Ice Skating in Warwick

Another brilliant weekend – such good fun

Woke up nice and early and got cracking with a proper fry-up for breakfast. Made loads, which turned out to be a good call because Tash had invited people round and they all tucked in too.

John & Pauline came over, then Liam and Georgia turned up with their dog Woody. Must admit, he was a bit of a nightmare and I’m slightly worried about how he’ll be on Christmas Day when they come over. I’m sure we’ll work something out — hopefully we can calm him down somehow.

It was really nice having everyone round though, and little Frankie got passed around from pillar to post. He didn’t complain at all — such a lovely little lad.

After breakfast they all headed off and we started getting sorted to go to Warwick Castle for skating. Before leaving, Jeny popped in briefly with a couple of cuddly toys for Frankie — she’s so kind and thoughtful.

Dropped Bess off at Sue’s and made our way to Warwick — nice easy drive as it’s so close. Found a decent parking spot and met Wayne & Kerry and the girls in Wetherspoons. Slowly everyone else arrived. Niamh even brought her new boyfriend, Sidney, who seems a very nice lad.

We had some food and drinks and then walked over to the ice rink, set in the castle grounds with the castle itself overlooking us — brilliant setting.

Unfortunately the rain had ruined the rink, and they hadn’t re-iced it. There was a good inch of water across the whole thing — absolutely not ideal.

Didn’t stop us though. We still got on and had fun, and as usual I was zooming around, happy as Larry… until for the first time in many, many years I lost my balance and went over! And of course it had to be on the bit completely full of water — absolutely soaked. Didn’t hurt anything except my pride.

Carried on skating anyway until our time was up. Everyone had a good laugh at my expense. We hung around outside for a while afterwards, chatting with a pint, then said our goodbyes and went our separate ways home.

Lewis, Emily, Frankie and Jack all headed back up north.

Picked Bess up from Sue’s and stayed a little while — I had a very large gin and tonic — then home, where we watched more Mr Mercedes. I had four more beers, so ended up a bit tipsy but not too bad. Bed not too late.

Such a lovely weekend — so good to have Lewis, Emily and Frankie here. I hope they enjoyed it too and that it hasn’t put them off coming again.

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✅ End of Day Summary

A proper feel-good Sunday — family, friends, food, dogs, babies, skating chaos and a soaking on the ice. Lots of laughter, a big G&T, a few beers and a warm, contented finish to a brilliant weekend.

Rats

It’s been an interesting (and not in a good way) last few days. We’d been coming downstairs to food being eaten, wires chewed through, and general chaos, and assumed it was a mouse — until this morning proved otherwise.

To be honest, when I first saw the state of the bananas, half eaten and shredded, I did wonder if it was something bigger than a mouse…

We bought traps and set them out, but nothing happened. Last night after seeing Tucks, I even set my alarm for 5.30am so I could check the traps before the Airbnb guests were up. Came down at 3.00am — nothing. Alarm went, checked again — still nothing.

I went into the library to move one of the traps when I suddenly caught movement behind me. Turned around and saw this huge rat scurrying down a hole near the unused chimney. It was big. So that was the culprit. Put the trap right by his hole and went back to bed, let Tash know — she was not happy.

In the morning he still hadn’t bitten, so we made a plan. Later today I filled the hole with expanding foam, hoping it’s the only entry point. Before sealing it I threw a load of poison chunks down there. I’m worried it’s not the only hole and he’ll find another way in — or that there’s more than one rat. Not a pleasant thought.

Bought another box of poison and refilled the one by the back door. The last thing we want is rats in the house. There was even evidence of it in the bathroom cupboard, which is worrying — no idea how it got there.

Let’s see if this does the trick. I’m not convinced, but we’ll find out soon enough.

Reflection:
Today was more stressful than anything else — and the not knowing makes it worse. Fingers crossed the measures we’ve taken actually work.

Wicked for Good - Cinema night

Normal day’s work — nothing much to report. I got dinner on the go earlier than usual because we were heading out in the evening.

Once Tash was home and ready, we made our way over to the Vue at the Kassam, meeting up with Mum and Charlotte to watch the second Wicked film (Wicked for Good). There were only about ten people in the whole screening, and even the car park was practically empty — I don’t think I’ve ever seen it that quiet before. Feels a bit of a sad state of affairs for the place.

We really enjoyed the first Wicked film, and this one was just as good. Really well put together, beautifully performed, and just very, very enjoyable overall. All of us loved it. Made me think we should make the effort to go to the cinema more often — especially when it’s only about £6.50 a ticket.

Said our goodbyes afterwards and headed home, where we watched another episode of Mr Mercedes, the Netflix series we’ve just started. Really getting into it, but only just realised there are three seasons of ten episodes each — so we’re definitely in for the long haul!

Reflections:
A simple day overall, but a really nice evening out. It’s easy to forget how much I enjoy going to the cinema, especially when it’s quiet and you can properly sink into the film. And it was good spending time with Mum and Charlotte. The little routines — dinner early, a film, then an episode of a series at home — end up making a day feel surprisingly satisfying.

Xmas Tree Bought

Got the Christmas tree today. We had planned to do it yesterday with Charlotte at Blenheim, but by the time we finished everything and were heading out to Tucks, it was too late — so we ended up needing to sort it ourselves.

Tash suggested doing it during my lunchtime, which ruled out a few of the usual places, including the Tree Barn, so we headed over to Bunkers Hill just north of Kidlington. And honestly, what a great shout that turned out to be. It’s only a small place, but there was loads of choice, the staff were lovely and friendly, and because it wasn’t the weekend there were hardly any customers. Made the whole thing relaxed, easy, and actually enjoyable for once.

We were even given free drinks — coffee and hot chocolate — which was a nice touch.

After a bit of browsing we found a tree we could both agree on, and then wandered around the gardens for a bit. We do need a new bay tree, but couldn’t find one in the size we’re after this time.

Picked up the Christmas tree and headed home. Honestly, I think we’ll end up doing exactly the same next year — it was simple, stress-free, and just a much nicer experience.

Now the next job is getting it inside and ready for the weekend, when all the kids come round to decorate it!

Reflections:
A surprisingly lovely little outing for something that can so easily be stressful. Lunchtime tree-shopping could’ve been rushed, but instead it felt calm and enjoyable. Bunkers Hill was a great find, and it’s those little unexpected wins — free drinks, friendly people, no crowds — that make traditions feel worth repeating. Nice to think ahead to the weekend too; decorating the tree with everyone always brings the house to life.

Meet up with Tucks, Browns Meal and Drinking!

More jobs this morning!

First win of the day: the rat-chewed internet cable to the outside office. The wired connection had been dead for days and I’d finally bought one of those little connector boxes after watching a YouTube video, thinking I’d try to fix it myself.

While Oscar was here doing the bathroom, I had a go. Sat there patiently lining up all the tiny coloured wires, clipped them in carefully, tested it… nothing. Dead.

Back inside, fiddled again, pushed everything down a bit further, tried once more — SUCCESS! Honestly couldn’t believe it. I’d actually managed to re-wire the thing properly. Saved me getting someone out and meant the office was back in action. Felt very smug.

Next job: the drains. They’d backed up again and I vaguely remembered clearing them with pressure ages ago. Found the right plunger, gave it a go — and unbelievably, that worked as well. Quick, painless, sorted. At this point I was absolutely on a roll.

Moved on to the bar. I’ve been meaning to sort out the glasses for ages and realised I had far too many. So I was ruthless — big clear-out, lots into the bin, and the survivors went through the dishwasher so everything looks clean and tidy now.

By the time Tash got home from her morning out, we got ourselves sorted and headed into town for our 2.00pm booking at Browns with Tucks and Stephen and Sue. Browns was brilliant — food spot on, drinks flowing, great atmosphere. Just a really lovely couple of hours chatting and laughing.

As usual, Tucks grabbed the bill before anyone else had a chance. Afterwards we wandered to O’Neills because he wanted to watch the Formula 1. When that finished we moved to the Cosy Club, ordered more drinks and stayed there for the rest of the afternoon and early evening just chatting away. Eventually we wrapped up, said our goodbyes, and headed home.

The bus got us back fairly early all things considered, so we put a new series on. I was definitely drunk by this point and, in a moment of questionable judgement, opened the Bailey’s I’d bought for Christmas. Stayed up too late watching Gladiator, drinking even more.

All in all, another brilliant weekend — two in a row!

Reflections:
Funny how a day can be so satisfying just from getting things done — fixing that cable and clearing the drains made me feel surprisingly competent. And then a proper old-fashioned social afternoon with great people on top of it all. Probably overdid the drinking (opening the Bailey’s was definitely not part of the plan!), but the whole weekend felt warm, fun, and exactly what I needed.

Xmas Lights in London

Woke up with a bit of a heavy head but had breakfast and cracked on with loads of jobs that were on the list while Tash went out to spend time with her family. Got loads done — very productive morning.

I was still working through a few bits in the afternoon when Tash came back and suggested we go to London. It had been on the radar, so not totally out of the blue, but still spontaneous enough to feel fun.

We drove up to Westfields and managed to park at Holland Park just after 3.00pm which meant it was free — perfect, and right next to the tube station. We walked up the road and found The Churchill Arms in Kensington, known as the most Christmassy pub in London. It was still light but already rammed, with loads of people drinking out on the pavement. Inside was just as packed.

We got a drink each and waited outside for the big Christmas lights switch-on… and waited. First it was meant to be 4.00pm, then pushed to 4.30pm, so we got a second drink. I happened to be inside when they finally switched them on but it was still pretty impressive — loads of people taking photos.

Feeling festive and now in the dark, we walked along the road towards our next planned stop: Battersea Power Station. Found a bike dock, grabbed bikes, and cycled there — 30 minutes through the streets, which was brilliant. Saw loads of sights and it didn’t feel dangerous at all. Tash followed me weaving through the traffic like a pro. The route took us through Hyde Park, Kensington, Sloane Street and Square, over the Thames, and straight to Battersea. Great fun.

The redevelopment of the Power Station is incredible. What they’ve done with the shops and housing has made the whole place look so cool. We wandered around for a bit, but shopping wasn’t really the point, so we jumped on the tube and headed into Leicester Square. It was absolutely rammed. Tried a couple of restaurants but everything was booked, so we carried on through China Town and along Regent Street. As always, the lights were impressive.

