Out of office

This is where I've been working for much of the week.

It's the bottom of our garden. This is the first time in the more than seven years we've lived here that I've done such a thing.  That is because it's normally p*ssing down, even in late June.

And get this. We're off camping again tomorrow which long-suffering readers will know is an activity I habitually loathe.  But the sunshine has a strange effect on strange people.  As such, I am actually looking forward to two nights under canvass (excluding short notice, middle-aged dashes to the toilet block in the depth of night).

I suspect that this will not prove to be a permanent reversal of my camping policy position i.e. avoid at all costs.  But I mean, the North is having its first proper summer since weather was invented and I've decided that it's best embraced.  Should the sky turn grey, I will be looking for excuses to return to the cosy familiarity of bricks and mortar.

Last night I flicked between the cricket and the football on the telly.  And throughout my channel-hopping, I felt guilty that I wasn't outside.  I can't recall that ever happening before.

Tonight, England continue their stroll towards inevitable World Cup glory (according to many pundits) and I shall join the rest of the country in cheering them on (probably with the sound down as Glenn Hoddle is commentating.  Why can't they get someone who speaks proper English, maybe a Spaniard or an Argentinian?)  Then I hope to revisit the garden to celebrate.

On our return from camping on Sunday, it'll be time for the annual Guiseley Summer Street Party.  Vanessa is staffing the tombola as she's not very good at making jam.  The we might have another barbecue.  I say "another" as we had one on Tuesday.  We used the same gas tank we bought in 2011 and it's not even a big one.  Total number of barbecues in our garden in the last two years?  Two.  One per summer.

A final observation before the sun stroke finally gets me.  Have you seen the long-range weather forecast?  Other than a few days here and there when a bit of rain is expected, the sun is due to stay with us into September which, last time I looked, was classed as the autumn. The temperature is due to dip a bit but will still be decent.

I hope you're as excited about all of this as I am bemused.  So please enjoy it - especially if you're going camping this weekend and feared you might drown.                  . 

10 of the best

Jamie officially turns 10 years old in a couple of hours' time (I'm delaying accepting the inevitable for as long as I can).

The picture above was taken this morning in Bramhope where he is currently on a two-night Cub camp (thanks to Andy Parsons for sending it to me).

He even appeared to make a speech before cutting his cake. 

He set off last night, looking all grown up.  

Earlier he opened his main present, an electric acoustic guitar complete with amp (for him) and headphones (for the rest of us). 

Our boy is aging well.

That makes me jealous. 

Good Sports

It was Sports Day at St Oswald's PS today and, despite claiming otherwise, Jamie was determined to defend his unbeaten record in the sprint race.

This is what happened.

TFFT.

And Charlotte did well too.

Afterwards its was homemade pizzas in the garden.

And a little drink for Daddy whilst he documented the historic occasion.

A bigger celebration might yet be required.  Followed by a lie down.