Probably Not the Next Samuel Pepys

I had to write a one day diary for a local history project that I am involved with so I thought that I would share it on the blog too.

Saturday 22nd September 2012

I really must be mad! The insistant bleeping of the alarm clock woke me at 4.30am, I reached out to turn it off and then remembered that I had moved it out of reach the night before to make absolutely sure that I woke up. I sat up and reached down to silence the alarm clock, Robbie was still sleeping soundly so I gave him a prod and told him that it was 4.30am and if he wanted to catch his train he needed to get moving right now, then I dashed off to beat him to the bathroom. When I got back to the bedroom he plodded off to get ready while I sneaked back under the covers for ten minutes, after all 'normal people' would still be fast asleep. The next thing I knew it was almost 5am and he was back in the bedroom showered and almost ready to go. It is surprising how fast you can get ready when you really have to. 

When I got downstairs he was just packing his lunch into his rucksack and by the time he got outside I had already started the car and we were all ready to go. The car knows the way to the railway station, we do that journey so often. On weekdays we are usually up at 5am so that he can catch his train to Birmingham just after 6am, so I look forward to a more leisurely start to the day on Saturdays and Sundays. Unfortunately the lure of the railway gets the better of him and he just can't keep away. Today he is going to the Deltic Gathering at the East Lancashire Railway, he is absolutely passionate about Deltics, especially his favourite Royal Scots Grey. I would have gone with him because I like Deltics too, but I have a terrible cough at the moment, it is exhausting and I haven't been sleeping very well, so I just don't have the stamina to cope with a long day on the railways at the moment.

He waved as he slammed the car door and walked towards the station. I felt a sense of relief, I had fulfilled my promise and got him there on time, now the rest of the day was my own and if I wanted to I could go back to bed. I clicked the radio on, radio 4 is the soundtrack to my life, I always have the radio on at home or in the car. I only half listened to the discussion about TB in cattle and the pros and cons of culling badgers to limit the spread of bovine TB, as I drove up the hill away from the railway station. I was thinking that my ancestors were closely linked with this part of the town. My great grandfather was orphened when very young, he grew up in the work house, but he when he was sent to be an appentice to a cordwainer in Leicester Street, he found a trade and a family and he spent the rest of his life in Leicester Street. His daughter my great grandmother grew up there, had her first home as a married woman in the next street and she brought her large family up just a couple of streets away. The area as they knew it is now long gone, but there is still one landmark that they would recognise, the spire of Seps Church still points heavenward, the clock still measures the relentless march of time in hours and minutes. The church which for centuries has witnessed the joys and sorrows of the people, stands strong and defiant amid the 'here today gone tomorrow' buildings of our modern town, reminding us of lasting values that are too easily forgotten amid the demands of modern life.

When I got home I put the kettle on for a much needed cup of tea and while I waited for it to boil I sorted the laundry into piles and put on the first load of the day. I was too awake to go back to bed and sleep, but I felt bruised and exhausted from all the coughing so I took my cup of tea and my laptop up to bed. I may not sleep but at least I could sit quietly with the radio and my laptop to occupy me. I enjoyed a couple of hours catching up with email and facebook and I began to write my diary entry for today. I must have fallen asleep at some point because it was mid morning when I woke up. I enjoyed a long relaxing bath while listening to Radio 4, a shower is fine most of the time, but there is something special about a nice hot bath. I wish this cough would get better, it is so exhausting.

It is unusual to be at home on my own, but today was very quiet, my son stayed at his friend's house last night, my older daughter had gone to Milton Keynes with her boyfriend and my younger daughter was shut in her room writing up notes in preparation for her post graduate course at Leicester University which begins on Monday. I like my own company and I never struggle to fill my time. There was a whole list of jobs demanding my attention today, but I only did the laundry and the routine tasks, I decided that the peace and quiet was too precious to waste, the other jobs can wait until I feel better.

