Not quite sure how 17 years have passed since Ellie was born… but it has certainly happened. On Sunday 16th, which just happened to be my brother Steve’s 53rd birthday, we had a family gathering for lunch… Nikki and Matt, Rob and Amy, Gram and Gramps, along with Tricia, me and of course Ellie…. and we celebrated her birthday. On her birthday itself Ellie met a group of friends at Nando’s in Aylesbury and celebrated.

The week back at work from our Iona holiday was a hard one… I am still struggling to catch up with work from having a week off. Combined with lots of ‘governor’ work as we look to recruit a new head at the school, and it feels like I have barely had 5 minutes spare time. Having said that, the Friday evening of that week, the 14th, Tricia and I went to the village poetry evening… a lovely evening with different people from the village reading poetry. I did Ode to Autumn by Keats. On the Saturday there was a local wedding, which Tricia went to, and Ellie helped serve out some food. In the evening Nikki took Ellie off to the Charter fair in Buckingham, and then she stayed over at Nikki’s. Pat & Clive come around Saturday evening, where we talked cruise holidays for next year. On Sunday after the family lunch. Ellie and Tricia went off to Aylesbury to watch a live relay of Miss Saigon at the cinema… which Ellie loved. So, plenty packed in.

Friday night this week we had a curry evening, and played ‘cards against humanity’… raucous laughter. The game is the result of some rather depraved minds! Saturday Trica was off to a Cat Sanctuary at Welwyn with Sara and Jess – a watercolour group outing. Ellie was at work, and I went for a haircut. I then spent the day sorting out a load of paperwork, mainly Governing body papers, dull, but I felt better afterwards having achieved something. In the evening Tricia and Ellie were out again. This time to MK theatre to see Flashdance, which they enjoyed.

Today Ellie was off to Wembley with her friend Charlie to see the Radio 1 Teen Awards. Tricia and me went across to Tring to see Rob, Amy, and Jordan, who was down visiting from Wakefield. We then went for a lovely walk in Ashridge… a lovely autumnal walk. And so the week ends. I have some crappy work stuff to sort out over the next few days…. not looking forward to that, but next weekend we are in Norfollk, so something to look forward to :-). A picture from today.