Monday, June 29, 2015

Charlotte off, Jack home

Charlotte has swanned off to Barcelona this morning (very early) with Terry taking her and Miles to the airport, we’re picking them up on Thursday. They’re both really looking forward to it and I got a text from her earlier to say they’d found the hotel and all was sorted, they were off to the beach as it was 33 degrees! Very nice indeed. Their hotel is right in the centre of the town so they’ve got a great spot.

No sooner does one arrive than the other leave, Jack has been away for the weekend at Kilvrough for a reward weekend with the school and we picked him up on Sunday evening, he was buzzing and had a great time, surfing and rock climbing and all the things that he excels in! So pleased that he enjoyed himself, but then you knew he would!

Nice to have him back as well, the house is very quiet without him around, but in saying that he gets on your nerves within minutes – it’s a knack he has!!

Lewis struggling at University

Having a bit of a tough time of things with Lewis at the minute unfortunately. He’s really struggling with his revision as he needs to do x3 re-sits and having seen the results he got originally I’d be absolutely astonished if he pulled this out of the hat. They were appalling percentages and the poor lad has the re-takes next week. There’s been a lot of crying and words to try and sort this out but I think he’s going to fail the re-takes and then we need to decide what the next actions will be – it’s a big blow and a shame. But he’s not done the work to get to the level required so he only has himself to blame sadly.

He’s moved into the new accommodation in the Lake District but he’s stressing so much he can’t think straight. We’re doing all we can to help but it’s not doing much or enough for him. I think it will be a case of either staying and doing the whole year 2 again or dropping out. We shall see, I’d love to be wrong and he make it.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Great Grandma’s Birthday trip out

It was Grandma’s birthday last week and for her present we agreed to take her out and treat her to lunch at Waterperry gardens in Wheatley. I finished early and when Tash was home we went and picked her up around 2.30pm and drove out there. Mum and Derek were waiting, we paid and then went for a stroll round the gardens.

They are beautiful, I was really impressed. Tash was distracted as Lewis is stressed about his exam results and next actions required so that was a strained atmosphere between us which is frustrating, I don’t like that.

Tried to ignore it and just enjoy the time with the family like this. Grandma was excellent wandering around and still has the stamina to be able to walk round and enjoy what’s going on. She is amazing, obviously had to stop a few times and she was looking forward to her cup of tea once we got round to getting that! Had some cakes and then time to come home, really enjoyed it.

Took grandma home and did a few thing to help around the kitchen and then left her, heart-breaking as she said, ‘I do hate it when you have to leave and I am alone’, what can you do?

Evening was nice but that was a lovely day – glad we did it

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Fathers Day…well Family Day now!

Father day has been changed to family day at the behest of ...erm... my family. 

Woke up early and pottered around, kids got up and I got some cards and lots of sweet things, very nice indeed. Had a fry up which was good and then did some work outside on the patio then got ready to go out

Nikki, Gaz & the girls plus Paul & Bren and my family and we walked down to the Perch. Nice and hot day so it was perfect. Had a couple of Moretti and some food and then walked back to our house. In fact it was x3 Moretti...such a fine beer. The pub was really busy and it was enjoyable and a laugh with is all there. We're such a crowd and we have fun

Vicki stepped in a cow pat (twice) so that was highly amusing and watching the kids all playing football and having a laugh made it great

Back at our house we opened the beers and the wine all flowed between us adults as the kids all agreed to drive! Result!

I then opened some out nice wine and me, Gaz and Nik all got quite pissed, no surprise I suppose! They stayed until quite late and then left, finished my drink and the staggered to bed. 

Big hangover the next day!

Really enjoyed it though, so proud of all out family getting on so well. 

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Thursday, June 18, 2015

Bloody patio!

Still a problem! Barry came round this morning to look at what I’ve done and what else needs doing – I think a lot is required! When he left I did half an hour to make use of the skip before it’s removed and then I went to work. I was a Raintree today and just got on with what was on my plate, loads to do and was productive. I was tired though and had a 20 mins snooze in the sun!

Finished at 4.30pm and Barry was working in the back but wanted to stop and chat so we had a beer and discussed next actions. We need yet another skip and a full day on Saturday to clear it all again, I will try and do some tomorrow when working from home, just to get some done.

Had some food and then took Jack to football training, I didn’t watch as I sat in the car and had another snooze and did some of the diary as well.

Didn’t go to karate training as it was too late so went home and watched some TV (Mamma Mia) and then Hannibal and then to bed, long day, not sure why but  both Tash and I are shattered at the minute. It’s not enjoyable.

Charlotte enjoyed her first day of freedom – it was nice weather so she was out having a picnic all day – alright for some!

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Charlotte finishes exams….and school!

Worked in London today with Scholastic on this Data Mining project and the meeting went fine. I then did training afterwards with a new starter and that was good as well. Left there at a decent hour meaning I got home by 5.00pm which was my hope.

Today was Charlotte’s last exam today and that’s it then, no more school for her. Spoke to her and she said she found it okay so that was pleasing. When she got home she was going to go out with Rosie (not everyone’s exams finished so there weren’t many of them) but not until 9.00pm in town so we got some vouchers for Pizza Express in the Golden Cross and booked a table for 7.30pm. Went and parked in Tasha’s work and wandered down there. Jack & Niamh came with us so it was nice, Lewis couldn’t make it unfortunately.

