Autumn Leaves

The son flew out to Bordeaux a month ago now to start his 4 months stint at the Uni there. His journey started on the Sunday at 8:30pm when we dropped him off at Central Station. He arrived at Kings Cross at Midnight and then made his way across town to London Bridge where he caught a train to Gatwick. He got there at 2am. His flight was at 7:45 am. He arrived in Bordeaux about 10.15 (their time) and got to his hotel by midday. Hassle and he said he was knackered but this was the cheapest way of getting there apparently.


He found somewhere to stay after 10 days looking (staying in cheap hotels) and seems quite cheerful when we have spoken and Skyped. We are off to see him in late in October for a couple of days.

For a week or so, what with the daughter being in Malta it was just me and the wife. Although of course the dog was there. The house was quiet and it felt like something (or someone) was missing but we couldn’t quite put our finger on it. I suppose it is the start of a new way of life and learning to think about ourselves first again rather than putting the children at the centre of our lives. After twenty years that feels weird. There is just more time available. Now the biggest question is what to do with that time.

Of course my daughter came back and started college so life went back to a sort of how it has been since the son went off to London two years ago. She is staying at home at least for the first year so it’s like she is still at school in a way. We are feeling our way to a new relationship with her as an adult and that is sometimes not easy. One thing about life though and that is  it is always changing.

The weather has been amazing this week with temperatures in the high 20s C. better than most of our Summer. Its strange to walk in the heat of the sun and see the pavements and Moor covered in the Autumn debris from the trees.

Music wise got a new 16 GB mp3 player so playing lots of stuff on shuffle. Brett Anderson’s new album has caught my attention- heavy promo on 6Music has seen to that -and I may buy it. I haven’t downloaded my 30 tracks from EMusic this month which is unusual but I still have a couple of weeks to go. I’m not enthused by anything but I did hear this band Tribes on Sean Keaveney’s show this morning and it made me prick up my ears. A great guitar sound -yes not highly original but young and passionate.


REM have split up. Not my favourite band, but a band responsible for two great concert experiences at T in the Park and Ballado a few years back. Live they were excellent even if on records they were sometimes lacking in inspiration.

A Great Great North Run

Here I am sat at the PC feeling pretty chuffed with myself. Not only did I make it round in under 2:20 , I smashed my prediction of 2.17 and in fact completed the run in 2:12:45
I felt good, the temperature was good (not too hot, not to cold- just the right amount of rain to cool things down).The band playing on the first roundabout over the Tyne Bridge before the Felling bypass played The Blaydon Races as I approached followed by Keep Your Feet Still Geordie Hinny as I departed down towards Gateshead Stadium. What more could you want? And I was home in about an hour of finishing. To add icing to the cake we came back via the Tyne Tunnel. I have never been through the Tyne Tunnel and I was quite excited by this unexpected route home. 

All in all today was a good day.

Yesterday was good too. We Skyped with our son in Bordeaux. Our first experience of Skypeing. (if there is such  a word)

Great North Run 2011

Another year and , come this Sunday , another Great North Run. What with all my extra Marathon training I am expecting an improvement on last years time- which was itself an improvement on 2009's time.

I'll stick my neck out and say I will do it in 2:17. I am actually hoping for faster but feel like I have a cold coming and I had to stop and walk on a run home from work earlier in the week as I felt so crap. In any case way I will enjoy the race and the build up - actually I hate the build up but you know you're not allowed to say that really.

This year of course this isn't the culmination of my training.That is still 3 weeks away in the cold and damp of Kielder when I take on the Marathon for only the second time. That is a challenge I am going to enjoy even if it almost kills me. I have lost a few extra pounds this year with all the additional training so I am the lightest I have been for a long time. This should see me in good stead for this Sunday's run and the Marathon.

Onto other news ,daughter is back from Malta- with a tattoo!!!! Can't really say much as the wife has one. Sailor Boy eventually turned up so she came back very happy.
Son is in France in Bordeaux starting his year abroad. He has just sorted himself out some accommodation after 10 days in a hotel. The wife is still on the Dukan diet and has now lost 10 pounds.

The dog is still, well, the dog.

In The Navy

My daughter flew to Malta to meet her on/off sailor boyfriend. Everything is sorted at 4pm on Monday (when she flew) but by 7:30 pm when she landed in Malta all leave had been cancelled and he wasn’t coming. Cue much tears on the (expensive) phone call home. From talking to people who have been in or who have had relationships with people in the armed forces, this sort of thing happens all the time.


She has decided to stay for the week regardless with the other WAGS if only because the earliest flight she could get back to Newcastle was the one she had booked anyway and flights to other destinations were full. So a couple of hundred quid (for spends)from us later and she is settled and lessons learned about future booking of meet ups with the lad in question i.e. don’t until he is actually docked and running down the gangplank in full On The Town style.