Jodie Passes Her Solicitor Exams!

Jodie has passed her solicitor exams!

Such great news for her. She works incredibly hard and has had a difficult year with all the challenges presented by her mum, but she's managed to stay focused and get through it all. She's done it!

It means she doesn't have to do any further exams now and starts on Tuesday with a proper job as a Trainee Solicitor. That's a massive achievement and she's done brilliantly.

It also means the likelihood of her and Jack getting a flat together in London has increased and that will probably happen soon. Big chapters starting in both of their lives, which is exciting.

Jodie came over in preparation for the wedding tomorrow, so it was great to see her and give her a big hug. Of course, as soon as the news was announced, all the messages started flooding through on the family chats. Everyone was obviously delighted for her.

After work we went over to Upper Heyford as there was a pre-wedding get-together at the pub. Had a couple of drinks and it was lovely to see everyone. They're all getting excited about the wedding and the weekend ahead. All the family were there and Gareth's family had arrived from up north too, so it was a good gathering.

Completely unrelated to the wedding party, Charlotte Evans was at the bar. I went over and had a chat with her for about ten minutes and it was lovely to catch up. She's boisterous, loud and full of life, but I like that about her. That's what she's always been like. She might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I love her!

She's also given us some tips for Ibiza, so I'll have to check those out.

After a couple of hours people started heading off and we did the same. On the way home Jack called and asked if we wanted to meet him and Jodie at Pizza Mama Mia's, so we fed Bess and went there instead.

Nice to sit and chat and have something to eat, and Jack paid for us, which was a nice treat.

We got home around 9.45pm and I suggested opening some bubbly that was in the fridge to celebrate. It was late, but Jodie said yes, so the three of us shared a bottle and carried on chatting for a while.

It was a really nice, relaxed end to the evening.

Then it was time for bed — a long day ahead tomorrow!

End of Day Summary

Really pleased for Jodie, obviously. She's worked incredibly hard to get through the exams and everything else that's been going on, so seeing her finally qualify is a bloody brilliant feeling.

Now she gets to start the next stage of her career properly, and with her and Jack potentially getting a place together in London, it feels like there's a lot happening for them both.

And then there's the small matter of the wedding tomorrow!

A lovely evening with everyone, a bottle of bubbly to celebrate and plenty to look forward to.

Big day tomorrow.

Meal with Wayne & Kerry at Abindon Arms

Had a nice evening after work as we met Wayne & Kerry at The Abingdon Arms, Vic and Danny's pub. It was our treat to say thank you for looking after Bessie while we were away in Portugal.

It was a lovely evening and we sat outside on the decking overlooking the countryside. It was also Pizza Night, so that worked out nicely.

Wayne was obviously on a bit of a mission though and somehow we ended up having about 5-6 pints! 😂

We got four different pizzas and shared them around, and they were all really good. It reminded me of the tasting night we'd had there as some of the pizzas were the same ones we'd tried that night. All very enjoyable, so that was pleasing.

They were really thankful for the treat but insisted that we didn't do it again because they genuinely love having Bess and are more than happy to look after her.

End of day: All in all, it was a really lovely evening. It was nice to be able to thank Wayne and Kerry properly, but I think what meant the most was hearing them say they genuinely love having Bess and don't see looking after her as a chore at all. That actually made me feel really good, knowing that she's so well looked after when we're away. Although I suspect Wayne's determination to empty the pub of beer wasn't entirely part of the thank-you plan! 😂

Rewind South Festival - One Day Pass

Up bright and early, although I was a bit tired to be honest after the late night last night. Got myself sorted and then John and Pauline arrived and we caught the bus into town.

No problems with that and we actually managed to get an earlier train to change at Reading, which sounded great until we missed the connection by about 30 seconds! Got the next one to Twyford and then managed to miss the connecting train there by about 10 seconds. Pissed off by that!

So we snoozed on the platform while gradually more and more people arrived, clearly heading to the festival. The camping chairs were a dead giveaway!

Eventually we got the train and arrived at Henley at about 11.30am. Went straight to the Wetherspoons, The Catherine Wheel, for breakfast and our first pint of the day.

