I didn’t update the blog last week, mainly on account of being rather tired on Sunday after a hectic week getting ready for, and then delivering the MADS production, It Runs in the Family. The week didn’t start out to well, a busy work day on Monday, then I knocked my head on a door frame just before going on for my first lines, and messed up… and was all over the place. Midway through the second half I just wanted to go home… Tuesday I was up early, and into the office in Sunbury. I only just got back in time for rehearsal, and ended up eating my pancakes in the changing area. Now, I had barely had time to look at my lines all day, but I then went on and barely missed a line. Very different from Monday. Wednesday we ran through some scenes that needed a bit of work on timing, and then it was first show.

I took the day off work, the last thing I needed was to have all my lines removed from my head by BP stuff :-). I went across in the afternoon and rehearsed a particular scene with Pete and all went well. Thursday night Act 1 was excellent, Act 2 a little sticky, but I’m not sure that anyone would have really noticed. Friday I worked from home. Deb and Carlos and Big John came over to see the play. Ellie was working till 7, so I went off, met her as she walked out of M&S, drove straight back, and was on stage at 7:30 :-). Deb and Carlos and Big John, enjoyed it. Robbie, Amy and Jordan came to see it as well.

Saturday started with breakfast with Deb and Carlos, before they went off to Bath to see Simon and Katy. Saturday evening, Tricia came to see the play… of course she had been hearing all about it, and I was worried all the good reports may have built up her expectation too high… but she really enjoyed it. Nikki and Matt, Gran and Gramps, and Manda and Dave came to see it. Ellie did really well in her role, and it was quite nice to be able to spend time on stage with her. After we had finished, it was down to the pub, and a few drinks to unwind. Tricia observed that I had been somewhat ‘anxious’ leading up to the play… and I was, loads of lines, and lots of on and off stage, I didn’t want to let anyone down.

Sunday all the cast were at the hall for 10am, and we deconstructed the set. The rest of Sunday was something of a quiet one. Tricia, Ellie and me sat and watched Call the Midwife then all headed for bed.

This week, Ellie started with a cold, and wasn’t well… so wasn’t in school. In the evening I was back at Pilates, which was good… need to keep doing Pilates. Tricia was off at Brownies. During the day the boiler was serviced – no problems found thank goodness, it is very cold at the moment, and so we need the heating. I was in the office Tuesday, and didn’t get back till after Tricia had gone off to Watercolour, and was in bed asleep before she came back, so we didn’t see much of each other. Wednesday I worked from home but then had Governor meetings early evening. Tricia was off doing spin and boxercise. Thursday evening Ellie was helping out at the school for the 6th form open evening, doing Head Girl duties, and Tricia was out at Sara’s for the ‘girly’ evening. Me… well I had been in the BP office during the day, and went to bed about 10’ish. Around 1:30am I woke with what I can only describe as ‘gluten’ stomach. I felt very ill and spent a good few hours  in the ‘facilities’…. I am still not sure what I had eaten, but boy oh boy it was not good. This meant a slow start to Friday for me. Here is Ellie in the car just before her 6th form evening.

Friday evening was curry night here, then Saturday evening Tricia, me, Pete and Sara, Alan and Rachel all went to a quiz at the village hall. We came 4th out of 11. Respectable. During Saturday, Tricia and I removed the knackered Smeg fridge / freezer, and brought in the LG from the garage. I then took the old Smeg to the dump. It was at this point in the day I sat and watched England get well beaten by Scotland at Rugby. On top of West Ham being beaten 4-1 by Liverpool, not a good sporting day.

Today has been a quiet day. Tricia went out this morning to Nikki’s farm, and helped muck out the chickens. I cooked lunch. Tricia then went out and did the Lent Walk, Quainton to Oving. I watched Man U v Chelsea. Ellie made tea, gluten free scones and angel cake… nice 😀

I completed 10 years at BP at the end of Jan… they congratulated me, and let me select a gift to mark the occasion. My blue tooth headphones turned up this week :-). Very nice they are as well.

Tricia attacked the week with a ‘bodypump’ session, and carried on from there, with various fitness classes …. getting her mojo back after illness at the end of December and into January. I haven’t made quite the same steps yet, although I did manage to get to the gym twice, so, moving in the right direction.

Nest week Ellie and me are in the MADS production, ‘It Runs in the Family’… and right now line learning and rehearsal is all consuming. Rehearsals Tue and Thu evening, I painted some of the stage set Friday evening, helped with putting up curtains etc on Sunday morning and then rehearsed all Sunday afternoon.

Friday evening Ellie and Tricia drove up to Lincoln. They spent the Saturday looking around the uni, before coming back late afternoon. I went to football with Bob, and we watched West Ham beat Watford 2-0. A tense game at times but West Ham worth their win. We quickly dashed back so that I could get on a train in time to get to the theatre in Aylesbury to see ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’. I met Tricia at the theatre after her return from Lincoln, and Nikki and Matt also joined us. Brilliantly done, a proper belly laugh at times. Ellie went out for a friends 18th (Kieran)… and returned Sunday morning at 4am! Some photos from Lincoln, including one of Ninja trying to get himself packed for the trip :-).

Tricia went to church Sunday morning, and then Nikki and Matt came over in the evening where we had roast beef and the trimmings. Tricia was falling asleep in the chair at 9pm so went off to bed…. and I sat and watched the final episode of McMafia. During the week Robbie was at a gaming exhibition at the Excel… where he bumped into Sara Williams. Here they are, along with a picture of Trixie and the two lambs she had during the week. Nikki and Matt are flat out with lambing at the moment.  Nikki got a distinction with her latest course essay, so she has had a good start to her Masters.

First thing to say is a Happy 70th to Roy Randles. Roy is the local handyman, who has done loads of jobs for us over the years, and who turned 70 on Monday. Roy came in on Wednesday to reprise his role as handyman, he sanded down the kitchen surfaces and then oiled the surfaces and sealed all around the edges. With the kitchen clear, Tricia took the opportunity to freshen up the kitchen, giving the walls a new lick of paint. Pleased with this, she then refreshed the porch on Saturday…. and then got up on Sunday and did the downstairs loo! The paint brush was working overtime.

Tuesday evening I was at the London Stadium with Bob, to see West Ham play out a fairly tame draw with Crystal Palace, 1-1. A reasonably fair result. Tricia meanwhile was at the pub quiz in North Marston, where her team came second. Then on Wednesday evening was at Hardwick for another quiz. Wed and Thursday evening, and Sunday afternoon, Ellie and me were at rehearsal. The production is getting close and the words aren’t sticking :-(. Don’t panic….