Just over a year ago Ellie ascended to the ultimate heights within school for a student…. she became Head Girl. She has enjoyed the year in the main, the thing she didn’t particularly enjoy was doing the prefect rota each week, because she found she couldn’t please all the people all the time. So, a lesson in life :-). But last week she had to step down as the new Heads of school was elected. As she put it, she is now a normal ‘peasant student’… which means she has lost her power and status. Not that she is in school for much longer. She finished for Easter last week, and when she returns it will only be a month before she does her exams and leaves. At the moment she has yet another cold. Her fourth this year, she seems to get rid of one and she catches another. Not a happy (Easter) bunny. On a bright note we received a lovely letter from the school congratulating Ellie on her success in the role.

A few weeks back my Dad celebrated his 82nd. Tricia and me drove across to Aylesbury about 1:30pm on the afternoon of the Saturday before his birthday, the 17th. We picked up Ellie after she had finished work, and then tried to drive to Bracknell. I say tried because we seemed to be opposed by endless road closures. It took so long to get to Bracknell that we only had 45 minutes before we had to come back, as Ellie was featuring in a local murder mystery play, as a Gypsy.

On the Thursday I worked in Sunbury during the day,  and then picked up Robbie at Hatton Cross and we went across to Bracknell, so Rob could pass on a card and a gift to Dad. It was good to spend some time with Robbie, I don’t get much time to talk with him these days. On Saturday 24th March Tricia and I were at Bob and Carole’s for cocktails to celebrate her 60th. A very pleasant evening… just sat there and Jade or Adam kept supplying cocktails or whisky. Nice. Slightly thick headed the next morning though. Tricia was able to get up though and go to the Palm Sunday breakfast at the church, and then followed it up by getting out on the Lent Walk in the afternoon with Pat. Here is the birthday boy with his railway set.

This week Tricia had a large order for the Green Dragon. They were clearly expecting a busy Easter. Tuesday evening we went up for the pub quiz. We didn’t win this time, we came third. Nicki came along. Ellie was late as she had been at the school doing her A Level drama practical. Tricia went across to the Bell at Hardwick for the quiz there with the usual ladies… but they didn’t enjoy it, an d will probably give it a miss in the future. Thursday I was in Sunbury and went across to Bracknell to see the folks before Easter. Dad has been a bit under the weather recently, what with the shingles and the doctors having changed his medication for his blood thinner… and then countless blood tests as they tried to correct it. He is still somewhat flat.

Good Friday was a quietish day. Tricia went out and did a couple of classes in the morning. In the evening we were at Alan and Rachel’s for the monthly curry night. The highlight of which was looking back at some 70’s sitcoms. The things that were considered ok to be funny and could be said are substantially different to our own pc times.

Saturday morning I cooked Tricia breakfast… poached eggs on toasted muffins. The poached eggs were excellent… even if I do say so myself :-). Saturday also meant football. West Ham against Southampton in a relegation 6 pointer. And the first home game after the travesty at Burnley. This time the ladies were travelling as well. Tricia and Bob’s wife Carole came to London with Bob and me. When we got to Stratford Bob and myself headed for the football, the Ladies headed for the Westfield shopping centre. All the pre match nerves and tension evaporated as West Ham took Southampton apart in the first half… three lovely goals. It was rather nice to sit back at half time, and look at the scoreboard for once. West Ham played well. 3 vital points. And the other teams involved in the relegation scrap lost as well. We met up with Carole and Tricia at a champagne bar after the game… where else would they be? After a drink we traveled back to West London, and had a meal in a restaurant just off Baker Street. Excellent food. We got back home at about 10pm. An excellent day…. great result and perf by West Ham, great company, and a lovely meal. Tricia retired, I sat and listened to the boxing. AJ won on points to retain his Heavyweight crown. Here we have Tricia and Carole drinking champagne… and the usual foot traffic post game. We are all controlled…. And ‘Arnie’ scoring the second goal 🙂

Easter Sunday …. I managed to get the timing for perfect for the boiled eggs at breakfast. I am the King of cooking eggs! Tricia and Ellie went up to church whilst I tidied up, and started the Easter Sunday roast… Lamb in red wine. Gran and Gramps came over even though they haven’t been too well and were clearly still not too well. Nikki and Matt came over, and Janet G joined us for lunch. In the afternoon Matt took a tree down for us, and trimmed back some of the other silver birches. Great job, and should help with the garden. The garden at the moment is sodden with all the rain we have been having, so unlikely we can get out and do too much work in it yet. In the early evening we sat and watched a film, and then Nikki and Matt went home.

Easter Bank Holiday Monday. Rain. Tricia and me went to Cotswold Outdoor to look at some walking boots for her but they didn’t have what she wanted. This afternoon she cleared out a load of old Brownie stuff… Ellie went into work. And I typed this up.

Back to work tomorrow. :-(.