Birthday

Thank you all for your best wishes. Cade and Braeden tried to talk to me on the phone but I was driving in the car from Fraserburgh when Lucy called and it was very difficult for any of us to understand each other on such a poor line.

Gary came round after work and gave me a bundle of presents from he and Carole. Amongst his usual boyish humour gifts (silly games etc), there were actually a couple of things I can use - such as a CD. Jo didn't invite me out for tea but went to all the trouble of heating up pizza! (She also bought some cake and bakewell tarts and I was quite happy to stay in and feast on them). Jo also gave me a box of 8 "Rat Pack" CD's - and then told me she thought we would enjoy listening to them! - Gary and I just laughed.

Ross didn't go back to work yesterday - even though I thought he was well enough and he had indicated he would be. Hope he managed along this morning OK.

We got the sound system fitted up again although I'm not sure we've wired it properly yet for the surround sound.

Stan's blacksmith is supposed to be back today.

Jo's out with the teachers tonight so it's fend for yourself time for supper - I'll go to the pub anyway after football and buy the lads a dram for my birthday.

First week back - so far

Just to prove Table Mountain isn't always covered in low cloud, I managed to get the photo above - taken on a perfectly clear day on Saturday from the V & A waterfront. Incidentally, there's a prize for letting Jo know who the Alfred (not Albert) of the Victoria & A is?

Monday was a bit of a blur, having gone straight to the office from the redeye from Heathrow. Of course, there was a mountain of work to be done and even when I got home, our house isn't exactly somewhere to relax in just now - in fact, it's in a bit of a state of chaos, with boxes everywhere - can't wait to get everything back to normal.

We've stalled the return of our painter until the better weather when he can do the outside window frames. We'll pick the colour from the charts so that he can do the inside kitchen window and door frames again - for the 3rd time - having got it wrong twice already!

We've got the big TV back in the room and Jo tried her best to put a few things in place to make it feel more homely but it's going to be difficult until Stan's men finish off the stairs etc.

Ross has now got the same bug that Jo had last week - he was supposed to go to the Stonehaven office on Tuesday but couldn't make it in. I had to phone his boss this morning to let him know he couldn't be in today either.

I haven't been feeling too great either - don't know if it's the after-effects of the trip or whether I'm coming down with something as well. Went to the gym at lunchtime today to see whether a bit of gentle exercise would perk me up a bit - didn't really work, but we'll see.

Planning to go down to Glasgow on Tuesday - Dawn and I will try and take Dad to Erskine House and I'll also try to see the lawyer re Guardianship etc.

Cape Town and home

Well, I'm finally home but my golf clubs aren't - not yet at least. We had a great time although the journey home was a bit fraught, involving an unscheduled night in London.

Sorry I haven't managed to keep the blog going every day - been too busy. We played golf 6 times and also had an overnight at a safari park so it wasn't always possible to keep the admin up to date.

The photo on the left is of me at Aquila Game Reserve - a two hour drive inland from Cape Town.

On Friday, we had a bit of time early in the morning, so Malcolm and I decided to climb up the kopje at the back of our villa. The photo shows me rather nervously standing right at the peak.

Tuesday

It was raining today - not an uncommon feature in Cape Town where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans collide. Table Mountain is often covered in cloud and we're half way up there in Constantia. We went down to Boulder Beach after the golf at Clovelly to see the penguins - see photo of Richard and I.

Cape Town

Been pretty busy so not had much time to post new stuff, but we went to beautiful Houts Bay last night for a meal and today it was golf at Steenberg wine estate.

When we went for our sail on Saturday we all had to buy hats to protect us from the sun - see photo of Syd and I.

Cape Town

Horrible night on the plane -couldn't sleep but had a great day on Saturday despite this. We walked round the Victoria and Alfred waterfront and went on a brief sail. Villa is great and we're looking forward to our first day's golf today.

Cape Town

Tour of our villa as we arrived on Saturday morning.

Cornwall

Luca videos

Update

Apologies to all - been too busy this last week to update my blog. A lot has happened and we've been away and I'm now packed to head off to SA in the morning. Will try to add some video and photos before I go - got some nice ones of Luca when I babysat last Thursday - and, of course lots from last weekend in Cornwall - may just publish photos and video without further comment.

Went to Tunnels last night to see Ian Hunter - new venue for us and that's another old artiste ticked off before he (or I) pops his clogs!

Wednesday

Spoke to Barry and Dawn yesterday - Dad had another fall in the morning and Barry again was called away from work. Dad's OK, but it's becoming an increasing factor. Dawn has raised the possibility of moving to the new Erskine House just up the road and initially he seemed to quite like the idea, but when the Social Work team discussed it with him, he said he just wanted to stay in his own home - dilemma!

I played football last night - but it was only 4 a side and it was on the hard floor of the school - I was absolutely knackered - I really felt my age!

Valentine's Day and I'm babysitting Luca tonight whilst Gary and Carole go to see AFC v Bayern Munich - using my tickets! Gary really knows how to treat a girl! Jo's having her hair done so I'm on my own. Carole's already e-mailed me with a detailed list of instructions for tonight!

Weekend aftermath

I reverted to e-mails to show what I got up to this weekend and you'll have seen most of the photos by now, so I won't add any more at this stage.

They've some across a bit of a snag with our stairs and are going to have to get a blacksmith in to get the stairs approved by the building authorities - he will also weld the joints of the handrail at the same time. Don't yet know when this is going to happen, but I'm going to get our painter at work to come out and do the insides anyway. We had a bit of a discussion last night and Jo thinks we should just paint the bare wood on the new doors - just as we did with the new front window when it went in a couple of years ago. We may get the kitchen and some other rooms done at the same time.

After a little nagging, Ross finally delivered (by hand) his acceptance of the job offer - talk about laid-back!

Great weather here this week - frosty starts, but beautifully sunny days - I should be golfing! Still, Cape Town beckons next week.

Weekend of football

Back at work today after a weekend down south watching Premiership football - Sunderland v Wigan on Saturday then the Manchester derby on Sunday - very enjoyable, but tiring - a lot of travel - and there's a lot more to come - this was the first of four consecutive weekends away from home for me - Cornwall next then Cape Town!



This is Dave and I in the Jolly Sailor in Whitburn, just outside Sunderland. It's a pub that used to be owned by Dave's great-grandfather, so it was a bit of a nostalgic trip for him.

More to follow.

Stair progress

The house is a shambles - nothing is in the right place and every room is a mess and feels like a temporary home - maybe just as well I'm going to Manchester this weekend!

Anyway, here's a quick photo taken from the back door (ground floor) with my Blackberry.