We then set off for the festival and recorded the time as we knew the last train home was 11.30pm, so we obviously wanted to make sure we didn't miss it. The walk was about 30 minutes along the riverside, although it was a bit of a false timing as I was marching along at my usual pace. I definitely wouldn't be walking that quickly on the way home!

Got into the festival without any problems. They didn't check the bags, which was a bit disappointing really as we'd made absolutely no attempt to smuggle alcohol in! 😂

Once inside, we wandered around and it was actually quite sobering to see how small it was. One main stage, a smaller stage down by the river and the disco tent. Compared with what we'd got used to at Latitude, this was tiny.

There were loads of food stalls, which seemed to be the main thing, along with the bars and various clothes shops and other bits and pieces.

We got a drink and relaxed in the sunshine, doing a bit of people watching. Had another drink, wandered off to the toilets and noticed there was quite a crowd starting to gather around the main stage, so we thought we'd better get ourselves in there and find somewhere.

We needn't have worried.

The "chair police" had done their job admirably and there was loads of room for people standing. We found a central spot near the back of the standing area, put our rug down and that was our base for the day sorted.

It worked brilliantly. We had somewhere to sit and relax, but it was easy enough to get out to the side for drinks, food or toilets and get back again. Perfect.

We then settled in and waited for the music.

We noticed loads of people wandering around wearing Christmas hats, but even when Slade came on it didn't really register why. Then, about ten minutes before the inevitable moment, it suddenly dawned on us.

"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day."

Of course!

There were people dressed up specifically for this one song and when it came on everyone absolutely lost it. There were even two snow machines firing fake snow into the crowd. All of this in the middle of a hot, sunny August afternoon.

Completely surreal.

And absolutely brilliant. 😂

Then the music really started for us. Toploader were good, Louise was enjoyable and then Trevor Horn Band came on, who I was particularly looking forward to. They absolutely didn't disappoint. I saw them at Cornbury years ago and loved them then, and this was another fantastic set.

Then Soul II Soul, Bow Wow Wow and Blancmange. For Blancmange I moved right up towards the front and got properly immersed in it. They were brilliant and I really enjoyed their short set.

We grabbed some food and then it was time for the big guns.

Roland Gift from Fine Young Cannibals, Kim Wilde and then the ones we were really there for...

The Human League.

They were great. Absolutely loved them.

By now the time was ticking on, so just before the very end of their set we decided to start making our way out. We walked along the river with The Human League still playing in the background, which was actually a really nice way to finish.

I don't remember too much about the journey home. 😂

Yes, I'd had a lot to drink, but I wasn't stupidly drunk like I normally am at festivals, and somehow we managed to get all the trains we needed before eventually getting a cab from Oxford station.

We got home about 1.30am.

What a great day. Really, really enjoyable, and actually doing it as a day pass worked brilliantly.

End of Day Summary

Rewind South was a belter. Small festival, easy to get around, great atmosphere and, most importantly, a fantastic run of bands that were absolutely our sort of thing.

Trevor Horn Band and Blancmange were particular highlights for me, but finishing the day with Kim Wilde and The Human League was exactly what we'd hoped for.

And Christmas in August with Slade and fake snow while sitting in the sunshine? Bloody brilliant.

A long day, plenty of beer and a late finish, but definitely worth it.

London – O2 Up at the Dome - 30th Birthday Celebrations have started

Worked in the morning and got myself up to date before we picked up Charlotte and headed over to Oxford Parkway. We were stressing a bit about catching the 2.20pm train, but got there with about 15 minutes to spare, so grabbed a coffee and settled down on the platform.

And waited.

And waited.

There were safety checks going on and the train was delayed, so we were starting to get a bit anxious. Thankfully, around 3.00pm it eventually arrived and we got ourselves a seat. At Bicester Village, Katie and Jess got on and we continued into London, Marylebone.

We cracked open a couple of cocktail tins and a bottle of fizz on the way, which made the journey go a bit quicker!

Once we arrived at Marylebone we had a really straightforward journey across to the O2, which was great. We had loads of time, so as planned we found somewhere to eat and settled on TGI Fridays.

