The Highs and Lows of Newquay

The Coast around Newquay

It was another early start today, we had to get Laura to Newquay by 9am to catch her train. The train wasn't due to depart until 9.40am but Robbie wanted her there early because he said it would get very busy. It was a very misty morning, so I chose not to take the coast road to Newquay, it is challenging even when visibility is good because it is very narrow in places and there some amazing hills and very tight turns. It is no fun when you meet a bus coming in the other direction! I didn't fancy my chances taking that route with the added complication of thick mist, so we took the other route.

We got to Newquay in good time and I dropped Robbie and Laura at the station. It really doesn't deserve to be called a station, it must be the most depressing place in the South West. I have seen some pretty grim bus stations, but I have never encountered such a miserable excuse for a railway station. It is dark, grimy and unloved, in fact it takes grim to a whole new dimension. If that is the first experience visitors have of Newquay I'm surprised they bother to even get off the train. I have seen photos of Newquay Station in previous days when it was still a proud part of the railway network. Now every hint of it's former glory has been stripped away and it is a pathetic apology for a station, Network Rail should be ashamed. At a time when we want to encourage greater use of public transport in order to reduce our impact on the environment surely the government should be sorting out the rail services to popular holiday destinations, and in the case of Cornwall they need to sort out line speeds too - you could do the journey from Newquay to Par faster on horseback than by train at present!

Sam and I went off to park the car while Robbie stayed with Laura to see her safely on to the train. We didn't spend long in Newquay, but we enjoyed an alfresco breakfast at Subway and then we stocked up on food supplies for the caravan. It had turned into a lovely day in Newquay, but as we drove home we realised that the mist had not cleared around Padstow, it was a warm and pleasant day but the mist clung to the coast all day.

Bird Song

It is Laura's last day with us today, she has to go home tomorrow ready for exams on Monday so she got to choose what we did today. She wanted to go to Newquay again, so we got up early and set off in time to get there just after 9am so that we could pack as much as possible into the day. I didn't want to look at the shops again, so after buying a jigsaw I wandered down to the harbour to take some photos. I love listening to the herring gulls, for me it isn't really the sound of the seaside without the cries of the gulls. I have forgiven them for the little misdemeanour on Wednesday when one scored a direct hit on me. Having seen how much mess it made I can now understand why ostriches don't fly! fortunately I was wearing a raincoat so it was fairly easy to remove the evidence! Listen to gulls here Herring Gull

It was a bit dismal early in the day but it brightened into a beautiful afternoon. By 1pm we were back at the caravan and it was so nice that we took a walk along the coast path towards Harlyn, there is a wild spot where there are lots of skylarks. I love just standing there listening to them singing, they soar so high in the sky that it is hard to see them but their song is beautiful. When we got back we sat outside at the table with a cup of tea enjoying the sunshine. There was a male blackbird sitting on the next caravan, he seemed to have a huge personality and he was singing with such vigour that I couldn't help wondering what he was saying. Skylark Blackbird

This evening we began Laura's 17th birthday celebrations, her birthday is on Monday really, but as she has exams on that day she is stretching the celebration over several days.

A Room With a View

Today was lovely and sunny, the perfect weather for a holiday. When I walked into the lounge and saw the wonderful view of the bay from our window, the world seemed perfect. I love coming here, I think this part of Cornwall is the best place in the world. Robbie was surprisingly reluctant to get up this morning, but when he finally graced us with an
appearance he was wearing red shorts with such a loud pattern that I am surprised he didn't frighten the sun away. We spent most of the day on the beach enjoying the sunshine, Robbie didn't venture into the sea, but Sam swam and I dipped a toe in – it was colder than it looked! I took several photos of Robbie, so that you could get the full glory of his shorts, unfortunately all but one provided a view up the leg of his shorts and I didn't want to scare anyone, so you will have to make do with this picture.































Here is one of the photos I took yesterday evening when the lifeboat came back to the boat house.

Padstow

We made a relatively early start this morning, by holiday standards. I was the first up, but when I went to have a shower I had to clean first because I found that we had our own private beach in the shower basin - Sam! He had showered after going to the beach yesterday and (being a boy) he didn't notice that he had deposited half the beach in the bathroom. It is a brilliant shower, I could stay in there all day.

By 10am we were in Padstow ready to take a leisurely look at the shops. Laura found a lovely fair trade jewellery shop called Uneeka on Saturday and she wanted to go back to buy a couple more items. We looked at lots of other shops and I took advantage of the early start to take some photos while Padstow was relatively quiet, nothing opens until 10am. It was a dismal morning, but not raining and not cold, it brightened up later in the day so we can't complain.

We stopped at a nice little cafe for a bacon roll and a cup of tea. Poor old Robbie was really struggling to walk today and it was obvious that he was in a lot of pain, but he enjoyed his bacon roll. I hope you like the photos of Padstow.

