So September 1^st was a Saturday… Tricia was away near Chepstow and Tintern with the girls, Ellie was working… and I was off to watch West Ham v Wolves with Bob. The opening to the season was now starting to look disastrous, three defeats on the trot. Surely we could pick up points against a recently promoted team…. Well, after a fairly toothless performance it was 0-0 in injury time at the end of the game, when West Ham screwed up, and effectively gave a goal away. A 0-1 defeat. It was a depressing trip home. Normally Bob and myself can find a positive, or something to laugh about. Not this time. 4 defeats on the go, and it was hard to see us getting a point against anyone.

The following week I was at Greenwich giving a presentation on the Wednesday, and then on the Thursday was in the school for a Governors meeting to start the new academic year. I stood down from being Chair of the Governing Board. Four years had been quite enough. Friday was Ellie’s last day at M&S, and we had a buffet meal in the evening with family and friends over to wish her all the best at Uni. There was a special guest… Reg the dog, soon to be joining us came over the evening. Sunday the 9^th, Tricia and me went for tea at Chicheley Hall (near Newport Pagnall)… this was a birthday present for Tricia. Bit of an odd place, but the tea was nice enough.

The following Friday Tricia was off to Devon for a walking weekend. On Saturday I took Ellie and Matt down to Bracknell to visit Nan and Grandad, Robbie and Amy came across as well. Then on Sunday, it was Ellie’s big day… off to Uni. She had been out with Matt (boyfriend) the night before for a farewell meal. We set off, with the car bursting, at about 9:30am. When we got there her flatmates helped get her belongings in. We had some lunch and then I headed back. The last one gone … What was good on the way back was listening to West Ham finally get off the mark with a good away win at Everton. I got home, and as Tricia I arrived back I was out to rehearsal.

On Monday, the 17^th Reg arrived. We were all set up for him, but our plan for having his ‘cage’ in the conservatory didn’t work well, as he constantly barked at the cats. I moved him into the study… and he went off to sleep! Good boy… a quiet night after all. Tuesday was Tricia’s watercolour groups ‘Art Preview’… all the groups great work on display. Tricia provided the food.

Wednesday I was off to Madrid, with presentations to do in the BP Madrid office on the Thursday. It was nice and warm in Madrid. A lovely hotel , I went for a walk before going to join colleagues for a meal. On the way back we were slowed down by the hordes pouring out of the Bernabeu after Real Madrid had played AS Roma. Thursday I completed my presentations and went back to the airport. But, due to the bad weather in England, my flight got delayed, and we didn’t take off till 10:30pm. My hand luggage had to go in the hold, and I had the hump about that as well. It was a bumpy final part of the flight due to the stormy weather, but credit to the pilot, we got down safely. The drive home was difficult, debris in the form of branches from trees across the road and lots of surface water… after driving through one vast puddle I incurred some underside damage. At one point I had to track back due to a tree across the road… I limped home, very late.

Friday morning I inspected the damage… a plastic cover dragging on the ground. I pushed it back into place, and set off for Brighton to pick Bard up for the weekend. Along the M25 I could hear it dragging again…. So, I pulled into the services and purchased some parcel tape, and effected a temporary repair. After picking up Bard we drove to Bracknell and looked at some old haunts, and inspected the new town centre. We arrived in North Marston around 7pm. After a meal Tricia was off to Luton airport to pick up Jan from Scotland. On the Saturday we had some old Brakenhale friends across… 41 years since we had met in the 6^th form. Deb with Carlos, Tina with Ransford, Wendy with Rob, and Janet and Noele. Lots of laughter at old photos and old stories.

Sunday, and Bard came with Bob and me on the train to London. We said farewell at a tube stop, and Bob and me then went on to see West Ham v Chelsea. A good game, Chelsea had the most chances, but the best of the game fell to West Ham.. and we failed to take it. 0-0. But I was happy with the point. After our start to the season, a point at home to Chelsea was quite an achievement.

The next week I was a bit under the weather… I seemed to have picked up some sort of virus. Tricia was the same. Friday was not a good day. Tricia’s Mum and Dad were away at Lesleys, and their home got burgled. I helped David with some of the clean up. Friday morning I had been in at the school for class visits… a funny feeling of starting to wind down my governor duties. In the evening we had curry night at the Grays.

Saturday… lunchtime football. West Ham v Man Utd. 3-1 to West Ham, absolutely brilliant. Where was this a month ago ? Best game since becoming a ST holder. In the evening Tricia and me met up with Juliet and John at the Woolpack for a meal. On Sunday, Tricia’s Mum and Dad, still shaken up from the burglary came over for lunch, and Jan and Jan came as well. The afternoon was consumed with watching the outcome of the Ryder Cup. Europe won! A good sporting weekend.

So Saturday 18^th August saw the first home game of the new football season for West Ham. Bob and myself went off all full of optimism and hope for the new season. After all, new manager with a good track record, and lots of new players, over £100m spent, there had to be cause for optimism. In the stadium itself, I did start to wonder about the ‘team’ I was supporting… there were 8 new players! And it showed. As with the opening day 4-0 stuffing by Liverpool, West Ham were largely disjointed, and despite taking a 1-0 lead ended up losing 1-2.

The following week was a flurry of activity for Tricia in preparing for Guy’s 90^th birthday party. Guy had been chopping and changing his mind on a number of things… gradually driving Tricia nuts. It was a Greek themed evening, and went well. But it was hard work…..

Saturday was a slow start to the day, with work going on washing up, putting items away from the night before.  In the evening we went for a curry night at Pete and Sara’s. No Gray’s as they were away on hols. It was nice to have the extra day for the weekend, Monday being the Bank Holiday.

Tricia had a light week the following week. She went off to Buckingham Palace with Janet on the Tuesday the 28^th. Thursday she was at the County Show with Sally and Janet, and then on Friday went away for the ‘girly’ weekend with Sara, Sally and Cathy.