Ten days ago, I was sitting at the dining room table with my wife…
We were going through our diaries together, co-ordinating our movements and childcare schedules.
“We’ve got quite a week coming up,” I said. “This Friday we’re going out to dinner together. On Sunday we’re going to see the Foo Fighters. Next Thursday we’re going to the proms and on Friday we’re going out to dinner with Stephen, Lucy, Russell and Kate.”
Clare nodded, appreciatively. “It’s quite a week. Reminds me of that we used to do before we had kids.”
“What, you mean BK? I’m not even sure I can remember what life was like back then.” I answered.
“Well, I’m really looking forward to it,” said Clare with a glint in her eye.
Anyway, we had a hell of a week:
At our meal on Friday we had a delicious food and got a little “tired and emotional” after enjoying a desert wine that we possibly could have gone without. We certainly felt the effects when our adorable kids came and bounced on our heads at 7am on Saturday morning.
The Foo Fighters, Royal Blood and Iggy Pop were fantastic but we got stuck in the mother of all traffic jams leaving the Milton Keynes bowl. Clare commented that it took us longer to leave the car park than the Foo Fighters actually played for. As a result we were very late home and suffered for it the following day.
Our night out at the proms was a delight – we met some lovely people and drank plenty of white wine in a very rarefied atmosphere. But, the Royal Albert Hall is a long way from home and we missed our scheduled train and got home 45 minutes later than we planned.
And our meal out with friends was an affable, sociable night out that wasn’t too boozy but did end after midnight. Again, our darling children were less than accommodating as they joyfully burst into our room at 7am on Saturday morning.
A few hours later that day, Clare and I wearily sat across from one another again, this time in the conservatory.
“That was a great week,” she reflected.
“Yeah – do you realise that we were out together for four of the last eight nights?”
Clare nodded, looking a little proud of herself.
“Right,” I rubbed my hands together. “It’s Saturday night. What are the party animals going to do tonight?”
“Quiet night in and a DVD?” Clare ventured.
“Oh yes please,” I answered wearily and more than a little relieved.
