 13th century. After booking in to our B&B, an interesting small chapel conversion, we had a look at a beach nearby, at Pagham. This isn’t to be recommended… I don’t consider myself a snob, but this was ‘tacky Brit seaside place’… In the evening we went to a recommended pub for a meal, which was ok, but not up to the expectation set. After a good breakfast on the Monday morning, and with the rain coming down, ‘Tricia’s Tours’ decided we would go to Portsmouth and see the Mary Rose. We had last seen it in the early 90’s, so it was interesting to see the progress… and it was a memorable exhibit, not just for the remains, but also the story surrounding it, and some of the items they had recovered. We also took in a ‘harbour’ tour…. Clive and I explained to Pat and Tricia that this was as good as going on a cruise, but they weren’t having any of it! We then zipped off to see a Roman Palace, that had been unearthed in the early 60’s… again very interesting. We then visited a place called Bosham, which we all recognised as a location from a Poirot episode, ‘The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman’. It started to pour with rain again, and we took refuge in the splendid local church. Unfortunately, whilst in Bosham Pat took a call to say the one of the villagers, and a neighbour of Pat and Clives had passed away. Jenny was soembody we all knew, and had been unwell recently… but it was still a shock. In the evening we went out to a place called The Walnut Tree…. which was excellent. The food was fantastic, the company was excellent, and the Guinness was extra cold. Perfect. On the Tuesday, after another good breakfast we went into Chichester itself. We walked the town walls, and bought Tricia a rather expensive new rain coat in Rohans… but she was happy! We then went on to the Weald and Downland open air musuem, which appeared to be a rescue home for old Tudor buildings. It is a 50 acre site, with houses having been reconstructed and ‘saved’ and therefore preserved. We returned to the car about 5pm, and then trekked back home… which, courtesy of hold ups on the M25 meant we didn’t get home till around 8pm.

Now, after a few busy days on ‘Tricia’s Tours’, you would have thought I might need an early night… however Nikki as coming home and I had agreed to pick her up at Stansted. Her flight was scheduled to land at 23:45. Which I thought would be ok, as I would be home annd in bed around 01:30, which whilst being late, I could cope with as a one off. Ellie came along with me, keen to see her big sis. Unfortunately ‘scheduled’ didn’t happen… Nikki’s flight was delayed, and I didn’t get to bed till around 3:30 am… and then had to get up to go to work… 😦

The Wednesday was a loooong day. Thursday evening I was out at a work event… Nikki returned the compliment by coming and picking me up on the train at around 10pm. By the time Friday came along I was shattered. So, a restful wekeend ?? No. Tricia was catering for an event on Saturday evening, and so there was plenty of hussle and bustle, Nikki and Ellie helping out. We did get a break on the Friday evening, Tricia and I went to see Dial M For Murder at Aylesbury theatre, which was very good, whilst Nikki, Robbie and Ellie went to see the latest Captain America film. On the Sunday, when all the catering stuff had been cleared away I cooked a roast, Beef and Yorkshire pudding – Nikki’s favourite.

Nikki had a meeting with the Bobsleigh performance director whilst she was back. Some good and not so good news. The not so good news, which caught Nikki a little on the hop was that she has been taken off the funding programme she was one… which she hadn’t expected. But on the upside, she has a very good chance of being placed a fast track driver development programme, which would start in September, which would be better funding than she is getting now. So she will have to get a summer job till then. There is also a chance that she will go to North America to work with some other top level bobsleighers, but we will wait and see. On Tuesday evening I drove her back to Stansted. I left work at 4pm, got home shortly after 5pm, quickly changed and left with Nikki about 5:20pm… we got to Stansted around 6:50pm. We had a quick meal, before hugs and goodbyes. I arrived back in North Marston just after 9pm, and joined Tricia at the local pub for the last quiz under the present owners… Tricia had done a special cake for Simon, who run the pub. We didn’t win the quiz, but had a good time.

Wednesday morning it was off to MK hospital with Tricia, where they were having another go at removing her carcinoma. After 40 minutes Tricia emerged with a stitches, plasters and a swollen face… Within 24-36 hours most of the swelling had gone down, and whilst it has been sore, hasn’t caused Tricia too much discomfort. We will wait and see the results of this biopsy to see if they have got it all this time.

The Easter weekend is always looked forward to… 4 days off. Even Robbie appreciates that now. On Friday I went off and got some seed potatoes, and various packs of manure and top soil. Under Tricia’s directions Rob dug the trenches for the potatoes… he also filled the raised beds with manure / top soil at Tricia’s direction. Tricia seeded some lettuce / carrot / onions. I have been working the back lawn, armed with my new lawn mower. On Saturday evening, in anticiaption of some rain on Easter Sunday I put down a mixture of weed killer and lawn feed. Also, armed with my new sander, I have sanded down the patio table over the weekend, and then washed it off and put teak oil in it. I am very pleased with the outcome. We have had the table 9 years, and whilst I wouldn’t go so far as to say it looks as good as new, it doesn’t look bad.

We had a quiet Easter Sunday. Robbie was out doing airsoft so we didn’t have our main meal until the evening… I roasted up a leg of lamb in red wine… and there was loads left over for today as well. Busy week ahead work wise. Tricia’s stitches out on Wednesday, and rehearsals…. I need a rest just thinking about it!

Some pictures…