Saturday 30th July 11
Rob and I drive to Surrey for wedding of Army friend in new Brera. Journey not an unqualified success. Engine light comes on after 100 miles and then Turbo cuts out. Have only done 160 miles in car since purchase 4 weeks previously. Limp along with no acceleration. Journey takes 6 hours partly due to slow car but mainly due to gridlock on all roads including M1 and M25. Feel totally enraged and am glad don’t live in South East as believe blood pressure would go through roof. Rob in contrast very calm like Jedi.
Sunday 31st July 11
Return to Yorkshire. Better journey but car still slow. Check on ‘home alone’ cat in Catterick and then to Aldbrough to have lunch and collect Amy and Tom. Ask mother if dogs have behaved. She says yes, apart from Pepper digging hole in back lawn. Inspect hole which is absolutely enormous like shell crater or meteor strike. Feel very bad about this.
While there Pepper races round garden at top speed, biting Hector’s ears as she flies past. Reflect that Pepper supposed to be keeping Hector young but that in fact he has aged visibly in last 3 weeks.
Monday 1st August 11
Get call from Rob at work at 10am to say that when he changed into PT kit prior to addressing several hundred soldiers, he discovered he had Amy’s shorts ( put away in wardrobe by me) and asking if I could take in slightly bigger pair. Oops.
Tuesday 2nd August 11
Amy and I go to York for the day. Aim to use Park and Ride. Follow signs carefully which abruptly end, but no car park. Find selves in city centre. Go straight to Betty’s and buy a fat rascal which we share as we walk along Stonegate. Amy buys gorgeous trousers in Whistles ( in sale) and is impressed when I tell her Kate Middleton shops there. After spending all money and eating M and S picnic next to the Minster we drive home. Pass beauty parlour in outskirts of city. Amy bemused to see sign which reads ‘Brazilian and blow dry’
Wednesday 3rd August 11
Take sick car to garage in Stockton followed by Dad who gives me a lift back to Aldbrough. On return I go for coffee with friend Kate while Dad gives Amy driving lesson around field. Slightly worried that Amy and Dad’s short fuses could prove explosive but conclude best policy is to stay out of the way. Return to find Amy calmly drawing in dining room and Dad looking damp. Apparently driving lesson went extremely well. Amy a natural. She reveals Dad told her she was much better than me, Julia or Mum when we were learning to drive! Everything going well until Dad got behind wheel to drive out of field and got stuck in the mud. Had to walk home in rain and get neighbour to pull car out. Amy keen to have another lesson soon.
In evening we notice cat looking wistfully out of window. Rob suggests taking her for walk round garden. Cat tries to bite Amy as she is strapped into harness and when carried outside and put on lawn, crouches low and refuses to move. Amy pulls gently on lead and cat rolls onto side and plays dead. Think dragging cat round garden would be missing point of exercise so we give up and carry cat back inside. Hope neighbours weren’t watching.
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