Friday 3^rd Feb I went across to Winslow, to host people in before the Players did their annual panto. I haven’t done anything with the Players for over a year, so will look to get back involved. I had to dash back across to North Marston just before the start of the panto though as I was rehearsing with MADS in the evening.

Saturday was the final Safari Supper. For over 10 years we have done a supper twice a year, Tricia organising and planning it all. Enthusiasm has waned a little in the last few years so we decided to finish before it completely died. The theme for the evening was ‘Night at the Opera’. It was a good evening, rounded off beautifully with a gift to Tricia and me for all our efforts, and a speech from Bob recalling many good memories. The Sunday after was a relatively quiet affair for me at least, Tricia went off for a walk.

Friday 10th Feb, Tricia and myself went off with Pat and Clive, Peter and Jane to visit the Corfe area. We drove down in the freezing cold, and stopped at Shaftesbury for lunch, and then had the visit to my favourite men’s outfitter, where Tricia purchased me a lovely new jacket. In return I bought her a new apron :-). On the Saturday we went to Wimborne, and took refuge from the cold in Wimborne Minster. An interesting place, an almost unique ‘astronomical clock’, which rings every hour and is represented in the form of a ‘quarterjack’. There are some significant tombs as well. One is of King Ethelred, brother of Alfred the Great, although you can’t really see it as the exact location is not known, although ‘believed’ to be somewhere near the altar. There is also the tomb of John Beaufort, father of Margaret Beaufort, who was mother of Henry Tudor (VII). When we decided to brave the cold again we headed for a coffee shop :-). In the evening we had a splendid meal at Clavell’s Cafe and Restaurant. Sunday it was a trip back, Pat, Clive and myself ahead of the others as we had to rehearse in the afternoon.

The following week was a difficult one. I had a difficult situation at the school to deal with. Not sure I want to put any detail up… but suffice to say I was stretched and had to make some difficult decisions and have difficult conversations.

On the 16th Ellie had her first driving lesson…. North Bucks beware. In the evening Tricia and Ellie were across in Oxford to see ‘Pink Mist’. Ellie was covering the play in A Level Drama and wanted to see it. Me…. I was doing ‘drama’, it was first night of MADS doing ‘A Very Roman Way’. Think Up Pompeii. Good reception, people pretty much laughed when they were supposed. Tricia and Ellie, Nikki and Matt came along on Saturday evening. Here we have Tricia and Ellie enjoying a pre theatre drink and meal, and one of Isabelle at Nikki and Matt’s farm.

On the 21st Ellie had her first vaccinations ahead of her trip to Africa…. I think she will live to be 150 the amount of things she has to be vaccinated for. On the Thursday night Tricia had a girly night – food, wine, gossip. Friday evening I went across to Bracknell to see the folks, and then to see my brother Mark, and see how he is getting on post knee op.

On the Sunday, Deb came across (sans Carlos, who was ‘working’ in Las Vegas). Deb stayed for lunch and we worked through some old photographs of hers. And so Feb came to an end.

As it goes January is the title of song from the 70’s, done by a group called Pilot. Released in January 1975, it got to number one in the UK charts…. in February. A lovely little irony. I loved the song when it first came out, but by the time February came along it was worn out for me, and whilst I hear it occasionally (as I tend to listen to 70’s music), and it brings back memories of the era for me…. I don’t often get to the end of the song.

Jan 1st was a Sunday, so the Bank Holiday was carried over to the Monday, but then we were back into the usual routine of life pretty quickly. Work for me, Ellie back at school on the 5th, and she was also told by M&S that she had a new contract, so she continued with them. The decorations didn’t last until the 6th. On the 3rd Tricia had a belated Christmas do with her Watercolour class. On the 5th I was at the podiatrist, to work out why my right big toe gets so sore when I do any distance walking. Some new orthotic insoles were ordered up…. they arrived a few weeks later, and interested to see if they would help I put them straight into my walking boots and went off for a jaunt. My big toe was fine…. but boy oh boy I had two nasty bloody blisters. When I read the instructions (after the event) it recommended wearing then in gradually. Dickhead.

On the 7th we were invited next door to Elizabeth’s for a cocktail evening. Tricia was full of cold so I went across with Ellie who was helping make up the drinks… well I have to say the measures were generous, and it seems that after a few of these cocktails I became ‘loud’ and entertained people with my slightly different demeanor. Blimey…. my head was thick the next morning! It was the weekend of the FA Cup 3rd round, and a weekend to forget. West Ham dumped out by Man City :-(.

The following week on the Thursday, I was doing a school assembly… with a difference, Ellie did it with me (takes some nerve to do a school assembly with your Dad!). We did the generation gap. At the weekend we were at Pat & Clive’s on the Saturday evening, looking at cruise holiday options, and then on the Sunday we were over at Deb and Carlos for lunch – very pleasant, and good to catch up. Here we all are… with the Green’s and Jay’s as well.

Week beginning the 16th was ‘mock exam week’, so Ellie was slightly tetchy as she faced her AS mock exams. Tricia was having all the kitchen worktops sanded down and re oiled. On the Saturday Tricia drove Nikki down to Hartbury College where Nikki is planning to do an MSC.

January petered out with a Curry night on the 27th, and then Tricia and me went to David and Manda’s on the Saturday evening for a meal. Some pix from Jan. Rob with Lilly on his lap, and Nikki with a cockerel on her shoulder…. Ninja in a box, and Pickles spread out on Tricia’s legs.

A small footnote… I enjoy watching sport, including tennis. Sunday morning 29th Jan, I loved watching Federer roll back the years to beat Nadal in the final of the Aussie Open. A true great.