Later in the afternoon we went for a walk along the coast path. We walked towards the lifeboat house because there is a bench where we can sit and watch the sea birds and surprisingly we can get an excellent phone signal there, there is no signal in the caravan. The lifeboat had gone out earlier and as we looked out at the sea we spotted it coming back, so we watched as it made the approach and was winched back up the ramp to the boat house.

Padstow Lifeboat

I was sad to hear that one of my favourite artists Beryl Cook has died. I loved her larger than life characters, they always seemed to have great confidence and to be enjoying life immensely, with just a touch of wickedness. She had a unique style and she will be much missed.
Beryl Cook Paintings

After the Rain

Monday was wet and miserable, it rained relentlessly all day and it was too heavy to venture far so we enjoyed a leisurely day in the caravan. It worked out quite well because I had some writing work to do and Laura had loads of revision to keep her occupied so that left the boys free to enjoy the television - such a hardship for them!

Today was a much better day, we went to Newquay in the morning to check out all Laura's favourite shops. Sam had his own ideas about shopping, but the things he wanted were either too rude, too expensive or downright dangerous, so I was not his favourite person. He has his heart set on a new hoody, but we haven't found the right one yet.

When we got back I went for a walk along the coast path, it was such a beautiful day and I never tire of the beautiful views around here. We enjoyed some time on the beach, it was low tide and I watched the children fishing in the rock pools. It seems such a short time ago that Emily and Laura spent hours at the rock pools with Grandad, they would come running up the beach with their bucket to show off their latest catch. Where has all the time gone?

There was an amazing sunset this evening. I hope you enjoy the photos.

A Burning Issue!

Emily sent a text to Laura to say that she had set fire to the cheese grater because someone had left it in the oven. It didn't make sense, how could she set fire to a cheese grater? I was fairly dismissive thinking oh well it is only a cheese grater, it is over 20 years old, it is no big deal. I told Laura to tell her not to worry about it, but Emily kept mentioning it and seemed very upset by the experience.

I didn't speak to Emily until last night when I got the full story. The cheese grater was the tip of the iceberg so to speak, it was the only thing that actually caught fire, but it wasn't the only item in the oven. Apparently Emily had lit the oven to preheat before cooking a meal for herself and her boyfriend. Some time later they became aware of a horrible smell of burned plastic and when she opened the oven she saw the handle of the cheese grater burning and a number of other blackened items in the oven. Apparently there were plates and saucepans in there too. She asked quite reasonably who would use an oven as a cupboard? The answer wasn't hard to deduce - Robbie!! He had tucked them away so that he could leave all the cat and guinea pig food on the worktop ready for my mum. I was too busy packing the car to notice that the things were not in their usual places, I assumed that the oven was empty and newly cleaned, just as I left it. It and all it's unexpected contents are now black and burned, that will give me something to look forward to when I get home!

That Sunday Morning Feeling

The rain which began in the late evening on Saturday continued all night and Sunday dawned wet, windy and miserable. There was nothing to get up for, so I didn't bother! I had a lazy morning with my radio and my laptop. Robbie was still finding it a bit of a challenge to sit down after his close encounter with the towel rail, so he wardered off into the lounge to read his latest railway book. He bought it yesterday from his favourite bookshop in Padstow, it is all about the trains used on the London Underground. He seems to be fascinated by the book and every so often he stops reading long enough to share a random fact with us. As soon as you hear the words 'did you know .....' you know that you are doomed!

By lunchtime the weather was brighter and we decided to go and visit Laura and Sam's grandparents in Torpoint. It takes over an hour to get there and it involves some rather challenging roads. The journey back to the caravan proved much more difficult as the sun was in my eyes almost all the way. My in laws were very pleased to see the children, they thought that Sam had grown a lot since they last saw him, I don't really notice it because I am with him every day. On the way back we stopped at Windy Ridge in Trerulefoot, it is one of my favourite places to eat, no fuss, no frills, just well cooked sensibly priced food. It has changed hands since our last visit, but the food was every bit as good as before.

Getting There

Friday passed in a blur of activity, we were packing and preparing for our holiday and it all seems to take so much more time than you anticipate. We took Meg to the kennels after lunch, it is not the nearest but it has a very good reputation and Meg seems to like it there, she loves ball games and as long as they play with her she will be happy. The cats are staying at home, Emily will look after them at the weekends and grandma (my mum) will be in charge during the week. Fortunately Dave's eye is better now so he will not need any more medication, that is just as well because he is not the most grateful patient and I don't want mum or Emily to be scratched to bits.

