Back in circulation

Did you miss me? I've been on holiday, nowhere exotic, visiting family in and around Nottingham. And of course I continued to wreak mayhem for the early part of the week. On Monday I managed to splash myself with hot fat. Fortunately the dish had been out the oven for a minute so the fat was no longer sizzling, and most of it went down my clothes instead. There's just a tiny mark on the inside of my forearm. Equally fortunately MIL (where we were) had a copious supply of aloe vera so the blister that began to form soon went away. Almost immediately afterwards I tried to fall over the table leg and almost ended up head first in A's lap (bad visuals, huh?!). I decided that my issue was being stone cold sober so MIL plonked a glass of wine in front of me which seemed to help.

On Tuesday we went to Skegness for our annual jaunt. For me it was a day of NO mishaps, breakages, electrical issues, etc. We all had a blast and came home tired but happy, until that is Mum told us off (in fun) for not bringing home any candy floss or brandy snaps.

Wednesday was K's 16th birthday. We went to lunch at Mum's local golf club, and were joined by all K's grandparents and cousins. The cousins came back to Mum's for the afternoon and tea. All 4 children - cousins and my two - played outside nearly all afternoon, so it was quite quiet in the house. We also realised that D sounds exactly like my brother, even down to tone of voice and his way of pronouncing certain words. Scary, eh!!!!

On Thursday A helped Dad to fit a new internet wireless router. D, K and I went into town to buy sweets - there's an old fashioned sweet shop - and call in at Tesco to pick up some ingredients for tea on Friday. D drove home via the back country roads, and handled himself very well. When we got back Mum's washing machine packed up. It looked like my jinx was back by proxy. She blamed A, as it stopped soon after the router was switched on. That afternoon she and Dad bought a new one. Then K and I went for a manicure and full-body hot stone massage respectively. Very nice. That evening A and I went to the pub with A's Dad for a few beers. I was deemed safe to drive and therefore designated taxi for the evening.

On Friday we went into Nottingham, and had lunch at an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. A took K ice skating whilst D and I went bowling. K loved it and is now insistent that Daddy take her skating every week. Sounds like some serious daddy/daughter bonding time.

We came home on Saturday, followed a few hours later by my brother and niece. Niece had a special riding session in the New Forest, a present for her birthday from some friends.

Since then, I've sorted out (finally) a fundraiser - 28th August 10.30am - 8.30pm if you're local enough - for a local cancer support group that do a great job, taken delivery of next season's stationery and some of the new product for my job. Still working on where to put it all. I've also received all my paperwork from the tax office, so have to get that sorted out this week.

This week is just as crazy. I shall be delegating the driving to D, as he has his driving test on 10th September. He's more than up for it. Good job my nerves are. ;-)

If only I could do that every time

Last night was bowling night. My handicap has been as 'low' as 58 this season but it's currently back at 60. My bowling of late has been dire. Some games I have struggled to make 100! I've discovered and then lost the art of bagging corner pins for spares.

The first game last night started reasonably well with 67 scored in 4 frames. I then went on to get 7 strikes in a row to make a final scratch score of 226 - my best ever! Unfortunately the game had to end. The second one was pretty awful, of course. I just about managed 112 - not much difference, eh? The third game was better but not as good as the first, giving me an overall scratch series score of 471 (an average of 157 per game). This is still way better than my season average of 132 but I was disappointed after the excellent start. On the positive side my name now graces the pole position for the ladies scratch and handicap games (226/286). Should be a little bit of prize money coming my way in August.

Girly Time

A & D are out all day today. I dropped them off at the bowling alley at 7.50 this morning and I'll probably see them again sometime between 10pm and midnight. D is part of a team from here that are entering the Junior National Championships. A is one of the coaches at the club.

I'm not sure how well they'll do as all the team can have their bad days. Fingers crossed it doesn't go totally pear-shaped.

Sporting Widowhood

For the last few weekends A's time has been taken up watching the Six Nations (rugby) - not just the England matches either. This means that any little chores or going outs have had to be fitted in round the TV schedule. Yesterday I asked for the TV from 5pm so I could watch the highlights of the cricket - New Zealand v England. At 5.10 I wandered into the living room to find A watching Wales v France (I think, they were in blue), so I wandered back out again and into the study to check e-mail, write some blog posts, and play Civ 4. Apparently I should have announced my presence as I could then have had the TV.

No sooner is the Six Nations finished than F1 starts! Now I don't mind watching that, up to a point. A likes to listen to all the innane chatter, you know the sort of thing "How do you think Lewis Hamilton will feel if he gets on the front row of the grid today?" mindless stuff that seems to be the height of serious reporting today. I like to get to the action and don't sit down till the grid has formed up. So anything I want to plan for us to do at the weekend will have to fit in round the F1. The things I do for a quiet life ;-)

Then of course there's the occasional ten-pin bowling competition that A takes D to. A has ten-pin coaching/instructing qualifications and is to be found most Saturday mornings down at the local alley helping the Youth Bowling Club. Our county association has a YBC tournament that happens every month or so at various venues. Then there's the South of England competition (January-ish), the Nationals (May), plus any others the club sees fit to enter.

Any weekend that has a bowling tournament AND F1 is a complete disaster as that just leaves Saturday afternoon to get anything done.

Yet I'm not complaining, not too loudly anyway. He's not down the pub every night, not working 12 hour days (fingers crossed it stays that way too), and he is very attentive at all other times - once I've nagged him half a dozen times about something that needs doing.

I wouldn't trade him in for the world.