The only problem with doing nothing is that you have too much time to think and this was one of those days that provided a lot to think about. Nine years ago today I sat with my first husband Eric in the Three Shires Hospital as the last hours of his life slipped away; then I went home and told my children that their dad was dead. Life goes on but those memories don't  fade, it is not something that you forget despite the passage of time, the details of that day are imprinted on my mind. I found myself wondering how he would feel about the way our lives have changed. I hope that I have done a good enough job as a parent, it hasn't always been easy. Eric didn't want me to be on my own if the worst should happen, but it must be hard at times for Robbie, living with a ghost. Perhaps it helps that they are very different. 

My son came home and my daughter emerged from her room, she had finished her work and was ready to fulfill her promise to paint my nails with crackle nail varnish, silver base with black crackle on top. It looked very nice. I hardly ever wear nail varnish, but it is nice to spoil myself once in a while and it is lovely to share moments like this with my daughter.

Time went on, we ate early because my daughter was going out later. My daughter went to get ready and I left my son to feed the cats while I drove to the station to pick my Robbie up. On the way back we popped into Morrisons for a printer cartridge and one or two essentials. I was glad to get home, but I had to go straight out again because my daughter wanted a lift into town. She looked amazing. We picked her friend up on the way and I dropped them both off at The Goose. By the time I got home again Robbie had a cup of tea waiting for me and I chatted to him about his day for a little while, he'd had a lovely time. 

Later on Robbie wanted to watch a film, it wasn't really my sort of thing so I decided to head up to bed with my laptop to listen to Radio 4 Extra and catch up with my friends on facebook. The cough was impossible, I couldn't stop coughing and I couldn't get my breath, it was a very frightening feeling, I was exhausted but I knew that I had another sleepless night ahead of me. Thank goodness for the internet and friends who stay up late and are happy to chat at 2am. How different from my childhood when my mum considered it very bad manners to make a telephone call after 9pm. 

Adults are obsolete children - Dr. Seuss

It hasn't been much of a weekend. I was kept awake by the wind last night (the outside kind) it rained all night and the wind was very strong. It woke me up and then I couldn't get back to sleep because I was worried about the roof, it felt as if the wind was strong enough to dislodge tiles from the roof. I got increasingly irritated  with myself because I was tired and I really needed to get some sleep. Then this morning I really didn't feel very well, I am cold and shivery and I ache, I really hope it is not a bug, I haven't got time to be ill. 


This morning Robbie was anxious about the state of the railway, it seems it took a bit of a battering last night and fallen trees and such like have caused problems today. I was more anxious about feeling unwell, Robbie brought me a cup of tea to make me feel better. Then he cuddled up next to me and talked about the weather (and trains). He was surprisingly perceptive in noticing that I am sick and tired of 'weather'. It seems to have rained every day since I they declared that we are in a drought area! I have to admit that Robbie managed to cheer me up with his next topic of conversation. Only Robbie could cuddle up in bed on Sunday morning and talk excitedly about his childhood collection of erasers. Apparently his favourite was one in the shape of a cassette tape which fitted into a cassette player shaped case.


We went out briefly this afternoon to see my mum, there were floods on several roads and our lovely park is flooded; we saw the ducks swimming along what should be a footpath. We were glad to get back to the relative sanity of home. I was still feeling out of sorts, so I wasn't that bothered when Robbie asked to watch Get Carter for the second time this weekend. I had my head buried in the computer when Robbie gave a shout of excitement. He said he had seen a Deltic and he insisted on rewinding it so that I could see it too. He sat there on the floor rewinding it and watching it over and over again. It seems he is easily pleased!