By 7pm the car was packed and the house was more or less acceptable, after a quick meal I retired to bed so that I would be well rested for our early start. The alarm woke me at 2am, bed seemed very attractive but I forced myself to get going, it took drastic measures to drag Robbie from his bed, but after a shower and 3 Weetabix he was a little more human. It always takes longer to do those last few jobs than you expect, and Robbie kept us all waiting, but by about 3.50am we were on our way. Robbie promised to stay awake to talk to me, but he was snoozing before we had left Northamptonshire!

With three slumbering passengers and only a talking book to keep me company I had a quiet drive towards Oxford and then down to the M4. I wanted to make the most of the early start so I drove on until the second services on the M4 before making a comfort stop, they all moaned when I woke them up and turfed them out of the car. After a quick visit to the facilities and a walk around in the cool morning air I felt sufficiently refreshed and awake to continue. Sleeping Beauty was nodding again before we had rejoined the motorway but it was a good drive, I didn't see any road works or traffic cones at Bristol (there is a first time for everything) the M5 would have been better without the multitude of caravans, but there were no delays and before long we had passed Exeter and headed into Cornwall on the A30. At last I could turn off towards Camelford, Wadebridge and the Atlantic Highway, I love that bit of the journey. By 9am we were parked by the quayside in Padstow enjoying a very welcome hot chocolate, for me this is the best place in the world.
We spent the day in Padstow exploring the shops, enjoying lunch at our favourite restaurant and watching all the activity around the harbour. We booked into the caravan at 3pm and by 5.30pm the luggage that had taken almost a week to gather together and pack was unpacked and put away and I could finally relax and enjoy the amazing view across the bay. I will add some photos later.

It is hardly surprising that I was exhausted, but I stayed awake long enough to see Graham Norton's continuing search for a Nancy and then the beginning of the Eurovision Song Contest. I don't usually watch Eurovision, but I really like Andy Abrahams and I wanted to see the British entry. Thankfully it was very near the beginning and after watching several more increasingly bizarre entries I retreated to the bedroom and the relative sanity of Radio 4! That was the last I remember until I was awoken this morning by a yell from the en suite – Robbie had burned his bum on the heated towel rail!

Making Lists

This has been a week of frantic list making. We are going on holiday on Saturday and it feels as if there is absolutely no chance of getting everything done on time. The cats and the guinea pig will be looked after by grandma but Meg is going to the kennels. I need to make sure all your food and equipment is sorted out as well as getting everything washed ironed and packed ready to go. I keep remembering extra things that I need to do and my list now runs into several pages! Robbie hasn't switched into holiday planning mode yet, he woke me up before 6am to tell me about some problem or other with his HST's, I can't remember my exact response but I think it adequately conveyed my absolute refusal to discuss trains of any kind at that time of the morning!

Reaching For the Off Button

I love Radio 4 and I listen to it in the car, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in fact I listen to it wherever I am. For me the height of luxury is a relaxing bath with Radio 4 to listen to. Yesterday I was enjoying my bath, a tranquil moment in a particularly trying day when my ears were assaulted to such an extent that I had to jump out of my bath to turn off the radio. Can you believe it, Radio 4 is serialising Chere Blair's book. Why would anyone imagine that I would have any interest in that woman, she is an irrelevance and I have no respect for someone who attempts to make money from backstabbing and sleazy revelations about people in public life. I can't undrestand why she would imagine that anyone would be interested in her sex life, even the thought of it turns my stomach! What really makes me cross is that when Tony Blair was prime minister they were fierce about protecting their children from press intrusion - quite rightly in my oppinion (but they didn't mind using them for a bit of PR from time to time). Now, Chere Blair is telling the world about how Leo was conceived, how can a mother do that to their child? I'm not sure how old Leo is now, but he is certainly old enough to be mortified by her revelations. There are standards and there are some things that you just shouldn't do even for money, it seems to me that Chere Blair has put £'s before parenting and I am disgusted. I really would have expected better from Radio 4, what will it be next - readings from the News of the World perhaps?!

Vanishing Act!

Dave the cat had a late afternoon appointment at the vet on Monday, as his infected eye was still looking very uncomfortable. The cat box was put in the kitchen the evening before and Dave took no notice of it until about half an hour before his appointment when I bathed his eye again, he wasn't too impressed by that and when I touched the cat carrier he vanished. After a frantic 15 minute search Laura and I found him hiding in the furthest corner under Emily's bed, he swore menacingly when we found him, but he got to his appointment on time. There are no scratches on the eye so he has some eye drops and the infection should clear up in a few days.

I forgot to mention Robbie's random comments on Sunday, he just can't help himself - wrong time wrong place! He woke me up to tell me about a chap from some railway company or other who has exceptionally long service with the same company (why would I need to know that!). He waited until we went to visit my mum in the afternoon to discuss his favourite pair of pants and why they were such a wonderful fit - some things are best left unimagined!

Fame At Last!

Robbie is famous! He found that someone had posted a clip of the CrossCountry HST on Youtube. Robbie is the man in a bright yellow T Shirt hanging out of the window towards the end of the clip - don't blink or you will miss him!