We eventually found a pub with a table for two — a miracle — and had a good meal and a proper relax. Afterwards we walked back along Regent Street and went into Hamleys. Bloody expensive! A teddy with the year on it for Frankie was £80. No chance.

Then it was tube back to Holland Park, into the car, and home. So, so easy.

Reflection:
A brilliant, full, festive-feeling day. It felt like we really made the most of it — and the best bit is that it kept feeling like a Sunday, so it’s great knowing there’s still another day off to enjoy.

Xmas Cake made and DSB Decorations put up

Normal day at work again, although I did need to take Mum to the JR for a scan because she’s been getting stomach aches. The idea was to rule out anything serious like cancer. I set myself up in the Pret inside the JR and worked there for a couple of hours, then moved the car and carried on working in Northway until it was time to collect her — the whole thing took about three hours.

Thankfully, they couldn’t find anything concerning. It was still an invasive procedure though, with a camera, and she said it was quite painful at times. But at least it’s been done and we’ve got some reassurance. I dropped her home and told her she was welcome to come over for dinner later if she felt up to it — no pressure.

She did decide to come, and later Charlotte arrived too — she was coming anyway — and got to work on the Christmas cake and the house decorations. The cake looks good, and we all made a wish while stirring it. After dinner we headed out to the bar to sort the decorations in there.

It was really good fun. I had a few beers while we were working on it, and once everything was sorted Mum and Charl headed home and Tash went to bed. But I had a bit of a “taste for it”, so I stuck some records on and carried on drinking.

It turned into a great evening — just me relaxing, listening to my old albums, sinking a few beers. Time absolutely flew; suddenly it was 2.00am, and I nodded off before eventually dragging myself to bed around 4.00am.

I’d like to say it doesn’t happen often, but it does — and I love it. I’m very fortunate to have the space and freedom to sit out there, listen to music, and enjoy a few drinks in my own company.

Reflections:
A day that started with worry but ended in warmth. Getting Mum checked was important, and the relief afterwards made the evening feel even nicer. The decorating, cake making, and music in the bar had that perfect mix of family routine and personal comfort. There’s something grounding about those quiet, late-night solo sessions — a reminder that simple pleasures are often the best ones.

The Ashes has started!

This time it’s over in Australia, so unless we fancy getting up at 2.00am to watch it live, we’re only catching whatever coverage is on from when we get up until it finishes around 10.00am. Still a decent chunk of cricket — except there’s one problem: Sky aren’t covering it. It’s on TNT Sports and I don’t have a subscription, so I’m stuck with TMS and highlights on Twitter. Not ideal at all.

The first Test was this weekend and honestly, it was a bit of a disappointment. The whole game was over in two days — incredible. Imagine saving up all that money, flying out there, and having tickets for day three. You’d be absolutely gutted.

England tried to Bazball it and it just looked naive. Both first innings were rubbish, top score only 162. Then we went again in the second innings and somehow managed to be even worse. Australia took the sting out of our attack and knocked off the runs easily, with Travis Head playing really well.

So we’re 1–0 down. Next match is 4th December — if I can sort out a VPN by then, I might get to actually watch some of it. Although after this first Test, I’m not sure it’ll be worth the effort!

Reflection:
A frustrating start to the series — mostly disappointment, with that familiar mix of hope that England will learn something and realism that they probably won’t.

Booze Bus Tour and Pub Crawl

What a day!

Up early and cracked on with a few jobs — sorting the bar, walking Bess, the usual bits — as we knew we were going to be out all day. Shame about the rain, but we weren’t going to let it spoil anything.

Charlotte and Miles arrived, and we got an Uber into town and over to the Railway Station. Perfect timing — a bus was waiting, and even better, it was the only one of the day with a live guide: Andy (The Hat). Bit of a character, but I suppose you need to be in that job. I can imagine the other guides talking about him!

Off we went on the Hop On/Hop Off Red Bus Tour, sat on the top deck under cover while the rain came down. It was just the four of us and Andy the Hat. Really enjoyable, interesting and entertaining. It lasted about 45–50 minutes — plenty — and although the information came thick and fast, we picked up lots of snippets. We got off at St Giles rather than heading back to the station. No need to hear any more.

We headed to the Cosy Club for a beer (the first of many), grabbed some food, relaxed, and planned out the rest of the day. I fancied the old, nice, traditional pubs — and everyone agreed. Then out of nowhere, Zoe turned up. She got herself a drink and some food and announced she was joining the pub crawl. A surprise, and not the last.

A couple of pints later, Cosy Club had filled up with the lunchtime crowd, and we moved on. Walked through the Christmas Market — brief, as it’s hardly Birmingham — and made our way to the Kings Arms. Found a spot, and then Chloe and Nicole Holden appeared. They were Christmas shopping and planned to stay for just one drink… you can guess how that went.

After a pint there, we moved on to the Turf Tavern, busy as ever, but we found a place outside. By complete coincidence, Joe Willoughby and his family were there. And oddly enough, we kept bumping into them for the rest of the night as we all hopped between pubs. No planning, just funny randomness.

Then, completely out of nowhere, GG and Evan turned up in the Turf garden. That’s when I messaged Wayne to say I wouldn’t be making golf in the morning — I could see exactly where the night was heading!

Those were the surprises done. Charlotte had organised the initial tour and invited the groups. Millars and Holdens couldn’t make it, but it didn’t matter — we had a good crew.

Ev was his usual loud, bold self. Got everyone singing “Happy Birthday” to me — four weeks late — and kept getting recognised from “Rate My Pub”. He’s great company and keeps everything lively.

We finished up and went to The Bear. Too busy, so we stood outside for one pint. Then on to The Wheatsheaf — I liked the look of it, but was overruled, so although we stepped inside briefly, we ended up walking straight back out and across to The Chequers. No idea how we found a table, and Chloe even bought the round, which was lovely. Still a good atmosphere, but we stuck to our plan and kept moving.

Next stop: St Aldates Tavern (The Bulldog in old money). By now we’d had a few and were happily chatting to anyone. We ended up going upstairs — empty — and for some reason decided to help put up their Christmas tree. Miles even put the star on top. Eventually they needed the space back and ushered us out.

We walked past the Old Thom but no one fancied it, so we carried on to The Blenheim — I didn’t even know it was still open. Good pub. Had a great chat with Miles, watched a bit of rugby, and enjoyed it there. People got hungry, so we went to the Wetherspoons in the Castle for more drinks and food. Eventually it was time to head home. Zoe and the girls peeled off, and the rest of us swung by Sainsbury’s for more beers before getting an Uber home. Judging by the Ring doorbell footage, it wasn’t even too late — about 10pm.

Straight into the DSB and the party continued — dancing, singing, the laptop playing up, photos and videos everywhere. And that’s about where my memory ends. Woke up around 5.30am in the bar, freezing.

Reflection:
Just an incredible day — full of surprises, great company, brilliant pubs, and exactly the kind of birthday celebration I wanted.

Lisbon Trip - Day 4

Another really good night’s sleep. We packed up and went down to breakfast around 8.00am — didn’t eat as much today, but enough to get going. Checked out, left our bags behind the desk and headed back into the city centre. The plan was to take the metro right out to the very last stop.

The metro really has been brilliant - but it’s also made us lazy because it’s so cheap and effortless. We’ve definitely walked far less than we normally would on a city break!

We found the cycle place easily enough but were about 40 minutes early, so we wandered down by the docks, looking at the two enormous cruise ships that were in. Then we grabbed a drink in the café next door until the place opened.

There were eight of us in total on the tour, and our guide, Diogo, was great - really engaging, full of energy, and just a nice bloke to spend a few hours with.

We were set up with e-bikes and then headed off. We covered miles, and the biggest surprise was just how fast you could get from point to point. Things that looked absolutely miles away from a viewpoint were suddenly reachable in minutes. We revisited a couple of familiar spots, but most of it was new, which made it feel worthwhile rather than just a repeat of what we’d already done.

The whole tour lasted three hours, and honestly it was the perfect way to spend our final morning - far better than trudging around the shops trying to kill time.

When we finished, we said our goodbyes and walked a short distance to a busy little square where we sat in the sunshine for a light meal. Once again, the food didn’t disappoint - if there’s one thing Lisbon absolutely nailed for us, it was the food.

After that we got the metro back to the hotel. I’d left it too late to find a toy tram for Frankie - the one thing I’d really hoped to bring back for him - and no luck anywhere. Bit of a shame.

Uber to the airport was smooth and easy, and the whole process at the airport has been completely hassle-free. Now sitting on the plane writing this and catching up on all the other diary notes - there’s going to be a lot to type up when we get home!

That was such a great weekend - we get on really well with John and Pauline, and Lisbon is a beautiful city - really enjoyed it.

Oh - and I nearly forgot the little drama at home. Mum had a bit of a scare with Bess. I’d messaged to check she was okay to keep her for the evening as we’d be back late, and she replied, “Call me!”

So I did - and long story short, Bess somehow got hold of a couple of the rat poison pellets Mum had, and ate two of them. Mum rushed her to the vet, had all the stress (and the bloody cost!) of getting them to make her sick and clear her system. Very worrying for her of course. She was clearly shaken and felt responsible, but I was fine about it, and so was Tash. I checked before we boarded and all seems well. Stupid dog - but all okay in the end.

Lisbon Trip - Day 3

Early start, heavy heads. We headed straight for the Moorish Quarter and caught the Route 28 tram because that's where it starts and there were big queues eve at 9.00am, we managed to get on though so happy with that. We didn’t manage the round trip, the driver just pulled to a stop halfway through and kicked everyone off, but it didn’t matter as we were in a good part of town now! We wandered through town, weaving through the streets and soaking it all in.

Stopped in that huge Zara where I hoped to finally find the jacket I’ve been after, but no luck. From there we carried on up to the castle, that was good being at the highpoint over looking the city. It was enjoyable exploring that and walking along the battlements. After a while we then made our way over to the Time Out Market. Far too busy, so we bailed and found a great little place for tapas instead — really good food, especially the hummus. (Funnily enough, it's exactly what Clare and Greg Barnes did so we took and sent them a photo)

Back to the main square afterwards. Tried booking the North African restaurant we’d been eyeing up, but the whole process was painful and got us nowhere. So we headed back to the hotel, grabbed a very welcome 40-minute sleep, and then went back out again.

