Not Wanted

Robbie's dad is moving house in a few weeks time. Robbie feels a bit sad about it as it will break the link with the village that he grew up in. When he was talking to his dad at the weekend Robbie arranged to go over and visit his dad next Saturday. His dad said that there was a lot of 'stuff' for Robbie to take home, so we would have to bring the car. I am suspicious of that word 'stuff' Robbie already has far too much clutter and I really don't know where to put any more! We need to be fairly ruthless in sorting out the junk that we already have. I agreed to drive to his Dad's house to pick up the stuff. I am not keen on driving that far north, it is such a boring journey and it seems to take forever to get there. I especially hate driving in Walsall because they don't seem to understand the difference between roads and pavements, it is like lemming year, people just dash out into the road! Anyway I was willing to drive to his dad's next Saturday, but to my surprise Robbie doesn't want me to go! His dad is having a bit of a get together for a few friends on Saturday evening, and Robbie wants to stay for that, he seems happy to take Sam with him, but he is worried that I will cramp his style! Never mind, I will have a nice day on my own instead.

Warning 28.09.2007

Robbie is off to the doctors this morning, to say that he is going very reluctantly is a massive understatement, kicking and screaming would sum it up more accurately! We have to find a way of keeping him upright before he ruins all his clothes, I don't suppose it is easy when he doesn't have a matching pair of feet. As a last resort I guess we could get him some diving boots to keep his feet firmly planted on the ground. I have to do something because he has rolled his trouser leg up so often to show off his cut knee that people will start to think he has joined the masons!

On the subject of injury, Robbie has come very close to adding to his selection of wounds. I have never considered him the epitome of sartorial elegance, in fact I would say that his fashion sense is unique, quirky even. I have always accepted that Robbie is Robbie and with the exception of offensive T shirts and Walsall football club shirts, I have made no comment on his outlandish taste. Robbie on the other hand has always had an interest in women's clothes, it comes in handy at times as he will happily go out and buy clothes for me, even underwear - and I hate shopping. Recently his interest in women's fashion has taken a new and less welcome form, he seems to think of himself as the next Gok Wan (well they do have the same taste in glasses!) and his comments and 'helpful' advice about what I should be wearing have become rather tiresome. In fact he has ignored all warnings and any further comment will risk life and limb! I toyed with the idea of vandalising his favourite shirts, but I hate waste, so itching powder in his smalls may achieve a more satisfying outcome! Robbie be warned!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gok_Wan

A Day To Myself 23.06.07

I have the day to myself today - luxury. Robbie has gone by train to Paignton for the day accompanied by half a dozen young ladies and Sam (well someone had to keep Robbie in order!). It involved an early start for everyone and I was woken at an impossibly early hour by the alarm clock duet, we have one clock to wake the other clock, and being a 'belt and braces' sort of person Robbie sets the alarm on his phone too! Having exhausted the possibilities of the snooze button I gave in to the inevitable and got up. Robbie was the last to be ready as usual, Laura and Sam were waiting by the door while he was dancing around the house in his knickers making incoherent noises which conveyed a general impression of panic. Eventually he was ready and despite the delay I left them at the station in time to catch their train.

I hope Robbie doesn't misplace any of his clothes today. Last week he went to Walsall but he left his jacket on the train and it went to Euston. Well, it makes a good excuse for a trip to Euston I suppose!

Robbie rang me a couple of hours after they got to Torquay to say he was having the time of his life!

People Who Live In Glass Houses ................. 18.06.07

Robbie braved the floods and was forced to abandon his beloved trains in favour of busses in order to spend Saturday in Walsall/Birmingham with the gang. He had been with Seb for less than an hour before he was begging for mercy because Seb wouldn't stop talking. Like father like son! Now he knows how the rest of us feel!! I can't make Robbie stop talking (he even talks in his sleep). Most of the time it doesn't bother me, but he even does it when I am using a calculator or speaking to someone else on the phone. That makes me furious, but even the most severe threats make no impact on his behaviour, so I am gradually learning to 'tune him out'.
He had lots of Fathers Day prezzies including a book about Virgin trains (OK I admit I only managed to cope for 10 mins before I grabbed the book for a 'quick' look) a new travel mug and some special coffee, yet another parker pen for his collection and a DVD. Even with so much to keep him quiet he was noisy all day! I suppose I knew what I was taking on, and his many good points outweigh the 'background noise' but I was slightly offended when he told me that I was weird and that I had a very odd taste in men! People who live in glass houses ..................................

Lofty Ideas 22.01.07

Robbie has been extremely irritating today. Before we got up this morning we got into a verbal dispute about the location of Northampton, he simply will not believe that we are in the East Midlands despite overwhelming evidence. In the end he reached over to his book case and I thought the dreaded Quail map was coming out again. I had intended to hide it after being treated to an incredibly detailed account of the route taken during his marathon journey from Leeds to Birmingham on Thursday. My efforts would have been pointless because he produced the Bakers Railway Atlas instead, and knowing that he had lost the argument, he attempted to bore me into submission!

I retreated to the bathroom for a relaxing bath, but Robbie was not far behind. By this point he was bleating about the exact location of Walsall (unless last weeks gales were more devastating than we have been led to believe, I suspect it is still in the same place!). I thought he needed something to distract him, so I asked him to go up to the loft to get some items that he had squirreled away before Christmas. I find it hard to get into the loft so I have to rely on Robbie, but as usual he got really possessive about it and seemed to require my request in triplicate giving detailed reasons for wanting my own stuff back. Somewhere hidden inside that train planner there is a bureaucrat fighting to get out! Sanity won, and with a bit of huffing and puffing he went up to the loft and reluctantly liberated most of the things I needed.

I shopped for food on Thursday and again on Saturday but once again Robbie asked to go to Tesco Express this evening. Every sunday evening he finds a compelling reason to drag me off to Tesco's, I am beginning to think he must have a woman hidden away there! He means well, but today was definitely one of his annoying days; never mind, I can send him to work tomorrow, I'm sure they must be used to him by now!

Thoughts on Football

My post about Robbie's Walsall football shirt has prompted a number of people to suggest that I don't like football. My problem on that occasion was nothing to do with football, it was the 'vision in pink' who was expecting to be allowed out of the house looking like that.

I come from a town which calls it's football team the 'Cobblers' for good reason! Some people will suggest that it is because we were historically a centre of shoe manufacture, but you only have to watch them play to see that they live up to their name! I support Arsenal because they are fun to watch and they are much easier on the eye than any of the other teams! I don't watch much sport on TV, I have better things to do, but I enjoy watching Arsenal play and I love watching snooker. I detest tennis because the noise of the balls drives me mad and motor racing is too noisy and totally pointless.

So what does all this rambling about sport have to do with Robbie. Well, several people have asked how I put up with him. I don't 'put up' with him, I love him and we have a great time together, he may not be very practical, but that doesn't matter. He isn't interested in sport, so we have lots of time for family things. He is kind, funny, thoughtful, sensitive and he is interested in all sorts of things. Some of his qualities are less obvious to the casual observer, but if you can't work out why he is special, you are missing something!