If you share Robbie's passion for trains I am sure you will find lots of other interesting clips on Youtube, here are some by the same photographer. http://uk.youtube.com/user/37670productions

The Demon Strimmer

After being 'allowed' out to play trains on Saturday Robbie said that he would give me his undivided attention on Sunday. He told me that his body was at my disposal, so I booted his body out of bed and sent him off tho establish a deep and meaningful relationship with the strimmer. I stayed upstairs doing some jobs and listening to The Archers, but Emily kept popping in with regular bulletins on the lack of progress in the garden. The strimmer thread kept breaking and Robbie would have made more impact with a pair of scissors than with the strimmer. Being a man Robbie had an answer - when in doubt head for the DIY superstore! The garden was finally tamed at about 8.30pm!!

HST - Why All the Fuss?

Robbie decided that he absolutely had to work late on Thursday evening, I wasn't impressed because we have had so many disrupted meal times recently and the short notice meant I had to scrap my plans for an evening meal and start again. He promised that he would stay at home with me on Saturday to make up for his lateness and get some long overdue jobs done in the garden. When he got finally got home he was in a dreadful mood because I was forcing him to miss a momentous event – on Saturday the first properly owned CrossCountry HST would be in service. I wasn't impressed by this, after all it was only last Wednesday that Laura could have caught an HST from Leicester to Kettering, she chose to wait for the next train instead, she preferred the more modern Meridian to the old HST. I felt the need to tame the back garden was more pressing than the 'need' to travel there (wherever there may be) and back again on an HST.

Friday was equally disastrous Robbie was late home again and in a foul mood. He claimed he would be the laughingstock of the railway world if he didn't go on the HST the following day. Personally I didn't thing that would make much difference, but I had no intention of spending a wet Saturday with Robbie doing his Rumpelstilksin impression. I told him that I wasn't stopping him, but he needn't think I was going to get up in the middle of the night to drive him to the station. He stomped around the lounge claiming he couldn't go because he hadn't got any rolls or any meat for sandwiches. It was so ridiculous that Laura and Sam have been doing Robbie impressions all weekend! I had already been to Tesco's and Morrisons that day, but I had to go out again, to the small local Tesco's buy supplies for Robbie's day out! He spent the rest of the evening planning his route, believe it or not he was going all the way to York just to travel all the way from York to Plymouth on the HST. He was planning to leave at 4am to get to the town centre to catch a bus to Kettering station.

Saturday morning dawned and Robbie overslept, so once again I found myself driving to Kettering at the crack of dawn! I came home and went back to bed again, after all he wouldn't be home again until almost midnight so I would have a late night as well as an early morning! It was a lovely peaceful day and I got loads done, we are going on holiday next weekend so I have a lot of planning and packing to do.

Dave the cat has an infected eye so I have to take him back to the vet on Monday, he swore at me when I bathed it for him and when I put him down again he gave Oreo a clip around the ear on his way past him. I expect he will teach the vet a few new words too!

He is so Annoying!!!

Do you know what annoys me more than anything else about Robbie? Don't worry this is not going to be a long post, I'm sure I could write a book about the many things that annoy me, but today I will restrict myself to the highlights! The thing that annoys me more than anything else is that he is a control freak, not in a loud bombastic way, but in a quietly determined, critical sort of way. If I change any minor thing we have to have an inquest about it and it drives me mad. By the time we had our evening meal yesterday I was exasperated, he had already told me that I was storing the washing liquid in the wrong place, I had placed a bag in the wrong place in the hall, 'someone' (meaning me) had messed up the knife drawer, 'someone' (me again) hadn't done the washing up and I had even left a pile of ironed and folded clothes in the wrong place. He is either brave or stupid because this causes friction so often that even the slowest learner should have got the message by now!

I was so cross that I couldn't talk to Robbie so I took myself outside to sort out the Micra ready for its MOT today. It gave me a few minutes peace to get over my murderous thoughts, and I thought perhaps Robbie had got the message when he followed me out with a cup of tea, but no such luck. When I came back in for my meal, I got the mayonnaise out to use, Robbie noticed that I had bought a different brand and I had to endure twenty questions about why I bought that make, that bottle design, etc. He wasn't even eating the mayonnaise! It really drives me mad. Why does he have to go on and on about such trivial things? Oh well, I have a day off to look forward to on Saturday, Robbie is going out to play on an HST.