Photos From the Rail Tour

50 Years Old and Still Awesome

We had to get up stupidly early on Saturday morning to catch a train to London in order to spend a day with the other female in Robbie's life, Royal Scots Grey. We were going to Edinburgh on a rail tour. It was refreshing to actually find a parking space at the station and miraculously for London Midland our train arrived on time and the journey was relatively uneventful. Euston was busy even at that hour on a Saturday morning, but we had time to choose some magazines and make the obligatory visit to the toilets. For once it was worth 30p in terms of cleanliness and facilities, but why can’t they choose paper dispensers that actually work, there is nothing more frustrating than being able to see that the toilet paper dispenser is full but having to battle to get it!

We arrived at Kings Cross in time to buy a much needed hot chocolate or in Robbie’s case coffee, before boarding the train. Robbie showed me to my seat and immediately abandoned me to go off and take photos of his beloved Royal Scots Grey. The train pulled away but there was still no sign of Robbie and for a few minutes I wondered if I would be making the journey without him. He finally turned up, he had been chatting to various mates on the train.

Tea and coffee was brought to our table, the waiter was absolutely gorgeous, and I realised that the trip may be more interesting than I had anticipated! I have to say that the tea was the worse I have ever tasted in my life, quite an achievement when you consider that Cross Country tea is unimaginably bad! Breakfast came and went, the waiter was considerably more interesting than the food, but Robbie happily tucked into all the food that I didn’t eat – except the porridge, that defied even his appetite! The combination of kippers and black pudding in close proximity almost reduced me to tears, the smell was too much to bear, but once the food had been cleared away I cheered up considerably. My good humour was in part due the two men across the aisle leaving the carriage for an extended period, one had a phone which alerted the whole coach to every incoming text and call and the desire to harm him had become overwhelming.

If breakfast was disappointing, lunch was tragic, even Robbie had to send food back uneaten and that is unheard of! I almost wished that we had got out at York and gone to the NRM or something, but at least I was able to look forward to getting to Edinburgh and finding a decent cup of tea and something to eat. The heating was on but it was incredibly cold for the whole journey, not helped by the catering staff needing to keep the door to the vestibule open most of the time. My feet were like blocks of ice, but Robbie was even colder than me. He kept himself busy looking out of the window collecting train numbers – so sad!! I had a book to keep me occupied and one of the passengers nearby was interesting to talk to. He was sitting next to a harmless but totally potty chap who was so obsessive about his specialist subjects (track bed issues and bogie design) that he made Robbie seem almost normal.

The costal views were nice as we travelled through Scotland, but the early start caught up with me and I found myself nodding off. When we arrived in Edinburgh Robbie (and everyone else) trotted off to the front of the train to take photographs of Royal Scots Grey. I was somewhat disconcerted to find a man playing the bagpipes next to the train, but we were in Scotland so I should be tolerant. When the piper finally finished playing there was loud cheering – I couldn’t help wondering if the people were cheering so enthusiastically because it had stopped! Robbie got his photos and we headed off to Café Nero for a long awaited cup of tea and something to eat. It was nice to meet some of Robbie’s friends and finally put faces to names.

When we headed back to the train I was right next to Royal Scots Grey when it was powered up. I can see why Robbie is so passionate about Deltics, it really is rather awesome! Robbie insists that RSG is a she, and considering ‘she’ is still going strong and looking amazing at 50 maybe he is right. I had high hopes of the evening meal on the return journey. After lunch they had asked us if we wanted soup (tomato and basel) or pate for starters. I don’t like basel and I don’t eat pate, so I had to forego the starter. We were told that the main course was steak and ale pie, this filled me with horror as I am tee total for religious reasons and I do not eat food cooked with alcohol. I was offered chicken as an alternative and I asked if it was just plain chicken and was assured it was. I was able to enjoy a bread roll while everyone ate their starter, then everyone was given a plate and served with very tempting looking steak and ale pie and their vegetables were served at the table. I sat there plate-less watching them eat, eventually a waiter came out and offered me a plate with a piece of chicken doused in some fancy tomato like sauce, I rejected it as I don’t like fancy sauces and strong tastes and I had specifically checked that it was just plain chicken. It was taken away and when everyone else had finished their main course I was presented with a piece of chicken on a plate with the vegetables already on my plate. The chicken was too pink for me to risk eating it so for my main course I had cabbage, I would have gladly eaten more cabbage but I was only given a tiny serving. We waited and waited for our afters, when it eventually came I was disappointed again. It was a brown songey thing smothered in the sickliest sweet caramel sauce with something that alleged it was cream around it. One taste was enough to make me gag, it was far too sweet and the so called cream was disgusting. So for my main meal I had a couple of mouthfuls of cabbage, a bread roll and one biscuit for cheese - thank goodness that I bought emergency supplies at M&S. I was longing for a cup of tea, but we had to wait until we were well past Durham before we finally got a drink.

