04-Mar to 10-Mar 2012

Sun 04-Mar: Beth and Chris popped around late afternoon for a visit. Paige a bit quiet, got a bug or something. Connor had bought a large and expensive looking book all about the bids to build the replacement for the twin towers at Ground Zero, including plans and lots of pictures of the many different designs... for £1 in Poundland. After he'd given a critique on every single design off he went to build his offer. Here's the result.

Mon 05-Mar: Great news today... after being unemployed for three years David's got a job at last. Was really funny when I went to pick up Linda from Becky's and told them. They both instantaneously started jumping up and down clapping their hands. Even their claps were in time. You couldn't tell they were mother and daughter, could you!

Tue 06-Mar: I know it's sad, but I seek every advantage available to have a better chance of beating son David at squash... warm up beforehand to get a head start, use a bouncier ball which he doesn't like etc etc. A real chance arose this afternoon when he broke a string during the warm up and had to use one of the sports centre's cheap racquets. Here's what the competition looked like... my expensive and beloved Prince carbon fibre racquet (top) against his steel cheepo model. Bit like an AK47 versus a pop gun. Still lost 1-3!!!

Wed 07-Mar: Squash with the grandsons getting a bit stale in past weeks, so took them to the allotment for some den building this afternoon. But first had to find a substitute for the sports centre vending machine. We popped round the local newsagents where, because of the massive selection and cheaper prices, there was an agony of choice for the pair of sausages. Then the usual challenge from Connor when I was handed the change from the extra money I had to add to his contribution to make up the total cost... he somehow always thinks the change should be his. Here's the pair heading back from the allotment just as Sammy spotted I was snapping them.

Thu 08-Mar: Do you think I've planted enough onions for this year? Hmmmm... they are one of the family favourites but maybe about 200 is pushing it a bit! Spent a satisfying hour in weak sunshine weeding amongst the rows, still got a bit to do. Find getting down on my hands and knees to weed so satisfying... it's the getting up afterwards that's a bit of a challenge ~;o)

Fri 09-Mar: Fleetingly mentioned to Izzy on Wednesday that I might take her and Paige out to the playground this afternoon and buy some chocolate on the way. This morning a text from Becky... Izzy had been counting the days and broke the news to her mum that I was taking her out today. So off we went via the newsagents. 'You can have anything you want' said I... Izzy picked the biggest bag of chocolate buttons in the shop. Paige had to be encouraged to have more than a 30p pack of bubble gum. Then we chased around the playground throwing sponge balls at each other for an hour. Here's my pair of switched on granddaughers scheming their next move against me.

Sat 10-Mar: Was 15:00 by the time we returned from the allotment and had a bite to eat, were Connor and Chris still fishing so I could pop along and see them? No answer on the mobile. Maybe Jazz could come out for a walk? No answer on the mobile. Linda suggested nobody wanted me, but as I settled down for a snooze the mobile buzzed... Jazz wanted me! Off I went to walk him. Within a few yards he'd flopped over on his back a couple of times to have his tummy tickled, a sign he's really pleased to see me... it'd been well over a week since the last walk. Unfortunately he's on his back in this image begging forgiveness. He'd just done his usual canine equivalent of Jekyll and Hyde when another dog was near and I'd given him the usual telling off. A little later I almost had to drag him across the busy Marley Road since he doesn't like the sound of traffic. And on the way back I noticed a slight drag on the lead when he was unusually behind me... yes, we were approaching the road again and I'd been dragging him on his back for a few yards. Otherwise he dragged me all the way there and back on the five mile walk to Woodhurst. Where does he get his energy from?