Diary for 2004

15th July 2004 - Simon and Garfunkel concert in Hyde Park

29th Feb 2004

Well 2 months into the new year and things are leaping ahead. The court case is won and the rouge builder has coughed up, so that, at last, is history. Glenda is installed in Kempston Library and is doing fine but she doesn't like getting up early - so no change there! I am still working in Wellingborough and have a trip to the USA planned for March.

The house is getting sorted and Matthew is helping with decorating, although there is a lot to do, and volunteers are always welcome. So if you are bored at weekends we have a cure lined up for you. I am sure we will now be swamped with offers but rest assured, no-one will be turned away - but bring your own sandwich filling - do you think ham grows on trees - of course it does, you've heard of an 'ambush haven't you? - (sorry!)

The tiger moth saga has resulted in the company offering to do the whole thing again free of charge, so I will be going aloft again and terrorising the local duck population. This time they said that they will get the picture right. The last time the instructor would not let me do a victory roll over the airfield. This time I will give him a surprise!

Matthew and Carly have announced the imminent arrival of sprog no. 2. Sprog no. 1 (Maddy) is doing great and there are numerous pictures on this website - after all she is the most photogenic one of us!

Phillip is struggling to survive in St Lucia - yeah right. Although he does have a stream, no torrent, of people visiting him over the next few months - including Glenda and me, Matthew, Carly and Madison also Verity …. So he won't get much peace.

Diary for 2003

July - Dec 2003

This can only be a summary as I have not kept this up as I had intended. I plan to put this right during 2004. It remains to be seen as to whether this happens, so watch this space.

Much has happened. I still have a job - I know it is hard to believe but stranger things have happened. I am writing this in Jan 2004. I can say that Glenda plans to start work at Kempston Library (Nr Bedford) - so that actually happened. Matthew, Carly and Madison are doing great. Phillip took a job with Cable and Wireless ion the Caribbean and so he is now installed in St Lucia. It must be terrible for him but someone has to do it!

In Sept 2003 Verity started a degree course in accountancy at Oxford Brooks University and is doing great. In addition she is working at HMV in Oxford in order to survive.

Major events included my flight in a Tiger Moth which should have culminated in a photograph of me in a "Biggles" outfit. Unfortunately they lost the picture and so all we have a this time is a bit of video that Glenda took by accident.

For those that are aware of the court case where I am suing a builder who cheated us out of a lot of money, we won the case. Subsequently he appealed the judges decision but a few days after the appeal was due to be heard he gave in and paid up (just call me Perry!) - letting him know that we had a barrister lined up to give him a damn good thrashing might have had some effect! Nevertheless the whole thing was a nightmare and we are very relieved it is all over.

The conservatory that he was supposed to have constructed has now been completed by another company and is excellent.

We are optimistic that 2004 will bring better luck than 2003 which has had some low points but we have great plans for getting the house organised and the garden ablaze with colour. Glenda has this all under control with a programme of activities carefully scheduled out. This includes the ubiquitous hanging baskets! Our show in 2003 wasn't bad but I think we underestimated the amount of watering they needed - especially during the very hot spell we had. 2004 will see the competition revived and we will win! … anyway I make the rules and I am the judge .. so we can't lose! .. a lot like Tony Blair!

The band is progressing and we hope to start gigging early 2004 so keep an eye on those charts!

That will have to conclude 2003 … so it's onwards and upwards into 2004!

 

 

May/June 2003

Pictures from a weekend in Paris

Well the year is almost half gone and I have only just sat down to write. Much has happened as many will know but not to dwell on the past as I am sure things will get better. The house is a major focus of attention with the builder doing a runner with a lot of our money. We have taken him to court but the odds of suing a builder and winning are a kin to winning the lottery - they are a particularly slippery lot. This has meant that we are left with a shambles in the back garden although we are now talking to another builder about getting the job restarted so a job that should have been completed by Christmas 2002 might now be done by Christmas 2003.

Glenda has been hard at work in the greenhouse and we are optimistic that at least we will have a good display of flowers this year. Especially in the hanging basket department. Some may recall the fierce competition we had in Ledbury ... well such things can cross borders and we aim to set the standard here in Lavendon ... well in this road anyway. In a moment of weakness I told my next door neighbour of the competition and sure enough he now has hanging baskets. I had to point out however that those bought from a garden centre come in category 2 which has none of the prestige that goes with a category one entrant i.e. the DIY brigade who persevere every year and never give up even if year after year their efforts look like a compost heap in a drought.