First stop: the car park rooftop bar. This was something Tash had found and it was so random and well-hidden but a brilliant find. It's not sign-posted at all, you need to go into a multi-storey car-park and get to the top and then it's there. It was crowded but we got a seat and the sunset was amazing - really enjoyed it there.

Then after a couple of drinks we made our way back to the restaurant we were unable to book earlier — they let us in early, thankfully, and the food was excellent. Rounded it off with a brandy, which was by accident, didn't know what I was ordering - it was fine, bit of an acquired taste so not sure I'm quite a brandy drinker yet!!

My choice afterwards: a cocktail bar called Cabal. Turned out to be a brilliant pick — great atmosphere, great drinks. By then we were flagging, so we walked back to the hotel. One more drink in the bar to finish the night, and then finally, bed.

Reflections:
A long, slightly chaotic but very enjoyable day. Nothing went quite to plan, yet everything still worked out — good food, good bars, and enough wandering to feel like we really explored the place. Even with the tiredness, it all had that fun, easy holiday rhythm.

Lisbon Trip - Day 2

Big breakfast to start the day - exactly what we all needed. Timed it well as after only 10 minutes there was a huge queue to get in. I was quite in my element with the coffee machine - had loads!

We walked down to a bus stop we needed to get to and then jumped on the bus out to Belém to see the tower. Bit of a shame it was covered in scaffolding, but that’s life. We had a good wander around anyway and then walked back along the river.

Stopped at the famous pastry place (Pastéis de Belém), of course - had to be done - and then carried on to a warehouse-style food and drink spot. Really cool vibe in there and we ended up staying for some lunch.

Got an Uber back afterwards and had a rest at the hotel, saving our energy for the evening.

The sunset plan was next: we headed up to the viewpoint — Miradouro da Senhora do Monte — and the timing was perfect. Beautiful place, great views over the city. From there, we made our way to a wine bar on the hill and enjoyed a couple more drinks before heading off to a Fado presentation. Really atmospheric and something we’re all glad we experienced.

After that we tried to find somewhere to eat… absolute mission. Everything either full, closed or just not appealing. Eventually we ducked into a tiny bar I’d spotted earlier - nothing fancy, in fact the complete opposite - great laugh in there, but it got us going again - and then, finally, we stumbled across what turned out to be the best place of the trip.

Brilliant food, loads of wine, and the owners were genuinely lovely people. We stayed far longer than planned and consumed far more than we needed, but it was totally worth it.

Eventually staggered our way back to the metro and then to the hotel. No nightcap for once — straight to bed!

Lisbon Trip - Day 1

Up at 3.00am with the alarm going off - although I think I was awake before it! Ready for the 3.30am pick-up and John drove us to Heathrow. Straight through to Wetherspoons for breakfast and, naturally, a pint. The flight was nice and easy — Tash and I slept through most of it, as everyone would fully expect.

Customs took about an hour, which honestly could have been worse. We’d already decided to avoid the taxi queues, so I ordered an Uber. Took a while because the traffic was ridiculous, but he eventually arrived and got us to the hotel. Very nice place. Checked in, left our bags, far too early for the room, and headed out walking down the hill to the city centre.

And of course, the rain started. Forecast, yes — still annoying. After about twenty minutes, fed up, we ducked into a brewery pub for food and a couple of beers. Turned out to be a cracking decision: good food, good beer, and a break from the weather.

Back out again afterwards, but it was hopeless. The rain only got worse and I just wasn’t enjoying it. I don’t normally get grouchy, but I must’ve been tired because I was definitely getting pissed off. We tried, but eventually admitted defeat and decided to get the metro back to the hotel, hoping they’d let us into the room early so we could have a snooze and try again later.

Great shout. First, we discovered how insanely cheap the metro is — genuinely brilliant and it saved us all weekend. And second, the plan worked: we got into the room early, grabbed some sleep, and felt fully refreshed for our food and wine tasting tour at 6.00pm.

Met the group in the main square — 14 of us, and our guide, Pedro. He was excellent: friendly, knowledgeable, loved what he did, and made it fun. He took us around different food and drink spots, giving us the history behind the dishes, ingredients, drinks, and a bit of Lisbon background too. The group itself was great as well — all different nationalities but everyone clicked.

Finished the evening with a rooftop bar stop where other people from the tour appeared before making our way back.

Reflections:
A long, tiring, slightly soggy start, but it absolutely picked up. Once we’d recharged and got onto the food and wine tour, the whole day turned around — great guide, great group, great food. Exactly the kind of evening that makes the early start worth it.

Fireworks at the Plough - not feeling great!

Had the fireworks at the Plough tonight, but throughout the day — and especially into the early evening — I started to feel rough. It was exactly like when I used to overdo it at football: back aching, which then somehow shifts into stomach pains. Felt like the boot camp on Monday had finally caught up with me.

Mum arrived in good time, and I had a long shower trying to sort myself out, but when I came downstairs I told Tash I really didn’t want to go. Still, I felt I had to, so we wandered up. It didn’t seem quite as crowded as normal. I got the drinks — mulled wines and a beer — but I couldn’t even finish mine. We headed over to the bonfire.

The bonfire was huge and looked a bit out of control with how strong the wind was. For a moment it looked like it might set the nearby trees alight, which would’ve been dramatic, but it didn’t. Eventually it calmed down and we waited for the fireworks.

By then I was really struggling. We found a bench and sat, but once the fireworks started the pain got too much. I made my excuses and walked home — not comfortably either. I was bent over most of the way and honestly would’ve happily taken a taxi just to get there quicker. It was horrible.

Got home and went straight to bed by about 8.00pm. Didn’t properly sleep, but dozed off once Tash got home. I apologised, but truthfully I didn’t care much — I just wanted the pain gone.

Weird how it hits me like that sometimes. I’m certain it was those leg-raise exercises from boot camp hurting my back/groin/stomach or something.

Reflection:
A night that should’ve been fun but ended up dominated by pain — frustrating more than anything, and a reminder that the old football injury still likes to make an appearance now and then.

Finished the Assassin Farseer Trilogy book at long last!

Still not feeling good with my ear - very frustrating - hopefully it will improve soon. I was up early and instead of working like I normally would I spend the time reading my book and I finally finished it. It was a good ending and it was well written - enjoyed it. Robin Hobb is the writer.

All that before 7.45am and then it was time to work. It's a bit quieter this week as it's half-term and I've done well to catch up with things and get up to date. We had a new starter begin this week as Daniel's replacement - seems okay, very, very similar to Amar.

I walked Bess at lunchtime as I was too busy first thing, but then it was a pretty uneventful day and I finished on time and sorted dinner and got a few jobs done that I wanted to sort out.

The evening I worked on my diary - that took bloody ages - and it looks like I've sorted the curtain rail for the front door, it was too late to drill so I'll do that tomorrow. We're going to have Tiff's kids tomorrow evening for a sleepover and firepit which will be nice - they're good kids.

Almost finished my book after 4yrs!

I'm not feeling too good — I think I have some sort of ear infection, exactly like when there's a pressure build up. I do wonder if it's having the earbuds in so much. I'm going to go without them for a bit to see if that helps. It hurts to touch and it's annoying and aching too.

Work was normal — nothing to report.

Tash had been pumpkin picking in the morning and ALL the Bicester clan had gone. She’d got Tiff's kids as they're on half-term and Tiff obviously can't drive, so they had a nice time and they all had their own pumpkin. Tash couldn't imagine Tiff doing it with them, so they came back here and I helped carve them during my lunch break — they were pleased with them.

Bootcamp in the evening — wasn't too strenuous today for some reason. Came home and watched some more of the Ed Gein story — it's a bit sick as you'd expect, but it's also just playing too much like *Psycho*. Interesting enough though.

Oh, I am finally getting close to finishing my book, *Assassin's Quest*. It's been on my bedside table for a couple of years at least and I want to get it completed so I can move onto other books.

**Reflection:** A fairly ordinary day overall, but the ear pain is nagging and definitely pulled the mood down a bit. Still, nice to do something with the kids at lunch and keeping up Bootcamp is a positive.

End of Birthday celebrations

Clocks had changed (an hour backwards) and I was wide awake around 6.30am so got up and went off to golf.

A bit busy down there but I found a slot and set off for 18 holes. I wasn't playing particularly well and as I came to the 9th hole it was 9.00am and all the round up were there – about 10 people – so I thought "bugger that" and came home.

Jobs to be done here of course so I got on with them, things like cutting back the trees and tidying stuff up, went well. Then we made our way over to Sue's as I needed to work on cutting back trees for her too.

Got it done but still loads needed so there will be a few more trips back there. Unexpectedly, she had made us dinner so that was lasagne which was good.

Made our way home and walked Bess and sorted out the Airbnb and settled down to watch some TV in the evening.

**The end of my birthday weekend! It’s been a good one – I've enjoyed it and we've done so much.**

More birthday celebrations - Manchester and The Cube

We planned to leave by about 7.15am so I was up around 6.00am and went up the road to get milk and then sorted things here. Mum arrived on time and told us the A34 was closed so we stopped Charlotte from leaving as we'd need to go past her house – picked her up and then dropped Bess off at Sue's.

We were on a time limit because we had the Cube booked for 11.00am and the detour had made it VERY tight.

Journey up there wasn't too bad and we got parked and to the place – we needn't have worried, they were very flexible and we had plenty of time to work with. Ah well, lesson learned, I don't think I broke too many speeding limits.

Didn't really know what to expect (partly because I've never really watched much of The Cube) but it was really enjoyable. We broke into teams of two: me and Mum, Tash and Jack, Charl and Miles, and you went round to each cube and were given the challenges – all of which were simple enough to grasp but the pressure made them harder. It was challenging but not impossible and not easy – a good mix.

Me and Mum came last, not far behind Charl and Miles, but Tash and Jack stormed it and ended up 4th on the weekly leader board – very impressive.

After that, we had some food and then made our way to Lewis and Emily's (and Frankie!).