Nice food, the girls had cocktails and I had a couple of beers. Nobody bothered with dessert apart from Katie, who had the birthday one — and was suitably embarrassed when the staff all came over and sang Happy Birthday to her!

Once we'd finished we wandered around for a while before making our way to the O2 Experience office.

And then it dawned on us exactly what we were about to do...

We were going to walk over the top of the Millennium Dome!

This was a joint present/experience in that Katie was 30 earlier in the week and Chalotte is going to be 30 next month - so this is signing off Katie's celebrations and starting Charlotte's!!

We got our gear on and joined a group of about 25 people. We started the climb, which is pretty steep initially but soon levels out, and then made our way across the top of the dome.

It was really good fun. Not remotely scary or particularly challenging, but we were very lucky with the weather. It was clear and we could see for miles across London, so there was loads to look at.

When we reached the summit there's a flat area where you take off your harness and gear and have a drink while a DJ plays music. We'd deliberately chosen the 7.00pm slot so we'd be up there for sunset, and that worked brilliantly.

It was really, really enjoyable. Just a lovely experience, sitting on top of the O2, music playing and watching the sun go down across London. Not something you get to do every day!

Eventually it was time to head back down the other side, and before long we'd completed the whole thing.

We got the Tube back and I was tempted to stop for another drink, but probably a good thing we didn't. We caught the 9.30pm train back to Oxford Parkway, dropped Charl home and eventually got back to ours around 11.30pm.

And we've got another long day tomorrow!

End of day summary

That was really good fun. The O2 climb is one of those experiences that sounds much more exciting and terrifying than it actually is, but that's not a criticism — it's just a genuinely enjoyable thing to do.

The sunset made it particularly good and the clear weather meant we got some fantastic views across London.

The girls all seemed to really enjoy it too, which was the main thing.

Originally we'd planned to drive down, which is why I was involved and already had a ticket, but getting the train was definitely the better idea. No driving, we could have a few drinks and it made the whole evening much more relaxed.

Glad I went. Another good little London adventure.

Evening meet up with Brett

After work today, Tash and I drove out to Lechlade to pick up Brett, as he's over here at the moment and we wouldn't be able to see him tomorrow because we're in London.

Charlotte and Miles were already at the pub where we'd arranged to meet — The Trout Inn — so we went in and found our reserved table. Really quaint pub, proper village feel to it.

We ordered some food and drinks and then basically chatted solidly for the next three hours. It was really, really interesting, as it always is with Brett. There's just so much to talk about and he hasn't changed — still absolutely full of life and positivity.

At some point Charl and Miles asked him to come to their wedding, and then asked if he'd be able to officiate the ceremony if he thinks he's going to be over here in the UK at the time.

You can imagine how delighted he was about that, and of course his immediate answer was "Yes". It would be brilliant if he can do it.

There are some concerns about his health, though, and I couldn't help noticing that he referred to his own mortality a few times during the evening. He was also much more "thankful to God" than I've ever known him to be, which is unusual for Brett, but then it's hardly surprising given everything he's been through with the cancer. Hopefully he'll be fit and well enough to make it over for the wedding because it would make it even more special.

He'd also brought over some World War One diaries written by my Great Grandad, Frank Cane. I can't wait to get the chance to read through them properly. His handwriting was absolutely exquisite — it's amazing to have something like that actually written by him and still in existence all these years later.

Around 10.00pm we decided we'd better call it a night, said our goodbyes and dropped Brett off at the place he's staying with a chap called Roger, who seems like a really nice bloke.

Then we headed home.

On the drive back we chatted about Melanie dying and Tess and Brendan's lives. They've got quite a complicated family situation going on, and their children seem to have been affected by it all as well. It's a very dysfunctional family unit, if ever I've seen one.

End of day summary

A really enjoyable evening and it was just great to see Brett again. He's been through an awful lot, but somehow he's still Brett — full of life, positivity and enthusiasm.

The wedding conversation was a lovely surprise and it would be fantastic if he's able to officiate for Charl and Miles. Hopefully his health allows him to make the trip because having him there would make the day even more memorable.

And the Great Grandad's diaries are a brilliant bonus. I'm really looking forward to sitting down and reading those when I've got the time.

Good food, good company, loads of conversation and a very welcome catch-up with an old friend.