So what were my highpoints of the day? I met some lovely people, I got to see Royal Scots Grey close up –it really is awesome, I saw the Emirates Stadium, that waiter really was very cute, in fact all the staff were friendly and helpful and they made the journey very enjoyable. There were only two low points, I was so cold and for me the food was a big disappointment, in fact it reduced me to tears! To be fair about the food Robbie enjoyed some of it especially the steak and ale pie. I would certainly go on a rail tour again, but next time I think I would choose the non-dining option. I have enormous respect for the staff, they work very hard to make sure that everyone has an enjoyable time.

A Question of Gender

Robbie phoned me from work today, just to say hello and to tell me about his day. He has something of the Reginald Perrin about him and he always provides me with a detailed account of his journey to work, paying special attention to any delays and the exact time of arrival. Today he told me that he would be having coffee with a friend of his on 28th Feb. I think it was mentioning the date that set him off, he told me that there was a very important birthday on 28th. After a brief moment of panic, I informed him that no one in our family had a birthday on that day. He told me that the most important female in his life would be 50 on that day. I said that he must have a secret woman because none of the women I could think of would be 50 any time soon. I was only mildly surprised when he said that he was talking about his favourite Deltic, Royal Scots Grey! he told me that all engines are female. He may know a lot about trains but he is wrong about that. My favourite engine is male and he was 50 in 2009, his name is Ivor, whoever heard of a girl called Ivor!!

A New Toy

Robbie managed to get it right this year, I was delighted with my present from him (apparently the girls kept him on the right track). He bought me a usb thingy to scan photo negatives on to my computer and I have spent the last couple of evenings revisiting old photos and remembering old times. I now have photographic proof that Robbie is not the only member of the family with an obsession with trains!

I hope this photo doesn't give Robbie any ideas, I couldn't cope with him dressing like a deltic! I am guessing that the photo was taken about 12 years ago but I am not allowed to identify the person in the picture because at 15 he is too cool to admit to being a Thomas fan when he was younger. I think the photo below was taken at Peterborough, but after all this time my memory is a bit dodgy and it could be Pitsford. I do remember a very excited three year old running up to a somewhat rotund member of staff and asking if he was the Fat Controller!

Fairy Steps

Robbie apologised for being a miserable old man yesterday. The reason for his strop was (allegedly) that I had made him late and he would miss his train. Robbie is an unstoppable force and absolutely nothing could make him late if he didn't want to be delayed. Yesterday morning he did everything possible to make himself late, he even stopped to put the recycling out for collection - he never usually does that. Even when he got to the station he wouldn't hurry because he was adamant that he was too late and it was all my fault. It is hard to describe Robbie walking in fairy steps - but I wish I had it on film! Anyway despite his best efforts he caught his train so I didn't make him late after all!