Relaxed and chatted – more presents – they gave me some really thoughtful things (a lovely mug) and then loads of baby cuddles. Frankie is still small but feels more solid and he was smiling at times. I managed to make him smile a few times so that was good!

I had a snooze (I was shattered) and then after 40 minutes we went out to the local pub (about 5 minutes away) and had a really good meal.

Back to Lewis’s for coffee and more relaxing and then about 7.00pm we said our goodbyes and made our way home.

Journey back was fine and only 2.5 hours – we picked up Bess from Sue’s, dropped Charl and Miles off and then Mum at our house.

I watched a bit of TV – MOTD – and then went to bed as I want to play golf tomorrow morning.

**A really good day – enjoyed it.**

My Birthday

Up bright and early with nothing planned except work. I got a few things sorted and then opened my birthday presents — I already knew about the trousers and jumper, but I also got a T-shirt which I’m pleased with. Tash headed off to work and I continued with the day as normal. Didn’t mention it was my birthday and nobody from work said anything — that’s how it is with this company.

It wasn’t a desperately busy day, so that was good, and I was able to clock off at the usual 4:30pm. I went to collect Sue and brought her back to ours, then my mum arrived, and Charlotte and Miles came too. We had a nice evening together.

A couple of beers - early start tomorrow — and fair to say I’d had enough last weekend anyway. Really nice presents all round, and Charlotte and Miles got me something from my 50th list: a bus tour around Oxford with a few pub stops included. Should be great — really looking forward to that.

It wasn’t a boozy or late night — I think everyone left around 9pm — so I went on Facebook to check messages. Nice to hear from people I don’t usually interact with. Watched a bit of TV and then off to bed.

Reflection:

A simple birthday this year — nothing over the top — but good company, thoughtful gifts, and enough to make me feel appreciated.

What day is it?

I got up this morning nice and early, got sorted and then came into the office and started working as normal around 7.45am. After raising a few tickets and sending emails, I noticed that the dates on these — and on my laptop — were showing as Sunday 12th October.

I checked with ChatGPT what it might be and reset some settings and restarted the laptop, but no effect.

After about 45 minutes, I messaged the group on Teams with a screenshot from my laptop, because when I opened my personal one that was showing the 12th as well. Luckily, Josh replied saying, “erm, it is Sunday 12th!”

I was honestly shocked — I genuinely and completely believed it to be Monday and a normal start to the week. I made a bit of a joke about it, but at the same time, it played on my mind that it might be something more than just a blip. I was so sure.

Then I came in and stood on the sofa to open the curtains, slipped, and fell — not a great start to the day!

Anyway, Jack was around, and then Charlotte stopped by after her gym session, so it was nice to have them both here for breakfast and catch up. Jack told us everything about the issue with him and Jodie. All very worrying for their relationship — I really hope they sort it out; she’s so lovely.

When they left, we got Jenny’s trees done — quite pleased with them, I must admit, managed to get them looking good.

Did a few more jobs in our garden and then had a quick walk around Shotover before heading home for dinner and a quiet evening in.

Watched some TV and then had an early night — kept worrying about Jack and Jodie. I’m sure it’ll be fine.

---

Reflection:
A strange start that properly threw me off balance — literally and mentally! But by the end of the day, things had settled and it was nice having both Jack and Charlotte around. Still, that mix-up about the day has stuck with me; a reminder that I might need a slower start sometimes.

Win of the Day:
Got Jenny’s trees sorted and looking great — proper job, that one.

Menorca Golf Weekend

Friday

Didn’t sleep well Thursday night — bed after 10:30pm and alarm set for 1:15am! Up and out on time though: picked up Paul Creed in Kennington and then Wayne in Risinghurst before heading to Gatwick. Great airport pickup — smooth and easy — and we were soon through security and in the pub having a pint and breakfast at 4:30am.

Short flight and picked up by Paul and Pauline. Nice catch-up on the way to the villa. Me and Creedy sharing again — I brought earplugs this time: strong tactical move.

Straight up to Son Parc for golf: paid for 9 holes but managed to sneak another 9 — success. Sadly no t-shirt available this year which was disappointing. Tough course with different grass, and I struggled more than I hoped. Tried to stay positive but truthfully felt a bit deflated after looking forward to it all year. Wayne and I played the full 18 while the two Pauls left after the 10th.

Back to the villa, quick shower, then down to BJ’s for 6:00pm for the official start and team draw. Nice to see familiar faces. Paired with Jack Everton (excellent golfer), plus another Adam West (Batman!!) and a lady called Sue Rogers. Fish and chips, a couple of beers (first fish was still frozen — typical!). Early-ish night.

---

Saturday

Slept well. Up early, breakfast, and off to the course. I teed off about 90 minutes before my slot, so had plenty of time to practise and watch the earlier groups.

Our team for the main event: me, Jack, Adam, and Sue. Putting challenge first — no one holed out unfortunately. Then onto the first tee: I hit a solid drive down the middle which set Jack up to properly go for it — that became our pattern. I was “steady Eddie”, letting Jack take the hero shots. Felt good that a lot of my shots counted. Sue struggled but she was great company and we had a laugh in the buggy.

We made a lot of pars but not enough birdies. Played better than Friday though, so happier overall.

Finished around 4pm and I bought the first round at the bar. Then back to BJ’s where everyone gathered, beers flowing, great atmosphere. Quick dash back to freshen up then back out — got properly drunk. Wayne & Amanda arrived and joined in. Ate next door then back to BJ’s until closing (well, me at least!).

Walked home alone and, once back, stuck headphones on and had a private “afterparty” with a couple more beers. Apparently I was singing now and then and Paul and Pauline could hear me — they were in stitches. Absolutely steaming. Bed after 3:00am.

---

Sunday

Woke late. Lads went for a walk but I tried to sleep off the hangover. Eventually went for a wander to the beach myself, grabbed a coffee, very windy — storm coming.

Then down to BJ’s for presentation day. Started drinking again (topped up quickly). Results were incredibly close — we came SECOND! Only half a point behind first. Very happy with that. Creedy’s team won and Wayne’s came third — big day for the Oxford lot!

Tapas and more beers served. After that, the memory gets hazy… I know there was pizza and a bit of pool. Back around midnight. And yes — another late headphone session outside by the pool.

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Monday

Rough morning. But no day off, so set myself up in the front room and worked all day while the others went out. Wouldn’t have been able to do the trip without working, so fair enough. Maybe next year I’ll book the Monday off too.

Power nap (not much sleep). Group meal out in the evening — I stuck to shandy/coke and couldn’t face food. I paid as a thank you to Paul and Pauline. Back to villa and bed. Fingers crossed I didn’t make a total idiot of myself the previous two nights…

---

Tuesday

Home day. Up early and left at 7:30am. Smooth airport experience. Skipped food — didn’t trust my stomach and the paninis looked awful anyway! Slept most of the flight. Car collection easy and dropped Creed and Wayne off before heading home.

---

Reflection

Just a brilliant weekend — great golf, amazing company, loads of laughs, a strong finish for our team… and perhaps a touch too much celebrating! Would absolutely love to do it all again next year.

Ryder Cup Weekend

What a great weekend that was! Really enjoyed it.

Friday I had the Ryder Cup golf playing on my other laptop from 12.30pm whilst I was working - it was so engaging and great to watch. The ability of the players was phenomenal. Europe got a decent lead.

Finished work a bit late so I was caught up and Tash came home for dinner and then from 5.30pm I was back in the office on my laptop watching the second session and again Europe dominated. I didn't move an inch the whole time and it didn't finish until 11.30pm!!

Went to bed knowing I had an early start.

Up bright and early, well less bright now as it's dark in the mornings until 6.45am - and I felt a bit groggy, not from drink as I didn't drink last night but just weary.

Got sorted and then went off to Radley, Wayne turned up the same time as me, 7.00am and we got practising. Jon Hawkins and Robbie Barresi made up the foursome and Robbie and I got pair together which was perhaps a little unfair as we have high handicaps and boy, did we make use of them!

We destroyed Wayne and Hawks, absolutely smashed them winning holes left, right and centre - completing the win on the 13th! £5.00 in the pocket as a result.. :-)

Finished the round, I was completing all the holes so that I could put in a card and I ended up with a round of 90 so I was very pleased with that. Spoiler alert - it brought my handicap down to 20.8 which I am delighted with and is the lowest I've ever been - need to keep going though I want to be in the teens before the New Year.

Went home and did some chores in between trying to sneak in the office and watch the Ryder cup again - Foursome and Fourballs - but Tash was onto me and I had to work instead! It was productive so that was good, ticked items off a very long list.

We then went out into town to do some shopping for my birthday, went into Uniglo and found a pair of trousers I liked but they were too long and they didn't have my size online but what is brilliant about their system is that they do an alteration service and I was able to get them taken up for free - really impressive.

I then said to Tash I really wanted a big knitted jumper and we went across the road to Superdry and exactly what I wanted was there on the front table - couldn't believe it, tried it on and loved it - so bought that as well - that's my birthday presents from Tash sorted.

We then pottered around for a bit before going to Pizza Express for a meal and then over to The Crown for another drink afterwards. Really nice to spend some time like that and then made our way home. Watched a bit of TV but I was more invested in the golf on the iPhone. Then to bed. 

Jobs got done in the morning so that I could watch the golf from midday, it was only when I checked my phone that I saw the golf didn't start until 5.00pm!! Anyway, cracked on with everything on the list and did well. Then went over to Sue's and sorted her BBQ that Aaron had put together completely incorrectly, Sue was pleased that’s now sorted for her.

As planned we then made our way over to Vic's pub (The Abingdon Arms - Beckley) for Sunday roast. It was really busy in there but we got a place sorted and had a really good meal - and to top it off we didn't have to pay as Vic had told them we were on our way over so that was a great bonus, mind you - we still ended up giving a £35 tip...

Dropped Sue off and then made our way back home and I said "goodbye" to Tash for the rest of the evening and I just sat at my laptop watching the golf.

