2026
They say a picture paints a thousand words and this one tells the story of how Jamie is able to get almost everyone together. What it doesn’t show is how much effort time and money she also puts in to make us all happy.
A lamb roast with all the trimmings followed by cakes lovingly baked by Reagan all the rest of us had to do was turn up eat and be merry which was the easy bit.
Are you kidding me I am on Holiday I got two weeks off why now? It came on swiftly on Thursday afternoon and floored me for the rest of the day. A rough night followed and as I described yesterday I am not sure how I managed especially because of how I felt this morning after another rough night.
It was new hob day so I dragged myself out of bed at 8 when the guys rocked up to install it and tried to potter after they left but admitted defeat around lunchtime returning to bed.
Around 3pm I did get up and make an effort running a couple of errands but it all felt like a struggle but once I’d eaten some tea the worst of the symptoms seemed to have subsided and as I lay here listening to Jamie snoring next to me I don’t feel too bad. Hopefully I can get a good night’s sleep and be right for all my family coming over for Easter Sunday dinner tomorrow?
With a rendezvous with Patty and Ian planned we set off for the Silverstone race circuit to visit the Museum which sounded like a great day out add on to that a walk around Oxford and look at the University was a brilliant way to spend the day with our friends.
Unfortunately I went to bed last night FULL of cold and woke this morning not feeling too chipper and as the day wore on things just got worse no matter how hard i fought it.
By the time we had walked around all the exhibits, had a go on the simulator walked over to the actual circuit it self to watch an amateur meeting coming to an end, i was struggling and shouldn’t have driven the 40 minutes to Oxford because I could barely stay awake.
Adrenaline kicked in when we got there and managed Primarni, the Library, Wagamama, Soctopus and the bus ride back to the Park and Ride before crashing. I got into the car and fell asleep only waking when Jamie stopped at a services an hour later.
Glad I dragged myself out because I lo Ed spending time with me family on days like this and its always great to see Patty and Ian obvs!
I had lost motivation for the understairs storage, something I often do unfortunately, but I knew why with this project it was how tough drilling into the old brickwork was. Being off gave me the opportunity to get back to it and work out how to get the wall clad, little did I know that my new SDS drill was the answer OMG it was like a knife through butter, and very quickly I had framed the whole wall and was fixing the wooden cladding in place.
As Jamie was doing her own thing pleasure painting to relax and the weather was nice enough to have the door open it meant I could potter all day washing, mowing the lawn etc and actually finishing that phase of the job.
It went so well I ended the day with another shelf added using some techniques I have learned and tools I own, that made it very easy and enjoyable.
So when Thursday came and with the Talk behind us Lincoln was going on a date with a girl from year 10 and to make sure we supported him Jamie contacted her mum to open dialogue so that they knew we were looking after and supporting Lincoln and reassuring her parents that we will be driving them both to Northwich cinema and will pick them both up afterwards.
I think if the boot was on the other foot we would have appreciated being in contact so that both sets of parents can support their son and daughter alike?
Jamie dropped them off and watched them disappear into the cinema only to find out later that his youth pastor sat 5 rows infront of them both although they didn’t see him it did make Jamie laugh when she pointed out to him that God is always watching lol
He growing up and I hope we have laid good foundations and can continue guiding him in the right direction.
A WhatsApp message I sent to the team after the match tonight:
First of all seriously well played, you all played apart in that win especially under “frustrating” conditions. Its telling that it was best of order for that last frame and I am proud of how you lads smashed em!
Great 3 points against a side that have beaten us twice already so we’ll done!
I also used the WhatsApp group to vent my frustration on how a club desperaalte for funds is being run:
Tonight, I looked around the pool room, halfway through the match, and said to Mike Coe, look how many drinks are being drunk in here! The club has a room full of drinkers spending money and its possible (I have no evidence or data) that the pool room out drank the rest of the club tonight, yet at 10:30 the game was still being played and the shutters were being pulled down….and they are trying to sell me a pint that I have to drink by 11 o’clock because the club will shut and you need to leave….?
I would have LOVED to have a couple more pints and a few games of pool and spend more time wallowing in a great win with the team but I feel my time and money is precious and I would rather come home for a relaxing beer than give the club that “Please buy another beer because we need your money but get it down you because we’re shutting at 11”
It just makes no sense to me?
For a few days, I’d known that Lincoln had a girlfriend, mainly because his mum had mentioned he was nervous about telling me. I wasn’t sure why it felt like such a big deal for him, but I also know that, unlike Jamie (who finds these conversations quite natural), not everyone finds it easy to talk about this kind of thing.
Still, I knew the “girlfriend” conversation would eventually lead to something important: the talk.
So, when Lincoln finally told me he had a girlfriend, I played along and acted surprised. We then sat down with him and had a proper chat. We talked about treating her with respect and being a gentleman, and we made it clear that 14 is too young to be having sex, while also acknowledging we understand what it’s like to be that age.
We were very clear on one point: do not have unprotected sex.
We covered a lot in about ten minutes, making sure he understood how important this stage of his life is, and how decisions made now can have long-term consequences.
Lincoln probably thought it was the worst ten minutes of his life—but we felt it was important to have that conversation before it was too late, and we hope it helps guide him moving forward.
Reagan decided to attend Easter school to brush up her math skills hoping to improve her chances of a five in the subject. Lincoln was off to Winsford with a couple of friends to video a scene for a play they are creating so Jamie and me went for a walk up to Norman’s Wood with Billy
It didn’t sound promising in the night as yhe wind lashed the rain against the window but by the time we ventured out after breakfast it was a pleasant though windy day.
After Jamie came home from the dentist we chilled before starting our evening. Teamwork makes the dream work I went to the supermarket while she cooked a beautiful charred cashew nut stir-fry. Once it was all washed up we left the children to clean the surfaces while we took Billy for a walk to the King’s Lock followed by the Cheese
Cheeky
It was nice to walk up to see me mum on a Sunday morning after Jamie and the kids left for church. Another slow start was not on the cards but me moving the clock in the bedroom forward an hour exacerbated Jamies morning. She went from having two hours before needing to be at church to lead the service to jumping out of bed to get in the shower.
As I walked home again it began to rain which didn’t bother Billy but I got cold and just needed to get home and out of my wet clothes. Once we’d made a roast dinner and washed up we laid down and watched TV… I could get used this lazy lifestyle
I had so many plans and still have but today I had a day off Jamie was away at MIT the kids did their own thing and apart from taking Billy of coarse I went to me shed sharpened a chisel which didn’t go well, very sharp but not square not sure why…
Lost motivation went and laid down couldn’t be arsed watched a couple of shows cooked tea and went bed.