The evening before, Robbie had told me that he'd turned down the chance of 'playing trains' at the weekend because he needed to be at home. Roughly translated that means that he dare not push his luck any further after last week! Of course what Robbie says does not always turn out to be what Robbie does. Yesterday evening he had been reasonably pleasant, he was sitting in his corner glued to his computer when he was overcome with what I can only describe as an excess of pleasure. His moans of excitement were rather disconcerting, but I knew that only one thing could have that sort of effect on Robbie - a train! Not any old train, his favourite deltic, Royal Scots Grey. Apparently it will be at Neville Hill at the weekend and despite not having broached the subject yet, I know that I will have another lonely weekend, because where the Royal Scots Grey goes Robbie is sure to follow. Oh well, if I have to put up with another weekend without him, I'm going to enjoy myself too, maybe I will go somewhere nice.

Coming Second

Robbie is going to dump me again, I know it and he knows that I know, but I am not going to make it easy for him. It all started when he opened his post yesterday evening, I could see him getting twitchy and I knew he had something to say, but Robbie is not to good at getting to the point. The next couple of hours were spent with him edging around the subject and not actually finding the courage to come right out with it. I was busy filling in student finance forms for Laura, not exactly fun at the best of times and it involved me trawling through a load of old income records so I was becoming increasingly frustrated. It wasn't the ideal time for Robbie to try his luck.

First he mentioned that our holiday dates clashed with a diesel gala again and when I didn't respond he told me how much he loved going to Barrow Hill. Then the word Deltic seemed to crop up in every other sentence, and when he still got no response he plodded across the room to show me the leaflet for the diesel gala at Barrow Hill. Once again he told me what bad timing it was because it was the day we go on holiday to Norfolk. When I glanced at the leaflet and told him not to worry because once you have seen one diesel you have seen them all, I thought he would burst. After a few more heavy hints he gave up and fell asleep with his nose on the keyboard of the laptop, but you can be sure that the same subject will crop up again and again. He has set his heart on going to Barrow Hill, so one way or another that will involve me going on holiday without a husband (again!). Maybe I will have to find a replacement for when the real Robbie isn't available!

What Next?

Robbie has been off on his travels to the North again. Now why does that sentence remind me of Noggin the Nog? I absolutely loved Noggin the Nog when I was a child the stories were great but it was the amazing voice of of Oliver Postgate that added the magic. It always started with the words “In the Lands of the North ..............”

Anyway back to Robbie, he had a meeting somewhere far away, so he travelled there on Tuesday evening, stayed over night and got back (eventually) on Wednesday evening. While he was away his lump of Deltic was delivered, it was very heavy I dread to think how much it would cost to post it. Robbie was overjoyed, he kept holding it up to admire it and asking me to look at it. It didn't look very inspiring to me, it was like a very big pastry cutter. I dread to think what Robbie plans to do with it!

Mission Impossible (Shopping with Robbie)

Robbie and I went shopping at Toys R Us on Friday evening. Robbie came straight from work so he was still dressed in his suit, bit as soon as he walked through the door his 'inner child' took over and he was almost bursting with enthusiasm. I wanted to look for Christmas presents for my niece and nephews, Oliver is only 6 months old and Jack likes cars and diggers more than trains so despite Robbie pleading with me there was nobody to buy trains for. It didn't stop him trying, first we went to look at the brio and all the wooden Thomas series engines, he really wanted to buy one. Then we went to look at the die-cast Thomas models, I remember when Sam used to collect those, I think we still have them packed away somewhere. Robbie was rather taken with a carry case in the shape of Thomas that could store a selection of trains inside. I finally enticed him away from that section, but my problems had only just begun because he made a dash for the Hornby section. He described every single item in detail and I thought we would still be there at closing time. Thankfully Emily met us and we finally dragged him away to concentrate on the Christmas shopping. We bought Oliver's present, but we also bought a rather nice wooden train set for when he is old enough – guess whose idea that was!

I hate going to town especially on a Saturday, but Robbie pestered me until I gave in, so we spent this afternoon trailing around the shops in Northampton with Sam. When we finally sat down to have a drink and a snack Robbie told me that a parcel should be delivered on Monday. He had that guilty smile and it was clear he didn't want me to ask any questions. It is my birthday soon so I thought it may be something for me but clearly he had other things on his mind he finally revealed that he has bought a lump of deltic (to add to all his other junk) and I have to alter my whole routine on Monday to wait in for it to be delivered!