What was expected to be an absolutely hammering for the US turned into an incredibly exciting and nerve-wracking evening as they fought back and took the fight to Europe. It was incredibly tense and you really worried that they would turn over the deficit - each of the games were making it to the 18th hole and it was only by about the 8th pairing that we got the points we needed to retain the trophy through Shane Lowry, and then Tyrrell Hatton got the point for Europe to eventually win 15–13, that was close. I stayed watching until the end and the presentation of the trophy and the celebrations and about midnight called it a (long) day.

I really enjoyed that, such a great weekend's golf and so exciting and amazing how good these players are.

It's back in 2 years and in Ireland, I'll have to put it in the diary for Tash so I can watch all of it next time!

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Reflections:

• A fantastic mix of golf, work, and life admin – and probably the most exciting Ryder Cup I’ve watched.

• I’m really pleased with how my golf is coming along – shooting 90 and getting my handicap down to 20.8 felt huge. A proper milestone.

• Loved having time out with Tash – birthday presents sorted, nice meal, and quality time.

• The Ryder Cup finale was tense, almost painful to watch at times, but such a thrill when Europe finally clinched it.

Win of the Weekend:
Europe retaining the Ryder Cup and me hitting my lowest ever handicap – a weekend of golf wins all round.

Golf, Work and Charlotte’s Birthday Meal

Up early this morning and set off to Radley for a round of golf. The American chap was there before me, of course, and I started on the 4th again so I wasn’t stuck behind him. I didn’t play as well as I have been recently – no warm-up meant I was stiff going round. A bit of a wake-up call not to get complacent after a few good rounds. Playing again Saturday morning, so hopefully I’ll get back into the groove and post another solid score for the third week running.

Managed 9 holes before 8.00am and then set up in the clubhouse like usual to work. It was really busy with a Seniors’ match on, but I had a good chat with Dave Gubbins. He said he’d sold his campervan – a shame to hear, but I suspect they never fully took to the camping life. Stayed until about 11.00am, then made my way home and cracked on with work for the rest of the day without a break. It’s relentless at the moment.

Worked right through until the end of the day without a break, then got sorted for Charlotte’s birthday meal. She won’t be around at the weekend as she and Miles are "supposed to be" going to Ibiza for a few days. I say ‘supposed to be’ because Tash told me Miles has been having doubts about flying. That’s really worried me – Charlotte was so excited about it, and I just hope he doesn’t let her down. We’ll know soon enough, I guess.

Mum came over and Tash had made a shepherd’s pie, which was lovely. A really nice evening overall – Charlotte was happy with her presents and it felt good to celebrate together. We finished up around 9.00pm, tidied up, and were in bed by 10.00pm. A good day in many ways, though spoiled a little when Tash told me about Miles’s message just before bed.

Reflection:
The day had a nice balance – golf, a solid day’s work, and family time. But I can’t help worrying about Charlotte’s trip. It’s hard to switch off when you want the people you love to be happy, and things feel a bit uncertain.

Win of the Day:
A lovely family meal where Charlotte felt celebrated and appreciated – exactly what a birthday should be.

Cycleathon and Giving Blood

I knew it was going to be a full-on day, so I was up early and working at my desk by 7.15am to try and get a head start. Thought I’d got caught up, but that turned out to be a false flag as the morning went mental. One of our very needy customers had a launch and it went tits up.

Kept calmand worked through things, but had a prior commitment as today was “Fitness Day” at the gym. They were running a “Cycleathon” where, over 16 hours, people cycled for 30 minutes each. Tash went on first and did her stint well, getting to 17.7km. I was up next and managed 18.5km – could have done more, but started on the wrong setting which was frustrating. Not bad though.

From there I went straight to the JR as I was giving blood – my 60th donation. Wanted to take a photo but, typically, my phone was dead. All done and dusted, then back home to play catch-up with work. It was a bit of a shit show, to be blunt, but I stayed late (after dinner) and managed to get on top of things, though tomorrow will no doubt be mad again.

It’s hard work at the moment, and with Daniel leaving in a week or so it’s going to be even tougher, especially as we don’t yet have a replacement for him.

In the evening I finally sorted out WhatsApp and my photos after walking Bess. My phone storage had been full and I didn’t want to just delete 10 years of pictures from the Dark Side chat. It’s taken a couple of days, but I’ve worked it out now – a painful exercise, but at least it’s done.

Watched a bit of TV to round off the night, then off to bed.

Reflection:
A proper graft of a day – work chaos, fitness challenge, and giving blood all rolled into one. At least I got through it all and even ticked off a long-standing phone admin job. Just need to brace for the pressure that’s coming at work.

A decent weekend

Friday:
Charlotte and Miles came over after work. We had a few drinks, a nice dinner, and made use of the hot-tub. It was a relaxed evening and great to catch up with them.

Didn’t have a late night as I wanted to be fresh for golf in the morning.

Saturday:
Up bright and early with a 5.45am alarm, had breakfast, got sorted, and was at the golf club by 7.00am to warm up. There were 6 of us split into two groups of three, but Jon Hawkins had to drop out after three shots, leaving me and Julio to go around. We did well and it was enjoyable.

Caught up with Wayne and Carl later as Robbie also retired hurt, so we made up a fourball. I was the best player on the back nine, which was pleasing, and I finished with a score of 88 – bringing my handicap down to 21.4. Definitely moving in the right direction.

Got a load of jobs done on the way back home and then cracked on with more tasks like painting the skirting and door frame again. Managed to watch the England Ladies Rugby semi-final against France – they won, which was pleasing.

The day went quickly. We went for a quick walk around Shotover, then back for the hot-tub, and later watched Conclave, which Tash has been going on about for ages. It was okay, but after an hour I looked over and she was snoring away, so I stopped it and watched MOTD instead. Went to bed around midnight, having eaten a whole bar of Fruit and Nut chocolate… greedy pig!

Sunday:
Got up later than planned, got sorted, and went to Sue’s as we were taking her to Lewis and Emily’s to meet Frankie. The journey wasn’t too bad.

Charlotte and Miles arrived around 2.30pm, about an hour after us. It was nice catching up and seeing Frankie – he slept most of the first couple of hours, but we still had cuddles with him. Charlotte’s birthday is next week but she’ll be in Ibiza with Miles, so there were some presents given, and we had a nice lasagne dinner and Cuthbert cake – felt a bit sick afterwards!

Frankie woke up and was passed around again – he’s lovely.

By 6.00pm it was time to make a move. We said our goodbyes and hit the road. The traffic was kind to us again, and we made good time, getting back to Sue’s at about 8.15pm to drop her off and pick up Bess, who’d been looked after with Bella by Brendan – very good of him.

Came home, sorted things for the week, walked Bess, and then it was too late to watch TV or anything, so just went to bed.

Reflection:
A really enjoyable but tiring weekend. Good balance of family time, jobs done, and some progress on the golf front. Very pleased that practice is paying off and showing in my scores.

Golf & A Quiet Sunday

Up very early this morning and at the course for 7.00am, which gave me time to warm up properly — and it definitely helped.

There were six of us playing and I was paired with Lawrence, who I already knew, and Kevin Briggs, who I recognised straight away as a very decent golfer.

The first nine holes were brilliant — I shot 41 for 23 points and was really happy with that. Unfortunately, I couldn’t maintain the same standard and dropped off on the back nine with 48 shots and just 15 points. That left me with a total of 38, which I wasn’t convinced would be enough to win this month. Still, it did bring my handicap down (from 23 to 22.2) so I’ll take that as a win.

Back home, Tash was still in one of her grumpy moods, so I just left her to it and got on with the jobs that needed doing — painted the new doorway and skirting, cleared the driveway, and ticked off a few other chores.

Dinner was eaten in near silence, followed by both of us sat on our iPhones, not much in the way of conversation. I read for a bit before heading to bed and was asleep by about 9.45pm.

A nice weekend overall, and really pleased with how the golf went, shows that some of the practise I've been doing has paid off. Still a bit erratic and definitely room for improvement. Really surprised myself in that I have only posted 6 cards so far this year - that's so disappointing.

Family Visit to see Frankie

Got ourselves sorted early — Tash cooked a roast before heading off to yoga, while I got on with a few chores so that we’d be ready to leave as soon as Mum and Jodie arrived.

Unfortunately, traffic delays held them up and we didn’t get away until 10.50am. After picking up Charlotte, we ended up being sent all around the countryside by the sat nav, wasting even more time. Coupled with the awful traffic on the M6, it meant we didn’t reach Lewis and Emily’s until 2.00pm — about an hour later than I’d hoped. Bit of a shame really.

Still, once we arrived it was lovely. Jack was there too, so it was a full house, and of course there were lots of hugs and cuddles with Frankie. He was brilliant — needed a couple of feeds and then just slept in the arms of whoever was holding him. Such a content little baby.

He’s got a touch of jaundice, but nothing to worry about — a perfectly healthy boy. There were a few presents handed out, all sweet little baby things. Mum’s knitted blanket was especially impressive.

The afternoon was really relaxed, Frankie being passed around everyone without complaint. We all enjoyed the roast dinner Tash had prepared earlier — it went down really well.

That said, Tash was stroppy with me all day, and again on the way home, because I spoke down to her in the car when she was criticising me. All a bit childish and unnecessary really, but it did put a slight dampener on things.

We wrapped up around 6.30pm, said our goodbyes, and headed home. The return journey was a dream compared to the morning — just 2 hours 15 minutes. Makes you realise we need to travel either early mornings or evenings to avoid the chaos and get some consistency in journey times.

Once home, Miles picked up Charlotte, Jodie headed off, and Tash disappeared to do her own thing. I just put the TV on and scrolled through my phone.

Overall, a really nice day — great to see everyone together again and, most of all, lovely to spend more time with baby Frankie.

Meeting Our New Grandson

As expected, it was a terrible night’s sleep – my mind was racing, worrying about the baby and the secrecy around the messages we’d been getting. The morning didn’t bring much relief either. We’d been messaging Lewis but weren’t getting any replies, which only fuelled the anxiety.

Charlotte did manage to speak with him around 7.30am and he said he’d call us shortly… but of course, he didn’t. By then, all sorts of thoughts and concerns were spinning around in our heads.

Despite that, I got myself sorted and set up for work. As always, the van made it easy – no problem getting logged in and catching up.

Finally, Lewis rang about 11.30am and we arranged to meet him at his house, just 10 minutes away. Big hugs all round when we arrived. We then followed him to Sainsbury’s to grab a meal deal before heading to the hospital.