Parents Evening

We went to Sam's parents evening yesterday. We have been very lucky with the schools we have chosen for the children, during their school years they have all come across some exceptionally good teachers, and I have been happy with all the schools except Sam's present school. It is hard to put my finger on what bothers me about it and many people would think that I was absolutely mad to have misgivings. It is a single sex (allegedly) comprehensive foundation school, with amazing facilities and very good exam results and it is massively oversubscribed. It is hard to explain what bothers me, it just likes itself too much, it is elitist and there is an arrogance about it. They don't ask what can we do for your son, it is all about what the boy can do for the school. In many ways it is the best place for Sam, there is good discipline, an expectation of achievement and there is an extremely rigid routine. He needs those things, but I worry that he is too 'managed' and there is no scope for him to develop personal responsibility.

Laura's school is also single sex and in my opinion it is the best school in the town because it has a dynamic and inspiring head teacher, it is genuinely comprehensive and it develops the individual girls to achieve their potential; it encourages personal responsibility and personal development. It also expects excellence, but it teaches students to value each other and to recognise the wide range of skills and abilities that they have. They achieve very good examination results but they also recognise and praise achievement in sport, music, performing arts, community involvement etc. They have been sensible in their choice of uniform and sixth form dress code, it is sensible, practical and there is nothing much to rebel against, so students accept it and it really isn't a problem. Sam's school on the other hand plans and manages everything including uniform with an abundance of rules and sanctions, but all that control just gives so much more to rebel against, and the end result is much less pleasing.

Anyway back to Sam's parents evening, I was very pleased with the feedback and I think that he has done well this year. He is a bright lad, but he is not always as motivated or organised as I would like. I was interested in Sam's reason for arranging for me to see certain teachers but not others, and being Sam the reasons were fairly original. He had chosen one teacher because he liked her and he likes the subject, he had chosen another because she had a rather eye catching cleavage, another was chosen because he had a funny accent and the last because he looks like someone from Sean of the Dead. In addition I was told to look out for 'the walking wedgie' he was easily spotted as his trousers were pulled up to his chest, the 'living sofa' who is wider than she is tall, and 'Mr Liberal' who wears the loudest yellow shirts imaginable. Boys are so cruel! I think Sam has some good teachers, but the 'Sean of the Dead' lookalike was horrible, arrogant, disinterested and ill mannered, I wouldn't willingly leave a lump of concrete in his care, he should not be working with children.

Ticks in Boxes

I didn't write much about the weekend mainly because I was on my own for most of Saturday, Robbie and Sam left early to spend the day with Robbie's dad and step mum in Norton Canes. It gave me a chance to catch up with some housework and to venture into the garden to tackle the hedge. Sunday morning was less busy and I was determined to relax and listen to The Archers Omnibus on the radio. You can always rely on Robbie for a Sunday morning quote and last Sunday was no exception. I hadn't seen much of him all week so it was nice to wake early on Sunday morning and know that we were in no rush to get up. We could have talked about anything under the sun, we could have just been quiet and enjoyed the luxury of time, but Robbie talked endlessly about the wonders of his dad's new cheese grater. Surely there is only so much anyone can find to say about a cheese grater - unless you are Robbie of course!

The Galaxy went back to have the break pads checked yesterday, they were fine but there is an intermittent fault on the sensor so I have to put up with the warning light and the very annoying alarm sound until it becomes a constant fault, then they should be able to identify which sensor is causing the trouble. I'm sure that car has a gremlin in it!

Sam went for his hay fever medication review at the doctors. It was such a pointless exercise, the nurse didn't ask anything about his symptoms she measured him, weighed him and asked if he smoked - no way will he smoke! How ridiculous, there would be some point to asking if it was part of a message to prevent young people from smoking, but it was just a tick in a box on the computer. That is the first time in his life that Sam has been weighed or measured at the doctors without screaming the place down. When he was younger he was extremely uncooperative when it came to developmental tests. He took particular exception to the wooden giraffe measuring stick on the wall, he wouldn't go near it and he screamed so much that people must have thought he was being tortured. Maybe he is like me, I object to being measured and monitored, and these days there is so much bureaucracy involved in health care that I don't feel like an individual anymore. It isn't the doctors fault, it is the system that is imposed by the government.

One Step Forward and Two Steps Back

I am beginning to think that the world is conspiring against me. Why do the little tasks turn out to be so complicated and time consuming? I had to take the Galaxy to be serviced last week, this week it passed it's MOT and I was pleased that it was ready to go on holiday. Two days after the MOT the safety warning light came on to tell me to check the break pads, so it is going back again on Monday! The expense is bad enough but the inconvenience of arranging lifts to get to an from the garage is even worse.


Meg also has an appointment on Monday, she is going to the vet to get her booster injection and the kennel cough treatment. They put the kennel cough stuff up her nose, but the vet ends up wearing most of it because it always makes Meg sneeze.


On Tuesday morning Sam is going to the doctors for a medication review. The Micra is having it's MOT on Thursday and I am going to the hairdressers on Friday. I still need to book a medication review for Laura, she has to see the GP rather than the nurse for her review, because she has Pityriasis Lichenoides Chronica, an unusual skin condition that requires a lot of medication and she also takes medication for migraine. Dave the cat will also need to go back to the vet very soon because his paws are getting sore again. With all that to fit into an already busy life I think I am in for a stressful week.