Coping Strategies

Recently a number of people have asked how I cope with Robbie, I don't really see it as coping with him, I want to be with him. You could just as well ask him how he copes with me! He is certainly more unique than most, and yes, I admit that he can be downright frustrating, but I think that has something to do with being male. On the whole I am supportive of his interests, after all while he is playing trains or going to gigs he isn't getting into trouble, and he could have chosen far more expensive hobbies. I guess the answer to how I cope with Robbie lies in the blog, when he frustrates me I write about it, it prevents me from beating him to a pulp! He has many good points too, but perhaps I don't write about those things as much - there are limits to what I want to share!

I don't really mind Robbie's railway obsession, we have enough common ground to make it work. I am very interested in history and railway history is fascinating, so there is plenty to keep me interested. I enjoy travelling by train and it is nice to go on journeys together, but most of the time I don't go with Robbie on his days out. I have things to do at home and I would get bored at diesel galas and model rail exhibitions. You have to be certain kind of person to enjoy trundling backwards and forwards over the same stretch of track all day just to travel behind different engines. The one good thing about railway open days is that they make Robbie seem incredibly normal, there are some very odd specimens around. I think it is the sandals and socks that I find most alarming! To be fair most railway people I have met are nice, but however normal they seem they all have that obsessive streak to a greater or lesser extent.

Robbie has mentioned that one or two of his colleagues partners have threatened to write a blog too. I could always offer a spot for a guest blogger!! Robbie showed me the first edition of their staff magazine, it made me rather grateful because Robbie's obsessions are much more normal than some. Imagine having to cope with someone who is so obsessed with bottle openers that his collection has taken over an entire house! At least Robbie can't bring a deltic home!

Robbie's next hospital appointment came through last Friday and typically the date offered was for the week of our holiday. He has managed to change it, but it means that he will have to wait until mid June to get the results of his MRI scan.

Getting Naked 25.02.08

Robbie caused consternation at work this morning when one of his colleagues found discarded clothing on and around his desk. They had conjured up images of an intruder who got into the office at the weekend just to get naked and zoom around on the swivel chairs but the truth was a little more down to earth. Robbie had changed at work on Friday before heading off to Liverpool to see his beloved Royal Scots Grey. He assures me that he changed in private and he didn't do a Homer and stalk through the open plan office in his knickers, he just carelessly abandoned his clothing on someone's desk. That must have been an incredible start to his week for his colleague, turning up to work on a Monday morning to be confronted by Robbie's washing!

On the subject of washing, I have won my battle with the European Washing Mountain and all Sam's belongings have been washed, ironed and put away. The washing machine nearly had a nervous breakdown, but it is finally done - until the next time. Our own little 'Mr Trebus' has wasted no time in cluttering up his bedroom again since he got back from Austria - I found two pots of honey up there today. I heard on the radio that due to longer lasting paint they will finally be able to take a break from painting the Forth Bridge. Unfortunately bringing order to Sam's bedroom looks as if it will be a never ending task for many years to come.

Robbie was late home tonight, and when he finally turned up he couldn't stop talking about the N word - Network Rail! Do you think they have ever been named as the other party in divorce proceedings before - or will ours be the first?!

Royal Scotts Grey 24.02.08

Robbie went to see his Uncle on Friday. It was one of those uncomfortable situations where he needed to visit, but once there he felt lost for words. There isn't very much that you can say to someone who has only just been told that their time is very short, perhaps just being there was enough. I spoke to him afterwards and I think he was quite shaken by seeing his uncle looking so poorly.