They had their own room now and Emily appeared really well. And then came the moment we’d been waiting for – meeting Frankie. Of course, he was tiny, but everything about him seemed in proportion and healthy. In that instant, all the worries and concerns we’d been carrying melted away.

There were plenty of photos and cuddles, and we stayed about 45 minutes, listening to the story of the birth – how quickly it all happened, that there was no time for pain relief, the cord around his neck, and yet how well Emily had come through it. We left them to rest but planned to return later before heading home.

In the meantime, we went to a nearby retail park – I set up to work from the van while Tash did more shopping.

We returned around 3.00pm and spent another 30–45 minutes with them. They’d decided they were going home, so we helped carry some clothes and bits to the car. After more hugs, photos and goodbyes, we got back on the road.

I sat in the back working while Tash drove, but I have to admit I soon felt awful. After about 90 minutes I had to shut the laptop and sleep – I felt dreadful. We made decent time getting home, had dinner, and then I went out to the office to catch up on more work. The end of summer term rush is definitely showing with the sheer number of emails and tickets coming in.

It was an early(ish) night for us. Not even a fraction of the exhaustion that Lewis and Emily must have been through, but we were knackered all the same.

And now, we’re grandparents. We have a grandson. It’s such a strange and wonderful feeling to realise that our son – once so tiny himself – is now a father with his own child. And what’s more, I feel an instant attachment to Frankie that’s different to other babies – an immediate closeness.

I wonder what life will bring him.

We're Grandparents!!

So that's it then, we're officially old, Lewis and Emily have had the baby today - Frankie Ray - born at 3.29pm. 

Bit of a whirlwind today, Lewis sent a few updates advising how things were going and Emily being taken to the Maternity Ward and then not much else until we received the message on WhatsApp

Then radio-silence!

We were all asking questions etc and were getting nothing from Lewis - it was very worrying indeed.

The time dragged on and still nothing - by now Tash and I were in the van travelling up there and sorted a campsite nearby and were likely to get there about 8.00pm when Lewis finally called (hadn't answered messages) and we caught up but he sounded incredibly emotional (even upset) - obviously it's understandable to be emotional but it was hard to get anything out of him

We said we were 15 mins away, we'd guessed the correct hospital they were at, but he said they were too tired and would prefer it if we didn't come in today.

That felt like quite a hammer blow truth be told, I could take it but we all know what Tash is like and how utterly desperate she'd be to see them and cuddle the baby

It was really disappointing and an anti-climax and also didn't do much to reduce our concerns - but of course, we were not going to try and over-rule him, so the next roundabout I did a full 180 and came back the other way to go and find out campsite.

It worked out the site was less than 10 mins from Holmes Chapel and was a good find. We chose our own pitch, bit of a slope so needed to use my ramp and then we got sorted out. 

Didn't really eat once in the van - just reflected on the day and the events following Frankie's birth and read or looked at our phones.

Can't hide the fact that we're concerned, the lack of updates and comms - hardly any response to Tash's messages was bordering on rude in my opinion, it didn't make sense and was concerning as to whether there were more serious issues with Frankie or Emily's health.

Not even sure if we're going to be able to visit tomorrow - can't see we'll have a good night's sleep but it's so exciting and we're all thrilled to have the new arrival

So Tash will be Nanny, and I will be Grampy.

Fucking hell!!

Hangovers each and night at Clare and Greg's

Woke up with a serious hangover — no surprises there! Tash was throwing up and feeling properly rough, and I suspect I was still drunk rather than just hungover, considering I didn’t stop drinking until about 4.30am. I did switch to a non-alcoholic lager and a Coke right at the very end in the faint hope of sobering up a bit and saving myself for Saturday morning. Might’ve worked… just about.

We didn’t actually get out of bed until after 10.00am, and even then it was only because Oscar came round to look at the plumbing. He wasn’t here long, though, so we headed straight back to bed trying to sleep it off — finally surfacing again around midday. I genuinely can’t remember the last time I had a morning like that!

Eventually dragged ourselves up and drove over to Sue’s. Tash pretty much slept the whole way and then collapsed on her sofa when we got there, while Nathan was laughing at the state of us. We cracked on with tidying up Sue’s garage, which was a good job well done, and then headed back home — straight into bed again for another couple of hours to recharge. Definitely needed it as we had an evening out planned and were both running on fumes.

The extra rest worked wonders, and by the time we got up and ready we were in better shape. Unsurprisingly, Tash volunteered to drive — she couldn’t even look at alcohol — and we made our way over to Clare and Greg’s. We were running a little late and everyone else was already there when we arrived, about 10 of us in total, most of whom we’d met before when we went to Royal Ascot with them.

Started with drinks and nibbles before moving into the dining room for a really lovely Greek-style meal — proper good food. Spent most of the evening chatting with Miles and we both agreed we need to finally sort out a game of golf soon.

It turned into a really relaxed, civil evening — plenty of chat and laughs, and by this point you’d never have known we’d been out the night before. Everyone seemed to call it a night around 10.30pm, all standing up at once, so we said our thanks and goodbyes and headed home. Straight back to bed when we got in — no complaints there!

Hosting BBQ Night

A normal day at work, though definitely getting busier now as people are coming back from their holidays and the schools will soon be starting again.

We were hosting tonight — Tash had invited Cathy and Anna over, along with their partners, Steve and John. The plan was a BBQ, but of course, it was absolutely pouring down with rain for most of the afternoon. I was out there in the wet trying to get everything sorted, but luckily the rain eventually eased off, and we managed to spend the whole evening outside as planned.

Everyone arrived around 6:00pm and the atmosphere was lovely — plenty of drinks, chatting, and laughter. I get on really well with Steve, but I haven’t spent much time around John before. What became very noticeable, though, was just how much he takes over conversations. He has a habit of sharing his wisdom and opinions at full volume and pretty much bulldozing through whatever anyone else is saying.

It did get a bit irritating at times, especially when I was trying to chat with Steve in the bar about music and a few other things, but eventually, we just rolled with it and didn’t let it spoil the night.

I was on BBQ duty, and I think I did a decent job — the food went down well, everyone seemed happy, and the evening flowed along nicely. Before we knew it, it was 10:30pm, and people started heading off.

Once everyone had gone, Tash and I curled up on the outside sofa, listened to music, and had a few more drinks together. After tidying up a bit, Tash headed to bed — but I… didn’t!

I stayed out in the bar, playing music — switching between vinyl and my phone — and just carried on drinking into the early hours. No laptop, no work, just music and a good buzz. Ended up staying up until around 5:30am, finally dragging myself upstairs and collapsing into bed at about 6:00am.

A very good night — one of those evenings where everything just flowed. I’ll definitely pay for it tomorrow, but it was worth it.

Scotland Trip – Day 5 / Bank Holiday Monday

Didn’t sleep brilliantly — calves still aching and my mind was overactive. Annoying, but I know I’ll catch up soon enough. Got up, cleaned out the van, and got everything sorted. The weather was decent, which made things a bit easier.

Showered, shaved, and got myself looking smart for our lunch in Manchester. We hit the road around 10:00am and had a fairly straightforward drive down, though it was noticeably busier than Scotland — such a contrast.

Parked up in Spinningfields, grabbed a coffee, and sat in the sun near The Ivy before heading to 20 Stories for lunch. This was a Christmas voucher from Jodie, and it absolutely didn’t disappoint. Three-course set menu with plenty of choice — the food was fantastic. The weather was glorious too, so we had a couple of drinks and soaked up the atmosphere.

It got busier as the afternoon went on, but it was still relaxed and enjoyable. After finishing our meal, we sat out in the open area to enjoy the last of our drinks, took a few more photos, then headed back to the car.

The drive home wasn’t quite so smooth — traffic was heavy and we were redirected away from the M6, which took us through Holmes Chapel. Bit of a shame, as Lewis and Emily had already left for Centre Parcs with her family; would’ve been nice to pop in otherwise. Eventually re-joined the M6 and just accepted the sheer volume of traffic. Makes you realise how crowded England feels compared to the Highlands!

Got home and unpacked everything before a quick turnaround. Mum was happy with Bess and decided to keep her another night — a definite win! We rounded off the evening with a couple of drinks, cheese and biscuits, and a game of crib outside. Perfect way to finish.

What a brilliant few days — Scotland and the Highlands really left a mark. Already looking forward to going back before too long.

This trip also means we’ve pretty much covered the length and breadth of Britain this year — Cornwall to Scotland, Wales to Southwold, and plenty in between. The van’s done us proud!

Scotland Trip - Day 4 - Back to Glencoe and the Long Drive South

Back to Glencoe and the Long Drive South

Woke up fairly early, had a bit of breakfast, packed up and we were on our way before 9.15am.

Aching a bit, but nothing too bad.

We headed back to Glencoe, not far at all, with the intention of walking around some of the impressive Three Sisters. We thought we’d beaten the crowds by arriving early, but no – the car park was already full.

We managed to squeeze onto a bank on the roadside, just about the last safe spot left. Not dangerous, and unlikely to get clipped, so we were happy enough with that.

Once sorted, we set off to find the “Secret Waterfall” – although, in typical fashion, we went the wrong way for about ten minutes before realising and turning back.

The weather was kind again, and it makes all the difference. The scenery was absolutely breath-taking – you can use every adjective you know and it still won’t describe what it feels like to be there, surrounded by hills towering above you.

It was good to get walking again, and both of us felt fitter and more energised than yesterday, which made the experience more enjoyable. We hiked up along a path beside a gorge, eventually reaching the waterfall, stopping regularly just to take it all in.

After about 45 minutes we turned back and returned to the car park for a drink before setting off in the van again, this time towards Oban on the west coast – billed as a stunning seaside town.

The drive took just over an hour but was enjoyable. Once there, we parked for a couple of hours, though in truth we didn’t need that long. Oban was fine – a fairly ordinary town rather than the breath-taking place we’d been led to expect. (Later, when I told Mum, she said exactly the same thing!) Still, it was nice enough to wander the shops, grab a coffee and buy a few presents before heading back on the road.