Just had a normal pizza meal and celebrated – nothing crazy though.

Nice to spend time with them and chat and then we walk her to the Varsity club where she met Rosie and she really liked it there, we got texts later from her impressed with it.

Back home, did some work but that was it and then to bed.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Great Grandma’s 95th Birthday

Travelled to peters books in the morning and had a very full on busy day which included training the new starter Stewart that was a bit tough going. Got loads of other work done and then came home on the earlier train so as to be home in time for going out yet again!

Dropped by Decathlon to take Jack's broken bike in and I was delighted that they agreed to fix it for free so that was a bonus as taking it to Summertown would have been over £50!!

Got home and caught up with Charlotte and her Psychology exam today was a bit of a struggle so she wasn't too confident. We'll see, it's her last one tomorrow and then that's it, she's completely finished with school. 

Tash and I then got ready and we went down to the pub in Yarnton to meet up with the family for Grandma's birthday...she's 95!

Mum, Derek, Sue & Simon were there and it was a very pleasant evening and we enjoyed it. Stayed for the full 2 hours and had a nice time. 

Got home around 10.00pm but still had work to do so finished around 11.30pm. A long day but it was good to spend time with Grandma. Bless her

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Summertown Tournament & Jack Dee

Had a bit of a lie-in this morning and sorted out bikes as these were broken and had to go to Halfords to sort Tasha's out. Got there in the end. 

Had lunch then cycled up to Cutteslowe 

Park for Jacks 5-a-side tournament and it was enjoyable watching him, although he was quite rusty to be honest. Took a photo of him in a City shirt and posted online and it was very popular

Peter and Luke were playing at the same time for u16s so I watched them as much as possible and I have to admit I was impressed with both of them. Peter is slightly ahead of Luke but they do play different positions so hard to compare. They did well but lost in semi-final which I missed as I had to get back for the theatre. Jacks team didn't progress from the group stages but I was pleased he got the time under his belt and wasn't struggling with his knees too much afterwards, that's what is important to me. 

Went out in the evening, well 5.20pm, as Charlotte dropped us in town and we met Nik and Gaz at the Red Lion for a drink and ten wandered over to Gino's in Gloucester Green as they rave about it

It was definitely a nice restaurant and we had a good meal, Gaz and I had a bottle of Chianti and it was lovely. Once done we then walked to the Playhouse for our evening with Jack Dee. More wine!!

In the foyer we filled out cards with our "problems" and then these were read out by Jack and he had 4 comedians as a panel including Rich Haw and it was an amusing evening and good idea. Worse to follow was after the interval my name and problem was read out and I had the microphone and had to speak, I hated it as I was quite tipsy so was worried about slurring. I think I did ok

The only downside was that the two sessions were only 45 minutes long and we felt it was over too quickly and you felt a bit short-changed leaving at 9.10pm

We went back to the Red Lion for another drink and ten went our separate ways and Lewis came and picked us up

Enjoyable but too much food and definitely too much drink with work tomorrow!

 

Tuesday, June 09, 2015

Catch Up

I have no idea where the time has gone but I've not had any of the discipline that j had at the start of the year with keeping this diary up to date. It's a shame because I'd done so well in the first couple of months. Not sure what's happened really, I've just become very lazy and slack with it all. 

Not sure where to start with this update. I'll not try to cover everything with this so let's see what happens

I'm on the train traveling to Peters books right now. They've reduced my hours to only two days a month which is a disappointment but they shouldn't have because they definitely need me more involved. Ah well. Work is hard at present, I'm back doing a lot more with EdCo and we know the stress that includes and sure enough it's happening. I'm try to be better at managing it but it's not ideal

Raintree is going ok and I honk they're happy with what I am doing for them

Lewis has been around for a couple of weeks now which has been good but seeing how he spends his time is a bit disappointing, he's likely failed a couple of exams and will need to take retakes but there is no method or effort or quantity to the revision work he's doing. He's gone up to Lancaster yesterday to look at houses for his Sellafield work but I think he's wasting his time and will have to drop out. I hope I'm 100% wrong but I'm not so sure. 

On the other hand Charlotte has been brilliant and is working so very hard. It's great to see the dedication she's putting into her work and we just wish Lewis would follow her example. She's stressing last night but she really couldn't do any more work than she already has done. She deserves to do well, fingers crossed. If she doesn't do well in her exams with the work she's out in then I really don't know what she will do as it will be clear that exams aren't for her!

Jacks knees are still playing him up. He was at physio yesterday and given a load of exercises to do so we will see if he works on those and sorts himself out. He has been training with the Oxford city JPL side a couple of times and he's good enough to play and it would be good for him. They want me to run the team but I don't want to. His time at Horspath is over and he's leaving them to play for Oxford City on a Sunday now. Can't blame him, Horspath wasn't enjoyable. 

I worked with Barry on our patio at the weekend. All day Saturday I was picking up concrete and filling a skip. Really hard work and I was shattered by the end of the day. I didn't stop and I did my fair share, certainly a good shift. It's Tuesday today and I am still aching. So glad that I'm not doing that as a normal job!!