Portugal – Family Holiday

Had a great week away in Portugal with the family. Really enjoyed it.

On Thursday, Tash, Jack, Mum, and I travelled down to Stansted, with Charl and Miles in their car just ahead of us. I worked in the morning, sitting in the van and then carrying on at the airport until midday, as I was only officially taking the afternoon off. It works really well doing it that way and means I don't have to use a whole day of annual leave just for travelling.

Lewis, Emily and Frankie were travelling the same day too, although they were flying from Manchester.

We all ended up with a two-hour delay, but eventually got to Faro. Then came the airport experience... We spent about an hour waiting around in Customs, which really isn't very good at all. It's disjointed, frustrating and just seems to take forever.

We eventually made it through and somehow managed to get to the hire car pick-up with about 90 seconds to spare! Got the car, Jack took the wheel and we headed off towards the villa, stopping on the way to pick up some food.

The villa was really nice, but by the time we arrived it was late and we were all absolutely shattered. Ate some food, got ourselves sorted and went straight to bed.

The rest of the week was a mixture of doing very little and getting out and about, which I think was exactly what we wanted. We walked around the village, went to the beach, drove out to various towns and generally just enjoyed being somewhere warm and sunny with everyone.

There was, unfortunately, a bit of illness going around. Frankie, Jodie, Jack and Charl all had a bout of sickness, while I ended up with a cough and cold which I'm still only just getting over three weeks later! It did put a bit of a dampener on things at times, with people either missing out on things or just feeling a bit jaded. I certainly fell into the latter category.

Jodie arrived on Saturday morning, which was lovely, while Lewis, Emily and Frankie had to leave on Monday morning. It was a shame they couldn't stay longer, but it was great that they managed to come at all.

So what did we actually do?

Beach meal and sunset
Our first proper evening was a meal at a restaurant overlooking the beach, with a lovely sunset while we ate. A great way to start the holiday.

BBQ at the villa
Had a BBQ at the villa, which was exactly what you want when you've got everyone together in Portugal.

Pool days
Lots of relaxing around the pool during the day. Cards, games on our phones, sleeping, chatting and generally doing very little. Perfect.

Table tennis
Played loads of table tennis with Jack. Unfortunately, he got the better of me nearly every time, although it was bloody hard work in the heat so I'm going to blame that!

Albufeira Old Town
Went into Albufeira Old Town one evening and, bloody hell, it was an eye-opener! Absolutely mental, but also so, so good. I loved it. Neon lights, banging music and loads going on — absolutely right up my street!

Would have liked to go back, although if I'm being honest, I'm probably too old for it now. 😂

Boat trip
Had a private boat trip out to a cove where we drank, ate, relaxed and swam. We all jumped off the boat at various points, which was great fun. One of those days where you just sit there thinking how lucky you are to be doing it.

Carvoeiro
Went out to Carvoeiro one evening and remembered being there a few years ago for Jack's birthday. The place has hardly changed, which was lovely to see.

I was struggling with my cough that evening and was probably a bit grumpy as a result, but it was still really nice to be back there, have some food and listen to the live music.

Back to the beach restaurant
We went back to the same beach restaurant we'd visited on the first night, this time with an actual booking. Another lovely meal watching the sunset.

So we managed to be busy and relaxed at the same time, which I think means we got the balance about right.

The week absolutely flew by, though. That's always the sign of a good holiday, I suppose.

Coming home was straightforward enough and, once again, I managed to work in the van. We hit the road at 12.30pm exactly, which was perfect timing and meant I could get on with some work while everyone else travelled home.

End of week summary

A really good family holiday. It wasn't perfect because of everyone getting ill at various points and my bloody cough hanging around, but those things are difficult to control and certainly didn't spoil it.

We had a good mixture of doing things, going places and just sitting around doing absolutely nothing, and I think that was exactly what we needed.

The boat trip was probably one of the highlights, along with Albufeira Old Town — which I absolutely loved despite probably being about 20 years too old for it! 😂

Most importantly, though, we had everyone together for at least part of the week, and that's what made it special. It's always a bit chaotic getting everyone organised, but once we're there it's great.

Portugal definitely gets another vote from me.