The next leg was a long one – down to Morecambe, a drive of just over five hours. Through Scotland it was lovely: hardly any traffic, next to lochs and mountains keeping us company, making it an absolute pleasure. The further south we travelled, though, the busier it became – and we noticed the change.

We rolled into Morecambe around 7.30pm, parked up by the sea and set off in search of fish and chips. Not easy, as most places were closing, but we eventually found one through Google – and what a find it was. We ate our food while watching the sunset, which was beautiful.

The tide went out for miles, and I couldn’t help but remember the tragedy of the Chinese cockle pickers who drowned here. Looking over that vast beach, it was easy to see how it could happen.

Morecambe itself struck me as a proper British seaside town – slightly faded but still full of character.

Afterwards, we pushed on to our campsite, just managing to arrive before dark. It was decent enough, though nothing compared to what we’d enjoyed by the loch. Still, nowhere was ever going to match that!

We’ve got efficient at getting set up now, and were sorted quickly before settling down for an early night.

A busy but rewarding day. Scotland has been fantastic – the walking, the scenery, the atmosphere – and we both feel there’s so much more to come back and see. This trip has only whetted the appetite. We need to make sure we organise another one.

Scotland Trip – Day 3 – The Climb Up Ben Nevis

Woke up fairly early and, typically, the weather had taken a turn for the worse — low cloud cover, rain, and generally gloomy skies. Not exactly the ideal conditions for tackling Ben Nevis, but there we were.

Had breakfast, packed up our gear, and drove the 8 miles into Fort William to find parking. Arrived around 9.30am, but the visitor centre car park was absolutely rammed — no chance of getting in. Luckily, just 100 metres down the road, we found a farmer’s field offering cheaper parking. Perfect result!

Waterproofs on, bags packed, and before starting the climb we popped into the visitor centre for a quick look around and grabbed a souvenir fridge magnet. Then we were off.

The trail was busy, which wasn’t surprising as it was the Bank Holiday — people everywhere, from all over the world, all sorts of nationalities and backgrounds. It was actually really interesting to see.

Thankfully, the rain eased off quite quickly, and before long we were too hot and started shedding layers as we continued the climb. But wow… it was hard work. I really struggled right from the start. Tash was much better, but she stuck with me, matching my super-slow pace — the exact same “Kilimanjaro pace” I adopted back then. I just couldn’t go any quicker, and I know exactly why: zero training. My fault entirely.

We stopped loads of times, not to eat, just to rest and catch our breath. The mountain felt relentless — the path just kept going, disappearing steeply into the clouds above us. And with the low visibility up there, it felt endless. This was our third peak in our “three peaks” adventures, and once again the weather had stitched us up. I’ll be honest — I was fed up and doing a fair bit of moaning and groaning on the way up.

After a 4.5-hour slog, we finally reached the summit. There was a 30-minute wait just to take the classic summit photo — completely pointless but, of course, we queued and got it anyway. Then it was time to start the long descent.

The journey down took about 3 hours, partly because the weather finally improved a little. The clouds parted here and there, and for the first time we got glimpses of the stunning views we’d been missing — absolutely breathtaking. It was a bittersweet reminder of “what could have been” if the weather had been kinder.

Once at the bottom, we headed straight to the Inn at the Foot of Ben Nevis for a well-earned drink — went down a treat. Then we drove back to the campsite, absolutely shattered but happy to be done.

Tash sorted dinner, we both cracked open a drink, and we just sat outside overlooking the loch as the sun slowly set. The aches were kicking in, but it was peaceful, calm, and a really lovely evening to unwind after such a big day.

A good day overall — glad I did it, proud to have ticked off Ben Nevis, but once again my lack of preparation left me struggling and, honestly, a little embarrassed. 

When will I EVER learn?!

Scotland Trip – Day 2

The alarm went off at 5:50am after a pretty rough night’s sleep, so getting going was a bit of a struggle. Finally managed to get up around 6:20am, skipped breakfast and coffee, packed up, dropped some money in the honesty box, and hit the road again.

Stopped at Loch Lomond around 8:00am, which was absolutely stunning. We parked right by the water and worked from the van with the most beautiful view imaginable. Had a lovely FaceTime chat with Jack and Jodie, who are still out in Sri Lanka. Great to catch up — they’re having an amazing time and seem so happy together.

By lunchtime, we were back on the move, making our way to the next campsite. The drive around Loch Lomond and into the Highlands was just breathtaking — towering, rugged mountains, crystal-clear water, and huge sweeping views. A few times we both said it felt like we were in Canada. I really wanted to stop more often, but we were on a bit of a schedule to get back online for work. At least we’ll be coming home the same way, so we can make up for it then.

Arrived at the campsite, which was right on the water’s edge overlooking Loch Linnhe — we’d paid a little extra for the front-row spot, and it was absolutely worth it. Got everything set up quickly and jumped back online for a couple of hours. The MiFi worked brilliantly — lightning-fast speeds, both of us working without a single issue.

Wrapped up work on time — no way I was doing any overtime tonight — and Tash made a great spag bol for dinner. Afterwards, we headed out for a short walk to a nearby waterfall, taking in the amazing views across the Loch in the evening sunshine.

Then we wandered down to the Corran Ferry and crossed over the water, which was fun. On the other side, we stopped at a little brewery for a quick drink — it was buzzing and had a great atmosphere. After that, we made our way back to the ferry (watching the time carefully as the last one back was at 9:20pm!) and stopped off at the Inn by the ferry for one last drink before heading back to the campsite.

Ended the night relaxing by the Loch, soaking up the peace and quiet, and mentally preparing for tomorrow’s big challenge: Ben Nevis.

Honestly, I’m nervous… I’ve done zero training. Wish me luck!

Scotland Trip – Day 1

Finished work and hit the road for Scotland – a proper road trip ahead of us! It’s a long old drive, so we decided to break it up with an overnight stop at an Aire in Gretna Green.

The journey took just over six hours, including a stop at Tebay Services – honestly, hands down the best services we’ve ever been to. Proper farm shop vibes, amazing coffee, and possibly the best sausage roll I’ve ever had. Definitely sets a new standard for motorway stops!

The drive itself was fine overall, but Birmingham traffic was an absolute nightmare – added at least an hour to our journey. Eventually, we rolled into Gretna around 10:15pm, found our spot, got the van sorted, and tried to settle in for the night.

For some reason, I had this irrational fear that we might get burgled, so I double-checked the locks… and then, of course, the van alarm went off! That didn’t help - winding the neighbours up!

To make things worse, high-speed trains thundered past nearly all night, I was freezing, and I had a string of bad dreams. 

Safe to say, sleep wasn’t great at all – not the most restful start to the trip!

Bournemouth Trip

Kids slept well, and I was up at 6:45am to get things moving. Got breakfast sorted, walked the dog, and then the troops arrived—Mum, Charlotte, Zoe, and Tiff's three kids

We loaded up two cars and set off for Bournemouth, six kids under nine between us. The drive was fine until I spotted a speed van in a layby far too late—doing 80mph at the time. Bugger. Hopefully I got away with it, but we’ll see.

The roads were busy, no surprise with the hot weather forecast. Seemed like half the country had the same idea of heading to the coast. We went to Durley Chine, our usual spot, and after two laps of the road next to the car park we somehow managed to get a space in a perfect location. Very fortunate indeed.

We set up on the beach and settled in for the day. I had my Jaws t-shirt on—the one Tucks sent over—which at least amused me, even if no one else noticed. The kids were good overall, just the odd moment of squabbling but mostly happy, running between the sand and the sea.

The day had a proper holiday feel—sun shining, gentle breeze, and the endless people-watching that a British beach day always delivers. I had a nap at one point, went for a swim, and just enjoyed the laid-back rhythm of the day. We had a decent picnic, and later we treated everyone to dinner—chicken and chips or burgers all round.

Before we knew it, it was 6:30pm and time to pack up. The festival trolley once again proved to be worth its weight in gold—makes shifting all the gear from car to beach so much easier. That is, unless you forget to take the brake off, Charlotte!

The drive back was slow—just sheer volume of traffic—but we made it to Bicester in about two and a half hours and dropped Tiff’s kids off. They’d all had a great time, which made the effort worthwhile.

Back home, we got a few bits sorted before heading to bed. It’s been a long day, and it didn’t really feel like a Sunday at all. Can’t believe I’ve got work tomorrow. Still, nice to have the kids for the day—they were good company.

Golf and busy day hosting Vic's kids

Up bright and early for a 7:30am tee-off with Holdy. On the way, I slowed down to chat with Paul Creed outside his house—he happened to be speaking with Holdy at the time, so it turned into a quick roadside catch-up.

Got to the course and was met with a nice surprise: our third player was none other than Jason Caffel. Haven’t seen him in ages, and it was brilliant to have him join us. He hasn’t played in a while, but you wouldn’t have known it—he was annoyingly good, beating both Wayne and me with ease. Most of his shots were laser-accurate while we were busy losing balls left, right… and certainly not centre!

It was a cracking match and great to catch up with Caffa. We really don’t see enough of him, so I hope this wasn’t just a one-off and he becomes a regular again.

We broke tradition and stopped at the Tandem in Kennington on the way back for a fry-up breakfast and a couple of beers. Very nice indeed. Then it was homeward bound, but not before an urgent petrol stop—the mileage counter had been run right down to zero. Bit too close for comfort, but I made it (again).

When I got home, Tash was out having brunch with Kerry, Sharon, and Zoe, so I had the place to myself. Parked myself in the garden with a beer, enjoyed the sunshine, and even nodded off for a bit.

The afternoon was productive—finally sorted the screws for the Event Shelter, so that’s one job ticked off. Tash picked up Vic’s kids and then went to visit Little Liam and Georgia, who’ve just got a new dog. A bit later, they all turned up here for food before we headed out to Bampton for Rhia’s 40th birthday party. Stayed just over an hour, enough to wish her well and for Tash to catch up with her old work colleagues—she seemed genuinely happy to see us.

Back home, got the kids ready for bed. I read Cat in the Hat, which wasn’t quite enough to tire Olivia out, but Tash was sleeping in Jack’s room with all of them so that was fine. I watched a bit of TV before calling it a night myself—early start tomorrow with quite a crowd heading to Bournemouth.