On Friday evening he travelled north and stayed overnight somewhere near Liverpool ready to make an early start for the charter trip in the morning. I was woken at 7.13am by a text from Robbie to tell me that Royal Scots Grey was purring nicely - do I care? After plotting my revenge, I curled up under the covers determined to have another half hour in bed before facing the demands of the day. After that he got so caught up in the day's activities that he forgot all about me, but I was busy with my own activities.

On Sunday Robbie began his very slow journey home. Network Rail must have known that Robbie was heading back from the North and they did their best to keep him off the rails, he encountered delays and replacement busses and took almost as long to get back from Liverpool as Sam took to get back from Austria! Hopefully he will have taken some nice photos, I have been so busy with washing that I haven't had a chance to look at the camera yet.

A Busy Weekend 22.02.08

Well, Robbie has gone for the weekend. After work today he is heading off to see his other woman - Royal Scots Grey (an engine!). I don't mind, it makes him happy and at least he doesn't expect me to go with him. He was really looking forward to this weekend, but sadly some family news has overshadowed everything. His Uncle is dying and is not expected to live more than a couple of days, so Robbie is going to see him this afternoon.

The Love of His Life 23.01.08

Robbie is abandoning me for the love of his life - Royal Scots Grey (its a train!). He came home today with this long (and exceeding boring) tale about a special charter and how he would love to go. It was one of those times when I couldn't get a word in, I'm used to it by now, so I just sat there trying to look interested and wondering how he could possibly speak for so long without breathing. He took my silence as disapproval and he spent the rest of the evening trying to subtly turn the conversation back to his beloved train and how wonderful the charter would be. Robbie doesn't do subtle, but it was incredibly funny watching him try, better than TV in fact! He has just told me what a 'special lady she is' and how 'all cranks have a special engine' he couldn't see why I found that so funny. Well, I have spent many hours being shown pictures of that train and I can't see what leads him to think it is female, it is quite obviously male! Anyway, I don't have a problem with him going if he wants to, if he had given me a chance to speak I would have told him that, but it was fun watching him squirm!!

Exciting News 19.12.07

Robbie managed to get home from work on time yesterday, I'm not sure if it was the lure of a roast dinner or perhaps he was just trying to keep me happy because he intends to be late again today. He rang me a couple of times from the train, but the signal is always bad and the phone kept cutting out. He started to say that he had something very exciting to tell me, then the phone went dead and I was left in suspense until he got home. Thankfully I didn't hold my breath, I had too much to do. Robbie finally turned up, chattering excitedly about the lovely buffet at the meeting he attended. I really hope he behaved himself, Robbie has a bit of reputation with buffets - they tend to vanish! He then provided a detailed account of the coffee making facilities which led him on to a comparison of the merits of half cafe and decaffeinated varieties. It hardly matters to me as I gave up coffee in 2003 and now I can't even stand the smell of it.

When I finally got him off the subject of food he remembered his so called 'exciting news'. He saw the Grand Central HST set passing Doncaster (on the UP) at 14.37. It was its first day in passenger use. It was fully formed (except that GC HST sets do not have TGS's) and ALSO both power cars STILL have their Paxman Valenta engines fitted (the roaring noisy ones...). I could hardly contain my excitement!! Robbie saw a 'fully formed' HST and he gets more excited about that he would about a 'fully formed' female. A few months ago I asked him what he would do if he was faced with saving either me or D9000 (his favourite deltic) from a fire; he went very quiet and then looking very serious he announced that he would try to rescue D9000 quickly so that he would have time to rescue me as well. Oh well, I guess there are not many women who could boast that they come second in their husband's affections to a train!!