On Friday I went to the doctors to drop off our repeat prescription requests and to book the medication reviews for Laura and Sam. The girl on reception informed me that Sam was very late for his review and was therefore not a priority. They use the date of birth as a review date, Sam's birthday is in December - who needs hayfever medication in December? They wouldn't thank me for taking up their time on that during Christmas week! I couldn't get an after school appointment for Sam until mid July so he has to miss an hour of school on Tuesday morning just for the nurse to tick a few boxes. I couldn't get an appointment for Laura at all, she has to see the GP for her review rather than the nurse because she is on beta blockers for her migraine and she has loads of medication for her skin condition. I have to ring at exactly 8.30am on Monday when new appointments wil be released. Until a couple of years ago the system worked quite well, you rang on the day and you got an appointment. Then Tony Blair decided that we had to be able to book ahead, the government did their usual micro management thing and imposed loads of new rules so now it is worse than it has ever been!

Robbie rang me at lunchtime on Friday to ask if I would mind picking him up from the station at 3.50pm because he had booked a hair appointment and he wouldn't be able to get home on time otherwise. I agreed and I was just pulling into the station when Robbie phoned, I couldn't take the call but when I had parked I found that he had sent a text with a grovelling apology telling me that he had given me the wrong time and he would be there an hour later. There was no point going home, by the time I got there I would have to turn around and go back again. It was pointless to get cross so I just sat there and waited. It was one of those days where I had rushed around all day but I ended up further behind than when I first started!

Missed

The weather has been lovely over the last few days, I love this time of year when the whole summer stretches ahead of us. I'm not sure my children would agree with me, Sam is suffering badly with hay fever, Laura is just about to start exam leave for her AS Level exams and Emily has exams looming at university. Sam has started on his medication, so hopefully his hay fever will improve soon. The oil seed rape is in flower and the countryside around here is a mass of yellow, I hate the smell and the pollen upsets my asthma so I will be glad when the flowers are gone. It really annoys me that I have asthma, I didn't develop it until I was an adult and I don't understand why, I have never smoked a cigarette in my life.

I had to go to town yesterday to buy birthday presents for Imogen, the youngest (and probably the loudest) of our children, she will be 9 later this month. Imogen looks so much like Robbie, she can be very strong willed but she has a lovely side to he nature, when asked what she wants for her birthday or Christmas she doesn't provide a long list of desires, she just says that she will be happy with anything. So we have spent the last few weeks trying to think of things that she will really like. I can't tell you what we have bought, that's top secret, but it involved me trudging around town until my legs almost dropped off. It was a successful trip and now I have plenty of wrapping up to do.

For those who are wondering if Robbie was forgiven after yesterday's blog entry, yes, I never stay cross with him for long. There was another points failure yesterday so he was late home again, it is so frustrating. He was home just long enough to eat his meal before dashing out to sort out Marion's wayward router again, it was an AOL server problem - again!. When I picked him up from Marion's house he said "I missed ..." and just for a split second I thought he was going to tell me that he had missed me (we have hardly seen each other this week), but it was something far more important - he had missed one of his favourite TV programs! It was late so I went to bed and left him watching the repeat of his program. Oh well at least I had peace and quiet!

Why Are Men Such Slow Learners?

Why are men such slow learners? You would think by now that Robbie would have learned that certain behaviour provokes a negative response, but when Robbie finds himself in a hole he just keeps on digging!
He rang me at about 4.30pm yesterday to say that there was a problem with his usual route home, and he would try to get back via Nuneaton instead. I know he can't help it but it drives me mad when I am left in limbo, either everyone has to eat late or I have to cook several different meals. We were having roast pork and it wasn't something I could cook in stages, so everyone had to wait.

After several more progress bulletins Robbie hoped that he would be home between 6.45pm and 6.55pm but they encountered further hold ups and the train didn't get in until 7.30pm. A journey that should have taken an hour took three hours and by the time we sat down to our meal it was well past 8pm. I was irritated about him being late, not so much cross with him as frustrated by the situation because it happens so often. I'd had my own frustrations in the afternoon so by the time Robbie got home we were both tired and frustrated. That really wasn't the best time for him to start getting critical about the cooking! He came into the kitchen and started to tell me that I had cooked the peas too soon, he even tried to tell me how to fill the kettle! These are all trivial things, but I have told him about it so many times and he just will not learn that it winds me up. A few words were exchanged, but instead of backing off he started to micro manage how the plates were set out when I dished up the meal, I told him to be quiet and leave me alone - something he seems physically incapable of doing!