Lewis & Emily Baby Shower

So after we'd got back from dropping the kids off home having been at Standlake for the weekend we quickly got ourselves sorted and Mum arrived and Zoe and we set off to Manchester. Charlotte and Miles went from Nottingham and Jack and Jodie went in his car and got Nanny on the way.

Traffic was pretty bad on the M6 and it got closed sending us on a diversion - we were supposed to be there by 1.00pm to set up the Event Shelter and that, but it was actually 2.30pm we arrived - nightmare!

They'd done really well and had made a great effort to set up food and games and guessing details and giving advice for parenting etc - it was really nice and chilled. There was Emily's family there and friends from work etc, a decent crowd, I was pleased for them both, they were proud with respect to the imminent arrival and the work on the house.

The work isn't finished but it's close to being so only a few more days we reckon - things like the kitchen tops and such like. It does look really good already, they've done so well. It's going to be a good house for them.

The afternoon was really nice, spoke to a few people including Emily's parents and then slowly people made their way home. We got them to open some of the presents that had been bought as it's nice for people to see the presents they'd bought being opened and appreciated - that was nice.

Time flew by and it was soon 6.30pm so we said our goodbyes to anyone left and got back on the road - thankfully the issues we'd experienced earlier had been cleared and the run back to Oxford was smoother - still quite busy though. 

A good day, a long one and we're tired from the weekend but it has to be done and we will catch up our sleep soon enough!

One thing we thought was that even though Emily only has a month left she didn't look "big enough" to drop in 4 weeks time - we will see soon enough!

Standlake Camping Weekend & A Farewell to the Festival Tent

We set off early for the campsite at Standlake and lucked out with a fantastic pitch — right near the clubhouse and, best of all, overlooking the lake. Couldn’t have asked for a better view.

Tash and Tiff’s kids arrived soon after. It was their first time there and, before they’d even stepped fully out of the car, they were asking if they could come again! They helped me sort a few bits, but I still had a couple of hours’ work to get through. So I retreated to the clubhouse with my MiFi — love that flexibility — and got stuck in. Worked like a charm.

By the time Nik, Gaz, Danny, Vic, the kids, Paul, and Pauline rolled in, it was 4:30pm and I could finally clock off. A few drinks later, I was in full relax mode. We wandered around the lake, had our pre-cooked dinner, and ended up back in the clubhouse with more beers and even a disco to round things off.

Odd moment later on — around 8:30pm, they all suddenly said “See you tomorrow” and headed off to their caravans. Tash popped round to see them later and found them eating and drinking together. She was upset; their uncle had died and it felt like they didn’t want to spend that evening with us. I was disappointed too, but not quite as bothered as she was.

That night, the kids stayed in the van with Tash while I slept in the festival tent. Not the greatest night’s sleep — mattress wasn’t pumped up enough and it was chilly.

Up early the next day, we had breakfast before heading into Standlake with the others. The road was busy (and not ideal for walking) and it turned out to be a longer trek than expected. Found a nice pub, though, and — strangely — sat inside despite the sunny weather. It wasn’t busy, but the service was painfully slow. Thankfully, when the food eventually arrived, it was worth the wait.

Back at the campsite, we made our way to the usual spot by the lakes for swimming, inflatables, and splashing around. Stayed for quite a while before heading back for dinner and another evening in the clubhouse. The girls got a bit tipsy — the weather was too nice not to. Didn’t see much of Gaz; he popped in for one drink and then disappeared back to his tent. Live music carried on until about 10:30pm, then we had a slightly questionable “health and safety” walk around the lake in the dark.

Elwood wanted to try sleeping in the tent that night, so he joined me while the girls stayed in the van. Much better sleep this time.

We were up early again — on a deadline to get to Manchester for Lewis and Emily’s baby shower. I started packing up straight away. After breakfast, we hit the road, but not before saying goodbye to the festival tent. It had served us brilliantly over the years, but this trip was its last. Ripped and beyond repair, it had to be binned. Definitely going to replace it — it’s the perfect spare room on trips like this.

Dropped the kids at Paul’s in Bicester on the way. They were worn out but absolutely loved it and are keen to go again. Nice to see Paul too — he’s in a lovely part of town.

Got home, barely had time to breathe before we were back on the road again… but that’s for the next entry.

Latitude 2025

So, this is added after attending Latitude this year - what an fantastic weekend, did so very much in such a short space of time.

On Wednesday we finished work and got John and Pauline, packed the van - very full - and then set off for Southwold by about 5.00pm. Traffic wasn't too bad and we were making good progress and even stopped for a Maccy D's!

Arrived at the grounds around 9.15pm and it was busy then but we had a good spot, spread ourselves out and unpacked and got sorted, all good. Then had a few beers and off to bed.

Next day wasn't the best weather but I did a fry up and then the skies opened, it wasn't torrential but just persistent rain. We still went to Southwold as planned but had to do it by taxi because the bus service wasn't running. Walked around for a bit and I got two t-shirts from the Vantastic shop which was good and then we had a couple of beers in the Nelson, John almost got us on a brewery tour but there wasn't time so we set off for the Harbour Inn as recommended by mum.

Got there, bit of a long walk and a couple of wee-stops and had more drinks and some food. Traffic wasn't good but managed to sort another taxi that was a lot more money and when we got close it was clear the traffic wasn't moving and why he was reluctant to get us. No problem, we jumped out and walked half a mile to the entrance past all the frustrated drivers in the queue - it just wasn't moving! Found out later that it was taking 4-6 hours to get in because of the rain and mud concerns - terrible.

Just made our decision to miss the traffic and get in on Wednesday all the more sensible!

The field was filling up and we went for a walk to the main gates for the festival and walked around - exactly the same set up as last year to be fair. Watched a bit of music and a bit of comedy, nothing major though as it all starts tomorrow. Had a few more drinks and then back for the evening.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday were just a whirlwind of music, drink and food. We were quite sensible with the drink, especially Saturday evening because that was the "big one"

But Friday was great - Scouting for Girls, "Stop Making Sense", Basement Jaxx, Feeder and Sting and then Club de Fromage. Really enjoyed it and I got to see what I wanted to see - got to the front for Stop Making Sense and Feeder so I was happy with that. Saturday in afternoon we saw Example, Clean Bandit, Kaiser Chiefs and then FatBoySlim - he did a 2 hour slot and it was relentless - absolutely brilliant - I was shattered. Very busy and got a bit heated sometimes because of getting pissed off with people pushing past you - but just had to block them out!

After all that time stood up on Saturday we were exhausted and just wanted to go back to bed, I found it had to walk if I am honest, I'd overdone it dancing and bouncing!!

Sunday was more subdued with the music but not the alcohol, we went for it bigtime and all got quite drunk! Alison Moyet was good and so were snow Patrol and it was good wandering around the woods to see what was on. There was also the Women's Euro Cup final - England v Spain and they had a big screen with it on and thousands were on the hillside watching - great spectacle that was and then they went and won it on penalties which was the icing on the cake!

Monday morning we were all hanging a bit, got sorted and took everything down and I drove us home - Maccy D's on the way back - Tash throwing up of course!

Got home and sorted - washing on and unpacked etc etc

A really brilliant weekend and I think we plan to do it again next year, we really should do because it's the 20th Anniversary so hopefully they'll pull out all the stops and get the big guns in but then, they will find it hard to beat Fat Boy Slim, he really was excellent and it was nice hearing people buzzing about it and not realising what he was like because it was the first time they'd seen him - shows how lucky we are for the times that we've seen him.

Buzzing still!

Such a great weekend

I've done a post about Father's Day - but the weekend itself was brilliant too

Thursday night we had Mum over for dinner - just the four of us, that was nice and enjoyable as usual

Friday night we did a BBQ, I went and got Simon from Headington, Sue came over as did Zoe and Niamh - it was a lovely evening. Lots of reminiscing, food was good and the drink was flowing! After everyone left around 10.00pm, Tash and I stayed up later and relaxed and carried on drinking - making the most of the lovely evening weather.

Saturday we went out to Birmingham and met with Lewis and Emily and looked at baby things in Mamas and Papas - fuck me it's expensive! Such a rip off, over £1,000 for a pram - mad. We didn't get one but we did offer to contribute £700.00 which I think is incredibly generous...I hope they agree.

Had a Nando's - which again I felt was under-whelming - and then over to Ikea which was fun as always and we bought some bits and pieces. Said our goodbyes, it was a nice time spent with them, and then Tash drove us home as I was knackered and wanted to sleep - which I did.

Got home and sorted and ready and Jack ran us down to the Cowley Road and we met up with the Millars and Holdens in the Cowley Retreat and then went for a meal in Antep Kitchen - that was excellent and really good food.

Had a few drinks and then went to The Library for a few more, Jason and Sharon had Kate pick them up and we stayed on for another two drinks before getting our own taxis home.

Back here in Wolvercote I went into the DSB and Tash came for a bit and I had the taste for it and stayed on for a YouTube night. I got absolutely wasted, stayed up until it was light in the morning, I don't remember much else to be honest - but who cares, I had a great time!!

I'll suffer for it no doubt, not because Tash will be funny with me, she won't be, just my body and health suffering...

Father's Day

Okay, so I completely and 100% overdid it last night!!

I don't think I went to bed until 6.00am - absolutely steaming drunk.

Ah well!

Went to bed and was back up again about 10.30am, Charlotte came round and spent the day and I was given presents, chuffed to bits to get a Tacchini top, it was a navy blue one that feels snug but we decided it was better that way instead of getting one a bit bigger - just need to do some more sit-ups! I will still request the white track top for birthday or Xmas though. I posted about it on Facebook and got a lot of love for it - I think a lot of lads were of the same opinion that it's a great retro present.

The day was relaxed and lazy, partly because I was dying! Actually I am exaggerating, I was okay, just tired and probably still drunk, I wasn't feeling sick though.

We walked down to The Perch, me, Jack, Charl and Tash, and had a drink and some food - it was hot today (it is going to be all week). It was nice spending time together and I had a nice time.

Walked back and relaxed further, did a couple of jobs but nothing too strenuous.

That was it really, watched some TV in the evening and went to bed around 10.00pm - knackered of course.

Well I had a good day so that was the main thing!! 

So pleased with my Tacchini top.