An Early Night 30.07.07

I thought I did really well yesterday evening. I remained totally calm when Sparky cut through the electric wire again. During the evening Robbie said that we should have an early night and for once he didn't get engrossed in ebay or distracted by deltics and he was ready for bed before me. When I finally emerged from the bathroom I found Robbie sitting on the bed in a 'garden gnome' pose, clutching the TV remote control in one hand and what looked like a railway dvd in the other. Once again I had been conned, but I didn't really mind watching a railway dvd so I settled down to choose which part to watch first. As I read the details it became clear that it wasn't a train dvd it was a transport dvd and I was faced with such delights as Twenty-four hours in the story of the British Railways Channel ferryboats, the 'link spans' directly joining the roads and railways of Britain with those of France and all the Continent. If that didn't float my boat (sorry about the pun) I could go for the mind blowing boredom of the transporting of a distillation column, 137 feet long, 500 miles by road from Greenwich to Grangemouth in Scotland.

Not surprisingly I refused to watch anything and I banned television for the rest of the night. I snuggled down in bed and started to talk to Robbie, but the only response was a snort. He had fallen asleep within seconds of laying down and was 'Z'ing vigorously so I was compelled to pinch him several times to adjust the volume. The next thing I remember was the alarm clock going off this morning It wasn't quite the early night I had in mind but there again life with Robbie is a unique experience!

The Elusive Deltic 24.07.07

Robbie disappeared soon after arriving home yesterday. He popped upstairs to the loo and vanished. He should have been helping me to finish off our evening meal, but there was no sign of him. Considerably later he thundered down the stairs armed with a couple of books. No, don't be silly they were not cookery books. He had chosen that particular moment to start a major search for a specific photo of two deltic's standing in a station. I am so used to him that I didn't even try to explain that the deltic picture is not a top priority when compared to the family meal, it would have been a waste of breath. I did mutter a few dark words later when I went up to the bedroom and found that he had ransacked it during his search for the elusive deltic picture, and if I get my hands on the colleague who set him off on this search I may have one or two meaningful things to say to him! Robbie won't rest until he has found it and neither will I - because I will be clearing up after him!!

Emily is due home from Poland on Tuesday afternoon and I will be so pleased to see her back safe and sound. She says that the tour has gone very well and all the concerts were successful, no doubt we will hear about it in more detail when she returns. I have been more worried about the fate of Ron, Emily's favourite character in Harry Potter. Emily intends to buy a copy of the latest book as soon as she is close enough to home to find an English version of the book. I was terrified that Ron would die in the book and Emily would arrive home in tears. It seems my fears for Ron were unfounded but as there are plenty of deaths in the book (at least 9 and a half) there is a strong possibility that Emily will emerge from the coach in floods of tears - she is a real softie. Come to think of it Hogwarts with soon rival Emmerdale for the most dangerous fictional location, I bet they have big problems getting life insurance!

Why Does He Have To Be Quite So Unique? 16.04.07

Robbie left for work this morning feeling totally worn out, even putting his tie on seemed like too much effort and he postponed that little task until he was on the train and the caffeine in his 2nd coffee of the day had started to kick in. I decided to get my moneys worth out of him at the weekend as he is still threatening to abandon me next Saturday. I kept him really busy and by the end of Sunday he had discovered aching muscles in places that he didn't even know he had! I was also busy all day, and by the evening both front and back gardens looked much more pleasing.

I have had to ban a couple of 'd' words (diesel and deltic) because Robbie is driving me mad talking about the deltic event next weekend and another diesel gala that he hopes to go to. They say that love is blind, well maybe it is, but sadly it is not deaf or dumb! I woke up to him chattering about deltics and he rumbled on all day until I had to beg him to shut up. By this time it was past 1am and we were in bed, but he was still chattering relentlessly about routes, Baker's, train times and Alycidon. I had to plead wit him to let me get some sleep!

On the subject of sleep, I was reasonably indulgent about being woken up at 5am so that Robbie could leave early for work. He is going to Leeds today and I know that he has planned his journey so that he can travel on an HST, but when I was fully awake it crossed my mind to ask why he had to leave so early. Fortunately for him his reply left me speechless - but I will have something to say tonight! He had to leave so early because he wanted to drop his sandwiches off at work first!!! I love him dearly but sometimes I wonder why he has to be quite so unique!