After our meal I was trying to get some work finished on the computer and I just needed to be left alone to get on with it. The others were watching the Soap Awards but Robbie did his usual thing, he started flapping his arms and demanding to know what he had done wrong. I tried to focus on my work but with Robbie flapping around like a cross between a dodo and Why Bird! Do you remember Why Bird from Playdays? he had such an irritating voice. In the end I couldn't ignore Robbie any more and I told him to go fry his face, everyone has their limits - even me! The children thought it was hilarious, but I wished I hadn't reacted. It had the desired effect because Robbie took himself off to bed leaving me to tackle the washing up.

This morning he was sorry, but still annoying, I wasn't cross anymore, just exhausted. He sent me a text in an attempt to get back into my good books, a simple sorry would have been fine, but it was a typical Robbie approach. The text said Excellent and rather touching piece on Gwyneth Dunwoody in Rail by Nigel Harris. It is a good thing I can read between the lines! Gwyneth Dunwoody was a bit of a rarity in politics, she said what she meant and she meant what she said, and she would stand up for what she believed was right even if it didn't always suit her party. You have to admire a person with that sort of strength and independence even if you don't always agree with her politics. She will be missed especially by those involved in transport.

Back to 'Normal'

The trains from Northampton were back to what passes for normal on Tuesday so I didn't have another trek to Kettering. I'd already seen rather more of Kettering station than I wanted in the last few days. The previous evening I had taken Emily to Kettering to catch the East Midlands Trains service back to Leicester, it is quite a good service - as long as you don't expect a seat! Usually it is a Meridian, but on this occasion it wasn't hr usual train. Emily sent Robbie a text to say that it was a very old train and she found his reply so funny that she forwarded it to me.

"Hellfire! You've got an HST then. 27 years old this year and still OUTSTANDING! You lucky girl!"

That man is so sad!

Making Life Difficult

What could be better on a bank holiday morning than getting up at the crack of dawn to drive Robbie to Kettering in the rain just because there are no trains running from Northampton today. Quite a lot of things would be better, actually but I got the short straw, so I drove him to Kettering with Robbie rambling on about diversionary routes and amended train plans. He was extremely eloquent (but unprintable) when detailing the inadequacies of Network Rail. The return journey was nice and I enjoyed the peace and quiet of an empty car!

When I got home there was just time for a cup of tea before I had to take Emily to work. Robbie rang me later in the morning to give me a detailed account of his journey to Birmingham via Derby! It would have been so much easier if he'd taken the bank holiday off, but when did Robbie ever do anything sensible?

I had a call from Robbie to tell me that his planned return journey had fallen apart, I can't remember exactly what the problem was but he had all sorts of contorted plans to get back without travelling by coach. I wasn't impressed and I told him in no uncertain terms that he should just follow his normal route and put up with the coach replacement, and just for once he did as he was told! He didn't get home until 8.30pm, but if he had tried to get home by train I would probably have still been running around at midnight!

Watching Paint Dry!

On Sunday morning Robbie finally fulfilled his promise to do some work in the garden. our grass is so long that a whole family of tigers could be in there and we would never know. Maybe we should get a sheep! Robbie's main aim was to bag up all the wood from the old fence panels and the remains of the tree/shrub that he chopped down last week. We took a car load of garden waste to the recycling centre so we must be making progress, but the garden still looks like a tip. Is there such a thing as slow growing grass? I'm sure it would be worth us scrapping the present lawn and starting again.

Robbie deserved a relaxing evening after all his work in the garden. He could have enjoyed some family time or he could even have talked to me - no chance, he was chatting online with his little friend from work. You may wonder what was so important to talk to a work colleague about on a Sunday, no for once it wasn't trains - it was trams! There are some things in life that you just can't change and Robbie is one of them. He kept telling me how lucky his mate was to have visited the tram museum and I kept giving the occasional nod or mumble to make him feel that I was interested. In reality I wasn't listening, I wasn't going to let him bore me rigid on a bank holiday weekend. Do you know the difference between a tram and a trolley bus? I don't, I dashed off to watch some paint drying as soon as he embarked on that subject!

At least his chat with his mate solved one long standing problem for me. I have no idea what they were talking about but Robbie used the phrase 'Head Honcho' at least that is what he intended to say. Unfortunately every time he uses that phrase he always says it wrong, I have told him about it loads of times but he never takes any notice of me. His colleague has finally made him understand that 'Head poncho' conjures up an entirely different image - a South American gangster perhaps? For some reason it reminds me of a zany television series from my childhood, it was called Michael Bentine's Potty Time. The thing I remember most is that the puppets had no legs, they were just a coat and a head (and arms of course), I don't recall one wearing a poncho, but I can just imagine the sort of crazy character he would have created.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqXiqiC5dS8

Robbie to the Rescue

I always enjoy Friday evenings, the weekend stretches before us and I can look forward to not getting up at the crack of dawn. We had not been home for very long when the phone rang with an SOS for Robbie. My friend Marion was having problems with her router and she needed to borrow Robbie for an hour or two. After our meal I dropped Robbie at her house, which is not far from where we live, that left me free to pop to the supermarket and then to get on with some cooking. I was expecting Robbie to take ages because Marion's computer has proved stubborn in the past. I was wrong, it only took him just over an hour, so when he rang I was in the middle of cooking. I was making cakes for Robbie, as requested. When I collected him he emerged from Marion's house clutching a tin full of cakes! There is something about Robbie that makes people want to feed him, its the only way I know to stop him talking so perhaps it isn't so surprising.

Saturday morning is always a time for random statements from Robbie and this morning was no exception. After we had almost had an argument about the London Mayoral elections, Robbie cuddled up to me and announced that he was missing his contact from Network Rail at Leeds. She is off sick and Robbie said it doesn't feel right not having her at the end of the phone. Oddly enough I hadn't planned to spend my extra hour or so in bed talking about Network Rail, but it seems as if work is never far from Robbie's mind.

We had the usual argument in the supermarket when Robbie repacked the trolley just to prove that he was in control. I put it back how I wanted it and he stomped towards the cat food telling me that I could keep the trolley. I took him at his word but within seconds he was back to take control once more. When we got home again he was doing a lot of clattering around and sighing in the kitchen so I left him to it. I ploughed my way through the ironing, so Sam and Robbie have another weeks supply of ironed shirts - if I had my way men would be banned from wearing shirts!!

Finally I had finished the ironing, sorted out the cat tray and supervised Sam cleaning out his guinea pig. I sat down for a well earned rest while watching I'd Do Anything - did I mention before that Sam had to point out to me the irony of Graham Norton searching for a Nancy! I was enjoying the show when Robbie, who is not the worlds most effective window, stood between me and the screen and began a detailed account of the freezer contents and a convoluted explanation of the way he had reorganised the storage space. He got really cross when I told him to go away and leave me to enjoy the television. He is a control freak when it comes to the fridge and freezer, he even leaves post it notes to tell people what to eat first! I don't know why he bothers because we all do as we like anyway. Why does he have to be so exhausting?

Claustrophobic Cats

Dave the cat doesn't go outside because he is an old man and he has a nasty skin condition on his paws. After months of antibiotics and various procedures we have finally got his paws to heal, but they will away be at risk of breaking down again so we have to be careful with him. He is very much part of the family now and he likes to be fussed and stroked, but only on his terms, if he is not interested he will make his feelings abundantly clear. He gets on very well with Robbie and recently he seems to be taking on some of Robbie's traits - they both share a passion for food! Robbie made all that fuss about being claustrophobic a few weeks ago and now it seems that Dave has decided that he is claustrophobic too. He has the enclosed type of cat loo and has always been a very clean cat but several weeks ago we noticed that he kept using his tail or his head to hold the door open while he 'did the deed'. Then we had a couple of mishaps and it was clear that he was trying to avoid going inside. I decided to provide him with a basic cat tray instead, and he is much happier with that. There is just one problem, our other cat Oreo thinks it is the ideal place to sleep! Why is life so complicated?

Sweet Memories

Robbie often talks to me about people he has met on the train or people that he meets in the course of his work. From time to time he mentions a lady who sometimes catches the same train, I don't know her name because he usually describes the people he meets by the place that they get on or off the train, or by the job that they do. He must have told her about the blog at some point because she follows his exploits online. It always surprises me that anyone would find our lives interesting, but I guess it probably makes their own lives seem incredibly normal in comparison. Anyway Robbie met the lady again a few days ago and in the course of conversation they found that we live very close to each other. The blog was mentioned again and she said that she'd enjoyed reading about Robbie's favourite biscuit site and she asked if he liked any other unusual sites. I'm sure he has plenty of surprises up his sleeve, but today I am going to write about a site that I like.

A Quarter Of.... is one of my favourites sites, it sells all sorts of sweets that you may not have seen since your childhood. My particular favourites are clove balls, it is not so easy to find them these days. I love browsing through their products and remembering moments from my childhood. When I was about five I tasted bubble gum for the first time. I wasn't allowed to have bubble gum, but some came free with a comic and my dad taught me how to blow bubbles with it. When my mum and grandma got home they were not amused, but my dad just grinned at them. When I was a bit older my friend and I were allowed to cycle to the little shop several streets away to buy penny sweets. I always had to buy some for my little brother too, I liked the foam shrimps best, but he loved fruit salads and black jacks. Last Christmas I bought those storage boxes that have lots of little compartments and I made up a selection of sweets for each of my children, using sweets that had been favourites when they were young. Space Dust was always a great favourite with them and they liked milk bottles, Werthers originals and candy sticks. The boxes were a great success, they were a fraction of the price of the ones you can buy online and it is easy to refill them.